Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Late Monday night, the Vermont House joined the Senate and voted to adopt the Committee of Conference report on H.454, advancing a major legislative package to begin transforming Vermont’s education system and deliver long-term property tax relief to Vermonters. While both bodies ultimately passed the measure by comfortable margins (less so on the Senate side with some party switching 17-12 with one absent), the debate was contentious, with some Democrats and Progressives objecting, particularly over the funding for independent schools.

Vermont Business Magazine Local emergency response and law enforcement agencies will participate in an emergency preparedness drill at University of Vermont Health Network – Porter Medical Center’s Primary Care – Vergennes office next week. The drill will run from Noon to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, June 18, at the practice’s 10 North Street offices in Vergennes, as well as in the facility’s parking lot and drive-up area. The office will be closed during this time. The drill will not impact vehicle or pedestrian traffic in the area, hospital officials said. Emergency preparedness leaders at Porter Medical Center said the primary goal of the exercise, which will simulate a realistic emergency scenario, is to test the hospital’s emergency response plans, communication protocols and interagency coordination in response to potential emergency situations. 

Vermont Business Magazine Congress is considering massive cuts to Medicaid that could devastate healthcare providers. Hospitals in Vermont would see a $1.5 billion reduction in spending over the next decade under the budget reconciliation proposal passed by the House of Representatives that the Senate is now considering, according to a new analysis from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Urban Institute.  At the same time, Vermont hospitals will be hit with a $200 million increase in uncompensated care—or care that they are required to provide to people without insurance but that they are not paid for. When you combine the projected spending cuts with the increase in uncompensated care, Vermont hospitals could see a $1.7 billion financial hit from this bill over the next decade.  Overall, the budget reconciliation bill would reduce healthcare spending in the United States by $797 billion over the next decade, with more than one-third (36%) of the cuts occurring in California, Florida, Texas, and New York, the new analysis shows.

Vermont Business Magazine Shelburne resident Gisele Kloeckner recently created and donated sixteen handmade quilts to the residents of Howard Center’s Lakeview House in Shelburne. Kloeckner was inspired when she learned about Howard Center’s construction of the new residential home late in 2023. Opened in 2024 and built to accommodate 16 adults living with mental health concerns, Lakeview House includes a private bedroom for each resident along with amenities like a library space, exercise room, and common dining room.

Vermont Business Magazine United Way of Northwest Vermont has announced $647,000 in subgrants to 17 organizations to support substance misuse prevention efforts in the Burlington, St. Albans, and Barre Health Districts. The funding comes from the State of Vermont, Department of Health Division of Substance Use Programs (DSU), and is part of the state’s relatively new framework for regional funding to advance a statewide system of substance misuse prevention. United Way is one of four Lead Prevention Organizations selected by DSU to lead regional strategies for substance misuse prevention and subgrant funds to community prevention partners. Funding applications were reviewed by a Funding Committee made up of local professionals representing diverse sectors including health care, designated mental health and substance misuse agencies, and regional planning commissions.  

Vermont Business Magazine New England Donor Services (NEDS), the federally designated Organ Procurement Organization responsible for the recovery of organs and tissues for transplant in the New England region, has announced the inaugural class of the Galen V. Henderson, MD Stimulate Equity, Education, and Diversity (SEED) Program. The program, running between June 2 and July 24, is an 8-week immersive experience developed for medical students of diverse backgrounds to learn more about and to improve fairness in organ donation and transplantation in healthcare. The program enables participants to gain a better understanding of the full scope of inequities in transplantation while learning about potential career paths in organ donation and transplantation.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today delivered his annual adjournment address to lawmakers. It’s only been about five months since we were all sworn in. In some ways, especially after today, it feels like a long session. But in other ways, it’s gone by quickly. I want to start by telling you how much I appreciate the time and effort you’ve made this session, and the effort the majority has made to hear my point of view and the view of the minority. This is especially true on difficult issues. In January I asked that we focus on four areas: public safety, affordability, housing and education because I believe those are the areas impacting Vermonters the most. And within these areas, we’ve made some meaningful progress. 

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) today released the following statement amid Israel's illegal, unilateral attacks on Iran: Netanyahu started this war with a surprise unilateral attack against Iran, which has already killed hundreds of people and wounded many more. This attack was specifically designed to sabotage American diplomatic efforts: Israel assassinated the man overseeing Iran’s nuclear negotiating team, despite the fact that further talks with the United States were scheduled for Sunday. Whatever you think of the corrupt and authoritarian Iranian regime, this attack clearly violates international law and the United Nations Charter.

Vermont Business Magazine M&T Realty Capital Corporation is proud to announce approximately $5 million Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) equity investment in the Chelsea Williamstown Apartments, a transformative affordable housing redevelopment project in rural Vermont. The Chelsea Williamstown Apartments project involves the rehabilitation and adaptive reuse of two non-contiguous properties in Orange County, Vermont, totaling 61 rent-restricted units. Many of these units are adapted for senior residents, addressing the needs of Vermont’s aging population. 

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General Charity Clark today announced all 55 attorneys general, representing all eligible states and U.S. territories, have agreed to sign on to a $7.4 billion settlement with Purdue Pharma and its owners, the Sackler family. This settlement was reached after the previous settlement was rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court. It resolves litigation against Purdue and the Sacklers for their role in creating and worsening the opioid crisis across the country. Now that the state sign-on period has concluded, local governments across the country will be asked to join the settlement contingent on bankruptcy court proceedings. As reported previously, Purdue and the Sacklers agreed to this settlement in January 2025 with a bipartisan coalition of states, including Vermont.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Transportation is preparing to modernize its Aviation Program by reviewing and revising policies, minimum standards for airport use, and operational procedures at state-owned airports with paved runways. The initial phase of policy modernization is expected to take approximately a year. Stakeholder engagement is essential to this initiative and will be possible through surveys, on-site meetings, and other forms of public feedback.

Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont are $3.04 per gallon, up 1.6 cents per gallon from last week's $3.02/g. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $2.59/g while the highest was $3.29/g, a difference of 70.0 cents per gallon. The national average price of gasoline has risen 1.1 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.08/g today. "With Israel and Iran trading attacks, oil prices have surged to multi-month highs—setting the stage for additional price hikes at gas pumps across the country."