Current News

Vermont Business Magazine People living with cystic fibrosis can now take a once-daily drug that will help them breathe easier all day long, thanks to a study by pulmonary science researchers at the University of Vermont (UVM) Larner College of Medicine and their colleagues at 200 sites in more than 20 countries. A clinical trial at UVM supports the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s approval of new medication that will make self-care for people living with cystic fibrosis (CF) easier and more effective than other medications. Vanzacaftor / tezacaftor / deutivacaftor, produced by Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated under the brand name Alyftrek, is the first CF drug that requires only once-daily dosing instead of the twice-daily dosing required by other CF drugs. It also has fewer side effects.

Vermont Business Magazine On April 22, 2025, nonprofit leaders from across Vermont convened in Montpelier for Nonprofit Legislative Day to engage with policymakers and their peers around key issues impacting their organizations and our communities. In the morning, nonprofits networked over coffee and testified in Economic Development committees about their vital work. Later, a panel discussion on navigating the impact of federal actions featured Senator Kesha Ram Hinsdale, Jill Martin Diaz of Vermont Asylum Assistance Project, and Daniel Barlow of the People’s Health and Wellness Clinic.  

by Devon Green, VP of Government Relations, VAHHS The budget wrapping up is usually a signal of the end of the session, but we’re going longer this year due to work on education reform, so expect to see a lot happening in the health care reform space as well. See below for the latest. Budget: The Senate is moving the budget along with the Appropriations Committee and Finance Committee advancing H.493. The bill includes items that were previously in the failed Budget Adjustment Act, including $11 million in reconciliation payments for the Brattleboro Retreat, $10 million for health care stabilization grants, and $4 million for the Medicaid global hospital payment program to cover tail end claims and bring in additional hospitals.

Vermont Business Magazine As Vermont’s Early Childhood State Advisory Council named in the Federal Head Start Act, Building Bright Futures (BBF) is deeply concerned about reports that the upcoming federal budget proposal may eliminate Head Start and Early Head Start. These programs are essential to meeting the basic needs of Vermont families. In 2024, Head Start and Early Head Start served 1,249 at-risk children in Vermont, supported by $27.7 million in federal funding. These programs provide early education and much more. They ensure that children receive comprehensive health screenings, nutrition, family support and access to developmental services—critical supports that help lay the foundation for lifelong well-being and academic success.

Vermont Business Magazine Over the past fourteen years, the non-profit loan program the Vermont Farm Fund has made over $4 million dollars in loans to Vermont farmers and food producers to help build the local agricultural economy. Originally established by Pete’s Greens and the Center for an Agricultural Economy (CAE) in 2011, the Vermont Farm Fund has operated as a program of CAE since its very first loans following Tropical Storm Irene. Today the Fund still provides zero-interest emergency loans to farmers recovering from natural disasters, as well as low-interest loans to help new or established farms grow and expand. 

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today announced he has appointed Brandon Thrailkill of Lyndonville as Caledonia County Sheriff following the passing of former Sheriff James Hemond earlier this spring. “Brandon has a proven track record of public service in Caledonia County both as a law enforcement officer and as an active member in his community,” said Governor Phil Scott. “As a lifelong resident of Caledonia County, I believe Brandon will serve Vermonters well in this role.”

Vermont Business Magazine The Attorney General’s Office today announced that Andrew Sollace, 43, of Montpelier, Vermont, was sentenced in Vermont Superior Court, Washington Criminal Division, after pleading guilty to two felony counts of Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Materials and to violating his deferred sentence on a previous Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material case. Mr. Sollace will be required to register as a sex offender until 10 years after the completion of his sentence. 

Vermont Business Magazine As the United States Congress advances a budget reconciliation bill that would drastically cut funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid, advocates from Vermont Foodbank, Hunger Free Vermont, Vermont Retail and Grocers Association and Vermont Farmers Market Association have joined together to raise the alarm. The organizations and community members will urge lawmakers to stand firm against proposals that would jeopardize food access for low-income families, and a key source of revenue for farms and food retailers, on April 30, observed as "SNAP Day of Action." Proposed cuts at the federal level could mean shifting major costs to states in an unprecedented change to the program’s structure. Cost shifts of even 10% could require Vermont to cover $140 million between 2026 and 2034, a significant blow to an already-strained state budget. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Labor (VDOL) is excited to announce two new opportunities for organizations to partner with the Department to support workforce development efforts across the state. The applications for the EmployVT: Youth Career Connector and the Workforce Expansion Program are now open and designed to engage Vermont youth and expand employment pathways for jobseekers. These programs reflect the Department’s ongoing commitment to connecting job seekers and career advancers to promising jobs that exist with Vermont employers.  

Vermont State Police The victim in this incident is identified as Franklin Driscoll, 45, of Barre. The Washington County State’s Attorney’s Office has filed 10 charges against suspect Donna Robinson, 43, of Washington

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), alongside Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) and Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), will hold a press conference tomorrow with nurses, health care providers, and workers from around the nation to introduce the Medicare for All Act. In America today, despite spending twice as much per person on health care as other wealthy nations, more than 85 million Americans are uninsured or under-insured, one out of every four Americans cannot afford their prescription drugs, over half a million people go bankrupt due to medically-related debt, and more than 60,000 die because they cannot afford to go to a doctor.

Vermont Business Magazine WheelPad L3C, a Wilmington-based company, designs and builds modular, accessible living spaces for people with mobility challenges—including veterans, individuals recovering from injuries, and older adults who wish to age in place. As the company prepared for growth and increased demand, it became clear that expanding its physical space would require the right partners and resources. WheelPad has helped countless people modify their homes to better suit their needs—so when it came time to expand their own “home,” Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation (BDCC) pitched in to help make that possible.