Current News

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health reported last week that the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations remains low, at about 5 after a spike in January. Wastewater testing indicates that virus levels edged up in recent weeks but have fallen steeply after a surge also in January. The Vermont pandemic death total stands at 1,288 as of April 17, 2025, with 2 reported death from the previous week (the most recent data available from the CDC). The VDH is no longer reporting COVID fatalities and cases in Vermont. There were 2 outbreaks last week (2 the week before), with 2 in Long-Term Care Facilities and none in schools. 

Vermont Business Magazine As Vermont honors Earth Day and 55 years of celebrating our natural environment, the Vermont Outdoor Business Alliance (VOBA) is releasing their recent Federal Impacts on Vermont Outdoor Businesses Report - a compilation of the current and anticipated effects from sweeping changes at the federal level on Vermont’s outdoor businesses. Vermont’s $2.1 billion outdoor economy is a highly diversified sector that includes manufacturers, retailers, resorts, trail networks, trail builders, lodges, photographers, and guide services. It includes companies and destinations that attract visitors to recreate and stay in our Green Mountains, and benefits the health and resilience of our State.

Vermont Business Magazine Armed agents from U.S. Customs and Border Protection entered a Vermont dairy farm Monday afternoon and detained eight farmworkers. The arrests in Franklin County constituted the largest single immigration enforcement actions against farmworkers – and one of the largest worksite enforcement actions – in recent Vermont history. They worked at the Pleasant Valley Farms in Berkshire. Governor Scott said Wednesday that he did not blame the Border Patrol officers and acknowledged that heightened tensions on immigration may have led to the incident. He added that if immigrant workers are living here peacefully, they should be allowed to stay.

Vermont Business Magazine This Earth Day, statewide elected leaders and members of Vermont’s environmental community gathered at the Vermont State House to highlight actions they’re taking to protect Vermonters from the Trump Administration’s intentional and systematic dismantling of environmental protections, human rights, and democratic institutions. “As Attorney General, I represent Vermont in lawsuits and other actions in court, including in environmental lawsuits. I have brought the Trump Administration to court when it has violated the Constitution and federal law — so far nine times — and have joined 19 amicus or friends of the court briefs,” said Attorney General Charity Clark. “I am proud to stand up for Vermont, our sovereign rights, our values, our environment, and our democracy in this moment.”

Vermont Business Magazine Last night, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) joined U.S. Representative Paul Tonko (D-NY-20) in hosting a rally to fight back against Congressional Republicans’ proposed cuts to Medicaid. Held in Plattsburgh, Sen. Welch and Rep. Tonko spoke to a crowd of more than 175 New Yorkers and Vermonters about the importance of protecting this essential health coverage program. They also called out Republicans’ attempts to kick seniors, children, and people with disabilities off Medicaid to pay for a tax cut for those who don’t pay their fair share.

Green Mountain Care Board Board Members and meeting presenters will participate virtually. The public can also join the meeting by using the meeting link or the call-in phone number listed below. Members of the public who cannot access the meeting remotely can view the meeting at 112 State Street, 5th floor, Montpelier, Vermont.  Please call (802) 828-2177 or email us at [email protected] for additional location details. 

Vermont Business Magazine Today, the Vermont House unanimously approved Senate Bill 27, a proposal to eliminate up to $100 million in medical debt for low- and moderate-income Vermonters and remove medical debt from credit scores. The bill earned unanimous support from the Senate and now heads to the Governor’s desk for signature. Treasurer Pieciak and Legislative leaders announced the proposal at a January press conference, highlighting medical debt relief as an important step toward protecting the health and financial security of Vermonters. The bill requires no additional taxes or fees. 

Vermont Business Magazine Bromley Mountain’s 22nd annual “Mom’s Day Off” event raised more than $11,000 on February 28, benefiting breast care services at the Dartmouth Cancer Center at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC). Bromley President and General Manager, Josh Witkin recently presented a check to SVMC’s President and CEO Thomas A. Dee, at the Peru, VT ski resort.

VermontBiz U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today discussed his new bipartisan, bicameral legislation to expand coverage of telehealth services through Medicaid, the Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act, while visiting the Thayer House in Burlington. Senator Welch was joined at the Thayer House by a clinician from Cathedral Square’s Support and Services at Home (SASH) program, Vermont patients, and health care providers.  

“The COVID-19 pandemic proved that telehealth not only works, but is essential,” Senator Welch said about the CONNECT for Health Act. “Rural and underserved areas in Vermont, and across the country, need modern solutions to help get folks connected to care, and increasing telehealth services must be part of the answer. This bipartisan bill takes commonsense steps to bridge that gap and make sure that our policies adapt to the capabilities of our technology.”  

VermontBiz Sophomore Emily Hill of Harwood Union High School is eagerly looking forward to a summer full of opportunities: swim team, sports camps and travel, summer jobs as a lifeguard and scooping ice cream.

Right now, though, Hill’s schedule every Thursday looks different than most other high schoolers. She’s one of more than a dozen local students who have recently started volunteering at University of Vermont Health Network – Central Vermont Medical Center. The influx of young enthusiasm and interest is already making a noticeable impact both at the hospital and at Woodridge Nursing and Rehabilitation.

Hill, who volunteers at Woodridge every Thursday after school, said she was inspired to get involved after seeing how health care workers helped a close friend recover from a severe accident.

Vermont Agency of Agriculture Food & Markets This new grant from the Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center (NE-DBIC) addresses the significant need to expand dairy workforce development programming in the Northeast. Funds will support the development, expansion, and operations of existing workforce programs that are ready to expand services to benefit existing and potential employees of dairy farms and dairy processors. Programs supported may be federally registered apprenticeships, state registered apprenticeships, pre-apprenticeships, internships, or other training programs. Projects funded through this grant will focus primarily on expansion and enhancement of program operations, program services, and participant support. Awards will range from $20,000 to $100,000 with a 25% in-kind and/or cash match contribution. Approximately $800,000 in total funds are available. 

by Devon Green, VP of Government Relations, VAHHS Health Care Reform: The House Health Care Committee has advanced all the bills that came over from the Senate and is devoting the rest of the session to S.126, the health care reform bill. The committee is going through the broad ideas of each section of the bill with the promise to return to get into the details. This week, the committee focused on reference based pricing with testimony from Alena Berube, MS, PhD candidate at the Dartmouth Institute and Director of Health Systems Policy at the Green Mountain Care Board and Dr. Christopher Whaley from Brown University School of Public Health.