Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Every year, over 200,000 families across the United States face the challenge of having their children hospitalized for long-term stays. ​ In these situations, caregivers often need flexible work arrangements to provide the support their child requires. ​The Unbuckled Foundation, founded in 2023 by Becca and Blain Newton after Becca’s employer terminated her following their three-year-old son's leukemia diagnosis, empowers caregivers of children with long-term illnesses by connecting them with essential legal resources. ​ These services, now being piloted at the University of Vermont Children’s Hospital, reach families who need support while managing their children’s health.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, convened Vermont and Canadian business leaders for a roundtable in Newport, Vermont —near the U.S.-Canada border—to discuss President Trump’s Trade War and how the Trump Administration’s reckless tariffs are hurting workers, families, and farmers.

Vermont Business Magazine Today the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Vermont District Office is celebrating the Vermont Small Business Persons of the Year and 8 additional honorees as it prepares for National Small Business Week, which will take place May 4-10, 2025. The SBA will recognize Christopher Swasey and Natalie Beckwith of Lewis Creek Builders for their impact and economic contributions in Vermont. Lewis Creek Builders is a full-service residential design-build company in Williston. Since purchasing the business in 2017, Chris and Natalie have grown their team from six to thirty-six and significantly increased profitability, reporting 5-year growth of 217%.  

Vermont Business Magazine The New England Ski Museum has announced the recipient of this year's Spirit of Skiing Award: Ralph DesLauriers and the DesLauriers Family of Bolton Valley, Vermont. The public is invited to an après-ski celebration on Saturday, April 5 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Timberline Lodge in Bolton Valley where delicious hors d-oeuvres will be served. Each year, the New England Ski Museum honors an individual who truly embodies the memorable adage of Otto Schniebs, the 1930s Dartmouth ski coach: "Skiing is not just a sport — it is a way of life." Winners of the Spirit of Skiing Award in the past have included Tom Corcoran, Stein Eriksen, Herbert Schneider, SE Group, Penny Pitou, and Georg Capaul.

Vermont Business Magazine The Attorney General’s Office announced that Robert Lavallee, 31, of Bristol, Vermont, was sentenced Monday in Vermont Superior Court, Addison Criminal Division, after pleading guilty to one felony count of Luring a Child. The Court, Judge Robert Katims presiding, sentenced Mr. Lavallee by agreement of the parties to 18 months to five years in prison, all suspended under a 10-year term of probation with conditions that mandate completion of sex offender programming, limit his contact with children, and restrict his access to the Internet. If Mr. Lavallee violates the terms of his probation, he may face up to five years in jail. Mr. Lavallee is also required to register as a sex offender until 10 years have elapsed since completion of his sentence.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports, a nationally recognized nonprofit dedicated to providing sports and recreation for individuals with disabilities, has announced $500,000 matching gift from an anonymous donor in support of its Vermont Adaptive Forever endowment fund. Additionally, every member of Vermont Adaptive’s board of directors has made a financial commitment to the endowment, collectively contributing approximately $30,000 toward the fund’s $3 million goal.

Vermont Business Magazine In response to the near shutdown of the federal government late last week, Hunger Free Vermont, Vermont Foodbank and Vermont Legal Aid have released the following statement: Everyone in Vermont deserves a fair shot at success, and that starts with access to nutritious food. Programs like 3SquaresVT (known nationally as SNAP), school meals and community food shelves ensure that kids can learn, parents can work and families can thrive—no matter their income. The United States Congress narrowly avoided a government shutdown on Friday by passing a long-term Continuing Resolution. Though a Continuing Resolution keeps the government open, the process of bringing the federal government to the brink of a harmful shutdown over partisan politics is no way to govern. This process creates confusion and anxiety for millions of families who rely on food programs.  

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Mental Health (DMH) has selected the Center for Health and Learning (CHL) and the Vermont Program for Quality in Health Care (VPQHC) to lead Vermont’s first Center of Excellence for Suicide Prevention. The Center of Excellence is part of the state’s Strategic Plan for Suicide Prevention. Its purpose is to bring healthcare providers and community partners together to create consistency, develop best practices, and provide support and guidance in suicide prevention.  CHL and VPQHC were selected to lead the Center of Excellence based on their expertise in suicide prevention. Each organization will focus on a specific area of this work: VPQHC will lead suicide prevention efforts in healthcare settings using the Zero Suicide framework. This includes providing tools like safety planning and resources for managing suicidality, as well as promoting the safe storage of firearms and medications. 

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health reported last week that the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations are down. Hospitalizations fell to just under 5 after a spike in January. Likewise wastewater testing indicates that virus levels fell steeply also after a spike, especially in Montpelier, but also at most test sites. They have now leveled off, as have many other indicators. The Vermont pandemic death total stands at 1,282 as of March 8, 2025, an increase of 4 from the previous week (the most recent data available from the CDC).  New to this report is an expanded wastewater testing survey, which includes results for COVID-19 , Avian Flu, Influenza, RSV and Norovirus. 

Vermont Business Magazine This afternoon, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) volunteers will rally at the Vermont State House as a part of their annual Cancer Action Day advocating for legislation that address the needs of patients across the cancer continuum. The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) gives people impacted by cancer a powerful voice with lawmakers by holding an annual Cancer Action Day. Progress in improving cancer outcomes increasingly involves the use of precision medicine, which uses information about a person’s own genes or proteins to prevent, diagnose or treat diseases like cancer.

by Vermont Commerce Secretary Lindsay Kurrle Too often in Vermont, popular and necessary housing construction is derailed, delayed, or diminished by a small number of folks abusing the appeals process who have no direct skin in the game and are reluctant to welcome new neighbors. While appeals are valuable in certain cases, they also drive-up costs, affecting every homebuyer, renter, and builder in Vermont. When the project involves public money, appeals also drive-up costs for taxpayers. The Alice Holway Drive Project in Putney is an example of all those things.

by Rep. Laura Sibilia, Rep. Lisa Hango, Senator Joe Major Vermont is one of the few states that still taxes military retirement and survivor benefits. This outdated policy puts our state out of step with the vast majority of the country and fails to recognize the sacrifices made by our military members and their families. It's time to change that. Military service is unlike any other career. Service members, and their families, make sacrifices that most civilians will never fully understand. They leave behind their homes, face dangerous deployments, and live with the physical and emotional tolls of their service.