Current News

by Kristen Munson, UVM Scientists are homing in on a mysterious wasting disease that has killed billions of sea stars along the Pacific coast of North America since 2013. Sea star wasting disease can rapidly wipe out entire populations, leaving gooey puddles of tissue in its wake. A new study by University of Vermont researchers may unlock the pathways for infection by identifying early biomarkers of illness in wild sea stars. Crucially, the UVM team detected early signs of immune and neurological disruption in sunflower sea stars even before showing physical signs of wasting. “Sea star wasting disease is a really sad, gruesome disease,” says McCracken. “The starfish melt and literally walk away from their limbs. I have seen them pull themselves apart.”

Vermont Business Magazine In a Senate Finance Committee hearing today, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) took Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to task for the Trump Administration’s failure to lower prescription drug prices for everyday Americans. Senator Welch grilled Secretary Kennedy on how TrumpRx—the Trump Administration’s new direct-to-consumer prescription drug platform—has made Big Pharma richer without meaningfully lowering drug prices for American families.

by Steven Berbeco Ready, set, pause? Vermont’s education reform debate has the distinct energy of a race that never quite starts. Lawmakers stretch, posture, check their laces, and then… linger at the line. Governance overhaul, funding fixes, bold ideas about consolidation in the name of equity all circle the track, but none break into a sustained stride. The result is a stumbling inertia dressed up in policy language. Last weekend, I ran a half marathon along the lake. Thirteen miles of rhythm, discomfort, small decisions, and forward motion. No one at mile eight gets to call a timeout to rethink the entire premise of running. You keep going even when your legs start filing complaints. That’s what is missing in Montpelier

Vermont Business Magazine The Green Mountain Council will hold the 2026 Eagle Scout Recognition Day at the Vermont State House on Friday, honoring the remarkable achievements of Vermont youth who earned Scouting’s highest rank in 2025.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department and Vermont Fish and Wildlife Board will hold two more public hearings on May 5 and 7 to solicit input on deer and the department’s 2026 Antlerless Deer Harvest Recommendation. The hearings are scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m. at the following locations: Tuesday, May 5 – U-32 Middle & High School, 930 Gallison Hill Rd., Montpelier, VT; Thursday, May 7 – Kehoe Conservation Camp, 636 Point of Pines Rd., Castleton , VT.

Vermont Business Magazine If you’re a wildlife enthusiast itching for spring then be sure to check out the Herricks Cove Wildlife Festival on Sunday, May 3, at beautiful Herricks Cove on the Connecticut River in Rockingham, Vermont. The festival is presented by the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, Ascutney Mountain Audubon Society (AMAS), and Great River Hydro in partnership with the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation and Audubon Vermont. This is a family-friendly festival with emphasis on the wildlife and natural resources of Vermont.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Treasurer Pieciak’s proposal to create a free prescription drug discount card program in Vermont (H.577) passed out of the Senate Health and Welfare committee on a unanimous, bipartisan vote.  The program would provide immediate relief at the pharmacy counter—lowering drug costs, supporting healthier outcomes for patients, and saving Vermonters over $20 million annually on their medications. With broad support across the Legislature, the measure now approaches final consideration in the Senate. The Vermont House recently approved H.577 on a near-unanimous voice vote. 

Vermont Business Magazine On Wednesday at 10:53 am, troopers of the Vermont State Police Shaftsbury Barracks were notified of a two-vehicle crash in the area of 1660 Vermont Route 9 in the town of Searsburg. It was reported one of the operators was entrapped and unresponsive. Initial investigations revealed operator one, identified as Alan Vautrain (53), was traveling East on Vermont Route 9 and entered the oncoming lane of traffic. Operator two, identified as Robert Ruhl (72) attempted to swerve into the other lane of travel to avoid a collision. Operator one also attempted to swerve back into his lane at the last second, causing a head-on collision. Both vehicles were totaled as a result of the crash. Operator one was pronounced dead at the scene and operator two was transported to Southwestern Vermont Medical Center to be treated for minor injuries. 

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott announced action on the following bills, passed by the General Assembly. He singed into law S.210, An act relating to access to autopsy reports, but vetoed S.183, An act relating to home improvement and land improvement fraud. The veto was related to an editing error in the bill and not based on its content. Scott said once the bill is corrected, he will sign it into law as intended.

Vermont Business Magazine Public Safety Commissioner Jennifer Morrison and Vermont State Police Director Col. Matthew T. Birmingham today issued the following statement related to prosecutorial decisions arising from the March 11 incident on Dorset Street in South Burlington: "Chittenden County State’s Attorney Sarah George’s recent statement just gave permission for people at large gatherings to obstruct police officers and interfere with arrests. This is a disheartening decision that sets a dangerous precedent. State’s Attorney George has a vastly different vision from our own for what public safety and the rule of law looks like. She has missed an opportunity to delineate between the lawful conduct the First Amendment protects and the lawlessness of criminal behavior that escalates volatile situations and harms communities."

Vermont Business Magazine As Vermont’s construction season ramps up, the Associated General Contractors of Vermont (AGC Vermont) is marking Work Zone Awareness Week by reaffirming its commitment to jobsite safety and honoring the lives of construction workers who have lost their lives on the job. This week, AGC Vermont is recognizing Work Zone Awareness Week alongside its annual Workers Memorial observance in Montpelier, a solemn reminder of the human cost of preventable workplace incidents and roadway crashes. The memorial serves as a powerful call to action for motorists, employers, and policymakers alike: safety must always come first.

Vermont Business Magazine Today is Earth Day and members of the Vermont environmental community, including Vermont Natural Resources Council, Vermont Conservation Voters, VPIRG, Sierra Club of Vermont, Third Act, Renewable Energy Vermont, and Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility, gathered for a press conference alongside Vermont elected leaders to speak out against the unprecedented dismantling of federal environmental protections - and what Vermont leaders are doing to protect our air, water, land, climate, and democracy. The event was held at the State House.