Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health has confirmed a case of measles in an individual who is in Vermont as part of an international group program. This is the first confirmed case of measles in Vermont since 2018. The other 25 members of the group were also exposed before arriving in Vermont, but most have immunity and are protected from measles. On April 10, the Health Department was informed by the Georgia Department of Public Health that the group was exposed to a traveler who was determined to have measles following their arrival on an international flight to Atlanta. The Health Department is asking anyone who was inside the Hampton Inn in Colchester on Wednesday, April 17, to take the precautions listed below. Anyone with symptoms of measles should stay home, consider wearing a mask around others, and contact their healthcare provider immediately. DO NOT go to the doctor’s office, the hospital, or a public health clinic without first calling to let them know about your symptoms. 

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health reported last week that COVID-19 cases fell from 56 to 42. In addition, hospitalizations also fell as COVID overall remains at a low level. There was one fatality last week. The pandemic death total now stands at 1,145 as of April 13, 2024 (the most recent data available). Total reported deaths in January were 28, which is the highest monthly total in a year, but only 16 in February, 11 in March and one in April. The VDH reported last week that COVID-19 hospitalizations were at a statewide total of 8, which is among the lowest they've been since last summer. COVID-19 activity remains in the "Low" range, according to the VDH. Of the total deaths to date, 924 have been of Vermonters 70 or older. There have been 3 deaths of Vermonters under 30 since the beginning of the pandemic. 

Vermont Business Magazine The American Red Cross Northern New England Region is offering free smoke alarm installations for Washington County residents during a Sound the Alarm home fire safety event on Saturday, May 4, 2024. We are proudly partnering with the Berlin, Barre, Warren and Montpelier Fire Departments as well as the Vermont Division of Fire Safety to bring more smoke alarms to more Vermont homes. Home fires claim seven lives every day in the United States, but having working smoke alarms can cut the risk of death by half. Here in Vermont, the Red Cross responds to more than 100 home fires every year.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott, Vermont’s congressional delegation, the Vermont Agency of Transportation (AOT), top officials from the Federal Highway Administration and Joint Office of Energy and Transportation, and cabinet members, today announced the opening of the state’s first federally funded public electric vehicle (EV) fast charging station in Bradford. Vermont is the sixth state in the country to install fast chargers under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program. The four super-fast NEVI charging stations can simultaneously charge 180 kilowatts per hour and are located in a municipal parking lot known as Denny Park at 6 South Main Street in downtown Bradford, near I-91. Vermont will receive $21.2 million from the NEVI program during a five-year period. The first phase focuses on installing fast chargers every 50 miles along the nation’s highway corridors, within one mile of highway exits.

Vermont Business Magazines iSun, Inc. (NASDAQ: ISUN), a Williston-based solar energy and clean mobility infrastructure company with 50-years of experience, announced Monday a strategic restructuring of its executive team. Effective immediately, former CEO Jeff Peck is appointed as Chief Executive Officer of iSun, Inc. Additionally, Rob Vanderbeek is appointed as the Interim Chief Financial Officer of iSun, Inc. The restructuring is aimed at driving innovation, enhancing operational efficiency, and ensuring sustained performance in a rapidly evolving market landscape. “I’m excited to step back into the role of CEO and continue the remarkable journey that Bob has paved for us. Together with our dedicated team, I am committed to driving our company forward, embracing new opportunities, and delivering value to our customers and stakeholders. Our focus remains on innovation, growth, and ensuring that iSun remains a leader in our industry,” said Jeff Peck.

Vermont Business Magazine The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be sending more than $22 million to the State of Vermont to reimburse it for the cost of debris removal and measures taken to stabilize state office buildings following the July 2023 storms and flooding. The $22,263,530 in Public Assistance grants will reimburse the Department of Buildings and General Services (BGS) for the cost of debris removal and steps taken to protect state buildings in downtown Montpelier from further damage after the flooding. One grant of $1,067,183 will reimburse BGS for contracting to have 2,165 cubic yards (CY) of vegetative debris and 11,840 tons of construction and demolition (C&D) debris removed from roads and public property, including rights of way, and hauled to a disposal site. Two grants of $14,375,582 and $6,820,765 will reimburse the state for the cost of contracting to remove contaminated floodwater from and de-humidify fourteen state buildings in Montpelier.

by Mike Donoghue, Vermont News First, Vermont Business Magazine A teenage driver fined $220 for her part in a double-fatal car crash that killed an elderly Addison County couple in September 2020 in Charlotte is among those arrested at an anti-Israel encampment at Columbia University in New York last week. And the family of the two dead victims still aren't happy that Isabel Jennifer Seward of Atlanta, Ga. never went to prison for crossing the double line and killing family members. Public records show Seward, then 16, — whose father William J. Seward, was a longtime high-ranking executive at UPS — received a Vermont civil traffic ticket for an offense listed as “driving on roadways laned for traffic” in the double fatal crash, Vermont News First reported at the time. 

by Jarvis Green As the founder of JAG Productions, my journey to becoming an Artistic Director was as unexpected as it was transformative. Originating from a background singing in the Mt. Calvary Interdenominational church in Anderson, SC, studying classical voice at Anderson University, and having spent the majority of my life as an actor, I never envisioned leading a theatre company. My move to Vermont in 2011, in search of a place to heal and slow down, marked the beginning of a love affair with the state and a series of ventures that would shape my path in ways I had never imagined. In 2012, I founded BarnArts in Barnard, VT, bringing arts to a town of just 900 people. Following that, I developed a theatre program for the Artistree Community Arts Center in Pomfret, VT. Then, in 2016, JAG Productions was born—beyond my wildest dreams thanks to a $250K gift from Kathleen Dolan. This journey has been a fairy tale; it’s been fun, an incredible learning experience, and, undoubtedly, hard.

Vermont Business Magazine VNA & Hospice of the Southwest Region (VNAHSR) provides training for those interested in becoming hospice volunteers. Training will be held on Friday, May 17, 2024 from 8am – 4pm at 3 Home Health Circle, St. Albans, VT. Training is free and open to individuals 16 years of age and older. Volunteers need to pass a background check. No previous hospice and health care experience is required. Pre-registration is required. At VNAHSR, volunteers play a critical role in enhancing the end-of-life experiences of people facing serious illness and their families. Volunteers represent all life experiences and are drawn to hospice for a variety of reasons, but the defining characteristics that unite them are compassion and the desire to help others. Their many skills are matched to important tasks within our mission.

by Devon Green, VP of Government Relations, VAHHS Just as robins and crocuses signal spring, the signs of the legislative session winding down are upon us. Each day holds multiple highs and lows as various proposals come up and just as easily float away until next year or get stuck into other bills. Bill of interest include: Doulas: The House passed S.109, a bill that calls for a sunrise review for regulation of doula services and paves the way for Medicaid reimbursement. Pharmacy Benefit Managers: The Senate Health and Welfare Committee voted out the pharmacy benefit manager bill, H.233, with an amendment that provides more information to the Health Care Advocate. 

Vermont Business Magazine Kelly Watson, DNP, MHA, RN, FACHE, Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) and Elizabeth Kyhill, MSN, RN, Vice President, Medical Group Operations, at Rutland Regional Medical Center (RRMC) were recently chosen to participate in the Johnson & Johnson Nurse Innovation Fellowship (JJNIF) program powered by Penn Nursing and the Wharton School. The JJNIF program, which kicks off on April 22, is designed to bring together nurse leaders from a variety of backgrounds representing a diverse cross section of hospitals in terms of size, location, and types of services offered. This ground-breaking, one-year, team-based nursing fellowship is for Chief Nursing Officers (CNO), nurse executives, and senior nurse leaders. 

Vermont Business Magazine Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont (Blue Cross VT) and Terry Bicycles are welcoming the return of spring with the Wellness Revolution Cycling Program in St. Johnsbury and Vergennes for the 2024 season. This free program serves those who identify as women to help them break through barriers that keep them off their bikes and connecting with other women in a healthy activity. Vermont offers incredible opportunities for riding across the state. Be it on our bike paths, around town, on mountain bike trails, or on rural gravel roads – cycling provides accessible transportation, wellness, and connection to our environment.