Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott: "To have had a mask mandate we would have had to continue the state of emergency. I don’t think that that was necessary or appropriate to continue that form of government. It can be so easily abused."

Vermont Business Magazine The fourth quarter is the busiest time of the year for local chocolatier Lake Champlain Chocolates (LCC). And like a lot of businesses locally and around the country, hiring seasonal staff to make, package, and ship the chocolate has been harder than ever before. Step in Rhino Foods, another long- time Burlington South End business to save the day. Rhino Foods’ slowest time of the year is the fourth quarter (being a manufacturer of ice cream and frozen dessert inclusions) and due to annual facility maintenance and installation of new equipment they have extra staff available for work. Instead of turning employees away for those weeks, Rhino is lending them to Lake Champlain Chocolates.

​Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Nuclear Decommissioning Citizens Advisory Panel (VT NDCAP) will hold its fourth meeting of 2021 on Monday evening, December 6, 2021 from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM. While this meeting will be conducted primarily as a webcast and teleconference, in accordance with Vermont Open Meeting Law, the following physical location will be available for those wishing to attend and participate in person:

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health on Saturday reported 539 cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, which is the third highest total since the start of the pandemic. There were 482 cases of COVID-19 Friday. Health Commissioner Dr Mark Levine on Tuesday said that case counts have been up and down since the Thanksgiving holiday as there had been fewer people seeking to be tested. Now people are back to getting tested. Dr Levine has said he is concerned that the holiday would lead to higher case counts, which appears now to be the situation.

Vermont Business Magazine Terry Bicycles announced Saturday that it has been acquired by the Flagg Bicycle Group. Terry is the original women’s cycling company and is an industry leader in designing innovative apparel, saddles and accessories for all types and sizes of riders. Liz Robert will remain President/CEO and shareholder in the company, now named Terry Precision Cycling, and will continue to lead its existing staff at its facility in Burlington, Vermont.

Vermont Business Magazine Windsor Improvement Corporation (WIC) will be hosting a public information meeting on Thursday, December 9th, at 7 pm at the Windsor Welcome Center to present information on a proposed downtown housing development. There will be a virtual option to attend. Windham & Windsor Housing Trust and Evernorth are proposing the construction of a new infill development located at 133-139 Main St, behind the Windsor Diner. This new development would be a mixed income residential development with 30 units, affordable to a range of incomes (up to $55,200 for a single person or $71,000 for a family of 3).

Vermont Business Magazine Last month, staff of Early Intervention/Children’s Integrated Services—part of Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC), Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC), and the Vermont Department for Children and Families—gathered for a photo in their new office space, which is located in Suite 200 of 339 Main Street in Bennington. The building was among those renovated during the Putnam Block Project. The program provides resources for families of children from birth to age 3 who have questions about their child’s development.

Vermont Business Magazine Available in Vermont, he US Postal Service is working with WeAreTeachers to introduce The USPS Pen Pal Project, a free educational program for students in grades three to five, this 2021-2022 school year. The USPS Pen Pal Project will provide 25,000 classrooms across the country the opportunity to partner with matched classes to write 1 million letters with the goal of building friendships and understanding diverse perspectives.

Vermont Business Magazine Tove Wear was established in 2017 and built around an innovative wrap-around denim skirt dubbed "The Maker Skirt." Locally designed by Tove Ohlander, a glass factory owner at AO Glass who wanted women's work-wear with personality, these skirts jumped into a movement already in full swing: women making stuff and/or making a difference. Tove is now opening a retail store in Burlington's South End.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) on Friday announced the largest ever investment of federal funds, both in Vermont and across the country, to bolster health care workforces in rural and underserved communities through loan repayments and scholarship programs. The historic $1.5 billion – made possible largely by the $1 billion in supplemental funding authorized through the American Rescue Plan (ARP), which was passed by the Senate and signed into law earlier this year – more than doubles the number of health care professionals around the country who will benefit from the programs.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health today reported 482 cases of COVID-19. While this is down from Thursday's record, this is still a historically high number. Dr Levine has said he's concerned that the holiday would lead to higher case counts, which appears now to be the situation.

Citing outrageous costs and safety concerns around Alzheimer’s drug, Sanders calls for Medicare to negotiate drug prices

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) on Friday sent a letter to President Biden urging his administration to delay an increase in Medicare premiums coming in 2022 following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of the outrageously expensive Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm, which costs $56,000 per person each year.