Current News

Vermont Business Magazine As announced by Mayor Miro Weinberger on Monday, October 18, City staff and community partners (including the CVOEO Community Outreach and Resource Advocate team) met with campers to discuss resource connection, explain the City’s storage policy, and identify trash and abandoned items for removal. Today, as planned, City staff from the Departments of Public Works and Parks, Recreation, and Waterfront will be on site to manage the removal of only those items identified by campers as trash or abandoned. After the deadline for removal on Tuesday October 26, all personal belongings and structures left on site will be safely stored for 30 days in accordance with the Burlington City policy on sheltering on public land, and campers can return to collect those items within that 30-day period.

Vermont Business Magazine The state investigative team examining long wait times for health services in Vermont will hold two public listening sessions in the coming weeks. In partnership with the Office of the Health Care Advocate, the investigation has organized two opportunities for members of the public to speak directly with the state investigatory team and share their experiences of extended wait times. The first virtual session will take place Wednesday, October 27, from 5:30pm to 7:30pm. The second session will be from 12pm to 2pm on Thursday, November 4.

Vermont Business Magazine This week, through a collaboration with Burlington Health and Rehab and the Vermont Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living (DAIL), The UVM Medical Center began moving patients to the skilled nursing facility. This will improve hospital inpatient and emergency capacity. The State of Vermont is funding the travelers. This will open up inpatient beds at UVM Medical Center for patients who truly need the acute level of care provided at the region’s Level 1 Trauma Center. Since July, UVM Medical Center also has worked closely with Birchwood Terrace Rehab & Healthcare. They have since accepted more than 90 patients from the hospital, with 46 of those patients currently at Birchwood continuing to receive care. Four more patients are expected to move there today.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, the Burlington International Airport announced the installation of a flight tracking and noise monitoring system, paid for by grant funding from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Through the use of permanent noise monitors located in affected areas, the Airport will be able to measure noise levels associated with aircraft operations and provide information to individuals and communities affected by Airport operations through an online portal.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, the Vermont Department of Labor reported that the unemployment rate fell to 2.9 percent for September 2021. This reflects a decrease of one-tenth of one percentage point from the prior month’s revised estimate. The rate is based on household data collected by the US Census. All three major metrics (labor force, number of employed, number of unemployed) improved modestly. However, the labor force is still missing about 25,000 workers. The comparable United States rate in September was 4.8 percent, which was a decrease of four-tenths of one percentage point from the revised August estimate. Vermont is tied for the third lowest unemployment rate in the nation (with New Hampshire, Idaho, South Dakota).

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott and the Department of Health today announced Thursday night that, effective Friday, the state is expanding its COVID-19 booster shot program to include the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines. In addition, starting Friday through pharmacies or your healthcare provider, or starting on November 1 through the state registration system, Vermonters ages 18 and older may choose a booster vaccine that is a different brand than the one they initially received. These actions follow the decision by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to authorize use of the three vaccines for booster doses. Pfizer boosters have been available since September 24.

Vermont Business Magazine Through in-person and virtual job fair events held this week, the Vermont Department of Labor and local partners came together to provide job-seeking Vermonters the opportunity to meet with employers hiring across Vermont. October Job Fest events were held in Bennington and Rutland as outdoor, in-person job fairs on Wednesday and Thursday respectively, while a virtual job fair focusing on the ski industry was held on Thursday.

Vermont Business Magazine iSun, Inc (NASDAQ: ISUN), a leading solar energy and clean mobility infrastructure company based in Williston, announced Wednesday that it has been awarded contracts for Solar Engineering, Procurement and Construction services across three separate projects in Maine. Once complete, the projects will yield over 20mw of solar production; Combined, the contract values exceed $6.7 million.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health is reporting that cases spiked again today with 318 (up 211) after four straight days in which cases fell, after setting a pandemic record of 342 on Saturday. The four worst days for cases have all come since mid-September, as the Delta variant has taken over since early July. There has also been some uneven reporting of cases, resulting in peaks and troughs. The VDH also today reported two additional deaths for 351 statewide. Cases in the southern four counties continue to be relatively high (Bennington 29, Rutland 26, Windsor 26, Windham 18), as have cases in Franklin (21) and the Northeast Kingdom (Orleans County 60, Caledonia 21, Essex 7).

Vermont Business Magazine A coalition of Vermont associations representing home health and hospice, physicians and other clinicians, dentists, mental health providers, long term care facilities, adult day centers, and hospitals expressed support for the Scott Administration’s proposals to strengthen Vermont’s vital health care workforce and help address our state’s workforce shortage. The Agency of Human Services presented its Health Care Workforce Development Strategic Plan to the Green Mountain Care Board on Wednesday recommending new investments and increased supports that are critical to the state’s health care system.

Vermont State Police Following a request Thursday afternoon from the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department, the Vermont State Police is assuming the lead role in the investigation of a fatal shooting that occurred Wednesday night, Oct. 20, 2021, in Greensboro. The incident occurred at about 8:13 p.m. Wednesday at 1119 Eligo Lake Rd. The deceased is identified as Robert Chaplin, 27, of East Hardwick. The shooting occurred following a dispute that began earlier Wednesday in Hardwick between the victim and Daryl Johnson, 48, of Greensboro.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Federal Credit Union today joined over 56,000 credit unions around the world to celebrate International Credit Union (ICU) Day. ICU Day highlights the many ways that credit unions across the world help members improve their financial health and well-being. In celebration of International Credit Union Day, Vermont Federal Credit Union team members delivered food and reusable tote bags to seven food shelves across northern Vermont.