Current News

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont’s (BCBSVT) First Wednesday Wellness for the month of October will take place on October 1 from 5 to 7 p.m. BCBSVT will host the free event at their Information and Wellness Center located in the Blue Mall at 150 Dorset Street in South Burlington. BCBSVT will provide free flu vaccinations in place of the normally provided biometric screenings offered at their First Wednesday Wellness events. The flu shots are free for all participants 18 and older, regardless of their insurance status. Those without health insurance are welcome.

“I encourage you to make time in your busy schedule to get a flu vaccination this autumn. Every year, thousands of adults and children become seriously ill with influenza. Vaccination helps protect you and also helps reduce the spread of the flu virus to your coworkers, family and community,” says Dr. Robert Wheeler, M.D., vice president and chief medical officer of BCBSVT.

Last Thursday afternoon in Barre, Representative Peter Welch announced bipartisan legislation to improve Medicare reimbursements for ambulance services providers. Welch was joined at the press conference by Jim Finger, President of the Vermont Ambulance Association, Barre Mayor Thom Lauzon, and Joe Aldsworth, Deputy Chief of the Barre Fire Department. Currently, ambulance service providers around the country, especially in rural areas like Vermont, face unnecessary financial uncertainty due to the failure of Congress to annually extend, in a timely fashion, a key Medicare reimbursement program. Welch’s bipartisan legislation will make permanent in the Medicare fee schedule the special payment for services performed by ambulance providers in rural areas.

The Medicare Ambulance Access, Fraud Prevention, and Reform Act (H.R. 5460) was co-authored by Rep. Welch, Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR), Rep. Richard Neal (D-MA) and Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA).

Vermont’s Congressional Delegation and Governor Peter Shumlin today announced a U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) award of $2.4 million to the Community College of Vermont in Waterbury for job training. The funds are a part of a $2 billion DOL program investing in job training at community colleges around the country.

“These funds will be a big boost to the Community College of Vermont’s efforts to prepare Vermonters for tomorrow’s economy,” said Senator Leahy, Senator Sanders and Representative Welch in a joint statement. “In order for Vermont to stay competitive, our colleges must equip the workforce with skillsets that match the changing needs of local businesses. This award affirms the important work that CCV is doing training Vermont workers and it is an important investment in our economy’s future.”

Today, Vermont Realtors announced the results of an August 2014 telephone survey of Vermont registered voters which demonstrates significant dissatisfaction with current property tax rates and increasing support for candidates who are committed to working towards meaningful property tax reform. VR has shared the results of the survey directly with candidates for office in an effort to initiate a dialogue about the need for property tax reform, and the level of importance this issue has for voters this election season.

The survey reached 500 adults, age 18 or older that indicated they were registered to vote and who plan to vote in Vermont’s November. The survey was conducted August 20-24, 2014.

Fletcher Allen Health Care filed a Certificate of Need (CON) application today with the Green Mountain Care Board (GMCB) seeking the Board’s approval to build a 128-bed inpatient building to replace the most outdated inpatient facilities on the Medical Center Campus. The submission of this CON is part two of a three-part process, where part one was preliminary planning under the Conceptual CON issued August 2013 and part three will be the submission of final project costs in November 2014 after construction costs associated with the final design documents have been verified.

· Building would contain 128 single-bed inpatient rooms

· Estimated cost of $187.7M to be confirmed in November

· Occupancy anticipated in September 2018

by John Herrick vtdigger.org Spent radioactive fuel will be removed from the reactors at the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant by 2020, the plant’s corporate owner told a citizen oversight panel Thursday. But Louisiana-based Entergy said it does not know when it will begin tearing down Vermont Yankee after it stops producing power in December. The plant has already begun to slow power production and plans to cut 40 percent of its workforce by January.

According to the Vermont State Police, at approximately 1315 hours on 09/27/14 Burlington Airport Tower notified the Vermont State Police, New Haven of a possible Aircraft crash at the Basin Harbor Airport, Ferribsurgh, VT. Upon arrival it was discovered that a 1958 Piper "Tri-Pacer" fixed wing prop-plane had made and emergency landing in a field near the Basin Harbor Airport. The Pilot, Roger Teese and his passenger were not injured as a result of the field landing.

IBM’s semiconductor manufacturing facility in Essex Junction, VT, has immediate openings for those interested in working in an advanced technology environment. Openings exist for candidates with a high school diploma (GED), 2 and 4 year college degrees, experienced and entry level.

When: Friday, October 3, 2014 from 12 noon to 6:00 p.m.

Where: Sheraton Hotel and Conference Center,

Williston Road, South Burlington, VT

Immediate Job Openings

IBM’s semiconductor manufacturing facility in Essex Junction, VT has immediate openings for those interested in working in an advanced technology environment. Openings exist for candidates with a high school diploma (GED), 2 and 4 year college degrees, experienced and entry level.

Immediate openings exist for the following positions:

Manufacturing Operators (Supplemental)

Champlain College will celebrate the grand opening of the College's MakerLab and expanded Emergent Media Center (EMC) on Friday, October 3 from 3:30-6:30 pm at Champlain's Miller Center at Lakeside Campus located at 175 Lakeside Ave.

BRP's Ski-Doo brand is partnering with Burton Snowboards, the world's leading snowboarding company based in Burlington, Vermont, with Ski-Doo becoming the official snowmobile for Burton Snowboards' team of pro riders. The two companies also agreed to co-develop products to suit the needs of snowboarders and snowmobilers and Ski-Doo becomes sponsor of the Burton Mountain Festival.

The emerging trend of riders using snowmobiles to access the backcountry is on the rise, as people find it a more economical way to enjoy their sport. Feedback from Burton and Ski-Doo pro riders will be used to develop products and activities that are exciting and relevant for snowboarders and snowmobilers.

A majority of home-based early educators have come together and asked the Vermont Labor Relations Board to begin the process certifying Vermont Early Educators United, AFT, as the organization that they have formed to negotiate as equals with the state.

"We have been organizing for this moment for five years," said Kay Curtis, a licensed home provider in Brattleboro, "once we prove our majority, providers will negotiate as equals with the state and advocate for what is best for Vermont's children."

Providers may now organize because of Act 187, signed into law by Governor Peter Shumlin in June. The new law allows home-based early educators in Vermont who provide child care services that are subsidized by the state to form a union and negotiate with the state over payment, professional development and other mutually agreed upon issues.

NPI (Network Performance Inc) a South Burlington Technology Management firm, has completed a survey gauging the use of technology at 178 Vermont based manufacturers. The results projected that the overall state of the Vermont manufacturing economy will be slightly above average in the coming year. However, the respondents indicated that their own businesses will perform well above average in the next 12 months due in part to the contribution of their technology investments. The survey indicated that technology will contribute significantly to their success; many anticipate significant capital investments in technology for the next 12 months. Most of the Vermont manufacturers also indicated their existing technology investments are not yet utilized to the full extent possible.