Current News
by tim
by Jeff Tieman, President & CEO of VAHHS The pandemic has taught us to adjust, and to be resilient in the face of adversity. COVID-19 required us to find and show strength we may not have known we had. Whether it was staying away from loved ones, quarantining from household members, forgoing trips, moving to remote work and learning, closing businesses, or otherwise altering our normal course of life, the pandemic has been hard on everyone.
As we learned to manage these variables and developments, we also learned to be careful, strong and patient.
This past week, we needed to tap into that inner strength and resolve as many Vermonters had their long-awaited vaccine appointments cancelled when the federal government temporarily paused administration of the Johnson & Johnson one-dose vaccine.
by tim
Vermont Business Magazine Giving back to the communities it serves has long been central to New England Federal Credit Union’s (NEFCU) mission. As an ongoing part of this effort, four times each year, NEFCU selects four recipient organizations at random to receive $625 each, for a total of $10,000 annually.
by katie
Vermont Business Magazine Health Commissioner Mark Levine, MD, recognized the incredible progress of Vermont’s testing capabilities at Tuesday’s press conference, as the state surpassed 1.5 million tests performed, with more than 372,000 people tested.
“It is really Vermonters who have helped us reach this point — your willingness to get tested, and your understanding of why it is so important, have been essential to slowing the spread of the virus,” Dr. Levine said. “Now, we are finally in a place where testing is highly accessible. It’s still free, and easy to do.”
Dr. Levine said that we expect Vermonters will continue to use this critical tool under Vermont’s new travel policy, which requires a test within 3 days of travel for anyone who is unvaccinated. In addition, anyone with a possible exposure to the virus or with a possible COVID-19 symptom should get also tested and stay home and away from others while they wait for their result.
by katie
Vermont Business Magazine Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) Tuesday issued the following statement after former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was convicted on all three counts in the killing of George Floyd:
“The jury's verdict delivers accountability for Derek Chauvin, but not justice for George Floyd. Real justice for him and too many others can only happen when we build a nation that fundamentally respects the human dignity of every person. The trauma and tragedy of George Floyd’s murder must never leave us. It was a manifestation of a system that callously devalues the lives of Black people. Our struggle now is about justice—not justice on paper, but real justice in which all Americans live their lives free of oppression. We must boldly root out the cancer of systemic racism and police violence against people of color.”
by tim
Vermont Business Magazine Northern State Correctional Facility (NSCF) in Newport is clear of COVID outbreak response and is back to standard modified operations, the Vermont Department of Corrections (Vermont DOC) announced Tuesday. This full status change is the result of testing conducted Thursday, April 15, in which no incarcerated individuals tested positive for the fifth consecutive time.
by tim
Vermont Business Magazine Disturbed by recent national and local events related to racism, Rutland County’s leading economic development organization took a stand on Tuesday on behalf of diversity, inclusion, and its broader community. The Board of Chamber and Economic Development of the Rutland Region (CEDRR) approved a resolution Tuesday denouncing bias and discrimination and creating a new committee to ensure the organization does its part going forward.
by tim
Department of Labor Stresses Heightened Awareness for All Vermonters
Vermont Business Magazine A letter from the Vermont Department of Labor (VDOL) may be your first notification that a fraudulent unemployment insurance claim has been filed in your name. VDOL reminds all Vermonters that if you receive a letter from the Department in your mailbox, be sure to open it, to ensure there was not a fraudulent claim filed using your information.
by tim
Vermont Business Magazine Vermont State Treasurer Beth Pearce announced Tuesday that the three major rating agencies have affirmed their ratings of the State’s General Obligation Bonds. These ratings are unchanged from the ratings assigned in 2020, which reflected a downgrade by Moody’s and Fitch from triple A status in 2018 and 2019, respectively, and the assignment of a “negative outlook” by S&P in 2020. The Treasurer’s Office, the governor, and the General Assembly have stated their commitment to restoring the triple-A ratings.
by tim
Vermont Business Magazine The Acting United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced today that Shequille Carter, 28, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for possessing with intent to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and more than 28 grams of cocaine base. Chief Judge Geoffrey Crawford also ordered that Carter serve a four-year period of supervised release following the prison term.
by tim
by Devon Green, Vice President of Government Relations, VAHHS Last week, the House Government Operations Committee took testimony on S.48. The Interstate Nurse Licensure Compact is an important health care workforce initiative and a key recommendation from the Rural Health Services Task Force 2020 Report. Under the compact, nurses can apply for a license in one compact state and have access to all the other compact states without applying for separate licenses, which is an appealing option for new graduates.
by tim
Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) Today, we convene the first hearing of the full Senate Appropriations Committee for the 117th Congress. And what more appropriate topic than that of infrastructure. There is no other Committee within the Senate whose jurisdiction touches every aspect of our government and of Americans’ lives. The same, of course, can be said for infrastructure.
by tim
Vermont Business Magazine Southwestern Vermont Health Care’s (SVHC) Medical Matters Weekly with Dr. Trey Dobson, a weekly interactive, multiplatform medical-themed talk show, will feature Orthopedic Surgeon Michaela Schneiderbauer, MD, as a guest on its April 21 show. Dr Schneiderbauer leads the Orthopedics Department at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC) in Bennington. The two will discuss local innovations in orthopedic care during the pandemic, including the practice’s launch of the same-day surgery program for total joint replacements.