Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The Rutland Regional Planning Commission (RRPC) is pleased to announce expanded outreach and services to municipalities and the public to enhance water quality and tactical basin planning efforts for South Lake Champlain (Basins 2 & 4).

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health on Monday reported that there have been 12 more deaths from COVID-19 since their last report December 23, for a statewide total of 129. There were 87 cases reported on Monday for a total of 7,120 since last March. Many Health Department teams are working through the holiday week, including the laboratory staff, contact tracing and other critical response teams.

by John McClaughry On December 21 Gov. Phil Scott bailed out of the proposed 12-state Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI), at least for 2021. Only three of the twelve hoped-for state participants have agreed to implement TCI (Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island). Eight others, including Vermont, agree to keep on meeting, talking and negotiating, but the process is likely on life support. The twelfth state, New Hampshire, wants nothing to do with TCI.

Vermont Business Magazine New England Culinary Institute President Dr Milan Milasinovic has announced on the college's website that it will be closing down. The 40-year-old Montpelier institution, which featured a college experience and real-world culinary arts at its own restaurants, has struggled in recent years, just as many other small colleges in Vermont and elsewhere have. Enrollments are down nationwide. NECI follows Green Mountain College, St Joseph's College. Southern Vermont College and Marlboro College in shutting its doors in the last two years.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott is seeking applicants for appointment to the Public Utility Commission (PUC) to fill a forthcoming vacancy. The PUC was created to ensure the provision of high-quality public utility services in Vermont at minimum reasonable costs. The Commission strives to achieve this mission by providing an independent, fair and efficient means of resolving public utility disputes, and by guiding the development of state utility policies and rules for public services to best serve the long-term interests of Vermont and its residents.

Vermont Business Magazine We appreciate the challenge of governing during a global pandemic. Instead of meeting with colleagues and constituents, we now rely on video chat, texts, emails, and phone calls. We are in an extraordinary time, where safety requires us to maintain physical distance from one another. We believe government is essential and applaud the efforts to adapt. We cannot allow this virus to grind the gears of government to a halt.

Vermont Business Magazine Adrianne Johnson Ross, MHA, was today named Home Health & Hospice’s next president and chief operating officer. She is preceded by Judy Peterson, who is retiring in January 2021 after eight years leading the organization. Johnson Ross’s appointment is effective immediately. She begins today and will transition into in her new role over the next few weeks.

Vermont Business Magazine Sunday night President Trump signed the COVID 19 relief bill. It had passed both the House and Senate last week. It includes extending the unemployment and PUA benefits, with the extra $300 per week, one-time direct payments of $600 to individuals ($1,200 filing jointly) and ensures that PPP forgiveness does not result in taxable income. Among other measures, it includes a second round of PPP.

Vermont Business Magazine The Green Mountain Care Board, Vermont’s regulatory healthcare board, granted Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC), part of Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC), a Certificate of Need (CON) for a $26 million project to modernize and expand its Emergency Department and renovate its main entrance and public areas on the ground floor. Traffic and parking improvements are also included. The regulatory approval was necessary to proceed with the project.

Vermont Business Magazine On December 22, Governor Phil Scott announced a small, temporary modification to restrictions on multi-household gatherings during the holidays. Between December 23rd and January 2nd, households may gather with one other trusted household. Governor Scott also announced youth sports may resume with no-contact practices. Effective December 26th, school-based and youth recreational programs may begin practices with individual skills, strength and conditioning. The Agency of Education has released full guidance for school-based sports.

Vermont Business Magazine There's no need to travel outside of the Castleton area for a blood test. Community Health Castleton's laboratory has received certification of compliance from the State of Vermont for the lab services provided in Community Health's Castleton practice in Bomoseen, Vermont. The Community Health laboratory handles lab work for Community Health's primary care patients as well as those from Castleton Express Care, and a separate outpatient lab service run by Rutland Regional Medical Center (RRMC) serves not only Community Health patients but any community member with orders from their provider. RRMC's blood draw facility, located in a dedicated space adjacent to the waiting area in the Castleton practice, is staffed by RRMC.

Vermont Business Magazine Looking for fun, educational projects to keep the kids busy over winter break? Help them take the Good Citizen At-Home Challenge! This statewide youth civics initiative is organized by Burlington-based Seven Days newspaper and its parenting publication, Kids VT, with support from the Vermont Community Foundation. Since 2018, the Good Citizen Challenge has encouraged young Vermonters to learn about history, government and news literacy, as well as ways they can pitch in to help out their communities.