Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) on Tuesday announced that the Preservation Trust of Vermont has been awarded a $747,000 Historic Revitalization Subgrant Program grant, administered by the National Park Service. The grant was among the largest nationwide of nine released from the new, Leahy-created program to invest in historic preservation in rural communities around the country. 

Leahy said: “Vermont’s successes again have offered a model for an important federal program to help boost economic development in rural areas across the country.  I was proud to work with the Preservation Trust of Vermont to take the vision for this program and make it a reality at the national level.  I know the Trust will help communities use these dollars to make a lasting impacts in communities across Vermont.”

Vermont Business Magazine Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC), part of Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC), is expanding its Healthy Hearts Support Group to include anyone living with a chronic condition.

​Vermont Business Magazine For the third year in a row, Rutland Regional Medical Center has been named as a High Performing Hospital by U.S. News & World Report for Knee Replacement. More than 4500 medical centers nationwide were evaluated in nine procedures and conditions with fewer than a third of all hospitals receiving any high performing rating.

Vermont Business Magazine A new study shows Vermont ranks Number 12 spending the most money spent on healthcare annually in the US. Vermont residents spend an average of $6,103 per year on healthcare, this is above the national average of $5,640.78. Hawaii residents spend the least at $3,626 per person; Alaskans spend the most, $7,469. As the 2020 election looms, the skyrocketing cost of healthcare will be a major issue at the ballot box. Presidential-candidate positions on the issue run the gamut from repealing the Affordable Care Act to Medicare for All. But there is no Red State-Blue State delineation in the data, as high-cost states and low-cost states appear outside of clear political designations.

Vermont Business Magazine RAD-Innovations LLC of Cornwall has introduced the RAD RaceRunner running frame. The RAD RaceRunner running frame is designed for use by individuals challenged with balance, range of motion and mobility resulting from cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, spina bifida, stroke, or amputation, for example. Athletes use running frames to compete in the sport of RaceRunning which is an internationally recognized disability sport. While RaceRunning is established in Europe and gaining interest in other parts of the world, its popularity has been slow to grow in North America.

Vermont Business Magazine Four generations of Vermonters came together to create a ceramic “Legacy Quilt” on display through Sept. 7 in the Gifford Gallery at Gifford Medical Center. The exhibit is free and open to the public. The quilt is part of the Legacy Arts Program presented by the Arts Bus and “is inspired by the lives of Vermont children’s parents, grandparents and great-grandparents,” said Guinevere Albert, executive director of the Arts Bus. “We engage in intergenerational learning organically grown in Vermont, partnering with a local, seasoned craftsperson whose knowledge and expertise is valued. Together, we connect hands across time to transfer wealth in artistry.”

by Don Turner This year, legislators and Governor Scott crafted a budget that is quite reasonable in the aggregate. New taxes and fees are fairly limited; important investments are made in a number of areas (from clean water to broadband deployment); and the budget growth rate is just 2.6 percent. Over the past five years, spending increases have been reasonable as well, with just 2.2 percent annual growth. This stands in contrast to the budgets of the Shumlin administration, where spending was growing faster than the underlying economy and well beyond Vermonters’ ability to pay.

Vermont Business Magazine People’s United Community Foundation (PUCF), the philanthropic arm of People’s United Bank, NA, has announced it has awarded $128,000 to Vermont non-profits during its most recent grant cycle. This cycles’ grants were focused on addressing a wide variety of needs across the State of Vermont. Funding was allocated to 19 non-profit programs and services that range from efforts to end homelessness, services for victims and families of domestic violence, creating and increasing opportunities for students to pursue higher education and gain access to job training, in addition to increasing food security and supporting small business initiatives.

Vermont Business Magazine Break the Silence Against Domestic Violence's 2019 Angel Fund made the biggest impact yet. Bereaved families across the nation partnered with BTSADV this July to help raise $22,200 to be awarded to survivors of domestic violence this fall.

Vermont Business Magazine Nothing is more important in the first few weeks of a baby’s life than learning to feed. Supporting newborns, and older children too, to thrive and grow is the basic task of parenting. Breastfeeding, while natural and sometimes easy, can be the most challenging piece of the newborn period.

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General Donovan today urged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to encourage telecom companies to implement call blocking and call authentication solutions that would protect consumers from illegal robocalls and spoofing. Today’s comment letter to the FCC comes after Attorney General Donovan and a bipartisan, public-private coalition of 50 attorneys general and 12 phone companies announced a set of Anti-Robocall Principles to fight illegal robocalls last week.

Vermont Business Magazine The US business climate remains strong with many companies in growth mode despite recent global economic headwinds – even as the current economic expansion enters its 11^th year – according to a new report from Citizens Bank. The index also shows Vermont's economy still growing, if only just.

The first-ever Citizens Business Conditions Index is derived from proprietary corporate and public data about business growth and employment across the country, including factors such as revenue, manufacturing volumes and wages. An index greater than 50 indicates an expansionary trend and points to improved business conditions for the next quarter. The nationwide index sits at a healthy 61.2, down slightly from 61.5 in the first quarter. This indicates that despite the questions inherent in a recovery of this length, US companies remain in a growth mode powered by healthy fundamentals.