Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont encourages everyone to join the fight to reduce the effects of heart disease and stroke on women. This year Blue Cross affirms its strong commitment to the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women luncheon through a range of contributions, from financial support to event planning and staffing, and leading an event breakout session.

Vermont Business Magazine The Quechee Hot Air Balloon Craft and Music Festival,  the longest running hot air balloon festival in New England, has been named one of Five Spectacular Balloon Festivals in the US, according to Visit the USA.com, the official travel site of the USA, recently announced. The Quechee Hot Air Balloon Craft and Music Festival joins an impressive list of festivals that have been running for decades all over the nation, from Alabama to California, including the famed Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque in New Mexico.

Vermont Business Magazine FirstLight, a major provider of data, Internet and cloud services to enterprise and carrier customers in Vermont, announced today that is adding an encrypted wavelength solution to its suite of services. The solution is designed to support businesses that require a resilient, cost effective solution that simplifies end-user security management with an integrated web-based application network tool, without impacting performance.

Vermont Business Magazine Cellist Yo-Yo Ma, a 19-time Grammy award winner who has recorded more than 100 albums and performed on concert stages throughout the world, will deliver the main address and receive an honorary degree at Dartmouth’s 2019 commencement on June 9. Ma’s multifaceted career is a testament to his enduring belief in culture’s power to generate trust and understanding. Whether performing new or familiar works from the cello repertoire, collaborating with communities and institutions to explore culture’s role in society, or engaging unexpected musical forms, Ma strives to foster connections that stimulate the imagination and reinforce our humanity.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) is improving the roadway along the US Routes 2/7 corridor, in the vicinity of I-89 Exit 16, to enhance mobility and safety in Colchester (Water Tower Hill/Costco exit). The project area extends from in the Colchester-Winooski town line north for approximately 1 mile to just beyond the intersection of Sunderland Woods Road at US Route 2/7. The core of the project is to reconfigure the existing tight diamond interchange to a Diverging Diamond Interchange at I-89 Exit 16. In part, drivers are diverted to the left side of the road. The project is estimated to cost approximately $10 million and is scheduled to be advertised for contractor bid in fall of 2019 with contract award in winter of 2020. Construction is anticipated to begin in Spring 2020 and be completed over the course of two full construction seasons, ending in Spring 2022.

US Senator Patrick Leahy Today, Egypt’s President al-Sisi will be welcomed to the White House and treated like a legitimate head of state by President Trump. So it is fitting that we are here to call attention to things that are happening in Egypt that you will not hear about from either president. Egypt is a country with an extraordinary history and culture. It has been a US ally for many years. It has been a moderating influence in an unstable part of the world, a region where extremism is prevalent.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont has long been home to some of the best-known outdoor recreation companies, including international brands such as Orvis, Burton, and Darn Tough. Now, a new initiative is underway to network, grow and raise awareness of Vermont’s diverse businesses, large and small, that help make the state a leader in outdoor recreation. That’s the mission of the Vermont Outdoor Business Alliance (VOBA), a new non-profit group of private-sector businesses.

Vermont Speaker of the House Mitzi Johnson (April 9, 2019): It is with great sadness that I share the news that Representative Robert Forguites (D-Springfield) passed away. On behalf of all Vermonters, I extend my heartfelt condolences to Bob’s family, especially his beloved son, Adam. The Vermont General Assembly already feels the loss of our steady and dedicated friend and colleague.

Vermont Business Magazine The US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) New England regional office and the US Department of Energy are honoring Efficiency Vermont as an ENERGY STAR partner for their outstanding contributions to public health and the environment. The awardees are enterprises which have earned ENERGY STAR Awards for demonstrating national leadership in cost-saving energy efficient solutions. Efficiency Vermont is among the 183 ENERGY STAR Award Winners nationwide that will be honored in Washington, DC, on April 11.

Vermont Business Magazine Monday, RTI International – a non-profit research institution – published its final impact analysis for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) State Innovation Model (SIM) Round 1 awardees. Of the nine alternative payment and delivery models tested, only Vermont’s Accountable Care Organization (ACO) model yielded relative Medicaid savings - $97 million across the three implementation years. In addition, Vermont’s ACO program had significant reductions in emergency department visits and inpatient admissions to the hospital.

Vermont Business Magazine The 9th Annual Vermont Adaptive Charity Ride presented by Long Trail Brewing (formerly known as the Long Trail Century Ride to benefit Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports), returns to the Killington region Saturday and Sunday, June 22-23. Starline Rhythm Boys, plus Duppy Conquerors, an eight-piece Bob Marley tribute band, are scheduled to play for the after-ride party. The goal is to raise more than $300,000 for adaptive sports and recreation at this annual fundraising event.

Vermont Business Magazine Champlain College will award honorary doctorates to its two commencement speakers — educator David France and inventor John Abele — during its morning and afternoon commencement exercises on Saturday, May 11, 2019.