Current News

NCH, NMC, RRMC & UVMHN As Vermont’s non-profit hospitals navigate the impact of future and ongoing decisions by state officials, we are working together to protect patient care in our communities. The recent announcement by University of Vermont Health Network to transition operation of dialysis clinics in Newport, Rutland and St. Albans to comply with legal orders from the Green Mountain Care Board (GMCB) has understandably created anxiety and stress for patients and their families who rely on this critical service. North Country Hospital, Northwestern Medical Center and Rutland Regional Medical Center have begun discussions with UVM Health Network in search of a way for dialysis care to be maintained in their respective service areas for the patients who desperately need it.

Vermont Business Magazine The Attorney General’s Office announced that Amy Trela, 48, and Alicia Russell, 30, of Chittenden County, Vermont, have pled guilty to criminal charges of theft through false pretenses as part of a negotiated resolution of charges stemming from a five-year conspiracy to defraud Vermont Medicaid. Ms. Trela pled before Judge Michael S. Kupersmith on September 13, 2024, and Ms. Russell pled before Judge John L. Pacht yesterday. The charges brought against Ms. Trela and her co-conspirator, Ms. Russell, are the result of an investigation conducted by the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud and Residential Abuse Unit (MFRAU), which found that the defendants falsely certified Medicaid timesheets, defrauding Vermont Medicaid of $62,860.84 in public health care funds since 2019.

Vermont Business Magazine GlobalFoundries (Nasdaq: GFS) (GF) and the U.S. Department of Commerce have announced an award of up to $1.5 billion in direct funding to GF through the CHIPS and Science Act. The award follows the previously signed preliminary memorandum of terms announced in February 2024 and will enable GF to expand its essential chip manufacturing and technology development in the U.S., strengthening supply chains and supporting customers across a range of vital end-markets including automotive, smart mobile devices, IoT, datacenters, and aerospace and defense at its New York and Vermont plants.

Vermont Department of Economic Development The Vermont Economic Progress Council (VEPC) held a day-long retreat with over 50 municipalities, legislators, Council members, and Regional Development Corporations. Two nationally recognized experts, Toby Rittner, President and CEO of the Council of Development Finance Agencies, and Price Finley of Bricker Graydon, presented how TIF can be used as a powerful financial tool to revitalize and strengthen communities. 

Vermont Business Magazine From December 7 through December 13, kids will get up to seven free lift tickets at 15 of Alterra Mountain Company’s North American mountain destinations to use during the new Kids Ski Free Week. Participating destinations include Stratton and Sugarbush Resort in Vermont. Kids 12 and under (17 and under at Stratton) may receive a free lift ticket each day to use from December 7 through 13 at any participating destination.

Shelburne Museum Winter Lights is a brilliant and beautiful display of unique colorful light installations throughout the Museum’s campus. The season opens with new light installations, entertainment on select Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, making for an awe inspiring, magical experience for all ages. 

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Public is accepting applications for its next Community Forum, a volunteer group that provides input to the organization about its programming and content, and serves as an important link between Vermont Public and the communities it serves. The Forum is composed of 20-40 community members representing different professions, geographic regions, individual needs and interests of the communities that Vermont Public serves. It reflects as broadly as possible the demographic, geographic, cultural, economic and social diversity of the region. Members will learn about public media, meet staff members, and have regular communication with the station about programming and service. They’ll have the opportunity to discuss the goals of public media with other members of the Forum. Members also serve as ambassadors for Vermont Public within their communities. 

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont has made significant progress on its connectivity goals, with more than 50% of Vermonters now having access to fiber broadband, according to Vermont Community Broadband Board (VCBB). Fidium Fiber has been a leader in the charge for fiber expansion, as in just three years it has brought fiber access to more than 134,000 Vermont homes and businesses, including for communities in three communications union districts (CUDs). Fidium’s investment in Vermont has brought symmetrical, multi-gig speed internet to historic downtowns and rural dirt roads across the state, allowing Vermonters to access the benefits of fiber connection no matter their address. In the past year, partnerships with Southern Vermont CUD, Lamoille FiberNet and Otter Creek CUD have headlined Fidium’s expansion, each completing construction in less than 14 months and expanding fiber access to a combined 53,000-plus homes and businesses in 41 communities. 

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Community Broadband Board (VCBB) announced today the availability of $8 million in additional funds for the state’s broadband buildout. The money is interest earned on initial American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money that the General Assembly entrusted to the Vermont Community Broadband Fund. VCBB will be developing proposals on the best use of the $8 million for the Board's consideration in the near future. These funds come shortly after VCBB has awarded nearly all of the state’s ARPA Capital Projects Fund (CPF) funds to Vermont Communications Union Districts (CUDs) and internet service providers. $241 million has now been granted to fulfill Universal Service Plans and ensure that every Vermonter has access to broadband. All of Vermont’s CUDs have now received construction funds.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Today, the Vermont Department of Labor reported that the seasonally adjusted statewide unemployment rate for October was 2.3 percent. This reflects an increase of one-tenth of one percentage point from the prior month’s revised estimate. The civilian labor force participation rate was 65.6 percent in October, a decrease of one-tenth of one percentage point from the prior month’s revised estimate. All three major indicators were negative for the month, with the Labor Force and Employment down, while the number of Unemployed rose. The comparable United States rate in October was 4.1 percent, no change from the revised September estimate. Vermont continues to have the second lowest rate in the US. South Dakota is lowest at 1.9 percent and Nevada is highest at 5.7 percent.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) today held a press conference with Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Peter Welch (D-Vermont), and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) to discuss the Joint Resolutions of Disapproval (JRD) to block the sale of certain offensive arms to Israel. Sanders will bring the JRDs to the Senate floor for a vote this Wednesday. The resolutions were officially introduced on September 25, 2024. Sens. Merkley and Welch are cosponsors on resolutions to block the sale of 120mm mortar rounds and Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMS). Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) joins them as a cosponsor on a third resolution to block the sale of tank rounds.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine For the week ending November 9, 2024, the Vermont Department of Health reported that the number of COVID-19 cases fell dramatically while hospitalizations also fell. There was only one fatality last week. Hospitalizations and general "syndromic" cases decreased to5 cases statewide for the week. The number of reported COVID cases fell from 146 to 69. Cases had been falling in April and May and were as low as 31 at the beginning of May. Along with the case numbers, wastewater monitoring also has shown a decrease in levels of virus. The pandemic death total stands at 1,227.