Current News

by Devon Green, VP of Government Relations, VAHHS After making a big deal about S.151 being THE health care reform bill last week, S.211 and S.183 came out with major changes to government structures around health care. Such is the session—turns on a dime and keeps you on your toes. Medicaid expansion: The House Health Care Committee heard a walkthrough of H.721, which would expand access to Medicaid by raising Dr. Dynasaur eligibility to age 26 and increasing income eligibility for adults to 312% by 2030. Primary care, mental health, substance use disorder, and long-term care providers would be reimbursed at a rate no lower than 125%. The bill also expands financial eligibility for Medicare Savings Programs which subsidize Medicare costs for older Vermonters.  

by Mike Del Trecco, VAHHS CEO As you'll note from our legislative report, the 2024 session is already in full swing. As is traditional, the governor kicked it off with his State of the State address, which he delivered to a joint session of the Senate and House. At VAHHS, we listened closely to Governor Scott's priorities and plans for work in the upcoming months. We are eager to work with the administration and the legislature on actions we know are important to Vermont's health care.

Vermont Business Magazine Spectrum Youth and Family Services is excited to announce the expansion of the Mentoring program into Franklin County. This program intends to address a gap in access to other mentoring opportunities in the county. Since 2002, Spectrum Mentoring has operated in Chittenden County, connecting youth ages 12-22 with adult volunteers to support them in reaching goals and engaging in the community. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Pitch Challenge, an entrepreneurial-focused competition that gives high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors from across the world a chance to pitch business ideas for a chance to win a full tuition scholarship to the University of Vermont and cash prizes, was announced in September 2023. Participants in the free program have had the opportunity to learn from top experts about how to write a business plan, create a compelling pitch, and achieve their goals through monthly Entrepreneurial Exchange webinars that kicked off in September and will continue through March 2024. The application portal for students to submit their business ideas is now officially open on the UVM website and will remain open until February 15.  

Burlington Office of City Planning This information session on proposed UVM housing in Burlington, hosted by the Office of City Planning and the Community & Economic Development Office, will focus on the draft housing agreement with UVM, which was announced on December 18, 2023. Representatives from the City and UVM will provide information about the MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) as well as answer questions from attendees.

Vermont Business Magazine A new partnership between the Community College of Vermont (CCV) and Grow with Google provides Vermonters with a fast-tracked pathway to new career opportunities. CCV will offer the Google Project Management Certificate, an industry-recognized credential that prepares people to effectively coordinate projects for companies of all sizes. No experience is required to enroll. CCV launched its offering of the Google Project Management Certificate in fall 2023. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Racial Justice Program Director of the ACLU of Massachusetts – and a Saint Michael’s College Professor Emerita – will deliver the keynote address during the College’s annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration and Convocation this month.  Lawyer, journalist, academic and advocate Traci Griffith, J.D. will speak at Saint Michael’s on Jan. 15, 2024, looking at the promises made in the U.S. Constitution and highlighting the ways in which society has fallen short in meeting those obligations. Griffith will bring both her legal expertise and personal experience to bear during her talk, titled “Promised on Paper, Pathetic in Practice: Race and the U.S. Constitution Through the Eyes of Dr. King.”  

Vermont Business Magazine Chris Graff has been elected chair of the Vermont Long Term Disaster Recovery Group, returning to a position he held following Tropical Storm Irene in 2011. Patti Komline was elected vice chair of the non-profit, which oversees the Vermont Disaster Recovery Fund and helps to coordinate disaster relief in the state. Graff replaces Samara Coble who led the group since 2017. Coble will remain on the board. The group has added several new board members as it beefs up the organization in response to the July and December flooding in the state.

Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont are $3.19 per gallon, down 4 cents/g gallon from last week. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $2.89/g while the highest was $3.43/g, a difference of 54 cents per gallon. The national average price of gasoline has risen 0.6 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.04/g today. The US average could fall below $3, depending on how global conflicts proceed.

Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum The Red Bench Speaker Series presents, 40 Years of the Catamount Ski Trail on Thursday, January 25th at 6:30 PM at the Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum. This winter marks the 40th Anniversary of Vermont’s Catamount Ski Trail. Covering over 300 miles from Massachusetts to Canada, the Catamount Trail is the longest backcountry ski trail in North America. To celebrate the Catamount Trail Association's 40th Anniversary, Catamount Trail Founders Steve Bushey, Paul Jarris, and Ben Rose are recreating their original journey with the help of a few friends, and are aiming to ski end to end on the trail in February and March this winter.

Vermont Agency of Agriculture Food & Markets Small farms looking to undertake diversification and/or transition activities can apply now for grants from a pool of special one-time funds from the VT legislature. The application portal is open now through March 4th. Small farms can apply for grants ranging from $5,000-$15,000. There is no match requirement for this grant. There will be an optional applicant webinar on Wednesday, January 17th from 10–11 AM. This grant can cover the costs of equipment, supplies, infrastructure, marketing, research, and/or workforce development costs within project categories.

U.S. Census Bureau As the nation observes Martin Luther King Jr. National Day of Service January 15, we pay tribute through census data and resources showing the civil rights leader’s impact on everything from voting rights and volunteerism to educational and economic progress. Following passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the U.S. Census Bureau began collecting voting and registration data as a supplement to the Current Population Survey every two years to ensure that elections are fair and open to all citizens regardless of race. In 1964, the Census Bureau reported that 69% of all voters age 21 and older and 58.5% of Black or African American voters participated in the U.S presidential election between Democrat Lyndon B. Johnson and Republican Barry M. Goldwater. In 2020, the share (66.8%) of all voters who went to the polls was lower but the share (62.6%) of Black voters went up.