Current News
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by NVRH CEO Shawn Tester Two years ago, I turned fifty. And although celebrating that half-century mark during the pandemic meant there was no big birthday bash, there was one ritual that I could not miss: my first colonoscopy. This routine procedure involves complex systems and highly trained professionals. Although the actual procedure takes a couple hours, it requires an Operating Room, supportive nursing staff, diagnostic imaging technicians, a nurse anesthetist, and surgeon.
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Vermont Business Magazine The University of Vermont Medical Center and UVM Health Network – Porter Medical Center have earned a 5-star quality rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), which announced its annual hospital ratings in late July. The ratings, found on Medicare’s Care Compare website, rate hospitals based on more than 45 quality measures over five categories: safety of care, readmissions after treatment of common conditions, patient experience, mortality, and timely and effective care. CMS reviewed data from the 2021 and 2022 calendar years for the ranking determinations.
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by John McClaughry John Klar, the lawyer/farmer from Brookfield has just published his book “Small Farm Republic: Why Conservatives Must Embrace Local Agriculture, Reject Climate Alarmism, and Lead an Environmental Revival.” While the subtitle is clearly intended to speak to “conservatives”, including libertarians and various types of decentralists across the political spectrum, those concerned about Vermont’s future who don’t consider themselves “conservatives” should read it nonetheless
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Vermont Business Magazine Dartmouth Health’s Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC) is one of only 483 hospitals in the country—including just three in Vermont—to receive a coveted five-star Overall Hospital Quality Star Rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Intended to provide information to consumers to help them make informed choices about where to get their health care, the Star Rating system evaluates over 4,500 Medicare-certified hospitals nationwide based on their performance across 46 quality measures divided into five quality categories: mortality, safety of care, readmission rate, patient experience, and timely & effective care.
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Vermont Business Magazine Walmart invites Vermont residents to prioritize their health ahead of a new school year by joining us this Saturday, Aug. 19, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Customers can receive free glucose, cholesterol, BMI and blood pressure screenings as well as affordable immunizations like flu, RSV, HPV, tetanus, hepatitis, COVID-19 and more at pharmacies nationwide.
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Vermont Business Magazine The University of Vermont has announced its intention to partner with AAM 15 Management LLC, to build undergraduate housing on the east side of its main campus. A letter of intent was signed today by UVM and AAM 15. The $100 million “Catamount Woods” will accommodate approximately 540 undergraduate students in apartments near the southern edge of Centennial Woods. UVM already leases the property to AAM 15, owners of the neighboring DoubleTree Hotel, for use as a parking lot.
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Vermont State Police On August 11, 2023, at approximately 7:22 PM Troopers from the Rutland Barracks were dispatched to a 2-car motor vehicle crash on US Route 4 at Craigs Lane in Mendon. Preliminary investigation determined Vehicle #1 was traveling eastbound on US Route 4 in the travel lane. Vehicle #1 left the travel lane and struck a guardrail. Vehicle #1 then crossed back across the travel lane, where it collided with Vehicle #2, also traveling East in the passing lane. Upon striking vehicle #2, Vehicle #1 rolled onto its side. Both vehicles came to a position of rest in the east bound lane. Operator #1 was pronounced deceased at the scene.
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Vermont Business Magazine Union Mutual Insurance Company and EcoNet Controls are proud to announce an innovative partnership to help protect the homes and properties of Union Mutual policyholders. The partnership subsidizes the cost of a smart water shutoff solution designed to prevent unexpected water losses resulting from appliance malfunction and frozen pipes. This partnership is part of Union Mutual’s effort to protect its policyholders from risks associated with the increased frequency of severe weather events, such as the Polar Vortex event of February 2023.
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Vermont Business Magazine One month after a devasting flood the economic reality is becoming clearer. Vermont’s farmers, agricultural businesses, and communities sustained millions of dollars in damage and face strong head winds to recover. To date the damage is estimated at over $12 million and 18,000 acres.
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Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont are $3.78 per gallon, up 0.8 cents per gallon from last week's $3.78/g. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $3.51/g while the highest was $3.99/g, a difference of 48.0 cents per gallon. The national average price of gasoline has risen 2.5 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.82/g today.
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Vermont Business Magazine More than 80,000 Vermont students received $120 in federal pandemic electronic transfer benefits (P-EBT) benefits early this month. During the 2022/2023 school year, all public schools in Vermont and some independent schools offered free meals to all students. Because of this, all Vermont students attending one of these participating schools received the federal summer P-EBT benefit of $120 per child to help with food costs while children are home from school this summer. This program is a great way for families to stretch their summer food budgets, support local farmers and the local economy, and bring valuable federal dollars into Vermont.
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Vermont Business Magazine The US Small Business Administration is reaching the business network in Vermont and allow businessowners to take advantage of the disaster loans available to help them recuperate after the severe storms on July 7, 2023 covered by this declared Presidential Disaster Declaration SBA#18016 – FEMA 4720. Disaster assistance is available from SBA to provide residents and business owners as well as private nonprofit organizations and churches impacted by affected by severe storms and flooding in Vermont that began on July 7.