Current News

by Grace Sherwood, Community News Service Come next election, if you’re 16 and live in Brattleboro, you’ll get a say in your town elections. For the second year in a row, Brattleboro residents made the case to legislators that the town’s 16- and 17-year-olds should be able to vote in local elections and run for selectboard. Gov. Phil Scott vetoed a bill to make that happen last year, and another this year. But this time around the plan has become reality. Lawmakers overrode Scott’s veto of H.386 in a special legislative session June 20 in a 110–37 vote. The charter change takes effect immediately.

by Michael Monte Before the rain began, we could see it on the sidewalks of Burlington and throughout communities across the state: people living on the streets, in our parks, and in make-shift camp sites everywhere. There are more people in shelters than ever before, and more people living precariously even after finding an apartment. The challenges of increasing housing costs coupled with the post-pandemic mental health crisis and a dramatic rise in different forms of addiction have impacted our community and have created these conditions. And for many who are experiencing homelessness, but not all, there needs to be a medical and treatment response to their addiction and trauma.

Vermont Business Magazine Widespread flooding in Vermont has caused many basements to fill with water and, in some cases, cause a release of oil from heating oil tanks in the basement. The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is offering guidance for basement cleanup. If there is no evidence of oil in the water – such as an oil sheen (nothing floating on the water or no oil odor) – the water may be pumped out to the ground (preferably) or storm drains. When oil or petroleum is present floating on the water in a basement or container, report the situation to DEC at 800-641-5005 (24/7) or 802-828-1138 (during the workday).

Vermont Business Magazine Operations are returning to normal conditions at UVM Health Network - Central Vermont Medical Center following catastrophic flooding earlier this week that caused significant travel complications for patients and staff. As of Wednesday morning, all primary and specialty care clinics and Express Care in Berlin are opening today. The incident command established on Monday evening at CVMC remains in operation to monitor events and ensure our patients receive the care and service they need. The hospital and the emergency department were able to remain operational. Although it was initially closed, the dialysis unit is open and treating patients. 

by William Platt, Dartmouth College The extreme weather Monday that washed out roads and flooded homes and businesses across the White River Valley set Jordan Fields, Guarini (Dartmouth ’21), on a wild race across Vermont with a plastic water bottle on a stick to collect streamflow and sediment data from every tributary that was still accessible. Fields, a PhD student in Earth Sciences, studies the effects of a changing climate and human disturbance on river systems. A crucial question is, what if these events are becoming less rare? Monday’s flooding came just 12 years after Tropical Storm Irene devastated many of the same highways and towns in Vermont.

Vermont Business Magazine I Heart Mac & Cheese has announced that its first Williston location is opening on Monday, July 17, 2023, at 166 Sycamore Street at Mapletree Place, Suite 190, Williston, VT, 05485 at 11:00AM. The first 10 paying customers will win Free Mac & Cheese Bowl for a year.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Community Foundation announced Tuesday that it has created a fund to help the people and communities of the state recover from devastating flooding that constitutes one of the worst natural disasters Vermont has ever seen. Donations to the VT Flood Response & Recovery Fund 2023 will help with immediate and longer-term efforts to assist Vermont people and communities. 

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s Killington Resort, the largest mountain resort in Eastern North America and a POWDR company, announced today it will reopen for summer operations on Wednesday, July 12, following the powerful storm that soaked the region in 7 plus inches of rain. Operations reopening Wednesday include Mountain Biking on Snowshed & Ramshead (The K-1 Gondola and Adventure Center are closed on Tuesday & Wednesday throughout the summer), Mountain Bike camps, The Pico Fitness Center, Daycare and Food and Beverage locations. The golf course is still being assessed but they anticipate reopening the front 9 on Wednesday.  

Vermont Business Magazine The American Red Cross will open a third regional disaster shelter in White River Junction in response to catastrophic flooding. This shelter is located at Hartford High School (37 Highland Ave). It will open today at 5 pm. This shelter will be managed by the Red Cross – and pets are welcome. More than eight inches of rain has fallen in a matter of days and resulted in road closures and evacuations. Impacts in Vermont are being compared to Tropical Storm Irene in 2011. Many areas are still inaccessible due to flooding as rivers overflow. As it becomes safe to travel, we anticipate the number of shelters open and residents will grow. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Small Business Administration is alert to the flood damage throughout Vermont and is in communication with state officials and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Currently, the President of the United States has declared a state of emergency in Vermont. However, in order for SBA to provide disaster assistance, a federal disaster declaration needs to be in place which authorizes SBA disaster programs. SBA will work closely with FEMA and the state in support of the state’s request for a federal disaster declaration with individual assistance, including sending a team to Vermont with FEMA to conduct  preliminary damage assessment.  

Vermont Business Magazine Due to the historic flooding Vermont is currently experiencing and the continued recovery efforts that will be required in the weeks and months ahead, the decision has been made to postpone the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail Celebration, including the Governor’s end to end ride of the trail, previously scheduled for Saturday, July 15. The LVRT Celebration will be rescheduled, and we will announce a new date at the appropriate time. 

Vermont Business Magazine Globally recognized as a premier gathering of the world’s best regenerative medicine researchers, the 10th biennial Stem Cells, Cell Therapies, and Bioengineering in Lung Biology and Diseases Conference at the University of Vermont will take place from July 17-20, 2023. This year, several exceptional high school students will have the unique opportunity to participate in laboratory technique sessions alongside UVM Larner College of Medicine post-doctoral researchers, scientists and other worldwide experts.