Current News

Vermont Business Magazine March of Dimes, the nation's leader in mom and baby health, released its 2022 Report Card today, revealing that the US preterm birth rate increased to 10.5% in 2021 – a significant 4% increase in just one year and the highest recorded rate since 2007. Despite reporting a slight decline last year, the preterm birth rate has steadily increased since 2014, earning the country a D+ grade in the Report Card. Vermont, with an A-, was the only state to get better than a B+ grade (New Hampshire). The data also shows persistent racial disparities across maternal and infant health measures that were compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, making the US among the most dangerous developed nations for childbirth.

Vermont Business Magazine On November 15, 2022 Vermont Electric Cooperative (VEC) filed a request for an 8.19 percent rate increase to apply to VEC member bills in the new year. The primary driver for the increase request is the significant upward pressure on the cost of wholesale power, primarily driven by the worldwide shortage of natural gas. Since sixty percent of VEC’s operating budget is spent on power supply and the transmission system to deliver it, and because we are a small part of a regional grid and worldwide market, it is challenging to mitigate these increases. VEC’s 2023 power supply cost is projected to increase by $4.8 million over 2022.

Vermont Business Magazine Commemorate a loved one by participating in the 2022 VNA & Hospice of the Southwest Region’s Annual Tree of Remembrance Ceremony. Held virtually again this year, the tree will be illuminated, and the names of loved ones read during a Facebook broadcast. The broadcast will be held on Thursday, December 15, 2022, at 7pm on the VNA & Hospice of the Southwest Region’s Facebook page. Dr. Allan Eisemann, Hospice Medical Director and Medical Director of the Foley Cancer Center, will be featured along with Jesse Bradley, Hospice Chaplain of the VNA & Hospice of the Southwest Region.

Vermont Business Magazine Richard L. Page, M.D., dean of The Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine at the University of Vermont, has announced the appointment of J. Kathleen (Kate) Tracy, Ph.D., as senior associate dean for research. Tracy will also serve as professor of medicine at the Larner College of Medicine and director of research at the UVM Health Network. She will begin her new role in February 2023. Tracy comes to Vermont from the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMB-SOM), where she is a professor of epidemiology and public health, vice chair for research services, epidemiology and public health, and head of the Division of Preventive Medicine.

Vermont Business Magazine Scott Administration officials will be visiting Essex and Orleans counties on Thursday to hear from community leaders about their unique infrastructure needs and to discuss the many funding opportunities available to them via federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021. Officials will offer guidance on how communities can apply for assistance with tangible economic development, housing, water and sewer, climate change mitigation measures, and broadband projects.

Vermont Business Magazine Champlain College President Alex Hernandez announced a new partnership between Champlain College and HULA at his inauguration ceremony earlier this month. The college and business incubator are committed to working together to support the growth of the entrepreneurial community and be an economic engine of opportunity for Vermont. The partnership will begin with an “Entrepreneurship Master Class” at Hula, extending the Champlain College classroom footprint onto the Hula campus. The class will host a series of HULA members as speakers and provide opportunities to learn from a variety of entrepreneurs in the start-up community.

Vermont Business Magazine The Great American Smokeout is Thursday, November 17, and Vermonters who smoke or use tobacco can take a first, big step to improving their health by joining this national quit day. Smoking remains the leading preventable cause of death and illness worldwide, claiming an estimated 480,000 lives every year — or about 1 in 5 deaths. The good news is that recent data show that risk drops the sooner someone quits smoking. For Vermont youth under the age of 18, confidential help is also available. The vaping epidemic over the past several years has impacted thousands of Vermont youth — 26% of high school students reported current use of electronic vaping products, with more than a third reporting daily use. s

Vermont Business Magazine The 2022 “State of Lung Cancer” report shows that only 13.2% of Vermont residents who are eligible have been screened for lung cancer. The American Lung Association’s 5th annual report, released today, highlights the toll of lung cancer in Vermont and examines key indicators including new cases, survival, early diagnosis, surgical treatment, lack of treatment and screening rates. Nationally, the “State of Lung Cancer” report shows continued progress for lung cancer survival. The lung cancer five-year survival rate is now 25% and increased 21% from 2014 to 2018. Here in Vermont, the lung cancer survival rate is above the national average at 28.1%. The report also highlights that people of color who are diagnosed with lung cancer face worse outcomes compared to white Americans, including lower survival rate, less likely to be diagnosed early, less likely to receive surgical treatment and more likely to receive no treatment.

Vermont Business Magazine The National Life Group (NLG) Foundation has increased its budget by 15 percent, bringing the total to $2.3 million. This reflects the Foundation’s growth and impact on the community. The Foundation offers grants to nonprofit organizations primarily in central and northern Vermont and the Dallas, Texas area where the company has offices with a focus on ending childhood hunger and promoting youth mental health. Applications for grants will be accepted from January 1, 2023 – March 31, 2023.

Vermont Business Magazine As Vermonters receive the first snowflakes of the season, new national and state data shows that Vermont continues to lead the nation in outdoor recreation as a key linchpin of the State’s economy. As the state continues to recover from the pandemic, a Bureau of Economic Analysis report shows that spending in Vermont generated by activities from snow sports to camping, hiking, boating, and biking continues to increase exponentially. Nationally, outdoor recreation accounted for $862 billion in consumer spending and $1.53 billion in Vermont’s spending. The contribution of Vermont’s outdoor recreation to the state gross domestic product (GDP) jumped from 3.7% in 2020 to 4.1% in 2021, maintaining Vermont’s rank of 3rd highest in the country behind HI and MT.