Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department and the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (VAAFM) are teaming up in a cooperative effort with Vermont hunters to look for the Lone Star tick (Amblyomma americanum), a tick believed to be in Vermont but one that has eluded capture through standard surveillance methods. However, this tick species has been found on turkeys in other northern states. This will be Vermont’s first turkey tick survey. Volunteers will staff several reporting stations around the state on Youth Turkey Hunting Weekend (April 23 and 24) and opening day of 2022 Spring Turkey Season (May 1).

Senator Bernie Sanders Corporate greed is nothing new. It has been going on for the past 40 or 50 years. It manifests itself in the extreme wealth and income inequality that we have been seeing in which the 2 wealthiest people in America own more wealth than the bottom 42 percent – over 130 million Americans. It manifests itself in corporations paying their CEOs 350 times more than their average worker as they receive huge salaries, stock options, “golden parachutes” and a wide range of perks while workers struggle to pay their bills, send their kids to college and save for their retirement. In the 1950s, CEOs made about 20 times more than the average worker. In the 1980s, CEOs made 42 times more than the average worker. In 2000, CEOs made about 120 times more than the average worker. And today they make over 350 times what the average worker makes.

Senator Patrick Leahy I am glad that we have reached a bipartisan agreement to provide $10 billion in desperately needed funding to address the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Through great personal sacrifice by the American people, in particular our many brave healthcare workers, and an unprecedented mobilization of federal resources, we are slowly returning to a sense of “normal.” But this pandemic is far from over. This needed funding will allow us to purchase additional vaccines, testing, therapeutics and treatments like monoclonal antibodies as we brace for a potential surge in the coming months.

Vermont Business Magazine Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger delivered the annual State of the City address Monday night, stating the State of the City “remains strong, and is getting stronger every day as we work to recover from the pandemic’s setbacks.” The speech focused on economic recovery; children and families; racial equity and justice; infrastructure; housing; public safety; and the climate emergency.

Vermont Business Magazine The peer-reviewed article “Partnering to Improve Pediatric Asthma Quality” was published in the April volume of the journal Academic Pediatrics. The article was authored by three pediatricians including Dr. Michael Cabana, professor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and member of the United States Preventive Services Task Force, Dr. Keith Robinson of the University of Vermont Children’s Hospital, and Dr. Josh Plavin, the Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont. Childhood asthma is often managed in an office setting, but when they are in a crisis, kids head to an emergency room.

​Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Corrections is conducting an internal review, to include administrative and medical reviews, following the death of an incarcerated individual at Northeast Correctional Complex (NECC) in St. Johnsbury on Sunday. Dustin Dunkling, 29, of St Albans, was found unresponsive by Vermont DOC staff at approximately 9:30 PM on April 3, 2022. Correctional and medical staff first responders began life-saving efforts and immediately called for outside medical assistance. Fire and EMS crews arrived and attempted to revive Dunkling, who was pronounced deceased at the facility. The official cause of death will be determined by the Vermont State Medical Examiner but, at this time, the cause is suspected to be suicide.

Vermont Business Magazine Main Street Alliance of Vermont announced today the launch of their new survey to assess the needs of Vermont small businesses. As part of a national initiative introduced by President Biden and Vice President Harris, Main Street Alliance of Vermont (MSAVT) and the Vermont Professionals of Color Network (VT PoC) are thrilled to partner with Vermont Small Business Development Center (VtSBDC) as they begin to engage in the  Small Business Administration’s Community Navigator Pilot Program.

Vermont Business Magazine Green Mountain Power (GMP) launched the Sun Match Pilot Program, to connect more low- and moderate-income customers with solar power. The Sun Match Pilot will offer up to 500 eligible customers the opportunity to sign up for a new solar rate, designed to encourage energy use at times when solar is plentiful. GMP is using an existing solar array, which allows for participants to have access to that generation to realize savings.

Vermont Business Magazine Living Well Group, Inc, a non-profit organization with residential care homes in Burlington and Montpelier, is proud to announce their new executive director, Beth Hammond.

Hammond brings a wealth of experience in non-profit management and program development to the organization’s strong management team. Hammond’s experience includes positions at Cathedral Square/SASH, Boston Senior Home Care, the Office of Long-Term Care Ombudsman in New Hampshire, and most recently executive director of Heineberg Community Senior Center. Under Hammond’s leadership, the Center reinvented itself to become a vibrant destination and resource for hundreds of older adults throughout greater Burlington.

Vermont Business Magazine Howard Center’s Chittenden Clinic program is very pleased to announce that it has received a Certificate of Recognition from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) process as a recognized Patient-Centered Specialty Care Practice (PCSP). NCQA is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. It is noteworthy that in 2015 we were the very first program in the country to undergo the review and be acknowledged.

by John McClaughry The Vermont legislature is moving swiftly into its final six weeks. A major issue, as always, is parceling out revenues to cover the $8.1 billion Fiscal Year 2023 general plus transportation fund budgets. That process is eased this year by the tsunami of federal dollars rolling into the state, allowing the solons to fund programs and causes that in ordinary times, with normal state revenues, would not make the cut. A major feature of next year’s spending bill is the Climate Action Plan’s imperative to put an astounding 170,000 electric vehicles on the road by 2030 - 164,000 more than the state has now. To race down this pathway, the state will spend $10 million to install charging stations and pay people $12 million to buy EVs.

Vermont Business Magazine In an effort to distribute health and lifestyle information in an accessible and interesting way, Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC) has launched a quarterly magazine called Healthy+. The publication is free and available wherever the Vermont News Guide is distributed. The magazine topics are based on those identified by the community health needs assessment, a triannual process that includes a wide-ranging health and wellness survey and regional focus groups. It was conducted last year.