Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) will hold a statewide telephone town meeting on Wednesday, March 2 to hear directly from Vermonters about the challenges they face and how the federal government can address the issues that matter most to them. Dr Tim Lahey, an infectious disease physician at the UVM Medical Center, will join the discussion to answer questions about the current state of COVID-19 in Vermont. Participants will be able to submit questions in advance or ask them live during the meeting.

by Devon Green, VP of Government Relations, VAHHS Happy Town Meeting Week! The legislators are home this week to get input from their constituents and take a well-deserved break before the big crossover push. Among other things, the conference committee came to agreement on the Budget Adjustment Act—the final bill includes: $25 million in continued COVID financial support, such as funding for contracted workers, to prevent closures and disruptions at facilities; $60 million for health care worker recruitment and retention with grants of $2,000 per FTE. The first $45 million is allocated to long-term care facilities, home health agencies, designated agencies, adult day providers, substance use treatment providers and other human service providers. Hospitals with an identified need for funding may be eligible for $15 million if the needs of the above employers are met with the first $45 million.

by Joe Halko, Director of Community Relations, Northwestern Counseling & Support Services As COVID continues to impact our lives, we are faced with the stark reality that two years of increased stress, isolation, and uncertainty have taken their toll on the mental health of us all. At Northwestern Counseling & Support Services (NCSS), which serves Franklin and Grand Isle Counties, we are seeing an increase in mental health needs across the age span, from young children and their families through older Vermonters. At the same time, our capacity to meet the growing need is severely strained.

Vermont Business Magazine Hundreds of elder Northeast Kingdom residents are receiving emergency blizzard bags of shelf stable food and beverages thanks to a joint project from the NEK Council on Aging, Passumpsic Bank, Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital (NVRH), and North Country Hospital. Each “Blizzard Bag” is filled with a one-day supply of emergency food and beverage. The bags are distributed to NEK Council on Aging home delivered meal recipients. The Passumpsic Bank coordinated funding of the project with their hospital partners.

The Blizzard Bag partnership with the NEK Council on Aging and Passumpsic Bank started in 2017 when the existing Council’s emergency food bag program was threatened due to budgetary constraints. Passumpsic Bank reached out to the Council to offer assistance. They partnered with NVRH to coordinate the first Blizzard Bag packing party. It was held at the hospital with volunteers from Passumpsic Bank, NVRH, and the NEKCOA.

Vermont Business Magazine Southwestern Vermont Health Care’s (SVHC) Medical Matters Weekly with Dr Trey Dobson is pleased to welcome Jerry Posner, a renowned author and speaker on the power of rational positivity at noon on Wednesday, March 2. The show is produced with cooperation from Catamount Access Television (CAT-TV).

Vermont Business Magazine Health Care and Rehabilitation Services (HCRS), southeastern Vermont’s non-profit community mental-health agency, announced today that their outpatient services for children, youth, and families in the Hartford area have moved into a new location at 132 South Main Street in downtown White River Junction. In addition to providing additional space for meeting with clients, the new location offers space for a playroom to support staff’s ability to work more effectively with younger children as well as children for whom speaking is a challenge.

Vermont Business Magazine Imagine in a moment’s notice losing your home and belongings to a natural disaster – or becoming a trauma patient in need of lifesaving blood. When help can’t wait, the American Red Cross is there to lend a hand thanks to the 292 volunteers in Vermont who selflessly provide care and comfort to individuals in need of assistance in local communities and around the country.

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Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today issued the following statement: “Today I directed the Commissioner of Liquor and Lottery to remove Russian-owned products from state agent store shelves and cease purchasing new stock from Russian-owned distilleries until further notice. Later this week, I will issue an executive order detailing further action and state sanctions Vermont will pursue to respond to the illegal and heinous Putin invasion of Ukraine."

Vermont Business Magazine On February 28, Governor Phil Scott returned without signature and vetoed H.361 and sent the letter below to the General Assembly. The charter change would have lowered the voting age in Brattleboro to 16. The voting age in Vermont and the nation is 18. He said it is inconsistent with that and would further confuse what current law in Vermont considers "adulthood."

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health today is reporting 70 cases of COVID-19 for Sunday. Cases have been running well below the 7-day average of 220, which will be updated tomorrow. Hospitalizations and ICU stays have fallen dramatically the last two weeks. The CDC is easing masking recommendations because of the reduction in pressure on the health care system.

​Vermont Business Magazine Vermont has committed $2.32 million to expand the Working Communities Challenge and double the number of teams tackling tough local economic issues, from aging populations to low labor force participation. The challenge was created by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston to advance collaborative efforts to build healthy economies and communities in northern New England’s rural towns, regions, and smaller cities. The program’s expansion to eight teams in Vermont means that an additional 224,000 residents could potentially benefit from Working Communities Challenge efforts in the state.