Current News

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health today is reporting 391 cases of COVID-19 for Wednesday, which was seven fewer than Wednesday. The VDH today also reported one additional death from yesterday for 566 statewide, which was in the 70-79 age group. For the first time since September, the death rate among the "not fully vaccinated" is lower than for the "fully vaccinated."

Starting February 5, the case dashboard will not be updated on Saturdays, Sundays or holidays. A breakdown of the previous days' cases will be reported on Mondays (or the day following a holiday).

by Jack Hoffman, Public Assets Institute Twenty-five years ago the Vermont Supreme Court declared the state’s education funding system to be unconstitutional. More than a third of the state's residents are too young to remember what was happening back then. And more than half of Vermonters now over 25 moved here from somewhere else. It’s safe to say, for many Vermonters, the old Foundation Plan and the ruling that ended it are distant or non-existent memories. It was the failure to provide all children with equal educational opportunity that led Vermont’s high court to strike down the funding system on February 5, 1997.

Vermont Business Magazine More than 300 students attended the thirteenth annual Vermont Entrepreneurship Week event February 9. The Small Business Administration’s recently appointed New England Administrator, Mike Vlacich, provided the opening remarks. Keeping with this year’s theme, Vermont Entrepreneurs … Building Networks, Vlacich stressed the importance of meeting people from different careers and backgrounds and the exchanging of ideas can benefit the students when they enter the professional workforce.

Vermont Business Magazine The co-founders of Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream and co-chairs of the Campaign to End Qualified Immunity, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, with Vermont State President Pro Tem Becca Balint, hosted a virtual rally Thursday evening showing support for Senate bill S.254. Along with a coalition of statewide public safety advocates, the event focused on creating justice and safety for all Vermonters with the passage of the bill.

Vermont Business Magazine Mayor Weinberger on Thursday announced a $40,000 contribution to Feeding Chittenden from the City’s Fines for Food program. Inspired by Feeding Chittenden’s mission to combat food insecurity, the Department of Public Works Parking Division and City Councilor Karen Paul created the Fines for Food pilot program, which was approved by City Council in December 2021. In total, over 800 people paid nearly $80,000 in fines, half of which will go to support Feeding Chittenden’s mission.

Vermont State Police On February 8, 2022 at approximately 0938 hours, Vermont State Police responded to a report of a multi-vehicle motor vehicle collision involving a tractor trailer unit at the intersection of Vermont Route 22A and Vermont Route 73 in the Town of Orwell. It was reported that powerlines were down across the roadway and there were serious injuries sustained from the collision. Investigation revealed that V#2 was traveling southbound on Vermont Route 22A, while V#1 was traveling west on Vermont Route 73, approaching the intersection with Vermont Route 22A.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health today is reporting 398 cases of COVID-19 for Wednesday, which was 99 fewer than Tuesday. The VDH today also reported three additional deaths from yesterday for 565 statewide. One of the deaths was in the 60-69 age group, one was in the 70-79 age group and one was in the 80+ age group.

​Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) today delivered remarks on the floor of the US Senate calling for diplomatic efforts to deescalate the crisis in Ukraine and reaffirm Ukrainian independence and sovereignty. As I speak today, Europe, for the first time in almost 80 years, is faced with the threat of a major invasion. A large nation threatens a smaller, less powerful neighbor, surrounding it on three sides with tens of thousands of troops, tanks and artillery.

Vermont Business Magazine Norwich University’s Winter Carnival returns February 11 to February 13, reviving a long-standing tradition that celebrates Vermont’s longest season with student campus life and local family fun. The carnival features a sledding party, guided snowshoeing, ice skating, a snow sculpture contest, a World Cow scavenger hunt and much more. The public is invited to visit campus for those activities and a story walk on Paine Mountain at noon Saturday and a pajama fun run at 8:45 on Sunday.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Mental Health announced today that Daryl Hall as the new Chief Executive Officer at the Vermont Psychiatric Care Hospital (VPCH) in Berlin. Hall comes into this position with extensive experience in psychiatric care, spending much of his career in his former home state of Indiana.

by Department of Economic Development Commissioner Joan Goldstein Vermont is face-to-face with the opportunity to infuse federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars into transformational projects throughout the state. This is a once in a lifetime moment and the Department of Economic Development is focused on growing the workforce and shoring up a foundation of strong economic activity that will persevere into the future. We know the COVID-19 crisis has exacerbated workforce and housing issues around the state, from our largest to our smallest communities. The need for investment is great. The Governor has made several proposals that will set us on a course for success in the long term.