Current News

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health on Monday reported a relatively low 239 COVID-19 cases. The state expects a surge in cases for the holidays, driven by the new Omicron variant. Cases over the Christmas break were low and the positivity rate was relatively high as testing was low. Case counts were also relatively low over the holiday.

Vermont Business Magazine The Radiology Department at Mt Ascutney Hospital and Health Center (MAHHC) has received American College of Radiology (ACR) designation as a Lung Cancer Screening Center. The designation makes MAHHC Radiology notable “as a provider of safe, effective diagnostic care for those considered at high risk of lung cancer,” according to ACR. MAHHC is one of only three sites with this designation in a 25-mile radius, and one of nine within 50 miles.

by Olga Peters, Vermont Business Magazine The Northeast Kingdom is open for business. In many ways, it never closed, despite a global pandemic. Economic development projects have continued across the region, new businesses have opened in Newport and St. Johnsbury, and home sales have remained steady. The pandemic has yet to finish with Vermont. The NEK has experienced some of the highest rates of new COVID infections in the state, according to the state Department of Health’s COVID-19 dashboard. In October, a quarter of new COVID cases recorded in Vermont were in Orleans County despite making up only four percent of the state’s population.

by Olga Peters, Vermont Business Magazine “It was a wonderful summer,” said Kingdom Trails Executive Director Abigail Long. With state travel restrictions lifted, more neighbors from New Hampshire, New York, and Maine returned to use more than 100 miles of trails open to non-motorized activities, she said.

​by Olga Peters, Vermont Business Magazine Shawn Tester feels like the Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital in St Johnsbury avoided the worst of 2020 only to be slammed this year with COVID cases. The 25-bed hospital had eight COVID-positive patients the evening Tester, the Chief Executive Officer, spoke with Vermont Business Magazine.

​by Jack Hoffman, Public Assets Institute We’ve all heard the complaint: Why does Vermont education spending continue to rise when student enrollment has declined? The answer can be found in the UVM student weighting study released in late 2019 and in the spotlight for the last 6 months. There may be approximately 87,000 actual students in Vermont public schools on any given day, but we have the equivalent of 137,000 or 163,000 students, depending on which set of weights is applied.

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General TJ Donovan along with Grand Isle County State’s Attorney Douglas DiSabito, Orange County State’s Attorney Dickson Corbett, and Essex County State’s Attorney Vincent Illuzzi will host a free expungement clinic on Friday, January 14th, with appointments available from 10 am to 2 pm. Expungements wipe from your record specific convictions and dismissed charges after a certain period of time has passed. Under Vermont law, many misdemeanors, 14 different felony offenses, and all dismissed charges can be expunged.

Vermont Business Magazine Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) on Thursday sent a letter to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy demanding action to address the postal issues across Vermont, including the immediate installation of a functioning cancellation machine at the White River Junction mail processing facility.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health on Tuesday reported 426 COVID-19 cases. The state awaits an expected surge in cases for the holidays, driven by the new Omicron variant. The VDH reported 653 cases on Wednesday. There were 240 cases on Tuesday, 242 on Monday, 463 on Sunday and 454 cases on Saturday.

Vermont Business Magazine Most testing sites have already distributed all the antigen take-home test kits that were available today. Additional tests will be available tomorrow, December 24 at the Agency of Transportation sites. Two test kits per car (or walk-in) will be given out on a first-come, first-served basis. People should plan in advance for high demand and wait times. Locations and updated information about availability can be found at healthvermont.gov/testing.

Vermont Business Magazine Mayor Miro Weinberger, Burlington Parks, Recreation & Waterfront Director Cindi Wight, and President of the Burlington Parks Foundation John Bossange recently celebrated the reopening of the final significant segment of the Burlington Greenway. A key component of the Mayor’s commitment to public infrastructure, the $13 million Greenway Rehabilitation project broke ground in October 2014 in the central Waterfront area.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont gasoline prices were unchanged from last week at $3.36 a gallon. Prices are down 7 cents from a month ago, but $1.15 more than one year ago. The lowest price in Vermont was $3.08 in West Dover and the highest was $3.72 in Island Pond.