Current News

Vermont Business Magazine For the third year in a row, Vermont Electric Co-op (VEC) has received the prestigious Cigna Well-Being Award from the insurance company Cigna. VEC is the only company in Cigna’s book of business that has won the award three years running.

Vermont Business Magazine Sun Country Airlines (NASDAQ: SNCY) today announced that it will begin service to Burlington International Airport (BTV) from Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport (MSP) beginning June 16, 2022. As the airline's name suggests, its year-round service from MSP is to warm-weather destinations. Most of the cities it serves, like the new BTV route, are seasonal. Sun Country's other nearby airports include Boston, Hartford, Portland and Providence. Introductory fares are as low as $89 one-way. Today’s announcement is part of a larger expansion by the airline, as it announced 11 new nonstop routes and welcomed seven new airports to its growing network.

Vermont Business Magazine The Renal Dialysis team at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC), part of Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC), was the recipient of the DAISY Team Award for Extraordinary Nurses in September. This was the first time SVMC has honored a team with a DAISY award.

Vermont Business Magazine Late Monday evening the Burlington City Council voted by a margin of 8-4 to raise the authorized cap of officers at the Burlington Police Department to 79 officers. With an additional 8 officers at the Airport currently, this action effectively raises the cap from 74 to 87 officers.

Vermont Business Magazine Mayor Weinberger on Monday announced next steps toward ending the unsafe living conditions at the Sears Lane encampment, and expanding short- and mid-term housing services in Burlington during this period of acute housing shortage. Dangerous incidents at the site have included police and federal law enforcement partners executing a warrant following a month-long narcotics investigation and a camper pointing an assault-style airsoft gun (a replica pellet gun) at Burlington Fire personnel who were responding to a medical call. The Fire Department has also determined that some of the structures that have been erected illegally on the site pose a significant fire risk to occupants and other campers on the site.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, the US Department of Agriculture, Rural Development — VT/NH (RD) announced that its $28,271,073 direct loan to the Rutland Regional Medical Center (RRMC) for constructing the Thomas W. Huebner Medical Office Building closed at a 2.25% interest rate, significantly lower than the 3.875% rate at origination. The reduction is expected to save $10,769,125 over the 35-year loan term. USDA Community Facility loans allow interest rates to go lower at the time of closing but never higher than at obligation.

by Julie Lowell, Public Assets Institute The pandemic has demanded quick responses from government over the past 18 months, from protecting public health to making sure Vermonters had food, shelter, and financial security during an unprecedented economic rollercoaster. On the whole, our government has gotten a lot of things right: access to testing and treatment for COVID-19, a massive vaccine rollout in a matter of weeks, and financial support to Vermonters who needed it. Most of the funding came from the feds, but the Vermont Legislature and the governor deserve a lot of credit for their part in the pandemic response.

Vermont Business Magazine Mamava, the category creator of freestanding lactation suites, announces the acquisition of its manufacturing operations based in Springfield, Vermont. The business will now operate as Mamava Manufacturing, a wholly owned subsidiary of Mamava, Inc. This vertical integration provides greater autonomy in new product development, enhances Mamava’s design capabilities, and creates production efficiencies that will both improve customer experience and drive business growth. There are currently 1,900+ Mamava pods across all 50 states and Puerto Rico.

by John McClaughry I consider myself a long time champion of local democracy. I co-wrote with Frank Bryan a book subtitled “recreating democracy on a local scale” (The Vermont Papers, 1989). But over the years I have occasionally had the thought that there can also be a problem with local democracy, when powerful outside forces are brought to bear on local decision making.

Vermont Business Magazine Marathon Health, an employer health provider, announces the launch of a first-of-its-kind virtual primary care solution called Marathon Health Anywhere. The program leverages dedicated care teams and remote monitoring tools to ensure that companies can provide high-quality, advanced primary care to all employees — no matter where they live.

​Vermont Business Magazine Southwestern Vermont Health Care’s (SVHC) Medical Matters Weekly with Dr. Trey Dobson—a weekly interactive, multiplatform medical-themed talk show—will feature Brown University’s Associate Vice President for Campus Life and Executive Director of Health and Wellness Vanessa Britto, MD, on its October 20 program. The show will air at 12 p.m. She will share the university’s pioneering role as one of the first institutions to mandate COVID vaccines for students and staff.

Vermont Business Magazine If your job was adversely affected by COVID-19, you may be eligible for no cost trainings. Through a legislature-funded program to upskill and reskill the state’s workforce, Vermonters can choose from over 100 no cost trainings and classes at one of the Vermont State Colleges System institutions. The Vermont State Colleges System in coordination with the Vermont Department of Labor is once again offering FREE classes and trainings (Act 9) for Vermonters who have been adversely affected by COVID-19.