Current News

Vermont Business Magazine State leaders joined Cathedral Square and the non-profit Champlain Islanders Developing Essential Resources (C.I.D.E.R.) for a groundbreaking ceremony for Bayview Crossing, an affordable housing community for older adults in South Hero, on Wednesday, September 22. ReArch Company serves as the construction manager on this 38,000-square-foot, 30-unit affordable housing community targeting adults aged 55+. The project’s construction will last 11.5 months, with an occupancy target of next September 2022.

Vermont Business Magazine Chamber & Economic Development of the Rutland Region (CEDRR) and Castleton University have launched the CEDRR Intern Hub, an innovative space located in Downtown Rutland, which will provide Castleton students with greater access and opportunities for experiential learning with employers throughout the region and beyond.

Vermont Business Magazine Pandemic-related disruptions in school and child care; inequitable divisions of household labor; increases in depression, anxiety, and substance use; and economic concerns greatly impacted Vermonters in the last year, according to a just-released survey about the impacts of COVID-19 on American households. Survey respondents had clear recommendations for policies and resources that would improve their overall well-being: economic relief via stimulus payments, extended unemployment benefits, increased access to child care; increased access to mental health supports; and greater access to technology.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health today reported 104 cases of COVID-19 (up 22 from Tuesday), and four more deaths, for 317 statewide. There are 44 people hospitalized and 12 in the ICU. In his weekly briefing yesterday, DFR Commissioner Michael Pieciak said that while total COVID cases are slowly decreasing in Vermont and the Northeast (and more rapidly in other parts of the US after a Delta variant surge) fatalities and hospitalizations are a trailing indicator. The rollout of the Pfizer booster shots will expand greatly on Friday. Then, basically everyone who has had both Pfizer doses at least six months ago and is older than 17 can get a third dose.

Vermont Business Magazine VGS today announced that it is increasing financial rebates to help more low- and moderate-income Vermonters weatherize their homes. Starting January 1, 2022, VGS will offer qualifying single-family homeowners an incentive to cover 75 percent of comprehensive weatherization project costs up to $5,000, providing an affordable option to reduce energy expenses, improve comfort, and lower their carbon footprint. Weatherization is a proven strategy to combat climate change and a cornerstone strategy of VGS’s Climate Plan.

Vermont Business Magazine THINKMD, a Burlington-based healthcare technology company, has appointed Chris Powell as Chief Executive Officer to lead the company in its next phase of growth. Previously Powell was CEO of Burlington testing lab Aspenti Health, until its acquisition by Virginia-based AverHealth last May.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s pediatricians support a "Test to Stay" (TTS) program for asymptomatic, unvaccinated children exposed to COVID-19 at school. Vermont pediatricians and pediatric infectious diseases specialists are collaborating with state agencies in the design and implementation of TTS based on the program currently in place in Massachusetts. A recently published randomized controlled trial in the U.K. demonstrated that schools using a TTS strategy had as little school transmission as schools quarantining students after in school exposure.

Vermont Business Magazine A multi-institutional research team led by UVM’s Sabrina Greenwood has been awarded $2.9 million to explore the potential animal health, environmental and economic benefits of seaweed as a feed alternative for organic dairy cows. The grant is one of USDA’s newly funded Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative projects to help improve yields, milk quality and profitability for organic farmers and producers.

Senator Bernie Sanders Let’s be crystal clear. If the bipartisan infrastructure bill is passed on its own on Thursday, this will be in violation of an agreement that was reached within the Democratic Caucus in Congress. More importantly, it will end all leverage that we have to pass a major reconciliation bill. That means there will be no serious effort to address the long-neglected crises facing the working families of our country, the children, the elderly, the sick and the poor. I strongly urge my House colleagues to vote against the bipartisan infrastructure bill until Congress passes a strong reconciliation bill.

by Rob Roper As the Vermont Climate Council readies its plans to dramatically reduce Vermont’s greenhouse gas emissions, they embarked on a series of public engagement events to field questions from curious citizens. Here are some we all might consider asking. Transportation: From the Council’s discussions, it appears you are going to recommend putting over 40,000 electric vehicles on Vermont’s roads by 2025 (1 out of every 4 new vehicle purchases). There are only about 4000 EVs on our roads today. Logistically, how do you intend to do this over a three-year period? How much will it cost? Where will the money come from?

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Lieutenant Governor Molly Gray, Attorney General TJ Donovan, Senate Pro Tem Becca Balint, and Speaker Jill Krowinski issued the following statement:

Vermont Business Magazine You can now get a booster shot of Pfizer vaccine if you received your second dose of the Pfizer vaccine six months ago or more and are age 65 or older, or are age 18 or older with certain medical conditions that put you at high risk of getting severely ill with COVID-19. The list of conditions is very long. Also, the Vermont Department of Health today reported 82 cases of COVID-19 (down 117 from Monday), three more deaths, for 313 statewide. There are 44 people hospitalized (up 8) and 12 in the ICU (up 5).