Current News

Vermont Business Magazine As the response to the COVID-19 pandemic continues, The University of Vermont Health Network has seen some progress toward its financial recovery, thanks to state and federal provider relief funding, cost control measures, and an increase in patient visits for necessary health care services during the month of March 2021. The Network announced today financial results from the second quarter of Fiscal Year 2021 and for the year-to-date of the fiscal year – which runs from October 1, 2020 – September 30, 2021.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott proclaimed May 16-22 Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week in Vermont, noting the extra importance in recognizing and thanking EMS workers for the broad range of work for Vermonters they have put in throughout the pandemic. EMS Week traditionally serves as an opportunity to thank the 2,800 dedicated individuals who make up Vermont’s EMS system, including open houses and other events across the state.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Community Foundation has hired Molly Walsh as a Research and Insight Officer. Walsh joins the Community Foundation after more than thirty years covering Vermont as a newspaper reporter, spending the majority of that time at The Burlington Free Press, and most recently working for five years at the weekly newspaper Seven Days.

by Tom Evslin You’d think Progressives would be all in for a plan to use a fraction of federal Rescue funds to assure that every Vermont family regardless of income or location had a chance to get connected immediately to the broadband service they need to participate in the post-pandemic world. You’d be wrong! You’d think a plan to provide outreach, technical help, training, and subsidies when required to families whose children have to go to the McD parking lot to do their homework and who have to go to the emergency room rather than see a teledoc would sail through a Legislature with a huge Democrat majority despite conservative concern that a temporary subsidy program would become permanent. You’d be wrong!

Vermont Business Magazine A “necessities drive” for charities is being organized for this week by a group of National Life employees, part of the company’s commitment to Do Good in the communities where it operates. The drive has been organized by the Women’s Insight Network, which is a group of employees and agents that promotes women in leadership roles throughout the industry.

Vermont Business Magazine Castleton University recognized the class of 2021 at its 234th Commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 15. The Castleton community came together from across the country and around the world to celebrate this year's graduates virtually. The ceremony featured video remarks from student speakers, Castleton's president, chancellor of the Vermont State Colleges System, the Castleton Alumni Association, and several others. It also included heartfelt messages from faculty and staff, and conferring of degrees, with the graduating students' names being read.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Public Service invites applications from individual Communications Union Districts (CUDs), groups of Communications Union Districts or partners of Communications Union Districts for funds to facilitate the construction of broadband networks capable of speeds of at least 100 Mbps symmetrical. Round 1 Deadline is today: Monday, May 17.

by Joyce Marcel, Vermont Business Magazine If you had a laboratory and wanted to cook up the perfect public radio host, the results would probably come out looking a lot like Jane Lindholm. She has all the ingredients you would expect: child of academics, well-educated, well-traveled, curious as hell and unafraid to try new things. Lindholm even describes herself as a “back seat listener:” She was one of those little kids in the back of the car whose parents drove around listening to public radio; by default, she grew up hearing everything from “Car Talk” to discussions about the Holocaust.

Vermont State Police On Saturday night the Vermont State Police were called to respond to Interstate 89, northbound, for a report of a motorcycle that had crashed. When police arrived on scene they found the operator of the motorcycle, Joseph Jerome, deceased.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today announced that as a result of Vermont meeting the necessary vaccination threshold of 60% of the population receiving at least one dose, the state will move to Step 3 of the Vermont Forward Plan more than two weeks ahead of the anticipated schedule. Also, the first wave of vaccine clinics for hospitality and tourism workers is now under way.

Vermont State Police Saturday morning, May 15, 2021, the Vermont State Police was informed that the juvenile operator died as a result of injuries sustained in the crash. On 05/13/2021 at 1940 hours, Vermont State Police received a report of a one-car motor vehicle crash on East Hill Road near the intersection of Peaked Mountain Road in the town of Townshend, VT (Windham County).

Leonine Public Affairs The budget conference committee met throughout the week to reconcile the House and Senate versions of H.439, the FY2022 budget. Budget discussions hit a snag with the release of the federal guidance for the eligible use of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding. The Joint Fiscal Office and Scott Administration officials informed the budget conference committee that some areas of the budget bill that utilize ARPA funds may not be eligible to use those funds. These areas include housing, childcare and economic development, among others.