Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The VDH is reporting today 52 new cases of COVID-19 and two more deaths for 251 total statewide. Following the FDA’s authorization of the Pfizer vaccine for 12- to 15-year-olds on Monday, state officials said at Tuesday’s press conference that Vermont is prepared to open registration as soon as it clears approval from the CDC. They expect that Wednesday night and Vermonters could start to sign up Thursday at 8:15 am. Vermont ranks first in the nation in nearly every vaccination category. Governor Scott said that if Vermonters continue to exceed vaccine goals, that he may be able to accelerate the state's reopening timeline to before July 4.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation released the latest Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory (1990-2017), which estimates the greenhouse gas emissions across different sectors of the Vermont economy. As in prior years, Vermont’s three largest sources of GHG emissions in 2017 were transportation, building energy use, and agriculture. Vermont GHG emissions declined 4.8 percent from 2016 to 2017 and returned close to 1990 baseline levels. The decline was driven primarily by reductions in electricity sector emissions, with a small reduction in transportation sector emissions. DEC also provided initial 2018 and 2019 estimates of GHG emissions that anticipate further overall emission declines due to continued reductions in the electricity sector.

Vermont Business Magazine Grid innovations, reliability, a new commitment to cleaner power, and accelerated broadband deployment were all front-and-center topics at Vermont Electric Co-op’s virtual Annual Meeting held this past Saturday, May 8. The meeting, entitled “An Adaptable Resilient Grid: Teaming up for a Bright Future,” was presided over by VEC Board Chair Rich Goggin of South Hero and featured a presentation from VEC Chief Executive Officer Rebecca Towne, a guest appearance from Lieutenant Governor Molly Gray, participant questions, and more.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Senate voted unanimously in a virtual floor setting to advance H360 - An Act Relating to Accelerated Community Broadband Deployment, valued at $150 million. This has been a long-standing priority across multiple administrations and legislatures and now state leaders believe Vermont will have the resources necessary to connect every address to high-speed internet. Governor Scott said at his regular press conference today that the state probably needs upwards of double that amount to reach its goals.

Vermont Business Magazine Southwestern Vermont Council on Aging has hired Pamela Zagorski as its new Executive Director. Zagorski is set to begin serving in this role on May 17, 2021. Zagorski comes to SVCOA with over three decades of experience in healthcare and non-profit human services financial and administrative management. Most recently Zagorski served as Chief Administrative Officer for Seacoast Mental Health center in Portsmouth, NH.

Vermont Business Magazine Middlebury College’s Center for Community Engagement (CCE) has created a new website that aims to boost collaboration between organizations with ties to their local communities and faculty and their students. The site—Middlebury Liberal Arts in Action (MLAA)—allows nonprofits, schools, state offices, and businesses to submit proposed projects. Faculty, in turn, search the submissions and identify collaborators for community learning components of their courses. Faculty can also submit details about their classes, research programs, and the type of projects they seek. Topics range from the environment and public health to the arts. By working with community partners as part of their classwork, students have the opportunity to apply what they are learning.

Vermont Business Magazine Brattleboro Memorial Hospital announced today that Brattleboro OB/GYN and Four Seasons Midwifery, a member of the BMH Medical Group, will change its name to Four Seasons OB/GYN and Midwifery effective Monday, May 3, 2021. Four Seasons OB/GYN and Midwifery offers two practice locations in Brattleboro and Springfield, Vermont.

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 Natalie Kwit, public health veterinarian with the Vermont Department of Health, as a guest on its May 12 show. The show will air at a special time, 11 a.m., and will cover everything you need to know about ticks and tick-borne disease.

by Devon Green, VAHHS Vice President of Government Relations Have you ever done a hike with a false peak? You think you’ve reached the top only to realize there is more to climb. The end of the legislative session is in sight now that legislators have been assigned to a conference committee to hammer out the remaining differences between the House and the Senate on the budget bill, but with talk of a veto session and a possible October session to determine spending of federal funds, the view from mid-May could be more mountain.

by Jeff Tieman, VAHHS President and CEO On May 6 began the annual recognition of nurses that has taken place in one form or another since 1954. National Nurses Week honors the caregivers who fuel the compassion of our health care system, treat us when we are sick, speak with our families while we recover, visit us at home, keep careful track of our status, revive us when we crash and hold our hands when we die.

Vermont Business Magazine According to the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA), “approximately 48 million Americans have some degree of hearing loss.” The prevalence of hearing loss is twice as common as diabetes or cancer. In recognition of May being Better Hearing and Speech Month, North Country Otolaryngology and Audiology will be offering the community free hearing screenings in May.

by Rob Roper Vermont is on the cusp of having the least secure election system in the nation. The bill that passed the Vermont senate 27-3 (S.15) is now under consideration in the house. It would make permanent the temporary, COVID-emergency provisions adopted for the 2020 general election, including the policy of mailing “live” ballots to all voters who are active on the voter checklist, regardless of whether or not the voter requests an absentee ballot.