Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The American Hospital Association (AHA) today announced Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC) in Bennington, Vermont, as the 2020 recipient of the Rural Hospital Leadership Award. The award recognizes small or rural hospital leaders who guide their hospital and community through transformational change on the road to health care reform. They display outstanding leadership, responsiveness to their community’s health needs and demonstrate a collaborative community process that has led to measurable outcomes.

Vermont Business Magazine This February, Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC) will host four webinars focused on a range of public health topics designed for women in the community. This engaging webinar series women will gain knowledge and skills aimed at improving their physical, emotional, and social wellbeing from knowledgeable community partners.

“Healthy women are an integral part of a healthy community,” said Rory Price, SVMC’s coordinator of Population Health. “We are thrilled to provide opportunities for learning, sharing, and discussion, all within a judgment-free environment.”

Vermont Business Magazine January is Cervical Health Awareness Month, and Planned Parenthood of Northern New England (PPNNE) is now following new cervical cancer screening guidelines established by the American Cancer Society. Starting at age 25, people with a cervix should get an HPV (Human Papillomavirus) test every five years. For individuals ages 65 and older, cervical cancer screening guidance remains the same.

Vermont Business Magazine It started when now world-famous Bernie-mitten-maker Jen Ellis gifted Outright Vermont 1 of 3 pairs of newly made mitts in a ‘coming out of hiatus’ moment. 'This hard for them. I just wanted to give them a shoutout, you know, like, ‘Hang in there. This is not going to last forever, and when it's over, you can go out and hug all your friends and be your awesome selves, out in public'.’

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Labor is aware of a mailing and printing process error that impacts 1099-G tax documents that were mailed on Friday and Saturday (January 29 – 30). If you received a 1099 from VDOL, they are asking that you DO NOT OPEN IT. VDOL will send you a self-addressed stamped envelope in which to return it. VDOL suspects a printing error resulted in some people getting someone's else's information. This could have occurred even if the address information appears correct.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health is reporting 425 new cases of COVID-19 since Friday and three more deaths for a total of 175 statewide. Despite the anticipated snowstorm, the vaccine clinics will be open Tuesday. However, people may reschedule their appointments. Over 50,000 Vermonters have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and about 17,000 have received both.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today announced that he has appointed Monica Hutt, currently the commissioner of the Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living, as chief prevention officer, and Maggie Gendron as deputy secretary of the Agency of Natural Resources.

Vermont Business Magazine The director of Vermont Law School’s (VLS) Environmental Justice Clinic (EJC) has been appointed by President Joseph Biden, Jr, to a prominent role in his administration fighting racial and economic disparities in environmental policies. Marianne Engelman-Lado has been named deputy general counsel for environmental initiatives at the Environmental Protection Agency.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont State Treasurer Beth Pearce today marked the 1st ever National Unclaimed Property Day by reminding Vermonters that it’s never been easier to claim their missing money using a new, online system that the Treasurer’s Office launched last summer. Vermonters can quickly search 760,000 properties valued at more than $99 million by visiting MissingMoney.Vermont.Gov.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) Monday released a letter joined by 12 other Senators calling for additional relief for state, localities, and tribal governments in the next COVID relief package, including a strong all-state minimum to ensure every state can meet the economic and public health challenges the nation still faces.

Vermont Business Magazine Northern Vermont University (NVU) Center for Professional Studies was awarded a three-year Northern Border Regional Commission-Regional Forest Economy Partnership (RFEP) grant of nearly $1 million to establish the Do North Wood Product and Forestry Accelerator initiative in Lyndonville, Vermont.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today announced that Vermont businesses will see another rate decrease in workers’ compensation insurance in 2021. This is the fifth straight year workers’ compensation rates have decreased, and when combined with decreases from 2017-2020, Vermont employers will pay an average of 36% less in workers’ compensation premiums than they did in 2016. The new rates take effect on April 1, 2021.