Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The Board of Trustees of the Vermont State Colleges System seeks public comment on the transformation proposal outlined in the Initial Report of the Select Committee on the Future of Public Higher Education in Vermont. Using the Select Committee’s initial report as a guide, the Vermont State Colleges System will continue working on a recommendation for a transformed organization, governance, and operational model. The Initial Report suggested consolidating the colleges, but keeping the campuses open, and focusing the curriculum on vocations. It came with a stern warning that unless considerable measures are taken, the entire system could face insolvency.

Vermont Business Magazine Soldiers from 1-172 CAV and 172nd Public Affairs Detachment of the Vermont National Guard, departed Sunday to join over 20,000 other National Guard members in securing a peaceful Inauguration. Approximately 100 Vermont Army National Guard soldiers will support operations in Washington, DC, ahead of the Presidential Inauguration on Wednesday January 20.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today issued the following statement in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr Day: “Today we celebrate the life and legacy of Dr Martin Luther King, Jr. This past year, we’ve seen that legacy brought to life as our nation engaged in a long-overdue reckoning on systemic racism and injustice. Across the nation, Americans organized and spoke out to call for needed reforms. And this work is far from over..."

Vermont Research News Vermont’s policy to allow COVID-19 positive tested individuals to leave quarantine at 7 days if they tested negative was the subject of a study conducted by the CDC. The CDC found that this method was effective at catching COVID-19 among asymptomatic people in quarantine, while also allowing people who were not infected to return to “normal” life sooner. The CDC suggested that other states should consider this policy.

Vermont Business Magazine Today Vermont recorded its 10,000th COVID19 case. It is the last state to reach 10K - taking 315 days from its 1st case to today. DFR Commissioner Michael Pieciak said on Twitter that, "Although cases remain high, per capita, VT has the fewest cases, lowest hospitalizations & 2nd fewest deaths. Your sacrifices continue to save lives."

Vermont Business Magazine New research examining more than 800,000 traffic stops in Vermont over the course of five years substantiates the term “driving while Black and Brown.” Compared to white drivers, Black and Latinx drivers in Vermont are more likely to be stopped, ticketed, arrested, and searched. But they are less likely to be found with contraband than white drivers. The report finds evidence not only of racial disparities but also racial bias in policing. What’s more, a number of these gaps widened over the years examined in the report. With such comprehensive data encompassing the state of Vermont, the authors also found that Vermont police stop cars at a rate of 255 per 1,000 residents, which is more than three times higher than the national average of 86 stops per 1,000 residents.

Vermont State Police The enhanced law-enforcement presence in place at the Capitol Complex in Montpelier throughout the day is continuing. There have been no reports of any incidents, arrests or citations.

Vermont Business Magazine Consistent with a history that is rife with medical discrimination and abuse against Black people, the COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected BIPOC communities in the U.S., who are disproportionally employed as essential workers. Now, as vaccines are distributed to specific populations in phases, concerns are rising that this health disparity gap may widen. On Wednesday, January 20, Leon McDougle, MD, MPH, president of the National Medical Association, will address health care inequities as the Keynote Speaker for the University of Vermont's annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration.

Vermont Business Magazine As the US Small Business Administration (SBA) opens the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) application portal to lenders, ACCD is encouraging businesses to explore applying for the more than $284 billion has been allocated to this program nationally. Friday, the portal was opened to lenders with $1 billion or less in assets for First and Second Draw applications. The portal will fully open on Tuesday, January 19th to all participating PPP lenders.

Leonine Public Affairs This week the House and Senate passed H.48, An act relating to authorizing alternative procedures for 2021 annual municipal meetings in response to COVID-19. The bill was sent to the governor's desk on Friday and he is expected to sign it. The bill authorizes municipalities to move the dates of their 2021 annual municipal meetings. It also permits a municipality to mail to all of the active registered voters in the municipality the Australian ballot to be used at the 2021 annual municipal meeting to encourage absentee voting.

​Vermont Business Magazine Green Mountain Power (GMP) is urging safety for customers as crews work to restore power and forecasters predict that more heavy wet snow will continue to pile up across much of Vermont, especially the south and central regions of the state. Winds are also forecasted to continue to be high enough to cause outages into the afternoon, increasing the possibility for toppling trees which could tear down lines, causing more outages. So far, crews have restored power to more than 3,200 customers, and about 14,000 are out, with new reports coming in.

Vermont Business Magazine Lawmakers in the House and Senate Friday renewed their efforts to require the federal government to cover the full costs to the National Guard and their states for COVID-19 response efforts. President-elect Biden has announced that his administration intends to provide 100 percent reimbursement to states for the Guard’s COVID-19 support. Leahy is the incoming chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and the longtime co-chair of the Senate National Guard Caucus.