Current News
by tim
Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health is reporting two more deaths from COVID-19 (one in Franklin and one in Caledonia) for a statewide total of 74. Because it was a Friday, the individual placing the order needed to additionally select “Delivery on Saturday” in the drop-down menu when generating the packing slip. This step was missed. The shipping samples were picked up from the Guard at the Barre Auditorium and dropped off to the UPS site at 4:31 p.m. on Friday. As a result of the missed step, the shipper was not aware of the Saturday deliver need. The samples therefore did not arrive at the lab within the short amount of time they are viable for testing.
by tim
Vermont Business Magazine The University of Vermont will eliminate low-enrollment programs in the College of Arts and Sciences as it continues efforts to ensure its academic programs meet current and future student demand, and distribute resources, it says, in a way that will further strengthen the robust liberal arts education it offers. The College’s actions reflect the need to respond to enrollment declines and to address its substantial structural budget deficit, which is on the order of $8.6 million.
by tim
Vermont State Police Following a four-month investigation, the Vermont State Police has arrested the parents of a 1-month-old boy on charges related to the infant’s death in Swanton in August 2020. State police investigators were notified of the death of Leo Cushing at about 5 am August 1 inside the home he shared with his parents on Highgate Road in Swanton.
by tim
Vermont Business Magazine Luxury lighting company Hubbardton Forge announced key leadership transitions today. Maria (Scutaro) Mullen, appointed President & COO on June 1, will now assume the role of CEO. Bubba Sandford has completed his mission to assist the company in navigating the draw-down and closure, due to the pandemic, and subsequent successful re-opening of production. With Sandford’s guidance, Hubbardton Forge moved from one shift to two, and was able to ship through an unprecedentedly-high backlog due to a five-week closure in March/April. Today, the company is back at 100% employment, and boasting its highest production rates ever. Most importantly, Sandford’s direction helped to keep the Hubbardton Forge team safe and healthy.
by tim
Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Community Loan Fund has launched the Northern Vermont Recovery Loan Fund, serving manufacturing, tourism, agriculture, forestry and wood products, education and early care, and nonprofits impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Business owners from Vermont’s six northernmost counties — Caledonia, Essex, Franklin, Grand Isle, Lamoille and Orleans — are eligible. Loans include flexible terms and low- to no-cost debt financing, along with business coaching services and support.
by tim
Vermont Business Magazine Hundreds of community members from across the country rallied around Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports’ #GivingTuesday 2020 fundraising campaign yesterday, raising more than $135,000 for the organization’s year-round adaptive sports and recreational programs and athlete scholarships. Generosity prevailed even during a pandemic, as the organization had its best #GivingTuesday results since it began participating in the global initiative in 2014. This year, the organization harnessed the generosity of a collective matching donation of $30,000 from The Sills Family Foundation, the Kimpton Family, the Vermont Adaptive Board of Directors, and an anonymous donor.
by tim
Vermont Business Magazine Over the last couple months, The Vermont Council on Rural Development has been working on an initiative they’re calling the Vermont Proposition: an effort to engage thousands of Vermonters in articulating priorities designed to optimize the best of Vermont – for our economy, environment, communities, and people – and then build a non-partisan partnership to help drive them forward.
by tim
Vermont State Police On Thursday, December 3rd, 2020 between 11:00 am and 1:00 pm, an exercise of the Vermont AMBER Alert System will be conducted by the Vermont Department of Public Safety. Additionally, on Friday, December 4th, 2020 between 11:00 am and 1:00 pm, an exercise of the Vermont BLUE Alert system will be conducted. These exercises will test the functionality of various components of Vermont’s AMBER Alert and BLUE Alert systems.
by tim
Vermont Business Magazine The Health Department reported Tuesday that three more Vermonters had died of COVID-19 since last Friday, for a statewide total of 72 and a total case count of 4,239. There have been 13 deaths since November 17. Also, the VDH is asking people who were tested for COVID-19 on November 27, 2020, at Barre Auditorium to get retested. This action is needed because a delay by the company responsible for shipping the original samples to Broad Laboratories in Massachusetts rendered the samples useless. Approximately 249 samples were affected. The Health Department late Monday sent emails to notify people of the shipping error and the need for retesting if desired.
by katie
Vermont Business Magazine University of Vermont Provost and Senior Vice President Patricia Prelock has announced the appointment of Noma Anderson, PhD, as dean of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences (CNHS).
Anderson has built a reputation as a successful leader in the health professions, most recently as dean of the College of Health Professions at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center for six years and special adviser to the University of Tennessee System president on diversity and inclusion.
by katie
Vermont Business Magazine In celebration of Giving Tuesday, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust announces the year-to-date results of its charitable giving programs. From January through November 2020, the Bank has donated more than $488,000 to nearly 400 nonprofit organizations throughout Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.
“Giving back to the communities where we live and work is a fundamental part of who Bar Harbor Bank & Trust is as a business, employer, and more importantly, a neighbor,” said Jack Frost, VP Director of Community Giving at Bar Harbor Bank & Trust. “This year has been a particularly challenging one for our communities, and we are honored to be able to partner with hundreds of nonprofit organizations to deliver much-needed services to our neighbors in need.”
The Bank has made several donations in celebration of Giving Tuesday this year, including:
by katie
Vermont Business Magazine The Northeast Delta Dental Foundation recently awarded grants of $79,594 to three Vermont oral health programs.
The Foundation awarded $14,594 to Open Door Clinic in Middlebury in support of a University of Vermont study of the oral health of migrant workers; $5,000 to South Royalton School Clinic (dba HealthHub) in South Royalton for general operating expenses; and $60,000 to the Vermont Head Start/Early Head Start Tooth Tutor Program, a state-wide program, for salaries and dental supplies.