Current News

“I am determined to keep telling the reality of nuclear war ... to realize a world without wars and nuclear weapons.” —Taniguchi Sumiteru

Vermont Business Magazine Rootstock Publishing, a Montpelier-based publisher and an imprint of Multicultural Media, Inc., is honored to publish the English language translation of The Atomic Bomb on My Back: A Life Story of Survival and Activism by Taniguchi Sumiteru.

On August 9, 1945, the United States dropped its second atomic bomb on the port city of Nagasaki, where Taniguchi lived. That bomb killed 73,884 people—about half as many as had died three days earlier in Hiroshima. Six days later, Japan surrendered, ending World War II.

Leonine Public Affairs The Senate passed H.961, which provides funding for state government for the first quarter of the fiscal year beginning on July 1. The Senate adopted an amendment that Senate Pro Tem Tim Ashe (D/P-Chittenden) offered that mandates that the Commissioners of the Departments of Public Safety and Mental Health submit a plan to the Legislature in August for embedding mental health clinicians in every Vermont State Police barrack. The Public Safety Commissioner is charged with recommending to the Legislature a funding mechanism for the program.

Vermont Department of Tourism Governor Phil Scott announced Friday that effective June 26, arts, culture, and entertainment venues, as well as restaurants, can expand capacity for events and dining to 50% of approved occupancy size with new maximum gathering sizes for 75 people for indoor events and 150 people for outdoor events.

Vermont Business Magazine Woodridge Rehabilitation and Nursing residents will begin accepting visitors at the Berlin facility under strict health guidelines beginning on Sunday. Woodridge Facility Director Allen Yearick will also be on-site to answer questions. Residents will meet with loved ones in person for the first time since Woodridge Rehabilitation and Nursing closed to visitors in March.

When: Begins Sunday, June 21
10:00-10:30 am, 1:00-1:30 pm, 2:00-2:30 pm, 3:00-3:30 pm (by appointment only)
*scheduled visits continue June 22 - 23

Where: 142 Woodridge Rd, Berlin, VT 05602

Why: Nursing home residents have relied on video visits to stay in touch with their loved ones, but it is not quite the same as seeing them in person.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott announced Friday that effective June 26, 2020, arts, culture, and entertainment venues, as well as restaurants, can expand capacity for events and dining to 50% of approved occupancy size with new maximum gathering sizes for 75 people for indoor events and 150 people for outdoor events. ACCD has also updated its Drive-in Operation guidance (Section 5.2)to make clear firework displays and parades can move forward as drive-in viewing events.

Vermont Business Magazine In commemoration of Juneteenth, 2020 the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont Diversity and Inclusion Council announced today that the non-profit will match the proceeds of an employee-led fundraiser for Black Lives Matter of Greater Burlington and the Vermont Racial Justice Alliance. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont said in a statement today that they condemn racism and systemic oppression and stands in solidarity with other local Vermont institutions and organizations to proactively disrupt the status quo.

Vermont Business Magazine The Winooski outbreak saw its numbers jump nearly 20 as some cases thought to be unrelated are now attributed to cases related to a network of people, mostly in Winooski and Burlington. There are not deaths associated with the outbreak and the average age is relatively young, with 40 percent of the 101 cases in children. Otherwise, the data continues to show Vermont trending in the right direction. In fact, as of today we had the lowest percent-positivity rate in the USA - fewer than 1% of COVID-19 tests were positive this week.

Vermont Business Magazine Secretary of Administration Susanne Young released Vermont’s revenue results for May 2020 with collections in the General Fund, Transportation Fund and Education Fund significantly lower than their respective pre-COVID monthly targets for a second month. This of course was expected as Governor Scott closed down much of the economy in March and April as mitigation efforts sought to stave off the worst of the pandemic. Much of the economy has since returned to work, but the recovery is far from over and many of the economic limits continue. The state budget is expected to find a way to cover shortfalls the rest of this fiscal year, which ends on June 30, but FY21 is looking at upwards of a $400 million deficit.

Vermont Business Magazine Today the Vermont House advanced the Broadband, Connectivity, Housing, and Economic Development bill (H.966). The passage of this bill brings the total Coronavirus Relief Funds appropriated by the House in the last week to nearly a billion dollars. $121 million in economic development funds and $16 million in services for homelessness were added to H.966 in amendments today, supported by the Commerce & Economic Development Committee and Human Services Committee, respectively. With last week’s bill, S.350, that’s a total of $191 million in economic development and $91 million to address housing and homelessness.

Vermont Business Magazine At a press conference Friday, Governor Phil Scott was joined by the State’s Executive Director of Racial Equity Xusana Davis and Representative Kevin ‘Coach’ Christie, chair of the Human Rights Commission, to mark Juneteenth, which commemorates the ending of slavery in the United States. Governor Scott also proclaimed it Juneteenth Recognition Day in Vermont. The group highlighted the importance of reflecting on the transformational impact of the events of June 19, 1865, recognized the continued need to confront the racial inequality and systemic racism that still exist, and discussed opportunities to address inequity today.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Commerce Secretary Lindsay Kurrle announced at the governor's press briefing today that gathering sizes are being increased. Beginning June 26, restaurants and meeting venues can increase their capacities to 50 percent occupancy (based on fire code). The maximum for inside venues will be 75 people and for outside will be 150. For instance, an outside event with a tent rated for 400 people will be able to accommodate 150 guests. Also, 12 more counties with a population of 1.8 million in the Northeast have been added to the state's no-quarantine list. This brings the number of counties in New England and New York to 75 with a total population of 6.8 million.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate decreased three and eight-tenths percentage points to 12.7 percent in May. This reflects a decrease of three and eight-tenths percentage points from April’s revised estimate of 16.5 percent. The comparable United States rate in May was 13.3 percent, a decrease of one and four-tenths percentage points from the revised April estimate. Falling below the US rate was expected, but perhaps not this fast.