Current News

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The state will make a dramatic break with federal unemployment insurance rules if the backlog of unemployment claims is not resolved by Saturday night. Governor Phil Scott announced today that he has authorized the Treasury to issue $1,200 checks Sunday to those Vermonters who have unresolved claims. The state will then continue to validate those claims and adjust them going forward. He said people not working must get money in their pockets as soon as possible. No one eligible for unemployment insurance will lose money because of the delay.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today announced a flag lowering procedure to honor Vermonters who have died due to COVID-19, making the following statement: “This Sunday, April 19, marks one month since Vermont’s first two fatalities as a result of COVID-19. In honor of all the Vermonters we have lost to this terrible disease, I am ordering the U.S. and Vermont state flags to fly at half-staff on the 19th of every month for the remainder of 2020."

Vermont Business Magazine The state’s latest modeling, presented today, shows the growth rate in new COVID-19 cases has averaged below 4 percent for the last 12 days, the rate at which cases double has slowed dramatically, and the number of people requiring hospitalizations remains stable. The Vermont Department of Health reported 11 new COVID-19 cases and no new deaths, which stand at 35.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Chancellor of the Vermont State Colleges System (VSCS) Jeb Spaulding today announced profound changes to the system that includes closing the Johnson and Lyndon campuses of Northern Vermont University and the original Randolph Center campus of Vermont Technical College. The downsizing will happen quickly and occur by the fall term this year. It also will cost 500 jobs. Castleton University will be the only residential college in the system and existing and incoming students will be transferred there. The Williston VTC campus will expand. CCV will remain largely unscathed.

by Louis Josephson, PhD, Brattleboro Retreat As our communities band together to defeat a new and deadly virus, our attention has been laser focused on following trusted guidance from the scientific and medical communities intended to keep us safe. Americans are, rightly so, becoming well versed in the use of phrases such as social distancing, personal protective equipment, self-isolation, herd immunity, and flattening the curve. For most of us, the need to adopt strict infection control measures has become a fact of daily life.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Phil Scott today at his press briefing outlined an approach for the phased restart of Vermont’s economy, which includes allowing contractors up to two people and single-worker occupations like real estate agents to get back to work. These openings are effective April 20. He also said farmers' markets will re-open May 1, but in a very restricted way. Those restrictions likely will include curbside-type service. Those plans are being developed by the Agency of Agriculture.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Today, the Vermont Department of Labor reported today that the state's unemployment rate for March was 3.2 percent. This does not account for most of the job losses associated with the COVID-19 and Governor Scott's "Stay Home, Stay Safe" emergency order. Over 78,000 Vermonters have filed unemployment claims. The March rate reflects an increase of eight-tenths of a percent from the prior month’s estimate of 2.4 percent. The US unemployment rate increased from 3.5 percent to 4.4 percent in March.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermonters are staying home and staying safe during the COVID-19 emergency, but for many that has meant getting by with no access to the internet at home. The difficulty has been particularly challenging for students who are adapting to remote learning, individuals in need of telehealth care, and workers who could earn an income if they could work from home.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) and Senator James Lankford (R-OK) are urging Secretary of State Michael Pompeo and Acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Chad Wolf to exercise discretion and automatically extend the validity periods of critical documents for refugees and Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders approved for resettlement in the United States until COVID-19 travel restrictions are lifted. They emphasized that this small, reasonable measure would provide much-needed relief to refugees and SIV holders – who are among the most vulnerable populations amidst this global pandemic.

Vermont Business Magazine As the coronavirus pandemic threatens to reach an apex in Vermont in the next week or so, plans to provide health services for those who are not infected with the virus have been a main focus for Community Health. The primary care clinical staff at Community Health is being trained to handle the 24 hour-a-day operation that could accommodate 100-150 patients at the alternate care site (ACS) constructed in Castleton University’s Spartan Arena.

Vermont Business Magazine Consolidated Communications (NASDAQ: CNSL), a leading broadband and business communications provider, today announced its ProConnect Unified Communications (UC) and collaboration solution is now available to businesses throughout Northern New England. ProConnect provides advanced communication and collaboration tools that make calling, messaging and meeting simple. With ProConnect, users can stay connected with uninterrupted access to information from anywhere, at any time and on any device.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health today reported five more deaths for a total of 35 as a consequence of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. The total number of cases increased by nine for a total of 768. Health Commissioner Mark Levine, MD, has indicated this week that the state is at or near a plateauing of new cases even as testing has been stepped up. The high-water mark in new cases was 70 on April 3.