Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Representative Peter Welch (D-Vermont) on Tuesday announced several key victories for Vermont in the fiscal year 2020 appropriations agreement reached late Monday. The $1.4 trillion bipartisan, bicameral agreement rejects the devastating and shortsighted cuts proposed by President Trump, and it makes historic investments in the American people and working families. The agreement took shape late last week when Chairman Shelby, Vice Chairman Leahy, House Chairwoman Lowey, and House Ranking Member Granger met in Leahy’s Capitol office, mirroring the same successful negotiation earlier this year between the four that ended the longest partial government shutdown in American history.

by Darren Springer & Rebecca Towne There is rightfully a groundswell of discussion about how Vermont can make meaningful progress on reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the face of the climate emergency. Vermont’s Renewable Energy Standard (RES) provides an important framework for how to reduce emissions and fossil fuel consumption. RES is not limited to the electric utility space, but is also beginning to make meaningful changes in the challenging areas of heating and transportation which are the source of more Vermont carbon emissions and need our focused effort.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s electric utilities are letting customers across Vermont know they can now save up to $15,000 when they buy or lease new all electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) thanks to new Vermont state rebates that can be combined with utility rebates and federal tax credits. One of the biggest barriers to making the switch to cleaner driving is the upfront cost of a new vehicle, and new state rebates of up to $5,000 aim to help middle- and low-income Vermonters switch to cleaner driving with electric vehicles.   

Vermont Business Magazine Today Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos announced the list of candidates who have qualified to appear on the ballot for the 2020 Presidential Primary Elections. In order to appear on the ballot candidates must file a petition, signed by 1,000 registered Vermont voters, with the Vermont Secretary of State.

Vermont Business Magazine Southwestern Vermont Council on Aging (SVCOA) today announced its 2019 service results in conjunction with the release of its 2019 annual report. Key outcomes include over 215,000 meals served and nearly 12,000 case management and option counseling hours provided to older Vermonters.

Vermont Business Magazine The University of Vermont Medical Center will keep the operating rooms at its Fanny Allen campus in Colchester closed through the month of January while staff and outside experts continue to investigate the cause of two air quality incidents, in October and November. Planned surgeries will continue to be rescheduled.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Vermont joined other New England and mid-Atlantic states, along with Washington, DC, in issuing a draft Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the Transportation & Climate Initiative (TCI). According to the Vermont Natural Resources Council, the TCI is modeled on the successful Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) that Vermont joined under the Douglas Administration, the draft MOU outlines a proposed framework for TCI that would reduce carbon pollution in the transportation sector by placing a cap on emissions from fossil fuel companies and using revenue raised to help participating states invest in cleaner transportation options like public transit, electric buses and cars, park-and-rides, sidewalks and bike infrastructure, and more.

Vermont Business Magazine The House Monday evening released a $1.4 trillion bipartisan, bicameral agreement to fund the federal government through fiscal year 2020. Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) said the deal rejects "the devastating and short sighted cuts proposed by President Trump, and making historic investments in the American people and working families."

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott and the Vermont Department of Labor today announced the recipients of $350,000 in 2020 Vermont Internship Program grant funding. These grants help connect Vermont employers with student-interns from regional technical centers and post-secondary educational institutions.

Vermont Business Magazine Statement from Mayor Miro Weinberger regarding Deputy Chief Jan Wright: Soon after today’s press conference at the Police Department, Deputy Chief Jan Wright shared with Mayor Weinberger that she had occasionally operated a Facebook account under the name “Lori Spicer” through which she made comments about and engaged citizens in discussion of Police Department policy and practice. In response, Mayor Weinberger released the following statement: I have now named Deputy Chief Jon Murad as Acting Chief. Murad has confirmed explicitly to the City Attorney Eileen Blackwood and HR Director Deanna Paluba that he has never engaged in anonymous social media posting...

Vermont Business Magazine After eight years of operating out of a mobile MRI unit, Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital (NVRH) in St Johnsbury held an official open house and ribbon cutting for its new MRI Suite on Friday, December 6, 2019. The new MRI addition is a significant upgrade for the hospital’s Diagnostic Imaging wing. The increased space and new layout improves workflow as well as efficiency for staff. The new space and equipment will also allow for future growth of MRI services.