Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Public Radio has won the 2019 national Edward R Murrow award for Overall Excellence in the small market radio category from the Radio Television Digital News Association. The Overall Excellence award is based on the scope and impact of what a news organization produces — including breaking news, newscasts, features reporting, continuing coverage and digital presence.

Vermont Business Magazine Nearly 300 more Vermonters will be able to upskill their careers over the next 12 months, thanks to a one-time appropriation of $500,000 in the state budget to Vermont Student Assistance Corp. VSAC’s nondegree grant program – newly renamed the Advancement Grant Program – provides adult Vermonters the opportunity to pursue training and credential programs that build the job skills for a variety of industries and occupations. The additional funding represents a 25% increase in the program.

Vermont Business Magazine While there has not been local opposition to what will be the most restrictive plastic bag law in the US, the national American Chemistry Council has issued a statement decrying Governor Phil Scott’s (R-VT) signing Monday of S113 (management of single-use products) that bans certain polystyrene foam foodservice packaging and plastic bags. Plastic bag manufacturers previously stated their opposition to the ban, saying that the replacement products, such as the heavy-duty reusable totes, are made overseas instead of in the US, like the standard plastic bag. The law bans grocery store plastic bags, but not those for produce. The standard paper grocery bag would cost customers 10 cents.

Vermont Business Magazine BioTek has announced that its Synergy H1 and Synergy Neo2 Hybrid Multi-Mode Readers and its Cytation 1 and Cytation 5 Cell Imaging Multi-Mode Readers are validated for use with the MitoXpress and pH-Xtra Assays from Agilent Technologies. The assays may be used alone or combined to measure metabolism in live cells. Instructional Applications Bulletins are available for each multi-mode reader detailing the specific parameters for optimized TRF performance with MitoXpress Xtra Oxygen Consumption, MitoXpress Intracellular Oxygen and pH-Xtra Glycolysis products.

Vermont Business Magazine North Country Hospital of Newport, Vermont was recently honored with an award for exceptional on-the-job safety performance during The MEMIC Group’s Annual Meeting of Policyholders. Only eight employers, out of more than 21,000 MEMIC policyholders across the country, received a 2019 award for workplace safety from the workers’ compensation insurance specialist.

Vermont Business Magazine Castleton University, in partnership with The University of Vermont's Center on Disability and Community Inclusion (CDCI) and the Vermont Assistive Technology Program, has opened an Assistive Technology Tryout Center on the Castleton University campus. Assistive Technology is an umbrella term that includes assistive, adaptive, or rehabilitative devices, software, or equipment that can help individuals with disabilities, as well as students with learning and attention challenges.

by John McClaughry The Long Range Transportation Plan of 1995 reaffirmed as the highest priority the maintenance and improvement of Vermont’s highways and bridges. Hardly anyone disagreed. But beginning in earnest in 2006, climate change activists have succeeded in progressively shifting the emphasis of transportation policy toward reducing CO2 emissions and defeating climate change. Gasoline and diesel fueled-transportation contributes 43% of Vermont’s carbon dioxide emissions.

Vermont Business Magazine The Community Bank NA Bennington and Wilmington branches recently presented Sunrise Family Resource Center (SFRC) with a $1,000 donation to support the organization’s Bowl-A-Thon May 20 at Bennington Lanes. Community Bank NA’s donation provided open lanes for attendees to use during the event.

SFRC hosted the Bowl-A-Thon to mark its 50th anniversary and connect with community members about their supportive service offerings. SFRC offers childcare, secondary education, case management, advocacy and intensive home-based support, resource and referral for childcare providers, employment counseling and parent education at no cost to Bennington County residents.

Vermont Business Magazine Steven R. Gordon, President and CEO of Brattleboro Memorial Hospital (BMH), received the 2019 Community Service Award from the Community College of Vermont (CCV) during the college’s 52^nd commencement ceremony on June 1, 2019. This award was granted in recognition of Gordon’s work to create two critical partnerships between BMH and CCV.  The Medical Assistant (MA) program is in its 4th year, and prepares local students for careers in healthcare.  As part of the joint initiative, BMH provides full scholarships for eight applicants to complete training as Certified Medical Assistants and guarantees employment at BMH following completion of the program. Upon graduation from the academic portion of the program at CCV, students are enrolled in an extensive training program at BMH led by a registered nurse to enable them to work independently as an MA. BMH is currently accepting scholarship applications for the 2019 school year.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s congressional delegation — Senator Patrick Leahy (D), Senator Bernie Sanders (I), and Representative Peter Welch (D) — on Monday urged Vermont dairy farmers to consider enrolling in the new Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program, a safety net measure created in the 2018 Farm Bill to help producers manage volatile milk prices and feed costs. The enrollment period opened today, and runs through September 20.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today announced actions on the following bills, passed by the Legislature. While signing several bills into law, the governor vetoed the medical monitoring bill, which was widely opposed by business organizations. The Senate passed the bill 19-11 and the House passed it 100-42. The Legislature will not be able to attempt a veto override before it reconvenes next January. Speaker of the House Mitzi Johnson, meanwhile, said the governor has chosen "corporations that pollute over Vermonters’ health" and vowed to take up the bill again next January.

Vermont Business Magazine Mayor Miro Weinberger and community leaders today broke ground on a new, high-quality child care center in the Old North End, which is the result of a collaboration between CVOEO & Champlain Valley Head Start, Burlington Housing Authority, and the City of Burlington’s Early Learning Initiative (ELI). The new center will create 23 total child care spots, made up of 15 spots for children ages three to five years old in the fall of 2019 and eight additional spots for infants and toddlers in the fall of 2020.