Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Before boarding a flight at Burlington International Airport this morning to return to Washington, Representative. Peter Welch (D-Vermont) unveiled legislation that will put an end to the practice of requiring federal employees to work without pay during the current or any future government shutdown. Welch will introduce his legislation in the House of Representatives later this afternoon. Last Sunday, Welch met during a shift change at the airport with dozens of TSA agents, air traffic controllers, and National Weather Service employees. The idea behind the legislation came from the employees attending the meeting, all of whom are being required to work without pay during the now 32-day partial government shutdown.

by Jack Hoffman Public Assets Institute Governor Phil Scott has initially distanced himself from a plan to abolish local school boards and replace them with a single entity run from Montpelier. But the Greatly Simplified School District (GSSD), as it’s dubbed, is clearly the next logical step for an administration that is determined to drive down education spending and doesn’t trust local school boards to do the job.

“I don’t think we’re ready for anything like that at this point,” Scott told vtdigger reporter Lola Duffort, who first reported on the administration’s plan: “Designing our Future: A Blueprint for Transforming Vermont’s Education System.”

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Labor (VDOL) announced today that federal workers in Vermont who are required to work without pay because of the ongoing federal government shutdown will be eligible to receive unemployment insurance benefits. With the support of legislative leaders, Governor Scott has directed the Commissioner of Labor to treat “essential” and “excepted” federal employees the same as other furloughed employees for the purposes of Unemployment Insurance benefit eligibility.

Vermont Business Magazine A.M. Best Company, the global rating agency for the insurance industry, has once again affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of A+ (Superior) for Vermont Mutual Insurance Group. A.M. Best’s Financial Strength Rating is an independent opinion of an insurer’s financial strength and ability to meet its ongoing insurance policy and contract obligations.

Vermont Business Magazine Last month, City Market offered its 21st Annual COTS Tree Sale to benefit Vermont’s Committee on Temporary Shelter. City Market once again sold fresh balsams from Moffatt’s Tree Farm in Craftsbury, Vermont. The Co-op sold almost 700 trees starting on Wednesday, December 5 and the net proceeds were donated to COTS. This year, City Market added a new component to the COTS Tree Sale called “Buy a Tree, Plant a Tree”. For each tree purchased, City Market donated funding for the Intervale Center to plant a tree in Vermont; these plantings will take place in the spring of 2019. City Market staff, Co-op Members, and community volunteers assisted customers with trees throughout the sale.

Vermont Business Magazine Anxiety and depression are surprisingly common among young children – as many as one in five kids suffer from one of them, starting as early as the preschool years. But it can be hard to detect these conditions, known as “internalizing disorders,” because the symptoms are so inward-facing that parents, teachers and doctors often fail to notice them.

by Bill Schubart As one who’s never served in political office, I often remind myself how easy it is to opine with impunity about what’s right and wrong with our state and national governance systems – a reminder that opinion writing demands respect, objectivity, and a healthy dose of humility. That said, I worry deeply about our deteriorating ability to govern strategically. We see problems in a siloed landscape rather than as a broad vista. Our piecemeal decision-making systems don’t acknowledge the speed with which problems arise, technologies affect communities, environments deteriorate, economies cycle, and demographics change. To mix my metaphors, Vermont has no strategic planning process that sees the forest for the trees.

by Erin Forbes, DVM, Vermont Veterinary Medical Association, Mountain View Animal Hospital The VVMA would like to remind all pet owners that February is National Pet Dental Health Month. Sponsored by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), National Pet Dental Health Month message reminds pet owners that dental health is a very important part of your pet’s overall health. Your pet’s teeth and gums should be checked at least once a year by your veterinarian to check for early signs of a problem and to keep your pet’s mouth healthy.

Vermont Business Magazine Robert Tarnas, MD, a physician at SVMC Pownal Campus, a part of Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC) and Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC), has been elected as SVMC’s chair of the Family Medicine Department. Tarnas has worked at the practice since 2015 and has been a member of the SVMC medical staff since 1985. 

Tarnas worked at the SVMC Deerfield Valley Campus in Wilmington starting in 1997 and was the leader of the medical team at SVMC ExpressCare when it opened in February 2015. He received his education at Oakland University and his medical degree from Wayne State University School of Medicine, both in Michigan. He completed his residency in family practice at Oakwood Hospital in Michigan and is board certified by the American Board of Family Medicine. 

Vermont Business Magazine Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont’s (BCBSVT) Windham County Community Advisory Board (WCCAB) is providing grants to area schools as part of its ongoing commitment to promote physical activity and wellness, improving the overall health of Vermonters. Grants of up to $750 are being offered. Applications are due by Friday, February 15, 2019.

Vermont Business Magazine In response to the dropping temperature and falling snow, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has issued a Regional Emergency Declaration. This declaration, which remains in effect until February 2, ensures that Vermont’s heating fuel suppliers can work overtime to get fuel to their customer's tanks.

Vermont Business Magazine Norwich University officials announced at the January board of trustees meeting held in Naples, FL, that the $100 million goal of the university’s bicentennial campaign “Forging the Future” has been reached in advance of the December 2019 end date. During the meeting, the trustees also approved raising the goal of the campaign to $110 million.