Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Following a comprehensive review, Howard Center has received a Centers of Excellence (COE) accreditation through Vermont Care Partners (VCP). The COE accreditation is based on numerous quality and performance measures, including world class customer service, comprehensive care, easy access, excellent value, and excellent outcomes. The achievement identifies Howard Center as a provider of high quality care, and enhances the organization’s ability to provide much needed services for vulnerable Vermonters.

Modeled after the National Council for Behavioral Health’s Centers of Excellence, the VCP’s COE accreditation process promotes quality improvement and high quality services through agency review by expert peers from VCP member agencies and the University of Vermont Medical Center Jeffords Institute for Quality.

Winooski Mayor Seth Leonard Following the January 28th, 2019 City Council meeting, I will resign as the Mayor of Winooski. In making both civic and professional decisions, I always ask “where can I do the most good and have the most meaningful impact?” In answering that question, I have accepted the position of Managing Director of Community Development at the Vermont Housing Finance Agency.

by Timothy McQuiston Vermont Business Magazine The personal income tax rebounded from a sluggish October and increased nearly 10 percent. The PI is the most important General Fund revenue source and is well ahead of projections for the month and for the year-to-date.

Vermont Business Magazine Seven Days newspaper won 18 awards Thursday at the Vermont Press Association’s annual meeting in Montpelier. Those included six first-place prizes and the prestigious Mavis Doyle Award, which went to staff writer Alicia Freese

​by Andrew Abbott & David Flemming On October 23, Moody’s Investors Service announced that it was downgrading Vermont’s general obligation bond rating from Aaa to Aa1, citing demographic concerns along with the state’s unfunded pension obligations. According to Moody’s: “The downgrade of the ratings incorporates an economic base that faces low growth prospects from an aging population. At the same time, the state’s leverage, measured by debt and unfunded post-employment obligations relative to GDP, is high among states and especially among the highest rated states.”

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets would like to remind all state farm operations that the 24^thannual winter manure spreading ban is underway. As required by the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets’ (VAAFM) Required Agricultural Practices (RAPs), between December 15 and April 1, no manure or other agricultural wastes (including: compost and spoiled feed) may be spread on agricultural fields throughout Vermont.

Vermont Business Magazine NorthCountry Federal Credit Union on Wednesday presented the Vermont Foodbank with a donation of $50,000 to help feed people in the state struggling with hunger. This gift will support the Foodbank’s work of providing nutritious food and promoting health through their statewide network of community partners, working to end hunger for the 153,000 Vermonters who struggle to afford food.

University of Vermont The Vermont Research News from the Center for Research on Vermont is a bi-monthly curated collection of Vermont research -- focused on research in the Vermont "laboratory" -- research that provides original knowledge to the world and research that adds to understanding of the state's social, economic, cultural and physical environment.

Vermont Business Magazine Major Glenn Hall, who joined the Vermont State Police nearly three decades ago and rose through the ranks from road trooper to Criminal Division commander, will retire next week following a career dedicated to serving his fellow Vermonters.

Hall, who has led the Criminal Division since 2013, is one of the longest serving majors in the history of the Vermont State Police. One of the agency’s three divisions, the Criminal Division encompasses all VSP detectives and units including the Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Major Crime Unit and Special Investigations.

Vermont Business Magazine Weekly unemployment claims fell steeply last week as the typical holiday season volatility continued. But year-to-year claims were higher. For the week of December 8, 2018, there were 633 claims, 229 fewer than they were the previous week, but 47 fewer than they were a year ago. The holiday season sees wild swings in claims, as retailers in particular hire and layoff workers in spikes in November and December.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont ranks 6th nationwide in funding programs that prevent kids from using tobacco and help smokers quit, according to a report released today by leading public health groups. Vermont is spending $3.8 million this year on tobacco prevention and cessation programs, which is just 45.2 percent of the $8.4 million recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The report challenges states to do more to fight tobacco use – the nation's No. 1 preventable cause of death – and to confront the growing epidemic of youth e-cigarette use in America. In Vermont, 9.3 percent of high school students smoke cigarettes, while 12 percent use e-cigarettes. Tobacco use claims 1,000 Vermont lives and costs the state $348 million in health care bills annually.

Vermont State Police None of the threats received in Vermont (Thursday) has been determined to be credible. The FBI, US Department of Homeland Security, Vermont State Police and the Vermont Intelligence Center continue to monitor the situation, respond as appropriate and investigate the emails, which are reported to have been received across the country, in Canada and elsewhere around the world.