Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles and Agency of Education were recently named winners of the 2018 Government Experience Awards for the online Driver Education Certification Service (DECS). The Center for Digital Government, a leading national research and advisory institute that focuses on technology in state and local government, annually announces winners for their Government Experience Awards, which highlight exceptional progress and delivery of digital government services. The Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles and Agency of Education received an award in the Government-to-Government Experience category.

Vermont Business Magazine The Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC) Renal Dialysis unit has joined the hospital as a recipient of the federal government’s highest rating for patient care. “I have an amazing team that works hard every day to ensure patients receive the highest quality care,” said Ruth Rudnick, the director of renal dialysis at SVMC. “To have that care recognized in this way is so gratifying.”

Vermont Business Magazine Moody’s Investors Service announced today that the state’s Aaa bond rating was revised downward to Aa1 with a stable outlook. Downgrading a bond rating leads to higher financing costs. For several years Vermont has maintained a superior bond rating. The state's aging population and relatively high pension liabilities were mentioned as two contributing factors in the downgrade.

Vermont Business Magazine On Wednesday evening October 17, 9 entrepreneurs from around Vermont gathered in front of an audience of 200 people at Champlain College in a winner take all final business pitch competition for $5,000, a giant Vermont Teddy Bear and a year-long mentorship provided by the “business bikers” of the Road Pitch motorcycle gang. The big winner was Erik Johnson of Synticos LLC. He's developed the SlurryJet; a faster cutting, increased profitability abrasive jet cutting machine.

Vermont Business Magazine Rutland Regional Medical Center has been distinguished as among the top 10 percent in the nation, and the only hospital in Vermont, for Joint Replacement, according to a national study by Healthgrades, the leading online resource for comprehensive information about physicians and hospitals. Rutland Regional once again received a 5-Star rating for Total Knee Replacement making it 9 years in a row (2011-2019) and is the only hospital in Vermont to receive this rating. Rutland Regional was also one of only two hospitals in Vermont to receive a 5-Star for Total Hip Replacement (2019), and one of only three hospitals in Vermont to receive a 5 Star in the Treatment of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), making this the second year in a row for this recognition (2018-2019).

​Vermont Business Magazine More than 30,000 veterans live with bladder cancer and improving care for these Veterans will fill an important gap in cancer care. “This study will help all patients with early stage bladder cancer – that is three quarters of all patients diagnosed with bladder cancer,” according to Dr. Florian Schroeck, a Urologist and Researcher at the White River Junction VA Medical Center responsible for the research grant. The research grant will provide $1.1 million in direct funds over four years.

Vermont Business Magazine The Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice of the Southwest Region (VNAHSR) today announced that it has been named a Top Agency of the 2018 HomeCare Elite, recognition of the top-performing home health agencies in the United States. For 13 years, HomeCare Elite has annually identified the top 25 percent of Medicare-certified agencies and highlighted the top 100 and top 500 agencies overall. The VNAHSR has been recognized 10 times in the past 13 years.

The ranking is developed by ABILITY Network, a leading information technology company helping providers and payers simplify the administrative and clinical complexities of healthcare. It is sponsored by DecisionHealth, publisher of Home Health Line and the Complete Home Health ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Coding Manual.

Vermont Business Magazine Following what it called a successful store opening, Target is continuing to hire team members for its South Burlington small-format store. Target is holding all-day job fairs for approximately 100 new seasonal team members on October 25 and 26 at the store. In addition, the company will continue to offer extra hours to current team members to accommodate their interest and availability.

Vermont Business Magazine The ACLU of Vermont announced today that it is appealing its public records lawsuit, Doyle v. City of Burlington Police Department, to the Vermont Supreme Court, seeking access to police bodycam footage of an alleged use-of-force incident. The case was filed on behalf of Reed Doyle, a Burlington resident who is challenging the Department’s demand that he pay hundreds of dollars simply to view the footage.

Vermont Business Magazine Famous for his radio ads promoting car sales in the Northeast Kingdom at several dealerships ("Take route 14, 15 or 16") Dan Keene, dealer principal and president at Twin State Ford in Saint Johnsbury, Vermont, has been nominated for the 2019 TIME Dealer of the Year award. The nomination was announced Monday by TIME.

Keene is one of a select group of 51 dealer nominees from across the country who will be honored at the 102^nd annual National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Show in San Francisco on January 25, 2019. The announcement of this year’s 50^th annual award was made by Jorg Stratmann, publisher, TIME, and Doug Timmerman, president of Auto Finance for Ally Financial.

by Secretary Michael Schirling, Agency of Commerce and Community Development Around the country, states and cities are competing for talent, financial investment, and to attract the next generation of workers and families. As this acceleration of “purpose built” economic ecosystems continues Vermont has clear advantage. We are one of the safest, healthiest and most vibrant places to live in the nation.

We have a good education system that, with the courage to innovate and modernize, can be transformed into the very best in country – adding an even greater incentive for young families to stay or relocate here. These attributes are the foundation of Governor Scott’s approach to significantly improving the economic trajectory in all 251 communities in Vermont.

Vermont Business Magazine Trauma patients – with injuries ranging from those suffered in auto accidents to battlefield wounds – often seem, initially, to be stable, only to deteriorate without warning. If not recognized early, this deterioration in condition can lead to shock or even death. Doctors and researchers in the Emergency Department at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC), as well as colleagues at Dartmouth College, the Thayer School of Engineering, and the Geisel School of Medicine, hope to improve care for seriously injured patients with a new $3 million Precision Trauma Care Research Award from the Department of Defense’s Combat Casualty Care Research Program.