Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Mayor Weinberger today awarded $100,000 in grants to help entrepreneurs start and grow more businesses in Burlington. Fully funded by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, the Mayor’s Prize for Entrepreneurship was first launched in October 2017 as a way to increase support for innovation and entrepreneurship in Burlington.

Vermont Business Magazine Barre City’s Deputy Fire Chief Joseph Aldsworth grew concerned as he kept finding increasing numbers of discarded needles around the community — in parks, playgrounds, and public restrooms. To Aldsworth, “syringes were the new soda cans when it came to litter.” The deputy chief took his concerns to community organizations and businesses including Central Vermont Medical Center, and reached out to Vermont Cares and the Department of Health local office in Barre. From this came the Greater Barre Safe Sharps Disposal Alliance, Vermont’s first major community-wide effort to create multiple options for safe sharps disposal and to raise public awareness about these options free of stigma.

Vermont Business Magazine North Country Hospital will soon have a new CEO. The Newport hospital announced in September that its Board of Trustees had appointed Brian Nall as the next Chief Executive Officer. He is expected to arrive and begin his duties in Vermont no later than November 1. Nall currently serves as President & CEO at HSHS Holy Family Hospital in Greenville, Illinois.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Patrick Leahy on Monday announced that a $525,000 federal grant will be awarded to the Howard Center’s Safe Recovery Program, so that those in immediate need of Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder will have access to buprenorphine on the same day they request it. Leahy was joined for the announcement by Bob Bick, Howard Center’s Chief Executive Officer; Vermont Attorney General TJ Donovan; Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger and Safe Recovery Program Coordinator Grace Keller.

Vermont Business Magazine The Governor’s Committee on the Employment of People with Disabilities (GCEPD) presented Gifford Health Care inRandolph with a 2018 Spirit of the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) Award during a ceremony Thursday afternoon, Octber 11, at Gifford Medical Center. Accepting the award on behalf of Gifford were Human Resources Recruiter Angela Allard, Environmental Services Manager Ruthie Adams and Chef William “Bill” Koucky. The three Gifford employees were recognized for their outstanding support of individuals with disabilities.

“Gifford Health Care is a true supporter and great partner assisting Vermonters of all abilities to become employed,” said Nat Piper of Creative Workforce Solutions, an initiative of the State of Vermont Agency of Human Services, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, during the award ceremony.

Vermont State Police On Sunday October 14, 2018, at about 11:28 am, the Vermont State Police St. Johnsbury barracks responded to a report of a dead body at 1549 Victory Road in the town of Concord. The body was discovered by a property owner, who spotted the body along the wooded edge of his driveway. The Vermont State Police are identifying the victim as Michael Pimental, 37, of Waterford. Police are attempting to locate a blue 2005 Ford F150 extended cab with Vermont plates 296A851. According to news reports, the deceased was being investigated in a heroin case.

Vermont Business Magazine The College Board's 2018 Trends in Higher Education reports released today—Trends in Student Aid and Trends in College Pricing—show a continuation of moderate growth in college prices and grant aid and declines in undergraduate student borrowing. For in-state students at public colleges, Vermont ($16,610) has the highest tuition in the nation; New Hampshire ($16,460) ranks second.

Vermont Business Magazine On October 1, 2018, Healthy Living Market announces strict new product ingredient standards that will apply to all store locations by January 2019. The decision to tighten already strict product ingredient standards, was made to benefit guests of Healthy Living Market. Offering confidence and convenience in grocery shopping. Healthy Living will become the 'Healthiest Grocery Store in the Northeast'

Under the new Product Ingredient Standards, as of January 2019, every food item sold at Healthy Living Market will be free from:
Added hormones
Antibiotics
Artificial fats and trans-fats
High fructose corn syrup
Artificial sweeteners
Bleached or bromated flour
Artificial colors
Artificial flavors
Artificial preservatives

Vermont Business Magazine Tender Loving Homecare, Inc of Barre is undertaking a construction, renovation and remodeling event, or old-fashioned barn-raising, for Tender Loving Respite House. The house, located next door to Tender Loving Home Care at 15 Ayers Street, is a 9,200-square-foot Victorian which will soon become transitional housing for hospice and palliative care patients, those undergoing Cancer or other treatments at nearby facilities and others.

The event will take place on Saturday, November 3^rd at 9 am. Tender Loving Homecare seeks volunteers with construction experience to help with siding the building, and other renovation efforts taking place during the day. Food and beverages will be served to volunteers.

Vermont Business Magazine Mt Ascutney Hospital and Health Center (MAHHC) welcomed back former patients and their families to the 26^th annual Rehabilitation Reunion held in the courtyard of the hospital’s Rehabilitation Center on Wednesday, September 20. The gathering was part of MAHHC’s celebration of National Rehabilitation Awareness Week, from September 16-22. Dozens returned for the afternoon event, which each year reunites Rehabilitation Center alumni with each other and staff members who aided them in the recovery of strength, coordination, and mobility following injuries, surgery, or illness. MAHHC hospital staff were present for the gathering, and food and refreshments were served.

Vermont Business Magazine CVS Health CVS, +0.83% today announced that MinuteClinic, the company's retail medical clinic, has rolled out its new virtual health care offering in the state of Vermont. People in Vermont with minor illnesses and injuries, skin conditions and other wellness needs can now seek care through MinuteClinic Video Visits, a telehealth offering. MinuteClinic Video Visits provide patients with access to care 24 hours a day, seven days a week from their mobile device.

Vermont Business Magazine At its meeting on September 21, 2018, the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) voted to place Plainfield-based Goddard College on probation for a period not to exceed two years because the Commission found that Goddard College does not now meet the Commission’s standards on Institutional Resources and Organization and Governance. The Commission will monitor the conditions at Goddard College during the period of probation. The action by NECHE was revealed today and was effective as of October 10.

While on probation, Goddard College remains accredited and maintains eligibility for federal funding, including student financial aid, NECHE said in a statement. As previously reported, the accreditor was considering such a move because of the college's financial situation.