Current News

Vermont State Police The search is continuing Tuesday afternoon on Lake Champlain for Eric Plett of Weehawken, New Jersey. Efforts by search and rescue crews have involved boats on the water aided by helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. Mr. Plett has not been located. He went missing Monday evening. Plett, age 41 of Weehawken, New Jersey, was last seen holding onto his overturned yellow kayak in the area of Dunder Rock, off Shelburne Point. Associates of Mr. Plett arrived to the area about 30 minutes later to find both Mr. Plett and his kayak missing.

Vermont State Police Edith Whitney, 87, of Tunbridge, Vermont, died Monday night, July 2, 2018, at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire. An autopsy has been scheduled for today, Tuesday, July 3, at the New Hampshire Chief Medical Examiner’s Office. The Vermont State Police investigation into this incident is active an ongoing. Investigators have found that the victim was struck by a “projectile” believed to be a bullet on June 30.

Vermont Business Magazine A national data firm has determined that Vermont is the fourth worst place in the nation to start a business. Even worse than Vermont are Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Hawaii. Texas finished first. Vermont has a relatively high cost of living and low availability of human capital. Surprisingly, Vermont was thrid highest in business incentives as percentage of GDP. But at the end of the day, Vermont was 49th in the average growth in number of small businesses.

by Meghan Baston, MSN, RN-BC In the past few decades our society has witnessed unprecedented change in almost every area of life. This includes our professional experiences. The work we do and the ways we carry it out bear little resemblance to what most people took for granted at the start of the new millennium. In the field of healthcare sweeping change has taken place at lightning speed and continues to be the “new normal.”

The Brattleboro Retreat is an excellent example. Since 2008, the Retreat has launched several innovative new programs and doubled our workforce. We have added a 14-bed unit that’s part of the state hospital system, and we now care for patients whose health is far more compromised and whose needs are increasingly diverse and complex.

Vermont Business Magazine Forecasters are predicting record high temperatures and GMP is turning to stored energy to reduce demand on the grid. There is a network of Tesla Powerwall batteries in Vermonters’ homes, stored solar power from GMP’s Stafford Hill Solar Facility in Rutland, and GMP’s new battery storage project in Panton. All combined that’s enough to power about 5,000 homes during the peak.

“We know our customers are environmentally conscious and make smart choices about their energy use every day. In this heat wave, our customers’ safety and comfort is key. We are so glad to be able to leverage innovation like battery storage to bring down costs for customers and keep them comfortable and safe,” said Josh Castonguay, Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer at GMP. “Our growing network of stored energy is allowing us to use technology, in partnership with our customers, to deliver innovative solutions today.”

by Mark Levine, MD, Commissioner of Health and Melissa Bailey, MA, LCMHC, Commissioner of Mental Health Several high-profile deaths by suicide, along with a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, have put this public health issue in the spotlight once again. In Vermont, where suicide is now the eighth leading cause of death, we are working to put systems in place that help people before a crisis. At the same time, we need to recognize the many contributing factors that lead one to self-harm or to attempt suicide. This will require a cultural shift for all of us. We must work together to remove the shame associated with mental health conditions like depression – and embrace social connection as a protection that supports people in crisis. We can save lives if we pay attention, show up and connect, ask questions, and remove lethal means from the homes of those who are at risk.

Vermont Business Magazine It is hard to think about heating fuel on one of the hottest days of the year, but this Sunday marked an important milestone. On July 1, Vermont and the rest of the Northeast switched to ultra-low sulfur heating oil. As part of the 2011 Energy Act signed into law by then Governor Shumlin, the “Clean and Green Oilheat Initiative” mandated Ultra-Low Sulfur Heating Oil with an implementation date of July 1, 2018. The rest of New England, New York and New Jersey also adopted the same 15 parts-per-million (ppm) standard.

Vermont Business Magazine In honor of Southwestern Vermont Health Care’s (SVHC) Centennial year, the SVHC Corridor Gallery has mounted a special exhibit of pieces donated to the hospital over the last 100 years. It is called A Century of Art Donations. The show features paintings and sculpture from various artists, many of whom have connections to the local area. They include Paul Katz, John Ochocki, Ellen Viereck, and others. Among the internationally recognized artists included are Maxil Ballinger, Harry Bates, and Simon Moselsio, who taught at Bennington College.

“This small selection of works represents a tremendous collection of the beautiful artwork that has been donated to the hospital over the last century,” said Sarah Lewis-Jolivette, who manages the health system’s art and archives. “We are honored to have received these donations and thank the donors and donor artists for their generous gifts.”

by John McClaughry The great tax and spending deadlock of 2018 is now over. Governor Scott, after a hectic month of thrust and counterthrust with the Democratic House and Senate, got most of what he wanted. The battle was triggered by the discovery of unexpected revenues resulting mainly – though the Democrats are loath to admit it – from the economy spurred by the tax bill enacted by Republican Congress last December.

by Timothy McQuiston Vermont Business Magazine CoverageCo submitted a preliminary plan on Saturday for restoring and expanding its rural cell/e911 service, nearly all of which is currently shut down. And it could remain shut down unless Consolidated Communications, the state's largest telecom, either comes back on board or a different telecommunications solution presents itself. The Vermont Department of Public Service will now consider the plan and either move forward with CoverageCo or issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) to consider any bidder for the rural cell service.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s congressional delegation today announced that Vermont will receive $3 million in AmeriCorps funding from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). “AmeriCorps members have an enormous impact on the lives of Vermonters through the excellent programs they support. Here in Vermont, that includes serving at-risk youth, promoting affordable housing, protecting the environment and lots more. We are very pleased these funds will allow a new group of AmeriCorps members to continue this important work,” Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) said.

Five Vermont projects will receive $1,662,814 in competitive funding from CNCS to support approximately 189 AmeriCorps members (see list of organizations and grant amounts, below).

Vermont Business Magazine A number of communities have opened public buildings for residents to cool off during Vermont’s current heat wave. The National Weather Service is predicting several more 90-degree days with heat indices in the 100s. Public buildings that can be used for cooling are not limited to the ones listed below, which have been reported to Vermont Emergency Management. Shopping malls, markets, libraries and other municipal buildings are open for business today and available to help you cool down. Call 2-1-1 if you need a place to go.

Vermonters should remain vigilant and mindful of their health and the health of those around them during the heat wave. Check in on neighbors, family and friends who may need assistance in this heat.