Current News
by tim
Vermont Fish & Wildlife 2017 was a banner year for the Vermont Habitat Stamp. Thanks to our donors, more than $100,000 (a first for the stamp!) for habitat conservation in Vermont was raised. Habitat Stamp funds helped us offer one-on-one assistance to landowners on habitat conservation and management. And Habitat Stamp funds also contributed to three land acquisition projects, including the largest state wildlife land purchase in Vermont in more than a decade, as well as a critical outdoor classroom space near our Kehoe Conservation Camp that will be forever conserved for Vermont’s y
by tim
Vermont Business Magazine Volunteers from SunCommon in Waterbury are building a portable solar-powered trailer right now. The Solar Outreach System (SOS) is being constructed at the Waterbury location and will be used in a location still recovering in Puerto Rico or for future hurricane damaged islands.
“This goes to the heart of our mission to use our business as a force for good. What makes this effort even more meaningful is that it’s not just SunCommon doing the work. We’re part of a group of solar companies called Amicus Solar Cooperative that has gotten together to make sure our fellow Americans are not forgotten.”
- Jessica Edgerly Walsh, SunCommon Director of Marketing
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Vermont Business Magazine Gifford Health Care recently joined an energy management partnership of nine hospitals coordinated by Efficiency Vermont. The partnership, Continuous Energy Improvement (CEI), will provide Gifford with technical assistance, education, and support to develop a comprehensive approach to energy management in order to reduce waste, improve energy performance over time, and cut costs.
by tim
Vermont Business Magazine The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has launched the Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest System (e-Manifest). The system will improve access to higher quality and more timely hazardous waste shipment data and save industry and states valuable time and resources to the tune of $90 million annually.
by tim
Vermont Business Magazine The Fourth of July holiday will soon be here and many of us will enjoy the outdoors, watch fireworks or host a family picnic. The American Red Cross wants everyone to enjoy their holiday and offers safety steps they can follow.
“The Independence Day holiday is a great time for summer fun and we want to make sure everyone stays safe during their celebration,” said Lloyd Ziel, Chief Communications Officer for the American Red Cross in New Hampshire and Vermont. “It’s also a time when the number of people giving blood drops, but the need for blood donations continues. We are also asking that everyone consider giving blood over the holiday.”
HAVE A SAFE FOURTH OF JULY
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Vermont Business Magazine The Lamoille Housing Partnership (LHP) is partnering with local company Soap Kettle Creations LLC on a product collaboration to benefit the local non-profit’s affordable housing initiatives. Stacey Emerson, owner of Soap Kettle Creations LLC, began her company after years of creating skincare products for her family. Drawing from her background in holistic therapies, Soap Kettle Creations LLC’s products are made with high quality, plant based ingredients. Outside of her company, Emerson advocates for individuals with developmental disabilities, is a mother and wife of individuals with autism, and is earning her graduate degree in psychology.
by tim
Vermont Business Magazine The public is invited to attend a presentation by four artist/artist teams of preliminary concepts for a work of public art to be installed at the Vermont Agriculture and Environmental Lab in Randolph Center. The meeting will be held Wednesday, July 11 at 6 p.m. in Judd Hall at Vermont Technical College. During the meeting, the artists will present images, drawings, plans, or models as available.
The project is part of the Vermont Art in State Buildings Program administered by the Vermont Arts Council in partnership with the Vermont Department of Buildings and General Services.
The four finalists are:
Dan Snow, Dummerston
Oliver Schemm, Saxtons River
Heather Ritchie/Ryan Mays, Barre
Jim Sardonis, Randolph
by tim
by Bill Moore About a month ago, I asked you to join me in sending objections to the US Food and Drug Administration concerning the publication of a “Draft Guidance” related to labeling on certain food products. The “Draft Guidance” was entitled, “The Declaration of Added Sugars on Honey, Maple Syrup, and Certain Cranberry Products: Guidance for Industry.” Thank you to all who did send comments to the FDA. You may have heard that more than 3,000 comments were received by the FDA on the “Draft Guidance.”
by tim
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.
by tim
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.
by tim
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 tim
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.