Current News

Vermont Business MagazineToday, a bipartisan group of governors issued the following statement in response to recent developments and proposed changes to the Senate health care bill. Vermont Governor Phil Scott was among the signatories. The governors are meeting in Providence for the annualNational Governors Association Conference. A Senate plan torepeal and replace the Affordable Care Act fell apart Monday night and some Republican senators have talked about simply repealing what has become known as Obamacare.

Vermont Business MagazineVermont Electric Cooperative (VEC) is encouraging members to conserve energy onWednesday, July 19,Thursday July 20, andFriday July 21, between the hours of 3pmand 7pm.This is when demand for electricity is expected to spike as a result of high temperatures throughout New England.

Vermont Business Magazine Grace Cottage Board of Trustees has announced that CEO Roger Allbee will be retiring as Administrator of Grace Cottage Family Health and Hospital in Townshend as soon as the Board finds a suitable replacement. The Board said in the announcement that it is pleased with the direction that Grace Cottage has taken during the last three years, and during this time of rapid change in healthcare. It has a great team of primary care providers, a Critical Access Hospital that has been recognized nationally for its patient satisfaction, a strong OT/PT/and speech program, an expanded Community Health Team that further extends Grace Cottage’s mission, and it has integrated mental health within its primary care.

Vermont Business Magazine Technology is making it easier for patients and providers to interact, thus improving communication, safety and patient-provider relationships. New tools are helping patients become more actively involved in their care and maintaining their health, according to results of the 19^th Annual Health Care’s Most Wired survey, released by the American Hospital Association’s (AHA) Health Forum.

Vermont Association of Hospitals and HealthSystemsOn Monday in the Governor’s Ceremonial Office in the State House, Vermont leaders from all major political parties encouraged the USSenate to adopt smart, sensible changes to the Affordable Care Act and protect the good work Vermont has done in health reform.

Vermont Business Magazine The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will be awarding this week more than$12 millionto 23 states and theDistrict of Columbiato support their responses to the opioid overdose epidemic. The funds will be used to strengthen prevention efforts and better track of opioid-related overdoses. CDC expects to announce additional funding awards for state opioid overdose prevention programs later in the summer. Vermont will get $239,060.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) issued the following statement Monday evening afterSens. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) announced they would oppose the Senate Republican bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act, leaving Republicans short of enough votes to pass the legislation.

Vermont Business Magazine Champlain College Online, ranked among The U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges for the Northern Region, today introduced its Master of Science degree in Accounting. According to the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), global automation and talent shortages are top concerns faced by financial professionals. This graduate degree helps students develop into competitive accounting professionals with an expert grasp on financial information and the strategic thinking needed to lead organizations within the private and public sectors.

Vermont Business Magazine According to new data reported at the 2017 Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC 2017) inLondon, multiple regions ofthe United Stateshave been revealed as neurology "deserts," including Vermont, due to a projected chronic shortage of neurologists, and a rapid rise in Alzheimer's disease and other dementia cases. The research further shows that, due to the projected burden, additional resources, training and education are necessary for primary care physicians and caregivers.

Vemont Business Magazine Attorney General TJ Donovan Monday joined with 12 other attorneys general to oppose a rollback of critical net neutrality protections by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). In comments submitted to the FCC today, the attorneys general argue that the FCC must ensure open access to the internet and the continued equal access to all content providers, which can only be upheld through the principles of an open internet, or net neutrality.

Vermont Business MagazineMembers of the VermontChapter of the International Executive Housekeepers Association (IEHA) recently presented Howard Center with a check for more than $9,000, raised through the group’s annual golf tournament at the Basin Harbor Club in Vergennes. This year marks the 22nd anniversary of the event which benefits Howard Center's Outdoor Challenge programming. The Outdoor Challenge activities give youth the opportunity to participate in therapeutic outdoor adventures while building lasting skills. Since the first year of the tournament, the IEHA has contributed more than $162,127 for outdoor challenge programming.

by John McClaughryOver the holiday weekend , rummaging through old file boxes in the barn, I came across a folder of my five-minute commentaries aired on WDEV radio thirty years ago. Most of them dealt with issues now long forgotten, but the final one in 1988, entitled “Vermont’s Future”, got my attention. So here it is, slightly updated.

“Last year's debate on school centralization and this year's battle over growth control have brought to center stage the question: what kind of future can we expect for Vermont? Two very different pictures have emerged. One is Vermont as Land of Freedom. The other is Vermont as Land of Community. These twin themes, freedom and community, have swirled back and forth throughout Vermont history, and indeed, through American history.