Current News

Comments Of Appropriations Vice Chairman Patrick LeahyOn Vermont’s Priorities And President Trump’s Budget. . . Budget Slashes Vermont Priorities And Undercuts Rural Communities.

Vermont Business MagazineHighlighting the need for legal services in rural andlow-income communities across the country, Attorney General Donovan today joined abipartisan group of 32 attorneys general in urging Congress to oppose the TrumpAdministration’s proposal to eliminate federal funding for the Legal Services Corporation (LSC).

Attorney General Donovan said: “For more than a half-century legal services for low-income Americans have represented a critical anti-poverty element of our legal landscape. Legalservices funding provides greater access to justice for those that do not otherwise haverepresentation. That is why funding for the Legal Services Corporation is essential and why wecall on Congress to oppose reductions to an historically bi-partisan commitment to legal servicesfor the poor.”

Vermont Business Magazine The second graduating class of Castleton University passed across the stage at its 230^thCommencement ceremony on Saturday, May 13, bringing to close the 2016-17 academic year. Governor Phil Scott addressed the more than 3,500 guests in attendance and thousands more streaming the ceremony live online. Scotturged the graduates to understand that the best, is yet to come.

“If you never stop listening, learning, exploring, and expanding your comfort zone,” said Scott, “Life will indeed get better. Promise yourself you'll never settle, neverbe afraid to pursue opportunities, and you'll find your passion.”

Castleton President Dave Wolk began the proceedings byreflecting on his many years at Castleton and previous Commencement ceremonies, acknowledginghislast as Castleton University President.

Vermont Business MagazineSen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) responded to President Donald Trump's budget at a press conferenceTuesday. See below for a full transcript andclickhereto watch the speech.

Vermont Business MagazineBioTek Instruments celebrated the completion of a $4.5 million facility expansion and renovation during a company-wide event on Thursday, May 18. The 22,000 square foot expansion is already supporting the Company’s rapid growth. While many departments are benefitting from the additional space, the Company’s manufacturing area is most notably affected, growing by 33%. The project also includes a new 1,400 square foot training facility for the Company’s new and existing employees.

In a letter to the company, Vermont Governor, Phil Scott, congratulated BioTek on the expansion stating, “BioTek is a working example of how a high-technology company can make its home here in Vermont and compete with and win against top companies located anywhere in the world.”

Council Established in Governor’s Executive Order to Combat Vermont’s Opioid Crisis Holds its First Meeting

Vermont Business Magazine Earlier this month, Governor Phil Scott convened the inaugural meeting of his Opioid Coordination Council (OCC). The Council, which the Governor established byExecutive Order 02-17as one of his first actions upon taking office, is charged withleading and strengthening Vermont’s response to the opiate crisis by ensuring full inter- and intra-agency coordination between state and local governments in the areas of prevention, treatment, recovery and law enforcement activities.

Vermont Business Magazine Recently, Jon and Pam Baker of Roswell, Ga. celebrated a moment they were not sure would ever come. Their sons, Gavin and Jake Baker took their first dose of Orkambi, a drug recently approved by the FDA to help control their cystic fibrosis. At this “First Dose Party,” the Bakers were surrounded by hundreds of family and friends that helped make this special drug possible.

On Saturday, March 18, 2017, their army of dedicated supporters from Vermont teamed up with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF) for the3rd Annual ShamRockin’ for a Cure VTevent at The Abbey Restaurant in Sheldon, VT. The evening helped them surpass their goal in their fundraising efforts to fight CF.

Vermont Business Magazine ThePeople’s United Community Foundation, the philanthropic arm of People’s United Bank, announced that it has awarded $20,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of Burlington for their Early Promise program.

The Early Promise program encompasses a wide range of academic components that help Club members be successful in school and prepare them for education beyond high school. The program serves 175 young people each day through a total of ten different learning opportunities.

“We have been a supporter of the Boys & Girls Club Early Promise program for 10 years,” saidMichael Seaver, Officer, People’s United Community Foundation and President, People's United Bank Vermont. “It is something we support because we are seeing results. Kids coming through the Club have dreams of going to college and the staff makes sure they get there.”

by Jennifer NachburUniversity of Vermont All it takes is the flip of a protein “switch” within the tiny wire-like capillaries of the brain to increase the blood flow that ensures optimal brain function. New research has uncovered that capillaries have the capacity to both sense brain activity and generate an electrical vasodilatory signal to evoke blood flow and direct nutrients to nourish hard-working neurons.

Thomas Longden, Ph.D., assistant professor of pharmacology and Fabrice Dabertrand, Ph.D., an assistant professor of pharmacology (Photo: LCOM Creative Services)

Vermont Business Magazine The March of Dimes, in collaboration with the USCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has awarded grants to conduct one year of surveillanceon neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) in three states with high rates of NAS:Vermont,Illinois, andNew Mexico. NASis a group of problems that occur in newborns who were exposed to addictive opiate drugs while in the mother's womb. The project will enable each state to conduct enhanced identification of babies born with NAS and evaluate the health services needed by these babies through one year of age.

Vermont Business Magazine The University of Vermont Board of Trustees today passed the lowest tuition percentage increase in 40 years at its Commencement weekend meeting.Under the resolution approved by the Board, in-state tuition increased$408 or 2.7 percent (from $15,096 to $15,504 per year); and out-of-state tuition increased$960 or 2.5 percent (from $38,160 to $39,120 per year).

by Mike SmithRace fans at Talladega Superspeedway call it “the big one.” It usually happens toward the end of a NASCAR race when drivers are tense, emotions are high, and the cars are tightly bunched vying for a win. And then: a wrong move by one driver starts a massive chain reaction crash that eliminates many of the cars from the race.

There was a political wreck last week when Democratic leaders failed to reach an agreement with Republican GovernorPhil Scott over how to reap savings when teachers have to change to new health care plans at the beginning of next year. And depending how events play out, this could result in “the big one,” where a political pileup could alter fortunes.

The Affordable Care Act means Vermont teachers will switch to lower-cost plans in January. This will present a unique opportunity to capture savings.