Current News

Vermont Business MagazineIn true Olympic spirit, Lenny’s customers went for the gold and raised $4,029 for local athletes with intellectual disabilities.Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel held their 6^thannual Olympic donation event, and the store and its customers collectively raised $3,229 for Special Olympics Vermont and $800 for Special Olympics New York. Lenny’s Marketing Director Amanda Cashin presented that donation Liza Reed, Marketing & Partnerships Director of Special Olympics Vermont.

Vermont Business MagazineThe Legislature is proposing a 10-point plan that would raise about $31 million annually to pay for the state's mandated clean water plan. The EPA is requiring the state clean up Lake Champlain and other bodies of water over the next 20 years at a total cost of $2.3 billion. The state funding gap is about $25 million a year. The legislative proposal, which Governor Phil Scott vehemently opposes, would fill that funding gap primarily by raising the rooms, meals and alcohol tax by 1 percent ($18.9 million) and adding $10 to motor vehicle registrations ($6 million).

TheHouse Natural Resource, Fish and Wildlife Committee sent its 10-point funding proposal to the Ways & Means Committee Tuesday. See details below.

by Bill Schubart We may be finally witnessing the death throes of the conservative “trickle-down” mantra that advocates for lower taxes on “job creators” and “hands-off” government regulation. This philosophy enthralled Reagan’s “moral majority,” who also challenged the rights of women and many non-whites by opposing abortion, birth control, gay marriage, voting rights, and immigration.

More recently, ultraconservative factions have championed the unfettered right to carry guns anywhere, isolationism in an international world, limiting voting rights to themselves, and opposition to an inclusive health care plan. No wonder we’re seeing suicide by lifestyle and declining life expectancy among disadvantaged white men and women seduced by this hollow belief system. The question is… what will replace it?

Vermont Business MagazineRutland's OpenEMR, the most popular open source electronic health records (EHR) and medical practice management solution, announced today that OpenEMR version 5.0 has achieved Complete ONC certification, through Infogard.This certification is vital for medical practices in the USto comply with MACRA and participate in Medicare's Quality Payment Program.

Vermont Business Magazine The Burlington-based weekly newspaper Seven Days won 10 first-place awards in this year’s New England Better Newspaper Competition — including General Excellence and top honors for crimes and courts reporting, video journalism, design and human interest feature story. Staff writer Kymelya Sari was chosen as Rookie of the Year for weekly newspapers in the six-state region. The contest is organized by the New England Newspaper and Press Association; winners were announced at NENPA’s annual convention last week in Boston.

​Vermont Business MagazineLocal infants helped raise awareness for heart disease – all by wearing red hats. Throughout the month of February, each baby born at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital (BMH) received a red hat, courtesy of Little Hats, Big Hearts, a program started by the American Heart Association (AHA).

Vermont Business MagazineMassachusettsis the best state in the nation, New Hampshire is 2 and Vermont is 10, according to USNews & World Report. USNews, which bills itself as the global rankings authority,evaluated all 50 states across a range of criteria, from education and health care to infrastructure and economy, to capture how states best serve their citizens. The inauguralBest Statesrankings are the centerpiece of a new, interactiveplatformfeaturing fresh reporting, data and charts on trends, developments and news throughout the states.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott officially kicked off Vermont’s maple season today at Silloway Maple in Randolph Center. The Governor joined the Silloway family, Ag Secretary Anson Tebbetts, members of the Randolph Center community, and the Orange County Sugarmakers to tap a tree and celebrate the importance of the maple industry to Vermont’s economy, landscape, and heritage.

Vermont Business Magazine Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Bob Casey (D-PA) introduced legislation Tuesday to lower the skyrocketing cost of prescription drugs by allowing Americans to import safe, low-cost medicine from Canada. Representatives Elijah E Cummings (D-MD) and Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) introduced a companion bill in the House. Both measures would authorize the secretary of Health and Human Services in two years to allow importation from other advanced countries.

In Canada and other major countries, the same medications, manufactured by the same companies, in the same factories are available for a fraction of the price compared to the United States. In 2014, Americans spent $1,112 per person on prescription drugs while Canadians spent $772 and Danes spent $325.

Vermont Business MagazineTony Pomerleau is a strong supporter of community and believes in giving back. Everyone at Living Well Group believes in caring for our elders with compassion and respect. Through their mutual commitment to addressing disparities by means of innovative approaches and programs, Pomerleau and Living Well Group have created a new challenge for themselves and the greater community. Together, they are offering the Circle of Care challenge match; Pomerleau will match dollar-for-dollar all donations to Living Well Group’s Ethan Allen Residence up to $100,000.

Vermont Business MagazineThe University of Vermont Health Network – Central Vermont Medical Center was recently named one of the Top 100 Rural & Community Hospitals in the United States by iVantage Health Analytics and The Chartis Center for Rural Health.UVM Health Network – Central Vermont Medical Center scored in the top 100 of rural and community hospitals nationwide on iVantage Health Analytics’ Hospital Strength INDEX®. The INDEX is the industry’s most comprehensive rating of rural providers.

“We’re thrilled to receive this honor,” said Judy Tartaglia, President and CEO for UVM Health Network – Central Vermont Medical Center. “It’s a testament to our employees and providers, who work hard every day to bring the best health care possible to our community. To be recognized nationally in this way is a true achievement. ”

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Information Technology Leaders, Inc. (VITL), Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice (CVHHH), and the Visiting Nurse Association of Chittenden and Grand Isle Counties (VNA) announce the immediate availability of home telemonitoring patient data through the Vermont Health Information Exchange (VHIE). The VHIE is Vermont’s secure, statewide network that gives health care providers the ability to electronically exchange and access patient data.