Current News

by John McClaughry The Vermont legislature is now well into the final chapter of a high-stakes saga that began in 2010. At its center is the phosphorus level in Lake Champlain, especially in St Albans and Missisquoi Bays. As a state document explains, “In excessive amounts, phosphorus and associated algal growth can impair recreational uses and aesthetic enjoyment, reduce the quality of drinking water, and alter the biological community. In some cases, algal blooms can produce toxins that harm animals and people.”

Vermont Business MagazineThe Vermont Department of Economic Development recently awarded Brattleboro Memorial Hospital (BMH) a $74,000 Workforce Development Grant.Funded through the Vermont Training Program, the grant will enable BMH to hire, train, and employ medical assistants and scribes for the hospital’s medical practices.

Medical Assistants (MA’s) support clinicians by preparing patients for their exams, performing basic laboratory tests, and taking the patient’s medical history, among other clinical responsibilities.

Senator Patrick Leahy The Treasury Department plays an essential role in the development of the economic policies that financially secure the United States in world markets, that expand the opportunities available to all Americans, and that help set the stage for a sound and growing economy. Our country’s economic engine must be one that is accessible to all Americans, not just the wealthy few. Regrettably, while Mr Mnchuin may have a knowledge of the inner-workings of Wall Street, he seems to know shockingly little of the hardships faced on Main Street.

Vermont Business Magazine The Board of Trustees of Vermont Law School today announced Thomas JP McHenry will serve as the next president and dean of VLS, effective July 1. McHenry will succeed President and Dean Marc B. Mihaly, who will return to teaching after a period of transition. Last fall Mihaly announced he would not renew his contract when it expires in July, for personal reasons. He plans to return to teaching as a member of the VLS environmental law faculty.

Thomas JP McHenry will serve as VLS' next president starting July 1, 2017. VLS photo.

Vermont Business Magazine Chittenden County has met many of its development goals, but is still suffering from a declining prime workforce and a lagging amount of housing, despite an increase in units. The Chittenden County ECOS Partnership has released its 2016 ECOS Annual Report and online data Scorecard. For the second year in a row, the Annual Report is an infographic that visually displays some of the most interesting trends and notable accomplishments from 2016 relating to people, place, and prosperity in Chittenden County.

Vermont Business Magazine An innovative project developed at the University of Vermont has received a $1.8 million award from the US Department of Energy SunShot Initiative for research aimed at improving the electric grid’s ability to accommodate power generated from renewable energy sources. The award, one of only 13 awarded nationally, is part of SunShot’s newest program called Enabling Extreme Real-time Grid Integration of Solar Energy, or ENERGISE.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) and Representative Elijah Cummings (D-MD), ranking member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, sent a letter to Marathon Pharmaceuticals Monday demanding answers about its plan to charge $89,000 per year for deflazacort, a drug that is widely available abroad for approximately $1,000 per year.

“Marathon’s apparent abuse of government-granted exclusivity periods and incentives to sell what should be a widely available drug for $89,000 a year is unconscionable,” Sanders and Cummings wrote in the letter. “Exorbitantly pricing potentially life-saving medications that should be widely available for a fraction of the price hinders patient access and drives up costs for the entire health care sector.”

Vermont Business MagazineThe Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC), a federal-state partnership for economic and infrastructure development, has announced the availability of grant funds for projects in Essex, Orleans, Caledonia, Lamoille, Franklin, and Grand Isle counties in Vermont. The Commission seeks applications from public bodies or non-profit organizations for projects that will help achieve Vermont’s statewide economic and community development priorities, as well as the goals of the recently adoptedNorthern Vermont Economic Development DistrictandNBRCstrategic plans.

by Mike Smith Ten months ago, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission accused Bill Stenger and Ariel Quiros of using more than $200 million of investor money for purposes other than where it was supposed to go. The SEC described the fraud as a “Ponzi-like scheme.” Quiros was also accused of using money diverted from investor accounts for his own personal benefit. This scandal shocked most of us because we believed that fraud allegations of this magnitude happened elsewhere, but not in this state.

Vermont Business MagazineVermonters are gearing up for the first major storm of the winter, expected to last intoMondaynight, where accumulation is forecasted statewide between 6 inches to a foot. Vermont Gas Systems has offered the following safety tips to help customers prepare for the winter weather.

Here are some important reminders to consider:

Vermont Business Magazine With Vermont’s biggest snow storm of the year rolling across the regionSundaythroughMondaymorning, and many school districts already calling off school, Governor Phil Scott has declaredMondaya “Powder Day” and is urging regional winter enthusiasts to take full advantage of the excellent conditions.

“Tourism is a critical contributor to Vermont’s economy,” said GovernorScott, who encouraged out-of-state skiers and snowmobilers to stay an extra day or two in Vermont, make plans to visit Vermont mid-week or book a Vermont getaway for the upcoming Presidents’ Day holiday weekend.

Ski resorts, inns and hotels around the state are offering deals to encourage extended stays and mid-week guests. Some ski areas have made operational adjustments, such as extended lift hours, to accommodate guests extending trips due to the weather.

Leonine Public AffairsVermont State motto “Freedom and Unity” was on full display this week at the State House as politicians from all three major parties joined together to announce an effort to protect Vermonters from President Trump’s Executive Order that cracks down on immigration. Governor Phil Scott, Attorney General TJ Donovan, Lt. Governor David Zuckerman, House Speaker Mitzi Johnson, Senate President pro-tem Tim Ashe and other legislative leaders announced that companion bills will be introduced in the House (H.228) and Senate (S.79) titled “An act relating to freedom from compulsory collection of personal information.”