Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Overall, General Fund (GF) revenues for the month of March were down by -$13.26 million or –13.94%, totaling $81.87 million vs. a monthly target of $95.12 million. This shortfall reflects a clearing out of the backlog of refunds that were not processed in Febru-ary due to fraud concerns. While Personal Income was down -$18.97 million (–71.68%) and Sales and Use and Meals and Rooms were off target by -$0.42 million and -$0.52 million respectfully, they were offset with an up in Corporate Tax +$6.94 million (+33.71%).

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos announced today a new searchable database of Vermont elections results. The new site makes it easier to find results by year, office, or candidate and continues the efforts by Secretary Condos to make information more accessible for Vermonters.

Vermont Business Magazine An award from the Keep Local Farms Fund is being used by two Vermont farmer organizations, The Champlain Valley Farmer Coalition (CVFC) and DairyVision Vermont, to help Vermont farmers protect water quality with recommended new practices and technology improvements. The $45,000 to CVFC and $12,500 to DairyVision Vermont in scholarship aid is part of awards totaling $104,900 in grants to dairy-related education and other initiatives across New England.

Vermont Business Magazine The Copley Health Systems, Inc Board of Trustees is pleased to announce that following a thoughtful national search, they have selected Arthur “Art” Mathisen to serve as President and Chief Executive Officer. Mathisen will take over leadership of the hospital when CEO Melvyn Patashnick retires after serving 30 years in healthcare administration; leading Copley Hospital for the last 10 years. Mathisen is currently Chief Operating Officer at Copley Hospital, having joined Copley in July 2015.

Arthur “Art” Mathisen 

Vermont Business Magazine Howard Center’s Safe Recovery Program received a $25,000 grant from the Walmart Foundation. Safe Recovery is a full-time, professionally-staffed recovery center for people living with addiction to opioids. Specifically, the grant will enable the program to provide additional drug treatment options counseling sessions and increased outreach to veterans. The award comes at a crucial time as Safe Recovery has recently been forced to lay off staff, even while the demand for recovery services increases.

"We are very proud to support Howard Center and the essential work they are doing to provide drug treatment options," said Jason Klipa Walmart Director of Public Affairs. "Through its Safe Recovery program, Howard Center is keeping individuals safe during their counseling and treatment. Their work will help save lives."

Vermont Business Magazine Southwestern Vermont Medical Center, with its agency Jennings, have received a 2015 Telly Award for its Partnership is Powerful Medicine campaign video featuring cancer patient John Kasper. In the video, John, an auto detailer in Bennington, shares his emotional story about battling cancer with SVMC’s team. The video was part of a series of patient videos, all of which can be viewed at svhealthcare.org/stories.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health, with support from Southwestern Vermont Medical Center, is offering PFOA blood draw clinics as part of the State of Vermont's response to PFOA contamination of drinking water wells in North Bennington and Bennington. The clinic dates are set for late April through mid-May. Private drinking water wells in the area around the former Chemfab/Saint-Gobain have had detections of PFOA ranging from non-detect to nearly 3,000 parts per trillion, well above Vermont's advisory level of 20 parts per trillion for drinking water.

The blood tests will measure the level of PFOA in an individual's blood, and this can be compared to levels measured by CDC's National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) for adults and older children in the U.S. Most adults have low levels of PFOA in their blood.

Vermont Business Magazine On average, Vermont women employed full time, year round are paid just 84 cents for every dollar paid to men – a yearly pay gap of $7,589. That means, in total, women in Vermont lose more than $705 million every year, which is money that could strengthen the state economy and the financial security of Vermont’s women and families, including the nearly 25,000 Vermont households headed by women. These are some of the findings of a new analysis conducted by the National Partnership for Women & Families and released for Equal Pay Day tomorrow.

Vermont Business Magazine As part of its ongoing mission to reach as many patients as possible with its award-winning cannabis products, Mary’s Medicinals has announced it has partnered with Champlain Valley Dispensary to bring its transdermal patches to authorized medical cannabis patients in Vermont and that the patches are available from Champlain Valley Dispensary and Southern Vermont Wellness.

“With more than two-dozen states allowing the medical use of cannabis in some form, the potential benefits of this plant are clear,” said Nicole Smith, CEO of Mary’s Medicinals. “However, some patients are hesitant to use many of the traditional cannabis products on the market today that involve smoking, dabbing or eating sugary candies. With our clinical grade delivery methods and accurate dosing mechanisms, patients can find relief that is more effective, more reliable and more targeted than anything else available today.”

by John McClaughry On March 29 Vermont’s outgoing attorney general William Sorrell and two of his lawyers travelled to Manhattan to serve as useful props in a news conference orchestrated by New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and global climate warrior Al Gore.

There Schneiderman announced a coordinated campaign by 20 AGs to find some legally believable way to prosecute the world’s biggest oil company, ExxonMobil. Two quite different, but both credible, headlines resulted. The news arm of the liberal Center for American Progress blared “State AGs Vow to Tackle Climate Change and Fossil Fuel Industry Fraud.” The conservative Washington Times offered “Democratic Attorneys General to Police Climate Change Dissent.”

Vermont Business Magazine SVMC Outpatient Rehabilitation has expanded physical therapy services by offering appointments on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at the SVMC Northshire Campus in Manchester. Holly McKenzie, PT, is the primary physical therapist at the Northshire Campus and the physical therapy team leader for SVMC. McKenzie graduated from Utica College with a Doctorate of Physical Therapy and has been a physical therapist for nine years. 

Injury, illness, or surgery can decrease individuals’ ability to complete life’s tasks effectively and efficiently. Physical therapy can be effective in treating orthopedic, balance, and neurological deficits to improve quality of life. Those interested in starting physical therapy should speak with their primary care physician for a referral.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Economic Development has recently been awarded a grant from the US Department of Defense’s Office of Economic Adjustment to help Vermont businesses that have been impacted by DOD spending reductions over the last few years. Businesses that have generated at least 10 percent of their sales in transactions where the DoD has been the ultimate purchaser in at least one of the last five years will generally qualify for consideration under the grant. For business that might meet these criteria,  Economic Development is conducting a five question survey until Friday April 15th. Click the button below to start the short survey.