Current News

Vermont Business Magazine This year, Howard Center’s Curling Challenge fundraiser featured 30 teams, including several high school teams which were sponsored by Kittell Branagan & Sargent, McSoley McCoy & Co, and Myers Waste & Recycle. The Silver-level sponsors for this year’s fundraiser include Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont, Geri Reilly Real Estate, Price Chopper, Tech Group, Tech Vault, and Cairns Arena. In addition, numerous businesses fielded teams, including Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont, Dinse Knapp McAndrew, Spruce Mortgage, and TruexCullins.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Peter Shumlin is banning official state travel to North Carolina in response to a law in that state that overturns anti-discrimination protections for LGBT individuals. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo today announced a similar ban.

“The law passed in North Carolina is an absolute disgrace,” Shumlin said. “Vermont has a proud tradition of protecting the rights of LGBT individuals. I’m making this decision in that tradition. I’m proud to join with New York in taking this action. I hope other states will join us in applying pressure on North Carolina to recognize common sense, common decency, and common humanity and repeal this law.”

A year ago, Shumlin banned official travel to Indiana after that state passed a law which promoted anti-gay discrimination. Indiana eventually modified its law and Vermont’s travel ban was lifted.

Vermont Business Magazine Farmers from across the state are voicing their concern about how new policies would impact solar and other renewable energy on Vermont farms. More than 40 farmers wrote to lawmakers and government officials today, stating, "We are concerned about policies being developed in Montpelier that could negatively impact our ability to affordably use, and host, solar and other renewable energy projects on our farms."

"Vermont farmers have a proud tradition of turning the sun's energy into productive use. Producing clean renewable energy is an increasingly vital part of Vermont's modern agricultural economy," the farmers said.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont has particularly high rates of insurance coverage, a national study has found. It ranks second nationwide for the overall coverage rate, at 95 percent, the children’s coverage rate, at 97.8 percent, and the coverage rate for people living in low-income households, at 92.8 percent. Likewise, Merritt Hawkins ranked Vermont as the third-best US state when it comes to physician access. In a nationwide study, SmartAsset has uncovered the best states for healthcare access, and Vermont ties with Michigan for the number four spot overall. Texas was last and was one of only two states to cover less than 90 percent of children (Alaska, see table below).

Vermont Business Magazine Today, President Obama joined individuals in recovery, family members, medical professionals, law enforcement officials and other leaders at the National Rx Drug Abuse and Heroin Summit in Atlanta, Georgia. As part of today’s event, the president announced additional public and private sector actions to escalate the fight against prescription opioid abuse and the heroin epidemic, which is claiming the lives of tens of thousands of Americans each year. The annual summit is organized by Operation UNITE, which was launched by Congressman Hal Rogers (R-KY).

Vermont Business Magazine The Obama Administration has announced its intention to expand support for diabetes prevention programs after studying the results of a YMCA of the USA wellness program, which has proven successful in preventing Type 2 Diabetes. In Vermont, the Y Diabetes Prevention Program is offered through a partnership of the Greater Burlington YMCA, the Vermont Blueprint for Health and the Vermont Department of Health. Vermont was the first state to offer the Y Diabetes Prevention Program statewide and in partnership with state health services.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Peter Shumlin today appointed Chittenden County Senator Diane Snelling as Chair of the Natural Resources Board (NRB). Snelling replaces Jon Groveman who stepped down earlier this year. To replace Snelling in the Senate, the governor will appoint former Chittenden County Senator Helen Riehle. She will serve out the remainder of Snelling’s term and does not intend to run for election this fall. Both are Republicans and Snelling is the only Republican in six-seat Chittenden County. The appointments will be effective Wednesday.

by Dean Whitlock Governor Shumlin has been parroting the Marijuana Policy Project's emotionally charged polemics about prohibition, about being first, doing it right, having the courage. Let's take a closer, calmer look. Prohibition of alcohol failed politically because we cut off the country cold turkey, relied on jails, and failed to treat the national addiction. It did not fail from a public health standpoint: the illnesses, the family violence, the alcoholism rates all plummeted. Now what about marijuana?

Vermont Business Magazine Cancer is the leading cause of death in Vermont. Vermont has a higher cancer rate than the US average, with  higher rates of melanoma, lung, bladder, and uterine cancers. However, Vermont generally has lower rates of prostate, colorectal, cervical, and stomach cancers. Since 2005, the Department of Health — together with Vermont’s statewide cancer coalition, Vermonters Taking Action Against Cancer (VTAAC) — has published a five-year strategic plan to reduce the impact of cancer on individuals, families, and communities in Vermont. "The 2016-2020 Vermont Cancer Plan: A Framework for Action" is a guide for cancer control and prevention practices across the state and represents the collective efforts of cancer stakeholders throughout Vermont.

by Carolyn Shapiro Are we genetically doomed when the double helix we all identify with DNA breaks? No, say a team of researchers led by University of Vermont (UVM) immunologists, who discovered a novel mechanism that provides life support to cells while DNA double-strand break repairs are in progress. The study, authored by Mercedes Rincon, PhD, UVM professor of medicine, and Tina Thornton, PhD, UVM research associate in medicine, was published recently in Nature Communications.

by John McClaughry The House of Representatives has completed its work on the FY2017 General Fund appropriations bill, plus the annual tax increases.  All in all, it’s not pretty. First, the (limited) good news. The House bill keeps three ironclad commitments: interest on state debt, the Act 60 annual transfer to the Education Fund, and required contributions to the two state-managed retirement funds. Those two funds, however, are $3.8 billion out of actuarial balance.

A year ago, in the spending bill, the legislators announced a “multiyear process to align State spending and bring revenues and spending into long-term balance.” This year they stayed on that course. The budget is balanced.  But that “balance” was achieved by jacking up revenues – taxes and fees – to fill the hole caused by the legislature’s inability to cut spending.

Vermont Business Magazine Congressman Peter Welch (D-Vermont) and Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN) have introduced legislation to improve care coordination for Medicare beneficiaries with multiple chronic conditions. The Better Care, Lower Cost Act would establish voluntary programs aimed at reducing expensive hospital readmissions and providing better health outcomes for patients. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, 68% of Medicare enrollees suffer from multiple chronic conditions and account for 93% of health care costs.