Current News

After 20 hours at the bargaining table beginning Friday and continuing into Saturday morning, nurses from the Vermont Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals reached a tentative agreement to settle their contract with the management of UVM Medical Center. Nurses will hold their ratification vote over the next week. Nurses won improvements in key areas areas including professional education, wages and scheduling.

"These are issues that we've been fighting for for years. This is a good agreement. It's a relief to settle this contract so we can get back to our patients." said Laurie Aunchman, acting President of the union.

Vermont Business Magazine Weekly unemployment claims in Vermont increased by more than 300 and spiked for the first time since early May. Claims had been down to their typically low summer level. There were 761 new, regular benefit claims for Unemployment Insurance in Vermont, an increase of 366 from the previous week's total and 34 fewer than they were a year ago. Generally, claims have been running below last year's totals.

During its 20-plus year history Woodstock Farmers’ Market’s (WFM) success has rested on sure and steady growth. What began as a seasonal farmstand has morphed into an integral local favorite food mecca as well as a nationally recognized year round specialty food market. Through the years there remained a missing link – the bakery department. Now thanks to some key culinary professionals the sweet smell of success prevails throughout the market.

“Our popular bakery department makes us totally unique in the Upper Valley area,” explained Executive Chef Lisa Battilana. “We make all of our baked goods in-house according to our standards and to our customers expectations of quality and service. Our bakery department makes everything from fine European pastries to traditional peach, apple and blueberry cobblers made with local seasonal fruits.”

Mount Family Group, Ltd., the longtime Burlington-based franchisee of Westaff Workforce Solutions and Remedy Intelligent Staffing, has moved its corporate headquarters from 74 Main Street in Burlington to 188 Allen Brook Lane in Williston. This move was precipitated by the need for more space in the growing Burlington Westaff branch office and for a larger meeting space for the Mount Family Group’s corporate office. This new corporate headquarters is the home to James Mount, COO, Karen Mount, CAO, Jill Marsano, CFO, and Denise Burns, Director of Administration.

"I deeply appreciate the outpouring of support I received from those who urged me to return home to run for governor as well as those who urged me to keep at it in Congress. While being governor would be a distinct honor, I believe I can best serve Vermonters by continuing the hard work of getting Congress back to work for Vermont and the nation."

Beginning Friday June 26th and running through Sunday June 28th, the Vermont State Police Marine Division, Grand Isle Sheriff, Colchester Police Marine Patrol, and the Burlington US Coast Guard station, will participate in the national Operation Dry Waterhttp://www.operationdrywater.org/> campaign. This is a national campaign that occurs annually to promote safe and sober boating as we enter the boating season. The campaign hopes to reduce the numbers of boating while intoxicated (BWI) incidents by increasing awareness and recreational boater education, along with visible police deterrents. In Vermont, we are entering the main boating season, with the most activity associated with the weeks around the 4th of July holiday.

In the case of King v Burwell, the US Supreme Court, in a 6-3 decision Thursday, upheld the regulation issued by the Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service through which tax credits are made available for purchasers of health insurance through the federal exchange established under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The Fourth Circuit US Court of Appeals had previously upheld the agencies’ interpretation regarding tax credits, and the Supreme Court agreed that the ACA allows tax credits for purchasers of health insurance through the federal exchange.

Chief Justice Roberts wrote the majority opinion, as he did in the first major ACA vote by the high court in 2012, which was a 5-4 decision. Joning the majority on this occasion was Justice Kennedy, along with the liberal wing of Justices Sotomayor, Kagan, Ginsburg and Breyer; while the conservative wing of Justices Alito, Scalia and Thomas dissented.

Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP) has chosen Central Vermont Medical Center as a 2015 ‘Northeast Business Leader for Energy Efficiency’ for its efforts to foster the economy and protect the environment via its commitment to energy efficiency. UVM Health Network – CVMC was one of 14 organizations named as Business Leaders for 2015.

The hospital is being honored for its continued efforts to advance energy efficiency in its operations. UVM Health Network – CVMC has worked closely with Efficiency Vermont, the statewide energy efficiency utility, for the past five years to make efficiency improvements, which have resulted in a 26% reduction in total energy consumption. These efforts have cut hospital energy use by 1.6 million kilowatt-hours and over 100,000 gallons of fuel oil each year, translating to annual cost savings of $500,000.

The Agency of Natural Resources is holding three public comment meetings in July to gather feedback on the Draft Northern Lake Champlain Direct Drainages Tactical Water Quality Management Plan. The public is encouraged to attend the meetings, hear a presentation and offer their comments and suggestions. This plan will be used to establish priorities for clean water projects being pursued in fulfillment of the Vermont Clean Water Act (H.35), signed into law by Governor Shumlin on June 16, and related Lake Champlain restoration efforts. (See information regarding the Waits, Wells, Ompompanoosuc and Steven’s River Tactical Water Quality Management Plan below.)

Meetings will take place in the following locations:

Monday, June 29, 5 -6:30 pm, Swanton Municipal Building, Swanton, VT (hosted by Friends of North Lake Champlain)

The Burlington Free Press on Wednesday won three of Gannett's 12 National Edward R Murrow Awards, including an Overall Excellence award. The Edward R Murrow Awards honor outstanding achievements in broadcast and digital journalism and are sponsored by the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA). The largest daily newspaper in Vermont won these awards for its online service.

“Gannett has always been a company where content comes first and our commitment to quality journalism is second to none. These 12 awards, in addition to the 72 Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards we won earlier this year, are a testament to the exceptional work being done daily by our journalists that makes an impact in the communities we serve. It is always an honor to be recognized by the RTDNA and I congratulate all of our winners,” said Gracia Martore, president and CEO of Gannett.

Winners are:

Renewable Energy Vermont Beneath bluebird skies, Vermonters strolled sun-soaked solar farms and toured solar-powered homes during the inaugural Celebrate Solar Tours last Saturday. Like open sugarhouse weekend in the spring and open art studio weekend in the fall, Celebrate Solar Tours gave Vermonters the opportunity to get an up-close view of solar systems, learn how they work and the story behind improving our energy future with the sun. In St Albans, three local families participated in the statewide celebration by inviting neighbors and community members to visit their residential solar systems.

by Basil DN Waugh UVM A major international study finds that surprisingly few bee species are responsible for pollinating the world’s crops. The paper, published in Nature Communications, suggests that only two percent of wild bee species pollinate 80 percent of bee-pollinated crops worldwide. The study is one of the largest on bee pollination to date.

While agricultural development and pesticides have been shown to produce sharp declines in many wild bee populations, the study shows these “busy bees” can remain abundant in agricultural landscapes.