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American Health Centers Inc (AHCI) has donated $2,000 to the Last Mile Ride, Gifford’s annual fundraiser to support services for those with advanced illness or needing end-of-life care at the Randolph-based hospital. AHCI brings affordable mobile magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) units to community hospitals throughout Vermont, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. MRI is a safe and painless test that uses a magnetic field and radio waves to produce detailed pictures of the body, and differs from a CAT scan because it doesn't use radiation. The AHCI mobile magnetic unit serves patients at Gifford health centers in Randolph, Sharon, and Berlin.

“American Health Centers has been bringing services to Gifford patients since 2001,” said President and Chief Operating Officer Dr. Donald N. Sweet, who visited the hospital to deliver the donation. “We are very pleased to be able to honor this partnership by supporting the unique end-of-life services funded by the Last Mile Ride.”

For the Greater Burlington YMCA, Wednesday night’s annual meeting was as an opportunity to highlight not only their own achievements, but to honor another area non-profit for its contributions to create a stronger community. The Y recognized Howard Center with a special award for their years of service to their clients and the impact of their work. Y President and CEO Mary Burns noted the longstanding partnership between the Y and Howard Center. Burns remarked that she did not remember a time during her 29 years with the Y that the two organizations did not collaborate.

“Each day, Howard Center’s compassion and commitment to improve the well-being of all in our community changes thousands of lives,” said Burns. “The Greater Burlington YMCA, time and again, has witnessed the immeasurable impact of Howard Center’s work.”

by Timothy McQuiston Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Health Connect is still a long way from the seamless, on-line health insurance sign-up product it's supposed to be, but a major system upgrade should go a long way to toward enabling it to get there eventually. Governor Peter Shumlin announced this morning that the VHC system was successfully upgraded this weekend to update the so-called change of circumstance functionality, which will allow customer service staff to process requested changes more quickly.

The Vermont Cheese Council (VCC), a non-profit trade association committed to the promotion and advancement of quality cheese production in Vermont, signed its 50th principal member to its membership roster. “It's a great milestone with a lot of history behind it,” said Jeremy Stevenson, cheesemaker at Spring Brook Farm/Farms for City Kids and former VCC president. “It is very encouraging to see the VCC growing with the community of cheesemakers and working with the Vermont Agency of Agriculture to facilitate growth and stability into the future.”

Founded in 1996 with 19 original members, the Vermont Cheese Council helped to establish the Vermont brand in the cheese industry through quality production, safety training and the promotion of Vermont cheesemakers.

Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) Saturday welcomed news that the US Postal Service quietly backed off a self-defeating plan to shutter nearly all of 82 mail sorting facilities which were on the chopping block this year. Sanders had led an effort in Congress to keep the Postal Service from closing the plants as part of an ill-considered cost-cutting plan by the money-making mail service. Word of the Postal Service decision came in a low-key formal notification yesterday to members of Congress.

“I am pleased that the Postal Service has decided not to shut down virtually all of the 82 mail-processing plants this year,” Sanders said, “but much more needs to be done to ensure that Americans throughout the country receive their mail in a timely manner.”

Lake Champlain Committee Before adjourning for the year the Vermont House and Senate agreed on the terms of a key water quality bill. The legislation was a major LCC priority and we thank Governor Shumlin, Vermont environmental agencies, legislators and activists that helped bring the water quality bill to fruition this session.

The bill raises $7.5 million in new revenues. The money will come from a 0.2% increase in the property transfer tax, an increase in the cost of a variety of water quality related permit fees, and a $30 per ton levy on nonagricultural fertilizers. The property transfer tax surcharge raises the most revenue. The surcharge excludes the first $100,000 of value of property and properties purchased through certain low interest loan programs. The legislation repeals the surcharge in 2018.

by Sarah Olsen vtdigger.org New research shows that concentrations of nitrogen could make drinking water from lakes unsafe. Until recently it was thought that algae blooms could only be caused by high concentrations of phosphorus in lakes, but freshwater research now suggests that high levels of nitrogen can also increase the potential for harmful blooms.

The law firm of Diamond & Robinson significantly expanded its utility, energy and environmental practice areas by adding attorneys Richard H. Saudek, former Chair of the Public Service Board, and Ronald A. Shems, former Chair of the Natural Resources Board. “Teaming up with Ron Shems and Dick Saudek adds enormous horsepower to our already robust law firm. Ron and Dick are very talented attorneys who can easily handle highly complex legal and regulatory issues,” said M. Jerome Diamond, founder of Diamond & Robinson and three-term Vermont Attorney General.

The Town of Bennington is launching its second round of promotional videos for the area. Titled “Profiles in Bennington,” these in-depth interviews showcase business and community leaders in Bennington. Most of the interviews are between 8-12 minutes long and discuss what it’s like to experience Bennington either as a community member or business owner. Each video has its own tone, but the overarching theme is that Bennington is a great place to build a business and raise a family.

Current interviewees include Sheela Harden, President and CEO of Bennington Potters; Tom Dee, President and CEO of Southwestern Vermont Health Care; Dimitri Garder, Vice President of Global Z International; Mariko Silver, president of Bennington College; Stuart Hurd, Bennington’s town manager; Paul Doucette, Bennington’s chief of police and Michael Harrington, Bennington’s economic and community development director.

State and federal officials say that more than $1 million in federal assistance has been delivered to the state to help cover the costs of the December 9-12, 2014, winter storm that wreaked havoc on Vermont’s infrastructure, downing trees and power lines. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the $1 million in FEMA aid to the state thus far for infrastructure repair includes roughly $670,000 for emergency protective measures to safeguard lives and property while responding to the disaster, and another $384,000 in permanent repair work. Another $2 million in FEMA aid is anticipated, most of it for Vermont Electric Cooperative.

“The December storm was a four-day event that caused an estimated $4+ million in damage and response costs,” said State Coordinating Officer Robert Schell with Vermont’s Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security. “The federal dollars coming to Vermont are assisting numerous communities and non-profit utilities.”

Yonder, the leading outdoor recreation mobile app and platform for outdoor enthusiasts based in Woodstock, Vermont, has closed $2 million in seed funding, with the company's Board approving an additional $1 million to be raised. The company, Green Mountain Digital LLC, is now focused exclusively on expanding the Yonder platform to become the social infrastructure for the outdoor and adventure travel industries.

Montpelier rado station WNCS-FM and the Colchester-based Mt. Mansfield Media took home the coveted “Best in Show” honors May 28 at the Vermont Association of Broadcasters annual Commercial of the Year Awards luncheon in Montpelier. More than 200 radio and television commercials were entered for this year’s competetion by Vermont radio and television stations, and by Vermont advertising agencies. Entries were judged by a panel assembled by the Communications Department at Champlain College.