Current News

Despite New Year’s resolutions to eat better and lose weight, people buy the greatest amount of food after the holidays, says a study led by a University of Vermont researcher. The study, published by PLOS ONE, finds consumer spending on food increases by 15 percent over the holiday season (Thanksgiving to New Year), with most of the increase attributed to higher levels of junk food.

But shoppers buy the greatest amount of food after New Year -- the equivalent of a 9 percent increase in calories above holiday levels, says Professor Lizzy Pope of the University of Vermont, who led the study as a post-doctoral researcher at Cornell University’s Food and Brand Lab.

by Morgan True vtdigger.org Dr Marvin Malek is alarmed by a pattern of violent patient behavior at the new Vermont Psychiatric Care Hospital in Berlin. Malek started working at the facility in October as the lead consulting physician and his first day on the job ended with the examination one of the hospital’s psychiatrists whose patient “out of the blue had suddenly slugged him in the jaw.” In the span of one week, two psychiatrists were punched in the face, a nurse had been hit, and one of the less violent patients was blindsided, according to Malek. Two to three violent incidents occur at the hospital each week, he says.

The old Vermont State Hospital in Waterbury had ongoing problems with patient violence and as a result was not able to provide a safe and therapeutic environment. Ultimately, the federal government pulled funding for the state hospital.

by Bill Schubart Vermont needs to lose weight. Although our population is stable, our demography is changing. We’re older and becoming more urban. The local institutions that nurtured us when our dispersed villages were economically robust and filled with children and working people have grown too expensive.

While income for the wealthy living on dividends and interest has risen along with our cost of living, income from labor has remained fixed for several decades. We now have a state that working Vermonters can’t afford and well-heeled Vermonters don’t want to pay for.

For example, we have too many competing community hospitals. Non-profit competition raises costs rather than lowering them. We’re redesigning a healthcare delivery network that will rely on fewer hospitals but more agile local clinics and primary care practices to better manage chronic disease and emergencies.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) mass media campaign Tips from Former Smokers effectively reduces cigarette use, according to a study published last month in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. The Vermont Department of Health began airing Tips television spots across Vermont in 2013 and is currently running two Tips ads statewide—“Amanda” and “Shawn.”

Tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of death in the United States, but about 81,000 Vermonters smoke cigarettes and hundreds of Vermonters die each year from tobacco-related diseases. In 2012, 62% of all Vermont smokers, totaling 51,000 people, attempted to quit.

The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) has announced its launch of what it calls a massive mail campaign encouraging small business owners in Vermont to support the repeal of Act 48 - single-payer provisions. NFIB spent years challenging the enactment of a single-payer healthcare system and was pleasantly surprised in December by Governor Shumlin’s contrite admission that it was simply too costly to pursue. According to NFIB, the next step in the battle to alleviate the uncertainty they are carrying is to have Act 48 single-payer provisions repealed.

by John McClaughry A few days after his news conference announcing the death of single payer health care at least for now, a dejected Governor Peter Shumlin announced his determination to carry on down the same perilous path. Said he, "I'm open to any ideas that any legislators have that would get us where I want to go. If someone can find a path forward that we didn't, I'm all ears." Vermonters should pay careful attention to the governor’s choice of words here, because they presage yet another costly fool’s errand.

First, note that the governor is only open to ideas from “legislators”. Where the six independents are coming from is never clear, but the eight Progressives will continue to demand “Single Payer Now” because it’s the only chant they know. Similarly, the majority Democrats are with only a handful of exceptions completely wedded to Shumlin’s single payer bill of goods, prominently featured in their party’s platforms for years.

The Vermont Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports announces it will sponsor 250 young Vermonters with discounted ski or ride lessons during Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month in January. “Vermonters love to be physically active all year, and our state is known far beyond its borders as a destination for snow sports,” said Governor Peter Shumlin. “As a cross country skier, I enthusiastically support the Council’s efforts to get Vermonters of all ages outdoors and active this winter.”

Don Rendall launched his tenure as the CEO of Vermont Gas Systems (VGS) on January 1, promising to bring a new vision and direction to the company. He succeeds Don Gilbert, who retired after 13 years as CEO. Rendall takes over at a time when VGS has had to rethink its southern expansion as cost hikes have caused further regulatory review of its plans to run a pipeline to Middlebury and then to Ticonderoga, NY, and later to Rutland.

Secretary of State Jim Condos today announced the successful launch of the new Vermont Lobbying Information System. The new system allows lobbyists, lobbyist firms, and lobbyist employers to register, manage their information, and make payments online. Secretary Condos explained “the new system not only makes lobbyist registration and disclosure simple and intuitive to use for anyone – from lobbying firms to local small businesses and nonprofits – that needs to register their activities with our office, it also provides the public with immediate access to more consistent and accurate information through a variety of search options.”

Incoming Vermont State Colleges (VSC) Chancellor Jeb Spaulding announced today two new members of his leadership team. Yasmine Ziesler has been named Chief Academic and Academic Technology Officer and Tricia Coates will become the Director for External and Governmental Affairs. Dr Ziesler currently serves as Dean of Technology, Business, and Physical Education at Castleton State College. She oversees Castleton's information and learning technologies, First-Year Seminar, and Study Away programs. Ziesler has previously served in a number of academic and student life leadership roles at the Community College of Vermont and at Castleton. In her new role, she will provide leadership for academic policy, program delivery, professional development, institutional research, and use of technology in academic programming and delivery across the Vermont State Colleges system.

Vermont ranks Number 4 on the list of Top Moving Destinations of 2014, according to the 2014 Annual National Movers Study released by United Van Lines, the nation’s largest mover. In 2014, more residents were moving into Vermont than out of Vermont with 59 percent of moves being inbound. Oregon holds on to its title as “Top Moving Destination” and continues to pull away from the pack, while the Northeast loses residents for the third consecutive year. Vermont is a newcomer to the inbound list this year. In a survey of its customers, United found that 37 percent of people moving to Vermont were doing so because of a new job.

The Johnson State College Presidential Search Committee has selected four semifinalists for campus visits in January. The semifinalists will conduct interviews with the search committee and visit with faculty, staff and students over the course of the week of January 26, 2015.

The four candidates are: