Current News

Open enrollment for Vermont Health Connect-qualified plans begins on November 15 and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont has an array of Web tools to help small businesses quickly and easily enroll their employees into qualified health plans. Employers will continue to enroll their employees directly through health plans like Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont, rather than through Vermont Health Connect.

Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC) has announced the appointment of E Wilbur Rice and Stanley S Stroup to its Board of Trustees. Rice, a Bennington native living in Manchester for many years, is founder and owner of Equipe Sport & Mtn Riders, a group of four outdoor equipment and apparel stores located in Southern Vermont. Professionally, Rice has held managerial roles at Stratton Mountain and Bromley Mountain Ski Resorts. He has worked, too, on the boards of several professional and non-profit organizations both nationally and locally. Organizations include the National Ski & Snowboard Retailers Association, the Adirondack Landowners Association, Northshire Day School and the Manchester and Sunderland Planning Commissions among others.

“I grew up in Bennington, and the hospital was an integral part of our town. I joined the SVHC board because I believe it is an effective way to contribute to my community,” said Rice.

Northern Power Systems Corp. (TSX: NPS), a next generation renewable energy technology company, featuring wind turbines, based in Barre, has announced financial results for its three and nine month periods ended September 30, 2014. "We are very pleased with the commercial traction of our technology and products. Seeing an expansion of orders based on our next generation, higher energy output distributed turbine at the same time as WEG's successful installation of utility class turbines based on our proprietary design, reflects the continuing commercial proof of Northern Power's technology," said Troy Patton, president and chief executive officer.

A group of concerned Vermonters has formed SMART VT, a grassroots coalition opposing the legalization of marijuana. In a statement released Monday, SMART Vermont said it is a statewide coalition of parents, grandparents, young adults, senior citizens and other concerned Vermonters. The members represent diverse backgrounds including drug & alcohol prevention, youth services, education, law enforcement, mental health and business leaders who agree that marijuana legalization poses a threat to Vermont’s health, economy, youth, education, highway safety and work force.

“The evidence is mounting that marijuana is addictive and harmful to the users and especially harmful to adolescents,” said Debby Haskins, executive director of the coalition.

by Howard Schapiro, MD The University of Vermont Health Network – formerly Fletcher Allen Partners – recently got a new name and a new look and feel. The University of Vermont Medical Center (formerly Fletcher Allen Health Care), and the UVM Health Network’s other three hospitals – Central Vermont Medical Center, Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital and Elizabethtown Hospital – have also changed their names to more clearly reflect their relationship. Why is this important, or even necessary? It matters because this change marks a significant step in the evolution of health care delivery in Vermont and northern New York.

Now that the 2014 state elections are over, it’s worth looking at how the process might be improved in the future. Here are four proposals.

Single Member Districts: The curse of legislative elections is that, in multimember districts, a candidate is only rarely willing to do battle with any other candidate. Why? Because there is always the prospect of winning some second votes from the partisans of that other candidate. This makes for appallingly issue-free elections.

Elections should be occasions where incumbents defend their record, and challengers offer their alternative. When challengers fail to hold incumbents accountable, an important element of democracy is lost.

Dartmouth researchers say lung cancer screening in the National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) meets a commonly accepted standard for cost effectiveness as reported in the Nov. 6 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. This relatively new screening test uses annual low-dose CT scans to spot lung tumors early in individuals facing the highest risks of lung cancer due to age and smoking history.

by Bill Stenger One of the basic tenets of professional journalism is the, “free exchange of information that is accurate, fair and thorough.” With that in mind, we feel compelled to respond to recent posts on VTDigger.com, specifically the stories posted on July 27, October 5 and October 22 (reprinted by vermontbiz.com), as they are rife with misstatements and unsubstantiated allegations. Here are the irrefutable facts of the Tram Haus Lodge, Jay Peak’s first EB-5 project.

The University of Vermont has received a record 14,558 early applications for fall 2015, 48 percent higher than last year’s early total and 40 percent higher than early applicants for fall 2013. Early applications, which waive the standard application fee, were due November 1. The number of Vermont applications, 1,419, also a record, increased 78 percent over last year’s early applications and 25 percent over 2013.

“This is a remarkable increase in early applications over the last two years,” said Beth Wiser, director of admissions at UVM. “It’s an early sign that students are attracted to UVM’s strong academics and high value and are hearing about positive experiences from current UVM students when they go back home. It’s evidence that we are among the schools of choice for high school students, especially in New England.”

by John Herrick vtdigger.org Philip Beliveau opened a map of his planned 19-lot subdivision over a pile of books and outdoor magazines, and then slid his finger along a line indicating the location of a proposed natural gas pipeline through his 58-acre property in St George. “The gas line goes through here. It’s actually touching a couple of lots,” he said. “What does that say about the prospective buyers of the lots? Is it going to reduce the value?” Beliveau, 57, works seasonally as a ski instructor and sells bikes and equipment from his home. After five years of careful planning — mapping out septic capacity and wetland boundaries on his property — he is now re-evaluating a planned $2.5 million subdivision that would help to fund his daughter’s college education and his own retirement.

Former US Secretary of State and retired four-star US Army general Colin L Powell will observe Veterans Day at Norwich University and deliver the Fall 2014 Todd Lecture Series talk on campus at 7 pm in Shapiro Field House. Both Tuesday, November 11 events are free and open to the public. Distinguished by his public service over the course of his 50-year career, Powell has held senior military and diplomatic positions across four presidential administrations.

From 1987–1989, Powell served as President Ronald Reagan’s national security advisor. He served from 1989–1993 as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for both President George H.W. Bush and President Bill Clinton. President George W. Bush appointed Powell the 65th Secretary of State, a nomination unanimously confirmed by the US Senate.