Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Today, the UVM Health Network (UVMHN) announced its plans to shutter many essential patient care services around the state, including mental health care, primary care clinics, and dialysis centers. The decision comes on the heels of the Green Mountain Care Board’s order to reign in administrative and managerial bloat, citing data that UVMHN ranks among the worst in the nation in these areas when compared with similarly sized health networks. 

Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont are $3.11 per gallon, down 1 cent per gallon from last week. They're down 7 cents/g from last month and down 41 cents/g from last year. The lowest price in the state this week was $2.86/g while the highest was $3.29/g, a difference of 43.0 cents per gallon. The national average price of gasoline has fallen 2 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.08/g today. The national average is down 12 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 27 cents per gallon lower than a year ago

Vermont Business Magazine Lieutenant Governor-elect John Rodgers announced today the appointment of Elizabeth Brown of Waterbury as his chief of staff. “Elizabeth has demonstrated a strong commitment of service to Vermont and Vermonters.” Rodgers said. “A gifted team leader and trusted administrator, she brings valuable experience from the private sector to her new role, and I’m grateful for her willingness to serve Vermonters alongside me.” Brown was a Democratic candidate for Vermont House of Representatives from Waterbury. She came up short in last summer's primary against incumbents Theresa Wood and Tom Stevens.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Community Broadband Board (VCBB) announced today that Sarah Hofmann as a new Board Member. Hofmann was appointed to fill the vacancy resulting from the October resignation of former VCBB Board Member Holly Groschner. Hofmann was appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Jill Krowinski, to fill a three-year term from February 2024 to February 2027. Hofmann served on the Vermont Public Utility Commission from 2015 to 2021. She served on the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners Board of Directors and as a member of the Executive Committee, the Telecommunications Committee and the Subcommittee on Nuclear Issues.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s healthcare system, for patients, providers across the spectrum, and payers, is severely strained. While Vermonters struggle with a healthcare affordability crisis, those providing us critical care face financial uncertainty. Vermont’s demographic and housing challenges create a difficult environment for our healthcare system, and today’s announcement by UVMMC reflects the seriousness of these issues. The Green Mountain Care Board (GMCB) is deeply concerned about the impact of UVMMC’s decisions on patients, its dedicated staff, and the broader healthcare system. Yesterday, the GMCB learned of UVMMC’s decisions to reduce services and positions. The GMCB was not consulted on, and did not approve, these reductions. The GMCB is reaching out to UVMMC to better understand UVMMC’s rationale and how it evaluated alternatives, such as those identified in the GMCB’s budget and enforcement orders.

Vermont Business Magazine University of Vermont Health Network is moving forward with reductions to administrative and clinical services to comply with Vermont state budget orders and enforcement actions issued by the Green Mountain Care Board (GMCB), the health care regulator in Vermont. These actions will have both an immediate and long-term impact on patients served in the region and, based on current information, will ultimately result in a workforce reduction estimated to be as many as 200 people who currently serve the health care system, including both employed staff and temporary/travel staff. Changes will take place both immediately and over the next several months. Patients will be informed when the timelines and care transitions for impacted services are clear.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Business Magazine BETA Technologies, an electric aerospace company based in Vermont, has successfully completed the first flight of an electric aircraft built on its new rate production line. This marks another significant step in the company’s accelerating production efforts and path toward customer deliveries. The aircraft, an ALIA CTOL, was manufactured at BETA’s production facility in South Burlington. On November 13th, BETA’s CEO, Founder, and Test Pilot, Kyle Clark, conducted the first flight of the production aircraft. The flight, which lasted nearly an hour, included a takeoff, climb to 7000 ft, handling qualities evaluation, stability and control test points and initial airspeed expansion prior to flying several approaches and a normal landing.    

Vermont business Magazine The Vermont Outdoor Business Alliance (VOBA)  that the fourth annual U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy Trailblazer Legacy Award goes to Mike Solimano, President and CEO of Killington Resort & Pico Mountain. The award, first given to and named for Sen. Patrick Leahy, honors an individual’s lifetime of service in Vermont’s outdoor recreation economy with special recognition for advancing sustainability and equity, investing in local communities and growing the Vermont economy. The award was presented in front of the 165 registrants at VOBA’s sixth annual Vermont Outdoor Economy Summit and annual meeting, held at The Woodstock Inn and Resort.

Vermont Business Magazine TIME has recognized Sunrun CEO Mary Powell for her impactful climate leadership, advancing residential clean energy adoption to reduce fossil fuel usage and strengthen the nation’s energy grid. Powell previously was the CEO of Green Mountain Power, based in Colchester, Vermont. During Powell’s three-year tenure at Sunrun, the company has rapidly grown its impact, adding over 400,000 new customers and achieving a nearly 500% increase in battery installations with 112,000 new storage customers. This growth has contributed to generating approximately 21 billion kilowatt-hours of solar energy, helping to enable the avoidance of nearly 10 million metric tons of carbon emissions from entering the atmosphere.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Fish and Wildlife is reminding hunters to wear fluorescent hunter orange. “Hunting is one of the safest outdoor activities, thanks to advances in education as well as science,” said Vermont Hunter Education Program Coordinator Nicole Meier.  “Our volunteer hunter education instructors stress that wearing orange during hunting season is important, and studies prove that wearing fluorescent hunter orange keeps hunters visible to other people in the woods, but it keeps them relatively invisible to deer. Every year we should strive to be the safest we can be by wearing at least a hunter orange hat and vest.”

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s Killington Resort, the largest ski and snowboard destination in Eastern North America, will kick off the 2024-25 winter season at 9 a.m. on Thursday, November 14th, 2024. This marks the first season as an independent resort and skiers and riders can expect big things in the coming years. Once again, Killington is the first resort in Vermont to open for the winter season. The first turns of the season on November 14th will be reserved exclusively for Killington Season Pass, Beast 365 and Ikon Pass holders. The resort will open to the general public on Friday, November 15th at 9:00 a.m. and will remain open 7 days a week, weather permitting. 

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott and the Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD) announced today just over $4 million in funding for 13 rehabilitation and revitalization projects in 12 of Vermont’s designated downtown and village centers. These awards will generate over $160 million in building improvements and public infrastructure around the state. Increased investment and program enhancements have been a critical lifeline for economic vitality, as well as for communities and businesses recovering from devastating floods. In the past 10 years, the state tax credit program has leveraged over $28 million in federal rehabilitation tax credits—resulting in the creation and rehabilitation of 338 housing units and support for over 100 businesses in 24 downtowns and 248 village centers.