Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The annual Barn Sale benefiting United Counseling Service (UCS) in the Northshire is September 14-15, 2024, at Northshire Civic Center at Riley Rink, located at 410 Hunter Park Road in Manchester Center, VT. Shoppers can stop by from 9am-3pm on Saturday and Sunday to find clothing, furniture, kitchen equipment, home décor, cookware, antiques, and more. All proceeds support UCS’ services in the Northshire, which include outpatient mental health and counseling, school-based services, substance use services, including Medication Assisted Treatment, youth and family services, and Head Start/Early Head Start. Last year’s Barn Sale raised over $74,000 to support UCS’ work in the Northshire region. 

Vermont Business Magazine A new division at Saint Michael’s College will serve to uphold the legacy of the College’s founders, the Society of Saint Edmund, and ensure their mission and heritage remain central and relevant to the future of the College. President Richard Plumb, Ph.D., has announced the establishment of the Division of Edmundite Mission and the appointment of Fr. David Theroux S.S.E. ’70 as the inaugural Vice President of Edmundite Mission. Theroux will oversee Campus Ministry, Mobilization of Volunteer Efforts (MOVE), the Institute for Equity and Justice, and the two Edmundite centers for Faith and Culture and for Peace and Justice. He will also serve on Plumb’s Cabinet. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Friendly Toast, New England’s most popular all-day brunch and bar spot with a location in Burlington, Vermont, recently promoted two of its key employees to help support the continued growth of the indie restaurant group. Staci Pinard, who has worked at The Friendly Toast for ten years serving in multiple roles within all facets of the restaurant and business, was promoted from Vice President of Restaurant Operations to CEO. Additionally, culinary specialist Justin Fischer, who has worked at The Friendly Toast for over two years and has significant experience across multiple regional and national restaurants, was promoted from Director of Culinary Operations to Vice President of Culinary Operations.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont State Board of Education announced that the Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules (LCAR) has approved updates on two important rule series to meet the goals of Act 1 of 2019. The changes to Rule Series 2000 (Education Quality Standards) and Rule Series 2200 (Independent School Program Approval) aim to ensure that public and approved independent schools promote critical thinking about the history, contributions, and perspectives of diverse groups of people. The updates also help schools create welcoming educational environments for all students without bias or exclusion.

Vermont Business Magazine Fidium Fiber is now available to more than 2,200 homes and businesses in Waterbury and Moretown. Fiber broadband is considered the best internet service delivery method among 63 percent of U.S. consumers, featuring faster upload and download speeds compared to other connection types. With the expansion of Fidium’s future-proof all-fiber network, residents and businesses can now connect to symmetrical multi-gig speed internet and the benefits that come with access to a fiber broadband connection. Today, more than 110,000 Vermont homes and businesses have access to Fidium, including Barre and Montpelier, with additional availability coming soon for Morristown, Stowe, other Lamoille FiberNet Communications Union District communities, and more locations across the state. Residents and businesses may register to learn more and get updates about future service availability at FidiumFiber.com. 

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Senators Peter Welch (D-Vermont.) and John Boozman (R-Ark.) announced support from national health organizations for their bipartisan Physician Fee Stabilization Act, legislation that ensures greater flexibility in determining pricing adjustments for medical services without triggering harmful annual payment cuts to Medicare-serving physicians. The budget neutrality threshold was last updated in 1992. The Physician Fee Stabilization Act is a critical step forward to ensure greater flexibility in determining pricing adjustments for services without triggering harmful annual payment cuts to Medicare-serving physicians. 

Vermont Business Magazine State health officials announced the first human case of Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) in Vermont since 2012. EEE is a rare but serious disease caused by a virus spread to people through the bite of an infected mosquito. The case, a male in his 40s from Chittenden County, was hospitalized on July 16, but left the hospital a week later. The case was detected through laboratory testing and reporting by the health care provider. The Health Department coordinated specimen submission to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and received confirmatory results on Aug. 8. To protect patient confidentiality, the Health Department will not release individual personal health information.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today announced two new actions to both prepare for Tropical Depression Debby and continue to respond to the damage from multiple storms in July. On Thursday, Governor Scott requested a Presidential Emergency Declaration from President Biden, which the President approved, to ensure the State can access any federal resources to assist with any emergency needs resulting from Tropical Depression Debby. Governor Scott also signed an addendum to his state Emergency Declaration, which updates the existing Declaration to include any impacts from Tropical Depression Debby and extend the temporary regulatory relief he implemented via Addendum 1 on July 13. The first was $7 million for Business Emergency Gap Assistance Program (BEGAP). The second was $7 million for the Administration’s Rapid Response Mobile Home Infill initiative.

by Ron Lumbra, UVM Chair of Board of Trustees President Garimella has informed the Board of Trustees that he has been named the next president of the University of Arizona. The Board is proud of UVM’s trajectory during the five years of President Garimella’s tenure. His bold vision and innovative leadership have empowered UVM to “amplify our impact” here in Vermont and far beyond our borders. He has prioritized access and affordability for our students and ensured they have ample resources for success. We have diversified the breadth of our distinctive research excellence and doubled the amount of external support received to fund that research. President Garimella’s emphasis on the importance of UVM’s land grant commitment to the people, businesses, and communities of Vermont has resulted in a growing number of successful UVM collaborations and partnerships with corporate and public organizations across the state. 

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine As expected, the Arizona Board of Regents shortly after noon today (local time) appointed Dr. Suresh Garimella as the 23rd president of the University of Arizona. Garimella has been the University of Vermont president since 2019. It was revealed on Thursday that Garimella was the sole finalist for the Arizona job, thus indicating that he had been offered and accepted the job, pending a vote by the regents this morning. The unanimous board vote follows a comprehensive national search fueled by the work of the U of A Presidential Search Advisory Committee and informed by robust community feedback. Dr. Garimella is currently the 27th president of the University of Vermont (UVM) and is the former Executive Vice President for Research and Partnerships at Purdue University. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund (VSJF)’s just released the complete set of six modules of its Business Sense series, next level tools for entrepreneurs and small business owners. Written by VSJF’s team of business coaches, this free series shares their decades of experience in areas such as financials, operations, sales, marketing, human resources, and leadership and governance. VSJF provides tailored business management coaching, entrepreneurial support, and training to position Vermont-based entrepreneurs and small business owners in designated market sectors – agriculture, forestry, waste management, renewable energy, and environmental technology – for growth and long-term success.  

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Corrections (DOC) today announced the death of Ralph Morale, a supervised individual receiving palliative care at the Jack Byrne Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire. Ralph Morale, 61, of Lyndonville, was lodged at Southern State Correctional Facility in Springfield on November 23, 2023. He was hospitalized for complex chronic medical conditions starting April 21, 2024, first at Springfield Hospital and subsequently at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC). On August 5, he was transferred to the Jack Byrne Center and placed on medical furlough due to his declining health condition and low risk to public safety. He was receiving palliative and hospice care until his passing on the morning of August 8.