Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Early Childhood Educators Institute (ECEI) 2024 is filled to capacity. All 135 slots are taken and that’s good news for Vermont, where quality child care providers are still in strong demand. ECEI equips early childhood and afterschool educators to provide high quality experiences to the children in their care. The Institute, coordinated by Vermont State University (VTSU), also makes it easy for those seeking or renewing licensure to get the credits or certification they need online, while learning through a rich curriculum developed by expert instructors. Participants can choose to earn a certificate for attending the institute, or they can study more in-depth and earn college credit.

Vermont Business Magazine In conjunction with Pride Month, Grace Cottage Family Health & Hospital is pleased to announce that, once again, it has earned the highest score in Vermont in the 2024 Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) Healthcare Equality Index (HEI). Grace Cottage, along with UVM Medical Center in Burlington and the VA Medical Center in White River Junction, tied for the top score among Vermont hospitals in the HEI Index. Nationwide, 462 healthcare facilities earned this “High Performer” designation. The HRC Foundation’s HEI is the nation’s foremost benchmarking survey of healthcare facilities, scoring them based on policies and practices dedicated to the equitable treatment and inclusion of their LGBTQ+ patients, visitors, and employees. 

Vermont Business Magazine A collaborative of 46 nonprofit, community-based organizations and medical providers in the Northeast U.S. is set to Shine the Light on Sickle Cell on June 19, World Sickle Cell Awareness Day. This collaborative initiative–which includes the illumination in red of businesses, hospitals, municipal buildings, museums, schools, and other landmarks–aims to unite individuals and communities in support of sickle cell warriors, raise awareness of Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) and advocate for a universal cure. Fraternal organization Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., global healthcare company Novo Nordisk Inc., the Baltimore Ravens, and Building Owners Management Association-Philadelphia will also join the campaign that is supported by the federal Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) as part of the Sickle Cell Disease Treatment Demonstration Project.

Vermont Business Magazine The International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse and the World Health Organization at the United Nations (UN) launched the first World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) on June 15, 2006 in an effort to unite communities around the world in raising awareness about elder abuse. WEAAD serves as a call-to-action for our communities to raise awareness about abuse, neglect, and exploitation of elders, and reaffirm our country’s commitment to the principle of justice for all. Central Vermont Council on Aging (CVCOA) sees World Elder Abuse Awareness Day as an opportunity to provide information about how to recognize and report suspected cases of elder abuse or self-neglect.

Vermont Business Magazine Paintings and photographs by local artists are on display through early July in the Gifford Gallery at Gifford Medical Center in Randolph and at Strode Independent Living in Randolph Center. The exhibits are free and open to the public. Jennifer Dembinski, whose paintings hang at Gifford, is a resident of Woodstock. Her pieces include “Muskrat Meal,” an acrylic; “Emergence,” a watercolor showcasing spring flowers breaking through dead leaves; and “Pastoral Scene, Clay Hill Road,” an acrylic with sheep dotting a riverside scene. In her artist statement, Dembinksi, who has a degree in art history from the University of Vermont, says, “Art will always remain my language of choice and a source of deep contentment. I love to try different media and learn new techniques.”

Vermont Business Magazine Today, the Vermont Legislature voted to override the Governor on several bills, despite reasonable compromises being offered that would have made sure more parts of the state benefitted. Lawmakers overrode the property tax "yield bill" veto, the Act 250/Housing veto and the renewable energy standard bill, as well as the safe injection site veto. “Today is a sad day for Vermonters who simply cannot afford further tax burdens and cost increases. Many will talk about these votes as a major loss for me, but it’s really a major loss for Vermont taxpayers, workers and families."

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Lawmakers today at first sustained and then overrode Governor Phil Scott's veto of the safe-injection site bill (H.72). The House easily overrode the bill, but the Senate initially failed by a single vote. But in a kind of legal repechage, the Senate suspended rules and managed to squeeze out one more vote to get to the 20 required for the two-thirds override. Senator Richard Westman (R-Lamoille) changed his vote, thus assuring the override. Westman himself requested that the Senate suspend Rule 73 to allow reconsideration of previous vote taken, but that action was blocked. The House then resent the bill to the Senate, where Westman's request to suspend succeeded, leading to the override vote.

Vermont Business Magazine Last week, PC Construction accepted a Project Achievement Award from the Construction Management Association of America’s New England Chapter. The CMAA award recognized PC’s work on the BETA Technologies’ Manufacturing & Assembly Facility, which will support the manufacturing and assembly of the electric aerospace company’s battery-powered aircraft and electric charging infrastructure. This project, which was completed last year, is Phase 1 of a two-phase master building plan on a 40-acre former brownfield site. 

Vermont Business Magazine The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on June 17, 2024, defendant Everett A. Simpson, 46, of St. Johnsbury, Vermont, was sentenced by United States District Judge William K. Sessions III to a term of 300 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 5-year term of supervised release. Simpson previously was convicted by a jury on April 18, 2023, of two counts of kidnapping and two counts of interstate transportation of a stolen vehicle after a 6-day trial. 

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott and the Vermont Downtown Development Board announced today $1,787,989 in Downtown Transportation Fund Grants to support projects to improve safety, access, and transportation in 11 Vermont downtowns and villages across seven counties. “Revitalizing our downtowns is important to strengthening communities across Vermont,” said Governor Phil Scott. “These grants will support projects to improve pedestrian and bicycle access to public spaces, improve ADA access, and spruce up downtown areas for Vermonters and our visitors to enjoy.” Alex Farrell, Commissioner of the Department of Housing and Community Development and Chair of the Downtown Board, said that these investments are vital to drawing people downtown, supporting businesses, and enhancing Vermont communities. 

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The Legislature today overrode Governor Phil Scott's veto of the property tax "yield bill" (H.887). The House voted 103-42 and the Senate voted 22-7, both comfortably exceeding the two-thirds requirement. With the bill now becoming law, average property tax bills will increase by 13.8%. In today's "veto session," lawmakers also overrode the Renewable Energy Standard bill (H.289), the Act 250/Housing bill (H.687), the Restorative Justice bill, (H.645), and sustained the data privacy bill, (H.121). 

Vermont Business Magazine An historic marker honoring the former site of Robertson Paper Mill was dedicated in Bellows Falls in conjunction with the Vermont Downtown and Historic Preservation Conference in June.  Over 50 people were in attendance, including conference-goers and local families whose relatives and neighbors, or who personally worked at the 120-year-old mill prior to its closure in the 1980's, and demolition in 2019. Funding for the Roberston Paper Mill historic marker, dedicated at the event, was a requirement of the Brownfields program as a measure to preserve the historical significance of the site. The marker was crafted from bricks, granite window lintels, iron I-beams, and rosette stabilizers salvaged for the kiosk during mill demolition, with an aim to provide visitors a tactile connection to the area's industrial past.