Current News

Vermont Department of Health Warm weather has arrived in Vermont, and the mountains are lush and green. Swimming, hiking, biking, grilling, sports and even outdoor projects are among the many Vermont summertime activities on our to-do lists! It is easy to prevent illness and injury while enjoying the outdoors if you follow some simple health and safety tips. Vermont has one of the highest rates of melanoma in the U.S. However, most skin cancers can be prevented. Follow these tips to be sun smart when playing and working outdoors, including: Apply a thick layer of broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher, even on cloudy days. Reapply sunscreen at least every two hours and after swimming, sweating, or toweling off.

Vermont Business Magazine At a time when the United States pays, by far, the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), announced today that the committee will, on Tuesday, June 18, vote to subpoena the President of Novo Nordisk Inc., Doug Langa, to provide testimony about why his company charges up to 10 to 15 times more for Ozempic and Wegovy in the U.S. compared to other countries. On April 24, the HELP Committee launched an investigation into the outrageously high prices of Ozempic and Wegovy in the U.S., prescription drugs that millions of Americans struggling with diabetes and obesity desperately need.

Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems ANNUAL MEETING IS LIFTING OFF! JOIN THE VOYAGE. September 19, 9 a.m. to September 20, noon. JAY PEAK RESORT.

Vermont Business Magazine When John Campbell, a former Vermont state senator and president pro tempore, learned about his prostate cancer diagnosis, he immediately began worrying about how his life would be upended. “Will I have to travel to Boston, New York City or farther for treatment? If so, that’s six weeks of work I’m missing. And I’ll be away from family and friends for that time,” recalls the 70-year-old Montpelier resident. “Instead, I was able to get the care I needed, less than ten minutes from my home.” Just last week, Campbell rang a bell at The University of Vermont Health Network – Central Vermont Medical Center (CVMC), signifying he completed his final radiation treatment from the hospital’s linear accelerator.

Vermont Business Magazine Youth from around the state gathered at the Vermont State House last Wednesday, June 5th to help develop Vermont’s first-ever Civic Health Index, at an event co-hosted by the Vermont Secretary of State’s Office and UP for Learning, a youth advocacy organization. This year, Vermont joins the ranks of over 35 states that have already-completed a state Civic Health Index – a report on indicators related to voting habits, civic participation, and engagement with government. The final report will identify strengths and priorities for improvement in Vermont’s civic health. The Secretary of State’s Office will use it as a roadmap for increasing civic education and engagement across Vermont.

Vermont Business Magazine Mercy Connections and partners announce the Vermont Pride and Prosperity Network, a collaboration with Pride Center of Vermont, Small Business Administration, and the Office of the Vermont State Treasurer. The group aims to build power and prosperity for LGBTQIA2S+ business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs in Vermont through connection, education, and celebration. The Vermont Pride and Prosperity Network is generously supported by the M&T Charitable Foundation, the philanthropic arm of M&T Bank, as it awarded Mercy Connections with a funding commitment of $225,000 over the course of three years.

Vermont Business Magazine In recognition of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on June 15, 2024, and because of the prevalence of financial fraud perpetrated against older adults, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont has joined with its partners at the U.S. Secret Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and Diplomatic Security Service to share information and training with the Vermont elder community. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and its partners presented information and training at the Charlotte Senior Center on May 15, 2024, the Residences at the Essex on June 6, 2024, and will be presenting at the Shelburne Town Hall on June 24, 2024. 

Vermont Business Magazine Three nurses, two licensed nursing assistants (LNAs) and one licensed practical nurse (LPN) at Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Health Center (MAHHC), a member of Dartmouth Health, were recently recognized for providing extraordinary patient care with DAISY Awards by the DAISY Foundation, an international organization founded to celebrate nurses. The hospital also awarded some of these outstanding nurses with a PETALS Award, which stands for ‘Professional Extraordinaires That Always Lend Support.’ The DAISY Committee at MAHHC, which scores blinded nominations and selects winners, awarded Kimberly Rich, RN, CAPA, the DAISY Nurse Leader Award. As a clinical supervisor in the surgical services department, Rich supports the staff, provides exceptional care to patients and provides educational opportunities for fellow nurses. Nurses Lily Burke, RN and Ruth Doiron, RN, also received DAISY Awards.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports has announced it is accepting proposals for its 2024 Outdoor Fitness and Sports Access Grants (“OFSAG”) starting today. OFSAG provides funding for the development or continuation of community initiatives that enhance access to sports and fitness activities for all Vermonters, particularly members of historically and/or presently marginalized or underrepresented communities. The grant period, slated from July 1, 2024, to December 31, 2024, offers an opportunity for organizations to propose new—or enhance existing—programming that fosters inclusivity and accessibility in fitness and sports. In keeping with its mission, the Council recognizes the importance of addressing systemic barriers that have historically deterred or excluded certain communities from participating in these activities, and seeks to support initiatives addressing these issues, in part, through this grant program.

Vermont Business Magazine Recently, Rutland Regional Medical Center’s Nursing Excellence Team honored two nurses and the Operating Room team with the Daisy Award for extraordinary nurses. The ceremony took place in the hospital’s CVPS/Leahy Community Health Education Center with nurse leaders and nursing staff. The DAISY (an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System) Foundation was started in Glen Allen, CA by family members of J. Patrick Barnes, who died from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), a little-known but not uncommon auto-immune disease. As a way of thanking Barnes’ nurses, his family established the award program to recognize the super-human efforts nurses everywhere perform every day.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today allowed three bills to become law without his signature: H.612, An act relating to miscellaneous cannabis amendments; H.630, An act relating to improving access to high-quality education through community collaborations; and H.875, An act relating to the State Ethics Commission and the State Code of Ethics. In the cannabis bill, he noted that the bill closes some loopholes, but is concerned about higher potency medical cannabis getting into the hands of people who are not medically qualified to receive it. Scott has generally been concerned with the legalization of cannabis for, among other reasons, the potential for kids getting a hold of such products and for creating more opportunities for people to drive impaired.

Vermont Business Magazine The Stowe Area Excellence Awards, presented at the Stowe Area Association (SAA) Annual Meeting on June 4, 2024 at the Backyard, recognize leadership and innovation within the local community. Carolyn Lawrence, executive director at Stowe Trails Partnership, was awarded the inaugural Stowe Emerging Leader Award. Nominated by fellow SAA members, this award recognizes individuals who embody the highest levels of personal and professional accomplishment and who serve as role models in the Stowe business community. Rachel Vandenberg, co-owner of Sun & Ski Inn and Suites, Stowe Bowl and Stowe Golf Park, was named SAA's Stowe Business Person of the Year. This award recognizes an SAA member in good standing who is involved in the community with town projects or sits on a town board, acts as an ambassador of Stowe, and participates in the tourism industry.