Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The Attorney General’s Office announced that Jason Heath, 53, of Milton, Vermont, was arraigned today on one misdemeanor count of Voyeurism. The charge brought against the defendant is the result of a criminal investigation conducted by the Vermont Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (VT-ICAC), Homeland Security Investigations, and the Milton Police Department. The investigation began when the Milton Police Department received a complaint from a school that a student reported finding a video recording device in the bathroom of Mr. Heath’s home. The minor reported that the concealed surveillance device was livestreaming to Mr. Heath’s phone, and that the minor and the minor’s friend had used the bathroom where the device was installed.

Vermont Business Magazine Blood typing, making splints, airway management, and even a medication vs. candy challenge, were among the activities students participated in during Southern Vermont AHEC’s MedQuest Health Careers Expo held on May 8, in Rutland, Vermont. This event was created to provide an exciting and worthwhile experience for 14–21-year-olds interested in pursuing a health career or just curious about the ever-expanding world of health care. Over 20 health careers from clinical to non-clinical roles in medicine, oral health, pharmacy, behavioral health, laboratory, nursing, emergency response, and so much more. 40 exhibitors provided hands-on activities, interactive displays, cutting edge technology, training simulations as well as the chance to share their knowledge.

Vermont Business Magazine Gifford seeks to grow and diversify its nursing workforce by recruiting candidates from abroad with the help of workforce development partner inSpring. This month, Ana Gonzalez, Gifford’s first inSpring recruit, a registered nurse originally from Colombia and trained in the United States, joined the Operating Room (OR) team. Gifford expects to recruit more nurses through the partnership, fostered as the U.S. continues to face a shortage of healthcare professionals. Specialties like OR nursing are even harder to fill because they require additional training and expertise.

Vermont Business Magazine Fidium Fiber (Consolidated Communications) is expanding service of its all-fiber internet network to more than 4,800 homes and businesses in Eden, Johnson and Stowe, Vermont. Construction is underway in some locations, with additional construction to be completed in the coming weeks. Through this fiber expansion, thousands of local residents and business owners in these communities will have access to Fidium’s multi-gig speed fiber internet service. Fidium expansion in these communities comes through its partnership with Lamoille FiberNet Communications Union District. Construction in Eden, Johnson and Stowe is already underway, and fiber expansion will begin soon within other CUD communities, including Belvidere, Cambridge, Elmore, Hyde Park, Morristown, Waterville and Wolcott.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine As of April 30, 2024, hospitals are no longer required to report COVID-19 Hospital data. CDC strongly encourages hospitals to continue reporting these data, but following the May 1st COVID-19 Surveillance Report, the Vermont Department of Health will no longer be providing updated Hospitalization Levels with their weekly report. The average hospitalization has fallen under one per day, while the Seven-Day Rolling Average of people coming to emergency departments of the state's hospitals with a COVID diagnosis is under 5. There was one fatality last week, which is the first in over two weeks. The pandemic death total remains at 1,148 as of May 11, 2024 (the most recent data available). Total reported deaths in January were 28, which is the highest monthly total in a year, but only 16 in February, 11 in March, 3 in April and 1 so far in May. April deaths were the fewest from COVID since the summer of 2021. 

Vermont Business Magazine Reflecting the high-quality care that  UVM Medical Center staff provide to patients welcoming a new baby to their family, Newsweek has included the UVM Health Network’s anchor academic medical center and Level 1 Trauma Center that serves the region on its ranking of America’s Best Maternity Hospitals. The Newsweek list was created through a partnership with the data and business intelligence portal Statista, a global platform used by more than 30,000 universities, media outlets, agencies and other organizations. It was based on a nationwide online survey of hospital staff and publicly available data from hospital surveys addressing the patient experience, including topics such as cleanliness and communication about medication. 

Vermont Business Magazine Health care clinicians from across Vermont applaud the Governor for signing H.766, a bill that will reduce health care administrative delays and streamline insurance requirements. They look forward to working with the Administration on implementing the bill and studying the impacts. Health care organizations, including the Vermont Medical Society, Vermont Academy of Family Physicians and American Academy of Pediatrics Vermont Chapter, have advocated in support of the important steps this bill takes in reducing insurance paperwork burdens for Vermont providers and in removing barriers to care for Vermont patients.

Green Mountain Care Board Board Members and presenters will participate remotely through Microsoft Teams. Members of the public can attend board meetings by using the links or call-in phone numbers listed below.

Vermont Business Magazine Nedde Real Estate in Burlington has announced recent commercial real estate transactions. These include: the lease of 21,269 Square feet of warehouse space at 133 Elm Street, Winooski to Spirit Logistic Network, Inc. Fernando Cresta and Jaeger Nedde assisted the tenant and the landlord; the lease of 21,250 Square feet of refrigerated warehouse space at 133 Elm Street, Winooski to Ari-Mark, Inc. d/b/a Cabot Creamery Cooperative Fernando Cresta and Jaeger Nedde assisted the tenant and the landlord; the Sale of 227 Pond Lane, Middlebury to CHN Properties LLC. Fernando Cresta and Jaeger Nedde represented the seller North by East Property LLC and John Beal from V/T Commercial represented the buyer; and welcomed the United States Postal Service to City Center, Montpelier, as a vital step is the flood recovery. Nedde Real Estate represented the landlord in this transaction

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today signed the Captive Insurance bill H.659 and health bill H.766, but vetoed the neonicotinoid pesticides bill, H.706. The pesticide bill was opposed by some farmers and growers and the governor saw it more as "this legislation is more anti-farmer than it is pro-pollinator." Reflecting on the bills coming to his desk this year, Governor Scott said: “Over the last few years, I’ve tried to meet legislators in the middle, so we can achieve shared priorities. Unfortunately, due to a lack of balance in the Legislature, opposing perspectives and data are often not listened to, or even invited, in the debate. This means some bills are passed without thinking through all the consequences, and therefore, could do more harm than good. Due to the sheer number of bills passed in the last three days of the session, there are many that will fall into this category."

Vermont Business Magazine US Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) this week led his colleagues in urging Congress to support and fund the Pathways to Removing Obstacles to Housing (PRO Housing) program in the upcoming Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations Act. The PRO Housing program directly assists state and local governments’ efforts to incentivize inclusive housing policies. These grants encourage eligible organizations to identify barriers that hinder the development of affordable housing, and implement plans to lower housing prices. In FY24, Congress appropriated HUD $100 million for competitive awards to states, local governments, metropolitan planning organizations, and multi-jurisdictional entities. In FY23, over 180 entities applied for PRO Housing awards. Given the overwhelming demand for the program, maintaining funding of at least $100 million in FY25 will enable HUD to serve a wide array of communities.  

Vermont Business Magazine The Attorney General’s Office announced that Wentworth C. Comes, Jr., 83, of Hancock, Vermont, was arraigned today on three felony counts of Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material and two misdemeanor counts of Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Materials. The charges brought against Mr. Comes are the result of a criminal investigation conducted by the Vermont Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (VT-ICAC), including personnel from the Attorney General’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, Vermont State Police, and Randolph Police Department.