Current News

Vermont Business Magazine In recognition of Financial Literacy Month, Citizens today announced $15,000 in financial empowerment grants to support three Vermont nonprofit organizations as part of the bank’s Citizens Helping Citizens Manage Money program. Through funding and volunteerism, Citizens will support local financial literacy partners that provide training to empower communities to achieve financial wellness and build brighter futures. This years’ funding recipients in Vermont, include: Champlain Housing Trust; Vermont Works for Women Inc; United Way of Northwest Vermont Inc.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today released a draft legislative proposal to address the Long COVID crisis that is negatively impacting the health of some 22 million Americans. Before formally introducing this legislation in the Senate, the HELP Committee wants to hear from the Long COVID community to get their views on how this proposal can be improved and strengthened to effectively deal with this public health emergency. The committee is particularly interested in hearing from Long COVID patients and their families, scientific researchers, and medical professionals. The public input on the proposal will help inform the legislation that Chair Sanders introduces.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Goddard College's Board of Trustees announced that despite decades of dedicated efforts to sustain the institution, they have ultimately arrived at the heart-wrenching decision to close the College’s doors. Facing financial insolvency, the Board of Trustees voted unanimously to close the Plainfield institution at the end of the current semester, citing a significant and persistent decline in enrollment since the 1970s as the determining factor that made the decision unavoidable. Established in 1938, Goddard College has been a beacon of educational experimentation, renowned for its radical approach to learning. For over eight decades, it has nurtured students, fostered creativity, critical thinking and social consciousness. Goddard has long been recognized as a leader in educational innovation, with institutions across the country adopting many of its advances, including student work programs, adult education, student portfolios and individualized learning.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health reported last week that COVID-19 cases fell again from 58 to 44 to now 32, their lowest level since last summer. In addition, hospitalizations remain at a low level, and fatalities have eased back. There were 3 fatalities in this report. The pandemic death total now stands at 1,144 as of March 30, 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 and 10 so far reported in March. The VDH reported last week that COVID-19 hospitalizations were at a statewide total of 8, which is among the lowest they've been since last summer. COVID-19 activity remains in the "Low" range, according to the VDH.

Vermont Business Magazine During the first-ever National Theatre Week, celebrated April 9-11, 2024, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont), Senator John Fetterman (D-Pa.), and Senator Jack Reed (D-R.I.) introduced the Supporting Theater and the Arts to Galvanize the Economy (STAGE) Act of 2024. Representative Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-01) introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives. Professional nonprofit theaters, which enrich communities and bolster local economies in every state, have experienced a lagging recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Theaters have been forced to reduce staff and productions, and many have closed permanently. The STAGE Act will establish a new grant program, administered by the Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration, that would provide $1 billion annually to support the industry. 

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today reiterated his strong support for Vermont’s Tech Hub V-GaN by devoting resources to transform the Green Mountain State into a world leader in Gallium Nitride (GaN) semiconductors. GaN is the future of semiconductors. GaN chips are more efficient, lighter, smaller, and more durable than silicon. They have many applications, including electronics, healthcare, sustainable energy, and defense. A recent CHIPS Act investment in GaN and GlobalFoundries reinforces why this region was designated a Tech Hub by the U.S. Department of Commerce. GlobalFoundries’ Fab 9 plant in Essex Junction is already producing GaN chips in a limited capacity, and is poised to be the first to mass produce this technology in this hemisphere. Building off that achievement, the V-GaN Tech Hub features rapid development of chip design taking place at the University of Vermont and elsewhere, prototyping conducted at GlobalFoundries, and testing/characterization at a new lab at OnLogic.

Vermont Business Magazine  Breeze Airways, the airline industry’s only ‘NLCC’, or ‘Nice Low-Cost Carrier,’ reported an operating profit for March, a major milestone for the fast-growing startup airline. Today, Breeze is also currently offering a two-day-only promotion with 40 percent* off all roundtrip base fares when the code ‘UNIQUE’ is used at checkout on the Breeze app or at flybreeze.com. The promotion is available until Wednesday, April 10 at 11:59pm PT for travel from April 28 to June 13, 2024. Breeze flies from Burlington BTV to Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa and Raleigh/Durham. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Bennington Sheriff’s Department is hosting the Spring 2024 Criminal Justice (CJ) and Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) SkillsUSA Vermont competitions on Wednesday, April 10 at 811 US-7 in Bennington, VT. Bennington County Sheriff, James Gulley, Jr., who has headed up this competition for the past two years, as well as representatives of the Vermont Sheriff’s Association and Vermont State Police will be on hand to judge the competitions.

Vermont Business Magazine Children receiving care at University of Vermont Children’s Hospital will benefit from 98.9 WOKO’s annual Big Change Roundup for Kids that raised an impressive total of $353, 484.41, thanks to hundreds of donations from community members, businesses, patients, and families. This year’s fundraising campaign saw high levels of engagement from individual fundraisers known as bandits, fundraising teams known as posses, as well as community groups and volunteers from throughout the region. Major sponsors were also essential to this year’s success. They include Maplefields, New England Federal Credit Union, Med Associates Inc., and SD Ireland. The team at Maplefields raised over $113,000, the largest singular donation in Big Change Roundup history.

Vermont Business Magazine In a recent study published in the American Heart Association (AHA) journal Hypertension, scientists from the Larner College of Medicine explored the intricate relationship between specific inflammatory biomarkers and hypertension—with some surprising results. Hypertension, commonly known as high blood pressure, stands as a serious risk factor for heart disease. Leveraging data from the REGARDS study, a large-scale prospective cohort study involving nearly 2,000 Black and white adults without prior hypertension, the research team shed light on the dynamics between inflammation and hypertension, uncovering notable disparities across racial groups and genders. Findings from the paper suggest that inflammation may serve as a pivotal player in hypertension’s development. By targeting specific inflammatory pathways, Larner researchers predict a promising avenue for preventing or even reversing hypertension—a substantial shift from the conventional approach of simply lowering blood pressure with traditional medications.

Vermont Business Magazine The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is proud to announce Governor Phil Scott has officially declared April 6-12, 2024, as the Week of the Young Child (WOYC) in Vermont. This proclamation recognizes the importance of early childhood education in Vermont. “Vermont is dedicated to fostering an environment that supports and sustains high-quality child care for young children,” cited the proclamation signed by Governor Scott. “Investing in early childhood education not only enhances the lives of our youngest Vermonters but also contributes to the overall prosperity and vitality of our state.” Through the proclamation, Governor Scott encourages local communities across the state to participate in events and activities during the WOYC.

Vermont Business Magazine Today Denise Reilly-Hughes, Vermont’s Chief Information Officer (CIO) and Secretary of the Agency of Digital Services, announced the appointment of John Toney as the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for the State of Vermont. As a seasoned Global Chief Information Security Officer, John Toney brings more than two decades of expertise. He served as the first CISO of an enterprise spanning eight countries, specializing in incident response, threat intelligence, and security operations. He has been instrumental in architecting and building global security teams across five continents.