Current News

Vermont Business Magazine On November 8, Senators Peter Welch (D-Vermont) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) introduced the Emergency Medical Services Reimbursement for On-scene Care and Support (EMS ROCS) Act. Representative Becca Balint (D-Vermont) introduced companion legislation in the House. Currently, Medicare does not reimburse Emergency Medical Services (EMS) providers unless the patient is transported to a hospital. However, EMS providers regularly deliver vital services on-scene when responding to 911 calls. In rural communities, the demand for EMS services for medical emergencies continues to increase—especially for Medicare beneficiaries, who make up about 40% of patients treated by EMS. This bill would provide Medicare reimbursement for care provided by EMS on-scene, when transportation to the hospital is not needed. 

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont State University announced that Associate Professor Ross Lieblappen will lead students in a ground-breaking study about microbes in the Arctic through a nearly $3.3 million dollar contract from a collection of federal funding sources, including the US Army Corps of Engineering. Lieblappen submitted a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) proposal to fund, among other things, the purchase of x-ray imaging equipment that will allow him to study the effects of climate change on microbial environments and further U.S. leadership in knowledge of Arctic terrain.

Vermont Business Magazine The Attorney General’s Office announced that Ian Quinlan, 50, of Montpelier, Vermont, was arraigned today on five felony counts of possession of child sexual abuse material. The charges brought against Mr. Quinlan are the result of a criminal investigation, including the execution of residential and online date search warrants conducted by the Vermont Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (VT-ICAC), including personnel from the Attorney General’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, Montpelier Police Department, and Burlington Police Department. The investigation was initiated when VT-ICAC received several CyberTipline reports that an individual was suspected of possession of images of child sexual abuse material on an electronic device, which was reported by Microsoft after the child sexual abuse materials were uploaded into their Bing web search engine.

Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont are $3.56 per gallon, down 3 cents per gallon from last week, down 6 cents/g from last month and down 42 cents from the same time last year. The lowest price in the state is $3.09/g in Brattleboro, while the highest is $3.99/g in Wolcott and Orleans. The national average price of gasoline has fallen 3 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.39/g today. The national average is down 27 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 41 cents per gallon lower than a year ago, according to GasBuddy data compiled from more than 11 million weekly price reports covering over 150,000 gas stations across the country. The national average price of diesel has fallen 6.6 cents in the last week and stands at $4.38 per gallon.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) on Wednesday sent a letter to University of Vermont (UVM) President Suresh Garimella in support of the nearly 650 graduate student workers attempting to form a union and win a seat at the bargaining table. “In my view, it is more than appropriate that graduate students exercise their constitutional right to organize and achieve long needed improvements to stipends, benefits, and working conditions,” wrote Sanders. “For far too long, the trend in our higher education system has been going in the wrong direction: student workers are required to work longer hours for lower pay with weaker job security, all while taking on more and more debt. Too many graduate student workers have to take on two or even three jobs just to get by. In my view, stronger unions and worker protections are a key part of solving this crisis in our colleges and universities.”

Vermont Business Magazine ECFiber, Vermont's first communications union district, has obtained a BB rating for its 2023 Series A bonds from S&P Global, the nation’s preeminent credit rating agency. With the rating effective November 8, the District will issue a Series 2023A bond for $7.53 million. The proceeds will be used for ECFiber’s $30 million network completion plan, about 25% of which is in progress, and for which the Vermont Broadband Board has issued or approved about $16 million in ARPA-based grants. ECFiber intends to complete the network before the end of 2025, at which time it will have brought world-class broadband to more than 25% of the 80,000 unserved or underserved addresses in Vermont in 2012. This brings the District’s total bond issuance to $71.83 million.

Vermont Business Magazine The Southwestern Vermont Chamber of Commerce hosted their inaugural "Heart of The Shires Luncheon," in collaboration with Coggins Auto Group and Fidium Fiber at the Bennington Museum’s Ada and Paul Paresky Wing on Wednesday, November 8. The luncheon honored exemplary nonprofits, social sector organizations, government agencies, and community leaders for their contributions to community well-being, public health, and civic service. Over 90 area nonprofit and community leaders attended the luncheon. 

Vermont Business Magazine Hunters are gearing up for the start of Vermont’s traditionally popular 16-day regular deer season that begins Saturday, November 11 and ends Sunday, November 26. A hunter may take one legal buck during this season if they did not already take one during the archery deer season.  The definition of a legal buck depends on the Wildlife Management Unit (WMU).  A map of the WMUs is on pages 22 and 23 of the 2023 VERMONT HUNTING & TRAPPING GUIDE available from license agents statewide. 

Vermont Business Magazine With high moose numbers in northeastern Vermont contributing to the abundance and negative impact of winter ticks, the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department has reported on the results of a successful, regulated 2023 moose hunting season. The department issued 180 moose hunting permits this year, resulting in 78 moose harvested between the October 1-7 archery season and the October 21-26 regular season.

Vermont Business Magazine The annual state-wide Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program is underway in Vermont.  The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service invites students from pre-K to 12th grade to create designs featuring ducks, swans, or geese in their natural habitats.  Designs are judged in four age categories, with awards for first, second, and third places and honorable mentions. Entries must be received by March 15th, 2024. The judging of the artwork will occur on March 28th, 2024 at the Vermont Institute of Natural Science in Quechee, Vermont. 

Vermont Business Magazine As the year comes to a close, the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is seeking annual reports on surface water use. Under the newly enacted Act 135 of 2022, any person withdrawing surface water must file an annual report with DEC by January 15, 2024. The purpose of Act 135 is to collect baseline data on the use of surface waters such as rivers, streams, brooks, creeks, lakes, ponds, and reservoirs. Vermonters can fill out an online form to register and report withdrawals of 10,000 gallons or more of surface water within 24 hours – or 150,000 gallons or more over 30 days.

Vermont Business Magazine Individuals in Vermont with complex care needs who struggled with in-state nursing facility placement will soon have another option in Vermont, subject to final state approval. The Department of Disabilities, Aging, & Independent Living (DAIL) issued a Request for Proposals in September 2022 for vendors interested in providing specialized care to Vermonters with complex care needs. Approximately 100 Vermonters are in hospitals, correctional facilities, or out-of-state facilities awaiting placement in a licensed nursing facility in Vermont. These individuals are currently unable to secure in-state placement due to their challenging and complex care needs and/or social or judicial history.