Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Amid rising regional demand for resources and programs aimed at supporting individuals with substance use and related disorders, UVM Medical Center has integrated and expanded its addiction services. The newly created Addiction Treatment Center (ATC) brings together psychiatric providers, licensed drug and alcohol counselors, and experienced nurses to reduce barriers to care, expand local access to treatment and modernize UVM Medical Center’s current slate of treatment programs. Clinical leaders at the ATC said the focus of the program’s reformation and rebranding is harmonizing and modernizing the UVM Medical Center’s current addiction services.

Vermont Business Magazine Customers, employees and community members  – both the two-and four-legged varieties – know they can count on Ned Robinson who, along with his wife Shannon Mead, recently purchased Richmond’s The Crate Escape. His dedication was evidenced on the evening of July 10th, and on throughout the long day and night of the 11th, as heavy rains and historic flooding devastated Vermont. On the banks of the inundated Winooski River, Richmond was plunged beneath six feet of water. Ned stood watch at The Crate Escape’s nearby Route 2 location as the river continued to advance, ultimately closing off the road in either direction and separating the dozens of boarding pups in his care from their families.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) reminds Vermonters to be on the lookout for flood damage when purchasing used vehicles in private sales. After the recent flooding, consumers should take precautions in coming weeks and months to avoid unintentionally purchasing vehicles that were damaged by flooding. Some private sellers take a vehicle from a flooded area and get a new title in a different state before trying to sell it. 

Vermont Business Magazine Data Innovations from Colchester has released a major upgrade to its first cloud-hosted SaaS product, Lab GPS. Lab GPS v2.0 helps minimize costly clinical laboratory downtime and improve patient care by empowering laboratorians with all-in-one connectivity monitoring, notifications, and control. Lab GPS is designed to address one of the leading factors that limits clinical lab productivity: unplanned downtime due to connectivity, power, and hardware issues. Downtime is not only costly in terms of lost productivity; it can adversely affect patient care by delaying test results. Moreover, correcting lab downtime typically requires costly IT resource time.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department says bear hunting season starts in September and reminds hunters about the bear hunting regulations. Vermont has two bear hunting seasons.  The early season, which requires a special bear tag, starts September 1, and continues through November 10 with one exception.  Nonresident hunters using dogs cannot start bear hunting until September 15.  The late bear season begins November 11 and continues through November 19.  A hunter may only take one bear during the year. In addition to a hunting license, a bear hunter using a bow or crossbow must have a prior or current bow license or a certificate proving completion of a bow hunter education course.

Vermont Business Magazine The invasive insect known as Elm zigzag sawfly (Aproceros leucopoda; EZS) has been confirmed for the first time in Vermont. After receiving a report of potential EZS activity in northwestern Vermont, staff from both the Forest Health program of the Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation (FPR) and Plant Health program of the Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets (AAFM), collected larval samples from affected elm foliage in May 2023. Samples were sent to the US Department of Agriculture Plant Protection and Quarantine program for identification, and EZS has now been officially confirmed within the state. Elm zigzag sawfly is native to east Asia, and feeds on multiple elm (Ulmus) species in, as the name implies, a zigzag pattern on leaves. When present in high numbers, full defoliation of elm trees can occur, and repeated years of defoliation could lead to crown dieback and/or tree mortality. 

Vermont Business Magazine The four members of the Vermont Declaration of Inclusion Initiative has received the Vermont Community Leadership Award for their work to bring the declaration to all 247 communities in Vermont. The award was presented at the Vermont Council on Rural Development’s 2023 Vermont Community Summit at the Vermont State University Randolph Campus. The award is given to highlight the work of community members who epitomize the best spirit of local community service, who volunteer their time, and who have made their community better. The statewide Declaration of Inclusion Initiative is spearheaded by four individuals – Norm Cohen, Bob Harnish, Barbara Noyes Pulling and Al Wakefield – all from the Rutland area.

Vermont Business Magazine Inc. revealed today that Sticky Brand ranks No. 614 on the 2023 Inc. 5000, its annual list of the fastest-growing private companies in America. The prestigious ranking provides a data-driven look at the most successful companies within the economy’s most dynamic segment — its independent, entrepreneurial businesses. Facebook, Chobani, Under Armour, Microsoft, Patagonia, and many other household name brands gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000.

Vermont Business Magazine Learn how to salvage your storm-damaged family photos, artwork, textiles, media and other family treasures by meeting with preservation specialists at the Vermont State Fair and local Disaster Recovery Centers. These FEMA and Library of Congress “Save Your Family’s Treasures” preservation teams will demonstrate how to safely handle and salvage your damaged items, using techniques taught by Heritage Emergency National Task Force conservation experts.

Vermont Business Magazine Big Plan Holdings (BPH), a diversified family holding company with cross-sector investments in cannabis, real estate, music, entertainment, professional sports, and hospitality, has announced a strategic partnership with Silver Therapeutics, a New England based, locally owned and operated cultivation and dispensary business, on a mission to help communities around the region and across the country achieve their wellness and enjoyment goals through the use of high quality cannabis.  The partnership will see Big Plan Holdings (BPH) take a shared ownership stake across all of the operations and properties respective to each State, roughly amounting to $35 million USD.

Vermont Business Magazine Howard Center has been awarded the 2023 Governor’s Excellence in Worksite Wellness – GOLD Level Award by the Vermont Department of Health and the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. This recognition highlights Howard Center's commitment to promoting health and wellness within the workplace. Howard Center’s Healthy Living and Wellness Committee is made up of dedicated staff members who ensure their co-workers have access to wellness tools including free memberships to apps that promote mindfulness, meditation, sleep assistance, and fitness support; workshops with partners Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont and Invest EAP; and access to chiropractic and nutrition services. 

Vermont Business Magazine On August 17, 2023, the Vermont Futures Project will embark on a statewide tour, the latest research stage to inform the 2024 Economic Plan for Vermont. The tour's launch marks a milestone in the work of the Vermont Futures Project to answer the mission question of, “How can we use data to support the evolution of Vermont’s economy toward a thriving future full of opportunity for all? The Vermont Futures Project, an independent non-partisan organization led by Executive Director Kevin Chu, will convene community conversations, and make strategic stakeholder visits in all fourteen counties.