Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) yesterday introduced two pieces of legislation that would close eligibility gaps to ensure millions more veterans regardless of income, as well as the National Guard and Reserve service members, can access health care through the VA. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) joined Sanders on the Department of Veterans Affairs Income Eligibility Standardization Act, and Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Welch joined Sanders on the National Guard Health Care Access and Expansion Act. Currently, 4.7 million veterans across the U.S. cannot access health care through the VA because of inconsistent enrollment policies for a category titled Priority Group 8 – a grouping currently determined by whether the veteran’s gross household income is above the VA national income threshold of $43,834. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Department of Disabilities, Aging, and Independent Living (DAIL) is proud to join the international community in observing World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) on June 15th. WEAAD, launched by the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse and the World Health Organization at the United Nations in 2006, aims to unite communities globally in raising awareness about elder abuse and promoting justice for older adults. Elder abuse is a pervasive issue: An estimated 1 in 10 older Americans experience elder abuse, neglect, or exploitation each year. 

Vermont Business Magazine Mayor Miro Weinberger and Burlington Electric Department (BED), joined by partners from CarShare Vermont, Champlain Housing Trust (CHT), and Vermont Low Income Trust for Electricity (VLITE), announced today the annual update to the City’s Net Zero Energy (NZE) Roadmap from newly installed electric vehicle charging stations in the parking lot of the Old North End (ONE) Community Center. Burlington emissions remain lower overall by 11.2 percent compared to the 2018 baseline.

Vermont Business Magazine Senators Peter Welch (D-Vermont) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) today introduced the E-Access Act, legislation to facilitate the clean energy transition by helping consumers access their utility data and share that data with third parties. Families and businesses rely on home energy usage data to make decisions about energy efficiency and clean energy upgrades—but that data is difficult to access, making it harder for consumers to reduce their energy consumption, switch to new energy sources, and take advantage of Inflation Reduction Act and Infrastructure, Investment, and Jobs Act programs to facilitate those upgrades.   

Vermont Business Magazine The Lake Champlain Basin Program, in partnership with the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources and Québec Ministry of Environment, will host a meeting to provide an update on the condition of Missisquoi Bay and efforts to improve water quality in the bay. All stakeholders and interested members of the public are invited to attend the meeting in St. Albans, Vermont on June 13, 2:30-4:00 p.m. Vermont and Québec share Missisquoi Bay and its watershed. The bay's water quality has consistently exceeded standards for phosphorus concentrations in recent decades. Excess phosphorus pollution fuels cyanobacteria blooms in the bay nearly every summer. 

Vermont Business Magazine Building on its strong foundation of animal law and policy course offerings, Vermont Law and Graduate School’s (VLGS) Animal Law and Policy Institute is proud to announce the launch of an online and residential Animal Law LLM degree program. This degree program is designed for law graduates from around the world to advance their careers in animal law advocacy and scholarship. Full-time LLM students can complete the program in 12 months, but students have up to five years to obtain their degree. 

Vermont Business Magazine Lawson’s Finest Liquids announces today that Adeline Druart, former president of Vermont Creamery, will join the brewery’s executive leadership as chief executive officer. Sean and Karen Lawson, who founded Lawson’s Finest Liquids in 2008 and have grown the presence of the Vermont brewery’s iconic flagship brews including Sip of Sunshine to distribution in nine states across the Northeast, will maintain positions as stewards of the brand.

Vermont Business Magazine Russell Goodrich, RN, a nurse in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), was the April recipient of the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses at Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC). Nominated by a patient’s daughter, Goodrich was recognized for the grace and professionalism he showed the patient and family.  

Vermont Business Magazine National Life Group Foundation President Beth Rusnock spread the good June 8 with a presentation of $57,550 to Communities In Schools of the Dallas Region (CISDR) President and CEO Adam Powell to support youth mental health. The funds come from a $40,000 National Life Group Foundation grant as well as money raised in a fundraiser by BUILD, a National Life community chartered to commit to the increase of Black agents and leaders in the insurance industry. 

The Vermont State Police is investigating a crash between an SUV and a motorcycle Monday afternoon, June 12, 2023, in Dorset in which the operator of the motorcycle suffered fatal injuries. The motorcyclist is identified as Richard Treat Williams, 71, of Manchester Center, Vermont. The crash occurred at about 4:53 p.m. Monday on Vermont Route 30 just north of Morse Hill Road when a southbound 2008 Honda Element driven by Ryan M. Koss, 35, of Pownal, Vermont, attempted to turn left into a parking lot. Initial investigation indicates the Element stopped, signaled a left turn, and then turned into the path of a northbound 1986 Honda VT700c motorcycle operated by Williams. 

Vermont Business Magazine Representative Becca Balint (D-Vermont) on Monday was named to the House Judiciary Committee. The Judiciary Committee is at the forefront of some of the most pressing issues of our time, including protecting Constitutional freedoms and civil liberties, oversight of the U.S. Departments of Justice and Homeland Security, legal and regulatory reform, antitrust laws, terrorism and crime, gun violence prevention and immigration reform.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports Volunteer Liz Mead, a resident of Chittenden, was recognized by the Kraft Family, Patriots Foundation and Gillette, along with 25 other volunteers, as a 2023 Myra Kraft Community MVP Award Winner on Thursday, June 8. Twenty-six volunteers were recognized for their contributions at an awards ceremony and luncheon at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA. In total, $275,000 in donations were distributed to the nonprofits represented by each volunteer. Twenty-five organizations each received $10,000 and the Brian Dagle Foundation received this year’s grand prize of $25,000.