Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) Tuesday issued the following statement ahead of the US Senate’s consideration of the National Defense Authorization Act: "Many of my colleagues tell the American people, day after day, how deeply concerned they are about the deficit and the national debt. They tell us that we just don’t have enough money to expand Medicare, guarantee paid family and medical leave, and address the climate crisis to the degree that we should if we want to protect the well-being of future generations. Yet, tomorrow, the U.S. Senate will be voting on an annual defense budget that costs $778 billion – $37 billion more than President Trump’s last defense budget and $25 billion more than what President Biden requested."

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health is reporting 187 COVID-19 cases, which was down from Monday's 222, and down from Sunday's 298 cases. There were 463 COVID-19 cases on Saturday and 505 cases Friday, which was the second highest case count on record after they spiked to 591 Thursday. The 15 worst days have all come since mid-September, following from the Delta variant surge that began in July. Legislative leaders are balking at a suggestion from Governor Scott to call a Special Legislative Session to allow for municipalities to enact their own COVID requirements, including local mask mandates. The request to do so came to Scott from the Vermont League of Cities & Towns. The governor called the suggestion "an olive branch" in order to find some compromise over this contentious issue.

by Joyce Marcel, Vermont Business Magazine Patrick J Leahy is the stuff of legend and he isn't finished yet. Passionate native Vermonter, devoted family man, land mine opponent, free-speech advocate, storyteller, defender of the US Constitution, published photographer, early Obama supporter, six-term US senator (the only Democrat Vermont has ever sent to the Senate), caster of 13,000 senatorial votes (only eight have achieved this longevity), fourth in seniority in a place where seniority really matters, highly publicized enemy of former Vice President Dick Cheney (by your enemies shall you know them), pop culture fan, and such an interesting politician that he was supported in one election by his opponent (the late, great Fred Tuttle) - you can say one thing for certain about Leahy: Vermont has elected him to lead a wonderful life.

Vermont Business Magazine iSun, Inc, a leading solar energy and clean mobility infrastructure company based in Williston with 50-years of construction experience in solar, electrical and data services, today announced results for the third quarter of 2021. YTD quarter revenue of $18.3 million, up 56% year-over-year, driven by execution against a robust Commercial and Industrial project backlog, the addition of a new Development and Professional Services revenue stream, and continued deployment of EV infrastructure.

by John McClaughry As world leaders meet in Glasgow to seek agreement to make Earth’s climate stop changing, the news media has delivered a continual tsunami of alarming reports: “Climate change is already ravaging the world,” “climate change-induced disasters,” “climate crisis,” “climate emergency.” President Biden informed delegates at Glasgow that “there’s only a brief window” before we are confronted by “an existential threat to human existence as we know it.” The network news shows feature endless images of dead cattle, calving glaciers, confused polar bears, desperate refugees, and hurricane wreckage.