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Leahy: Biden Cuba policy 'timid' but 'welcome step'

Tue, 05/17/2022 - 1:38pm -- tim

Senator Patrick Leahy The White House’s announcement -- devoid of details and after 17 months of an unnecessary review -- that it will begin to shift its Cuba policy back toward what it was under President Obama, is a timid but very welcome step. It is indisputable that the policy of pressuring Cuba’s authorities to abandon their one-party authoritarian rule has completely failed, despite six decades of punishing, unilateral sanctions. Yet just as the Cubans remain wedded to a failed political and economic system which has caused record numbers of Cubans to flee the island, the Administration still clings to a discredited approach that it rightly rejects in its relations with other repressive governments, knowing that effective diplomacy requires inspired and principled engagement. 

Federal funding to benefit Vermont’s maple producers

Tue, 05/17/2022 - 1:17pm -- tim

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Maple Sugar Makers’ Association has secured $637,000 in federal funding to support their Sugarhouse Certification Program. The Vermont maple industry is a vital economic engine that circulates hundreds of millions of dollars locally and promotes tourism on a broad scale. Last summer, the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers’ Association launched its Sugarhouse Certification Program to invest in technical education and expertise for Vermont’s maple producers. Creation of the Program was also supported by a Specialty Crop Block Grant through Vermont’s Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets.

iSun reports 1Q 2022 results, doubles revenues

Tue, 05/17/2022 - 11:34am -- tim

Vermont Business Magazine Williston-based iSun, Inc (NASDAQ: ISUN) today announced results for the first quarter of 2022. Revenue of $15.1 million in the first quarter, up 107.8% over the first quarter in 2021; Gross profit of $3.2 million in the first quarter compared to $0.1 million for the same period in 2021; Gross margins of 21.0% in the first quarter, marks third consecutive quarter of margin improvement; Approaching break-even EBITDA despite seasonal impact to installations; Backlog grew to $128.3 million adding approximately $41.2 million in new customer demand and contracts during the quarter; Net loss down to $2.9 million.

Phil Scott to run for reelection

Tue, 05/17/2022 - 10:01am -- tim

​by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine In a letter to supporters released this morning, Republican Governor Phil Scott announced he would seek reelection to a fourth term. He previously told VermontBiz that he would announce his decision about the time the Legislature adjourned, which they did last Thursday. Scott has been elected and reelected by wide margins. His handling of the COVID-19 pandemic has been praised here and across the nation, including by Dr Anthony Fauci, Chief Medical Advisor to President Biden. Scott has also been a counter-weight to some of the bills passed by the Democratically controlled Legislature.

Rutland Regional reopens COVID unit, 5 West Wing

Tue, 05/17/2022 - 6:24am -- tim

Vermont Business Magazine Rutland Regional Medical Center recently reopened 5 West as a dedicated negative pressure COVID Unit. This action was taken to accommodate and balance the needs of COVID positive patients and the high patient census in the ICU. The COVID-dedicated unit will be closed to all visitors. Currently, visitation elsewhere in the hospital remains unchanged.

NVRH received 10 iPads and increased access to telehealth services

Tue, 05/17/2022 - 5:01am -- tim

Vermont Business Magazine In the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic – as much of the world went into lock-down – Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital (NVRH) recognized that some community members lacked access to the technology required for telehealth services. After reaching out to the Vermont Program for Quality in Health Care (VPQHC), a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization designated by the Vermont Legislature as an independent, peer review committee, the hospital received 10 iPads to distribute to individuals whose health would benefit from increased healthcare access.

Nurses recognized by DAISY Awards at Rutland Regional

Tue, 05/17/2022 - 4:53am -- tim

Vermont Business Magazine It is week two of Nurses Month and the theme is Recognition. This week we recognized and celebrated nurses by presenting the DAISY Team Award, the DAISY Individual Award, and the DAISY Leader Award. Throughout the year, nurses are nominated by patients, families, and colleagues. All nominations are thoroughly reviewed through a blinded process by the Nursing Shared Governance Council and the Council selects each year’s Individual, Team, and Leader DAISY winners.  

Vermont Federal CU receives Governor’s Excellence in Worksite Wellness Award

Tue, 05/17/2022 - 4:34am -- tim

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Federal Credit Union was recently awarded the Governor’s Excellence in Worksite Wellness Award, and achieved the highest level recognition – Gold Level. The award highlights worksites around the state and their efforts to promote the health and wellness of employees. Ongoing wellness programs at the Credit Union include wellness challenges, nutrition classes, CSAs and farm sharing, discounted gym memberships and local Employee Assistance Programs.

St Johnsbury School afterschool program shows appreciation for NVRH frontline staff

Tue, 05/17/2022 - 4:19am -- tim

Vermont Business Magazine On Wednesday, May 4, 2022, students in the St. Johnsbury School’s afterschool program, the Sunshine Squad, handed out about 100 grab-n-go snacks for Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital (NVRH) frontline staff to show their appreciation. This is the second year of the Sunshine Squad. This year the group received a $5,000 grant from Vermont Community Foundations NEK Fund. Throughout the school year, the group meets once a week to work on spreading happiness within the community.

Medical Matters Weekly welcomes Dartmouth Health’s diversity officer

Tue, 05/17/2022 - 3:48am -- tim

​Vermont Business Magazine Dartmouth Health’s new Vice President of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) Teresa Malcolm, MD, FACOG, MBA, will be the next guest on Medical Matters Weekly at noon on Wednesday, May 18. The show is produced by Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC) with cooperation from Catamount Access Television (CAT-TV). Viewers can see Medical Matters Weekly on facebook.com/svmedicalcenter and facebook.com/CATTVBennington. The show is also available to view or download as a podcast on svhealthcare.org/medicalmatters.

Bowse Health Trust announces dates for 2022 Rutland grant applications

Tue, 05/17/2022 - 3:20am -- tim

Vermont Business Magazine The Bowse Health Trust will start its 2022 grant cycle with Letters of Intent (LOI) due on June 15, 2022. Recognizing that health starts before medical care is needed, the Bowse HealthTrust is interested in funding new projects that focus on providing residents in the Rutland Region an opportunity to live a healthy life where we live, learn, work and play. Successful letters and projects will address the priority areas identified in the 2021 Community Health Needs Assessment and will center any proposed work on health equity. Priority areas include, housing, childcare and parenting, supporting the aging community, and mental health. 

McClaughry: Heating fuel tax dead – for now

Tue, 05/17/2022 - 3:08am -- tim

by John McClaughry On May 11 the short life of the Clean Heat Standard (CHS), promising “clean heat for a cooler planet”, came to sudden but probably not final end. To understand how the CHS originated, let’s go back to September 2020. The legislature, over Gov. Scott’s veto, enacted the Global Warming Solutions Act. The Act declared that the “climate crisis is both caused by and exacerbated by greenhouse gas emissions that result from human activity.” Therefore Vermonters must be made to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide from combustion of fossil fuels – heating oil, natural gas, gasoline, diesel, and propane  – by 26% below 2005 levels by 2025, and by 80% below 1990 levels by 2050. 

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