by John McClaughry I consider myself a long time champion of local democracy. I co-wrote with Frank Bryan a book subtitled “recreating democracy on a local scale” (The Vermont Papers, 1989). But over the years I have occasionally had the thought that there can also be a problem with local democracy, when powerful outside forces are brought to bear on local decision making.
Vermont Business Magazine Marathon Health, an employer health provider, announces the launch of a first-of-its-kind virtual primary care solution called Marathon Health Anywhere. The program leverages dedicated care teams and remote monitoring tools to ensure that companies can provide high-quality, advanced primary care to all employees — no matter where they live.
Vermont Business Magazine Southwestern Vermont Health Care’s (SVHC) Medical Matters Weekly with Dr. Trey Dobson—a weekly interactive, multiplatform medical-themed talk show—will feature Brown University’s Associate Vice President for Campus Life and Executive Director of Health and Wellness Vanessa Britto, MD, on its October 20 program. The show will air at 12 p.m. She will share the university’s pioneering role as one of the first institutions to mandate COVID vaccines for students and staff.
Vermont Business Magazine If your job was adversely affected by COVID-19, you may be eligible for no cost trainings. Through a legislature-funded program to upskill and reskill the state’s workforce, Vermonters can choose from over 100 no cost trainings and classes at one of the Vermont State Colleges System institutions. The Vermont State Colleges System in coordination with the Vermont Department of Labor is once again offering FREE classes and trainings (Act 9) for Vermonters who have been adversely affected by COVID-19.
Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health today is reporting that cases fell modestly for the second straight day with 202 cases of COVID-19 (down 39 cases) after setting a pandemic record Saturday. The three worst days for cases have all come since mid-September, as the Delta variant has taken over since early July. The Scott Administration will update the COVID situation at their regular press briefing Tuesday at noon. The VDH also today reported one additional death for 346 statewide. There are 41 people hospitalized (up three from Sunday) with 11 in the ICU (unchanged). Hospitalizations are high but also have been stable.
Vermont Business Magazine The Scott Administration today outlined a comprehensive plan to address the housing needs of Vermonters experiencing homelessness, including the need to fully fund Governor Scott’s $249 million Housing Recovery Plan which includes historic funding for permanent housing for the homeless. As part of this plan, Administration officials announced an extension to the current General Assistance (GA) Emergency Housing Program until December 31, and other meaningful actions to support Vermonters experiencing homelessness and permanent housing development.
Vermont Business Magazine On Friday, October 15th the Vermont Legislative Apportionment Board (LAB) voted 4-3 in favor of approving a draft map proposal for Vermont House legislative districts to send to local Boards of Civil Authority (BCAs) for feedback on the proposed district subdivisions. The draft map contains 150 single member districts, which is a change from the current map utilizing both single and multi-member districts.
Vermont Business Magazine Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) Monday released the remaining nine Fiscal Year 2022 Appropriations Bills. Monday’s announcement follows months of Leahy calling for bipartisan, bicameral negotiations with the White House on topline spending and the successful, bipartisan passage of the Energy & Water, Military Construction and Veteran’s Affairs, and Agriculture and Rural Development appropriations bills out of the Committee back in August.
Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Labor, VocRehab Vermont, Creative Workforce Solutions, and local partners will host two in-person outdoor job fairs in southern Vermont this week, with October Job Fest events taking place in Bennington (Wednesday) and Rutland (Thursday). Also this week, the Department of Labor’s weekly #Hiring2Day Virtual Job Fair (Thursday) focuses on jobs in the ski industry and will feature employers from across the state. The virtual event will include a presentation from Ski Vermont about the benefits of careers within the industry.
Vermont Business Magazine Lawson’s Finest Liquids has been named the 2021 First-Generation Family Enterprise Award winner by the University of Vermont Grossman School of Business’ Family Business Institute. Established in 2011, the UVM Family Business Awards honor four local, family-owned businesses annually. Nominees are evaluated on financial success, governance structure, contribution to community or industry, as well as commitments to sustainability and innovation. The Grossman School of Business’ Family Business Institute also awarded 2021 Family Business Awards across to Healthy Living, Giroux Farms, and H.N. Williams.
Vermont Business Magazine At a meeting on September 29, the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board committed $5.24 million in federal funds and $3.68 million in state funding to acquire, construct, and rehabilitate 316 affordable homes in Newport, St. Johnsbury, Brattleboro, Barre, Bellows Falls, Bennington and Burlington, including acquisition of two cooperatively owned mobile home parks in Colchester with 233 lots, helping those households stabilize lot rents, invest in improvements, and actively participate in management of their parks. Seven new homes for homeless households will be placed in mobile home parks in Braintree, Milton, and Swanton.
Vermont Humanities Council Join author Bill McKibben tonight for "Thinking through the Future," the next event in the VHC Fall Conference 2021: “This Mazéd World:” The Humanities and Climate Change. Science can help us understand the greatest crisis we’ve ever found ourselves in—but so can the humanities. From the biblical book of Job to the latest science fiction, literature can help us learn what it means to have suddenly become so large and can also give us clues to how we might shrink ourselves and our society a little.