Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Scenic VT-108 (Smugglers Notch or The Notch Road) is OPEN for the 2024 season as of 12:00 PM on May 14, 2024. Crews are opening the gates on either side of the mountain and message signs have been illuminated indicating the reopening. Vehicles over 40-feet and combination vehicles over 45-feet in length are NOT permitted through this section of roadway per 23 VSA § 1006b.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak and Chief Administrative Officer Katherine Schad held a press conference today to outline the Burlington’s progress in creating a balanced budget. The administration has successfully closed the $13 million budget gap, which was announced on April 24. Most of the budget gap has been filled by increasing taxes and fees and by using one-time funds, largely from unspent ARPA monies. Mayor Mulvaney-Stanak shared the following statement on Tuesday morning: “We set out with the goal of creating a budget that prioritized affordability for residents and sustainability of City operations. We did this fairly, asking both residential taxpayers and the business community to contribute to closing the gap and undertaking a comprehensive review of general fund expenses to identify areas for right-sizing."

Vermont Business Magazine TD Charitable Foundation, the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, with branches across Vermont, today announced it awarded a total of $7 million to 37 non-profits across the bank's Maine to Florida footprint and in Michigan through the 18th annual Housing for Everyone grant program. Grants ranging from $150,000 to $250,000 will support independent living for marginalized community members, especially those who experience homelessness and face conditions that make it difficult to maintain a stable home without additional help. Dismas of Vermont received $250,000. Dismas of Vermont homes provide shelter and support to men and women making the difficult transition from incarceration to new lives. 

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General Charity Clark today thanked the Legislature for explicitly codifying the crime of nonconsensual “deepfake” pornography. The change, contained in bill H.878, was added to Vermont’s Revenge Porn Statute and will be making its way to the Governor’s desk. Deepfakes use artificial intelligence to alter photos, videos, or audio to make it look like someone is doing something they are not. Sometimes, so-called “nudification” apps are used to create deepfakes. Reportedly, over 90% of deepfakes are pornography, of which 90% use the faces of women or girls. 

Vermont Business Magazine Newly published study results from the VA Disrupted Care National Project (DCNP) reveal that the number of surgical procedures fell more during later waves of the COVID-19 pandemic than they had during the early waves, leading researchers to believe that instead of health systems learning to manage surgical needs over the course of the pandemic, they increasingly struggled to support patients’ surgical needs as the pandemic progressed. A multi-institutional team of researchers led by the White River Junction VA and including the West Haven and Palo Alto VA analyzed over 1.8 million surgical procedures using Medicare claims activity from 2016 to 2021. The analysis yielded important insight by identifying two periods of marked decline in surgeries. 

Vermont Business Magazine In a significant step towards enhancing support for caregivers, the Southwestern Vermont Council on Aging (SVCOA) is excited to announce a new partnership with Trualta, a leader in online caregiver education. This collaboration is set to revolutionize the resources available to individuals caring for older loved ones, offering them unparalleled access to tailored training and support services, free of charge. Trualta's platform is uniquely designed to address the challenges faced by family caregivers. It provides practical, skill-based learning solutions that help manage the complexities of caring for a loved one, from handling routine daily activities to addressing more challenging behaviors and health issues associated with aging.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine As of April 30, 2024, hospitals are no longer required to report COVID-19 Hospital data. CDC strongly encourages hospitals to continue reporting these data, but following the May 1st COVID-19 Surveillance Report, the Vermont Department of Health will no longer be providing updated Hospitalization Levels with our weekly report. The average hospitalization has fallen under one per day, while the Seven-Day Rolling Average of people coming to emergency departments of the state's hospitals with a COVID diagnosis is under 5. Meanwhile, total reported cases statewide were 33 and there have been no associated deaths in two weeks.

Vermont Business Magazine RunVermont announces the 35th running of the M&T Bank Vermont City Marathon & Relay on Sunday, May 26, the hallmark Memorial Day Weekend event in the Queen City. In total, over 4,600 racers will participate in the individual race and 2-person and 3-5 person relay events. The marathon and relay serves as the largest sporting event in the state. 

Vermont Business Magazine The League of American Bicyclists has recognized North Country Hospital with a SILVER Bicycle Friendly Business (BFB) award, earning it a place alongside more than 1,300 businesses across the U.S. contributing to the movement to build a more bicycle-friendly environment for all. As summer approaches, we tend to see more bicycle usage, including the offering of a small fleet of bikes for hospital employees to use through our Worksite Wellness program. North Country provides helmets to young, new riders and adults at a reduced price. Please call 802-334-3208 for bicycle helmet info. The hospital continues to welcome cyclists to park their vehicles on Lakemont Road and use the marked parking lot next to the bike path, a safer entrance with less auto traffic.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont State Police and the St. Johnsbury Police Department are investigating a suspicious death that was reported late Monday night, May 13, 2024, in St. Johnsbury. The investigation began at about 11:15 p.m. Monday when police received a 911 call reporting a shooting at a home on Summer Street. Officers from the St. Johnsbury Police Department responded to the location and discovered a man deceased at the scene. SJPD then requested that the Vermont State Police respond and lead the investigation. Initial investigation indicates this was an isolated event with no generalized threat to the community at large.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Transportation (AOT) today announced more than $1.6 million in awards for the 2025 Vermont Better Roads Program to support municipal road projects that improve water quality and result in maintenance cost savings. The grant funds totaling $1,598,100 are provided by AOT in partnership with the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources and are sourced from state transportation funds and the state’s Clean Water Fund. The Vermont Better Roads Program promotes the use of erosion control and maintenance techniques that save money while protecting and enhancing water quality around the state.

Vermont Council on Rural Development Your village is an essential part of your community and of Vermont’s identity and future. The Village Trust Initiative is a new program offering expertise and funding to help towns with populations under 2,500 create or bolster a local community trust organization (a 501c3 nonprofit organization that supports the vitality of the community) to support a revitalization project in their village. These projects could be the revitalization of a general store, the creation of a community center, improvements to the accessibility of an old town hall, renovation of a large historic home into village-scale housing, and more. There are many possibilities, so bring your creativity and vision to the table! The selection process begins with the completion of a simple intake form due Friday May 24, 2024 by 4pm.