Archive - Dec 2008

Health care reform always ranks near the top of politicians' short lists of major problems facing the nation, but it seems that rhetoric hasn't been backed by action. In Vermont, a shortage of primary care physicians (PCPs) - such as family doctors and pediatricians - is one of the biggest challenges facing the state's health care system.

Primary care is not the only area of health care facing shortages of trained professionals. As Vermont's population ages, the demand for prescription drugs is on the rise. More pharmacists are required to meet the need for services; drugstores around the state sometimes find it difficult to find qualified applicants. That could change in the next few years, however. The Albany School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is opening a campus in Colchester, on track to begin classes in the fall of 2009. There has never been a pharmacy school before in the state.

VEDA board of directors elects new slate of officers

National spotlight on Billings Farm in 25th year

The Otter Creek plant in Middlebury is among the 50 largest beer breweries in the country. It is also a destination for 10,000- 12,000 visitors a year. 6000-gallon tanks, used for fermenting and conditioning beer, tower over the walk to the showroom, while the air is filled with a strong aroma of hops. Most of the brewing area is visible through tall glass windows. Six taps are available for small samples, and a large cooler holds beer for sale. Particularly popular among local residents is the half-gallon glass growler.

There has been varied discussions regarding Vermont's development future and what opportunities and issues this presents the Rutland Region if any. Much of the discussion around a new direction is based on "brand" or "branding". What is Vermont's brand? To take that even closer to home what is Rutland's brand?

College of St Joseph in Rutland, Vermont received an $80,000 grant from the J Warren and Lois McClure Foundation to assist with the launch of the college's STEPS Program. STEPS (Students Taking an Effective Path to Success) is a unique program designed specifically to meet the needs of Vermont foster youth transitioning to college.

Rutland County holds a prominent place in the history of Vermont's commercial growth, dating back to its formation in 1769. The marble industry brought a variety of artisans with a strong work ethic to the region on a large scale beginning in the 1830's. Eastern European, Italian, Scotch and Irish immigrants came to Rutland in large numbers, and with the development of rail, Rutland became the economic center of Vermont. Their work ethic continues to be the primary attribute for business in Rutland County, providing some of the most productive and stable workforces in the country.

Green Mountain College moved closer to its goal of carbon neutrality when college president Paul Fonteyn unveiled plans for a new biomass heating plant coupled with electric power generation in an October 22 address to students, faculty and staff. Plans call for a new woodchip plant to begin generating heat and electricity to the Poultney campus by January of 2010.

There's a growing sense of urgency about Vermont's energy future, but in an industry with roots that lead back more than 100 years, urgency and change are in many ways the hallmarks of our everyday work. The basics - lines and poles to move electricity from one place to another - haven't changed much over the years, but our reliance on technology, customer expectations and the tools we use to get our work done change constantly.