By Polly Mikula At a special media briefing on Monday, Oct. 5, Health Commissioner Mark Levine, MD, said the health dept. is investigating an outbreak of Covid-19 at Champlain Orchards in Shoreham. There were 26 cases associated with the outbreak, Monday, with one more added Tuesday.  Contact tracing is now complete for those known cases,…

By Erin Petenko/VTDigger The state’s K-12 schools can transition to “Step 3” of reopening this Saturday, allowing them to fully play fall sports, officials said at a press conference Tuesday, Sept. 22. Secretary of Education Dan French said the new rules “still require stringent measures” to limit the spread of Covid-19, but schools have more flexibility…

On Friday, Sept. 18, Governor Phil Scott and Secretary Lindsay Kurrle of the Agency of Commerce & Community Development (ACCD) announced the launch of the Small Business Recovery Technical Assistance Program. The program will connect small businesses in need with five technical assistance teams across the state offering resources to help to address businesses challenges…

Business owners navigate changes as lodge, bar restrictions are lifted By Katy Savage Gov. Phil Scott announced Friday, Sept. 18 that bars could reopen and lodges could operate at full capacity, but local business owners are wary of the details. “It is very misleading,” Trailside Inn owner Josh Eckler said, explaining that the state’s quarantine…

Chart courtesy dfr.vermont.gov By Mark Johnson/VTDigger Bars and restaurants with counter seating will be allowed to serve customers, under new guidelines announced Friday, Sept. 18, by Gov. Phil Scott, and lodging facilities can open to 100% capacity. Bars will be required to maintain a six-foot separation between customers and have barriers in place between servers and…

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Continued vigilance required By Polly Mikula National Health Advisor Dr. Anthony S. Fauci addressed Vermont by video Tuesday, Sept 15, at Gov. Phil Scott’s weekly news conference. “I’m a big fan,” said Scott of Fauci’s role guiding the nation through the coronavirus pandemic. “He tells it like it is. And in a way that most…

Hartford High stays open after one case, Crossett Brook moves remote after two Staff report Hartford High School announced Sunday, Sept. 13, that a student had tested positive for Covid-19. But state health officials said the case was sufficiently isolated and that school could remain open as planned on Monday, according to Superintendent Tom DeBalsi.…

By David P Carroll We live in a scary World today It’s different than Before No more hugs kissing Our happiness gone away Like never before The virus has taken our Loved ones away Families suffering Like never before The fear of the unknown Has arrived The worry of what will happen Tomorrow to you…

Time is running out to apply for two major agricultural grant programs related to Covid-19. The deadline to apply for millions of dollars is Oct. 1. “I strongly encourage all Vermont farmers, producers and working lands businesses to apply for these funds before they are no longer available on Oct. 1,” said Agriculture Secretary Anson…

Just one more Covid cases identified in Killington since private party, total at 18 By Katy Savage Only one additional Covid-19 case was identified in Killington after three days of testing last week, bringing the number of cases associated with the outbreak in town to 18. Hundreds of tests came back negative, including all those…

The Public Service Dept. announced Aug. 21  $3,926,650 in grant awards to internet service providers to serve over 5,800 eligible locations with broadband connections in response to Covid-19. The PSD awarded $351,520 to Mansfield Community Fiber to extend fiber broadband to 676 locations and offset the customer costs for 10 locations; $171,770 to the NEW…

Governor Phil Scott announced $8 million in available grant funding to assist Vermonters with overdue utility bills as a result of economic hardship due to the pandemic. “Many Vermonters are struggling to keep up with their basic expenses because of this pandemic, and these grant funds provide necessary relief for those who’ve fallen behind on…

Governor Phil Scott, the Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD) and the Department of Taxes announced on Aug. 19 an increase to the maximum grant award for Economic Recovery Grants for Vermont business sectors most negatively impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent closures and capacity restrictions. The increase in the maximum grant award…

By Kit Norton/VTDigger Gov. Phil Scott has proposed putting $2 million toward stimulus payments for Vermonters who were ineligible to receive $1,200 in federal Covid-19 stimulus checks this spring. In the budget proposal sent to lawmakers last week is a plan to help Vermonters who filed federal and state income taxes without using Social Security numbers,…