The Bernie Buzz

I’m happy to inform you that North Star Health, a Federally Qualified Health Center based out of Springfield, Vermont, has launched a Mobile Health Unit bringing acute, non-emergent, primary care directly to communities in Brattleboro and Bellows Falls — two towns that have long needed greater access to primary healthcare services. Beginning this month the mobile unit will alternate Tuesdays between Brattleboro and Bellows Falls where patients, regardless of their income or insurance status, can receive walk-in primary care.

Vermont is home to more than 6,500 farms, including some 560 dairy farms. And while that number is drastically smaller than it once was when dairy cows dotted much of the landscape, we still have some incredible farms producing truly remarkable products. One of those farms is Kingdom Creamery in East Hardwick, where the Michaud family has been churning out high-quality milk for three generations.

I want to thank the Vermont Green for working with my office on a wonderful soccer clinic that we held at Virtue Field on the UVM campus this last Saturday. About 150 kids of all ages and skill levels received excellent instruction from some of the great players on the Vermont Green — and I thank them very much for their help.

Vermonters love July 4th events. So do I. On July 3rd I joined the annual Montpelier celebration: food, music, a one mile run and a parade. Despite the heat, thousands turned out for a great time — including Senator Peter Welch and Congresswoman Becca Balint.

Our very first Youth Soccer Day will be held on Saturday, June 11 from 1 p.m. — 4 p.m. at Virtue Field on UVM’s Campus in Burlington. The day will include a Learn to Play session for young people who are totally new to the game, as well as some Drills and Skills for more experienced players. Throughout the day, young participants will have the chance to meet and get tips from members of the Vermont Green and their coaches.

Starting July 1, the Trump administration will remove over seven million Americans, including hundreds in Vermont, from the country’s most affordable income-driven student loan repayment plan (known as the SAVE plan). The impact of that decision is that the average college graduate will be forced to pay up to $4,000 more each year on their student loan payments — about $244 a month.