Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Casella Waste Systems, Inc, based in Rutland, on Thursday reported its financial results for the three-month period ended March 31, 2021. They include: Revenues were $189.5 million for the quarter, up $6.6 million, or up 3.6%, from the same period in 2020; Overall solid waste pricing for the quarter was up 3.4%, driven by collection pricing, up 3.5%, and landfill pricing, up 3.5%, from the same period in 2020; Net income was $4.3 million for the quarter, up $3.3 million, or up 349.5%, from the same period in 2020.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development, Vermont Student Assistance Corporation, Association of Vermont Independent Colleges, and 14 Vermont colleges and universities are announcing the 2021 Choose Vermont Scholarship Program, which will award $70,000 in scholarship money to students who commit to attend a Vermont school by June 1. Both out-of-state and Vermont students are eligible to enter.

The program was developed through a partnership across Vermont’s higher education sector to market Vermont as a top destination for attending college. The campaign targets students already accepted to a Vermont school, encouraging them to take the next step and “Choose Vermont.”

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s food producers and retailers are, once again, partnering to bring delicious value-added foods to stores near you. As a result of COVID-19, many in-person events cancelled through 2021, the Vermont Specialty Food Association (VSFA) and the Vermont Retail and Grocers Association (VRGA) continue their virtual tastings series to promote Vermont brands to Vermont stores and wholesalers.

Vermont Business Magazine The COTS Walk is SUNDAY -- and with a forecast of 63 degrees and partly cloudy skies in the afternoon, it's the perfect weather for our 32nd Annual (2nd Annual Virtual) COTS Walk. The COTS Walk, presented by Rice Lumber, is the nonprofit's largest annual event and a critical fundraiser. This year's fundraising goal is $205,000. With just a few days left before COTS Walk Day, COTS is more than 60 percent of the way toward that fundraising goal.

Vermont Business Magazine Vaccine registration opened today to college students who are residents of another state and do not intend to stay in Vermont for the summer, as well as to people who live part of the year in Vermont. Vaccine appointments are also available across the state for all Vermonters 16 and older. Several COVID-19 vaccine clinics in Franklin and Grand Isle counties have many open appointments – starting as soon as this Saturday, May 1. The VDH today reported 98 new cases but no deaths from COVID-19, which are holding at 246.

Vermont Business Magazine Boutique Air’s inaugural flight from Burlington International Airport to Boston Logan International Airport took off today at 1:15 pm. The new flight is important to the growth of the local economy with an introduction of new markets and opportunities.

Vermont Business Magazine Anaïs Mitchell, acclaimed playwright, composer, and musician, will deliver the 2021 Middlebury College Commencement address on Saturday, May 29. A native Vermonter and 2004 Middlebury graduate, Mitchell is the creative force behind the hit musical Hadestown. Mitchell gained international recognition following the premiere of Hadestown in Alberta, London, and then New York, where it opened in 2019. Later that year Hadestown went on to win eight Tony Awards and Mitchell won the Tony Award for Best Original Score. In 2020 the show also won a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, the Vermont Senate passed H. 439, the FY2022 Budget Bill. This budget appropriates a total of $7.17 billion to meet the ongoing costs of operating state government including the programs providing services and benefits to Vermonters, and to make investments in Vermont’s infrastructure and human capital from the federal funds available from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and the CARES Act (CRF).

Vermont Business Magazine Today Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos announced the completion of the 2020 Vermont General Election Audit, which was conducted on April 28^th at the Pavilion Auditorium located in Montpelier. No significant abnormalities or discrepancies were found between the audit results and the Official Returns of Vote.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont program that helps homeowners who have fallen behind on their mortgage or property taxes during the COVID-19 pandemic will re-open on Monday, May 3, 2021. The Mortgage Assistance Program, will provide grants covering up to 12 months of past due mortgage payments and property taxes for eligible homeowners.

Funded through the federal CARES Act, the program operated first in July through December 2020, providing 636 Vermont households with grants averaging $6,000. With average monthly mortgage payments of $1,200, most of these households owed three months or more of payments and the majority were in a forbearance.

The program is administered by Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA) but is open to all eligible homeowners regardless of loan servicer.

Vermont Business Magazine Bee’s Wrap, the Middlebury manufacturer of reusable, all-natural food storage wraps, announced today that Tara Murphy will take the helm as CEO on June 1, succeeding Sarah Kaeck, who has led the company since founding Bee’s Wrap in 2012. Murphy comes to Bee’s Wrap after four years as Chief Executive Officer at Hinesburg-based Vermont Smoke & Cure. Previously she spent three years at Keurig Green Mountain, rising to Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Cold Beverage Appliance Division.

Vermont Business Magazine Norwich University has earned two grants totaling more than $187,000 from the National Security Agency (NSA) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) to host two virtual cybersecurity summer camps. These comprehensive programs, free to all participants, will be taught by standout Norwich faculty and students including Director of the Center for Cybersecurity and Forensics Education and Research Professor Dr. Huw Read.