Current News

Vermont Business Magazine State Epidemiologist Patsy Kelso and Commissioner of Financial Regulation Michael Pieciak presented details Friday of what started as an outbreak of COVID-19 at a central Vermont hockey rink and led to four more outbreaks. Officials at Friday’s press conference said the outbreak now stands at 87 confirmed cases, impacting 18 towns and four counties, and resulting in 473 contacts identified. Kelso said contact tracers found some themes that contributed to the spread, including people gathering without wearing masks and people failing to quarantine — after they had been identified as a close contact, returned from travel, or had COVID-like symptoms.

Vermont Business Magazine The final tally is in from the 19th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on October 24, 2020. The Drug Enforcement Administration’s New England Field Division and its partners, over the course of four hours, collected 115,944.24 pounds or over 57 tons of expired, unused, unwanted prescription drugs, electronic vaping devices and cartridges at 586 collection sites throughout New England. This is in comparison to the first National Prescription Drug Take Back Day in September 2010, when the division collected 25,810 pounds of unwanted drugs.

Vermont, the least populated state in the region, reported the smallest return of about 4,500 pounds. Massachusetts was slightly higher than Maine, which had a whopping 40,100 pounds.

Vermont Business Magazine Today Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos issued a message to Vermont voters reminding them of their safe voting options for the November 3rd, 2020 General Election: “vote your ballot!” The Town Clerk must receive the voter’s voted ballot by 7pm on Tuesday, November 3rd for it to be counted.

Vermont Business Magazine The Agency of Administration today announced that state employees who can telework should expect to do so at least through March 31, 2021. This extends the expectation set in August that telework would extend to the end of calendar year 2020. Since the beginning of the declared state of emergency on March 23, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic many state employees stayed at their worksites to sustain the State’s emergency response to the pandemic, including the health department, 24/7 facilities, law enforcement and offices where critical operations could not be sustained without some physical presence in the worksite.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Weekly unemployment claims have edged up the last couple weeks after being near their lowest levels since the beginning of the pandemic. Claims increased by 105 to 706 (up 337 from the same time last year). The last time claims were under 500 was on March 7 when there were 446.

Vermont Business Magazine In response to a recent surge in cases of COVID-19 throughout New England and to mitigate the spread of the virus, Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC) in Bennington, part of Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC), will limit hospital visitation hours and restrict hospital inpatients to one visitor at a time. Starting Monday, November 2, visiting hours will be limited to 4 – 7 pm. Additionally, the time per visit will also be limited to 30 minutes per individual.

This follows tighter visitor restrictions issued by Rutland Regional Medical Center on Monday.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) Friday announced that Vermont’s DREAM program will receive a three-year, $1.25 million grant from the Department of Justice (DOJ) to support peer mentoring for elementary-aged youths in rural communities whose lives have been affected by the opioid epidemic.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA) approved $75 million in financing assistance for 439 Vermont businesses and farms during its fiscal year ended June 30. Loans were approved to businesses in over 17 economic sectors like agriculture, manufacturing and renewable energy generation, often in partnership with local banks, credit unions and other lenders. VEDA approved $11.7 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) forgivable loans for 264 Vermont businesses and farms as part of its support of federal and state economic disaster relief programs.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health reported Thursday that there were 16 new cases as well as an uptick in the number of hospitalizations (6) and in the ICU (2). For the last several months these numbers have usually been zero. The VDH also reminds that it is especially important for everyone to get their flu shot this year – when flu viruses and the new coronavirus may be spreading at the same time. Help keep flu out of the picture! We encourage everyone older than 6 months old (with rare exceptions) — and especially people in a high-risk group or who have underlying health conditions — to get their flu vaccine.

Vermont Business Magazine If you need help with paying your internet service bill, you may be eligible for a grant from the Vermont COVID-19 Temporary Broadband Subsidy Program (TBS). The program is available to Vermont residential broadband customers who have experienced economic hardship due to the pandemic.

Vermont Business Magazine Casella Waste Systems, Inc, a regional solid waste, recycling and resource management services company based in Rutland, today reported its financial results for the three and nine month period ended September 30, 2020. Highlights include: Revenues were $202.7 million for the quarter, up $4.1 million, or up 2.1%, from the same period in 2019; Net income was $15.1 million for the quarter, up $2.7 million, or up 22.0%, from the same period in 2019.