Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Hunters are gearing up for the start of Vermont’s traditionally popular 16-day regular deer season that begins Saturday, November 12 and ends Sunday, November 27. A hunter may take one legal buck during this season if they did not already take one during the archery deer season. The definition of a legal buck depends on the Wildlife Management Unit (WMU). A map of the WMUs is on pages 22 and 23 of the 2022 VERMONT HUNTING & TRAPPING GUIDE available from license agents statewide.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Lottery had a Gimme 5 top prize winner of $100,000. Simon’s Essex Center Store & Deli in Essex Junction sold the winning ticket. To date, the winner has not claimed their prize. On a Gimme 5 play slip participants mark five numbers of their choice from 1 to 39 in a single panel. They are allowed to play up to five (5) panels on a single play slip. The cost is $1.00 per play.

Vermont Business Magazine At the site of an empty block in the center of Vermont’s largest city, flanked by the Vermont Speaker of the House Jill Krowinski, Senate President Pro Tempore Becca Balint, and Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger, the Building Homes Together campaign issued its annual assessment of housing production in Chittenden County, delivering the message that continued spending on affordable housing was necessary to have any lasting impact on affordability. The CityPlace development is expected to break ground in two weeks and the associated 85 affordable housing units could begin to rise starting as early as next spring. The entire redevelopment of the former Burlington Town Center, demolished in 2018, with over 400 housing units, retail and a parking garage has a November 2025 completion goal.

Vermont Business Magazine The University of Vermont’s Board of Trustees today approved freezing tuition and fees at current rates for a fifth consecutive academic year, an initiative begun by President Suresh Garimella in 2019 to keep UVM affordable and accessible for students and families from Vermont and across the nation. To complement the frozen tuition rates, which apply to all students, the university held room and board fees level for a fourth straight year. To further reinforce UVM’s commitment to affordability and access here in Vermont, Garimella announced the “UVM Promise,” a new program that guarantees full tuition scholarships to all dependent Vermont students in households with incomes of up to $60,000. Eligible Vermonters will receive these full tuition scholarships for four years of study, beginning with the first-year students entering next fall.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health reported October 26 that hospitalizations increased from 48 to 73 to 76 over the last three weeks. But COVID-19 cases fell from 882 to 585. Still, COVID-19 infections are now considered "Medium" by the VDH for the second week after being at the "Low" level for the last few months. Hospitalizations have been edging up over the last few weeks (from a low of 30). There were six more COVID-related deaths since last week's report, for 14 so far in October for a pandemic total of 740 (the VDH report could be updated as more data becomes available). Vermont has the lowest COVID fatality rate in the nation, at 118 per 100,000 population.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s Clean Water Board is asking the public to weigh in on how they would like to prioritize approximately $50.6 million, available through the State Fiscal Year 2024 Clean Water Budget, to clean up water pollution in Vermont’s lakes, streams, and wetlands. The Board is asking Vermonters to provide feedback on the draft budget, including whether they believe funding levels are sufficient, whether they agree with the Board’s proposed prioritization of funding, and if they have specific recommendations for the Board’s consideration. The Clean Water Board will review public comment before making its final Clean Water Budget recommendation in December 2022.

Vermont Business Magazine Champlain College kicks off the next chapter in its 144-year history with the inauguration of 10th President Alejandro (“Alex”) Hernandez. Setting a course to “build a better future,” Champlain will bring to life its core values of innovation, inclusivity, and engaged learning during three days of conversation and celebration from November 3-5, 2022. A community celebration, four fireside chats, and the official inauguration ceremony will weave together themes of lifting people and communities, being more human in an increasingly digital world, expanding Champlain’s leadership in the sciences, and what it means to be “Champlain Ready.”

by Suresh Garimella, President, University of Vermont There’s another important matter that I must address today. Antisemitism – hate, discrimination and at times even violence directed at those who identify as Jewish – has been on the rise around the world, here in the United States and on college campuses. Sadly, UVM is not immune, and I have listened to members of our campus community who experience a sense of risk in fully expressing their Jewish identity. I want my message to be clear to the entire campus community: antisemitism, in any form, will not be tolerated at UVM.

by Carina Hamel, Aba Grace & Tim Wall As parents and as business leaders, we rely on child care to make everything work. That’s why this election we’re focused on electing candidates who are committed to solving Vermont’s child care crisis. Right now, working parents are being forced to choose between their work and caring for their children because Vermont doesn't have enough high-quality child care that's affordable. Likewise, employers are being restricted because they can't recruit or retain the talent they need due to a lack of high-quality child care for families. Vermont is great place to live, work and raise a family but like so many other places, our state is experiencing a massive child care crisis that threatens the viability of companies like ours.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermonters will get a chance this Saturday, October 29, to dispose of unused, unwanted and expired medications easily and safely at 55 locations throughout the state. Prescription Drug Take Back Day happens each spring and fall, to encourage Vermonters to clean out their medicine cabinets and get rid of leftover medication responsibly by bringing it to a community drop-off site. Safe disposal helps prevent the potential for the misuse of pain medications — nearly half of the people who misused pain prescriptions obtained them from a relative or friend. It reduces the risk to kids and pets who might accidentally ingest them. And it helps us avoid endangering waterways and wildlife, which can happen when you flush medication or throw it in the trash.

Vermont Business Magazine Reach Out and Read, Northeast has been awarded $60,000 over three years by the Canaday Family Charitable Trust during the most recent grant-making cycle. The grant will support Reach Out and Read's programs across Vermont -- helping to foster early literacy and relational health statewide. The funds will be used to provide clinics with program support and families with new, culturally, and developmentally appropriate books at every well child visit so that they leave the pediatrician’s office with the tools needed to foster their child’s early development.

Vermont Business Magazine Casella Waste Systems, Inc (NASDAQ: CWST), a regional solid waste, recycling and resource management services company, today reported its financial results for the three and nine month periods ended September 30, 2022. For the quarter, revenues were $295.3 million, up $53.3 million, or up 22.0%, from the same period in 2021, with revenue growth mainly driven by: the roll-over impact from acquisitions along with newly closed acquisitions; positive collection and disposal pricing; higher solid waste fuel cost recovery fees; and higher pricing, recycling processing fees and volume within our Resource Solutions operating segment; partially offset by lower recycling commodity prices. Net income was $22.7 million for the quarter, or $0.44 per diluted common share, up $6.8 million, or up 42.9%, as compared to net income of $15.9 million, or $0.31 per diluted common share, for the same period in 2021. Adjusted Net Income, a non-GAAP measure, was $23.1 million for the quarter, or $0.45 Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Common Share, a non-GAAP measure, up $5.6 million, or up 31.9%, as compared to Adjusted Net Income of $17.5 million, or $0.34 Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Common Share, for the same period in 2021.