Current News

by Bob Cappadona, Vice President of Resource Solutions, Casella Waste Systems, Inc In mid-March, several states gave redemption centers and retailers the option to temporarily stop accepting bottles and cans. They advised households to stockpile their water bottles and soda cans for several weeks, or to simply toss them in their curbside recycling bins. While it is unclear how many redemption centers chose to shut down during the height of COVID-19, one thing is clear: in a world without redemption centers, bottles and cans would continue to be recycled.

by Shawn Good, Fisheries Biologist, Fish & Wildlife Department Two weeks ago in the last report, I wrote how Spring just doesn’t seem to want to show up this year. And now May is here and we’re facing yet another cold front with the possibility of snow across the region this weekend. Happy Mother’s Day! Isn’t it supposed to be all daffodil’s and daisies by now? There is hope, however. I see light (and sun) at the end of the tunnel. The long-term 10-day forecast shows 60-degree weather across most of Vermont by the end of the week. Get your gear tuned up, if you haven’t already, because May fishing is poised to get really good in the next couple of weeks.

Vermont Business Magazine Span, the rising smart panel company led by executives and lead engineers from Tesla, Amazon Echo, and Sunrun, has raised $10.2 million to transform the electrical panel into an intelligent gateway for every home and expand the adoption of solar, energy storage, and electric vehicles. Span's smart panel provides intuitive monitoring and controls for all circuits alongside unprecedented flexibility for battery backup during power outages. In addition to the new investment round, Mary Powell, former CEO of Vermont utility Green Mountain Power and a leader in transforming the energy system to be better distributed to homes, businesses, and communities, will join Span's board as an independent member.

Vermont Business Magazine The Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD) has released updated guidance for non-essential retail and drive-in operations, as state modeling continues to indicate a slow in the spread of COVID-19 and testing and contact tracing programs are expanded. This guidance, developed with the Department of Health and Department of Public Safety, is in accordance with Governor Phil Scott’s Stay Home, Stay Safe Executive Order and goes into effect May 18, 2020.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Scott and Health Commissioner Mark Levine, MD reiterated the importance of wearing face coverings as Vermont gradually reopens. Recent evidence indicates masks do seem to reduce respiratory droplet transmission, Dr. Levine said, but compliance must be high for this strategy to work. Taking our mask with us when we go out is as important as is taking our car keys and wallets. As for today's Health Department report. Despite some 800 tests being taken at day, there were not new cases of COVID-19 reported. The statewide total remains at 927. The number of deaths has remained at 53 since last Thursday. And there are only five people currently hospitalized in Vermont for COVID-19.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott began his press briefing Wednesday by noting that we are exactly to months into the COVID-19 state of emergency. It has created a lot of stress, frustration, anxiety and even anger. He then recounted “a disturbing incident” Monday in Hartford, in which a family was told they were not wanted in Vermont because they were from out of state. The family, including a 11-year-old child, were pulling out of their driveway when they were confronted by someone who said the governor does not want anyone from out-of-state in Vermont.

Vermont Business Magazine Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont donated over 140 handmade cloth masks to the staff of Central Vermont Medical Center (CVMC) this week, and will be underwriting lunch in the cafeteria on May 15 to celebrate the Berlin hospital’s staff in honor of National Nurses Month (May 2020) and National Hospitals Week (May 10-16).

Vermont Business Magazine May is National Mental Health Awareness Month and many people are experiencing greater than usual stresses due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Department of Financial Regulation (DFR) wants to take a moment to reinforce the protections Vermont law provides to healthcare consumers seeking access to mental health and substance use disorder services.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility (VBSR) in partnership with Hickok & Boardman HR Intelligence is pleased to offer a 5-part leadership development seminar series to assist leaders at all levels of Vermont companies and organizations. VBSR is a business association with over 700 members who work to foster a business ethic that sets a high standard within the business community for protecting the natural, human, and economic environments of our citizens.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott will loosen opening date requirements for lodging establishments from June 15 to May 22 under strict rules as part of his slow reopening of the economy and predicated on continued positive health data. The accelerated reopening comes with a mandatory 14-day quarantine, but would include non-residents. On Friday, May 15, Governor Phil Scott will announce an extension of the State of Emergency and modifications to the Stay Home, Stay Safe Executive Order.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) and Representative Ilhan Omar (D-Minn) led more than 300 international lawmakers across two dozen countries in a letter to the leadership of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) today, calling on the international financial institutions to cancel low-income countries’ debt in response to the global COVID-19 crisis and provide a major infusion of financial support to avert a global economic meltdown.