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Vermont Business Magazine Despite a big decline in weekly unemployment claims last week, claims over the last six weeks are still trending up overall, as the economy edges out of the ski season into mud season. Claims spiked to over 1,100 the previous week but remain relatively high at over 700 and are well over the same period last year. Claims typically have been running below last year.

For the week of April 29, 2017, there were 759 claims, down 382 from the previous week's total and 236 more than than they were a year ago.

Altogether 5,959 new and continuing claims were filed, a decrease of 289 from a week ago, and 584 fewer than a year ago.

As expected, by industry, Services reported the most claims (56 percent of the total), while most other sectors saw a drop. Services typically reports the most claims.

Vermont Business MagazineVermont Technical College student and TRIO participant Kara Polito has received the Vermont Educational Opportunity Program Scholarship. Her nomination came from Sue Polen of the Center for Academic Success. With her narrative, Kara won first place for TRIO Student Support Services and is the first Vermont Tech student to do so.

Vermont Business Magazine Casella Waste Systems, Inc(NASDAQ:CWST), a Rutland-based regional solid waste, recycling and resource management services company, today reported its financial results for the three month period ended March31, 2017. Casella will hold a conference call to discuss these results on Friday, May5, 2017 at 9am. “We had another strong quarter as we continued to execute well against our key management strategies and benefited from stronger recycled commodity pricing for fibers,” said John WCasella, Chairman and CEO of Casella Waste Systems, Inc.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont's political leaders reacted swiftly and with horror as the replacement bill for the Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare) was whisked through the US House Thursday. It now faces a showdown in the US Senate. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) and Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) issued statements remarking on how Medicaid will be devastated and tens of millions will lose health insurance.

Leahy said in his statement: "This Trumpcare bill is a cruel and cynical hoax, played on millions upon millions of Americans who would lose all or some of their health insurance protections under this plan. From clumsy start to appalling finish, House Republicans have shown no shame in advancing a bill that, in truth, is intended to give a massive tax cut to the wealthiest Americans, in the guise of a health care plan. It’s only gotten worse as House leaders have had to bargain for votes."

Vermont Business Magazine The Personal Income tax, by far the state's most important General Fund revenue source, was below its target by over $25 million for April. The PI had been running ahead of annual projections, but has now fallen over $11 million behind with only two months left in the fiscal year. The Sales and Rooms & Meals taxes also were below targets. The only component now ahead for the year is the Corporate tax, which was up for the month over 34 percent and for the year nearly 19 percent.

Vermont Business Magazine The East Central Vermont Telecommunications District (“ECFiber”) has completed a $14.5M revenue bond financing to complete its construction providing universal broadband coverage for 6 entire towns – Pittsfield, West Windsor, Pomfret, Barnard, Strafford and Thetford. The $14.5M financing will also allow ECFiber to begin the process to cover several additional towns (350 miles) in 2018, refinance higher cost debt, and connect over 800 subscribers in 2017.

“This is the second step in a four step financing process that began in 2016,” said Irv Thomae, Chairman of ECFiber and Governing Board delegate from Norwich. “We’re excited that more residents in these areas can now enjoy the benefits of locally controlled, state-of-the-art real broadband. Our plan is raise additional capital in 2018 and 2019 to fully cover 21 of our 24 towns by 2019.”

WCAX History:by Timothy McQuistonVermont Business MagazinePeter Martin pulled out his iPhone 5 and showed how one could watch the WCAX news broadcast crystal clear on a cell phone. So much for “film at 11,” a viewer can now get the TV news on a mobile device or at the CAX website. Won’t that just cannibalize your own news programming? “If we don’t cannibalize ourselves, someone else will,” Martin said.

Vermont Business MagazineGray Television, Inc (NYSE: GTN and GTN.A)announced today that it has reached an agreement with MtMansfield Television, Inc to acquire WCAX-TV, the CBS affiliated television station in South Burlingtonfor$29million. TheBurlington, Vermont-Plattsburgh, New York, marketis the 97th largest in the nation. WCAX has 95 employees.

Vermont Business Magazine Charlotte, NC-based FairPoint Communications, Inc (Nasdaq:FRP), Vermont's largest telecom, today announced that it lost -$23.9 million (-$0.88 per share) for the first quarter of 2017, compared to net income of $18.6 million for first quarter of 2016. The first quarter ended March 31, 2017. The company that plans to buy FairPoint during the second quarter of this year (ending June 30) also reported a quarterly loss.

Vermont Business Magazine Through a grant provided by the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) as part of the State’s Clean Water Initiative, the Town of Underhill and the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission (CCRPC) will develop a Stormwater Master Plan for the Town. This type of planning is needed as development pressure is exerted on the Town due to its proximity to employment centers in central Chittenden County.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott joined Senators Patrick Leahy and Bernie Sanders, and Congressman Peter Welch today in welcoming a $2 million federal grant to increase access to opioid misuse prevention, treatment and recovery services for Vermonters. In a letter to Governor Scott, US Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price said the funding is the first of two rounds as provided for in the 21st Century Cures Act. The funds will be allocated through the State Targeted Response to the Opioid Crisis Grants administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Vermont Business Magazine Sometimes in sports, "a tie is as good as a win," but in the case of Governor Phil Scott's proposal to roll all local teacher health insurance contracts into one state plan, a tie vote in the House Wednesday night was a loss. An amendment to an existing bill to create a statewide teacher health insurance plan was defeated when Speaker Mitzi Johnson cast the tying vote on the amendment. A clear majority is required to add an amendment. The House then added an amendment supported by Democratic leadership that would take anticipated savings on school health care plans negotiated district-by-district across the state and put them against the statewide property tax. The governor called that plan a "hope and a prayer," in a VPR interview. At issue is what both sides agree is the prospect of $26 million in savings to property tax payers.