Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The Association of Vermont Conservation Commissions (AVCC) is seeking applications for its 2017 Tiny Grant program. The grants provide seed money and/or matching funds for specific conservation projects at the local level and AVCC members are eligible to apply. Individual grants are available in the range of $250-$600.

Vermont Business MagazineAfter a strong wind storm hit the Northeast, with gusts up to 55 mph in Vermont, Green Mountain Power announced Thursday morning that its crews are out making repairs. Forecasters say the strong winds will continue through the afternoon, potentially causing more outages. As of 10:30 am, about 5,700 homes are without power across the state, with most of the outages in Southern Vermont. So far, 5,800 customers have had their power restored.

“Our crews were ready and deployed around the state and they responded as the winds started. They will work as quickly and safely as possible to make repairs,” said Kristin Carlson, GMP’s Vice President of External Affairs. “All of our neighboring states were hit hard and are experiencing extensive outages from this storm. Our advanced preparation is helping us restore power quickly in Vermont.”

CLICK HERE TO SEE OUTAGE MAP

Vermont Business Magazine StoliVodka, "original premium vodka with uncompromising quality since 1938,"and "leading Premium Alternative Mountain lifestyle" brand Burton, which is the snowboard company based in Burlington, today announced in a zestfully written press release,a partnership that brings together two bold brands that are best served cold.Stoli is the Official Vodka of the 2017 Burton USSnowboarding Championships inVail, CO,which runs through March 4.

Vermont Business Magazine Students in search of a unique hospitality and resort education experience in the heart of the outdoors, look no further: Green Mountain College's Killington School of Resort Management (KSRM) invites prospective students and their families to attend an Open House at the school on Saturday, March 18 from 10 am to 5 pm for a chance to connect with the program’s passionate faculty and current students, learn firsthand what KSRM is all about, and even put their ski and snowboarding skills to use on the Vermont slopes. Sign up for the Open House here.

Vermont Business MagazineForty-five years ago, President Richard Nixon established a national nutrition program for seniors that created what we now know as Meals on Wheels. That program now delivers nutritious meals to homebound seniors in virtually every community across the country. This March, a host of Vermont legislators and civic leaders will celebrate that historic commitment to America’s aging seniors by pitching in to help deliver freshly prepared meals to elderly friends and neighbors in Bennington County.

In an effort to raise awareness for the important work done by Bennington County Meals on Wheels, state senators Dick Sears and Brian Campion, along with state representatives Linda Sullivan and Brian Keefe, will be working as Meals on Wheels volunteers, traveling the back roads and side streets of the county, visiting with older residents who rely on the program, almost half of whom are miltary veterans or their spouses.

Vermont Business Magazine Casella Waste Systems, Inc(NASDAQ:CWST), a regional solid waste management company based in Rutland, today reported its financial results for the three- and 12-month periods ended December31, 2016.Revenues were $143.8 million for the fourth quarter, up $3.8 million, or 2.7 percent, from the same period in 2015. Revenues were $565million for fiscal year 2016, up $18.5 million, or 3.4 percent, from fiscal year 2015. Net loss was $(12.0) million for the quarter, down$(5.0) million, or 70.6 percent, from the same period in 2015. Net loss was $(6.9) million for the fiscal year, up$4.9 million, or 41.8 percent, from fiscal year 2015.

Shares were up today, at $12.09, near their 52-week high ($5.67 - $13.41), achieved last December.

Vermont Business Magazine FairPoint Communications, Inc (FRP), Vermont's largest communications provider based in North Carolina, announced today that it will hold a special meeting of stockholders to approve the proposed merger with Illinois-based Consolidated Communications Holdings, Inc. (CNSL). The special meeting will be held on March 28, 2017 at 11 am ET at The Westin Charlotte, 601 South College Street, Charlotte, North Carolina. FairPoint Communications’ stockholders of record at the close of business on February17, 2017, the record date for the special meeting, will be entitled to receive notice of the special meeting and to vote their shares of common stock at the special meeting.

Vermont Business Magazine Ice cream lovers, mark your calendar and set a reminder! OnApril 4ice cream company Ben & Jerry's is another year older andyouget to celebrate.Scoops of Ben & Jerry's delectable Fairtrade ice cream, filled with chunks and swirls, will be offered free at locations around the world as a "thank you" to the company's dedicated fans.

Vermont Business MagazineIn true Olympic spirit, Lenny’s customers went for the gold and raised $4,029 for local athletes with intellectual disabilities.Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel held their 6^thannual Olympic donation event, and the store and its customers collectively raised $3,229 for Special Olympics Vermont and $800 for Special Olympics New York. Lenny’s Marketing Director Amanda Cashin presented that donation Liza Reed, Marketing & Partnerships Director of Special Olympics Vermont.

Vermont Business MagazineThe Legislature is proposing a 10-point plan that would raise about $31 million annually to pay for the state's mandated clean water plan. The EPA is requiring the state clean up Lake Champlain and other bodies of water over the next 20 years at a total cost of $2.3 billion. The state funding gap is about $25 million a year. The legislative proposal, which Governor Phil Scott vehemently opposes, would fill that funding gap primarily by raising the rooms, meals and alcohol tax by 1 percent ($18.9 million) and adding $10 to motor vehicle registrations ($6 million).

TheHouse Natural Resource, Fish and Wildlife Committee sent its 10-point funding proposal to the Ways & Means Committee Tuesday. See details below.

by Bill Schubart We may be finally witnessing the death throes of the conservative “trickle-down” mantra that advocates for lower taxes on “job creators” and “hands-off” government regulation. This philosophy enthralled Reagan’s “moral majority,” who also challenged the rights of women and many non-whites by opposing abortion, birth control, gay marriage, voting rights, and immigration.

More recently, ultraconservative factions have championed the unfettered right to carry guns anywhere, isolationism in an international world, limiting voting rights to themselves, and opposition to an inclusive health care plan. No wonder we’re seeing suicide by lifestyle and declining life expectancy among disadvantaged white men and women seduced by this hollow belief system. The question is… what will replace it?

Vermont Business MagazineRutland's OpenEMR, the most popular open source electronic health records (EHR) and medical practice management solution, announced today that OpenEMR version 5.0 has achieved Complete ONC certification, through Infogard.This certification is vital for medical practices in the USto comply with MACRA and participate in Medicare's Quality Payment Program.