Current News

The Vermont History Expo will be suspended for June 2009
BARRE, VT (12/4/08) -- The Board of Trustees of the Vermont Historical Society (VHS) met on Friday, November 21st. At that meeting the decision was made to suspend the Vermont History Expo for this upcoming year ('09).
Tess Taylor, VHS Director of Education and Public Programs, explained, "The Expo has had a nine-year run at the historic Tunbridge Fairgrounds for one weekend in June each of those years. Thousands of Vermonters, and "Vermonters at Heart" old and young have been treated to two days of exhibitions by local historical societies, for whom this event was created, plus offerings by history museums, cultural heritage organizations and associations, performers, history presenters, traditional trades people. It is often referred to as 'Vermont's Family Reunion.'"

YEAR-END TAX TIPS FOR BUSINESSES

Six Tax-Optimizing Tactics to Consider Before January 1
Montpelier, VT-With 2008 fast coming to a close, many area businesses are actively working on preparing tax filings for what has been an economically volatile year. This year, Congress has enacted important changes to the tax laws that provide opportunities for businesses to reduce their income tax burden for the year. Now is the time to review some possibilities for action before year-end.

The following six tips from the Vermont Society of Certified Public Accountants can help your business make the most of these time-sensitive tax opportunities (and don't forget maybe the most important tax tip: organize your records and tax files before meeting with your accountant. It'll save your CPA time, and you money):

Casella Waste Systems, Inc. Announces Second Quarter Fiscal Year 2009 Results
RUTLAND, VT, Dec 03, 2008 (MARKET WIRE via COMTEX News Network) -- Casella Waste Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CWST), a regional solid waste, recycling and resource management services company, today reported financial results for the second quarter of its 2009 fiscal year.
Highlights of the quarter include:
-- Free cash flow* for the quarter was up $8.2 million over the same
period last year;
-- Operating income for the quarter was up 1.3 percent over same period
last year; and
-- Solid waste operations continue to perform well through the economic
slowdown, while the recycling group faces pressures from volatile commodity
pricing.

Cornell Nutritional Expert, Vermont Baby Formula Company Urge Parents Not to Dilute Formula with Extra Water
GEORGIA, Vt., Dec. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to press reports of parents diluting baby formula in this difficult economy, a nutritional expert and a leading manufacturer of infant formula are urging parents to breastfeed or use formula responsibly by following the instructions on the can.
"It is critical that parents refrain from diluting baby formula with extra water during these tough economic times," said Barbara S. Levine, R.D., Ph.D., director of the first NIH-funded Nutrition Information Center at Weill Cornell Medical College. "If parents choose to formula feed, they must remember it is an infant's sole source of nutrition."

MONTPELIER, Vt. The numbers are in, and the state's new job creation incentive program had a strong rookie season, creating 265 new jobs and generating nearly $600,000 in new tax revenues for Vermont in 2007.

A final report released by the Vermont Economic Progress Council and the Vermont Department of Taxes, which jointly administer the Vermont Employment Growth Incentive program, shows that the seven companies approved for activity during its first year created $10 million in new payroll.

They also made $23 million in capital investments, and the new jobs and economic activity generated an estimated $583,000 in net new tax revenues to the state, almost twice what was initially estimated.

Governor announces Career Readiness Program

NativeEnergy Partners with Cascade Sierra Solutions
Energy Efficiency Partnership Expecting To Save Over 2 Million Gallons of Fuel & Reduce Air Pollution
[December 3, 2008] South Burlington, VT- NativeEnergy, an international marketer of high quality carbon offsets and renewable energy credits (RECs), today announced its first energy efficiency project partnership, adding to its portfolio of effective climate crisis solutions. Working with Cascade Sierra Solutions (CSS), a non-profit organization dedicated to making ground freight transportation more energy efficient and sustainable, NativeEnergy continues its mission providing clients with high quality emissions reductions from new projects that have significant social value.
Cascade Sierra Solutions helps truckers to save fuel and reduce emissions from long haul, heavy-duty diesel trucks. NativeEnergy is supporting Cascade Sierra Solutions objective to upgrade and/or replace 50,000 trucks by 2013.

Public Comment period extended to Dec. 15:

Burlington Waterfront Access North Transportation Improvement Project
The City of Burlington will extend the deadline for public comment on the alternative designs focused on access to the Waterfront until Dec 15, 2008. For further details go to http://www.cedoburlington.org/waterfront/waterfront_access_north_project...
The proposed alternative designs include:

* Base improvements to Battery Street: new signals, streetlights and crosswalks

* Base improvements to Depot Street: selective restriction of motor vehicles, pavement, street lights, pedestrian connection to Sherman Street and a sidewalk connecting to Lake Street.

* Base improvements to the Lake Street and the Moran site: paving, streetlights, storm water improvements, bike path paving, sidewalks and crosswalks.
Or

First Year of New Economic Incentive Program Successful

Week Ending November 29, 2008
There were 1,823 new regular benefit claims for Unemployment Insurance last week, an increase of 261 from the week before. Altogether 10,628 new and continuing claims were filed, 1,136 more than a week ago and 2,266 more than a year earlier. In addition, the Department processed 1,144 claims for benefits under Emergency Unemployment Compensation, 2008, an increase of 18 from last week.
The Unemployment Weekly Report can be found at: http://www.vtlmi.info/

Previously released Unemployment Weekly Reports and other UI reports can be found at:
http://www.vtlmi.info/lmipub.htm#uc

ABC FORECASTS DOWNTURN

Food Stamp Participation Reaches All-Time High in Vermont During Holiday Season
Burlington, VT, December 2, 2008 - While many in Vermont were savoring Thanksgiving treats last week, others were signing up for food assistance; 60,062 Vermonters, almost 1 in 10, now participate in the Food Stamp Program according to data released by the Department for Children and Families. This number is up by over 1,500 in just one month, up 7,000 since this time last year, and represents a record high for Vermont.