Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, on Friday issued the following statement regarding upcoming committee assignments in the 119th United States Congress: "I am proud of what we have accomplished during my time as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Over the last two years, we have made progress in reducing the outrageous cost of prescription drugs, standing up for workers’ rights and the trade union movement, expanding primary health care, and protecting public education. In the next Congress, I look forward to serving as the Ranking Member on HELP."

Vermont State Police On Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, VSP troopers were notified of an event that had occurred the previous day at Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital in St. Johnsbury involving a reported assault of two correctional officers by 48-year-old Joseph Heim of Fayston, who was an inmate in their custody. Troopers began an investigation, during which they learned Heim had attempted to take a set of keys from the correctional officers and fought with them while at the hospital following a medical event. The correctional officers were able to prevent Heim from escaping and successfully restrained him. The COs were uninjured.

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Senators Peter Welch (D-Vermont), Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) joined U.S. Representatives Delia Ramirez (D-IL-03) and Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ-07) to introduce the CBP Guidance on Personal Belongings Act, bicameral legislation to require the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) to develop guidance for the handling of personal property of individuals arrested, restrained, or confined by the Agency. Senator Welch’s legislation would expand protections for all individuals traveling through CBP custody to ensure they can retain and retrieve their essential personal belongings if confiscated. The bill would also help to ensure that individuals can maintain access to their medications unless CBP officials have identified a specific safety concern or provided an equivalent replacement medication. 

Public Assets Institute Vermont added about 1,600 net new jobs during the 12-month period ending March 2024. Almost 70 percent of those jobs came from new businesses. After a record rise in the wake of the pandemic, the pace of job growth slowed, especially among existing private sector employers, with the biggest decline taking place during the year that ended in March 2024. Existing private sector businesses in the state added more than 15,700 jobs from March 2023 through March 2024. But they also laid off more than 15,200 people, for a net gain of fewer than 500. Startup companies created about 8,600 jobs, while business closures wiped out almost 7,500, a gain of about 1,100.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermonters affected by July’s severe storms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides have until 10 p.m. on Monday, November 25 to apply for federal disaster assistance, which may include FEMA grants to repair homes and replace property. For the storms that took place July 9-11, residents in the designated counties of Addison, Caledonia, Chittenden, Essex, Lamoille, Orleans and Washington are eligible to apply. For the July 29-31 storms, those in the designated counties of Caledonia, Essex and Orleans can apply. Vermonters affected by both July storms must submit separate applications for each event.

Vermont Business Magazine The US Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) today has approved and recommended for award an application from Vermont, allowing the state to request access to more than $5 million to implement its Digital Equity Plan. This funding comes from the $1.44 billion State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program, one of three Digital Equity Act grant programs created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This funding is part of the “Internet for All” initiative, a key component of President Biden’s “Investing in America” agenda. For a variety of reasons, many Americans struggle to use the Internet connection available to them—for example, some lack the skills to navigate online resources and protect their personal and financial information online; others cannot afford a computer or tablet at home.   

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) on Thursday led Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) in introducing legislation that would restore congressional funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). Senator Welch’s legislation would help address the mounting humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the West Bank by repealing funding prohibitions on UNRWA included in Congressional appropriations bills, and directs the U.S. Department of State to rescind the temporary pause in funding for UNRWA. The legislation expresses congressional support for appropriating critical funds to UNRWA for Fiscal Year 2025 appropriations packages. 

Vermont Business Magazine Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today released the following statement on the recent action by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas military chief Mohammed Deif for war crimes committed during and after the October 7, 2023 terrorist attacks: The Geneva Conventions were agreed to after the horrors of World War II to establish standards meant to protect civilian populations and prevent warring nations from engaging in barbaric actions. The International Court of Justice and, later, the International Criminal Court (ICC) were created to enforce those standards. Today, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel and his former Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, for war crimes including the use of starvation as a method of warfare and directing attacks against the civilian population.

Vermont Business Magazine Casella Waste Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CWST), a regional solid waste, recycling and resource management services company, today announced an offering of up to $45.0 million aggregate principal amount of the Finance Authority of Maine Solid Waste Disposal Revenue Bonds (Casella Waste Systems, Inc. Project) Series 2024 under an indenture between the Authority and the bond trustee. The Bonds will be guaranteed under a guaranty by substantially all of Casella’s subsidiaries, as required by the terms of the financing agreement between the Authority and Casella, pursuant to which the Authority will loan the proceeds of the Bonds to Casella. Casella intends to use the proceeds of the Bonds to fund the costs of certain qualifying capital projects in the State of Maine, to pay certain costs of issuance, and to refinance and repay in full on the stated maturity date of January 1, 2025.

Vermont Business Magazine On Thursday afternoon, hundreds of healthcare professionals, community members, and legislators lined main roads at Central Vermont Medical Center and the Mad River Family Clinic in a display of public opposition to the UVM Health Network’s recently proposed cuts to essential patient care services. The Network’s plan would close Central Vermont Medical Center’s Inpatient Psychiatry unit, two primary care clinics and multiple rehab therapy clinics in Central Vermont, dialysis centers in Newport, Rutland and St. Albans, the kidney transplant program at University of Vermont Medical Center, as well as limiting emergency, after-hours surgeries at CVMC, and decreasing UVMMC’s overnight capacity by 50 beds, among other cuts.

Vermont Business Magazine The Burke Area Chamber of Commerce held their Annual Meeting of Members at The Wildflower on November 18th which featured updates from the community, remarks from Lindsay Kurrle, Secretary of the VT Agency of Commerce and Community Development, and the presentation of the Business of the Year award to East Burke Market. Chamber President, John Kascenska, began the meeting with updates from Burke Mountain including the plan to begin snowmaking as soon as it is cold enough to do so with the goal of opening for the season in early December. Kascenska noted that the mountain was still in receivership and looking for a buyer. There was talk of a potential buyer in recent months, but that is no longer in the cards. Kascenska also introduced attendees to Christine Emmons who is the new (and first ever) Executive Director of the Burke Mountain Club. 

by Mike Donoghue, Vermont News First, Vermont Business Magazine The owner of a Rutland roofing company cheated the Internal Revenue Service out of nearly $300,000 by underreporting his annual income for four years, federal court records show. James Mailhiot Jr., 56, has agreed to plead guilty in federal court to a single count of income tax evasion for 2022, court records note. Part of his penalty will be to pay full restitution. He operates a partnership under the name Jim Mailhiot Roofing, the criminal charge said. Mailhiot's roofing company had generated about $1.6 million in revenue between 2019 and 2022, court papers note. He understated his income by $819,897 across those four years