Current News

by Vermont Auditor of Accounts Doug Hoffer This summer’s extreme weather and flooding events have been unfortunate harbingers of the “new normal” of climate change. Thank you to all the first responders and community members who helped keep people safe and have since pitched in with the clean-up process. And to all those directly impacted by the floods: I have been keeping you in my thoughts and wish you the speediest recovery. The growing frequency and power of extreme weather events makes it clear – Vermont needs to do more to proactively ready our communities to reduce the danger to Vermonters’ lives and property.

Vermont Business Magazine It’s that time of year again. The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets invites you to Vermont Day at the Big E, this coming Saturday, September 21st. This exciting event takes place annually at the Vermont Building on the Avenue of States at the Big E in West Springfield, Massachusetts. During Vermont Day, you’ll find 27 Vermont vendors set up to serve you inside and outside of the historic Vermont Building. 

Vermont State Police The Vermont State Police and the Morristown Police Department have arrested a suspect on a murder charge arising from the September 1993 killing of 42-year-old Cheryl Peters. A Vermont grand jury convened in Lamoille County and returned an indictment for first-degree murder against Peters’ estranged husband, Carroll Peters, 70, of Morrisville. According to the findings of VSP’s 31-year investigation, Carroll Peters fatally shot Cheryl Peters in the head at her Morrisville home. Her body was discovered in the house on Sept. 2, 1993. 

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) today applauded the Biden-Harris Administration’s investment of over $228 million to build out high-speed affordable internet in Vermont. This funding is allocated through the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. It has been officially obligated to Vermont following the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) approval of Vermont’s Internet for All plan to deliver broadband to underserved communities. The BEAD program is funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Senator Welch helped pass as a member of the House of Representatives. The State of Vermont will be selecting the recipients of grant funds through a competitive process over the next year, with funds expected to flow by late 2025. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Public Service Department (PSD) announces the 2024 Mobile Wireless Drive Test: Public Input Survey. This survey allows Vermonters to highlight areas they know where Mobile Wireless Coverage is limited or unavailable, as they are the people who live, work, and drive in these areas every day! The survey includes the ability to enter a specific address or highlight a roadway with limited or unavailable service. The data collected from this survey will assist the Department in mapping the route for the upcoming 2024 Mobile Wireless Drive Test.

Vermont Business Magazine Casella Waste Systems, Inc (NASDAQ: CWST), a regional solid waste, recycling and resource management services company, announced today the closing of its previously announced underwritten public offering of shares of its Class A common stock, including the full exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase an additional 675,000 shares, at a public offering price of $100 per share, before underwriting discounts. The exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares brought the total number of shares of Class A common stock sold by Casella in the offering to 5,175,000 and increased the aggregate gross proceeds from the offering to $517.5 million, before deducting underwriting discounts and offering expenses. 

Vermont Business Magazine Shelburne Farms is excited to announce that it has been awarded a Save America’s Treasures grant of $500,000 to help protect and preserve the historic Farm Barn, including  restoring its beautiful stone courtyard walls. With the work made possible by this grant, Shelburne Farms’ signature barn will continue to safely welcome the public to the nonprofit’s learning campus and the many education programs that begin at the Farm Barn’s doors. 

Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont are $3.25 per gallon, down 3 cents per gallon from last week, down 5 cents/g from last month and down 55 cents/g from one year ago. The lowest price in the state this week was $2.79/g while the highest was $3.89/g, a difference of $1.10/g. The national average price of gasoline has fallen 1 cent per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.21/g today. The national average is down 18 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 64 cents per gallon lower than a year ago

Vermont Business Magazine A new ski center at Saint Michael’s College aims to make the College’s Alpine and Nordic skiing teams more competitive and meet the teams’ unique needs. The Kelley Ski Center will celebrate its grand opening on Friday, Sept. 20, during the first day of the annual Alumni and Family Weekend. The ribbon-cutting ceremony and dedication will be held at 5:30 p.m. at the new center, located across the street from the main campus at 19 Lime Kiln Road in Colchester. The Kelley Ski Center will be housed in a renovated part of Senior Hall, one of the older structures on campus that had remained mostly underutilized in recent years. Thanks to the generosity and support of alumnus and former skiing captain Tom Kelley ’69 and his wife Denise, in addition to other alum

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) joined bill sponsors Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chair of the Senate Housing, Transportation and Community Development Subcommittee, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY-14) in introducing the bicameral Homes Act, legislation that would reimagine housing in America, making a historic and long overdue investment in our housing supply. The bill would help build and preserve as many as 1.3 million homes in small towns, big cities, and rural communities, and help families everywhere find a quality, affordable place to call home. The Homes Act is sponsored in the Senate by Sens. Smith, Welch, and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and in the House of Representatives by Rep. Ocasio-Cortez and 34 members of the House.

U.S. Small Business Administration Everyone should APPLY APPLY APPLY for ALL resources ALL at the same time to make the DEADLINES WHICH ARE THE SAME using the SAME INFORMATION: State Grants, FEMA Grants, SBA low interest disaster loans. SBA.gov/disaster, and a direct link to the current Vermont Disaster Declaration, SBA-Disaster-VT-July11-2024. The comprehensive documents are attached but here are some essential points which may be more useful along with links and the social media graphics for messaging: The U.S. Small Business Administration [SBA] is the largest provider of disaster recovery funds to repair, replace or relocate for homeowners, renters and businesses/nonprofits, even beyond FEMA.  We know, our name makes this confusing! Many individuals miss out on necessary funds.

Vermont Business Magazine The city of Winooski, Downtown Winooski, Winooski Working Communities Challenge and a network of business assistance providers will present an advising clinic on September 23. Free business support and guidance sessions for Winooski businesses will be provided by: Center for Women & Enterprise, Community Capital of VT, Opportunities Credit Union, SCORE Vermont, VEDA, Vermont Community Loan Fund, VT Small Business Development Center, and Vermont SBA. Drop-in business assistance will take place on September 23, 2024, at: Winooski V.F.W. Post #1767, 6 Maple Street, Winooski, Vermont, 1-3 pm.