Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Casella Waste Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: CWST), a regional solid waste, recycling, and resource management services company, announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Royal Carting and Welsh Sanitation and related real estate assets. The acquisition is expected to close in the fourth quarter, subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals. The pending acquisition includes two solid waste collection operations and two transfer stations in New York’s Middle and Lower Hudson Valley regions and western Connecticut, which will extend the Company’s service territory into new adjacent markets. The pending acquisition is expected to generate over $90 million in annualized revenues with a high concentration of commercial collection service and waste volumes that can be internalized into Casella’s landfills over time.

Vermont Business Magazine NBT Bancorp Inc. (NASDAQ: NBTB) and Evans Bancorp, Inc. (NYSE American: EVBN) today announced they have entered into a definitive agreement pursuant to which Evans will merge with and into NBT. This merger will bring together two highly respected banking companies and extend NBT’s growing footprint into Western New York. The combined organization will have the highest deposit market share in Upstate New York for any bank with assets under $100 billion and will result in a network of over 170 locations from Buffalo, NY to Portland, ME. NBT has branches in northwest Vermont. The aggregate transaction value is approximately $236 million based on NBT’s closing stock price of $46.28 on September 6, 2024. 

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas released the September Vermont 2024 Candidates and Campaign Finance. This report is a continuation of the Secretary of State’s ongoing efforts to improve transparency for campaign finance reporting during the 2024 campaign season. The September report reflects candidate filings as of the most recent filing deadline on September 1. Per state law, candidates are only required to file a campaign finance report if they “rolled over any amount of surplus into his or her new campaign or… made expenditures or accepted contributions of $500 or more during the two-year general election cycle.”

The Vermont Association of Broadcasters announced today that Mark Johnson, Rich Haskell and Gary Sadowsky will be inducted into the Vermont Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame Saturday, November 16, 2024, along with this year’s award winners. These broadcasters will be celebrated during the VAB Hall of Fame & Awards Gala at the new Farmhouse located on the grounds of The Essex Resort & Spa in Essex, VT.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Arts Council announces more than half a million dollars in grant awards to 86 Vermont organizations—from arts nonprofits to arts schools, museums to makerspaces, from libraries to community art centers, and more. All are helping to expand arts access through specific programs or are bringing year-round, high-quality arts programs and services to Vermonters across the state. 

by Jackie Myers I opened my first child care program out of necessity. Recent public investment has made it possible for my program to thrive. I had a difficult childhood and was pregnant at 15 years old. I was intent on making sure my son had a better childhood than I did, and that determination grew into a passion for ensuring that every child gets a better start. I initially served six children. That’s how I met Michelle Prouty — who similarly served half a dozen kids in her home. We dreamed of starting a child care center together. With some risk and a lot of hard work, we have run the Myers Prouty Children’s Campuses for 30 years — which now consists of eight programs in the Bennington area. The Bennington Banner and Manchester Journal recently awarded us for the best child care.  

Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont are $3.31 per gallon, down 4.4 cents per gallon from last week's $3.35/g. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $2.89/g while the highest was $3.48/g, a difference of 59.0 cents per gallon. The national average price of gasoline has fallen 7.2 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.22/g today. The national average is down 22.5 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 58.8 cents per gallon lower than a year ago.

The Vermont State Police has recovered the bodies of four victims following an airplane crash in Addison County. A preliminary investigation determined that the four-seat, single-engine Piper aircraft had departed Windham Airport in Connecticut at about 8:30 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024, for a flight of about two hours to Basin Harbor Airport in Ferrisburgh. Investigators determined the privately owned plane landed and the occupants arrived for a brunch reservation at Basin Harbor. The party departed the restaurant shortly after noon and were to fly back to Connecticut. A witness reported seeing the airplane on the runway at about 12:15 p.m. No reports were received indicating an aircraft in distress or that a plane had crashed.

Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets Have you wondered if halal markets are an opportunity for your farm or food products? Do you want to collaborate with other farmers to better meet the needs of halal markets in the Northeast? If so, join the Vermont Sheep and Goat Association (VSGA) in Middlebury on September 23rd for a workshop about the halal value chain in the Northeast. The goal of this workshop is to improve understanding of the Muslim dietary laws (i.e., halal) and how this market can be better served. The workshop will be useful for farmers raising livestock and/or growing plants, as well as processors developing new foods and related products (e.g., cosmetics). A specific focus will be on the halal slaughter of animals and some of the details that need to be considered both in terms of religious requirements and animal welfare.

by Burlington Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak Dear neighbors, I write with community safety updates. The City has experienced some scary and troubling events in the last couple of weeks, and my thoughts are with the victims and their loved ones, as well as with the community as a whole. I also remain grateful to our first responders. Their jobs are not easy, and we are all fortunate for their steady and capable response, unwavering service to the community, and ongoing collaboration in achieving our goal of a safer Burlington. I want to emphasize that the top priority of my administration is improving our community safety system so it is comprehensive, effective, and responsive to our community’s needs. Everyone deserves to be and feel safe in our city, and we still have work to do to get there. Our City team has been hard at work across multiple departments and in collaboration with community partners to develop and implement both immediate steps and longer-term strategies to address our health and safety challenges. 

by Camryn Brauns and Line-Marie Eichhorst, Community News Service Along Vermont Route 100, the Green Mountain Club is continuing to build a new visitor center on the same spot as its current one. The new building is meant to be an updated welcoming space in Waterbury Center for hikers and visitors to learn about Vermont’s trail systems and stock up on supplies for outdoor excursions.  The current visitor center has been plagued by mounting repair needs and mold issues.  After raising over $70,000 in 2023, the club has a goal this year of $80,000. Hikers are encouraged to sign up online to create an individual fundraising page and to then hike a favorite section of the 272-mile Long Trail on Saturday, Sept. 21. 

Vermont Business Magazine This weekly report is a list of planned construction activities that will affect traffic on state highways and interstates throughout Vermont for the Week of September 9, 2024. Please remember to drive safely in all work zones. Lives depend on it.