Current News

by Mike Donoghue, Vermont News First, Vermont Business Magazine A federal judge in Burlington has dismissed a claim by a New York skier that he had accepted a multi-million dollar out-of-court settlement minutes before a jury in February rejected all the legal claims he made about an accident that left him paralyzed at Okemo Mountain. The injured skier, Richard Grajeda of Westbury, N.Y., was unhappy with the ruling from the bench by U.S. District Court Judge Christina Reiss in Burlington after she heard legal arguments last week. "They accepted it," Grajeda yelled at the judge as he stepped back from his walker and slumped into his wheelchair. "You can't do that," Reiss said as she adjourned court after about a 75-minute hearing. As Reiss left the courtroom, Grajeda continued, "I don't understand."  The Long Island man held his head in his hands.

Vermont Business Magazine The Attorney General’s Office announced that William Smith, 57, of Sheldon, Vermont, was sentenced today in Vermont Superior Court, Franklin Criminal Division, after pleading guilty to one felony count of Luring a Child. The Court, Judge Alison Arms presiding, sentenced Mr. Smith by plea agreement to one year in prison and a 15-year term of probation with conditions that he complete sex offender programming, have no contact with minors, and that restrict his access to the internet. If Mr. Smith violates the terms of his probation, he faces up to 5 years in jail. Mr. Smith is also required to register as a sex offender for 10 years after he is discharged from probation. 

Vermont Business Magazine On June 6, Governor Scott returned without signature and vetoed H.887, An act relating to homestead property tax yields, nonhomestead rates, and policy changes to education finance and taxation, and sent the following letter to the General Assembly: "Vermonters cannot afford a double-digit property tax increase. Especially while facing a historic eight-percent property tax increase last year, a 20% increase in DMV fees, a new payroll tax taking effect July 1, increased fuel costs to heat homes and businesses from the Clean Heat Standard, and increased electric costs if my veto of the Renewable Energy Standard is not sustained. All on top of several years of inflation – the most regressive tax of all – driving up the cost of household essentials like food, clothing and services faster than paychecks are growing."

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors has announced Amy Spear as the incoming President of the organization. Spear was selected from a robust pool of applicants following a six-month search committee process that leveraged the expertise of Burlington-based Hawley Consulting Services. The committee’s recommendation was ratified by the full board at a June 6 meeting. Spear has been part of the Vermont Chamber leadership team since 2019, serving as the Vice President of Tourism. She was named to the Vermont Rising Stars Class of 2023. 

Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont are $3.53 per gallon, down 4 cents/g from last week, down 12 cents/g from last month and down 3 cents/g from last year. The lowest price in Vermont is $3.15/g in Rutland and the highest is $3.89 in Island Pond. The national average price of gasoline has fallen 5.8 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.50/g today.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Federal Credit Union joins forces with HOPE (Helping Overcome Poverty’s Effects) to extend a helping hand to those in need. Hope’s vital programs are dedicated to supporting low-income individuals in Addison County through a variety of crucial initiatives. These efforts include providing essential food supplies to those facing hunger and ensuring that families have access to nutritious meals. Additionally, Hope’s programs focus on the well-being of children from disadvantaged backgrounds, fostering a positive and uplifting environment. 

Vermont Business Magazine The store will be owned and operated by Central Vermont Habitat for Humanity. According to store manager Harold Blake, its grand opening is scheduled for June 7th. The nonprofit has brought one full-time position, one part-time position, and will bring one additional part-time position to the area. The new store will be located at 149 South Main Street in Waterbury in the former Kinney Drug location next to Subway. It features approximately 3,500 square feet of retail space and is already stocked with a mixture of appliances, furniture, and home decor as Habitat for Humanity’s principal aim is to serve its community’s home needs. 

Vermont Business Magazine HB Lozito was honored with the 2023 Con Hogan Award. Lozito is the executive director of Brattleboro-based Out in the Open, which is working to build a multi-issue, multiracial social justice movement of rural LGBTQ+ people. In a recent interview, they talked about their life and work and what receiving the award meant to them both personally and professionally. Now in its tenth and final year, the award recognizes Con’s life and work by rewarding a community leader who shares his vision of a better Vermont and who seizes the responsibility for making that vision a reality. Awardees are individuals who focus on results, use data and measurement to mobilize action, work with people across diverse perspectives, take risks in pursuit of their vision, and persist through setbacks. 

Vermont Business Magazine Today, First Children’s Finance VT (FCF) announced that during the first quarter of 2024, more child care programs in Vermont opened than closed, signaling a new, positive trend for the state. In the first quarter of 2024, 10 new programs opened in Vermont, and licensed capacity in the system increased by 389 spaces. This is the first time since tracking began that more programs have opened than closed in a quarter. One year ago, the Vermont Legislature passed Act 76, a comprehensive child care bill with a long-term, sustainable, $125 million annual investment. FCF credits this public investment, along with access to capital such as the Infant/Toddler Capacity Building Grants Program, with helping to reverse a trend that has persisted for years, due to lack of public funding. 

Vermont Business Magazine As boaters visit Vermont’s lakes and ponds this spring and summer, the Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) and partners are offering a few tips on how to stay safe and protect Vermont’s natural resources. “Our state’s lakes and ponds offer exceptional recreational opportunities, clean drinking water, and outstanding fish and wildlife habitat,” said DEC Commissioner Jason Batchelder. “The kickoff of the boating season and nice days ahead remind us how important it is for everyone to use and enjoy public lakes and ponds in a safe and environmentally friendly way.”

Vermont Business Magazine Casella Waste Systems, Inc (Nasdaq: CWST), a regional solid waste, recycling and resource management services company, has been named to USA Today’s “America’s Climate Leaders 2024” list for the second consecutive year. The list recognizes the top 450 companies across the United States that have achieved the greatest reduction in their operational emissions intensity between 2020 and 2022 — a measure of the amount of Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gases a company produces relative to its revenue – and Casella is among just three in its industry to be recognized, and one of two to have been honored in back-to-back years. A pioneer in sustainable waste and recycling innovation, Casella established the first recycling facility in Vermont in 1977, recognized the benefits of organics and food waste recovery in the 1990’s, and was a charter member of the EPA’s Climate Leaders program in 2005.

Vermont Business Magazine The deadline to apply for a 2024 Vermont moose hunting permit is June 19. Moose permit applications are available on the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department’s website www.vtfishandwildlife.com for the hunt limited to Vermont’s Wildlife Management Unit (WMU) E in the northeastern corner of the state. The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Board voted on April 10 to have 80 either-sex moose hunting permits and 100 antlerless moose hunting permits available this year for a hunt limited to Vermont’s Wildlife Management Unit (WMU) E in the northeastern corner of the state.  The science-based hunt will result in an estimated harvest of about 94 moose, or about 10 percent of the current moose population in WMU E.