Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on December 18, 2025, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Brian Wood, 23, of Hartford, Vermont, with Production of Child Sexual Abuse Materials (CSAM, also known as child pornography) and Possession of CSAM. Wood entered a plea of not guilty to the charges during an arraignment on December 19, 2025 before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle. Judge Doyle ordered that Wood be detained pending a detention hearing currently scheduled for December 24, 2025. Wood’s unlawful interactions with minors remains the focus of a continued law enforcement investigation. Anyone with information should contact the Hartford, Vermont, Police Department. 

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General Charity Clark today joined a coalition of attorneys general in suing the Trump Administration to stop the complete defunding of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), which has returned more than $21 billion improperly taken from over 205 million Americans throughout its 14-year existence. The CFPB’s current acting director, Russel Vought, is attempting to completely defund the agency by refusing to request any funding from the Federal Reserve, which will virtually guarantee the agency runs out of money in January 2026. As Attorney General Clark and the coalition argue in their lawsuit, defunding the CFPB will have devastating impacts on consumers and severely disrupt states’ consumer protection abilities, which rely on consumer complaints and data from the agency.

Vermont Business Magazine The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on December 18, 2025, Douglas Reynolds, 37, of, Dalton, New Hampshire, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss to a term of 120 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. Reynolds previously pleaded guilty to discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, specifically assaulting federal law enforcement using a deadly weapon. According to court records, members of the United States Marshals Service attempted to serve an outstanding state arrest warrant on Reynolds near Dalton, New Hampshire. Reynolds spotted law enforcement and fled in his black Jetta sedan. Reynolds led law enforcement north on Interstate 93 to Saint Johnsbury, Vermont, before turning south on Interstate 91. The chase reached speeds of over 100 miles per hour. 

Vermont Business Magazine A Vermont judge on December 17, 2025, ruled on the defendants’ motions to dismiss in A.V. v. Vermont Dept. for Children and Families, Copley Hospital, and Lund, allowing claims to move forward against all three defendants. The case stems from an inappropriate DCF “assessment” of expectant parent A.V. in 2022. Based on unsubstantiated claims about her mental health and without ever speaking to her, the state obtained access to her confidential medical records, lied to a court to obtain custody of A.V.’s fetus, and attempted to force her to undergo an involuntary c-section. Immediately after A.V. had given birth—and before she could even hold her newborn daughter—the state took custody of her child and fought for seven months to sever A.V.’s parental rights, until a judge finally reunited the family. 

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General Charity Clark today joined a bipartisan coalition of 49 other attorneys general in announcing a settlement with Mercedes-Benz USA and Daimler AG for violating state laws prohibiting unfair or deceptive trade practices by marketing, selling, and leasing vehicles equipped with illegal and undisclosed emissions defeat devices designed to circumvent emissions standards. The settlement, of which Vermont will receive $295,000, also includes more than $200 million in potential consumer relief.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Lottery and the Multi-State Lottery Association expect Monday’s Powerball jackpot to hit $1.6 billion, with an estimated cash value of $735.3 million, making it the fourth largest Powerball jackpot ever and the fifth largest U.S. lottery jackpot. Powerball jackpot winners may choose to receive their prize as an annuity or a lump sum payment (cash option). Both advertised prize options are prior to federal and jurisdictional taxes. The overall odds of winning a prize are 1 in 24.9. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million.

Vermont Business Magazine Federal actions have resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars in lost support to individuals and the state when Vermonters are struggling to meet their basic needs. The State of Working Vermont 2025, released today by the Montpelier-based nonpartisan nonprofit Public Assets Institute, analyzes U.S. Census and other data including costs, income, and wages in Vermont. It looks at how residents are doing and pinpoints the areas where the state can act to protect Vermonters’ wellbeing and economic security. Half of single adult Vermonters and a third of families with kids do not have enough income to meet basic needs. Two people earning minimum wage in Vermont will not be able to afford a standard two-bedroom apartment in 2026—and that shortfall between their rent and their earnings will be more than $25,000 annually, or $6 more income hourly per earner.

Vermont Business Magazine On Saturday, dozens of Hospice workers, volunteers, community members and elected officials held a “Honk and Wave” protest outside of UVM Health Offices on Shelburne Road to build community support and awareness for their ongoing union contract negotiations. They were met with overwhelming support. Despite the cold temperatures, spirits were high as cars honked and drivers waved. Six months ago, workers at UVM Home Health and Hospice voted overwhelmingly (88%) to form a union. Hospice United now represents over 100 Nurses, LNAs, Social Workers, Chaplains, Bereavement Coordinators, Volunteers Coordinators, Cooks, and Admin Support workers.

Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont is $3.06 per gallon, down 2.3 cents per gallon from last week's $3.08/g. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $2.69/g while the highest was $3.29/g, a difference of 60.0 cents per gallon. The national average price of gasoline has fallen 5.7 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $2.79/g today.

Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets Organic Dry Bean Production is a free online short course brought to you by UVM Extension and ECOBEAN: East-Central Organic Dry Bean Collaborative. This course will provide an introductory overview of dry bean production for farmers, service providers, students, and anyone interested in growing dry beans. Classes meet Mondays and Fridays from 12:00–1:15 p.m. EST, from February 2nd to February 20th. Dry beans can be a valuable addition to your crop rotation, especially as public interest in alternative plant proteins continues to rise. Join this course to learn production strategies grounded in local research and real on-farm experience. 

The Vermont State Police has arrested a suspect on multiple charges following a shooting early Friday in Fairfax. Timothy Bickings Jr., 44, of Fairfax is facing two counts of attempted first-degree murder along with charges of aggravated domestic assault and reckless endangerment. Bickings was arrested Friday afternoon and brought to the Northwest State Correctional Facility in St. Albans Town, where he was jailed without bail pending his initial court appearance. He is scheduled for arraignment at 1 p.m. Monday, Dec. 22, in the Criminal Division of Vermont Superior Court in St. Albans.

by Cameron Kohout, Community News Service Two years after floods devastated downtown, the leader of Barre Area Development Inc. says the group is starting to make progress, although much work remains to be done. Executive Director Josh Jerome has been in this position since May, but has been in the economic development field for 15 years, working in central Vermont. Jerome lived in Barre growing up, and spent four years as executive director of The Barre Partnership, whose goal is to sustain a vibrant downtown. After much uncertainty surrounding the hold on federal funding, Jerome says housing and flooding mitigation are mostly back on track.