Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont is one of the most rural states in the country, and Vermonters have a proud heritage of living close to the land.  Hunting is highly regulated and provides a way to connect with the land, connect with nature and connect with a healthy, sustainable food source that is rooted in Vermont. Making the most of the meals provided by deer taken in hunting seasons starts with processing them quickly and correctly which is why the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department has three online videos demonstrating how to process deer.  

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s regulated land and water trapping seasons open on October 25, 2025, according to the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department. Traps can be set on land for species such as fox, coyote and raccoon through December 2025, and in the water or under ice for species such as beaver, muskrat and otter through March 2026.  These species have healthy populations in Vermont that can sustain regulated trapping for fur and food each year. In December 2023, the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Board adopted amended regulations that require trappers to use traps that reduce harm to captured animals and to follow safety measures to minimize conflicts with pets and other outdoors users.

Vermont State Police Search efforts continue Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025, for missing Middlebury College student Lia Smith. Thursday morning, a comprehensive search began of multiple locations in and around Middlebury. Participating agencies in the search include the Middlebury Police Department, the Vermont State Police Search and Rescue Team, game wardens with the Vermont Department of Fish & Wildlife, representatives from various Addison County law-enforcement agencies, North Country Search Dogs, New Hope Search and Rescue, and members of the public including the Middlebury College community. Lia, a 21-year-old from Woodside, California, has not been located. She is last known to have been seen on campus Friday night, Oct 17, and was reported missing Sunday, Oct. 19.

Vermont Business Magazine Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) and Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark will hold a press conference tomorrow to discuss their actions to restore $7 billion in Solar for All funding that the Trump administration illegally canceled. Clark has filed multiple lawsuits to defend Solar for All, the program Sanders created to slash utility bills for working families, create thousands of good-paying jobs and take bold action to combat the existential threat of climate change. Solar for All would help lower residential electricity bills by up to 80% for more than 900,000 households nationwide, saving working families more than $8.7 billion over the lifetime of the panels. 

Vermont Business Magazine Grizzly MEP, a commercial mechanical, electrical and plumbing platform based in Atlanta, GA, has announced the expansion of its platform through a new partnership with Vermont Mechanical Incorporated, a full-service mechanical contractor headquartered in Williston, with a second office in Lebanon, NH. Founded in 1988, Vermont Mechanical designs, engineers, fabricates, installs and services high quality and cost-effective mechanical systems for commercial HVAC and plumbing customers in Vermont, New Hampshire and New York. As Grizzly’s fourth partnership since launching in May 2025, Vermont Mechanical will serve as a key pillar of the platform and a catalyst for expansion in the New England region.

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) spoke in support of legislation led by Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) to reform and right-size the Insurrection Act, an emergency, near-wartime authority measure President Trump has expressed interest in invoking in order to use the U.S. military to harass American citizens attending peaceful protests. In his remarks, Senator Welch demanded reforms to limit current and future administrations from abusing the Insurrection Act and deploying U.S. troops to police Americans exercising their right to free speech. The resolution was blocked by Senate Republicans.  

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Transportation (AOT) State Highway Safety Office (SHSO) held the annual Highway Safety Awards ceremony at the Vermont State House today. These awards are presented to highway safety professionals around the state for their exceptional work and commitment to keeping Vermont’s roadways safe for all users. “Today we honor these professionals whose hard work and dedication helps to keep people safe on our roads,” said Transportation Secretary Joe Flynn. “We wish to thank all those who were presented with awards as well as every Vermont highway safety professional working in law enforcement, education, engineering, and emergency medical services for their life-saving work.” 

Vermont Business Magazine The Department for Children and Families (DCF) has received federal guidance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) requiring all states to pause issuance of 3SquaresVT (SNAP) benefits until further notice as a result of the ongoing federal government shutdown. Due to the current lack of funding, Vermonters receiving benefits are encouraged to plan ahead and to stay up to date as more information becomes available. DCF is committed to helping Vermonters through this uncertain time.

Vermont State Police At the request of the Middlebury Police Department, the Vermont State Police will activate its Search and Rescue Team and other resources to join the ongoing search for missing Middlebury College student Lia Smith, 21, of California. The first full-scale search involving the VSP team will take place Thursday, Oct. 23. In addition, the state police’s Victim Services Unit is working closely with Lia’s family. Meanwhile, efforts led by the Middlebury Police Department to locate Lia are continuing. 

Vermont State Police The Vermont State Police is investigating the death of a 71-year-old canoeist after the boat he was using capsized Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025, on Lake Champlain in North Hero. VSP’s initial investigation has determined the incident began at about 2:30 p.m. Tuesday when two men who were related set out in the canoe from North Hero near the Hero’s Welcome store. While near Knight Island State Park, the canoe reportedly overturned. Both occupants were wearing personal flotation devices. 

Vermont Business Magazine Lightshift Energy, a developer, owner and operator of battery energy storage projects across the U.S., and KeyBanc Capital Markets, the corporate and investment banking arm of Cleveland based KeyCorp, announced the close of a $75 million credit facility that will support Lightshift’s rapidly growing pipeline of energy storage projects across the East Coast. The initial portfolio includes Lightshift’s project with GlobalFoundries in Vermont, which will deliver critical power services and significantly reduce electric transmission and capacity costs at their semiconductor manufacturing plant. The project will highlight the potential of co-located energy storage and, once operational in 2026, will be the largest battery project in Vermont. 

Vermont Business Magazine Mamava has released its 2025 ranking of the top airports in the US for breastfeeding parents, welcoming several newcomers to this year’s list. From Boston to Phoenix, airports coast to coast are stepping up their lactation amenities—showing growing momentum to make travel more comfortable and inclusive for breastfeeding families. This yearly ranking puts a spotlight on airports making a dedicated effort to go beyond the conditions of the Friendly Airports for Mothers (FAM) Acts—which require all large, medium, and small hub airports to provide one lactation space in each terminal—to ensure a truly welcoming and accessible environment for breastfeeding and pumping parents. ORD, SFO and MCO lead the way.