Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s popular fish and wildlife summer course for educators will be held July 19-24 this year. The interactive field course that gets educators out into Vermont’s streams, forests and wetlands with some of the state’s leading natural resource experts takes place at the Buck Lake Conservation Camp in Woodbury. Now in its 41st year, “Wildlife Management and Outdoor Education Techniques for Educators,” is a one-week course taught by Vermont Fish and Wildlife and other Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) staff through Vermont State University.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont woodland owners are invited to share their perspectives through a new statewide survey aimed at better understanding landowner needs and priorities. Private landowners own more than 80 percent of Vermont’s forests, making their role essential to supporting healthy, productive forests across Vermont. The survey, part of the Growing Vermont’s Forest Resilience initiative, will help guide the development of programs, outreach, and resources for landowners.

Vermont Business Magazine The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, Cedric Wormely, 59, of Birmingham, Alabama, was sentenced by United States District Judge Mary Kay Lanthier to a term of 30 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release for a multi-year romance fraud that victimized women in Vermont and elsewhere. Wormely previously pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud in connection with this scheme to defraud women he met via various online dating platforms to provide him with money. Judge Mary Kay Lanthier imposed restitution of $151,432.19 for the victims of the offense. Judge Mary Kay Lanthier also sentenced Wormely to a term of 14 months’ imprisonment, to run concurrently, for violating his conditions of supervised release which were imposed after Wormely’s convictions in the Northern District of Alabama for drug trafficking and counterfeiting offenses.

Vermont Business Magazine The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on April 27, 2026, Ian Blochwitz, 34, of Buffalo, New York, was sentenced by United States District Judge William K. Sessions III to a term of 120 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 6-year term of supervised release. Judge William K. Sessions III also imposed $6,166.80 in restitution for the victims of Blochwitz’ criminal conduct. Blochwitz previously pleaded guilty to transporting a child in interstate commerce for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of approximately $80 million through the Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grant program to help communities address stormwater and sewer infrastructure needs. These grants will strengthen systems that safely capture and manage stormwater to help prevent contaminants, including untreated sewage, from polluting nearby waterways. The agency will provide funding from both fiscal years 2025 and 2026 totaling $464,000 to Vermont, which will be awarded to communities there. 

by Sara White, UVM Toddlerhood spans roughly ages 1 to 3 and is one of the most rapid, transformative periods of human development. During this time, children quickly progress from walking to running and climbing, from single words to short sentences and early thinking skills, and from simple exploration to problem-solving and imaginative play. Combined with a growing sense of independence, intense emotions, and early attempts at self-expression, these changes can create a range of challenges for both toddlers and their caregivers, starting with simply keeping up.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Federal Credit Union (VFCU) based in South Burlington and St. Patrick's Parish Credit Union, based in Fairfield, have officially merged, uniting two member-focused financial cooperatives with a shared mission: helping Vermonters prosper. St. Patrick’s Parish Credit Union, founded in 1953 with just $125 and a belief in neighbors helping neighbors, has been more than a financial institution, it has been a way of life rooted in trust, community, and personal connection. For decades, members were served not in offices, but around kitchen tables and across farm fields, where relationships mattered more than credit scores and a handshake meant everything.

by Mike Donoghue Opioid manufacturer Purdue Pharma LP (Purdue) was sentenced Tuesday in federal court in Newark, New Jersey, and ordered to pay criminal penalties of over $5 billion for its role in fueling the opioid epidemic in a case that was uncovered partially by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Vermont more than six years ago. Part of the multi-billion-dollar fraud was uncovered in Vermont by former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Owen Foster and Michael Drescher and healthcare fraud investigator George Thabault of Burlington while working for U.S. Attorney Christina Nolan. The Vermont portion of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugenia A. P. Cowles since Drescher’s appointment to the Vermont Supreme Court. 

Vermont Business Magazine As Vermont — and the nation — recognize National Apprenticeship Week, the University is highlighting a new registered apprenticeship opportunity available for aspiring educators. In partnership with the Vermont Agency of Education and Vermont Department of Labor, Vermont State University (VTSU) will offer courses for a new Teacher Apprenticeship program, enabling students to work toward a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the university, which leads to dual licensure in Elementary Education (grades K-6) and Special Education (grades K-8). Courses will be offered in 7-week sections, online, and will be self-paced. Current K-12 school employees looking for a bachelor’s degree or education licensure are encouraged to explore the offering, as many will be able to receive credit for the on-the-job learning available at their school.

Vermont Business Magazine Beginning this fall, Vermonters will have three additional pathways to high-demand careers through new academic programs at the Community College of Vermont (CCV). The new offerings are a liberal studies associate degree with specialization in education, a paraeducator certificate and a justice studies certificate. CCV programs are designed in close collaboration with businesses, state agencies, and other organizations to prepare students with relevant, in-demand skills.

Vermont Business Magazine Third Act Chittenden’s Media Committee is celebrating World Press Freedom Day 2026. A march Saturday, May 2, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. will go from the top of Church Street in Burlington to City Hall Park and back to the origin. The goal is to increase awareness and focus attention on press freedom, relentlessly under attack this past year by the Trump regime. Marchers’ signs will support our local, independent and public media as well as condemn suppression and censorship and creation of media conglomerates that reduce sources of information.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Treasurer Mike Pieciak warned Vermonters about a scam posing as a service to return unclaimed property.  The Federal Trade Commission recently alerted that scammers are calling and texting individuals, requesting money and personal information to reclaim their lost financial assets. The Treasurer’s Office reports that several Vermonters have been targeted.  To capture an individual’s attention, scammers might provide a specific dollar amount, use a fake government name, or urge to act quickly.