Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Watching wildlife is enjoyable, especially when young animals appear in the spring.  But it is best to keep your distance.  Picking up young wildlife can do more harm than good, according to the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, and it is also against the law. When people see young animals alone, they often mistakenly assume these animals are helpless or lost, in trouble or needing to be rescued. Bringing young wildlife into a human environment often results in permanent separation from their mothers and a sad ending for the animal. Handling wildlife could also pose a threat to the people involved. Wild animals can transmit disease and angry wildlife mothers can pose significant dangers.

Vermont Business Magazine The Federal Nuclear Waste Policy (FNWP) Committee of the Vermont Nuclear Decommissioning Citizens Advisory Panel (VT NDCAP) will meet on Monday, April 20, 2026, from 12:00 Noon to 1:00 PM.  As permitted by ACT 133 of the 2024 Vermont Legislature, this meeting will be conducted solely as a webcast and teleconference.  Members of the public may join the meeting webcast via Zoom.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Fish and Wildlife staff are looking for volunteers to join them for a fun-filled day to get the Green Mountain Conservation Camps at Lake Bomoseen and Buck Lake ready for the 2026 season. The Spring Cleanup will take place on Saturday, May 16, and volunteers can choose to help at either camp location.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Natural Resources Council (VNRC) has published a new online dam tracking tool in collaboration with the Dam Task Force, a group of river and fish biologists, anglers, community members, freshwater advocates, conservation organizations, and state and federal regulators who are working to restore and reconnect our rivers to support thriving fish populations, improved recreational access, and a river’s natural capacity to handle flooding. The dam tracking tool, the Vermont Dam Mapper, takes the form of an online information dashboard and associated story maps, is hosted by VNRC and the Dam Task Force’s FreeVTRivers project website.

Vermont Business Magazine The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on April 10, 2026, Jeffery Paul Coolidge, 61, of Montpelier, Vermont, was sentenced by United States District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr., to a term of 240 months of imprisonment to be followed by a lifetime term of supervised release. Coolidge previously pleaded guilty to Distribution and Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM). 

Vermont Business Magazine Union Bankshares, Inc (NASDAQ - UNB) today announced results for the three months ended March 31, 2026, and declared a regular quarterly cash dividend. Consolidated net income for the three months ended March 31, 2026, was $3.0 million, or $0.65 per share, compared to $2.5 million, or $0.55 per share, for the same period in 2025. The Board of Directors declared a cash dividend of $0.36 per share for the quarter payable May 7, 2026, to shareholders of record as of April 27, 2026.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Speaker Jill Krowinski made the following statement on Act 181: “I am incredibly thankful for the work of Representative Amy Sheldon, Chair of the House Committee on Environment, the members of House Committee of Environment, and all the Vermonters that have reached out and shared their perspectives on Act 181. These conversations have highlighted a critical issue: while some aspects of the law are working, there are some that are not. Following extensive feedback from communities across Vermont, it is clear that the ‘Road Rule’ and ‘Tier 3’ need to be repealed."

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Transportation (AOT) is seeking grant applications for infrastructure projects that improve access and safety for bicyclists and pedestrians. In 2025, the Agency awarded approximately $6 million for bicycle and pedestrian construction and planning projects throughout the state. The AOT Bicycle and Pedestrian Program improves access and safety for bicyclists and pedestrians through the planning, design, and construction of infrastructure projects. The program improves transportation options for commuters, visitors to the state, and recreational users.

Vermont Business Magazine Champlain Housing Trust has begun work redeveloping a building at 322 St. Paul Street in Burlington to create 10 new, service supported apartments. The redevelopment is part of pilot project supported by the State of Vermont to address gaps in housing for individuals eligible to receive Medicaid-funded Developmental Disabilities Services. CHT has been working with the Developmental Disability Housing Initiative (DDHI), a parent advocacy group of over 100 families, to develop a model of service-supportive housing that will offer opportunities for residents to live as fully and independently as possible.

Vermont Business Magazine The sense of belonging and connection people feel in their communities has a powerful influence on mental and physical health. At a time of polarization, disruption, and disconnection, the arts can help bring people back together to work, play, create, and solve problems at the community level, with meaningful impacts on wellbeing.  The Vermont Community Foundation has new funding available for projects and events in the visual, performing, musical, and literary arts that create opportunities for positive social interaction, engagement, and collaboration. We invite Letters of Interest (LOI) from nonprofits, schools, libraries, and other community and cultural organizations. Projects should strengthen belonging and community cohesion in ways that are likely to persist and grow.

by Peter A. Steele, Regional Administrator, SBA There’s good news for filers this tax season – and few Americans are seeing more benefits than our small businesses right here in Vermont. Nationally, the average federal tax return is up 11% over last year. Over 12 million small businesses have seen an average refund of over $7,000, and 25% of people have taken advantage of no tax on overtime. And that’s huge news for our economy. Every dollar that a small business saves will be reinvested back into our communities – into new jobs, into new equipment and new investments.

Vermont State Police On Tuesday, April 14, 2026, the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Burlington informed the Vermont State Police they have completed the autopsy on the woman found deceased following a fire in her apartment on Sunday evening. The woman is identified as 65-year-old Brenda Garey. The medical examiner determined that Garey died of natural causes prior to the fire. The investigation into the origin and cause of the fire is ongoing but is not believed to be suspicious.