Current News

by Mike Donoghue A Montreal-area man, who is among about two dozen defendants indicted as part of a more than $21 million international “grandparent” scam operating in Vermont, has pleaded not guilty in federal court in Burlington to a felony fraud charge. Federal authorities in Vermont indicted 25 Canadians in the criminal case in February 2025 and all but two were arrested by March 2025, officials said. Jimmy “Coop” Ylimaki, 36, fled to Nicaragua, where he was eventually captured and was recently removed to the United States to face his indictment, officials said.

Vermont Business Magazine If you would like to learn how to effectively hunt wild turkeys in the upcoming spring hunting season, consider attending the turkey hunting seminars being offered by the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department and the National Wild Turkey Federation of Vermont volunteer instructors on April 7, April 22 and April 29. The seminars, titled “Learning to Hunt Spring Turkeys,” are designed specifically for new hunters and will be held from 5:00-7:30 p.m.

Vermont Busienss Magazine The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on February 19, 2026, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Jose Ignacio De La Cruz De La Rosa, also known as “Nacho,” 30, recently of Burlington, Vermont, and two other defendants whose identities remain sealed, with conspiracy to bring aliens to the United States, bringing aliens to the United States, conspiracy to produce identity documents, and producing fraudulent identity documents. De La Rosa had been detained by federal agents and subsequently released last summer.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont are $3.84 per gallon, up 18 cents per gallon from last week, up 90 cents/g from a month ago and up 79 cents/g from a year ago. Prices are lowest in Rutland ($3.83/g) and Windham ($3.83/g) counties and highest in Lamoille ($3.96/g), Grand Isle ($3.99/g) and Franklin ($3.97/g), according to AAA. The national average price of gasoline has risen 10 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.98/g today. The national average is up $1.00 per gallon from a month ago and stands 83 cents per gallon higher than a year ago

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont), Ranking Member of the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, on Wednesday pushed back on the false narrative that “sanctuary city” policies impede on local law enforcement and jeopardize public safety during a subcommittee hearing titled: Protecting American Citizenship II: Federalism, Sanctuary Cities, and the Rule of Law. In his remarks, Senator Welch emphasized that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have impeded state and local law enforcement from directing their own personnel and resources towards the issues their communities care about most.

Vermont Business Magazine With this year’s construction season ahead, the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) wants to remind Vermonters about requirements to help protect the state’s waterways. “We know that it is a year-round challenge to protect water quality at construction sites,” said DEC Commissioner Misty Sinsigalli. “To safeguard Vermont’s waterways and their many benefits, it is key to use measures that reduce erosion and keep soil on construction sites.”

Vermont Business Magazine The Attorney General’s Office announced that Spencer L. Bates, 38, of North Ferrisburgh, Vermont, was arraigned today on one felony charge of sexual assault and one felony charge of aggravated sexual assault. The charges brought against Bates are the result of an investigation conducted by the Middlebury Police Department.

Vermont Business Magazine The Hammond Cove Shooting Range in Hartland, Vermont will open on April 2, at 10 am. The range operates under rules set by the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department.  Range users must sign in with an onsite range safety officer and have a valid Vermont hunting or fishing license or be the guest of someone who does. Before using the range, shooters are urged to review the range rules on Fish and Wildlife’s website.  The range is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays as well as all state and federal holidays.

Vermont Business Magazine Jimmy Ylimaki, 36, of Quebec, Canada, made his initial appearance in the U.S. District Court for the District of Vermont on March 24, in connection with an indictment charging him with participating in a “grandparent scam.” Ylimaki was apprehended in Nicaragua and was removed to the United States. Ylimaki entered a plea of not guilty to the charge before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle for the District of Vermont, who ordered that Ylimaki be detained pending trial. According to court records, a “grandparent scam” is a telemarketing fraud scheme involving phone calls made to elderly individuals. The initial callers typically pose as a member of the elderly victim’s family (usually a grandchild) and claim – falsely – to be in legal trouble, such as a motor vehicle accident.

Vermont Business Magazine Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak today provided an update on the City of Burlington’s ongoing review of the March 11 incident in South Burlington involving federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and state and local law enforcement, including the Burlington Police Department (BPD). “The past couple of weeks have been deeply unsettling. In the days since this incident, we have heard clearly from our community about the fear, pain, and uncertainty this situation has caused. I unequivocally condemn ICE’s actions and the danger they created for our community. My administration is taking this situation seriously, and we remain committed to a process grounded in transparency, accountability, and respect for all people in our community. "At the March 23 City Council meeting, interim Chief of Police Shawn Burke provided information on the BPD’s involvement in the incident, including why our officers were called to the scene, a timeline of events, and how our internal review process works.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Vermont Speaker of the House Jill Krowinski provided a statement and presented an overview of the bills that have made the legislative crossover deadline. They include: H.577: The bill establishes a Prescription Drug Discount Card Program, administered by the State Treasurer, that pools purchasing power with other states and organizations to negotiate lower drug costs for all Vermont residents; H.211; The bill is an update to Vermont’s first in the nation data broker law which limits data brokers ability to sell Vermonter’s data; H.949: This bill sets the homestead and nonhomestead education property tax rates and yields for fiscal year 2027 and reserves $104.9 million in the Education Fund to help offset property tax rate increases over the next two years; H.723: The bill makes it easier for Vermonters to post their land, by no longer requiring dates on postings and ensuring that minor issues with postings will not result in land being open; H.887: The bill aligns definitions in safe leave in the Parental and Family Leave Act, so that it matches the Fair Employment Practices Act.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Immigration Legal Defense Fund (VILDF) today announced that it has raised more than $850,000 from thousands of donors across the state since its launch on May 8, 2025. The organization has a goal of raising $1 million in one year to create a sustainable immigration legal defense system in Vermont. The incredible grass roots support reflects Vermonters’ motivation to uphold the right to due process for all persons as it is enshrined in Bill of Rights of the United States Constitution.