Current News

Vermont State Police Kevin Marx, the suspect in a vehicle attack on a Grand Isle County sheriff’s deputy late Wednesday, was jailed without bail early Thursday, March 5, 2026, on a charge of attempted first-degree murder. Marx is alleged to have run down the deputy after a traffic stop in South Hero on Wednesday night. The deputy, Sgt. Nicholas Pillsbury of Essex, was taken to UVMMC. His injuries were not life-threatening and he was discharged Thursday morning.

Vermont Business Magazine VMEC, Vermont Manufacturing Extension Center, has released its annual impact report. As Vermont’s only singularly focused resource for manufacturers, VMEC is the official representative of the MEP (Manufacturing Extension Partnership) National Network in the Green Mountain State. Since its inception in 1995, VMEC’s federal partner, NIST, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, has used an independent third-party organization to conduct surveys of VMEC clients as well as other MEP Centers across the U.S. and Puerto Rico. New this year and for the first time in VMEC’s history, we’ve transitioned from annual reporting figures to three-year data points. This change provides a more comprehensive view of long-term performance and trends in the manufacturing industry across the board and follows what many of our sister MEP Centers around the country have adopted.

by Kate Kampner Jon Copans watched videos of the July 2023 flooding from his phone during a well-timed vacation. But reality hit when he turned onto Montpelier’s State Street five days later. The debris, salt and smell of remaining devastation left Copans wondering what could be done. Following the floods, Copans became executive director of the Montpelier Commission for Recovery and Resilience, a partnership with the city government to build flood resiliency. After two years, the group is beginning to wind down its work in preparation for a merger with the Montpelier Foundation to build a new organization of aid for the city. As a final course of action, Copans supported H.778, a dam safety bill which passed out of the House Committee on Environment on Feb. 20. The bill then moved to the House Committee on Appropriations.

The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (AAFM) has recently joined FieldWatch Registries to promote communication and collaboration between crop producers, beekeepers, and pesticide applicators. FieldWatch (www.fieldwatch.com) is a non-profit organization that services 27 other U.S. states, three Canadian provinces, and the District of Columbia. FieldWatch provides an online mapping platform (geographic information system (GIS)) that allows real time communication between farmers, beekeepers, and pesticide applicators in a secure environment with an easy-to-use mapping registry to identify and map the locations of apiaries and crop fields that pesticide applicators should avoid. The platform allows participants to determine the amount of information to be shared to pesticide applicators and/or the public.

Northeastern Vermont Development Association Data center development, expanded manufacturing, and the electrification of transportation and buildings are causing a rapid increase in electricity demand. But will this be met primarily by additional fossil fuel power plants or can clean energy solutions play a major role? A recent report by the Clean Energy States Alliance (CESA), "How States Can Address Load Growth While Decarbonizing", aims to help state officials, as well as other stakeholders, understand how policymakers can respond to electric load growth in ways that continue to advance decarbonization of the electricity system.

Vermont Business Magazine Each winter, Vermont prepares for potential ice jams and their impacts. Also known as “ice dams,” ice jams form when blocks of ice clump and block river flow. Ice jams can cause upstream flooding before they break up or release suddenly and cause damage downstream. Rain on snow can quickly form ice jams in the steep and powerful streams of Vermont’s valleys and mountains. Ice jams are most common from January to March when river ice breaks up quickly and collects at undersized stream crossings, sharp bends, or other areas where rivers constrict. 

Vermont Business Magazine The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Vermont has established a second Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 application batching date for Agricultural Land Easements (ALE) through the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP). The application cutoff batching date for ACEP-ALE will be March 30, 2026. Agricultural Land Easements (ALE) help private and tribal landowners, land trusts, and other entities such as state and local governments protect croplands and grasslands on working farms and ranches by limiting non-agricultural uses of the land through conservation easements. Eligible entities include state or local agencies, non-profits, and tribes. Landowners do not apply directly to NRCS for funding under this program.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Governor Phil Scott tapped a maple tree at April’s Maple in Canaan today to recognize the beginning of this year’s maple season. With the winter weather still chilly but the sun growing stronger by the day, today the governor joined April Lemay, her family and Vermont Secretary of Agriculture Anson Tebbetts to tap a maple tree and join in the tradition of Vermont’s maple season while celebrating this important industry to the state’s economy and culture.  Governor Scott also signed a proclamation declaring the month of March as ‘Maple Month’ in Vermont, saying “WHEREAS, maple syrup is one of the most recognizable symbols in Vermont, and will continue to symbolize the hard work, craftsmanship, innovation, and creativity that make Vermont the great state it is.”

Vermont Business Magazine On Town Meeting Day, Burlington voters approved investments in city services and workers, in strengthening equity and inclusion work, and support for police and firefighters. Over two-thirds of voters (70%) approved the proposed $0.05 Police & Fire tax rate increase, and 57% of voters approved a charter change to formally establish the City’s Racial Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (REIB) Office in the City Charter.

Vermont Business Magazine Otter Creek Engineering (OCE), a leading Vermont-based civil and environmental engineering firm based in Middlebury, has announced a key leadership transition. Jason Larocque, one of the company’s original founders and President since 2017, has stepped down from the role. Brent F. Rakowski, P.E. has been appointed to the position, effective immediately. Larocque will remain with the company in an advisory capacity to ensure a smooth transition. During his tenure, OCE strengthened its reputation as one of Vermont’s most-trusted engineering firms and expanded partnerships with municipal, state, and private-sector clients across Vermont and New England.

Community News Service reporters fanned out across the Queen City to talk to voters about the issues. Burlington voters weighed a full ballot of spending and municipal issues during Town Meeting voting Tuesday. 

Vermont Business Magazine On Town Meeting Day, 2026, Burlington voters overwhelmingly approved Burlington School District’s (BSD) proposed budget for next school year. More than two-thirds of voters approved the budget, sending a clear message of encouragement and of confidence in the District's plan forward. “On behalf of the entire school district, I want to thank Burlingtonians for their strong support of Burlington public schools,” said BSD Superintendent Tom Flanagan. “This budget will allow us to continue to ensure that all learners are challenged, empowered, and engaged, while remaining responsive to the pressures faced by taxpayers. Thank you, Burlington, for your trust and support.” Earlier in the day, Flanagan took to social media to share a Happy Town Meeting Day message from the auditorium in the new Burlington High School and Burlington Technical Center.