Lake Champlain Community Stewardship: “Tales from the Watershed” in St. Albans Bay Park brought residents together to share stories and raise funds for groups working to clean up and protect Lake Champlain, including Friends of Northern Lake Champlain and Franklin County Stormwater VT. Extreme Heat & Storm Readiness: Vermont and nearby areas are bracing for an extreme heat watch into the Fourth of July weekend, with heat index values pushing above 105 and only limited overnight relief, plus daily, uneven thunderstorm chances and a small tornado risk in northern New York and parts of Vermont. Public Health & Safety in the Heat: Upper Valley towns are opening cooling centers, and Vermont is reminding people to use heat safety tips and check on neighbors. Wildlife Protection: Vermont Fish & Wildlife prohibits importing, selling, or possessing pond slider turtles (including red-eared sliders) due to invasive impacts on native turtles, while allowing existing pets adopted before July 1, 2025. Boating Safety Crackdown: Game Wardens and State Police are urging life jacket use and sober boating during Operation Dry Water over July 3–5. Climate-Linked Agriculture: A Vermont Public report says climate change is pushing more farmers to irrigate as rainfall patterns grow more extreme. Citizen Science for Climate Clues: Vermont Center for Ecostudies’ Mountain Birdwatch tracks high-elevation spruce-fir bird declines as warming reshapes forest ecosystems.