The Vermont Department of Buildings and General Services (BGS) is set to auction a wide range of state vehicles and equipment on Saturday, May 11, at the Agency of Transportation Central Garage in Berlin.

The public auction will commence at 10 a.m., with gates opening at 8 a.m., and is scheduled to occur rain or shine. Attendees can preview the inventory and pre-register on Friday, May 10, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The auction is expected to feature a variety of items, including dump trucks, plow trucks, loaders, forklifts, cars, golf carts, snowmobiles, trailers, boats, kayaks, snowblowers, riding lawnmowers, generators, tires, and assorted parts and power tools.

This annual event traditionally attracts bidders from Quebec and across New England, generating revenue between $600,000 and over $1 million from 100-300 lots of merchandise.

Free Fishing Day – Vermont’s annual, statewide Summer Free Fishing Day is Saturday, June 8 this year, and it will be highlighted by a free family fishing festival in Grand Isle as well as opening day of the state’s regular bass fishing season.

“Vermont’s Free Fishing Day gives resident and nonresident anglers the opportunity to go fishing without a license for the day in Vermont lakes and streams,” said Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Christopher Herrick.

Designed for young or novice anglers and families, this exciting event offers basic fishing instruction and the chance for kids to catch big trout in a hatchery pond.  No prior fishing experience is needed, and Vermont Fish and Wildlife will be supplying fishing rods, reels and bait for use by participants.

Free Fishing Day in Vermont also will be celebrated at the “Grand Isle Family Fishing Festival,” to be held at the Ed Weed Fish Culture Station at 14 Bell Hill Road in Grand Isle.  The festival will run from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

U.S. News thinks we’re #7, but NH’s better – In U.S. News and World Report’s quest to render all under the sun into a power ranking, it found Utah to be the Best State in all the land. Vermont ranked #7.

New Hampshire landed in the #2 spot. That made Gov. Chris Sununu happy: “As the Freest State in the Nation with the second lowest tax burden in the Country, and the #1 state for Public Safety, New Hampshire is the envy of the nation,” he said. “The proof is in the pudding: when you cut taxes, spend money wisely, and slash overbearing, burdensome regulations like we’ve done in New Hampshire, freedom and the economy flourish.”

New Hampshire was #6 last year. – Journal-Opinion

“Thomas Jefferson’s Virginia” at Allen Homestead Museum May 17 at 2 PM – Few prominent Americans are as associated with a place as Thomas Jefferson is with Virginia. The heart of “Jefferson Country” is his house and plantation at Monticello, but Jefferson traveled the breadth of his home state, from his time at William & Mary in Williamsburg to the new state capital at Richmond and his retreat and plantation at Poplar Forest, near Lynchburg. In the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Jefferson was inspired to write his only book, Notes on the State of Virginia. Laura A. Macaluso presents some of the histories embedded in these places, as she takes you on a public history tour of Jefferson’s Virginia. Admission is free but donations are accepted.