diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index e526919b09..1f3488cd7f 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -3,6 +3,24 @@ This document summarizes the most important changes in the current Zeek
 release. For an exhaustive list of changes, see the ``CHANGES`` file
 (note that submodules, such as Broker, come with their own ``CHANGES``.)
 
+Zeek 7.1.0
+==========
+
+Breaking Changes
+----------------
+
+New Functionality
+-----------------
+
+Changed Functionality
+---------------------
+
+Removed Functionality
+---------------------
+
+Deprecated Functionality
+------------------------
+
 Zeek 7.0.0
 ==========
 
diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index 14530a2cf8..00b65bcfed 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-7.0.0-dev.467
+7.1.0-dev.0
diff --git a/testing/btest/scripts/site/local-compat.test b/testing/btest/scripts/site/local-compat.test
index 0c5483b810..0d287bff2e 100644
--- a/testing/btest/scripts/site/local-compat.test
+++ b/testing/btest/scripts/site/local-compat.test
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 # # simply update this test's TEST-START-FILE with the latest contents
 # site/local.zeek.
 
-@TEST-START-FILE local-7.0.zeek
+@TEST-START-FILE local-7.1.zeek
 ##! Local site policy. Customize as appropriate.
 ##!
 ##! This file will not be overwritten when upgrading or reinstalling!