By Jerry LeBlond—Peavine Whitewater Race excites paddlers The Peavine Whitewater Race took place Saturday, May 4, on the White River. The annual downriver paddling event benefits the Ridgeline Outdoor Collective. Above: Justin Reich and Doug Pietrzak finished 18 overall in their tandem canoe. 
By Curt Peterson—Jordan Dennis tosses plastic bale wraps into the dumpster. 
Courtesy NIEER — The chart shows the percent of Vermont’s population by age enrolled in its preschool programs from 2002 to 2023. Since Act 166 of 2014, which mandated 10 hours of universal pre-K for all 3 to 5-year-olds for 35 weeks a school year, there has been a notable increase. 
By Glenn Russell/VTDigger — Zoie Saunders speaks at her confirmation hearing before the Senate Education Committee at the Statehouse.
Local News
Killington Resort announceshot summer events lineup
May 8, 2024
Killington Resort is charging into summer with a loaded events lineup including golf tournaments, mountain bike competitions, food celebrations, free concerts and more. “When the snow melts, we switch gears at The Beast and celebrate all the great things summer in Vermont has to offer,” said Mike Sutcliffe Killington Resort events manager. “We’ve got a…
Haff appointed as full-time zoning administrator
May 8, 2024
By Curt Peterson Selectman Jim Haff said he was completely surprised by his nomination for the permanent zoning administrator position in Killington on Monday, May 6. Select Board chair Steve Finneron read the Planning Commission’s recommendation for the appointment. “I wasn’t at the Planning Commission meeting when they decided on this recommendation,” Haff said. “So…
Killington Road reconstruction continues, blasting begins
May 8, 2024
Staff report The closure of the Killington Road from its intersection at Route 4 to Anthony Way continues with a detour via West Hill Road. Work last week included more movement of dirt. Although the plan was to begin the installation of the waterline, more ledge than expected at the bottom of the hill was…
Vermont State University entrepreneurship students get knockout lesson in business
May 8, 2024
Tammy Landon gym owner and teacher shares entrepreneurial insights In a unique fusion of academia and athleticism, Tammy Landon, a seasoned gym owner and entrepreneur, extended her knowledge to the classroom Tuesday evening April 30 as she welcomed Vermont State University instructor Chris Coughlin and his entrepreneurship students into her realm of fitness and business…
Anglers help sought to evaluate a new Rainbow Trout strain in Vt
May 8, 2024
The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Dept. is again stocking a new strain of rainbow trout and is looking for help from anglers to evaluate its performance. “Vermont stocks about 115,000 rainbow trout annually into inland rivers and lakes to provide recreational fishing opportunities for the public,” said state fisheries biologist Lee Simard, April 30. “We…
Opinions/Columns
H.289: Good intentions on renewables butone big flaw
May 8, 2024
By David Bittersdorf Editor’s note: Dave Blittersdorf is the president of All Earth Renewables in Bristol. The Vermont General Assembly — in attempt to move the state to 100% renewable energy — is making changes to how the state’s utilities buy energy. Within the next couple of weeks, the Senate Natural Resources Committee will consider…
Act 127 made progress;but Excess Spending Threshold could undermine it
May 8, 2024
Dear Editor, As the Chair of the Burlington School District (BSDVT) School Board, I am fortunate to witness firsthand the profound impact of educational policies on our diverse community. Among these policies, Act 127 stands out as a beacon of progress in our continuous effort to achieve equity and finally address the inequity across Vermont’s…
Bird Flu threatens nation’s dairy supply
May 8, 2024
Dear Editor, The deadly flu virus is not just “for the birds” anymore! The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has just decreed that dairy cows must be tested for the deadly bird flu, which has already killed millions of chickens in the U.S. The unprecedented transmission of the H5N1 virus to cows has…
Support the Slate Valley Unified School District
May 8, 2024
Dear Editor, With another vote coming up for the Slate Valley Unified School District I am writing to appeal to “Yes” voters and those on the fence to please turn out and vote. Our district will need over 1,000 “Yes” votes, or around 200 per town to effectively pass our school budget, on this third try. We…
Bernie Sanders announces run forre-election to U.S. Senate
May 8, 2024
Dear Editor, Editor’s note: Senator Bernie Sanders, 82, (I-Vermont) announced May 6 that he will seek a fourth term to the U.S. Senate. His time in the Senate, along with his previous 16 years in the House of Representatives, makes him the longest-serving independent Member of Congress in American history. What follows is an excerpt from…
State News
Vermont Senate passes Act 250 reform bill after whirlwind debate
May 8, 2024
It’s not the end of the road for the bill, which seeks to make major changes to the state’s half-century-old land use law By Carly Berlin Editor’s note: This story, by Report for America corps member Carly Berlin, was produced through a partnership between VTDigger and Vermont Public. After a flurry of last-minute deliberations, the Vermont…
Vt Senate passes modernized Renewable Energy Standard
May 8, 2024
Tuesday, May 7, the Vermont Senate passed H.289, to modernize the Renewable Energy Standard and set Vermont on a path to delivering 100% renewable electricity across all the state’s utilities by 2035. This would make Vermont only the second state to meet that critical benchmark, and would significantly increase the requirements for Vermont utilities to…
A gamble?
May 8, 2024
Despite my reputation at the State House as a promoter of our annual March Madness pool and making a couple of announcements about the adjournment pool, I am not a gambler. If you ever saw me in a casino during my former career attending a conference, at best, you may have found me at the…
Legislators debating bill to stem repeat shoplifters and clear up court backlogs
May 8, 2024
By Norah White, Community News Service Editor’s note: The Community News Service is a program in which University of Vermont students work with professional editors to provide content for local news outlets at no cost. Lawmakers are weighing a bill to punish repeat shoplifters who otherwise would only face a string of misdemeanors — a move…
Grants offered to supportmusic in Vermont schools
May 8, 2024
Governor Phil Scott and Ernie Boch Jr. today announced, Monday, April 15, the launch of a new grant program aimed at supporting music programs in Vermont schools. The program will be run in coordination with Mr. Boch’s foundation, Music Drives Us (MDU), a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that strives to inspire New England’s musicians of tomorrow by supporting…
Arts & Entertainment
Container gardening
May 8, 2024
By Mary Ellen Shaw A flower garden is not for everyone. Perhaps there is not enough space or it’s just more work than you care to undertake. You can still enjoy beautiful flowers from spring until fall by placing them in containers such as planter boxes or pots. A nice feature of gardening this way…
Select Board pauses ordinance to enable Hartland plant sale
May 8, 2024
By Curt Peterson With anti-Gaza war protests on multiple college campuses dominating the news, one might not notice the “High Noon” situation promised between the Hartland Select Board and the Hartland Garden Club (HGC) at the May 6 Select Board meeting. Town manager John Broker-Campbell had resurrected a 1995 ordinance prohibiting any organization using the…
‘Until the End of the World’ Film Screening
May 8, 2024
Thursday, May 9 at 6 p.m.—WOODSTOCK—What was the last fish you ate? Where did it originate? How was it produced? More importantly, who was impacted? Fish farming is the fastest growing sector of food production, described as the ‘sustainable answer for food security’. Aquaculture attracts billions in public and private investment, but as the world…
Mother’s Day Sip ‘n Paint with Katie Roberts
May 8, 2024
Friday, May 10, 6-8 p.m.— BRIDGEWATER—Come to Katie Roberts Studio, 102 Mill Road, Bridgewater, with friends, family, or even come solo and celebrate Mother's Day with a little spring cheer. You don't have to bring or be a mom to participate. These events are a fun time getting creative, while enjoying time with your favorite…
The Pies the Limit opens downtown
May 8, 2024
Rutland City has a new bakery! The Pies the Limit opened at 6 a.m. May 1 and has posted “sold out” nearly every day since on Facebook. The shop is located at 56 Strongs Ave, Rutland City. For more information visit: thepiesthelimitbakery.com.
