Local school district had second highest local purchasing percentage of local food at 26% The Agency of Education in partnership with The Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets recognized five supervisory unions (SU/SDs) that have achieved the highest percentage levels of local purchasing through The Local Foods Incentive Grant program established in 2021. The efforts…

  By Katy Savage Months after a dozen Killington search and rescue members quit or were fired, claiming new Fire Chief Chris LaHart created a toxic work environment, several longtime firefighters have follow suit, citing similar issues. In total, 25 people have left the department — at least three said they were fired. They include…

  Chet Hagenbarth to become public works director overseeing TIF By Polly Mikula On Monday night, June 12, the Killington Select Board announced that current Town Manager Chet Hagenbarth would be stepping out of that role and into a new one as the public works director. “We need to move someone over into this position…

  By Kate O’Farrell and Patrick Crowley, VTDigger In a vote that led to multiple resignations, the Green Mountain Unified School District upheld the “Chieftains” name for its high school mascot during a meeting on Thursday night, May 18, in Chester. According to an emailed statement from board chair Deb Brown, the board voted 6-5 that the “Chieftains”…

By Katy Savage A Mendon was arrested May 21 after police said he struck a vehicle with an axe  and threatened to cut people's heads off at Gifford Woods State Park in Killington. Vermont State Police arrested Ralph Schneider, 61 over a dispute that allegedly started about headlights.  Police said Schneider was mad at three…

By Brooke Geery Not many people can say they’ve covered New York’s Central Park with snow, but Greg Hiltz can. A select few people can say they’ve pulled off making enough snow for a World Cup course in one night, and they’d probably have to thank Hiltz for it. In his 45-year career making snow…

By Katy Savage Pickleball enthusiast Dean Matt made a stop in Rutland on May 21 as he attempts to break a pickleball world record.  Matt, who calls himself The Pickleball Pilot, is playing pickleball in 48 states in 48 days to become the fastest person to play a game of pickleball in all 48 contiguous…

Vermont nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and the Congressional delegation announced May 10 that Vermont has been awarded $6.2 million through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to help address homelessness across the state.  Vermont has the second highest rate of homelessness in the nation, according to the 2022 HUD Annual Homelessness Assessment Report. Awarded through HUD’s…

  Staff report Rutland City may shut off water and sewer for residents who aren’t paying their bills for the first time in more than 10 years.  Rutland City Treasurer Mary Markowski told the Board of Aldermen Monday, May 15 that such a move is unprecedented in her tenure. "Collection is difficult but there are…

By Polly Mikula On Thursday, May 11, bids for the first phases of the municipal water project in Killington were revealed and selected. Two contracts were up for bid: Contract 1-3A, estimated at $20.2 million, which includes transmission line from the wells to the high service pump station on Route 4 and up across East…

Vermont is currently experiencing high and very high fire danger due to drier than normal weather conditions. The Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation (FPR) is reminding the public to exercise caution and follow all state laws and local ordinances regarding open burning. The National Weather Service has issued Special Weather Statements for elevated fire weather…

By Katy Savage After closing down in November 2022, the Belmont General Store in Mount Holly is reopening this summer with new owners. Alissa Tilly, 28, bought the store, which dates back to the 1840s, two weeks ago.   “We want to start small and then start adding on,” she said. Tilly grew up in…

By Katy Savage After community members sounded off concerns about losing their only grocery store in Rochester, Mac’s Market has a new owner and is slated to reopen this month. John Sikandar is taking over the store on May 19 and plans to open it under its new name — Village Grocery — on May…

By Katy Savage Margo Thompson remembers the day she decided she wanted to build robots and pursue STEM for the rest of her life.  She was about 10 years old and building lego robots at a summer camp, where she was partnered with a boy.  “I was sitting there and he was doing it all,”…

By Katy Savage Wood's Market Garden in Brandon has new owners after more than 20 years.  Dan and Elyse Wulfkuhle bought the 165-acre organic farm stand in December and have been making it their own ever since. Woods opened for the season May 6.  “It’s a lot,” said Dan, who recently moved to the area…