By James Kent If you’ve driven past the corner of West Street and Main in Rutland around lunchtime in the past few months, chances are you’ve recognized the food truck with the big pig chef logo on the side and large letters spelling out "Hangry Hogg" with the tagline, “Put some South in your mouth.”…

By James Kent Wednesday, May 14 at 5:30 p.m.—WOODSTOCK —The curtain rises on a heartwarming production this spring as Zack’s Place presents its annual community play at the Woodstock Town Hall Theatre. Admission is free, though donations are gratefully accepted to support the nonprofit’s enriching programs for adults with developmental disabilities. The Zack’s Place theater…

By James Kent BORING, or the Bureau of Regional Inter-existential Non-Governmental Goings-on (at least I think that’s what the acronym stands for), is the waiting queue you don’t want to find yourself in unless you are the seven talented women in Circus Springboard’s “Thank You For Waiting,” who know how to manage a Kafka-esque crisis—through…

By James Kent BRIDGEWATER — There is a quote written as you come through the door of ShackletonThomas, from namesake Earnest Shackleton:" Optimism is true moral courage." For nearly four decades, ShackletonThomas has stood true to that quote. The furniture and pottery makers are a testament to craftsmanship, creativity, and perseverance. Nestled along Route 4…

By James Kent On Friday, April 25, at a monthly Partners in Housing meeting held at the Hub CoWorks in downtown Rutland, the Vermont Short Term Rental Alliance (VTSTRA) hosted a 60-minute presentation and Q&A session for members of the public and the housing community. VTSTRA executive director Julie Marks was the afternoon’s speaker. Her…

Seth Rogan and Evan Goldberg, the writers, directors, and executive producers of the new series "The Studio," now streaming on Apple+, have cultivated their long tenure within the Hollywood system to create a comedic gem of a show where every episode seems wildly outlandish yet is more than likely based on truth.  Making a show…

By James Kent RUTLAND— There’s a new space in downtown Rutland bursting with warmth, heart, and pride—and it’s called Bailey’s Place. Founded by 21-year-old Faith McClure, Bailey’s Place is the first LGBTQ+ bar and restaurant in the area in over two decades. It officially opened its doors on April 12, and within days had already…

Staff Report Thursday, May 1 at 7 p.m.—RUTLAND — The circus is coming to town, but not just any circus. The Paramount Theatre in Rutland will host a high-flying, family-friendly spectacle presented by the New England Center for Circus Arts (NECCA). The show, titled “Thank You for Waiting,” features America’s next generation of elite circus…

It’s proving ever more challenging to drag a group of people into a movie theater to see a film that isn’t either a children’s movie translation of a video game, a Disney reboot of an animated classic that was better off the first time around, or the latest Marvel retread. But if there was a…

By James Kent RUTLAND—When Long Trail School junior Allston Kent told his dad the date of his annual school prom, his father knew it was time to visit the twins in downtown Rutland. The twins, of course, are the second-generation owners of McNeil & Reedy, Jim and John McNeil. McNeil & Reedy is a men’s…

By James Kent What began as a cozy wine-and-charcuterie hideaway tucked inside the Spa at the Woods building has blossomed into one of Killington’s most exciting new dining experiences. Since its opening in November 2024, the Killington Café & Wine Bar has steadily evolved its menu from simple small bites to elevated but approachable cuisine…

Maxie’s Deli at 93 State St. in Rutland is the place to go for subs when looking for a stacked sandwich at a fair price.  On this evening, sub-making gurus Aiden Farrell and Chris Wideawake stood ready to make two large steak-and-cheeses and a large spicy turkey sub for a hungry customer. Maxie’s is a…

Val Kilmer (December 31, 1959- April 1, 2025) is gone. While celebrities pass on, as do we all, sometimes a loss hits home harder than others. Why? It’s difficult to say. But for this filmgoer of a certain age, Kilmer was a part of that '80s experience. He left an impression, and although his health…

By James Kent Human rights, supporting veterans, free speech, democratic normalcy, defending the U.S. Constitution, rebuking the dismantling of essential federal services and programs, and sounding the alarm of a tariff policy that over two days destroyed many Americans’ retirement and college savings programs. On Saturday, April 5, an estimated 5 million Americans joined in…

By James Kent RUTLAND—On a night when earlier in the day the Vermont Symphony Orchestra announced its federal funding had been eliminated, the VSO’s Jukebox Quartet proved why music and art matter and why losing it would be a profound loss to American culture and society no billionaire can affix a price tag to. An…