By Shaun Robinson/VTDigger Noah Kahan, a Strafford-born singer-songwriter, plays for young patients, their families and hospital staff members at the UVM Medical Center on Friday     Kahan, fresh off a Grammy nomination, played his viral hit “Stick Season” for young patients and their families, on Friday, Dec. 15 By Shaun Robinson/VTDigger Noah Kahan has…

  West Rutland was one of 11 towns that recieved a community development block grant.  West Rutland got a $500,000 CDBG supplemental award for NeighborWorks of Western Vermont to continue operating the revolving loan fund to provide affordable home repair financing and housing counseling services to eligible homeowners in Rutland, Addison, and Bennington Counties. The…

   The most outstanding  Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports volunteers in 2023 were Glen Torres, Andy Holt, Jay Schulz, and Ben Hamilton. Named 2023 Volunteers of the Year, these four recipients embody the traits and legacy of Jim Hutchinson, a Vermont Adaptive volunteer who left a tradition of empowering people of all abilities through sports…

By Steve James, Addison Independent About 1,000 people attended the  Middlebury College Snowbowl kick-off party Friday, Dec. 15, to debut night skiing. Night skiing operations are now offered Wednesday-Friday, 4-9 p.m.   By Angelo Lynn The Middlebury College Snowbowl debuted night skiing, Friday, Dec. 15. The idea of adding night skiing at the Snowbowl has…

  By Katy Savage A Ludlow businessman was arrested Thursday, Dec. 14 in New York City on federal charges for unlawfully securing commercial construction contracts.  Troy Caruso, 56, owner of multiple businesses in Ludlow and the CEO of a New York City-based construction firm, McAlpine Contracting, faces one count of conspiracy to commit honest services…

By Jerry LeBlond Aspirations for a white Christmas evaporated early this week when coastal storm rainfall and melting snowpack swelled the White River in Rochester flooding the fields surrounding Chantreafield Farm off River Brook Drive.   Staff report Heavy rain and melting snow inundated much of Vermont on Monday, Dec. 18, leading to swift-water rescues,…

By Glenn Russell/VTDigger Mike Isham wraps a freshly cut Christmas tree at the Isham Family Farm in Williston on Tuesday — the last day he was open for the season.     By Babette Stolk/VTDigger Although the supply of locally grown trees is tight this year, industry observers, including Jim Horst, the executive director of…

  By Brooke Geery Killington Resort donated 25 toy wagons stuffed with goodies for Teddy Arbo’s annual Holiday Toy Party earlier this month.     By Brooke Geery Teddy Arbo’s annual Holiday Toy Party is an ever-growing tradition in the Killington community. What started as a dinner party in 1986 where guests were asked to…

   HomeShare Vermont and Woodstock’s Thompson Senior Center have joined forces to bring more Vermonters access to the homesharing model.  “This partnership will open new doors to folks in our area and we can’t wait to make the connections with HomeShare Vermont,” said Deanna Jones, exec. director at The Thompson Senior Center.  With this partnership,…

By Mary Ellen Shaw It’s almost Christmas and as I look back I realize how the holiday is very different in today’s world. When I was a child in the ‘50s, downtown Rutland was bustling with shoppers who had numerous stores from which to select Christmas gifts. The windows were beautifully decorated for the season…

By Merisa Sherman You can see the stars overhead, twinkling against the shimmering clouds in the night sky. There are moments of clear, but this is Vermont. The clouds move about as they will, blocking different constellations throughout the evening. Almost as if by drawing your focus to different moments in the night sky, they…

  For reasons likely buried deep in my DNA, I have always had an acute sense of smell. While my other senses have been ravaged by time, my olfactory awareness has maintained a high-level status. My mother also had a great sniffer, which posed considerable problems for me and my two brothers as she was…

  In winter, river otters head upstream into the uplands, seeking areas of fast-moving water that remain open—at least open enough for an otter to slip into a stream in pursuit of fish. You might catch a brief glimpse of an otter along one of these smaller streams, as I did years ago with my…

  It’s that time of year once again when we think of our dear family and friends. What would life be without special people who touch our souls and warm our hearts? Gift giving in many cultures is an honored tradition. It certainly is in ours. We live in a materialistic, throw-away society where objects…