By Jim Hurt Editor’s note: Jim Hurt is a resident of Woodstock. News flash: Enlightened Republicans have been sighted deep in the forest, traveling in small herds with Bigfoot and other tree huggers who are guiding them gently back into the light. These tired, huddled conservatives are yearning to be free of Trump’s shadow. They…

Dear Editor,  I knew Tom Fagan really well. But I never met him in person! Despite that fact, he is the reason I was in Rutland’s Annual Halloween Parade this year (2023)! Let me explain: I grew up in a little seashore resort town called Wildwood Crest, New Jersey, located near the southern tip of…

Dear Editor,  For years, I often have asked people conversationally the question, “What is the one thing that notably separates humans from most other animals?” Some answers included bipedalism, brain size, religion, etc. At no time, however, did any woman or man answer, “menopause.”  Menopause is a natural evolutionary selection in human females with profound…

  Dear Editor, In late June, The Vermont Federation of Sportsman Club announced it was building a war chest to file challenges against Vermont’s existing high-capacity magazine ban, as well as a new 72-hour waiting period that was just passed this year.   We at Cragin’s Gun Shop in Rutland are confident that neither of…

  Dear Editor, As the real winter too fast approaches, there are people and animals in dire situations, and having the good fortune to live in our neighboring towns, we don’t see the reality. My husband and I left the Paramount Theater in Rutland last week (a great place to volunteer for some wonderful shows)…

By Bill Schubart Editor’s note: Bill Schubart is a retired businessman and active fiction writer, and was a former chair of the Vermont Journalism Trust, the parent organization for VTDigger.  I once weighed 485 pounds. I now weigh a bit over half that. My addiction to sugar and refined carbohydrates was killing me. When I…

In 2022, Vermont gained nearly 3,000 new residents who moved from other states, according to an analysis of data from U.S. Census Bureau published by the Treasurer’s Office, Nov. 6. The data, which is published annually around this time, is an important estimate of Vermont’s demographic trends, which have a direct impact on Vermont’s workforce,…

  On Oct. 31, his last day at Vermont State University (VTSU), Interim President Mike Smith released the refined set of program offerings, called Optimization 2.0.  Vermont State University combines the best of Castleton University, Northern Vermont University, and Vermont Technical College and serves students on five campuses and online. The initial set of recommendations…

  The Vermont Center for Independent Living (VCIL)  announced the launch of a statewide, in-home vaccine service for people of all  ages.   “Covid-19 and flu are still dangerous health risks, especially for people with  disabilities and older adults”, said Sarah Launderville, VCIL executive director.  “These communities were reaching out and telling us that they…

  With winter around the corner and heating costs projected to increase this season, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont), and Representative Becca Balint (D-Vermont) Oct. 25 announced that Vermont will receive more than $20.7 million in Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funds. “As Vermonters prepare for colder months, we are…

  The Vermont Agency of Transportation (AOT)and local town crews  still have a few planned construction activities  underway this week in Rutland and Windsor Counties. They are as follows: I-89 White River Junction – NHDOT are working on a multi-year bridge replacement project on I-89 over the Connecticut River. Motorists should expect daily lane closures and speed…

  Select Board considers repairs to outdoor classroom lean-to on town land By Curt Peterson According to Hartland Select Board chair Phil Hobbie, the town was in negotiations with a desirable candidate for the vacant town manager position when the individual withdrew their application. The position has been filled on an “acting” basis by Finance…

  Killington Resort has been named one of the 2023-2024 best family ski resorts by FamilySkier.com. “Our readers consistently report having a great skiing experience at Killington, and we like both the breadth of the lift system as well as the healthy amount of beginner and intermediate terrain — 28% green and 33% blue runs,”…

More than 35 people attended a demonstration on portable hospitals at Rutland Regional Medical Center last Friday and Satruday, Nov. 3-4. Portable hospitals, made of high-strength polyvinyl chloride fabric, can be rapidly deployed in emergency situations and can add an extra 20 beds with a small surgical suite. The drill last weekend gave staff and…

  Award is part of state’s $4 million in Brownfield Revitalization Funding Governor Phil Scott and the Department of Economic Development announced Friday, Nov. 3, that the state is committing $4,058,184 from the Vermont Brownfields Revitalization Fund that promotes the productive reuse of contaminated sites to cleanup properties in Rutland City, as well as Hardwick, Barre, Newport,…