This winter, Rutland’s Northwest and Northeast Elementary School students traded snowball fights for ski poles, thanks to the Nordic Rocks program. Administered by the New England Nordic Ski Association (NENSA), the initiative introduces children in grades K-2 to cross-country skiing during physical education classes—often for the very first time. Funded by a Killington World Cup…

The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Dept .(VTF&W) has begun to receive reports of bears coming out of their dens and is urging Vermonters to remove their birdfeeders and take additional steps now to prevent conflicts with bears over the spring and summer. “Do not wait to take down your birdfeeders and bearproof your yard until…

By Karen D. Lorentz Vermont State Forester Perry Merrill was the first person to see the potential of developing a ski area on Killington Mountain and what it could mean for recreation and the state’s economy. Pres Smith was the second. Smith’s uncle, Preston Leete, who had become an avid skier while at Dartmouth College…

By Brett Yates On a voice vote, Pittsfield residents approved a 1% “local option” tax on hotel rooms, restaurant meals, and alcoholic beverages on Town Meeting Day. Business owner Katie Stiles, who runs Vermont Farms Catering with her husband Kevin Lasko, told the Pittsfield Select Board on March 20 that she didn’t hear about it…

Spring Maple Open House Weekend March 22-23 celebrated the first crop of the season as Vermont’s sugar makers opened the doors of their sugarhouses and invited visitors in to experience the joys and traditions of pure maple syrup, whether it’s the sight of steam rising from the sugarhouse, the inviting aroma of boiling sap, or…

The town of Killington Recreation Dept. had previously determined that the town needed to update the outdated recreation master plan. The previous plan was prepared almost 20 years ago, back in 2009. Since then, the town’s population has grown placing additional demands on the town’s recreation facilities. The current recreation facilities are in need of…

Thursday, April 3 at 6 p.m.—KILLINGTON—The Greater Killington Women’s Club will host its 5th annual wine dinner fundraiser at The Foundry, featuring a four-course Mediterranean-themed meal paired with select wines. The event begins with registration at 6 p.m., followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $125 per person, including tax and tip, and all…

Saturday, April 5 at 7 p.m. —RUTLAND— Country music star Chris Janson will take the stage at the Paramount Theatre for a one-night-only concert packed with chart-topping hits, heartfelt storytelling, and undeniable energy. A Grand Ole Opry member and multi-platinum artist, Janson is known for his dynamic live performances and signature blend of rowdy fun…

Sunday, March 30 at 4 p.m. —RUTLAND— The Champlain Philharmonic returns to Grace Congregational Church for its spring concert series featuring acclaimed pianist Diana Fanning. Celebrating its 21st season, the orchestra welcomes Fanning, who will perform Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3—the same piece she performed in the Philharmonic’s inaugural concert two decades ago. Fanning, renowned…

Saturday, March 29 at 9 a.m—KILLINGTON— Killington resort hosts Boarding for Breast Cancer’s (B4BC) Love Your Peaks fundraising event, supporting breast cancer awareness, prevention, and survivor programs. Participants are invited to register, fundraise, and dedicate a day on the slopes to promote a healthy, active lifestyle as the best means for breast cancer prevention. Activities…

Hello readers! I’m Uncle Matty, here for your help, but please be advised to swim at your own risk. I am not a doctor, therapist, lawyer, or man of the cloth. My professional certifications are limited to slinging cocktails and umpiring.  If you have serious medical, financial, legal, or faith-based questions, please seek more appropriate…

By Andrea Knepper / Extension Master Gardener / University of Vermont Rudbeckia hirta. Solanum lycopersicum. Acer saccharum. Have you ever seen these names on plant tags or seed packets and wondered where they came from? We can thank Carl Linnaeus for taxonomy, the study of categorizing and naming organisms, and binomial nomenclature, the precise, two-termed…

Saturday, March 22, from 8 a.m.-6:30 p.m.—POULTNEY—Poultney MapleFest returns with a full day of maple-themed activities, community events, and family fun. The festival kicks off with a free pancake breakfast from 8-10 a.m. at the Poultney United Methodist Church, 108 Main St., followed by the Fifth Season Ride & Race at 9 a.m. from Analog…

Dear Editor, A considerable amount of attention and work this legislative session has been devoted to Vermont’s preK-12 public education system and its funding. This is important work as 30% of state spending is devoted to our most precious resource, 83,000 children. Vermonters understand how meaningful these conversations are. Education is critical to our communities…

Dear Editor, The recent actions of Americans for Prosperity (AFP) and the Vermont Republican Party (VTGOP) reveal a concerning inconsistency. AFP, founded by the Koch brothers and a mouthpiece for Big Oil, is campaigning to repeal Vermont’s Act 18 of 2024, the Clean Heat Standard, citing concerns that it will “increase the cost of living,” “make it…