By Steven Berbeco Editor’s note: Steven Berbeco is the director of United Way of Northwest Vermont’s Mental Health Initiative, a collective impact project launched in early 2022. He lives in Winooski with his family and serves on the Winooski School Board.  Youth mental health has been a priority of our state government and many…

  Dear Editor, While Social Security was never intended to be the only source of retirement income, it is a core part of Americans’ retirement security and often the only long-term, inflation-proof source of income for many Americans. In fact, 38% of Vermont residents age 65 and older rely on the program for at least…

  Dear Editor, Illegally made fentanyl has had a devastating impact on local communities across the state. Drug prevention and education remain crucial to reducing overdose deaths and preventing addiction. Regardless of age, anyone can learn about the risks and speak about them.  Grandparents can help their grandkids by speaking about fentanyl and other drugs.…

  By Ken Cadow Editor’s note: Ken Cadow of Norwich is co-principal of Oxbow High School in Bradford, a board member of Green Mountain Economic Development Corp., and author of a book, “Gather,” that’s coming out in October. When I tell people from away that I work in a school with around 400 kids, grades…

   Vermonters are urged to take steps to protect themselves against mosquito bites, as mosquitoes in Grand Isle and Franklin Counties have tested positive for Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) — a serious and potentially fatal mosquito-transmitted infection. These are the first detections of EEE in mosquitoes in Vermont since 2015.  The Vermont Agency of Agriculture…

Bobblehead of decorated Vermont skier Jessie Diggins unveiled The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum in Wisconsin unveiled the first bobblehead of Olympic cross-country skier Jessie Diggins on Aug. 25. Diggins, a Vermont nativefrom Stratton, is the most decorated American cross-country skier of all time. The bobblehead is being released in conjunction with her…

  The Vermont Dept. of Labor released data on the Vermont economy on Aug. 18 for the time period covering July 2023. According to household data, the seasonally-adjusted statewide unemployment rate for July was 1.8%. This reflects a decrease of 1/10 of 1 percentage point from the prior month’s revised estimate. The civilian labor force…

  Vermonters can now get “Vermont Strong” license plates are now available for purchase. All proceeds will support victims of the summer’s severe flooding.  “Time and time again, Vermonters have shown how willing they are to step up, join together, help their neighbors and unite for their communities,” said Governor Phil Scott. “This summer’s flooding…

  Governor Phil Scott and the Vermont Department of Economic Development (DED) announced Aug. 24 that businesses and nonprofits that suffered physical damage from the July floods have been awarded $400,000 in Business Emergency Gap Assistance Program (BEGAP) grants to date. The $20 million BEGAP program is intended to support the reopening of businesses impacted…

  By Brooke Geery Each year, Killington Resort celebrates its team members who have reached significant five-year milestones in their careers at The Beast. A party is thrown, complete with gifts from YETI and a glamourous evening of gambling at the Mountain Top Inn. The 2023 gala recognized a collective 1,289 years of full time,…

  The Vermont Agency of Transportation reminds drivers to drive safely in all work zones. Lives depend on it. A list of planned construction activities that will have traffic impacts area on state highways and interstates throughout Vermont for the week of Aug. 28-Sept. 1, follows: I-89 White River Junction – Our partners at NHDOT are working…

  By Curt Peterson Hartland Select Board faces the same major challenges all other boards face – getting things done, and finding the money to pay for them. Monday night’s meeting involved a litany of infrastructure issues that have to be dealt with and funded. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster funding for Hartland’s flood…

Obituary: John Michael McGrath   John Michael McGrath, a former resident of Killington, Vermont, passed away on August 22, 2023. Born on May 15, 1935, John was the son of John and Rose Amodeo McGrath. He grew up in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey. During his teen and early adult years he spent many hours working…

  An inmate at the Southern State Correctional Facility (SSCF) in Springfield held a pen to a nurse’s neck on Thursday, Aug. 24, police said.  A nurse in the facility intake area was administering medications to Cory Munger, a newly detained individual at SSCF.  Munger forcibly grabbed the nurse, wrapping  his arm around her throat…

  By Katy Savage When rain hit Killington in early July and mud slid across the road, Lisa Ransom and her husband scurried with heavy equipment to save the 1895 Mission Farm church from flooding. Ransom, the vicar of the church, and her husband dug a ditch around the building as rain came down “like…