Dear Editor, We are the Vermont Student Anti-Racism Network, a statewide group of students working to promote anti-racism in our schools and communities. We believe that by starting by fostering anti-racism with the youngest members of society — students — we can build a better society as a whole.  We are writing about S.103, an…

  Dear Editor Race-based attacks and harmful stereotypes are putting Vermont’s Abenaki communities in jeopardy and it needs to stop. This week is Abenaki Recognition and Heritage Week, yet international special-interest groups are threatening state-recognized Abenaki tribes with cultural erasure in an effort to position themselves for recognition and rights within the United States.  Using…

Dear Editor, Kudos to the Chamber & Economic Development of the Rutland Region (CEDRR) leadership teams for pulling together a very good and high energy business and trade show event this past week at the Rutland Community Center, the first public show since 2019. There was a good mix of business and non-profit organizations at…

By Angelo Lynn Editor’s note: Angelo Lynn is the editor and publisher of the Addison County Independent, a sister publication of the Mountain Times.  In the battle over raising the nation’s debt ceiling, the public’s understanding of the issue beyond the partisan soundbites is essential if the country is to find a resolution and not…

By Angelo Lynn Editor’s note: Angelo Lynn is the editor and publisher of the Addison County Independent, a sister publication of the Mountain Times. With the late spring snowpack mostly gone and the grass and flowers springing to life along Vermont’s roadsides, drivers also notice winter’s detritus — bottles, cans, cardboard, paper, tires, plastics of…

The Vermont legislature is entering the last two weeks of its scheduled 18-week session. Legislative leaders and most lawmakers believe two more weeks is feasible. However, with several major issues unresolved, some are beginning to cast doubt on the May 12 target. Meanwhile, the speaker is now holding two House sessions daily to allow committees…

By Lola Duffort/VTDigger Desperate to lure young people into an aging state, the Vermont Senate in 2018 put forward a plan to pay relocation expenses for remote workers willing to move to the Green Mountain State. Gov. Phil Scott eagerly hopped on board, and in 2018, a $500,000 pilot program was signed into law. The Legislature…

  Xylazine and gabapentin join fentanyl as drugs of serious concern A newly-released report from the Vermont Department of Health shows that the number of opioid-related accidental overdose deaths increased for the third year in a row. According to the 2022 data report, accidental opioid deaths increased by 10% in 2022 (239) over 2021 (217).…

By Kristen Fountain/VTDigger Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont is seeking to become part of the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan “family of companies.”  The Vermont organization’s decision to affiliate with its Detroit-based counterpart, announced Monday, May 1, would give the state’s largest provider of health insurance access to a more sophisticated array of…

On Friday, April 28 the Vermont Senate passed a bill, H.230, “an act relating to implementing mechanisms to reduce suicide and community violence” on a vote of 21 to 9.  The objective of the bill is to save lives by reducing gun violence by passing a safe storage provision, reducing the number of suicides by…

  The 17th annual Bart Jacob Memorial Youth Turkey Calling Contest, held April 15 in Castleton, attracted 21 competitors including several Vermont 4-Hers.  The Oxbow Mountain 4-H Club of Pawlet hosted the event in collaboration with the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department at the Kehoe Conservation Camp in Castleton. Anyone 18 years old or younger…

  The Vermont Warden Service is actively investigating an illegally shot deer in the town of Pomfret. On April 26, game wardens responded to reports of an adult female deer (doe) shot out of season on Cloudland Road.  The doe was found alive and was euthanized due to its injuries.   A necropsy found that…

Several Vermont tree champions have been honored by the Vermont Urban and Community Forestry Program (VT UCF) for their staunch commitment and dedication to protecting and preserving their community’s forests and trees. In addition to the prestigious Vermont Arbor Day award, given to an individual who has made a significant difference in his or her…

The Killington community needs to take extra steps now to prevent bear conflicts from getting worse this spring, Vermont Fish and Wildlife said in a public service announcement. The department has been getting reports from Killington residents of bears getting into garbage and becoming bolder over the past few weeks.  “Now that bears know about…

  In early April, the largest Killington Mountain School squad yet qualified for USASA Nationals at Copper Mountain. Fourteen athletes competed in a variety of disciplines including rail jam, slopestyle, boardercross, slalom and giant slalom. The team had to acclimate to the conditions, including the high altitude at 11,368 feet above sea level as well…