Keeping a small flock of chickens at home to provide eggs and meat has become increasingly popular, but many first-time small-scale poultry farmers are discovering that several species of wildlife like the taste of chicken as much as we do. Therefore, the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Dept.  is urging poultry owners to use electric fencing and follow other precautions…

The 2021 Choose Vermont scholarship program will award $70,000 in scholarships money to students who commit to attend a Vermont school by June 1. Both out-of-state and Vermont students are eligible to enter. The program was developed through a partnership across Vermont’s higher education sector to market Vermont as a top destination for attending college. The…

Vermont utility leads transformation to a clean and modern energy system Green Mountain Power (GMP) has been recognized as one of the top 10 utilities in the country for leading transformation toward a clean, modern energy system that benefits all, by the Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA), according to a news release last month. GMP…

The Fair Haven Concerned board of directors has announced that it has hired a new executive director, Tracy Yendell. Yendell is a Rutland County native and currently resides in Rutland. She has a compassion for people who may be facing hardships said the job at Fair Haven Concerned is rewarding.  As Covid restrictions are lifted,…

The United Way of Rutland County (UWRC), the largest non-governmental fundraiser for local services in the community, announced April 29 that its board of directors has appointed Ashley Bride as executive director. She replaces Caprice Hover who retired from her position at the beginning of the month. The board of directors, through an executive search…

Beginning this fall, Vermonters will have four additional pathways to high-demand careers through new certificate programs at the Community College of Vermont (CCV).  The new certificate  programs are cloud computing, community health, entrepreneurship, and human resource management. Certificates are designed to prepare students for the workplace. Most can be completed in one year. CCV Academic…

By Julia Purdy As I continued my search for a smallish property to settle into permanently – land or land-with-small house – my budget gave me no slack. On my side, I do have the advantage of knowing the southern Vermont counties well, being a native of the area and having returned almost 20 years…

By Michael Metz Editor’s Note: Michael Metz is a retired materials scientist, entrepreneur, and business owner. He has a history of board leadership with profit and nonprofit organizations and currently serves in that role for the Maker Space Generator and The Vermont Community Foundation. This commentary is the seventh in a 10-part series in which the…

Dear Editor, So, I heard on Fox News that President Biden may be banning meat to combat global warming. Then I remembered that Colorado Democrat Governor Jared Polis had issued a similar proclamation last month. My first reaction was, what kind of cockamamie idea will the Democrats cook up next. But then I read the…

Dear Editor, The Vermont Legislature is currently considering whether or not to tax the forgiven loan I received under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) that offered my business, Sugarsnap Catering, the relief that kept us afloat over the last year.  I was aware as early as February 2020 that Covid-19 would impact my business. I…

Dear Editor, One of my favorite Vermont sayings, “You can’t get there from here,” applies to the double standard our state has when it comes to our policy on criminal justice reforms. Our progressive state, known for social reforms, known for breaking barriers, is far ahead of other states, I don’t doubt the truth of that.…

Dear Editor, Last night’s Oscar for best documentary went to Netflix’s trailblazing documentary, "My Octopus Teacher." The documentary chronicles a complex relationship between a man and the world’s most bizarre animal — an octopus. It further testifies to our highly conflicted relationship with non-human animals and the natural world. Most of us treasure our “pets”…

By Sec. Julie Moore, Agency of Natural Resources If we want to revitalize vacant village centers, encourage compact development, expand the availability of affordable housing and high-quality childcare, address the growing climate crisis, attract younger people to stay in and move to Vermont, and invest in workforce development, we need to look underground. I’m not…

By Emma Cotton/VTDigger At the turn of the 21st Century, no bald eagles nested in Vermont. In 2020, the state recorded 41 pairs.  Biologists have been working to reintroduce the iconic birds in the state for around a decade — and have succeeded. The result: Bald eagles are likely to be removed from Vermont’s endangered species…

A massive surge of fraudulent activity has struck the Vermont Department of Labor. The department announced Friday, April 30, that it had shut down its online portal for filing unemployment claims last Wednesday after finding that up to 90% of entries coming through that system were fraudulent. Fraud has been a persistent problem during the pandemic. Labor Commissioner…