By Merisa Sherman There’s dust in my eyes, but I’m trying to ignore it as I relax in my lawn chair. I have to turn my head to stop the dust from going down my throat — or worse, into my drink. Willing myself to believe that a bluebird 48-degree day is perfect parking lot weather, …

On Aug. 5, 2010, no one could turn away from the events unfolding in the Atacama Desert on the outskirts of Chile. As the world watched, rescue teams were readying their specially designed capsule for a half-mile descent into the earth to free 33 trapped miners. For nearly 70 days, these brave men were forced…

By Mary Ellen Shaw It’s always fun to open up my email inbox and find pictures and stories that take me back in time. A friend recently sent me an email with pictures that definitely said, “Remember when?” One was a picture of a book … not one you read, but rather a "book" of…

 Vermonters are reporting a particularly horrendous mud season this year, keeping some off the roads.  But the warm, rainy nights in early spring give us another good reason to avoid even the paved roads.  Breeding frogs and salamanders are on the move.  “At this time of year, amphibians cross roads in large numbers to reach…

Housing needs may change as adults grow older and their children move out. Adults nearing retirement may want to reduce their cost of living and could find a big house is more than they need at this stage in life.  According to the financial management resource The Motley Fool, in 2019 48% of seniors planned…

“Smart” homes can make life at home more convenient, especially for remote workers. However, a recent report suggests many smart homes are vulnerable to cyberattacks.  In its Smart Home Report 2019, the cybersecurity firm Avast revealed that just under 41% of the 16 million smart homes surveyed across the globe contained at least one vulnerable…

Killington's Kent Pond Dam listed as a ‘significant hazard’ By Katy Savage A report from the state auditor found several of Vermont’s dams are in poor condition.   Auditor Doug Hoffer completed the report in February, finding some dams have been in poor condition for 18 years and the Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC) hasn’t…

Staff report Mike Solimano, president and general manager of Killington/Pico Ski Resort Partners, LLC, announced in a letter to staff earlier this week that Covid-19 vaccination would no longer be required for employment. “On behalf of Powdr, I am pleased to announce that we are lifting the vaccine mandate for employment at Killington & Pico…

Staff report Killington Resort has pledged to donate $20,000 to the Red Cross’s Ukraine relief efforts. The proceeds from the virtual silent auction held at the K-1 Base Lodge tear down party, March 20, entirely benefitted the Red Cross’s Ukraine relief efforts. The silent auction raised $9,480 for the efforts and Killington Resort matched it…

By Victoria Gaither Arthritis is usually associated with older people, but a teenager in North Chittenden is on a mission to show another face of the debilitating condition.  Dylan Aker, 16, has juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, which causes joint inflammation, pain, and stiffness.  “For the first year, I was stiff in the morning. It would be…

By Angelo Lynn & Gene DeLorenzo/Addison County Independent Otter Valley Unified Union School District voters will have another opportunity to decide the fate of their district budget via an Australian ballot vote on Tuesday, April 26. The Brandon-area district will hold an informational hearing on Monday, April 25, before voters in the six-town district cast…

By Liora Engel-Smith/VTDigger Earlier this week, state regulators ordered Vermont’s second-largest hospital to cover a projected multimillion-dollar deficit without raising prices. The dust had barely settled on that decision Friday morning, but already reality was setting in for Rutland Regional Medical Center’s chief executive. Reflecting on the fateful Green Mountain Care Board decision, last Wednesday, March…

Audrey J. Putnam, 83, died Saturday morning April 2, at home surrounded  by her loving family from complications of Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS). Audrey was born September 23, 1938, the daughter of Grove R. and Rena (Scott) Scribner. She grew up in Poultney. After graduating from Poultney High School, she graduated from Sheldon Academy of…

Staff report A man died at a snowmbobile event at Suicide Six in Pomfret around 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 2, according to Vermont State Police. James C. Darrow, Jr., 56, of Moreau, New York crashed into a tree while traveling off course down the mountain and died. It happened during a snowmobile race called…

Staff report The Archytas FIRST Robotics team, out of Bethel, is working on raising money so that it can compete in the New England District Championships April 13-16.  The central Vermont squad has close to 20 members from 10 towns and five different regional schools (The Sharon Academy, Woodstock, Randolph, White River Valley, and VAST). …