Patty Stugart, 65, of Killington, passed away peacefully Sunday, March 28 surrounded by her loving family in her home. Patricia Henrietta Fedak-Stugart was born June 1, 1955 in Newark, New Jersey, the daughter of Stanley and Henrietta Fedak. She was married to Taylor Stugart on July 3, 1976 in Killington. She was loved by all…

By Peg Bolgioni The popularity of gardening has not waned in the past year. In fact, the demand for seeds, plants, and garden tools may well outpace 2020. No one knows how long the pandemic will continue so people have created outdoor havens populated with patio furniture, above ground swimming pools, and backyard gas fire…

Covid safeguards a success, but ski areas face multimillion-dollar losses As the 2020-21 ski and ride season begins to draw to a close, ski areas across Vermont are proud of successfully delivering a safe and healthy experience for guests despite the Covid pandemic. At the same time, the state’s ski industry is measuring the pandemic’s…

Foreign workers find new adventures in Killington By Brooke Geery Some may think that lift operators are people who didn’t graduate from high school and are excited to have an interesting— albeit cold— job on the mountain. Others may think they’re ski bums who don't want to wait tables. But in 2021, that is no longer…

By Emma Cotton/VTDigger RUTLAND — A 9,100-square-foot expansion of the MINT, a makerspace in Rutland, will soon provide a space for local residents to learn a slew of new skills the organization has not offered before. Volunteers helped complete the move into the new space last weekend. They transported equipment such as 3D printers, a laser…

State creates a roadmap to full reopening, starts Friday By Polly Mikula “We have roughly 90 to go, 90 days to stay united so we can get back to normal,” Gov. Phil Scott said at the press conference, Tuesday, April 6. After July 4 Scott said he anticipates the state will only issue guidance —…

Staff report Windsor Central students in grades 9-12 will go back to school four days per week for in-person instruction on April 19, after spring break Principal Garon Smail announced, Tuesday, April 6. Wednesdays will remain remote days. While elementary students resumed four days a week for in-person instruction in the fall. Middle school and…

By Curt Peterson Windsor Central Unified Union School District board member and finance committee chair Ben Ford of Woodstock presented an update on the “new build status” March 29. The estimated cost for the new Middle/High School complex is $73,385,782. District board members are split on whether or not they think that price tag is…

Kahliq Richardson By Alan J. Keays/VTDigger A teenager told police a handgun accidentally went off as he handed it to a friend (another teenager), killing the latter early Saturday morning, April 3, in a Rutland motel room. Kahliq Richardson, 18, of Rutland pleaded not guilty Monday, April 5, in Rutland Superior Court to a charge of…

By Sandra Dee Owens All my life, I noticed it. The presence of a gentle, internal voice, offering helpful suggestions I mostly ignored. No, not ignored ... flicked off my shoulder like a bothersome bug. I gave my internal guidance system no respect or attention. And all my life, I noticed a collection of bold,…

By Mary Ellen Shaw By the time April arrives gardeners tend to get a little antsy. The temperature can be toasty warm one day and chilly the next. You want to plant some flowers but it’s just too early. However, there is still plenty to do in your yards and gardens as we get ready…

By Merisa Sherman For a few days every spring, there comes a magical moment for paddlers in Vermont. A section of the Otter Creek swells over the road and fills in a dairy farm pasture. The fields and some forests fill with a few feet of water, making this a paddler’s dream adventure. For years,…

I am presently sitting on the deck of a small boutique hotel in the Caribbean overlooking a tropical bay littered with yachts, catamarans, and sailboats of various sizes. Many of the vessels I see are moored together in groups of two and three with the passengers enjoying evening cocktails and revelry; the music is ubiquitous…

State leaders hype free app during financial literary month This past year dealing with Covid has emphasized the importance of financial wellbeing. April’s Financial Literacy Month highlights that everyone benefits from financial education, as research demonstrates: Two in three families lack an emergency fund. Three in five families don’t keep a budget. Fewer than one…

By Kevin Theissen Some data suggests that divorce rates in the U.S. have been falling in recent decades. Whether this is accurate or not, many people face the difficult challenges that come when their marriage ends. Getting a divorce is a painful, emotional process. Don’t be in such a hurry to reach a settlement that…