As the state kicked off Apprenticeship Week last week, Vermont State University (VTSU) announced that its plumbing and electrical registered apprenticeship programs have grown over 20% in two years. Enrollment for the current academic year is at a record high of over 870 apprentices after multiple years of sustained growth. “Vermont State University is dedicated…

By Brett Yates Starting next year, Pittsfield may have a chance to draw from an additional source of municipal revenue. First, voters will have to approve a new “local option” tax at Town Meeting Day. Some Vermont municipalities require restaurants, bars, hotels, and/or shops within town limits to add a 1% surcharge to each customer’s…

A coalition of outdoor recreation organizations led by the Vermont Trails and Greenways Council (VTGC), issued a statement Nov. 18 urging the Vermont Supreme Court to carefully consider the long-term implications of its upcoming ruling regarding the maintenance of public access trails on private land.  The case, which involves the use of a “legal trail” maintained by the town that crosses…

By Brett Yates The Vermont Dept. of Buildings and General Services will deliver $157,899 to Pittsfield to promote renewable energy and energy efficiency at the town office. Projects may include a heat pump, programmable thermostats, an energy recovery ventilator, a solar array, a tankless water heater, electric vehicle chargers, LED lighting, window replacements, and other…

Staff Report Skiology Ski and Sports and Darkside Snowboards have received recognition in a USA Today readers’ poll of the 10 best ski shops in the U.S.  Skiology Ski and Sports landed at an impressive No. 2 on the list. “This local shop offers a wide range of high-performance recreational and racing skis, from all-mountain…

In a quest to further enhance its support for student-athletes at their world-class training venue, Killington Mountain School (KMS) announced Monday, Nov. 25, the establishment of an in-house World Cup-level ski service, providing elite-level equipment preparation for its ski racers. Through a new partnership with Mike Beers, owner of Race Tech Ski Service, KMS athletes…

By Kevin O’Connor/VTDigger Developers of a proposed 450-acre retail and residential village at the base of the Killington Resort — the biggest ski area in eastern North America — say design changes will postpone the project for at least a year. Announced last winter, the Great Gulf plans include a new lodge, some 32,000 square feet of commercial space,…

By Sarah Mearhoff/VTDigger A week and a half after Vermont voters eviscerated their supermajority, Senate Democrats convened Saturday, Nov. 16, to reflect on their election losses and chart a new course ahead of the 2025 legislative session. They voted to retain one top leader — but jettisoned another.  Saturday’s caucus at the Statehouse was the first…

Brenda Hathaway, formerly of Rutland, died Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, in Mesa, Arizona. She was born June 22, 1963, to Robert Milne Hathaway and Suzanne (Dexter) Hathaway, in Rutland. She attended Lincoln Elementary, Rutland Junior, and Rutland Senior High Schools. In 1983, Hathaway earned her degree in business administration from Castleton College — now Vermont…

New data from the Vermont Dept. of Health measuring health risks and behaviors among middle and high school students indicate progress on long-term challenges like youth drug, alcohol and tobacco use, while the number of young people reporting mental health challenges like stress, anxiety and depression remains high.  The 2023 Vermont Youth Risk Behavior Survey…

By Shaun Robinson/VTDigger Vermont Castings, a well-known manufacturer of stoves and fireplace inserts, plans to furlough most of the workers at its facilities in Randolph and Bethel around the start of next week. Hearth & Home Technologies, the parent company, plans to furlough 78 employees in Vermont starting on Nov. 25, said Sarah Wellcome, the firm’s…

By Greta Solsaa/VTDigger On Wednesday afternoon, Nov. 20, more than 75 local residents from Wells, Poultney and other nearby towns packed into the town of Wells town clerk’s office or joined online for a meeting held by the Vermont Dept. of Environmental Conservation. The crowd had gathered to learn more about a draft decision by the…

By Noah Diedrich, Community News Service Editor’s note: This article is provided by Community News Service, which provides local reporting from the University of Vermont. For this story, Diedrich, along with photographer Catherine Morrissey, braved the dark depths of Wilson Castle to follow ghost hunters. If the assembly of tents outside Wilson Castle on a mid-October…

Rutland County Head Start (RCHS) and Wonderfeet Kids’ Museum, two of the Rutland area’s leading play-based early childhood education organizations, announced a new partnership to enhance learning opportunities for the youngest Rutlanders. The new partnership will include free monthly playdates for the community with children under the age of 5 and Wonderfeet memberships for all…

By Andrea Knepper, Extension Master Gardener, University of Vermont Amaryllis bulbs and blooms make popular and appreciated holiday gifts. Gifted in full bloom to brighten the winter months or lovingly tended to bloom after the new year, amaryllis add vibrant color and joy to the dreary season. Amaryllis are commonly available during the winter holidays…