By Rep. Jim Harrison If it was easy, the pension dilemma would have been solved. There is no hitting the Staple’s “Easy” button to solve this one. The unfunded pension liability for teachers and state employees has grown from $1.0 billion to approximately $5.7 billion in the past 13 years. This is despite an extended…

Governor Phil Scott, the Vermont Agency of Transportation (AOT) and the Agency of Commerce & Community Development (ACCD) today announced that $262,500 has been awarded to the towns of Bethel, Lyndon and Poultney through the Better Connections Grant Program, which seeks to help cities and towns build stronger communities that are more livable and walkable. “Vermont’s…

Will create additional outdoor gathering areas The village of Ludlow was recently selected as a recipient of a Better Places program grant for its "Gathering Spot Project." This project was one of  eight place-making grant award winners selected statewide.  These funds were provided to improve the vitality of state-designated downtowns and village centers. Grants award…

Rutland’s Makerspace, The Mint, is in the process of expanding into an additional 9,100 square feet at its current location. As a result, many new shops will be added, and the “quiet” side will be shifted towards the back of the building, according to a the Chamber & Economic Development of the Rutland Region (CEDRR) newsletter,…

On March 25, the Vermont State Police became the first statewide law-enforcement agency in the country to sign on to the 30x30 Pledge — a series of low- and no-cost actions that police agencies can take to improve the representation and experiences of women in law enforcement. The actions will help policing agencies assess the…

By Brett Yates Amid a statewide push for broadband expansion, Mendon has become the 12th municipality in the Otter Creek Communications Union District (CUD), thanks to a 3-0 vote by the town’s select board on March 23. CUDs are municipal entities that allow Vermont’s cities, towns, and villages to band together to create financeable plans…

Resort will close April 4 to facilitate construction By Karen D. Lorentz Skiers and riders at Okemo Mountain Resort will benefit from a new six-seat chairlift and a highspeed bubble quad replacement of the Green Ridge Triple for the 2021-22 season. The new Leitner-Poma detachable six-pack, manufactured in Colorado, will replace the current Quantum Four…

By Brooke Geery In May 2020, Vermont Adaptive made the decision to delay the start of creating its new adaptive sports facility at Sugarbush’s Mt. Ellen due to the global pandemic. “I am excited to announce that this project is back on track, and we will be breaking ground for the new building this spring — Our…

Reinforces strategy to boost skier market By Karen D. Lorentz Vail Resorts announced an epic decrease in the prices for its 2021-22 season pass products on March 24, a day later than anticipated due to the tragic shootings in Boulder near the company’s corporate headquarters. The 20% decrease applies to the various iterations of Epic…

By Katy Savage Elizabeth Bailey was in Publications class at West Rutland High School on Tuesday, March 23, when she got a phone call that she needed to gather all her belongings and go to the art room. When she got to the room around 11:45 a.m., Bailey saw her basketball coach, principal,  guidance counselor…

After five months of closure and 12 months without a competition, the Cobra Gymnastics team was thrilled to participate in their 9th annual Cobra gymnastics meet on Sunday, March 28. Masked and socially-distanced, 40 girls performed their routines, competing to earn a spot on the state team. “This season, we chose to host only the…

By Curt Peterson In the eyes of the Select Board, Killington’s short-term rental (STR) registration program seemed to be stuck — at least not moving very fast. Selectman Jim Haff said at a March 13 meeting, that the town has paid taxpayer dollars to LodgingRevs.com, but he felt the firm had not delivered as promised.…

By Merisa Sherman They were everywhere. Random and haphazard, they were strewn about like something had exploded. Pieces of all shapes and sizes littered the ground, discarded from their base as if they were nothing. Things that were once essential were now strewn about as if they had never really mattered in the first place.…

By Gary Salmon So how do trees work like a bank account? When they are sequestering carbon as all trees have over eons. A forest of trees is like principal, that grows and occasionally gets partially withdrawn (harvested). The faster and longer the growth the greater return from your collection of carbon sequesterers. It’s a…

At this very moment, nestled into the sediment at the bottom of your nearest lake or pond, are Daphnia eggs – as many as 100,000 per square meter, according to one Michigan study. A genus of microscopic crustaceans, Daphnia are sometimes known as “water fleas,” and their eggs can remain viable for anywhere from several…