By Victoria Gaither “The celebration is an opportunity to see our friends and neighbors in town. Following the pandemic, we’re excited to be fully open again, share our recently renovated shop and all of the new products we’ve curated,” said Casey McNeil, whose grandfather, James F. McNeil, and his good friend George Reedy, opened the…

By Emma Cotton/VTDigger In the latest of a long-running back-and-forth over the Rutland High School mascot, residents addressed the Rutland city board of school commissioners at a forum Tuesday night, June 22.  “We are here at this public forum to address an issue that has been on everybody’s mind,” said board clerk Erin Shimp, who led…

Cost and lead time of supplies as well as lack of workers create obstacles By Ethan Weinstein Here in southern Vermont, contractors are finding themselves busier than ever while lacking the resources they need to complete projects. This spring, lumber prices soared as production declined and demand for construction increased. The price of lumber has…

By Justin Trombly/VTDigger By this point, Robert Congdon would have normally hired half the workers he seeks every year to staff the Vermont State Fair in Rutland.  So far, the fair-runner has only about a third of his usual 30-person crew lined up for the August event.  “Traditionally, we’ve got tons of people contacting us [to work]…

By Katherine Lazarus PITTSFORD—To say that the campers who go to Camp Betsey Cox quite frequently return for a follow-up year, is like saying the sun is lukewarm. It’s such an understatement it’s a story in itself. Take camp staff member Angela “Angie” Willis VanBuskirk, 46. She is not only a former camper and parent…

Eligible and unvaccinated drops below 1,000 By Hannah Laga Abram Covid-19 may have put our lives on hold, but we sure are ahead of schedule getting back to them.  Gov. Phil Scott’s Vermont Forward Plan, which the state has been following since early this spring, looked toward July 4 as an optimistic reopening date. Instead,…

By Neil P. Allen On Monday, the Brandon Sewer Commission approved a $853,660 budget, which includes a potential fixed usage rate increase from $34 per quarter to $68 per quarter. This budget is 3.04% less than last year’s budget. Brandon Town Manager Dave Atherton introduced the budget. “Not a lot has changed. We moved some…

On Friday, June 18, at roughly 9 a.m., troopers from the state police took a report of a vehicle stolen from a residence in the town of Mendon.  During the investigation, troopers learned that the vehicle was last seen 30 days before the report was filed. The vehicle is described as a 1990 Jeep Wrangler…

SHARON—A man performing logging work at a private residence has died following an accident Saturday, June 26.  Initial investigation determined that the victim, John K. Sears, 64, of Sharon, had felled a tree and was cutting it into sections at about 3 p.m. Saturday when an apparent malfunction occurred involving the safety system on a…

Police have arrested a suspect involved in a late May burglary in Barnard. Investigation revealed that Amanda Conant had stolen a number of items, forced entry into the residence and caused property damage.  On June 14, Conant was issued a criminal citation to appear in Windsor County Court for grand larceny, burglary, unlawful mischief and possessing…

WEST HAVEN—On June 23, 11:00 a.m., troopers from the state police — Rutland Barracks were advised of a motor vehicle crash on Vermont Route 22A in West Haven. Upon arrival, they learned the crash was a head-on collision. Initial investigation showed Gary J. Sweeney, of Castleton, was traveling north on VT Route 22A when the…

By Alan J. Keays/VTDigger Some housing units will be closed at the Marble Valley Regional Correctional Facility in Rutland so workers there can be shifted to the Springfield prison to cover staffing shortages there.  “I wouldn’t say it’s dire but I would say it’s concerning,” Al Cormier, chief of operations for the Vermont Department of…

By Mia Schultz Editor's note: Mia Schultz is president of the Rutland Area Branch of the NAACP. Three hundred: the number of new members the Rutland Area NAACP received this time last year. Three hundred allies. Three hundred folks committed to equity, equality and change. This was significant; it put us over the top as far…

Dear Editor, This is an important time in history, a tipping point. The view of adversity and divisiveness is fogging the lens. A refocusing of our attention may change the view so we can see the light in the shadows.  The restructuring of our country at this critical time requires a more expanded view of…

Dear Editor, The scarcity of animal meat caused by the Covid-19 pandemic will keep our outdoor grills safer this Independence Day. Folks who grill hamburgers and hot dogs face a nasty choice. The U.S. Meat and Poultry Hotline advises grilling at high temperature to avoid food poisoning by E. coli and Salmonella bacteria. But the…