By Brooke Geery The Vermont National Guard is in the midst of its largest foreign deployment in 10 years. On Sunday, Jan. 10, members of the guard shipped out  with bellies full of Texas-style BBQ lovingly crafted by Theresa House and her crew at Mama T’s Country Kitchen in Rutland. House and the crew cooked…

On Thursday, Jan. 7 in Center Street Marketplace in Downtown Rutland, Chris Ettori officially announced his campaign and platform for mayor. Ettori is focusing his campaign on providing active and inclusive leadership, creating opportunities for economic development, and building community connections. As an active community member and current three-term alderman, Ettori acutely understands the current challenges and…

By Emma Cotton/VTDigger December’s Project VISION monthly meeting marked the last for Joe Kraus, who has chaired the organization since its inception in 2013. Mark Stockton, CEO and founder of Stockton Security, has succeeded Kraus in leading the coalition. Project VISION was born out of concern about the opioid crisis, which hit Rutland particularly hard in…

On Monday, Jan. 11 at 6:40 p.m., troopers from the Vermont State Police – Rutland Barracks responded to a two-car head-on collision on Route 4 in Mendon. Preliminary investigation revealed Thomas Yuri Savransky, 23, of New York, New York, was traveling westbound on Route 4 in a GMC  Yukon, when he crossed the center line…

By Katy Savage Coaches and athletes are navigating a challenging season since Gov. Phil Scott gave winter sports the green light to start practicing Dec. 26. Scott didn’t announce when or if competitions could begin. Some sports are more affected than others. High-contact sports, like wrestling, can’t practice at all, while cheerleaders can’t practice vocal…

By Anne Wallace Allen/VTDigger About 50 Vermonters made the trip to Washington on a coach bus that left Vermont Tuesday night, Jan. 5. With a mixture of pride and defiance, the organizer who helped 51 people travel to Washington, D.C., for Wednesday’s planned demonstration at the Capitol building described a festive occasion where like-minded people shared…

Gov. Scott cautions Vermonters: 'Don't be played; don't be used as a pawn' By Alan J. Keays/VTDigger and Polly Mikula Vermont law enforcement officials are preparing for possible armed rallies at the State House. The FBI issued a warning Monday, Jan. 11, that demonstrations by gun-toting protesters are planned at state capitals across the country. ABC…

By Nadie VanZandt, Extension Master Gardener intern, University of Vermont Dominated by shades of gray, the landscape appears bleak in winter. Look closer and you may glimpse muted mauves in the distant mountains or the warm glow that envelopes the land at the golden hour. If that doesn’t satisfy your yearning for color, consider planting winterberry…

By Mary Ellen Shaw I know the skiers aren’t thinking like I am. Their season has just begun and they don’t want to think about it ending. I, on the other hand, am excited because flower and veggie seeds are in the stores! Seed catalogs have begun to arrive and I get to spend time…

By Merisa Sherman I keep moving. I can feel my ski slide underneath me as I collapse onto my front leg. With each stride, I move forward, onward and upward through the darkness. I swing my left hip forward, feeling the resistance of my skins as I drag my ski along the snow. Paying close…

By Dom Cioffi There’s an old saying that suggests that every decision we make is either based on love or fear. I’ve always found solace in that proverb and try to remember it when I am evaluating something in my life that requires judgement. How often do we say things or have an opinion on…

By Kevin Theissen Much of the focus of the new relief package has been on the $600 payments to individuals, but the 5,000+ page act covers a lot more including, small business loans, funding for the Covid-19 vaccine and unemployment. Refundable tax credit The $600 individual payments, in addition to the $1,200 payment under the…

By Michael J. Caduto Last June, my wife Marie and I encountered a mature wood turtle while walking through a forest near our home. We admired the intricate topography of its shell, inspiration for this species’ scientific name: Glyptemys (“carved turtle”) insculpta (“sculpted”). The 9-inch adult had brownish-black skin and scarlet-orange patches on its neck…

By Cassandra Tyndall If a change is worth making, the time it takes is worth taking. It’s easy to feel inspired by possibility, especially if you’re not satisfied by the current status quo. Dreaming up goals, making plans and thinking about the end point can help us visualize a better future. Without a sense of…

Tickets are $15 for viewing with your friends, family or pod Jan. 16 at 7 p.m.—RANDOLPH—Northern Harmony, an ensemble of 10 brilliant young singers led by Larry Gordon, presents a concert of seasonal songs from world harmony traditions as well as Renaissance works on Saturday, Jan. 16,  at 7 p.m., at Chandler Center for the Arts…