By John Flowers In the fall of 2022 the Slate Valley Unified Union School District (SVUUSD) board is considering a move to send its 7th- and 8th-grade students to Fair Haven Union High School. The plan that’s being considered is part of a major reorganization proposal within the district aimed at saving taxpayer dollars amid…

By Katie Jickling/VTDigger Tom Canavan lived alone in his Rutland home, defiantly independent, until Sept. 24. It was only when Canavan’s memory started faltering and he wandered from the house that his family persuaded the 94-year-old to move into Rutland Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center, where his wife Mary spent her final years. His children dropped him off…

Staff report The state will continue to add more testing sites this week. Mike Smith, secretary of the Agency of Human Services, said on-demand testing sites opened last week in Rutland, Brattleboro, Burlington, Middlebury, and Waterbury. The Rutland site is located at Rutland Regional Medical Center, 160 Allen St. Additional testing sites are being opened…

As Covid-19 cases rise, what triggers a decision to go to remote learning? By Lola Duffort/VTDigger and Polly Mikula As Vermont struggles to contain a record-breaking surge in Covid-19 cases and officials brace for superspreading holiday get-togethers, one question is on the tip of the tongue for every teacher, parent and principal. “I get asked multiple…

By Polly Mikula Governor Phil Scott said he was "cautiously optimistic" at the regular news conference, Tuesday, Dec. 1. Thus far, the mitigation measures enacted Nov. 13 banning multi-family gatherings among other restrictions, have decreased the rate of Covid-19 spread, he said. But it's too early to tell what the effect of the Thanksgiving holiday…

Do you know what motivates you? By Sandra Dee Owens Through a series of mental growth spurts, I discovered that adventure is highly motivating for me while telling myself I “should” do something—is not. Below is the true story of one of those mental growth spurts. In the days and weeks leading to my 50th…

By Merisa Sherman We arrived at the boat launch with the best on intentions. It was Thanksgiving and we wanted to do all our favorite activities before settling down to eat as much food as humanly possible. The idea was to sneak in a quick lap around the pond on our way up to go…

By Dom Cioffi It was an inexpensive, under-sized, tobacco sunburst acoustic guitar whose brand name is now long lost to memory. In essence, it was an incredibly forgettable conglomeration of wood and wire… but it was the catalyst for a lifelong obsession. The guitar was a hand-me-down from my mother who took a stab at…

By DJ Dave Hoffenberg Sahara Moon, 22, released her “Worthy” EP on Nov. 12. I highly recommend getting it. Moon is a singer/songwriter from the Long Beach Island area in New Jersey, but you may have caught her Killington shows last winter when she came up to play with Daniel Brown. You can find her…

By Kevin Theissen The premiums and coverages vary, and you must realize the differences. Medicare takes a little time to understand. As you approach age 65, familiarize yourself with its coverage options, costs, and limitations. Certain features of Medicare can affect health care costs and coverage. Some retirees may do okay with original Medicare (Parts…

By Mary Ellen Shaw If you are old enough to be reading this you probably had a summer job during your school days. The winter months were spent searching for places to apply. The types of jobs available to young people today are often quite different than they were back when my husband, Peter, and…

By Susan Shea Rat-a-tat-tat. Showers of acorns hit the ground and tapped our heads as my husband and I hiked the Appalachian Trail. Thousands of acorns strewn across the path atop multi-colored leaves made for treacherous passage. We were hiking a portion of the trail through the Berkshires, and the tall, straight red oaks that…

By Cassandra Tyndall We are currently traveling through the eclipse portal. This is the time between eclipses. The first lunar eclipse happened last week, and the following one, a total solar eclipse, happens mid-month. As a usual cosmic quirk, this time is renowned for being exceptionally quiet in the sky. It’s as if the sky…

There have been many questions regarding the upcoming snowmobile season in Vermont and how the Covid-19 pandemic will impact VAST (Vermont Association of Snow Travelers) and club operations. VAST wants to assure its members that it is monitoring the situation and is prepared to respond accordingly as conditions warrant. Due to an increase in Covid-19…

Killington-Pico Rotary’s annual Christmas tree sale is happening for two weekends only, Dec. 4-6 and Dec. 11-13 the Welcome Center, 2319 US-4 in Killington. Friday hours are 4-8 p.m. and weekends 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Small trees are $45, medium are $55 and large are $65. The Rotary is also having a food drive on the…