The Rutland County Humane Society (RCHS) would like to remind you that February is National Pet Dental Health Month. An astonishing 80% of dogs and 70% of cats shows signs of oral disease by age 3. Symptoms of gum disease in dogs and cats include yellow and brown build-up of tartar along the gum line,…

Being a good babysitter involves more than just knowing how to keep kids entertained. To help middle school youths learn the skills needed to be a responsible, caring and capable babysitter, University of Vermont (UVM) Extension 4-H is offering a free six-hour babysitting course via Zoom. Anyone in grades 5-8 may register for one of three…

Sundog Poetry Center is pleased to announce that “the blue-collar sun” by Lucas Farrell of Townshend is the winner of the 2020 Sundog Poetry Book Award for a first or second manuscript by a Vermont-based poet. “the blue-collar sun” will be published in partnership with Green Writers Press of Brattleboro  this spring. The award also includes a $500 cash prize, 50…

Rootstock Publishing, a Montpelier-based publisher and imprint of Multicultural Media, Inc., announces the release of “A Lawyer’s Life to Live”, a memoir by Kimberly B. Cheney, Vermont Attorney General (1973-1975), of Montpelier. “A Lawyer’s Life to Live” is about a unique time when Vermont culture was ready for change, and one young lawyer heeded the…

Liz ONeill, a third-generation Vermonter currently residing in Brookline, is a retired teacher having taught for over 25 years and spent 30 plus years volunteering and working at a woman’s advocacy shelter and as a mental health worker for those dealing with substance abuse. Through her experience in education and mental wellness, ONeill was inspired to…

Parent Child Center of Rutland County to expand space and services for rural families, affordable daycare The Biden Administration recently announced that the United States Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) has provided $1.2 million to the Parent Child Center of Rutland County (PCC). Grant and loan funding will be used to renovate and modernize PCC’s Chaplin…

[dflip id="192562" ][/dflip] Mountain Times - Volume 50, Number 6 - Feb. 10-16, 2021

  Volunteers share a joy of skiing, passion for Killington and service By Karen D. Lorentz For Killington regulars, the green-jacketed Killington Mountain ambassadors are a familiar presence as they interact with and help guests every day at the ski resort. This year, the ambassadors also play another significant role: they reminding people to mask-up.…

On Feb. 4, the town of Killington announced  its program for residents to report non-emergency issues concerning a short-term rental (STR) property via an online complaint form or by call the Killington complaint hotline. Non-emergency issues may include noise, lighting, parking violations, occupancy-limit violations, an illegal rental or trash issues, the town stated in the…

Local hospitalist joins the team of Rutland’s top skilled nursing facility Rachel Bruce, MD is the new nursing home director for Community Health’s nursing home service line and takes over the position of medical director at The Pines at Rutland. Dr. Bruce, who specializes in internal medicine, geriatrics, pulmonology and end-of-life care, was most recently…

Aging in Hartland  (AiH) announced the selection of a new executive director. Maggie Monroe-Cassel accepted the part-time position effective Feb. 1. Founded over 10 years ago, Aging in Hartland is a non-profit organization whose mission is to support healthy aging of Hartland seniors. Under the stewardship of outgoing Executive Director Tom Ripley and the hard work of its volunteers and…

Feb. 5, the state’s network of non-profit home health and hospice agencies, in partnership with emergency medical services (EMS) teams, begin home vaccinations for Vermonters 75 and older who are homebound and unable to go in person to one of the state’s vaccination clinics. It's the beginning of the next chapter of the state’s work…

Dear Editor, In late December, long after the election, columnist Don Keelan proposed the currently vacant Southern Vermont College as the site of the Trump presidential library.  My first reaction was laughter, which is probably why Keelan felt the need to assure readers it was a serious suggestion.  “Vermont,” he wrote, “starting with the governor,…

Dear Editor, On Feb. 6  I got my Covid-19 vaccine. Individual feelings about vaccination vary, and side effects may differ, but the event itself was low-key and smooth, with lots of supportive staff. I walked into the CVPS-Leahy entrance of the new outpatient building at Rutland Regional feeling ready to meet the unknown. Inside the…

By Shawn Shouldice Small business challenges have persisted for years due to wage mandates, health insurance premium increases, paid family leave requirements, climate change policies that raise energy costs, and higher taxes or trouble hiring due to the state’s aging demographics. But when Governor Scott declared a state of emergency on March 13, 2020, a…