By Curt Peterson Early in the evening on Jan. 30, Raymond Park, 49, of Killington, was snowboarding on the backside of the Killington Ski Area, out of bounds, and spent several subsequent hours trying unsuccessfully to return to the trail he had left. He was found by rescuers at 8 a.m. Jan 31, five hours…

By Brooke Geery Snowshoeing is one of the most accessible ways to enjoy the beauty and peace of Vermont in winter. All you need are snowshoes, a few layers of warm clothing, and perhaps a backpack filled with snacks to enjoy along the trails, fields, or really any snow covered surface. It is a low-impact…

McNeil and Reedy celebrates 65 years in downtown with a new look By Victoria Gaither and Brooke Geery A major renovation project is underway at McNeil & Reedy men’s clothing and shoe store in downtown Rutland. The store, which has been a go-to for proms, weddings, and funerals since 1956, is benefitting from new blood…

By Lisa Lynn/Vermont Sports As Governor Scott outlined in his annual budget address Tuesday, Jan. 26, outdoor recreation is going to see some major investment in the coming year. “It’s more than 20 million dollars, that’s huge!” said Kelly Ault, executive director of the Vermont Outdoor Business Alliance, which counts as members businesses such as Orvis,…

Karlhubers celebrate 37 years at the inn By Polly Mikula KILLINGTON—Jeanne and Manfred Karlhuber celebrated with a Zoom party Monday, Feb. 1, after signing closing documents to sell The Snowed Inn after 37 years. “We had dinner delivered and champagne,” Jeanne Karlhuber said of the party their (adult) children, Tom and Kerstin, organized for them.…

Skiing and snowboarding provide equal workouts By Owen Crossmon Skiing and snowboarding ... which one is easier? This is a common argument between the two sports. If the sport is easier, it takes less energy than the other. Some say snowboarding is harder than skiing because one has to balance more instead of just standing…

By Mark Bushnell/VTDigger One of the greatest economic advances in early industrial America involved sheep. It also involved Napoleon, an American diplomat and some fortunate timing. Details of the story might never have come to light if not for the resolve of the diplomat’s daughter, Mary Pepperrell Sparhawk Cutts, to extract the details from her father.…

Average sale price for a single-family home rose 26% to $352,537 By Anne Wallace Allen/VTDigger The number of $1 million home sales in Vermont nearly tripled last year. Vermont real estate agents assisted in the sale of 313 homes worth at least $1 million in 2020, said Staige Davis, CEO of Four Seasons Sotheby’s. In 2019,…

USDA Rural Development (RD) is seeking applications for the Value Added Producer Grant Program (VAPG). Applications will be accepted through close of business on March 22, 2021. The VAPG program helps agricultural producers in rural communities develop and market their products, and widen their areas of distribution, to increase their income and strengthen rural food…

The Children’s Literacy Foundation (CLiF) aims to ensuring that all children in New Hampshire and Vermont have access to enriching literacy experiences, the resources they need to learn, and high-quality books in the spaces where they spend time, particularly in the home. Literacy skills are one of the strongest indicators of a child’s future success…

On Jan. 15, the Vermont Women’s Fund announced that it is now accepting applications for its 2021 grant round from nonprofit organizations in Vermont that advance economic opportunities for women and girls. The 2021 competitive grant program will award grants of up to $10,000 for both specific programs and general operating support that: Make pathways…

The Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SARE) has released its 2021 call for Partnership Grant program proposals. The Partnership Grant program funds projects that work in direct partnership with farmers to encourage innovative solutions to current sustainability challenges related to production, marketing and/or farmer and community wellbeing in Northeast farming and food systems.…

By Tony Crespi Skiing has always been about more than tracking vertical at Killington. It’s always been more than just a sport. For many of us it’s a lifestyle. It’s, well, a way of life. Stopping by a local airport recently to examine a four-seater plane, I saw an empty world. Hangars were closed. Aircraft…

Mentor Vermont is excited to announce the awarding of four multi-year federal grants, totaling $755,000, to youth mentoring agencies serving rural communities in northeast, northwest, southeast, and southwest Vermont. Funding for these grants comes from a $1.25 million three-year federal grant awarded to the Vermont Department for Children and Families (DCF) and Mentor Vermont from…

How embracing the word ‘slower’ lead to a new sport: snow swimming By Sandra Dee Owens Have you ever made your own speed limits? After I received two speeding tickets and a warning within six weeks—I realized I had a problem. With an excellent, 40-year driving record before this life “phase,” I suddenly found myself…