Killington student Toby Borzekowski prepares for nationals By Katy Savage For 30 years, Woodstock Union High School teacher Gordon Ladd has led the school’s speech and debate team from championship to championship. The team has won the state championship eight times in his 30-year career and has been runner up 10 times. This year, the…

By Curt Peterson Ask any maple syrup farmer – the 2019 maple syrup season was somewhere between “excellent” and “okay.” Production-wise, syrup farmers say the 2019 season was very good, but not the best ever. “We didn’t make as much syrup as last year,” Reid Richardson of the Richardson Family Farm in Hartland said, “but…

By Katy Savage It’s been five years since Vermont made the cover of Rolling Stone magazine for its “full blown” heroin problem. National news organizations like the New York Times highlighted Rutland in particular, with its increased crime rate and drug crisis. “I get there was article after article about Rutland being the heroin capital,”…

By Polly Mikula It’s been a wet and cold spring and the snow that fell Monday night on the mountain tops was certainly not a welcomed sight. With May Day and Mother’s Day celebrations behind us and Memorial Day in sight, we should be donning our open-toed shoes, not thankful that we didn’t take off…

By Katy Savage Eli Smith is a homeless veteran by choice. Smith, 39, sold all of his belongings three years ago to hike to all four corners of the country and raise awareness about post-traumatic stress disorder. Smith started his trip on foot in November 2016 before switching to a bike in 2017 due to…

By Curt Peterson and Polly Mikula Cape Air Airline has a challenger for providing service between Logan Airport and Rutland-Southern Vermont Regional Airport from San Francisco’s Boutique Air. The proposed contract would provide flights for two years starting Nov. 1. Flying with a regional airline is a unique convenience for a rural area and boon…

Staff report The historic Benson Village Store has closed due to a fire last week. “My guess is that it will be declared a total loss,” said Benson Fire Chief Tom Newmann. The fire started around 2 a.m. April 29. Store owner James Tillman, who lived upstairs, was asleep at the time, Newmann said. “Before…

Staff report RUTLAND—The state police have deemed a fire that left 10 people displaced “suspicious.” The Rutland City Fire Department arrived at the fire at 75 Main St. in Rutland around 5 a.m. May 1 and found a two car garage  near the house heavily involved in fire. “There was a heavy volume of fire…

Eighth generation Vermonter, Pittsford resident, artist, educator, author, historian, mother, grandmother, friend: This does not begin to adequately describe the amazing person born at Proctor Hospital on Aug. 31, 1929 and died April 6, 2019. Between these dates was a life filled with constant learning and creativity. At 5 years of age, the Great Depression…

By Curt Peterson KILLINGTON—According to John Sayles, CEO of the Vermont Food Bank, “One in four Vermonters will visit a food bank in the next year.” Quick math tells us roughly 150,000 people will seek help with food security at one of the 215 VFB partner food bank locations. Sayles addressed 260 attendees at the…

A suspect in a domestic assault received treatment for non-life-threatening injuries after he was shot by a state police trooper Sunday night, May 5, in Hartford. Police said Trooper Eric Vitali of the Royalton Barracks shot James Luce, 19, of Quechee after officers arrived to a domestic assault call on Quechee at West Hartford Road…

Vermont continues its safety streak to remain one of the safest states in the nation, according to research firm SafeWise. The Green Mountain State beats national rates for both violent and property crime. Vermont comes in with 2.07 violent crimes per 1,000 – half the national rate of 4.49. And the safest cities did even…

By Rep. Jim Harrison Last spring there were no fee increases and no tax hikes being proposed (other than for a scaled back family leave plan, which was met with a veto). Last year the governor was proposing to keep education rates down with surplus revenues. This year, the Legislature is likely to utilize new…

Friday & Saturday, May 3-4—RANDOLPH—The Grammy-nominated Della Mae will take to the Chandler stage Friday, May 3 at 7:30 p.m. Della Mae has established a reputation as a charismatic, hard-touring live act, building a large and enthusiastic fan base while racking up massive amounts of critical acclaim. Sensitive yet assertive, these versatile instrumentalists and vocalists…

Killington Mountain School alum Alex Lewis has been nominated to the 2019-2020 U.S. Freestyle Ski Team. Lewis received a call from U.S. Team’s moguls coach and former KMS freestyle program director Matt Gnoza on Saturday morning informing him that he had officially made the team. Lewis, who hails from Carlisle, Massachusetts and will be attending…