By Karen D. Lorentz If you’ve ever wondered how Okemo rose to its prominence in the ski industry, a major clue can be found in an observation made by Ray Kennedy some 10 years ago: “We all are part of what gets built – there is loyalty and ownership and a sense of accomplishment and…

Case count at 19, including one staff member By Lee J. Kahrs PITTSFORD — Almost the entire current class of recruits at the Vermont Police Academy has now tested positive for Covid-19, but director William Sheets said recruits have not lost much training and class time, and graduation is tentatively set for Jan. 4. When…

On Dec.19 at about 4:45 p.m. a neighbor who lives on Independent Drive in Hartland saw flames coming from the basement area of the home at 17 Independent Drive and called 911. Upon arrival of the fire department, the house was fully engulfed in flames from the basement to the roof. Several local fire departments…

By Polly Mikula It’s now ok to take a walk or ski with a friend — as long as you are outdoors, wear masks and stay six feet apart, Governor Phil Scott said at the state press conference, Tuesday, Dec. 22. In addition to recreating outdoors, families can now gather with one other trusted family…

By Ellie French/VTDigger The Vermont Foodbank has received its largest ever donation, from MacKenzie Scott, the philanthropist ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. The $9 million donation is part of a $4.2 billion burst of donations Scott announced this week in a post on Medium called “384 ways to help,” referencing the 384 organizations she’s donating…

By Katy Savage The defunct Bridgewater Village School is on schedule to reopen as a community center in 2021 with the help of a recent $400,000 grant, closing in on a $1.2 million fundraising goal. Bridgewater was one of 10 communities that received a federal Community Development Block Grant this month, with awards totaling $2.9…

By Katy Savage While lodges and restaurants in Killington would normally be operating at full capacity this time of year, some establishments are down as much as 80%, due in part to the pandemic and the late start to the winter season. Kayla Bouffard, the innkeeper at the Vermont Inn in Mendon, said she was…

By Emma Cotton/VTDigger Nick Grandchamp took one look at the snowy pile covering his car Thursday morning, Dec. 17, and walked to work instead. There, at the Rutland Area Food Co-op, it was an unusually quiet day. The store, which usually closes at 7 p.m., closed at 4 p.m., he said. Most people in the area…

Mary W. Davis Realtor & Associates, also known as OkemoRealEstate.com which is based in Ludlow, recently announced new ownership for the company. This  63-year-old local realty firm is a long time member of the Okemo Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce (OVRCC) and the company new ownership plans to continue that investment and partnership. Last month,…

By Merisa Sherman As V.A.S.T. (Vermont Association of Snow Travelers) opening weekend approached, there was an admission of defeat. While I was stoked to pick up the sled from her annual maintenance check late Wednesday evening, there was no thought in our minds that we’d be making our way through the Vermont mountains. Instead, we…

By Dom Cioffi I took my son for his annual check-up at the optometrist earlier this week. Prior to the appointment, a woman from the doctor’s office contacted me and asked if I would fill out an online health questionnaire for my son so our waiting time in the lobby would be reduced. I had…

By Kevin Theissen For many older adults, finding time to experience nature can be one of the greatest pleasures in retirement. And what better place to take in America’s splendor than one of our over 400 National Park Service sites? For over a century, generations of retirees have explored these stunning landscapes, marveled at the…

By Tyler Hoar As winter settles in, people watching their birdfeeders hope to catch a glimpse of something out of the ordinary – perhaps a visitor from the Far North. Nothing satisfies this desire like the bubbly and charismatic common redpoll. A member of the finch family, this small songbird is similar in size to…

By Brooke Geery KILLINGTON— Pre-Covid, The Backroom was a “dinner party style” venue in Pittsfield, an intimate experience created by Chef Kevin Lasko and his wife Katie Stiles. However, in today’s socially-distant climate, the space became unsafe for guests. So for this winter, the couple pivoted, moving operations into a truck and offering a to-go…

By Cassandra Tyndall You’ve probably heard a lot about this week’s rare fusion between Jupiter and Saturn. Known as the Great Conjunction, this happens every twenty years. What’s especially unique about this particular conjunction is that it heralds a new almost 200-year cycle of Jupiter and Saturn conjoining in the air signs of Gemini, Libra…