By Polly Lynn RUTLAND — Three Tomatoes Trattoria, located at 88 Merchants Row, will close at the end of April after serving downtown Rutland restaurant-goers for over 18 years. Owner Allen Frey could not be reached for comment prior to publication, but according to a public letter addressed to the Rutland Community from the Friends…

By Erin Mansfield, VTDigger.org Frustrated by stalled efforts to legalize marijuana and regulate it like alcohol, two Vermont lawmakers introduced a bill Wednesday, April 15, that would ban alcohol and treat it like marijuana. The bill’s lead sponsor, Rep. Chris Pearson, P-Burlington, called it a symbolic step to “recognize recent scientific studies that demonstrate that…

On April 9 U.S. Congressman Peter Welch (D-Vt.) announced his support for bipartisan legislation to provide tax relief to Vermont’s growing small brewery industry. “Vermont is quickly gaining a reputation for brewing some of the best and most sought-after beers in the world,” said Welch. “Our brewers exemplify Vermont’s entrepreneurial culture, but taking a brewery…

RUTLAND — The next chapter in Rutland’s story of revitalization will include an independent downtown bookstore, as Phoenix Books has signed a five-year lease on a portion of the former Lake Sunapee Bank building, owned by MKF Properties. “I could not be more excited about our future in Rutland,” co-owner Michael DeSanto said. “I think we…

By Lee J. Kahrs, The Reporter BRANDON — Selectman Dave Atherton was hired by his colleagues as the new Brandon town manager this week. Atherton, a long-time resident and a member of the selectboard for three years, takes over from Robin Bennett, who was put on leave last month and ultimately resigned. The Brandon selectboard announced…

By John Hall, VTF&W Vermont is one of eight eastern states opening a spring snowgoose hunt this year to help control damage by the birds to agricultural crops and marsh vegetation from Quebec to North Carolina. “The breeding population of greater snow geese has grown from approximately 50,000 birds in the mid-1960s to 900,000 birds today,”…

By Governor Peter Shumlin It’s no secret that the economic recovery across America has been felt most by those with higher incomes. For working families in America, the recovery has been slow to take root. And for those fighting to get into the middle class, the recovery has been almost nonexistent, with many still struggling.…

Dear Editor, This is the story of my experience with Vermont Health Connect. I retired in the beginning of 2014. At that time our family was covered under my husband’s policy through his employer. My husband died in March of that year and the coverage ended. I had the option of being covered as a…

By Rob Roper It is safe to say that all or at least most of us believe that Vermont is a very special place, and we all want to do what’s necessary to preserve and pass on this unique treasure that both draws and keeps us here–majestic mountains, pristine waters, and wild, open spaces. The…

Editor’s note: The Mountain Times receives many questions from readers every week about Killington Resort and Pico Mountain operations. In order to best answer some of the most common questions we will pose them directly to Mike Solimano, president and general manager for Killington Resort and Pico Mountain, who has agreed to respond in an…

By Dom Cioffi My son had a group of friends over this past weekend and as expected with any large gathering of boys, several arguments inevitably broke out.  I spoke with the “dad voice” on a couple occasions to try to contain things, but it only worked for short periods of time. Eventually tempers would…

In an effort to promote youth hunting in Vermont, youth hunters had the opportunity to sign up for the third annual Governor’s Youth Turkey Hunt this spring. Young hunters were treated to a luncheon on Sunday, April 19, then, on the weekend of April 25-26, the young hunters will take part in a guided turkey…

By Lovey Heartburn Living in any small town has its plus and minuses. When trying to date in any rural town that’s like Cheers where “everybody knows your name” (and your date’s, too), it can be hard to have any privacy on a date. You get date bombed! Date bombing is where you are on a date…

Tasty teas (and more) from trees: black and yellow birch By Russ Cohen Scratch and then sniff a black or yellow birch twig, and the pleasant aroma will likely put a smile on your face. What you are smelling is oil of wintergreen (methyl salicylate). This chemical compound is present in the inner bark of…

What exactly is the state of sushi in American culture? Once the most cutting-edge, exotic style of foreign cuisine to reach American shores, it now sits humbly within mass-produced plastic trays at virtually every large supermarket in America. Today, “California Rolls” are about as edgy as “Pumpkin Spice Lattes,” but presumably there will forever be…