Discover More from This Author: MtnTimes

Want lower taxes? Then let’s reform education the smart way

June 11, 2025
By Bryce Sammel Editor’s note: Bryce Sammel, of Barnard, previously served on and chaired both the Barnard Academy and Mountain Views school boards. Vermonters are rightly worried about taxes. With rising costs across the board, including property taxes, health care and energy bills, many residents, especially those without school-aged children, are asking a fair question:…

Bridge replacement underway in Plymouth, Route 100A

June 11, 2025
Drivers traveling along Route 100A should prepare for ongoing delays and a full closure later this summer as construction ramps up on Bridge 9 in Plymouth. The Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) has initiated a long-term project to replace the aging structure over Pinney Hollow Brook. A southbound lane closure is currently in effect near…

Over 30 young anglers reel in big fun at Fran Renner Youth Fishing Derby

June 11, 2025
More than 30 eager young anglers lined the pond at the Mendon Fish and Game Club on June 8 for the 2025 Fran Renner Youth Fishing Derby. With 300 brook trout freshly stocked for the occasion, the annual event delivered a morning full of excitement, friendly competition, and family camaraderie. Now in its 40-plus year…

Fact: TIF builds education and municipal funds

June 11, 2025
The cost of living in Vermont continues to rise, especially in communities with greater affordability challenges but with fewer resources to invest in major infrastructure projects necessary to address those needs. A recent bill that passed in the Vermont Legislature aims to allow communities to leverage the same financing model behind TIF for small-scale housing…

Mission Farm accepts National Sacred Landscape Award for Odeon amphitheater

June 11, 2025
Mission Farm accepted a national recognition at the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Conference in Boston on June 6. Mission Farm was honored for its thoughtful integration of land and spirituality, earning the Sacred Landscape Award for the creation of the “Odeon,” a stone amphitheater designed as a community gathering space in Killington. The Sacred…

Tourism workforce gets skilled leaders from VTSU’s Resort & Hospitality Management Program

June 11, 2025
As Vermonters and visitors alike hit the slopes of Killington this winter they likely crossed paths with a VTSU Resort & Hospitality Management student working on the mountain and gaining valuable hands-on experience to support their career aspirations.  This weekend, 16 students graduated from the program. Here’s a snapshot of their impressive accomplishments over the…

Vermont’s ski areas boast growth with 4.16 million skier visits for 2024-25

June 11, 2025
Vermont’s Alpine and cross-country ski areas joined industry partners, supporters, and friends at Ski Vermont’s 56th annual meeting at Sugarbush Resort, June 4-5, recapping a season of continued growth despite challenges. Vermont’s Alpine ski areas reported 4.16 million skier visits for the 2024–25 season, an increase of 1.1% over the previous year and 6.2% over…

Chittenden landowner held in contempt in legal battle with Mountain Top Resort

June 11, 2025
By Greta Solsaa/VTDigger Chittenden property owner John Gerlach has been found in contempt in the latest development of an ongoing legal battle with Mountain Top Resort. The May 22 decision came after Gerlach removed a rope barring access to one of the resort’s cross-country trails. The dispute began last summer when Gerlach and his wife, Debra, relocated two of…

White River Valley SU withdraws from the Vermont School Boards Association 

June 11, 2025
By Corey McDonald/VTDigger The White River Valley Supervisory Union last week moved to withdraw its membership from the Vermont School Boards Association, highlighting deep divisions among the state’s school districts and supervisory unions over the trajectory of education reform. The White River Valley board’s decision marks an overt break in unity with a prominent advocacy organization…

Red Clover: The state flower of Vermont

June 11, 2025
By Nadie VanZandt, Extension Master Gardener, University of Vermont Introduced to Vermont by European settlers, red clover has become an essential part of the state’s landscape and identity. Designated as the state flower in 1894, this pinkish-purple bloom symbolizes Vermont’s deep agricultural roots—particularly its dairy farming heritage—and serves as a living tribute to the land’s…

Richard T. Godfrey, Jr., 96

June 11, 2025
A memorial visitation for Richard T. Godfrey, Jr. ( July 8, 1928 - Feb. 12) will be held at the Cabot Funeral Home in Woodstock, Vermont, on Friday, June 20, from 3-5 p.m. with a reception to follow at the Thompson Senior Center.

Howard Barbash, 80

June 11, 2025
The graveside service for Howard Barbash, who passed peacefully on Dec. 6, 2024, will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, June 17, at the Riverside Cemetery in Killington.  He will be laid to rest in his beloved home of Killington. Arrangements are with the Aldous Funeral Home.

This Father’s Day, let’s commit to saving rural Vt

June 11, 2025
Dear Editor, As Vermont dads of children attending Vermont schools and members of the Rural School Community Alliance, we’re used to showing up for our kids: on the sidelines, at bedtime, in the school pickup line, and around the dinner table. Today, we’re showing up in a different way: to urge lawmakers to stand up…

Vermonters asked us to tackle the real cost drivers to the property tax — and we did

June 11, 2025
By Sen. Kesha Ram Hinsdale Editor’s note: This commentary is by Sen. Kesha Ram Hinsdale, D-Chittenden Southeast. She is the Vermont Senate majority leader and a member of the Senate Economic Development and Education Committees. She lives in Shelburne with her husband and two young children. As Vermont debates how to stabilize our education finance…

A Titanic problem in healthcare

June 11, 2025
Dear Editor, Our healthcare “system” operates via a Byzantine system of price hikes, price discounts, different pricing for different customers, and an immense web of middlemen who operate it all. The complexity and the middlemen will always keep prices higher than they otherwise would be. Always. Our irrational system causes immense personal harm, misery and…