Discover More from This Author: MtnTimes

Five lucky patrons win stuffies in drawing

April 3, 2024
By Curt Peterson Three Corners Market in Hartland defied “April Fools Day” April 1, when they drew five winners of giant stuffed animals in Easter colors. The raffle, sponsored by the store, received more than 100 entries. The five winners were: Josh Sanderson, Stacey Bradley, Cian Fields, Crystal Brooks and Jordyn Leonard. The winners will…

Fair Haven Middle/High School remains closed after a 500-gallon fuel oil leak

April 3, 2024
Staff report On Monday, April 1, the Fair Haven Middle/High School closed due to a boiler issue and has remained closed through Wednesday, April 3. Slate Valley Unified Union School District Superintendent Brooke Olsen-Farrell has posted daily updates on the districts live feed explaining the situation as it unfolds. “There was a break in the…

Easter on the sunny slopes

April 3, 2024
Sunday, March 31,was an early morning for those lucky enough to score tickets to the sunrise service atop Killington Peak. The K-1 gondola started loading at 4:30 a.m. The Easter Bunny himself led the egg hunt at K-1, which was open to all.       Photos by Victoria Gaither

MVSU Board hears results of district survey on new build

April 3, 2024
  By Curt Peterson The Mountain View Supervisory Union (MVSU) board’s proposal to fund a new middle-high school in Woodstock with a $99 million bond was defeated about 60% to 40% last month on Town Meeting Day. The board subsequently distributed an information-gathering survey, to which 1,395 people responded. Board vice-chair Ben Ford reviewed survey…

Vermont Housing Improvement Program added 547 new affordable units in three years

April 3, 2024
  Governor Scott and the Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) are celebrating the success of more than three years of the Vermont Housing Improvement Program (VHIP) as DHCD launches VHIP 2.0. “The Vermont Housing Improvement Program has been incredibly successful and an essential tool expanding Vermont’s housing stock,” said Governor Scott. “By bringing existing…

Two years after a veto, lawmakers angle again for expungement system reform

April 3, 2024
  By Norah White, Community News Service Editor’s note: The Community News Service is a program in which University of Vermont students work with professional editors to provide content for local news outlets at no cost. Lawmakers are trying again to pass a bill to replace the state’s expungement system with a more expansive process of…

Tri-partisan Climate Superfund Act aims to hold big oil accountable

April 3, 2024
On Friday, March 29 the Vermont Senate voted overwhelmingly (21-5) to advance S.259, the Climate Superfund Act, which would ensure that Vermonters are not left shouldering the full cost of climate disruption. Following another vote Tuesday, April 2, the bill will head to the House of Representatives for consideration. As Vermont continues to grapple with the…

A lot of noise

April 3, 2024
The past few weeks at the State House have been anything but quiet. Last week, House leaders pushed through over $130 million in new taxes and fees alone for various spending priorities. The governor has not minced words as to what he views as the Legislature making Vermont unaffordable. A group of House Republicans suggested…

Mid-session turning points

April 3, 2024
  The Legislature has now said “thank you and farewell” to our second set of Pages, which means we are more than halfway through our 2024 Session.  If you know a young person who will be in the 8th grade next year and is interested in how Vermont works, please suggest they consider serving as…

Real affordability

April 3, 2024
By Emily Long Editor’s note: Emily Long is the State House majority leader. As Democrats, there’s nothing we care more about than making sure Vermont is a place where everyone can afford to live. We’re working hard to pass legislation that makes a real difference for folks, and it’s no secret that we have some…

Enough is enough!

April 3, 2024
  By Rep. Pattie McCoy Editor’s note: Pattie McCoy, Rutland – 1, is the House Republican Leader.  Today, [March 28] the House Republican Caucus is sounding the alarm. The supermajority is off the rails, and out of control. And Vermonters have had enough. Vermonters are struggling. They are stretched thin, trying to make ends meet.…

Forests of Telephone Gap in GMNF serve public good

April 3, 2024
Dear Editor, My concern is the Telephone Gap project plans, primarily in Rutland County, of the Green Mountain National Forest and the public comment period that ends on April 8. Old growth forest stands are extremely rare in this publicly owned forest and it is not being managed to promote them in any significant way.…

Killington Deli family reflects on 39 years at the helm

April 3, 2024
Dear Editor, After 39 years of business, we are happy to announce our retirement and the sale of the Killington Deli and Marketplace. We would like to take the opportunity to thank our community for all your love, friendship, and support over the years. Moving here in 1985 from New Jersey, not only did we…

Logging old trees in GMNF is a serious public concern

April 3, 2024
Dear Editor, I understand the Forest Service is planning to log stands of almost 12,000 acres of mostly old and mature forest in the Telephone Gap area of the Green Mountain National Forest just east of Pittsford. That is bigger than the whole city of Burlington. (Google it for yourself: Telephone Gap Project.)  We all…

Only 1% up but defeated: examining the Slate Valley school district budget before revote April 11

April 3, 2024
By Pati Beaumont Editor’s note: The following commentary was written by Pati Beaumont, chairperson of the Slate Valley Unified Union School Board, as an open letter to the Slate Valley Unified Union School District community and published here by request. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the 2,472 individuals who exercised their…