By Katy Savage Rutland City voters opted to not change the language of a charter to remove fluoride from the water. The measure failed by 687 votes (2031-1344) on Town Meeting Day, March 5. Some residents at public hearings in January had mixed feelings, saying fluoride in the city water is a violation of medical…

Submitted By Polly Mikula The Barstow school budget, Article 10, was defeated by just 4 votes — 379 (no) to 375 (yes). The proposed budget was $6,273,856, up about 12% over last year. But the actual education tax rate in Chittenden would increase 31%, from $1.38 after adjusted for the common level of appraisal to…

By Katy Savage Woodstock voters approved a 1% local option tax on Town Meeting Day, March 5. Residents voted in favor by a sizable amount, 997-308, after it was narrowly defeated 426-417 on Town Meeting Day in 2022 and went for a recount. The tax will add 1% to the state’s existing 6% sales tax…

Mountain Views Supervisory Union (MVSU) passed its $29,756,674 budget, an 11% increase over last year's spending; which translated into a 6% in the equalized tax rate. Tallies trickled in throughout the night. As of 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, six of the seven district towns had reported results —only Woodstock, which was expected to pass the budget…

Dear Editor, School District administration have reviewed the paid advertisement written by former School Board Director Jim Haff running in the February 28 edition of the Mountain Times. The article includes a chart describing certain services proposed by Johnson Controls Inc (JCI) to the School District for improvements to the School District’s buildings.   The assertions…

  RUTLAND – Rutland Regional Medical Center (RRMC) on Monday, Feb. 26, announced the recipients of the 2023 Rutland Regional Medical Center and Community Physician and Advanced Practice Provider of the Year awards. To be nominated for an award, individuals must meet the following criteria: Demonstrate dignity and respect toward patients and staff; exhibit excellence…

Tiffany Saltis, executive director of the Downtown Rutland Partnership since 2022, is leaving the organization in March 2024. She will return to the greater Burlington area to join the team at Ethos Veterinary Health, according to news release Feb. 27. Since 2022, Saltis has made significant contributions to our organization’s growth and success, including expanding…

Scammers demand immediate payment, threaten shutoff  Green Mountain Power (GMP) began alerting customers Monday, Feb. 26, about a sudden surge of scam calls. Dozens of customers have reported a caller threatening immediate power shut off unless they pay up right away. This is a scam, and GMP is urging customers to be safe and hang…

Author’s note: I use the male gender here to describe the skiers because women are usually not stupid enough to ski Lower O when it sucks. At least they didn’t this past weekend. Living here in Killington we just get spoiled, even with a desk job. Well, a moveable desk job, that is. This morning, I have…

 A few weeks ago, the U.S. State Department issued a level 3 travel advisory for Jamaica due to crime and lack of medical services. A level 3 travel advisory is classified as “Reconsider travel.” The only level worse is a level 4 advisory, which means, “Do not travel to this location.” It was further noted…

In a big mast year for oak trees, it seems like there’s a constant barrage of acorns thwacking roofs, parked cars, and — sometimes — unsuspecting humans. These falling nuts can seem a nuisance. But when I look closely at a little acorn with its tidy hat and imagine its future, I’m reminded of what…

Wind blows through the trees, The leafless branches sway, As chickadees fly over to them, Flapping their little wings using the winds.   Wind blows the snow, Across frozen lakes, The ice clear as glass, Little snowflakes sparkling, As the wind blows them further.   Wind blows kindness everywhere, It is here to help, From…

People avoid being honest. There are many reasons for it, most of them go unrecognized. You might think it’s not to hurt anyone’s feelings. Maybe it’s in an attempt to be polite or not rock the boat. It’s also possible that they choose to rationalize it away rather than connecting with what their intuition tells…

Midnight sky, Sphere glows bright Cast ethereal beams at night. Full moon gleaming satellite Set controls for patterned flight Captive sight, Cosmic trance, Darkness brightened, glow enhanced. Guiding souls From distance far Guarding dreams Where light is sparce Through darks embrace On endless days Captivating lunar phase. The full moon has been quite noticeable the…

Submitted James Webb Space Telescope Thursday, Feb. 29 at noon—RUTLAND— Adults are invited to embark on a journey into the unknown with Robert Black, artist Robert Black, collagist, photographer, and architect, for a series of talks and hands-on sessions centered around the theme "One Giant Leap for Humanity." In these engaging sessions, participants will explore…