In winter, river otters head upstream into the uplands, seeking areas of fast-moving water that remain open—at least open enough for an otter to slip into a stream in pursuit of fish. You might catch a brief glimpse of an otter along one of these smaller streams, as I did years ago with my…

  It’s that time of year once again when we think of our dear family and friends. What would life be without special people who touch our souls and warm our hearts? Gift giving in many cultures is an honored tradition. It certainly is in ours. We live in a materialistic, throw-away society where objects…

  The wind howls, The trees sway, The cold icy air whistles, Then all is still. The snow begins to fall, Making everything sparkly and white, Falling silently, Fluffy white snow fills the land. The icy air returns, Forming the frost, Little swirls and twists, Filling up all the icy windows. All this making the…

There are times in life, when in order to get to an ideal destination, you have to traverse through places you’d rather not endure. Life, at times, can seem like a continual cost-benefit analysis. In order to have X, you must compromise on Y. In order to compromise on Y, the desire for X has…

  Wednesday, Dec. 13 from 4-7 p.m.—KILLINGTON—Mogul's Sports Pub on 2630 Killington Road in Killington will hold a registration party this Wednesday for the Michelob Ultra Ski Bum Race Series, coming to Killington Ski Resort.  Every Wednesday from Jan.3 to March 13 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. skiers, snowboarders, and Telemark skiers from the local area…

Stroll through downtown Rutland and enjoy beautiful holiday decor in downtown shops and restaurants. Three guest judges will choose their favorites in various holiday-themed categories. The public will have a chance to decide the People's Choice award. Winners will be announced on a sponsored Facebook post on Dec. 28. One vote per person. Vote below…

  By Carrie Phillips  Silas Hamilton , local Shrewsbury singer/songwriter, has just released his first album, “All The Ways," in which he plays every instrument on the album and sings all the lyrics.    Local Shrewsbury singer/songwriter Silas Hamilton just released his first album, “All The Ways”. I had the pleasure of interviewing Silas to…

  Dear Editor, It is with deep gratitude that the Ludlow Expeditionary School announces another successful fundraiser to help support the school. For its Giving Tuesday 2023 Campaign, ESBR once again had several anonymous (“Angel”) donors offer a Matching Fund Challenge of up to $7,000 to be doubled. Thanks to the support of many wonderful…

  Dear Editor, Greetings from the North Pole! As the holidays approach, I wanted to share some exciting changes happening in Christmas preparations this year. In the spirit of embracing sustainability, I am delighted to announce that our beloved reindeer will be retiring to a beautiful sanctuary. They have served tirelessly, guiding my sleigh through…

  Dear Editor, Down in Montpelier, groups are actively trying to persuade legislators to ban the use of dogs to hunt bears. They either don’t realize or don’t care, that their goal would make us all much less safe. Everybody loves to see bears. These amazing creatures are fun to watch in the wild. But…

  By Rep. Erin Brady, Rep. Rebecca Holcombe and Rep. Monique Priestley Editor’s note: Rep. Erin Brady, of Williston, is an active public school teacher; Rep. Rebecca Holcombe of Windsor-Orange 2, is the former Vermont Secretary of Education; and Rep. Monique Priestley, of Orange-2, is the tri-partisan Rural Caucus clerk. Governor Scott recently described an…

  By Erin Petenko/VTDigger Seven long-term care facilities and one school reported Covid-19 outbreaks in the week following Thanksgiving, an uptick from the weeks prior to the holiday, the Vermont Department of Health reported Wednesday. Although the health department noted in their weekly report that overall Covid levels remained “low,” the outbreaks come at a…

    The Natural Resources Board will host an online public meeting to present its draft legislative report “Necessary Updates to the Act 250 Program.”  The online public meeting will be held Thursday, Dec. 15 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.   Act 182 of 2022 and Act 47 of 2023 directed the Natural Resources Board with reporting to…

  Lily Doton hired to manage student reporting partnership at VTSU-Castleton UVM’s Community News Service, a pioneering student reporting program that provides professional-level reporting to local news partners across Vermont, is expanding coverage in central Vermont thanks to a grant from the Vermont Community Foundation. The VCF Hills & Hollows Fund will support a 2024…

  Submitted Elizabeth Mauch will take over as the next VSC chancellor. She starts Jan. 1.       By Peter D’Auria/VTDigger Elizabeth Mauch, the president of Bethany College in Lindsborg, Kansas, will be the next chancellor of the Vermont State Colleges, trustees announced last week.  Mauch will step into the position on Jan. 1,…