By Brooke Geery Burlington-based besties Mercedes Ortega and Hailey Ranconi brought their female-focused camp event, Park Affair, to Killington Resort on Saturday, Feb. 12. The goal of the event is to bring together anyone who identifies as a she/her in a supportive environment, where park riding skills can be learned, confidence gained and limits pushed,…

By Peter D’Auria/VTDigger On Tuesday morning, Feb. 8, members of the Vermont Immunization Advisory Council, a group of state officials that makes recommendations about vaccine requirements for Vermont schoolchildren, met for the first time in nearly two years. About 25 minutes later, the meeting was over, with the council declining to take up a question…

Positions are currently open in Addison, Bennington and Windsor counties In Vermont, the Fish and Wildlife Board (FWB) makes regulations for hunting, trapping and fishing. While they are given advice and recommendations from the State Fish & Wildlife Department (FWD), they are not required to implement those recommendations. “A trapper’s request to extend the bobcat…

Woodstock’s Ella Stainton and Hartford’s Olivia Merrill among those selected Twenty-eight New Hampshire Academy of Science (NHAS) students from 14 New Hampshire and Vermont schools have qualified to present original scientific research at the largest general science conference in the world. The American Association for the Advancement for Science (AAAS) will hold its annual conference…

 Covid’s risk to students mental health is now greater than physical health, governor says By Polly Mikula Masking in schools — among the last remaining Covid mitigation measures in place for students — will soon be optional for schools with a student vaccination rate of over 80%, Governor Phil Scott announced at his regular press…

From Snowshed to Royal Flush, Killington’s ski trail names contain history, humor By Karen D. Lorentz From Snowshed to Royal Flush to Superstar, the naming of trails at Killington contains interesting histories and, at times, humorous stories. The most historic name is Snowshed. The Snowshed trail was named after the snowsheds built when logging occurred…

Dear Editor, The Vermont House has advanced Prop. 5, a proposed constitutional amendment to guarantee a so-called right to “personal reproductive autonomy,” which includes abortion. While portrayed by advocates as a simple proposal to preserve abortion rights in case Roe v. Wade is overturned, the reality is much different. Unlike Roe v. Wade, Prop. 5…

Dear Editor, Proposal 5 is a proposed amendment to the Vermont State Constitution that its supporters say is necessary to protect a woman’s right to an abortion. Unfortunately, it is becoming apparent that the wording of Proposal 5 is so convoluted and vague that it might actually have the opposite impact on a woman’s right…

By Karen D. Lorentz Greg Cartier, who was born and raised in Holyoke, Massachusetts, was introduced to his calling in life when he attended a Vermont college. “I was a member of Norwich University’s Mountain Cold Weather Rescue Team and it was a turning point in my life. The members of this team were some…

By Victoria Gaither When Rutland’s Come Alive Outside asked local Vermonters to participate in the write a love letter to your town contest, love letters started pouring in. “We have had 50 letters come in so far from all over Vermont, from towns of all sizes and ages,” said Come Alive Outside Executive Director Arwen…

The Rutland area branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is holding a contest challenging high school-age students to reflect on policies and laws that perpetuate racism, and will also be distributing an educational video and additional resources on the Black Panther Party’s 10 Point Program. The branch will be facilitating…

Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports was among 22 organizations that received grants from the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing (VDTM) through its tourism and economic recovery marketing grant program. Vermont Adaptive received funding to produce video and photography content that highlights accessible adventures and outdoor recreation in the Mad River Valley, Killington/Rutland region and…

Seven species and three critical habitats received updated conservation designations on Vermont’s endangered and threatened species list, including the highly anticipated de-listing of the bald eagle after over a decade of restoration efforts. “The bald eagle’s de-listing is a milestone for Vermont,” said Wildlife Division Director Mark Scott. “This reflects more than a decade of…

By Rep. Pattie McCoy Editor's note: Rep. Pattie McCoy (R-Poultney) represents Poultney and Ira in the Vermont House where she serves as House minority leader. I want to talk to you about three numbers: 4,000, 60,000 and 221 million. Four thousand is the number of military retiree families in Vermont who are fully taxed on…

Dear Editor, With Covid-19 and a harsh winter as a backdrop, I’m writing to provide two bright spots that speak to the positive nature of this community. One is a blood drive fully booked more than a month in advance, the other a fundraiser for the Community Cupboard that has already inspired dozens of donations…