By Kevin Theissen By any measure, 2021 was a strong year for investors. But what’s in store for 2022? From my perspective, I expect that many of the same forces that influenced markets last year will play a role again in the year ahead. COVID-19 remains tragic and unpredictable. The pandemic was one of the…

Vermont’s Free Ice Fishing Day this year is Saturday, Jan. 29, according to the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Dept. “Ice fishing can be a great way to introduce people to how much fun fishing can be,” said Fish & Wildlife Commissioner Christopher Herrick. “Showing youngsters or adult new anglers how to jig for perch or…

Dear Editor, The Vermont Medical Society states that “no abortion providers in Vermont perform elective abortions in the third trimester.” However, their claim seems terribly disingenuous considering that prop 5 sets no time limits, but allows for unrestricted, unregulated abortion for any reason right up to the moment of birth. If they feel so strongly…

By Merisa Sherman We shuffle though the lift line, our neckies pulled up over our noses in the crowd. I look over one shoulder, then the other, to see if we have moved up any relative to the strangers on either side of us. I work my skis forward, just a bit, unable to break…

Do you know an individual or community group that has demonstrated a strong commitment to conserving, restoring or celebrating Vermont’s forests and trees? If so, consider nominating them for a 2022 Vermont Tree Steward Award. The awards are presented annually by the Vermont Urban and Community Forestry Program (VT UCF) to promote the importance of…

Sec. of State Jim Condos announced Jan. 19 that the Office of Professional Regulation’s (OPR) has adopted foreign credentialing rules, which create a pathway for foreign-trained individuals to become licensed in their field in Vermont. The new rules became effective Nov. 19 and come in response to an identified barrier to licensure faced by many…

On a recent weekend with threatening storms and frigid temperatures, Ludlow Rotarian Kim Benson Lampert and her husband, Jon headed south to Elizabethtown, Kentucky to deliver a truck and trailer loaded with goods for storm-ravaged Kentuckians who had lost everything. Lampert said, “I am overwhelmed by the support of our club and community members as…

If approved, 2.34% increase becomes effective Sept. 30, 2023 Green Mountain Power (GMP) filed is seeking a 2.34% increase in base rates starting Oct. 1, 2022. If approved by the Vermont Public Utility Commission (PUC), the new rates would be in effect until Sept. 30, 2023. “This allows us to invest in our people and…

Chris Ettori has been named regional director of Vermont Adult Learning’s Rutland office. He previously worked as assistant director at CCV for over twelve years as well as a faculty member teaching classes in foundational math, computer applications, customer service, and effective workplace communications. Ettori is very active in the Rutland community, having served on…

By Rep. Jim Harrison Last Tuesday, Jan. 18, Governor Phil Scott began the week with his annual budget address to the Legislature. In that speech, he called on lawmakers to work with his administration to pass a budget that was transformational by strategically using the federal funds from last year’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).…

By Angelo Lynn Mei Mei Brown, one of Brandon’s best known and prolific volunteers needs a kidney, but the message she wants to convey is to broaden the awareness of the process around organ transplants and the vital importance it has to those in need. “It’s very touching and humbling” to be in the position…

Watch on demand from Jan. 20-27, Q&A with the filmmaker held on Thursday, Jan. 27 at 7:45 p.m. via Zoom “‘Petit Rat' is a portrait of three women facing their lost dreams,” explained director Wagman. Catch the film (screening on demand from Jan. 20-27) by visiting go.middlebury.edu/petitrat. On Thursday, Jan. 27, Middlebury College’s Film and…

Training is one of the most effective ways to keep companion animals safe and secure. When prospective pet owners begin looking for a new dog, one of the first thoughts that may come to mind is trainability and whether certain breeds are more readily trainable than others. The pet food manufacturers at Honest Kitchen indicate…

By Andrea Knepper Nothing brightens a dreary winter afternoon like a crisp, colorful seed catalog arriving in the mailbox. The anticipation of sunshine to come and daydreams of a bountiful harvest are welcome during these seasonally short days. I have been caught up in the excitement and found myself with enough seed packets in my…

As weather chills, that dip in temperature is often accompanied by cold and flu season. Many people are anxious to avoid feeling under the weather this time of year, and to help ward off many illnesses, one may only need to look to the kitchen stove. Chicken soups and other soup recipes long have been…