Hospital stays, deaths rising too By Erin Petenko/VTDigger Vermont broke its one-day case record for the third day in a row on New Year’s Eve, hitting 1,471 cases in a single day, the Dept. of Health reported Monday, Jan. 3. The next day, the record was broken again with 1,727 cases reported Tuesday. That record…

By Betsy Bishop Editor’s note: Betsy Bishop, of East Montpelier, is the president of the Vermont Chamber of Commerce. The last two years changed our communities and how we do business. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Vermont businesses rallied, innovated and pivoted. Still, not every business was able to stay open.  And now, as we work…

VIRTUAL — Finding and retaining good labor is one of the biggest challenges that beginning farmers face. To help these farmers gain the knowledge and tools needed to successfully recruit and manage employees, the University of Vermont (UVM) Extension New Farmer Project, in collaboration with University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension and the University of…

A visionary gang harnessed the power of television Saturday, Jan. 8 at 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. — WOODSTOCK — It’s no shock that "Sesame Street" was born from a mixture of idealism and academic seriousness. Created by TV producer Joan Ganz Cooney and psychologist Lloyd Morrisett, then the vice-president of the Carnegie Foundation, the…

By Curt Peterson Near the end of a 2 -hour meeting Monday, Jan. 3, the Windsor Central Unified Union School District board passed a proposed $24.3 million budget for fiscal year 2023, reflecting 6.5% increase over last year’s budget. Two dissenting votes were cast by Bill Overbay (Pomfret) and Gwen Hagenbarth (Killington). Based on the…

By Sandra Dee Owens Have you ever noticed that young children are not judgemental about the weather? They simply go outside and play in whatever mother nature is dishing out that day. Sadly, our acceptance of weather narrows with age. Cold weather often means hard work, discomfort, and even danger, bringing out a gripe and…

The Rutland County Humane Society (RCHS) would like to remind you that pets need special care during the cold winter months. Dogs and cats should be inside when the temperature drops. If your dog is outside, it must be protected by a dry, draft-free doghouse. Windchills can be especially difficult for animals and can threaten…

By Merisa Sherman With big eyes, she looked out at the carpet with trepidation. You could see her tiny little mitten wrap around her father’s leg as she made sure her support system was intact. She stood, barely holding herself up, as her dad bent down to help her kick the soccer ball and then…

Staff report Ernie Fernandez of Taftsville is seeking a two-year Woodstock Select Board seat, currently held by Mary Riley, who is not expected to run again. Fernandez, 33, said he hopes to improve quality of life for Woodstock’s year-round residents and address the town’s ongoing economic and infrastructure challenges. Fernandez moved to Taftsville in September…

By Katy Savage After some speculation, Woodstock Rep. Charlie Kimbell announced he’s running for lieutenant governor. Kimbell, 57, is the only candidate to officially announce his campaign for lieutenant governor. He said he made the decision to run after current Lt. Gov. Molly Gray announced her bid to succeed Rep. Peter Welch in Congress. Welch,…

Saturday, Jan. 8 at 10 a.m. — WOODSTOCK — Try out new skills, embrace your creativity, and have some good, clean fun while learning how to make your own felted soap!  The Billings Backyard Series presents felted soapmaking with fiber artist Tiana St. James on Saturday, Jan. 8 from 10–11:30 a.m. Using locally made soaps and…

RUTLAND — The newest Vermonter to join the Rutland community was born New Year’s Day, Jan. 1 at 2:47 p.m. The healthy 6-pound, 13 ounce baby girl, Journee Jade Moore, was born to Amber Holcomb and Ethan Moore. “Both mom and baby are doing extremely well,” said Rebecca Allen, a nurse who was present for…

The Beast promotes from within, moving Kayla Sarajian into management Killington Resort announced Jan. 4 the advancement of Kayla Sarajian as the first female lift operations manager at the resort. “Kayla has a strong focus on customer service, staff well-being and retention,” said Tait Germon, director of mountain operations at Killington Resort and Pico Mountain.…

By Mike Dougherty/VTDigger and Polly Mikula To safely return to child care while Covid-19 cases surge, Billie Slade asked all the families she works with to rapid-test their children. Slade runs Wonder in the Woods, an in-home child care program in Dummerston that serves six preschoolers and four school-aged children. She hoped that if each…

Saturday, Jan. 8 at 7:30 p.m. — POULTNEY — Next Stage Arts Project and Twilight Music present an evening of bluegrass, jazz, gypsy, classical, and roots music by three of Vermont’s finest mandolinists Matt Flinner, Will Patton, and Jamie Masefield, accompanied by acoustic bassist Pat Melvin. The Vermont Mandolin Trio performs the music of Bill…