By Brett Yates The Chittenden Select Board discovered on Dec. 27 that five town road segments did not undergo proper review before having their speed limits reduced from 35 to 25 miles per hour. In September, aiming to improve traffic safety, the board approved a proposal to reconfigure the intersection of Holden Road and Dam…

By Liz DiMarco Weinmann As many of us look forward to a happier 2022, Covid is still ruling our world, and we are facing the most sunlight-challenged months of the year. No wonder many of us want to hunker down under a weighted blanket in front of a merry movie marathon, swilling gallons of cocoa,…

86 Killington Resort employees test positive, Dec. 30 By Polly Mikula On Sunday and Monday, Jan. 2-3, hundreds lined up in to be tested in their vehicles at the former Killington Fire Station on Killington Road — 642 to be exact, according to Police Chief Whit Montgomery who was covering the event. An additional 250…

  Killington Town Manager Chet Hagenbarth announced new Covid-19 protocols for town facilities on Dec. 29. “Effective immediately, the town is imposing the following procedures to protect against exposure to Covid-19,” he wrote in a memo to all departments. If you have Covid symptoms (fever, cough and difficulty breathing): • Do not come to work…

Additional recommendations added   On Dec. 30, the state of Vermont has adopted the new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations for Covid-19 isolation and quarantine, while adding an additional layer of protection. In addition to the CDC guidance, the Dept. of Health guidelines allow Vermonters to end isolation on the fifth day if…

Operation ‘Kits for Kids’ to make 87,000 kits available for K-12 students Governor Phil Scott announced Dec. 29 that parents and caregivers of Vermont’s K-12 children will be able to pick up one free rapid antigen test kit per student this week at sites around Vermont. The state is encouraging parents to use these kits…

By James Maroney Editor’s note: James H. Maroney Jr., of Leicester, is a former farmer who has a master’s degree in environmental law and policy from Vermont Law School. The passage of Vermont’s Global Warming Solutions Act in 2020, over the strenuous objections of our Republican governor, was a remarkable testament to the depth of…

By Brooke Geery 2021 has been a rollercoaster ride of unknowns, evolving science, changing perspectives and hopefully a little personal growth. We now stand on the precipice of 2022, which is unlikely to be any less crazy, so there’s really only one thing to do. Put on your mask (yes, still), break out your vaccine…

By Karen D. Lorentz Killington Ambassadors are dedicated volunteers who enjoy skiing or snowboarding so much that they commit to 21 days of wearing the green jacket, ready to help guests have fun. Ambassador Program Manager Pete Duffy noted, “They are passionate about the mountain, the sport, and they want to help people.” In 2021…

By Curt Peterson Dr. Josh White, chief medical officer at Gifford Medical Center, told the Mountain Times costs attributable to Covid total “well into millions.” The financial expense of the virus is important, but isn’t the only significant toll on providers. Located in Randolph, Gifford is part of a network of six healthcare facilities throughout…

By Ethan Weinstein When I first met Oke, he rolled up to the Mountain Times in his 90s Saab. I thought the sedan was a Porsche, black and angular. It looked like the past’s version of the future. Oke walked inside dressed in his usual: the straw hat he dons and doffs with neurotic regularity,…

Dear Editor, I cannot begin to tell you how disappointed I am with our governor and his flunkies with regards to the non-masking of Vermonters. Historically, people do not do things by themselves, but have to be directed in order to have anything happen. We are not a proactive species. He needed to enact a…

RANDOLPH— The holidays are meant to be enjoyed, so it’s not what we do one or two days a year that matters for our overall health. It’s about eating well again following those days. However, for those trying to avoid over-indulging, Gifford Medical Center’s registered dietician Stacy Pelletier has some tips to share: “Enjoy the…

By Merisa Sherman With each snowflake, with each storm, comes the chance to begin again, to start anew. No storm will be the same as the one before nor will any storm be the same as ones to come. Just as no snowflake is the same, neither is any snowstorm. With each unique storm comes…

Dear Editor, Discussion and debate about whether to wear a mask as a means to halt the spread of Covid-19 is traveling around Vermont like a wildfire, or, perhaps better said, like a virus. The matter comes up frequently at the governor’s weekly press conferences. Select boards up and down the state, from Hardwick to…