Vermont’s loons are thriving with a record 109 nesting pairs recorded in 2021, the highest since loon monitoring began in 1978, according to the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Dept. and Vermont Center for Ecostudies (VCE). “Across Vermont, 77 loon nests produced 125 chicks this year, and 84 of those chicks survived through August,” said VCE…

A virtual book discussion Thursday, Dec. 2 at 7 p.m. — VIRTUAL — Please join Phoenix Books to celebrate the release of Sarah Strohmeyer’s new novel, “Do I Know You?”, a psychological thriller about two women, a tragedy that connects them as teenagers, and the terrible reckoning that will decide their fates a decade later.…

Future success of town, businesses, development prospects assessed By Polly Mikula A lack of basic municipal infrastructure is holding the town of Killington back. That was the summary of a presentation by White + Burke Real Estate Advisors to the Killington Select Board at a special meeting, Monday, Nov. 29. Growth is lacking namely due…

By Lee Emmons Come winter, after the bears have retreated to their cold weather dens, many backyard bird enthusiasts hang feeders to attract — and nourish — avian visitors. Birds need more than a supplemental food source, however. Whether they are roosting, feeding, selecting a nest location, or flying from one grove of trees to…

Nov. 28- Dec. 5 at 6 p.m. — WOODSTOCK — Chanukah is the Jewish holiday that brings light to the darkest time of the year, when Jews light one more candle each evening on an eight-branch menorah until, on the eighth night, all the candles burn brightly. This year, Chanukah arrives early on the lunar…

By Merisa Sherman It was dark when I got out of work. The recently fallen snow was glittering in the golden lamplight. We had gotten so much snow that the birch trees above my car were bending under the weight. I shuffled my boots under the snow, the fluffy white snow poofing upward with every…

By Ethan Weinstein Despite Gov. Phil Scott signing a legislation on Nov. 23 allowing cities and towns to create their own mask mandates, few municipalities seem keen to use the new power. The town of Rutland is one exception. On Nov. 24, the Rutland Town Select Board, which also serves as the board of health,…

It’s time for the Critter Community holiday card, a holiday tradition for 42 years! You can participate by making a donation to the Rutland County Humane Society (RCHS) and providing us with the exact name you want on the card. It can be your name or your pet’s name, or in memory of a loved…

By Angelo Lynn BRANDON — After 41 years as an educator, including 17 years as a superintendent, Rutland Northeast Supervisory Union Superintendent Jeanné Collins, 63, last Friday announced her resignation at the end of this school year. She said her decision was prompted by a change in her personal life. “It’s bittersweet. It’s hard to…

The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Dept. won a $106,256 competitive grant from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to take advantage of groundbreaking new data that will help conservation planners protect plants, animals and their habitats in the face of climate change. Vermont conservation design is a science-based assessment of Vermont’s ecologically functional landscape that…

U.S. Superstar claims fifth straight Slalom title, delighting fans By Polly Mikula The rivalry between Vermont-schooled Olympic gold medalist Mikaela Shiffrin and Slovakia’s Petra Vhlova continues to be strong with the two superstar ski racers vying for the top spot on the Slalom podium. While Vhlova had secured the top spot the first two FIS…

New England author’s books now available locally at Darkside Snowboards By Brooke Geery With three young daughters of his own, Holderness, New Hampshire-based children’s author and EPA compliance expert Bennett Evans has seen first hand the power of reading. “I vividly remember sitting in my first daughter’s room reading her a book before bed,” he…

By Ken Fredette Editor's note: Ken Fredette resides in Wallingford. After watching public input and the ensuing conversation among board members at the Mill River School Board meeting Nov. 17, I find myself compelled to reach out to all of you with some thoughts. First and foremost: It is clear that members of the board…

By Dr. Marvin Malek Editor's note: Dr. Malek is an internal medicine specialist at Springfield Hospital. He is also on the executive committee of Vermont Physicians for a National Health Program. In 1938, the notorious bank robber Willie Sutton was asked why he robbed banks. His response: “That’s where the money is.” Were Willie Sutton…

Dear Editor, It sometimes feels like no one wants to agree on anything these days — from national politics to the most local of issues. So, I’m writing to offer your readers an antidote to some of the negativity, divisiveness, anger, and suspicion that may seem so pervasive: The opportunity to participate in the 2021…