By Kevin Theissen More than just an end to the summer season, Labor Day is a celebration of workers’ contributions to the well-being of our country and the economy. Labor Day was first celebrated on Sept. 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the Central Labor Union. On June 28, 1894, President Grover…

Saturday, Sept. 11 at 5 p.m.— WEST RUTLAND — An exciting group of artists will present sculptural installations for SculptFest21 at the Carving Studio and Sculpture Center. The opening reception for the annual exhibition is scheduled for 5-8 p.m. on Saturday, Sept.11. Proposals were submitted in response to this year’s theme of “artifact.” Guest curator…

Sunday, Sept. 12 at 2 p.m. — PLYMOUTH NOTCH — The President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site hosts this season’s first Grace Coolidge Musicale on Sunday, Sept. 12 at 2 p.m.  The concert will be held in the Union Christian Church and is free; donations are welcome. The program features old-time fiddler Adam Boyce and…

Sunday, Sept. 12 at 4:30 p.m. — HARTLAND — The Moonlighters Big Band based in Hartland, Vermont, will be presenting a benefit concert for Aging in Hartland on Sunday, Sept. 12, at 4:30 p.m. The concert will be held outside at the gazebo behind the Rec Center at 19 Route 12 in Hartland. If the…

By Katherine Lazarus BRANDON — Students at Rutland Northeast Supervisory Union will greet a higher than usual number of new teachers and other school staff this school year. According to Superintendent Jeanné Collins, 57 new employees will take their positions in various jobs and duties throughout the district. “Federal Covid funds are being used to…

By Brooke Geery It’s harvest season in Vermont and if you have a garden, you’re inundated with produce. It’s been a bountiful season for tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, beans and many other local Vermont veggies and fruits, and it is time to reap the rewards of all that raking, weeding and shoveling. But if you’ve got…

Tart and tangy, lemon-based flavors are hard to pass up. Citrus can help cleanse the palate between courses, but it also can be a refreshing component in beverages. Anyone who has enjoyed a tall glass of lemonade on a warm day understands how thirst-quenching it can be. Limoncello is a lemon liqueur mainly produced in…

Lighter fare is in season every summer. Salads may dominate menus, while vegetable-rich side dishes can dress up barbecues, brunches or outdoor buffet meals. Spinach not only packs a nutritional punch, it can add flavor to any dish. According to Judy Joo, a French-trained Korean American chef and author of “Judy Joo’s Korean Soul Food”…

By Sandra Dee Owens When I had a nervous breakdown at 29, I called a local crisis line, and after talking me back from the edge I had fallen over, the on-call counselor suggested I come in and talk with someone. I went to six weekly counseling sessions. My husband came with me, stating, “Your…

Did you know that you can drop off your redeemable bottles and cans at the Rutland County Humane Society (RCHS), as a way to help the animals? Thanks to some of our generous volunteers, we have a dry and secure shed for supporters to drop off redeemable bottles and cans. GE volunteers and four handy…

By Merisa Sherman I carried a glass from its spot in the "breakables" closet and carefully set it on the table. We were getting ready for the big Christmas Eve dinner at our house and it was my job to set the table. Shaking with excitement, my little 5-year-old self was finally deemed old enough…

By Rachel Sargent I put the small brown ant I had mounted (but never identified) under a microscope and peered down at it. Two huge, headlight-like eyes stared back at me. That couldn’t be right; ants don’t have eyes that size and shape. I took the specimen to my professor, who initially waved me off…

By Kevin Theissen It’s becoming more difficult to ignore news about digital currencies. Two of the more recent topics being discussed are: Should the Federal Reserve issue a central bank digital currency (CBDC)? Should digital currencies be better regulated? Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell confirmed in July that he is undecided about whether the U.S.…

Training workshop set for Sept. 25 The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Dept. is seeking volunteers to become Let’s Go Fishing instructors to pass on Vermont’s fishing tradition to the next generation of Vermonters. The department will be hosting a one-day training workshop for new instructors on Saturday, Sept. 25, at its Essex Junction office. Instructors…

Saturday, Sept. 4 at 11 a.m. — MIDDLEBURY — Whether you are new or have deep roots in the region, businesses in the Middlebury area invite you to town to celebrate the wealth of clubs, volunteer opportunities, services, kids’ programs, and local arts and entertainment options. At Welcome to Middlebury, USA, Town Hall Theater (THT)…