By Kevin O'Connor/VTDigger His sound bites for the common good and against corporate greed haven’t changed. But facing the biggest test of his political career, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said the stakes had never been higher. The Vermont Independent toured his home state this Labor Day weekend in support of a $3.5 trillion budget…

By Erin Petenko/VTDigger and Polly Mikula Results from the 2020 census have revealed the deep impact of Vermont’s shifting population. Somewhat unsurprisingly, Chittenden County gained more people than any other part of the state. But another, perhaps less predicable, trend has also emerged: Ski communities, and areas popular with tourists and seasonal homeowners, had a…

By Emma Cotton/VTDigger Lauren Gitlin knew something was wrong when she found Potato, among the more energetic goats on her Tunbridge dairy farm, lying in the field where she had been grazing that day. On the afternoon of July 31, Gitlin, the owner and sole operator of Villa Villekulla Farm in Tunbridge, had come to gather…

By Emma Cotton/VTDigger It’s time for Baby Boomers and members of the Silent Generation to organize against climate change, according to veteran environmental activist and writer Bill McKibben. The Ripton resident is known for founding the grassroots environmental organization 350.org with a group of Middlebury College students in 2008 and writing one of the first…

By Reagan Bissonnette You have likely heard about the supposed death of recycling in recent years. But have you heard that recycling is actually thriving again? If this comes as a surprise to you, you’re not alone. I recently read a local article with outdated and inaccurate information about recycling markets. So I thought I’d…

By Cary Brown, Meg Smith, Rhoni Basden, Jessica Nordhaus and Aly Richards Editor’s note: Cary Brown is the executive director of the Vermont Commission on Women; Meg Smith is the director of the Vermont Women’s Fund; Rhoni Basden is the executive director of Vermont Works for Women; Jessica Nordhaus is the director of Change The…

Dear Editor, Forest ecologists estimate that if you let a New England farm field go fallow, it takes natural succession about 120 years to re-establish a healthy soil biome, but even that will be but a pale shadow of the mature complex food web that once existed under the bowers of the ancient giants. The…

Dear Editor, One of my dearest writer friends in life passed away early in the pandemic. She lived in an upscale senior community that provides care on every level. I wonder which worker or health provider may have carried Covid to her locked room? Everyone was restricted to remain in their apartment or room. Might…

By Grace Benninghoff/VTDigger Vermont lawmakers who support abortion rights say it’s more important than ever to enshrine such rights into the Vermont Constitution following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling this week that upheld new restrictions in Texas. Proposal 5, also known as the Reproductive Liberty Amendment, would solidify abortion rights in Vermont’s state constitution. The…

Vail Resorts announced reopening dates across North America for 2021-22 season Vail Resorts has announced its schedule of opening dates for its 34 North American resorts. The action kicks off at Keystone in October, with the resort set to open as early as possible thanks to recent investments in an energy-efficient snowmaking system. As a…

The Dorset Equine Rescue (DER) is very excited to announce the launch of its new program, the Vermont Hay Bank. After working on this project behind the scenes for almost a year, the program will open on Oct. 5. The Vermont Hay Bank is designed to function as a temporary safety net for Vermont horse…

Submissions judged by Vievee Francis The Sundog Poetry Book Award is open to all Vermont-based poets who have not published more than one full-length collection. Final judge Vievee Francis will select the winning manuscript and write an introduction for the book. The winning poet will receive a cash prize of $500, 50 copies of the…

RUTLAND—Every three years Rutland Regional Medical Center is required to assess the health needs of the community. The results of this review, the Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA), helps to identify and prioritize areas of need throughout our community. The 2021 Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) was made public on Sept. 1, and the findings…

By Lt. Governor Molly Gray A year and a half after the onset of the pandemic, Vermont remains in the midst of ongoing recovery efforts. While there is so much uncertainty about the future, one thing we can be sure of is that our state is in a unique position to emerge from this pandemic…

2-1⁄2-years-old. Female. English Bulldog mix. Brindle and white. I am an easy going gal that may seem a little on the lazy side but don’t be fooled, I enjoy brisk walks and need regular exercise with a careful diet to stay trim. Rutland County Humane Society, 765 Stevens Road, Pittsford, VT • (802) 483-6700 •…