By Emma Cotton/VTDigger As a river steward for the Connecticut River Conservancy, Kathy Urffer keeps an eye on water-related permits through Vermont. Last year, one caught her eye — to allow the state’s first-ever transfer of water from one river basin to another. The application came from Killington Resort, which asked the Vermont Agency of Natural…

By Lisa Lynn, VT SKI & Ride On Sept. 29 Vail Resorts announced one more move in the consolidation of its personnel in Colorado: The company that owns Mount Snow, Okemo, Stowe and 34 other resorts eliminated 60 positions in their resort-based marketing and communications teams. The company announced a restructuring that will centralize many…

The ruffed grouse is an iconic game bird of Vermont that is widely recognized and enjoyed by hunters and non-hunters alike, but wildlife biologists are concerned that grouse populations across the Northeast have declined over the past 30 years. This trend has prompted ruffed grouse research on potential causes, including emerging disease threats and habitat…

Food distribution sites break attendance records statewide, Farmers to Families likely to end after October After a summer of record-breaking food distribution by the Vermont Foodbank, many people throughout the state are facing hunger this winter — intensified by the coronavirus pandemic. While the USDA’s Farmers to Families Food Box program has helped to supplement…

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao announced on Sept. 30 that the federal government will provide $574 million in emergency relief (ER) funds to help 39 states and Puerto Rico make repairs to roads and bridges damaged by storms, floods, and other unexpected events. “This $574 million in federal funding will help states repair…

Vermonters may claim a property tax credit or receive a renter rebate to help offset the cost of housing, but those claims must be filed by Oct. 15. The Vermont property tax credit and renter rebate programs help make housing more affordable for thousands of Vermonters, and the Department of Taxes has seen a marked…

Signs executive order to manage recreational trails Governor Phil Scott vetoed H.926, an act relating to changes to Act 250, and signed executive order to provide regulatory certainty for recreation trails on Monday, Oct. 5. In his veto letter to the Legislature, Governor Scott noted that at the start of the legislative session, there was broad support for…

The Vermont School Boards Association (VSBA) has arranged for delivery of nearly 40,000 face masks to Vermont schools during the first weeks of classes. “As a member of the National School Boards Association (NSBA), we were able to offer free face masks to our members through the Masks for Kids Program,” explained VSBA Executive Director…

Covid-19 has had an enormous impact on the lives of beginning and returning college students. But according to a survey of rising high school seniors and returning college students who completed a free application for financial student aid (FAFSA) conducted in June and then again in July by Vermont Student Assistance Corp., students’ decisions about…

By Julia Purdy As of Oct. 2, Census workers received a notification that the Census data collection will continue through October as originally planned. Numerous lawsuits had been filed against Steven Dillingham, the Trump-appointed director of the U.S. Census Bureau, and the Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, its parent agency, when the original Oct. 30…

The Killington World Cup Foundation (KWCF) recently awarded 21 grants totaling $228,000 to Northeast region nonprofits in eight states through a competitive grant opportunity. Combined with matching funds and multi-year grant commitments, the KWCF’s effort will contribute more than $400,000 in resources to winter sports infrastructure in the region. These grants were made possible as…

By Ed Larson First-year art teacher Sally Hogan of Mount Saint Joseph Academy (MSJ) in Rutland said candidly that “bonding and being part of something bigger that benefits your cause and your community is the most important part of fundraising.” Thus, she challenged her students to come up with fundraising ideas for the school yearbook. They…

On Saturday, Sept. 26, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention held its annual Out of the Darkness Walk in Killington. The event raised funds to prevent suicide and to raise awareness. The local Hi FRiEND team was led by Ann Southworth, walking for her son Robby, who died by suicide, March 1, 2019. “It was…

The Local Solutions and Community Action Team established by Gov Phil Scott invites Windsor County residents to join a virtual forum, Oct 8, 6:30-8:30 p.m. to connect with others in the county to share challenges and ideas for community recovery from the economic blow of the pandemic and build long-term resilience. Additionally, a visiting team of…

On Thursday, Oct. 1, Rutland Regional Medical Center announced its Housing for Health fundraising campaign in partnership with the Rutland Housing Authority and its non-profit affiliate, Housing Initiatives Inc., to raise $150,000 to establish safe and supportive transitional housing in our local region by year-end. Specifically, funds raised will support multifamily “bridge housing” units at…