Discover More from This Author: Polly
New 15,000 square foot distillery, tasting room and workforce housing in Killington seeks permits
February 12, 2025
By Polly Mikula KB22 LLC submitted its site plan and PUD application to the town of Killington proposing a new 15,000 square foot distillery, tasting room/restaurant and workforce housing off Route 4 in Killington. The entry would be 85 feet east of the Greenbrier, before the intersection with Route 100, according to the site plan…
Feds pause Killington’s $25m RAISE grant
February 12, 2025
By Polly Mikula Killington was awarded a $25 million federal RAISE grant with an additional $1 million local match to reconstruct Killington Road but those funds are now suspended per President Trump’s executive order to pause all funding for programs that include DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion), Killington Town Planner Lisa Davis Lewis told the…
State’s Education Transformation Proposal, including a school choice lottery for all, is met with mixed reviews
February 12, 2025
By Polly Mikula Gov. Phil Scott’s education proposal would allow every student to opt into a school choice lottery system within their regional school district. Testimony from Education Secretary Zoie Saunders in the House Education Committee, Thursday, Feb. 6, was the first public explanation of how school choice would work in Scott’s “transformation” plan. “It’s very provocative,”…
Killington voters will be asked to pass bond bringing municipal water through town
February 12, 2025
By Polly Mikula Killington voters will be asked to pass a $11.2 million bond for the final segments of the planned municipal water system, contracts 5-7, at Town Meeting Day, March 4. This bond, Article 4 on the ballot, must pass for the town to complete the municipal water system down Killington Road to service…
Beast Week celebrates the team behind the mountain, Feb. 8-14
February 8, 2025
By Brooke Geery, Killington Resort With winter well underway, The Beast is running like a well-oiled machine, thanks to its dedicated and enthusiastic team. It takes a lot of people to keep things going. In fact, Killington Resort is one of the largest employers in the state of Vermont with over 1,500 employees during the…
Teachers are ‘burned out’ competing with cell phones in schools
February 5, 2025
By Polly Mikula Vermont lawmakers have introduced a bill to ban cell phones and other electronic devices in public and independent schools from the start of the school day until dismissal — often called bell-to-bell — and prohibits schools from using social media to communicate with students. The bill, H.54, is intended to reduce the burden on…
Legislators get first look at proposed funding for governor’s proposed ‘education transformation’
February 5, 2025
By Polly Mikula Since first announcing what they’ve coined the “education transformation” plan on Jan. 22. Governor Phil Scott and his top education officials have gradually unveiled more and more details. Democratic lawmakers have mostly welcomed Republican Gov. Phil Scott’s grand proposal with cautious optimism. Yet while broad support for a new funding formula and…
Two vie for two Select Board seats in Killington
January 29, 2025
By Polly Mikula A first look at the Town Meeting Day ballot was presented at the Killington Select Board meeting, Monday, Jan. 27 — and there were some surprises with two contested races, two bonds and an article to change the governing structure of the Select Board. The first article on the ballot asks voters…
MVSU board approves district budget that keeps academic programs intact
January 8, 2025
By Polly Mikula After a narrow vote to save all unified arts (UA) programs and positions at the last school district board meeting, Dec. 16, the Mountain Views School District (MVSD) easily approved a revised budget Monday, Jan. 6, with a vote of 13-3. The approved budget reinstated all UA programs and positions and made…
Visible Mending workshop offers a creative and innovative approach to sustainability
January 8, 2025
Jan 11. from 10 to 11:30 a.m.—WOODSTOCK—Billings Farm & Museum invites the community to join local fiber artist Tiana St. James for a hands-on workshop, “Visible Mending,” on Saturday from 10 to 11:30 a.m., followed by a 30-minute Q&A session. Part of the Billings Backyard Workshop series, this session focuses on transforming worn garments and…
Treasurer’s analysis shows Vermont gained 7,500 new residents in 2023
December 26, 2024
Vermont experienced a net gain of 7,500 residents moving from other states, according to a Treasurer’s Office analysis of recent U.S. Census data. The report highlights Vermont’s strong appeal in the post-pandemic era. In 2023, Vermont had the highest per capita net migration in New England and the third-highest per capita net migration of any U.S. state. Over…
MVSU board narrowly votes to keep arts, languages in tact
December 18, 2024
By Polly Mikula A motion to save all unified arts (UA) programs and positions in Mountain Views School Distict passed in a tiebreaker vote Monday night, Dec. 16. Ryan Townsend from Bridgewater made the motion, with seven district board representatives voting for and seven voting against. The chair of the board, Keri Bristow of Woodstock,…
Dream Maker Bakers will close Dec. 22
December 11, 2024
By Polly Mikula Megan Wagner, owner of Dream Maker Bakers, announced Saturday Dec. 7, that she will be closing her bakery in Killington. “With a mix of emotions, I’m announcing that Dream Maker Bakers will be permanently closing on December 22, 2024,” she posted on Facebook. “This is something that I have known I wanted…
Shiffrin reflects on crash
December 11, 2024
By Polly Mikula While the Killington Cup did not go as many expected and all hoped it would, with Mikaela Shiffrin set up to win her 100th World Cup race but instead crashing just seconds before the finish line, the Alpine superstar (still recovering) recently reflected with pride on her runs at Killington. “My GS…
Community rallies to save art programs at MVSU amid steep budget cuts, board faces tough decisions
December 11, 2024
By Polly Mikula Over 100 district residents attended the last Mountain Views Supervisory Union (MVSU) board meeting Monday, Dec. 2, to object to the proposed elimination of 17 teaching and staff positions, including both full- and part-time roles, five of which are in unified arts programs — visual and performing arts, music and world languages —…