Ernie Royal hailed as ‘Jackie Robinson of the food service industry’ Ernie Royal, a Rutland restaurateur who became a national leader in the food industry and a purveyor of fine dining known across the region, will be honored on the Rutland Sculpture Trail in 2021. A national call for artists’ proposals will be issued for…

Killington Resort partners with  VFFC to give 700 bags of local foods and produce to community members in need Killington Resort announced on Aug. 26, a Farm-to-Trunk community grocery giveaway happening on Thursday, Sept. 3 from 3-6 p.m., or until all 700 bags have been given away, at Pico Mountain. The 100% locally sourced grocery…

First-of-its-kind facility in Vermont turns waste into renewable resources Casella Waste Systems, Inc. announced that it has broken ground on a state-of-the-art facility designed to separate spoiled and contaminated food products from their packaging. The facility, known in the waste and recycling industry as a de-packaging operation, uses a mechanical process to separate food waste…

By Kit Norton/VTDigger Gov. Phil Scott has proposed putting $2 million toward stimulus payments for Vermonters who were ineligible to receive $1,200 in federal Covid-19 stimulus checks this spring. In the budget proposal sent to lawmakers last week is a plan to help Vermonters who filed federal and state income taxes without using Social Security numbers,…

By Rep. Jim Harrison While the first week of the return of the Legislature may have seemed quiet, at least in terms of bills approved by the full Senate or House, virtually all committees were meeting on everything from budget details and Covid-related stimulus funds to legislation left unfinished in June. In the House, two…

The Vermont Agency of Education, working in close cooperation with the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC), is working to provide personal protective equipment (PPE) and other resources to support Vermont schools as they prepare to reopen this month. These resources include PPE kits for school nurses and school Covid-19 coordinators, hand sanitizer, cloth face coverings,…

Governor Scott requests Legislature to approve $100/week additionally By Ellie French/VTDigger Vermont has received $38.5 million in federal money to provide temporary payments of $300 per week to people collecting unemployment benefits. The new “lost wages” program from the federal government comes after $600-a-week unemployment payments expired. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)approved Vermont’s application for…

Just before 9 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 31,  state police were dispatched to a report of a theft from a person at the Hannaford supermarket in Rutland.  The report indicated that a male subject had stolen a purse from a person inside the supermarket. While responding, several calls came in about customers and citizens chasing…

The Windsor County Sheriff’s Office will resume daily traffic patrols in Bridgewater and Bridgewater Corners. “We’re looking to run the program for a couple of months and see how it goes, and see what the numbers are,” Sheriff Michael Chamberlain said. According to Chamberlain, the new contract will be similar to a previous expired contract…

The Vermont State Police is investigating a shooting that occurred Sunday night in Mt. Holly. Troopers responded to the area of Gates Road at 7:34 p.m. on Aug. 30, following a report of a shooting. Cody Ahonen, 27, a resident of the home, was transported to Rutland Regional Medical Center for treatment of a gunshot wound.…

The new Public Safety Building in Killington is nearing completion, and at the town meeting on Aug. 26, the board announced its application for a 40x80 LED message sign at that location. If successful, this could pave the way for an additional LED sign to replace the current sign at the base of the Killington…

By Curt Peterson Jennifer Grant ran against three other candidates for the Democratic nomination for two seats in the House of Representatives in Windsor-1 District, including Hartland, Windsor and West Windsor. Grant lost her bid for the nomination to Elizabeth Burrows by just six votes. Grant successfully petitioned the Windsor County Superior Court for a…

By Brooke Geery Much like their winter brethren, mountain bikers are a hardy sort. They’re not going to let a little thing like a global pandemic spoil all the fun. So, although the Bike Bum race series, normally held on Killington Resort’s network of trails, was not able to happen at the resort this year,…

The town of Castleton passed a measure on Aug. 27 requiring residents to limit gatherings to 25 people. The Select Board’s action comes after an off-campus party in the college town last weekend ended in a stabbing and sent three people to the hospital. Officers estimated between 50 and 75 people had gathered at the…

Mandatory flu vaccinations for K-12 students considered Staff report Health Commissioner Mark Levine, MD said at a press conference Friday, Aug. 28, that preparations are beginning for flu season, with the goals of keeping Vermonters healthy and to have the rate of flu be as low as possible to ensure that Vermonters do not face…