By DJ Dave Hoffenberg In baseball and softball, players dream of winning with a walk-off. Definition: A walk-off occurs in softball when the home team takes the lead in the bottom of the seventh or extra innings. Because the visiting team will not get another turn at-bat, the game ends immediately, with the home team…

By Dom Cioffi When I was in school, I never took a note. Not one. I relied on class memory, my ability to absorb content just prior to a test, and my capacity to BS. My son is exactly like me in that he also has never taken a note. However, his class memory is…

By Sandra Dee Owens Before we begin, let me introduce my new column. My name is Sandra Dee Owens and I am a custom engagement and wedding ring designer, in the lower Champlain Valley town of Benson. Though interested in writing since the second grade, life took other directions until 10 years ago, when I…

by Kevin Theissen Some people in recent weeks may have been feeling that “the stock market seems to be doing so well but I’m not participating.” A look behind the headlines helps tell the story. A CNBC study found that between the stock market high on Feb. 19, 2020—and the new market high on Aug.…

By Susan Shea One summer day I lifted the black plastic top of our composter and jumped back, startled – a large snake was curled up on top of the compost. The yellow stripe down the center of its dark back and two yellow stripes along its sides identified it as a garter snake, our…

Starting your own walking program has benefits By Sindy Hassig, MSPT RUTLAND—The coronavirus is taking its toll worldwide and will continue to do so for some time to come. Much is known about transmission, infection, and symptoms, but there are still many unanswered questions. However, there is one thing that is almost certain to help…

Saturday, Sept 5 at 11 a.m.—RUTLAND—Castleton Indivisible is inviting the public and postal workers to join them in a peaceful show of support for the United States Postal Service (USPS) this Labor Day in front of USPS on 173 West St. in Rutland. They are calling on Congress to fully fund the USPS and on…

POULTNEY— Join Slate Valley Trails and the Rutland County Audubon Society for weekly bird walks in the Poultney area, on the trails of the SVT system, Tuesdays at 7:30 a.m. All levels of birding experience are welcome. Bring water and a snack, binoculars, cameras, or field guides, if you have them. They are at a…

Sunday, Sept. 6, at 7:30 p.m.—RANDOLPH—Chandler’s New World Festival will stream music live from Chandler Music Hall’s main stage in Randolph and premier virtual performances from around the world. Seventy-five lucky audience members can see the full show live in the socially-distanced live audience, and all other NWF fans can buy a livestream ticket to enjoy the…

RUTLAND— Rutland Young Professionals is hosting a four-week professional development series throughout the month of September, focusing on Playing Politics in the Office.When most people think of office politics, they have a visceral negative reaction. But here’s the thing: When you learn to navigate the unspoken rules of the workplace, you can achieve more than…

Over the past few months, healthcare workers have played an essential role in battling the novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19) global health crisis by putting their own lives at risk to help reduce the number of virus cases, locally and world-wide. Each healthcare professional including nurses, doctors, hospital staff, respiratory therapists, EMTs, pharmacists and everyone who…

FAIR HAVEN—Judy Sheldon, Judi Sutherland, Ceil Hunt, Cindy Pritchard and Lorraine Brown are working along with the town to add a little fall flare in our beautiful downtown Fair Haven Park. This project involves dressing up stick figures and placing them around the park. They are asking that the community to help dress figures. The…

VF&W provides details on hunting bears, deer and Canada geese Fish and Wildlife Service has expanded hunting opportunities on refuges and hatcheries in Vermont. These two great American pastimes have formed the bedrock of the nation’s wildlife conservation efforts, generating important dollars for habitat protection and restoration than any other outdoor pursuit. On Aug. 18,…

New VT-based nonprofit features 10 local companies in ‘Community Through Crisis’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQTy0UivGis PROCTORSVILLE — Planet Axis announced their debut film “Community Through Crisis: A Vermont Story.” The film, which features 10 businesses from across Vermont that have shifted their usual operations to provide various services for the community during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, is a…

PAWLET—Library literacy specialist Catherine Hunter ignited children’s imaginations at the Pawlet Public Library’s recent summer reading camp, Imagine: Five Days of Fantasy and Wonder. Built around the statewide theme of “Imagine Your Story” and co-sponsored by the Vermont Department of Libraries, Hunter introduced a literary focus for each day, accompanied by open-ended and engaging art…