RUTLAND—Come Alive Outside’s founder Andy Paluch is stepping down after eight years of being at the helm of Come Alive Outside’s program delivery to pursue an exciting new career in commercial real estate. Paluch’s position as program director will be filled by Myra Peffer, founder and former executive director of the Wonderfeet Kids Museum in…

The Dept. of Forests, Parks, & Recreation (FPR) announced Aug. 14 that long-time State Parks Director Craig Whipple is retiring. “Under Craig’s leadership, our world-class state park system has expanded, modernized, and become more accessible,” said Michael Snyder, commissioner of Vermont Forests, Parks, and Recreation, the department that oversees Vermont state parks. “And even as…

Consider an alternative way to earn a high school diploma Dear Editor, Vermont schools are preparing for September openings amid Covid-19. School administrators, in consultation with staff, families and public health officials, have been working hard to reinvent our educational systems in ways that provide students with rich learning, while keeping students, staff and the…

Dear Editor, I want to thank all who took the time to vote either via an absentee ballot or in-person on Aug. 11. It was a record turnout for an August primary in Vermont. Something we can all take pride in. Hats off to our town clerks and their election teams for the job they…

Dear Editor, The River Road and Route 4 Killington river/wetlands is essential to Killington’s economy, used daily by kayakers and anglers. The town of Killington refuses to follow DEC guidelines and to install baffles. They just removed the dams, causing the beavers to cut down more trees and brush to rebuild the dam. Thus, causing…

By Jim Condos Dismantling the U.S. Postal Service during a pandemic will suppress the voting rights of American voters and is a disgrace to democracy. During any election year, and especially during a pandemic when voters are increasingly turning to mail-in voting as a safe and secure way to exercise their sacred franchise, we rely…

By Layne Bruce A move by the USPS to slow down mail service by cutting overtime and reducing sortation sure seems like a gambit by the Trump administration to impact voting by mail this fall. He practically said as much Aug. 13 on Fox Business. Democrats have proposed over $3.6 billion for voting by mail at…

The Rutland County Sheriff and other agencies in Rutland and Windsor counties will be participating in the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign from Aug. 21 through Sept. 7 (Labor Day). Drivers will see more law enforcement presence on the roadways during this time. Sobriety checkpoints will also be conducted to make sure drivers…

Governor Phil Scott announced Aug. 13 that the State of Vermont will distribute up to 300,000 cloth face coverings to the public, emergency responders and select agencies throughout the month of August. The state Emergency Operations Center procured the masks from those donated to the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the US Department of Health and…

On Aug. 10, 34 U.S. senators led by Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy asked President Trump to restore full funding to states for the National Guard forces responding to the Covid-19 pandemic. Last week the president reduced FEMA reimbursement for National Guard units from 100% to 75%, with no explanation, and with the unexplained exception of…

$10,000 for residents, $30,000 for businesses The Clean Energy Development Fund (CEDF) announced a new program to help homeowners and businesses convert from old coal to new wood pellet heating. Beginning Aug. 12 the CEDF offers up to $10,000 to Vermonters still heating with coal and up to $30,000 for businesses. The new Coal Change-Out incentive is…

Enhanced rebates on products that help save energy and money while reducing carbon pollution will close at the end of the month. Green Mountain Power’s (GMP) popular “Go, Save and Share Green” initiative increased rebates on electric mowers, electric bikes, heat pumps and heat pump water heaters. To get the larger rebates, customers need proof of…

STRATTON – A game warden K9 played a crucial role in the successful rescue of a lost mushroom forager Monday, Aug. 12, on Stratton Mountain. Claudine Michaud, 74, went foraging for mushrooms at 12:10 p.m. Monday, at the end of Shepardson Road in Stratton, while her husband, who uses a wheelchair, waited in their vehicle. …

By Curt Peterson On Aug. 6 the Windsor Central Unified Union School District board unanimously approved acting superintendent Sherry Sousa’s presentation for reopening the district using a “hybrid” – mixed in-person and remote learning – plan to begin the first day of school, Sept. 8. But Sousa said some colleagues think schools remaining open past…

By Stephen Seitz When she was younger, Kelly Stettner never thought she would be an environmental activist. “My husband and I were walking along the river, and we saw all this trash piled up along the banks,” she said in a 2014 interview. “I said, ‘Can’t somebody do something about this?’ and my husband said,…