By DJ Dave Hoffenberg After a brief hiatus, the league is back and playing in Chittenden at the beautiful field behind Barstow School. The three nights of games last week produced six blowout victories with the closest deficit being eight runs. The Chinese Gourmet remain undefeated and secured the No. 1 seed for the upcoming…

By Gary Salmon Two very interesting tree questions emerged in July and a visit to an orchard further created enough work to keep one busy with trees. Locally monitoring what appeared to be a much shorter white pine needle blight season kept June and July much greener as well. The drier spring resulted in less…

By Dom Cioffi I remember having numerous conversations after 9/11 that highlighted the fact that no one could have ever predicted the events of that fateful day. Sure, maybe some military experts or terrorism specialists could have foreseen a few suicidal maniacs flying commercial airliners into skyscrapers, but it never entered the mind of the…

By Merissa Sherman You can see the glow starting to grow between the trees and you know the summit must be soon and I quicken my pace to get to the opening. My right arm reaches around a tree and a swing my feet around to land on a rock just below. A few quick little…

The National Education Association notes that recess and free play are critical to the development of students in grades pre-K through eighth grade. According to the NEA, recess and free play during the school day encourages interpersonal interactions and problem-solving skills, and such opportunities also can prove beneficial for older students. Despite these benefits, the…

By Lee Emmons I first became acquainted with my neighborhood red-bellied woodpecker (​Melanerpes carolinus) when it visited my bird feeders last winter. Sporting a black-and-white-striped back with a red nape, this medium-sized woodpecker certainly made a visual impression. Its call was also memorable, a loud ​kwirr ​that sounded nothing like the other birds in my…

By Melinda Myers No fruit on your tomato plants is likely due to the weather. Tomatoes thrive in warm, sunny conditions, but temperature extremes can prevent otherwise healthy plants from setting fruit. When daytime temperatures rise above 90 degrees and night temperatures remain above 70 degrees, blossom drop, and poor fruit development can occur. Combine…

Saturday, Aug. 8 at 6 p.m.—RUTLAND—The Relay For Life of Rutland County will be held on Saturday, Aug. 8 starting at 6 p.m.  Teams will follow an easy driving route at the Vermont State Fairgrounds, and are invited to decorate their vehicles with a Dr. Seuss theme and/or purple, the color that represents all types…

Aug. 6-9 at 6:30 p.m.—BARNARD— BarnArts pushed its summer youth theater program entirely outdoors this year, in order to keep the program alive for its 9th season with a production of “Shrek Jr,” taking place Aug. 6-9 at Feast & Field in Barnard.  Twenty-seven area youth (ages 7-16) gathered and rehearsed on the soccer field…

GLOVER— Bread and Puppet Presents: “The Insurrection - Resurrection Service Circus,” summer 2020’s contribution to the iconic tradition of B&P circuses. Flag dancers, stiltwalkers and the whole roaring, squawking menagerie of paper-mache beasts and divinities attempt to speak to the heart of the current situation. “‘Insurrection Resurrection Service Circus’ is a service for citizens, aliens and…

Saturday, Aug. 8—LUDLOW— If you just can’t throw out those old neckties here is the perfect way to give them a new life! Find an old chair or rocker that was made for a woven or rush seat, and learn to weave the strongest seat you can imagine. No previous weaving skills are required, and…

Saturday, Aug. 7 at 3 p.m.—KILLINGTON—Killington is bringing the female mountain bike community together with group rides again this summer. Female mountain bikers of all ability levels are welcome to share their passion for the sport and meet like-minded members of the bike community during bi-weekly Friday night group rides. 2020 dates are Aug. 7 and…

Sunday, Aug. 9 at 2 p.m.—CAVENDISH—Cavendish village is home to some of the oldest buildings in town: the Academy Building (started in 1782); the Cavendish Historical Society Museum (1834) and the Cavendish Stone Church (1844). In addition, there is the boarding house where Phineas Gage was taken after the tamping rod went through head, as…

August 8-9 at 11 a.m.—RUTLAND—Chaffee Art Center’s 59th Annual Art in the Park summer festival will take place Aug. 8-9 in Rutland’s Main Street Park, at the junction of Routes 4 and 7.  Juried fine artists, craftspeople, and specialty food producers will be featured. Rounding out the festival are food vendors, live music, and demonstrations of…

The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department reminds hunters that muzzleloader season antlerless deer permit applications are available on its website, vtfishandwildlife.com until Aug. 12. The muzzleloader seasons on Oct. 29-Nov. 1 and Dec. 5-13 will have antlerless permits available for 19 of Vermont’s 21 Wildlife Management Units. “Yearling antler beam diameters, fawn weights and other…