Discover More from This Author: Polly

December is the start of bird feeding season

November 30, 2022
The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department (VTF&W) recommends Vermonters wait to put up bird feeders until Dec. 1 to avoid attracting bears. “Winter bird feeding is a good way to attract birds arriving from Canada, including evening grosbeaks and purple finches, as well as resident birds including northern cardinals and black-capped chickadees,” said Doug Morin,…

Lawmakers contemplate reforms amid housing crisis

November 30, 2022
By Lola Duffort/VTDigger People are declining job offers in the state because they can’t find housing. Homelessness is rising. Vermont has the lowest rental vacancy rate in the nation. Lawmakers who pounded the pavement throughout the summer and fall ahead of the November elections say Vermonters sent a clear message: Housing must be at the top…

The Vermont Holiday Festival is Dec. 2-3

November 30, 2022
Friday - Saturday, Dec. 2 - 3 — KILLINGTON — The Killington Pico Area Association cordially invites you to join KPAA as we once again kick off the start of the winter holiday season with our annual Vermont holidayfestival, a.k.a. “The Festival of Trees” on Friday, Dec. 2 and Saturday Dec. 3 in the Killington…

Linda ‘Lucy’ Budzyna, 75

November 30, 2022
Linda “Lucy” Budzyna, known locally as the past co-owner and operator of the Grist Mill and Summit Lodge in Killington from approximately 1969 to 1991, passed away on Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2022, after a long illness. Budzyna spent her last 31 years in Seabrook Island, South Carolina. She was for many years the owner and…

Covid levels ‘low’ on eve of holiday gatherings

November 28, 2022
By Erin Petenko/VTDigger Vermont’s Covid-19 levels remain “low,” according to the latest weekly surveillance update from the state Department of Health prior to the Thanksgiving holiday. Most Vermont counties also have low Covid levels, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Only Bennington County, which hit “high” Covid levels in October, reported “medium” Covid levels in…

Massive crowd cheered the fastest female alpine ski racers at the Heroic Killington Cup 

November 28, 2022
Lara Gut-Behrami wins the giant slalom and Anna Swenn-Larsson and Wendy Holdener tie for slalom win KILLINGTON — Killington Resort hosted the women’s Audi FIS Ski World Cup for the sixth time over Thanksgiving Weekend. Switzerland’s Lara Gut-Behrami won the giant slalom under sunny skies on Saturday and in a shocking finale Sunday, Anna Swenn-Larsson (Sweeden) and…

The People who make it all happen

November 23, 2022
After receiving 'positive snow control' last Wednesday that gave races the  official green light to go ahead, crew perfects course KILLINGTON—Killington Resort received a positive snow control announcement from FIS (International Ski and Snowboard Federation), the governing body of the Audi FIS Ski World Cup, on Wednesday morning, Nov. 16. With this announcement, Killington Resort…

U.S. Ski & Snowboard to launch women’s initiative ‘Heroic’ at 2022 Heroic Killington Cup

November 23, 2022
U.S. Ski & Snowboard announced the launch of the Heroic Initiative—a movement celebrating and empowering women in skiing and snowboarding, on Nov. 10, in advance of the Killington races. The multi-faceted program will be brought to life at the newly renamed 2022 Heroic Killington Cup presented by Stifel, the world’s most attended women’s FIS World Cup, as a…

Reflections From A Heroic Construction Crew Worker

November 23, 2022
Ashley Handlin went to college to be a graphic designer but three years ago she decided she’d rather work with her hands. “I don’t want to be behind a desk,” she said. Handlin, 33, of Chittenden, is one of a few female workers on a 150-person crew building the new K-1 Lodge. She was hired for the project…

Town of Killington spurs growth with municipal infrastructure

November 23, 2022
By Polly Mikula “Killington Forward” is a comprehensive plan designed to provide clean water, road improvements, workforce and affordable housing — and development of the Six Peak Village at the base of the resort. All worthy priorities, but it’s a heavy lift for the towns 1,400 residents. Private-public partnerships have made it possible. Specifically, the state…

New K-1 Base Lodge to debut at World Cup

November 23, 2022
By Katy Savage This year’s World Cup attendees will be among the first to see Killington’s newly completed K-1 Base Lodge. The debut of the $30+ million project on Friday, Nov. 25, has been three years in the making. The major investment was announced in 2018 and Phase 1 got underway July 16, 2019,  but…

The state of real estate

November 23, 2022
Real estate market slows due to lack of inventory By Katy Savage After a frenzy of home buying throughout the pandemic, the housing inventory in Killington (and surrounding communities and across the U.S.) is the lowest local real estate agents have seen, which has brought a halt to the frenzy of real estate activity. There…

Short-term rental market spurs new business, jobs

November 23, 2022
Killington Mountain Homes offers full service for high end rentals in Killington By Polly Mikula From tech entrepreneur to rental management and concierge services, Holly George is familiar with innovation. After selling the tech company she built from scratch, George bought the former Boutique gift shop at 2025 Route 4 in Killington. The building had…

71 new state snow plows receive names in 2022

November 23, 2022
Lord Snowdemort, Snowbe Bryant and many more newly named snow plows will join the 163 previously named plows on the roads in Vermont’s upcoming blizzards. Imaginative students once again came to the aid of the Agency of Transportation in the second year of its popular “Name a Plow Program” to help devise nicknames for plows…

First turns on North Ridge!

November 23, 2022
By Merisa Sherman Taking a deep breath, I open the car door and swing my feet out of the car. I grab the emergency handle and pull myself out. It’s been a few days of this and already I can feel which muscles have been lingering all summer long and I wonder how people must…