RUTLAND—At Governor Phil Scott’s press conference Monday, June 8, a reporter asked about a rumored positive case of Covid-19 associated with Mountain View Center located in Rutland. Health Commissioner Mark Levine, M.D., stated that there was a positive case, and that facility-wide testing was being planned. However, Dr. Levine was not aware that the test…

Business owners from the restaurant, construction, retail and agricultural sectors held a press conference on Tuesday, June 2, to urge the Vermont state Legislature to act quickly to release much needed state financial assistance in the form of flexible grants. Various committees in the Legislature have been reviewing the Scott administration’s proposal for a $400…

By Lola Duffort/VTDigger With Vermont seeing one of the country’s slowest rates of growth for coronavirus infections, K-12 officials have said they intend to have students back in classrooms come fall. But schools will look starkly different, they warn. And all plans are subject to change. “The best thing about it is the whole nation’s in…

By Curt Peterson Following a short presentation by Jim Haff (Killington), chairman of the Windsor Central Unified School District buildings and grounds committee, the district board approved investing up to $130,000 to install a “super” dehumidifying system, complete some related electrical work and do some deep cleaning to get the Prosper Valley School in Pomfret…

By Sen. Alison Clarkson This week’s New Yorker magazine cover ,“This Side Up,” illustrates an upside down world, capturing an aspect of how many are feeling right now. Our U.S. government has failed to adequately prepare and protect its citizens from a global pandemic — and our public safety officers, whose job is to protect…

By Rep. Jim Harrison Vermont has a proud tradition of a citizen legislature. Its 180 members (150 House and 30 Senate), are part time and in my opinion, most serve as public servants in the truest sense of the word. The typical legislative session adjourns in early to mid-May. However, this year is like no…

By Virginia Dean Recent news reports indicate that one of the major industries in Vermont that has been hit the hardest by the pandemic is the dairy farm. According to the state Secretary of Agriculture Anson Tebbetts, 14 small to medium farms (out of a total of 677 as of January 2020) have stopped milking.…

By Brooke Geery There were 300 bags of groceries at the Castleton Lodge in Killington on Tuesday, June 9, as vehicles began to arrive for the town’s latest grocery giveaway event in partnership with the resort and local fundraisers.  The event was live-streamed by local Internet celebrity Brian Hughes. Killington President and GM Mike Solimano…

By Anne Wallace Allen/VTDigger The popular Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) has been reworked to make it more useful for businesses in sectors like hospitality Changes to the PPP loan program, originally passed in March as lawmakers and other officials sought to quickly address the needs of businesses closed by the Covid-19 pandemic, were signed into law…

By Katy Savage Tracy Kardys started planning her wedding a year ago. She envisioned a boho-style wedding on an 88-acre family-owned farm in Proctorsville that has a pond and vineyard. She wanted her 130 guests to dance under  Vermont stars. Kardys has done most of the planning and made most of the decorations herself to save…

CHESTER — A body discovered Thursday, June 4, in a creek near Wymans Falls Road in Chester has been identified as Joshua A. Webster, 39, of Springfield, according to a report released June 6.  Webster had been reported missing in March, according to the Hartford Police Department. Subsequent investigation into his disappearance included the Chester…

BETHEL—On June 7 at 2:30 p.m., troopers from the state police responded to a two vehicle fatal crash on Interstate 89 northbound in Bethel. Initial investigation shows that both vehicles were traveling northbound on I-89 when a Kia Optima, operated by Jakim Brewster Hopkins, 32, from Brooklyn, New York, hit the rear of a Toyota…

WOODSTOCK—On June 4, at 2:45 p.m. Woodstock Fire & Rescue was dispatched for a report of black smoke in the Dunham Hill area that was called in from Church Hill. Another call was made at 3 p.m. by a neighbor for a fully involved structure fire located at 1274 Dunham Hill road, owned by Richard Terwelp.…

By Polly Mikula On Friday, June 5, Gov. Phil Scott outlined a series of orders that open the door to indoor restaurant dining, out-of-state travel, and expanded lodging and dining capacity. On Monday, he gave low contact recreational sports the green light. All gatherings, indoor and outdoor, continue to be limited to 25 people. Scott…

Program aids local businesses, addresses food insecurity Killington Resort announced Monday, June 8, a newly launched employee and community-centric philanthropic platform called Play It Forward designed to support the local community during Covid-19 and beyond. As part of Killington Resort’s Play Forever corporate responsibility commitment to protecting the environment and enabling participation, Play It Forward engages charitable…