Discover More from This Author: Polly

How it was supposed to be

May 27, 2020
By Aliya Schneider On May 20, 2020, I was officially awarded my college degree. I am now an alumna of Barnard College, the women’s college affiliated with Columbia University. The Barnard-Columbia dynamic is complicated, but basically, Barnard students have two graduation ceremonies. On Monday, May 18, we would have had Barnard’s Class Day at Radio…

Vermont Senate passes bill to protect Vermont firefighters and families from toxic chemicals

May 27, 2020
On May 22, Vermont Senate passed legislation (S.295) to ban PFAS and other toxic chemicals from certain products. The bill is supported by firefighters, business groups, educators, public health and children’s advocates, and environmental groups. It now heads to the Vermont House for consideration. Lauren Hierl, executive director of Vermont Conservation Voters, noted: “S.295 takes…

Haircut?

May 27, 2020
By Rep. Jim Harrison I must say that the potential reopening of barbers and hair salons on May 29 got my attention. As we were recently sorting through some old books, we came across our college yearbook. I couldn’t help thinking that the longer hair I had then was indeed making a comeback! Last week,…

Killington plans for day camps, considers pool opening

May 27, 2020
By Curt Peterson With fewer than 900 permanent residents, the town of Killington’s economic activity is generated by visitors to the Killington Resort — sometimes tens of thousands of them in a weekend. And those visitors bring their children, requiring structured activities, such as Killington’s Summer Camp program to keep them busy and safe. But…

Neighbor saves family from late night fire

May 27, 2020
On Sunday, May 24, at 4 a.m. Robert Withington, a nearby neighbor, saw the exterior of the house at 32 Lincoln Ave. in Rutland on fire. Withington ran to the house and alerted the occupants about the fire. Seth Howard, 37, was listed as the owner of the house with Colleen Bellamy, 42, Noah Dunne, 21, Tyra…

The return of the outdoor Farmers’ Market ushers in hope, but experience differs

May 27, 2020
By Aliya Schneider The Rutland County Farmers’ Market reopened on May 16, 2020, in Depot Park in downtown Rutland with restrictions set in place to prevent the spread of Covid-19. The state Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets released a statement last month with rules for Vermont Farmers markets, which they updated on May 6.…

Obit: Thomas Rabeck, 74

May 27, 2020
Thomas George Rabeck, affectionately known as “Beck” unexpectedly passed away on Wednesday, May 20, 2020. Born in Fairview, New Jersey, Dec. 11, 1945, the son of Rudy and Mary Rabeck, he attended Cliffside Park High School where he played basketball. While growing up, Tom Rabeck, his family and childhood friends spent time during the year…

Rutland County Solid Waste District receives SWIP grant for $43,319

May 27, 2020
RUTLAND —Rutland County Solid Waste District received a grant of $43,319.01 from the Department of Environmental Conservation to assist with the costs associated with the collection, management and disposal of hazardous waste and household hazardous waste, according to a news release May 20. Household hazardous waste includes any household products labelled “caution, toxic, danger, hazard,…

Changing of the guard at Mission Farm

May 27, 2020
By Virginia Dean “All shall be well. We are a people of hope. We are the church. Do not be afraid. Love your neighbor as yourself. Respect the dignity of every human being. God loves you. And so do I. All shall be well.” Last Sunday, these words by the Reverend Canon Lee Alison Crawford,…

Restaurants, salons, religious service, health services reopen

May 27, 2020
Gov. Scott gears up for June 1 when remaining business sectors can open with consistent, capacity and health requirements On Friday, May 22, Governor Phil Scott announced the resumption of additional business operations, including outdoor seating at restaurants and bars just in time for the Memorial Day weekend. Hair salons, barber shops and some additional…

Test finds no coronavirus in Rutland sewer

May 27, 2020
By Katy Savage A test on Rutland City’s sewer system has detected no cases of Covid-19 in the community. The test results, delivered last week by Biobot, a start-up company in Massachusetts, showed the number of Covid-19 cases in Rutland were too low for the technology to detect. The results didn’t surprise Jeff Wennberg, the…

Bike shops see surge in sales during pandemic

May 27, 2020
‘Bikes are the new toilet paper’ By Katy Savage As ski trails closed, and Vermonters were asked to stay home to help flatten the curve of infection, people have turned to biking— specifically, mountain biking. Several local store owners say they’ve seen record sales for mountain bikes this spring. Jean Pierre DeFrancesco-Sias, the general manager…

Vermont regulators approve pioneering GMP energy storage program

May 27, 2020
Green Mountain Power (GMP) customers now have two new home battery programs they can enroll in starting on June 5, after a Vermont Public Utility Commission order issued late Wednesday, May 20. GMP’s Tesla Powerwall and Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) programs are both modeled on the company’s popular and groundbreaking pilot programs that have…

In lieu of a gym, do this

May 27, 2020
BYO newspaper By Kyle Finneron The grass is green, the nights are warming up, and if you’re anything like us you’re getting a little cabin fever. While the order has been extended and gyms are not able to open we know that everyone is getting a little stir crazy. Being active is essential for all…

Stressing out, anxiety can be overcome

May 27, 2020
By Dom Cioffi The last couple months of lockdown have certainly had an effect on society. For many, the loss of employment and underlying fear of sickness has been a constant source of stress and anxiety. I recently read a long-form magazine article, written by a distressed restaurant owner, that broke my heart. The author…