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Summer day camps will also be able to operate this summer By Elizabeth Hewitt/VTDigger Child care centers can begin to reopen on June 1 and summer day camps will be able to operate this summer, Gov. Phil Scott announced Friday, May 8. The state will put out safety guidance for both child care facilities and day…

Golf courses, parks, trail networks can open along with other low or no direct physical contact operations; out-of-state visitors are still encouraged to stay home (or come up and stay long-term) On Wednesday, May 6, Governor Phil Scott announced that outdoor recreation and limited social interactions may resume under strict health and safety precautions, as…

Part of Killington’s multi-faceted approach to support employees, guests and community KILLINGTON—Killington Resort and Pico Mountain announced April 30 a multi-faceted approach in response to the impact Covid-19 has had on the 2019/20 season and to help guests feel confident in planning for next season. To address the 2019/20 season, qualified 2019/20 season and multi-day…

Okemo pass holders may receive credits Vail Resorts on April 27 announced its plan to address pass holders’ concerns about last season’s closures and provide them with peace of mind for the future. “Our pass holders are our most loyal guests and we have spent weeks reading their emails and comments on social media to…

By Royal Barnard My friend, Fred Rinaldi, living in California, woke up my senses early in the “lockdown” period with a Facebook post noting that the smog had disappeared in Los Angeles. I immediately thought about the possibility that the earth was getting a much needed cleansing. A breath of fresh air, if you will.…

By John Downes and James Nagle Editor’s note: The following is an excerpt of testimony given by John Downes and James Nagle to the Vermont Senate Education Committee on April 21, 2020. John Downes is the director of The Tarrant Institute for Innovative Education in the College of Education and Social Services at the University…

Dear Editor, As our public health paradigm shifts with the emergence of Covid-19, many Vermonters are experiencing loss—of connection, of livelihood, of basic necessities, and some have lost loved ones. We are living with uncertainty. The road forward must be paved with time for grieving, resources for the vulnerable, and opportunities to restart Vermont’s economic…

Dear Editor, While waiting for a resolution to the Covid-19 crisis we need to be looking to the future of  health care in general. We have continued to struggle with unaffordable premiums, unaffordable deductibles, and unaffordable co-pays, forcing choices between health care and food, rent, mortgages, clothes, tuition,….add to that the millions of people who…

Dear Edtior, Like many organizations and programs, Southwestern Vermont Council on Aging (SVCOA) has faced its share of challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic, specifically around maintaining high levels of service to older Vermonters in our region amidst an unprecedented increase in service demand. Thankfully, SVCOA is backed by a compassionate, hardworking and committed volunteer roster,…

By Lee H. Hamilton We are living in a difficult time. Our country and its communities are deeply polarized; many Americans distrust one another as well as the government and other institutions. The novel coronavirus has deepened our problems in a way none of us imagined. The number of Americans who have contracted Covid-19 has…

By Nick Richardson, president and CEO of the Vermont Land Trust For some it may feel too soon to ask this question, as new cases of Covid-19 are reported every day and the economic impacts for our state and our country grow more severe. Yet it’s this question we must ask relentlessly over the days…

Everyone is responsible for doing their part to stop this pandemic - wear a mask By Sen. Dick McCormack State Colleges As everyone knows, the proposal to close three state colleges has been taken off the table, at least somewhat in response to public outrage. But the issue is far from settled. As I argued…

By Rep. Jim Harrison Confirmed new cases of Covid-19 in Vermont continued to decline last week, another sign that we are beyond the peak and doing better than many other areas. On Friday, May 1, Scott again turned the proverbial spigot another quarter turn as more businesses will be allowed to open, albeit with restrictions…

The Vermont Agency of Transportation (AOT) has received a grant for more than $21 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The grant funds will be distributed among public transit providers statewide in rural and urban areas and aid…