Charlie Demarest passed away on March 30 following a period of declining health and a short hospitalization at the Rutland Regional Medical Center. Charlie Demarest was born in Randolph, Vermont, on Aug. 3, 1948, the first son of Harrison Bowles Demarest and Ruth Cooley Demarest. In 1951 the Demarests moved to the Haskell section of Wanaque,…

CU experiments with new ways to improve learning outcomes CASTLETON—A pilot program at Castleton University aims to expose students to alternative hobbies that could help build community on campus and promote valuable social skills, according to a news release, April 1, from the University. Dr. Greg Engel, assistant professor in the Psychology Department, said the…

By Polly Mikula On Friday, April 3, Health Commissioner Mark Levine officially recommended that Vermonters wear cloth facial masks, or coverings, if they need to leave their homes for essential purposes. This advice is based on new data about how COVID-19 can spread before a person has any symptoms, in other words: before they know…

Staff report The state identified 70 new coronavirus positive cases Saturday, April 4 — the largest increase of any single day so far. The next day brought 52 more. The state has double its confirmed cases in just a week, 280 new cases in seven days for a total of 575 confirmed cases as of…

Officials recommend fishing low and slow Vermont’s traditional trout fishing season opens Saturday, April 11. The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department said anglers can still get out and fish while following  COVID-19 safety precautions and state executive orders as long as they are in effect. State Fisheries Biologist Shawn Good said, “Trout will become more…

KILLINGTON – Killington Music Festival has canceled what would have been its 38th summer season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a letter from the Maria Fish, executive director, and Daniel Andai, artistic director, that they posted on the Killington Music Festival website. “Killington Music Festival has been monitoring local, state, and national safety…

Saturday, April 11 at 7 p.m.— Molly Gray will host a concert to bring music to Vermont families at home and to benefit Vermont COVID-19 relief efforts. The concert will include performances from artists hailing from around Vermont, including Noah Kahan of Strafford, Caitlin Canty of West Rutland, Pete Bernhard of the Devil Makes Three…

By Merisa Sherman I have a nook in my house where there’s a chair there, just out of the morning sun, where I can see the tree tops. They descend in a steepish yet skiable pitch down toward the valley on the right, kind of like Highline. There’s a second bit of dull greenish-brown peeking…

Woulda, shoulda, coulda by Dom Cioffi I was supposed to be heading to Saint Martin in the Caribbean tomorrow for a spring break week of sunshine, fun, and cocktails with tiny umbrellas. The trip was also doubling as a celebration of my son’s 16th birthday. Obviously, that’s not happening. Instead, I’ll be sitting at home…

By Mary Ellen Shaw We all need something to look forward to, especially as we navigate our way through the changes in our lives because of the coronavirus. The constant mention of it on TV and in the papers can be overwhelming at times. Mother Nature to the rescue!  She will soon provide us with…

By Kevin Theissen The COVID-19 outbreak has put tremendous pressure on stock prices, prompting some investors to blindly and indiscriminately sell positions at a time when the entire market is trending lower. Worried investors believe “this time it’s different.” When the market drops, some investors lose perspective that downtrends, and uptrends, are part of the…

The Outside Story by Susan Shea Thump. Thud. Something was hitting our window! It was a bright red cardinal flying at his reflected image in the glass – which he perceived to be an intruder in his territory. The bird kept it up for an hour, until I covered the window. On other occasions that…

By Cal Garrison This week’s Horoscopes are coming out under the light of a Void-of-Course, Virgo Moon that will remain in that mode until it crosses the Libra cusp, at 5:16 p.m. The Moon turned full at 10:35 p.m. on Tuesday night. By the time Good Friday rolls around it will be in Sagittarius, and…

While it’s not fun to imagine us getting sick, the Rutland County Humane Society (RCHS) thinks it’s important to plan for it and our pets, just in case. Gather your family around and put a plan together to ensure your animals will be well cared for in the event of an emergency. First, know the facts. According…

With residents and visitors of Vermont encouraged to stay home, it’s easy to feel cooped up and a bit “cabin feverish,” especially when the weather isn’t so nice. While warmer, sunnier days will inevitably arrive, before they do take advantage of time and travel virtually to see parts of the world you’ve always wanted to…