There are now 184 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Vermont and 10 deaths. The cases have risen 26 since yesterday; 61 more than Wednesday — an exponential increase over the past few weeks.    

On Thursday afternoon, March 26, Governor Phil Scott directed schools to remain dismissed through the end of the 2019-2020 school year. Districts will close schools for in-person instruction and be required to implement continuity of learning plans for remote learning. This extends the Governor’s previous directive dismissing PreK-12 schools from March 18 to April 6.…

The Outside Story By Meghan McCarthy McPhaul Around the middle of March, I begin to feel that springtime urge to hit the road, to lace up the winter-neglected running shoes and start slogging through some miles. My early-season jogs take me past a wetland area that stubbornly spans both sides of a road near my…

Looking Back By Mary Ellen Shaw Yes, it is I…looking “forward” instead of “back” in my column. Why? Because we all need something to look forward to in a world that has changed in what seems like a “New York minute!” So, for as long as these difficult days last I will attempt to brighten…

Mary Beth Banios, superintendent of the Windsor Central Union School District, announced that she will be leaving the district in a letter to school board members, Wednesday, March 25. Banios told the board that she had gotten the job as superintendent at Hamilton-Wenham Regional School District, in Wenham, Massachusetts, and would be starting there on…

By Virginia Dean and Steven Seitz In an effort to offset the lack of hand sanitizers in the state due to the coronavirus, many Vermont distilleries have begun to make their own. “We’re on it,” said Mimi Buttenheim of Mad River Distillers, located in Waitsfield and Burlington. “We’ve been making small batches for people to…

Auditor’s report shows budget deficit lower than projected, a welcomed surprise By Curt Peterson The Windsor Central Unified School District Board meeting Monday evening, March 23, was a “perfect storm” – literally, as it turned out. A surprise March snowstorm covered the region in up to 10 inches of fresh snow making travel difficult. Most…

by DJ Dave Hoffenberg In this Covid-19 world we’re living in, sadly there are no music shows you can go to. But, you can catch many performers doing Facebook shows live with Venmo tipping so please support them when you can. One of those performers, Jim Yeager, has his second solo record coming out on…

On Tuesday, March 24, Governor Phil Scott issued a “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order and directed the closure of in-person operations for all non-essential businesses. These restrictive measures are in place to minimize all unnecessary activities outside the home to slow the spread of this virus and protect the public. These actions were implemented in…

By Cal Garrison This week’s Horoscopes are coming out under the light of a Pisces Moon. In the astrological community, this week’s ‘big news’ surrounds the upcoming Jupiter-Pluto conjunction. This aspect will be exact on the 4th of April, but will be within orb of exactitude by the 29th of March. Jupiter and Pluto form conjunctions every…

Brave New World? Part two By Dom Cioffi Well, I can’t say that I’ve ever experienced a week quite like this past one. In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, I’ve seen and experienced some interesting things. First of all, I am dumbfounded by the amount of people I’ve seen outside walking, running, and playing.…

By Kevin Theissen In recent weeks, we’ve seen several major stories in the news. On the political front, in addition to the arrival of the presidential election through the 2020 caucuses and primaries, we have just experienced the third presidential impeachment in American history. In international news, the latest coronavirus outbreak has hit China, now…

By Brooke Geery The Idiots performed live at Jax Food and Games on Sunday, March 22. This time, the show was a bit different than normal though. There was no live audience in attendance — instead, about 1,400 people watched on Facebook live, making requests through the chat and making donations to Killington Relief, a…

RUTLAND — While going for a bike ride is a great form of social distancing, the people at Pine Hill Park urges you to stick to the pavement right now. Specifically, avoid the trails when temps are 25 degrees or warmer. They are too tender, especially south and west facing trails. Banked corners are always…

By Midge Scanlan With the nonstop thread of news concerning the coronavirus, disruptions to our daily routines and just looking at the empty shelves at the grocery store, it’s easy to feel anxious these days. Our children are not immune to this anxiety. They too hear the news, are kept from their routines of school…