By Secretary of State Jim Condos Trust in government is at an all-time low. As you can see playing out before our eyes in the news today, integrity is at a premium in times of crisis. Truth and transparency are necessary to effective leadership. In Vermont, we take great pride in having a government that…

By Angelo Lynn On Friday, March 13, Gov. Phil Scott declared a state of emergency in Vermont in response to the coronavirus pandemic that has now established several beachheads in this country — most notably, a new epicenter is spreading in New Rochelle, New York, New York City and neighboring states, and into the Boston…

It depends how long the pandemic lasts By Art Woolf How will the coronavirus pandemic affect Vermont’s economy — with the understanding that Vermont’s economy is Vermont’s people? The simple answer is that it depends on how the pandemic unfolds in the world, the U.S. and in Vermont. The best-case scenario is that we have seen…

By Sen. Alison Clarkson The novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) is causing widespread disruption in our state and is a matter of grave concern to all Vermonters.  Together with other branches of state government, the Vermont Legislature is dealing with this crisis as best we can given that new challenges are being revealed every day and that…

By Rep. Jim Harrison With the rapidly changing landscape, some of this may be outdated by the time it is published and read. For current information and guidance on the pandemic, please visit: healthvermont.gov/covid19. If you have questions, call 211. If there was ever an unpredictable week at the State House, last week certainly fit…

By Curt Peterson As growth of COVID-19 is expected to be exponential, Gov. Phil Scott ordered all schools to close March 18 through at least April 6. “The orderly dismissal of schools is essential to support both the state’s response to COVID-19 and the needs of children and families across Vermont,” Gov. Phil Scott said.…

By Virginia Dean All resort operations at Pico and Killington were suspended Saturday night, effective March 15-22, in an effort to limit the spread and risks associated with COVID-19, according to Mike Solimano, president and general manager of Killington and Pico. “Our top priority is the safety of our staff, guests and local community,” said…

By Katy Savage As employees are out of work and students are out of school due to state-mandated closures, Vermonters are stepping up to help others in need. A handful of Rutland residents created Rutland County Mutual Aid, a website to connect people who need help with volunteers in light of the coronavirus. Within an…

Staff report On Monday, March 16, Governor Phil Scott ordered an end to dine-in service at restaurants and bars starting 2 p.m. Tuesday, March 17. The day prior, Sunday, Scott ordered schools to close by Wednesday, and the day prior to that, Saturday, all ski areas in the state had announced they would closed, too.…

Brave new world? Well, this has been interesting. Like everyone else, I’ve been trying to navigate the strange environment brought on by COVID-19, the acute respiratory disease that originated out of China in recent months. I don’t ever remember a time in my life when the social atmosphere was quite like this; when there was…

BY Kevin Theissen It is amazing how predictably irrational we humans are. There are certain things we cannot predict, but there are others that we are spot on, near 100% of the time. One of those is that when times are bad, “experts” start downgrading and cutting estimates. It’s as reliable as a sunrise. I…

The Outside Story by Susie Spikoi Sometimes it pays to be an insomniac. One frigid winter night, I climbed out of my restless bed and slipped outside to stand under a sky littered with stars and take in the complete silence of darkness. Suddenly, a ruckus broke out along the edge of the pond near…

by Merisa Sherman Like all of you, this past weekend threw my life into turmoil. Two of my four jobs have disappeared in the blink of an email and our beloved ski resort has turned off the lifts. As the threat of COVID-19 virus grows stronger, increasing numbers of our community are withdrawing to the safety of…

Comcast announced steps to help ensure people stay connected to the Internet as more schools suspend classes and companies encourage employees to work from home due to the Coronavirus. “During this extraordinary time, it is vital that as many Americans as possible stay connected to the internet – for education, work, and personal health reasons,”…

Daily Bread by Rick Daily Location: Gills is located on Strongs Avenue in Rutland Favorite dish? Roast Beef Mini with horseradish and mayo on both sides, provolone cheese, tomato and onion on top and finished with pepper and their homemade oil, vinegar and spices mix. What makes it unique? They make it to order before your…