The start of the new year is here and you might be thinking of tackling those extra pounds with a gym membership. The cost of a membership to your local fitness center can be pricey, especially if you are looking for a modern facility with a wide selection of the most current equipment. But there…

By Olivia Box I’ve always found slender, sharp, yellow-ochre beech leaves alluring, and it’s endearing how they cling onto saplings late into the fall. However, Fagus grandifolia, the American beech, tends to get a lot of flak from foresters. The trees are plagued with beech bark disease, which ruins any timber value, and they can…

This week’s horoscopes are coming out under the light of a void-of-course Aquarius Moon that will remain in that state until it enters Pisces at 10:41 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 30. These are such interesting times. With the New Year just around the corner, I got to thinking about a lot of things, so, like…

Monday, Jan. 6 at 9 a.m.—KILLINGTON—College students are invited to join the hunt for a list of selfie-locations around the mountain. Using the trail map, Google maps, ambassadors and any other resources, find each location or item on the list and take a selfie in front of the location/item and hashtag #KillingtonCollege on Twitter or Instagram. …

Monday, Jan. 6 at 8 p.m.—KILLINGTON—Killington Resort and Natural Light Seltzer will be hosting a one-of-a-kind party to help get you settled into Killington College Week on the proper note!   College students aged 18 and up can join the festivities at the Wobbly Barn. Come dressed in your craziest costumes! Togas, onesies, 80’s, zoot suits, flappers, and maybe the…

Tuesday, Jan. 7 at 9:30 a.m.—WHITE RIVER JUNCTION—Did you watch the Olympic Curling events on television? Did it look like something you want to explore? Well the time to check out the sport of curling is now. There are many local people in the Upper Valley who curl regularly and they want to show you…

Friday, Jan. 3 at 7:30 p.m.—RANDOLPH—A very special musical event will be taking place at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 3 in the Upper Gallery of the Chandler Center for the Arts in Randolph. The second annual Vermont String Summit features world-class bluegrass, new acoustic, and old-time musicians celebrating the new year by collaborating together on…

Sunday, Jan. 5 at 10 a.m. —QUECHEE—Join in on VT Day at the VINS Nature Center. Take in a live bird program, visit their special exhibits and enjoy the day! Vermont residents with proper ID can attend for just $5. The Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS) is a nonprofit, member-supported, environmental education, research, and…

Sunday, Jan. 5 at 3 and 4 p.m.—Those interested in learning more about climate change and how to fight it have two opportunities to do so on Jan. 5. 350 Vermont will host it’s Rutland County meeting at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 117 West St. in Rutland. They’ll be discussing their work to reduce food waste…

Tuesday, Jan. 7 at 5 p.m.—Killington’s college week continues with an event that is sure to light up your night. The tubing park will transform into an all-out laser light, glow sticking, glow in the dark party.  Dress warm, but bring your glow sticks and dancin’ shoes because this outdoor party could get warm!  If…

Friday, Jan. 3 and Saturday, Jan. 4 at 7 p.m.—BRANDON—Brandon Town Hall will host a performance of the play “Mornings at Seven” on Jan. 3 and 4. It is a 1950’s comedy set in two backyards in an American town. Cora Swanson and her sister, Ida Bolton, along with husbands Thor and Carl, have lived…

Friday, Jan. 3 and Saturday, Jan. 4 at 7 p.m.—RUTLAND— Stomp  is explosive, inventive, provocative, witty, and utterly unique—an unforgettable experience for audiences of all ages. The international percussion sensation has garnered armfuls of awards and rave reviews and has appeared on numerous national television shows. The eight-member troupe uses everything but conventional percussion instruments…

Jan. 3 and 4 at 10 a.m.—RUTLAND— Bolster your home library at the January Friends of the Library book sale. Rutland Free Library invites all to browse thousands of organized, gently used books, CDs, and puzzles for all ages. Most  items are priced from $.25 to $3, and this month’s highlighted books are also buy…

Friday, Jan. 4 at 12:45 p.m.—KILLINGTON—Free the heel - free the mind. Learn how to telemark or build your skills every Friday at Pico Mountain. Looking to try something new or push the boundaries of what you already know? Join fellow free heelers and see for yourself why telemark skiing is growing and creating a…

Wednesday, Jan. 1 at 7:30 p.m.—WHITE RIVER JUNCTION— Northern Stage, The Barrette Center for the Arts, presents the Sound of Music. Playing on Sunday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, January 1-5, 2020, this family classic runs 2 1/2 hours, with a 15 minute intermission. Based on the true story of the Von Trapp Family Singers, this…