Poinsettias are synonymous with the holiday season. These colorful plants brighten up homes with their vibrant hues in variations of red, white and pink, making them a holiday decoration many people cannot live without. While they’re most visible during the often chilly holiday season, poinsettias prefer warm weather. Poinsettias are native to Central America and…

It would figure that 2019 is coming to an end, right as we were all getting used to writing it. Whether you had a great year, or one you’d prefer to forget, there’s no time like New Year’s Eve to let bygones be bygones and set yourself up for success over the next 365 days.…

Saturday, Dec. 28 at 6 p.m.—PROCTOR—Rutland County Audubon’s annual Christmas Bird Count and potluck will take place this year on December 28. Birds spotted within a 7.5 mile radius of Meads Falls in Center Rutland will be counted by teams of field birders and feeder-watchers in this count circle. Interested persons can contact birding@rutlandcountyaudubon.org for…

Saturday, Dec. 27 at 4 and 7 p.m.—QUECHEE— VINS is thrilled to bring “Bird of Prey,” the award-winning documentary from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology to Upper Valley audiences this holiday season. Fourteen stories high in a rainforest tree, a pair of Philippine eagles struggles to raise their chick. Watch with us as this new life…

Friday, Dec. 27 and Saturday, Dec. 28 at 8 p.m. —KILLINGTON—From rock to pop to country to dance to hip hop, a night with The Event Horizon has it all. The incredible vibe and relentless energy of the band’s performance, coupled with a state of the art stage production, make for an unparalleled experience. A…

Saturday, Dec. 28 at 11 a.m.—SPRINGFIELD— Gallery at The Vault announces a special Open Wall opportunity for local artists, 2020 Vision: Seeing Clearly. Artists offer perspectives that often capture a moment in time, render a particular detail, or prompt an emotional response.  As we enter this new decade, what visions can we present that allow us to consider it with…

Saturday, Dec. 28 at 2 p.m.—SOUTH POMFRET—The inaugural Festivus Rail Jam competition will take place under lights at the bottom of Lasky’s Lot at Suicide Six, so spectators can enjoy the action along with competitors. It’s a rail jam for the “restuvus!” Open to skiers and riders, with two hike-accessible rail selections to accommodate varying…

Thursday, Dec. 26 at 8 a.m.—KILLINGTON—Sixteen-year-old Broadway sensation Brandon “Taz” Niederauer will appear in concert at The Pickle Barrel Nightclub in Killington. The Joey Leone Trio featuring Beau Sasser will be joining Brandon on stage for a killer night of rocking and rolling. Special guest Higher Education is also set to hit the stage to kick off…

Saturday, Dec. 28 at 3:30—KILLINGTON— What’s a family holiday vacation without some kid-centric fun?! Killington is offering guests a chance to experience more than just skiing this holiday season. On Dec. 28, the Vermont Institute of Natural Science will show off its birds of prey. Live falcons, hawks and owls provide the lens through which we…

Friday, Dec. 27 at 4:30 p.m.—LUDLOW—Experience an amazing torchlight parade of skiers and riders traversing Okemo’s Open Slope trail a 6:30 p.m., preceding a spectacular pyrotechnics show in the Okemo Clock Tower base area. Would you like a different perspective for Okemo’s fireworks display? Join in on a guided snowshoe hike up the mountain with…

By Laura McComb On a crisp sunny morning in early spring, in September 2007, I was sitting very relaxed in the huge garden of a weekend house in the suburbs of Buenos Aires reading the newspaper, when I saw this little white puppy approaching me quietly. I had seen her before while having a barbecue…

Vermont’s electric utilities are letting customers across Vermont know they can now save up to $15,000 when they buy or lease new all-electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) thanks to new Vermont state rebates that can be combined with utility rebates and federal tax credits. One of the biggest barriers to making the…

A Windsor man has been charged with several serious violations in a deer poaching case. On Dec. 14, state game wardens in Cavendish attempted to stop a driver who fired from within the cab of his truck at a deer facsimile after legal shooting hours.  The operator, later identified as Robert L. Hagar, 48, of…

By Ed Larson Project Help began 51  years ago at Rutland’s Mount Saint Joseph Academy high school.  It’s a project designed to assist needy families in the Rutland community during the holidays with nourishment as well as gift items. According to Project Help organizers, 90 to 100 families will benefit from students who created what…

Dear Editor, I realize there has been a flurry of communications regarding the state of the Woodstock Union Middle and High School. Having just attended the last tour, I feel compelled to add my voice to the conversation, as a parent, tax payer, and former school board member. It is my understanding that there will…