Discover More from This Author: Polly

Pelletier Dam removal is completed: habitats restored in Castleton

October 26, 2022
Earlier this month, the health and function of North Breton Brook in Castleton was improved through the removal of the Pelletier Dam off East Hubbardton Road. The dam, along with 15,000 cubic yards of sediment, was removed from the stream bed, reconnecting the river to its natural path and flow. The Pelletier Dam was derelict,…

Vote: The Nov. 8 election is vitally important

October 26, 2022
By Michelle Bos-Lun Editor’s note: Michelle Bos-Lun is a state representative from Westminster. Early voting has begun in Vermont with the election soon approaching. There is the possibility that great changes could come to our state as a result of this election. From two opportunities to amend our state constitution to support freedom, along with a…

Killington announces World Cup entertainers

October 26, 2022
2022 Killington Cup lineup features Michael Franti, Noah Kahan, Stephen Kellogg and DJ Angie Vee  KILLINGTON—Killington Resort announced the entertainment lineup for the 2022 Killington Cup on Oct. 25 in a news release. Taking place Nov. 25-27, the return of the Audi FIS Ski World Cup will bring together the fastest female technical alpine skiers in…

Funding for area seniors hasn’t kept pace with costs, needs

October 26, 2022
By Mark Boutwell Editor’s note: Mark Boutwell is executive director of Senior Solutions, the Council on Aging in Southeastern Vermont, headquartered in Springfield, Vermont. The upcoming state and national elections offer voters a chance to reset priorities and focus on true pockets of need, one of which is providing for older adults. Federal funding for…

Sand shed in Pittsfield completed, unexpected price tag is $450,000

October 26, 2022
By Brett Yates On Oct. 20, the Pittsfield Select Board signed a certificate of substantial completion to acknowledge the end of construction on the town’s new sand shed on Route 100. The contractor, G&N Excavation, began work in the spring and finished in September, meeting the town’s deadline. The yearslong saga of Pittsfield’s effort to…

Eastern red bats migrating

October 26, 2022
By Conrad Baker Swift and apparently silent, a lone bat traces the contours of the woods’ edge at dusk, floating through canopy and meadow. In the last daylight, a sharp-eyed observer might catch a glimpse of white armpits, indicating that this is no barn bat or attic bat. This is an eastern red bat. Eastern…

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication

October 26, 2022
By Dom Cioffi I was a collector as a child. At first, I collected stuffed animals and picture books. Then I moved on to army men and Matchbox cars. Later, it was baseball cards and record albums. Along the way, I found a bevy of other items that I felt I needed to hoard into…

Awkward Halloweens and the musicals that inspired them

October 26, 2022
By Merisa Sherman I adjusted the mask on my face for like the 15th time that day. The hard plastic kept scratching my face and I knew, I just knew, that I would have a big mark for, like, the next few weeks. My dad and I had cut a mask so it worked perfectly…

Golf tournament raises $1,500 for charity

October 26, 2022
Paul Dimascio started a golf tournament as a joke when a threesome became a foursome with a surprise guest at Killington Mountain Golf Course. “I knew a friend was joining the threesome but the other two didn’t. I called it Paul’s October Tournament or P.O.T,” Dimascio said. Last year, Dimascio invited friends to the second…

Pondering the pumpkin this Halloween weekend

October 26, 2022
By Vern Grubinger Editor’s note: Vern Grubinger, who is based in the University of Vermont Extension office in Brattleboro, is the extension vegetable and berry specialist. The pumpkin is an odd vegetable. The more popular pumpkins get, the less people eat them. Everyone wants to carve a jackolantern, but few people make pumpkin pie anymore.…

Democrats seek to recapture Rutland County Senate majority after 34 years

October 26, 2022
By Tiffany Tan/VTDigger The last time Democrats won a majority of Rutland County’s three state Senate seats was in 1988, more than three decades ago. Now, with two incumbents not seeking reelection, Democrats see a prime opportunity to reverse that long-running political trend. Sens. Cheryl Hooker, a Democrat/Progressive, and Joshua Terenzini, a Republican, are vacating their seats, leaving…

Hartland planners object to Sunnymede store decision

October 26, 2022
By Curt Peterson In small Vermont communities some issues come and go without leaving long-lasting effects, but “What’s the status of the Sunnymede Farm Store project?” has persisted on local lips since early summer, when the developer’s Act 250 application to create a 7,500 square-foot market on the former site of the Bedell property on…

Ludlow’s Frank Provance is named the 2022 Good Neighbor for the VAR

October 26, 2022
The Vermont Association of Realtors® (VAR) has named Frank Provance as its 2022 Good Neighbor. Provance is a Realtor with Diamond Realty in Ludlow. “Each year, VAR recog- nizes one individual who has made an extraordinary impact on their community through volunteer work,” said VAR Chief Executive Kathy Sweeten. “Frank is well known as a…

Sanders, Welch and Balint rally in Hartland

October 26, 2022
By Curt Peterson Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, Congressman Peter Welch and state Sen. Becca Balint, calling themselves the “Delegation Tour for All” get-out-the-vote rally drew about 150 people to Hartland’s Damon Hall on Saturday, Oct. 23. Sanders isn’t up for reelection this November. Welch, who has been Vermont’s representative since 2007, is running for retiring…

Bats are on the move

October 26, 2022
Bat Week takes place Oct. 24-31, aims to raise awareness, conservation The onset of fall sends Vermont’s bats into motion, which makes it an important time for conservation-minded Vermonters to learn about, and help conserve, our nine native bat species. If you have noticed bats roosting in your attic, barn, or office over the summer,…