By Katy Savage CASTLETON—It’s been a year since the town office building moved to its new location on Route 30. Until recently, the site lacked any landscaping beyond construction of the new building itself, said new Town Manager Mike Jones. Jones said a new bench designed and carved out of stone by local teenagers at…

By Rob Roper Vermont’s student test scores are falling. It’s no longer a blip, but a trend. As State Board of Education member Bill Mathis said, “When you have two different tests showing much the same thing, you have to pay attention to them.” Those two tests are the Smarter Balance Assessment Consortium (SBAC) and…

By Cal Garrison, a.k.a. Mother of the Skye This week’s Horoscopes are coming out under the light of an Aquarius Moon, with aspects that are bound to be casting a shadow on the relationship department. The Moon starts out the week in an exact conjunction with its South Node. This means we will have a…

Cal Garrison (a.k.a Mother of the Skye) writes weekly horoscopes for The Mountain Times. If you would like an emailed notification sent to you weekly, sign up for the newsletter, below. Want to hear more from Mother of the Skye? Check out Mother's Celestial Inspirations for a deeper look into this weeks horoscopes Mother of the Skye…

Saturday, May 5, 7:30 p.m.—RANDOLPH—Haydn’s “Mass in Troubled Times” will be the featured work at the Vermont Philharmonic’s spring concert at the Chandler Center for the Arts on Saturday, May 5 at 7:30 p.m. The program will also include Brahms’ orchestral “Variations on a Theme” by Haydn and a “Scandinavian Suite for Solo Viola and Strings,” featuring composer Frank Foerster as soloist. The D…

Saturday, May 5, 5 p.m.—LUDLOW—Okemo Valley TV will hold its seventh annual Derby Gala on Kentucky Derby Day, Saturday, May 5, at Willie Dunn’s Grille at the Okemo Valley Golf Course in Ludlow from 5-8 p.m. The gala serves as the primary annual fundraiser event for Okemo Valley TV, the non-profit community television station and media education…

Saturday, May 5, 7:30 p.m.—BRANDON—See the remarkable Boston-based band, Mile Twelve, at Brandon Music on May 5. Mile Twelve is a fresh, hard driving young band beautifully walking the line between original and traditional bluegrass. Fast gaining recognition for their outstanding performances in bluegrass and folk circles, Evan Murphy, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, Nate Sabat, BB Bowness and…

Saturday, May 5—KILLINGTON—Due to conditions, Killington Resort’s spring party will continue for one more weekend, as the Killington Triathlon has been rescheduled to Saturday, May 5. Individuals and teams will be tested on their athletic ability as they ski, bike, and run. If spots are still available, day-of registration will be held. The entry fee…

Saturday, May 5, 10:30 a.m.—WEST RUTLAND—The Carving Studio and Sculpture Center announces the dedication of a public artwork on Saturday, May 5 at 10:30 a.m. The permanent installation at the Castleton Town Offices is in partnership with the town. Led by master sculptor Nora Valdez, a team of teen carvers created the stone bench this past summer.…

Saturday, May 5, 9 a.m.—WEST RUTLAND—Green Up Day is in its 48th year and as always Rutland County Audubon Society will be at West Rutland Marsh to help tidy up one of its favorite birding spots. Meet at the West Rutland Town Hall at 9 a.m. Bags will be provided. Bring gloves; and waterproof boots…

By Dom Cioffi In my life, I have had deep, personal relationships with three dogs. My first dog – the dog that was already around when I was born – was Skipper. Skipper was a portly beagle with a mild disposition. He could bark with the best of them, but avoided it much of the…

By Kevin Theissen “The only money that’s really yours is the money you spend. Everything else goes to somebody else,” said Teddy Chafolious. That piggy bank we remember from childhood wasn’t just a place to store our birthday money and spare change: it was a lesson, a way our parents encouraged us to get into…

By Meghan McCarthy McPhaul The big white birds paddling gracefully across a Massachusetts pond last November surprised me. I’d grown up in the town I was visiting and had never seen swans there, although my friend assured me they were resident birds. The only mute swans I’d seen before, years ago, were floating along the…

A little poem I wrote in my 20s still holds true today: A Walk, Just a Walk A walk, just a walk, without destination, not hampered by unhappiness, or pressured by time. A walk, just a walk, that exercised thought, shared a smile, and amused a pup. A walk, just a walk, that awakened memory,…