By Katy Savage PAWLET—Laughing Child Farm owners Tim and Brooke Hughes-Muse got into the business to provide healthy, organic food to friends and neighbors. They focus on one crop on their farm in Pawlet: sweet potatoes. The Hughes-Muses have grown 160,000 pounds of potatoes a year since they started in 2012. “All the work we…

Dan Cotter WOODSTOCK—The 165-year-old Vermont Standard, based in Woodstock and serving a 10-town area, has its first new publisher in 38 years, according to Phil Camp, Sr., owner and president, May 3. Newspaper industry veteran Dan Cotter began his duties as the 11th publisher in the history of the paper on Monday, April 30. Cotter…

Some Vermont students will soon be able to include a new honor recognition on their high school resumes and transcripts. On Wednesday, May 2, the Vermont Legislature approved a resolution in support of the Seal of Biliteracy, an award given in recognition of students who have studied and attained proficiency in two or more languages…

Staff report After threatening to close the College of St. Joseph last month, the board of trustees voted 13-3 to keep it open on Monday night, May 7. “I am very excited and very thankful that the trustees showed their support,” said CSJ President Larry Jensen. “The challenges haven’t gone away. We still have to…

By Stephen Seitz CAVENDISH—Following a special meeting on April 30, the Green Mountain Unified School District (GMUSD) board has decided to permanently retain the principal’s position at Cavendish Town Elementary School. The original plan had been to hire an interim principal for a year, who would then be succeeded by a dean of students, subject…

By Julia Purdy The Killington Select Board has begun the process of unraveling several financial knots. Unlike the Gordian Knot, which Alexander the Great simply cut through with his saber, thus astonishing the world, Killington’s financial knots must be analyzed, untied and backed out, one by one. The bulk of the Killington Select Board meeting…

PROCTOR—Proctor residents are invited to a meeting to line up action plans to move community-identified priority projects forward May 16. Community volunteers will meet in the Vermont Marble Museum at 52 Main St. in Proctor May 16 to frame out action plans and work with a resource team of federal, state, business, and non-profit leaders…

RUTLAND – Now that spring has sprung, the gardening and gleaning seasons are right around the corner. As Vermonters in Rutland County consider donating extra vegetables to local food shelves, they can now take advantage of new Community Kitchen locations to lightly process excess fruits and vegetables, extending their shelf life. Community Kitchens across Rutland…

The Department of Buildings and General Services will be auctioning a large assortment of state vehicles and equipment to the public beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 12, 2018. It is expected to be very well attended.“This is an ABSOLUTE auction with no reserves. All vehicles will be sold to the highest bidder rain…

By Rep. Jim Harrison, R-Bridgewater, Chittenden, Killington & Mendon Will the 2018 legislative session wrap up this week, is the $58 million question? History tells us when there are deadlines, compromises are made at the eleventh hour and adjournment happens. While we hope that is what happens this coming weekend, I am not so sure…

By Julia Purdy RUTLAND—Combination Pond, a former farm pond on Moon Brook nestled within a labyrinthine suburban neighborhood on the eastern edge of Rutland City, was the lively scene of the annual fishing derby Saturday, May 5, which draws families and anglers from all over Rutland County and beyond. Colorful bobbers dotted the water as…

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…