More than 400 highly-trained volunteer instructors and guides make Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports’ mission of empowering individuals with disabilities possible. Out of a dedicated pool of volunteers, the Vermont Adaptive staff recognized one outstanding volunteer at the organization’s winter orientation sessions last month. Program Coordinator Kelly Walsh presented Maggie Holt of Burlington with the…

By Evan Johnson Backcountry skiers and split-boarders ascend into the Brandon Gap on Dec. 31 to take advantage of plentiful snow in freezing temperatures.

By Dom Cioffi The first “Star Wars” film came out in May of 1977. I was 11 years old and a typical wide-eyed youth. I remember going to see the film at the mall (when malls were still fashionable). I knew while standing in line with the troves of other viewers that something special was…

By Dave Hoffenberg If you’ve been partying in Killington for any of the past 14 years, you are familiar with the band Lifespeed. I’ve been seeing that band rock and roll into this town with a musical bang. I’ve become friends with two of the members — James and T — so I’m really excited that they…

By Kevin Theissen Professor Jeremy Siegel of the Wharton School put together a chart of real returns for various investment asset classes, adjusted for inflation, that shows what would have happened if you had invested one dollar in 1802 and held it through Dec. 31, 2012. The results: One dollar invested in Treasury bills would now…

By Marguerite Jill Dye The past year has been an exercise in striving for balance in a turbulent sea. The wear and tear has been quite extreme, often exhausting and terribly frustrating. Many people, including me, have fought depression and lacked motivation. How is it possible, in such tumultuous times, to stay above water and sustain…

By Brett Yates I began writing for this newspaper in early 2008, and it didn’t take me long to realize that I enjoy this column so much that I could do it forever if the editor would let me. I knew I’d likely never find another paid opportunity to write about (quite literally) whatever I…

By Gerrie Russell The Osher Life Long Learning Institute in Rutland exists to promote continuing education for area residents age 50 and older. It operates under the auspices of the University of Vermont and is run by a volunteer board of directors comprised of local people who work year round to provide topics of interest.…

Lender shoots self in foot CLARENDON—Mortgage lender Provident Funding Associates is trying to foreclose on the house at 266 Creek Rd., Clarendon. The action is the fourth time Provident has attempted to foreclose on what the real estate website Zillow describes as a 3,750-square-foot, three-bedroom, three-bath single-family home on 30 acres with a heated pool,…

Killington, VT- An opportunity has opened for Killington students who are attending or will be enrolling in an accredited two or four-year college and who have a minimum 3.0 GPA. A-1 Auto Transport, Inc., a car shipping company based in California who delivers vehicles to and from the Killington area of Vermont announced this week…

County farmers adapt with the times WELLS—The Larson Farm in Wells has changed from a large commercial dairy farm with 150 Holstein cows in 1993 to a smaller organic farm with 20 head of Jersey cows, some heifers, and 20 Devon beef cattle. Twelve years ago, Rich and Cynthia Larson began selling raw milk at…

The Vermont Housing & Conservation Board (VHCB), Vermont Land Trust and the Intervale Center received a three-year, $546,000 grant from the USDA’s Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program to help Vermont’s next generation of agricultural entrepreneurs access land and grow viable businesses. VHCB’s Viability Program provides planning services for established farm, food and forestry sector…

On Dec. 20, U.S. border patrol agents assigned to the Champlain Station arrested an Albanian man identified as Sandra Hiraj, 20, during his failed attempt to illegally enter the U. S. Record checks revealed that Hiraj is wanted by the government of Albania for murdering a police officer. The arrest occurred after a resident called…

The Vermont Ski Areas Association (VSAA) board of directors has named Molly Mahar as the new president of the nonprofit trade group representing 20 Alpine areas and 30 cross country centers. She will be joining the Ski Vermont team on Jan. 8. Mahar is currently the vice president of marketing and sales at Loon Mountain…

By Michelle Monroe, St. Albans Messenger State officials used Governor Phil Scott’s Education Summit last week to drive home the point that school mergers have saved significant amounts of money and enabled merged districts to improve educational opportunities for students. Two panel discussions at the summit featured administrators and school board members from merged districts.…