Discover More from This Author: Polly

Castleton hosts 82nd annual Colonial Day House Tour

August 17, 2022
Saturday, Aug. 20 — CASTLETON — Step back in time as hostesses in colonial attire greet guests in homes along Castleton’s historic Main Street during the 82nd annual Colonial Day House Tour, Saturday Aug. 20. The Castleton Woman’s Club sponsors this annual event featuring over a dozen sites throughout the village including outstanding period homes,…

‘Wildly unusual’: Census shows explosion of migration into Vermont in pandemic’s first

August 17, 2022
By Erin Petenko/VTDigger More than 4,800 people moved to Vermont between 2020 and 2021, the highest net migration total the state has reported in at least a decade, according to U.S. Census Bureau population estimates. The trend represents a complete reversal of the previous decade, when domestic migration meant people left Vermont to move to…

Softball championships shape up

August 17, 2022
By Dave Hoffenberg Playoffs resumed with an epic battle between No. 2 seed Rock Warriors and No. 3 seed First Stop. Joe Brown started the scoring for FS with a solo home run in his first at-bat. His team followed with five more runs, practically batting through their order for a 6-0 lead. It should…

Covid mitigation efforts left up to schools, nurses

August 17, 2022
Staff report New state guidance released last Wednesday, Aug. 10, leaves Covid mitigation up to school nurses this school year. The Vermont Agency of Education and Department of Health release was three-pages of loose guidance, signed by Vermont Secretary of Education Dan French and Health Commissioner Mark Levine. The state said it is aimed at establishing…

BarnArts presents Myra Flynn at Feast & Field

August 17, 2022
Vermonter Myra Flynn takes the outdoor stage at Feast & Field as part of BarnArts Music on the Farm series on Thursday, Aug. 18. This exceptionally talented singer-songwriter embraces the dichotomy of her Half Irish and half African American ancestry to craft highly original songs that blend soulful vocals with a delivery that doesn't let…

Exploring Vermont history on bike, ferry

August 17, 2022
By Merisa Sherman I looked around at the stop sign and smiled. There were so many of us. Well, not so many that I would call us a peloton or anything but enough that we took up some space at the intersection while we waited for enough cars to pass that we could send it…

Markets find footing in July

August 17, 2022
By Kevin Theissen After a down first half of the year in markets, July changed direction, as markets tried to reestablish its foundation. In July, the S&P 500 was up 9.1%, Nasdaq up 12.3%, and the Dow up 6.7%. These returns marked the strongest monthly gains 2020. The economic data continued its path with high inflation…

The covered bridges of Rutland County: tour No. 2

August 17, 2022
A roadtrip through Proctor, Pittsford, Florence, Brandon, Shoreham By Julia Purdy Who doesn’t love the romance, intrigue and bucolic setting of a covered bridge? Vermonters are no different — Vermonters cherish our heritage of covered bridges, and the Vermont Historic Bridge Program, begun in 1988, is committed to keeping authentic public covered bridges in service…

Affordable housing ideas

August 17, 2022
By Fred Baser Editors note: Fred Baser is the financial advisor and founder of Bristol Financial Services, is a commissioner of the Vermont Housing Finance Agency, former member of the Vermont House of Representatives and past member of the Habitat for Humanity of Addison County board. Despite recent efforts, in our state and nationally, to…

Fair Haven concerts series drew record crowds

August 17, 2022
Final concert of the summer is Thursday starring Prydein, a Celtic Rock Band Thursday, Aug. 18 — FAIR HAVEN — The Fair Haven Concerts in the Park had record crowds for many of the performances. This Thursday, Aug. 18, will be the final concert of the series we hope to see a huge crowd at…

Ludlow Rotary prepares for 23rd annual ducky race

August 17, 2022
Saturday, Aug. 20 — LUDLOW — It’s that time of year, when the rubber duckies are preparing for race down the Black River in the Ralph D Hogancamp Memorial Duck Race to help a local group. This year it will be Reinbow Riding of Mt. Holly. The Ludlow Rotary Club (LRC) will be sponsoring the…

Summer days drifting away

August 17, 2022
By Dom Cioffi I told my son at the beginning of the summer that we were going to do things differently this year. In past years, he had thrown away every opportunity to better himself, but this summer he would successfully balance fun with accomplishments. As far as I was concerned, he was not going…

What unaffordable healthcare means in Vt

August 17, 2022
Dear Editor, Kevin Mullin, chair of the Green Mountain Care Board (GMCB), called our state’s health insurance premiums “unaffordable” in 2019. Those premiums have since risen, and double digit-plus increases were just approved for both Blue Cross and MVP, making health care far more unaffordable. Our hospitals are requesting major increases in their budgets that…

DMV makes driver’s license renewals more difficult

August 17, 2022
Dear Editor, Warning. The state of Vermont has changed the process of renewing a vehicle driver’s license. No longer can you go to a real person who can answer questions and help fill out the forms, like at the Courthouse. Now it is to be done by the taxpayer, at home, and on a computer.…

Across the country, investors are buying manufactured-home communities. Some Vermonters are resisting the trend

August 10, 2022
By Fred Thys/VTDigger Across the country, private equity firms and real-estate investment trusts are buying up manufactured home communities from local owners and charging residents more to remain there. But in Vermont, with major help from the state — through education about their rights and millions in funding from two state agencies — residents are…