Vermont’s fishermen have more places to cast a line,thanks to expanded offerings at Vermont State Parks. Six more state parks will offer free loaner fishing equipment and educational resources. Page 17

Independence Day celebrations abound in the region. Many towns have parades and entire days filled with barbecues, 5K runs, readings of the Declaration of Independence, and many more community-building events commemorating the 241st birthday of America, July 4. Pages 8-10

Fireworks can be seen on July 2 at Vt. State Fairgrounds; and July 4 in Killington on River Road and at the Foundry; at Woodstock U.H.S.; as well as at most town celebrations. See calendar of events and A.D.E. pages for details. Submitted photo

PLYMOUTH UNION—The Plymouth Memorial Garden and Community Center Sign was dedicated Sunday, June 11. The garden is in memory of Eliza Ward, a life-long resident. Several of her family were present for the celebration. Engraved bricks memorializing loved ones surround the garden restored by Bruce and Midge Tucker. The sign at the community center announces information…

By Kathy Bernier I give a lot of tours at my 80-acre homestead, and have found that most visitors are delighted for the opportunity to connect nature with real life. Those of us who spend much time rubbing elbows with nature might say that it is real life, but for many people the connection is…

By Marguerite Jill Dye Have you ever felt unsafe in your own home? Can you imagine risking your own and your children’s lives to flee from your country to save your lives? Never underestimate the power of two women on a mission. When a courageous young woman from Albany, N.Y., met Sham, a “fierce” mother of…

By Brady Crain I have spent the last 11 days recovering from a L3-4 Fforaminotomy, which is an operation involving the grinding away of bone in the nerve opening (foramina) that has been causing my sciatica for 30 years or so. The day of the operation I got up at 3 a.m. and skied my…

By Kyle Finneron Shortly after my last show I had a little fun with my eating before going onto my next preparation cycle or “prep.” I read how some elite powerlifters eat over 10,000 calories a day. Now, keep in mind I’m talking about someone the size of The Mountain from “Game of Thrones” (who…

By Kevin Theissen Stop rolling your eyes. The Economist reported Steve Ballmer, former head of a large tech company, has been working on a new project—completing Form 10-K for the United States of America. The project is called “USA Facts: Our nation, in numbers.” If you’re not familiar with Form 10-K, it is the global gold…

By DJ Dave Hoffenberg The Killington Resort team remained perfect with yet another win over their fellow employee team, the Wobbly Barn. The resort is known as “The Beast of the East” and so far this season, this team is living up to that billing. The Wobbly started off the scoring in the first with…

By Brett Yates There’s a moment in the overrated sci-fi movie “Ex Machina” where the robot, whose programming allows her to discern unfailingly when someone isn’t telling the truth, is interviewing the protagonist. The first question: “What’s your favorite color?” The protagonist replies that it’s red, but the robot rejects this response, deeming it a…

KILLINGTON—New features have been installed at the Killington Recreation Center this summer. A new playground was installed this past year with the help of the town’s highway crew, and Killington campers have had a blast on the new playground and are enjoying the new features, reported Kim Peters, Killington recreation director.  The extended plan is…

Vermont State Parks and the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department have expanded the popular Reel Fun Vermont program for 2017. Eighteen Vermont State Parks now offer free loaner fishing equipment to park visitors, along with a mix of educational resources focused on the sport of fishing. “We’re excited to offer Reel Fun at six more…

RUTLAND—College of St. Joseph (CSJ) is offering summer sports camps for young athletes throughout July. These six-day residential camps are open to athletes in grades 7-12. Camps are led by CSJ’s varsity coaches, their staff and student-athletes, and will include an academic component. The college will offer an eSports camp July 9-14; cheerleading and dance camp July 16-21; boy’s soccer camp July 16-21; girl’s soccer camp July 16-21 and July 23-28;…

RUTLAND—The Southwestern Vermont Council on Aging has received a $1,500 grant from Meals on Wheels America to support its client pet support program. Funding will be used to provide food, supplies and care for area clients with pets — all of which can be financially and physically burdensome. In total, Meals on Wheels America has…