By Alan J. Keays, VTDigger RUTLAND — Police said a 9-year-old child found alone at a downtown movieplex had gone there with a Rutland man who was later discovered passed out from using heroin. Lawrence F. Jacques, 29, pleaded not guilty Monday, April 17, in Rutland Criminal Court to charges of cruelty to a child…

The Rutland County Sheriff’s Department and other law enforcement agencies in Rutland County will be out enforcing the state “Move Over” law. People are reminded they must move over one lane when passing law enforcement vehicles, fire vehicles, EMS workers and wreckers working on the shoulder of the highway. The fine for not doing so…

On Thursday, April 20, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. the Regional Prevention Partnerships (RPP) of Rutland, in collaboration with Green Mountain College and the Rutland County Sheriff’s Department, will give the public the opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.  Bring…

Tinmouth community weighs in on impaired driving; approx. 200 people attended meeting About 200 people voiced their frustration with Vermont’s failure to remove impaired drivers from the road in a meeting held April 9 at the Tinmouth Community Center. They met with Rutland County State’s Attorney Rose Kennedy and Vermont Attorney General T.J. Donovan in…

New pool bids expected soon Rutland may have a new swimming facility in 2018. The design is finalized and requests to bid have been solicited, City Recreation and Parks Department Superintendent Cindi Wight said. Construction could begin as early as June. After much reconsideration, the final design is back to that of a two-pool facility.…

Killington’s town clerk Lucrecia Wonser has earned a Master Municipal Clerk (MMC) designation from the International Institute of Municipal Clerks (IIMC). The MMC is one of the two professional designations granted by IIMC. To qualify for entrance into the Master Municipal Clerk Academy (MMCA), which prepares participants for achieving the MMC status, one must have…

WOODSTOCK—Gary S. Thulander, president and general manager of the Woodstock Inn & Resort, was awarded the Borden E. Avery Innkeeper of the Year by the Vermont Chamber of Commerce at the 34th Annual Vermont Tourism Summit, held April 5-6 at Stoweflake Resort, Stowe. “Gary Thulander is the epitome of a leader to his resort team…

The Green Mountain Club (GMC), maintainer of Vermont’s Long Trail and Vermont’s hiking trails advocate, along with the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation (FPR), manager of State Forests and Parks, and the Green Mountain National Forest (GMNF) have announce the return of mud season. Some trails, especially those at high elevations, are closed…

Friday, April 21, 8 a.m.—POULTNEY—The world needs all hands on deck to combat climate change! To empower individuals and local communities to create climate solutions, Green Mountain College will host the third annual North Country Climate Reality Conference. Presented with SUNY Plattsburgh at Queensbury, the event will take place Friday, April 21, 8 a.m.- 4:45 p.m. in Withey…

Dear Editor, Every year, Vermont gives away tens of millions of dollars to high-income taxpayers while cutting services for Vermonters who are struggling the most to make ends meet. Yet it is clear that Vermonters, as shown by their votes for national officeholders, don’t support this kind of approach to revenue generation and budgeting. We…

Dear editor, As thousands across the U.S. get ready to protest environmental budget cuts, each of us can also help with our driving, our recycling, and our diet. Yes, our diet. A 2010 United Nations report blames animal agriculture for 70 percent of global freshwater use, 38 percent of land use, and 19 percent of…

By Lee Hamilton For the last few years, I’ve been keeping a file of clippings about the erosion of transparency and candor in government. I’m sorry to report that it’s getting rather full. This is not a good thing. Public officials should feel strongly obliged to do their business in an open and upfront manner.…

By Julia Purdy On a recent early spring day, with snow still blanketing the woods, no green shoots were poking through just yet, but meltwater was trickling across the old woods road along the east flank of Birdseye, where deer and turkey had left recent tracks. At the top of the hike, a winter-beaten field…

By Mike Polhamus, VTDigger Nearly 1,400 students descended on the state capitol  Wednesday, April 12, for a rally against climate change. High school students organized the event, which was conceived three years ago by students in a civics class at Harwood Union High School. Several of the students provided testimony to legislators on the importance…

KILLINGTON—With this summer right around the corner, Vermont Adaptive announced its new adaptive mountain bike program, one of the first in New England. The program offers limited adaptive mountain bikes plus special dates for outings in various locations. The program quietly began last summer. This year multiple locations, outings and events are planned for all…