By Patrick White You picked it out, maybe cut it down, brought it home, watered it, and decorated it. But do you know what species of tree that is, surrounded by presents in your living room? If you purchased your Christmas tree rather than cutting it out of the woods, chances are it’s either a…

By Kyle Finneron Did you know you can rip someone’s beard if you put too much shoulder pressure on their jaw? I didn’t, but I do now. After my first eye opening attempt at jiu-jitsu I decided, even though I was steamrolled, that I could see myself enjoying this new sport. Jiu-jitsu in my eyes…

Merry Christmas to me! I got my new helmet and goggles! I shed a bit of a tear when I put aside my old faithful helmet, with its dents, and well … more dents.  Up to now I have only had one helmet, my first, and I have had it for 13-14 years.  The funny…

Millennials aren’t found of talking about age because they are “as young as they feel.” They are the age they are and, at any point, that is the right age to be. Such is the confidence of youth. It is among older folks one hears the talk of how aging feels, or how one feels…

On Dec. 16, Netflix released to streaming audiences the new film “Barry.” Purchased by the scarlet-hued home-entertainment colossus following its September premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, “Barry” marked 2016’s second indie drama about the early years of Barack Hussein Obama, who, by the looks of it, poses a threat of displacing Abraham Lincoln…

By Karen D. Lorentz The Vermont Department of Financial Regulation Securities Division has oversight of 104,00 registered investment broker/dealer agents in Vermont. Those agents don’t have to live here, noted William “Bill” Carrigan, deputy commissioner of the Securities Division. In addition to registering broker-dealers, investment advisors, and their agents and representatives and bringing administrative or…

Norwich University has been named Organization of the Year by Special Olympics Vermont. The university was recognized at an annual awards luncheon held on Dec. 11 at Killington Resort. “Norwich University has been an important partner of Special Olympics Vermont for many years, hosting two annual sports events and providing volunteer support at numerous other…

RUTLAND—Thanks to contributions from family, friends, and community members, the Rutland Area Farm and Food Link has met its fundraising goal to acquire a gently used van for the Glean Team. The organization raised $1,500 through Facebook and its website, with $1,000 matched by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. In January RAFFL will put…

DuBois & King, headquartered in Randolph, Vt., has announced that Joe Coutermarsh, PE, has joined the firm as a senior mechanical engineer. Coutermarsh has 30 years of experience providing design of mechanical-HVAC, plumbing, and fire protection systems for industrial, commercial, educational, healthcare, and municipal projects. Licensed in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts, Coutermarsh lives in…

A number of Vermonters have received unsolicited phone calls from parties claiming affiliation with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont. The caller offers a special program regarding pain management and opioid prescriptions and asks the consumer to disclose personal information to determine qualification for the program. BCBS is not affiliated with any such program and…

SO. POMFRET—State police and the U.S. Postal Service are investigating a break-in and burglary that occurred at the Teago General Store and U.S. Post Office in So. Pomfret. On Thursday, Dec. 22, at approximately 8:14 a.m. state police from the Royalton Barracks responded to a report of a break-in at the combined store and post…

Department of Vermont Health Access officials reported that Vermont Health Connect Open Enrollment has been progressing smoothly. They expect the state to maintain one of the lowest uninsured rates in the country in 2017. Open Enrollment is a time for new customers to sign up for health and dental plans for the coming year. It…

City budget omits fire department; Louras leaves meeting RUTLAND—When Rutland City voters mark their ballots in March, their city budget will not include funding for the fire department. The Board of Aldermen voted to remove that $3.5 million sector of the budget in accordance with the Public Safety Committee’s recommendation. There appears to be no…

Nursing students learn from Army CASTLETON—Forty-six Castleton junior and senior nursing students as well as two faculty members took part in a Nov. 29 hemorrhage clinic, learning the basics of stopping excessive bleeding in a patient, second in seriousness to trauma injuries. The students learned how to use tourniquets, pack simulated wounds, and use various…

By Karen D. Lorentz Every once in a while something happens that leads to a new appreciation for what skiing means for people. One of those moments for me was the serendipitous of meeting with Okemo Ski Instructor Rolf Meyer at the Boston Ski and Snowboard Expo. An avid skier now, that wasn’t the case…