By Polly Lynn RUTLAND—On Saturday, Aug. 27, community members gathered at Rutland Regional Medical Center and folded 800 origami elephants. The event, put on by Tuttle Publishing, of North Clarendon was “an effort to help the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) raise awareness of the plight of elephants all over the world,” according to the news…

By Julia Purdy RUTLAND—Workers are nearing the finish line to remove the false front siding from the Clement Building at the corner of West Street and Merchants Row. For several weeks, the sidewalk has been cordoned off and, high overhead, Kevin and Joseph Lafaso of Mike Balestra Building & Remodeling, working from a cherrypicker, have…

By Adam Federman, VTDigger.org RUTLAND — An inmate of the Marble Valley Regional Correctional Facility in Rutland died Tuesday, Aug. 23, five days after being hospitalized, according to a Corrections Department official. Mike Touchette, the department’s director of correctional facilities, said inmate Scott Clark experienced a “medical emergency” and was transferred to Rutland Regional Medical…

As Vermonters mark the fifth anniversary of Tropical Storm Irene, a new report from the Congressional Budget Office  (CBO) warns that damage from severe weather in future decades is expected to become increasingly common in Vermont and throughout the United States because of climate change. Tropical Storm Irene, which began as a hurricane in the…

Patients come to Cardiac Rehab at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center in Bennington to rebuild their heart muscle, literally. One couple found that Cardiac Rehab can also exercise their figurative heart muscles, too. Ray Merriam, of Bennington, had a heart attack in 2010. He recovered with help of Cardiac Rehab, and has been coming to the…

Driver restoration program begins Sept. 1-Nov. 30 old traffic tickets can be forgiven for $30 Gov. Peter Shumlin announced Monday, Aug. 29, that starting Sept. 1, individuals with outstanding traffic tickets that have led to license suspension may be eligible for a reduced fine through a statewide driver restoration program. The Vermont Judicial Bureau and…

RUTLAND TOWN—Tina M. Poppleton, 55, of Rutland Town passed away Saturday, Aug. 20, 2016, at her home surrounded by her family. She was born in Malone, N.Y., June 21, 1961, the daughter of Peter and Jean (Provost) Johnson. Tina Poppleton was a graduate of Grand Gorge Central School in New York. In 1996 she graduated…

In the face of a recent spate of heroin overdoses and growing fears that, in addition to fentanyl-laced heroin, a more dangerous version of the drug called carfentanyl is poised to move into the state, Gov. Peter Shumlin and Health Commissioner Harry Chen, M.D., announced Aug. 25 that the Department of Health has issued a…

For the second year in a row, the University of Vermont welcomes an incoming class with record-breaking academic credentials. Topping the Class of 2019’s high scores, the incoming Class of 2020 earned an average 3.64 GPA and SAT scores in critical reading and mathematics of 1206. Additionally, a record 39 Vermont students who earned Green…

By Lee H. Hamilton Politicians spend a good bit of their time complaining about the media. But why should they have all the fun? I’m going to join in, though I tend to get upset about different things than most sitting politicians do. You see, I don’t actually mind when journalists—whether in print, on television…

PLYMOUTH—Recently 10 ladies of the W2W cancer support group gathered for their 10th annual day of kayaking, picnicking and swimming on the beautiful grounds of Hawk Inn & Mountain Resort in Plymouth, Vt. W2W (Woman to Woman) is an open support group for women of all ages who have been diagnosed, at any time in their…

By Dom Cioffi As frequent readers of this column know, my reviews tend to be more “diary” than “movie.” I succumbed to this approach years ago when I realized my ramblings about life had a lot more substance than most of the films I was watching. As of late (because of my recent cancer diagnosis),…

At 12 p.m. on Aug. 25, Vermont State Police received a request for assistance from fire/rescue personnel who were responding to the area of Hamilton Falls on Hamilton Falls Road in Jamaica, Vt., for a 17-year-old male who had gone over the upper falls to the middle pool (there are three pools in the falls).…

WAITSFIELD—On Friday morning, Aug. 19 at 9:40 a.m., Vermont State Police in Middlesex received a call from a male who was swimming at the Lareau Swimming Hole, located just off Route 100 in Waitsfield. The  caller advised dispatch he had located a body at the bottom of the swimming hole. Troopers and detectives responded to the…

Not buckling up, driving impaired and speeding are lead causes Highway fatalities to date on Vermont roads have nearly doubled compared to this time last year, according to an Aug. 26 news release from the state. The majority of the fatal crashes have involved non-use or improper seatbelt usage, speeding, and/or driving under the influence…