Dear Editor, June is National Pet Preparedness Month — which is all about preparing an emergency plan that includes your pet. They are important members of the family! Here’s how to prepare for a disaster or unexpected situation with your pet in mind. This plan will help in case you need to evacuate your area,…

By Victoria Gaither The NAACP Rutland Area Branch is hosting a second Juneteeth hair clinic for the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) community this year after the first hair clinic last year was a success. “We provided hair braiding services last year for the children. Altogether, we helped at least 25 children in…

By Merisa Sherman I could feel the wind in my hair, the sun on my face and hear the laughter of my friends nearby. You could feel the energy surrounding you, almost warmer than the sun, as sleepy people turned to offer each other hugs and mimosas. It reminded me of graduates waiting for their…

By Curt Peterson Jennifer Mayfield, 29, is one of six athletes representing the Vermont Special Olympics at the USA Games in Orlando this week. The state delegation includes one other golfer, two track athletes and two swimmers. Fourteen support people accompany the athletes. Mayfield’s father Brett Mayfield will serve as her caddy. A total of…

By Curt Peterson Even in rural Vermont, you know people who get, and sometimes read, the New Yorker Magazine – in 2019 there were 1,231,715 subscribers worldwide – and each week would-be creative types are challenged to submit captioning ideas for a cartoon by a famous artist. On average, 5,372 readers submit entries, either online…

By Gregory M. Thayer Editor’s note: Gregory M. Thayer is a candidate for lieutenant governor. When we look at shootings, we need to stop blaming inanimate objects — the guns— for these tragedies. They are not the problem. Criminals or mentally ill people intent on murdering people will always succeed. Either they’ll acquire a firearm…

Saturday, June 11 — STATEWIDE—Vermont’s annual, statewide summer free fishing day is Saturday, June 11 this year, and it will be highlighted by a free family fishing festival in Grand Isle as well as opening day of the state’s regular bass fishing season. “Vermont’s Free Fishing Day gives resident and nonresident anglers the opportunity to…

By Katy Savage Killington’s first-quarter option tax was the largest in the town’s recorded history. A total of $286,625 was collected from January to March, which is above the budgeted $215,600. “We’ve had people tell us they’ve never written checks that big for the sales tax,” Killington Town Manager Chet Hagenbarth said. “They’re just that…

By Kevin Theissen As recent economic news and conditions have focused on inflation, market downturns, oil prices, conflict and more, it is sometimes good to step back and look at the big picture. The last decade has given us one of the greatest bull markets in history. It also included market downturns. We came very…

By Dan Smith Editor’s note: Dan Smith is president and CEO of the Vermont Community Foundation, which is based in Middlebury. We are out of words. The list of available adjectives is too commonplace to hold any real meaning. These events are not aberrations of a functioning society — they are the convulsions of a…

By Brian Searles Editor’s Note: Brian Searles, of Burlington, has served as Vermont secretary of transportation, as a police chief, as director of the Police Academy, and as executive director of the Criminal Justice Training Council. In the wake of yet another mass shooting in the U.S., we mourn the child victims and again ask:…

RUTLAND—With blood supplies notoriously low during the summer, the third annual Pete Giancola Mini Marathon Blood Drive has been scheduled for mid-July. Donors will receive a free Hydro Flask from Come Alive Outside and a $10 gift card thanks to Suburban Propane, while supplies last. Appointments, which are highly recommended for the July 12 drive…

Saturday, June 11 at 10 a.m.— RUTLAND — The Climb Out of the Darkness is the world’s largest event raising funds and awareness for the mental health of new families operated by Postpartum Support International. In its 10th year, the climb is a community walk and international fundraiser for survivors, providers, and members of the…

By Brett Yates The Roger Clark Memorial Library in Pittsfield is getting a makeover. On June 2, the Pittsfield Select Board approved an expenditure of $5,325 to repaint the interior of the library and to refasten and refinish its floorboards. The board agreed to hire Don Marshall and Corey Novotny, respectively, for the jobs. Select…

Friday, June 10 at 7:30 p.m. — PUTNEY — Next Stage Arts Project and Twilight Music present contemporary folk singer/songwriters Patty Larkin and Darryl Purpose at Next Stage on Friday, June 10 at 7:30 p.m. Patty Larkin is a visionary of sound and wonder, a real deal version of artistry made of equal parts guitar wizardry,…