Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), commonly called avian flu, continues to spread among Vermont’s wild bird population since its initial detection in a pair of bald eagles on April 8. HPAI has now been detected in four bald eagles, one red-tailed hawk, three Canada geese, one wood duck, and one turkey vulture in Vermont. Infected…

The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department (VTF&W) is stocking a new strain of rainbow trout this spring and is looking for help from anglers to evaluate its performance. “Vermont stocks about 115,000 rainbow trout annually into inland rivers and lakes to provide recreational fishing opportunities for the public,” said state fisheries biologist Lee Simard. “We are…

By Brett Yates At the Pittsfield Select Board’s May 19 meeting, chair Ann Kuendig announced the upcoming formation of a new regional body composed of representatives from the five Route 100 towns of the Quintown Valley. The area stretches along the upper White River from Granville to Pittsfield, with Hancock, Rochester, and Stockbridge in between.…

May 28-29 —More than 150 Vermont artisans are opening their studios over Memorial Day weekend, Saturday, May 28 and Sunday, May 29 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., to take part in the 30th anniversary of Vermont’s Spring Open Studio Weekend. And you’re invited. Braided in Vermont – Kathy Detko & Lois Johnstone Using new…

By Sen. Alison Clarkson What a biennium this has been. It began in January of 2021 in the depths of the Covid-19 pandemic, conducted entirely by Zoom, and it ended in mid-May 2022, in the State House, in person — except for those members of the Legislature who had Covid or needed to care for…

May 28-29 —More than 150 Vermont artisans are opening their studios over Memorial Day weekend, Saturday, May 28 and Sunday, May 29 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., to take part in the 30th anniversary of Vermont’s Spring Open Studio Weekend. And you’re invited. Ann McFarren Ann McFarren is a painter of oil and water…

By Ethan Weinstein/VTDigger When Mike Peabody heard a noise outside his home unlike any he’d heard before, he figured his cat was involved. But as he followed the commotion into his house, he encountered a different sort of feline. “I ran into the bathroom thinking I was going to be breaking up a cat fight,” Peabody…

By Sarah Mearhoff/VTDigger Gov. Phil Scott is running for a fourth term. Hours after he announced his reelection plans in a news release May 17, Scott told reporters in Montpelier that he “carefully considered (his) options” when deciding whether to seek another two years in office. “It’s been a long six years” in office, he…

Are you ready for some softball? After a brief hiatus, the Killington Softball League is returning to Killington to play at the Ada Hall softball field located behind the Sherburne Memorial Library on River Road. Games will be played on Mondays and Wednesdays at 5:50 p.m. and 7 p.m. If you’re interested in playing on a…

By Peter D'Auria/VTDigger Vermont Gov. Phil Scott signed a bill Monday, May 23 to upgrade Vermont’s education funding formula, capping a legislative effort to make the system fairer. “Giving all students an equal chance at success has been a priority of mine since coming to office,” Scott wrote Monday, May 23, in a letter to…

By Angelo Lynn Editor’s note: Angelo Lynn is the editor and publisher of the Addison County Independent, a sister publication to the Mountain Times. In the movie, “Don’t Look Up,” a huge comet is approaching Earth on a trajectory that’s sure to cause cataclysmic destruction upon impact. The president, however, chooses to tell her supporters…

By Julia Purdy “Many very educated people who are environmentally conscious don’t want mining anywhere,” said Slack, “and yet they fully support, in many cases enthusiastically, renewable energy. You can’t have your cake and eat it, too.” John Slack is a geologist who was interviewed by the Maine Monitor, a public-interest newspaper out of Hallowell,…

By Victoria Gaither Rutland’s Northeast Primary School students have benefitted a grant from the Children’s Literacy Foundation, also called CliF’s grant. The grant’s mission is to inspire kids’ love of reading, writing, and imagination. “The CLiF Grant is a $25,000 that we received for Northeast Primary school last spring,” said Sarah Herron, CliFs coordinator. “…

The events of the past two years have transported all of us to what seems like a different planet, leading many of us to reconsider the very purpose of our lives — including why, how, where, and with whom we work. This is especially true for Millennials between the ages of 19-39, and their slightly…

During the American wars of the 20th Century, close to 900 West Rutland men and women served their country. Incredibly, only 15 lost their lives in military action. This year, the town will honor the KIAs with a display of banners to be installed along Main Street. The banners, created by Awesome Graphics, are a…