By Robin Alberti Petey, a pitbull mix who is aptly named after the iconic dog in the movie “Little Rascals” poses humbly in his ugly Christmas sweater. The photoshoot was for his owner, Brando Remmick, which he plans to use for a holiday card — a popular trend for folks with four-legged “kids.”

By Polly Lynn PLYMOUTH — A new brewpub will be opening mid-December in the Salt Ash Inn in Plymouth, Vt., owners Paul Kowalski and Tad Dedrick recently announced. Five Corners Pub & Brewhouse has started brewing small-batch microbrews for its anticipated public opening date of Dec. 18. Kowalski and Dedrick share a passion for tasting,…

On Dec. 2, Sen. Bernie Sanders announced that a five-year, $305 billion transportation bill agreement reached Tuesday by House and Senate negotiators will deliver nearly $1.1 billion to Vermont to improve the state’s roadways. The passage of the new Federal Transportation Bill, known as the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, promises to bring a…

By Elizabeth Hewitt, VTDigger.org A private equity firm will acquire Keurig Green Mountain in a $13.9 billion deal. The Vermont-headquartered company, which specializes in single-serve coffee machines, announced the deal Monday, Dec. 7, with an investor group headed by JAB Holding Co. JAB is already involved in several major coffee and beverage companies. The private…

Anonymous family offers $20,000 additional match KILLINGTON—On Wednesday, Dec. 2, Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports announced that it had raised more than $58,000 during the national #GivingTuesday campaign. The total includes a $20,000 matching donation from an anonymous Vermont Adaptive participant family. “It’s a bit overwhelming but this incredible effort shows that people really do…

RUTLAND—On Dec. 3, the Hannaford Charitable Foundation announced a $75,000 donation to Vermont Foodbank in support of its new 24,000 square foot distribution center, which allows the Foodbank to properly store and distribute more fresh produce throughout Rutland County to nearly 15,000 individuals and families in need. The donation supports the purchase of equipment that…

Agency of Natural Resources Secretary Deb Markowitz will accompany the governor Gov. Peter Shumlin will travel to Paris this week to attend 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference. Shumlin joins governors Jay Inslee of Washington State and Jerry Brown of California at the summit, which brings together political leaders to develop a worldwide framework and…

Pilot program begins in January On Dec. 3, Green Mountain Power announced that it is the first utility in the country to offer home batteries to its customers, under an innovative filing. Vermonters now have the option to purchase the Tesla Powerwall home battery outright or lease it with no upfront cost. The cutting-edge battery…

By Sue Minter Three dead and nine wounded at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs. Fourteen dead and more than 20 wounded in San Bernardino, California. In less than one week. Gun violence is a crisis in our country. It’s happening in our schools, our movie theaters, our workplaces, our community health centers, our…

By Julia Purdy Governor Shumlin has been quoted saying that legalizing recreational marijuana is entering “uncharted territory.” Other supporters have claimed that Vermont will legalize marijuana “the Vermont way.” The governor’s statement is completely disingenuous, since we do not lack for a crystal ball (now five, in fact). And the jingoistic notion expressed by optimists…

Technology will increasingly provide efficiencies—plan accordingly By Alan Shusterman The robots are coming—and they may put your friendly neighborhood retail staffer out of work. Home-improvement superstore Lowe’s recently began employing robot sales assistants in its stores. The robots can answer questions in multiple languages and take customers directly to what they’re looking for. Lowe’s isn’t…

Dear Editor, There has been a lot of wonderful activity going on in our town over the past few years, showing that despite setbacks (like Irene, and a major recession), we as a town have made a lot of progress since 2008 when we voted in the options tax in an effort to revitalize our…

By Dom Cioffi Years ago, when I was between the ages of 10 and 12, I attended an overnight summer camp in northern Vermont. It was affiliated with our church. Along with the requisite games of capture the flag, swimming in the lake and s’mores by the campfire, there was also a light smattering of…

By Tiffany Danitz Pache, VTDigger.org On Dec. 2, the Shumlin Administration recommended a 1-cent increase in the statewide property tax rates—the lowest increase in three years—for residential and commercial property for fiscal year 2017. Each year, the Agency of Education, Department of Taxes, and Joint Fiscal Office work together to predict what will be needed…

By Elizabeth Hewitt, VTDigger.org Lawmakers got a preview of the budget struggles ahead in an all-day meeting at the State House Tuesday, Dec. 1. When legislators return to Montpelier in January, they’ll need to put together a budget for fiscal year 2017 that will make up for a projected gap between state revenues and spending…