LUDLOW – A nationwide team of esteemed course raters from Golfweek recently named Okemo Valley Golf Club among its 2016 Best Resort Courses. In a letter of congratulations, Golfweek vice president and publisher Jereme Day wrote: “Reserved exclusively for golf’s top resort layouts, this elite ranking is a remarkable accomplishment and a true testament to…

HARTLAND – The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department has completed its upgrades and reopened the Hammond Cove shooting range in Hartland on Thursday, July 23. Upgrades to the range include a new berm for the pistol range, improved acoustic tiling in the covered shooting ports, the installation of security cameras, and access road work. “Vermont…

By Alan Jeffery QUESTION: Carol and Chad are playing in a tournament. After finishing play on the 10th hole, Chad borrows Carol's putter and makes a number of practice strokes. Carol says Chad should be penalized for using her putter to practice putting. Is she correct? ANSWER: Practice putting is permitted on the putting green of the last…

Cal Garrison (a.k.a Mother of the Skye) writes weekly horoscopes for The Mountain Times. If you would like an emailed notification sent to you weekly, sign up for the newsletter, below. Want to hear more from Mother of the Skye? Check out Mother's Celestial Inspirations     Horoscopes for July 23 - July 29, 2015…

Browsers take in the literary delights at the annual Bookstock literary festival, held in Woodstock over the weekend. By Stephen Seitz WOODSTOCK – It’s not called hoarding when you pile up the books. Cindy Martin of Andalusia, Ala., was one of many visitors who left with an armload of fresh purchases. “This is how I…

By Dave Wolk, Castleton University President There is a legendary and enduring section of sidewalk that runs parallel to Calvin Coolidge Library on the Castleton campus. Engraved in successive pavement stones are a series of names and dates: Rutland County Grammar School, 1787-1828; Vermont Classical High School, 1828-1830; Castleton Seminary, 1830-1876, State Normal School, 1867-1920;…

Only Eastern resort to make the list KILLINGTON —In an article published July 20, the New York Post named Killington one of “Five ski towns that are worth visiting in summer,” alongside the Western resort towns of Park City (Utah), Vail (Colorado), Jackson Hole (Wyoming) and Big Sky (Montana). Killington Town Manager Seth Webb said…

RUTLAND —On July 27, Optum announced it will donate 45 refurbished laptop computers to five public libraries across Vermont, in support of the state’s efforts to bring online access and Internet-based services to as many residents as possible. Optum, the information technology vendor for Vermont’s health insurance marketplace, Vermont Health Connect, will donate nine laptops…

GRANVILLE—On July 24 at about 3 p.m. Vermont State Police, White River Valley Ambulance, and Granville Fire Department were dispatched to a vehicle versus motorcycle accident with injury on Route 100 in Granville. Upon arrival it was found that the operator of a 2005 BMW motorcycle, Denver Wilson, age 33, of Swanton, Vt., had sustained…

RUTLAND—On July 20, 2015 at about 11:15 p.m., an officer of the Vermont State Police attempted to stop a vehicle on South Main Street in Rutland City for operating without its headlights on after dark. The vehicle failed to stop and drove into the parking lot of McDonald's. The vehicle slowed and one male passenger…

PITTSFIELD—On Saturday, July 25, at 1:30 p.m., the Vermont State Police and Pittsfield Fire Department responded to a two-vehicle crash with reported injuries on Route 100 in Pittsfield. Gordon Gibbs, age 33, of Castleton, Vt., and Richard Wilson, age 84, of Randolph, Vt., were involved in the crash. Both were transported to medical centers for…

On July 22 in Washington, D.C, addressing hundreds of low-wage workers who have gone on strike for a living wage, Sen. Bernie Sanders said legislation he introduced that day would raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour. “It is a national disgrace that millions of full-time workers are living in poverty and millions…

By Rob Roper We need to lower the cost of health care in Vermont, and the state, dealing with a structural budget deficit, doesn’t have the capacity to raise more taxes. So, what can we do? One simple, cost-free solution is to repeal Vermont’s Certificate of Need (CON) laws. What are CON laws? Basically, a…

Dear Editor, The Affordable Care Act, despite its name, is not making health care affordable. One in five people in Vermont are struggling with medical bills. Meanwhile, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont, as a “non-profit,” will receive a tax break of over $15 million this year, while ten of its executives are paid up…

Dear Editor, I am writing to respond to the questions Jim Haff raised in his letters to the editor recently about our Irene flood reimbursements. These questions he raised have been addressed by the Selectboard at several public meetings and in letters to citizens, but I am glad to have the opportunity to address them again…