By MemorEvents Bucko Branham celebrates a career-first win in the Modified division at Devil’s Bowl Speedway. Branham and Rabtoy are first-time winners WEST HAVEN – American-Canadian Tour stock car driver Joey Polewarczyk Jr. waited a full year to make up for a bitter defeat at Devil’s Bowl Speedway, but the wait paid off on Saturday,…

By Nick McCardle The U-19 girls team proudly holds their trophy. By Maxx Steinmetz On Sunday, June 7, following a spring chock full of victories, the Rutland U-19 girls team traveled to the Tree Farm Recreational Facility of Essex Junction to face last year’s champions, Essex. In the first half, Rocky Johnson scored a try…

Courtesy of Vermont Fish & Wildlife A young angler is guided in the art of the cast, a memory surely held by many a child. Vermont Days are an annual invitation to visitors and Vermonters to explore Vermont’s excellent fishing, state parks, and historic culture for free! On June 13-14, Vermont State Park day areas…

South Burlington unseats two-time defending champion Rutland High as Division I Boys High School Golf Champions KILLINGTON – Vermont’s best young golfers descended upon Green Mountain National Golf Course last week to compete in the Vermont Boys High School Golf Championships. In an impressive show of skill and mental fortitude, South Burlington took the Division…

LUDLOW – On Friday, June 5, Ed Granelli, of Stamford, Conn., had the honor of making the first hole-in-one of the 2015 golf season at Okemo Valley Golf Club. Granelli aced the 14h hole from the green tee, using his 4 hybrid, for a 208-yard hole-in-one. Peter Laforte, Andrew Benowitz and Alan Benowitz witnessed the…

By Polly Lynn KILLINGTON — Nearly 100 riders entered the 2015 Downhill Throwdown, held on East Mountain Road in Killington, June 6-7. Wearing leather jumpsuits, the racers lined up for qualifying heats to determine who could negotiate the two mile steep winding course the fastest. Riders came from all over the world to compete at…

By Karen D. Lorentz George William “Bill” Jenkins Jr. By Karen D. Lorentz The Vermont ski industry lost a dedicated ski pioneer and teacher with the passing of George William “Bill” Jenkins, Jr., on May 25, 2015, at age 90. He was laid to rest with military honors June 3 at the Vermont Veterans’ Cemetery…

By Cristina Kumka and Polly Lynn KILLINGTON – On June 2, the Killington Select Board unanimously supported the creation of a contract between the town and a private non-profit, the Killington Pico Area Association. The KPAA was formed to create efficiencies between the Killington Chamber of Commerce, town and resort, while expanding it to a…

By Stephen Seitz Area towns with the local options sales, meals and rooms, and alcohol taxes have had a good first quarter, according to various town officials. Rutland Town treasurer Donna Zeller said the taxes brought in $249,327 in the first quarter of 2015. The town assesses all three local options taxes: Sales tax, rooms…

Courtesy of Sen. Leahy Governor Peter Shumlin By Polly Lynn Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin announced Monday, June 8, that he will not seek a fourth term. Shumlin told reporters that after much thought, consideration and review of his initial goals and accomplishments he wanted to return to private life. “I’ve never seen politics as a…

Supports say it will boost quality and address rising property taxes On June 2, Gov. Peter Shumlin signed into law an historic education reform bill he believes will help ensure educational quality for all Vermont students while bending the cost curve on education spending to address Vermonters’ calls for property tax relief. The governor signed…

By Erin Mansfield, VTDigger.org Gov. Peter Shumlin signed a 176-page economic development bill on Thursday, June 4, that lawmakers designed to help create jobs, boost wages and make it easier to do business in Vermont. Shumlin signed S.138 at Cabot Hosiery Mills headquarters in Northfield where Darn Tough Socks are made. Among its many provisions,…

“I talked with the Governor this morning when he called me about his decision, and I told him I’d never forget how he mobilized everyone and every resource to help our state after Irene... His ‘Vermont Strong’ resolve and his leadership in the immediate aftermath and in the long-term recovery efforts was exceptional.” ~ Sen. Patrick…

By Lisa Chalidze, chair of the Criminal Justice Division and Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice at College of St. Joseph, Rutland, Vt. Last week a grand jury indicted six police officers in relation to the death of Freddie Gray. The charges ranged from second-degree assault to “depraved-heart murder.” Gray lived in Baltimore. He was 25…

By Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos Vermonters deserve good government—and that includes an open and transparent government! We are proud of our state and our collective ability to overcome any difficult issue we may encounter. As Vermonters, when we see a problem, we know we can fix it through hard work and a dose…