With all the recent wet weather, conspicuous neon yellow masses have appeared on bark mulches and lawns. These brightly colored blobs, called plasmodia, are unique organisms called slime molds.  The harmless, yellow, foamy slime molds (Fuligo septica), often called the dog vomit slime mold, were originally classified as fungi. They are now in the Kingdom…

  July 6-31—SPRINGFIELD—Springfield Humane Society is one of 335 shelters in 44 states participating in a national event to empty animal shelters. Adoption fees at participating organizations will be just $50 or less per cat or dog. As the nation’s largest funded adoption event, “Empty the Shelters” has helped nearly 158,000 pets find loving homes…

  Eighth different winner in eight races Walter J. Hammond was on his game for one of the year’s biggest events at Devil’s Bowl Speedway, stealing the victory in the Firecracker 50 on Saturday, July 1, before a packed Independence Day grandstand.  Hammond led the charge on a busy holiday night that saw eight different…

  Braintree, Ridgeline Outdoor Collective board president shares insight, tips and tricks to enjoying the Rochester Trails full potential What makes the trails in Rochester unique to the area? The Rochester Trails offer a broad range of trail types from mellow double track, to rugged downhill, old school singletrack to machine built flow trail. There…

  Thursday, July 13 at 7:30 p.m.—KILLINGTON—The town of Killington is holding a local concerns meeting on the Killington connecting trails scoping study on Thursday, July 13 at 7:30 p.m. at the Sherburne Memorial Library or remotely via Zoom (us06web.zoom.us/j/88964644941). The purpose of the scoping study is to identify opportunities to improve connections to and…

UPDATE: The Rutland shows have been canceled.   The circus comes to town Circus Smirkus brings a vibrant show to the Vermont State Fairgrounds By Sarah Calvin July 15-16—RUTLAND— On Saturday and Sunday, Circus Smirkus will come to the Vermont State Fairgrounds in Rutland with two shows each day, on Saturday at 1 and 6…

  July 15-16—BRANDON—SolarFest aims to create a platform for like-minded individuals to connect, learn new skills, and enjoy music in a beautiful setting. The festival will take place on July 15 and 16  at 144 Steinberg Road just north of Brandon village. It is a unique opportunity to experience the power of community and learn…

   By Jacob Knipes Local theatergoers may soon follow the Yellow Brick Road to this year’s Paramount Players summer musical. The company, partnering  alongside Grace Congregational Church, will return for its third production with ; "The Wizard of Oz," running from July 14-16 at the Paramount Theatre. “We wanted a show that was something recognizable,…

and Fair is Wednesday, July 5 Wednesday, July 5—RUTLAND—If you’re still in the mood to celebrate the day after the Fourth, BROC Community Action is throwing a party on Wednesday, July 5 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The goal is to help Rutland County residents get a little more familiar with the Vermont Farm…

  By Deborah J. Benoit Who doesn’t love the smell of roses (Rosaceae) and the beauty of a rose bush in full bloom? When planning a rose garden, the first thing to consider is location. This includes not only how large (or small) an area you can devote to growing roses, but also the soil,…

Tuesday, July 11 — RUTLAND— Organizers of the Pete Giancola Gift-of-Life Mini Marathon Blood drive are calling on all eligible donors to sign up for the July 11 drive and receive a host of gifts for the effort. Appointments are well behind target with less than two weeks before the drive, the second-largest blood drive…

  July 8-9—Rutland—The Rutland Area Vehicle Enthusiasts (R.A.V.E.) will hold the 43rd Annual R.A.V.E. Car Show and Flea Market on Saturday at the Vermont State Fairgrounds in Rutland, Vermont. There are many events planned for this year's show, including cars for sale, an assortment of auto related flea market vendors, retail vendors, and a large…

  Saturday, July 8 at 3 p.m.—RUTLAND— The Chaffee Art Center invites the community to the opening reception of  a new exhibit “Mythic and Quotidian” featuring Fran Bull and Peter Wallis on Saturday, July 8 from 3–5 p.m.  Stop by and enjoy a glass of sangria, talk with the artists, and explore their work in…

  Sunday, July 9 at 4 p.m.—WESTON—The Sundays on the Hill concert series is celebrating its 25th anniversary of bringing wonderful musical talent to Weston. Eugene Friesen (cellist/composer) and Elizabeth Rogers (guitarist/singer/songwriter) will produce an hour-long concert of their own material (mostly), solos and duos, in the very acoustically perfect Weston Community Church (Church on…

  Experience the largest Revolutionary War living history weekend in Northern New England Sat. & Sun., July 8-9—HUBBARDTON—The sights and sounds of the American Revolution will come alive at the Hubbardton Battlefield Revolutionary War weekend in Hubbardton this weekend. This full-scale living history weekend at the Hubbardton Battlefield State Historic Site commemorates the Revolutionary War battle fought on July…