By Karen D. Lorentz Born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, Kirsten Ericksen-Read’s future was pre-ordained when she was just 6 weeks old. That’s when her parents moved to Vermont so her father, a civil engineer, could work at Killington. “This was in 1969 when things were really moving along there. We drove to Vermont in a Caprice…

By Emma Cotton/VTDigger As a river steward for the Connecticut River Conservancy, Kathy Urffer keeps an eye on water-related permits through Vermont. Last year, one caught her eye — to allow the state’s first-ever transfer of water from one river basin to another. The application came from Killington Resort, which asked the Vermont Agency of Natural…

On Saturday, Sept. 26, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention held its annual Out of the Darkness Walk in Killington. The event raised funds to prevent suicide and to raise awareness. The local Hi FRiEND team was led by Ann Southworth, walking for her son Robby, who died by suicide, March 1, 2019. “It was…

Large spray-painted sign on Route 4 deemed an ‘eyesore’ that sends the wrong message By Polly Mikula Killington town zoning administrator Preston Bristow sent a notice of sign violation to Milos Nemec, owner of the former Hemingway’s building on Route 4 along the Sherburne Flats on Monday, Oct. 5. The letter was addressed to Nemec…

By Curt Peterson Killington Town Clerk and Treasurer Lucrecia Wonsor delivered some good news to the Select Board at its Oct. 1 special meeting — the amount of education taxes due to the state from the town has been reduced by about 3% as the result of an error correction. Wonsor told the Mountain Times…

By Katy Savage As the 167-year-old Woodstock Pharmacy filled its final prescription on Saturday, Oct. 3.  Plans to bring a new pharmacy to town are underway. High Mountain Corporation, which owns Rutland Pharmacy, Ludlow Pharmacy, River Street Pharmacy in Springfield and Springfield Pharmacy, is coming to the Ottauquechee Health Center on Pleasant Street in late…

By Katy Savage High school games have been underway since Gov. Phil Scott announced schools could enter phase three of reopening on Saturday, Sept. 26, but the atmosphere is different. There are no award ceremonies or concession stands and there are less student spectators as districts follow the state’s 150-person limit on group gatherings. Some…

By Polly Mikula At a special media briefing on Monday, Oct. 5, Health Commissioner Mark Levine, MD, said the health dept. is investigating an outbreak of Covid-19 at Champlain Orchards in Shoreham. There were 26 cases associated with the outbreak, Monday, with one more added Tuesday.  Contact tracing is now complete for those known cases,…

As it became clear that it would not be possible to operate its Scouts BSA resident camp safely this summer, Camp Director Clint Buxton, now unemployed, decided to turn a lifelong dream of a Long Trail through-hike into an opportunity to support the organization amid the pandemic. Nearly four weeks and 272 miles later, the…

By Polly Mikula The annual Killington kickoff for the winter season is usually held with fanfare. Hundreds gather in Killington Resort’s Grand Hotel and complimentary food and drinks are served creating a party-like atmosphere. The purpose is to provide an update for the community — highlighting successes from the past year and providing insights for the…

All adults and children are encouraged to get the vaccination “It’s incredibly important that people get flu vaccines this year,” said Community Health’s Director of Quality Tracy Upton, RN. In the Rutland area, Community Health has arranged weekday and Saturday clinics for adults and children, and offers an online appointment schedule for current Community Health…

Rutland family moves into new Habitat for Humanity house By Katy Savage After 9 years of shuffling between different housing situations since fleeing their home country during the Syrian Civil War, Hassam Alhallak and his wife Hazar Mansour finally have a place to call home again. With the help of about 200 volunteers, the family…

By Brooke Geery High in the hills above Ludlow, after the paved road turns to dirt, sits Barker Farm, a massive 155-acre property dotted with giant maple trees and buildings in various states of disrepair. On the right  side of the street is a reminder that it’s 2020—the Coolidge Solar Project, with rows of massive…

By Kit Norton and Xander Landen/VTDigger The Vermont Senate voted Tuesday to override Gov. Phil Scott’s veto of the Global Warming Solutions Act — legislation that legally requires the state to meet targets for reducing carbon emissions in the coming years. Since the House had already voted to override the veto, the measure is now law. Without…

By Erin Petenko/VTDigger The state’s K-12 schools can transition to “Step 3” of reopening this Saturday, allowing them to fully play fall sports, officials said at a press conference Tuesday, Sept. 22. Secretary of Education Dan French said the new rules “still require stringent measures” to limit the spread of Covid-19, but schools have more flexibility…