It’s the first step in a major infrastructure plan to support Killington Village, Killington Road and affordable housing development By Polly Mikula The Killington Select Board approved a Public Infrastructure Tax Incremental Financing (TIF) Letter of Intent (LOI) at their regular meeting Tuesday night, Nov. 2. The letter was signed by Chet Hagenbarth, town manager,…

Lincoln Place, located at 10 Lincoln Ave. in Rutland City, was originally built in 1951 as a K-8 Catholic school. The 18,000 square foot building operated until the mid-1970s, and most recently served the community as a privately run preschool until 2018. Now, the location will feature new, affordable, subsidized apartments. The Housing Trust of…

In mid-October, Ethan Allen Extension Amtrak qualification trips began to operate between Rutland and Burlington in advance of the start of regular passenger service. Qualification runs are used to familiarize railroaders with how to run over a new or unfamiliar route, according to a Vermont Rail Systems (VRS) Facebook post, Oct. 18. These trips included…

By John S. McCright Middlebury photographer Josh Hummel teamed up with pumpkin grower Ethan Nelson of Brandon and giant pumpkin-growing support specialist Jenna Baird from Baird Farm in Chittenden to create an unusual nautical opportunity for Dane VanNosdeln, a Charlotte resident who teaches fifth grade at Bristol Elementary School. On Sept. 26 they hollowed out…

By Tiffany Tan/VTDigger Rutland City school officials say it could cost about $184,000 to change the mascot on athletic team uniforms, sporting equipment and buildings and other structures. When that work will start, and how many years it will take, is still being discussed. School Superintendent Bill Olsen delivered the cost estimate last week to…

Event raised $$7,735 for Wonderfeet By Katy Savage After students left school for the day, teachers at Rutland Town School danced down the hallways, in the classrooms and on the playground in a choreographed dance to “Let’s Groove Tonight” by Larry D and the Sly Guys. They sang the lyrics to “Hooked on a Feeling”…

On Oct. 30, at about 4 a.m., the state police responded to an alarm at the Jiffy Mart on Business Route 4 in the town of Rutland. Upon arrival, the state police, along with Rutland City police, found the building had been broken into via a window and an undisclosed amount of cigarettes had been…

The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Dept. is asking hunters for help in a statewide initiative to gather more biological data on the state’s deer population. Hunters who get a deer during the November 13-28 regular deer season are asked to provide an incisor tooth from their deer. Tooth envelopes are available at all deer reporting…

A partnership between the Dept. of Veterans Affairs and the state will alleviate some strain in the mental health system Agency of Human Services Secretary Mike Smith announced Oct. 27 that the Dept. of Veterans Affairs (VA) will temporarily offer some available mental health inpatient beds at the White River Junction VA Medical Center to…

By Angelo Lynn PROCTOR — A half dozen Proctor residents spoke out against a renewable energy project slated for Grandpa’s Knob that would seek to place a single 450-foot-tall wind turbine on the ridgeline there. Sam Carlson, who works in community relations for Grandpa’s Knob Community Wind, presented the project to the Proctor Select Board…

Five detained in suspected human trafficking By Alan J. Keays/VTDigger Law enforcement personnel swarmed in armored tactical vehicles and a helicopter early Friday morning, Oct. 22, as they raided two apartment buildings in Rutland as part of an investigation into illegal drugs and human trafficking. Police said at one of the locations, 146 Maple St.,…

By Steve Costello Four orphaned opossums, raised for the past seven weeks by a licensed Starksboro wildlife rehabber, were released back into the wild Saturday — but not before helping to provide four interesting lessons. My wife and I rescued them Sept. 4 after their mom got hit by a car, and they’ve been under…

By Ethan Weinstein On Dec. 6 at 7 p.m., Plymouth will hold a special town meeting to discuss a proposed $950,000 renovation to the town office and garage. A vote to approve that renovation will be held by Australian ballot the following day. Select Board member Rick Kaminsky said that if the Dec. 6 vote…

By Katy Savage Woodstock voters approved a $2.8 million expense to upgrade the South Woodstock wastewater system last spring, but now town leaders are at odds over who should pay for the upgrades. Some residents believe the ballot clearly stated all residents should pay, while others said only those connected to the wastewater system should…

By Curt Peterson Hartland resident Ana Mejia, attending the Hartland Select Board meeting via Zoom, calmly laid out a list of reasons why the town might consider using the Australian ballot system and other changes for deciding town issues, to increase inclusivity. Election of town officials, she suggested, could continue, and only budget and other…