By Katherine Lazarus BRANDON — After a hiatus, Brandon Music reopened on Sept. 4 with a rocking Celtic performance by Gypsy Reel. “We’re absolutely delighted to be reopening,” owner Edna Sutton said. “It’s really lovely that people are supporting us. We’re grateful to the Brandon community and beyond, and [our supporters] understood why we needed…

By Erin Petenko/VTDigger and Polly Mikula Results from the 2020 census have revealed the deep impact of Vermont’s shifting population. Somewhat unsurprisingly, Chittenden County gained more people than any other part of the state. But another, perhaps less predicable, trend has also emerged: Ski communities, and areas popular with tourists and seasonal homeowners, had a…

By Emma Cotton/VTDigger Lauren Gitlin knew something was wrong when she found Potato, among the more energetic goats on her Tunbridge dairy farm, lying in the field where she had been grazing that day. On the afternoon of July 31, Gitlin, the owner and sole operator of Villa Villekulla Farm in Tunbridge, had come to gather…

The Dorset Equine Rescue (DER) is very excited to announce the launch of its new program, the Vermont Hay Bank. After working on this project behind the scenes for almost a year, the program will open on Oct. 5. The Vermont Hay Bank is designed to function as a temporary safety net for Vermont horse…

Submissions judged by Vievee Francis The Sundog Poetry Book Award is open to all Vermont-based poets who have not published more than one full-length collection. Final judge Vievee Francis will select the winning manuscript and write an introduction for the book. The winning poet will receive a cash prize of $500, 50 copies of the…

RUTLAND—Every three years Rutland Regional Medical Center is required to assess the health needs of the community. The results of this review, the Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA), helps to identify and prioritize areas of need throughout our community. The 2021 Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) was made public on Sept. 1, and the findings…

It’s not long before newborns who need their parents to cater to their every need become toddlers who can’t wait to go exploring on their own. The curiosity can come quickly, which underscores how important it is for parents to childproof their homes. Childproofing is essential in the nursery where children tend to spend much…

Days after the Vermont Agency of Human Services announced it would investigate wait times for medical appointments at the state’s health care organizations, other regulators are joining the fray, according to a press release distributed by the agency on Friday. The Green Mountain Care Board, an independent organization that regulates health systems, and the Dept.…

By Katherine Lazarus BRANDON — Students at Rutland Northeast Supervisory Union will greet a higher than usual number of new teachers and other school staff this school year. According to Superintendent Jeanné Collins, 57 new employees will take their positions in various jobs and duties throughout the district. “Federal Covid funds are being used to…

By Katherine Lazarus PITTSFORD — As retiring Pittsford Town Manager John Haverstock, 59, looks to move on from his municipal position, he feels the transition is “bittersweet.” “I’m excited to take a break and spend time with my girlfriend,” he said, “but it is also a sad time because I’ve enjoyed my work.” Among his…

By Ethan Weinstein The Barstow School Board, home to students from Mendon and Chittenden, will discuss on Sept. 9 whether to limit students' funded high school choices to only three area public schools. The move comes in the wake of two court cases earlier this year, which ruled it unconstitutional for towns to prevent students…

By Katherine Lazarus BRANDON — Rutland Northeastern Supervisory Union and Greater Rutland County Supervisory Union students will wear masks indoors for at least the first 10 days of school while school officials calculate the percentage of students who are vaccinated to determine if the school body has reached an 80% state threshold that could potentially…

By Ethan Weinstein “I wish people would not refer to it as a luxury to have access to healthy food,“ said Gretchen Czaja, Windsor Central’s school nutrition program director. She has made it her mission to bring local, whole foods into WCUUSD’s schools. Slowly but surely, she has done just that. Almost 10 years ago,…

Back-to-school shopping sales have long been indicators that the summer vacation season is coming to a close. Students and their parents may visit area stores or browse online looking for items to make the coming school year a success. Those lists have looked similar for decades, but shopping for school supplies in the pandemic era…

By Ethan Weinstein KILLINGTON—After 28 years teaching at Killington Elementary, one wouldn’t blame Melissa Knipes for burnout. She teaches kindergarteners — 5-year-olds — an age when some still ask for help in the bathroom while others have graduated to chapter books. But Knipes knows no cynicism, no complacency. She radiates warmth. Even entering a third…