By Merisa Sherman They were everywhere. Random and haphazard, they were strewn about like something had exploded. Pieces of all shapes and sizes littered the ground, discarded from their base as if they were nothing. Things that were once essential were now strewn about as if they had never really mattered in the first place.…

By Gary Salmon So how do trees work like a bank account? When they are sequestering carbon as all trees have over eons. A forest of trees is like principal, that grows and occasionally gets partially withdrawn (harvested). The faster and longer the growth the greater return from your collection of carbon sequesterers. It’s a…

At this very moment, nestled into the sediment at the bottom of your nearest lake or pond, are Daphnia eggs – as many as 100,000 per square meter, according to one Michigan study. A genus of microscopic crustaceans, Daphnia are sometimes known as “water fleas,” and their eggs can remain viable for anywhere from several…

By Kevin Theissen Planning for retirement can be slightly different for women. Although things are changing, women are still more likely to serve as caregivers, and as a result, they earn less income and benefits due to their time away from work. A 2019 Pew Research study showed that 39% of women took a significant…

By Cassandra Tyndall I’m not sure exactly when, how, or even why it happened, but somewhere along the course of history it was decided that intuition was to be questioned and linear logical thinking was superior. That being said, how many times have you second guessed your own sixth sense, only to be proven wrong?…

By Merisa Sherman As the sky turns a bright blue and the temps begin to rise, the special weirdness that is spring skiing begins to show its true colors. Midwinter black turns into a myriad, almost hideous bright colors. Every single shade of everything is on display — and even some that might qualify more…

By Dom Cioffi I have been outspoken in my battle to rein in my son when it comes his time on digital devices, but some recent research has me especially worried. I hate to say it, but if I were to do it all over again – knowing what I know now – I’m confident I…

By Mary Ellen Shaw It’s hard to believe that it’s almost Easter. This holiday can fall any time between March 22 and April 25 (this year it’s April 4). In Vermont the earlier dates mean the possibility of snow on the ground. That just doesn’t seem like Easter! In a picture from the 1950s my…

By Kevin Theissen You should pay all taxes due – but not a penny more! You can then help others with the excess – how you decide. Many taxpayers regularly overpay because they fail to take tax deductions for which they are eligible. Here are some overlooked opportunities to mitigate your tax bill. Reinvested dividends: When…

By Declan McCabe When my sisters visit from Ireland, I try to play tour guide, but I’m occasionally at a loss for what to do next. During a visit in the late 1990s, my sister Grace said she would love to see a beaver. At that time, I lived close to a beaver pond and…

By Cassandra Tyndall Spring has now sprung and along with it, the impetus for action, energy and momentum. As the snow begins to melt and the agitation within nature returns, you too might feel the itch to get moving with life. What will you do? Where will you go? What will you achieve? With so…

By Merisa Sherman As I write this article I am trying to fathom the past year. In some ways, the memories are so amazingly precise and in others, it feels like we have all been living in a dream. I cannot decide which is more the dream — the boisterous life that we had before…

I woke up this past Sunday morning at my usual time, took note of the lack of light streaming into my bedroom, glanced at the clock on my cellphone, and then lay back down to contemplate the obvious change at hand. Daylight Savings Time (DST) has officially begun with the clocks moving ahead one hour…

By Elicia Pinsonault Rutland Young Professionals is an all-volunteer, all-inclusive organization that engages with our community, creating social and professional networking opportunities while building a Rutland region that attracts and retains young professionals. Despite our name, we welcome individuals of all ages and backgrounds to our events, both in-person and virtually. We strive to be…

By DJ Dave Hoffenberg With millions of people being forced to stay home to help stop the spread of Covid-19, Zoom became the go-to video conferencing app for surviving the pandemic. Schools, churches, office meetings, etc. You may dread having to “Zoom” again, but this time it’s worth it. Comedians Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood…