We recently had some work done on our car and one of the staff members said that he had tried to reach me but the call “didn’t go anywhere!" I asked if he had dialed 802 before our landline number and he said he did. The only logical explanation for a call that “didn’t go…

They are living about three blocks apart and are almost twins in size and shape. One is on Maple Street (between Pine and Baxter) in Rutland and the other is on Baxter (between Library and Park). There is actually a third one at the corner of Pine and Maple but it is smaller and not…

By Merisa Sherman I could tell she was a little nervous. You could see how small she made herself, her little arm wrapped around her mom’s leg as she peered around from the back. She wanted to be there and didn’t want to miss anything, but at the same time she wasn’t quite sure what…

By DJ Dave Hoffenberg If you haven’t seen Breanna Elaine yet, I recommend doing so. I’ve seen her twice now, at The Foundry and Still on the Mountain Distillery, both places she’ll play again in the future. She plays mostly originals with some covers mixed in. I heard her do Jewel’s “Who will Save your…

By Tiffany Soukup Distinctive features differentiates this rodent If you’ve never seen – or heard of – the southern bog lemming, you’re not alone. Although this small mammal scurries through our landscape year-round, it is elusive by nature. So elusive, in fact, that the southern bog lemming (Synaptomys cooperi) is listed as a species of…

By Dom Cioffi No parent ever wants to receive a phone call from the police regarding their child. It’s what nightmares are made of. This past weekend, I received one of those calls. It was late Saturday morning and I was putzing around the house doing chores when my phone rang. It was my son…

By Kevin Theissen The last couple of years have been challenging for everyone, including small businesses. As it seems we’ve come out of the pandemic, business owners were hoping that the worst of its economic impact would end as well. Not so fast, however, as rising interest rates and inflation now must be dealt with…

By Susie Spikol Gardening at night has its rewards. For me, it offers a way to stay on top of planting and weeding while balancing work and family responsibilities. It is also cooler at night, and the quiet act of having my hands in the dirt helps me unwind. But my favorite part of night…

By Kevin Theissen The Social Security trustees have issued their 2022 report to Congress, officially called “The 2022 Annual Report of the Board of Trustees of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance and Federal Disability Insurance Trust Funds.” It is also available to the public and presents the current and projected financial status of the…

By Merisa Sherman I was shaking from the inside out. I could feel it in my chest, my arms and legs and all the way into my fingers and toes. My heart was racing faster than if I had climbed Trail A up Killington. My voice came out raspy and I couldn’t catch my breath.…

By Mary Ellen Shaw When I was a kid “back in the day” and the school year ended many of us recited the phrase, “No more pencils, no more books, no more teachers’ dirty looks!” We were free at last. We had been planning how we would spend our summer days long before that last…

By Mary Ellen Shaw I get to take a trip back in time whenever I stand at the counter of Beauchamp & O’Rourke Pharmacy on Woodstock Avenue in Rutland. To the right of the register is a photo from 1959 of the store owners, Fred Beauchamp and William O’Rourke, as well as the pharmacists who…

By Merisa Sherman I could feel the wind in my hair, the sun on my face and hear the laughter of my friends nearby. You could feel the energy surrounding you, almost warmer than the sun, as sleepy people turned to offer each other hugs and mimosas. It reminded me of graduates waiting for their…

By Kevin Theissen As recent economic news and conditions have focused on inflation, market downturns, oil prices, conflict and more, it is sometimes good to step back and look at the big picture. The last decade has given us one of the greatest bull markets in history. It also included market downturns. We came very…

My son was flopping around the house this past weekend looking bored and dejected. I inquired about his mood and was met with a multitude of shrugs and mumbling. When pressed, he finally admitted that he was indeed bored and that no one was around to hang out with. I suggested that he play his…