By Dom Cioffi I was out of town recently and had the opportunity to visit a mall that was open. I don’t think I’ve been to a mall since early 2020, so it felt a bit unusual. I put on my mask and wandered around, admiring the amount of people that seemed to be happily…

By Merisa Sherman We’ve got open water in Killington! It was a bluebird spring day in February, so I had chosen the long way home along the river. There, uncovered by the warming sun, was something wonderful and rare. I felt my heart skip a beat. There was open water in February! The snow had…

By Kevin Theissen The recent short selling activity in GameStop has motivated some to become new “investors” because of the idea of making fast money through such trading. However, many are unaware of the dangers of short selling, along with the tax implications that come along with any potential quick profits. One of the dangers…

By Declan McCabe On a clear midwinter day several years ago, my student Sarah Wakefield and I pulled on snowshoes, donned backpacks, and headed up through Smuggler’s Notch. Our destination was Big Spring, which rises from Mt. Mansfield’s bedrock before flowing east for 100 yards and entering a culvert under Vermont Route 108. When it…

By Cassandra Tyndall People from all over the globe read these weekly horoscopes. Regardless of your location, each of us have endured our own version of extreme weather. For some it’s been a long and arduous winter. While for others, the heat and humidity has been relentless. Collectively, we are each at a point where…

By DJ Dave Hoffenberg I, like most people, miss live music. There are many places that have music but most of it is solo/duo stuff. That’s good and all, but I want to go see a band, live in concert or go to a festival. I’m wishing that happens this summer. In the meantime, if…

By Merisa Sherman We paused for a moment, as we often do, to contemplate the potential stupidity of what we were about to do. It looked gorgeous, the snow glittering in the sunlight across the descending waves of the field at our feet. You could just make out the tracks of those who had been…

You know you’re spending too much time at home when going to the grocery store not only sounds like fun, but actually gets you excited. That’s the space I’m finding myself in after a year of working from home, not traveling, and spending my free time rummaging around my yard. The pandemic has worn us…

By Kevin Theissen There is a lot to consider when preparing for your retirement – and it can be overwhelming for some. Saving, investing, medical costs, and making sure you have sufficient income for years to come is just the start. One question many people ask is: “Should I pay off my mortgage before I…

By Susie Spikol There comes a time in every mammal mother’s life when her young leave. For some, this comes in a matter of weeks, for others it might be years. As I follow bobcat tracks through snow on a mid-winter day, dispersal is on my mind. My 18-year-old son is preparing to fledge, and…

By Cassandra Tyndall The final week of February brings with it a feeling of needing to get things done. The stuck and stagnant energy of recent weeks begins to shift and change. It’s all well and good to conceptualize ideas, make plans or let ideas marinate, but eventually, action is required. This week brings a…

By Kimberly Rupe Rutland Young Professionals’ mission statement, in part, highlights our work to “build a Rutland Region that attracts and retains young professionals.” We continue to do exactly this through new and creative ways to engage young professionals in our community. However, we know that engaging with young professionals goes far beyond providing our…

By Dr. Glenn Mollette Democrats have proven once again that they can find fault in President Donald Trump. Faults and flaws were found in him before the election. Many years before politics there were never any rave reviews about him being perfect. During the recent impeachment trial, Democrats and Republicans hammered home their perspectives and…

By Dom Cioffi Like most people, the year-long lockdown has worn me out. I know I shouldn’t complain since so many others have suffered truly life-altering experiences during the past twelve months, but I would be lying if I said I hadn’t felt an impact. The blending of days is palpable, as is the sense…

The FINRA Investor Education Foundation published a report that found “…financial literacy has significant predictive power for future financial outcomes, even after controlling for baseline financial characteristics and a wide set of demographic and individual characteristics that influence financial decision making.” Financial literacy may be more important today than ever. That’s because the responsibility for…