Phased re-opening expands health and safety measures, including mandatory training   On Friday, April 24, Governor Phil Scott outlined some additional openings as part of the phased restart of Vermont’s economy, introduced last week. The Governor’s “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order remains in effect, but with modeling continuing to indicate Vermonters are significantly slowing the spread of the virus, the…

By Elizabeth Gribkoff/VTDigger As Vermont reports a slowdown in the number of new Covid-19 cases, officials say the Department of Health will have 48 people by the end of the week tracking down individuals who may have been exposed to the novel coronavirus. Public health experts say the epidemiological detective work known as contact-tracing can help…

By Elizabeth Hewitt/VTDigger Vermont’s Department of Labor said that it cleared tens of thousands of backlogged unemployment insurance claims over the weekend. The state also made good on its promise Monday, April 20, to send checks of $1,200 to the remaining 8,384 Vermonters who still haven’t been able to resolve problems with their claims — over…

On Friday, April 24, they will be at Rutland Southern Vermont Regional Airport The Vermont Foodbank and Vermont National Guard will distribute food to those in need at five different areas of Vermont beginning on Wednesday, April 22. These points of distribution will help ease demand on food shelves around that state that have seen…

The U.S. Small Business Administration has approved more than $853 million in loans to 4,896 Vermont businesses, U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy announced on Wednesday, April 15. The assistance comes from the Paycheck Protection Program that was created as part of the CARES Act Congress passed in late March. Leahy, the Vice Chair of the Senate…

By Kevin O’Connor/VTDigger Twin brothers Cleon and Leon Boyd followed each other seemingly everywhere, from their births 64 years ago at the old Putnam Memorial Hospital in Bennington to their frequent arrivals at Deerfield Valley coffee counters such as Dot’s in Wilmington. “I never regretted seeing them walk in the door,” recalled Laura Sibilia, a former…

By Curt Peterson Some Vermonters imagine a vast influx of out-of-staters bringing the dreaded coronavirus into our state. Governor Scott has shut down short-term rentals and regular lodgings until June 15, but second-home owners fleeing New York, in particular, but New Jersey and Southern New England as well, are allegedly here in droves to escape…

Presents hospital with $23,867.31 check RUTLAND—Rutland Subaru continues to share the love. Recently, they presented Rutland Regional Medical Center with proceeds from the 2019 Subaru Share the Love® event in support of the Enhancing our Culture of Care campaign. Rutland Subaru was one of many retailers participating in the event nationwide. “For the third consecutive year, Rutland Subaru…

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao announced Tuesday, April 14, that the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will award $9,000,115 in airport aid to 10 airports in Vermont to help respond to the Covid-19 public health emergency. This historic grant funding is part of the newly created Coronavirus Aid, Relief,…

The Town of Killington, Killington Resort, and Castleton University’s School of Resort Management will host a grocery giveaway on Tuesday, May 5, 2020. This project is an extension of a GoFundMe page set up by Killington resident Pamela Martin. At the time of publication on Tuesday, $9,845 had been raised, $5,000 of which will help…

Killington Resort purchased 700 blocks of local cheese, 350 gallons of local milk to include in grocery packages KILLINGTON—Killington Resort announced Friday, April 17, that it would be hosting a Community Grocery Giveaway Tuesday, April 21 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The giveaway is part of Killington Resort’s Play Forever commitment to protect the environment, inspire participation, and pledge to support…

Restaurant is closed, but owner continues to serve weekly lunch By Katy Savage The Lookout Tavern in Killington is closed, but co-owner Joy Black is still cooking meals. Black has made a weekly full-course meal for seniors in Killington for at least 10 years and even though restaurants were forced to close on March 17…

On April 17, Governor Phil Scott announced a flag lowering procedure to honor Vermonters who have died due to Covid-19, making the following statement: “This Sunday, April 19, marks one month since Vermont’s first two fatalities as a result of Covid-19. In honor of all the Vermonters we have lost to this terrible disease, I…

By Katy Savage After declaring farmer’s markets non-essential businesses and ordering them to close March 24 to the dismay of farmers, Gov. Phil Scott said Friday, April 17 that farmers markets will be able to reopen on May 1 under strict guidelines. Scott made the announcement as part of a plan to slowly reopen the…

By Curt Peterson It’s been over a month since Vermont governor Phil Scott declared a state of emergency (March 13) and a month this week since he made the “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order (March 24) to inhibit the spread of Covid-19, making a significant change in everyone’s life. Katie Williams of Quechee, eight-plus months…