It depends how long the pandemic lasts By Art Woolf How will the coronavirus pandemic affect Vermont’s economy — with the understanding that Vermont’s economy is Vermont’s people? The simple answer is that it depends on how the pandemic unfolds in the world, the U.S. and in Vermont. The best-case scenario is that we have seen…

By Curt Peterson As growth of COVID-19 is expected to be exponential, Gov. Phil Scott ordered all schools to close March 18 through at least April 6. “The orderly dismissal of schools is essential to support both the state’s response to COVID-19 and the needs of children and families across Vermont,” Gov. Phil Scott said.…

By Virginia Dean All resort operations at Pico and Killington were suspended Saturday night, effective March 15-22, in an effort to limit the spread and risks associated with COVID-19, according to Mike Solimano, president and general manager of Killington and Pico. “Our top priority is the safety of our staff, guests and local community,” said…

By Katy Savage As employees are out of work and students are out of school due to state-mandated closures, Vermonters are stepping up to help others in need. A handful of Rutland residents created Rutland County Mutual Aid, a website to connect people who need help with volunteers in light of the coronavirus. Within an…

Staff report On Monday, March 16, Governor Phil Scott ordered an end to dine-in service at restaurants and bars starting 2 p.m. Tuesday, March 17. The day prior, Sunday, Scott ordered schools to close by Wednesday, and the day prior to that, Saturday, all ski areas in the state had announced they would closed, too.…

By Ryan Dunfee Working from home for the first time due to the coronaviris? Here are a few tips from a seasoned remote worker that could help. Do not work from your bedroom in your pajamas. Set up a clean, intentional office space somewhere outside your bedroom, even if it’s just the kitchen table. Your…

On Tuesday, March 17,  Vail Resorts announced that all of its North American resorts and retail stores will remain closed for the 2019-20 winter ski season amidst the continued challenges associated with the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). The decision follows the Company’s previously announced closure of its resorts from Sunday, March 15 through Sunday, March…

Dear Hut Friends, Like many small businesses and nonprofits, Vermont Huts has been monitoring the rapid evolution of COVID-19. We care deeply about the rural communities in which our huts are located, and the health and safety of our guests is our top priority. We also understand and fully support the need to “flatten the…

By Aidan Quigley and Anne Wallace Allen/VTDigger On Monday, March 16, Gov. Phil Scott ordered bars and restaurants to stop offering dine-in service across the state effective 2 p.m. on Tuesday. It is his administration’s latest effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus in Vermont. Establishments can only offer take-out and delivery services through April 6. The…

By Lola Duffort/VTDigger Vermont now has 12 confirmed coronavirus cases, Health Commissioner Mark Levine said at a press conference on Monday, March 16. The state had eight confirmed cases as of Sunday evening, and just four when Governor Scott called for a state of emergency on Friday. On Monday, Gov. Phil Scott amended his emergency declaration to limit…

By Anne Galloway/VTDigger Gov. Phil Scott has announced a plan for the dismissal of all schools in Vermont and cancellation of all school related activities no later than Wednesday. The decision was made amid fears that keeping schools open could help to spread the coronavirus. The directive will last until April 6, according to a…

By Anne Galloway/VTDigger and Polly Mikula On Saturday, March 14, the Vermont Department of Health announced three new presumptive cases of coronavirus in Springfield, Central Vermont, and the White River Junction VA Medical Center. The new cases bring the total to five in Vermont — four presumptive positive cases as well as one that has been confirmed by…

Resort follows Vail in closing until March 22. Will reassess then. Update from Killington Resort March 14 (11:45 p.m.) Our top priority—the health and safety of our staff, guests and local community—remains at the forefront for us and, with this in mind, we are suspending all resort operations starting March 15, 2020, through March 22,…

March 13, 2020—In light of increasing public health concerns, we are saddened to announce we have made the difficult decision to postpone all events originally scheduled to have been presented over the next 5 weeks starting today, March 13, 2020.  We are taking this step with the guidance of best-practice statements made by local, state…

CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) IMPACT ON KILLINGTON/PICO March 13, 2020 Public Notice (12:30 p.m.) from Killington Resort As you are likely following the COVID-19 news we want to provide you with an update on our course of action. We are monitoring the dynamic situation and will continue to follow the advice and guidance of federal and state…