By Katy Savage WOODSTOCK—Five years after opening Worthy Kitchen, bringing local food and casual dining to the region, the restaurant owners have opened a new year-round creemee and frozen yogurt shop. Sweet and Salty, located by the Woodstock Welcome Center off Main Street, had a soft opening Wednesday, June 27. An official open and ribbon…

By Marguerite Jill Dye RUTLAND—“Children don’t belong in cages!” stood out among the powerful signs at Rutland’s “Families Belong Together” event. Over 150 demonstrators of all ages lined up along  Routes 4 and 7 at Rutland’s Main Street Park. There were 750 nationwide marches on Saturday, June 29, in 50 states. They protested abhorrence against…

By Paul Holmes A bald eagle was out looking for breakfast on Kent Pond in Killington the morning of June 13. With an eagle-eye, patience and a stroke of luck, this early bird of prey caught a fishy feast in one fell swoop. Good catch! The same can be said of Killington photographer Paul Holmes,…

By Katy Savage and Polly Mikula On Sunday, July 1, recreational use and possession of pot will be legal. H.511 (Act 86) legalizes the possession and gifting of small amounts of cannabis by Vermont residents over 21, and it permits Vermonters to grow their own. The bill allows for the possession of 1 ounce of…

RUTLAND—The Paramount Theatre just announced a lineup of events in advance of its annual full-season announcement in mid-July. These five, first-rate events (exclusive only to the month of September) continue the tradition of excellence that theatergoers in central Vermont have come to expect and appreciate from the more than century-old performing art center at 30 Center St.…

By Michelle Monroe, St. Albans Messenger “Appalling” and “un-American,” those are the words Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., used to describe conditions in a processing center in southern Texas where children have been separated from their parents. Welch spoke with the Messenger by phone Sunday, June 17 after visiting a processing center known as “The Icebox,”…

By Katy Savage WEST RUTLAND—Haley Bania and her sister Michaela couldn’t be more different. Haley is reserved; Michaela is outgoing. Michaela is competitive; Haley is laid back. Michaela is athletic; Haley is artsy. But Haley, 17, and Michaela, 14, are both ranked top in the world of rodeo. Michaela is in the middle of packing…

By Karen D. Lorentz RUTLAND—White Memorial Park in Rutland City will debut its two new pools with a community opening from noon to 8 p.m. on Thursday, June 21 and Friday , June, 22, followed by a gala celebration from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on June 23. The Saturday festivities begin with an 11…

Home gardens and local farm fields are beginning to fill up with fresh produce as the growing season gets underway. And with it, the Vermont Foodbank’s gleaning teams are taking to the fields to harvest surplus fresh food for people struggling to afford it. The Vermont Foodbank operates the largest gleaning program in the state…

Courtesy of Killington Resort

Submitted Mellow Yellow

By Chandler Burgess, courtesy Killington Resort The inaugural Bike and Brew in 2017 at Killington Bike Park saw an action packed weekend, including riders performing stunts like this backflip.

WOODSTOCK—Billings Farm and Museum has a new associate director. Barbara Milligan, formerly the president and CEO of the Cape and Islands United Way, brings with her a strong combination of marketing, development and leadership experience. In her former role, she managed an annual campaign of $1.2 million-plus and spearheaded partnerships that strengthened the organization within…

By Katy Savage RUTLAND—After canceling a sold-out show and shutting down for two weeks due to a broken roof truss, the Paramount Theatre reopened June 1. The Vermont Fire and Safety issued a certificate of occupancy June 1, declaring the building safe for patrons. The theater closed after a routine inspection in May found one…

Killington Resort officially closed for skiing and riding during an 80 degree day on Saturday, May 26. The closing day was announced May 23. The resort was open a total of 187 days this year for skiing and riding. It opened Nov. 8 for pass-holders and Nov. 9 for the public. Meanwhile, Killington’s summer activities,…