By Jerry LeBlond Aspirations for a white Christmas evaporated early this week when coastal storm rainfall and melting snowpack swelled the White River in Rochester flooding the fields surrounding Chantreafield Farm off River Brook Drive.   Staff report Heavy rain and melting snow inundated much of Vermont on Monday, Dec. 18, leading to swift-water rescues,…

By Glenn Russell/VTDigger Mike Isham wraps a freshly cut Christmas tree at the Isham Family Farm in Williston on Tuesday — the last day he was open for the season.     By Babette Stolk/VTDigger Although the supply of locally grown trees is tight this year, industry observers, including Jim Horst, the executive director of…

  Submitted KMS’s Ella Andrews makes U.S. Team roster.        U.S. Ski and Snowboard recently selected the Freeski Slopestyle/Big Air Team to represent the United States at the next Winter Youth Olympic Games. Ella Andrews (from Killington, Vermont and racing with Killington Mountain School) was the only East Coast racer to be named…

  Courtesy Downtown Rutland Partnership A group laughs together during the Jingle Bell Shop event in Downtown Rutland last Thursday.     By Sarah Calvin On Thursday night, Dec. 7, downtown Rutland came alive during the first iteration of the Jingle Bell Shop, a festive night of community that encouraged consumers to shop local this…

Courtesy Eric Ley Eric Ley smiles as the Dalai Lama blesses him in  Colorado.        By Katy Savage Cooking has taken Eric Ley all over the world. Ley, a Rutland native, was a  personal chef for 10 years, traveling with families to private islands,  houseboats on Lake Powell in Utah, to major cities…

Governor: 18.5% increase in property taxes is ‘unacceptable’ Projected hike is driven largely by a likely unprecedented 12% increase in education spending By Curt Peterson and Peter D’Auria/VTDigger The Vermont Dept. of Taxes is projecting a whopping 18.5% increase in residents’ property tax rates, a spike that Gov. Phil Scott quickly seized on, calling for lawmakers…

Pico Mountain will kick off the 2023/24 winter season at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 9 with a bonus weekend. The resort will operate Saturday and Sunday and then reopen on Friday, Dec.15 for the regular Thursday-Monday schedule.    “We are excited to welcome back skiers and riders to Pico Mountain early this year!” said…

  Rutland City’s new local 1% option tax is off to a strong start. It raised $423,000 in the quarter ending in October, Treasurer Mary Markowskitold the Board of Aldermen Monday, Dec. 4. The tax, which raises revenue for the city through an adding 1% to the state’s 6% sales tax, went into effect July…

By Brooke Geery Following the heart-pounding races of the Stifel Killington Cup, passionate skiers may just be inspired to take up racing themselves. But excelling at the global level of competition is not something that can be achieved overnight. This is why so many academies and clubs exist in the Northeast — to give aspiring athletes…

    Courtesy Great Gulf  Great Gulf and Safdie Architects envision a promenade around Snowshed Pond with luxury condos built in future phases.     By Polly Mikula At the Killington Cup last weekend, Great Gulf the developer for the planned Killington Village at the base of Snowshed and Ramshead, unveiled renderings — it was the…

By Tiffany Tan/VTDigger “Base Camp,” located on Rutland’s North Main Street, is made up of eight affordable housing units for military veterans.   By Tiffany Tan/VTDigger A former bike shop was unveiled Tuesday, Nov. 21, as new residences for veterans who had experienced homelessness, a privately led project that officials said could help respond to Vermont’s housing…

  Staff report Police said a crash on Route 4 Tuesday, Nov. 28 at 12:26 p.m. left one person dead. Police were dispatched to the crash on Route 4 in Killington (East side of the Pass). Preliminary investigation determined that 71-year-old Mark J. Candon from Rutland was traveling east when he traveled across the center…

By Jerry LeBlond Mikaela Shiffrin holds up her 90th World Cup trophy after winning Slalom at Killington, Sunday.     By Katy Savage Mikaela Shiffrin won the Killington Cup Slalom again —her sixth victory in seven years. After winning her historic 89th World Cup in Levi, Finland  in October, she extended her World Cup wins…

  Submitted Pete Campana’s bus tours to Killington were known for fun.   By Karen D. Lorentz In 1981 for Washington’s Birthday week there had been a total washout of eastern ski areas followed by Killington’s receiving two feet of snow. Some 60-plus tour buses, which had gone elsewhere for the week, showed up at…

  Lynn and Karl Acker reflect on generations working in the ski industry By Karen D. Lorentz Sometimes you just have to wonder if some people are born with a ski gene. It certainly might seem that way for the family of Hank and Marge Huntoon whose three children all pursued different facets of the…