Story Update: On Wednesday, April 30, Judge Geoffrey W. Crawford ordered the release of Mohsen Mahdawi from prison on bail, pending the resolution of his habeas petition. The government requested that Judge Crawford pause his release from prison for seven days by issuing a stay of the order, which the judge denied. By Ethan Weinstein/VTDigger Lawyers…

Vermont’s annual Green Up Day returns this Saturday, May 3, marking its 55th anniversary as a cherished community tradition. Volunteers are gearing up throughout Rutland and Windsor counties and across the entire state to help make Vermont shine. Green Up Day is a statewide initiative in which volunteers clean litter from roadsides, waterways, and public…

By Carly Berlin/VTDigger This story, by Report for America corps member Carly Berlin, is published via a partnership between VTDigger and Vermont Public. A bill that would fundamentally overhaul Vermont’s response to homelessness is making its way through the Statehouse. H.91 provides a potential off-ramp to the state’s mass use of motel rooms as a…

By Karen D. Lorentz Editors’ Note: This is part of a series on the factors that enabled Killington to become The Beast of the East. Quotations are from author interviews in the 1980s for the book “Killington, A Story of Mountains and Men.” Despite the two-year delay to Killington’s debut—caused by the access road not…

By James Kent RUTLAND— There’s a new space in downtown Rutland bursting with warmth, heart, and pride—and it’s called Bailey’s Place. Founded by 21-year-old Faith McClure, Bailey’s Place is the first LGBTQ+ bar and restaurant in the area in over two decades. It officially opened its doors on April 12, and within days had already…

A special election will be held May 28 By Polly Mikula UPDATE: Andrew Gieda has withdrawn his candidacy for the one-year Selectboard seat,  Killington Town Clerk Peggy Neisner told the Mountain Times, Wednesday, April 23.  KILLINGTON — Monday, April 21, was the deadline for candidates to submit petitions to be on the ballot to join the…

It’s proving ever more challenging to drag a group of people into a movie theater to see a film that isn’t either a children’s movie translation of a video game, a Disney reboot of an animated classic that was better off the first time around, or the latest Marvel retread. But if there was a…

By Karen D. Lorentz Editors’ Note: This is part of a series on the factors that enabled Killington to become the Beast of the East. Quotations are from author interviews in the 1980s for the book ‘Killington, A Story of Mountains and Men.’ In 1956, the only way to reach Killington Mountain was via West…

This week, we will explain the “tax” in Tax Increment Financing (TIF), clarifying what the “tax increment” is, how funding flows and who covers the cost for infrastructure improvements. Importantly, TIF does not create new taxes on our residents. Tax increment and the flow of funds First, it’s key to understand that in order for…

By James Kent RUTLAND—When Long Trail School junior Allston Kent told his dad the date of his annual school prom, his father knew it was time to visit the twins in downtown Rutland. The twins, of course, are the second-generation owners of McNeil & Reedy, Jim and John McNeil. McNeil & Reedy is a men’s…

By Maddie Lindgren Editor’s note: This story is via Community News Service in partnership with Vermont State University Castleton. Not many would venture out into icy water during the middle of winter, but Silas Loomis made it just another day at work. When a car crashed through the ice, Loomis didn’t flinch. “I knew it was…

By Auditi Guha/VTDigger Masked men in plainclothes detained an Upper Valley resident in Colchester during a scheduled citizenship interview Monday morning, April 14, despite his status as a lawful U.S. permanent resident. Mohsen Mahdawi’s lawyers filed a petition Monday alleging unlawful detention in the U.S. District Court in Vermont. Judge William Sessions III then issued a temporary restraining order saying…

By James Kent What began as a cozy wine-and-charcuterie hideaway tucked inside the Spa at the Woods building has blossomed into one of Killington’s most exciting new dining experiences. Since its opening in November 2024, the Killington Café & Wine Bar has steadily evolved its menu from simple small bites to elevated but approachable cuisine…

By Karen D. Lorentz One of the things that made Killington unique was the input and work of women from the get-go.  The 1950s were the era when ski area development and management were the province of men. Few wives of founders participated in decision-making, let alone were incorporators, directors, and officers of the parent…

Staff report A well-known Brandon chef and restaurateur is recovering after being stabbed Saturday afternoon at his restaurant, Café Provence, in what authorities are calling an attempted murder. According to the state police,  Robert Barral, 71 of Brandon, was attacked at approximately 4:30 p.m. on April 5 by a former employee, Jozef I. Eller, 32…