By Brett Yates Rutland City underspent its annual budget in Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21) by nearly $1 million. Rutland City’s fiscal calendar ends on June 30, according to City Treasurer Mary Markowski. The city’s biggest savings came from the Dept. of Public Works, which declined to make use of a $500,000 allocation for paving contracts,…

RUTLAND—The Grace Congregational United Church of Christ steeple rises high above Main Street Park in Rutland. But as of last Wednesday, July 21, it's 6 feet shorter. Jay Southgate from Southgate Steeplejacks in Barre and Ben Classen from Classen’s Crane Service removed the 6-foot finial from the spire of the 199-foot tall church. Church members…

By Curt Peterson Windsor Central Unified School District superintendent Sherry Sousa told the Mountain Times last week that protocols for reopening are still up in the air, presumably due to the recent upsurge in Covid cases across the country. “The Agency of Education [AoE] and Dept. of Health will be providing us with guidance regarding…

Fundraising efforts are underway for phase 2, duathalton race and silent auction held Saturday By Brooke Geery Saturday, July 31 at 9 a.m—BETHEL —Nestled in the White River Valley watershed, Bethel, Vermont, is predominantly made up of farms, marshes and craggy hills, as well as a historic village with old brick buildings left over from…

2‐year‐old. Neutered male. Tan and white. Hound mix. I am hoping to find a home where we can have snuggle time and listen to some tunes. Rutland County Humane Society, 765 Stevens Road, Pittsford, VT • (802) 483-6700 • Tues. – Sat. 12-5p.m. Closed Sun. & Mon. • www.rchsvt.org If you love the great outdoors…

Crowds gather in Rutland and Castleton to celebrate reopening By Polly Mikula At 7:30 a.m. on Monday, July 19, the James M. Jeffords Station in downtown Rutland was packed with passengers eager to board the Ethan Allen Express for the first time in 16 months. Many local officials and residents were there for the celebration. After…

Vermont Everyone Eats (VEE), the innovative Covid-19 response program that provides meal assistance to Vermonters in need while supporting local restaurants, farmers and food producers, has received an extension to continue programming. Program managers had previously anticipated that the program would end on June 30, but the state has extended the program contract recognizing that…

By Ethan Weinstein RUTLAND—Congressman Peter Welch visited the Vermont Farmers Food Center (VFFC) Friday, July 16, after earmarking $1.6 million for the nonprofit. The House Appropriations subcommittee approved Rep. Welch’s funding request and it will likely pass by vote in the House next week. Then, it will be off to the Senate for further consideration.…

By Brooke Geery Rutland Rec Superintendent Kim Peters has been working overtime throughout the pandemic. She and her team revamped the College of St. Joseph campus to create a diverse and well-stocked community center. They’ve added a new pool and made other improvements to existing parks in Rutland City. And behind the scenes, the department…

By Erin Petenko and Emma Cotton/VTDigger Washington, Oregon, California and British Columbia are in the midst of a brutal heatwave that has broken records with 115° temperatures and widespread highs above 100 °. It seems unthinkable to imagine Vermont, land of snow and frigid winters, experiencing such a once-in-a-lifetime event. But data and interviews with…

RUTLAND—The Paramount Theatre, a 830-seat theatre located in downtown Rutland, announced today a lineup of six events at the restored historic hall beginning this September. These six shows are the first to be performed inside the auditorium since the pandemic forced its temporary closure in March 2020. Pending a positive response at the box office,…

8-year-old. Neutered male. Pit/Weimaraner. Grey/white. If you are looking for a companion that has basic manners, is house trained and just an absolute love, look no farther. Rutland County Humane Society, 765 Stevens Road, Pittsford, VT • (802) 483-6700 • Tues. – Sat. 12-5p.m. Closed Sun. & Mon. • www.rchsvt.org “I’m a 9-year-old spayed female.…

By Kevin O’Connor/VTDigger Unusually heavy rain has washed away the railroad bed of a stretch of track in this southern Vermont town, spurring a construction crew to scramble to rebuild the area before the scheduled return of Amtrak service to the state on Monday. A worker for the New England Central Railroad first noticed a burst…

Killington explosions remain a mystery, police continue to pursue leads By Curt Peterson In June, Killington Police Chief Whit Montgomery told the Mountain Times his department had received numerous complaints about loud explosions in a particular neighborhood. The explosions occurred for a couple of days, then none for a few days, and then they would resume, Montgomery…

Episode no. 2 of My Side of the Mountain — overlooked stories of everyday life here in the Green Mountain State. 7-minutes.   By Ethan Weinstein Every night, once the sun sets, JoAnne Russo switches on her porch lights. Then, she waits. As the moths emerge from the darkness, Russo is ready with camera in…