On Tuesday, March 30, the City of Rutland mayor, David Allaire, along with president and CEO of Heritage Family Credit Union Matt Levandowski, signed the closing documents associated with the city's purchase of the athletic building on the former College of St. Joseph campus. “Many of us have been working for years to come to…

By Peg Bolgioni The popularity of gardening has not waned in the past year. In fact, the demand for seeds, plants, and garden tools may well outpace 2020. No one knows how long the pandemic will continue so people have created outdoor havens populated with patio furniture, above ground swimming pools, and backyard gas fire…

Foreign workers find new adventures in Killington By Brooke Geery Some may think that lift operators are people who didn’t graduate from high school and are excited to have an interesting— albeit cold— job on the mountain. Others may think they’re ski bums who don't want to wait tables. But in 2021, that is no longer…

By Emma Cotton/VTDigger RUTLAND — A 9,100-square-foot expansion of the MINT, a makerspace in Rutland, will soon provide a space for local residents to learn a slew of new skills the organization has not offered before. Volunteers helped complete the move into the new space last weekend. They transported equipment such as 3D printers, a laser…

State creates a roadmap to full reopening, starts Friday By Polly Mikula “We have roughly 90 to go, 90 days to stay united so we can get back to normal,” Gov. Phil Scott said at the press conference, Tuesday, April 6. After July 4 Scott said he anticipates the state will only issue guidance —…

Kahliq Richardson By Alan J. Keays/VTDigger A teenager told police a handgun accidentally went off as he handed it to a friend (another teenager), killing the latter early Saturday morning, April 3, in a Rutland motel room. Kahliq Richardson, 18, of Rutland pleaded not guilty Monday, April 5, in Rutland Superior Court to a charge of…

By Katy Savage When Killington Resort replaced its 26-year-old K-1 gondolas in 2018, Dominique Bastien bought all 57 of them. Bastien, who owns The Gondola Shop, a small gondola repair shop in Fruita, Colorado, had worked on Killington’s gondolas for 15 years. The Montreal native spent a month in Killington every few years to work. She…

Vermont nets second most in nation Staff report From the beginning of the pandemic in the spring of 2020, to civil unrest and catastrophic wildfires in the summer, to election drama in the fall, 2020 was historically difficult… and yet, statistically fascinating. Data shows that by several accounts, 2020 has somehow been a year of…

By Karen D. Lorentz An application has been filed by Killington/Pico Ski Resort Partners (KPSRP) for its master planned unit development (PUD) approval for the Base Camp at Bear Mountain project, the first development of slopeside units at Killington since 2006. The proposed community consists of  156 residential units. Application #21-011 seeks specific site plan…

Vermont lifestyle sought By Polly Mikula “It’s a seller’s market with way more buyers than you have inventory available for them to buy. It’s the true textbook definition, the power is in the seller,” said Nathan R. Mastroeni, MBA, Sotheby’s regional manager of offices in Rutland, Stowe, Middlebury and Burlington, with about 50 real estate…

Resort will close April 4 to facilitate construction By Karen D. Lorentz Skiers and riders at Okemo Mountain Resort will benefit from a new six-seat chairlift and a highspeed bubble quad replacement of the Green Ridge Triple for the 2021-22 season. The new Leitner-Poma detachable six-pack, manufactured in Colorado, will replace the current Quantum Four…

By Brooke Geery In May 2020, Vermont Adaptive made the decision to delay the start of creating its new adaptive sports facility at Sugarbush’s Mt. Ellen due to the global pandemic. “I am excited to announce that this project is back on track, and we will be breaking ground for the new building this spring — Our…

By Katy Savage Elizabeth Bailey was in Publications class at West Rutland High School on Tuesday, March 23, when she got a phone call that she needed to gather all her belongings and go to the art room. When she got to the room around 11:45 a.m., Bailey saw her basketball coach, principal,  guidance counselor…

After five months of closure and 12 months without a competition, the Cobra Gymnastics team was thrilled to participate in their 9th annual Cobra gymnastics meet on Sunday, March 28. Masked and socially-distanced, 40 girls performed their routines, competing to earn a spot on the state team. “This season, we chose to host only the…

By Victoria Gaither Did you know Easter bunnies come from North Chittenden, Vermont? “These bunnies come from my house. They are all my babies,” fiber artist Lynn Jensen said. Jensen is referring to the bunny rabbits she creates from 100% wool by needle felting. She takes un-spun wool and sculpts it with a special barbed…