By James Kent In a region better known for its mountains than its machines, a team of high school students is proving that rural Vermont is embracing STEM in a major way. Team 2370, known as The IBOTS, is part of Rutland Area Robotics, and this past weekend, they headed to Springfield, Massachusetts, for their…

By Karen D. Lorentz Having observed the development of skiing in Sweden, Vermont State Forester Perry Merrill envisioned similar recreational and economic possibilities for skiing in Vermont.  During 37 years on the job, he oversaw the purchase of 170,000 acres of forestland in 27 state forests and 32 state parks. He negotiated many long-term leases…

By Polly Mikula David Atherton will be Killington’s new town manager, the Select Board announced at a special meeting Tuesday, March 18. The 4:30 p.m. meeting took only 14 minutes as the confirmation of Atherton new town manager and his contract signing was the only thing on the agenda.  Chair of the Select Board Jim…

By Karen D. Lorentz Before their use as recreation destinations, the mountains in Vermont presented formidable barriers to travel and trade, especially in the southern half of the state. The unbroken ridge was not as penetrable as the northern half where river valleys traversed the higher peaks. The Green Mountain range cut off the eastern…

By Polly Mikula Rutland re-elects Doenges as mayor, ousts three incumbent aldermen Incumbent Mayor Mike Doenges beat challenger Alderman Henry Heck 2,075 to 1,581. The mayor’s race saw about a 20% bump in turnout compared to 2023 but Doenges took about the same percentage of the total vote in each election: 56.5% in 2023 and…

By Habib Sabet/VTDigger State lawmakers in the Senate Committee on Institutions advanced a bill late last month that would put up guard rails for social media platforms designed to keep teens hooked. The bill, S.69 — known as the “Kids Code” by proponents — will land on the Senate floor for a vote this week after the week-long…

By James Kent Nearly a year after opening Kaleidoscope Art Supply on Center Street in downtown Rutland, Raven Crispino continues cultivating a welcoming and inclusive space where artists of all levels can explore their creativity. Despite the economic challenges of maintaining a small business, Crispino remains deeply committed to fostering a vital arts community and…

Those whose familiarity with director Bong Joon Ho starts and stops with his Oscar-winning “Parasite,” his follow-up film to that 2019 breakout hit may be confused. Those with a more profound knowledge of Joon Ho’s filmography will recognize the same over-the-top sensibilities that mark his work in the sci-fi genre with movies like “Snowpiercer” and…

The Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing (VDTM) is announced Jan. 27, the results of a study by Tourism Economics that finds visitors to Vermont in 2023 spent a record $4 billion on goods and services. Researchers also found that 15.8 million guests came to Vermont in 2023, showing a sustained return to pre-pandemic visitation.…

The 2025 Vermont State Hockey Championship Weekend was hosted by Rutland Amateur Hockey Association (RAHA) at Spartan Arena, Feb. 28-March 2. The tournament  saw 34 teams competing for division titles. Among them, three local RAHA teams represented Rutland throughout the tournament, with two bringing home state championship titles. The RAHA 10U Tier 2 team kicked…

By Greta Solsaa/VTDigger In the wake of Vice President JD Vance’s ski trip to Sugarbush resort this weekend, the Mad River Valley was transformed into a hotbed of protests against the Trump administration. In the largest planned demonstration Saturday morning, March 1, Vermonters and visitors stood along a stretch of Main Street by the Mad…

Killington voters elected to add two additional Selectboard members to the board, bringing the number to five from its current 3-members. In addition, voters chose two new Selectboard members. Rick Bowan defeated incumbent Robert Hecker for a 1-year term, and Patrick Cushing defeated incumbent Christopher Karr for a 3-year term. Both Hecker and Karr could…

By Polly Mikula Since 1964, locals and visitors alike have enjoyed the 60 kilometers of cross-country skiing at Mountain Top Resort in Chittenden. It was one of the first cross-country ski areas to open in the U.S. and also one of the first Nordic resorts to make snow, which it began in 1980. Mountain Top’s…

Mikaela Shiffrin earned her 100th win Sunday, Feb. 23 at a Slalom in Sestriere, Italy, extending her record and solidifying her legacy as one of the greatest athletes of all time. The milestone was originally tee’d up to happen at Killington but just moments before she was able to secure the win in Giant Slalom…

Feb. 28 through March 9—RANDOLPH — The Chandler Center for the Arts is set to present a fresh and deeply Vermont-inspired production of “Our Town,” Thornton Wilder’s timeless classic, from February 28 through March 9, 2025. This production reimagines the beloved play with contemporary elements, including live covers of songs by Grammy-nominated Vermont native Noah…