By Virginia Dean Recent news reports indicate that one of the major industries in Vermont that has been hit the hardest by the pandemic is the dairy farm. According to the state Secretary of Agriculture Anson Tebbetts, 14 small to medium farms (out of a total of 677 as of January 2020) have stopped milking.…

By Katy Savage Tracy Kardys started planning her wedding a year ago. She envisioned a boho-style wedding on an 88-acre family-owned farm in Proctorsville that has a pond and vineyard. She wanted her 130 guests to dance under  Vermont stars. Kardys has done most of the planning and made most of the decorations herself to save…

Program aids local businesses, addresses food insecurity Killington Resort announced Monday, June 8, a newly launched employee and community-centric philanthropic platform called Play It Forward designed to support the local community during Covid-19 and beyond. As part of Killington Resort’s Play Forever corporate responsibility commitment to protecting the environment and enabling participation, Play It Forward engages charitable…

‘Jaws’ kicks off the season on July 3 RUTLAND—The Paramount Theatre and Vermont State Fair are partnering to open a drive-in theater on the fairgrounds in Rutland. The summer movie series will kick off on July 3 with the original summer blockbuster, “Jaws.” Covid19 has made it impossible for Paramount to host shows in its…

Staff report WOODSTOCK—“We have lost something that we have loved. We have lost someone precious and we are grieving. We will either allow our souls to grow from this or we won’t. And at this point, one question remains: What will be our loving choice?” said the Reverend Dr. Leon Dunkley, minister of the North…

By Polly Mikula On Friday, June 5, Gov. Phil Scott outlined a series of orders that open the door to indoor restaurant dining, out-of-state travel, and expanded lodging. All gatherings, indoor and outdoor, continue to be limited to 25 people. Scott said he felt confident that expanding the use of restaurants and lodging and allowing…

By Katy Savage As summer approaches, thousands of families would usually be marking their calendars to attend overnight summer camps in the Green Mountain state, but, for many, that won’t happen this year. Camp Sangamon, a camp for boys in Pittsford, won’t operate for the first time in its 99-year history. “We weren’t comfortable with…

By Mike Dougherty, Grace Elletson and Elizabeth Hewitt/VTDigger Vermonters rallied Saturday, May 30, as protests against police brutality erupted across the country in the wake of the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis. In Burlington, signs and speeches escalated to a verbal confrontation with city police officials as demonstrators marched on the Burlington Police…

By Brooke Geery On Monday, June 1, protesters gathered in Rutland’s Main Street Park for a silent vigil in response to the police killing of George Floyd, as well as to commemorate the 100,000 American lives lost to Covid-19, who are disproportionately people of color. The demonstration began at 5 p.m. and the crowd built…

Saturday, June 6 at 10 a.m.—KILLINGTON—Pending approval by the governor, Killington Resort aims to have its bike park open to passholders on June 6 and 7 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Rental bikes and pads will not be available opening weekend.  The bike facilities will open to the general public on June 12 for…

Says he will not campaign until state of emergency is over Governor Phil Scott send the following email Thursday, May 28 at 7 a.m. Dear Mountain Times, First of all, I want to thank you for the support you’ve given me over the years. I would not be governor today without your help and encouragement.…

By Aliya Schneider On May 20, 2020, I was officially awarded my college degree. I am now an alumna of Barnard College, the women’s college affiliated with Columbia University. The Barnard-Columbia dynamic is complicated, but basically, Barnard students have two graduation ceremonies. On Monday, May 18, we would have had Barnard’s Class Day at Radio…

By Aliya Schneider The Rutland County Farmers’ Market reopened on May 16, 2020, in Depot Park in downtown Rutland with restrictions set in place to prevent the spread of Covid-19. The state Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets released a statement last month with rules for Vermont Farmers markets, which they updated on May 6.…

By Virginia Dean “All shall be well. We are a people of hope. We are the church. Do not be afraid. Love your neighbor as yourself. Respect the dignity of every human being. God loves you. And so do I. All shall be well.” Last Sunday, these words by the Reverend Canon Lee Alison Crawford,…

‘Bikes are the new toilet paper’ By Katy Savage As ski trails closed, and Vermonters were asked to stay home to help flatten the curve of infection, people have turned to biking— specifically, mountain biking. Several local store owners say they’ve seen record sales for mountain bikes this spring. Jean Pierre DeFrancesco-Sias, the general manager…