By Polly Mikula KILLINGTON—On Friday, July 26, a Lakota helicopter and three Vermont Army National Guardsmen landed on the fields behind the Johnson Recreational Pool in Killington. Over a dozen day campers greeted the three Army National Guard pilots. “Only some of the kids knew that the helicopters were coming to see us,” said camp counselor Jody…

Philip B. Swanson, 67, died peacefully Wednesday evening, July 17 . Swanson was born on April 13, 1952 in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the son of Swan and Carola (Vitarius) Swanson. Swanson attended and graduated from Johnson State College, in Johnson. It was here that he fell in love with the state, made friends that would last…

  John M. Lorentz of Shrewsbury died on July 12 at Rutland Regional Medical Center after a yearlong battle with cancer. His beloved family was by his side. Born in New Jersey to Fred and Marie Lorentz, John grew up loving rock ’n’ roll. During his teens and 20s, he played saxophone and sang in…

Killington Resort broke ground on its new K-1 Base Lodge on Tuesday, July 16, upon receipt of final permitting. The new, 58,000 square foot lodge, which will be 21,000 square feet larger than the previous lodge, is slated to open for the 2020-21 winter season in time for the 2020 Audi FIS Ski Women’s World…

The Clarendon Select Board doesn’t want marijuana coming to town. The board unanimously passed an ordinance at its Monday, July 22 meeting prohibiting marijuana dispensaries from establishing. The ordinance would prohibit the sale of marijuana. Those who violate the ordinance could be fined $800. “We don’t want (anybody) to sell marijuana in town,” said Clarendon…

KILLINGTON—Police have yet to find two baby goats that were stolen from Hinterland Organic Farm in Killington overnight Sunday, July 7. The two 7-month-old miniature billy goats were tethered to a 150-pound weight, which was also stolen, said Killington Police Chief Whit Montgomery. “We don’t have much to go on at this point,” Montgomery said.…

Q&A with Rye Matthews By Julia Purdy Vermont Hydroponic Produce on Whipple Hollow Road in Florence has been acquired by Northeast Hemp Commodities, maker of Methodorganics health products. The landscape along the Castleton River now features acres and acres of neat rows of sprouted hemp plants emerging from their black plastic beds. The Mountain Times…

KILLINGTON—Police have yet to find two baby goats that were stolen from Hinterland Organic Farm in Killington overnight Sunday, July 7. The two 7-month-old miniature billy goats were tethered to a 150-pound weight, which was also stolen, said Killington Police Chief Whit Montgomery. “We don’t have much to go on at this point,” Montgomery said.…

By Curt Peterson HARTLAND­—Todd Heyman and Suzy Kaplan have created Fat Sheep Farm and Cabins in Hartland to emulate the popular European farm-stay destinations — where guests live and work on a real farm and pay for the experience. Accommodations are all new since 2017 when their first farm-stay visitor occupied one of the five…

By Ed Larson Just before 10 a.m. on Monday, July 1, workers from Fabian Construction unearthed what they believed was a human skull at a construction site on Green Hills Lane, in Rutland City. The work was being done partially on the roadway and on property owned by Central Vermont Motorcycles. John Center, of Fabian…

By Katy Savage A Woodstock organization is trying to get more residents in the expensive town by helping people buy homes. With an anonymous $500,000 grant, the Woodstock Community Trust is buying homes, fixing them and selling them at a reduced rate. Jill Davies, a Woodstock Select Board member who spearheaded the idea in December…

By Katy Savage The shuttered Green Mountain College has hit the market with no sales price. The private liberal arts college in Poultney, which was founded in 1834, is listed for sale by Colliers International in Boston. V/T Commercial owner Tony Blake, who is representing the property locally, is looking for bidders. There is no…

By Julia Purdy Those familiar with the West Creek Road in Florence will notice new activity at the former Silver Birch Equestrian Center location, formerly operated by Cheryl Hathaway. New owners Sarah and Justin McKeighan purchased 11 acres including buildings and riding ring May 30. The McKeighans have a lease-purchase agreement on another 150 acres,…

By Curt Peterson West Windsor’s Ascutney Outdoors, which has been providing access to groomed slope and back-country skiing via rope tow, will be sporting a modern T-bar lift starting with the first skiable snow next winter. “The slope is so popular we ran out of lift capacity,” said Ascutney Outdoors board member Glenn Seward. “With…

By Curt Peterson Caroline Olsen’s college-age stomach aches evolved into a thriving young business making cashew milk products in Woodstock. According to the Nutty Life LLC website, nutty-milk.com, Olsen’s addiction to frozen yogurt while studying at Boston College upset her digestive system. Suspecting lactose intolerance, she switched to almond milk, but found little relief. Inquisitive,…