The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets  began accepting applications for registration to grow and process industrial hemp for the 2019 registration year on Jan 4. The registration process is now online. Hemp growers and processors have separate registration applications and the forms provide VAAFM the opportunity to collect information about the hemp industry…

Public Safety Commissioner Thomas D. Anderson and Tax Commissioner Kaj Samsom said a tax examiner employed by the Department of Taxes has been arrested by the Vermont State Police on suspicion of embezzling more than $15,000 from the state of Vermont by altering a single taxpayer’s return information in fall 2018. Chelsea Hoadley, 26, of…

By Russell Jones/Brandon Reporter BRANDON — The Girl Scouts began in 1912 when Juliette Gordon Low organized the first troop of 18 girls in Savannah, Ga. Now, 3.7 million members strong, the Girl Scouts of the United States of America have helped mentor and develop strong female leaders such Lucille Ball, Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day…

The Vermont Farmers Market Association has named Jack Crowther as its Person of the Year for 2018. Crowther has been an editor for the Rutland Herald and worked hard to highlight the connection of clean water and food to health. He’s donated countless hours and resources to the Vermont Farmers Market Association farmacy ( VFFC’s…

Vermont dairy farmers could see much needed relief in the 2018 Farm Bill. With the signing of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, more improvements have been made to the renamed Margin Protection Program, now called the Dairy Margin Coverage program. “Farmers should look at this new program closely.  The early signs indicate it could…

Kwanzaa traces its origins to Africa and is celebrated across North America and other nations that have large populations that trace their heritage to Africa. The holiday begins on December 26 and continues until January 1. The main components of the celebration include family, community and culture. Kwanzaa was not designed to replace Christmas. In…

By Karen D. Lorentz There are many different ways to combine one’s love of skiing and mountains with making a living. For Gary Milliken that means creating trail maps. First asked to produce a summer map for Killington in late winter 2017, Milliken said, “Killington didn’t have a comprehensive map that included all of the…

By Karen D. Lorentz Born in Fairfax, Virginia, Kayla Sarajian moved to Medford, New York, a suburb on Long Island, when she was 5 years old and graduated from Patchogue-Medford High School in 2007. Acknowledging that she didn’t really know what she wanted to do after high school, Sarajian said, “I did a lot of…

Did you grab your L.O.L. Surprise dolls last year? What about Hatchimals the year before? Each year, a new crop of must-have toys surfaces. Smart shoppers who do their research and prepare in advance of the holidays can grab these coveted gifts. Others are not so lucky, as they sell out quickly. Each year, industry…

 Tradition is a hallmark of the holiday season. Religious services, family gatherings and trips to see Santa Claus are just a few of the many traditions people adhere to during the holiday season. Many holiday shoppers also adhere to the time-honored tradition of last-minute shopping. The perfect gift can sometimes prove elusive, especially as the…

RUTLAND—On Nov. 18, the first annual Colenne Whalen Memorial Scholarship Tournament was held at the Rutland Bowlerama. The Youth Bowling Program was very important to Whalen. One could find her at any event that put youth and bowling together. Whatever needed to be done to make the event successful, Whalen did it. She encouraged bowlers…

Community College of Vermont Job Hunt Helper Mariah Vilbrin is now available at the Rutland Free Library  for six hours a week to offer career services to library patrons and job seekers. Job Hunt Helpers can help you find employment opportunities in your area, write a resume and cover letter, apply for jobs online, assess…

After about five weeks of closure, the River Road bridge is back open. The 1939 bridge, which is the second oldest in town,  opened Nov. 29—nine days later than scheduled due to early season snowfall. The deck was replaced and a new guardrail was installed after the the deck failed a biannual state inspection. The…

Kilington Resort is holding an event, Lids on Kids at the Killington Elementary School at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 8. The resort partnered with Smith Inc. and the High Fives Foundation to donate 40 helmets to the elementary school during their winter assembly. It’s our way of ramping up awareness for National Safety Awareness Month…

Grow Compost of Vermont has a new partnership with the Maine-based company, Agri-Cycle, New England’s largest organic waste hauler servicing New England and New York. The partnership will provide feed for animals, healthy soils, and energy creation through anaerobic digestion, and will exponentially increase the volume of food waste diverted from Vermont’s only landfill. Increasing…