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…

More than 400 highly-trained volunteer instructors make Killington’s Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports’ mission of empowering individuals with disabilities possible. Out of a dedicated pool of volunteers, Vermont Adaptive program coordinators recognized this year’s four Volunteers of the Year at off-snow trainings this fall. Phil Crowell of Plainfield, New Hampshire, and Jackie Levine, Barry Whitworth,…

RUTLAND—The Southwestern Vermont Council on Aging has announced its 2018 service results in conjunction with the release of its 2018 annual report. “Our fiscal year wrapped up earlier this fall and we’re now able and excited to share some of the key results of our various programs and services from the past year,” said Chris…

The Killington Cup set American attendance records with an estimated 39,000 spectators across Thanksgiving Weekend (5,500 Friday night for opening ceremonies; 18,500 for Saturday’s Giant Slalom and 15,000 for Sunday’s Slalom) beating last year’s attendance by 5,000 spectators. “Showcasing Killington and the state of Vermont to the international ski community for a third year in…

By Lani Duke CU presents ‘As You Like It’ Castleton University students are presenting Shakespeare’s comedy, “As You Like It.” According to a wikipedia entry, the plot is built on “chance encounters in the forest and several entangled love affairs in a serene pastoral setting.” Other critics have noted Shakespeare’s critique of “social practices that…

By Lani Duke Wallingford statue is in for the winter The “Boy with the Boot” statue in Wallingford was taken indoors Oct. 30 by town road employees Charlie Woods and Kyle Eastman. Town Administrator Sandi Switzer said the statue will move back to its Route 7 and Route 140 corner in the spring. Why a…

Submitted Southern Vermont Arts Center names new leader Bob Van Degna Southern Vermont Arts Center in Manchester announced Bob Van Degna as its new president of the board of trustees, effective Oct. 20, 2018. For the last several months, Degna has been acting as board liaison to the staff, helping to create new momentum at SVAC.…

Heidi Crane is joining All Points Animal Care on Nov. 1 Crane is a graduate of Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and has an undergraduate degree from Tufts University. She grew up in upstate New York but spent four years practicing in Colorado after graduating from veterinary school. She returned East to complete an…

Six local schools are part of a sweeping $31 million, seven-year GEAR UP grant awarded to the Vermont Student Assistance Corp. GEAR UP, or Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs, is federally funded by the U.S. Department of Education to increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to enroll and succeed…