By Lani Duke Students learn local community arts CASTLETON—Students in Castleton’s master of arts in arts administration program recently spent a week learning about local community arts. Launched this summer, the low-residency program emphasizes practical applications. Enrollment currently totals nine students. Two are Castleton alumni; the others come from from across the country. During their…

A man once called Lake Champlain’s loudest advocate is being honored for his tireless devotion to Vermont’s most important body of water. James Ehlers, executive director of Lake Champlain International, was recently presented with the GMP-Zetterstrom Environmental Award for his unwavering efforts to protect and improve Lake Champlain, according to a news release June 30.…

SHARON– The board of The Sharon Academy (TSA) in Sharon, Vt., voted unanimously at its annual meeting Saturday, June 25, to adopt an open enrollment policy. The policy takes effect immediately for all grades, 7–12. “The board has affirmed as official policy what is already our practice– embracing all applicants,” said Head of School Michael…

KILLINGTON — Last Wednesday, June 29, at 9 a.m. the Killington Select Board gathered for a special meeting at the Town Offices. Board Members Chris Bianchi and Ken Lee were present as well as Town Manger Debby Schwartz and Chet Hagenbarth, highway and facilities director. Additional members of the community present, included Steve Finer, Jim Haff, Vito…

By Polly Lynn KILLINGTON — The town of Killington put out a survey mid-June asking interested parties to weigh in on the town’s slogan, which appears on the welcome signs. Its current slogan, “Heart of the Green Mountains,” remained the favorite according to the survey results. “Everyone who lives, visits, or just loves Killington,” was…

Town Manager Debby Schwartz to meet residents for Wednesday walks on the Golf Course beginning July 13 KILLINGTON – Residents of Killington are invited to join Town Manager, Debby Schwartz, for Killington Connects, a new series of morning walks with coffee, select Wednesday mornings during July and August. Killington Connects will give residents the opportunity to…

PITTSFORD—On May 24, 2016, the Vermont State Police were notified by the Department of Children and Family Services (DCF) of their concern of an intimate relationship between Victoria “Jaydon” Hunt, from Whiting, Vt., and a 14-year-old girl. The Rutland Unit for Special Investigations became involved and during investigation it was learned Hunt has engaged in…

HARTFORD — On Saturday, June 25, at approximately 4:30 p.m., Hartford Police were dispatched to a report of a dogfight in the off-leash area of Watson Upper Valley Dog Park in Hartford Village. Witnesses reported that an off-duty police officer had shot and killed a pit bull that had attacked his dog at the park,…

LUDLOW — On June 24, at approximately 7:47 p.m., the Vermont State Police, in conjunction with the Ludlow Police Department, conducted a motor vehicle stop on a silver Chevy Equinox for a cracked windshield, on Vermont Route 103, near the Ludlow and Cavendish town line.  During the stop, it was determined that the operator, Jeffrey…

  SPRINGFIELD — On Monday, June 20, at 3:19 p.m. Vermont State Police and Springfield Fire responded to a single vehicle crash on I-91 at mile marker 39N in Springfield. Jerry Schleis, age 68 from Tombstone, AZ, was traveling north in his 2008 Chevrolet pick-up truck with a bed camper when the vehicle drifted into the…

SHREWSBURY — On June 26, at 10:27 p.m., members of the Vermont State Police responded to an ATV crash on Upper Cold River Road in the town of Shrewsbury. The Shrewsbury Volunteer Fire Department also responded to assist at the crash scene. Troopers arrived on scene and through the course of the investigation learned Neal…

PITTSFORD—On June 22, 2016, at about 10 p.m., Vermont State Police troopers responded to the Champlain Farms convenience store, located at 3705 U.S. Route 7 in the town of Pittsford, for a reported armed robbery. According to police, the robbery involved a lone Caucasian male robber, who entered the store with a weapon and demanded…

BRANDON — Federal authorities on Wednesday, June 22, arrested a Brandon woman as part of a national health care fraud crackdown. The Office of the U.S. Attorney in Burlington said the 36-year-old Misti Baker was involved in Medicaid fraud, and that a federal judged had ordered that she be jailed pending a detention hearing on…

RUTLAND – A major sewer line at Rutland Regional Medical Center will be replaced with newer pipes designed to handle higher output volumes. The project will begin on July 11 and will replace an aging sewer line originally installed in 1957. About 300 feet of new 12-inch PVC pipe will improve reliability and capacity and meet…

Vermont Realtors® (VR), the state’s Realtor® association, announced the creation of a statewide Energy Efficient Professionals Qualifications Registry (EEPQR) in a news release June 24. “VR is creating EEPQR to address the significant hurdles facing the development of more energy-efficient homes in the marketplace,” said Isaac Chavez, CEO for Vermont Realtors®. “There exists general consensus…