A Mettawee Community School sixth grader broke into an ecstatic dance and clenched her fists in the air, as her classmates applauded. Her physical education teacher Janna Webb had just announced that she had moved up from training wheels to official bike rider. It was a joyful example of success after a week of training provided…

Community-built wood playground no longer meets safety, development requirements By Polly Mikula Killington Elementary School’s (KES) wooden playground, Kids' Kingdom, has come to the end of its useful life and it will be removed in the coming weeks. The one-of-a-kind structure was build by the community 30 years ago. “The Dept. of Children and Families…

‘All are welcome here,’ says new Rutland campaign Building off a desire to make the greater Rutland community hospitable to everyone, including the LGBTQ+ community, a new coalition and campaign is heralding the message that “All are welcome here.” Initiated by Rutland native Avery Provin, the effort includes members of the local LGBTQ+ community members,…

By Brett Yates Through a proposal aimed to boost LGBTQ Pride Month locally, Alderman Thomas Franco is hoping to help make Rutland City’s recent symbolic commitment to diversity and tolerance a little more tangible. On May 3, Rutland City officially adopted a declaration of inclusion, which “condemns racism and discrimination of any type and welcomes…

By Polly Mikula The forest fire that broke out Saturday, May 15, in Killington has been contained but is still smoldering. After initially being contained, it flared up again Wednesday and Thursday last week, requiring fire departments from 10 towns to provide mutual aid. Killington Fire Warden Tom Rock said they are still monitoring it…

By Tom Kearney/VTDigger Ibjar Meneses wasn’t expecting to open a brick-and-mortar business downtown during the pandemic.  He started selling tamales out of a local church where he volunteers, and when locals started asking if he also made tacos or enchiladas, he knew he was onto something. In downtown Rutland, which has long been working to fill…

Fair Haven, Castleton, Orwell and West Pawlet affected The Society of Divine Vocations has informed the Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington that as of the end of this month the order is no longer able to provide pastoral coverage for four parishes in southwestern Vermont: Our Lady of Seven Dolors in Fair Haven, St. John the Baptist in Castleton,…

By Brett Yates The Mendon Select Board’s monthslong project to enact a firearm discharge ordinance entered a new stage on May 24 when the board agreed to solicit volunteers for a committee of residents that would help design the law. The board’s first draft would have prohibited gunfire within 500 feet of any road, highway,…

By Neil Allen On Monday, Brandon Town Manager David Atherton recommended that the town use the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds on wastewater projects. “Looking at the criteria, they are looking at water and wastewater projects,” he said. “The more we learn about it, the more I think we should put it towards wastewater.…

By Neil P. Allen On Monday, the Brandon Select Board agreed to provide goals and responsibilities for the Energy Committee now that the board has completed the preferred solar siting project. “We have been on hiatus for a few months,” said Jack Schneider, a member of the energy committee. “We are looking for direction forward…

By Neil P. Allen On Monday, the Brandon Select Board will return to in-person meetings beginning with its next meeting, with the option to access the meeting via Zoom. Select Board member Tim Guiles said, “We talked about this at the last meeting. With the guidelines changing, we could return to in-person meetings and continuing…

In a major milestone achievement in the fight against Covid-19, Rutland Regional Medical Center (RRMC) announced Monday, May 24, that it will close the mass Covid-19 vaccination clinic at the Holiday Inn on Sunday, June 13. The hospital opened the Covid-19 vaccination clinic in February of this year to provide mass vaccination to the Rutland…

We all know Vermont’s dairy farmers help feed us, our families and our communities. Now they hope to help protect us from the coronavirus, with the help of a creemee! Beginning May 21 and extending through much of Dairy Month in June, Vermont dairy farmers will provide "creemee-for-a-shot" coupons, good for one small free creemee at…

Kinney Drugs, now vaccinating people ages 12+ in all its pharmacies, announced May 20 that it will help make six lucky winners’ post-Covid dreams come true with its new #VAXtoIT contest. People age 18+ can visit KinneyContest.com to share an activity they can’t wait to get back to doing after Covid— like renting a boat, buying concert…

Like most Vermonters, highway safety officers have been watching the progress of the Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting state of emergency from week to week, wondering what the next step will be in our journey back to “normal.” After 14 months it finally seems like we are on the brink of returning to something close…