By Ethan Weinstein and Diane Derby/VTDigger Daniel Banyai, owner of the controversial former Pawlet gun range and paramilitary training facility known as Slate Ridge, was charged Wednesday, March 20,  with aggravated assault on a protected person and resisting arrest after a traffic stop led to an altercation with a Pawlet constable, according to Vermont State Police.…

Staff report The Barstow Unified Union School Board unanimously agreed to re-warn a budget with approximately $29,000 in reductions at its meeting, March 21. The original $6.27 million budget (a 12.1% increase over FY2024) was defeated by only four votes on Town Meeting Day: 375-379. A subsequent recount confirmed the outcome. Board members pointed to…

  By Holly Sullivan, Community News Service Editor’s note: The Community News Service is a program in which University of Vermont students work with professional editors to provide content for local news outlets at no cost. Vermonters want more pre-cut poultry, and local farmers are eager to meet their demand. But are legislators game? As the law stands,…

  The Rutland County Humane Society’s (RCHS) current building’s systems are failing, it’s run out of room and its ability to provide the animals with a healthy environment where they can thrive is diminished, according to a news release March 25. “We owe it to the animals, and our community, to ensure they have an…

  Submitted John Hill At the annual meeting of Union Congregational Church, Sunday, March 3, the congregation voted to welcome John Hill as its new pastor. An invitation Hill joyfully accepted, saying, “34 years ago, I lived in a world full of anxiety. My life was transformed when I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior…

  The Preservation Trust of Vermont (PTV) announced March 22 a Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization grant of $100,000 to the Wallingford Block to support the rehabilitation of the underutilized third-floor into a community space.   The Wallingford Block, formerly the Odd Fellows Block, is a monumental building at the heart of Wallingford village. Constructed in 1824,…

  Submitted VNAHSR Board President Dan DiBattista (left) with CEO Sara King (right), who announced her intent to retire. Sara King, CEO of the VNA & Hospice of the Southwest Region (VNAHSR) announced her plans to retire after more than 23 years of leadership with the agency on Monday, March 25. King began with VNAHSR…

The Vermont House of Representatives gave its strong endorsement March 21 to legislation designed to protect bees and other pollinators in the state from toxic neonicotinoid pesticides, known commonly as neonics. The vote in the House was 112-29. The bill (H.706) has four main components: It prohibits the use of field crop seeds (corn, soy, wheat, and…

Submitted Zoie Saunders Governor Phil Scott announced March 22 his appointment of Zoie Saunders to serve as Vermont’s next education secretary. Saunders is an accomplished education leader with broad strategic and operational experience driving school improvement, increasing student outcomes and enrollment, closing service gaps, and optimizing school support services. Currently, Saunders works as the chief…

Courtesy of Vermont State Police Daniel Banyai   By Ethan Weinstein and Diane Derby/VTDigger Daniel Banyai, owner of the controversial former Pawlet gun range and paramilitary training facility known as Slate Ridge, was charged Wednesday with aggravated assault on a protected person and resisting arrest after a traffic stop led to an altercation with a Pawlet constable, according to…

By Jerry LeBlond World Cup Wednesday Ski Bum Race has finished another season despite three postponed/rescheduled races due to weather and/or not enough snow. There were many World Cup worthy falls and yard sales doing serious damage to the wallets of the victims at the apres ski events, not to mention self esteem. Below are this year's winners in all categories.…

Ludlow Farmers Market makes  changes for summer operation Emma Wright, the new director of the Ludlow Farmers Market (LFM), recently spoke to the Ludlow Rotary Club discussing the changes made to the market’s location, date of operation, and organization. Wright, formerly of Idaho where she was involved in farmer’s markets, indicated that the return of…

Shelters, in Rutland and statewide, see minimal use By Katy Savage and Polly Mikula A sudden and unexpected state decision to move up to 100 homeless people staying in hotels to a temporary shelter in downtown Rutland caused chaos in the city and resulted in a lawsuit from Vermont Legal Aid. But after all the…

By Babette Stolk/VTDigger The aircraft engine manufacturer GE Aerospace announced Tuesday, March 12, that it plans to invest $24.9 million in its Rutland facility, which specializes in military and commercial hardware. The funding will go to new equipment, machines and tooling to support the company’s production of aircraft, military and fighter jet engines, according to Patricia…

Pippa Scott is the sole Vermonter to make cut; winner receives full-tuition scholarship By Polly Mikula Pippa Scott, a student at Killington Mountain School in Killington, has been named one of five finalists in the University of Vermont’s inaugural Vermont Pitch Challenge, a new entrepreneurial-focused competition that gives high school sophomores, juniors and seniors from across…