Support for parents is vital for children’s well being “We understand isolation, though necessary for preventing the spread of the coronavirus, can be very challenging for families with children,” stated Ed Bride, deputy/development director at Prevent Child Abuse Vermont (PCAVT) in a recent news release. Young children need and actually thrive with predictable structure…

Diana Lynn Gildersleeve, 62, passed away peacefully at her home in Bridgewater, Vermont, on March 31, 2020. Born Sept. 18, 1957, to parents Joyce (Wardwell) and Raymond Phillips, she was a graduate of Woodstock Union High School class of 1976. Diana Gildersleeve worked at the Book Bindery, the original Cole Farm Restaurant, Bridgewater Country Store,…

By Editor Emeritus Royal Barnard I am so sad to report the passing of Dave Pfannenstein, my friend, a friend of the Mountain Times and one of the most wonderful people many of us have had the privilege to know. Dave Pfannenstein recently retired as the executive director of the Vermont Golf Association and moved permanently to…

Charlie Demarest passed away on March 30 following a period of declining health and a short hospitalization at the Rutland Regional Medical Center. Charlie Demarest was born in Randolph, Vermont, on Aug. 3, 1948, the first son of Harrison Bowles Demarest and Ruth Cooley Demarest. In 1951 the Demarests moved to the Haskell section of Wanaque,…

CU experiments with new ways to improve learning outcomes CASTLETON—A pilot program at Castleton University aims to expose students to alternative hobbies that could help build community on campus and promote valuable social skills, according to a news release, April 1, from the University. Dr. Greg Engel, assistant professor in the Psychology Department, said the…

By Brooke Geery Lucas Geller of Bridgewater turned 10 on April 4. Due to social distancing, the normal birthday party with friends and cake was out of the question, so his faaamily and friends came up with a creative solution. Outside Drewski’s restaurant, Lucas was treated to a surprise parade of drive-by honks. Some cars…

Castleton University cancels graduation Staff report On Thursday afternoon, March 26, Governor Phil Scott directed schools to remain dismissed through the end of the 2019-2020 school year. K-12 schools will stay closed for in-person instruction and be required to implement continuity of learning plans for remote learning. This extends the governor’s previous directive dismissing preK-12…

District School Board votes in new chair, co-chair Staff report Mary Beth Banios, superintendent of the Windsor Central Union School District, announced that she will be leaving the district in an email to school board members, Wednesday, March 25. Banios told the board that she had gotten the job as superintendent at Hamilton-Wenham Regional School…

By Ed Larson In an update to employees, released March 26, General Electric stated it is supporting two employees at Plant #1 who have tested positive for COVID-19. G.E. indicated in the update that the company could not identify the employees involved or discuss specifics of their conditions due to privacy laws. The plant had been…

RUTLAND — Southwestern Vermont Council on Aging (SVCOA), administrators of the Rutland County Meals on Wheels program, issued an urgent call for volunteer support on March 25 to assist with Meals on Wheels deliveries to homebound older Vermonters throughout the area. “We’ve seen a drastic decline in the number of volunteer deliver drivers as the…

KILLINGTON—On March 25, Mary Guggenberger, principal of Killington Elementary School, shared the following good news with the KES community via their newsletter.  She reported that she had heard from John Duke at Killington Resort who said “I’m happy to let you know that Lia Gugliotta won the most creative poster award for the NSAA (National…

Mary Beth Banios, superintendent of the Windsor Central Union School District, announced that she will be leaving the district in a letter to school board members, Wednesday, March 25. Banios told the board that she had gotten the job as superintendent at Hamilton-Wenham Regional School District, in Wenham, Massachusetts, and would be starting there on…

Auditor’s report shows budget deficit lower than projected, a welcomed surprise By Curt Peterson The Windsor Central Unified School District Board meeting Monday evening, March 23, was a “perfect storm” – literally, as it turned out. A surprise March snowstorm covered the region in up to 10 inches of fresh snow making travel difficult. Most…

On Tuesday, March 24, Governor Phil Scott issued a “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order and directed the closure of in-person operations for all non-essential businesses. These restrictive measures are in place to minimize all unnecessary activities outside the home to slow the spread of this virus and protect the public. These actions were implemented in…

Young adults reflect on their generation’s difficulty with social distancing By Vivian Finck Just last week the federal government, backed by the Centers for Disease Control and World Health Organization, sounded a warning to all to implement social distancing into our daily lives. Social distancing, if properly executed, will hopefully help curb the spread of…