By Katy Savage KILLINGTON— The town could see a significant tax increase in the future. Town Manager Chet Hagenbarth said the town has accumulated about $2.2 million worth of debt, coming partly from about $588,000 of unfunded expenses from Tropical Storm Irene, and about $286,000 in golf course debt along with $250,000 in a…

By Curt Peterson HARTLAND — In the face of finger-pointing, local fiscal problems and political turmoil in Puerto Rico, two Hartland churches have banded together under the project title Hartland Churches United in Service, to help residents of the island repair Hurricane Maria’s September 2017 damage to their homes. Vicki Lawrence and her husband, Jim,…

By John Flowers/Addison Independent MIDDLEBURY — Two 14-year-old Middlebury Union Middle School students have been indefinitely pulled from classes and face juvenile court citations after allegedly cooperating on a plan to shoot another student, and possibly others, on campus on Tuesday, Dec. 18. Middlebury police are still investigating the case and are withholding the names of…

By Colin Meyn/VTDigger Gov. Phil Scott has appointed Tom Huebner, who stepped down in March as the head of Rutland Regional Medical Center, to “evaluate, monitor and assist Springfield Hospital as it confronts serious financial challenges.” The governor’s office released a statement announcing the appointment Wednesday afternoon, Dec. 19, a week after Springfield’s CEO, Tim Ford, abruptly…

By Anne Wallace Allen/VTDigger It’s the season for superlatives at Vermont ski areas, thanks to early snowfall and below-average temperatures. Killington Resort opened Oct. 19 and will boast 75 days of operation before the year closes on 2018. The ski areas have been making the most of the cold – making snow early before being flooded…

Investments in snowmaking upgrades pay off with best-ever efficiency and capability Turning the corner into the holiday week, Vermont ski areas aren’t allowing the rain on Friday, Dec. 21 to dampen their Christmas spirits. “We saw this storm coming, and we were ready for it,” said Jamie Storrs, director of communications for Mount Snow Resort. “The…

Kwanzaa traces its origins to Africa and is celebrated across North America and other nations that have large populations that trace their heritage to Africa. The holiday begins on December 26 and continues until January 1. The main components of the celebration include family, community and culture. Kwanzaa was not designed to replace Christmas. In…

By Curt Peterson After 1 ½ years of fighting  and pondering an independent school, the Barnard School Board agreed on Dec.17 to pursue a voluntary merger with the Windsor Central Modified Unified Union School District. “I move that the WCMUUSD Board not pursue a forced merger, and require Barnard to vote in the affirmative before…

By Katy Savage A Killington vacation homeowner may need an Act 250 permit to continue renting his home. Act 250 District Coordinator William Burke said the three-bedroom home on Estabrook Road has “potential for significant adverse impacts under Act 250 criteria” in a Dec. 13, 2018 opinion letter. Homeowner Vincent Connolly has caused contention for…

By Katy Savage Mondo Mediaworks is pulling out of a one-year $150,000 contract to market Rutland County three months early. Mondo, the Brattleboro-based digital marketing company, was hired by the Rutland Regional Chamber of commerce and Rutland Economic Development Corporation two years ago to produce digital marketing campaigns for Rutland and the surrounding area.  The…

By Julia Purdy When President Calvin Coolidge called for the first-ever national Christmas tree in 1923, Riley Bostwick was ready. He knew just the tree, an imposing wild balsam fir growing on Bread Loaf Mountain in Ripton, on forest land belonging to publisher and philanthropist Col. Joseph Battell of Middlebury. Working at that time as…

Staff report A new restaurant and deli are opening in  Killington. Don Billings, who owns The Bakery on West Street and Roots the Restaurant on Washington Street in Rutland, recently purchased the former Phat Italian and On the Rocs in Killington. His deli and market, now called Mountain Merchant, opened in time for the World…

By Katy Savage When Dick Horner came to Killington back in 1989, Killington Road was just one lane in both directions, the Killington Grand Hotel didn’t exist and snowboarding was in its infancy. In his 30 years as town planning and zoning administrator, Horner has overseen development of major projects that have shaped Killington Resort…

By Karen D. Lorentz When Killington Basin Ski Area opened for skiing on Dec. 13, 1958, it was a momentous occasion that went largely unnoticed. Founder Pres Smith attended a sub-zero “Access Road” ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. along with various dignitaries, including Governor elect Robert Stafford, who cut the ribbon. On that same Saturday,…

By Karen D. Lorentz There are many different ways to combine one’s love of skiing and mountains with making a living. For Gary Milliken that means creating trail maps. First asked to produce a summer map for Killington in late winter 2017, Milliken said, “Killington didn’t have a comprehensive map that included all of the…