By Julia Purdy CAVENDISH—Tierney Road has become the focus of contention among neighbors over the proposed reopening of a small rock quarry at the end of this mile-long town road that climbs a wooded hillside. Brightly-colored signs reading “Stop the Tierney Road Quarry” stud the roadside, with a few exceptions. Quarry opponents maintain that the…

By Katy Savage KILLINGTON—Megan Wagner has known what she’s wanted to do since she was 9. “I remember telling my dad when I was a little girl that I was going to own a bakery one day,” she said. Her father bought her cookbooks and let her “tear apart his kitchen,” when she was a…

By Julia Purdy RUTLAND—Curtis Bourque, born and raised in Rutland and a server/bartender by trade, stood at the counter of the Ruff Life Café, 46 Center Street, waiting for his takeout order of coffee drinks. He missed the old Coffee Exchange down the street, and when he saw Ruff Life open, a lightbulb went on.…

By Curt Peterson POMFRET—Two days before school was supposed to start at Prosper Valley School in Pomfret, parents were advised the morning of Aug. 27 that school would not open as expected due to mold. “Some significant issues have arisen with the Prosper Valley School facility that will result in the cancellation of tonight’s Ice…

By Julia Purdy KILLINGTON—The long-awaited power purchase agreement with AllEarth Solar of Williston was scuttled on a 2-1 vote at the Killington Select Board meeting Aug. 20. Board members Steve Finneron and Jim Haff voted against; Patty McGrath voted for. Finneron said he thinks there should be a more comprehensive plan. Two months of discussion…

By Julia Purdy Vermont is famous for its commercially valuable mineral resources, from marble, slate and granite to talc and calcium carbonate. But less well known is a rock that occurs throughout Vermont in the everyday landscape: schist. Although schist does not feature prominently in the state geologist’s reports of the time, in the 19th…

By Curt Peterson WOODSTOCK—The Vermont State Police Arson Investigation Unit has declared the Woodstock fire that destroyed the two-story building housing the offices of The Vermont Standard on July 16 as arson. Evidence taken from the building on July 18 is undergoing a second set of tests and the results are expected soon, said Standard…

Staff report A two-day recount of votes in the Republican primary election for a Rutland County Senate Seat found more votes than before. short The recount showed 16,676 people voted, up from 16,569 votes previously counted—though the outcome hasn’t changed. Rutland County is comprised of three senators. Incumbent Brian Collamore received 3508 votes in the…

          A car caught fire south of exit 6 on Interstate 89 around noon Aug. 24.

Athletes elevate their game and push their limits KILLINGTON—Killington welcomes the second annual Under Armour Mountain Running Series, in its second of three races, Aug. 25. In partnership with POWDR, the trail running series is designed for running professionals and enthusiasts alike who want to experience trail running in some of the most beautiful and…

Melvin Bauer Neisner, Jr. (MB) came into the world on June 7, 1956 and left it on Aug. 12, 2018 surrounded by his family. His mother, Ellen Garson Neisner, and late father, Melvin B. Neisner, raised him in Rochester, New York where he became an Eagle Scout, one of his proudest accomplishments. He graduated from…

By Katy Savage KILLINGTON—Sick of long lines to the chairlift? For $6,500, you can have the entire base lodge and two lifts to yourself on Tuesday or Wednesday. Pico Mountain is now available to rent this winter season. Pico will provide food and an open bar at an additional expense. Pico Mountain Director of Operations…

By Curt Peterson RUTLAND—As of Monday, Aug. 20, the Rutland Area National Association for the Advancement of Colored People gathered 3,946 signatures on a petition (RANAACP) asking management of the Vermont State Fair to prohibit display or sale of Confederate symbols or flags at last weekend’s event. The RANAACP Facebook page said, “Taking the step…

By Polly Lynn Mikula PLYMOUTH—This Saturday, Aug. 25, about 50 people are expected to race across Woodward Reservoir in Plymouth for the second annual Make A Wave paddleboard race. Paddleboards are provided at no additional cost for those that need them. The family-friendly 1 mile race is easy enough for a beginner to complete, according to…

By Lola Duffort/ VTDigger In Rutland City, school administrators searched high and low for a qualified higher-level math teacher this spring. Coming up empty, they asked their counterparts in neighboring towns if they could recommend anyone on the market. Basically everyone responded the same way – “We’re looking, too.” “Almost every high school/7-12 setting in…