The Attorney General’s Office announced that Emily St. Peter, 46, of Rutland, Vermont, was arraigned today on one count of felony Medicaid fraud. The charges brought against Ms. St. Peter are the result of an investigation conducted by the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud and Residential Abuse Unit (MFRAU), which found Ms. St. Peter had falsely…

By Sarah Mearhoff/VTDigger The owners of Simon Pearce, Vermont’s iconic glass and pottery maker, have sold an unspecified stake in the half-a-century-old business to a San Francisco-based private equity firm. Simon Pearce has been headquartered in Windsor since its namesake founded it in 1971. In a press release Tuesday, Dec. 3, the company said it had…

Pico Mountain will kick off its 2024/25 winter season at 9 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 13, welcoming skiers and riders for another season of snowy adventures.  The mountain will operate Thursday through Monday throughout the season, with daily operations during holiday weeks. “This season is already shaping up to be an exciting one,” said Rich…

By Polly Mikula  While the Killington Cup did not go as many expected and all hoped it would, with Mikaela Shiffrin set up to win her 100th World Cup race but instead crashing just seconds before the finish line, the Alpine superstar (still recovering) recently reflected with pride on her runs at Killington.  “My GS…

By Polly Mikula Over 100 district residents attended the last Mountain Views Supervisory Union (MVSU) board meeting Monday, Dec. 2, to object to the proposed elimination of 17 teaching and staff positions, including both full- and part-time roles, five of which are in unified arts programs — visual and performing arts, music and world languages —…

KILLINGTON—On Nov. 23, at the annual meeting of the Killington Grand Hotel Owner’s Association, Killington Pico Realty and the Owner’s Association teamed up to host a successful fundraiser benefiting the Rutland Chapter of Habitat for Humanity. Kyle Kershner,  broker/owner at Killington Pico Real Estate, who is also an owner at the Grand Hotel, was invited…

Thursday-Sunday, Dec. 10-22—WHITE RIVER JUNCTION—Shaker Bridge Theatre opened “The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley” on Thursday, Dec. 5, at the Briggs Opera House. This yuletide sequel to “Pride and Prejudice,” written by Lauren M. Gunderson and Margot Melcon, invites audiences to experience Pemberley’s bustling servants’ quarters during the holiday season. The story unfolds as Mrs. Reynolds,…

Travel along Pleasant Street in West Rutland, and you’ll come across this well-decorated home, which invites visitors to drive along an entranceway through an enchanted scene that loops back around to Pleasant Street. 

Thursday, Dec. 12 at 5 p.m. — RUTLAND —The highly anticipated Jingle Bell Shop returns to downtown Rutland on Thursday, Dec. 12, from 5-8 p.m., blending festive shopping with locally sourced food and drink in an event designed to support local businesses and bring seasonal cheer. For $25, ticket holders can explore nearly 30 stops…

The Festival of Trees, part of the Vermont Holiday Festival held Dec. 5-7 at the Killington Grand Hotel, once again brought holiday cheer and creativity to the spotlight. Local businesses showcased their talent by sponsoring and decorating themed trees, which filled the venue with festive magic and community spirit. The competition  featured standout designs that…

 Saturday-Sunday, Dec. 15-16—SPRINGFIELD — The Dance Factory will enchant audiences with its 33rd annual production of “The Nutcracker” at Springfield High School on Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Directed by Ashley Hensel-Browning, the performance features a cast of youth and adult dancers, dazzling custom costumes, and magical elements like a growing…

By Curt Peterson Miguel Cervantes, author of the Spanish classic novel “Don Quixote,” once said: “In order to attain the impossible, one must attempt the absurd.”  Cervantes’s Quixote, who had a questionable grasp of reality, donned a suit of armor and rode the countryside “tilting at windmills,” seeing them as “ferocious giants” threatening civilization. In…

By Curt Peterson The Hartland Select Board has to make an important decision before the deadline to publish the Town Report and the articles for Town Meeting in March 2025. The first rough estimate to rebuild Quechee Road, a major route from Hartland Three Corners to Quechee, was $6.5 million. An engineering report from Pathways…

By Polly Mikula On Monday, Dec. 2, the Mountain Views Supervisory Union met to discuss a proposed $2.5 million budget cut.  “These cuts were necessary to stay under the penalty threshold,” Superintendent Sherry Sousa explained. “The proposed cuts are across all schools and the central office,” she said.  The proposed budget is just below the…

By Polly Mikula For the eighth time the women’s Audi FIS Ski World Cup came to Killington Resort over Thanksgiving weekend. The first day of racing, a Giant Slalom on Saturday, was marked by a combination of jubilation and heartbreak as U.S. Ski team members Nina O’Brien and Paula Moltzan posted their best World Cup…