By Tiffany Danitz Pache, VTDigger The Senate Thursday, April 27, gave preliminary approval to a bill that will raise property taxes. The proposal transfers $8 million of the state’s annual contribution for teachers’ retirement from the general fund to the education fund. That shift frees up money for child care, state colleges and the mental…

KILLINGTON—The umbrella bars at the base of Superstar at Killington Resort are a hot spot for spring skiers and riders. This past weekend the venue hosted the Dazed and Defrosted event Saturday, April 22, which includee on-snow demos, a photo booth and live music. Since the event shared the day with Earth Day, it was…

By Evan Johnson  Spread out among 17 tracts in the woods around Mendon, 150 acres of red pine are coming down this year.  The trees are being removed due to red pine scale, an invasive species that preys on the coniferous trees. “If they’re not harvested they’ll lose value and become a fire hazard,” said…

RUTLAND—For 4-Hers from seven clubs in Bennington and Rutland Counties, April 14 was an action-packed night. Southwest Regional 4-H Night, held at Rutland High School, provided an opportunity for them to demonstrate what they have learned in University of Vermont (UVM) Extension 4-H projects and club activities. At stake was the chance to continue on…

Watching wildlife is enjoyable, especially when young animals appear in the spring. But it’s best to keep your distance. Picking up young wildlife can do more harm than good, according to the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department. It’s also against the law. When people see young animals alone, they often mistakenly assume these animals are…

HUBBARDTON—The Hubbardton Battlefield State Historic Site isn’t the only thing to put the small Rutland County town of Hubbardton on the map these days. The town recently won a statewide award for its modern creativity and fresh approach in its newest town plan. The award recognizes plans that exemplify a visionary approach and expand the…

Fair Haven schools look ahead FAIR HAVEN—Girls’ and Boys’ Club activities are opening to Fair Haven Grade School students in the fall. Grant-funded, the club will be free to students from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m., including Power Hour academic time, an activity, light dinner, and pick-up by parents. Director of Student Services Pat Davenport applied…

Homeless family shelter planned for downtown Homeless Prevention Center Executive Director Deborah Hall asked the city for support in developing a shelter to house as many as 10 families in the former Red Cross building, 117 Strongs Avenue. Hall told the aldermen she is not asking for funds but a document of local support to…

RUTLAND—Bureau of Criminal Investigations detectives with the state police have finished a 30-day investigation of an incident that occurred in March at the Marble Valley Regional Correctional Facility. On March 19, 20-year-old Emma Decubellis was caught by corrections officers attempting to smuggle the pain-relieving drug buprenorphine into the jail for inmate Randy Babcock during visiting…

Police are urging the public to watch out for a computer scam that can access bank accounts and lock a user out of their computer. Police say incidents have been reported locally, in which individuals have had their bank accounts fraudulently accessed after having a virus installed on their computers. Users with an infected computer…

 KILLINGTON—After 35-plus years in Killington, Craig and Mary Hogstrom are beginning  the next chapter of their lives in Newark, Del. As you can tell from the smiles on their faces, parting is not such sweet sorrow, as they are excited about their upcoming move in mid-May. Mary is leaving her most recent job at The…

By Elizabeth Hewitt, VTDigger Following spirited debate Friday, April 21, the Senate supported a proposal that would legalize marijuana and create a system to regulate and tax marijuana sales. The proposal, which would set up a system similar to the model currently in place in Colorado, came after several members of the Senate expressed frustration…

By Alan J. Keays, VTDigger An attorney for Rutland City is disputing claims of bias policing and wants a federal judge to toss out a lawsuit from a former nightclub owner alleging discriminatory police tactics forced him out of business. The city, in its recent filing, also asked the judge to require Charles Greeno III,…

By Evan Johnson Governor Phil Scott has stated he wants economic growth to be a cornerstone of his administration and this week in Rutland he got a preview of what that growth could look like in a state with a rich history of agriculture. On a tour of the Vermont Farmers Food Center (VFFC), Scott…

By Evan Johnson Jim Harrison has jumped “with two feet” into his new role as state representative for the towns of Killington, Mendon, Chittenden and Bridgewater. The Chittenden resident was selected by Gov. Phil Scott to replace Rep. Job Tate, who resigned from his post for a deployment with the U.S. Navy Seabees earlier this…