By Evan Johnson Clad in cycling shoes, shorts and superhero t-shirts, three friends near the end of their cross-country bike trip to raise money for pancreatic cancer research. The trip, which is being called Portland to Portland, is a project of Josh Johannessen, Scott Phillips, and José Alfaro, three high school friends from Budd Lake,…

KILLINGTON— The Killington Welcome Center has extended its hours to support the heightened levels of visitors. The Welcome Center will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. The extended hours will continue until Jan. 1, 2018. “During the last two weeks in July…

By Evan Johnson Barry Leete and his team were looking to develop a new automatic pump regulator for firetrucks, Dave Goodspeed hoped to create orthopedic footbeds and inserts using 3D printers, and Jeff DeJarnette dreamed of starting an online music production company for artists around the globe. All three of them, plus a team of young…

By Alan J. Keays, VTDigger RUTLAND — Jeffrey Fredette told city officials last week he shouldn’t have to wake up at the crack of dawn to the crowing of his neighbor’s roosters every morning. “We do pay a pretty healthy amount of taxes to live where we live,” Fredette said. “I just feel, personally, the city…

POULTNEY— Teams of farmers from all over Vermont will come together Wednesday, Aug. 2 at Cerridwen Farms on the Green Mountain College campus in Poultney to compete in a wide range of events designed to challenge farmers’ field skills at the third annual Farmer Olympics, hosted by the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont (NOFA-VT).…

By Evan Johnson KILLINGTON— On Tuesday afternoon, my phone vibrated with a text from Killington Mountain School’s director of athlete development, Gar Trayner: “Meet me at the umbrella bar [at the] bottom of Superstar at 2:50.” I replied that I was on my way, grabbed car keys and camera and was out the door. Blasting…

By Evan Johnson Growing Rutland’s economy and making it a more accessible place for young people to work was the focus of Rep. Peter Welch’s recent visit to Rutland on Monday, July 31. After attending a groundbreaking ceremony for a $20.8 million road project in Brandon, Welch and members of his staff traveled south to…

By Robin Alberti KILLINGTON— This past Thursday, July 27, the rain moved the annual Chili Cook-off indoors to Snowshed Lodge at Killington Resort, but it did nothing to dampen the mood of those in attendance. The general vibe at the event was rather one of great cheer and enthusiasm. Killington’s annual Chili Cook-off has quickly…

By Lee J. Kahrs BRANDON — There are two things no one thought they would ever see this summer: the sun, and the start of the Segment 6 Route 7 improvement project. But the clouds parted over the weekend and Monday dawned another bluebird day in Brandon’s Central Park, where roughly 75 local residents, state…

RUTLAND— The Paramount Theatre unveiled its 2017-2018 season at the historic hall, Friday, July 28. “The upcoming season continues the great tradition of presenting diverse selections of events to our community,” said Eric Mallette, the Paramount Theatre’s programming director. “We take our role in the renaissance of downtown Rutland very seriously; we are proud to…

By Julia Purdy WEST HAVEN— Matt Moriarty banged on the weatherbeaten door of the sagging shed to give the snakes fair warning. The snakes could be timber rattlers or black rat snakes, which share the old Galick farmstead with caretakers Dave and Elaine, who have dubbed the place Broken Shovel Farm and have a collection…

By Alan Keays, VTDigger EAST POULTNEY— Roderick Geronimo looked straight ahead and showed no emotion as he admitted killing his 82-year-old mother by slamming a kitchen table into her chest and bashing her over the head with a pair of wine bottles. Geronimo, 55, who according to court records told police after the killing that…

By Stephen Seitz LUDLOW— Ludlow Elementary School principal Karen Trimboli has taken over from Shannon Martin as principal of Black River Middle and High School. “I am excited to have the opportunity to provide positive leadership for the school and the children,” Trimboli said. Martin, who was on maternity leave, resigned to take over as…

On Tuesday, July 25, Reading voters approved a measure to join a new regional school district that nearby towns approved in March under Act 46, the state’s education reform law.  Reading will now join, the Windsor Central Modified Unified District includes Woodstock, Pomfret, Bridgewater, Killington and Plymouth, all of which have voted in favor of…

Police said a man drove 90 miles-per-hour in a 40 mile-per-hour zone Saturday night in Rutland Town. According to state police, troopers from the Rutland Barracks observed a vehicle traveling north on Route 7 at a high rate of speed at around 10 p.m. on Saturday, July 29. Using radar, the vehicle was measured to…