By Alan Keays, VTDigger The head of Vermont’s largest agency was speaking Thursday, July 13, in Rutland when a little girl darted in front of him. “Can I get a high-five?” Al Gobeille, secretary of the Agency of Human Services, asked the toddler. She kept running, then whizzed past him again. “Maybe a fist bump?”…

By Polly Lynn Mikula “We’re here to celebrate Rutland County communities coming together toward a new effort to promote the entire region in the Killington Valley Initiative,” said Rutland Sen. Brian Collamore, Friday evening, July 14, at the estate wine tasting at the Peak Lodge in Killington, where the Killington Valley Initiative officially released its…

By Alan J. Keays, VTDigger RUTLAND – Rutland City’s grand list still tops $1 billion, but it has dropped over the past year by $10 million. The grand list is the assessed value of the property in the city. Recent figures prepared by the city’s assessor’s office show that the current grand list stands at…

State police said a Killington man was hurt in a crash on Route 4 in Rutland town on Saturday night. Police said in a press release Philip Black was taken to Rutland Regional Medical Center where he was treated for non life-threatening” injuries following a head-on collision that occurred around 10 p.m. near the intersection…

Police say a Pittsford woman died from injuries resulting from a car crash that occurred on Saturday night in Rutland. Vermont State Police, Rutland Town Fire Department, and Regional Ambulance Service responded to the scene of an accident at the intersection of Route 7 and Pinnacle Ridge Road in Rutland. Investigation determined that Kara Goudreau…

CHITTENDEN—Barstow Memorial School began a fundraising project for a new playground after their current playground was determined to be no longer safe. This month, the goal has been achieved and a new playground will be in place for the start of school in August. Principal Renee Castillo noted that in August 2016 she had invited…

By Alan J. Keays, VTDigger IRA — The 108 head of cattle are gone. So are the tractors, balers and even the manure spreader. They all went to the highest bidders at an auction Saturday, July 8, at Milky Way Farm in Ira after a creditor of the financially struggling Rutland County dairy operation called…

POULTNEY—Do you know a Poultney citizen who goes above and beyond the call of duty to enrich the Poultney community in sharing his or her time and talents to it? Residents are invited to submit their nomination for their ideal Poultney citizen for the 2017 Poultney Area Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year award.…

By Alan J. Keays, VTDigger RUTLAND —A local doctor and medical practice owner had been engaged in criminal conduct for several years involving prescription and Medicaid fraud, Vermont State Police alleged Monday, July 3. Dr. Mark Logan, owner of Green Mountain Family Medicine in Rutland, faces 35 counts of prescription fraud and six counts of…

By Susan Durant “I wake up every morning amazed I am living in a 200-year-old house. The fact that it is still standing is a testament that they knew how to build them then,” said the Rev. Lee Crawford, the current resident of the Josiah Wood Farmhouse (now the vicarage for Church of Our Saviour…

By Lani Duke Downtown’s changing face The Bookmobile has moved to 17 Center Street, near Wonderfeet Kids’ Museum, and double its original square footage, on June 1. Owners Ruthellen Weston and Donald Babcock had opened the original store on Merchants Row in October 2012. They specialize in used books but offer new titles, children’s books,…

By Lani Duke Poultney residents contest store proposal POULTNEY—Local residents’ concerns about developing a Dollar General store on a Beaman Street property led to the town’s Development Review Board nixing the proposal, June 28. A pair of planned light-industrial uses met with community approval, but inclusion of the 10,000-square-foot retail use did not. Four buildings…

Tasting wine on the mountain July 14-16 — KILLINGTON — This year’s wine festival toasts 16 years of tasting events in the heart of the Green Mountains July 14-16, 2017. Throughout the weekend, representatives from dozens of wineries and distributors pour hundreds of wines and spirits from around the world. The Killington Wine Festival boasts one of the widest…

New attractions, events continue to grow summer offerings KILLINGTON—Since 2015, Killington Resort has invested more than $5 million to enhance its summer offerings including an expanded mountain bike park, adventure center, events and attractions. The Killington Bike Park expansion continues into the fourth phase of a five-year build out designed by Gravity Logic, a world…

RUTLAND COUNTY—The Killington Valley Initiative, a part of the Regional Marketing Initiative, which involves Rutland County communities, towns and businesses, is set to release its first promotional video on July 14 at the Killington Wine Fest, at Killington Resort during the estate tasting at the Peak Lodge. The program is designed to showcase mountain biking services…