Saturday, Jan. 7 at 12:30 p.m.—LUDLOW—”Grommet” is a widely accepted term for a young person who participates in extreme sports such as surfing, skateboarding, skiing or snowboarding. At Okemo’s Grommet Throwdown, Jan. 7, kids age 13 and younger can spend the morning with Okemo park rangers and Ski + Ride School instructors learning park etiquette,…

By Erin Mansfield, VTDigger When lawmakers begin the legislative session Wednesday, Jan. 4, they will be dealing with many of the perennial issues that stem from the ever-rising cost of health care. The Joint Fiscal Office projects that lower-than-expected Medicaid funding from the federal government will be a factor in an estimated $55 million to…

By Lani Duke RUTLAND—Alderman David Allaire announced his intention to run for mayor of Rutland, Dec. 27. Allaire has run for mayor twice before, in 2011 and 2013. Outside sales manager for Interstate Batteries, Allaire has been repeatedly elected to Rutland’s Board of Aldermen and has served the board as its president. One of the…

Vermont’s minimum wage increased from $9.60 to $10.00 per hour on Jan. 1, 2017, in accordance with legislation signed by Governor Shumlin in June 2014. The tipped-employee minimum wage also increased on Jan. 1 to $5.00 per hour. Vermont’s minimum wage will increase in January 2018 to $10.50, and statutory provisions to track the CPI-U…

By Julia Purdy There is bad news about population loss in six U.S. states, according to governing.com, which lists Illinois, West Virginia, Connecticut, Mississippi, Maine and Vermont as the states with the most concerning demographics, (“The States with Declining Populations,” Jan. 19, 2016). The article cited the U.S. Census Annual Social and Economic Survey, conducted…

By Dr. Leonard Perry, Horticulture Professor Emeritus, UVM African violets are one of the easiest and most adaptable flowering houseplants to grow, as they do well in the conditions found in most homes. There are seven main cultural factors you should be aware of to ensure their success. African violets that you buy are almost certainly…

Incoming governor Phil Scott today announced the appointments of three extended cabinet members. Bradley Ferland has been named deputy secretary of the Agency of Administration. Ferland has been with the agency — which is responsible for the state budget and provides administrative and support services — for more than two decades. He currently serves as…

Diet can go a long way toward increasing or lowering energy levels. No one wants to consume foods that will make it harder for them to get through the day, so the following are a handful of foods that pack an energetic punch. 1. Cashews: Cashews, which are high in magnesium, help to convert sugar…

By Adam Federman, VTDigger The kingpin of a major cocaine and heroin distribution ring in the Rutland area was convicted by a federal jury Friday, Dec. 23. Joell Joyce, or “Prince,” a 27-year-old African American from Brooklyn, was found guilty on charges of conspiracy to distribute more than 28 grams of cocaine base and heroin…

By Kevin O’Connor, VTDigger When Gov. Madeleine Kunin learned of the recent death of 96-year-old friend Marion Pritchard, she recalled their meeting at Vermont’s first Holocaust memorial ceremony in 1987 — and their separate yet shared World War II experiences nearly a half-century before. Kunin, born in Switzerland in 1933, was 6 years old when…

By Mark Bushnell, VTDigger The ice called to Amos Blood. Each winter, as the cold settled in, he would look out from his hometown of Ticonderoga, N.Y., across the frozen waters of Lake Champlain, to the Vermont shore. Blood would grab his skates, which were just strips of wood with a curl of metal acting…

By Daniel Schwartz, VTDigger One man is dead and another has been transported to a hospital following a suspected shooting Monday, Jan. 2, on Georgia Mountain Road in Georgia, according to a Vermont State Police press release. Police are investigating what they say appears to be a homicide. Detectives say an initial probe indicates that…

By Tiffany Danitz Pache, VTDigger State officials hope to attract foreign students and boost online enrollments to state colleges. That’s why the Vermont State College trustees used the word “university” to describe the newly merged Lyndon and Johnson state colleges. The new Northern Vermont University will be easier to market overseas, especially to Chinese students,…

RUTLAND—A community collaborative has been recently formed to help strengthen and support substance abuse prevention initiatives in Rutland County. Regional Prevention Partnerships (RPP) of Rutland, in collaboration with the Vermont Department of Health (VDH) and other community partners, want to help shape what substance abuse prevention will look like in Rutland County. Their intent is…

Fair Haven water line upgrade goes forward FAIR HAVEN—In February, the town will finalize contract documents that will result in major improvements to its system of water lines. Among them are the replacement of 5,975 feet of water line with 8-inch diameter PVC pipe and new fire hydrant installation on North Main, Fourth, Mechanic, Maple,…