Castleton Polling Institute earns national contract CASTLETON – The Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) recently awarded the Castleton University Polling Institute a $400,000 contract to develop and pilot test an interactive health-related survey and journal system, according to a Castleton University news release, Monday, Aug. 22.. Director of the Polling Institute Dr. Rich…

By: Lani Duke School districts consider Act 46 by deadlines School classrooms are filling up soon, and boards are returning to tackle discussions of how to meet the state-mandated merger requirements of Act 46. If these school districts combine, which are left out? Which lie in between but don’t fit in terms of their structure?…

RUTLAND—On Aug. 10, the board of directors of Rutland Area Farm and Food Link (RAFFL) announced that Elena Gustavson has been named the new executive director, effective Aug. 1. Gustavson succeeds Tara Kelly, who was appointed in June to serve as the planning director for the City of Rutland. Gustavson brings a wealth of experience…

RUTLAND—On Aug. 15, the Visiting Nurse Association of the Southwest Region (VNASWR) officially announced that Bernadette C. Robin has joined VNASWR as the director of business development and marketing. With a depth of experience in marketing and communications, Robin brings an integral understanding of healthcare marketing, public relations, and creating and launching communications strategies. Robin…

Downtown gets two new stores By Lani Duke RUTLAND—Black Moon Games has opened at 9 Evelyn St. in downtown Rutland, specializing in tabletop board and card games, role-playing games and miniatures. It also has a large gaming space in which to play. Stephen and Allison Willoughby opened home furnishings store Kindred Spirit at 53 Merchants…

Monday, Aug. 22 at 7:30 a.m.—PITTSFORD—The Rutland County Humane Society (RCHS) is working with VT-CAN (a low cost spay/neuter clinic in Vermont) to host a low cost spay/neuter clinic for Rutland County cats on Monday, Aug. 22 in Pittsford. Cats need to be dropped off between 7:30 and 8:30 a.m. and picked up at 4:30 p.m. Transportation from the old…

CALAIS—Friday morning, Aug. 12, at approximately 9:10 a.m., Vermont State Police SCUBA Team along with Colchester Technical Rescue recovered the body of Seamus Beall, age 17, of East Calais, in Curtis Pond following a swimming incident Thursday evening.  Beall was located in the vicinity where he was last seen. Witnesses report Beall was a good…

Weight loss program starts in September RUTLAND – According to the World Health Organization, nearly two-thirds of Americans are overweight yet 50 percent of American women and 25 percent of men are currently on a diet. These two statistics seem to be at odds and beg the question: What’s not working? Community Health Education at…

WALLINGFORD—On Tuesday, Aug. 16, at 9:45 a.m., Vermont State Police investigated an automobile theft from South Main Street in Wallingford. The vehicle’s owner, Robert Bushey, reported his silver 1999 Volvo V70 station wagon was stolen from in front of his residence between 9 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 15, and Tuesday morning Aug. 16. Bushey described…

By Marguerite Loucks Dye and Marguerite Jill Dye In rereading my mother’s account of the Rutland Fair in The Mountain Times from September, 1994, I am amazed at the changes in our society that have altered state fairs across the nation. The Vermont State Fair, an agricultural fair run by the Rutland County Agricultural Society,…

KILLINGTON— Killington Resort Golf Course saw its first hole in one on the course this season, according to a Chris Kenison, Killington Resort Pro Shop Manager. The feat was achieved by the resort’s very own Peter Christenson, who hit the shot on hole 17 using a 50 degree wedge on Sunday, Aug. 14. Christenson is a bartender…

By Adam Federman, VTDigger.org The family-owned Rutland Herald has entered into an agreement to sell the Herald and its sister paper the Times Argus, according to a story posted on the Herald’s website late Wednesday night, Aug. 10. The story ran in Thursday’s print edition. The story, written by the paper’s Editor-in-Chief Rob Mitchell, said…

By Tiffany Danitz Pache, VTDigger.org An overwhelming majority of towns that have voted so far have chosen to unite with neighboring towns to create larger governance structures for their schools. Districts around the state are studying whether to merge with neighboring districts as part of a state mandate known as Act 46. The landmark education…

By Elizabeth Hewitt, VTDigger.org With virtually every major statewide office in play this year, the elections also feature high turnover in both legislative bodies as some longtime lawmakers sought new offices or decided to retire. After Tuesday’s primary, Aug. 9, both parties say they are optimistic about their legislative lineups for the general election. “We…

By Jasper Craven and Mark Johnson, VTDigger.org More than $5.3 million was spent by statewide candidates and their allied political action committees during Vermont’s primary season. It was the most expensive primary in Vermont’s history, and it was fueled by outside groups, a lift in the cap on individual contributions from $2,000 to $4,000, and…