An Executive Order signed by Gov. Peter Shumlin that gives businesses fighting climate change preference in the state contracting process has been finalized. The new policy applies to any contract over $25,000, which captures at least 97 percent of state contracting dollars. The state of Vermont spends hundreds of millions of dollars each year in contracts.…

By Evan Johnson POMFRET — As skiers return to Suicide Six for the 2016-2017 ski season, they’ll be riding a newly installed Leitner-Poma chairlift to the top. On Monday, Dec. 19, longtime skiers and resort management gathered to cut a ribbon on the new lift and take the inaugural ride for the first turns of…

By Karen D. Lorentz While Mother Nature has been kind of late with some steady small snowfalls, ski resorts don’t take anything for granted. Okemo has already received 30 inches of natural snow and, combined with round-the-clock snowmaking, had 60 trails on the main mountain, Jackson Gore, Solitude and South Face, open on Dec. 19.…

By Karen Lorentz In the days before climate change, the weather was colder and it snowed more before winter’s official opening date of Dec. 21. But for many years now, early-season temperatures have vacillated wildly and snowfalls have been anything but reliable, so ski areas have utilized vastly expanded and improved snowmaking systems to provide…

By Erin Mansfield, VTDigger Vermont’s three representatives to the Electoral College formally cast their votes Monday, Dec. 17, for Hillary Clinton to be president. Scores of protesters attended the event at the Statehouse. They oppose the nation’s Electoral College and say the U.S. president should be decided by the popular vote. The 2016 election has…

By Julia Purdy RUTLAND—The word is out: Tattersall’s Clothing & Accessories, 96 Merchants Row, will close its doors in mid-January after 21 years in its current location. Owner Christine Tattersall told the Mountain Times that she has tried to promote the sale of the business but has gotten no nibbles. “We always tried to be…

CHITTENDEN—The holidays are a time for traditions, and at Barstow Memorial School, this holds fast. With one tradition added just last year, a thematic door decorating contest, students and staff are able to creatively express themselves, work within their classes to construct their works of art. This year’s door masterpieces included 3D snowmen, the Polar…

CASTLETON—Firefighters from Castleton and Poultney responded to a reported structure fire at Castleton University in the Adams dormitory building located off South St. on Thursday afternoon, Dec. 15. Initial alarm activation in the building was followed up with 911 calls for an active fire on the fourth floor of the building. Upon their arrival, fire…

While policy discussions about technology and innovation issues often focus narrowly on iconic places like Silicon Valley, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) reported in a new study that high-tech innovation plays a large role in the Vermont economy. The Washington, D.C.-based think tank for science and technology policy examined 20 indicators of the…

RUTLAND—State police have arrested Brian McIntyre, an employee of the Marble Valley Regional Correctional Facility suspected of misusing a credit card assigned to the facility. In early December 2016, state police detectives were contacted by administrators within the Department of Corrections and asked to investigate what they believed were fraudulent charges made to a department-issued…

MOUNT HOLLY—A crash last week left a tractor-trailer in the water and briefly closed Route 103. At about 4:00 in the afternoon Tuesday, Dec. 13, state police were notified of a single-vehicle crash on Route 103 in Mt. Holly. Troopers from the Rutland Barracks responded and located the wreck at the intersection with North Bowlsville…

BENSON—State police arrested Loren Wooster, 50, of Benson Wednesday, Dec. 14, for alleged lewd and lascivious conduct with two underage girls and providing alcohol and drugs to a third. Wooster was cited with lewd and lascivious conduct, providing alcohol to a minor and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. He was scheduled to appear…

SHARON—On Dec. 16, at 1:16 p.m. state police stopped a silver 2007 BMW with Vermont plates for speeding near the Sharon rest area on I-89 North. During the stop the occupants were identified as Jonathan Alvarez, 27, and Ryan Mohr, 32, both from New Haven, Conn. A state police K9 was deployed and detected the…

ROCHESTER—State police are investigating a burglary that occurred at the Mom and Pop’s Farm Stand, owned by Tonya Sylvester, located at 3425 Brandon Mountain Road in the town of Rochester between 6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 14 and 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 15. After preliminary investigation, police reported that suspects entered through the barn and broke…

By Adam Federman, VTDigger RUTLAND — A Poultney teen has pleaded not guilty to a charge of involuntary manslaughter in the shooting death of 19-year-old Daniel Hein. William Bailey, also 19, said in Rutland criminal court Monday, Dec. 19, that he accidentally shot his friend with a gun he thought was unloaded. State police reported…