Submitted   Route 4 was closed the morning of Dec. 31 in Killington for a  jack-knifed tractor-trailer unit. Police said Kenneth Hoag, 36, of Hoosick Falls, New York was traveling in the tractor trailer eastbound on Route 4 near Jughandle Road and Winterberry Road when he lost control due to icy road conditions around 6:30…

Submitted   State Treasurer Mike Pieciak was joined by state and national leaders Dec. 19 at a press conference in Burlington to announce legislation that would establish a baby bonds program in Vermont. Baby Bonds is an innovative policy to address intergenerational poverty, support rural economic development, and retain young people in Vermont.   The policy would…

  Attorney General Charity Clark has declined to prosecute Fair Haven Police Detective Shaun Hewitt for charges related to the use of deadly force in a shooting incident involving Kenneth Barber, Jr. on June 19, 2023. The Rutland County State’s Attorney’s Office also declined to prosecute the case after completing its own independent review.  Based…

  The Campaign for Vermont recently released its second batch of results from a scientific public opinion poll of Vermonters. The survey interviewed 400 randomly selected Vermont residents to measure their feelings towards state leaders, various issues that policymakers are pursuing, and general sentiments about the direction the state is heading. “Vermonters’ consistent negative ratings of…

    Emerge Vermont, the state’s premier organization that recruits and trains Democratic women to run for office, announced Dec. 14 that it has selected its 2024 class. This year’s chosen group of 18 future women and non-binary political leaders hails from all parts of the Green Mountain State and from diverse backgrounds, and spans…

Vermont Natural Resources Council (VNRC) in collaboration with Preservation Trust of Vermont, is launching a special competitive grant round to offer one to three grants of up to $5,000 for communities seeking to build momentum toward flood-resilient community development. Applications for this special round of funding for the Small Grants for Smart Growth program are due Jan.…

  On Dec. 18, the Vermont Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs (VTFSC)  filing a federal lawsuit challenging Vermont’s 72-hour waiting period law and its ban on standard capacity firearm magazines that are commonly owned in Vermont and across the nation. “The inherent right to self-defense” the Supreme Court has explained “is central to the Second Amendment…

  Residential re-entry centers offer transitional services for those re-entering their communities after being incarcerated — Vermont is one of two states without a center The Vermont Congressional Delegation, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont), and Representative Becca Balint (D-Vermont), wrote to U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons Director Colette Peters Dec. 13 to…

  By Curt Peterson Dan Jerman, vice chair of the nine-member Hartland Planning Commission, approached the Select Board during review of the FY2025 municipal budget, on Dec. 18, to ask for additional funding for “possible” legal fees, which might be incurred during the commission’s appeal of the Environmental Commission’s grant of an ACT 250 permit…

by Robin Alberti  Pictured in the first row (l-r) are Luca Morris, Matilda Richardson, Heidi Thompson and Violet Alexander. In the second row (l-r) is Kamron Yuengling, Quinn Eckler, Elliot Namkung, Lylah Zeitlin. The performers in the third row on the stage are Lia Gugliotta, Finn Farrell, Jackson Fellows, Tula Klock, William Obbard and Sam…

  Courtesy KPAA Mike Coppinger and Beth Sarandrea awarded Megan Wagner of Dream Maker Bakers (center left photo) with the Outstanding Community Member Business plaque and Kelsey Cruickshank the Outstanding Community Member award on behalf of the KPAA.   Friday night, Dec. 15, the Killington Pico Area Association (KPAA) reintroduced two awards and presented them to deserving…

Sumbitted Havah Armstrong Walther   The Hartford Area Chamber of Commerce (HACC) has appointed Havah Armstrong Walther as its new executive director. With an impressive background in advocacy, fundraising, and business consulting, she brings a wealth of experience, passion, and strategic vision to lead the Chamber, the board stated. “We are delighted to welcome Havah…

  Earlier this month, $635,465 in federal grant funding was awarded to Vermont State University (VTSU) to expand educational opportunities and workforce development in rural communities. The grant is authorized through the USDA’s Distance Learning & Telemedicine (DLT) grant program, which provides rural communities with key resources to access advanced telecommunications technology and promote more opportunities in…

  By Shaun Robinson/VTDigger New details released Thursday, Dec. 14, in the Vermont Attorney General’s lawsuit against Meta describe how the tech giant studied teenagers in Vermont as part of efforts to make its social media platform Instagram more addictive — and how top company leaders allegedly ignored repeated warnings that the popular app is harmful to young…

By Zach Godwin/Killington Resort Professional Ski Instructors of America enjoyed Killington.   By Brooke Geery, Killington Resort In mid-December, Killington Resort welcomed hundreds of snowsports instructors from across the Eastern Region for the PSIA-AASI ProJam and Master’s Academy. This event, which has been running since 1986, is the largest gathering of snowsports professionals in the…