Nov. 19, 2015 marks the date of the American Cancer Society’s Great American Smokeout, when cigarette smokers are asked to refrain from smoking for one day in hopes that the effort will lead to quitting forever. Most people know a smoker they would like to see stop, but wonder if making that request is appropriate.…

LUDLOW – With the 2015/2016 ski and snowboard season officially underway, Okemo Mountain Resort continues to receive media accolades from some of the nation’s top publications: SKI, TransWorld SNOWboarding, Outside and others. Okemo was ranked among the East’s Top Ten in SKI Magazine’s highly anticipated Resort Guide issue. Okemo made the list with an overall…

New ski in/ski out food & drink venue located at Killington Grand Resort Hotel KILLINGTON – This past week Killington Resort, the largest ski and snowboard destination in Eastern North America, unveiled its latest dining operation, Preston’s, located at the Killington Grand Resort Hotel. Preston’s is named for resort founder Pres Smith and synthesizes culinary…

Liam Jeremy Prior was born Friday, Nov. 20, (“the day of the Scrambler” according to The Birthday Book) at Gifford Medical Center in Randolph, to proud parents Lindsey Rogers and Jeremy Prior of Chittenden, Vt. The healthy baby boy was 9 pounds 1 ounce. His older brother Jacob helped his parents welcome Liam home.

Submitted Photo One: Michael S. Rousseau Photo Two: Michael H. Halliday KILLINGTON — On Friday, Nov. 27 at approximately 10:50 a.m., the Vermont state police responded to a call from the parking lot of the K-1 Gondola at Killington Resort. A concerned citizen observed a male use a snowboard to smash the sun roof of…

Courtesy of KPAA A horse drawn sleigh has made for an iconic photo opportunity at a the Vermont Holiday Festival at the Killington Grand Resort Hotel in years past. This year, organizers are hoping for at least a dusting of snow to help set the appropriate scene. The Vermont Holiday Festival, Toys For Tots and…

By Lee J. Kahrs BRANDON — The Rutland Northeast Act 46 Study Committee has decided to send the question of local school consolidation to the voters in each of the all six district towns, plus Mendon and Chittenden, in January 2016. The committee was formed in September in order to examine the options and feasibility…

On Tuesday, Dec. 1, Commissioner of Taxes Mary Peterson released forecasts related to Vermont education tax rates for the upcoming fiscal year, FY2017. The statutorily required forecasts are a joint effort between the Agency of Education, Department of Taxes, and Joint Fiscal Office. This year the forecast shows that the projected average homestead property tax…

After a successful pilot program earlier this year, Gov. Peter Shumlin and Windsor County State’s Attorney Michael Kainen Nov. 23, announced that a Driver Restoration Day will be held in Windsor County on Dec. 11. Vermonters who have had their license suspended for failure to pay traffic tickets will be eligible to pay $25 per…

Rutland addicts offered naltrexone RUTLAND — On Tuesday, Dec. 1, Gov. Peter Shumlin announced a pilot program to test in Vermont a new treatment option for opiate addiction. Under the pilot, offenders coming out of Marble Valley Correctional Center in Rutland will now be offered naltrexone, an injected, long-acting medication that reduces the urge for opioid…

By C.B. Hall, VTDigger.org Every year the state of Vermont spends $6.5 million to operate two Amtrak trains and $6 million to support local bus operations, but the state, Amtrak and local companies have yet to establish connections between trains and buses, despite calls to do so from transit activists and the Legislature. A lack…

Courtesy of Stafford Stafford students recently celebrated the completion of the Student Craft Corporation House. A multidisciplinary effort. RUTLAND–Stafford Technical Center students recently celebrated the completion and sale of its Student Craft Corporation house. The Student Craft Corporation is formed by students from the Construction Technology, Electrical/Plumbing, and Forestry/Natural Resources & Horticulture programs. Biennially, these students…

By Susan Wacker-Donle Bruce Pike with his photo of a waterfall and “Color of Autumn” By Sally D. Curtis KILLINGTON—The “All is White” art show can be viewed at the Killington Arts Guild Gallery now through February. Many visitors viewed the art representative of many media created by local Vermont artists at the opening reception…

Submitted Vermont author Deborah Harte Felmeth’s new book, “Syria, Remember Me,” is filled with photographs that humanize the people of Syria beyond the headlines. The media publishes daily images of Syria that reveal only the devastation, grief, rage and victimhood of war. It is the author’s hope to expand and hearten that limited view. “Syria,…

By Lani Duke Mascot returns from sabbatical CASTLETON—After an unauthorized “vacation” of a couple of months, Castleton’s Spartan mascot is back home. The year-old, green-caped costume returned to academic life when a custodian making maintenance rounds in the on-campus Glenbrook Gymnasium opened an unattended bag in a women’s restroom on Nov. 23. Although “Sparty” smelled…