CSJ tuition grants available for 2015 RUTLAND—Mount St. Joseph Academy and College of St. Joseph have formed a partnership to provide up to five full-tuition grants to attend CSJ for seniors graduating from the high school in 2015. The Sisters of St. Joseph Unity Grant, which was created to recognize the rich legacy of the…

By Cristina Kumka Castleton’s new Town Manager Mark Shea presented a final budget to the Castleton Select Board Jan. 26 that showed a general fund increase of 3.5 percent over the prior year, for a total budget of $2,935,318 for fiscal year 2015-2016. That increase boils down to $102,416 more spending than the prior year. But…

KILLINGTON — Christine Gordon of Northfield, N.J., and Truman C. Lane of Buena, N.J., are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Kelli M. Lane of Timberville, Va., to Jacob S. Stover, son of Christopher and Barbara Stover of Broadway, Va. A September wedding is planned in Outer Banks, N.C. The top of Pico Peak was…

Photo submitted Christine Frenette, left, presents GMP employee Bonnie O’Rourke with a dozen roses for her volunteer efforts for this year’s Gift of Life marathon. RUTLAND—Volunteers, organizers and host sites for the Gift-of-Life Marathon were feted as the American Red Cross held a recognition breakfast Tuesday, Feb. 3, to celebrate December’s GOLM 12 Days of…

A new culinary experience opens By Polly Lynn PITTSFIELD — The Backroom offers a new intimate dining experience unique to the area. Chef Kevin Lasko and Katie Stiles opened the kitchen and communal dining room the first week of February to share their passion for food and entertaining with others. The restaurant is essentially the private…

Longtime resident of Killington Maries Noe passed away on Nov. 4, 2014 in Palm Harbor, Florida. Maries Noe was born in Germany on Sept. 8, 1925.  She and her husband, Waldemar, owned and operated Chalet International on the Killington access road for over 20 years. Waldy Noe passed away in May 2000. Waldy had been…

Josie is a female lab mix, white and tan, approximately 35 pounds, that went missing at the Bear Mountain/ Sunrise area on Saturday, Feb. 7. Her owners are anxious to find her. If you have seen her or have any information, please call 802-779-4084, 860-575-5227 or 802-775-9729.

By Lani Duke CASTLETON—A four-foot-long, young Brazilian rainbow boa is still missing from the Castleton State College science labs. The classroom in which it resided in the Jeffords Science Center was locked over the weekend of Jan. 31-Feb. 1 and remained locked Monday, Feb. 2, due to a snow day. Tuesday morning the snake had…

By Stephen Seitz WOODSTOCK–When Woodstock voters assemble for Town Meeting, one thing they’ll be asked to consider is a one-percent local options tax on rooms, meals, and alcohol. Charles Kimbell, head of Woodstock’s Economic Development Commission, said the tax would raise about $160,000 a year. Kimbell said this isn’t because the town needs more money.…

PLYMOUTH — At the request of Plymouth Town Officials the Vermont State Police were requested to investigate several checks that had been written by the previous town clerk which were believed to be fraudulent. During there investigation it was found that Barbara Stone, age 57, now of Newport, N.H., had cashed several checks written to herself…

Editor’s note: The following letter was submitted by the Killington Selectboard on behalf of the citizens of the town of Killington, to Speaker of the House Shap Smith in response to his request to submit proposals for economic development and job growth strategies for consideration in this legislative biennium. As elected officials, we too have…

By Elizabeth Hewitt, VTDigger.org The Vermont Department of Taxes temporarily suspended the issuance of personal income tax refunds last week. The state suspended refunds on Wednesday in response to reports that other states across the country are seeing an increase in fraudulent filings. TurboTax, the popular tax preparation software company, announced on Friday that an…

City of Rutland awarded top allocation of $300,000; Town of Killington, $227,174 On Feb. 5 Governor Peter Shumlin and Transportation Secretary Sue Minter announced the recipients of $2.1 million in federal funds for municipal grant projects under the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP). The funding will be used for construction projects in 11 cities and towns around the state. “Investments in infrastructure are key to economic growth…

By Amy Ash Nixon, VTDigger.org Speaker of the House Shap Smith’s public request for ideas on education governance and finance reform drew 87 proposals, which are now available online. Smith asked Vermonters to submit ideas on the public education debate now playing out at the State House by New Year’s Eve. “The proposals had a…

MARCH — Rutland Area VNA & Hospice (RAVNAH) will offer a free eight-week hospice volunteer training course for individuals who wish to become hospice and palliative care volunteers in the Rutland County, Dorset and Rupert areas. There will be eight three-hour sessions beginning in late March that will meet two times a week on Thursday afternoons…