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…

By Cristina Kumka The town Select Board voted last week to put an 18-month budget up to voters this coming March that will increase the town’s tax rate by about 1.28 cents per year. The rate will go from 44 cents for every $100 of property value that paid for the town’s last calendar year…

KILLINGTON – On Friday, Jan. 30, Curt Spalding, regional administrator of EPA’s New England office and other EPA representatives, toured Killington Resort to see some of the best practices in the ski industry at work. Congressional representatives from Leahy’s, Sanders’ and Welch’s office also attended, as did David Dunn of Green Mountain Power and Eugene…

By Robin Alberti KILLINGTON — Fire on the Mountain has re-opened, under new ownership and in a new location, the old Vertical Bliss location, on the right of Outback Pizza. Live glass blowing demonstrations can be seen from the great bay window in the front. Mari Roma, the energetic new proprietor, hopes to make Fire…

RUTLAND — Four months ago, on Oct. 6, the Vermont State Police were notified by the Vermont Department of Children and Family Services (DCF) of their concern of inappropriate sexual conduct between Jon R. Gilbert, age 48 from Rutland, and a 13 year-old female student.  At the time of the offense Gilbert was employed with the…

RUTLAND — Wonderfeet Kids’ Museum, set to reopen after a major expansion later this month with new and improved interactive displays, will now be accessible to low-income families thanks to a grant from Green Mountain Power. “We are thrilled to be able to support Wonderfeet and help open its doors to families who otherwise might…

By Stephen Seitz CHESTER – When most people picture a home in Vermont, what often comes to mind is a farmhouse, or a stately Victorian structure, not a geodesic dome. But Roberta Piper has one in Chester, and it’s for sale. “It’s just too much for one person,” Piper explained when asked why she has…

By Amy Ash Nixon, VTDigger.org A bill aimed at giving workers in Vermont paid time off for illness or other emergencies is back before the Senate. S.15, which would grant workers seven earned leave days off a year, or a total of 56 hours. The leave could be used for personal illness, illness in the…

KILLINGTON — On Jan. 26, at approximately 10:46 p.m., members of the Vermont State Police from the Rutland Barracks were advised of a head-on two vehicle crash with entrapment on US Route 4 East, in the town of Killington. Troopers arrived on scene, along with Killington Search and Rescue, Killington Fire and Rescue, and Regional Ambulance…

Business leaders gathered at the Vermont State House Wednesday, Jan. 28, to call for the creation of more “livable jobs” in the state–employment that allows Vermonters working full time to pay their bills without relying on public assistance. Released every two years in January by the Vermont Legislature’s Joint Fiscal Office, the “Basic Needs Budgets…

By Stephen Seitz KILLINGTON – Killington voters will be choosing between two familiar faces when the pick a selectman in March. Both incumbent Selectman Chris Bianchi and former Selectman Jim Haff turned petitions in for the position, according to Town Clerk Lucrecia Wonsor, who added that the other incumbents also turned in petitions prior to…

Won Best Use of Stunts and Superior Showmanship for the Advanced Small Coed division By Polly Lynn On Jan. 24 and 25, the Rutland Raiders cheerleading team competed in the National Cheerleading Association Senior and Junior High School National Championships in Dallas, Texas. They finished just 2.06 points behind Radford High School of Honolulu, Hawaii,…

BETHEL — On Jan. 23 at approximately 4:30 p.m., the Vermont State Police were dispatched to a single vehicle rollover crash on North Road in Bethel near Cleveland Brook Road. When troopers arrived they found the operator had been transported from the scene by a friend. Contact was made with the operator Jacob Forcier, age 19 from…