Rutland motel resident struggles with uncertainty after new legislation last week By Lola Duffort/VTDigger Susan Ladmer, of Rutland, first wrote to reporters in early June, asking for help. “I am currently housed in a homeless motel. I am a 77-year-old woman who suffered a stroke in December. Despite tremendous efforts to find out where I…

  By Katy Savage  The Rutland Redevelopment Authority has a new executive director. Ed Bove, who was the executive director of the Rutland Regional Planning Commission for eight years, is starting his new role Sept. 6. “It is an honor to be chosen to lead this prestigious organization,” Bove said in a news release. “I…

  New director, teacher hired for 3- to 5-year-olds Fox Hollow Forest School in Chittenden has hired Jennifer Popp, of Pittsford (the current director of the Pittsford Recreation Center) to be the school's first director.  Popp previously owned and ran the Children’s Garden Daycare for 19 years, a highly regarded nature-based childcare program.  Joining her…

  The Okemo Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce recently celebrated a ribbon cutting ceremony for the grand opening of Tygart Trading Post in Lamere Square in Ludlow, June 30. Chamber Director Carol assisted owners Angie and Patrick in cutting the ribbon along with Jared (inventory and online director), Abbey (trading post general manager) and Charlie…

    Staff report On Friday, June 23, Baja Burrito Company reopened in a new location less than a quarter mile uphill from its previous one. It now occupies where Taco X previously had been (many still refer to it as the former Peppers Restaurant location) at 2841 Killington Road.  Prior to its reopening, Baja…

  Stephanie Schaffer ended her “Finding New Roads Tour” in Ludlow last week.    Schaffer is from Rutland and her story begins in the summer of 2018 when her family had planned a summer vacation to the Bahamas.  They had three glorious days together as a family.  On the fourth day Steffanie’s family had planned…

  Through a bidding process, the Rutland Natural Resources Conservation District (RNRCD) hired Fitzgerald Environmental Associates, LLC to develop a stormwater master plan (SWMP) for the town of West Rutland’s Clarendon River Watershed.  The goal of this project is to work with West Rutland on treating and reducing overall stormwater volume by developing a stormwater…

Fishing line removed from mother’s beak By Lisa Hamm-Greenawalt A loon couple that has made Lake Rescue in Ludlow its home for several few years finally succeeded in hatching an egg in June, producing the first successful chick ever recorded on the 200-acre lake in Ludlow. The adult loons, large birds with striking dappled black-and-white…

  By Katy Savage As Paul Ginther gets ready to step into his new role as Killington fire chief, he knows his job will be difficult.   “It’s going to be a challenge from top to bottom,” he said. Ginther, 53, is taking over a department on Monday, July 10 after 13 members of the…

  Vermont’s Center for Cartoon Studies (CCS), and co-founders Michelle Ollie and James Sturm received this year’s Literary Inspiration Award at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 24 in a presentation at Town Hall Theatre in Woodstock.  CCS MFA student Annabel Driussi, a comic artist, science illustrator and Bookstock 2023 workshop instructor will accept the award…

  James Daniels passed away peacefully in his sleep at Mass General Hospital on June 13. He was born in Staten Island, New York and grew up on the Jersey Shore with his eight  siblings.  JD moved to the Killington area in 1972 and worked in many restaurants including The Wobbly II, Charity’s and the…

  By Katy Savage Sleep Woodstock has a new owner after 10 years. Owner Patrick Fultz sold the motel to business partners Cliff Johnson and Billy O’Sullivan on June 15.  “We sold it in a day, which is crazy,” Fultz said.  Fultz and his wife, Leslie Browne, are moving to a condo in Mendon while…

  By Katy Savage In an attempt to move on from turmoil, Killington’s search and rescue team (KSAR) will fall under the purview of the police department going forward, moving away from the fire department. Killington Police Chief Whit Montgomery will become the new head of search and rescue. He plans to name a volunteer…

  By Curt Peterson The Killington Select Board approved the FY2024 municipal tax rate Monday night, at $.5444, a very slight increase over the current year FY2023 rate of $.5436, according to Town Manager Chet Hagenbarth. To calculate your property's municipal tax, multiply $0.5444 times every $100 of property value on the grand list. For…

  By Brooke Geery  Vermont Adaptive’s mission, which is to make sports such as biking and skiing possible for athletes who’ve suffered life-changing injuries or were born with disabilities, takes a strong community and a lot of money to sustain. Each year, the organization holds the VT Adaptive Charity Challenge with a goal to raise…