Mountain Times December 12-18, 2018

M ou nta i n T i m e s

Volume 47, Number 50

Your community free press — really, it’s FREE!

Dec. 12-18, 2018

Bubble party

CHEF WINS $20K Mason Zeglen, who grew up in Killington, won the top prize in the Food Network cooking competition Guy’s Grocery Games.

Pages 4

By David Young

Killington President and CEO Mike Solimano cut the ribbon for the new Snowdon high speed chairlift on Thursday, Dec. 8. The bubble lift is open for the season.

The new Snowdon Six Express chairlift is open.

Killington President and CEO Mike Solimano cut the ribbon and the new lifts started spinning at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 8.

The new high-speed lift seats six people. It’s manufactured by Leitner-Poma and features a bubble shield that will protect skiers and riders from wind and weather as they ascend 1,100 vertical feet to the Snowdon Mountain peak, which features primarily intermediate cruising terrain.

The new lift is part of Killington’s $25 million capital improvement project – the largest single year investment in the resort in more than 20 years.

The Bear Mountain Base Lodge also opened this past Saturday with all amenities, including service from the Skye Peak Express Quad. Pico Mountain is scheduled to open Friday, Dec. 14. Wednesday, Dec. 12, marked Killington’s 55th day open this season.

Friendly’s sells a month before closure

By Katy Savage

RUTLAND TOWN—About a month before Friendly’s abruptly closed its doors in Rutland Dec. 2, the building and property was purchased by the Friendly’s parent corporation.

According to Rutland Town records, the 1.27-acre property sold to SIC Property ,LLC in Boca Raton, Florida, for $250,000 on Nov. 1. SIC Property is owned by Friendly’s parent company, Sun Capital Partners. SIC purchased the building from O-Ice LLC, a real estate company, according to the records.

KILLINGTON TURNS 60 This Thursday, Dec. 13, marks the 60th anniversary since the founding of Killington Ski Resort.

It opened on Dec. 13, 1958.

Living a de

LIVING ADE What’s happening? Find local Arts, Dining & Entertainment Pages 14-22

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Friendly’s, page 3

By Katy Savage

By Bob Perry

Killington Founder Preston Leete Smith takes a jump on a pair of barrel stave skis.

The sale price was significantly below the town’s listed price of $990,000.

“It’s such a low amount – we normally don’t see that,” said Rutland Town Lister Howard Burgess.

The sale of the Rutland location is one of a number Friendly’s locations purchased by SIC Property. SIC also purchased the Bennington location on South Street for $360,000 Nov. 1.

SIC recently purchased a Friendly’s in Greenfield, Massachusetts from O-ICE for $1.5

Dale Patterson, the owner of Hop’n Moose in Rutland, is getting ready to open a new location in Killington Thursday, Dec. 13.

New tasting room opens in Killington

By Katy Savage

A new restaurant is coming to town.

Dale Patterson, the owner of Hop’n Moose and Rutland Beer Works, LLC, is opening a tasting room in the Mountain Green condominiums across from the Killington Grand Hotel this Thursday.

He plans to call the restaurant/tasting room Rutland Beer Works. The menu will be similar to the Rutland location of Hop’n Moose, featuring homemade brews and American food.

After five years in Rutland, Patterson had no plans to open a restaurant in Killington. He was approached about the idea by Mountain Green Property Manager Mike Moriarty about six weeks ago.

Moriarty said several condo owners who regularly eat at the Hop’n Moose wanted to have the restaurant there.

“We think it’s a good fit,” Moriarty said.

Condo owner David Prussen said he’s been a fan of the Hop’n Moose for two years and is eager for the opening day in Killington.

“It was exactly what we were looking for,”

Beer tasting, page 2

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A 2,000-pound tree from Hartland was selected for the State House lawn in Montpelier.

Hartland tree moves to State House

By Curt Peterson

Holiday season commuters will have to get used to not seeing the lavishly decorated Christmas tree in Larry and Pat Fortier’s yard on Route 12 in Hartland after many years.

The Fortiers’ son Kevin planted the tree 30 years ago, but it’s now proudly standing in front of the State House in Montpelier. Kevin’s father said they put four feet of the tree into the ground and secure it with concrete.

Larry and Pat Fortier attended a recent lighting ceremony in Montpelier.

“They presented us with a plaque,” Fortier said. “It was a lot of fun.”

Just before that, a contractor from Waterbury cut the tree down and trucked it to the capitol.

“This was the 12th year they’ve collected the state tree, so I guess they know what they’re doing,” Fortier said. “They used a crane to lift the tree over wires in the way – they told us the tree weighs about 2,000 pounds.”

Hartland tree, page 2

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LOCAL NEWS

The Mountain Times • Dec. 12-18, 2018

Pico to open Friday with food fundraiser Pico Mountain is scheduled to kick off its 2018-19 winter season at 9 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 14. The sixth annual Opening Weekend Food Raiser will take place Dec. 14-16, 2018, offering discounted lift tickets in exchange for food donations for low-income Vermonters.

The Food Raiser is a partnership with Pico Mountain and local nonprofit organization BROC Community Action, which feeds 600 families each month through the BROC Community Food Shelf. Discounted single-day lift tickets will be available Friday through Sunday at the Pico Sales Center for $39 (regularly $81) for all ages with a donation of three non-perishable

Beer tasting: continued from page 1 Prussen said.

Patterson expanded his craft beer business and opened Rutland Beer Works on Granger Street in Rutland last year. Patterson decided over Thanksgiving that he was going to open a new location in Killington.

He signed a two-year lease agreement and has since been scrambling to open as soon as possible.

“We’re getting down to the wire,” said Patterson at the Mountain Meadows restaurant Monday morning, as he printed menus and set up his new 96-seat restaurant.

Patterson drove his liquor license to Montpelier that afternoon in order to be able to open his restaurant Thursday.

Patterson, a former salesman with CNC Router Parts, was always traveling, and was searching for a way to be home with his family more often.

Patterson opened the Hop’n Moose with a friend. Patterson’s friend, who has since left the business, managed the food,

food items.

“BROC Community Action is dedicated to improving the lives of Vermonters in our community, and we at Pico Mountain are proud to support their efforts and grow awareness of food insecurity in southern and central Vermont ahead of the winter holidays,” says Rich McCoy, director of operations at Pico Mountain. “Every contribution helps feed a neighbor in need.”

Pico Mountain lift hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays, and 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. during weekends and on peak days. The full 2018-19 Pico Mountain operating schedule can be found at picomountain.com.

Rutland Beer expands to Killington while Patterson managed the beer.

Patterson learned how to make beer as a child growing up in a small town in Canada.

His father made his own beer from scratch in their basement about once a month. Patterson and his brother Kevin helped cap bottles.

Once, Patterson and Kevin even tried to make their own root beer themselves. “It wasn’t the greatest root beer ever, but it was fun,” said Kevin.

When he got older, Patterson continued making his own beer in his garage every Saturday.

“One thing he figured out is how to make really good beer,” Kevin said.

Patterson moved from Canada and came to Vermont to attend the University of Vermont on a hockey scholarship. He moved to Rutland to be with his then wife and he’s stayed for 20 years.

Kevin said part of Patterson’s success in the restaurant industry is due

to his competitiveness.

“Everything he’s done in his life, he’s the best at,” Kevin said. “Until it’s perfect, it’s not going to be good enough.”

Multiple business have struggled in the Killington location over the last decade. A seafood and Italian restaurant closed there in April after three years.

The statistics don’t concern Patterson.

“When you factor in that 90 percent of restaurants fail anyway, it doesn’t scare me,” he said.

Patterson is hoping his homemade beer will entice people in the door.

“Craft beer is something people typically seek out,” he said.

The restaurant, located at 135 East Mountain Road, will be open seasonally, November-March, from noon to 10 p.m.

Thursday-Sunday. It will feature live music Thursday-Saturday.

Patterson also plans to have canned beer and wine for purchase in a cooler.

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Clarendon local Stefanie Taylor, center, will lead the viola players in the Vermont Symphony Orchestra in a holiday concert at the Paramount Theatre this Sunday, Dec. 16.

Local to lead VSO’s holiday concert in Rutland

By Katy Savage

Stefanie Taylor had her first experience playing in an orchestra when she was 13.

Taylor attended a two-week summer camp in Poultney, led by the Vermont Symphony Orchestra. She played violin among some of the best players in the Northeast.

“When you’re sitting in the middle of an orchestra playing, the sound, the vibrations that go through your body—it’s kind of indescribable,” she said.

Taylor knew then that she wanted to

pursue music forever.

“I loved it,” she said. “For me it was an entry into other Vermont classical life beyond Rutland County.”

Taylor, who grew up in Clarendon, skipped seventh grade and graduated from high school a semester early.

“I was eager to move on and focus on what I was really passionate about,” she said.

She was 17 when she started college in VSO, page 7

Hartland tree:

Balsam Fir adorns statehouse lawn

continued from page 1 According to Chris Cole, Vermont’s commissioner of Buildings, Grounds and Services, the tree, which is 30 feet tall, will remain decorated and in place until sometime in January.

Gov. Phil Scott’s lighting of the tree coincided with installation of the replacement figure of Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture and mother-child relationships, sculpted and designed by Vermont artists and installed on the State House dome.

Ceres and Christmas trees share ties to ancient seasonal traditions.

Pagans brought evergreens into their homes for thousands of years – during dark, cold winter months the bright greens retained a spirit of life.

Christianity emulated many pagan traditions – even Christ’s birthdate was moved to match the pagan Winter Solstice celebration.

Ceres’s daughter Proserpine was taken to the underworld by Pluto as his bride, which broke Ceres’s heart. She rescued Proserpine, but only for spring and summer – Proserpine returned to the underworld every winter. In myth, the cycle of darkness and death in winter, and birth, growth and fertility in spring, coincided with Proserpine’s annual banishment and return.

Christmas trees appeared in the 16th century in Western Germany, decorated with gingerbread, nuts and apples. Wealthier folks decorated with gold leaf, paper decorations, and candles. Americans shunned Christmas trees until English Queen Victoria was depicted decorating the Royal Tree in a popular poster in the nineteenth century.

A powerful electric power lobby convinced President Calvin Coolidge to bring a tree to the White House from Vermont in 1923. It has been a national celebration since.

According to State Curator David Schultz, Vermont has had a state tree for more than 60 years. Schultz and head groundskeeper Ira Moser have chosen the tree from among submissions, like Fortier’s, which included photos and a narrative.

“For next year, the Department of Buildings and Grounds and General Services plans to more fully promote the selection process by putting out a public call,” Schultz said. “We have never widely advertised the selection process in the past, and we hope to broaden participation in the program in 2019.”

Fortier has a new tree, about seven to eight feet tall, ready to plant for future local commuters’ enjoyment.

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LOCAL NEWS

The Mountain Times • Dec. 12-18, 2018

•3

FEMA wants $250,000 back from Killington Board moves to appeal decision

By Curt Peterson

KILLINGTON—Town Manager Chet Hagenbarth had bad news for the Select Board at its Dec. 3 meeting. Not only did he report a negative response from FEMA to the April request for more money for a Tropical Storm Irene repair – the federal disaster relief agency wants the town to return $250,000 they already appropriated for the same project earlier, money that Killington spent on repairs.

The original damage involved two culverts – one on Ravine Road, and another on Stage Road. Vermont state regulations required the culverts be replaced with bridges.

FEMA wanted to pay only enough to replace the culverts as they were – including FEMA’s appropriation of $250,000 for the project, this left about $290,000 of unfunded Irene repairs. The town had appealed, hoping to be reimbursed the unfunded amount.

“They found some kind of loophole they say means they shouldn’t have paid the original appropriation,” Hagenbarth said. “Now they want it back.”

He told the board there is one more appeal option – to the federal level – which Mel Adams, FEMA coordinator who facilitated earlier negotiations with FEMA on behalf of the town, estimates will cost between $5,000 and $8,000.

“These federal appeals are decided in favor of the appellant only 20 percent of the time,” Hagenbarth told the Mountain Times in a phone conversation.

Hagenbarth said at the federal level Adams recommends soliciting help from Vermont’s Washington delegation – Sens. Patrick Leahy and Bernie Sanders, and Rep. Peter Welch. He said they had been helpful with FEMA in the past.

Select Board member Patty McGrath said she was in favor of pursuing the additional appeal. Select Board chair Steve Finneran and board member Jim Haff agreed with McGrath. The vote to file the final appeal was unanimous.

Hagenbarth explained that they have 60 days to file.

“Jan. 29 is the deadline for filing the appeal with the state and FEMA,” Hagenbarth told the Mountain Times.

The state will then have 60 days in which to document its case for keeping the original funds.

“Historically, the whole process takes five to six months before we will hear a final decision,” said the town manager.

If Killington’s appeal is denied, the state will be notified, and VTrans will pay FEMA, then notify the town they have to come up with the money. Hagenbarth doesn’t know what the payment terms might be.

That will be right around the time the 2020 budget goes into effect. The total 2019 budget will be around $4.4 million.

Friendly’s:

Repurchased by owners

continued from page 1 million, according to the Greenfield Reporter .

It’s unclear why Friendly’s is purchasing its own buildings back and what the company plans to do with them.

A phone message left to Sun Capital in Florida was not returned.

The Friendly’s location at 288 South Main Street in Rutland operated nearly 40 years. It opened Dec. 11, 1979.

“Over the past few years, we have identified and minimized the number of locations that no longer deliver the customer experience that we are working to create,” said Friendly’s spokesperson Alyssa Stevens.

Several reviewers on Tripadvisor gave the Rutland Friendly’s a low rating this summer, complaining of slow service.

Friendly’s also closed its Bennington location this month. A location in Springfield closed in 2014. That leaves just one location left in Vermont – on Williston Road in Williston.

Friendly’s, which is based in Massachusetts, has 210 locations in the Northeast.

“As we move forward, our goal is to open locations with improved service and value for our customers, like the restaurants that have recently opened in Marlborough, Massachusetts, and Merrimack, New Hampshire,” Stevens said. The employees who worked for the Bennington and Rutland locations will transferred to nearby locations and would receive short-term financial assistance.

Rutland Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Tyler Richardson heard rumors of the sale.

“That (area has) great visibility,” Richardson said.

“There are a lot of family restaurants in the area.”

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LOCAL NEWS

The Mountain Times • Dec. 12-18, 2018

Killington chef steals the show, Okemo to benefit from Vail’s $180 wins $20K on Food Network

million investment

Staff report

Mason Zeglen had 30 minutes to purchase his ingredients and cook the meal.

Zeglen, of Killington, competing on the Food Network Show, Guy’s Grocery Games, ran through the grocery store, in competition with three other chefs.

The challenge was to use ingredients of a gingerbread house, such as candy canes and M&M’s, in a fine dining meal.

“You have to be really quick on your toes,” said Zeglen after the show.

Zeglen instantly had an idea. He crushed the chocolate in a blender and poured a malt over roasted duck – a dish similar to what he made as a child growing up in Killington.

Zeglen’s dish won the show as his mother, Carol Zeglen, leapt up from her couch in Killington and screamed.

“I had no clue that he was going to win – none,” she said.

The episode of Guy’s Grocery Games was filmed back in May but a contract Zeglen signed for the show forbade him from

revealing details about the episode or the outcome.

Zeglen’s sister Anastasia, who took a road trip with her brother over the summer, was also shocked as she watched the show from her home in Fairfax, Vermont.

This was Zeglen’s second time competing on the show.

In his first appearance in August, he won $16,000 after his dish was picked as the judge’s favorite. Zeglen was so well liked, he was asked to return.

“It just gets harder every time,” he said. “It’s still pretty intimidating.”

Zeglen, 36, grew up in Killington. He learned how to cook by using ingredients from his family’s backyard vegetable garden.

“Ours was really farmto-table and organic before organic was cool,” Anastasia said.

Zeglen moved to Bozeman, Montana, after high school to pursue his cooking passion.

On the show, Zeglen, who hasn’t been home for the holidays in more than a decade, said he’d

Staff report

Vail Resorts plans to invest about $180 million in the next two years to improve the guest experience across its 18 resorts.

Vail is making a two-year $35 million commitment to investments across its recent acquisitions, including Okemo Mountain Resort, Mount Sunapee in New Hampshire, Crested Butte Mountain Resort in Colorado and Stevens Pass in Washington State.

Vail purchased Okemo, Mount Sunapee and Crested Butte Mountain from the Mueller family in September for $74 million. Vail purchased Stevens Pass from Ski Resort Holdings, LLC, for $64 million in August.

Vail plans to upgrade two on-mountain restaurants at Okemo—the Sugar House and the Summit Lodge—to offer new concepts and menus, as well as an updated look and feel to interior finishes and furnishings.

Okemo Public Relations Director Bonnie Macpherson didn’t have any more details available at the time of press. Vail said in a press release the upgrades within the next two years, pending permit approval.

“We are continuing to raise the bar for skiers and riders with meaningful, impactful improvements that will help to provide consistent, reliable and seamless experiences all season long,” said Rob Katz, chairman and chief executive officer of Vail Resorts in a press release.

Vail has invested more than $1.2 billion in its resorts over the last decade.

Vail plans to increase express lift ticket fulfillment capacity by 40 percent through new handheld, mobile technology to allow skiers and snowboarders who purchased tickets in advance to bypass the ticket window.

“Reducing guest wait times is a top priority across Vail Resorts,” said Katz in the press release. “Direct-tolift technology enhancements for advance purchase lift tickets is one of the more significant transformational investments we can make to improve the guest experience.”

Submitted

Chef Mason Zeglen, who grew up in Killington, recently won $20,000 on Guy’s Grocery Games. This was his second time appearing and winning on the Food Network. use his money to make the trip back to Vermont this winter.

Zeglen is currently the chef at a fine dining restaurant in the Cayman Islands, where his wife took a teaching opportunity about two months ago.

Zeglen and his wife (who also grew up in Vermont), may use the prize money to purchase a 10acre property in Montana and start a Christmas tree farm near a small ski area.

“We love small family-oriented mountains,” Zeglen said.

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STATE NEWS

The Mountain Times • Dec. 12-18, 2018

Ski areas struggle to staff up seasonal workforce

By Anne Wallace Allen/VTDigger

With some of the earliest openings on record, Vermont ski areas have a lot to celebrate this season.

But the employment situation isn’t one of them.

“It has been a struggle, I will tell you, to hire this year,” Belinda Davison, who is in charge of human resources at Bolton Valley Resort, said in mid-November. “We are still looking in every single department.”

Vermont reported an unemployment rate below 3 percent for the 14th consecutive month

while working in Vermont. The guest workers will live in housing provided by the resort.

Killington, Vermont’s largest ski area, has about 600 employees in the summer and employs around 1,600 in the winter, said spokesperson Courtney DiFiore. About 10 percent of the workers Killington hires for the winter are from foreign countries, she said. The resort owns one lodge for employee housing and offers free transportation to and from Rutland, where most workers live.

KILLINGTON, VERMONT’S LARGEST SKI AREA...

EMPLOYS AROUND 1,600 IN THE WINTER. in October, the month that ski areas were participating in job fairs and running ads on multiple platforms to draw job applicants in for seasonal work. The Vermont Department of Labor said employers in many industries are having a hard time filling jobs.

Bolton, which hires about 350 people in the winter, will also bring in 18 young workers from a student exchange in Peru to work in guest services, food and beverage, retail operations and at the chairlifts, said Davison. She didn’t know what type of visas the young people would be using

Foreign workers are also serving as a stopgap measure at Sugarbush, which has increased the number from zero in 2015 to 70 this year, said Win Smith, who owns the resort. The workers are in Vermont under the J-1 visa program, a State Department initiative that offers short-term stays described as cultural exchanges.

Sugarbush has about 160 fulltime, year-round workers, and another 300 who work part-time in summer. Smith said the company seeks to add 500 or 600 people for the winter season. Wages have gone up more than inflation in

the last three years, and the resort is now paying around $12 for entry-level positions, according to Smith.

The J-1 workers at Sugarbush, who will stay 90 days, are mostly from countries in Latin and South America, including Chile, Peru and Costa Rica, according to Smith.

“It’s really not an entire season; they really can only work to the end of March,” Smith said. “It gets us through the busiest time. Without them we’d have trouble with enough lift operators, housekeepers, culinary people.”

Sugarbush plans to fulfill the promises of the J-1 visa program by providing cultural experiences for its foreign workers. It has hired someone to supervise the 70 visa-holders, and is renting vans to transport them.

“It really does add to your labor cost; it’s not a savings as some people mistakenly think,” Smith said. Because the intent of the J-1 program was to introduce foreigners to the U.S., the program requires employers to show the workers around.

“If you’re going to be competitive to get these kids, you really have to do it well, because everyone is competing for a finite pool,” Smith said. “We take them Seasonal workers, page 34

State’s flu vaccination rates falling

By Mike Faher/VTDigger

Amid a severe influenza season in 2017-18, federal statistics show that Vermont’s flu vaccination rates dropped significantly.

State officials are hoping that trend reverses as the 2018-19 flu season gets started.

The Vermont Department of Health is urging residents to take advantage of hundreds of sites where they can get vaccinated now, before the season is in full swing. Getting a flu shot, officials say, is a way for Vermonters to protect themselves and others who may be vulnerable to the viral infection.

“I’m very concerned about our vaccination rates for flu, especially among young children,” said state Health Commissioner Mark Levine. “If we don’t get vaccinated, we are needlessly putting ourselves at risk of serious illness, but we are also gambling with the health of children and others around us who can’t get vaccinated.”

The 2018-19 flu season is just beginning, with Vermont officials reporting relatively few cases at the beginning of December in the latest statewide

surveillance report.

But the 2017-18 flu season was classified as “high severity” by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agency estimated that 48.8 million people across the United States came down with influenza, and 22.7 million sought treatment from health care providers.

Last season represented the highest number of flu cases since the 2009 H1N1 pandemic. And the season also was “atypical in that it was severe for all ages of the population,” federal officials said.

It was, the CDC wrote, “a reminder of how severe seasonal influenza can be.”

While most people who contract the flu recover without serious complications, that’s not the case for everyone. The CDC notes that “influenza can cause serious illness, hospitalization and death, particularly among older adults, very young children, pregnant women and those with certain chronic medical conditions.”

During the severe flu season of 2017-18, there were 959,000 hospitalizations and 79,400 deaths across the nation, Flu, page 28

It’s your money

By Stephen Seitz

The tree. The gifts. The parties. The relatives. The travel.

That begins to add up.

However, there may be money out there waiting for you.

Most people are familiar with Vermont’s unclaimed property division, but now a new tool has been added to the lost money finder system: the life insurance policy locator.

The locator is a service of the National Association of Insurance Carriers. According to a statement from the Vermont Department of Financial Regulations in the past year, 34 people in Vermont have collected $112,125 since the service was launched in 2016.

The statement quotes DFR Commissioner Michael Pieciak as saying, “This tool helps consumers easily navigate among each and every life insurance company licensed to do business in Vermont and connect them with any lost or unknown policies and any associated payments they are rightfully owed.”

DURING ITS FIRST YEAR, THE POLICY LOCATOR INITIALLY FOUND $92.5 MILLION IN LOST BENEFITS FOR CONSUMERS. Using this tool is not as easy as typing in your name and address and hoping to get lucky. You have to go through all the deceased’s records and documents first, including the contents of safety deposit boxes. The life insurance companies will only contact you if they have found something, and they may require additional information.

In its first two years, the locator has matched 24,934 consumers nationally with policies, totaling $368 million, according to DFR. More than 48,000 consumers have conducted searches nationwide in that time. During its first year, the policy locator initially found $92.5 million in lost benefits for consumers. As more matches were made to requests from that year, the first-year total has increased to $166.7 million.

The other way to find money is through the Unclaimed Property Division. Vermont will let you search the possible claims by name and/or town. To do this, visit vermonttreasurer.gov, and find the Unclaimed Property Page.

To use the Life Insurance Policy Locator, visit eapps. naic.org/life-policy-locator/#/welcome.

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Table of contents Opinion...................................................................... 6 Calendar..................................................................... 8 Music Scene............................................................. 11 Just for Fun............................................................... 12 Rockin’ the Region................................................... 13 Living ADE............................................................... 14 Food Matters............................................................ 19 Worship.................................................................... 23 News Briefs.............................................................. 24 Lift Lines................................................................... 26 Columns................................................................... 27 Service Directory..................................................... 28 Pets........................................................................... 30 Mother of the Skye................................................... 31 Classifieds................................................................ 32 Real Estate................................................................ 33

Mounta in Times The Mountain Times is an independently owned weekly newspaper serving residents of, and visitors to Central Vermont Region. Our offices are located at 5465 Route 4, Sherburne Flats, Killington, Vt. ©The Mountain Times 2015 The Mountain Times • P.O. Box 183 Killington, VT 05751

(802) 422-2399

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6•

Opinion

The Mountain Times • Dec. 12-18, 2018

OP-ED

Doomed planet?

Climate change calamity confronts a world struggling to cut emissions

By Angelo Lynn

This Wednesday, Dec. 12, at the 24th annual U.N. climate conference held in Poland, scientists around the world agreed on one sobering finding: global emissions of carbon dioxide have reached the highest levels on record – despite world-wide efforts, pacts and promises by nations around the world to reduce their carbon footprints.

Scientists found that between 2014 and 2016 (as the Paris Climate Accord was being enacted in 2015) carbon dioxide emissions had remained largely flat – giving environmentalists and world leaders hope that they could turn the tide and begin to reverse some of the damage done.

But global emissions increased by 1.6 percent in 2017 and are expected to be 2.7 percent higher in 2018 – a period in which President Trump rose to power, has threatened to pull the U.S. out of the Paris accord, and has worked steadily to boost fossil fuel production and consumption.

This news comes on the heels of other dire scientific reports recently released that suggest the hazards of rising global temperatures are happening faster than predicted just a few years ago. Scientists now say that nations have barely a decade to take “unprecedented action” to cut emissions in half by 2030, if the world is to prevent the worst consequences of climate changes that increase 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit above pre-industrial levels.

A nearly 1,700-page report was released earlier than expected by the Trump administration on the day after Thanksgiving (the timing was widely criticized as an attempt to bury the news because the report refutes Trump’s rhetoric and policies). The report noted that the U.S. already has warmed on average 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit over the past century and will warm at least 3 more degrees by 2100 unless fossil fuel use is dramatically curtailed.

The report, which is required by law to be updated and released publicly every four years, was authored by more than 300 researchers and scientists from more than a doz-

These holiday items are hazardous for your pets

By Erin Forbes

The holiday season has arrived and brings not only celebrations, presents, and decorations but also concerns for pet safety. There are many dangers to be aware of as you begin to celebrate this year. These includes specific types of plants, certain foods, and even decorations.

Chocolate is in great abundance during many holiday celebrations and is a well-known toxin. If ingested it can cause mild signs, such as vomiting and diarrhea, but can also cause more serious signs such as seizures and even death. The stronger the chocolate, the more serious the ingestion can be--eating baking cocoa is more serious than eating milk chocolate. Keep chocolate away from anywhere your pets may get it and call your veterinarian right away if your pet does eat some. They can generally help determine if the amount eaten will cause issues.

Grapes and raisins are used in many holiday recipes and if given to a pet can cause kidney failure and even death. Make sure to not feed your pet any holiday sweets with raisins or grapes in them and remind your guests they are toxic to pets. The specific toxin in grapes has not been identified yet so any ingestion is cause for concern.

Tinsel is a common decoration used on many a

Climate change, page 7

Disturbing news for democracy

Christmas tree, but this shiny item can cause a problem if ingested, specifically in cats. The long thread type material looks like a toy to a cat and if the cat eats it, it can get stuck in the stomach or intestines, requiring emergency lifesaving surgery.

Xylitol is a sugar alternative found in low-fat sweets, gums, peanut butter, and even recipes. Xylitol can cause an animal’s blood sugar to drop which may make your pet have a seizure. It can also cause severe damage to the liver. Not all pets survive xylitol ingestion and those that do require intensive care and hospitalization.

There are many plants we see during the holidays that can cause issues with pets. Lilies are extremely toxic to cats and cause kidney failure, so keep those out of their reach.

Holly and mistletoe can cause vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and in very rare cases, seizures and death.

Poinsettias are actually not that toxic, despite the hype, and generally just cause mild GI upset. It is a good idea to keep plants in places where pets cannot get to them and chew them.

Some holiday hazards are overlooked, including open flames and electric cords. During the holiday season Holiday pet hazards, page 7

Young journalists, again, school the adults

By The Valley News

In Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio and Missouri, legislators led by Republicans are using this lame-duck session (that time between the Nov. 6 General Election and the start of the new administration in January) to pass a slew of state laws that would either reduce power of the incoming Democratic governors or attorney generals, push for more restrictive voting rights and make it more difficult for citizens to directly influence legislation.

In each case, it’s a power grab by Republicans who either lost the election to Democrats and are changing the rules before the transition, or they are upset with citizen initiatives that place limits on Republicans in power.

The actions are stunning in their rejection of the public will. In Wisconsin, in particular, the Republican-led Legislature made no bones about why they stripped away the powers of Governor-elect Tony Evers: they were afraid his more liberal agenda would reverse some of the draconian provisions put in place by defeated Gov. Scott Walker.

Thousands of protesters have demonstrated against the Republicans’ actions, expressing their outrage, but Republicans pressed ahead this week and passed the bills. Time will tell how voters will respond two years from now.

Meanwhile, in Michigan and Missouri, efforts by Republican legislators are trying to undo citizen-passed amendments that had imposed limits on how self-serving their state legislatures could be.

In Michigan, where newly elected Democrats will also become governor and attorney general, the Republican-controlled Legislature is working quickly to pass a new law to give themselves control over court cases involving the state, as well as a law that would strip powers from the secretary of state, a Democrat, preventing her from creating provisions that could make it easier to register and vote. Republican leaders there are also trying

It is profoundly discouraging to lications and a revamping of the ists obtained those letters through a witness adults failing in their oblischool’s media policy – in a process freedom-of-information request – gations to the young people in their that this time included students. and they also interviewed several of charge. Examples abound, from “I think ... we’ve just learned how the players, who told them that the the thoughtless to the tawdry to the important and how vital the First real reason they wanted to transfer traumatic, and in each to Springdale was to case they represent a increase their chances THE STUDENTS’ JOURNALISM WAS betrayal. But what a of being offered a major SOUND, THE ADULTS’ INTERPRETATION glorious thing it is when college football scholaryoung people, with ship. Transfers for that OF THE LAW WAS FLAWED. right on their side, stand reason are not allowed their ground and teach under the school disthe adults a thing or two.

Amendment is to just our country, trict’s policy, and that was the focus A few months ago, we learned of and our society and our governof the Har-Ber Herald report. four student journalists at Burlment,” senior Nataleigh Noble, 17, We would like to be able to say ington High School who broke the one of the student journalists who that Springdale School District ofnews about a school employee who wrote the story, told The Associated ficials applauded the students’ diliwas facing a state investigation on Press. gence and enterprise and immedicharges of unprofessional conduct.

In October, a similar situation ately began a review of the district’s As VtDigger reported in September, unfolded about 1,500 miles to the policies on transfers. We cannot. the school’s principal ordered the south and west, in Springdale, Instead, they suspended publicastory removed from the website Arkansas., where student journaltion of the newspaper, ordered the of the BHS Register, the student ists at Har-Ber High School, after story and accompanying editorial newspaper, which was an apparent a nearly yearlong investigation, removed from its website, demandviolation of Vermont’s “New Voices” uncovered a scandal that involved ed that all future stories be reviewed law. That law, signed by Gov. Phil one of the South’s sacred cows – the in advance by administrators and Scott in 2017, was designed specifivarsity football team. threatened to fire the teacher who cally to protect student journalists.

Six players, the Har-Ber Herald advises the student journalists.

Burlington School District officials reported, were allowed to transfer It’s almost like they had somebegan backtracking almost immeto Springdale High School, which is thing to hide – something, that is, diately. The students’ journalism in the same school district as Harbeyond their ignorance of the 1995 was sound, the adults’ interpretaBer High. Such transfers are permit- Arkansas Student Publication Act, tion of the law was flawed, and the ted for academic reasons only, and which, like Vermont’s “New Voicend result was the scrapping of “all that is what the parents of the playes” law, is intended to protect the previously practiced or adopted ers said in their letters requesting First Amendment rights of student guidelines” regarding student pubthe transfers. The student journaljournalists.

Disturbed democracy, page 10

Student journalism, page 33

By Angelo Lynn

CAPITOL QUOTES

The Mountain Times • Dec. 12-18, 2018

S& ATION N I M O TS… ON N TMEN N I O APP

CAPITOL QUOTES “I have known Bill Barr a long time. He has a long record in both the private sector and public service that needs to be thoroughly vetted by the Senate.

This includes recent, troubling comments about investigations of keen interest to the president who is nominating him,” Said Sen. Patrick Leahy on the nomination of Bill Barr for attorney general.

“With a sense of urgency, Democrats must have the courage to take on powerful special interests and fight for a progressive agenda that addresses the needs of working families,” Said Sen. Bernie Sanders Nov. 21.

VSO:

Clarendon native to lead the VSO holiday concert

continued from page 4 Indiana. She then pursued a master’s degree in music performance in Long Island.

Taylor,now 50, is back where she started, pursuing a childhood dream. She is one of the principal players in the Vermont Symphony Orchestra. This weekend, she’ll be leading the string players in the VSO Holiday Pops Concert in Rutland.

Taylor is one of seven viola players in the VSO. If her colleagues have questions about the notes or nuances in a piece, Taylor is in charge.

Music was a strong part of Taylor’s upbringing. Unlike most children her age, Taylor preferred classical music.

Taylor remembers first seeing violin players at the Rutland Unitarian Universalist Church when she was 4 years old.

“I was totally floored,” she said. “I loved it so intensely – I just loved the sound.”

Taylor started taking violin lessons from a local teacher at age 7. She later learned to play the viola, an instrument similar to the violin that’s slightly larger. The viola produces a deeper, more melodic sound than the violin.

After college, Taylor played soundbites for movies and commercials in New York City. Her recordings appeared in ads for companies and organizations like Fruit of the Loom and the Republican National Convention. Taylor often played in the orchestra for Broadway performances of the Lion King. She was even a substitute player for The New York Philharmonic.

“I learned so much living in New York and listening to so many people play,” she said.

Taylor moved back home to be closer to family in 2009. She knew instantly that she wanted to be part of the VSO. Taylor won

Climate change:

“This afternoon, I will vote for Nancy Pelosi to be our next speaker because she has personally committed to me that she will reform the legislative process, make it more transparent, and allow the diverse ideas of all members to be considered.

Specifically, she shares my view that committees must be empowered to do the hard and important work of writing legislation in the light of day and ideally in a bipartisan fashion,” Said Rep. Peter Welch Nov. 28.

“Brad is a dedicated public servant whose decades of law enforcement experience and support from the community made him exceedingly qualified for this position. His integrity, character and leadership throughout his years of service will serve the people of Vermont well,” Said Sen. Patrick Leahy and Sen. Bernie Sanders in a joint statement Nov. 15 on the nomination of Brad LaRose to be Vermont’s next US marshal.

•7

a regular spot as assistant principal after a successful audition in 2012.

“Vermont Symphony has been a constant part of my Vermont music life,” she said.

Now, Taylor is playing side by side with some of those people she met at summer camp as a teenager.

“She was a prodigy,” said VSO Orchestra Manager Eleanor Long, who remembers Taylor from a young age. “She was a really poised individual for her age.”

VSO’s second bassoonist, Becky Eldredge, 68, who has been part of the VSO for 31 years, remembers Taylor’s passion for music at the summer camp. Eldredge was on the activities committee at the camp, in charge of running games in the afternoon.

“She was a wonderful player,” Eldredge said.Eldredge now sits behind Taylor in the orchestra.

“She’s a good leader,” said Eldredge, who lives in western Massachusetts.

Taylor still lives in Clarendon. She teaches music in Middlebury while her four children, who range in age from 13 to 22, also play string instruments.

Taylor is the only member of the VSO who lives in Rutland County. She’s eager to play for her home crowd this weekend.

The holiday performance will be held at the Paramount Theatre at 3 p.m. Dec. 16.

The VSO’s 100-member chorus will sing and stand-up comedian Hillary Boone will take the stage in between songs.

Taylor said she often knows several people in the audience at the Rutland concert.

“Vermont Symphony was an important presence when I was a kid,” Taylor said. “I feel extremely rooted here.”

White House tries to bury latest report

continued from page 6 en federal agencies, made clear that the world was headed toward “catastrophic ? perhaps irreversible? climate change.” The report concluded that warming “could increase by 9°F (5°C) or more by the end of this century,” if worldwide efforts do not significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

But temperatures don’t have to increase 9 degrees to be crippling to the worldwide economy. In an October report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a consortium of researchers said that if emission weren’t cut in half over the next 12 years to avoid warming of just 2.3 degrees Fahrenheit, damages of $54 trillion annually would be conceivable – in fires, floods, hurricanes and typhoons and other climate-related disasters. The U.S. report LAST YEAR WAS THE SECOND noted that last year was the second hottest in the UnitHOTTEST IN THE U.S. CAUSING A ed States, causing a record RECORD $306 BILLION IN DAMAGES. $306 billion in damages.

Almost inconceivably, as the past 16 of 17 years have recorded the hottest years on record globally, the Trump administration is moving full-steam ahead to remove the long-established barriers preventing fossil fuel exploration in Alaska’s pristine Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. He and a Republican-led Congress have done so in an attempt to lock in oil drilling permits before the 2020 elections, even though production is expensive there and the world currently has a glut of oil in the marketplace. He has also rolled back safeguards adopted after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and has already approved the first oil production facility in the Arctic waters off Alaska. It’s all senseless and idiotic, which, sadly, is representative of this administration.

Angelo Lynn is the editor and publisher of the Addison Independent, a sister paper to the Mountain Times.

Holiday pet hazards: continued from page 6 many people light multiple candles and put them in places pets, especially cats, can reach. If a pet comes into contact with an open flame fur can quickly set on fire, causing burns and potential lung damage. Consider keeping candles in places your pets cannot get to them or using decorative candle shades. Many people will also use decorative lights inside and outside their house, which means there will be electrical cords in many places. Puppies and kittens are curious and may chew on them, which can cause fluid accumulation in the lungs from electric shock. Keep wires taped down and use protective cases

A word on safety to the wise when possible.

These are just a few of the holiday hazards facing our pets this season. If you have any concerns or questions about your pets and the holidays, please contact your veterinarian. If your pet eats something and you are not sure if it is toxic call your veterinarian office or poison control right away.

Erin Forbes is a veterinarian at Mountain View Animal Hospital. The Vermont Veterinary Medical Association (VVMA), founded in 1898, is a professional organization of 370 veterinarians dedicated to compassionate animal care and quality medicine.

8•

Calendar

The Mountain Times • Dec. 12-18, 2018

** denotes multiple times and/or locations.

WHAT TO DO IN CENTRAL VERMONT

THURSDAY

Level 1 Yoga

8:30 a.m.

Level 1 Hatha Yoga at Killington Yoga with Karen Dalury, RYT 500. 3744 River Rd, Killington. killingtonyoga.com, 802-770-4101.

DEC. 13

Story Time

Bikram Yoga **

6 a.m.

Bikram Yoga holds classes Thursdays: 6 a.m. & 6:15 p.m. inferno hot pilates; 9 a.m. & 4:30 p.m. 90-min.

Bikram. 1360 US-4, Mendon. bikramyogamendon.com.

Open Swim **

8 a.m.

Enjoy the warm water at Mitchell Therapy Pool at Vermont Achievement Center, 88 Park St., Rutland: 8-9 a.m.; 5-7 p.m. 802-773-7187.

Playgroup

10 a.m.

Maclure Library offers playgroup, Thursdays, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Birth to 5 years old. Stories, crafts, snacks, singing, dancing. 802-483-2792. 840 Arch St., Pittsford.

WINTERWONDERGRASS AT STRATTON MOUNTAIN

Story Time

10 a.m.

Story time at West Rutland Public Library. Thursdays,10 a.m. Bring young children to enjoy stories, crafts, and playtime. 802-438-2964.

DEC. 14-16 By Km c9 08

Killington Bone Builders

10 a.m.

Bone builders meets at Sherburne Memorial Library, 2998 River Rd., Killington, 10-11 a.m.

Mondays and Thursdays. Free, weights supplied. 802422-3368.

Mendon Bone Builders

WEDNESDAY Bikram Yoga **

DEC. 12

6 a.m.

Bikram Yoga holds classes Wednesdays: 6 a.m. 60-min. Bikram; 11 a.m. inferno hot pilates; 4:30 p.m. 60-min. hot power flow; 6:15 p.m. 90-min Bikram. 1360 US-4, Mendon. bikramyogamendon.com.

Green Mountain Fly Tyers

9 a.m.

Expert fly tyer Paul Buccheri demonstrates tying two trout flies: Chubby Cousin and October Caddis. Bring a vice and join. Public welcome. Godnick Center, One Deer St., Rutland.

Ski Bum Races

10 a.m.

Killington Ski Bum races held on Highline trail at K-1, Killington Resort, Wednesdays, Dec. 12-March 20, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Post party weekly. This week, at Domenic’s. Racers only; $5 extra for guest. killington.com.

Active Seniors Lunch

12 p.m.

Killington Active Seniors meet for a meal Wednesdays at the Lookout Bar & Grille. Town sponsored. Come have lunch with this well-traveled group of men and women. $5/ person. 802-422-2921. 2910 Killington Road, Killington.

10 a.m.

Mendon bone builders meets Thursdays at Roadside Chapel, 1680 Townline Rd, Rutland Town. 802-773-2694.

11 a.m.

Boys and Girls Club of Rutland gallery hosts exhibit of Visual/Word Diorama featuring 150 dioramas, each with its own narrative. Join the scavenger hunt for kids. Animals as metaphors; ideal for children. Educational and entertaining. 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Holiday Open House

11 a.m.

Learn about service and advocacy organization for people with disabilities.

Free refreshments, all welcome. Vermont Center for Independent Living/ Rutland branch office, 60 Center St., Ste. 1, Rutland. 802-779-9021, greed@vcil.org.

Tobacco Cessation Group

4:30 p.m.

Old Brandon Town Hall, Brandon. Thursdays, 4:30-5:30 p.m. Free nicotine replacement therapy and other resources and supports. 802-747-3768.

All Levels Yoga

5:30 p.m.

All levels flow at Killington Yoga with Karen Dalury, RYT 500. 3744 River Rd, Killington. killingtonyoga.com, 802-770-4101.

International Folk Dancing

5 p.m.

Castleton Community Center, 2108 Main St., Castleton. Wednesdays, 5-6 p.m. Free nicotine replacement therapy and other resources and supports.

802-747-3768.

Rotary Meeting

6 p.m.

The Killington-Pico Rotary club cordially invites visiting Rotarians, friends and guests to attend weekly meeting. Meets Wednesdays at Summit Lodge 6-8 p.m. for full dinner and fellowship. 802-773-0600 to make a reservation.

Dinner fee $19. KillingtonPicoRotary.org

Castleton Tree of Remembrance

6 p.m.

Castleton Women’s Club and Castleton Free Library hold lighting of Tree of Remembrance at the library, 638 Main St., Castleton. Community gathering with children’s stories, lighting of the tree; then hot chocolate and treats inside follow the lighting. 802-468-5574.

Free Knitting Class

6:30 p.m.

Free knitting classes at Plymouth Community Center, by Barbara Wanamaker. Bring yarn and needles, U.S. size 7 or 8 bamboo needles recommended, one skein of medium weight yarn in light or medium color. RSVP to bewanamaker@gmail.com, 802-396-0130. 35 School Drive, Plymouth.

WinterWonderGrass

2 p.m.

Music, brews and mountains! West Coast-based festival comes to Stratton Mountain, Dec. 14-16. Today: Lindsay Lou, Ghost of Paul Revere, Jeff Austin Band, The Infamous Stringdusters, Fruition, WWG Allstars, and more. Grass After Dark at Green Mountain Room at the Black Bear Lodge: Horseshoes & Hand Grenades with Saints and Liars at 10:15 p.m. winterwondergrass.com for tickets, info.

Magic: the Gathering

3:15 p.m.

Sherburne Memorial Library holds Magic: the Gathering Fridays, 3:15-4:15 p.m. Ages 8+, all levels welcome. 2998 River Rd., Killington. 802-422-9765.

F.H. Library Raffle

3:30 p.m.

Friends of Fair Haven Free Library raffle drawing for two hand-made quilts, one original painting. Get tickets/view items at the library, Main St., Fair Haven. Not need to be present to win. 802-265-8011.

RYT’s “Newsies”

7 p.m.

Rutland Youth Theatre’s production of “Newsies the Broadway Musical” at Paramount Theatre, 30 Center St., Rutland. Tickets $12 adults; kids/seniors $10. paramountvt.org.

Salsa Dancing Classes

7:30 p.m.

Chaffee Art Center offers free salsa dancing classes with Marlenis Beebe.

Individuals and couples welcome. Donations appreciated. 16 South Main St., Rutland.

SATURDAY

Gallery Scavenger Hunt

Jewish Discovery School

Tobacco Cessation Group

10:30 a.m.

International Board Certified Lactation Consultant leads breastfeeding support group at Norman Williams Public Library, in the children’s section, second Friday of month. Share/swap stories. Free, older siblings welcome.

281-731-7313. 10 the Green, Woodstock.

10 a.m.

Chaffee Art Center offers all level yoga class with Stefanie DeSimone, 50 minute practice. $5/ class, drop-ins welcome. 16 South Main St., Rutland.

Bridge Club

4 p.m.

For ages 5-13, at Rutland Jewish Center, 96 Grove St., Rutland. Based on core Jewish values expressed through Torah, music-based approach to prayer; Jewish history, and contemporary experience. rabbakaya@rutlandjewishcenter.org.

Breastfeeding Support Group

All Levels Yoga

CCV Open House

2 p.m.

CCV-Rutland holds Certified Production Technician and manufacturing training program open house. Free, open to public. 60 West St., Rutland.

2-7 p.m. 802-786-5188.

10:30 a.m.

Sherburne Memorial Library holds story time Fridays, 10:30-11 a.m. Stories, songs, activities. Babies and toddlers welcome! 802-422-9765.

6 p.m.

Marble Valley Duplicate Bridge Club meets at Godnick Center Thursdays, 6 p.m. Sanctioned duplicate bridge games. 1 Deer St., Rutland. 802-2286276.

Marsh Walk

DEC. 15

7 a.m.

Audubon Society West Rutland Marsh bird monitoring walk. Meet at marsh boardwalk on Marble St. at 8 a.m. It’s a 3.7 mile loop around marsh, or just go halfway. New birders, children, and non-members welcome. Binocs available if needed. birding@rutlandcountyaudubon.org.

Bikram Yoga **

7:30 a.m.

Bikram Yoga holds classes Saturdays: 7:30 a.m. 60-min. Bikram; 9 a.m. 90min. Bikram; 4:30 p.m. inferno hot pilates. 1360 US-4, Mendon. bikramyogamendon.com.

Coca Cola Holiday Caravan

9 a.m.

Coca Cola Holiday Caravan comes to Snowshed Base Lodge at Killington Resort, bringing Santa! 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Snap a free family photo.

The Longest Day Raffle

10 a.m.

Alzheimer’s Awareness benefit raffle at Rutland Area Flea Market, 200 West St., Rutland, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Get raffle tickets weekends through Dec. 16 (drawing held that day). Benefits Vt Chapter of Alzheimer’s Association.

802-747-0658.

6:30 p.m.

Simple Israeli and European dances taught by Judy. Free. All welcome.

Bring friends and BYOB. Dress comfortable, wear solid shoes with non-skid soles. at Rutland Jewish Center. Rutland Jewish Center, 96 Grove St., Rutland. 802-773-3455, rutlandjewishcenter.org.

Adult Soccer

7 p.m.

Thursday night soccer at Killington Elementary School Gym, 7-9 p.m. Bring $3 and indoor shoes.

Adults. Schoolhouse Road, Killington.

FREE SALSA DANCING CLASS AT CHAFFEE ART CENTER FRIDAY, DEC. 14, 7:30 P.M.

WinterWonderGrass

8 p.m.

Music, brews and mountains! West Coast-based festival comes to Stratton Mountain, Dec. 14-16.

Tonight is kickoff party: An Evening with the Infamous Stringdusters. Doors 8 p.m. Show 9 p.m. at Grizzly’s at Stratton. winterwondergrass.com for tickets, info.

FRIDAY DEC. 14

Bikram Yoga **

6 a.m.

Bikram Yoga holds classes Fridays: 6 a.m. 60-min. hot power flow; 11 a.m. 60-min. Bikram; 4:30 p.m. inferno hot pilates. 1360 US-4, Mendon. bikramyogamendon. com.

Open Swim **

8 a.m.

Enjoy the warm water at Mitchell Therapy Pool at Vermont Achievement Center, 88 Park St., Rutland: 8-9 a.m.; 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. 802773-7187.

CALENDAR

The Mountain Times • Dec. 12-18, 2018 10 a.m.

Billings Farm & Museum, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Historic ornament making, decorated farm house, interactive programs, holiday activities, “A Place in this Land” showing, horse-drawn sleigh rides, more. Admission. 69 Old River Road, Woodstock. billingsfarm.org.

Winter Fairy Forest Hunt

10 a.m.

VINS hosts winter forest fairy hunt, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Search the VINS trails and forest for fairies, then build a fairy house and warm up with cocoa.

Dress warmly. Snowshoes available if needed. Included with admission.

149 Nature’s Way, Quechee. vinsweb.org.

WinterWonderGrass

2 p.m.

Music, brews and mountains! West Coast-based festival comes to Stratton Mountain, Dec. 14-16. Today: Rumpke Mountain Boys, Grant Farm Gospel, Ghost of Paul Revere, Bridget Law & Charlie Rose, Billy Strings, Railroad Earth, and more. Grass After Dark: Billy Strings w/ WWG All Stars 10 p.m. at Grizzly’s. winterwondergrass.com for tickets, info.

2 p.m.

Pawlet Public Library hosts holiday tea for all ages, 2-4 p.m. Enjoy tea with large selection of books. Feel free to bring cookies or something else to add to the library’s sweets. 141 School St., Pawlet. 802-325-3123.

Cookies & Carols

Bridge Club

VSO Holiday Pops

12 p.m.

Marble Valley Duplicate Bridge Club meets at Godnick Center Saturdays, 12-4 p.m. Sanctioned duplicate bridge games. 1 Deer St., Rutland. 802228-6276.

WinterWonderGrass

2 p.m.

Music, brews and mountains! West Coast-based festival comes to Stratton Mountain, Dec. 14-16. Today: Upstate, Grant Farm, Larry Keel Experience, Jon Stickly Trio, Fruition, Rumpke Mountain Boys, and more. Grass After Dark: Keller Williams & Fruition 10:15 p.m. at Grizzly’s; The Kitchen Dwellers & Rumpke Mountain Boys 10:15 p.m. at Green Mountain Room at the Black Bear Lodge; Jon Stickley Trio & Grant Farm 10 p.m. at Union Underground. winterwondergrass.com for tickets, info.

RYT’s “Newsies”

2 p.m.

Rutland Youth Theatre’s production of “Newsies the Broadway Musical” at Paramount Theatre, 30 Center St., Rutland. Tickets $12 adults; kids/seniors $10. paramountvt.org.

Woodstock Vt Film Series **

3 p.m.

9th annual Woodstock Vermont Film Series returns, with “The Dawn Wall” at 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. The climb of the Dawn Wall at Yosemite National Park, by two American rock climbers. $11 adults; $6 kids under 16.

Members, discounted price. Billings Farm & Museum, 69 Old River Road, Woodstock. billingsfarm.org.

Open Swim

5 p.m.

Enjoy the warm water at Mitchell Therapy Pool at Vermont Achievement Center, 88 Park St., Rutland: Tues., Thurs., Saturday 5-7 p.m. 802-7737187.

Bingo

5:30 p.m.

Bridgewater Grange Bingo, Saturday nights, doors open at 5:30 p.m.

Games start 6:30 p.m. Route 100A, Bridgewater Corners. Just across bridge from Junction Country Store. All welcome. Refreshments available.

Learn to Curl Clinic

5:45 p.m.

Upper Valley Curling holds learn to curl clinic at Barwood Arena, Highland Ave., White River Junction. 5:45-8 p.m. Learn the basics and practice on the ice. All equipment provided; dress warmly, bring non-skid shoes. Registration required: uppervalleycurling.org. $25.

Open Gym

6 p.m.

Winter nights scholarship auction and fashion show to benefit Killington Mountain School and Killington Ski Club. Killington Grand Hotel Ballroom.

Food, goodies, silent auction, live auction, mingling. Tickets at killingtonmountainschool.org. 228 East Mountain Road, Killington.

RYT’s “Newsies”

7 p.m.

Rutland Youth Theatre’s production of “Newsies the Broadway Musical” at Paramount Theatre, 30 Center St., Rutland. Tickets $12 adults; kids/seniors $10. paramountvt.org.

SUNDAY

DEC. 16 Heartfulness Meditation

7:45 a.m.

Free group meditation Sundays, Rochester Town Office, School St. Dane, 802-767-6010. heartfulness.org.

Bikram Yoga **

9 a.m.

Bikram Yoga holds classes Sundays: 9 a.m. 90-min. Bikram; 11 a.m. inferno hot pilates; 4:30 p.m. 60-min. Bikram. 1360 US-4, Mendon. bikramyogamendon.com.

The Longest Day Raffle

10 a.m.

Alzheimer’s Awareness benefit raffle at Rutland Area Flea Market, 200 West St., Rutland, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Get raffle tickets weekends through Dec. 16 (drawing held that day). Benefits Vt Chapter of Alzheimer’s Association.

802-747-0658.

Christmas at the Farm

10 a.m.

Billings Farm & Museum, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Historic ornament making, decorated farm house, interactive programs, holiday activities, “A Place in this Land” showing, horse-drawn sleigh rides, more. Admission. 69 Old River Road, Woodstock. billingsfarm.org.

Yoga with Dawn

Klezmer Group

4 p.m.

Love Klezmer? Can you play an instrument? Join the Klezmer group at Rutland Jewish Center, 96 Grove St., Rutland. 802-773-3455. 4-6 p.m. All welcome. Free.

Lessons & Carols

4 p.m.

St. James Episcopal Church presents “A Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols” - an annual tradition. Series of nine readings (lessons) from the Bible, paired with carols.

Traditional favorites and newer compositions. Free. Light refreshments in Parish Hall follow. Open to all. stjameswoodstock.org. 2 St James Pl, Woodstock.

Bikram Yoga **

DEC. 18

Open Swim **

8 a.m.

Enjoy the warm water at Mitchell Therapy Pool at Vermont Achievement Center, 88 Park St., Rutland: 8-9 a.m.; 12-1 p.m.; 5-7 p.m. 802-773-7187.

3 p.m.

Vermont Symphony Orchestra’s festive program, ranging from a cappella version of “Jingle Bells” to “Many Moods of Christmas.” “Little Tree” and “Sleigh Ride,” too. Tickets $10-$32. Paramount Theatre, 30 Center St., Rutland. paramountvt.org.

Art Workshop

10 a.m.

Hand-in-Hand open art workshop, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Tuesdays at Sherburne

VSO HOLIDAY POPS AT PARAMOUNT THEATRE SUNDAY, DEC. 16, 3 P.M.

Connection Support Group

4:30 p.m.

NAMI Vermont’s connection support group at Rutland Mental Health Services, 78 S. Main St., Rutland. 4:30-6 p.m. First and third Sunday of each month. Free recovery support group for people living with mental illness. Learn from one another, share coping strategies, offer mutual encouragement and understanding.

Community Carol Sing-a-long

5 p.m.

Killington’s Little White Church hosts community carol sing-a-long, celebrating the songs of the season, secular and spiritual. Lyrics provided. Celebrate 200th anniversary of Silent Night. Music for all ages. Hot cocoa station and treats. All welcome. 2326 US-4, Killington.

Advent in the Night

6 p.m.

Weekly outdoor advent vigil at BROC, 45 Union St., Rutland. All people, all beliefs welcome. Hot coffee, cider, donuts served after.

Info, 802-773-2460, 802-773-9659.

MONDAY Bikram Yoga **

DEC. 17

6 a.m.

Bikram Yoga holds classes Mondays: 6 a.m. and 11 a.m., 60 min. Bikram; 4:30 p.m. 60-min. hot power flow; 6:15 p.m. 90-min. Bikram. 1360 US-4, Mendon. bikramyogamendon.com.

Killington Yoga

8:30 a.m.

All Level Flow Yoga, 8:30 a.m. at Killington Yoga with Karen Dalury, RYT 500. 3744 River Rd, Killington. killingtonyoga.com, 802-770-4101.

Killington Bone Builders

10 a.m.

Bone builders meets at Sherburne Memorial Library, 2998 River Rd., Killington, 10-11 a.m. Mondays and Thursdays. Free, weights supplied.

802-422-3368.

Open Swim

11:30 a.m.

Enjoy the warm water at Mitchell Therapy Pool at Vermont Achievement Center, 88 Park St., Rutland: 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. 802-773-7187.

Monday Meals

12 p.m.

Every Monday meals at Chittenden Town Hall at 12 noon. Open to public, RSVP call by Friday prior, 483-6244. Gene Sargent. Bring your own place settings. Seniors $3.50 for 60+. Under 60, $5. No holidays. 337 Holden Rd., Chittenden.

Rutland Rotary

12:15 p.m.

Rotary Club of Rutland meets Mondays for lunch at The Palms Restaurant.

Learn more or become a member, journal@sover.net.

Tobacco Cessation Group

5 p.m.

Free tobacco cessation group. Mondays, 5-6 p.m. at CVPS/Leahy Community Health Ed Center at RRMC, 160 Allen St., Rutland. Free nicotine replacement therapy and other resources and supports. 802-747-3768.

Killington Yoga/Pilates

5 p.m.

Two classes: Pilates Mat, 5 p.m. Yin Yoga, 5:45 p.m. at Killington Yoga with Karen Dalury, RYT 500. 3744 River Rd, Killington. killingtonyoga.com, 802770-4101.

10:30 a.m.

Yoga class with Dawn resumes at Plymouth Community Center. All levels welcome, please bring your own mat. $12 per class or $90 for 10 classes.

35 School Drive, Plymouth.

All Levels Yoga

All Levels Yoga

98 Degrees at Christmas

12 p.m.

All levels flow at Killington Yoga with Cristy Murphy. 3744 River Rd, Killington. killingtonyoga.com, 802-770-4101.

TUESDAY 6 a.m.

Bikram Yoga holds classes Tuesdays: 6 a.m. & 6:15 p.m. Inferno hot pilates; 9 a.m. & 4:30 p.m. 90-min. Bikram. 1360 US-4, Mendon. bikramyogamendon.com.

2:30 p.m.

Sparkle Barn hosts holiday singalong and cookie exchange, 2:30-4 p.m.

RSVP at thesparklebarnshop.com - limited space. Bring 30 homemade holiday cookies, some for eating, some for exchanging. 1509 US-7, Wallingford.

6 p.m.

Friday night open gym at Head Over Heels, 152 North Main St., Rutland.

6-8 p.m. Ages 6+. Practice current skills, create gymnastic routines, learn new tricks, socialize with friends! $5/ hour members; $8/ hour non-members. Discount punch cards available. 802-773-1404.

KMS/KSC Scholarship Auction

Vermont Adult Learning will offers free citizenship classes. Call Marcy Green, 802-775-0617, and learn if you may qualify for citizenship at no cost.

16 Evelyn St., Rutland. Also, free classes in reading, writing, and speaking for English speakers of other languages. Ongoing.

Holiday Tea

Open Gym

11 a.m.

Saturday morning open gym at Head Over Heels, 152 North Main St., Rutland. 11 a.m.-1 p.m. All ages welcome. Practice current skills, create gymnastic routines, learn new tricks, socialize with friends. $5/ hour members; $8/ hour non-members. Discount punch cards available. 802-773-1404.

Citizenship Classes

VS O

Christmas at the Farm

•9

6:30 p.m.

Chaffee Art Center offers all level yoga class with Stefanie DeSimone, 50 minute practice. $5/ class, drop-ins welcome. 16 South Main St., Rutland.

8 p.m.

Boy-band from the 1990s-early 2000s, 98 Degrees will perform at Paramount Theatre, new Christmas tour. 30 Center St., Rutland. Tickets $65$85. paramountvt.org.

sy te ur o C

Memorial Library, Killington. Open art workshop - all levels, interests, mediums. Free. Ann Wallen Community Room. 802-299-1777.

Mendon Bone Builders

10 a.m.

Mendon bone builders meets Tuesdays at Roadside Chapel, 1680 Townline Rd, Rutland Town. 802-773-2694.

Tobacco Cessation Group

11 a.m.

Free tobacco cessation group. Free nicotine patches, gum or lozenges.

Every Tuesday, 11-12 p.m. at Heart Center, 12 Commons St., Rutland.

802-747-3768.

TOPS Meeting

4:45 p.m.

TOPS meets Tuesday nights at Trinity Church in Rutland (corner of West and Church streets). Side entrance. Weight in 4:45-5:30 p.m. Meeting 6-6:30 p.m. All welcome, stress free environment, take off pounds sensibly.

802-293-5279.

Level 1 Yoga

5:30 p.m.

Level 1 Hatha Yoga at Killington Yoga with Karen Dalury, RYT 500. 3744 River Rd, Killington. killingtonyoga.com, 802-770-4101.

Heartfulness Meditation

5:45 p.m.

Free group meditation Tuesdays, Mountain Yoga, 135 N Main St #8, Rutland. Margery, 802-775-1795. heartfulness.org.

Bereavement Group

6 p.m.

VNAHSR’s weekly bereavement group, Tuesdays at 6 p.m. at Grace Congregational Church, 8 Court St., Rutland. Rev. Andrew Carlson facilitates.

Free, open to the public. 802-770-1613.

Legion Bingo

6:15 p.m.

Brandon American Legion, Tuesdays. Warm ups 6:15 p.m., regular games 7 p.m. Open to the public. Bring a friend! Franklin St., Brandon.

Chess Club

7 p.m.

Rutland Rec Dept. holds chess club at Godnick Adult Center, providing a mind-enhancing skill for youth and adults. All ages are welcome; open to the public. Tuesdays, 7-9 p.m. 1 Deer St., Rutland.

RHS Winter Band Concert

7 p.m.

Rutland High School Winter Band Concert at Paramount Theatre. Free, open to public. Features Jazz Ensemble, Concert Band, and Symphonic Band. 30 Center St., Rutland.

Adult Basketball

7 p.m.

Tuesday night basketball at Killington Elementary School Gym, 7-9 p.m.

Bring $3 and indoor shoes. Adults. Schoolhouse Road, Killington.

10 •

CALENDAR

The Mountain Times • Dec. 12-18, 2018

By Elisa Tahan

98 Degrees

98 Degrees to play Rutland, Monday

By Alan Sculley

The band 98 Degrees will come to the Paramount lion albums, which includes a first holiday album, “This Theatre on Monday, Dec. 17 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $65Christmas,” released in 1999. $85 at paramountvt.org.

Then in 2001, the group went on a hiatus that lasted Nick Lachey has been television host, a reality telemore than a decade. Each of the group members took vision star, a dance contest competitor, an actor, a teen on their own projects during the hiatus, making 98 Depop star (with 98 Degrees) and a music solo artist. grees seem like it might stay in the rearview mirror.

Wearing many hats suits him well.

In music, Nick Lachey released has released four “I’d like to think I’m kind of hard to label. I enjoy solo albums (including the gold-certified 2006 release being diversified,” Lachey said during a late-October “What’s Left of Me”). But his biggest impact came phone interview. “I’ve always approached my career as through television. not trying to put any kind of label on it or define it. As Following his October 2002 marriage to singer Jessica long as the projects are interSimpson, the couple starred esting and something I enjoy in the popular MTV reality ...“NEWLYWEDS: NICK AND doing, just keep on working.” television series “NewlyJESSICA.” THE SERIES HAD A But now, 22 years after weds: Nick and Jessica.” he first came to notoriety The series had a three-year THREE-YEAR RUN – JUST LIKE as frontman of 98 Degrees, run – just like their marriage, THEIR MARRIAGE. that group might be taking a which ended in December central role in Lachey’s career 2005. once again.

To this day, some people still associate Lachey, with The group came together in 1996 in Los Angeles “Newlyweds,” even though he has since married foras a vocal quartet featuring four Ohio natives – lead mer MTV VJ Vanessa Minnillo, with whom he has three singer Lachey, his brother, Drew, Justin Jeffre and Jeff children. It’s a situation that he finds odd.

Timmons. Initially 98 Degrees was marketed as a teen “I guess it’s a weird thing because it’s obviously pop group, riding what was then a major trend in pop centered around a chapter in my life which is closed music. and has been for a decade really,” Lachey said. “But it’s 98 Degrees never achieved the mega-stardom of always interesting how much people still remember peers like the Backstreet Boys, NSYNC or Britney that show. So on that level, it’s flattering to have been Spears, but the group did very well. After notching a part of something people enjoyed and was a success. gold album with the self-titled debut, the 1998 secYeah, it is bizarre at the same time because it’s so not ond album, “98 Degrees and Rising,” topped 4 million where my life is. copies sold, while the 2000 album, “Revelation,” was a “I’ve been lucky enough, thankfully, to go on and do double-platinum hit. In all the group has sold 10 milquite a few things since then and host a lot of things,” 98 Degrees, page 29

Disturbed democracy: GOP fights to maintain one-party rule continued from page 6 to gut popular citizen-initiated laws that mandated paid sick leave and an increase in the minimum wage from $9.25 to $12 by 2022.

In Missouri, citizens overwhelming passed a constitutional amendment that focused on preventing corruption and extreme gerrymandering.

Dubbed as “Clean Missouri,” the citizen-initiated amendment bars legislators from accepting lobbying gifts over $5 and bars former state officials from accepting a lobbying job for two years after leaving office. The measure also changed the process for drawing up legislative districts

to make it more reflective of the true demography. Republicans are trying to weaken the measure, which passed with 62 percent of the vote.

In Ohio, Republicans still control both the governor’s office and Legislature, but apparently that’s not enough. Republicans in the Legislature, with the governor-elect’s blessing, are working to make it almost impossible to pass citizen amendments. Why? Because earlier this year voters in Ohio overwhelmingly passed a constitutional amendment to restrict gerrymandering, an action that could put the Republicans’ domi-

nance at risk.

These are not the typical acts of the outgoing party tying up a few loose ends before turning over power. On the contrary, these are clear actions that put the party above the welfare of the voters. It’s yet another sign of the Republican Party losing its way – and of a nation put at risk by a political party willing to undermine democracy for its own gain. Trump-like, to be sure, but as un-American in spirit as can be.

Angelo Lynn is the editor and publisher of the Addison Independent, a sister paper to the Mountain Times.

MUSIC SCENE

The Mountain Times • Dec. 12-18, 2018

Music scene by dj dave hoffenberg

WEDNESDAY DEC. 12

[MUSIC Scene] KILLINGTON

KILLINGTON

4:30 p.m. The Foundry

4 p.m. Pickle Barrel Nightclub

Jamie’s Junk Show

5 p.m. Hop ‘n’ Moose Ryan Fuller

6 p.m. Charity’s 1887 Saloon

KILLINGTON 6 p.m. Liquid Art

Open Mic with Fiddlewitch

7:30 p.m. Sushi Yoshi

Music Trivia Bingo with DJ Dave

PAWLET

Brad Morgan on Piano

6 p.m. Wobbly Barn Rick Redington

7 p.m. The Foundry Joey Leone Duo

7 p.m. The Barn Restaurant and Tavern “Pickin’ in Pawlet”

POULTNEY

7 p.m. Summit Lodge The County Down

7:30 p.m. McGrath’s Irish Pub McMurphy

5 p.m. Taps Tavern

Beer Dinner and Craig Agus Ceol

RUTLAND 9:30 p.m. Hide-A-Way Tavern College Night with DJ Mega

THURSDAY DEC. 13

8 p.m. Pickle Barrel Nightclub

Jamie’s Junk Show with opener Jenny Porter

5 p.m. Wobbly Barn 5:30 p.m. Charity’s 1887 Saloon 7 p.m. The Foundry

2 p.m. K1 Base Lodge

7 p.m. Summit Lodge

9 p.m. JAX Food & Games

Jordan Snow Duo

The County Down

7:30 p.m. McGrath’s Irish Pub McMurphy

8 p.m. Pickle Barrel Nightclub

WOODSTOCK

9 p.m. Moguls Sports Pub DJ Dave’s All Request Night

9 p.m. Moguls Sports Pub

PAWLET

RUTLAND

7:30 p.m. Bentley’s Restaurant

7 p.m. The Barn Restaurant and Tavern

9 p.m. Center Street Alley

North & South Dakotas

POULTNEY

7 p.m. Draught Room in Diamond Run Mall 7:30 p.m. Hop ‘n’ Moose

POULTNEY

9 p.m. Center Street Alley

Aaron Audet DJ Dirty D

9:30 p.m. Hide-A-Way Tavern

DEC. 14

Super Stash Bros

DJ Mega

9:30 p.m. Hide-A-Way Tavern

Karaoke 101 with Tenacious T

SUNDAY DEC. 16

Strangled Darlings

SATURDAY DEC. 15

Andy Gorton

6 p.m. Iron Lantern BRANDON 7:30 p.m. Brandon Music BARN OPERA: La Boheme

Daniel Brown

5 p.m. The Foundry

Jazz Night with Summit Pond Quartet

6 p.m. Summit Lodge Duane Carleton

7:30 p.m. Brandon Music

10 p.m. Moguls Sports Pub

Local’s Night with Duane Carleton

RUTLAND 7 p.m. Hide-A-Way Tavern Papa Greybeard (Keith Williams)

9:30 p.m. The Venue

BARN OPERA: La Boheme

12 p.m. Wild Fern

BRIDGEWATER 7 p.m. Ramunto’s Brick and Brew Pizza Trivia Night

CASTLETON 6 p.m. Third Place Pizzeria Josh Jakab

2 p.m. K1 Base Lodge Daniel Brown

7:30 p.m. Killington Beer Company Open Mic Night Hosted by Eric and Andy

9 p.m. JAX Food & Games PITTSFIELD

Rick Webb

8 p.m. Clear River Tavern Name That Tune Bingo with DJ Dave

POULTNEY 7 p.m. Taps Tavern Bluegrass Jam

RUTLAND 9:30 p.m. Hide-A-Way Tavern

Open Mic with Krishna Guthrie

STOCKBRIDGE

BRANDON

DEC. 18

Jenny Porter

9 p.m. JAX Food & Games

Open Mic

Brendon O’Bryan

TUESDAY

KILLINGTON

2 p.m. Snowshed’s Long Trail Pub

7 p.m. First Universalist Church

6 p.m. Iron Lantern

Rick Redington and The Luv

STOCKBRIDGE

BOMOSEEN

BOMOSEEN

Open Mic Night

KILLINGTON

7 p.m. Wild Fern

9:30 p.m. The Venue Krishna Guthrie

The Silverbacks

BARNARD 8th Annual Winter Carols

RUTLAND

Joey Leone Duo

8 p.m. Clear River Tavern

FRIDAY

Open Mic with Silas

Jamie’s Junk Show

Duane Carleton

Full Backline Open Mic with Robby Smolinski

9:30 p.m. The Killarney

9 p.m. JAX Food & Games

7 p.m. Wild Fern

9:30 p.m. Hide-A-Way Tavern

LUDLOW

9 p.m. JAX Food & Games

RUTLAND

RUTLAND

The Idiots

Pimp ‘n’ Ho Ho Ho Party with High Five Swan Dive

8 p.m. Pickle Barrel Nightclub

Mike Schwaner

Duane Carleton

High Five Swan Dive

STOCKBRIDGE

7 p.m. Taps Tavern

DEC. 17

KILLINGTON

The Mean Waltons

Open Mic Jam with The Bubsies

MONDAY

Brad Morgan on Piano

7 p.m. Taps Tavern

PITTSFIELD

The People’s Jam

Krishna Guthrie

KILLINGTON Local Yokel Pass Party with Soul Monde

1 p.m. Wild Fern

9:30 p.m. The Venue

Cigar Box Brunch w/ Rick Redington

Karaoke

Après Ski Acts Fridays Doors open 6 p.m. Thursday & F 5 p.m. Saturdays Bow Thayer has been singing and writing songs for ass long lon lo on ng n g as he can ca remember. Making music is who he is. He has lived up to o his “reputation “rep repu rep eputation putation ass a sublimely gifted artist” by pursuing a creative vision n that seeks ks to to lead lea l d Americana music into the future.

2229 Killington Road, Killington n

THURSDAY BOW THAYER

• 11

12 •

PUZZLES

The Mountain Times • Dec. 12-18, 2018

• SUDOKU

• MOVIE TIMES

• CROSSWORD

• MOVIE DIARY

just for fun

SUDOKU

the MOVIE diary

By Dom Cioffi

Each block is divided by its own matrix of nine cells. The rule for solving Sudoku puzzles are very simple. Each row, column and block, must contain one of the numbers from “1” to “9”. No number may appear more than once in any row, column, or block.

When you’ve filled the entire grid the puzzle is solved.

Solutions on page 31

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

CLUES ACROSS 1. A great lunch 4. German composer 8. Expresses pleasure 10. Unit of energy 11. Genus of beetles 12. Type of respect 13. City in Netherlands 15. Showing lack of skill 16. Irish surname 17. Exaggerated or affected sentiment 18. Diversion 21. Journalist Tarbell 22. Wrath 23. Current unit 24. Sixers’ Simmons 25. Makes honey 26. Tributary of the Rhine 27. Once home to a notorious wall 34. Gets back 35. She was beheaded in France 36. Cheer 37. Tropical Asian palm 38. Darker 39. Figures 40. Old World trees 41. Protects a broken bone 42. Dried-up 43. An enclosure for swine

CLUES DOWN 1. Blab 2. __ Bacall, actress 3. Declaration of an intention to inflict harm 4. The most direct route 5. Affirm to be true or correct 6. Rift 7. Oil company 9. Alphabetic character 10. Large marsh bird 12. Hollywood event 14. Scottish port 15. French river 17. Something frustrating (abbr.)

19. More in time 20. Payroll company 23. Pokes holes in 24. A way to steal 25. Blacken with dirt 26. Autonomic nervous system 27. A lab tech’s tool 28. A place to stay 29. UK school 30. Moroccan 31. Where rockers work 32. Most friendly 33. In a state of turbulence 34.“Bridget Jones” actress 36. Hebrew liquid units Solutions on page 31

The social network

A couple weeks ago I sat down at my computer, cup of coffee in hand, and pulled up the morning’s email. I rifled through the prerequisite offers for discount drugs, quickly deleting them as fast as I could read their suggestive subject lines. There were also a few pertinent emails about work, some marketing offers about an upcoming vacation I was planning and, of course, my daily Buddhist message meant to keep me calm in this rather un-calm world.

And then there was one of those familiar Facebook messages: “So-and-so wants to be friends with you on Facebook.” I stared at the name for a moment in confusion because it was no one I initially recognized. I mean, the name sounded familiar, but I couldn’t place how I knew it.

So, I did what comes naturally in the voyeuristic realm of Facebook: I quickly clicked on the link, which immediately sent me to this individual’s personal Facebook page. Once there I could analyze the person’s photos and information in order to ascertain how I might know them.

None of the usual indicators struck a chord with me: the person wasn’t from the area, we had no friends in common, and his personal info unveiled nothing that made a connection to me or my family.

I was on the verge of discounting the friend request as either a mistake or the guise of someone trying to collect friends, when I noticed the unconventional name of the individual’s father.

Suddenly, it all clicked. This was the kid who lived GREEN BOOK in my neighborhood for less than a year when I was 10 or 11 years old. His family had relocated to our town because of his father’s job so they had rented a Legos, Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots – you name the toy, vacant home just down the street from where I lived. this kid had it.

A flood of memories rushed through my head as Not surprisingly, we became fast friends. Truth be I backtracked through his photos, which had now known, I would have been friends with this kid even if taken on an entirely new importance to me. There he he had six arms and two heads. Going into his basewas, a grown man, obviously married and the father ment was like getting a free pass to Disney World. of three children. He looked happy, active, and all in But the interesting thing about him was that he nevall, pretty consistent with the American dream. er seemed that impressed nor interested with his stash I sat back in my desk chair and began to reminisce of toys. He was content being outside riding bikes, about the short time we climbing trees, or wanwere friends. I remember dering through the woods UNLIKELY PAIRINGS CAN PRODUCE being drawn to him be– stuff I did incessantly out cause he had the flashiest of boredom long before he LASTING BONDS. bike I had ever seen. It arrived. was one of those banana It never occurred to me seat cruisers with several gears, fully tricked-out during the short time we were friends (his father was with tassels and a killer color scheme. I was envious relocated again a little over a year after they arrived), of that bike and made it a priority to get to know him but as I sat back in my chair that morning, it occurred so I could ride it. to me that he probably moved frequently and his parBut as I discovered, the bike paled in comparison to ents attempted to make up for that incessant uprootthe booty he had in his cellar. Entry into this kid’s baseing by supplying him with a never-ending stream of ment meant access to an unending supply of Tonka, toys.

Hot Wheels, and G.I. Joe paraphernalia. Skateboards, I stared at his pictures a little longer and then, with a smile and sense of nostalgia, I clicked the accept button for his friend request. No other contact was made, but I have little doubt he’s peered through my photos and information, curious as to how my life turned out as well.

This week’s film, “Green Book,” is also about friendships and how unlikely pairings can produce lasting bonds.

Starring Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali, “Green Book” is the story of two middle aged men who are thrust together under odd circumstances. One is an African American concert pianist; the other is a rough and tumble Italian-American bouncer who is hired by the pianist to drive him around the Deep South during the 1960’s.

During their time together, the two initially detest each other. Eventually, however, a mutual respect forms between the men as shared experiences of distress and love formulate a strong bond.

Check this one out if you’re in the mood for an incredibly well-acted, well-written film. It’s also got a bevy of humorous moments that help balance the more intense scenes.

A comradely “B” for “Green Book.”

Got a question or comment for Dom? You can email him at moviediary@att.net.

ROCKIN’ THE REGION

The Mountain Times • Dec. 12-18, 2018

• 13

KILLINGTON’S BREWERY OPEN MIC NIGHT

WED

All welcome - sign up at 6:30

Infamous Stringdusters to headline WinterWonderGrass

By Alan Sculley

Stratton Mountain will host the first East Coast WinterWonderGrass Festival, Dec. 14-16. The Infamous Stringdusters are headlining the festival, performing at the kick-off party on Dec. 13 at 9 p.m. and on Friday during the festival.

The Infamous Stringdusters have been on tour pretty much non-stop since the start of 2017 and have even put out a live album documenting performances of songs from their latest album of original material, “Laws of Gravity.”

But dobro player Andy Hall feels the group’s current live show will be plenty fresh – even for fans that saw the Infamous Stringdusters over the past year.

“I feel like this past year we’ve made sort of a large leap in our live

player Jeremy Garrett, bassist Travis Book, guitarist Andy Falco and banjo player Chris Pandolfi.

The seventh studio album from the band, it found the group re-embracing their bluegrass roots, particularly on songs like “Freedom,” “Black Elk” and “A Hard Life Makes A Good Song,” earning critical acclaim and then at the end of January, something more. “Laws of Gravity” was named cowinner of the Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album with Rhonda Vincent’s “All The Rage – Volume 1.”

Hall considers the Grammy perhaps the biggest honor his group has earned.

“It’s known as the biggest award in music,” he said. “I mean, there are smaller organizations that are

“LAWS OF GRAVITY” WAS NAMED CO-WINNER OF THE GRAMMY AWARD FOR BEST BLUEGRASS ALBUM. show,” he said. “You know, we’ve always liked the improvised jamming element of our show, but we kind of consciously took it to this next level this [past] year, where we’re stringing three or four songs together at a time without a break in the music through improvised sections and jams. And so now we have this, it’s a little less like play a song, stop, talk to the audience, play a song, stop, talk to the audience. It’s like these longer sections of music that weave through songs and choruses and solos and group improvised sections. So there may be 20 minutes of music before there’s a break.

“That takes learning techniques and skills that will allow you to do that,” Hall said. “I feel like it’s changed our show a lot.”

The growth in the live show is just the latest part of what is making the “Laws of Gravity” cycle a landmark period for the Infamous Stringdusters, which includes Hall, fiddle

awesome. For us, we’ve been part of the International Bluegrass Music Association for years. And back 10 years ago we received some awards from them. That’s awesome because that’s getting recognized by your peers that are in that genre. But the Grammys, it’s all of music. You’re recognized sort of in a broader sense. So yeah, it’s really exciting.”

Now it’s back to the daily business of being a band and building on the success of the “Laws of Gravity” album, which got a bit of a boost last spring with the release of the “Laws of Gravity Live” album, which compiled live versions of the songs from the studio album that were recorded during the early months of the touring cycle.

The decision to release a live counterpart to the studio album had a lot to do with when and how the “Laws of Gravity” songs were written.

“This album is the first time we’ve

ever waited until the album release to play the songs off of the album live. We’ve always sort of written the songs and started playing them in the show before we even record the album,” Hall said. “So when we started touring on the album and playing those songs live, they quickly kind of took on a life of their own…We wanted to sort of get it out there. So even though it was only four months maybe after the [studio] record came out, a lot had happened with those songs.”

As touring continues this fall, the band is also working on the launch of their new record label, Tape Time Records. Hall said in today’s environment, labels don’t offer better distribution than a band can arrange or funding to make albums.

“It’s sort of like, OK, if we can get the distribution and they’re not going to give us any money to make a record, why would we do that [sign with a label]?” Hall said.

But there’s another goal for the label – a way to bring bands together and create a sense of community.

“The bigger part of the reason we started this is because in some ways, the jam grass scene, if you will, I’ll use that word, is kind of a disparate, fractured thing… Everybody’s kind of just doing their own thing,” he said. “There’s no central place that the art all happens…So we want to start basically making ways to team up, to pool our resources, to pool our energies and have it maybe be something that artistically can be real interesting.

Maybe it means there will be more collaboration [between bands].

Maybe we’ll be able to write with some of these artists and get these records released, or guest on each other’s records or make a compilation, just sort of make one centralized location where some of this stuff can all live together and create together. That’s sort of the exciting part.”

we play a full show from opener to encore 7-10pm

Bangers & Mash 5-8PM

Acoustic Celtic Holiday

Bangers & Mash 8PM Josh Jakub 4-7PM

SAT

Infamous Stringdusters

GRATEFUL DEAD NIGHT

TRIVIA 7PM FRI

By Scott McCormick

TUES

VINYL NIGHT bring your own or spin ours 7-10pm

THUR

MON

Flights - Pints - Beer to Go

Upcoming Events: 12/28 Aaron Audet Band 1/5 Lo Fi 3 1/19 & 1/20 Reckoning

www.killingtonbeercompany.com 53 Woods Rd. Killington, VT 05751 in the Spa Building at the Woods Resort

Thursday - Saturday 4 p.m.

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The Mountain Times • Dec. 12-18, 2018 LIVING ADE

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Courtesy Rutland Youth Theatre

The cast of “Newsies” performs a dress rehearsal for its upcoming production at the Paramount Theatre.

Rutland Youth Theatre performs holiday production of ‘Newsies, the Broadway Musical’ Dec. 14-15—RUTLAND—Rutland Youth Theatre presents “Newsies, the Broadway Musical” to celebrate the holidays, Dec. 14-15, at the Paramount Theatre in Rutland.

It’s time to carry the banner! Produced and directed by Saskia Hagen Groom, musical directed by Saige King and choreographed

by Tegan Waite, “Newsies, the Broadway Musical” is based a true historical strike of newspaper boys in NYC in 1899. The story is set in turn-of-the

century New York City, and tells the rousing tale of Jack Kelly, a charismatic newsboy and leader of a band of teenaged “newsies.” When titans of publishing raise distribution prices at the newsboys’ expense, Jack rallies newsies from across the city to strike against the unfair conditions and fight for what’s right.

The newspaper boys’ strike of 1899 was a youth-led campaign to force change in the way that Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst’s newspapers compensated their child

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labor force of newspaper hawkers.

The strike lasted two weeks, causing Pulitzer’s New York World to reduce its circulation from 360,000 to 125,000.

The story is packed with non-stop thrills and a timeless message, perfect for the whole family and every audience.

Show times are Dec. 14 at 7 p.m. and Dec. 15 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 for children and seniors; and $12 for adults. The Paramount Theatre is located at 30 Center St., Rutland. Visit paramountvt.org.

For more information, visit rutlandrec.com/theatre or call 802-5584177.

Courtesy Benson Chevrolet

Benson Chevrolet’s goal is to fill this truck with toys for children in need. Donate today and make a child happy on Christmas.

Benson Chevrolet is drop location for Toys for Tots LUDLOW—There is no greater joy than a child receiving a Christmas gift on Christmas Day and again this year Benson’s Chevrolet at 25 Pond Street in Ludlow will be a drop-off location for Toys for Tot. The goal this year is to fill a pick-up truck with toys.

Toys will be collected for children in need in the area until Dec. 21. Donated items can be toys, books, bikes, games and craft projects, to name just a few. The toys collected are gifted to those in need during the holidays.

Benson’s Chevrolet is open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.- 6 p.m. and Saturday, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. For more information, call 802-228-4000.

GET UP TO

100 BACK when you button up your home for winter

Efficiency Vermont is giving Vermonters up to $100 for DIY weatherization.

It’s simple! Complete any 3 projects: 1. Build an air-tight, well-insulated attic hatch 2. Air seal and insulate the box sill and rim joists in your basement 3. Build an air-tight, well-insulated bulkhead door 4. Spot air seal and insulate your attic 5. Install a new window, Low-E storm window or panel 6. Weatherstrip windows 7. Weatherstrip exterior doors Visit any hardware store to purchase materials, send us a photo of your work, and get up to $100 back.

www.efficiencyvermont.com/DIY | 888-921-5990 Purchases must be made by Feb. 1, 2019

LIVING ADE

The Mountain Times • Dec. 12-18, 2018

STRATTON MOUNTAIN

DECEMBER 14-16, 2018

WINTERWONDERGRASS.COM

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The Mountain Times • Dec. 12-18, 2018

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DEC

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HOME TO: Reopens: Fri. Dec 14th & Sat. 15th 6-9pm

PUB OPEN: MON - THUR 3PM FRI., SAT., SUN. 11:30AM

Delicious pub menu with an Irish flavor

LIVE MUSIC

Irish Pub

Dec. 14th & Dec. 15th at 7:30 p.m.

Route 4, Between Killington & Pico 802-775-7181 • innatlongtrail.com Rooms & Suites available

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Courtesy VINS

Even in the winter there are enchanting things to find in the forest at VINS.

Search for fairies with VINS

Saturday, Dec. 15, 10 a.m.—QUECHEE—VINS offers at Winter Forest Fairy Hunt on Saturday, Dec. 15, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. The event is included with admission to the VINS Nature Center.

Even in the winter, there is always something to see in the woods. Connect with the natural world by exploring the VINS trails and learning forest facts while searching for fairies.

Afterwards, build fairy houses, then warm up in the classroom with some hot chocolate and tell the VINS’ Fairy Grandmother what was learned. Make sure to dress warmly. If there is snow, snowshoes will be provided.

VINS is located off Route 4, at 149 Nature’s Way, Quechee. For more information, call 802-359-5000 or visit vinsweb.org.

Little White Church invites community for carol sing-a-long Sunday, Dec.16, 5 p.m.—KILLINGTON— Bring friends and neighbors in celebration of the songs of the season, both secular and spiritual, on Sunday, Dec. 16, at 5 p.m. at Killington’s Little White Church.

From “White Christ-

mas” and “Winter Wonderland” to “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” and “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer,” there will be music for all ages. The evening will end with favorite hymns and a celebration of the 200th anniversary of “Silent Night.”

Church clergy will provide the lyrics; the community is welcome to come make a joyful sound. Join afterwards downstairs for a hot chocolate station and an assortment of treats. All are welcome.

The church is located on Route 4 in Killington.

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n The region’s most creative cocktails and cuisine n Sophisticated ambience, roaring hearths and cozy spaces n Romantic accommodations n Full locally-sourced breakfast included n Available in any amount Call or email: 802.775.2290, innkeepers@redcloverinn.com Restaurant open Thursday-Monday, 5:30-9 pm www.redcloverinn.com • innkeepers@redcloverinn.com 7 Woodward Road, Mendon, VT Just off Route 4 in the heart of the Killington Valley

BE HEARD.

MOUNTA IN TIMES mountaintimes.info

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Mount St. Joseph Academy marks 50 years of Project Help RUTLAND—Mount St. Joseph Academy will mark 50 years of Project Help by creating Christmas baskets for more than 100 families in the Rutland Region, who are in need of a little help this Christmas season.

MSJ students, faculty, alumni, and friends of the school will begin Project Help on Dec. 20 by collecting food, monetary and in-kind donations from area residents and businesses. On Dec. 21, students will make and deliver baskets to our local families.

This year’s theme is 12 Days of Help. For the 12 days leading up to Project Help, students will highlight an item for donation that is in high need.

Donations of any kind remain welcomed on any day.

The featured items of the day are as follows: Saturday, Dec. 8 - wrapping paper/gift bags Sunday, Dec. 9 - cereal Monday, Dec. 10 - peanut butter Tuesday, Dec. 11 - new toys Wednesday, Dec. 12 - macaroni & cheese Thursday, Dec. 13 - canned vegetables Friday, Dec. 14 - new winter hats Saturday, Dec. 15 - boxed pasta Sunday, Dec. 16 - jelly Monday, Dec. 17 - new socks Tuesday, Dec. 18 - beans Wednesday, Dec. 19 - canned fruit Anyone who would like to volunteer, make a food or monetary donation, contact Phil Hall at 802-7750151 or email phall@msjvermont.org. Students visit most Rutland City residences, but those who live outside of the city and wish to contribute gifts or donations, can drop off donations at the MSJ main office Monday through Friday during school hours and from noon to 2 p.m. on Dec. 8, 9, 15,16.

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Photos courtesy of Red Bull Media House

Top: Rock climber Kevin Jorgeson is shown on the Dawn Wall, in a photo that leaves the viewer feeling a sense of being on the wall, too. Bottom: Tommy Caldwell climbs on the Dawn Wall during the filming of the documentary in January 2015.

‘The Dawn Wall’ documents rock climbers’ quest of the impossible

Saturday, Dec. 15, 3 p.m.—WOODSTOCK—The ninth annual Woodstock Vermont Film Series at the Billings Farm & Museum will feature the documentary “The Dawn Wall” on Saturday, Dec. 15, at 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. in HD projection and surround sound, with complimentary refreshments. Reservations are strongly recommended.

In January 2015, American rock climbers Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson captivated the world with their quest to climb the Dawn Wall, a seemingly impossible 3,000 foot rock face in Yosemite National Park. The pair lived on the sheer vertical cliff for weeks, igniting a frenzy

of global media attention. Josh Lowell and Peter Mortimer filmed this spine-tingling real-life adventure to create this riveting award-winning documentary. The film was a winner of the Audience Award at the South by Southwest Film Festival.

Tickets prices are $11 for adults and $6 for children under 16. BF&M members receive discounted prices. For a complete list of screenings and to purchase tickets, visit billingsfarm.org/filmfest or call 802-457-5303.

Billings Farm & Museum is located one-half mile north of the Woodstock village green on Vermont Route 12.

Teddy Arbo's

BENEFITING LOCAL CHARITIES

Holiday Toy Party Courtesy Fair Haven Free Library

Two quilts (shown above) and an original painting are being raffled at the Fair Haven Free Library. They are on display, where tickets are available.

Tickets still available for quilt and painting raffle; concludes Dec. 14 Friday, Dec. 14, 3:30 p.m.—FAIR HAVEN—The Friends of the Fair Haven Free Library have been holding a raffle, which will conclude Dec. 14 with a drawing at the library at 3:30 p.m. The winner does not need to be in attendance at the time of the drawing. There are three prizes being raffled: two hand-made quilts and one original painting. These uniquely crafted items were generously donated by several volunteers and patrons. The items are on display at the library, where raffle tickets are being sold. The cost of one ticket is $1 or six tickets for $5. Proceeds from the raffle will help sponsor the many programs and events held annually here at the library by the Friends of the Fair Haven Free Library.

The library, located on Main Street in Fair Haven, is open on Monday and Wednesday, 4-8 p.m.; Tuesday and Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; and Saturday, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.

For more information, call 802-265-8011.

THANK YOU!

The Foundry at Summit Pond

Chris, Sasha, Alexis, Chef Wil, Jenny, Mike, Alex, Miranda, & the Entire Foundry Staff!

The Killington Resort & Mike Solimano Tito’s Handmade Vodka Green Mountain National GC & Dave Soucy The Birch Ridge Inn & Bill and Mary The Joey Leone Trio Jay Peak Resort & Steve Wright Tommy Kinnally - Colleen Collard - Nate Cohan - Dave Dufresne

The Summit Lodge & the O’Dwyer Family The Inn at Long Trail & Murray and Patty Choices Restaurant & Chef Claude The Highline Lodge The Snowed Inn & Manfred and Jeanne Charity’s 1887 Saloon Table 24 & Brix Wine Bar and Steve Sawyer The Lookout Tavern & The Black family Simon Pearce & Meghan Mahoney The Swiss Farm Inn & The Stevens Family Moguls Sports Pub & Sal and Maggie Effie Dudley & Leslie and Marc Acote Salon & Vincent Cox Jax Food & Games & The Pickle Barrel Sushi Yoshi Lisa & Richard Mandel Scampo Restaurant & Ed Sparks Northern Ski Works & Lori and Mary Casey’s Caboose Domenic’s Pizzeria & Nick and Steff

The Killington Deli & Market and The Koch Family Back Country Café & Steve and Karen Durkee Pyara Spa & Christine Perkins Farrell Distributing & Don Sady Rutland CC Okemo Golf Club The Hermitage Club Baker Distributing & Corey Taylor The Mountain Creamery The Garlic & Chef Bryan Gudelis Liquid Art & Jimi and Beth Sarandrea Hall Vineyards & Steve Dispenza Ramunto’s Bridgewater & Andy and Patty The Basin Ski Shop Paul Holmes Alderman’s Toyota Josephine & Greg Scesney Allen Pools & Spa The Sun Up Bakery

The Killington Market & The Durkees The Forerunner Ski Shop Sure Foot Custom Footbeds Goodro Lumber Killington Boot Camp & Beth Roberts Anheuser Busch Peak Performance Ski Shop Cataldo Ambulance Spa at The Woods The Mountain Times Tony Gianasca “Winery” Cape Air & Tracey Adams The Boston Bruins & Coach Sacco Accardia Foods The Outback Pizza & Chef Fuzz A long list of “Secret Santa” Donations Skiology Brilyea’s Chrysler & Jeep Kate Moran Peg TV Rutland

AND TO EVERYONE WHO DONATED!

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LIVING ADE

The Mountain Times • Dec. 12-18, 2018

Courtesy WinterWonderGrass

WinterWonderGrass is making its way East, with a four-day stop at Stratton Mountain.

Stratton brings West Coast-rooted festival to the East

Full Service Vape Shop Humidified Premium Cigars • Hand Blown Glass Pipes Hookahs & Shisha Roll Your Own Tobacco & Supplies • CBD Products • Smoking Accessories 131 Strongs Avenue Rutland, VT Like us on (802) 775-2552 Facebook!

Call For Shuttle Schedule

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-422-84 OPEN THURS-SUN 7:30-2

GROCERY MEATS AND SEAFOOD

beer and wine DELICATESSEN BAKERY

PIZZA

CATERING

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner To Go www.killingtonmarket.com Hours: Open 7 days a week 6:30 am - 9:30 pm.

2023 KILLINGTON ROAD 802-422-7736 • Deli 422-7594 • ATM

Dec. 13-16—STRATTON—Stratton Mountain will host the first East Coast WinterWonderGrass Festival, Dec. 14-16. Music, winter sports, craft beer, fresh eats, and family is what makes up the three days of the WinterWonderGrass Festival. With deep roots in Colorado, California and now Vermont, the event has established itself as a leader in the winter lifestyle culture where the quality of experience outweighs the notion of quantity. WinterWonderGrass is an intimate gathering where inspiration and connection sit at its core. Its community is focused on sustainability, local non-profit support, nurturing the next generation and truly backing

the arts, where together, we’ve planted the seed for long-term sustainability.

The festival will be focused around three days of music with bands like The Infamous Stringdusters, Keller and the Keels, Fruition, Ghost of Paul Reveres Horseshoes and Hand Grenades, Upstate, Pickin’ on the Dead, and many more. Bands will play on a Main Stage, in the Jamboree Tent, in the Pickin’ Perch Tent, and in The Soapbox during the main festival daily, starting around 2 p.m. each day.

Plus, beginning with a special kickoff on Thursday, Dec. 13, WonderGrass Grass After Dark shows

will take place in the village at Stratton Mountain Resort at Grizzly’s and at the Green Mountain Room at Black Bear Lodge, beginning around 10 p.m. The kickoff is an Evening with the Infamous Stringdusters, which will begin at 9 p.m.

Festival tickets are not required to purchase Grass After Dark tickets. Tickets for all Grass After Dark shows are limited in capacity and expected to sell out quickly. All Grass After Dark shows are 21-plus.

Tickets are available at winterwondergrass.com/stratton-tickets.

Weekend and single day tickets, as well as a full schedule of bands, are available at winterwondergrass. com.

St. James Episcopal Church presents ‘A Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols,’ all welcome

Sunday, Dec. 16, 4 p.m.—WOODSTOCK—St. James Episcopal Church will present “A Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols” on Sunday, Dec. 16 at 4 p.m.

The choir of St. James, Woodstock, is proud to continue its annual tradition of presenting this special Christmas service on this, the 100th anniversary of its inception. In keeping with the style of King’s College, Cambridge, there will be a series of nine readings or “lessons” from the Bible, paired with carols for both choir and congregation.

“For many, the season of Christmas is not complete without this service as part of their holiday,” said Dr. Jim Lorenz, St. James’ organist and choir

Serving Breakfast & lunch 7am-2pm daily Breakfast all day, lunch after 11am Come to our sugarhouse for the best breakfast around! After breakfast check out our giftshop for all your souvenier, gift, and maple syrup needs.

We look forward to your visit!

Sugar & Spice Restaurant & Gift Shop Rt. 4 Mendon, VT 802-773-7832 www.vtsugarandspice.com

director. “While there is often something new included, there are also a great number of well-­loved Christmas carols.”

This year’s program will include traditional favorites as well as newer compositions by such composers as Howells, Biebl, Darke, Bass, Cleobury, and Manz.

The public is warmly invited to this free concert.

Light refreshments in the Parish Hall will follow the concert.

For more information, visit stjameswoodstock. org. The church is located at 2 St. James Place, Woodstock.

JONES DONUTS “Jones Donuts and Bakery is a must stop if you reside or simply come to visit Rutland. They have been an institution in the community and are simply the best.”

OPEN WED. - SUN. 5 TO CLOSED MON. + TUES.

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23 West St, Rutland 802-773-7810

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The Mountain Times • Dec. 12-18, 2018

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FOOD Classic Italian Cuisine Old World Tradition

MATTERS 506 Bistro

Chef-owned, Choices Restaurant and Rotisserie was named 2012 ski magazines favorite restaurant.

Choices may be the name of the restaurant but it is also what you get. Soup of the day, shrimp cockatil, steak, hamburgers, pan seared chicken, a variety of salads and pastas, scallops, sole, lamb and more await you. An extensive wine list and in house made desserts are also available. www.choices-restaurant.com (802) 422-4030

Back Country Café

Headed north from Killington on Route 100? Stop in to the Clear River Tavern to sample chef Tim Galvin’s handcrafted tavern menu featuring burgers, pizza, salads, steak and more. We’re nestled on 10 wooded acres in Pittsfield, 8 miles from the Killington Road. Our live music schedule featuring regional acts will keep you entertained, and our friendly service will leave you with a smile. We’re sure you’ll agree that VT highlights “When You’re Here, You’re in the Clear.” www.clearrivertavern.com (802) 746-8999

506 506

Ridge Inn is a delicious way to Jazz Pianist Every Wednesday 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

Serving a Live seasonal menu featuring highlights complete your day inVT Killington.

Highline Lodge Featuring Vermont inspired New American cuisine in the inns dining LiveandJazz Every Wednesday - 8:30 | ontheriverwoodstock.com Visit the Highline lodge. Join us room GreatPianist Room802.457.5000 Lounge, you will also find a nicely6:30 stocked bar, p.m.

Located in On Riveroptions, Inn, Woodstock VT in our newly renovated fireplace hand crafted cocktails, fine wines, seafood and The vegetarian and 802.457.5000 | ontheriverwoodstock.com lounge featuring craft cocktails, wonderful house made desserts. www.birchridge.com.

(802)from 422-4293 A short scenic drive Killington Located in On The River Inn, Woodstock VT local brews, small plates and lively conversation. Our in-house restaurant A short scenic Charitys drive from Killington offers fresh, seasonal local fare with a menu changing monthly. The intimate dining room and outside patio are the perfect spots for private This 1887 Saloon features burgers, events, conferences and weddings. Contact Kristen Anderson at its famous French Onion Soup, kristen@highlinelodge.com. craft beer and so much more. Find

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something for everyone on the expansive menu. The live music line up includes live piano Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights. So come chill out and fill up after skiing or riding and get a taste of the renovated Saloon style that’s been 131 years in the making! (802) 422-3800.

1887 SALOON

Irish Pub

PIANO

P L AY E R

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fresh. simple.

delicious!

1/2 price appetizers & flaTbreads from 4-5 p.m.

Clear River Tavern

506 BirchBistro Ridge and Bar 506 Bistro and Bar

Serving locals and visitors alike Serving a seasonal menu featuring since 1998, dinner at the Birch

1992

Choices Restaurant and Rotisserie

The 506 Bistro serves a simple, seasonal menu featuring Vermont highlights. Set in the open bar and lounge, the atmosphere is casual and warm. Your are likely to be served a yankee pot roast, a great organic burger from a nearby farm or fresh strawberry shortcake with Vermont berries. Local, simple, home cooked is what we are all about.

(802) 457-5000 The Back Country Café is a hot spot for delicious breakfast foods. Choose from farm fresh eggs, multiple kinds of pancakes and waffles, omelet’s or daily specials to make your breakfast one of a kind. Just the right heat Bloody Marys, Mimosas, Bellini, VT Craft Brews, Coffee and hot chocolate drinks. Maple Syrup and VT products for sale Check our Facebook for daily specials. (802) 422-4411

~ Since

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Inn at Long Trail

Looking for something a little different? Hit up McGrath’s Irish Pub for a perfectly poured pint of Guinness, live music on the weekends and delicious food. Guinness not your favorite? They also have Vermont’s largest Irish Whiskey selection. innatlongtrail.com/Home.html 802-775-7181

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SUNDAY DINNER specials Choose any Entree from sunday dinner menu plus soup or salad and includes 2 meatballs per person 4-6 p.m. sunday only $20 each adult; $10 each child

pasta | veal | Chicken seafood | steak | flatbreads

422-3293 First on the Killington Road

Culinary Institute of America Alum

BRAD MORGAN F R I D A Y & S AT U R D A Y

CRAFT BEER

Open Wednesday - Sunday

OPEN SUN.-TUES. 5-9P.M., THURS. 5-10P.M, FRI.-SAT. 5PM-11P.M Sunday Brunch 11 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

• Over 20 wines by the glass • Great Bar Dining • Freshly made pasta

“

• A Farm to Table Restaurant • Handcut Steaks, Filets & Fish • All Baking Done on Premises

All entrées include two sides and soup or salad

506 506 Bistro and Bar

Serving a seasonal menu featuring VT highlights Live Jazz Pianist Every Wednesday 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

802.457.5000 | ontheriverwoodstock.com Located in On The River Inn, Woodstock VT A short scenic drive from Killington

1/2 price wine by the glass on Sundays

“

“The locally favored spot for consistently good, unpretentious fare.”

-N.Y. Times, 2008

422-4030 • 2820 KILLINGTON RD. WWW.CHOICES-RESTAURANT.COM

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The Mountain Times • Dec. 12-18, 2018

FOOD

1887 SALOON

THE OFFICIAL TWO-DAY

GRAND REOPENING

WEDNESDAY DEC 19 • THURSDAY DEC 20

F E AT U R I N G

FRANK CHASE

The Foundry

The Foundry, Killington’s premier dining destination, offers fine cuisine in a stunning scenic setting.

Waterside seating welcomes you to relax and enjoy craft beer and wines selected by the house sommelier. Impeccable, chef-driven cuisine features locally sourced meats and cheeses, the freshest seafood, homemade pastas and so much more. www.foundrykillington.com (802) 422-5335

JAX

PIANO PLAYER F R I D A Y & S AT U R D A Y

CRAFT BEER

JAX Food & Games, Killington’s hometown bar, offers weekly live entertainment, incredible food and an extensive selection of locally crafted beers. Locals favorite menu items include homemade soups of the day, burgers, nachos, salads and daily specials. JAX offers $.50 wings and $1 corn dogs from 3-6pm and serves late night food until last call. www.supportinglocalmusic.com (802) 422-5334

Jones’ Donuts

Offering donuts and a bakery, with a community reputation as being the best! Closed Monday and Tuesday.

23 West Street, Rutland. See what’s on special at Facebook.com/ JonesDonuts/. Call (802) 773-7810 LL IN

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Take breakfast, lunch or dinner on the go at Killington Market, Killington’s onmountain grocery store for the last 30 years. Choose from breakfast sandwiches, hand carved dinners, pizza, daily fresh hot panini, roast chicken, salad and specialty sandwiches.

Vermont products, maple syrup, fresh meat and produce along with wine and beer are also for sale. www.killingtonmarket.com (802) 422-7736 or (802) 422-7594.

Lake Bomoseen Lodge

The Taproom at Lake Bomoseen Lodge, Vermont’s newest lakeside resort & restaurant. Delicious Chef prepared, family friendly, pub fare; appetizers, salads, burgers, pizzas, entrees, kid’s menu, a great craft brew selection & more. Newly renovated restaurant, lodge & condos. lakebomoseenlodge.com, 802468-5251.

Liquid Art

FARM TO NIGHTCLUB

Forget about the polar vortex for a while and relax in the warm atmosphere at Liquid Art. Look for artfully served lattes from their La Marzocco espresso machine, or if you want something stronger, try their signature cocktails. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, they focus on healthy fare and provide you with a delicious meal different than anything else on the mountain.

SINCE OPENING OUR DOORS IN 1963, T H E WO B B LY BA R N H A S RAISED THE STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE FOR STEAKHOUSES AND NIGHTCLUBS IN KILLINGTON TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL.

Voted the best ribs and burger in Killington, Moguls is a great place for the whole family. Soups, onion rings, mozzarella sticks, chicken fingers, buckets of chicken wings, salads, subs and pasta are just some of the food that’s on the menu. Free shuttle and take away and delivery options are available. (802) 422-4777

Mountain Top Inn & Resort

Whether staying overnight or visiting for the day, Mountain Top’s Dining Room & Tavern serve delicious cuisine amidst one of Vermont’s best views. A mix of locally inspired and International cuisine – including salads, seafood, poultry and a new steakhouse menu - your taste buds are sure to be satisfied. Choose from 12 Vermont craft brews on tap.Warm up by the terrace fire pit after dinner! Just a short drive from Killington. mountaintopinn.com, 802-4832311.

The best wood fired pizza on the mountain, and other Italian dishes. & N I G H T C L U B Please come in and sit by the fireplace and enjoy pizza and other dishes. Cozy atmosphere. Located in the Killington Mall - look for the bears. Open daily at 3 p.m. 2841 Killington Road, Killington. 802-422-9885.

Pickle Barrel

The house that rocks Killington is the largest and most exciting venue in town. With 4 bars, 3 levels and 2 stages, The Pickle Barrel offers 1 legendary party featuring live music Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Dining options include & Nchicken I G wings, H T C L Utenders B and French fries. pizza, chicken

&

Killington Market

steakhouse

With a free shuttle, take away and call ahead seating, Lookout Tavern is a solid choice. Nachos, quesadillas, sweet potato fries, salads, soups, sandwiches and dinner options are always a good selection and happy hour is from 3 p.m. until 6 p.m. Open daily at noon and serving until midnight. on Friday. www.lookoutvt.com (802) 422-5665

Outback Pizza

Killington Diner

Looking for an ALL DAY Breakfast Spot? How about a ‘GRAB and GO’ egg sandwich on your way up the hill? We’ve got you covered with local 02 -422-84 eggs, bacon and coffee. Come check out our cool OPEN THURS-SUN 7:30-2 DINER vibe, grab a Bloody Mary and enjoy some classic comfort food. Serving lunch too! 802.422.8422

SUNDAY - THURSDAY 3PM - 10PM • FRIDAY & SATURDAY 3PM - 11PM

Lookout Tavern

N I G H T C L U B

Peppinos

Chef-owned since 1992, Peppino’s offers Neapolitan cuisine at its finest: pasta, veal, chicken, seafood, steak, and flatbreads.

If you want it, Peppino’s has it! Aprés-hour daily features half price appetizers and flatbreads. For reservations, call 802-422-3293. peppinosvt.com.

Red Clover

Farm to Table Vermont Food and Drinks. Thursday night Live Jazz.

Monday night Chef Specials. Open Thursday to Monday, 5:30 to 9:00 p.m. 7 Woodward Road, Mendon, VT. 802-775-2290, redcloverinn.com

Rosemary’s

Rosemary’s the casual fine dining restaurant at the Inn at Long Trail is open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 6-9pm; and later this fall also Thursdays. Chef Reggie Serafin’s uses a host of fresh local Vermont and New England products.

The menu highlights comfort foods., and Gluten free entrees are available.Please call for reservations 802.775.7181

I

RUTLAND

CO-OP

produce grocery household goods health and beauty

77 Wales St

Celebrate the holidays at the Birch Ridge Inn Dinner served from 6:00 PM Tuesday thru Saturday

BEST FOOD & APRÈS IN THE NORTHEAST 2229 Killington Rd. Open Tuesday - Sunday 4 p.m.

(802) 422-6171 killington.com/wobbly

20 Years Serving Guests At the Covered Carriageway 37 Butler Road, Killington birchridge.com - 802.422.4293

Reservations welcomed

LIVING ADE

The Mountain Times • Dec. 12-18, 2018

• 21

MATTERS Seward’s Dairy

If you’re looking for something truly unique and Vermont, check out Seward Dairy Bar. Serving classic homemade food including hamburgers, steaks, chicken, sandwiches and seafood. Craving something a little sweeter? Check out their own homemade 39 flavors of ice cream. Vermont products also sold. (802) 773-2738.

HAPPY HOUR & 1/2 PRICE WINGS 3:00-6:00 P.M.

Sugar and Spice

SOUPS•SALADS

Stop on by to Sugar and Spice for a home style breakfast or lunch served up right. Try six different kinds of pancakes and/or waffles or order up some eggs and home fries. For lunch they offer a Filmore salad, grilled roast beef, burgers and sandwiches. Take away and deck dining available. www. vtsugarandspice.com (802) 773-7832.

BURGERS•PASTA SEAFOOD•BURRITOS

LUNCH DAILY

O’Dwyers Public House

Whether you are looking to enjoy a wholesome pint of the ‘black stuff’, or a local brew or a tasty meal while listening to some great live music, O’ Dwyer’s Pub most definitely has something for you. We endeavor to provide the freshest of ingredients, the friendliest of service, & the very best of live entertainment in the most unique and authentic setting. Great food comes from great ingredients, and it is for this reason that customers are drawn to O’ Dwyer’s Pub “There are no strangers here, only people who have not yet met.” (802) 422-3535

Sushi Yoshi

Sushi Yoshi is Killington’s true culinary adventure. With Hibachi, Sushi, Chinese and Japanese, we have something for every age and palate. Private Tatame rooms and large party seating available.

We boast a full bar with 20 craft beers on draft. Lunch and dinner available seven days a week. We are chef-owned and operated. Delivery or take away option available. Now open year round. www.vermontsushi.com (802) 422-4241

STEAKHOUSE AND NIGHTCLUB

Since opening our doors in 1963, the Wobbly Barn has raised the standard of excellence for steakhouses and nightclubs in Killington to a whole new level, winning awards for outstanding food and après in the northeast. Our well-known, distinguished dining is the trademark of the Wobbly Barn. As our name implies, our restaurant was created by collecting pieces of barns from across New England, ten in total and we feature the finest beef, enhanced by a tempting variety of chops, entrees, seafood and our world famous soup, salad and fresh bread bar. Plus, our celebrated nightclub boasts the best live entertainment, parties and dancing on the mountain.The Wobbly Barn is truly Killington’s home for Good Time Dining & High Altitude Entertainment! 2229 Killington Rd, Killington, VT 0575. (802) 422-6171 www.killington.com/wobbly

Courtesy Pawlet Public Library

The library will offer tea and treats for all ages. Bring an additional treat to add to the table, if you like.

Pawlet Public Library hosts holiday tea Sunday, Dec. 16, 2 p.m.—PAWLET—The Pawlet Public Library has decked the halls for a free holiday tea for all ages on Sunday, Dec. 16, 2-4 p.m. The library board and staff will spread their best tablecloths and collect their teapots for this time of gratitude and cheer. Take a break from frenzied activities, slow down, and enjoy afternoon tea along with a large selection of holiday books for adults and children. Tea will also be served in the children’s room.

Feel free to add favorite cookies, scones, or tea sandwiches to those offered by the library as part of the community tea. Sweet!

The Pawlet Public Library, housed in a renovated historic grammar school building, is located at 141 School St., Pawlet. For more information, call 802-325-3123.

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22 •

LIVING ADE

The Mountain Times • Dec. 12-18, 2018

By Robin Alberti

The Vermont Holiday Festival at the Killington Grand Hotel included the Festival of Trees, local schools singing carols, visits from Santa Claus, sleigh rides, kids’ workshops and more.

Old traditions celebrated, new features added to Vermont Holiday Festival at Killington Grand KILLINGTON—The Killington Pico Area Association hosted its 15th annual Vermont Holiday Festival, and continued many fun traditions and added new ones to build upon for years to come this past weekend, Dec. 7-8.

The Vermont Holiday Festival, held at Killington Grand Hotel, spanned three days and included visits from Santa Claus, sleigh rides, a beautiful indoor forest, face painting and more.

The event kicked off Thursday night with an enthusiastic crowd of local member businesses and tree sponsors. The Rutland High School Jazz Band set the mood with a repertoire of Christmas standards and fun rock pieces. Judges reviewed the decorated trees looking who to award for Best Theme, Most Creative and the Best in Festival Tree: Boss Office Works took

home Best Theme for the North Polar tree; Killington Diner won Most Creative for its upside-down December’s Faire tree; and the Snowed Inn won Best in Festival for its spectacular Blue Ice tree.

A new feature to Thursday night was the silent auction. This was very successful and allowed guests to bid on everything from apparel and home goods to special experiences.

On Friday, the Vermont Holiday Festival opened for the general public. This was a special night for the KPAA, to see the magic of Christmas on each child’s face as they entered the Indoor Forest and spied Santa as he walked around his workshop. Visitors on Friday were treated to several school musical concerts performed by Killington Pre-K, Killington Elementary School, Barstow Memorial School, and Lothrop

Elementary School. As in years past the KPAA accepted food donations in lieu of admission and this year, we again filled a box truck because of the generosity of the community.

On Saturday the event continued and saw the most amount of children participate in Santa’s Workshop. Children became honorary elves and donned a Santa’s Helper smock before beginning work on a holiday keepsake. This year children created and decorated their own snowman before sitting down and listening to a winter story.

Santa’s sleigh bells announced the arrival of the man of the hour and children’s faces lit up as Santa entered the room and spent time speaking to each one of them.

At the conclusion of the event, the KPAA locked the doors and began the important task of counting raffle tickets. As visitors

threw their tickets into the “candy canes” in front of each tree, they were not only entering a chance to win that tree and all the goodies hanging from it, but they are also casting a vote for the coveted People’s Choice Award. This year the award went to The Garlic, with second runner up to Spa at the Woods, and third runner up to Wobbly Barn.

The Vermont Holiday Festival is an event close to the KPAA’s hearts because not only does it energize the local business community, it engages a wider range of local families and community members.

KPAA Board President Hannah Abrams said, “The Killington Pico Area Association is an organization dedicated to innovating, so expect the Vermont Holiday Festival to continue to grow and change in years to come.”

Fun never gets old.

Assisted Living never felt so young.

Independent, Assisted & Memory Care Living Middlebury, Vermont | 802-483-4657 | residenceottercreek.com

WORSHIP

The Mountain Times • Dec. 12-18, 2018

• 23

By Robin Alberti

KPAA Director Mike Coppinger, left, presented the first-ever member of the year award to Cliff Koch.

Cliff Koch named KPAA’s member of the year

Written by Amy Braun, illustrated by Donovan Piccicuto

Rochester School kindergarten teacher Amy Braun writes “Kinderquotes” based on the funny things the kids in her classroom say. Her son, Donovan Piccicuto, drew illustrations for the quotes.

The Killington Pico Area Association presented its first member of the year award in history to Cliff Koch, the owner of the Deli at Killington Corners, during the annual Vermont Holiday Festival. Koch was chosen by the board and presented the award Thursday, Dec. 6.

“He’s a longtime member of our organization who raised his family here,” said KPAA Director Mike Coppinger.

KPAA has 175 members. Coppinger wanted to create an award that recognizes their importance “We’re only as strong as our members,” said Coppinger.

Immaculate Heart of Mary Located at 18 Lincoln Ave., Rutland, Vt. | 802.773.6820

Christmas Eve

4:00 pm 7:30 pm 8:00 pm

Christmas Day 8:00 am

Family Liturgy Christmas Concert Mass of the Christmas Vigil Mass of Christmas Day

Grace Congregational United Church of Christ

The origins of some beloved holiday traditions MC—Christmastime is here. The presents are being purchased and wrapped.

The stockings will soon be hung on the fireplace mantel. Mistletoe is pinned above the front entryway, and poinsettias add rich color to home decor.

Tradition is integral come the holiday season. Throughout the month of December, traditions fill people’s days and comprise the many reasons why individuals decorate, celebrate and dine the way they do this time of year. But few may know the origins of some of the most beloved holiday traditions.

Christmas stockings The Christmas stockings of today may be a byproduct of various traditions. One such tradition dates back to a Dutch custom in which children would leave shoes full of food to feed St. Nicholas’ donkeys, and then St. Nicholas would leave small gifts in return.

Another origin story of Christmas stockings can be traced to the 12th century, when nuns would leave socks full of nuts, fruit and tangerines for the poor. This is why some people still put tangerines in Christmas stockings.

Christmas tree Christmas trees are everywhere this time of year. The use of evergreen trees predates Christmas and is associated with the pagan festival of Saturnalia, which celebrated the agricultural god Saturn with partying and gift-giving. During the Winter Solstice, green branches served as a reminder that spring would arrive anew.

Germans are credited with first bringing evergreens into their homes and decorat-

ing them.

Santa Claus Santa Claus’ origin story can be traced to St. Nicholas, a Christian bishop who lived during the fourth century. St. Nicholas was very generous and gave away his fortune to help the needy. He also did various other good deeds. St. Nicholas became famous and began to be known by various names around the world. The Dutch called him Sinter Klaas, which was eventually transformed to Santa Claus. The jolly persona came later when 20th century advertisers – especially the artists responsible for Coca-Cola ads – portrayed Santa in a red suit with a big smile.

Mistletoe Mistletoe is hung in doorways, and couples who stand beneath are encouraged to share a kiss. The tradition of hanging it in the house goes back to the times of the ancient Druids. Mistletoe was thought to bring good luck to a household and ward off evil spirits. The custom of kissing under mistletoe can be traced to England. Originally, a berry was picked from the sprig of mistletoe before the person could be kissed. When all the berries had gone, there could be no more kissing.

Christmas bells Church bells ring for many special services, including Christmas mass. During Christmas midnight mass in the Catholic Church, the altar bells may be rung while the priest says the “Gloria.” Bells are part of caroling, and jingling bells are associated with sleighs and Santa’s reindeer.

Christmas is rife with traditions that date back ages.

8 Court St., Rutland, VT • 802-775-4301 • www. gracechurchvt.org Rev. John C. Weatherhogg, Senior Minister; Rev. Tracy Fye Weatherhogg, Associate Minister; Rev. Robert B. Boutwell, Healing Minister; Alastair Stout, Minister of Music

SERVICE OF LESSONS AND CAROLS SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23 The Christmas story told through scripture and song by all the choirs of Grace Church CHRISTMAS EVE, DECEMBER 24 6:00 PM Christmas Eve Family Service and 10:30 PM Christmas Prelude Music Pageant with music from Grace Church 11:00 PM Christmas Eve Candlelight Service with Children, Youth Choirs and the Sanctuary Choir, Instrumentalists Instrumentalists and soloists

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

6 Church Hill Road, Rutland, VT 05701 (802) 773-9659 - The Reverend John M. Longworth

Christmas Eve Worship Service: 5:00 p.m.

Family Christmas Service for Children with Special Music Church of Our Saviour Episcopal Please join us for Sunday and Holiday Services All are welcome!

Christmas Eve Candlelight Services Festive Family Service 4:00 PM Festive Holy Communion 10:00 PM Christmas Day, Monday, December 25 Holy Communion 10:00 AM All Sunday Mornings Holy Communion 9:30 AM

Find us on Mission Farm Road, Killington Off Route 4 across from the Killington Skyeship

CHRIST THE KING CHURCH

66 South Main St. • Rutland, VT • Msgr. Bernard W. Bourgeois • 802-773-6820

CHRISTMAS MASS SCHEDULE CHRISTMAS EVE DEC. 24

CHRISTMAS DAY DEC. 25

5:30 PM: Mass of the Christmas

12 AM: Christmas Midnight Mass

11:30 PM: Christmas Carol Prelude

7:30 AM: Christmas Mass at Dawn 10 AM: Mass of Christmas Day

24 •

NEWS BRIEFS

The Mountain Times • Dec. 12-18, 2018

Green Mountain College named bicycle-friendly university The League of American Bicyclists has recognized Green Mountain College as a 2018 Bicycle Friendly University (BFU) .

This award recognizes 45 colleges and universities for their outstanding support of bicycling to ensure healthy, accessible and eco-friendly transportation and recreation for students and staff. GMC earned a Bronze level award.

The goal of the Bicycle Friendly University Program is to inspire higher education institutions to develop more sustainable, livable campuses that make biking better for students, staff and visitors.

GMC extends a special thank you to undergraduate students Tyler Pastorok ‘19 and Christopher “Moose” Baughman, class of 2019, who conducted the

majority of the research for the award application and, along with Dr. Paul Stonehouse and GMC’s GreenMAP program, are responsible for earning this accolade.

The BFU application review process is a mixture of institutional reporting and on-theground bicycle advocate feedback. Each school must complete a comprehensive audit via more than 100 data points followed by a League call for input from local cyclists. This combination generates a fair, holistic picture of the institution’s performance of the “Five E’s”–engineering, education, encouragement, enforcement and evaluation.

A national judging panel then reviews the information to determine if an award is warranted.

Courtesy Green Mountain College

Green Mountain College was recently named a Bicycle Friendly University.

By Lani Duke

E911 passes buck on flubbed response

City budget saves $600

Submitted

Sarah Squirrell

Squirrell takes over for Fox as mental health department commish Sarah Squirrell will be the next commissioner of the Vermont Department of Mental Health on Jan. 1, 2019, taking over for Mourning Fox, who has been serving as the interim commissioner since Melissa Bailey’s departure in October. Fox will resume his position as deputy commissioner, a role he has been serving in for the last two years.

Squirrell has extensive experience in human services with a focus on Vermont’s young children and families. For the last 2 ½ years, Squirrell has served as executive director for Building Bright Futures, a statewide non-profit organization that serves to monitor the state’s early care, health and education systems.

“It’s great news Sarah is joining our team,” said Gov. Phil Scott. “Her dedication to Vermont’s most vulnerable citizens and her ability to think about creative solutions convince me that she will be a great asset to the work being done at the Agency of Human Services.”

Squirrell has a master of science in community mental health and clinical counseling from Southern New Hampshire University, along with a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Johnson State College.

Prior to serving as the executive director of Building Bright Futures, Squirrell worked for nearly a decade as the director of school based mental health services for Laraway Youth and Family Services in Johnson.

“When our children, family, friends and neighbors need mental health care they need access to a high-quality continuum of care that includes promotion, prevention, treatment and recovery,” Squirrell said.

Rutland City’s Board of Aldermen approved all presented budgets at its Dec. 6 meeting and planned to consider the Public Works budget Dec. 10.

City Attorney Matthew Bloomer decided to keep his own cell phone, thus saving the city $600. He returned his city-owned cell phone to the Department of Public Works rather than carry (and charge) a second cell phone.

Salaries in the city attorney’s office rose from $153,193 to $166,479, counterweighted somewhat by outside legal services falling from $85,000 to $80,000. Bloomer said his need for outside legal services will decrease more as his own experience develops.

Public officials have worried about effectiveness of the state’s E911 call center since the the state’s call centers consolidated into a single unit in Williston in 2015, Rutland County Sheriff Stephen Benard told the Rutland Herald.

Dispatchers unfamiliar with a geographical area lack context when a call comes in, he said.

That prediction seemed to have come true Oct. 24, when an employee of Dr. Judith Fisch arrived for work apparently suffering a heart attack. His co-workers put him on oxygen and called 911, then gave him a nitroglycerine tablet and, when the ambulance still did not arrive, called 911 again.

The employee was eventually taken by ambulance to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in time to install a stent in a coronary artery, but not before a comedy of errors that could have turned tragic.

Dr. Fisch described the episode in letters to officials, and the Public Safety Commission reviewed the incident at the request of Gov. Phil Scott.

The 911 dispatcher, located at the new call center in Williston, was initially unable to locate Dr. Fisch’s dental office at 204 North Main St. in Rutland. The location failed to appear on the E911 computer screen, the dispatcher said. The dispatcher finally connected the call to Rutland Regional Ambulance but could not say when the EMTs would arrive.

On the second call, the dispatcher connected the call to Rutland Regional Medical Center, and Fisch’s team was put on hold, Fisch wrote.

After 14 minutes on hold, Fisch said, her office called Rutland Regional Ambulance directly. An emergency transport arrived three minutes later, saying that dispatch had sent them to the wrong

The Rutland City Police Department celebrated member officers whose performance was exceptional, in a ceremony at Tuttle Hall Theater, College of St. Joseph, Dec. 6. Some of the awardees saved lives, some put themselves in potentially dangerous situations for public safety, and others were recognized for their big hearts.

Police Chief Brian Kilcullen said the recipients embody “our core values of respect, integrity, hon-

address, on South Main Street, not North Main.

State E911 director Barbara Neal explained that the E911 system automatically provides the dispatcher with a caller’s address and blamed the initial failure to locate Fisch’s office on a problem with Fisch’s phone service provider. She also said the first call had reached the Rutland City Police Dept., who dispatched an ambulance in “about a minute.”

Rutland Ambulance Executive Director James Finger placed the confusion on the ambulance crew, who had confused South Main Street with North Main.

Call centers have hospital and ambulance service listings for each district, Neal said. The dispatcher who took the second call might have confused Rutland Ambulance with Rutland Regional Medical Center, and the first ambulance dispatched was directed to the correct address.

Finger said he called Dr. Fisch and apologized, qualifying his statement by citing the call center’s service load of 9,000 calls, and acknowledging that “human error” is possible.

Commissioner Thomas Anderson wrote a letter to Fisch stating that findings conformed with Neal’s account and that the initial 911 call was handled correctly and quickly. The E911 system handles approximately 550 calls a day, he noted, yet receives fewer than 20 complaints a year. He believes that Rutland and Vermont residents can be “confident that the Vermont E911 system is well practiced and fast.”

In spite of the assurances, Dr. Fisch said she remains unimpressed. The ambulance still took 20 minutes to arrive in a life-threatening emergency, she wrote in an email to the Herald.

Rutland PD celebrated

esty, teamwork, professionalism, loyalty, and courage,” the Rutland Herald reported. Mayor David Allaire and Police Commissioner Sean Sargeant joined Kilcullen in passing out the honors.

Officer Sean Maguire received the Sergeant Bernard “Skip” Mulcahey Award for attending and completing the field training officer class although he had broken his ankle the day before.

Maguire is becoming domestic

violence investigator for the Rutland County State’s Attorney Office.

Cpl. Andrew Plemmons received the James Baker Award for his compassion. He and his family took home three children whose mother had just died.

Detective Daniel Meytin was leaving the Rutland payroll for a federal job the day he was honored for his work as a domestic violence investigator.

NEWS BRIEFS

The Mountain Times • Dec. 12-18, 2018

• 25

By Lani Duke

Union payroll budget under discussion

Two dead in I-91 crash Two died in a crash on Interstate 91 in Hartford Dec. 6 after a wrong way driver collided with two other vehicles.

Patrick Covey, 33, of Bradford, who was struck head on by the wrong way driver, Herbert Kennedy 89, of White River Junction, was dead when police arrived. Kennedy was in critical condition upon arrival. At Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center he later succumbed to his injuries. The operator of the third vehicle, Cynthia Dale, 61, of White River Junction, had minor injuries and was taken to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center as a precaution.

Police said the accident was reported moments after Hartford Dispatch aired a “be on look-out” warning for a wrong way driver around 7 p.m. Dec. 6.

Police said Covey, driving a 2015 Toyota Corolla, was not wearing a seatbelt.

Dale, driving a 2016 Toyota Corolla, was wearing a seatbelt. It was unknown if Kennedy, driving a 2003 Chevrolet, was wearing a seatbelt.

Rutland man found dead in woods near Blueberry Lane A Rutland man was reported dead after he was missing. Police said Richard Lloyd, 74, went to visit a friend at the Hathaway Construction shop on Prospect Hill Road in Rutland Town in the mid-afternoon on Dec. 7. After Lloyd left the Hathaway Construction shop he never returned home and family was not able to make contact with Home him. Upon receiving brew finalist, pagethis 18 information the state police in Rutland began searching the area of the Hathaway Construction shop. At around 4:30 a.m. Dec. 8, Lloyd’s truck was located off a nearby logging road off Blueberry Lane in Rutland Town.

Troopers located a single set of foot prints leading from Lloyd’s truck, which led into a wooded area. Troopers along with a K9 unit from the Rutland City Police Department followed the tracks and located Lloyd deceased in the wooded area. The Rutland Town Fire Department assisted. Lloyd’s body was transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Burlington for an autopsy.Alcohol and the frigid overnight temperatures appear to be contributing factors in this incident. Anyone with further information is asked to contact the Vermont State Police in Rutland at 802773-9101.

Teens get lost after skiing out of bounds in 11-degree temps Three skiers got lost after they skied out of bounds at Killington on Saturday, Dec. 8.

The state police received a call around 3:30 p.m. from Benjamin Landry of Uxbridge, Massachusetts. Landry, 17, told police that he and his two friends had skied out of bounds off Killington Mountain and were lost. Troopers responded to the area of Wheelerville Road in Mendon. This is the usual spot for lost skiers to return after they ski off the marked trails from the top of Killington.

The Killington Ski Patrol helped the trio navigate their way out of the woods. The group, including Landry, Ryan Loach, 19 and Matthew Fonseca, 22, all of Uxbridge, Massachusetts, was escorted out around 6:15 p.m.

There were no reported injuries. The temperature at the time of the incident was approximately 11 degrees fahrenheit.

CCV Job hunt helper offers career services at Rutland Free Library Community College of Vermont Job Hunt Helper Mariah Vilbrin is now available at the Rutland Free Library for six hours a week to offer career services to library patrons and job seekers.

Job Hunt Helpers can help you find employment opportunities in your area, write a resume and cover letter, apply for jobs online, assess your skills and interests, use the internet to ex-

plore career options, and learn about education and training programs.

The Rutland Free Library is located at 10 Court St. in Rutland.

Vilbrin is available from 3-6 p.m. on Tuesdays, 2:30- 5:30 p.m. on Thursdays, and 12-3 p.m. on Saturdays.

She will be unavailable Dec 25, 27, 29, and Jan. 1.

For more information, please contact the

library at 802-773-1860.

Job Hunt Helpers are provided through a partnership of Community College of Vermont and the Vermont Department of Libraries, with generous funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, a federal agency, through the Library Services and Technology Act, as administered by the Vermont Department of Libraries.

Inaugural Colenne Whalen Memorial Scholarship Tournament a success RUTLAND—On Nov. 18, the first annual Colenne Whalen Memorial Scholarship Tournament was held at the Rutland Bowlerama. The Youth Bowling Program was very important to Whalen. One could find her at any event that put youth and bowling together. Whatever needed to be done to make the event successful, Whalen did it. She encouraged bowlers to do their best, but not to forget to have fun while they bowled. She seemed to have

endless energy supporting the young bowlers, and was their greatest advocate. Whalen hoped someday that the Youth/Adult Tournament would return to Rutland Bowlerama. Her wish was made a reality with the inception of the Colenne Whalen Memorial Scholarship Tournament.

Whalen’s daughters, Marie and Allie, rolled the first two balls to open the tournament. The turnout was tremendous. There were 34 youth/adult Colenne Scholarship, page 33

Castleton town employees have been without a union contract since July 1, 2016. Union employees have received no raise for four years, nor had their health care payin increase, Jones said. The town has paid 95 percent of union personnel health care, with employees paying the difference.

Town Manager Mike Jones told the Select Board he wrote the town budget to figure in an agreed-upon contract, with total proposed town expenditures up 8.4 percent, or $261,977.

Adding those in, the town would spend $2,187,817.

In contrast, non-union town employees are paid a gradually increasing percentage of their healthcare insurance, which reached 20 percent in July.

The police budget is up 13.2 percent, primarily due to increased health insurance use. Salaries increase for the chief and three fulltime officers and the department is adding a part-time employee.

Recent heavy snowstorms took their toll on the town’s Public Works trucks: three had broken down in the previous week and a half, Jones reported. He asked for a cost proposal to lease two new trucks, noting that the town has a reserve fund of $92,000. Overall, the Highway Department budget is up $90,000 with a $12,000 increase set aside for building improvements, Jones said.

Rutland County has early mud season Middletown Springs Highway Department has been struggling to keep the roads clear and passable, the Select Board learned Nov. 20.

The warm weather has allowed the roads to remain soft, so crews alternate between plowing and grading.

Castleton seniors hear about Civil War, Wednesdays Joe Mark is facilitating The Great Courses at the Castleton Community Center. Civil War historian Gary W. Gallagher explores the effect the Civil War had on the entire United States, Wednesday afternoons.

#GivingTuesday achieves record donations at Castleton U. Castleton University raised nearly $9,000 for student scholarships on #GivingTuesday. The campaign received a record 184 donors in a single day. Students also collected food and warm winter clothing drives.

Girls on the Run seeks coaches Girls on the Run of Vermont’s spring coach registration is now open. Girls on the Run is a physical activity-based, positive youth development program that inspires girls in 3rd through 8th grade to be joyful, healthy and confident. The ten-week program incorporates running to teach critical life skills, encourage personal development and foster team building and community service. Volunteer coaches utilize a curriculum to engage teams of girls in fun, interactive lessons. Teams meet twice a week for 90 minutes and the program culminates with all teams participating in a 5-kilometer event.

Girls on the Run Vermont serves girls at 33 sites in Central Vermont and is in need of 100 more coaches to ensure that every girl will have an opportunity to participate in its transformative program this spring. Schools, by county, that are in need of coaches include: Rutland County: Barstow Memorial, Black River Middle School, Castleton Village School, Christ the King, Fair Haven Grade School, Granville Elementary, Lothrop Elementary, Middletown Springs, Mount Holly School, Otter Valley Union Middle School, Orwell, Rutland Parks and Rec, Shrewsbury Mountain School, Whiting and Sudbury School. Windsor County: Chester Andover, Rochester Elementary, Union Street School, Windsor School, Woodstock and Prosper Valley Coaches do not need to be runners but are required to be a minimum of 18 years old to serve as an assistant or 21 years old to serve as a head coach. All volunteer coaches must complete a background check and attend a training session.

For more information about coaching and Girls on the Run of Vermont visit www. gotrvt.org/coach.

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www.SummitPMG.com 802.776.1000 5 General Wing Road Rutland, VT

26 •

SKI SHOP SCHOWCASE

The Mountain Times • Dec. 12-18, 2018

Lift Lines with Robin Alberti

What improvements has Killington made that have made your skiing/riding more enjoyable?

Robin Alberti

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#1 43 years

Killington, Vermont I’ve been here six years, and have seen a lot of improvements. The gondola is great. A lot warmer, but oddly soundless. I like the snow making expansion. They’ve also done a great job with the bike park in the summer, and bringing a lot more events to the mountain.

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Columns

The Mountain Times • Dec. 12-18, 2018

By Carolyn Lorié

The porcupine

I once lived in a cottage perched atop a sloping field in Western Massachusetts. It was the lone structure

THE OUTSIDE STORY at the edge of undeveloped forest and sat far from the road. The cottage had a large front deck with an expansive view and a smaller one in back that faced the forest. It was under the small deck that a porcupine took up residence one fall, for a stay that turned out to be briefer than I would have liked.

Since he wasn’t damaging the house, and didn’t seem aggressive, I didn’t mind his presence. Until my dog, Beckett, met him. Beckett, a 55-pound mixed breed, could not learn the porcupine lesson. He was always certain that this time – this time – he would be victorious. Fed up with yanking quills out of him or taking him to the vet after especially bad encounters, I was desperate to figure out how to share the space peaceably with our resident rodent.

Which is what porcupines are – rodents: the second largest rodent in North America, beavers being the largest. They range in weight from 12 to 35 pounds and can grow to about 3 feet, tip to tail. Porcupines are herbivores, and with no need to pursue prey, their movement tends to be ponderous. (Surprisingly, however, they are good swimmers). There are 29 species world-wide, but only one, the North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum), resides in the United States. While the porcupines in Africa and Europe live in large family groups, those found in the Ameri-

cas are generally solitary.

What all the species have in common, of course, are quills. When porcupines are born, the quills are soft, but they harden within an hour of birth. Some species, such as the African crested porcupine, which can weigh up to 66 pounds, have very long quills and when threatened, will turn around and charge an attacker.

The North American variety does nothing quite so brazen. Instead, when attacked, they tuck their noses between their front legs and simply turn around. If necessary they will strike with their tails.

It’s generally an effective defense, as the quills are easily released from the porcupine and puncture the skin of any predator that makes contact. Quills lost during an attack are regrown, and an adult porcupine can sport up to 30,000 of them.

North American porcupines have a secret weapon not found in Old World species: at the end of each quill are hundreds of tiny barbs. Researchers have found that barbed quills are four times harder to extract than nonbarbed ones.

I can attest to just how hard they are to remove, especially from the snout of an agitated dog. To put an end to Beckett’s fruitless and painful pursuits, I started watching the porcupine, hoping to figure out his schedule. It proved to be quite predictable. Every morning around 7, he would waddle out from under the deck and disappear into the woods. He would return via the same path around dusk. Sometimes, before returning to his digs, he would climb the hemlock tree next to the cottage to snack on the branches.

Once the porcupine left for “work,” I would wait a while to make sure he was well out of sight before I

let Beckett outside. They never had another encounter, and we settled into a harmonious coexistence.

I didn’t regard the porcupine as anything but a wild animal – it didn’t occur to me to feed him or give him a nickname. He was always simply “the porcupine.” But I loved to watch him and had grown attached to having him around.

One day in the spring, I was removing the hay bales I had placed around the cottage’s crawl space to keep out the cold. As I pulled one away, I was startled to find the porcupine lying with his back to me.

I put Beckett in the house and went to work in another part of the yard to give him time to wake up and get moving. After a while it occurred to me he wasn’t asleep. With a garden rake and a lot of effort I was able to pull his body out from under the cottage. He could not have been dead long as there were no signs of decomposition. There were also no obvious signs of disease or trauma, except for some dried blood around his nose.

Using the rake, I heaved the porcupine onto a plastic sled and went up the path he had ambled along hundreds of times. I trudged far into the woods, dragging the dead animal behind me. When I decided we were far enough from the cottage I tipped the sled, and he tumbled onto the soft wet ground. I looked at him one last time and then headed home with the empty sled.

Carolyn Lorié lives in Post Mills.

The illustration for this column was drawn by Adelaide Tyrol. The Outside Story is assigned and edited

by Northern Woodlands magazine: northernwoodlands.org, and sponsored by the Wellborn Ecology Fund of New Hampshire Charitable Foundation: wellborn@nhcf.org.

• 27

Giving through serving This time of year, we often reach out to loved ones and sometimes to people we haven’t met yet. It’s a time to give gifts and bestow blessings through kind actions because some of the best gifts cannot be bought: they are given from deep in our hearts.

The gift of ourselves lifts others up. Sometimes a visit or just a call is treasured far beyond a Mountain material gift for it keeps on Meditation us in touch and conBy Marguerite te nects our souls. A card Jill Dye with a thoughtful personal note may remind a friend how much we care. While these holiday gestures are good, some people’s efforts go far beyond.

Health care workers are a special breed. Their lives are devoted to serving others. Our lives often depend on them.

Anne Lezak and Dr. Harry Chen are Vermonters who are serving through giving. Their lives of service inspire us all.

Following decades of work in health care and public service, Anne Lezak and Dr. Harry Chen, formerly of Rutland County, were ready to live their dream overseas where they could do the most good. So Anne and Harry packed their bags, closed their Burlington home, and flew to Africa for the very first time, on a major leap of faith.

Anne was matched with Mobile Hospice Mbarara, the largest and first Hospice in Africa. Peace Corps Response recognized her skills in fundraising, marketing, grant writing, and teaching, which were needed to develop the program’s sustainability. Anne wrote and sought funding

SOMETIMES A VISIT OR JUST A CALL IS TREASURED FAR BEYOND A MATERIAL GIFT. to recruit, train, and equip 35 community outreach volunteers to educate the public and conduct home visits to teach patients’ families palliative care.

Harry, Vermont’s former commissioner of health, emergency room physician and critical care specialist, was needed to develop that nation’s first ER medical care through the Global Health Service Partnership. He treated patients along with five post graduate medical trainees and prepared them to lead Uganda’s emergency medicine.

Uganda is the size of Oregon with a population of 45 million, who speak seven tribal languages. The rule of law is nonexistent, as are systems like the railway, dismantled by dictator Idi Amin. Due to unchecked corruption and graft, resources are scarce and unreliable (like basic medical equipment and medication). The patient/staff ratio of 50,000:1 leads to delays and poor outcomes.

One third of African men were dying from AIDS during the AIDS crisis in the 1980s when nun and physician Dr. Ann Merriman founded Hospice Africa Uganda. In 2003, George W. Bush initiated PEPFAR, the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, to provide antiretroviral drugs.

It was a great success and the number of Africa’s hospital patients with AIDS has dropped to 12 percent, with education and continued availability of the medication.

Unfortunately, 87 percent of patients in Africa now suffer from cancer, and the highest rate is cervical cancer among young women with several children. There is only one radiation machine in all of Uganda and chemotherapy is unavailable and costly. Dr. Ann Merriman secured legislation for free liquid morphine for anyone dying of cancer, but only 5 percent of patients who need it receive it, but only half a dose. Supplies run out.

The World Health Organization has decreed that palliative care is a human right. It’s specialized medical care for symptom relief for people with serious illness, and improves the patient’s and family’s quality of life.

USAID now allocates 70 percent for preventive medicine and palliative care.

Anne Lezak and Dr. Harry Chen’s yearlong work in Mbarara was extremely challenging but also deeply gratifying. Anne said that working with her Hospice team gave her the best sense of community she’s experienced in her life. Harry’s role as tutor and mentor for five devoted future leaders is a gift that will keep on giving. Together, Anne and Harry kept a fascinating blog about their complicated work and thrilling African adventures that is insightful, informative, and enjoyable.

When Harry and Anne returned to Vermont, they declared, “Hakuna matata — it will be yet another adventure.”

28 •

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The Mountain Times • Dec. 12-18, 2018

Flu:

Rise seen in symptoms

continued from page 5 due to influenza. The CDC says 180 confirmed pediatric deaths were reported from the flu; among those fatal cases where officials know a child’s vaccination status, 74 percent were unvaccinated.

The CDC recommends that everyone aged 6 months and older receive a “routine annual influenza vaccination” unless there is a contraindication – meaning some medical reason that a flu shot is inadvisable for a patient.

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health makes them more susceptible to flu-related complications.

In a report earlier this year, the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases issued a “call to action” regarding “an urgent need to raise awareness of both the dangers of influenza infection and the benefits of vaccination in adults with chronic health infections.”

The report noted that influenza can exacerbate problems like heart disease, lung disease, obesity and diabetes. “The serious consequences of flu in adults with chronic health conditions can be devastating and long-term,” the report’s authors wrote.

In spite of such risks, the CDC found that national flu vaccination rates dropped last season,

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Vermont Health Department’s immunization program manager, said the flu vaccine “reduces your risk of getting the flu, and it really decreases the symptoms of the flu if you do get it.”

Health officials also say that those who forgo the vaccine risk transmitting the flu to those who are not or cannot be vaccinated, as well as those whose

both nationally and in Vermont.

Just 37.1 percent of adults in the U.S. received the flu vaccine, down 6.2 percentage points from the year prior. “For all adult age groups, flu vaccination coverage estimates in the 2017-18 season were at their lowest levels compared with the seven prior flu seasons,” CDC officials wrote in an adult

vaccination report.

Vaccination rates for children also declined nationally, though to a lesser extent. Among kids aged 6 months to 4 years, 67.8 percent were vaccinated

versity of Chicago found that many adults who said they weren’t getting the vaccine cited a classic – and, officials say, inaccurate – concern: They said the vaccination would give

THERE WERE 959,000 HOSPITALIZATIONS AND 79,400 DEATHS ACROSS THE NATION DUE TO INFLUENZA. for the 2017-18 season – down 2.2 percentage points from the season before.

Vermont’s flu-vaccination numbers also are sliding downward, according to state-by-state statistics from the CDC. The state’s vaccination rate for all residents who were at least 6 months old was 43.6 percent in 2017-18, a decline of 3.7 percentage points from the prior season and the lowest rate among the last eight seasons tracked by the federal government.

The flu-vaccination rate in Vermont for children ages 6 months to 4 years was 69.2 percent last season, the first time that rate has gone below 70 percent since 2010-11. And for Vermonters age 65 and up, the vaccination rate last year was 60.8 percent – a drop of nearly 10 percentage points in the course of just five flu seasons.

The state uses different methodologies to calculate vaccination rates, resulting in much different numbers.

Overall, however, the state’s rates are much lower than those issued by the federal government. The Department of Health says only 51 percent of young children were vaccinated last season, compared with the CDC’s estimate of 69.2 percent for the same age group in Vermont.

The reasons for such low rates, officials say, are not new. A recent survey from an opinion research center at the Uni-

them the flu.

Also, three in 10 respondents said they “never get the flu” or don’t believe the vaccine works.

Asked why vaccination rates are declining, Finley said, “I’m concerned that the myths are outweighing the factual information.”

In some cases, the answer may be more mundane. “I think it’s just something that doesn’t become prioritized in our busy world,” Finley said.

Cost shouldn’t be an issue, she said. The state provides vaccine for children at no cost to all pediatric practices, and the department offers vaccinations at its district offices for those who don’t have insurance and don’t have access to a doctor providing vaccinations.

The Health Department says there are more than 300 places in Vermont to get a flu vaccination. There is an online tool to search for those providers on the state’s influenza website.

Finley said state officials also are working to boost the state’s vaccination rate. That includes public education programs and talking to health care providers about how vaccination access can be improved.

“I think we may need more research to understand what the barriers are here in Vermont,” Finley said. “We sometimes have unique issues because we’re a rural state.”

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The Mountain Times • Dec. 12-18, 2018

• 29

Police say Ludlow man killed girlfriend’s infant son; he denies murder charge WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — Tyler Pollender-Savery stood shackled at a defense table Monday, Dec. 10 in court to face a murder charge as the mother of the infant he is accused of killing looked on from the first row of seats directly behind the prosecutor.

The 23-year-old Ludlow man denied a charge of second-degree murder in Windsor County criminal court in White River Junction late Monday afternoon in the death of 11-month-old Karsen Rickert. He was ordered held without bail.

Police have been investigating the infant’s death since January, when the baby was declared dead at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire.

According to records, the infant’s death was ruled a homicide, with the cause of death determined to be asphyxiation from strangulation or smothering.

Two people–the infant’s mother, Abigail Wood, and her boyfriend at the time, Pollender-Savery–were in the residence in Ludlow on Route 100 South with Karsen when medical personnel and police were called there on the morning of Jan. 11 for a report of an unresponsive child.

Both denied harming the child, according to an affidavit accompanying a search warrant obtained by police earlier in the investigation. The two split up shortly after the baby’s death, court records stated.

Now, 11 months into the probe, Pollender-Savery has been charged in the infant’s killing.

“I can tell you that the investigation

has consisted of many distinct phases and really the most recent phase was the collection of telephone and social media evidence,” Windsor County State’s Attorney David Cahill told reporters prior to Pollender-Savery’s arraignment Monday.

“In any case where there are three people in a house, one’s dead and two are remaining, the police need to take a hard look at both,” the prosecutor said. “That’s what they did in this case and that’s why it took as long as it did.”

Cahill, in arguing in court to hold Pollender-Savery without bail pending trial, said the murder suspect was the last person seen leaving Karsen’s room just minutes before 911 was

“IN ANY CASE WHERE THERE ARE THREE PEOPLE IN A HOUSE, ONE’S DEAD AND TWO ARE REMAINING, THE POLICE NEED TO TAKE A HARD LOOK AT BOTH,” THE PROSECUTOR SAID. called to the apartment he shared with Wood and the infant.

“The defendant was jealous that Abby Wood was showing renewed romantic interest in Karsen’s biological father,” Cahill said.

Steven Howard, a Rutland attorney representing Pollender-Savery, countered in court Monday that there was no need to hold his client without

bail. He said Pollender-Savery was a lifelong Vermonter with no criminal record and was not a risk to flee.

Howard said his client knew he was under investigation in the infant’s death for nearly a year and did not leave the region.

“This case basically is a ‘he said, she said’,” the defense attorney told Judge Elizabeth Mann. “It relies a great deal on [Wood’s] statements and her assertions.”

Howard added, “We don’t have anything that shows that this is the only possible person who could have done it.”

Judge Mann agreed to the prosecutor’s request to hold Pollender-Savery behind bars without bail, for now.

“This is a not a ‘he-said, she-said’ situation,” the judge said from the bench after taking a brief break to review a police affidavit filed in the case in support of the second-degree murder charge against Pollender-Savery.

“In fact,” the judge added, “the state’s case rests on the statements of both Ms. Wood and the defendant, buttressed by the medical examiner’s report, and extensive investigation by state police that include collateral statements, including a number of statements made by the defendant to other people over the course of the last 11 months.”

According to the affidavit filed in court Monday, Dec. 3,by Vermont State Police Detective Sgt. Michael Dion, around 7:30 a.m. on Jan. 11 a call came from the home in Ludlow that Pollander-Savery shared with Wood at that time.

Murder charge, page 33

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98 Degrees return to the limelight

continued from page 10 he added. “So luckily for me my career has continued to evolve.”

Those later pursuits included hosting several television shows, including the a cappella singing competition show, “The Sing Off,” guest starring in a few television series and competing in the 2017 season of “Dancing With The Stars.”

Brother Drew Lachey won the second season of “Dancing with the Stars” in 2006 with partner Cheryl Burke. But Nick, who said he never considered himself much of a dancer, didn’t fare as well, finishing ninth in his season.

By then, things were gearing back up with 98 Degrees, which Lachey said, despite appearances, never broke up.

The group reunited in 2012 and returned to action with the 2013 album “2.0” and a slot on that summer’s “The Package” tour with New Kids On The Block and Boyz II Men. A headlining tour followed in 2016. Then last year, with the group’s 20th anniversary happening, the group decided to celebrate by making its second Christmas album, “Let It Snow,” and embarking on a holiday tour last November.

The tour was a success, leading to a second holiday tour this fall. Where at first it appeared that 98 Degrees might be only an occasional enterprise that would come together from time to time for different tours or projects, Lachey

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said the four members now consider 98 Degrees an active, full-time endeavor.

“We kind of view this as a year-round thing,” Lachey said. “I think as long as we continue to enjoy performing together and the fans still come out and support it we’re going to keep doing it. We enjoy each other’s company and enjoy performing together so I really don’t see any reason to stop.”

For now, the current holiday tour is the main focus. This year’s show – a mix of holiday tunes and songs from the regular studio albums by 98 Degrees – will not be a re-run of the show the group presented last year.

“We didn’t want to come in and do the exact same show again,” Lachey said. “We definitely are doing some different covers. I think that’s probably the biggest difference.

There’s still a lot of our own stuff on the first Christmas record and last year’s Christmas record…Hopefully everyone will like it as much as last year.”

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PETS

LUCY - 1-year-old. Spayed female. Domestic short hair.

Brown and White tiger. Hello Everyone. My name is Lucy.

My owner brought me here because they could no longer take care of me because I like to chew on things. I can get over stimulated at times!

PETPersonals PEACHES - 2-year-old.

Spayed female. Labrador Retriever mix. Walks, hikes and other outdoor adventures sound perfect for me!

I’m super cute. I’m also quite smart and I already know Sit and Shake! I do like treats so maybe you can teach me more!

ALFRED - 2-year-old. Neutered male. Labrador Retriever mix. Well, it’s pretty obvious that I didn’t cooperate when my picture was being taken! I usually have my ears up and a smile on my face! I’m a super cute fella who is outgoing and social!

PRINCESS - 7-year-old.

Spayed female. Domestic short hair. Gray and white.

My sister, Duchess, and I arrived at the shelter on September 26. We both love being indoors and lounging in a sunny window. We are both aware that we are a bit on the chubby side!

ASHLYNN - 5-year-old.

Spayed female. Domestic short hair. Gray tiger. I am a beautiful lady who is ready to steal your heart. I am a bit shy, but it really hasn’t stopped me here at the shelter. I am currently in one of the cat rooms and am making new friends.

ZUKE - 5-year-old. Neutered male. Pit Bull. I have to admit that I am so handsome that people stop in their tracks to take a look and then come over and say hello. I’m a super sweet, gentle fella who is curious and easy to have around.

JASON - 1-year-old. Neutered male. Labrador Retriever mix. I’m a super friendly, social dog who loves being with people and being in the middle of the action!

I’ll need lots of exercise and play time with my new family to keep me happy. I’m cute!

HOPS - Adult. American Rabbit.

Neutered male.

White. Hi, I am currently residing at RCHS thanks to a good Samaritan who found me and three other rabbits that were abandoned. The other three rabbits very much resemble my large size.

BINX - 6-year-old. Spayed female. Domestic short hair.

Gray tiger. Hello everyone!

Binx is my name and cuddling is my game! I am a very handsome fella! I am very grateful to be where it is safe and warm. Everyone here is so nice to me! I was a stray.

ARTHUR - 1-year-old. Neutered male. Rottweiler mix.

I’m a social, friendly dog who enjoys hanging out with my favorite people so I may do well with someone who is home a lot. I’m a high energy dog so I’ll need lots of exercise and play time!

JEFF - 2-year-old. Neutered male. Labrador Retriever mix. I’m a very smart, loveable fella who will make you giggle when we meet. I have a clunky, cute way about me with my big feet and lumbering ways. I enjoy my walks with the volunteers!

JERRY - 4-year-old. Neutered male. Labrador Retriever mix. Get ready for some fun because I’m an outgoing, goofy guy who will get you out of the house and out and about for lots of good times. I’m super handsome and fun to be around.

The Mountain Times • Dec. 12-18, 2018

Featuring pets from:

RUTLAND COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY LUCY MACKENZIE HUMANE SOCIETY SPRINGFIELD HUMANE SOCIETY

Springfield Humane Society

ROSE My name is Rose and I am a 2-year-old Siamese mix. I have the most beautiful big eyes! I am sweet and do well with other cats. I am an indoor kitty and I am very excited to become yours! Stop by 401 Skitchewaug Trail, Springfield, Wednesday throuth Saturday from 12-4:30 p.m. so I can show off my purrbox! Join us from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Dec. 8, 9, 15, and 16 at Christmas Trees of Vermont in Springfield. We have many yummy desserts for sale and all of the money goes to help the animals. Call 802-8853997 for more information.

Lucy Mackenzie Humane Society

All of these pets are available for adoption at

Rutland County Humane Society

765 Stevens Road, Pittsford, VT • (802) 483-6700 Tues. - Sat. 12-5p.m., Closed Sun. & Mon. • www.rchsvt.org

MOUNTA IN TIMES mountaintimes.info

SANDOR Hi! My name’s Sandor and I’m a 9-month-old mixed breed pup that came to Lucy Mackenzie all the way from Delaware! I was part of a group that was relocated here in order to make room for animals that were separated from their families during Hurricane Florence. I’m so happy I came to Vermont, too, because I love it here! I really like going out in the snow. One of my favorite things is to go hiking through it - it’s a great adventure! My new human friends and I have been working hard on my obedience training. We’ve focused on building my confidence and I’ve come such a far way, I’m proud to say. We don’t know much about my life before I arrived here, but we do know it’s best that I live in a home without young children. I will also need to be adopted by somebody that’s committed to my continued training. The good news is that I pick up things quite quickly. I do love to play and to get out for my walkies, so if you’re active and enjoy the outdoors, we would probably get along just fine. If you’ve been looking for a new canine best friend and think we might be a great match, stop in and meet me today! Lucy Mackenzie Humane Society is located at 4832 Route 44, West Windsor.

We’re open to the public Tuesday through Saturday, 12-4 p.m. Reach us daily at 802-484-LUCY. Visit us at lucymac. org, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram. We hope to see you soon!

HOROSCOPES

The Mountain Times • Dec. 12-18, 2018

• 31

Winter solstice is climatic

By Cal Garrison a.k.a. Mother of the Skye

This week’s Horoscopes are coming out under the light of a Moon that will be sitting in the late degrees of Capricorn until it moves into Aquarius.

The next 10 days will bring us to the Winter Solstice.

This period of time is climactic, in the sense that it lines the pathway that will lead us out of the darkness, into the light. If the events on the world stage make us wonder if that concept even makes sense, it may have something to do with the fact that the darkest hour is always right before the dawn.

There is the expectation that the holiday season automatically sweeps all of our cares away; this isn’t the way it goes for many of us. This part of the yearly cycle is analogous to what happens right before a baby leaves

THE DARKEST HOUR IS ALWAYS RIGHT BEFORE THE DAWN. the womb to enter a reality that it has absolutely no familiarity with. All of us are in the space of not knowing what lies on the other side of being born again – and right now, there is so much foment jostling the outer reality, our sense of what might happen next is being addled by the feeling that everything we hold dear is on the line.

It might help to talk a little bit about what happens at the Solstice Point.

Anyone who studies astrology knows that the charts for the big cross-quarters are essentially “world charts” that map out possibilities, not just for individuals, but for all of us. As you may know, I am partial to Martha Lang-Wescott’s research. About a week ago, her monthly newsletter arrived with a raft of information about the horoscope for the upcoming Winter Solstice. Instead of paraphrasing her words, I am choosing to quote them directly from her report - because they seem right on the money for me, and for what’s going on in my world, and I am pretty sure they will hit home for all of you. It’s interesting to note that there are a lot of health related aspects. Here we go: Cardinal signs “Libra: Hades, Rx/Psyche: Days of depression are likely; there can be times when, without full awareness, the feelings are overwhelmed by, or dwelling in the past or more current difficulties. The mind and feelings are registering an undercurrent of problems.

“Capricorn: Neptune/Requiem: Right now (and for the last few months maybe,) you just don’t know what to accept, what to get used to and when to stop struggling with yourself, life or others. Neptune is presenting things that aren’t certain or that cause fragility. That doesn’t mean you have to accept standing in that line!

Yes, you’re Tender and that deserves an Embrace, but, easy does it!

“Cancer: Aesculapia/Kalypso: Diagnoses are strained at this time due to the fact that something isn’t obvious and is somewhat hidden.

“Capricorn: Pluto/Psyche: For some, the (Psyche) mental-emotional state will be bubbling up from a deep part in the history; at times, it may feel as though control of the emotions has been lost. That there may be a psychological catharsis happening is little comfort.

Mother of the Skye, page 35

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Camille’s

“Area’s Largest and Most Popular Consignment, Resale, Costume Sales & Rental Shop”

Winter Sale Starting WOMENS • MENS • JUNIORS

Now accepting winter wear - earn cash Mon- Sat 10-5 • 44 Merchants Row, Rutland, VT 802-773-0971

C

opyright - Cal Garrison: 2018: ©

Aries

I

March 21 - April 20

n many ways recent changes, as intense as they may be, have gotten you off the hook with “stuff” that has been more trouble than it’s worth. You are secretly delighted that the need to handle whatever’s currently on top of the stack, gives you a free pass to avoid a raft of people and things that you have no desire to engage with. This situation is also making it possible for you to create a whole new life. At the very least, it’s opening the space for you to release the shackles of the past and look at your relationship to the world with a new sense of hope and optimism.

Libra

Capricorn

September 21 - October 20

December 21 - January 20

t’s totally OK to keep doing what you’re doing, because right now, it seems to be working for you. All of your efforts have been aimed at getting to this place. Like a toad in a well, your needs are being met and nothing is missing. What is less apparent is that your comfort zone keeps you circumscribed in a range of experience that has limits. At a certain point it becomes important to see that there is an infinite realm of possibilities outside the boundaries that keep you in place. As soon as anything reaches perfection it starts to rot.

It might be time to stretch your limits.

A

s you look at what’s lined up in front of you, the desire to rise above the issues that occupy the foreground inspires you to make the best of things. Determined to keep your head above water, the tendency to overdo, or push yourself beyond reasonable limits, needs to be framed against what it means to be human. While it’s fine to be totally on the ball, life is a Yin and Yang affair. All your exertions have to be balanced with equal parts of rest, reflection, and repose – because it is in those still points that we restore the soul and recoup the strength that empowers us to keep on trucking.

A

ll kinds of stuff is coming to a head. It’s as if whoever you thought you were up to this moment has morphed into a new version of yourself. So many things have changed, what happens next marks the beginning of your next rise to fulfillment. This could be attended with a move.

It could also include numerous changes in your family sphere.

How it pans out over the next two years depends on the extent to which you can reconcile the fact that the past is over. That was then, this is now – who do you really want to be when you grow up? Whatever that is, you are birthing it now.

Taurus

Leo

Scorpio

Aquarius

April 21 - May 20

July 21 - August 20

October 21 - November 20

January 21 - February 20

Y

ou’ve been at your best, these days, shining in the face of adversity. As the pressures of your routine mount up, somehow or other you keep coming up with a way to rise above the BS. Others don’t know what to make of it. The ones who aren’t amazed appear to be envious. Those who refuse to meet you halfway have an axe to grind. Whatever this is about, it’s their problem. As the next few weeks unfold you will find yourself in a slipstream of positive energy. What goes around comes around, and at the moment, you are basking in the glow of some really good Karma.

A

I

Cancer June 21 - July 20

I

f you thought you had it all figured out, people have shown up to rattle your cage and get you thinking about what it might take to do something constructive with your difficulties. Don’t assume that you know it all. Emotions are bound to be running high in situations that have been on tenterhooks for quite some time.

You are clear what you want out of this, but don’t think it’s your job to settle things for others. To meddle, or be too controlling is a big “No-no” right now. The best you can do is stay on top of your own stuff and pray that others will stay on top of theirs.

T

he need to go along with the program in order to keep, or win, the approval of others appears to be a strong theme. As you wrestle with the need to break free, you wonder if in choosing to do so these connections will go down the tubes. You’ve already had your share of rejection. So many close ties have eroded, the thought that one more person might walk off the set freaks you out. If you can’t be yourself in a situation you don’t need to be in it. People come and go. The ones who choose not to stick around will soon be replaced by others who love and accept you as you are.

I

t is no one’s business how you decide to handle this. Whoever thinks they know more about it that you do has no idea what you’re up against. Torn by the idea that you need to solicit their approval, knowing that living up to their demands will make things go from bad to worse, the best you can do is stay true to yourself and let others make of it what they will. Underneath it all, the crisis that you find yourself in is an opportunity to see who’s there for you and who isn’t. With that in mind, doing what needs to be done to be there for yourself is the only thing that matters.

Gemini

Virgo

Sagittarius

Pisces

May 21 - June 20

August 21 - September 20

November 21 - December 20

February 21 - March 20

s you try to figure out what the next step will be, it might help to look at where you’ve already been. Knowing what got you here will involve getting to the bottom of why things went the way they did. It would be easy to say, “It is what it is” but this process can’t be intellectualized with a platitude or two. When we are 100 percent there for things, seeing what we don’t want to see goes with the territory. The minute you are willing to deepen your perceptions, what happens next will begin to manifest in a way that strengthens your purpose and gives life to your wildest dreams.

Y

ou’re at one of those points where everything feels pregnant with possibilities. In the same breath, you are unclear about how those possibilities will pan out. As much as you sense that something’s ready to pop, it has yet to make itself known.

At times like this it comes down to keeping your ducks in a row, showing up on time, and going to the “well” everyday with your heart in your hand. In many ways, this waiting, and the anticipation that goes with it, teaches us everything we need to know about letting go, and reminds us that life unfolds in its own good time.

T

he crystal ball suggests that it’s time for you to be branching out. For many, this will involve buffing up your skill set with courses, seminars and maybe even contact with people who are experts in their field. If travel is part of this, that would make sense too; we often expand our minds when we change our surroundings. It’s time to step out of the phone booth and free yourself to be, and do, and have whatever you want. It looks to me like whatever you’ve established up until now is about to put a whole new spin on things that are due for a makeover.

Mother of the Skye

T

his would be so much easier if you could figure out how to bi-locate. The need to be in two places at once is a theme for many of you. What this involves could take a million different forms. For some, it comes down to having divided loyalties, or situations that involve third-party interference. For others there is the sense of being split between people, places and things. With your attention divided, it will take twice as much energy to handle your life. The tendency to space out needs to be carefully watched.

For now you’d do well to focus and keep your priorities in order.

Mother of the Skye has 40 years of experience as an astrologer and tarot consultant.

She may be reached by email to cal.garrison@gmail.com

Classifieds

32 •

NEWS BRIEFS

REAL ESTATE ROBINWOOD BUILDING LOT on 1.2 acres. On Sewer.

Corner of Overbrook and Round Robin. Excellent view.

Across from Pico. 516-2411879.

KILLINGTON RENTAL house for sale. Why pay mortgage, taxes and expenses for your home when the rental income pays all of the above? House located on the mountain, Killington, VT. Contact 781749-5873, toughfl@aol.com.

TOP OF THE WORLD! 41.5 Acres - $242,900. Rutland Town/Pittsford Area. One of a kind property! Views of City, valley & 2 ski areas. Log gazebo with sleeping loft, stone fireplace, views south, east & west. Open & wooded land, year-round stream, easy access, underground utilities, approved septic. Must See! Call Owner 802-2361314.

NEW LISTING: Killington ski village location, mountain v i e w. P i n n a c l e 1 b d r m condo, $116K. Furnished, never rented, deck, stone fireplace, kitchen upgrade, ski locker, health club, shuttle to mountain. Owner, waynekay@ gmail.com, 802-775-5111.

KILLINGTON—2 BDRM 1.5 bath condo, Mountain Green bldg. 2. FP, ski lockers, health club membership. $92K. Owner, 800-576-5696.

TAKE OCCUPANCY NOW! 3 BR, 2 BA chalet on East Mountain Rd, open living room/kitchen/dining, Master Suite with loft and vaulted ceiling, den with built in Queen bed, 520 sq ft DECK, workshop, wood stove, storage, laundry. $325,000 Louise Harrison Real Estate,802-747-8444.

MENDON LAND: 267 acres of secluded yet close to Killington and Rutland with outstanding mountain views of Pico and Blue Ridge Mountains. This land is bordered on the uphill side by the Rutland City watershed. There are thousands of sugar maples and a variety of hard and softwoods. There are two ways to access the land, one by truck from Rt 4 and by car through a gated right of way.

Info, LouiseHarrison.com or call 802-747-8444.

LAND: Killington: ANTHONY WAY, 1.4 acres with access to sewer line, $59,900. UPPER REBECCA LANE, 1 acre with winter views of mountain tops, $85K; lot has a Vt. engineered 4-BR mound septic system design, lot is on a cul de sac of a private road with a written road maintenance agreement.

Ski Country Real Estate, 335 Killington Rd, 802-775-5111.

PITTSFIELD LAND: River View Trail Road: 8AC for $69,900 with State septic permit for a 4BR home. Lot 5.

Private Location. Ski Country Real Estate, 335 Killington Rd, 802-775-5111.

ERA MOUNTAIN Real Estate, 1913 US Rt. 4, Killington— killingtonvermontrealestate. com or call one of our real estate experts for all of your real estate needs including Short Term & Long Term Rentals & Sales. 802-7750340.

KILLINGTON PICO REALTY Our Realtors have special training in buyer representation to ensure a positive buying experience.

Looking to sell? Our unique marketing plan features your very own website. 802-4223600, KillingtonPicoRealty. com 2814 Killington Rd., Killington. (next to Choices Restaurant).

KILLINGTON VALLEY REAL ESTATE Specializing in the Killington region for Sales and Listings for Homes, Condos & Land as well as Winter seasonal rentals. Call, email or stop in. We are the red farm house located next to the Wobbly Barn. PO Box 236, 2281 Killington Rd., Killington.

802-422-3610, bret@ killingtonvalleyrealestate.com.

LOUISE HARRISON REAL ESTATE: An independent broker offering professional guidance and representation to buyers and sellers in the greater Killington, Mendon, Rutland area. 30 years experience. Available by appointment 7 days a week at the location of your choice. 8 Mountain Top Rd, Chittenden.

LouiseHarrison.com, 802747-8444.

PEAK PROPERTY GROUP at KW Vermont. VTproperties. net. 802-353-1604. Marni@ peakpropertyrealestate.com.

Specializing in homes/condos/ land/commercial/investments.

Representing sellers & buyers all over Central Vt.

Want to submit a classified?

Email classifieds@mountaintimes.info or call 802-422-2399.

Rates are 50 cents per word, per week; free ads are free.

JOB OPENING

THE PERFORMANCE GROUP real estate 1810 Killington Rd., Killington. 802422-3244 or 800-338-3735, vthomes.com, email info@ vthomes.com. As the name implies “WE PERFORM FOR YOU!” PRESTIGE REAL Estate of Killington, 2922 Killington Rd., Killington. Specializing in the listing & sales of Killington Condos, Homes, & Land. Call 802-4223923. prestigekillington.com.

SKI COUNTRY Real Estate, 335 Killington Rd., Killington.

8 0 2 - 7 7 5 - 5 111 , 8 0 0 - 8 7 7 5111. SkiCountryRealEstate. com - 8 agents to service: K i l l i n g t o n , B r i d g e w a t e r, Mendon, Pittsfield, Plymouth, Rochester, Stockbridge & Woodstock areas. Sales & Winter Seasonal Rentals.

Open 7 days/wk, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

LAND FOR SALE: Improved building lot in Killington neighborhood with ski home benefits. Views. Call 802422-9500.

KILLINGTON SEASONAL rental 3 BR, 2 BA, fireplace, dishwasher. $9,000, Nov. 1-April 30, + utilities. 781-7495873, toughfl@aol.com.

KILLINGTON East: 3 BR 2 BA furnished chalet w/ open living room/kitchen/dining, Master Suite with loft & vaulted ceiling, DEN w/ platform for queen, NEW efficient VT Castings wood stove, DECK, workshop, storage, new laundry. $8500 now thru May + utilities and plowing. Louise Harrison Real Estate, 802747-8444.

S E A S O N A L R E N TA L . 4 bedroom, 2 bath, fireplace, hot tub, 1 mile to Skyeship Gondola. $12,000. Please contact: 516-993-3799.

K I L L I N G T O N R O YA L FLUSH Rentals/Property management. Specializing in condos/winter & summer rentals. Andrea Weymouth, Owner. www. killingtonroyalflush.com, 802746-4040.

EQUAL HOUSING BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES OPPORTUNITY MAPLE SYRUP farm for sale.

64.8 acres. 802-235-9276.

OWN A BUSINESS IN VERMONT! www.bizvt.com 802-775-6251.

OUTBACK PIZZA shopping center for sale, 4-acre land parcel w/ building. 4 apartments, 2 stores, 1 diner, 1 restaurant and night club — on access road. Call 800-6942250, or cell 914-217-4390.

Ron Viccari.

C O M M E R C I A L S PA C E AVAILABLE with another well established business. Small or large square footage. Close to ski shop, restaurant and lodging. Great location for any business. Call 802-345-5867.

RENTALS 1 BR, private bathroom. 10 minutes from Killington. $850/ month. All utilities and services included. Non-smoking professional. 802-770-8786.

KILLINGTON ACCESS Road Ski House. Full-share $1,600.

Call or text Bret and leave a message, 732-266-8537.

KILLINGTON SEASONAL rental 2 BR, 1 BA, woodstove, excellent location. $8,000 seasonal + utilities. 781-7495873, toughfl@aol.com.

SKI SHARES/Full rooms available. Prime location in the heart of Killington. 2B per room/singles. Lots of amenities. 917-796-4289, outdoordiva7@yahoo.com.

All real estate and rentals advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act of 1968 as amended which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, family status, national origin, sexual orientation, or persons receiving public assistance, or an intention to make such preferences, limitation or discrimination.”

This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertisement which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. If you feel you’ve been discrimination against, call HUD toll-free at 1-800-6699777.

The Mountain Times • Dec. 12-18, 2018

Email classifieds@mountaintimes.info or call 802-422-2399.

Rates are 50 cents per word, per week; free ads are free.

SERVICES PAINTING Do you need someone to do some painting?

Big jobs or small. Over 40 years of experience. Give us a call. 802-299-1621 or email brianshomeservices@ yahoo.com.

SNOW SHOVELING roofs, walkways, etc. 802-558-6172.

SNOW PLOWING sanding, seasonal or per time. Call Ryan, 802-291-2271.

WEEKLY HOUSE CLEANING services - We’ll help you tackle, one room or the whole house!

Bathrooms, kitchens & even windows. We are fully insured & we do background checks on all of our employees...

No jobs too big or small.

Call Disaster Recovery, Inc. 877-765-6340.

ELECTRICIAN: Licensed/ insured, 35 years experience.

Email BoiseElectric@outlook. com or call 802-747-4481.

CHIMNEYS CLEANED, lined, built, repaired. 802-349-0339.

R E N TA L P R O P E R T Y CLEANING Responsible, detail-oriented professional couple has two remaining spots open for winter rental cleanings. We only take a limited number of clients so we can provide the best possible service. The fact that we own a rental property in SC, we understand the importance of good communication and having someone you can count on and trust to take care of all your needs. Along with high quality cleaning, our attention to detail, ability to assess damage and check inventory will help you get positive reviews and build your clientele. References available. 802-345-1205 or 914-262-1415.

WANTED

FIREWOOD for sale, we stack. Rudi, 802-672-3719.

STILL BUYING and appraising coins, stamps, precious metals, watches, art and historical items. I have moved from VT, but can easily help new and existing clients through email and US Postal Service. Member ANA, APS, NAWCC and New England Appraisers Association. Royal Barnard 802-775-0085 or email rbarn64850@aol.com.

FREE

EMPLOYMENT

FREE REMOVAL of scrap metal & car batteries. Matty, 802-353-5617.

HOUSEKEEPING POSITION through end of April. 40 hours per week guaranteed; Sundays a must. Butternut Inn, Killington. Call to apply: 802422-5660.

FOR SALE

NIGHT AUDITOR (FRONT DESK) needed at Killington/ Pico Ski Resort to prepare, balance, print reports and perform activities of the front desk at the Grand Hotel. For the full description and to apply go to Killington.com/ jobs or in person at 4763 Killington Rd., Killington VT 05701. Open daily 8-4. 800300-9095. EOE. HOUSECLEANER WANTED to clean condo at the Topridge condominiums on Sunrise Mountain. Hours are flexible but mainly needed on Sunday afternoons and Thursday afternoons. Rate would Be $25 per hour. Please email me at saltair777@gmail.com.

SOUS CHEF: The Birch Ridge Inn at Killington seeks sous chef to work with our chef on prep and evening dinner service. To arrange interview call 802-422-4293.

EXCITING NEW restaurant and lounge on the Killington access road looking for reliable, well organized help who can multi task. Positions include Front desk, kitchen prep and dishes, weekend breakfast service; flexible days hours and shifts. Contact Kristen@ highlinelodge.com.

MOGULS: WAITSTAFF, P/T bar staff, dishwasher, line cook needed to work at fun locals bar. Apply in person: see Sal at Moguls.

D AY T I M E C U S T O D I A N needed at Killington/Pico Ski Resort to clean and maintain the Snowshed Lodge. Empty trash and recycling containers and maintain cafeteria area cleanliness. Apply online at Killington.com/jobs or in person at 4763 Killington Rd., Killington VT 05751 800-3009095. HR is open 7 days a week 8-4. EOE. PROMOTIONAL HELP NEEDED: Looking for responsible, outgoing, professional candidates to promote Anheuser Busch Products in a bar/ restaurant environment during the Winter season.

Ideal person is punctual, friendly, knowledgeable about products and comfortable with large crowds. Responsibilities include: Arriving on time, setting up t-shirts, hats, and other prizes, and executing games/activities. Anheuser Busch is a premium company that does promotions for brands such as Bud, Bud Light, Rolling Rock and many others. Candidates must be 21 years of age, and be willing to converse with strangers.

Pay is fifteen dollars an hour with a flexible schedule, most promotions will be held in the Killington Mountain Area, must be available to work some nights during the week, and weekends for aprés. Email Don.sady@fdcvt.com.

TOWN OF PITTSFIELD ASSISTANT TOWN CLERK AND TREASURER Seeking flexible, self-motivated individual 18hrs per week. Associate degree/equivalent work experience, good communication skills, bookkeeping experience a plus, customer service skills, attention to detail, computer literate & the ability to multi-task in a multifunctional office.

Send letter of interest and resume to: Tricia Fryer, Town Clerk, PO Box 556, Pittsfield, VT 05762.

OR apply in person 40 Village Green, Pittsfield.

The Town of Pittsfield is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Court Ordered Sale: 2BR/2BA w/2-Car Garage Fri., Dec. 14 @12:30

453 Dublin Road, Plymouth VT

• 2010 Log Style Home • Open Kitchen & Living Area • Master Suite • Full Walkout Basement • ICF Construction • Close to Echo Lake & Skiing at Okemo or Killington

Thomas Hirchak Co. • THCAuction.com • 800-634-7653

EMAILED ADVERTISEMENT www.LouiseHarrison.com Realtor / IndependentADVERTISING Broker since 1998 INSERTION ORDER Country cabin 2 BR on pond Thomas Hirchak Company 20 min to Killington $5K+U FROM: Terra Keene Louise Harrison Real Estate Phone: 800-634-7653 Email: Advertising2@thcauction.c 3 BR Available Now thru Winter $8500 plus utilities and plowing.

1C= 1.5625 2C= 3.3125 Louise@LouiseHarrison.com | 802-747-8444

TO: COMPANY: Mountain Times

REAL ESTATE

The Mountain Times • Dec. 12-18, 2018

Student journalism:

Freedom of press important in schools

Colenne Scholarship:

• 33

Youth bowling advocate honored

continued from page 6

continued from page 25

“If something is in the wrong, then I think people need to know about it,” Halle Roberts, 17, the Herald’s editor-in-chief, told a local TV station. “And as journalists, I feel that it is our duty to do that. And I don’t think we were in the wrong for that,” she said.

On Tuesday, after the Student Press Law Center had published the censored story on its website and the faculty of the University of Arkansas School of Journalism and Strategic Media and members of the Northwest Arkansas chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists weighed in with harsh critiques of the administration’s actions, Springdale School District officials relented and allowed the articles to be reposted. In a statement, they called the matter “complex” and “challenging” and said it merited a “thorough” review. “The social and emotional well-being of all students has been and continues to be a priority of the district,” they said.

“This statement may or may not answer all of your questions but this is all we have to say,” they concluded. “The district will not make anyone available for interviews.”

Not exactly a profile in courage. Further, such petulant stonewalling sets a terrible example for the unfortunate students whose schools these officials purport to lead.

We applaud the courageous student journalists at the Har-Ber Herald, the BHS Register and elsewhere and urge them to continue to investigate their school districts’ policies and how they are being implemented. Perhaps their efforts will help teach district officials a little something about the importance of the First Amendment, the evils of censorship and the folly of trying to bury the truth.

This editorial originally appeared in The Valley News. It is reprinted with permission in the Mountain Times.

teams, spanning across three age divisions. Three places were awarded in each division. The trophies and prizes and pictures were provided by local businesses.

All bowlers were entered in a raffle for a chance to win a ball and bag.

Many of the youth (and adults) said they would be back next year. All proceeds will benefit youth bowler scholarship opportunities. The tournament was a great success. Be a part of this great event next year.

Stop in at Rutland Bowlerama and “roll” a few games. For information call 802-773-7707.

Submitted

Murder charge:

Suspect described as “hot-tempered”

A large group gathered for the inaugural Colenne Whalen Memorial Scholarship Tournament held in November at Bowlerama.

continued from page 29 his car and when he came back in, Wood was entering the living room with Karsen in her arms telling him to call 911.

“I asked Tyler what he thought happened to Karsen on the morning of the 11th. He didn’t know but wondered if maybe Karsen died because of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome),” Dion wrote. “I asked Tyler if he thought Abby could have harmed Karsen and he didn’t think so.”

Asked what he thought might have happened, Dion wrote, “Tyler said he didn’t know and he would have told us earlier if he did.”

Cahill, the prosecutor, in court Monday said that two days prior to the infant’s death, Pollender-Savery exchanged messages on social media with a friend expressing his concern about Wood getting back together with Karsen’s biological father. “People are guna start dyeing,” Cahill said, reading from the police affidavit that quotes the messages written by Pollender-Savery at that time.

The day after Karsen’s death, the prosecutor said, Pollender-Savery messaged another friend about Karsen’s death, writing, “None of this would have happened if I just let Abby do what she wanted when we met,” adding, “It’s my fault jake I don’t know how to fucking deal with that.”

In other Facebook message cited in the affidavit, Pollender-Savery told friends that the infant “got wrapped up in a blanket and suffocated.”

Cahill, in asking for Pollender-Savery to be held without bail, said ex-coworkers and a former girlfriend had described the suspect as “hot-tempered, and generally threatening of people who annoy him.”

When he was arrested at a state police barracks Monday, the prosecutor said, Pollender-Savery also had a loaded firearm in his vehicle.

Howard, Pollender-Savery’s attorney, responded in court that getting angry doesn’t make a person a murderer.

The defense attorney also disputed that his client posed a threat because he showed up at the state police barracks with a loaded weapon in his vehicle, pointing out hunting season has only recently come to an end.

“Welcome to Vermont, that is not unusual,” Howard told the judge. “It doesn’t indicate that he is prone to violence, it indicates that he hunts.”

That drew a quick reply from Cahill.

“I have yet to meet somebody who hunted with a handgun,” the prosecutor said.

“That’s what the defendant had when he was taken into custody by police.”

If convicted of the charge of second-degree murder, Pollender-Savery faces up to life in prison.

“Happy Holidays!”

www.149CramTrail.com

www.EastGladeB6.com

Bridgewater - three units - upper level 4BR/2BA & 2BR/1BA, main level 4BR/2BA. This renovated home is 1 mile From Killington Skyeship. $389,000

Killington - 3BR/2BA condominium, just a short walk to the Sunrise ski trail. Updated kitchen & baths w/granite counter tops, living room has w/ sliders to private balcony w/long range mountain views - $289,000

www.371RoundRobinRoad.com

www.141GreatHawk.com

Mendon – 4BR/3BA Colonial has lovely views of Pico. Walk-out basement could easily be finished for additional living space - $319,000

Rochester – 2BR/2BA contemporary w/stunning great room addition w/cathedral ceilings, tons of windows, 24’ x 24’ two bay garage - $234,900

REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE

“My baby’s not breathing,” the man told the 911 dispatcher over the phone, adding, “Please hurry,” before hanging up, the affidavit stated.

A return call made by the dispatcher was picked up by a man who said, “Hello, fucking hurry up please, I don’t know what you are doing but my kid is unconscious,” according to the affidavit.

The dispatcher asked about CPR, the filing stated, and the man responded, “Yes, my girlfriend is a nurse, she’s in there right now, it’s not doing anything.”

Then police arrived at the scene, the affidavit stated. Karsen was taken to Springfield Hospital, and then flown by helicopter to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire, where he was later pronounced dead, according to authorities.

The EMT who responded told police she saw “ligature marks” on the infant’s neck and “what appeared to be a couple of small cuts,” as well as a bruise on one of the baby’s arms.

The next day, Jan. 12, Dr. Jennie Duval, New Hampshire’s medical examiner, performed an autopsy on the infant. Upon completion, she reported that no cause of death could be immediately determined.

In May, the detective wrote in a court filing in support of a search warrant in the case, he received the final autopsy report from the medical examiner in New Hampshire. The doctor had ruled the manner of death as a homicide, and the cause “asphyxia due to strangulation and/ or smothering.”

Two days later, the detective wrote, police again interviewed Wood.

Just prior to waking up that morning, Wood said, she saw Pollender-Savery walking over the gate coming out of Karsen’s room, the affidavit stated. She then went to the bathroom and straight into Karsen’s room, where she said she found him “prone on his front side,” with the blanket balled up next to his head.

She then saw that he wasn’t breathing, and carried him out to the living room where she saw what she described as “strangle marks” on his neck with scratch marks around them.

She said she told Pollender-Savery to call 911 and she did “chest compressions” on Karsen prior to police and emergency personnel arriving.

A day later, May 8, police talked to Pollender-Savery, Dion wrote, and he told police he did go into the infant’s room that morning, leaving a bottle of formula for the child. “He said Karsen was still sleeping as he could see Karsen’s blanket rising up and down on his body,” the detective added.

He said he then walked outside to start

www.100GreatHawkRoad.com This custom-built contemporary, designed by Robert Carl Williams, is an early example of the architect’s work, yet it incorporates many of the signature design features that define his aesthetic, including an open living room with a striking fieldstone fireplace, wide pine floors, local slate tile and vaulted ceilings. A south facing exposure with an abundance of windows offers long range mountain views and fills the home with natural light. Borrowing from the European chalet style, the main living area is on the upper level, bedrooms on the lower level. The master bedroom suite includes a sitting room with a Vermont Castings gas-fired stove.

Offered at $161,000

Daniel Pol Associate Broker

Kyle Kershner Broker/Owner

Jessica Posch Realtor

2814 Killington Rd., Killington, VT 802-422-3600 • KillingtonPicoRealty.com info@KillingtonPicoRealty.com REALTOR

®

34 •

REAL ESTATE

The Mountain Times • Dec. 12-18, 2018

Seasonal worker: Resorts see shortage in help continued from page 5 to Burlington, we take them to Boston, they go to Montreal as well.

They’re not just here as laborers.”

Davison, of Bolton, said next year the resort might try holding its job fairs off-site in the state’s more populous areas to try to attract workers.

“That might bring more Chittenden County people to the job fair,” she said. “Some of the

other resorts will have them at a restaurant or a pub area, closer to Burlington where there are more people apt to come.”

Sugarbush also participated in job fairs this year.

“They were, I’d say, mediocre,” Smith said.

More effective, he thinks, is providing as much housing as possible to help attract work-

ers from outside the Mad River Valley and from outside Vermont.

that dire at Mad River Glen, the nonprofit cooperative ski area

“ALMOST EVERYBODY WHO APPLIES NOW ASKS, DO WE HAVE HOUSING,” SMITH SAID. “Almost everybody who applies now asks, do we have housing,” Smith said.

Things aren’t nearly

down the road from Sugarbush, said Eric Friedman, Mad River’s spokesman.

Friedman said the

resort hasn’t had a job fair in the 23 years he’s been there.

About 150 people work at Mad River Glen when it is fully staffed in winter.

“We [are] always looking for a couple of people here and there … but basically we have a longstanding group of employees who keep coming back year after year after year,” he said.

Friedman put this down to the resort’s culture. Many of its employees are shareholders in the co-op, and he said the non-corporate nature of the management team means it’s less likely to squelch dissent.

Some of the employees have been there for decades.

“They feel like they are a part of something that matters,” he said.

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EQUESTRIAN’S DREAM ON OVER 60+ ACRES! Minutes to Pico, Killington & downtown Rutland. Formally a 4H horse farm. 2 bed/2 bath Log home w/garage, an indoor riding arena, 2 barns, 28 horse stalls, 5 meadows, amazing views & more! $429K

INVESTMENT OPP CLOSE TO KILLINGTON! 95 seat Restaurant & Pub located on the White River w/ great mountain & water views! Comm kitchen. Furnishings, equipment & inventory incl in sale. Parking for 48 cars.

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REAL ESTATE

The Mountain Times • Dec. 12-18, 2018

Mother of the Skye:

• 35

There are many signs this week

continued from page 31 “Capricorn: Pluto/Cupido: The sense of family, connection or community is undergoing powerful change; family or relationship roles can be shifting and it’s a time to reach deep inside yourself to see the psychological truth of your upbringing and relationship dynamics.

“Cancer: Hades, Rx/Vulcanus: As well as observing the odd charisma and power of the more vulgar folks in the world these days, this is a time to see that there are times when you HAVE TO deal with messes, problems, dirt or details. It’s a time to reckon with the power of disease or problems as they affect your life.

“Capricorn: Psyche/Sphinx: Psyche represents the emotions and the psychological ‘wounds’ and scars one carries. Here, Sphinx has questions; it might not understand what’s going on emotionally. It can be asking: “Why do you feel so hurt? When did that happen or who spurred that reaction?

“Libra: Neptune/Nemesis, Rx: When Nemesis is retrograde, it makes it extra hard to determine the cause of problems and who or what’s AT FAULT. Now imagine adding hazy-cloudy-misty Neptune to that! Seeing through the dense fog to really know what’s wrong...?

Maybe not right now!

Fixed signs “Taurus: Aesculapia/Valentine, Rx: Ordinarily, this would point to medical concerns about the heart or reproductive system, but with Valentine being retrograde, something’s not just as it seems. There’s a possible complication or misreading of the problem.

Leo: Hades, Rx/Pythia: As you look towards the future...it sucks, right? Try to know that this viewpoint can be wrong – despite some of the difficult signs right now.

“Taurus: Aesculapia/Nemesis, Rx: For a time, determining exactly what’s going on with health carries a smidgen of uncertainty. The source or cause of a medical problem just does have the possibility of error now.

What’s ‘to blame’ for symptoms may not be easily seen.

“Aquarius: Neptune/Pluto: Things are changing-and, thanks to Pluto, probably in some deep and important ways. It’s just that Neptune is masking some of it (or Pluto is working on vulnerabilities and you won’t be completely clear on that for a while.) You want to think of Neptune too as an indication of your immune

system and Pluto as your metabolism and guts.

Do favors for both!

“Leo Aesculapia/Malpighi: The combination of these energies can indicate the experience of blood tests, but it can also accent the condition of the lungs and respiration. While Malpighi can also signal the need for attention to connective tissue (and diseases of same,) the more common concern has to do with the lungs, congestion and breath pattern.

“Taurus: Aesculapia/Hades, Rx: As well as some deterioration in the health, the medical situation can be a cause for dismay – if not, in fact, actual depression.

The health can be subject to viral, fungal or bacterial problems, but the guts may not be in great shape either.

“Taurus: Aesculapia/Kronos, Rx: The suggestion here is contact with a medical specialist (and not just your GP.) There can be awareness that a diagnosis is “an

WITH VALENTINE BEING RETROGRADE, SOMETHING’S NOT JUST AS IT SEEMS. opinion” – and only that.

Mutable signs “Virgo: Hades, Rx/Requiem: It’s dandy to use Requiem to be ‘at peace with’ aspecting points but...should you be okay about ‘Hades’ when it might be something that’s a mistake or that’s dragging you down? To use Requiem to ‘accept’ a problem or disease...yeah, there can be a time for that. But is it Now? “Virgo: Aesculapia/Pluto: The health can be demanding a return to personal authenticity – truly being who and what you are – and what you want to be! For some, the medical condition may be such that the patient has to feel some control over what is happening in their medical care.

“Sag: Neptune/Pythia: Pythia can’t be sure of results anyway, but you add Neptune and, oh boy! There’s something nebulous, fragile, uncertain or downright hidden and deceptive that makes any kind of certainty about the future...uh, uncertain! It’s time to live One

Day at a Time!

“Virgo: Aesculapia/Ophelia: While you can well hear of autoimmune diseases now, also expect to see people have “inappropriate” reactions to a medical issue. This means they may go overboard about it, but they could also diminish a diagnosis--and treat it as though it weren’t important.

“Virgo: Harvery/Hades, Rx: As well as hormonal imbalances or shifts (that are causing problems,) there can be difficulties for the heart or blood circulation. As well as things like venous insufficiency, disease that affect the blood can also occur.

“Virgo: Neptune/Minerva: In some cases, the way to get approval is to be seen as suffering, compassionate, delicate or susceptible. On other days, you realize that someone’s desire to please (or to be seen as such) invited pretense.

“Virgo: Atlantis/Hades, Rx: Atlantis can have its own sense of ‘impending doom.’ Add Hades (disease, deterioration, depression or the specter of The Past) and – oh man! You can also see – with this midpoint – Poseidon – that the media does, in fact, use the Atlantis to invade someone’s privacy and reveal (Hades) stuff about their past...that they aren’t proud of and is an attempt to shame or embarrass them!

“Virgo: Aesculapia/Neptune: There can be weakness and a desire to stay in bed (and pull the covers over your head) due to illness. There may be congestion, moments of confusion or dependence and changed sleep patterns. Because the statement here is also Aesculapia/Neptune = Psyche, there can be times when you question the emotional impact of being sympathetic to one who is ill but you also recognize that illness can have a powerful emotional impact. It can really slam a person!

“Lots of folks are having troubles these days, so I hope you’re doing alright.”

What do you make of all of this? Does it hit the nail on the head? It does for me, and it seems to fit all of the people I have been talking to lately.

I hope that some of what’s written here is useful to you, and that you take what you can from it, and from this week’s ‘scopes.

Prestige Real Estate of Killington Condos SKI IN SKI OUT Sunrise: 4BR/3BA $359K Pico: 1BR/1BA $69.9K 2BR/2BA $169.9K HEMLOCK RIDGE 3BR/2BA $159K PINNACLE 2BR/2BA $170K THE WOODS 2BR/2BA $134K 2BR/2.5BA $149.9K COLONY CLUB 3BR/3BA $279K THE HEIGHTS 3BR/3.5BA $439K

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Homes

Big Rock Road Ski to Great Eastern from 3‐bedroom 2‐ bath home with strong rental potential $400K

The Woods Best of both worlds… privacy & space of a single home w/amenities & services of a condo $429K

Bear Mt Road Single family home with 6BR, 8.5BA, 2+ car garage on 2.9 acres. Sunrise amenities included. $989K

2922 Killington Road

Land

Elbow Road: 10+ acre home site with shared septic $125K Timberpeg Tanglewood Dr: 10+acre lot, post & beam views, driveway & septic field cape‐style home $145K w/garage & Gina Drive: 10+ acre lot views w/5BR septic design $145K on 1+ acres Upper Rebecca: 2.5 acre lot $429K w/4BR WW permit ‐ $149.9K Elbow Road Truman’s Trek: (2) lots with Stunning 6000 wells, septic & utilities in sqft mountain place, VIEWS! $189K, $169K home with 2‐car Trailview Drive: ½ acre lot garage on 14.5 w/4BR septic design $199K acres in quiet

Bart’s Hill Road

neighborhood near golf course. $699K

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Great Eastern trailside: (3) ski in ski out lots w/septic design ‐ $399K each Mini Drive: (2) ski in/out lots w/septic design ‐ $369K each

36 •

The Mountain Times • Dec. 12-18, 2018

FREEDOM The 4.0 college pass will get you the most days at the best price. 4 resorts, 0 blackout days, $399.

Visit killington.com/thecollegepass Price increases to $439 after 12/15/2018

All season pass sales are non-refundable and subject to 6% applicable state and local taxes. Purchaser must be registered as a full-time student for fall and spring semesters and have valid college ID upon picking up the pass.