The Mountain Times • Dec. 20-26, 2017 • 1
Mounta in Times Volume 46, Number 51
Dec. 20-26, 2017
Budgets in progress for Killington By Evan Johnson
Give life! The community can give the ultimate gift this holiday season — the gift of life. The annual Gift-of-Life marathon blood drive will be held Dec. 20-22, when donors can give blood during the most crucial time of the year for donations. To sweeten the pot — and create a bit of competition — teams of donors will be vying for a maple creemee party! Page 38
Heading towards the light The winter solstice — the longest night and shortest day of the year — is Thursday, Dec. 21. The solstice, scheduled for 11:28 a.m. EST is the moment at which the Northern Hemisphere is tilted farthest from the sun. From there, it can only get lighter!
Living A.D.E. What’s happening? Find local Arts, Dining & Entertainment Pages 37-50
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is a community newspaper covering Central Vermont that aims to engage and inform as well as empower community members to have a voice.
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By Paul Holmes
Four-year-old Madelyn Holmes gets a wet spray from her sled ride through newly fallen snow, followed by her Golden Retriever friend, Maggie.
Drug sweep nets a dozen arrests By Alan Keays, VTDigger
A dozen people are facing a host of drug-related charges following a two-county police investigation that spanned four months. The Southern Vermont Drug Task Force announced Friday the arrests of the suspects stemming from investigations in Rutland and Bennington counties. Police said the investigations started in September and continued through this week. The operation involved numerous probes into the sale of heroin and crack cocaine, according to a statement from the task force. Police said among the 12 arrests are two suspects facing charges for allegedly “maintaining a drug-involved premise.” Nine of the suspects face charges in state courts while three face federal charges, according to police. Those arrested as part of the operation, according to police, are: Jean M. Sousie, 24, of Danby, on three charges of selling crack cocaine, arraigned Sept. 28. Richard B. Webster, 60, of West Rutland, on a charge of maintaining a drug-involved premise, arraigned Nov. 2. Sheri A. Fitzgerald, 53, of Rutland, charges of distribution of heroin and maintaining a drug-involved premise, arraigned Dec. 11. Amanda F. Wilkins, 31, of Bennington, two charges of selling heroin and two counts of cruelty to children, arraigned Sept. 7. Bradley R. Sweet, 30, of Bennington, two charges of selling heroin, set to be arraigned Jan. 8. Kearstyn L. King, 19, of Bennington, two charges of selling Drug sweep, page 3
Courtesy of REDC
Administrators from the Rutland Economic Development Corporation will use the funds to invest in local businesses.
REDC secures $500,000 for business loans
RUTLAND—Through a combination of state grants and federal loans, Rutland Economic Development Corporation (REDC) has secured $500,000 this year to be made available to Rutland County businesses. REDC is a non-profit, community-based organization whose mission is to encourage and enhance business success in Rutland County. By means of a nationally competitive application process, USDA Rural Development has provided REDC with $350,000 for REDC’s Revolving Loan Fund. Through the agency’s Intermediary Relending Program, USDA Rural Development provides low-interest loans to local intermediaries that re-lend to businesses to improve economic conditions and create jobs in rural communities. These additional funds will allow REDC to continue to use its local lending expertise to ensure that federal funds actively support promising businesses and workforce development across Rutland County. The REDC board of directors voted unanimously to contribute a 25 percent match to these funds, bringing the total amount of available new loan funds to $437,500. Added to existing revolving loan funds, REDC now has $750,000 to lend through the program. To help fulfill its mission, REDC provides businesses with fixed-rate loans of between $5,000 and $150,000. As loans are repaid, they are reinvested by REDC in the form of new loans to other businesses. Funds through the Revolving Loan Fund are available for both existing or start-up businesses and support a wide range of initiatives, from working capital to installing new machinery to purchasing property. REDC works extensively with local lenders, often serving to help REDC, page 3
KILLINGTON—Killington’s various town departments have been busy creating drafts of their budgets for the coming fiscal year. At a Select Board meeting Tuesday, Dec. 5, draft budgets were presented for the town clerk/ treasurer, lister, highways, Killington Fire and Rescue, and capital budget. Lucrecia Wonser, Killington’s treasurer and clerk, presented a budget that is similar to last year’s spending levels. It includes an additional $5,000 estimate for a printing project. The Board of Civil Authority is set at $5,000, unchanged from last year. The treasurer’s salary budget projection shows an increase of 60 percent to account for an assistant treasurer to meet the increased workload. Killington Town Manager Deb Schwartz and lister Butch Findeisen presented the updated budget proposal reflecting a $2,400 increase in costs for updating maps. The remainder of the budget is largely unchanged and the total is 2.33 percent less than last fiscal year’s budget. The Dec. 5 meeting saw the introduction of the Interim Parks & Rec Director Kate DeFrancesco-Sias, a candidate for the permanent position. The town has received six applications and interviews will begin later this month. She noted a nearly 7 percent increase in revenues and corresponding expenses reflecting an increase in camp participation. Schwartz also reported a
TOWN DEPARTMENTS ARE CREATING DRAFTS OF THEIR BUDGETS. proposed increase in the Killington Active Seniors’ budget to accommodate an expansion of activities for this group. The proposed budget for the transfer station includes a 2 percent increase in salary and a $1,000 increase in recycling expenses. The highways budget includes a 2.16 percent increase over last year’s budget. The Killington Fire and Rescue budget is facing an overall reduction of 4.2 percent from last year, to $199,200. Gary Roth said newer trucks have helped reduce maintenance costs.
LOCAL NEWS
2 • The Mountain Times • Dec. 20-26, 2017
#1
FOR 42 YEARS!
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The Robo-Rattlers team competes in the recent state championship.
Robotics team headed to world championships
The Rutland Economic Development Corporation (REDC) 2017 Young Entrepreneurs of the Year, the Robo-Rattlers, won their second State Championship Title. The team’s win secures its invitation to the World Finals. The Rutland Robo-Rattlers, a FIRST Lego League (FLL) robotics team featuring area students from ages 9 to 14, competed in the Vermont State FLL Championships at Norwich University on Sunday, Dec. 10 and secured the top spot for the second year in a row. Teams work over a three-month season to design, build and program Lego robots to solve real-world problems based on an annual theme. This season the Robo-Rattlers focused on hydrodynamics and the human water cycle. The Robo-Rattlers designed and built a series of internet-connected water meters to help families gauge their water usage and provide suggestions to conserve water. The team’s water monitoring system, The H2Show, is built like a Fitbit for faucets. The team will continue to prepare for the World Finals being held in Detroit in April. Over 32,000 teams compete around the world to earn a spot in the World Finals and the Robo-Rattlers are one of only 216 teams that will get the chance to compete.
The FIRST robotics programs emphasize a diverse array of skill development for participants. Coach Karen McCalla says, “Public speaking, teamwork, perseverance, engineering, problem solving and cooperation are all primary talents in FIRST competitions and are the skills that we want our kids to excel at. Our team has developed a strong spirit of helping others and the attitude that what we learn is more important than what we win.” Thirteen-year-old Maxwell McCalla says he’s looking forward to World Finals. “We get to interact with so many people from around the U.S. and the world,” he said. “It’s really exciting that I get to see so much diversity between teams.” The Robo-Rattlers were honored as the REDC 2017 Young Entrepreneurs of the Year in November. Lyle Jepson, executive director of REDC, praised the program, participants, coaches and families involved. “These young people are helping to spread that word that the Rutland Region is an innovative, collaborative and inspiring place to live, work and play. They work hard and it is exciting to see them recognized for their success two years in a row,” he said.
Judge invalidates sex offender “nuisance” ordinance By Alan Keays, VTDigger
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A judge has struck down an ordinance in Rutland that limited where convicted sex offenders can live in the community. “The case hinges on the question whether the City of Rutland has the power to declare people nuisances,” Rutland Superior Court Judge Samuel Hoar wrote recently in the strongly worded 13-page ruling. “It does not.” The ordinance, which the city’s Board of Aldermen adopted in 2008, prohibited any offender convicted of a sex crime against a child from living in the city within 1,000 feet of a school, day care or recreation
area. That restriction precluded child sex offenders from living in much of the city. “What the city has done here is effectively to declare an entire class of persons to be a public nuisance, by simple virtue of their physical existence,” Hoar wrote. “Plaintiffs have been convicted and punished; the City cannot now say to them, any more than they could to any other citizen, ‘We don’t want your type in our town.’ The boldness and breadth of this assertion is virtually without precedent,” the judge added. The lawsuit was filed in Rutland Superior Court by the state’s
Prisoners’ Rights Office. It was brought on behalf of three convicted sex offenders, identified in documents only as John Does 1, 2 and 3, and includes “parties similarly situated.” The lawsuit asked the court to find that what the city calls its “child safety ordinance” violates state law. The complaint asked the judge to “cease any attempt” to remove the plaintiffs from their residences. In 2009 a Vermont judge struck down a similar ordinance in the case Hagan v. City of Barre. Judge Helen Toor, presiding then in Washington Superior Court, said the city had Nuisance, page 5
LOCAL NEWS
Drug sweep:
12 arrests made
continued from page 1 heroin, set to be arraigned Jan. 8. Edward L. Everett, 51, of Rutland, charges of selling heroin and sale of a non-controlled substance, set to be arraigned Jan. 8. Paul A. Jordan, 34, of Rutland, a charge of selling crack cocaine, set to be arraigned Jan. 8. Jason P. Robinson , 39, Springfield, six charges
REDC:
The Mountain Times • Dec. 20-26, 2017 • 3
of selling heroin, set to be arraigned Jan. 8. Megan E. Harpp, 25, of Rutland, charge of selling heroin, arraignment date pending. Brent Shaw, 32, of Rutland, charge of selling heroin, arraignment date pending. Tiffany Show, 35, of Rutland, charge of selling heroin, arraignment date pending.
New business loans, grants
continued from page 1 meet the unmet funding needs of a business that’s unable to obtain adequate sources of traditional financing. Among the projects funded in 2017, REDC partnered with the Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA), the National Bank of Middlebury, and the town of Brandon to finance a $3 million retention and expansion project for Olivia’s Croutons, now in Brandon. Olivia’s Croutons will now increase their production and double their workforce. “This was an aggressive expansion and it was the next logical step for our business,” said Francie Caccavo, coowner and president of Olivia’s Croutons. “Structuring the financing for this next step was a complicated process, and without all of the financing partners working together this couldn’t have happened for us. REDC was a crucial piece in this.” “The town of Brandon was in full support of the expansion of Olivia’s Croutons and putting resources behind it was a no-brainer for us, but we needed multiple collaborators on board to make it work,” said Bill Moore, economic development officer for Brandon. “The future is bright for Brandon, and as we continue to grow it’s great to have regional partners like REDC on our team.” In addition to securing federal funds, REDC has connected four Rutland County businesses to $61,500 in state grants through the Regional Economic Development Grant program. Grants through this program are available to regional development corporations, municipalities, and nonprofits to create job growth and spur improvements to buildings and community facilities. Maximum grant amounts are $25,000 per project and require a 1:1 matching investment. All grants have been awarded for the current year, but the program is expected to resume in mid-2018. REDC applied for and received grants on behalf of Ann Clark Cookie Cutters, the Rutland Area Food Co-op, Valente & Seward CPAs, and Hirschmann Windows and Doors. Rolf Hirschmann, owner of Hirschmann Windows and Doors, which designs and manufactures custom wood windows and doors in West Rutland, purchased Green Mountain Glass, LLC in early 2017 and moved the business from Charlestown, N.H., to Rutland. Green Mountain Insulated Glass, Inc., will operate independent from
AS LOANS ARE REPAID, THEY ARE REINVESTED BY REDC IN THE FORM OF NEW LOANS TO OTHER BUSINESSES. H. Hirschmann Ltd, but the two companies will share resources. The grant will be used to help offset the costs for equipment and facilities improvements for the new business. “The grant REDC has connected us with will help us grow and add jobs,” said Hirschmann. “The increased efficiencies created will grow customers and sales for both companies, leading to more local jobs. We appreciate the support REDC, Rutland City and the State of Vermont has given us as we continue to grow our businesses in the Rutland Region.” REDC has seen an increase in lending demand and grant inquiries in 2017 compared to previous years, and expects this to continue into the new year. “We are seeing demand for these resources continuing to climb, especially with our revolving loan fund, and that’s obviously a good indicator,” said Lyle Jepson, executive director of REDC. “The recipients of these funds are businesses from a variety of sectors who are in a position to grow, and these resources will help facilitate that growth. There’s every reason to think this momentum will continue.”
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LOCAL NEWS
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Having been thrown out of ski school at age six, it only seems “right” that Katherine RockwellMacLauchlan now heads a snow sports department. Born in Rutland, Katherine grew up in Pawlet, Vt., and graduated from the Long Trail School (2001) and Davidson College (N.C.) where she majored in French. As the daughter of veteran ski instructors Madeline and Charlie Rockwell, she learned to ski at age three. Her parents taught her and she also learned through Bromley’s Mighty Moose ski school program. Until, that is, she was “thrown out for not skiing in line and for taking myself back to daycare. Apparently that’s not cool when you’re six,” she said, explaining that she was supposed to let the instructor know she was leaving the class before she did so. At seven she joined the outing club and was exposed to racing but didn’t take to it. The next year she joined a seasonal program because “an instructor was willing to take me,” she said of her time on the slopes while her parents were teaching. It was “a childhood of exploring” with fortuitous results. At age 13 Katherine started teaching at Bromley, got her Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA) Level I certification at 16, passed Level II in college, and taught part time throughout high school and college years.
Q&A MT: What did you do after college? KM: After four glorious years somewhere warmer, I knew I needed to come back. I interviewed with Kevin Anderson for a job teaching skiing at Killington when I was home for spring break senior year and moved back after graduation. MT: How did you get to your current job? KM: I started my fulltime ski-teaching career the fall after college. By mid-January, I was spearheading the Perfect Turn Women’s programs. The following year that role expanded and I finished my PSIA certification [Level III]. A year later, I was running all the seasonal lesson programs for Killington. The opportunity to oversee the programs at Pico was a dream come true, and I’ve been happily part of the Pico family as the Manager of Snow Sports, Competitions and Child Care since 2007-08. MT: What are your responsibilities? KM: I don’t teach as
much as I’d like, but I run all aspects of the snow sports programs, including ski school, overseeing a competitions department, and assisting our child care facility. Hiring, firing, training, scheduling, budgeting, business growth, social media for the resort, maintaining the website, working with rentals, selling tickets, making coffee — a little of everything really. MT: Did being thrown out of ski school affect your teaching philosophy in any way? KM: I realized it is important to engage kids in skiing and that one size doesn’t fit all. MT: What do you like about your job? KM: I like connecting people and solving problems. Connecting people to other people, ideas, experiences — all of it. Helping people see they can do more than they think they can is especially rewarding. MT: Any influences or mentors? KM: The late great Joe Wood was a great men-
tor and influence, along with my parents and the community of passionate professionals I grew up around. MT: What are the greatest changes you’ve seen in winter sports? KM: Winter sports are becoming more of a bucket-list experience and less of a lifestyle. People come once, snapchat it and move on. They’re missing out on the opportunity to really pursue what I believe is a great lifetime sport. MT: What’s your take on winter? Vermont? Party scene? Community? KM: You know, for someone who relies on winter to support my career, I’d really prefer it be 25 and sunny all season. Living down in the valley reduces the amount of snow in my driveway, so that’s what gets me through. I love Vermont. It takes moving away to really appreciate it, but every time I cross back into the state from away I feel instantly at home. The party scene? I’m
Katherine Rockwell MacLauchlan, page 7
The Mountain Times • Dec. 20-26, 2017 • 5
STATE NEWS
Prosecutors clear troopers in fatal shooting of man pointing BB gun By Alan Keays, VTDigger
Prosecutors have cleared five state police troopers of criminal wrongdoing in a fatal shooting that followed a lengthy standoff in Poultney. A big factor in that decision, according to the prosecutors, was the misleading appearance of a weapon Michael Battles pointed down at troopers from a second-floor window of his home. Officers saw what looked like a silver revolver. It was later determined to be a BB gun. “This clearly looks like a pistol,” Rutland County State’s Attorney Rose Kennedy said of the BB gun during a recent news conference at the state police barracks in Rutland. “The fact that Mr. Battles was armed with a BB gun, not a powerful weapon, does not change the reasonableness of the officers’ perception,” she said. “The BB gun was indistinguishable from a more powerful handgun.” The Vermont attorney general’s office also conducted an independent review of the shooting following an investigation by state police, which is standard procedure in trooper-involved shootings. Both prosecutors’ offices announced they had reached the same conclusion: The use of deadly force was justified. Police said that as they tried to arrest Battles, 32, on a warrant for aggravated domestic assault, he repeatedly refused to come out of his home. Early on the morning of Sept. 1, hours after the standoff began, according to police, Battles pointed what appeared to be a silver revolver at them. That prompted the troopers to open fire, shooting 28 rounds, according to information released Tuesday. Battles was killed by a single gunshot to his head. “The killing of Michael Battles was justifiable homicide under the law,” Kennedy said Tuesday. “The officers’ decision to use deadly force was also reasonable.” The real nature of the weapon Battles held didn’t prevent that conclusion, Kennedy said. The prosecutor added, “Here, the troopers who shot clearly articulated a concern that their own lives were in jeopardy or that their actions were necessary to prevent a shooting of one of their fellow troopers.” The attorney general’s office agreed. “We support the
Fewer pupils, more spending
Governor convenes education summit
NORTHFIELD, Vt. — How to provide Vermont’s students with a quality education at an affordable cost as the number of students across the state continues to decline? That is the question the state has been trying to answer for at least a decade. It’s a question that is taking on new urgency in the face of a declining workforce, sluggish economic growth and nearly stagnant tax revenues. On Monday, Gov. Phil Scott convened a group of approximately 300 educators from around the state – board members, superintendents, principals and teachers – for an education summit to examine that very question. “We must increase the value students see from the dollars we spend, while providing relief from costs that continue to grow faster than Vermonters can afford to pay,” Scott said in his opening remarks. The emphasis was on the rising cost of education in Vermont, even in the face of sinking enrollments statewide. The Education Fund is projected to raise and spend $1.7 billion this year to educate Vermont’s K-12 students. At the same time, Vermont is losing more than 1,000 students per year, and has lost 30,000 students in the last 25 years, Scott pointed out. “The root of the problem is an education infrastructure that was built to educate 100,000 students,” said Scott. But it’s been 20 years since Vermont had that many students. Every $1 spent to preserve underutilized schools is money not being spent to educate children, Scott added. To free up money to invest in improving education, Vermont’s education system must become more efficient, Scott stated. “For nearly two decades we have heard the calls from Vermonters for property tax relief,” said Scott. “And we all watch as you struggle to preserve academic services as class sizes get smaller and overhead costs increase faster than our economy grows.” “It also bears noting, to put things into context, that, on average, per pupil education costs—which is how we calculate property tax rates—have grown faster than even healthcare costs over the past ten years,” he added. And Spending, page 19
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Table of contents Opinion...................................................................... 6 Calendar..................................................................... 8 Music Scene............................................................. 11 Just For Fun.............................................................. 12 News Briefs.............................................................. 14 Lift Lines................................................................... 20 Mother of the Skye................................................... 21 Worship.................................................................... 22 Connecting Our Communities.............................. 23 Columns................................................................... 24 Service Directory..................................................... 26 Classifieds................................................................ 28 Real Estate................................................................ 29 Living A.D.E.............................................................. 38 Food Matters............................................................ 46
continued from page 2 not shown it had the legal authority to adopt such an ordinance. The city never appealed that ruling to the Vermont Supreme Court. State Defender General Matthew Valerio, who oversees the Prisoners’ Rights Office, said Wednesday that the decision by the judge was expected in the Rutland case. “Rutland’s ordinance was obviously illegal from day one based upon the ruling we were part of in Barre declaring that ordinance illegal years ago,” he said, adding that before it could be challenged there had to be “aggrieved” parties. “[The state Department of Corrections] would keep moving the clients around and mooting the cases out,” Valerio added. “Once we were finally able to get the case to court the result was clear, based upon the reasoning in the Barre case.” The lawsuit brought in Rutland raised many of the same arguments as in the Barre case: that Rutland, or any other city in Vermont, lacks
Coins Currency Precious Metals Scrap Jewelry and Silver Historic Items Fine Watches Postcards and Postal History Rarities and Collectibles
By Michelle Monroe, St. Albans Messenger
Fatal shooting, page 26
Nuisance:
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Pets........................................................................... 51 the power to enact or enforce such an ordinance since it is not authorized by state law. According to the suit filed by Patricia Lancaster, an attorney with the state’s Prisoners’ Rights Office, all three of the convicted sex offenders
in the case, Lancaster argued that no state statute empowers municipalities to regulate sex offenders’ activities or residences. “Nor does Rutland’s charter confer the power it purports to exercise,” the filing stated. “To
“WHAT THE CITY HAS DONE HERE IS EFFECTIVELY TO DECLARE AN ENTIRE CLASS OF PERSONS TO BE A PUBLIC NUISANCE, BY SIMPLE VIRTUE OF THEIR PHYSICAL EXISTENCE,” HOAR WROTE. were in compliance with their sex offender registry requirements. All three had also received approval from the Department of Corrections to live at their current homes, the filing stated. Then, on May 6, 2016, each of the John Doe plaintiffs received notice from the city that he was in violation of the ordinance. They were told they must move “forthwith” or face fines of up to $500 a day, the filing stated. In a later filing seeking summary judgment
the extent the charter confers powers related to safety, it does so only in the context of sewers, roads, minimum housing standards, and nuisances. … Merely having a prior conviction for a sex offense does not create a public nuisance.” Charles Romeo, the former city attorney for Rutland and now in private practice at the law firm Ryan Smith & Carbine, filed the brief earlier this year on the city’s behalf. “[T]he Court should apply the plain meaning
of the City’s charter language, construe its authority to abate, enjoin, and remove nuisances liberally in its favor, and conclude the adoption of the City’s Child Safety Ordinance was a valid exercise of Rutland’s municipal authority,” the filing states. Hoar ruled that Rutland didn’t have the power to declare people nuisances. “[W]hile the City may identify certain conditions as nuisances, it lacks authority to expand or contract the law of public nuisances,” he wrote, adding, “The common law of public nuisance does not contemplate the City’s definition.” Valerio said Wednesday he didn’t know whether the city would appeal to the Vermont Supreme Court. Similar types of cases are purposely not appealed by municipalities for fear of an adverse ruling that could strike down all such ordinances in Vermont at once, he said. “So we have to pick them off one at a time as they come up,” he said.
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
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6 • The Mountain Times • Dec. 20-26, 2017
opinion
OP-ED
Three million to 545 By Charlie Reese
Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them. Have you ever wondered, if the Democrats and Republicans are against deficits, why do we have deficits? Have you ever wondered, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, why do we have inflation and high taxes? You and I don’t propose a federal budget. The president does. You and I don’t have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations. The House of Representatives does. You and I don’t write the tax code. Congress does. You and I don’t set fiscal policy. Congress does. You and I don’t control monetary policy. The Federal Reserve Bank does. One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one president and nine Supreme Court justices equal 545 human beings, out of the 300 million in our country, who are directly, legally, morally and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country. I excluded the members of the Federal Reserve Board because that problem was created by the Congress. In 1913, Congress delegated its Constitutional duty to provide a sound currency to a federally chartered, but private, central bank. I excluded all the special interests and lobbyists for a sound reason. They have no legal authority. They have no ability to coerce a senator, a congressman or a president to do one thing. I don’t care if they offer a politician $1 million in cash. The politician has the power to accept or reject it. No matter what the lobbyist promises, it is the legislator’s responsibility to determine how he votes. Those 545 human beings spend much of their energy convincing you that what they did is not their fault. They cooperate in this common con regardless of party. What separates a politician from a normal human being is an excessive amount of gall. No normal human being would have the gall of a speaker, who stood up and criticized the president for creating deficits. The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives sole responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating and approving appropriations and taxes. Who is the speaker of the house? Paul Ryan. If the president vetoes it, they can pass it over his veto if they agree to. It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 300 million cannot replace 545 people who stand convicted –– by present facts –– of incompetence and irresponsibility. I can’t think of a single domestic problem that is not traceable directly to those 545 people. When you fully grasp the plain truth that 545 people exercise the power of the federal government, then it must follow that what exists is what they want to exist. If the tax code is unfair, it’s because they want it unfair. If the budget is in the red, it’s because they want it in the red. If the Army and Marines are in Iraq and Afghanistan, it’s because they want them in Iraq and Afghanistan. If they do not receive Social Security but are on an elite retirement plan not available to the people, it’s because they want it that way. There are no insoluble government problems. Do not let these 545 people shift the blame to bureaucrats, whom they hire and whose jobs they can abolish; to lobbyists, whose gifts and advice they can reject; to regulators, to whom they give the power to regulate and from whom they can take this power. Above all, do not let them con you into the belief that there exist disembodied mystical forces like “the economy,” “inflation,” or “politics” that prevent them from doing what they take an oath to do. Those 545 people are responsible. They and they alone have the power. Charlie Reese is a former columnist of the Orlando Sentinel.
By Kap
LETTERS
Dining and dancing with ARC Dear Editor, On Sunday, Dec. 3, ARC Rutland Area and the Elks Club co-sponsored an afternoon of dining and dancing for almost 160 members, families and friends of ARC Rutland Area. ARC Rutland Area works with individuals with Developmental Disabilities and their families to be regarded as valued citizens with the same entitlements as non-disabled individuals. We all enjoyed a tasty and filling pasta dinner, cake for dessert, plenty of beverages, dancing, gifts and great Christmas music, from DJ Penguin Productions, as well as a visit from Santa. The day was filled with many smiles and hugs as we greeted each other with the excitement of Christmas worn on our faces. It is with much joy that we say thank you to our Christmas Dinner Dance sponsors and to let the public know that we are here for folks with developmental disabilities and their families. A lot of time, energy and care were given to provide our community with this event. The dinner dance is ARC Rutland Area’s largest in terms of people attending. Special thanks must ARC, page 7
Event honors Organic labels meaningless veterans Dear Editor, under Trump We at the Vermont Veterans’ Home want to thank you for participating in this year’s National Wreaths Across America Day at the Vermont Veterans’ Home. Each December on National Wreaths Across America Day, the mission to “Remember, Honor and Teach” is carried out by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery, as well as over 1,100 additional locations in all 50 U.S. states, at sea, and abroad. The day was cold, windy, and snowing, yet as resilient Vermonters, over 375 of you attended and participated in honoring those who had served our nation. We had sufficient wreaths to lay a wreath, call out the veteran’s name, and salute veterans. Also in attendance were youth groups, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and church groups. We appreciate our state representatives who joined and participated, Mary Morrissey and Kiah Morris. You all attended to commemorate their sacrifice and dedication to these United States and to the cause of everlasting freedom. A profound thanks to all who attended! Colonel A. M. Faxon Jr., Deputy/COO Vermont Veterans’ Home, Bennington
Dear Editor, The Trump administration ruled on Friday that animals raised for food under the “USDA Organic” label need not be treated any less cruelly than those in conventional farming. The decision reverses years of U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, which held that the “organic” label should impose minimal ethical, health, and environmental standards. For the animals, this included adequate space, light, and access to the outdoors. Under the Trump administration, this will no longer be the case. “Organic” farm operations will be allowed to cram laying hens five to a small wire cage that tears out their feathers and to grind or suffocate millions of male chicks at birth because they don’t lay eggs. Mother pigs will spend their miserable lives in tight metal crates. And dairy cows will continue to cry for their babies torn from them at birth, so we can drink their milk. Caring consumers opting for “organic” animal products, to reduce their role in subsidizing these abuses, will now have no choice but to switch to plant-based foods. Mario Vicelette, Rutland
Taxing what hurts us Dear Editor, With Congressional Republicans rushing to place a new tax bill on President’s Trump’s desk before Christmas, here comes the respected British publication The Guardian, suggesting a new source of tax revenue: meat. Yes, a tax on meat, to beat the health and climate crises. The concept is hardly radical. We already pay taxes on tobacco, alcohol, sugary sodas, plastic bags, and other consumables that afflict the public health and other social costs. The revenue would reimburse Medicare, Medicaid and other government health care programs for treating victims of chronic diseases that have been linked conclusively with consumption of animal products. It would contribute to the costs of restoring air and water quality and wildlife habitats that have been devastated by production of these items. Benjamin Franklin noted that nothing is certain except death and taxes. However, death can be deferred substantially by taxing the very products that make us sick, such as meat products Rudy Hitchcock, Rutland
The Mountain Times • Dec. 20-26, 2017 • 7
CAPITOL QUOTES I dissent, because I am among the millions outraged. Outraged, because the F.C.C. pulls its own teeth, abdicating responsibility to protect the nation’s broadband consumers.” Said Mignon Clyburn, one of two Democratic commissioners who voted against the FCC’s scrapping of net neutrality rules, allowing internet providers to favor some sites over others.
“At midnight, I woke up with a flashlight in my face. I looked out my window and there were flames that were like, a hundred feet tall.” Said Jeanette Frescas, remembering her evacuation from a wildfire that swept through her neighborhood in Ventura, Calif. The fire has burned 270,000 acres and is still growing. Officials estimate that the fire will grow to be the biggest in California history before full containment. “Our will is renewed, our future is regained, and our dreams are restored. Every American has a role to play in this grand national effort.” Said President Trump, unveiling a new National Security Strategy, a 55-page document that set the nation’s security priorities. The document describes China and Russia as “revisionist powers” and “hostile competitors” that are looking “to shape a world antithetical to U.S. values and interests.” “China and Russia challenge American power, influence, and interests, attempting to erode American security and prosperity,” the document states.
“Come back when there is that accident and try to justify not putting in those safety enhancements, or you can go back now and advocate for the money to do it, because this project was never needed and endangers our citizens.” Said Lakewood, Wash., mayor Don Anderson, speaking to KOMO News on the need to keep highspeed trains away from cars and pedestrians. Anderson’s comments came after an Amtrak passenger train derailed south of Tacoma, Wash., leaving at least three dead.
Leahy: Development investments top $222 million for Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) announced Thursday that U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) economic development investments in the Vermont now total more than $222 million during fiscal year 2017. Federal funds supported a broad range of activities in thirteen Vermont counties, including business development, housing construction and purchases, municipal investments in infrastructure and awards to academic institutions of higher education. The funds were made available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Rural Development (USDA-RD) an arm
of USDA focused on helping rural communities thrive. Leahy is a leading member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, which oversees USDA and handles the Senate’s work in writing Farm Bills, and he now also is the Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, which annually appropriates funds for the USDA. For 2017 USDA RD awarded more than $9 million in business loans and grants, assisted more than 400 Vermonters in purchasing homes, and invested $128 million in community facilities and infrastructure.
Katherine Rockwell MacLauchlan: continued from page 4 a young old person. I got all my partying done in college and now go home and take naps. I love the sense of community at Pico — the lunches together, easy drink after work, home by six. MT: How often do you get out on the mountain? KM: Never enough, but more than if I didn’t work here! Some days are just lost to meetings, but I get out as often as possible for at least a run. MT: How would you define the mountain or ski-town lifestyle? KM: It is what you make it. It can be quiet and reflective or vibrant and loud. You choose. MT: And summers? KM: I’ve worked as a carpenter, at golf courses, restaurants. Now I do some catering and work for Beautycounter, which advocates for regulation of the cosmetics industry. I just launched the Snow Sports Leadership Community (http://bit.
ARC:
ly/SSLeadershipCommunity) on Facebook as a resource for others coming up through the ranks and becoming our next managers and leaders. MT: Are you balancing family and work? KM: Mostly… it’s a challenge being a woman in this industry. When most of your coworkers have spouses that pick up the kids at the end of the day, it can be tricky to capitalize on the social time with a toddler in tow. I’ve also gotten quite good at managing my time. Child Care closes when Child Care closes so maximizing the workday is critical for being able to maximize the home time. My husband is also in the industry, so it can be tempting to vent and talk shop all night, but then you lose that family time. It’s important to maintain boundaries. MT: Other sports, hobbies, spare time activities? KM: I ride horses in the
Q&A
summer, played Ultimate Frisbee on a traveling team all through college and play when I can around here in summer. Does chasing a toddler count as another sport? She’s very fast! MT: Favorite book you’d recommend? KM: I read a ton of interesting books this summer. I’m a huge fan of Malcolm Gladwell who writes interesting non-fiction research books. Blink, about how your subconscious mind makes decisions, is one of my favorites. I recently discovered Charles Duhigg. He wrote The Power of Habit, which talks about the habits we have, their various parts and the role rewards and change play. MT: Any advice or words of wisdom? KM: Never stop learning. Continue to grow and seek new challenges and information. Help people.
Advocacy Resources Community expresses thanks
continued from page 6 go to Elks Lodge: Pat Farley, club manager for some swift work; Carolyn Ravenna; Brian Gaura; Sherry Beaudreau, Marty Wasserman; all Elks kitchen crew; Terry Stevens and Lisa Martel, drink servers; and Debbie Wortman and Bette Parker, who helped serve dinner. Our thanks also go out to our other Christmas contributors: the General Electric Employees Community Concerns Fund (GEECCF), Vermont Country Store, Rotary Club of Rutland, and the Veno family, who generously donated to form this event into a seasonal success! What a wonderful and giving community the Rutland Area is and what a pleasure it is to be able to extend that level of spirit to so many people in one room. Your kind acts created an enormous amount of joy this holiday season! The annual member-
ship meeting was held prior to the Christmas dinner. ARC elected the board officers, passed a 2018 budget and set programs for the New Year. Members filled out an impact survey during the afternoon and the summary shows how lives are better off. There is not room to write them all. Here are a few: “I get to meet new people; They have taught me to be more confident; Everyone cares about each other; Socializing; It makes everyone a little happier; Teaching/education they provide; It gives opportunities to be with my peers; It helps our family create a better more well rounded life for our disabled son; I get to see my friends and feel like I belong; They listen to me; I see my son’s growth! (and mine); More active lifestyle; Gained knowledge about services available; and Having fun. We want people to
know that ARC Rutland Area serves citizens with developmental disabilities and needs to continue receiving funding to do so. The organization offers not only dances, but also a representative payee program, a self-advocacy group, an Aktion Club, and the Rutland Family Support Network. It also provides information and transportation. Help us share the value of the work we do for the betterment of people’s lives. Check out our YouTube video at: youtube. com/watch?v=scg-QRw79LI, visit our website at home.myfairpoint. net/~arcrutlandarea, or call us at 802-775-1370. ARC Rutland Area hopes that everyone finds a moment of Peace, an abundance of Love and the true meaning of Joy throughout the New Year! Lisa Lynch, executive director, ARC Rutland Area
CALENDAR
8 • The Mountain Times • Dec. 20-26, 2017
WHAT TO DO IN CENTRAL VERMONT Gentle/Restorative Yoga
5:30 p.m. Gentle Restorative Yoga at Killington Yoga with Louise Harrison. 3744 River Rd, Killington. Info, killingtonyoga.com, 802-422-4500.
Bingo
5:30 p.m. Bridgewater Grange Bingo, Wednesdays 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.
ub m itt ed
Rotary Meeting
GIFT-OF-LIFE MARATHON BLOOD DRIVE IN RUTLAND
S
DEC. 20
Bikram Yoga **
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. Info, bikramyogamendon.com.
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, and one skein of medium weight yarn in light or medium color. RSVP to bewanamaker@gmail.com, 802-396-0130. 35 School Drive, Plymouth.
Song Circle
7:15 p.m. Song circle and jam session at Godnick Adult Center, 7:15-9:15 p.m. Welcomes singers, players of acoustic instruments, and listeners. Donations welcome. Info, 802-775-1182.
Story Time
THURSDAY
10 a.m. Maclure Library offers two preschool story hours, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 10 a.m. Parents and care givers are encouraged to bring children from birth to 5 years old. This is a great chance for children to socialize and parents / care givers to make new friends, share concerns, joys, ideas, and experiences and to learn from other parents. Small, intimate group. Info, 802-483-2792. 840 Arch St., Pittsford.
Ski Bum Race Series
10 a.m. Ski Bum Race Series at Killington Resort, on Highline Trail at K1 happens on Wednesdays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Local teams of skiers and snowboarders and telemark skiers race down Highline in pursuit of Ski Bum Glory. Registered competitors only, and after party follows. Info, killington.com.
Gift-of-Life Marathon
11 a.m. Gift-of-Life marathon blood drive, annual Rutland area event, held today at Castleton University Campus Center, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Community Challenge this year will earn the winners a creemee party! Appointments can be made by calling 800-RED-CROSS or visiting redcrossblood.org. Alumni Drive, Castleton.
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. Info, 802-422-2921. 2910 Killington Road, Killington.
Chinese Dinner Deadline
Razzle Dazzle
6 p.m. A holiday soiree of vintage goods shown alongside a jewelry collections at Scavenger Studio in Hartland, 6-8 p.m. 11 Brownville Rd. Refreshments! Prosecco ... good company.
DEC. 20-22
WEDNESDAY
6 p.m. The KillingtonPico Rotary club cordially invites visiting Rotarians, friends and guests to attend its weekly meeting. The club meets Wednesdays at the Summit Lodge 6-8 p.m. for a full dinner and fellowship. Call 802773-0600 to make a reservation. Dinner fee $19. KillingtonPicoRotary.org
DEC. 21
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. Info, bikramyogamendon.com.
Open Swim **
10 a.m. Maclure Library offers two preschool story hours, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 10 a.m. Parents and care givers are encouraged to bring children from birth to 5 years old. This is a great chance for children to socialize and parents / care givers to make new friends, share concerns, joys, ideas, and experiences and to learn from other parents. Today, Rutland Parent Child Center hosts. Snacks, crafts, stories, open playtime, dance, songs. Info, 802-483-2792. 840 Arch St., Pittsford.
Story Time
10 a.m. Story time at the West Rutland Public Library. Thursdays at 10 a.m. Bring your young children to enjoy stories, crafts, and playtime. Info, 802-4382964.
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. For info, 802-422-3368.
Bone Builders
10 a.m. Bone builders meets Thursdays at Roadside Chapel, 1680 Townline Rd, Rutland Town. Info, 802-773-4854.
Gift-of-Life Marathon
10 a.m. Gift-of-Life marathon blood drive, annual Rutland area event, held today at Holiday Inn of Rutland/Killington, Route 7S, Rutland. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Community Challenge this year will earn the winners a creemee party! Appointments can be made by calling 800-RED-CROSS or visiting redcrossblood. org. 476 Holiday Drive, Rutland.
Solstice Party
5 p.m. SunCommon Solar Solstice Party, 5-8 p.m. at the Gallery, 110 Merchants Row Suite 103, Rutland. Come try solar powered spirits and local food at the party with the solar-themed fun.
Candlelight Vigil
5 p.m. Homeless Prevention Center sponsors 18th annual Candlelight Vigil in Depot Park, to bring attention to the tragedy of homelessness in Vermont. Learn what’s being done, and how to help reduce the risk. Listen to stories and light a candle (provided). Open to the public. Lasts about 30 minutes. Info, 802-775-9286.
Level 2 Yoga
5:30 p.m. Level 2 Flow Yoga at Killington Yoga Karen Dalury, E-RYT 500. 3744 River Rd, Killington. Info, killingtonyoga.com, 802-422-4500.
Candlelight Vigil
5:45 p.m. Capstone Community Action holds Homeless Memorial Day Candlelight Vigil in Rochester, on the Park. Community invited to join to share stories, light a candle, and learn about homelessness in Vermont. Info, 802-7289506. Route 100, Rochester village.
Sip and Paint
6 p.m. Sip & Paint Event at Lake Bomoseen Lodge & Taproom, 2551 VT-30, Bomoseen, 6-8:30 p.m. Tickets available at cricketseye.com.
Bridge Club
6:30 p.m. Marble Valley Duplicate Bridge Club meets at Godnick Center Thursdays, 6:30 p.m. Sanctioned duplicate bridge games. Info, 802-228-6276. 1 Deer St., Rutland. Please join.
Open Mic
7 p.m. Open mic with Jim Yeager at ArtisTree Community Arts Center, Pomfret. Free. All levels, all abilities, relaxed environment. Info, artistreevt.org. 2095 S. Pomfret Rd., Pomfret.
FRIDAY
Tobacco Cessation Group
DEC. 22
9 a.m. Want to quit smoking but nothing works? Join the free tobacco cessation group. Free nicotine patches, gum or lozenges. Every Thursday, 9-10 a.m. Behavioral Health Clinic, 1 Commons St., Rutland. 802-747-3768 for more info.
12 p.m. Deadline for paid RSVP’s for annual Christmas-Day Chinese Dinner at the Rutland Jewish Center. $25 adults; $10 children. Paid reservations required so we can make sure we have food for all! Call 802-773-3455 or email office@rutlandjewishcenter.org.
9 a.m. Drop-in classes at ArtisTree Community Arts Center, 2095 Pomfret Rd., So. Pomfret. 9 a.m. Morning Jam; 3:30 p.m. Hand-painted wooden ornaments workshop for ages 9+; 3:30 p.m. Gingerbread creations workshop for ages 5-8; 6 p.m. Woodblock Printing workshop part 2. Open Mic is at 7 p.m. artistreevt.org for details.
Rutland Wellness
Story Hour
5 p.m. Education and support for people who are struggling emotionally. Focus on tools and methods for improving our lives mentally and physically. Wednesdays, 5-7 p.m., Grace Congregational Church, 8 Court St., Rutland. 802-353-4365.
Story Time
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. Call for more times & info, 802-773-7187.
ArtisTree Workshops **
10 a.m. Promoting early literacy and socialization skills in a fun setting. Stories, songs, movement, craft. No registration. Ages 2+. Fox Room, Rutland Free Library, 10-10:45 a.m. 773-1860.
** denotes multiple times and/or locations.
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. Info, 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. Call for more times & info, 802-773-7187.
Gift-of-Life Marathon
8 a.m. Gift-of-Life marathon blood drive, annual Rutland area event, held today at Holiday Inn of Rutland/Killington, Route 7S, Rutland. 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Community Challenge this year will earn the winners a creemee party! Appointments can be made by calling 800-RED-CROSS or visiting redcrossblood. org. 476 Holiday Drive, Rutland.
The Mountain Times • Dec. 20-26, 2017 • 9
SEASON 30 CENTER ST. | RUTLAND, VT 802.775.0903 Full season listing at:
A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS LIVE ON STAGE! Wednesday | December 27 | 2 & 7 PM
PARAMOUNTVT.ORG
Level 1 Yoga
8:30 a.m. Level 1 Hatha Yoga at Killington Yoga with Karen Dalury, RYT 500. 3744 River Rd, Killington. Info, killingtonyoga.com, 802-422-4500.
Story Time
10:30 a.m. Sherburne Memorial Library holds story time Fridays, 10:30-11 a.m. Join for stories, songs, activities. Babies and toddlers welcome! Info, 802-422-9765.
RECYCLED COMEDIAN PERCUSSION BOB MARLEY Saturday | January 13 | 7:30 PM
GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE! Can be purchased and redeemed online! Open Gym
10 a.m. Saturday morning open gym at Head Over Heels, 152 North Main St., Rutland. 10 a.m.-12 p.m. All ages welcome. First time is free! Practice current skills, create gymnastic routines, learn new tricks, social opportunity to be with friends! $10/ hour for members; $14/ hour for non-members. Info, 802-773-1404.
Christmas at the Farm
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. 422-9765.
10 a.m. Christmas at the Farm weekends in December at Billings Farm & Museum. A family Christmas story, trivia, animal programs, holiday food programs and activities. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. billingsfarm.org. 802-457-2355. 69 Old River Rd., Woodstock.
Visit With Santa
Bridge Club
Magic: the Gathering
4:30 p.m. Santa Claus makes a Jackson Gore grand entrance at 4:30 p.m. for a pre-Christmas visit with children before the big day. 4:30-6:30 p.m. Okemo Mountain Resort, 77 Okemo Ridge Rd., Ludlow. okemo.com.
Mary Poppins - The Broadway Musical
7 p.m. Rutland Youth Theatre presents “Mary Poppins - the Broadway Musical” with live orchestra, at the Paramount Theatre, 30 Center St., Rutland. Tickets $12 adults; $10 kids and seniors. paramountvt.org.
SATURDAY DEC. 23
Bikram Yoga **
7:30 a.m. Bikram Yoga holds classes Saturdays: 7:30 a.m. 60-min. Bikram; 9 a.m. 90-min. Bikram; 4:30 p.m. inferno hot pilates. 1360 US-4, Mendon. Info, bikramyogamendon.com.
Mixed Level Yoga
8:30 a.m. All Level Flow yoga at Killington Yoga with Judith Schneider. 3744 River Rd, Killington. Info, killingtonyoga.com, 802-422-4500.
Santa Balloon Parade
9 a.m. Santa and his elves will be out on the hill at Okemo spreading holiday cheer and handing out balloons. All day, base areas and on mountain. okemo. com.
Friday | January 19 | 8:00 PM
Cou rtesy of BFM
2017/2018
12 p.m. Marble Valley Duplicate Bridge Club meets at Godnick Center Saturdays, 12-4 p.m. Sanctioned duplicate bridge games. Info, 802-228-6276. 1 Deer St., Rutland. Please join.
Mary Poppins - The Broadway Musical 2 p.m. Rutland Youth Theatre presents “Mary Poppins - the Broadway Musical” with live orchestra, at the Paramount Theatre, 30 Center St., Rutland. Tickets $12 adults; $10 kids and seniors. paramountvt.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. Call for more times & info, 802-773-7187.
CHRISTMAS AT THE FARM AT BILLINGS FARM & MUSEUM DAILY EXCEPT CHRISTMAS DAY, 10 A.M.-4 P.M.
Open Gym
6 p.m. Friday night open gym at Head Over Heels, 152 North Main St., Rutland. 6-7:30 p.m. Ages 6+. First time is free! Practice current skills, create gymnastic routines, learn new tricks, social opportunity to be with friends! $10/ hour for members; $14/ hour for non-members. Info, 802-773-1404.
Mary Poppins - The Broadway Musical
7 p.m. Rutland Youth Theatre presents “Mary Poppins - the Broadway Musical” with live orchestra, at the Paramount Theatre, 30 Center St., Rutland. Tickets $12 adults; $10 kids and seniors. paramountvt.org.
Mixed Level Yoga
12 p.m. All Level Flow yoga at Killington Yoga with Cristy Murphy. 3744 River Rd, Killington. Now at noon! Info, killingtonyoga.com, 802-422-4500.
Candlelight Service
6 p.m. Rutland First Baptist Church family Christmas Eve candlelight service, 6 p.m. 81 Center St., Rutland. firstbaptistrutland.org, 802-353-0559.
Okemo Candlelight Service
8 p.m. Traditional Christmas candlelight service at Roundhouse Cafe at Jackson Gore Village. Led by Pastor Abraham Gross. Details, okemo.com.
Citizenship Classes
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.
SUNDAY
DEC. 24
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 US4, Mendon. Info, bikramyogamendon.com.
“MARY POPPINS - THE BROADWAY MUSICAL” AT PARAMOUNT THEATRE DEC. 22-23, 7 P.M.
ou rte sy of RY T
Christmas at the Farm
10 a.m. Christmas at the Farm weekends in December at Billings Farm & Museum. A family Christmas story, trivia, animal programs, holiday food programs and activities. Daily activities 10 a.m.-4 p.m. (Closed Christmas!) billingsfarm.org. 802-457-2355. 69 Old River Rd., Woodstock.
Morning Yoga
10:30 a.m. Morning Yoga with Dawn Sunday mornings C at Plymouth Community Center, 35 School Drive, Plymouth. $12 or 10 classes for $90. All levels welcome, bring your own mat. 10:30-11:30 a.m.
MONDAY DEC. 25
Christmas Bikram Yoga **
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. Info, bikramyogamendon.com.
All Level Yoga
8:30 a.m. All Level Flow Yoga at Killington Yoga with Karen Dalury, RYT 500. 3744 River Rd, Killington. Info, killingtonyoga.com, 802-422-4500.
Ski & Ride With Calvin
9 a.m. Ski and ride with Calvin the Catamount and friends, Okemo’s mascot, at Okemo Mountain Resort. They will be cruising the slopes - catch him if you can! Okemo.com for details.
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. For info, 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. Call for more times & info, 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.
10 • The Mountain Times • Dec. 20-26, 2017
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
4:30 p.m. Want to quit smoking but nothing works? Join the free tobacco cessation group. Free nicotine patches, gum or lozenges. Every Monday, 4:30-5:30 p.m. at RRMC Foley Cancer Center, conference room, 160 Allen St., Rutland. 802-747-3768 for more info.
Yin Yoga
5 p.m. Yin Yoga, all levels at Killington Yoga with Karen Dalury, RYT 500. 3744 River Rd, Killington. Info, killingtonyoga.com, 802-422-4500.
Christmas Movie Screenings
TUESDAY DEC. 26
Sub mitt ed
5 p.m. The Sparkle Barn shows Christmas movies in the loft. This week, “A Christmas Story” will show on Christmas Day. For many, this holiday classic is a tradition on Christmas! Free. 1509 US 7S., Wallingford.
“A CHRISTMAS STORY” SCREENING AT SPARKLE BARN MONDAY, DEC. 25, 5 P.M.
Bikram Yoga **
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. Info, 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.; 12-1 p.m.; 5-7 p.m. Call for more times & info, 802-773-7187.
Art Workshop
10 a.m. Annie’s Art Workshop, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Tuesdays at Sherburne Memorial Library, Killington. Open art workshop - collaborative artist group welcomes all levels, interests, mediums. Free. In memory of Ann Wallen. Info, 2991777.
Drop-In Art
Killington ART Garage holds drop-in art, by appointment, Dec. 26-Dec. 27. 2841 Killington Rd., Killington. artgaragevt.com.
Family Playgroup
10 a.m. Rutland Co. Parent Child Center holds playgroup, at Mount Holly Town Library, Belmont. Tuesdays, 10-11:30 a.m. Informal gatherings for families who share a common thread of wanting a supportive experience for their child. For info, rcpcc.org.
Bone Builders
10 a.m. Bone builders meets Thursdays at Roadside Chapel, 1680 Townline Rd, Rutland Town. Info, 802-773-4854.
Christmas at the Farm
10 a.m. Christmas at the Farm weekends in December at Billings Farm & Museum. A family Christmas story, trivia, animal programs, holiday food programs and activities. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. billingsfarm.org. 802-457-2355. 69 Old River Rd., Woodstock.
Preschool Story Time
10:30 a.m. Norman Williams Public Library holds 45-minute story time for kids ages 3-6 featuring three, thematically related books along with craft or activity reinforcing theme. 802-457-2295. 10 the Green, Woodstock.
Tobacco Cessation Group
11 a.m. Want to quit smoking but nothing works? Join the 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 for more info.
TOPS Meeting
4:45 p.m. TOPS meets every Tuesday night at the Trinity church in Rutland Vermont at the corners of West street and Church Street. Side entrance. Weight in starts at 4:45 until 5:30 and meeting starts at 6 until 6:30. Everyone is welcome come and join a stress free environment and take off pounds sensibly. For more information call Ann Marie at 802-293-5279.
Tobacco Cessation Group
5 p.m. Want to quit smoking but nothing works? Join the free tobacco cessation group. Free nicotine patches, gum or lozenges. Every Tuesday, 5-6 p.m. at Castleton Community Center, 2108 Main St., Castleton. 802-747-3768 for more info.
Quit Smoking Group
5 p.m. Is your goal to be tobacco free in 2017? Free quit smoking group in Castleton, Tuesdays, 5-6 p.m. Work on the skills to stay tobacco free and receive free nicotine replacement products. Castleton Community Center, 2108 Main St., Castleton. Info, 802-747-3768.
Warren Miller Film Showing **
Co py rig ht C hristo phe Hassel
6 p.m. Warren Miller film “Line of Descent” showing in the Cornerstone Room at Jackson Gore Inn, Okemo Resort. 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. showings. $20/ person, open to all ages. Limited space - get tickets at the door or online at okemo.com.
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!
Chess Club
7 p.m. Rutland Rec Dept. holds a chess club at Godnick Adult Center, providing a mind-enhancing skill not only to the youth but adults as well. The club will teach anyone who is willing to learn. All ages are welcome; open to the public. Tuesday evenings, 7 – 9 p.m. 1 Deer St., Rutland.
WARREN MILLER’S “LINE OF DESCENT” SCREENING AT OKEMO TUESDAY, DEC. 26, 6 P.M. & 8:30 P.M.
Coming up: Dec. 27: A Charlie Brown Christmas Live on Stage at Paramount Theatre Dec. 30: Christmas Bird Count at Proctor Library Dec. 31: Family New Year’s Eve at Okemo Mountain Resort January: Learn to Ski & Ride Month
Jan. 1: First Day Hikes at State Parks Jan. 6: Grommet Throwdown at Okemo Mountain Resort Jan. 8: Killington College at Killington Resort Jan. 13: Mini Shred Madness at Killington Resort
The Mountain Times • Dec. 20-26, 2017 • 11
Music scene by dj dave hoffenberg
WEDNESDAY
DEC. 20 KILLINGTON 6 p.m. Liquid Art Open Mic
8 p.m. Outback Pizza
Snowplow Comedy Competition
8 p.m. Pickle Barrel Nightclub Gubbulidis featuring Mihali & Zdenek of Twiddle
LUDLOW 6 p.m. Mr Darcy’s Wayne Canney
RUTLAND
[MUSIC Scene] STOCKBRIDGE
WOODSTOCK
7 p.m. The Wild Fern
10 p.m Bentley’s Restaurant
Rick Redington
FRIDAY
DEC. 22 BOMOSEEN Krishna Guthrie
KILLINGTON
Eric Ray
6 p.m. Iron lantern
6 p.m. The Taproom
7 p.m. O’Dwyer’s Public House
KILLINGTON
Just Jamie
Andy Lugo
7 p.m. The Foundry
STOCKBRIDGE
7 p.m. Outback Pizza
THURSDAY
DEC. 21 KILLINGTON
6 p.m. Outback Pizza Andy Lugo
7 p.m. The Foundry Joey Leone Duo
MENDON 6 p.m. Red Clover Inn Jazz Trio
PITTSFIELD 7 p.m. Clear River Tavern Open Mic Jam
POULTNEY 7 p.m. Taps Tavern Aaron Audet
RUTLAND 4:45 p.m. Depot Park
Homeless Prevention Center Fundraiser w/ Duane Carleton
7 p.m. The Draught Room Wayne Canney
9:30 p.m. Hide-A-Way Tavern College Night w/ DJ Mega
SOUTH POMFRET 7 p.m. Artistree
6 p.m. Iron lantern
4 p.m. The Foundry
Jenny Porter
Jo Moon: Piano & Vocals
SATURDAY
DEC. 23 BOMOSEEN
9:30 p.m. The Venue
5:30 p.m. Wild Fern
Videotheque w/ Jam Man Entertainment
Joey Leone Duo Guy Burlage
7:30 p.m. McGrath’s Irish Pub Craic Agus Ceol
8 p.m. Pickle Barrel Nightclub High Five Swan Dive
9 p.m. JAX Food & Games Just Jamie
9 p.m. Moguls Sports Pub DJ Dave’s All Request Dance Party & Make Your Own Ugly Sweater Contest
LUDLOW 4:30 p.m. Jackson Gore Inn Visit with Santa
RUTLAND 7 p.m. Paramount Theatre Mary Poppins: The Broadway Musical
7:30 p.m. Hop ‘n’ Moose Josh Jakab
9 p.m. Center Street Alley DJ Dirty D
9:30 p.m. Hide-A-Way Tavern Duane Carleton w/ DC3
STOCKBRIDGE 6 p.m. The Wild Fern
Twas The Friday Before Christmas Party w/ Jennings & McComber, Rick Redington & the Luv & special guests
Open Mic w/ Jim Yeager
SUNDAY DEC. 24
KILLINGTON
9 p.m. JAX Food & Games
Local’s Night w/ Duane Carleton
STOCKBRIDGE 12 p.m. Wild Fern
Cigar Box Brunch w/ Rick Redington
1 p.m. Wild Fern The People’s Jam
Ryan Fuller
MONDAY
4 p.m. Pickle Barrel Crow’s Nest Just Jamie
5 p.m. Outback Pizza
Apres Ski Dance Party with DJ Dave
6 p.m. Wobbly Barn
DEC. 25
KILLINGTON
7 p.m. The Foundry Joey Leone
TUESDAY
Happy Hour w/ Tony Lee Thomas
7 p.m. O’Dwyer’s Public House
DEC. 26
The County Down
7:30 p.m. McGrath’s Irish Pub
CHITTENDEN
8 p.m. Pickle Barrel Nightclub
Wayne Canney
Craic Agus Ceol
High Five Swan Dive
8:30 p.m. Outback Pizza One More For The Road
9 p.m. Moguls Sports Pub Supply & Demand
9 p.m. Liquid Art
Ugly Sweater Party w/ DJ Dave
RUTLAND 2 p.m./7 p.m. Paramount Theatre Mary Poppins: The Broadway Musical
7 p.m. The Draught Room Duane Carleton
7:30 p.m. Hop ‘n’ Moose Ryan Fuller
9 p.m. Center Street Alley
5 p.m. Mountain Top Inn KILLINGTON 2 p.m. K1 Base Lodge Daniel Brown
6 p.m. Outback Pizza Nikki Adams
8:30 p.m. Charity’s Tavern Name That Tune Bingo w/ DJ Dave
LUDLOW 6 p.m./8:30 p.m. Jackson Gore Inn’s Cornerstone Room Warren Miller’s “Line of Descent”
POULTNEY 8 p.m. Taps Tavern Bluegrass Jam
RUTLAND
DJ Mega
7 p.m. The Venue
9:30 p.m. Hide-A-Way Tavern
8 p.m. Center Street Alley
Karaoke 101 w/ Tenacious T
WOODSTOCK 10 p.m Bentley’s Restaurant
Working Mans Karaoke w/ Bob Hudson Trivia
9:30 p.m. Hide-A-Way Tavern Open Mic w/ Krishna Guthrie
Videotheque w/ Jam Man Entertainment
Castleton University students lend a hand in CPR training Led by Physical Education Professor Steven Lulek, Castleton University students will be giving back to the local community while learning valuable hands-on training skills by teaching cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to local Castleton Elementary School children. “Teaching is a great way to ensure your skills are solid, save someone’s life, instill confidence, and show that life is bigger than us,” said Lulek. Castleton students will be educating the elementary children on the importance of knowing CPR, as well as demonstrating the proper techniques to perform the skill. The process, which Lulek hopes to continue to incorporate regularly into his teachings, will be an integrated learning experience for both the Castleton University and Elementary School students. “I thought it would be a great way for my students to understand and ensure they know the skills by teaching others,” explained Lulek, adding that his students are excited but nervous for their first session which begins on December 14. “I also wanted them to be able to see the big picture and give back.”
2018 licenses and hunting, fishing, trapping laws available The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department says its 2018 licenses and lawbooks for hunting, fishing and trapping are now available. All licenses except new permanent licenses may be purchased online or from license agents throughout the state. A new license gift certificate also is avail-
able online just in time for the holiday season. The new Hunting and Trapping Guides and Fishing Guides containing 2018 laws are available free where licenses are sold and from district Fish & Wildlife offices. Digital versions also are on the department’s website (www.vtfishandwildlife.com).
12 • The Mountain Times • Dec. 20-26, 2017
• SUDOKU
• MOVIE TIMES
• CROSSWORD
• MOVIE DIARY
just for fun the MOVIE diary
SUDOKU
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.
This week’s solution is on page, 21
CROSSWORD PUZZLE
CLUES ACROSS 1. Member of a Semitic people 5. Certified public accountant 8. Residue 11. Sayings attributed to Christ 13. The products of human creativity 14. Listen to 15. Longed 16. No (Scottish) 17. Descriptor 18. Yankees’ sensation Judge 20. Zero 21. Comics legend Lee 22. Honorary title holder 25. “Uncle Joey” 30. Graceful and stylish 31. Pitching term 32. Former Mets outfielder Jones 33. One who avoids animal products 38. Quick to learn 41. Mechanism in an organ 43. Redo with new materials 45. Epics 47. Wings 49. Extrasensory perception 50. Cavalry sword 55. Bangladeshi monetary unit 56. Not the bottom 57. Afflicted 59. Bound 60. One who is highly skilled 61. Jewish spiritual leader 62. Tall, rounded vase 63. Liturgical language of Hinduism (abbr.) 64. Cheek
CLUES DOWN 1. Pie _ __ mode 2. Portuguese cape 3. Ottoman military title 4. Movable frame used in burials 5. Type of coal 6. A treeless grassy plain 7. Artist’s workroom 8. Assists 9. Protein-rich liquids 10. A song of praise to God 12. Much __ about nothing 14. Japanese city 19. Atomic number 10 23. Egyptian goddess 24. Go places 25. Having ten 26. Complete 27. Automotive belt 28. Psyche 29. Melodious bird 34. Medical personnel 35. Acquired 36. Type of beverage 37. Neither 39. Spanish monetary units 40. Small area of grass 41. Your 42. Diana __, singer 44. Salt’s partner 45. Made of wood 46. No longer alive 47. Alaskan island 48. Wild animal’s resting place 51. Swiss river 52. Partiality 53. “Luther” actor Idris 54. UNLV’s “Runnin’ __” 58. Criticize Solutions on page, 21
Sick and tired
The reports started to trickle in a few weeks ago when one of my son’s schoolmates picked up a bad stomach virus at school. Since that time, other friends, coworkers and neighbors have mentioned the debilitating 24-hour bug that wreaks havoc on anyone who acquires it. Those who catch it report many of the same symptoms, including excessive vomiting, diarrhea, aches and pains, and a low-grade fever. The bottom line: catching this particular bug makes for a truly uncomfortable 48 hours. Of course, when you start hearing about a sickness like this you tend to amp up your hand washing and other precautionary measures, which I did. Unfortunately, it didn’t help. On Saturday afternoon this past weekend, my son wandered into the house a little earlier than normal. He then proceeded to flop onto the couch, announcing that he didn’t feel that well. Normally, that statement means he’s trying to get out of doing a chore, but this time he physically looked different. I went over and rubbed his head and asked what was wrong. “I just feel sick,” was all he could muster. He then turned away from the TV and buried his face into the cushion. That’s when I knew something was truly wrong. A half hour later, he started grabbing at his stomach and whining about the growing pain. I looked at my wife and then headed into the kitchen to dig out an appropriate vessel for throwing up. I then set it next to him and told him to make sure to use it if necessary. Sure enough, no more than 15 minutes later he launched off the couch, grabbed the bowl and unleashed the contents of his stomach. My wife and I jumped into action, helping him to the bathroom while trying not to make a mess in the process. Surprisingly, our son did a great job keeping his wits about him while his body convulsed uncontrollably. When he was finished, we brought him up to his bed and tucked him in, figuring the worst was over. We then tried to determine what had happened, guessing that he had eaten something that disagreed with him. I checked on him periodically over the next hour. All he did was writhe around in obvious discomfort. “Can’t you give me anything to stop the pain,” he asked repeatedly. I searched through our medicine cabinet and finally pulled out some Pepto-Bismol. The chalky pink liquid is supposed to soothe upset stomachs so a gave him a dose, assuring him that the worst was over. I then took a seat at his desk and started flip-
JUSTICE LEAGUE
ping through my phone, hoping he would soon fall asleep so I could also go to bed. He continued moaning for another 15 minutes before finally sitting up and staring at me. “Dad,” he said with concern. “I think I’m going to…” Before I could launch into action to grab his bowl, he proceeded to vomit all over his white carpet. Sure, vomit is never good on a light covered carpet, but the Pepto-Bismol had conveniently made everything a bright, almost Day-Glo pink. I brought him into the bathroom where he continued to puke more pink in and around the toilet and nearby walls. By the time he had finished, it looked like a Barbie bomb had exploded in his section of the house. By that time, my wife had entered the scene to help. Together we both cleaned up the mess as best we could. Little did we know that we were exposing ourselves to the same virus he had picked up. Twenty-four hours later, the two of us were in the same boat, trying our best to navigate this horrible Movie diary, page 17
Downtown Rutland Shopping Plaza 143 Merchants Row, Rutland, VT 05701
877-789-6684 December 20, 2017
December 21, 2017
WONDER PG GREATEST SHOWMAN PG13 STAR WARS LAST JEDI PG13 STAR WARS LAST JEDI 3D PG13 FERDINAND PG JUSTICE LEAGUE PG13 JUST GETTING STARTED PG13 MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPR PG13 COCO PG JUMANJI WELCOME TO THE JU PG13 STAR WARS LAST JEDI PG13
WONDER PG GREATEST SHOWMAN PG13 STAR WARS LAST JEDI PG13 STAR WARS LAST JEDI 3D PG13 FERDINAND PG JUSTICE LEAGUE PG13 PITCH PERFECT 3 PG13 JUST GETTING STARTED PG13 MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPR PG13 COCO PG JUMANJI WELCOME TO THE JU PG13
December 22-23, 2017
December 24, 2017
December 25, 2017
FERDINAND PG STAR WARS LAST JEDI PG13 GREATEST SHOWMAN PG13 PITCH PERFECT 3 PG13 FERDINAND PG STAR WARS LAST JEDI PG13 WONDER PG FATHER FIGURES R DOWNSIZING R JUMANJI WELCOME TO THE JU PG13 STAR WARS LAST JEDI PG13
STAR WARS LAST JEDI PG13 GREATEST SHOWMAN PG13 PITCH PERFECT 3 PG13 FERDINAND PG WONDER PG FATHER FIGURES R DOWNSIZING R JUMANJI WELCOME TO THE JU PG13 STAR WARS LAST JEDI
FERDINAND PG STAR WARS LAST JEDI PG13 GREATEST SHOWMAN PG13 PITCH PERFECT 3 PG13 FERDINAND PG STAR WARS LAST JEDI PG13 ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORL R FATHER FIGURES R 1 DOWNSIZING R JUMANJI WELCOME TO THE JU PG13 STAR WARS LAST JEDI PG13
for a complete list of showtimes visit WWW.FLAGSHIPCINEMAS.COM
JUMPS
The Mountain Times • Dec. 20-26, 2017 • 13
Paige Fieldhouse, sixth grade, portrayed a flying Marty the Moose, who wanted to help pull Santa’s sleigh.
(Left) Ali Daugle, fifth grade, and (right) Sophia Nisimblat, sixth grade, were sugar plum fairies.
Charlie Rice addressed the crowd with his fellow toy soldiers. Sixth grader Zev delivered a punch line for the crowd.
Sixth graders Chloe Massilo (left) and Emma Blodorn (right) played flute during the performance.
Sixth grader Brexton Eckler (black and white shirt) told Marty the Moose (played by Paige Fieldhouse) that he will never fly.
MORE Music. Happy Hour at the The Beast never disappoints. Catch Live Music every day of the week at our base lodge bars.
Kindergarteners raised their arms in song during their portion of the concert.
Killington students perform
Killington Elementary School’s annual holiday concert was held Friday, Dec. 15, after being postponed due to the snow storm Dec. 12. This year’s theme was “A Holiday Moosical.” Photos by Robin Alberti.
More information at killington.com
14 • The Mountain Times • Dec. 20-26, 2017
By Lani Duke
N.Y. schools campaign to keep Vermont tuition coming Vermont’s latest school merger law may cost schools in New York’s Washington County more than $800,000 in lost tuition income, the Glens Falls, N.Y., Post-Star reported. Act 46 and subsequent legislation have given students living in Pawlet, West Pawlet, Rupert, and Wells the previously unavailable option to attend Vermont schools. In the past, “designation” sent students from those four towns to Granville schools.
Granville currently receives 48 students from Pawlet and West Pawlet, 30 from Wells, and two from Rupert. Those towns pay $8,759 per student as well as all special education costs. In September 2018, those students may choose to attend Burr & Burton Academy, Long Trail School, or either Vermont or New York public schools. Granville stands to lose more than direct tuition alone. The district would also lose New York per-student funding. The school board agreed
Poultney quarry zoning controversial POULTNEY—Vermont Slate Quarry Association members petitioned the town of Poultney to scrap proposed restrictions on slate quarries at a meeting with the slate industry, the Poultney Select Board and residents, Dec. 11. Poultney Town Manager Paul Donaldson said an action last spring by Hilltop Slate triggered a conflict between the Planning Commission and the slate industry. Hilltop drained a quarry 60 feet from the property of Jeff and Kristin Silverman on York Street. Kristin Silverman said the Silverman property lost all water pressure, filters became caked with slate residue, and the couple found structural damage to their home that a structural engineer estimated at $60,000. She had told the Select Board that radon levels were 17.9. The Planning Commission’s position is that all buildings and businesses must following zoning restrictions, quarries included.
The commission proposed a 200foot setback for slate quarry operations; an approved ongoing reclamation plan before land-use permits are issued; a sturdy barrier to prevent public access to any pit or excavation; and observance of road weight limits. The 200-foot setback has not been enforced in the past, said Kris Smid of the New England Slate Co., and it is unclear which quarries might be grandfathered, he told the Rutland Herald. Smid also objected to the 40-foot height limit for slate waste dumps, saying that results in a larger dump footprint. A modified proposal presented by the Planning Commission did not reflect discussions with industry representatives, he stated. Both the Silvermans and the slate companies appear to be willing to negotiate toward an amicable resolution. Smid said the bylaws need to be clarified “so everyone can get along.”
to hire public relations firm Behan Communications of Glens Falls to develop a student recruiting and retention plan. The communications company plans to hold focus groups among parents and teachers, staff and community members and others to determine an approach. Salem School District in Salem, N.Y., also educates 19 students from Rupert and four from West Pawlet among its 592 students; it receives $5,495 in regular tuition for each regular Vermont student, and $25,792 for each in special education.
Fair Haven principal resigns without explanation FAIR HAVEN—Fair Haven Union High School board voted to accept Principal Brett Blanchard’s resignation Dec. 6, sending a statement home to parents that Blanchard had resigned voluntarily. Noting that rumors have been circulating, the statement said that an outside investigation had been done and no misconduct by Blanchard had been found. A state police investigation at the school also failed to turn up evidence of wrongdoing. Blanchard will continue to be on leave from the school until his resignation becomes effective June 30 and will be paid through the end of the school year, at 80 percent of his salary. Assistant Principal Jason Rasco will act as principal during that time, according to the Rutland Herald. Under the separation agreement, Blanchard is to refrain from making any claim under the Civil Rights Act, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, or Americans with Disabilities Act. He had been dean of students at Poultney High from 1993 to 2007, before becoming Fair Haven principal in 2007. Under his leadership, Fair Haven High received Best High School awards from the Newsweek organization in 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, and 2017. In 2015, he was elected to the National Association of Secondary School Principals board of directors.
Town manager’s exit still mysterious CASTLETON—Details on why former Castleton town manager Mark Shea abruptly resigned Aug. 9 remain out of the public eye, according to the Rutland Herald. Initially, Select Board member Jim Leamy refused questions about Shea’s departure, saying the matter falls under personnel confidentiality and referred further questions to Select Board chair Joseph Bruno. Bruno balked, saying that releasing documents may violate the separation agreement and he would have to speak with the town attorney and with Shea’s attorney.
On Dec. 14, Bruno did make the separation agreement public. The town paid Shea $23,082 and compensated him for legal fees and accrued vacation time. His town-provided benefits end Jan. 31. Both the town and its former manager agreed that neither would admit wrongdoing nor file claims in the matter. The agreement includes a letter of recommendation, describing Shea as an “intelligent, able manager.” Under Vermont Open Records laws, governments have 10 days to respond to a request for records inspection and copying unless law exempts them from public access.
NEWS BRIEFS
The Mountain Times • Dec. 20-26, 2017 • 15
By Lani Duke
Assistant treasurer named for interim position, plans to run in March RUTLAND—When Rutland City Treasurer Wendy Wilton resigned to become USDA Farm Services Agency director for Vermont, Mayor David Allaire recommended the city’s current assistant treasurer Mary Markowski to be named interim treasurer, Dec. 4. Following standard city procedure, the aldermen tabled that recommendation for their subsequent meeting. In his recommendation, Allaire touted Mar-
kowski’s experience at the Recreation and Parks department prior to four and a half years in the treasurer’s office and said she has been filling the role of treasurer since Wilton’s departure, according to the Rutland Herald. After graduating from the College of St. Joseph with a degree in accounting, Markowski worked for 11 years at Proctor Bank and 15 for a local accounting company. Markowski has been attending the various aldermanic committee meetings, ready to provide information while the budgets are under discussion. She told the aldermen that she intends to follow Wilton’s high standards for transparency and timely reporting. She intends to run for the seat in March.
Holiday giving without precedent
Secret Santa strikes again
RUTLAND—The 15 annual Festival of Trees auction benefit broke previous records by 15 percent, Paramount Theatre Executive Director Bruce Bouchard recently proclaimed. Nearly 500 people attended. On the block were 75 live-auction and 176 silent-auction items, given by 250 donors. Prizes included nine vacation getaways, many food items and arts and culture packages, furniture and appliances, and goods and services. The top auction offering was a fully electric Chevy Bolt car, with charger installed at the winning bidder’s house, a donation through Mark Alderman of Alderman’s Chevrolet and Marlene and Phil Allen of SameSun of Vermont, a package valued at $40,000. The unnamed top bidder took home the prize for $31,500. th
RUTLAND—Rutland’s Secret Santa has decided to up his game. In years past, beginning in 2007, he has handed utter strangers cards that contain cash gifts and slipping away before they realize what he has handed them. This year, he has also chosen five men and women to whom he will mail or has mailed a card containing a $100 bill. In an ex-
planatory letter dropped through the Rutland Herald’s new mail slot on Grove Street, he wrote that he intentionally chose people who do good in the community but who receive little to no recognition for their good deeds. These are individuals whom he has come to appreciate, he wrote, and whom he has found inspirational, the Herald explained.
Fast food pair making remodeling plans RUTLAND—Both McDonald’s at 182 S. Main St., and KFC at 153 S. Main St. have submitted remodeling plans to the Development Review Board and are scheduled to appear at the Jan. 3 meeting. McDonald’s will shrink the size and prominence of its play place, moving the children’s entertainment area to the building’s interior and to the south side. The remodeled restaurant will total 6,000 square feet compared to its current 6,470. The plan also calls for reducing parking places from 61 to 41, reflecting a growth in drive-through business compared to eat-in. The project narrative, submitted by Bohler Engineering of Albany, N.Y., indicates that the drive-through business
has increased to more than 50 percent of the restaurant’s total, with subsequent shrinkage in parking demand. The business will add a side-by-side drive-through and pedestrian connector conforming to Americans with Disabilities Act standards to the corner of South Main and Allen streets. Construction will take place in 2018. KFC’s plan is for a remodel of the entire site, keeping the kitchen and drive-through open during construction. Exterior work includes changing signage, awnings, and paint; interior changes include new lighting and furniture. Neither the building height or footprint would change, according to the Rutland Herald. Making major façade at
KFC’s site location in the city’s Gateway Business District, necessitates a permit, Zoning Administrator Tara Kelly said. A MacDonald’s sister outlet at 195 Woodstock Ave. received a similar redesign last year. The new design builds on a new concept for McDonald’s as a community center, a place where young people hang out as the chain reaches to appeal to young adults and professionals, Ada Teicu noted in the Sept. 23, 2010, issue of Architecture. Plastic is giving way to clean lines, wood and brick, and softer lighting. The red and yellow exterior also is becoming more subdued with shades of olive, terra cotta, and sage green.
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NEWS BRIEFS
16 • The Mountain Times • Dec. 20-26, 2017
Fish and Wildlife offer ice safety tips The recent arrival of cold temperature has formed early-season ice on Vermont ponds, lakes and rivers. The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department reminds winter enthusiasts that ice should never be considered safe and ice conditions vary. “We are urging all outdoor enthusiasts – people going ice fishing, crosscountry skiers, hikers, and snowmobilers -- to be extremely cautious and prepared if they are going to venture out on any ice,” said Vermont Fish & Wildlife’s Chief Game Warden Jason Batchelder. “Ice conditions can vary dramatically on different parts of a lake. Remember, even though it may look thick enough on the surface, moving water from currents, rivers and springs can cause ice to form unevenly. “Once we have sustained cold weather to form good ice, activities such as ice fishing can be safe and a lot of fun,” said Batchelder, “but when we go onto the ice, we need to use good judgment and observe several safety precautions.” • Leave your car or truck on shore. Every year several motor vehicles go through the ice on Vermont lakes, and some people have drowned as a result. • Leave information about your plans with someone—where you intend to fish and when you expect to return. • Wear a personal flotation device and don’t fish alone. • Fish with a friend. Ice fishing is a great sport to share with family
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members and friends, and having a partner with you increases both the fun and the safety. Ice varies in thickness and condition. Always carry an ice spud or chisel to check ice as you proceed. Be extremely cautious crossing ice near river mouths, points of land, bridges, islands, and over reefs and springs. Current almost always causes ice to be thinner over these areas. Avoid going onto the ice if it has melted away from the shore. This indicates melting is underway, and ice can shift position as wind direction changes. Waves from open water can quickly break up large areas of ice. If you can see open water in the lake and the wind picks up, get off! Bring your fully-charged cell phone with you. Carry a set of hand spikes to help you work your way out onto the surface of the ice if you go through. Holding one in each hand, you can alternately punch them into the ice and pull yourself up and out. You can make these at home, using large nails, or you can purchase them at stores that sell fishing supplies. Carry a safety line that can be thrown to someone who has gone through the ice. Heated fishing shanties must have good ventilation to prevent deadly carbon monoxide poisoning. Open a window or the door part way to allow in fresh air.
Photo provided
Volunteers with Green Mountain College work to “Fill the Bus” with non-perishable food items.
Fill the Bus sets new high for donations POULTNEY—Green Mountain College students, faculty and staff joined forces once again with the local community to take part in what has become an annual event held this year on Nov. 17. Organized by GMC’s SAAC (StudentAthlete Advisory Committee) and SAAC president Cameron Book, participants came together for the third year in a row to “Fill the Bus”. The Fill the Bus campaign was an initiative started by Book in 2015 which was met with great success. The purpose of the community effort was to collect as many non-perishable food items as possible to benefit the Poultney Food Shelf which serves residents of Poultney, Middletown Springs, and
Hampton, N.Y. In contrast to previous years, Book designated just one Friday this year to park his own vintage, blue 1972 Volkswagen bus outside of the Poultney Shaw’s grocery store to take donations for the cause. Over the one-day period, community members donated well over 350 pounds of food which came at the perfect time with Christmas just around the corner. This year’s donation was the largest collection effort to date, surpassing last year’s mark of 320 pounds of food. With the contributions from the Fill the Bus campaign the organization hopes to be able to replenish the food stores in preparation for Christmas,
Knowledge is Power. If you are “at risk” for lung cancer, early screening can increase your 5-year survival rate from 17% to 55%! We like those odds. Take the test below then call your Doctor to discuss the benefits of a lung cancer screening. Visit RRMC.org for more information.
☑ I am between 55 and 77 years of age ☑ I have no symptoms of lung cancer ☑ I have at least a 30 pack/year smoking history 30 pack years=1/2 pack/day for 60 years –OR– 1 pack /day for 30 years –OR– 2 packs/day for 15 years –OR– 3 packs/day for 10 years
If you check off all four boxes, and you are willing to undergo possible treatment for lung cancer (including surgery), then you are eligible for this program. Visit RRMC.org for more information.
☑ I am a current smoker or have quit in the last 15 years Our Promise to You – We Listen, We Respect, We Care…Always! 160 Allen Street, Rutland, VT 05701 | 802.775.7111 | www.RRMC.org
NEWS BRIEFS
The Mountain Times • Dec. 20-26, 2017 • 17
Killington Police busy with traffic, alarm activations According to the media log from the Killington Police, officers responded to a total of 26 calls between Dec. 2 and 8. On Dec. 2, police completed three traffic stops in the areas of Bigelow Drive and Anthony Way. Police also responded to a welfare request on Brad Mead Drive. On Dec. 4, officers completed three traffic stops at the Basin Ski Shop, High Ridge Road, and Trailview Road. Officers responded to an ongoing dispute between neighbors regarding a dog on Dec. 5 and completed a traffic stop on Post Road. On Dec. 6, police responded to a report of a residential burglary alarm activation on Killing-
ton Road and completed four traffic stops on Woods road and Winterberry Road. On Dec. 7, police responded to a person experiencing a mental health episode on Winterberry Road as well as a residential burglary alarm activation at on Dean Hill Road. Police also completed traffic stops on the flats on Route 4 as well as the Water Wheel. On Dec. 8, police responded to another alarm activation on the Killington Road and completed six motor vehicle stops on Fox Hollow Drive, Woods Road and Anthony Way. Police also responded to a vehicle leaving the scene of an accident at Basin Ski Shop. The vehicle had collided with the guardrail but had left before police arrived.
Route 4 crash results in fire
MENDON—A tractor trailer truck caught fire on Route 4 during Tuesday’s snowstorm, Dec. 12, delaying traffic on the west side of the Sherburne Pass. According to a press release from the state police’s Rutland barracks, police responded to a fire at around 1 p.m. Driver Harold MacHenry, 39, of Lewiston, Maine, was traveling east on U.S. Route 4 when his 2008 Western Star truck caught fire near the Cortina Inn. MacHenry was able to escape without injury as the fire quickly engulfed the entire engine compartment and cab. Traffic on Route 4 waited in long lines in both directions for at least 90 minutes while the Rutland City Fire Department extinguished the fire. The truck was considered a total loss and was towed from the scene.
Movie diary
Health trust makes grants
continued from page 12 illness. The only thing that kept us calm was knowing the infection was short-lived. So, now were officially part of the “club.” In fact, this sickness was so bad, I don’t even think the superheroes in this week’s film could have avoided it. “Justice League,” starring Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill and Gal Gadot, features all the top stars of the DC Universe coming together to save humanity against a new, imposing threat. While the superhero
genre has climbed to new heights with its growing attention to story and character, this selection failed to reach the level most fans had hoped. Certainly take this one in if you’re a fan of the characters. Otherwise, steer clear. There’s simply too many other great films out at the moment to waste time on this. A sickly “C-” for “Justice League.” Got a question or comment for Dom? You can email him at moviediary@ att.net.
The Bowse Health Trust Committee is pleased to announce that it has approved funding for three new programs. The projects will receive up to three years of funding starting in 2018. In twenty years the Bowse Health Trust has funded a total of 60 programs, which target residents of all ages in a variety of Rutland County communities. With the additional $299,278 awarded in this round, the Bowse Health Trust has now committed over $4 million to improve the health of the community. The projects that are chosen include: Peer recovery support services for substance abuse hosted by Turning Point Center The goal of the Turning Point Center’s program is to provide pre-release recovery support to individuals at Marble Valley Regional Correctional Facility. Recovery coaches are people in recovery who have experience with substance use. The peer support relationships will be continued after the individual is released, helping the individual with his or her own recovery. Partners
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18 • The Mountain Times • Dec. 20-26, 2017
1 in 100,000 Orthopaedic Event Takes Coordinated Care “After a fall in my home, I left town to attend a wedding in Minnesota. A few days later, I realized it was more than a bruise and I had totally shattered my hip replacement. I trusted my Doctor, Eric Marsh from Vermont Orthopaedic Clinic enough that I decided to come home and be treated. Everything went very smoothly – from the surgery to recovery with physical and occupational therapy. We are fortunate to have a facility like Rutland Regional Medical Center right in our community. It has allowed me to regain my strength and get back to the activities I enjoy.” Jeff Wallin, Brandon, Vermont
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NEWS BRIEFS
The Mountain Times • Dec. 20-26, 2017 • 19
90TH ANNIVERSARY
SALE
FAMILY OWNED SINCE 1927 Submitted
Volunteers from Green Mountain College work at the annual Mitten Tree.
Green Mountain donates proceeds from Mitten Tree to Poultney Elementary FAMILY OWNED SINCE 1927 POULTNEY—On Monday Green Mountain College’s Student-Athlete Advisory
full service homeof donated furnishing center with CommitteeA (S.A.A.C.) delivered a collection goods to the Poultney Elementaryeveryday School’s Principal and team leaders. on furniture, bedding, low pricing The items were recieved in a Mitten Tree drive where the community adorned the floor covering and window Athletic Department’s Christmas tree with mittens, winter hats,treatments. scarves, gloves and other items, from Dec. 7-14. S.A.A.C president Cameron Book and members Chelsea Wimble, Blake Hay and Mercedes Rideout presented Poultney Elementary Principal Kristen Caliguiri and the school’s sixth grade student leaders Courtney Ezzo, McKenzie Ezzo and Kaitlyn DeBonis with the donated goods. “The donation is greatly appreciated,” said Courtney Ezzo. “These items definitely can help any kids who [may not have] any winter gear.”
Spending:
Scott calls for belt tightening in education
continued from page 5 health care, he noted, unlike education, is seeing increased utilization. Each year the tax commissioner is required by law to set a yield for the education property tax formula. The yield is one of three key components that determine tax rates – the others are per pupil spending and common level of appraisal. This year, the yield increase is projected to cause property tax rates to rise an average of 9.4 cents. That increase, Scott said, will only happen if “we do nothing.” “I believe most us recognize most Vermonters cannot afford this, which adds to the sense of urgency,” said Scott. “But I also know, and I hope you agree, that together we can find solutions.” The commissioner’s projected increase is based on the assumption education spending will increase by 3.52 percent per pupil. That’s an increase of $47.5 million. In contrast, general fund spending is expected to increase just 2.5 percent, said Susanne Young, the Secretary of Administration. If school boards were to hold per pupil spending to a 2.5 percent increase, then the increase would drop to $23.5 million. Young pointed out that while the number of students in the state’s K-12 schools fell from 103,000 in 1997 to 76,220 in 2017. At the same time, the number of school employees rose from 14,451 to 18,015. Vermont’s staff ratio has declined from 6.67 per pupil to 4.23 per pupil, with Vermont having more adults per pupil than any other state, noted Young. Vermont has a hybrid education funding system in which budgets are voted on locally, but all education taxes go into the Education Fund, and all of the schools receive the money they need to operate from the Education Fund (minus other revenues such as grants). Sixty percent of the funding in the Education Fund comes from the property tax and another 20 percent from a transfer from the General Fund to the Education Fund. But the pressures on the General Fund are also increasing. “Every $1 of General Fund that goes into the Education Fund is money that is not being spent on the workings of government,” said Young. Absent additional taxes and fees, which
Scott has pledged to avoid, that 2.5 percent increase in General Fund revenues will yield $39 million more in revenue in the next fiscal year. However, the state’s fixed liabilities, such as debt service, pension contributions and the human services caseload are projected to add $42 million to the expense side of the budget, explained Young. In other words, the state is starting from a position of needing to cut $3 million in General Fund spending to balance the budget. Underlying the discussion of Vermont’s budget woes was one of the causes of those woes – a declining workforce leading to declining income and corporate tax revenue. Paralleling a decline in students is a larger decline in the workforce. The state loses 1,788 people between the ages of 20 and 64 from the workforce each year, according to Young. Compared to 2000, Vermont now has 25,000 fewer people under the age of 20 and 60,000 more over the age of 65. Providing Vermont’s students with the education they need to join the workforce is even more critical, suggested Secretary of Education Rebecca Holcombe, because “we cannot afford to leave any potential on the table.” Businesses are reporting a lack of skilled applicants, said Holcombe, meaning schools need to get better at getting students the skills they need to enter the workforce. “Someone that leaves high school unable to contribute to a 21st Century economy is someone we’ll be providing for their whole life,” said Holcombe. At the same time, income equality has increased, with those who have a postsecondary education seeing income gains. “The return on investment in education is getting greater with each successive generation,” said Holcombe. “We can’t prepare kids exactly for the jobs of tomorrow because we don’t know what they are,” said Holcombe. But what is known is that the jobs that can be done with less education are disappearing, replaced by automation, she added. “We know we have to make change,” Holcombe told the assembled educators. “We have to let go of where we’ve been.”
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Partners for Prevention congratulates Rutland County businesses for passing alcohol compliance checks.
Rutland:
Macs Convenience Store, Midway Oil
Brandon:
Rite Aid, Champlain Beverage
Fair Haven: Fair Haven Inn, Macs Convenience Store and Truck Stop, Maplefields at Fair Haven, Shaws Beer & Wine, Rite Aid Pharmacy, Stewarts Shop, Fair Haven Mobil
West Rutland:
Brunos, The Tavern, Rite Aid Pharmacy Partners for Prevention is a collaboration of community partners working towards the prevention of underage drinking, binge drinking, prescription drug abuse and marijuana abuse in the youth and young adults of Rutland County.
202017 • The Mountain Times • Dec. 20-26, 2017 25-31,
By Evan Johnson
Welcome to Lift Lines, a weekly column where local and visiting skiers and riders share their thoughts on Killington, skiing and riding, and the winter lifestyle.
What’s the best or worst excuse you’ve ever used to get out for a powder day?
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Patrick Sullivan Boston, Mass.
That’s easy: “I think I have diarrhea.”
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We’re from South Carolina, so we get to say, “You know, I think it’s time for a ski vacation.”
- Amanda Gascin
The Mountain Times • Dec. 20-26, 2017 • 21
From darkness into the light By Cal Garrison, a.k.a. Mother of the Skye
This week’s Horoscopes are coming out under a Sagittarius Moon. The Moon went into the later degrees of Sagittarius and entered its new phase a little after midnight on Monday morning. At about 8 a.m. it turned void-of-course for 20 minutes, until it went into Capricorn. With the Winter Solstice coming up on Dec. 21, this is an auspicious time, one which is loaded with creative potential, and upon which many inner and outer things hang in the balance. I say this because between the 18th and the 21st, the Sun, the Earth, Mercury, Venus, and Saturn will be spinning through Galactic Center. This region of space is akin to the Great Void, or the waters of the deep. In my mind the later degrees of Sagittarius are the Womb of Creation. It is in the emptiness around which everything rotates, that the spark that births the dreams for the next cycle is struck. That’s right folks; our passage through the dark time is just about over – and hopefully, all of our issues have been processed clearly enough for us to enter the New Year on the wings of the truth and an open heart. If the Sun and the inner planets move through this area of space every year or two, Saturn only hits this stretch of the Zodiac every 30 years or so. Saturn officially enters Capricorn on Dec. 19, two days before the 2017 Winter Solstice. Prior to that moment, his passage through Galactic Center will put him through a transition that is akin to an update, or a cosmic wake-up call. It’s as if to say, the guy who sets up the system and runs the show has to go back to square one and be requalified for his position. With a whole new order in the midst of being installed, Saturn’s passage through the Womb of Creation is, from my perspective, a huge event. We could liken it to what happens to a professor at a big university, or any authority figure, who, in regularly timed cycles, has to go up before the Board of Directors (or, in Saturn’s case, the Architects of Creation) to be reviewed and re-evaluated for whatever their role now requires. What this will involve for us here on the earthly plane is anyone’s guess. I have my own thoughts on the subject. At this point the final battle between the light and the dark is coming to an end. Most of us on the planet are clueless about these things, but that’s what is up right now. My hunch is that between Dec. 21, 2017, and April 17, 2018, many things will come to pass. Why do I pinpoint April 17? Because on that day Chiron leaves Pisces and makes his ingress into the sign of the Ram. By the time Chiron crosses the Aries Point on April 17th, all of humanity will have access to, and awaken to the truth. In that moment the lies that have held us in darkness will be wiped away, and a global awakening will open the space for all of us to remember who we really are, and allow us to begin again. Keep this in mind through the next week or so. Let it fuel your visions for the New Year. I wish you all a wonderful Winter Solstice and invite you to take what you can from this week’s ‘scopes.
Y
Aries
Cancer
Libra
Capricorn
March 21 - April 20
June 21 - July 20
September 21 - October 20
December 21 - January 20
ou are coming out of what is often referred to as the dark cloud of unknowing. So much has changed, or is about to. With more clarity than you’ve had in a long time, you seem to have found the courage to step out of the box, into the space where what has always been there as potential is about to come true. How things go from here depends entirely on whether you can remain in integrity. That will mean different things for each of you. In the act of staying true to yourself, and leaving your ego in the dust, what you have always wanted will become real.
W
f it’s time to get things off your chest, take a chance and let it out. To think that it’s better to keep it to yourself is a cop out. While I understand why you hate conflict, the sound of silence is deafening, and what you don’t say, speaks louder and clearer than you can imagine. People aren’t stupid. Neither are you. The minute you bring things out into the open the air will clear, and you and whoever this involves will be able to move to the next level. You may not be sure enough of yourself to go for it, but standing up for yourself will allow the truth to set you free.
A
fter a series of challenges, you guys are about to find out whether your decisions have led you to the right place. The proof will be in the pudding. The way things have turned out will be all the evidence you need to access your next move. Some of you are more aligned with the truth than others. If you are hip to it, you will know enough to go back to the point where the first lie got told and clear things up. Decisions that were based on fear or lack will need to be corrected. If you are averse to coming clean, you will rearrange the furniture and remain stuck in the same groove.
Y
ou guys have all kinds of stuff popping up. Some of it is working for you; the rest of it makes you wonder if your best laid plans have gone awry. At times like this it becomes important to see the forest for the trees. Whatever you had in mind is most likely the brainchild of your ego and your control needs. What’s taking place in real time is there to show you what needs to be adjusted in order to meet the wishes of the Higher Self. To make any attempt to force the issues will make things harder than they have to be. Lay off pushing the envelope and start loving what is.
Taurus
Leo
Scorpio
Aquarius
April 21 - May 20
July 21 - August 20
October 21 - November 20
January 21 - February 20
ork and health issues have kept things at a standstill for quite some time. In the course of healing yourself, and/or putting up with difficulties on the job, you have awakened to things that will allow you to make needed adjustments. Watch and see what comes around between now and next June. The “stuff” that has been bollixing things up will smooth out and open the space for newness and change. If you are the type to want to keep things the way they are, do your best to loosen up and realize that the past is over. What comes next? Heed the signs; they are everywhere.
W
I
T
he only thing that’s holding you back is having enough faith to walk your talk. If it’s easy to tout the idea that we came here to follow our bliss, when push comes to shove, what’s hard to release is the belief that earning a living takes precedence over any desire to do so. In this day and age, we can’t call ourselves a spiritually oriented person if we don’t refute the notion that following the light makes it impossible to make money. The waters of the Red Sea will part once you fully embrace the notion that God supports all of us who have truly logged on to our purpose.
Y
ou are just about to “step out of the phone booth” and assume your true identity. It’s as if the sleeper cell that has been there since Day One is getting lit up. Within this state of affairs it will be necessary to surrender to the inevitable and leave the past behind. Those closest to you will undoubtedly be surprised by all of this. Some of them will go through hell and high water to keep things as they are. Others will shun you – and there will be a few who understand that your transformation is about to awaken them too. It’s time to shed your skin. Do your best to remain open.
T
he gods are shining on you! All kinds of blessings have fallen into your lap. They have arrived in the form of good luck, and/or rewards granted for years of hard work and effort. If the wind in your sails is refreshing, the next few weeks will see you walking on air. In addition to this, all of a sudden life has made it possible for you to release the long held belief that you will never have enough, or, you have to kill yourself to get it. Those days are over, my friend! From here on out the idea that life is what you make it will open the space to weave the future straight from your heart.
Gemini
Virgo
Sagittarius
Pisces
May 21 - June 20
August 21 - September 20
November 21 - December 20
February 21 - March 20
hatever’s going on is what you need to be free, and open enough to accept. Half of your problems originate in the idea that none of this is okay, and all of it should be different. You won’t be able to move through this quagmire until you can learn to live with the truth and start loving what is, instead of trying to change it. It’s for sure that you’ve got a raft of hassles and more than one reason to be down on yourself. But God is everywhere: it’s in our darkest hour that we get our most valuable lessons and open the space to wake up to the deepest aspects of ourselves.
T
he heat is off. After a long period of stress and testing, you are about to enter a period of smooth sailing. From what I can see there will be changes that solidify all of the effort that has been expended over the last few years. Be prepared for people who matter to show up with offers that you would be foolish to refuse. A deeper understanding of what you are here for will reinforce these opportunities in ways that allow you to pursue things on your own terms. What comes out of this will support you for a long time to come. This is your reward, your time in the sun.
T
he last two years have put you through the ringer. All of this has honed something new and different out of what was there before. As you move through the next few weeks be advised that there’s a whole new ballgame going on, and YOU are the pitcher. Others have no idea what you’ve had to process. They may even take it for granted. If you are at the point where you are ready to enlighten them to where you’re really at, it is either going to jolt them into seeing things for what they are, or keep them stuck on the idea that you are willing to remain under their thumb.
Mother of the Skye
T
here are two versions of where you all are at. Some of you are right on the money, with enough sense to see, and read, the writing on the wall. In your case your intuitive faculties are sharp as a tack and ready to carry you through the next round of changes on a slip stream of success. For others? Pisces is always subject to delusional forces that make it appear as if you’ve got it all figured out, when in fact you are totally out of touch. Be careful of the extent to which you are convinced you are right, and don’t assume that outer success implies that you are safe and secure.
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
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22 • The Mountain Times • Dec. 20-26, 2017
worship
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
4 PM: Mass of the Christmas Vigil
12 AM: Midnight Mass
8 PM: Mass of the Christmas Vigil
7:30 AM: Christmas Mass at Dawn
11:30 PM: Christmas Carol Prelude
10 AM: Mass of Christmas Day
The hustle and bustle of the often hectic holiday season can make it easy to overlook religion during this special time of year. Come the holidays, adherents of Judaism celebrate Chanukah while many Christians celebrate Christmas. Though different, the two holidays share some similarities. In celebration of Chanukah, families gather for an eight-day commemoration to honor the rededication of the Second Temple of Jerusalem and a miracle in which a small amount of oil illuminated a menorah for eight days. Perhaps because it falls during the holiday season, Chanukah has become one of the most well-known Jewish celebrations, even for those who do not adhere to the Jewish faith. For devout Christians, Christmas isn’t about eggnog and Santa Claus. Christmas (Christ’s Mass) is a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, who Christians believe is the son of God. Christmas is a day of great joy in the Christian faith because it marks the beginning of Jesus’ time on earth. Both Chanukah and Christmas, while joyous celebrations, are laced with solemnity. The Second Jewish Temple was desecrated by Greek-Syrians, who had erected an altar to Zeus and sacrificed pigs within its sacred walls. At this point in time, Jews had to practice their faith in secret, reading the Torah underground and using dreidels to simulate games and confuse Greek soldiers. However, the Jews, led by a small group of rebels known as the Maccabees, persevered, marking the joy of Chanukah for years to come. The period leading up to Christmas known as Advent is a time for repentance and preparation for the grace and miracle of Jesus’ birth. According to Christianity. com, the word “advent” is derived from the Latin word “adventus,” meaning “coming.” Advent is a time to both reflect on the past and look forward to the future. Much like Lent, Advent is intended to be a season of fasting, prayer and reaching out to God. During the holiday season, houses of worship customarily host prayer sessions and special holiday-related events. The faithful are encouraged to participate in these events in celebration of their faith. Prayer can help remove distractions during the holiday season, helping individuals reconnect with the true meaning of the holiday season.
Trinity Episcopal Church
Church of Our Saviour Episcopal
85 West Street • Rutland • (802) 775-4368
Please join us for Sunday and Holiday Services
The Rev. Liam Muller Dec. 24, Christmas Eve
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
Make worship an integral part of the holiday season
Oh, come let us adore him!
7:00 p.m. Choral Prelude and Holy Eucharist Find us on Mission Farm Road, Killington Off Route 4 across from the Killington Skyeship
Our Lady of the Mountains Catholic Parish
Killington, Vermont • The little white church on Rt. 4 Killington
CHRISTMAS EVE: Mass of the Christmas Vigil 7:00 p.m.
All services welcome everyone!
Dec. 25, Christmas Day
9:30 a.m. Christmas Holy Eucharist
Church of St. Patrick Located at 218 N. Main St., Wallingford, Vt. | 802.773.6820
CHRISTMAS EVE
Msgr. Bernard W. Bourgeois
CHRISTMAS DAY
December 24
December 25
Mass of the Christmas Vigil at 4 p.m.
Mass of Christmas Day at 10 a.m.
Sherburne United Church of Christ
Located at 18 Lincoln Ave., Rutland, Vt. | 802.773.6820
Christmas Eve
4:00 pm 8:00 pm
Christmas Day 8:00 am
Family Liturgy Mass of the Christmas Vigil Mass of Christmas Day
Rutland United Methodist Church 71 Williams St. Rutland, Ph. 802-773-2460
Christmas Eve 7:00pm: Prayer Service Sunday, December 21 Candlelight Service 8-10am: Sunday Service Thursday, December 18
Christmas Service 7:00 p.m. -Eve 8:30 p.m. 7:00pm
White Church, Route 4, Killington | (802) 422-9440 Christmas Eve Dec. 24th
Christmas Day Dec. 25th
New Years Eve Dec. 31st
Open 9 am - 4:30 pm
Open 9 am -12 pm
9 am Service
Catholic Service 7 pm
OUR LADY OF THE SNOWS
Roman Catholic Church
7 South St. PO Box 397 Woodstock, VT 05091 (802) 457-2322
Christmas Christmas Vigil Day December 24 4 and 9 pm
December 25 10 am
The Mountain Times • Dec. 20-26, 2017 • 23
Connecting
VNA show talks comfort food RUTLAND —Taking care of an ailing family member full time can be a tiring and draining experience. Sometimes a little comfort food can provide a respite, and that is the topic of this month’s “Homecare Connection,” a program produced by the VNA and Hospice for the Southwest Region. The program usually focuses on the programs and services provided by the Visiting Nurse Association, but every December host Harry Snyder features a cooking segment. “I love cooking,” said Snyder, who is the VNA’s human resources director. “I’ve been cooking since I was 13 years old. For me, cooking is an escape. There are two kinds of people: those who eat to live, and those who live to eat. I am the latter.” Snyder said his love of cooking began when he was helping his mother as a teenager. “My mother was a single parent, and one year she took a class in Oriental cooking,” he said. “While she was out, I would try the recipes, and when she came home, dinner was ready.” Snyder said if you’re going to make comfort food, it should be very comforting. “We decided to make comfort as it was designed to be,” Snyder said. “Hot, delicious, and able to last two or three days. You should be able to enjoy it hot or cold.”” Snyder prepared three dishes for the show: macaroni and cheese, hearty vegetable soup, and breaded pork chops. “We do have a disclaimer,” Snyder said. “There is always a healthier way to prepare
our communities
By Stephen Seitz
comfort food. We’ll say, ‘You could use olive oil for this recipe, but I’m using butter.’ But that defeats the purpose of comfort food.” So, for the mac and cheese, Snyder went all out.. “Who doesn’t like mac and cheese?” he said. “For this recipe, I used heavy cream and three cheeses, full fat.” Snyder said a lot of people wouldn’t call breaded pork chops a comfort food, “but they were a staple in our house when I was a kid, so it’s comfort food to me.” Snyder said he was prepared for the coming holidays. “I’ll be making Christmas cookies,” he said. “This year, I’m trying white chocolate Toll House cookies. Our tradition is to have a seafoodbased Christmas Eve menu. This year, I’ll be making lobster mac and cheese and shrimp cocktail.” On Christmas Day, Snyder said, his family usually has ham, lasagna, and Brussels sprouts. “We have a cob-smoked ham, basted with Vermont maple syrup,” he said. “You’ve never had anything like it, and it makes for a great ham and eggs breakfast later.” “Homecare Connection” is produced once a month, and can be seen on PEG Channel 15 on Mondays at 9:30 a.m., Tuesdays at 2 p.m. and Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. VNA and Hospice of the Southwest Region provides home and communitybased health care services throughout Vermont. For more information, visit their web site at vermontvisitingnurses.org.
About Homecare Connection This month’s episode of “Homecare Connection” focuses comfort foods that people prepare for their ability to provide comfort and enjoyment during the colder winter months. VNA and Hospice for the Southwest Region’s Harry Snyder walks visitors through cooking some holiday season favorites.
Courtesy of PEGTV
Harry Snyder features a cooking segment on PEG TV, called “Homecare Connection.”
24 • The Mountain Times • Dec. 20-26, 2017
The state of our democracy As you know, on Dec. 14, the Republican-controlled Federal Communications Commission decided to overturn the net neutrality rules that, under Obama, guaranteed a free and open internet and a level online playing field for companies and individuals alike. It was a 3-2 vote, along party lines. I don’t have to explain to you why net neutrality is important or why getting rid of it is bad. No one wants broadband providers dictating which websites they get to visit or what content they get to consume. Among ordinary people outside Washington, there is a firm bipartisan consensus on this. Yet, in our democratic nation, the FCC ignored millions of citizens’ calls and protests and voted for something that no one in America wanted — except, of course, for the good people at the Comcast Corporation, whose telecommunications monopoly will ensure that, under broadband deregulation, they’ll be able to do pretty much whatever they want, including restricting access to content outside their own NBC/Universal library, and most Americans, no matter how angry they are, will have no choice but to continue paying their exorbitant monthly bill if they want to get online at all. The arguments in favor of repealing net neutrality are so transparently spurious that they’ve utterly failed to catch on among a typically gullible public, though some conservative stooges have made an effort to circulate them nonetheless. For instance, a recent editorial in the University of Vermont’s student newspaper, the Cynic, repeated the lie that “banning paid prioritization” is “like prohibiting Amazon from offering faster or free shipping options than smaller companies that might not be able to afford to do so” and therefore an affront to our nation’s cherished free-market principles. The article doesn’t
THE TRUTH WAS NOT THAT THEY HAD TO COMPROMISE WITH THE CONSERVATIVES BUT THAT THEY WANTED TO. explain that, if Amazon increases the speed of its parcel delivery, that doesn’t slow down the parcel delivery of any of its competitors, whereas internet data routing is a zero-sum game—paid prioritization is purely a case of cuting to the front of the line, and there’s no way to allow it without bogging down non-paying websites. The other argument is that allowing web giants to pay ISPs for special “fast lanes” will open a new revenue stream for Comcast et al., whose increased profits will then allow them to cut subscription rates that many families currently can’t afford and to invest in broadband infrastructure improvements in underserved rural areas — which, yeah, they’re totally going to do, rather than just pocketing the extra cash. No one actually believes this stuff, so how did this happen? It’s at least partly Obama’s fault. He appointed two of the three anti-neutrality commissioners who took part in Thursday’s vote, including deregulation advocate Ajit Pai, who was made chairman by Donald Trump earlier this year. Pai was originally recommended to Obama by Senator Mitch McConnell, which means, of course, that his appointment was one of Obama’s patented gestures of conciliation toward his Republican opposition. This was back in 2012, and as we all know, McConnell was so touched by Obama’s commitment to bipartisanship that he immediately put an end to Republican obstructionism for the remainder of the president’s term. That’s why Merrick Garland is sitting on the Supreme Court today. Way to reach across the aisle, Barack. I retain some sympathy for Obama, but his presidency looks worse, not better, in light of the horror of Trump’s. When the Senate passed the Republican tax reform bill earlier this month with 51 votes, I can’t be the Gen Y, page 27
Cluster flies are back By Elise Tillinghast
So here’s my movie concept: during a laboratory accident, a scientist exchanges his DNA with a fly’s. Over the next few weeks, our hero slowly shrinks in size and transforms into an insect with black, spiky body hair, maroon eyes, and translucent, buzzing wings. What distinguishes this movie from previous versions of “The Fly” is that this time, the scientist swaps his genes with a cluster fly. Instead of developing superfast reflexes, he becomes clumsy and lethargic. Instead of rampaging through a city terrorizing people, he alternates his time between crashing against the window and lying upside down on the floor, twitching. The crisis comes when his irritated girlfriend picks him up with a tissue and tosses him outside. He soars into the clear blue winter sky … but then his wings freeze. The final image: a tiny crater in the snow. This time of year, cluster flies begin to show up in our homes and outbuildings. They materialize out of nowhere, crawl on the walls, and drive us to distraction by hurling themselves against windows. They’re annoying, but in fairness, their sins as pests are mild: they don’t bite, don’t sting, and despite some rumors, they aren’t vectors for swine flu or other dread diseases. They do fall into coffee mugs, which is hard to forgive. Until relatively recently, the cluster fly was believed to be one species, Pollenia rudis. In fact, “the” cluster fly, isn’t. In eastern North America, we are blessed with at least six species. Physical differences are slight, involving variations in “anterodorsal tibial setal sockets” and other minutiae. Life cycle differences – where they lay their eggs, what they eat, which flavor coffee they prefer for bathing – are not well documented. So, for example, it may be that not all cluster fly species invade human structures. With that disclaimer, here’s a rough biography of these unwelcome winter companions. From early spring through autumn, the flies are frequent, little-noticed visitors to gar-
dens and meadows. They’re common pollinators; for example, in one study, researchers identified them among the many flying insects that can aid in the reproduction of strawberry plants. During the warm months, they cycle through several generations. Females deposit their eggs on the ground. Larvae burrow downward, taking advantage of natural openings into the earth such as loose soil around plants and worm tunnels (though it doesn’t take much to impede them; worm castings in tunnels can be effective blocks). Earthworms appear to be their only prey. If a larva encounters a worm (and if it’s the right species – research suggests that not just any worm will do), events proceed in typically gruesome parasitoid
fashion. The larva tunnels into its prey’s living flesh, gaining both a home and a meal. More than one larva may inhabit the same host. Eventually the larva pupates, then emerges from the ground. And so life buzzes merrily along until cold weather sets in. The flies respond by seeking out shelter where they can conserve energy in a torpid state. This shelter can be a beetle tunnel or animal burrow. It can also be a crevice in a barn or house; cluster flies are notorious for finding their way
THE OUTSIDE STORY
into tiny openings. A sunny façade on an old building, with wiggle room between the clapboards, is an attractive setup for a home invasion. Or for a church invasion. Consider this excerpt from Oldroyd’s “The Natural History of Flies”: “In churches, where the heating often operates only at weekends, the flies may become active in a sluggish sort of way, and fall squirming [onto] the hair and hymnbooks of the worshippers below.” With incidents like these, it’s easy to feel as if cluster flies seek us out for special torment. Yet many of the flies that invade our structures never become nuisances. They live peaceably as stowaways in our attics and other cool spaces, then depart again in the spring. The flies we encounter are the doubly unfortunate ones; hatched into a hardship generation, they’ve had the further bad luck of wandering into heated spaces where they rouse out of their winter torpor to waste energy, desiccate, and most often, slowly die (or meet more violent ends: i.e., bored cat, vacuum ex machina). Although they’ll never get the earthworm vote, maybe understanding the plight of these flies can make them a little more tolerable. Maybe. If nothing else, it’s something to contemplate next time one shows up in your coffee. Elise Tillinghast is the publisher of Northern Woodlands magazine, and adapted this essay from a previous article. The illustration for this column was drawn by Adelaide Tyrol. Special thanks to Trish Hanson for the Oldroyd quote. 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.
Remembering Christmas spirit, “back in the day” At this time of year I can’t help but take a look back at Christmas time during the days of my youth. We didn’t get a television until the mid- to late 50s. That meant no shows to entertain me as a child. I bet my parents would have welcomed shows such as “A Charlie Brown Christmas” to occupy me as they tended to holiday preparations. Fast forward to today’s world where you can watch holiday movies on the Hallmark Channel by mary ellen starting at Halloween. I shaw have to admit I love doing that right up until New Year’s Day! But after that it’s time to think spring! So how did we get in the holiday spirit without a TV to help us along? Seasonal music and programs came through a floor-model radio that was truly a piece of furniture. For a couple of weeks before Christmas there was a program where “Letters to Santa” were read. When I was around 6 years old, my mother wrote a letter for me and we went to the post office together to mail it. I insisted
Looking Back
on putting it in the mail slot to be sure it was on its way to the North Pole. Of course, my mother, following the proper instructions, had addressed it to the local radio station! Every afternoon we turned on the radio at 4 p.m. to hear the letters read by Santa. Mine was read one day and I was as excited as any child could be. I knew Christmas was near when we went to select our Christmas tree. It always came from a home where Mr. Twitter’s is now located. I inherited my mother’s desire to find the “perfect tree” in the lot. There was a lot of twirling to find one that looked good on all sides. I am now guilty of doing the same thing. Since I live in my family home and am a creature of habit, the tree is placed with one side of it against the wall … right where it has gone for 73 years! So perfection on all sides doesn’t matter, except to me! Christmas tree lights were large back then compared to the mini lights that are so popular today. The lights got extremely warm and on a dry tree that was a fire hazard for sure. Our tree stand was nothing like what people use today. My father built it out of two pieces of wood that crossed over one another. Four other pieces came up from the cross-pieces and were nailed into the tree trunk. I think the Looking back, page 25
The Mountain Times • Dec. 20-26, 2017 • 25
It’s a time of sharing, a time for caring Whatever we celebrate with family and friends, Chanukah, Christmas, or Winter Solstice, we all can agree, whether Democrat or Republican, that this is the season for sharing and caring. I think of Christmas as a time for giving and Mountain spending time on Meditation with the ones By Marguerite te we love. There Jill Dye is sorrow in our hearts for loved ones we’ve lost, but we also welcome in joy and hope. I received a friend’s Facebook post of a Rabbi’s beautiful Chanukah prayer suggesting it’s time for rededication while lighting a candle eight nights in a row: “On the first night, I will light for hope. On the second night, I will light for understanding. On the third night, I will light for wisdom. …” Respect, acceptance, and dialogue follow. “On the seventh night, I will light for guidance. On the eighth night, I will light for peace.” I’d like to pretend that all is well and that this is a normal holiday season, but it’s impossible to ignore the status of peace and the lack of wisdom and decency. We can’t turn our backs on refugees condemned to fear and suffering. We can’t ignore climate change victims’ loss of livelihoods, homes, and sometimes lives to the worsening effects of global warming: droughts, fires, floods, and storms. We can’t ignore America’s poor. Isn’t it amazing that our nation was founded to reject a monarchy of inherited wealth and power? Giving unfair advantages to the rich does not create “justice for all.” Yet the proposed tax law will only increase the division between America’s poor and rich, exacerbating our greatest problem, which is one of wealth distribution.
SURELY WE CAN DO BETTER AS A PEOPLE, A NATION, AND AS A GLOBAL COMMUNITY TO PUT TO GOOD USE OUR RESOURCES AND BRAINS TO ALLEVIATE POVERTY, MISERY, AND PAIN. The Alabama victory may seem like a miracle, but in reality, it’s no surprise. A United Nations study found shocking results of extreme poverty and human rights abuses in Alabama. Substandard sanitary conditions (such as raw sewage flowing in open trenches) and an outbreak of hookworm (only seen in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa) were discovered in parts of rural Alabama. It’s little wonder the vast black majority and younger population rejected a George Wallace-like, pedophile judge representing Alabama’s oppressive history. They elected, instead, an inclusive humanitarian. This is a sign of hope that leads me to believe that surely we can do better as a people, a nation, and as a global community to put to good use our resources and brains to alleviate poverty, misery, and pain. That’s what I want for Christmas, and that is my New Year’s wish. As we unpacked ornaments to decorate our little Christmas tree, my husband Duane and I found memories that led us to pause and reminisce: a tiny German cuckoo clock and two Chinese glass peacocks, painted tin angels from Mexico, Mom’s fuchsia Roaring Twenties balls, a Whitehouse commemorative metal train and an elaborate early sedan, a set of Delft hand painted shoes and a miniscule wooden windmill, porcelain angels from Duane’s mother and tiny shell angels that I once painted. A 1984 china teddy bear commemorated the birth of our son, and a panda bear holding balloons will delight our two-year-old grandson. As we studied our ornament assortment, we selected a collection to send to them, since we’ve downsized to a three-foot tree and theirs will be over six. We delivered other gifts to Danny and his family at Thanksgiving time and carried a few other objects back from our autumn travels. During the year, I bought lemon curd, honey, mustards, and jams for Duane. He’ll Mountain Meditation, page 27
Welcome back, Winter Two powder days in a row. Outrageously good, wispy, dry, fluffy powdered breakfast! I didn’t even know it was happening the second day. I woke up to my neighbor asking me if I wanted to move my car for the plow, and I went outside to find it up to my shins again! I felt like I was in a happy version of “Groundhog Day.” I mean really, what more needs to be said? I thought I would give some nice low pitch woods a shot, but not even 15 feet in I took a chunk out of my skis. Then another. Then another. Then an edge grind. Then I found a mountain bike trail and rode it out. It’s not that there wasn’t enough snow, or even that there wasn’t enough base, but rather that the snow was too dry and fluffy. No matter how light your touch, you went right to the bottom. This snow was, as I remember it, about the quality of Utah snow. New Mexico, Idaho, and even western Montana snows were usually heavier, wetter affairs that would better protect you from the rocks than this snow did. We were lucky to have it, those of us who got into it uncut, and those of us who rode out the crud as the wind blew it around. For early December this is some damned good skiing. The first day of the powder I went all out, running Superstar and the Snowdon Quad … just killing it, truly using up my legs, wearing them down so much that I skipped my leg workout that day, because I was pretty sure that I had done enough (and thank goodness I did, because I would have had nothing left for day two!). Everywhere I went it was glorious, even on the trails that had been groomed down and had less snow on them. It was still creamy, still delightful, still the best combination of meditation and leg blasting work that I have ever done. Day Two was shaping up to be just as good and I was at the top of Ovation about to jump in when I noticed that my right ski wasn’t edging. I mean, I could get no purchase. I thought I had removed an edge, or at least rounded one off. I looked for damage and then
Looking back:
changed feet so that my skis were on opposite feet, thinking that I’d rather have the outside edge fail than the inside one. I stand by this reasoning, and it is probably the reason I made it as far as I did. I cut Upper Ovation to shreds and shot into Middle Ovation. I was starting to get sloppy, and I figured I might be getting tired. As I was slipping through the powder bumps on the skier’s left, I put my left knee down to turn left, and basically exploded. This sort of thing happens to me occasionally, and it is usually a technical gear issue that it takes a while to figure out, but this is of little comfort when you are eating it on a trail by no fault of your own. As I was tumbling around, I saw that my left ski had released, which is rare behavior for a Telly setup. In my experience the binding will tear away from the ski before the boot will release from a functioning binding. That has happened to me several times while I stared in disbelief, watching my ski tear down a trail (at Winter Park, Alta, and Killington), wondering why my safety strap failed, then noticing that the binding (and safety strap) were still firmly attached to my boot. Needless to say, I suddenly found myself floundering down the trail issuing a stream of Yosemite Samlike expletives, with a ski that was still thankfully attached to my boot (instead of killing a skier at the bottom of Lower Ovation). I personally believe that I actually cursed myself to a stop in this particular tumble. From where I was, my wreck sounded like the father battling the furnace in “Christmas Story.” As I went to step back into the binding, it wouldn’t work – I couldn’t step in. Turns out I tore the metal toe-hold off the binding, which is impressive. My only gripe with Telemark skiing is what happens to you when you have one disabled ski (it’s happened to me six times – three on Alpine, three on Telly). On a Downhill ski when I had a disabled ski, I would just hand my ski off to someone to ski it down, and then I would ski down on one foot. This is of course a little trickier in moguls or icy condi-
tions, but it is manageable. It is, however, not manageable on one Telly ski. Not for me anyhow. I need to be able to put my shin onto
Altit Altitude Sick Sickness By br brady crain
my boot to apply pressure when skiing single-legged. I single-skied down to the Superstar crossover between Middle and Lower Ovation (being very careful not to drop and therefore weaponize my brake-less ski), and then put my skis on my shoulder and post-holed through the hip deep snow on the crossover, and then ran down Lower Superstar (I did slide about 40 feet of it on my butt). I took my skis to the shop, handed them off, and called 22 Designs. I was impressed to learn that even though they were two years old, they were still under warranty, so I bought a new pair of the 22 Designs’ Outlaw X at Peak, had them installed on my skis, and had my old Outlaws sent off to the company for repairs. I will, with joy in my heart, put them on my old MotorHead skis, since the bindings fit the same holes as my HammerHeads, and I will have a pair of rock skis for early woods, late moguls, and snappy cruiser runs. I will have my two all-time favorite pairs of skis at the ready at all times. I will gladly make lemonade out of this particular lemon. The new Outlaw X is a fine ride, as they dealt with some of the drawbacks of the previous model. Not only does it feel lighter (it was light already), but snapping in and out of the binding is much, much easier. I wasn’t complaining before, but it’s kind of nice when someone fixes a problem you didn’t know you had. Now if someone would just do that for my back, or better yet, my personality!
Reminiscences of “old school” Christmases
continued from page 24 base of the tree rested in a small circular pan in the middle of the stand. Remembering this contraption reminds me that my father loved to make things. My mother was lucky to have had such a handy guy around the house. Fortunately, I can say the same about my husband. But I have never requested that he make a tree stand like the one from yesteryear! Nobody saw my father’s handiwork, as the tree stand was covered with a soft “snow blanket” that we unrolled from a plastic bag. Nothing fancy around here in the old days! My mother, who was normally a calm person, must have had it “up to here” one year trying to get the tree to stay in the contraption. I watched as she got frustrated and eventually carried the tree through the front door and out into the yard. She plopped it down in a snow bank and it greeted my father when he came home from work. He brought the tree back inside and secured it in the stand, and our Christmas spirit was alive once again. I have a feeling that I inherited my mother’s lack of skill when it comes to being handy. But our trees have never been taken out the front door until it was time to remove
them for the season! The manger always had a special place in our hallway. My parents made sure I realized the true meaning of Christmas. When I look back on the gift I was most excited to receive, it would be a shiny red record player. For those of you who aren’t familiar with such a thing, you placed a vinyl record on the turntable, reached for the arm that held the needle and placed the needle onto a groove in the record. Then the music began! Children love repetition and that particular Christmas my parents had to listen to me play “Old McDonald Had a Farm” for the entire day! The song continued on as the sounds of many more farm animals emanated from the record player. At the end every animal sound was repeated. My parents were truly “saints” to listen to that all day. Christmas is a time for everyone to look back. Taking decorations and ornaments out of storage boxes always triggers memories. Allow plenty of time to decorate your tree and house, as you will want to recall the stores that many of the ornaments have to tell. Take time to remember and enjoy the memories. Merry Christmas and best wishes for a wonderful 2018.
26 • The Mountain Times • Dec. 20-26, 2017
Fatal shooting:
SHOP LOCAL
Troopers cleared — gun was fake but convincing
continued from page 5
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decision made by State’s Attorney Kennedy and share in that view,” Assistant Attorney General Rory Thibault said at the news conference. Kennedy said the shooting was not captured on police video, either from body cameras or dashcams inside cruisers. Troopers, she said, do not wear body cameras, and the dashcams were too far away to capture the shooting. She added that deputies from the Rutland County Sheriff’s Department do wear body cams, but they were also too far away to capture the shooting. “They were not really significant,” the prosecutor said. The standoff began on the afternoon of Aug. 31 when a Rutland County sheriff’s deputy was called to Battles’ residence on a report of domestic assault. Police tried to get Battles to come out of his home, according to Kennedy. The officers were told there were firearms in the residence, and Battles was making several threats, referencing an “arsenal” and “something about a .357,” Kennedy said. “These statements alerted the officers that Mr. Battles may indeed be armed and that he may attempt to use a weapon on himself or on police,” the prosecutor added. The state police crisis negotiation unit was called to the scene, and additional officers from state police and other nearby departments arrived. Kennedy said Battles’ behavior became “increasingly erratic and aggressive.” After midnight on Sept. 1, troopers received approval from a judge for warrants to search the residence and arrest Battles on the aggravated domestic assault charge, she said. As Battles continued to refuse to come out, a tactical vehicle called a Bearcat “breached” the front door of the home, Kennedy said. Battles came out briefly but did not comply with orders from the troopers, telling them, “Guess you will have to shoot,” or words to that effect, the prosecutor said. He then went back inside and reappeared in the second-floor window with what looked like a silver revolver, appearing to take aim at the troopers below, according to Kennedy. Four of the troopers below opened fire, as did a fifth, Trooper Eric Vitali, who was 66 yards away lying on the ground in a “sniper” position, according to the prosecutor. A round fired by Vitali, who shot first, was the one that killed Battles, Kennedy said. Battles was found dead with a BB gun in his hand and another BB gun in his holster, police said. Also in the room, according to police, they found a loaded .22-caliber rifle and a muzzleloader. Asked why so many shots were fired by the troopers but only one hit Battles, Col. Matthew Birmingham, director of the Vermont State Police, responded, “[Battles] was likely already going down as those rounds were going into the building. Therefore they did not hit him.” He also said an internal investigation will now take
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place to determine if any department policies had been violated in the incident. Birmingham said he welcomed the review by the two prosecutors. “We must be scrutinized by the public on this. This is why there is an independent review by elected officials on these shootings, and that is an important part of the process,” he said. “But we also need to look where we can change training, where we can change policy, where we can improve on tactics.” Asked if he believed anything should have been done differently, Birmingham backed the actions of the troopers. “It’s a matter of the troopers either going to be shot at and killed, or they are going to defend themselves,” he said. “At that point in time, they made the decision they made, and they made the right decision.” The five troopers identified as firing shots are: Sgt. Lyle Decker, St. Johnsbury barracks, hired July 12, 2004. Trooper Matthew Cannon, St. Albans barracks, hired Jan. 16, 2012. Trooper Eric Vitali, Westminster barracks, hired July 11, 2005. Trooper Christopher Brown, Middlesex barracks, hired Jan. 16, 2012. Trooper Michael Anderson, St. Albans barracks, hired June 15, 2011. Kennedy also said toxicology testing revealed that at the time Battles was fatally shot he had “multiple substances” in his system. Those included sertraline, an antidepressant; alprazolam, used to treat anxiety; benzodiazepines; and cannabinoids. The prosecutor added that she wasn’t sure if he had a prescription for any of those. VTDigger had twice previously asked the Vermont Department of Public Safety for any audio or video of the incident and been refused because of the pending criminal investigation. Asked Tuesday if her office and police would now release any video and audio, including of the time leading up to the shooting, Kennedy said they would review any requests. “We are all on the same page that we’ll certainly look at any [Freedom of Information Act] requests that are made and we will process the requests as they come in,” she said, later adding that she “anticipated” that the recordings would be released shortly. Pointing to the conclusion of the criminal probe, Birmingham encouraged reporters at the news conference to submit new public records requests for audio and video, saying the situation has changed. VTDigger submitted requests Tuesday after the news conference to Kennedy’s office as well as the Department of Public Safety and the Rutland County Sheriff’s Department. The requests remained pending late Tuesday afternoon. Attempts to reach Battles’ family members Tuesday were not successful.
The Mountain Times • Dec. 20-26, 2017 • 27
Local grants:
Substance abuse, jobs targeted
continued from page 17 include: Sanctuary House, Homeless Prevention Center, Probation and Parole, and Marble Valley Regional Correctional Facility. Opioid family mentoring program hosted by The Mentor Connector The goal of the opioid family mentoring program is to provide supports for families in which a parent is undergoing treatment for opioid use disorder. The family as a whole and the individual children will receive mentorship services backed by evidence-based practice. The intent of family mentorship is to increase resiliency, improve life skills and self-sufficiency, and decrease the prevalence of generational substance use. Partners include: Rutland County Court Diversion and Restorative Justices, Rutland Mental Health, West Ridge Center. Job connection hosted by Goodwill Industries of Northern New England The objective of the Job Connection program is to
Gen Y:
provide assistance with finding jobs, comprehensive workforce readiness development, and life navigation to people who have struggled with finding employment due to barriers in their personal lives. The program is designed to help participants find work which provides income, and then builds on that to provide stability and independence in an individualized, strength-based approach. Partners include: BROC, Project Vision, the Rutland Regional Workforce Investment Board, and Casella. The Bowse Health Trust was developed in 1996 by the Rutland Regional Health Services, the parent company of Rutland Regional Medical Center. The Health Trust provides seed money to fund projects in the Rutland Region that are aimed at improving the health status of residents. The next grant cycle will be announced in April 2018. Grants are awarded on an annual basis. The application information is posted on the RRMC website (rrmc.org). For more information call 802-776-5503.
Brett Yates takes on the Democrat political establishment
continued from page 24 only one who wondered why the Republicans were able to jam this disgusting legislation through with only a simple majority, rather than the supermajority that Obama needed to overcome the inevitable Republican filibuster for everything he wanted to do, no matter how small or uncontroversial. News outlets that touched on this issue at all only briefly mentioned a “budget reconciliation” loophole that Republicans had exploited to bypass the filibuster. Similarly, the Republicans had invoked the “nuclear option” to appoint Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court in the face of Democratic opposition. Where were these budget reconciliations and nuclear options when Obama was in office? For the most part, they were kept safely out of view so that Democrats could plead innocent upon failing, by design, to make meaningful improvements to the lives of their constituencies. The Democrats’
line, through most of the Obama administration, was that they would love to make transformative changes that would benefit working-class and low-income Americans, but the Republicans (or, earlier on, openly conservative Democrats like Joseph Lieberman) wouldn’t let them. In reality, they had no wish to push through any remotely radical policies, and the Republican filibuster provided an easy way for them to explain this without making themselves look bad in front of their progressive base. The truth was not that they had to compromise with the conservatives but that they wanted to — either because their corporate donors dictated a moderate agenda, or because their own ideology prioritizes consensus among the elite over protection of the vulnerable populations whom they purport to represent. Sadly, many liberals continue to
Mountain Meditation:
credit the Democrats for their decorous approach to government, which flatters their own nerdy fixation on the dignity of our nation’s governmental institutions. It isn’t just legality that concerns them; it’s any violation of the spirit or intent of our Founding Fathers’ blueprint. They wouldn’t want a Democratic Party that would forgo its respect for procedural compliance simply in order to get things done. America’s sacred undergirding, above all else, must be preserved, its codes and traditions adhered to. Without it, where would we be? Well, where are we now? We live in a so-called democracy where money controls everything, and the voice of the people is plainly absent, as the net neutrality vote demonstrates. If our sound and beautiful institutions have led us here, why are we still romanticizing them? We aren’t choosing this stuff — there’s a bug in the system itself.
The world needs a lot of help
continued from page 25 surprise me with pottery I couldn’t resist at markets in the South of France. I’ll give him a DNA ancestry kit, and we already opened an early gift, the newest mystery in our favorite series, “Bruno, Chief of Police.” Our anthropologist friend in Vermont introduced us to the likeable character and to his special region of France known as the Dordogne. So now, every time a new book is released, we read it out loud to each other. Martin Walker’s a master at weaving current events with village life. It’s sad to be far from family at this time of year, but we’re blessed to have many friends near whom we’ve known and loved for many years. I’m preparing for an art opening at a Sarasota gallery. Rutland writer Sandra Gartner, who wrote “Where is Sam?”, will soon arrive for our children’s book signing and my demonstration of paper cuts. Duane and I plan
to attend a Christmas Eve candlelight service where a medium will give a message to everyone in attendance. Massachusetts-Miami snowbird friends will come to stay on Christmas night. Our Avignon friends, Jean-Paul and Colette, fly in on New Year’s Eve. We’ll have lots of fun but all the while I’ll miss our grandson, Silas Daniel. Speaking with him on Facetime, he said “Santa” and “snowman” and “Christmas tree.” After he said, “Goodbye Gammy and Papa,” he delighted us all with “Merry Christmas!” It does a heart good to speak with a child. Marguerite Jill Dye is an artist and writer who divides her time between the Green Mountains of Vermont and the Gulf Coast of Florida.
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28 • The Mountain Times • Dec. 20-26, 2017
REAL ESTATE LOVELY RESTORED circa 19th century farmhouse / great country in / bed and breakfast /ski home 6 bedrooms each with tiled baths, large kitchen with tiled floor, commercial gas range w/hood, large living room, large dinning room, sun room, all thermal replacement windows, re-finished wood floor throughout, recent oil boiler w/ baseboard radiation, restored slate and metal roofs, two drilled wells, spring, large barn w/ rental apartment, other barns out buildings, 8 acres, just off Rt. 4, Hampton, New York, Beautiful westerly views of Adirondacks, minutes from VT border, 30 miles from Killington, call anytime for additional info 802-236-3949. NEED A SKI HOUSE? Check out this 6 Bedroom Rochester Gem! Built in 1912, this charming and spacious, in-town home is set back from the road on 1.2 acres. Walking distance to Rochester School (K-8), park, grocery store, library, health center and the famous Rochester Café! Excellent Rt. 100 location - only 20 minutes to Killington/Pico and Interstate 89. Large yard backs up to White River - summer rafting & kayaking right out your door! Tons of room for a big family or ideal for ski house group. Don’t miss this great opportunity! Can be seen on Zillow. Priced below appraisal at $259,000. Call 802-7679150 or email lizvhm29@ gmail.com. 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. 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.
PITTSFIELD LAND: River View Trail Road: 4AC for $49,900 with State septic permit for a 4BR, 6 person home. Nice level building lot (B #1). Ski Country Real Estate, 335 Killington Rd, 802-7755111. 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. LAND FOR SALE: Improved building lot in Killington neighborhood with ski home benefits. Views. Call 802-4229500. 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. 802-775-0340. STRONG RENTAL I N V E S T M E N T O P P O R T U N I T Y ! K I L L I N G TO N G AT E WAY CONDOS! Penthouse newly renovated two level, 2 bed/2 bath. Hardwood flooring throughout, wood burning fireplace in dining/living area, updated kitchen, two separate balconies w/views, sold furnished! $114,500. Also available, 1 Bedroom w/ Den + full bath newly updated. $79K priced to sell! Gateway Owners enjoy a great owner’s lounge/game room, private ski lockers, tennis courts, and a beautiful in-ground pool in the summer months! 2 miles to Pico Ski Resort, minutes to downtown Rutland & super close to the World Class Killington year round Resort. For more info or to schedule a showing call Tucker Lange, Sales Associate & Realtor, Peak Property Real Estate. Mobile 303-818-8068 or Killington Office 802-7751700.
KILLINGTON VALLEY Real Estate PO Box 236, 2281 Killington Rd., Killington. 802422-3610 or 1-800-833-KVRE. Email: kvre@vermontel.net 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. P E A K P R O P E RT Y R e a l Estate, 1995 US Route 4, Killington. VTproperties. net. 802-775-1700, 802353-1604. Marni@ peakpropertyrealestate.com. Specializing in homes/condos/ land/commercial/investments/ winter rentals. Representing sellers & buyers all over Central Vt. 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 toll free 800398-3680 or locally 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.
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES
KILLINGTON—2 BDRM 1.5 bath condo, Mountain Green bldg. 2. FP, ski lockers, health club membership. $92K. Owner, 800-576-5696. 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. 802-422-3600, KillingtonPicoRealty.com 2814 Killington Rd., Killington. (next to Choices Restaurant).
182 Woodstock Ave Rutland VT
STORE FOR RENT next to Outback Pizza, approx. 2,500+ sq. ft. Call owner Ron Viccari, 914-217-4390 (cell); 800-694-2250 (office). Let’s make a deal.
KILLINGTON MALL for sale, 4-apartments, 2-stores, 1-nightclub/restaurant, 1-50s diner restaurant. 4 acres plus building. Call office 800-6942250 or cell 914-217-4390. Ron Viccari.
RENTALS B R E C K E N R I D G E COLORADO Marriott timeshare, ski in/ski out. Spacious 1 king BR, 2 bath villa. Sleeps 6. March weeks available. $1,400. 802-4224278. SKI SHARES/Full rooms available. Prime location in the heart of Killington. Brand new house. 2B per room/ singles. No bunk beds, lots of amenities. 917-796-4289, outdoordiva7@yahoo.com. KILLINGTON SEASONAL rental on mountain, 3 BR, 2 BATH, completely furnished w/ FP, low utilities, excellent location. Just became available. 781-749-5873, 339214-6683, toughfl@aol.com. KILLINGTON SKI SHARES AVAILABLE - We’re looking for a few skiers & boarders to fill our house. Check us out at www.rustedmoose.com or email iamskibum@gmail.com. RUTLAND SEASONAL RENTAL 2 BR furnished, utilities included. Dec. 15-April 15. $5,000 or monthly. 802345-3913. APARTMENTS for rent: 1, 2 BR units available. Nonsmokers only. $750/$850, all included. 15 min. to Downtown. Mendon. 802770-8786. K I L L I N G T O N R E N TA L on mountain. One person private room in 3 BR, 2 BA ski house with fireplace. Excellent location. $600 per month, total people in house 3; 2 people in private room $750 per month with 4 people in house total. toughfl@aol.com; 781-7495873. KILLINGTON SEASONAL rental 1 BR, good location, completely furnished, $5,000/ season. 781-749-5873, 339214-6683, toughfl@aol.com.
James Watson
James Pell
Owner/ Broker Realtor jim_watson@cbwatson.net
Associate Broker jim_pell@cbwatson.net
www.cbwatsonrealty.com
PERFECT ARCHITECTURALLY DESIGNED RUTLAND CITY HOME – $320,000
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.
Picture perfect architecturally designed Rutland City home with functional well proportioned rooms. The eat-in kitchen, formal dining room and large living room with fireplace are connected by a butler’s pantry and are ideal for entertaining. The cozy den/office w/ fireplace (back-to-back fireplaces in den/living room) and covered sunset porch offer exceptional relaxation space. Three bedrooms and 2-1/2 baths. Full usable basement. Detached oversize 3 car garage w/full loft for storage. Detached Four Season heated sunroom is a fabulous space to relax. This property must be experienced to be fully appreciated.
ROOMMATE WANTED to share two bedroom apartment at Gateway Condominiums in Mendon with one roommate (Killington Ski Lift Operator). Ten minute bus ride to Killington. Nov. 1, 2017 – April 15, 2018. $3550 for term plus $500 security deposit. Would consider rental payments made monthly. Call Ruth at 917882-9515 or Stephen at 917882-7549.
BRIDGEWATER SHARES h a v e i t y o u r w a y. F U L L AVAILABILITY FOR WORLD CUP! First chair. Ledges ski shares - pick a plan: 1/4 share, 13 nights, $575. 1/2 share, 26 nights, $1,000. Full share, 52 nights, $1,400; or $50 nightly B&B. 6 bdrm contemporary mountain setting, 12 minutes to Killington. Hot tub, full kitchen privileges. Contact Scott, 860-930-0098. A M A Z I N G M O U N TA I N VIEWS & CLOSE TO KILLINGTON SKYESHIP! Newly renovated 2 bedroom/1 bath lower unit! Winter seasonal rental. Available now! $6,900 from Dec. 1, 2017 to April 30, 2018. Sleeps 4. No pets or smoking. Call Marni Rieger 802-353-1604. PITTSFIELD SEASONAL rental: 5 BR, fully furnished, new renovation, on VAST trails, minutes to skiing. $17,000 for season. Call Roger 802-345-5622. APARTMENTS FOR RENT: 5 bdrm, above Outback Pizza. Other apt. is 3 bdrm, above Outback Pizza. Call owner Ron Viccari, 914-217-4390 (cell); 800-694-2250 (office). CHITTENDEN (Burr Pond, East Pittsford) 1 BR/ 1BA fully furnished with shared laundry and Kitchenette. Utilities included. Quiet, trails, 15 min. to Pico. Seasonal, $5,500. LouiseHarrison.com, 802747-8444. 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. c o m , 8 0 2 - 7 4 6 -
FOR SALE
FREE FREE REMOVAL of scrap metal & car batteries. Matty, 802-353-5617.
SERVICES SNOW REMOVAL: Roofs, walkways, etc. Professional Property Maintenance, 802558-6172. SNOW PLOWING, sanding. Seasonal or per time. Call Ryan 802-291-2271. BEAUREGARD PAINTING, 25 years experience. 802436-1337. BOOKKEEPING SERVICES of Vermont. QuickBooks software. Accurate and efficient. $28/hour. 802-3456881.
WANTED NOW BUYING High quality watches, precious metals, coins & paper money, stamps and historic paper, objects of art and virtue. If it’s rare, fun and beautiful I can help. Member NAWCC, ANA, APS, NEAA and Vermont’s first legally licensed precious m e t a l s d e a l e r. Tr a d i n g worldwide in the very best personal property, since 1972. Legitimate sellers ONLY and by appointment only. Royal Barnard 802-775-0085 or email rbarn64850@aol.com.
(4) BRIDGESTONE Ecopia H/L 235/60R18 103H M+S all season tires for sale. $100/ tire, less than 200 miles on the tires. 802-417-1663.
EMPLOYMENT
2004 CHRYSLER PT Cruiser — Runs well. Winter & Summer tires. Some rust. 80K miles $1,400 or best offer. Call 802-236-9593.
SEEKING LIVE-IN home care provider for gentleman with TBI and memory issues. Candidate will enjoy books, humor, hiking & good communication skills. Shrewsbury home, taxfree stipend. Contact aterry@ Pridetbi.com.
HONDA EU6500is Inverter Generator. Rated 5.5KW. Used only 35 hours. New cost $4,000 selling for $2700 o.b.o. 802-775-0085. Pick up in Rutland. SET OF 4 Winterforce studded snow tires, 195/60R15. No faults, bought Oct. 13 for my 2014 Fiesta, drove 200 miles on them, then traded in the car. An excellent tire, had Winterforce previously. Cost $500 new, asking $350 o.b.o. Need to sell! Please call Julia at 802-483-2020, Rutland Town. FIREWOOD for sale, we stack. Rudi, 802-672-3719.
www.LouiseHarrison.com
SNOWSHOE TOUR GUIDE service is looking to hire PT guide (10-12 hours per week), must be available weekends and holidays and have flexible schedule. Email Lisa at davislewis@hotmail.com or call 978-808-6044. VACASA is hiring a Senior Housekeeper as well as Seasonal Housekeepers. Weekend availability and reliable transportation required. $20/hour plus perks. Visit vacasa.com/careers to apply. SNOWMOBILE VERMONT is now taking applications for inside and outside positions. Weekend and holidays are a must and computer skills are a plus. Call 802-422-2121.
Louise Harrison Real Estate & Yoga
PHAT ITALIAN - All positionsall Shifts. Cook, deli, cashier. Please call to inquire or apply in person: 2384 Killington Road, Killington; 802-4223636.
Attention Buyers and Sellers: Private & Group YOGA Classes: Buyer Representation Restorative Wed 5:30 Killington Yoga Listongs Welcome Gentle Flow Sunday 9:30 Chittenden PICO 3 BR Weekly/Weekend Rentals Restorative Sunday 4:00 Chittenden Seasonal & Yearly Rentals Private Classes Available By Appointment 802-775-9999 | 8 Mountain Top Rd. | Louise@LouiseHarrison.com | 808-747-8444
ON THE ROCS - All positions. Chef-prep cookbartenders-servers. Please call to inquire or apply in person: 2384 Killington Road, Killington; 802-422-3636.
REALTOR / Independent Broker since 1998 KRIPALU YOGA TEACHER since 1995
The Mountain Times • Dec. 20-26, 2017 • 29
Classifieds continued from page 46 JANITORIAL - evenings, weekends, supervisor positions available. Call 802422-2300 or stop by to fill out an application. The Cleaning Crew, 10 West Park Road, Killington. INN AT LONG TRAIL seeking experienced cook (short order, breakfast or dinner)/ prep cook. Pay commensurate with experience. Will train competent and motivated individual. Weekends and holidays a must. Call 802775-7181 or email resume or brief work history to patty@ innatlongtrail.com to set up interview appointment. PASTA POT is looking for energetic staff to join our team. Positions include wait staff, pizza/prep cook & dishwasher. Apply in person at Pasta Pot on Route 4, Killington (Thurs.Sun., 5-10 p.m.) or call 802422-3004. MOGULS SEEKING: Line cooks, wait staff; full time and part time work available. 802422-4777. Apply daily, open 7 days.
INN AT LONG TRAIL seeking experienced cook/prep cook. Pay commensurate with experience. Email (ilt@ innatlongtrail.com) resume or brief work history, or call 802-775-7181 to set up interview appointment. Will train competent and motivated individual. Weekends and holidays a must. CHOICES RESTAURANT is accepting applications for parttime host and experienced line cook. Call 802-4224030 or email resume to claudeschoices@yahoo.com. LINE COOK Needed at P r e s t o n ’s R e s t a u r a n t a t Killington/Pico Ski Resort. Prepare and produce a wide variety of menu items, perform a variety of complex cooking tasks, meal service and proper plating of all meals. Full timeseasonal. Apply online at www.killington.com/jobs or in person at Killington Human Resources. 4763 Killington Rd. Killington, VT 05751. 800300-9095. EOE.
PASSIONATE about fresh food: FT DELI POSITION: 40 hours/wk. Excellent pay. Nights 12-8 p.m. Food service experience preferred. SEASONAL PT DELI: 32 +hours/wk. Weekends. Bridgewater Corners Country Store, 5680 US ROUTE 4. Call or text resume to attention Wendy 802-2991717. CASEY’S CABOOSE is looking for some great people to help us continue to rebuild Killington’s most loved restaurant. Immediate help, and fall and ski seasons. All positions considered. Part time positions available, too. Email resume and cover letter to john@ caseyscaboose.com, or stop by and introduce yourself.
MLS 4663660
789 Journey’s End, Mendon
$538,000
EXCEPTIONAL MENDON CONTEMPORARY Set on 23 acres with views of Killington and Pico Peaks with end of the road privacy. Elegant entry to flowing living areas on the main level and curving stairway to master bedroom with en suite, guest bedroom with en suite and third bedroom. Attached 2100 sq ft cathedral ceiling pool room with in-ground pool and hot tub. Lower level 24x40 gym/ game room. Spacious decks, manicured lawns and fenced pasture.
Jim Watson
Want to submit a classified?
Owner/ Broker Realtor jim_watson@cbwatson.net 802-773-3500
Email classifieds@mountaintimes.info or call 802-422-2399. Rates are 50 cents per word, per week; free ads are free.
182 Woodstock Ave Rutland VT www.cbwatsonrealty.com
SkiCountryRealEstate.com • 802.775.5111
Serving Killington, Pittsfield, Stockbridge, Mendon, Chittenden, Bridgewater & Plymouth MINUTES TO THE SLOPES
• 6BR,4BA, 2 F/Places, 1 Acre • REC RM with Billiard table • Spacious Kitchen W/Island • Master BR/Bath. New Roof, • New Windows,flooring&wet bar • $695,000
MTN GREEN #1&2
STUDIO: $59K 2 BR + LOFT: $180K POOL & SPORTS CENTER
SKI IN & SHUTTLE OUT CONDOS HIGHRIDGE TRAIL CREEK
• 4br/3ba, 3 acres • 2-car garage • Workshop & shed • Master w/whirlpool • Large kitchen-with den • Open liv-dining • Furnished $360K
2 BR: $160K WOOD BURN F/PLACES FURNISHED INDOOR & WHIRLPOOL
1 BR $115K 1 BR + LOFT $145K 2 BR 2 BA:$150K INDOOR POOL MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAIL
WHIFFLETREE
PINNACLE
1 BR: $116K 3BR: $220K SUMMER POOL & WHIRLPOOL (IN & OUTDOOR) TENNIS & PAVED PARKING
2BR: $120K FURNISHED, GAS F/P COMMON W/ DRYER TENNIS & OUTDR POOL
LOCATION; JUST LIKE NEW!
TELEMARK VILLAGE
THE WOODS
2BR+LOFT, 3BA, SOUTH EXPOSURE, $245K DECK, WASHER & DRYER, POOL & TENNIS FINISHED WALKOUT BASEMENT W/BATH FURNISHED & EQUIPPED
SPACIOUS CONTEMPORARY
• 5BR/3BA, 19 Ac, 2-car garage • South West Mtn range views • Mud room, game room • Sauna/jet tub/furnished • Guest wing w/den $545K
3BR, 3.5BA, $189K FLAT & PAVED PARKING. WD BURNING FIREPLC, BAR SPORTS CENTER WITH INDOOR POOL & EXERCISE EQUIPMT. TENNIS COURTS.
• 5BR/3BA,new carpet, granite appliances. Hot tub room. • baths w/radiant heat • wood-beamed kitch-din-liv rm • long distant mtn range views • 2 living areas, Mudroom • 200 feet to Home Stretch Trail metal roof, furnished $649K
• 4BR, 3BA, LG. mud/entry RM • Long range MTN views • REC RM, outside Hot Tub • LG open CTR Fireplace • Sauna, on a cul-de-sac. • $555,000
Lenore Bianchi
‘tricia Carter
Meghan Charlebois
Pat Linnemayr
Peter Metzler
Daniel Pol
Katie McFadden
Chris Bianchi
• 4BR/3BA home w/wood stove • Furnished & equipped • Detached garage w/1BR apt. • Washer/dryer, new indoor oil tank $345K
SPECTACULAR MTNSIDE RETREAT!
• Ski trail & valley views • Beautiful stone & woodwork • Radiant Heat & Central Air • Steam shower & hot tub • Davis Timber frame • $1,485,000.
GREAT LOCATION!
• 3BR, 2.5 BA • Cathedral ceiling • Gas f/plc & Outdoor shed • Walk to restaurant & Bus Stop • Flat access, furnished $239K
ARCHITECTURALLY DESIGNED
WALK TO TRAIL
WALK TO A TRAIL
NEAR GREEN MTN NTL GOLF COURSE!
• Just like new! 3BR/3BA suites • Granite, maple floors, ½ BA, 5Ac • Open floor plan w/cathedral ceiling • Garage: heated, tall doors & storage House Generator, large deck $599K
WINTER MTN VIEWS
PICO VILLAGE
3BR: $110K WOOD BURN F/PLACES FURNISHED INDOOR & WHIRLPOOL
HOME NEAR REC. CTR.
• 3BR/2BA+ Den + Game RM • 1.5 ac, stone f/place • cathedral ceiling, laundry • partially finished walk-out basemt, on sewer • security; low temp alarms • Furnished; equipped • $435K
SKI IN & SKI OUT
SHUTTLE TO & FROM
Merisa Sherman
335 Killington Rd. • “First” on the Killington Road • Open Daily, 9-5 • #1 since 1989 Sales & Winter Seasonal Rentals MLS MULTIPLE LISTING SERVICE
®
REALTOR
• 5BR/4BA, southern exposure • Open floor plan, yr-rd mtn views • 7.5 Ac., privacy, elevator • Large kitchen w/a pantry room • 2 stone fireplaces in living rooms • Furnished & equipped
$549K
2BR+LOFT/2.5 BATH
• UPDATED cabinets, appliances, granite counters • Washer/Dryer Laundry RM • Ssuna, outdoor hot tub • Outdoor shed for storage • $240,000
30 • The Mountain Times • Dec. 20-26, 2017
VTPROPERTIES.NET
IDEAL PROPERTIES CLOSE TO KILLINGTON, OKEMO OR WOODSTOCK!
802.775.1700
THE AMEE FARM Lodge is a fully restored post & beam
farmhouse w/15 guest rooms and is relaxed country elegance at its best. The property has 37 acres w/two ponds, a waterfall, endless hiking & biking trails, farm w/, large barns & spectacular views from any corner of this fine Vermont estate. Amee Farm hosts VT weddings, family reunions, corporate events, & more.
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY 20 MINUTES TO KILLINGTON!
Z Corners Restaurant & Inn! TOTALLY TURN-KEY INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY! PRIME SPOT within walking distance to the Long Trail Brewery, direct access to VAST & minutes to the Killington Skyship! Permitted for 53 restaurant seats/ 14 lounge & 5 inn rooms w/ double occ.
FABULOUS OPP FOR CHEF OWNER! $574,900
This property features a Regulation 9 hole golf course Par 36 spread over 55+ acres w/amazing views & extensive frontage on the White River, a 40 seat permitted restaurant & bar, spacious commercial kitchen, 3 rental apartments, lower level garage area for equipment & maintenance items, detached barn for golf cart storage & much more! $549,000
STRONG INVESTMENT - “THE WEDGE” PRIME SPOT-2 MILES TO THE KILLINGTON SKYSHIP & 1 MILE TO WOODARD RESERVOIR! First time offered on market, RARE 3 UNIT PROPERTY. WS rental income is $27K. $349,000
PRIME WOODSTOCK VILLAGE LOCATION! WALK TO EVERYTHING IN TOWN FROM THIS NEW TOTALLY RENOVATED OPEN CONCEPT CONTEMPORARY GEM!
HOMES | CONDOS | LAND | COMMERCIAL INVESTMENT | RENTALS
Marni Rieger 802.353.1604
Rick Gaspar 802.342.0693
Tucker A. Lange Heidi Matusik 303.818.8068 860.637.1243
Info@PeakPropertyRealEstate.com 1995 U.S Route 4, Killington VT
SERENITY AWAITS YOU HERE! MINUTES TO KILLINGTON, OKEMO OR WOODSTOCK!
3 bed/ 2.5 bath open concept contemporary gem! Wonderful kitchen w/granite counters & breakfast island, Great Room w/ fireplace & wall of glass to enjoy the sweet VIEWS. Luxurious Master Suite. Great lower rec room w/ski storage area. Wraparound farmer’s porch & more! $359,000
Gorgeous wide plank wood floors, gourmet chef’s kitchen, custom doors & cabinetry, large back deck, fabulous Master Suite & so much more! MUST SEE! 3 Bed/2.5 Bath $359,000
Serene Vermont Country Estate for Sale 70 acres in Braintree
This finely detailed log home looks out over fields and forest on a quiet country road. Two bedrooms, a sunroom and a stately stone chimney highlight the home. A one-bedroom apartment and a spacious workshop offer opportunity. Flint Brook flows between field and forest. $375,000 Alisa Darmstadt: 802-272-7209 Trusted Land and Rural Estate Marketing Experts for over 30 years.
Royalton - 579 acres An exceptional timber investment with easily developed home sites near the end of town roads. High maple stocking. NEW PRICE - $655,000 Stockbridge - 218 acres Breathtaking, panoramic views with hardwood timber stands and potential homesites and meadows. Close to Killington. $456,000 Ira - 1,139 acres 30 minutes from Killington, this forest has exceptional stands of maple, oak and ash. Ideal site for a trophy family estate with waterfalls and six mountain peaks. $1,290,000
www.RiverViewTrail.com
www.12LilliesvilleRoad.com
Pittsfield -Magnificent Post & Beam 3BR/2BA overlooking the Tweed River w/mountain & valley views. $399,000
Stockbridge – Delightful 3BR/2BA country cape in a wooded setting. $189,000
www.94WindingWay.com
www.221CricketHillRoad.com
Killington – Immaculate 2BR/2BA contemporary home in a quiet wooded setting. $274,000
Killington – Classic Austrian-style Chalet, authentic craftsmanship throughout this 3BR/2BA home. $279,000
Michael Tragner (802) 233-9040
REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE
fountainsland.com
Happy Holidays!
More Available Forests
Nathan Mastroeni MBA - Realtor
www.TheHeightsAtKillington.com Prestigious Killington Townhouse Development, phase 1 complete, the rest of the project is for sale. Everything in place to continue this exceptional opportunity. Offered at $695,000
Kyle Kershner Broker/Owner
2814 Killington Rd., Killington, VT 802-422-3600 • KillingtonPicoRealty.com info@KillingtonPicoRealty.com
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The Mountain Times • Dec. 20-26, 2017 • 31 1810 Killington Road • Killington, VT 05751 Phone: 800-338-3735 • Fax: 802-422-3320 www.vthomes.com • email: info@vthomes.com “It’s All About Performance”
Okemo-Woodstock Featured Property
Located between Killington, Okemo and Woodstock. The Ledges is a 4 bedroom, 2 bath ski house that sleeps 12-18 and is located in Bridgewater on a beautifully landscaped acre w/ a large covered porch/deck, hot tub, ski tuning room, a 3 car pole barn and a pergola/deck overlooking the private pond. This turn-key vacation home has been thoughtfully restored, is fully furnished and ready for your Vermont dream. MLS# 4656357 $299,000.
802-975-0338
okemo-woodstock.evusa.com 126 Main Street Ludlow, Vermont ©2017 Engel & Völkers. All rights reserved. Each brokerage independently owned and operated. Engel & Völkers and it’s independent License Partners are Equal Opportunity Employers and fully support the principals of the Fair Housing Act.
PRIME! Highly desirable Killington neighborhood, Close to Golf Course, Killington & Pico. This 3 bedroom contemporary style home has a spacious cathedral ceiling living room & greenhouse windows, master bedroom, private bath, new heat pump, & new deck; two gas fireplace stoves; remodeled kitchen, new appliances; new windows; beautiful wood doors; new Rinnai heaters; large Jacuzzi, 2 car attached garage with paver stone floor; new paver stone front patio; & much more. Home is ideal for either a primary residence or vacation getaway. Excellent rental income potential. Furnished with some exceptions. Don’t miss the opportunity to see this one soon! $299,000
Spacious, bright, airy 2 level, 2 bedroom, 2 bath Fox Hollow townhouse, ground floor, open floor plan, soaring vaulted ceilings, massive floor to ceiling wood burning brick fireplace, large jet tub in master bath, and outdoor patio. New electric range, new microwave, and new flat screen TV. Freshly painted and carpeted. On-site seasonal outdoor pool and tennis courts. Centrally located, with close proximity to both Pico and Killington ski resorts. This Fox Hollow unit would make a great vacation home, or a most desirable primary residence as well $123,500
Wonderful 3 bedroom, 2 bath, classic contemporary Hawk home, vaulted ceilings, wood burning fireplace, and floor to ceiling windows. Completely renovated Interior, flooring, carpet, bath vanities, kitchen cabinets, and counter tops, and much more. Front deck and steps were re-done. Warm and inviting, bright and airy, open space on the main level, with a nicely finished full walkout basement. An additional room downstairs, which may be used in a variety of ways. New storage shed. Great location, close to numerous year round recreational activities. This home must be seen to be appreciated! $199,000
This well maintained custom built 4 bedroom, 6 Bath Trailside Home is a must see. It has 6,235 sq. ft. of finished space plus 1,715 sq. ft. of semi-finished space on the upper floor, which could be used as an office, studio or master bedroom and is plumbed for a bath. Three gas fired fireplaces, 2 dishwashers 2 sets of washer dryers. A large wrap around deck with mahogany decking. All doors and waistcoat are hand made on site. It has a two car garage which is plumbed for heat. $1,200,000
Contemporary Killington home on 1.2 Acres in private wooded setting. Spacious. comfortable light-filled living room 2 sliding glass doors to deck, efficient VT Castings Intrepid wood stove (2 years old) on tile hearth, large dining area. kitchen with center island, oak cabinets, washer/dryer area. Pantry closet, half bath and coat closet also on main level. Lower level includes Master Bedroom and in-suite Bath, 2 Guest Bedrooms with Full bath in hall, Bonus room/Den with TV, Utility room with 4 zone Buderas propane furnace (2 years old). Garage space for one car plus storage for firewood and equipment. Furnished & Equipped including appliances & wood stove, REDUCED to $269,000
Wonderful, well maintained & Spacious 2 Bedroom, 2 Bath Telemark Village Townhouse, cathedral ceiling, floor to ceiling brick fireplace, deck, tiled entry mudroom, master bedroom walk-in closet master bath, whirlpool tub, sauna, loft area, skylights, finished walkout lower level, large family room, additional sleeping, wood burning stove. Close to both Killington & Pico ski areas. $239,000
Prestige Real Estate of Killington Exclusively Killington!
Condos
Featured Properties
SKI IN SKI OUT
Woods townhomes
Topridge: 3BR 4BA townhome $619K Sunrise: (3) remodeled 1BR units starting at $145K 2BR 2BA $159K 3BR 3BA on trail $265K Pico Village: 2BR 2BA + loft $189K 3BR 2BA $199K Pico Townhouse: 2BR/2BA reduced $119K
One 2‐bedroom and two 3‐bedroom spacious townhomes located at a premier destination spa in Killington. Full access to all spa amenities. Starting at $159.9K
KILLINGTON BASIN The Woods: 2BR 2.5BA townhome $159.9K (2) 3BR 3.5BA townhomes $199.9K & $215K
Trailview Drive: ½ acre lot w/septic design and great views ‐ $299K Truman’s Trek: (2) +/‐ 1 acre lots with great ski trail views $184K & $199K
Trail Creek connecting units Unique opportunity to purchase connecting 1BR and 2BR loft units at Trail Creek creating a 3BR 3BA condo within walking distance of the slopes. $398K
SKI HOME SHUTTLE OUT Trail Creek: 1BR 1BA $115K 1BR 1BA + loft $159K 2BR 2BA starting at $159.9K 2BR 2BA + loft $239K
Land
Topridge unit w/Bear Mt view Only Topridge townhouse currently available on the market. Direct ski access from lower level onto Sun Dog. Buy NOW and be in for the holidays. $619K
Great Eastern trailside: (3) ski in ski out 1/3rd acre lots w/septic design ‐ $399K each Mini Drive: (2) ski in ski out ½ acre lots w/septic design ‐ $349K each
Located at the Basin Sports complex, upstairs from The Lookout Tavern 2922 Killington Road 802-422-3923 www.prestigekillington.com/mtn
32 • The Mountain Times • Dec. 20-26, 2017
FUN for all. Sure, skiing and riding are our winter staples, but there are so many other ways to fill your winter days at The Beast. Check out the Killington Tubing Park, Snowshoe Tours, the Beast Mountain Coaster, Ski Biking, Scenic Gondola Rides, Snowcat-Drawn Sleigh Rides and Snowmobile Tours.
Learn more at killington.com/activities.