News

Ice storm highlights GPS driving faults

Drivers stranded after being routed over Higley Hill road MARLBORO - It was close to 10 pm on Sunday, December 29, as an ice storm was mid-fury, when Victoria Osborne, owner of the Colonel Williams Inn, put out an urgent plea on a Facebook group dedicated to sharing road...

Voters will get first look at proposed new public safety facility

WILMINGTON- The Wilmington Public Safety Facilities Committee is inviting the public to attend an informational meeting to provide input on a proposed police/fire facility to be located on Beaver Street.
The meeting has been warned for 6 pm on Thursday, January 16, in the meeting room at...

New program offers $7,500 to relocate to Vermont

Group skeptical of local benefit
WILMINGTON — The bi-town economic development committee did not have a quorum for its regularly-scheduled meeting on Thursday, January 2. Despite the lack of a quorum, committee members and town officials who were present stayed for the...

Board on board with 2021 budget

WILMINGTON- Selectboard members approved a proposed 2021 budget for the Town Meeting warning at their regular meeting Tuesday evening.
The total expenditures are up by less than 1%, according to a budget summary, from $5,196,416 in 2020 to $5,234,341 projected in 2021, an increase of $37...

Board tables commercial reappraisal

By Lauren Harkawik
DOVER - At its meeting on Tuesday, the Dover Selectboard told town assessor Linda Sherman and assessor consultant Jeremiah Sund to table a commercial reappraisal that the pair recommended the town undergo. In other matters, police chief Randy Johnson said issues with...

Officials say the Retreat may have to close due to a financial shortfall.

Retreat closure would impact valley

BRATTLEBORO - On Sunday, Vermont Human Services Secretary Mike Smith released a statement that the Brattleboro Retreat’s board was considering the sale or closure of the facility after the state refused to honor a request from the Retreat for an additional $2 million. Sunday night, the entire...

A stalking horse bidder is reportedly ready to bid $3.6 million for the Barnstormer Lift. A group of Hermitage Club members are trying to raise money to place their own bid on the Barnstormer, the ski area, and the club's other assets in an auction likely to be held in February.

Members raising funds to buy Hermitage Club assets

WILMINGTON- Hermitage Club members have launched an effort to raise funding to purchase Hermitage assets in a bankruptcy auction that may be held as soon as next month.
The Hermitage Club Member Group, a Delaware-registered corporation, is seeking $50,000 each from a minimum of 175...

Study says rural schools challenged

MONTPELIER- A pupil weighting study released by the Vermont Agency of Education appears to confirm that rural Vermont schools face significant funding challenges.
The report, released on Christmas Eve, also identifies other cost factors common to districts across the state that are...

Voters brave storm to break up school union

HALIFAX- In a rare unanimous vote Monday evening, Halifax voters agreed to seek the town’s withdrawal from the Southern Valley Unified Union School District.
Although voter turnout may have been suppressed by snow and ice, 48 voters made it to the special Town Meeting to weigh in on the...

Taking a look back at the 2019 top 10 news stories in the valley

Hermitage lawsuits and bankruptcy
Vermont and Connecticut lawsuits against the Hermitage and Hermitage Club founder James Barnes dominated headlines in the first half of the year, along with Berkshire Bank’s ongoing foreclosure action. Vendors, lenders, investors,...