News

Preschool receives $6,200 grant from local option tax fund for kitchen project

WILMINGTON - Beaver Brook Children’s School became the latest recipient of a grant from the town’s local option tax fund, after selectboard members approved the school’s application for $6,200 .
The funding from the town will help finish a kitchen that will feed students and...

Robotic surgery improves health care access at SVMC

BENNINGTON - Southwestern Vermont Medical Center now houses a new daVinci 5 Robot, a robotic surgery machine that assists in performing surgery. Members of the medical center’s medical team say the machine will improve patient outcomes while keeping patients in the community for surgery they...

Bridge repair snarls traffic in village

WILMINGTON- An unscheduled repair to the bridge over the North Branch of the Deerfield River in Wilmington Village has snarled traffic in all directions and will do so until the work is done in mid-November or later, officials said.
Contractors for the Vermont Agency of Transportation have...

Twin Valley School Board considers Spanish class trip to Cuba, plans ahead for band performances

WILMINGTON- Twin Valley School Board members learned about a rare travel opportunity this spring for students in Emily Beeman’s Spanish classes at their regular meeting on Wednesday, October 15.
Beeman told board members the group is planning to travel to Cuba over April vacation, and...

IB pause is official at Dover School; board looks ahead to budget season

DOVER - At its meeting on Monday, October 20, the River Valleys Unified School District Board officially voted to pause the International Baccalaureate program at The Dover School while it vets the sustainability of the program long term. In addition, the board looked ahead toward budget season...

Mount Snow child care program closure delayed until June 2026

WEST DOVER- Mount Snow officials have reversed their recent decision to reduce their child care program starting in November. Instead, the reduction in the child care program won’t go into effect until June 19, 2026.
The initial proposal was intended to limit the child care program to...

Deerfield Valley Rescue ambulance.
Photo via Facebook

Deerfield Valley Rescue could be rescued by local fundraising efforts

DEERFIELD VALLEY- Dover resident Ilene Winters has stepped up to help raise money for the unexpected replacement of one of Deerfield Valley Rescue’s three ambulances with an event at Valley Craft Ales next week.
The “Party for Deerfield Valley Rescue,” is scheduled for Friday, November 7...

A bear-repelling sign at the Dover Transfer Station was one measure undertaken by landfill attendant Ken Hartman when bears showed interest in the transfer station’s compost shed this summer. Hartman is also moving compost into the main facility, away from bears’ noses, each night. Photo courtesy of TJ Sibilia.

Bear populations high; valley residents must continue to do their part securing garbage

DOVER - Despite high statewide bear populations, local officials say overall, human-bear incidents were less copious this summer than they have been in summers past. That’s not to say there wasn’t some trouble.
Chicken coops have proven to be a growing bear attractant in the valley this...

Dover Town Office

Dover Selectboard weighs project costs after loss of federal funding

DOVER- The Snow Lake Dam removal project may cost more than expected, selectboard members learned at their regular meeting Tuesday.
Windham Regional Commission planner Alyssa Sabetto, who has served as the town’s project manager for the dam removal effort, updated the board on the plan...

Amid federal shutdown, food and fuel assistance are top concerns for Vermonters

MONTPELIER - Numerous state officials and community partners sounded alarm bells about the impacts of the federal government shutdown at a hearing on Thursday of the Vermont Joint Fiscal Committee. Among many uncertainties, officials expressed emergent concerns about the availability of funds for...