News

Vermont Health Commissioner Dr. Mark Levine and Gov. Phil Scott File Photo

Governor calls for stronger steps to help slow down coronavirus spread

MONTPELIER- Gov.Scott, announcing a sharp increase in coronavirus cases Friday, said Vermont is in a new phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the days of “very low risk” are over.
“Going from an average of 25 per day last week, to 72 cases reported Wednesday, 109 reported Thursday, and 84...

Dover, Wardsboro to continue in-person classes

DOVER- The River Valleys Unified Union School District Board held its regularly scheduled meeting on Monday. Closure of the schools following the Thanksgiving break was discussed again, although no changes were made to the current schedule. This comes following the exposure of a Dover School...

In March 2018, the Vermont Department of Taxes shut down the Hermitage for failure to pay rooms, meals, alcohol, and sales taxes. The same month, Berkshire Bank filed for foreclosure on the Hermitage for failure to pay $17 million in loans, About a year later, a group of creditors forced the Hermitage into bankruptcy. The Hermitage real estate and other assets were sold at auction to the Hermitage Club Member Group in March 2020. Barnes' appeal of the bankruptcy court's sale order was dismissed last week.

Judge dismisses Barnes' bankruptcy sale appeals

By Mike Eldred
BURLINGTON- Vermont District Court Judge Christina Reiss has dismissed former Hermitage owner James Barnes’ appeals in the bankruptcy sale of Hermitage assets to the Hermitage Member Group.
In her decision, Reiss ultimately found that the court lacked jurisdiction...

Vermont Gov. Phil Scott

Travel quarantine required

Rising COVID rates prompt action MONTPELIER- Gov. Phil Scott announced he has suspended travel from outside the state without a quarantine Tuesday, in response to increasing COVID-19 infection rates in the Northeast.
Gov. Scott said the number of counties with a COVID-...

Crews working on the Barnstormer lift at the Hermitage Club on November 3. RC

Crews working on the Barnstormer lift at the Hermitage Club on November 3. RC

Club plans to get members safely on slopes

WILMINGTON- Haystack Mountain at the Hermitage Club has been shuttered for the past two winter seasons, following a bankruptcy filing and a fight for ownership between club members and previous owner James Barnes. That tug-of-war for ownership of the club was finally settled earlier this year...

Dover considers joining class action suit, signs on to shop local program

DOVER - At its virtual meeting on Tuesday, the Dover Selectboard heard from an attorney who hopes the town will join a class action lawsuit regarding polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in water. In addition, the board agreed to join the Wilmington Works Christmas shopping initiative, Eat Sleep...

Board talks about holding virtual Town Meeting, Australian ballot

DOVER - Citing insurmountable technical difficulties at its last meeting, the Dover Selectboard held its Tuesday meeting exclusively via Zoom, where it discussed how to hold hybrid meetings and what to do about Town Meeting amid a pandemic that is increasing in intensity.
The board’s last...

Screenshot of Mount Snow General Manager Tracy Bartels

Ski areas prep for pandemic winter

WILMINGTON - At a meeting of the bi-town economic development committee on Thursday, November 5, the committee received updates about upcoming winter operations at Mount Snow and the Hermitage Club. In addition, Wilmington Economic Development Consultant Gretchen Havreluk said attempts to contact...

Twin Valley financial consultant Michael Nadeau explains excess spending penalty and homestead tax calculations

School district trying to get a handle on budgets

WHITINGHAM- Members of Twin Valley’s financial sustainability committee met with financial consultant Michael Nadeau Tuesday evening.
The financial sustainability committee was created following a board retreat in mid-October with a goal of identifying and analyzing “options for getting...

Governor, officials show how virus spread from rink across the region

MONTPELIER- Gov. Scott’s Friday, November 6, briefing focused on a recent COVID-19 outbreak associated with a central Vermont hockey rink, which Gov. Scott said “shows how one event can turn one case into many.”
Commissioner of Financial Regulation Michael S. Pieciak gave an overview of...