While many folks have appreciated the relatively mild winter so far, enthusiasts of outdoor winter recreation have been deprived of some of their favorite pastimes.
Category: This Week
Into the wilding: Trading lawns for meadows
I’m seeing changes here in Brandon. Someone has an entirely edible garden surrounding their house where a lawn once was. It’s beautiful.
Brandon Police Report: Cat on a coal tin roof
An argument between two intoxicated people on River Street on Jan. 23 began the week for Brandon Police.
The Deeper Dig: To go big, or go bigger, on child care
Despite Vermont parents’ overwhelming demand for spots in child care and preschools, the supply remains limited. Parents all over the state sit on waitlists for months or even years.
Castleton rallies behind Gilmore Home Center after devastating fire
A staple of the Castleton community, the Gilmore Home Center building supplies and hardware store burned down Jan. 15.
New numbers highlight Covid-19’s impact on inpatient mental health care and emergency departments
New numbers reported this week suggest that inpatient psychiatric care capacity in Vermont slowly started to rebound last year, but still remains significantly below pre-pandemic levels.
Brandon Town Manager resigns
After the public portion of its meeting on Monday evening, the Brandon selectboard went into executive session to discuss a “personnel matter.” By Tuesday morning, that matter was no longer a secret: Dave Atherton, Brandon’s town manager since 2015, had announced his intention to resign, effective February 21.
Brandon SB talks shade trees, class 4 roads, and solar funding
In its regular meeting on Monday, the Brandon selectboard addressed several issues, including the Tree Warden’s shade-tree preservation plan, the designation of Briggs Lane as a Class IV highway, and the Brandon Energy Committee’s request for ARPA funding for a community solar array.
New England Woodcraft takes woodworkers on a tour
To a certain kind of person—someone as fascinated with woodworking as kids are with candy—the machine shop at New England Woodcraft (NEW) must seem like Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory: a place of endless bustle and wonder.
Erastus Laird: Vermont Civil War soldier
Erastus Laird re-enlisted in the Union Army during the Civil War, after a 2-year stint and some time home.

