This Week’s News
Brandon passes budget on first try
In a marked contrast to last year’s drawn-out budget woes, Brandon voters approved the proposed 2025-2026 budget on the first attempt by almost a 2-to-1 margin.
Ethier, Haylon, and Reniche-Smith prevail in Brandon race
After a particularly crowded race, with six candidates vying for three available seats, Ralph Ethier, Jeff Haylon and Cecil Reniche-Smith will join the Brandon Selectboard this month.
5th officer to leave Brandon PD since December
Another Brandon PD officer, Corporal Michael VonSchleusingen, has tendered his resignation, bringing to 5 the number of officers that have left Brandon PD since December.
Names lost in Vermont, Part 44: Poro, Shoro, Gallipo, and Sharrow
The first three surnames, all ending with “o,” represent modified spellings from their original Québec names. Remarkably, all three families hail with the throng of émigrés from St. Hyacinthe who settled in our area.
An evening of short plays comes to Otter Valley this weekend
This coming weekend, Otter Valley Union High School welcomes Walking Stick Theatre Company’s annual production of short plays (also known as “The One-Acts”).
Photos of the Week
Sports
Brandon’s Jim Leary finishes his 36th Burlington Marathon
When Jim Leary ran in the first-ever Vermont City Marathon in Burlington, Bernie Sanders had finished his fourth (and last) term as mayor.
Pittsford Rec honors Randy Adams and Joe Pomykala
A cold, gray day couldn’t keep the people of Pittsford from coming out on Saturday to honor two of the town’s most hardworking residents: Randy Adams and Joe Pomykala.
Meet young Vermont falconer, Kristen Lee
Suprisingly, I met Kristen Lee’s red-tailed hawk, Krueger, in the post office one day. He was there on a visit on Lee’s day off from her postal route.
OV wrestler Isaac Whitney earns title at big N.H. meet
Otter Valley Union High School wrestling made an outstanding showing at the 2025 Annual Minickiello Wrestling Tournament in Keene, N.H., on Saturday.
OV’s Lucas Politano signs deal to play Div I golf for Rutgers U.
The Politano family of Brandon extended its golf dynasty even further last Wednedsay when OV senior Lucas Politano signed a letter of intent to play golf for Division I Rutgers University in New Jersey.