State in the northeastern United States
POPULARITY
Categories
This week, in Grafton, Vermont, a couple attempts to help an odd pair of hitchhikers pull their truck out of the mud, only to end up drinking, hanging out, and ending up brutally murdered. They are found in the strangest positions that dead bodies could be placed. Detectives want to track down these hitchikers, but the pair show up back at the murder scene, not expecting police to already be there, and start blaming each other! Somehow, it then gets even crazier! Along the way, we find out that fairy houses just mey be for kids, that when you're wearing a "Fat Albert" t shirt, people take notice, and that "I only killed them a little" is a terrible excuse for being part of a murder team!! New episodes, every Wednesday & Friday nights!! THE HALLOWEEN VIRTUAL LIVE SHOW!!! 10/30/2025 @ 9:00 PM Eastern Time Get your tickets on moment.co/smalltownmurder Tickets are $20. Video Playback will be available for 2 weeks after the live event. Donate at patreon.com/crimeinsports or at paypal.com and use our email: crimeinsports@gmail.com Go to shutupandgivememurder.com for all things Small Town Murder, Crime In Sports & Your Stupid Opinions! Follow us on... instagram.com/smalltownmurder facebook.com/smalltownpod Also, check out James & Jimmie's other shows, Crime In Sports & Your Stupid Opinions on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts!!
After years of development, lab-grown fish is taste-test ready for the public. Four restaurants in the US are serving up cultivated salmon made by the company Wildtype. Producer Kathleen Davis gives Host Flora Lichtman a rundown on how Wildtype tastes, initial public perception, and the upstream battle to take cultivated meat mainstream. Plus, SciFri heads to Burlington, Vermont, where scientists are cooking up the foods of the future—including the building blocks of cell-cultured meat. Flora digs in with foodie researchers Alexis Yamashita and Rachael Floreani about why innovation is critical to a sustainable food future.Guests: Adam Tortosa is a chef and the owner of Robin in San Francisco, California.Alexis Yamashita is a community organizer and PhD student in food systems at the University of Vermont. Dr. Rachael Floreani is a professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Vermont.Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at sciencefriday.com. Subscribe to this podcast. Plus, to stay updated on all things science, sign up for Science Friday's newsletters.
This week we review a recent survey study assessing the beliefs of fetal cardiologists and how these may influence the content and conduct of their counseling. Do most fetal cardiologists review all options including intervention, comfort care and pregnancy termination? Should there be a mandate that all do? Is it realistic or appropriate to ask a fetal cardiologist to suggest an option when they do not believe it to be a reasonable or correct choice? We speak with two of the authors of this work and they are Dr. Joanne Chiu of Harvard University and Dr. Caitlin Haxel of The University of Vermont. DOI: 10.1002/pd.6706
Why food benefits could expire for thousands of Vermonters if the federal government shutdown continues into next month. Plus, Vermont is still short of money needed to fund its Low Income Home Energy Assistance program, Gov. Scott introduces a short-term plan to address public safety concerns in Burlington, three northeastern projects receive grant money to advance indigenous forest research, and we preview the World Series between the Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers that begins tonight in our weekly sports report.
On a winter night in 1981, a teenager stepped out of his Essex Junction home and never returned. His disappearance unsettled the quiet Vermont town, leaving his family searching for answers that never came.Years later, a hunter in the woods made a discovery that would finally explain what happened to the missing teen, but not why. Whispers of a stolen check, shifting stories, and a courtroom battle followed, yet the truth is still tangled even to this day. This is the story of a teenager whose life ended far too soon, a family's years-long fight for justice, and a case that still raises questions about trust, betrayal, and the limits of the system meant to deliver answers.View source material and photos for this episode at: darkdowneast.com/craigcooleyjackmanDark Downeast is an Audiochuck and Kylie Media production hosted by Kylie Low.Follow @darkdowneast on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTokTo suggest a case visit darkdowneast.com/submit-case Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Dr. Manisha Juthani, Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Public Health, joins the show for the first time as ASTHO's president to discuss her plans for the new term; Dr. Karen Hacker, health policy fellow at Emory University's Rollins School of Public Health, co-authored an article for the Journal of Public Health Management & Practice with Dr. Susan Kansagra, Chief Medical Officer at ASTHO, Chrissie Juliano with Big Cities Health Coalition, and Lori Freeman with the National Association of County and City Health Officials, about the way forward for state and local public health; on October 27th at 2:00 p.m. ET, ASTHO and the Public Health Foundation (PHF) will host a webinar about academic health department partnerships in Vermont; and on Wednesday, November 12th, ASTHO and PHF will hold an interactive Q&A session for their final webinar in the academic health department partnership series. ASTHO Article: Manisha Juthani, MD, Commissioner of Connecticut Department of Public Health, Announced as Next ASTHO President JPHMP Article: Where Do We Go From Here? The Way Forward for State and Local Public Health ASTHO Webinar: Strengthening Academic Health Department Partnerships for Student Success in Vermont ASTHO Webinar: Ask Me Anything: Academic Health Department Partnerships
Named one of the Top 20 Guitarists of All Time by Rolling Stone, Richard Thompson is one of the world's most critically acclaimed and prolific songwriters. In addition to his beloved catalog and in addition to many other honors - Thompson has received Lifetime Achievement Awards for Songwriting on both sides of the Atlantic.He'll be in the WAMC region early next month, playing The Bardavon in Poughkeepsie, New York on November 7 and Stone Church in Brattleboro, Vermont on November 8.Will Hermes is a regular contributor to NPR, The New York Times, Rolling Stone, and Pitchfork. He's the author of “Love Goes to Buildings on Fire” and “Lou Reed: The King of New York.” His substack of music writing is at newmusicoldmusic.substack.com.Hermes spoke with Richard Thompson for WAMC.
From a small-town Vermont dairy farm to the stage of the Grand Ole Opry, Christian artist Ben Fuller has walked through fire—and come out transformed. In this powerful episode nine-time Emmy winner David Sams sits down with Ben to talk about addiction, redemption, and the relentless grace of God. Ben opens up about his past struggles with cocaine, alcohol, and shame, and how one encounter with Jesus completely changed the trajectory of his life. Now, through chart-topping songs like “Who I Am” and his latest album Walk Through Fire, Ben's message of hope and healing is reaching millions around the world. He candidly shares his struggles with sin, the healing of family relationships and the inside story of his rise in the music scene including his collaboration with Carrie Underwood on "If It Was Up to Me." If you or someone you love needs a reminder that God still changes lives, this is the conversation you can't miss!
Last Tuesday, Politico publishedscreenshots of text messages sent by members of Young Republicans, an organization for Republican party members between 18 and 40 years old, that featured offensive jokes and racist language. In the messages, various leaders of Young Republican chapters across the country joked about planting fake stories to smear rival GOP candidates, used racial epithets to refer to black people, and expressed admiration for Adolf Hitler. Those implicated in the texts reportedly represent chapters in New York, Kansas, Arizona, and Vermont.Tangle is coming live — this week!We're just a few days away from Tangle News: Live! at the Irvine Barclay Theatre on Friday, October 24 — and I couldn't be more excited. This show is shaping up to be one of our biggest events yet, and tickets are going fast. Today we have an exciting new announcement: We're giving away VIP tickets to the show! If you win, you'll meet me and our panelists after the show for a private reception, where you'll have a chance to ask your questions personally. You can enter the VIP Giveaway here!Ad-free podcasts are here!To listen to this podcast ad-free, and to enjoy our subscriber only premium content, go to ReadTangle.com to sign up!You can read today's podcast here, our “Under the Radar” story here and today's “Have a nice day” story here.You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Take the survey: Do you think any of those implicated in these scandals should hold governmental positions? Let us know.Disagree? That's okay. My opinion is just one of many. Write in and let us know why, and we'll consider publishing your feedback.Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall.This podcast was written by: Isaac Saul and edited and engineered by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75.Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Lindsey Knuth, Kendall White, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
A conversation with the chair of Vermont's Republican party about why he was against the pending resignation of a GOP state senator who participated in a racist text group chat. Plus, the new president of UVM says the school will increase its tuition rates next year, the Public Utility Commission opens a probe into financial difficulties at the Hyde Park Electric Department, the Vermont DMV plans to shut down for a few days next month for computer upgrades, and a Democrat from Orleans County says he'll run for the seat vacated by the state senator who recently said he'd resign from that office.
In this Rising Star episode from the NASCC meeting in Stowe, Vermont, Dr. Z and Dr. C spotlight Dr. Alyssa Schlenz, a psychologist transforming sickle cell care through early developmental screening and neuropsychological support. Dr. Schlenz shares her journey into the field, the critical role of prevention and early intervention, and the unique challenges faced by patients with neurodevelopmental disorders. She explains how routine, relationship-based screenings can identify issues early, reduce stigma, and improve long-term outcomes. This inspiring conversation highlights the power of psychology in comprehensive sickle cell care and the promising future being shaped by dedicated new leaders. SHOW DESCRIPTION Cheat Codes is intended for patients, caregivers, providers, and the greater community of people who are impacted by Sickle Cell Disease. Each episode, Cheat Codes strives to provide listeners with critical education, the latest scientific updates, and voices from the Sickle Cell community. Join an inclusive community and build connections with other hemolytic anemia allies by following @AllyVoicesRising on Instagram.
CreditsThanks to all the residents who talked with me, and the beautiful Arlene and Becky Wright, managers of the house.My friend Kelly Green produced this show with me. She's great at this PLUS she's a great defense attorney! If you're in trouble, call Kelly.Click here for more information on the Joslyn HouseThe song for this show is A Wave in the Air by The Imperfectionists, from their latest album, Universal Consent.And my frickin ALL TIME FAVORITE IMPERFECTIONIST SONG: Astroplane.
How the toxicity infecting our current national politics is also affecting local government and limiting access to Vermont's elected officials. Plus, the chair of Vermont's Republican party addresses the resignation of a GOP state senator who took part in a racist and antisemitic text group chat, two environmental non-profits accuse a Panton farm of violating the federal Clean Water Act, Dartmouth college says in order to retain its academic independence it is rejecting a compact with the Trump administration, and why on-line sports betting saw a surge in Vermont in September.
This week's Book Picks comes from Kelly Stazyk from Northshire Bookstore in Saratoga Springs, New York and Manchester Center, Vermont and Lily Bartels from The Open Door Bookstore in Schenectady, New York.
It's spooky season, and to start off our spooky and spooky-adjacent episodes, Kelly and John talk to scholar Darryl Caterine, author of 2011's Haunted Ground: Journeys through a Paranormal America which explores the meaning of our nation's fascination with paranormal phenomena through a series of thick descriptions and analyses of a Spiritualist camp in upstate New York, the Roswell UFO Festival in New Mexico, and an annual dowsing convention in Vermont. Caterine is a historian of religions whose research focuses on the intersections of religion, culture, and politics in the United States and parts of Latin America. His areas of academic interest include Latino/a religions, metaphysical/occult religions in America, and religion and popular culture. He also co-edited 2019's collection of scholarly essays The Paranormal and Popular Culture: A Postmodern Religious Landscape. Here they talk about the thin line between hoax and sincere belief, how mystical and spiritual practices function in the information age, and how geography, history, and culture shape how the paranormal appears in various pockets of America.
#WDRadio WEEK OF OCT 19, 2025 | In the late 1800s, a journalist uncovered the shocking secret of how medical schools obtained their teaching skeletons: hidden factories in London, Paris, and New York that processed unclaimed morgue bodies and exotic specimens from travelers into 10,000 anatomical skeletons per year, using acid baths, boiling tanks, and skilled anatomists who rarely assembled bones from the same person.==========HOUR ONE: Seeing a lifelike human skeleton in a doctor's office, especially in the past couple of centuries, was – and in many cases still is - commonplace. But where did one go to get such lifelike skeletons if you were a doctor in the 1800s? Why, a skeleton factory, of course! (The Skeleton Factory) *** The story of Kate Watson is a grim one – living as a prostitute in the Old West, and when that wasn't enough she took up cattle rustling. Her husband wasn't any better. So it's probably no surprise that she was strung up until dead. But maybe you should wait to pass judgement until you hear the whole story. (The Lynching of Cattle Kate) *** In March of 2004, teenager Brianna Maitland left work in the late evening hours and was never seen again. To this day it is still one of Vermont's most infamous mysteries. (The Vanishing of Brianna Maitland) *** Plus, “The Haunted Adirondack Mountains”==========HOUR TWO: It is considered by many, Britain's most well-known disappearing person case. Even now, over three decades later, people in the UK are still fascinated and intrigued by the unexplained vanishing of Suzy Lamplugh. (The Suzy Lamplugh Mystery) *** John List planned the murders of his own family so carefully, he almost got away with it. In fact, it took 18 years to catch him. (The Family Man Who Murdered His Family) *** We'll look at what it was like to be a woman in the 17th Century… and accused of witchcraft. (Witchly Accusations) *** If you drink whiskey, or even if you don't, you're likely familiar with “Jameson Irish Whiskey.” But did you know that cannibalism played a part in its history? (Whiskey and Cannibalism) *** A strange phenomenon takes place in Arkansas, and despite the numerous sightings and investigations, there is still no explanation for it. (Unexplained In Arkansas)==========SUDDEN DEATH OVERTIME: Parents always feel their child is special in some way – something that makes their child better in some way than other children. Parents of indigo children are no different, with some parents thinking their children have psychic abilities. Doctors say that these children have ADD or ADHD, but one parapsychologist says indigo children have something even more special – possibly even paranormal - inside them. (Supernatural Indigo Children) *** When you think of a mad scientist you most likely think of Victor Frankenstein – but it's rumored Mary Shelley took inspiration for the character from a real mad scientist by the name of Andrew Ure. (Andrew Ure: A Real Life Mad Scientist) *** The story of Kate Watson is a grim one – living as a prostitute in the Old West, and when that wasn't enough she took up cattle rustling. Her husband wasn't any better. So it's probably no surprise that she was strung up until dead. But maybe you should wait to pass judgement until you hear the whole story. (The Lynching of Cattle Kate)==========SOURCES AND REFERENCES FROM TONIGHT'S SHOW:"The Suzy Lamplugh Mystery” by Amelia Gentleman for The Guardian: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2v2z6tp6“The Family Man Who Murdered His Family” from The Line Up: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/392yt322“Witchly Accusations” by Jessica Nelson for the UK's National Archives: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/j7nnd3ax“Whiskey and Cannibalism” posted at The Scare Chamber: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/9rx24777“Supernatural Indigo Children” by Gina Dimuro for All That's Interesting: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/apk85b29“Unexplained in Arkansas” by Ellen Lloyd for Ancient Pages: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/27zaptdb“Haunted Adirondack Mountains” by Molly Briggs for Paranormality Magazine: http://weirddarkness.com/magazine“The Skeleton Factory” from Strange Ago: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2j8reje3“Andrew Ure: A Real Life Mad Scientist” posted at The Scare Chamber: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/3n5tfpeh“The Murder of Nurse Cindy” posted the The Trouble With Justice: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2kfah7mv“The Lynching of Cattle Kate” posted at Strange Company: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/utdy2sh6“The Vanishing of Brianna Maitland” by Orrin Grey for The Line Up: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/je9s98ru==========(Over time links seen above may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for material I use whenever possible. If I have overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it immediately. Some links may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)=========="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46==========WeirdDarkness®, WeirdDarkness© 2025==========To become a Weird Darkness Radio Show affiliate, contact Radio America at affiliates@radioamerica.com, or call 800-807-4703 (press 2 or dial ext 250).
Rev. Jim Harden is the President and CEO of CompassCare Pregnancy Services in New York. This is one of many centers targeted with criminal activity including firebombs, vandalism and threats. All over the world you hear the shouts, chants, protests, marches, and signs to "Stop the Genocide." They are referencing certain geographic regions around the world. But one location that has been totally absent from these protests is the womb. A genocide is indeed taking place against pre-born children. According to NumberOfAbortions.com, so far this year of 2025 more than 733,000 abortions have taken place. That is more than the population of Wyoming or Vermont or Washington DC! And that is just this year alone! Where is the outrage? Where are the marches? Where are the political speeches? Where are the shut-downs over this issue? Instead of "No Kings" protests there should be "No Killings" protests.
Peter Orner is the author of seven acclaimed books including Maggie Brown & Others, Love and Shame and Love, Esther Stories, finalist for the Pen/ Hemingway Award, and Am I Alone Here?, finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. His work has appeared in the New Yorker, the Paris Review, Best American Stories, and been awarded four Pushcart Prizes. A former Guggenheim fellow and recipient of the Rome Prize from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, Orner is chair of the English and Creative Writing Department at Dartmouth College. He lives with his family in Vermont, where he's also a volunteer firefighter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
How a housing developer in the Upper Valley has been able to get apartment housing projects started in a small town when it's notoriously difficult to do so. Plus, supplemental food benefits that help more than sixty thousand Vermonters are at risk if the federal government shutdown continues into next month, Vermont joins a multistate lawsuit fighting the Trump administration's cancellation of a program aimed at helping low-income people access solar power, state health officials say COVID vaccines for young kids should soon be available, and funding has been approved for a program to help low-income Vermont households connect to a high-speed fiber network.
Take 20% off an annual Storm subscription through 10/22/2025 to receive 100% of the newsletter's content. Thank you for your support of independent ski journalism.WhoPhill Gross, owner, and Mike Solimano, CEO of Killington and Pico, VermontRecorded onJuly 10, 2025About KillingtonClick here for a mountain stats overviewOwned by: Phill Gross and teamLocated in: Killington, VermontYear founded: 1958Pass affiliations: Ikon Pass: 5 or 7 combined days with PicoReciprocal partners: Pico access is included on all Killington passesClosest neighboring ski areas: Pico (:12), Saskadena Six (:39), Okemo (:40), Quechee (:44), Ascutney (:55), Storrs (:59), Harrington Hill (:59), Magic (1:00), Whaleback (1:02), Sugarbush (1:04), Bromley (1:04), Middlebury Snowbowl (1:08), Arrowhead (1:10), Mad River Glen (1:11)Base elevation: 1,165 feet at Skyeship BaseSummit elevation: 4,142 feet at top of K-1 gondola (hike-to summit of Killington Peak at 4,241 feet)Vertical drop: 2,977 feet lift-served, 3,076 hike-toSkiable Acres: 1,509Average annual snowfall: 250 inchesTrail count: 155 (43% advanced/expert, 40% intermediate, 17% beginner)Lift count: 20 (2 gondolas, 2 six-packs, 4 high-speed quads, 5 fixed-grip quads, 2 triples, 1 double, 1 platter, 3 carpets - view Lift Blog's inventory of Killington's lift fleet; Killington plans to replace the Snowdon triple with a fixed-grip quad for the 2026-27 ski season)History: from New England Ski HistoryAbout PicoClick here for a mountain stats overviewOwned by: Phill Gross and teamLocated in: Mendon, VermontYear founded: 1934Pass affiliations: Ikon Pass: 5 or 7 combined days with KillingtonReciprocal partners: Pico access is included on all Killington passes; four days Killington access included on Pico K.A. PassClosest neighboring ski areas: Killington (:12), Saskadena Six (:38), Okemo (:38), Quechee (:42), Ascutney (:53), Storrs (:57), Harrington Hill (:55), Magic (:58), Whaleback (1:00), Sugarbush (1:01), Bromley (1:00), Middlebury Snowbowl (1:01), Mad River Glen (1:07), Arrowhead (1:09)Base elevation: 2,000 feetSummit elevation: 3,967 feetVertical drop: 1,967 feetSkiable Acres: 468Average annual snowfall: 250 inchesTrail count: 58 (36% advanced/expert, 46% intermediate, 18% beginner)Lift count: 7 (2 high-speed quads, 2 triples, 1 doubles, 2 carpets - view Lift Blog's inventory of Pico's lift fleet)History: from New England Ski HistoryWhy I interviewed themThe longest-tenured non-government ski area operator in America, as far as I know, is the Seeholzer family, owner-operators of Beaver Mountain, Utah since 1939. Third-generation owner Travis Seeholzer came on the pod a few years back to trace the eight-decade arc from this dude flexing 10-foot-long kamikaze boards to the present:Just about every ski area in America was hacked out of the wilderness by Some Guy Who Looked Like That. Dave McCoy at Mammoth or Ernie Blake at Taos or Everett Kircher at Boyne Mountain, swarthy, willful fellows who flew airplanes and erected rudimentary chairlifts in impossible places and hammered together their own baselodges. Over decades they chiseled these mountains into their personal Rushmores, a life's work, a human soul knotted to nature in a built place that would endure for generations.It's possible that they all imagined their family name governing those generations. In the remarkable case of Boyne, they still do. But the Kirchers and the Seeholzers are ski-world exceptions. Successive generations are often uninterested in the chore of legacy building. Or they try and say wow this is expensive. Or bad weather leads to bad financial choices by our cigar-smoking, backhoe-driving, machete-wielding founder and his sons and daughters never get their chance. The ski area's deed shuffles into the portfolio of a Colorado Skico and McCoy fades a little each year and at some point Mammoth is just another ski area owned by Alterra Mountain Company.It's tempting to sentimentalize the past, to lament skiing's macro-transition from gritty network of founder-kingpin fifes to set of corporate brands, to conclude that “this generation” just doesn't have the tenacity of a Blake or a McCoy. But the America where a fellow could turn up with a dump truck and a chainsaw and flatten raw forest into a for-profit business with minimal protest is gone. Every part of the ski ecosystem is more regulated, complicated, and expensive than it's ever been. The appeal of running such a machine - and the skillset necessary to do so - is entirely different from that of sculpting your own personal snow Narnia from scratch. We will always have family-owned ski areas (we still have hundreds), and an occasional modern founder-disruptor like Mount Bohemia's Lonie Glieberman will materialize like a new X-man. But ski conglomerates have probably always been inevitable, and are probably largely the industry's future. They are best suited, in most cases, to manage, finance, and maintain the vast machinery of our largest ski centers (and also to create a ski landscape in which not all ski area operators are Some Guy Who Looked Like That).Killington demonstrates this arc from rambunctious founder to corporate vassal as well as any mountain in the country. Founded in 1958 by the wily and wild Pres Smith, the ski area's parent company, Sherburne Corp., bought Sunday River, Maine in 1973 and Mount Snow, Vermont in 1977. The two Vermont mountains became S-K-I in 1984, bought five more ski areas, and merged with four-resort LBO in 1996 to become the titanic American Skiing Company. Unfortunately ASC turned out to be skiing's Titanic, and one of the company's last acts before dissolution was to sell Killington and Pico to Utah-based Powdr in 2007.The Beast had been tamed, at least on paper. Corporate ownership of some sort felt as stapled to the mountain as Killington's 3,000 snowguns. And mostly, well, it didn't matter. Other than Powdr's disastrous attempts to shorten the resort's famously long seasons, Killington never lost its feisty edge. Over the decades the ski area modernized, masterplanned, and shed skier volume while increasing its viability as a business. Modern Killington wasn't the kingdom of a charismatic and ever-present founder, but it was a pretty good ski area.And then, suddenly, shockingly, Powdr sold both Killington and Pico last August. And they didn't sell the ski areas to Vail or Alterra or Boyne or to anyone who owned any ski areas at all. Instead, a group of local investors - led by Phill Gross and Michael Ferri, longtime Killington homeowners who ran a variety of non-ski-related businesses - bought the mountains. After 51 years as part of a multi-mountain ownership group, Killington (its relationship to neighboring Pico notwithstanding), was once again independent.It was all so improbable. Out-of-state operators had purchased five of Vermont's large ski areas in recent years: Colorado-based Vail Resorts bought Stowe in 2017, Okemo in 2018, and Mount Snow in 2019; Denver-based Alterra claimed Sugarbush in 2019; and Utah-based Pacific Group Resorts added Jay Peak to their small portfolio in 2022. Very few ski areas have ever entered the corporate matrix and re-emerged as independents. Grand Targhee, Wyoming; Waterville Valley, New Hampshire; and Mountain Creek, New Jersey (technically owned by multimountain operator Snow Partners) are exceptions spun off from larger companies. But mostly, once a larger entity absorbed a ski area, it stays locked in the multimountain universe forever.So what would this mean? For the largest and busiest mountain in the eastern United States to be independent? Did this, along with Powdr's intentions to sell Mount Bachelor (since rescinded), Eldora (sale in process), and Silver Star (no update), mark a reversal in the consolidation trend that had gathered 30 percent of America's ski areas under the umbrella of a multi-mountain operator? Did Killington's group of wealthy-but-not-Bezos-wealthy investors set an alternate blueprint for large-mountain ownership, especially when considered alongside the sale of Jackson Hole to a similar group the year before? Had the Ikon Pass – that harbinger of mass-market pass domination that had forced the we-better-join-them sales of Crystal Mountain, Washington and Sugarbush – inadvertently become a reliable revenue pipeline that made independence more viable? And would Killington, well-managed and constantly improving, backslide under cowboy owners who want to Q-Burke the place in their image?We're a year in now, and we have some clarity on these questions, along with two new chairlifts (Superstar this year, Snowdon next), 1,000 new snowguns, a revitalized Skyeship Gondola, and progressing plans on the East's first true ski village. Locals seem happy, management seems happy, the owners seem happy. Easy enough, Gross points out in our interview, when winter hits deep like the last one did. But can we keep the party going indefinitely? It was time for a check-in.What we talked aboutA strong first winter under independent ownership; what spring skiing off Canyon lift told us about the importance of Superstar; “it's an incredibly complex operation”; letting the smart people do their jobs; Killington's surprise spin-off from a multi-mountain operator; “our job is to keep the honeymoon going”; Superstar's six-pack upgrade; why six-packs are probably Killington's lift-upgrade future; why Pico is demolishing the Bonanza lift for a covered carpet; why Superstar won't have bubbles; where bubbles might make sense in a future lift; why ski areas can no longer run snowmaking under newly constructed chairlifts; why Superstar is a Doppelmayr machine after Killington installed a brand-new Leitner-Poma six at Snowdon in 2018; long- and short-term Superstar impacts to Killington's long season; long-term thoughts around early-season walkway access to North Ridge; Skyeship Gondola upgrades, including $5 million in new cabins; what 1,000 new snowguns means in practice; why Killington sold the Wobbly Barn; considering Killington as a business and investment; how Killington is a different financial beast from other Vermont ski areas; how close Killington was to going unlimited on Ikon Pass; Phill's journey to buying Killington; Devil's Fiddle and why sometimes things that don't make sense financially make sense anyway; “we want to own this for generations to come”; a village layout and timeline update – “we want to make sure that this is something that's additive to the ski experience” even if you don't own within it; “Great Gulf wants this [village] to be competitive for the western resorts”; “we don't want to change what Pico is”; how piping water over from Killington has reinvigorated and stabilized Pico; why Killington and Pico remained on Ikon Pass post-sale and probably will for the foreseeable future; is Ikon helping big ski areas stay independent?; Killington's steady rise in lift ticket prices; future lift upgrades and why the Snowdon Triple is next up for a replacement.What I got wrong* File “opinionation” under LOL I'm Dumb Talking Is Hard* I said that former Killington owner Powdr had “just sold” Eldora, but that's not accurate: in July, the town of Nederland, Colorado, announced their intent to purchase the ski area. The sales process is ongoing.Podcast NotesOn previous Killington podsOn Gross' purchase of Killington and PicoOn ANSI chairlift standardsWe get a bit in the weeds with a reference to “ANSI standards” for chairlifts. ANSI is the American National Standards Institute, a nonprofit organization that sets voluntary but widely adopted standards for everything from office furniture to electrical systems to safety signage in the United States. The ANSI standard for lifts, according to a blog post describing the code's 2022 update, is “developed by the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA), [and] establishes standard requirements for the design, manufacture, construction, operation, and maintenance of passenger ropeways.” On Killington's long seasonsKillington often opens in October (though it has not done so since 2018), and closes in June (three straight years before a deliberately truncated 2024-25 season to begin demolition of the Superstar chair). List of Killington open and close dates since 1987-88.On Win Smith and Killington and SugarbushOn Killington's villageThe East needs more of this:On Killington's peak lift ticket pricesPer New England Ski History:The Storm explores the world of lift-served skiing year round. Join us. Get full access to The Storm Skiing Journal and Podcast at www.stormskiing.com/subscribe
How advancements in emergency alert technology are helping more seniors live independently at home. Plus, an Orleans County Republican state senator makes his first public comments since calls for his resignation after it was revealed he was part of a group chat that included racist and anti-semitic comments, some environmental groups say Gov. Scott overstepped his authority when he issued an order to help speed up housing development, a state program encouraging Vermonters to save for retirement now offers its services in 18 different languages, the Vermont Treasury hires a top staffer from Congresswoman Becca Balint's team, and we consider the hot start the Montreal Canadiens have made to open the NHL season in our weekly sports report.
“There was this huge divide in, like, social grouping and connection … No one really talked to each other.”“Making friends at the high school wasn't really my priority because I felt like I had nothing in common with them at all.”“I think the closer we got to graduation, the more it kind of came out.” “Financial class absolutely affects everything beyond financial class in the classroom. Absolutely it does.”In this episode, a series of recent grads from Middlebury Union High School in Addison County wrestle with class differences among classmates — and how those differences shaped their experiences there.One of those grads is winning question-asker Ari Graham-Gurland from Middlebury, who asked the question at the heart of this story: “How does socioeconomic diversity affect classroom dynamics in high school?”Find the web version of this story here.This episode was reported by Sabine Poux, with editing and production from the rest of the BLS team: Burgess Brown, Camila Van Order González and Josh Crane. Our executive producer is Angela Evancie. Theme music by Ty Gibbons; Other music by Blue Dot Sessions.Special thanks to Stephanie Sherman and Ariell Slater.As always, our journalism is better when you're a part of it: Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for the BLS newsletter Say hi onInstagram and Reddit @bravestatevt Drop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.org Make a gift to support people-powered journalism Tell your friends about the show! Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network.
In this inspiring episode, we sit down with Melanie Gulde, the Vermont drug court officer who played a pivotal role in helping Phish frontman Trey Anastasio find sobriety back in 2006. Nearly two decades later, both Melanie and Trey are sober and have joined forces to create something extraordinary - The Divided Sky Foundation in Ludlow, Vermont.Together, they've built a recovery program that blends the 12 Steps, emotional sobriety, and Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (M.O.R.E.) into a truly holistic healing experience. Through immersive workshops, music-centered therapy, nature walks, and mindfulness practices, Divided Sky offers a unique space for transformation — one rooted in connection, creativity, and community.Melanie shares her personal journey to sobriety, to getting involved with Drug Court programs, and why she feels so passionate about helping women find treatment.Recently, the Divided Sky Foundation announced the launch of a Women's Scholarship Fund, created to address the unique barriers women face when seeking treatment for addiction. The Fund provides financial support so that women — regardless of income — can access a dignified and empowering path to recovery. With the assistance of women's rights attorney, Tamara Holder, Melanie and Trey continue to expand their mission of offering hope, healing, and opportunity to all who seek recovery.This episode is a testament to the power of second chances, the strength of community, and the beautiful harmony that can emerge when recovery meets purpose.Check out the website for Divided SkyDM me on InstagramMessage me on FacebookListen AD FREE & workout with me on Patreon Connect with me on TikTokEmail me chasingheroine@gmail.comSee you next week!
On today's episode, we talk with the chairman of the ERLC Presidential Search Committee, Mitch Kimbrell. He shares where the search committee process currently stands and how prayer has shaped and sustained the committee's work. He also shares the search committee's hope that the next leader will continue to advance the ERLC's mission by equipping Southern Baptist churches, pastors, and ministry leaders with resources that are both biblically faithful and culturally relevant. In addition to being an ERLC trustee, Mitch serves as the senior pastor at Christ Memorial Church in Williston, Vermont. Listen to more episodes of The ERLC Podcast at erlc.com/podcast.
We speak with a farmer in Hardwick whose water spring ran dry and is anticipating a difficult winter due to the state's ongoing drought conditions. Plus, an Orleans County Republican state senator faces pressure to resign after taking part in a group chat marked by racist and anti-semtic sentiment, Vermont Congresswoman Becca Balint says the federal government shutdown is likely to continue unless Republicans agree to extend set-to-expire health care subsidies, some state services are starting to be impacted by the shutdown, the Vermont International Film Festival includes a locally made documentary about a family dealing with early onset Alzheimer's, and a water use ban has been extended for an upstate New York town amid ongoing drought conditions.
For this week's Spooky Halloween Extravaganza VIP Haunted Spectacular ™ episode, the girls of True Crime New England head over to Burlington, Vermont to discuss one of their favorite topics: why the Catholic Church is the worst. Katie and Liz look into the entire history of St. Joseph's Orphanage, a children's home that was open from 1854 to 1974, and housed over 13,000 children in its 120 year lifespan. After the closure of the orphanage, residents began to come forward and tell the horrible experiences of abuse of all kinds that came from nuns and priests alike, attempting to file lawsuits and get justice for the horrifying things they endured. Tune in to hear horrific details of life at St. Joseph's Orphanage, and get some real perspective as to what these kids went through.
Send us a text! We love hearing from listeners. If you'd like a response, please include your email. On this episode of the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery Podcast, Jennie and Dianne are joined by Miles McCallum and Nick Brown, researchers and enthusiasts passionate about uncovering the stories behind Vermont's historic cast-iron grave markers.Miles, an M.A. in history student at the University of Vermont, and his colleague Nick, share their fascinating findings on two models of cast-iron grave markers that swept through Vermont (and beyond) in the 1840s and 1850s. From the manufacturers to the symbolism, they'll dive into the history and significance of these Ordinary Extraordinary markers. Tune in to hear about their discoveries, the stories behind these iron sentinels, and what they reveal about Vermont's burial practices and cultural heritage. Need an Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery Podcast tee, hoodie or mug? Find all our taphophile-fun much here: https://oecemetery.etsy.com
For Vermont Edition's new monthly series, Town by Town, we'll hone in on one of Vermont's 252 towns or cities and talk to residents, share local history and lore, and learn about what it's like to live there. At the end of the hour, a guest will help us randomly select our next town by spinning a big Wheel of Fortune style spinner.Today's show focused on Belvidere, in Lamoille County. At the time of the 2020 census, Belvidere had just over 350 residents. It was chartered in 1791 to an Irish lawyer from New York by the name of John Kelly. The theory is that he named Belvidere after a beautiful lake in Ireland. The word itself comes from the Italian for “beautiful view.”A trio of longtime Belvidereans gave us insights into the town and its history: Cathy Manders-Adams, Belvidere's town clerk, her husband Ken Adams, a select board member who has lived there his entire life, and Neal Brown, who grew up in Belvidere and is the organizer of the Belvidere Bluegrass Festival. Tyler Barber, one of the town's newest residents, is helping create a community hub out of the old schoolhouse.We also heard passages from the diary of the late Lena Eldred Rich, a Belvidere resident who recounted details from her life there in the early 20th century.Broadcast live on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.
#294 Event Strategy | First time podcast guest alert! I invited Allison and Anna from the Exit Five team on for a conversation post Drive 2025 - to talk about lessons learned and behind the scenes from our annual marketing conference in Vermont. Snag your tickets for next year now exitfive.com/driveTimestamps(00:00) - – Intro (02:08) - – Why events are making a comeback in B2B marketing (06:08) - – What Drive is and how it started (11:08) - – Why every event should start with the landing page (14:08) - – Lessons from year one and how feedback shaped Drive 2025 (19:08) - – Treating events like products, not projects (21:08) - – Building connection through “third spaces” and excursions (26:08) - – Why community is the real ROI of in-person events (32:43) - – The biggest Drive mishap (and what it taught us) (37:43) - – Post-event strategy: why the event isn't over when it ends (47:43) - – Favorite moments, lessons, and shoutouts from Drive 2025 Join 50,0000 people who get our Exit Five Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletterLearn more about Exit Five's private marketing community: https://www.exitfive.com/ ***Today's episode is brought to you by Knak.Email (in my humble opinion) is the still the greatest marketing channel of all-time.It's the only way you can truly “own” your audience.But when it comes to building the emails - if you've ever tried building an email in an enterprise marketing automation platform, you know how painful it can be. Templates are too rigid, editing code can break things and the whole process just takes forever. That's why we love Knak here at Exit Five. Knak a no-code email platform that makes it easy to create on-brand, high-performing emails - without the bottlenecks.Frustrated by clunky email builders? You need Knak.Tired of ‘hoping' the email you sent looks good across all devices? Just test in Knak first.Big team making it hard to collaborate and get approvals? Definitely Knak.And the best part? Everything takes a fraction of the time.See Knak in action at knak.com/exit-five. Or just let them know you heard about Knak on Exit Five.***Thanks to my friends at hatch.fm for producing this episode and handling all of the Exit Five podcast production.They give you unlimited podcast editing and strategy for your B2B podcast.Get unlimited podcast editing and on-demand strategy for one low monthly cost. Just upload your episode, and they take care of the rest.Visit hatch.fm to learn more
Briony Morrow-Cribbs currently lives & works in the hills of rural Vermont as a printmaker, illustrator, graphic designer and maker of little things. We discussed her creative family, and work, specifically copper plate etching. This includes nature-inspired prints, book covers and illustrations.Check out her work on Instagram and her web site.
Most people think real estate means fixing toilets, chasing tenants, or giving up your weekends.But what if you could earn cash flow, appreciation, and tax benefits… without ever becoming a landlord? In this episode, we sit down with Shawn Winslow of Greenbriar Capital to break down how busy professionals and high earners can build wealth passively by investing in large multifamily deals as Limited Partners. Shawn manages tens of millions in assets and shares how syndications work, why he targets high-demand markets in New England, and how he helps everyday investors earn 18–20% IRRs without doing any of the dirty work. Together we walk through two deals that we recently executed as a team detailing how we boosted rents using Section 8 in New Hampshire and how we're attracting high-paying travel nurses in Vermont. You'll hear our exact strategy behind forcing appreciation and protecting investor capital. If you have capital but no time, this is the blueprint. No tenants. No headaches. Just passive income and equity upside. Additionally, if you'd like to join our investor list to stay up to date on upcoming projects, please fill out the form below. https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/form/9uNTUCcH8zv1IZRZN9UI RESOURCES
Fans of the long-running animated comedy Archer already know Amber Nash as Pam Poovey, the former H.R. director at ISIS. She has superhuman strength and a dolphin hand puppet. Pam does, not Amber. Amber has human strength and we don't know about the puppets. Amber is the host of the brand new Rephrasing: An Archer Rewatch Podcast here on Maximum Fun. She's also a devotee of the Vermont Country Store Catalog, a compendium of folksy and sometimes odd items that shows up as a kind of print portal to a rustic and slow-paced Vermont that exists only in the mail-order-verse. Tour around this soothing place with Amber, help her shop for one-of-a-kind gift ideas for the eccentric and rustic folks on your holiday list, and hear all about store founder Vrest Orton. He was pals with H.P. Lovecraft and his name was really Vrest. You'll fall asleep in the Vermont portal but wake up safe and rested in your own bed.Hey Sleepy Heads, is there anyone whose voice you'd like to drift off to, or do you have suggestions on things we could do to aid your slumber?Email us at: sleepwithcelebs@maximumfun.org.Follow the Show on:Instagram @sleepwcelebsBluesky @sleepwithcelebsTikTok @SleepWithCelebsJohn is on Bluesky @JohnMoeJohn's acclaimed, best-selling memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback.
We visit a beloved gift shop at the Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center that's just marked its 60th year. Plus, drought conditions persist despite a rain storm earlier this week, book banning remains rare in Vermont's public schools while increasing in other states, Quebec officials ramp up enforcement of the province's French language laws, and prolific Vermont author and former UVM professor David Huddle has died.
In this episode my guest is Vermont broker-owner Blair Knowles about how AI is reshaping daily real estate work. From using Whisper Flow dictation for faster communication to Google's Nano Banana for twilight photos and virtual staging, Blair shares practical tools that save time and money. The discussion also covers custom GPTs for CMA prep, optimizing bios to rank in ChatGPT searches, and why now is the moment for agents and brokerages to adopt AI. Resources Mentioned Whisper Flow Bio Visibility Optimizer GPT - https://chatgpt.com/g/g-687e4fde4ac48191aa71be5a671951b5-agent-bio-visibility-optimizer AI 2027 article - https://ai-2027.com Bigger Pockets podcast RAIN: Real Estate's AI Network | Free Facebook Group AEO/GEO - How to Show Up on ChatGPT | Free Guide Books/Influences Rich Dad Poor Dad – Robert Kiyosaki How to Win Friends and Influence People – Dale Carnegie The Defining Decade – Meg Jay Guest: Blair Knowles About Blair - https://www.yourvermonthomesearch.com/agents/blair/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ridgelinerealestateco Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blairknowles/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ridgelinerealestate/ Host: Rajeev Sajja Rajeev Sajja on Facebook Rajeev Sajja on Instagram Rajeev Sajja on LinkedIn Rajeev Sajja on YouTube Resources: Real Estate AI Flash Podcast Site AI Playbook Join the Instagram Real Estate AI Insiders Channel Join the Real Estate AI Academy waitlist Subscribe to the Real Estate AI Flash Newsletter
Hear Savanna, 16, in Washington and Waslat, 21, in Vermont share how a particular organization has had a positive impact on each of their lives. Savanna recounts what has become a summer tradition with making swim team memories at her family's country club, and Waslat describes her past work as a behavior technician supporting young kids with autism. Each episode in this season features teens and twentysomethings from the 2025 Springtide Ambassadors Program reflecting on their experiences and ideas surrounding organizational involvement. Throughout six episodes, hear 12 different young people from across the US in conversation with one another and with Marte Aboagye, the Head of Engagement at Springtide Research Institute. You can find the latest Springtide research and resources, covering young people ages 13 to 25, at springtideresearch.org
In this episode of Poducer, we sit down with Dr. Shannon Switzer, Doctor of Audiology at Sensaphonics, the Chicago based clinic trusted by touring artists around the world. Specializing in music industry hearing health, Dr. Switzer bridges the gap between science and sound, helping musicians protect the very tool that defines their craft. From growing up in Vermont to studying audiology at Northwestern and joining Sensaphonics, she shares how her background in music led her to a career focused on preserving it. We dive into how hearing actually works, why the modern world has become dangerously loud, and how overexposure to sound quietly reshapes your ability to create and enjoy music. Dr. Switzer breaks down everything from the physics of hearing and tinnitus to custom in ear protection, high fidelity earplugs, and the misconceptions that make musicians ignore hearing care until it's too late. She also explains why properly fitted, filtered earplugs can improve how music sounds and how Sensaphonics helped pioneer custom in ear monitors for some of the biggest names in the industry. From the science of the cochlea to the culture of live shows in Chicago, this episode bridges the worlds of music and medicine, showing why protecting your ears isn't just about safety; it's about preserving your art.
What starts as a birthday trip in Allegheny National Forest becomes a terrifying encounter with two vocalizing Sasquatches—but that's just the beginning. In this gripping episode of Bigfoot Society, you'll hear from multiple eyewitnesses across the U.S. who came face-to-face with the unexplained. A professor's family outing turns into a 15-minute standoff with two unseen beasts in the forests of Pennsylvania. In Ohio's Salt Fork, strange wood knocks and distant howls suggest something hiding in plain sight. In Pocahontas County, West Virginia, a late-night howl overpowers the radio inside a fog-blanketed car. A hiker in Cuyahoga Valley hears a perfect mimicry of his sneeze from deep in the woods. In Vermont, a truck is slammed so hard it moves—after a night of trees falling in sequence. A New Hampshire man sees a 13-foot Sasquatch across a field. From Indiana's shadowy Hoosier forest to mysterious sightings along the Ohio River, every voice adds to the chorus of what might be out there.Whether you're new to the world of Bigfoot or a seasoned believer, this episode takes you deep into the woods—and deeper into the unknown.
Nearly 13,000 Vermonters aged 65 and older had Alzheimer's disease as of 2020 — 10% of the state's over-65 population. Around each of those people orbits nurses, doctors, home health aides and family members who devote their lives to care. The documentary "Walk With Me" by filmmaker and casting director Heidi Levitt tells the story of her husband Charlie Hess's early-onset Alzheimer's. The film screened earlier this year at the Middlebury International Film Festival, and it will screen again this Saturday at the Vermont International Film Festival in Burlington. Levitt and Hess split their time between Stowe and southern California.While Alzheimer's is a degenerative disease with no cure, there is a lot of positive news right now in terms of research, medications and health guidance that can slow cognitive loss, and supports for caregivers. We discussed these bright spots with Rhonda Williams, the public health program director for the Vermont Department of Health and the director of the Alzheimer's and Healthy Aging program, and Meg Polyte, policy director for the Vermont chapter of the Alzheimer's Association.The Alzheimer's Association 24/7 Helpline is a free service of support for people living with dementia, caregivers, families and the public. Connect with a live person who can provide information, local resources, crisis assistance and emotional support at 800.272.3900.
#293 Email Marketing | I'm trying to make my way from Vermont to New York and back with a mini episode talking about email (is email dead?), direct mail, the Dream 100, and a smart lesson from a non-B2B marketer. Join 50,0000 people who get our Exit Five Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletterLearn more about Exit Five's private marketing community: https://www.exitfive.com/ ***Today's episode is brought to you by Knak.Email (in my humble opinion) is the still the greatest marketing channel of all-time.It's the only way you can truly “own” your audience.But when it comes to building the emails - if you've ever tried building an email in an enterprise marketing automation platform, you know how painful it can be. Templates are too rigid, editing code can break things and the whole process just takes forever. That's why we love Knak here at Exit Five. Knak a no-code email platform that makes it easy to create on-brand, high-performing emails - without the bottlenecks.Frustrated by clunky email builders? You need Knak.Tired of ‘hoping' the email you sent looks good across all devices? Just test in Knak first.Big team making it hard to collaborate and get approvals? Definitely Knak.And the best part? Everything takes a fraction of the time.See Knak in action at knak.com/exit-five. Or just let them know you heard about Knak on Exit Five.***Thanks to my friends at hatch.fm for producing this episode and handling all of the Exit Five podcast production.They give you unlimited podcast editing and strategy for your B2B podcast.Get unlimited podcast editing and on-demand strategy for one low monthly cost. Just upload your episode, and they take care of the rest.Visit hatch.fm to learn more
Oral Arguments for the Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit
Vermont Information Processing, Inc. v. NLRB
The world's attention is focused on the Middle East this week as a fragile ceasefire takes hold in Israel's two-year long war in Gaza. Split-screen images show joyous reunions as Palestinians and Israelis who had been held captive greet their families, alongside scenes of shocking devastation in the Gaza Strip.For Mohsen Mahdawi, this story is personal. In April, Mahdawi sat in a Vermont jail cell for more than two weeks fighting for his freedom. Mahdawi is a Palestinian-born student at Columbia University who was arrested by immigration agents at what he was told would be a citizenship interview in St. Albans. Mahdawi, 35, grew up in a refugee camp in the Israeli-occupied West Bank but is now a legal permanent resident living in Vermont. He is a practicing Buddhist, was president of the Columbia University Buddhist Association and co-founded Columbia's Palestinian Student Union.The Trump administration is trying to deport Mahdawi, claiming that his pro-Palestinian campus activism poses a threat to national security. Vermont federal Judge Geoffrey Crawford ordered Madahwi's release on bail on April 30, comparing his arrest to the unlawful repression of free speech under McCarthyism. But the Trump administration appealed, arguing that Crawford did not have the right to intervene in Mahdawi's detention. Madahwi vs. Trump was argued before the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in New York on Sept. 30. Madahwi has a separate deportation case in immigration court that is ongoing.“It's not my case that is on trial,” Mahdawi said. “It is the constitution that is on trial. One of the most important and significant principles of democracy is the ability of expression and free speech. That's the first amendment right in this country, and what we've seen through targeting me and other students and other even journalists is a direct violation of this principle that every American is so proud of and they hold very dearly.”This legal drama has not slowed or silenced Madahwi. While out on bail this spring, Mahdawi graduated from Columbia University, receiving a standing ovation from his classmates as he walked across the stage to receive his diploma. This fall, he began a master's degree at Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs.“I felt validated, that my efforts and the risk that I have taken is being honored and respected,” he said of the support from his Columbia classmates. “I felt that I'm not alone, and I felt a strong level of solidarity and that the community here made it very clear to the government and to those who have been targeting me that they are standing on the right side of history.”Mahdawi was just named a 2025 Beerman Foundation Fellow for Peace and Justice for his work that “bridges faith, activism, and dialogue to advance nonviolence and dignity for all.”Mahdawi is guardedly optimistic about the new Israeli-Palestinian peace plan. “While there is a sense of relief and ability to say 'I'm glad this is happening', there is also still suspicion about how long this would last,” he said.“I pray that the war is over, but at the same time, I see that Israel now is saying that they have a historic right to the West Bank, which would prevent the creation of a Palestinian state, something that the majority of the world, more than 80% of the international community, the states, have recognized Palestine as a sovereign state, except America, and America has vetoed it,” Mahdawi said. “So I don't say the war is over before giving Palestinians their rights, the right to self-determination, the right to freedom, the right of return and the right to live in dignity.”The Vermont Conversation also spoke with Bernard Avishai, a visiting professor of government at Dartmouth College, and the author of four books including “The Tragedy of Zionism.” He writes regularly about Israeli politics for the New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, Politico and other publications. He lives half the year in Israel.“I do feel much more sense of hopefulness that both sides have learned what losses are entailed by this kind of war, and that it might be time to turn the page,” Avishai said. Avishai is a strong critic of Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who he believes “is slowly converting (the) country from an open society to a closed and authoritarian one.”“The real divide in Israel is between supporters of Greater Israel," the nationalist movement intent on taking over Palestinian lands — “and supporters of global Israel," or those who want to integrate Israel into the global economy.Avishai believes that the Netanyahu government must go. “A change of government, a change of face to Israel, will at least begin the process of having Israel kind of rebuild relations with the Western world, but it's a fundamentally dangerous economic situation for Israel to be on the one hand trying to build a global technological center, a hub in the global economy, and at the same time be alienating all the people they have to work with.”Avishai said that Israeli media largely showed images of Israeli losses over the past two years, not Palestinian suffering. “It became tremendously numbing, and we have not, with all that numbing and self absorption and grief, really been able to focus on the cruelty and the difficulties we created in Gaza,” he said. “And I would like to believe that over the next five, six years, we will.”
How a grassroots organization in New England is encouraging parents to get a traditional landline telephone for young children instead of a cell phone. Plus, the school board in Danville reluctantly agrees to hold a special election on whether to close the town high school, a new policy prioritizing daycare for employees of Mount Snow in Dover has some parents who don't work at the resort scrambling for alternatives, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor will speak at UVM later this month, and Rutland's mayor celebrates the passage of a new multimillion dollar infrastructure bond.
For over a decade, Israel Keyes moved silently across America, flying into random cities, renting cars with cash, and driving thousands of miles just to kill. He buried “kill kits” years in advance packed with guns, rope, zip ties, and Drano, waiting for the perfect moment to dig them up. By the time he was caught in 2012, Keyes had murdered a young barista in Alaska, abducted and killed a couple in Vermont, robbed banks to fund his crimes, and hinted at at least eleven victims scattered across the country. He was meticulous, patient, and terrifyingly ordinary, an unassuming father and contractor who built his life around murder and believed no one would ever catch him. Listen to our other podcast "FEARFUL" on your podcasting app of choice. https://open.spotify.com/show/56ajNkLiPoIat1V2KI9n5c?si=OyM38rdsSSyyzKAFUJpSyw MERCH:https://www.redbubble.com/people/wickedandgrim/shop?asc=u Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/wickedandgrim?fan_landing=true Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@wickedlife Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wickedandgrim/ Instagram: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wickedandgrim/?hl=en Twitter: https://twitter.com/wickedandgrim Website: https://www.wickedandgrim.com/ Wicked and Grim is an independent podcast produced by Media Forge Studios, and releases a new episode here every Tuesday and Friday. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Censorship, imagination and healing with Vermont's literary community
#291 In-Person Events | I decided to break the pattern with a solo podcast, just me and my phone, walking around the woods at my home in Vermont on a damp October morning before heading to NYC for the Exit Five meetup. I talk about my goals for the week, our plans, why we're hosting a dinner, the value of meeting in-person, remote vs. in office work, and other ramblings.*If you listened to this: DM me on LinkedIn or email dave@exitifve.com - tell me what you want me to cover on this podcast as it relates to marketing, business, or life. Join 50,0000 people who get our Exit Five Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletterLearn more about Exit Five's private marketing community: https://www.exitfive.com/ ***Today's episode is brought to you by Knak.Email (in my humble opinion) is the still the greatest marketing channel of all-time.It's the only way you can truly “own” your audience.But when it comes to building the emails - if you've ever tried building an email in an enterprise marketing automation platform, you know how painful it can be. Templates are too rigid, editing code can break things and the whole process just takes forever. That's why we love Knak here at Exit Five. Knak a no-code email platform that makes it easy to create on-brand, high-performing emails - without the bottlenecks.Frustrated by clunky email builders? You need Knak.Tired of ‘hoping' the email you sent looks good across all devices? Just test in Knak first.Big team making it hard to collaborate and get approvals? Definitely Knak.And the best part? Everything takes a fraction of the time.See Knak in action at knak.com/exit-five. Or just let them know you heard about Knak on Exit Five.***Thanks to my friends at hatch.fm for producing this episode and handling all of the Exit Five podcast production.They give you unlimited podcast editing and strategy for your B2B podcast.Get unlimited podcast editing and on-demand strategy for one low monthly cost. Just upload your episode, and they take care of the rest.Visit hatch.fm to learn more
Welcome to New England Legends From the Vault – FtV Episode 136 – Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger take a drive up Lakeside Avenue in Burlington, Vermont, searching for a train bridge built by a ghost. In June of 1900, Mary Blair was killed crossing the train tracks in front of the Queen City Cotton Mill. The event triggered a haunting that made the newspapers, with reports coming from inside the mill late at night, and out on the tracks where the accident occurred. This episode first aired June 3, 2021 Listen ad-free plus get early access and bonus episodes at: https://www.patreon.com/NewEnglandLegends
Todays episode we have 3 ghostly tales. The first story, a family moves into a haunted colonial in Vermont and flees within 3 weeks! After that, a mimic encounter during a girls night out and lastly, a mysterious encounter with a 'Woman in White' during a horrible accident... Get 35% off your entire order at LolaBlankets.com with code AFTERDARK at checkout! Join the Membership on Youtube! Click HERE Business Inquires | averyannross@gmail.com Want this episode EARLY & AD FREE? Join the PATREON Make sure you are following along for all the latest! INSTAGRAM FACEBOOK TIKTOK
WhoAlan Henceroth, President and Chief Operating Officer of Arapahoe Basin, Colorado – Al runs the best ski area-specific executive blog in America – check it out:Recorded onMay 19, 2025About Arapahoe BasinClick here for a mountain stats overviewOwned by: Alterra Mountain Company, which also owns:Pass access* Ikon Pass: unlimited* Ikon Base Pass: unlimited access from opening day to Friday, Dec. 19, then five total days with no blackouts from Dec. 20 until closing day 2026Base elevation* 10,520 feet at bottom of Steep Gullies* 10,780 feet at main baseSummit elevation* 13,204 feet at top of Lenawee Mountain on East Wall* 12,478 feet at top of Lazy J Tow (connector between Lenawee Express six-pack and Zuma quad)Vertical drop* 1,695 feet lift-served – top of Lazy J Tow to main base* 1,955 feet lift-served, with hike back up to lifts – top of Lazy J Tow to bottom of Steep Gullies* 2,424 feet hike-to – top of Lenawee Mountain to Main BaseSkiable Acres: 1,428Average annual snowfall:* Claimed: 350 inches* Bestsnow.net: 308 inchesTrail count: 147 – approximate terrain breakdown: 24% double-black, 49% black, 20% intermediate, 7% beginnerLift count: 9 (1 six-pack, 1 high-speed quad, 3 fixed-grip quads, 1 double, 2 carpets, 1 ropetow)Why I interviewed himWe can generally splice U.S. ski centers into two categories: ski resort and ski area. I'll often use these terms interchangeably to avoid repetition, but they describe two very different things. The main distinction: ski areas rise directly from parking lots edged by a handful of bunched utilitarian structures, while ski resorts push parking lots into the next zipcode to accommodate slopeside lodging and commerce.There are a lot more ski areas than ski resorts, and a handful of the latter present like the former, with accommodations slightly off-hill (Sun Valley) or anchored in a near-enough town (Bachelor). But mostly the distinction is clear, with the defining question being this: is this a mountain that people will travel around the world to ski, or one they won't travel more than an hour to ski?Arapahoe Basin occupies a strange middle. Nothing in the mountain's statistical profile suggests that it should be anything other than a Summit County locals hang. It is the 16th-largest ski area in Colorado by skiable acres, the 18th-tallest by lift-served vertical drop, and the eighth-snowiest by average annual snowfall. The mountain runs just six chairlifts and only two detachables. Beginner terrain is limited. A-Basin has no base area lodging, and in fact not much of a base area at all. Altitude, already an issue for the Colorado ski tourist, is amplified here, where the lifts spin from nearly 11,000 feet. A-Basin should, like Bridger Bowl in Montana (upstream from Big Sky) or Red River in New Mexico (across the mountain from Taos) or Sunlight in Colorado (parked between Aspen and I-70), be mostly unknown beside its heralded big-name neighbors (Keystone, Breck, Copper).And it sort of is, but also sort of isn't. Like tiny (826-acre) Aspen Mountain, A-Basin transcends its statistical profile. Skiers know it, seek it, travel for it, cross it off their lists like a snowy Eiffel Tower. Unlike Aspen, A-Basin has no posse of support mountains, no grided downtown spilling off the lifts, no Kleenex-level brand that stands in for skiing among non-skiers. And yet Vail tried buying the bump in 1997, and Alterra finally did in 2024. Meanwhile, nearby Loveland, bigger, taller, snowier, higher, easier to access with its trip-off-the-interstate parking lots, is still ignored by tourists and conglomerates alike.Weird. What explains A-Basin's pull? Onetime and future Storm guest Jackson Hogen offers, in his Snowbird Secrets book, an anthropomorphic explanation for that Utah powder dump's aura: As it turns out, everyone has a story for how they came to discover Snowbird, but no one knows the reason. Some have the vanity to think they picked the place, but the wisest know the place picked them.That is the secret that Snowbird has slipped into our subconscious; deep down, we know we were summoned here. We just have to be reminded of it to remember, an echo of the Platonic notion that all knowledge is remembrance. In the modern world we are so divorced from our natural selves that you would think we'd have lost the power to hear a mountain call us. And indeed we have, but such is the enormous reach of this place that it can still stir the last seed within us that connects us to the energy that surrounds us every day yet we do not see. The resonance of that tiny, vibrating seed is what brings us here, to this extraordinary place, to stand in the heart of the energy flow.Yeah I don't know, Man. We're drifting into horoscope territory here. But I also can't explain why we all like to do This Dumb Thing so much that we'll wrap our whole lives around it. So if there is some universe force, what Hogen calls “vibrations” from Hidden Peak's quartz, drawing skiers to Snowbird, could there also be some proton-kryptonite-laserbeam s**t sucking us all toward A-Basin? If there's a better explanation, I haven't found it.What we talked aboutThe Beach; keeping A-Basin's whole ski footprint open into May; Alterra buys the bump – “we really liked the way Alterra was doing things… and letting the resorts retain their identity”; the legacy of former owner Dream; how hardcore, no-frills ski area A-Basin fits into an Alterra portfolio that includes high-end resorts such as Deer Valley and Steamboat; “you'd be surprised how many people from out of state ski here too”; Ikon as Colorado sampler pack (or not); local reaction to Alterra's purchase – “I think it's fair that there was anxiety”; balancing the wild ski cycle of over-the-top peak days and soft periods; parking reservations; going unlimited on the full Ikon Pass and how parking reservations play in – “we spent a ridiculous amount of time talking about it”; the huge price difference between Epic and Ikon and how that factors into the access calculus; why A-Basin still sells a single-mountain season pass; whether reciprocal partnerships with Monarch and Silverton will remain in place; “I've been amazed at how few things I've been told to do” by Alterra; A-Basin's dirt-cheap early-season pass; why early season is “a more competitive time” than it used to be; why A-Basin left Mountain Collective; Justice Department anti-trust concerns around Alterra's A-Basin purchase – “it never was clear to me what the concerns were”; breaking down A-Basin's latest U.S. Forest Service masterplan – “everything in there, we hope to do”; a parking lot pulse gondola and why that makes sense over shuttles; why A-Basin plans a two-lift system of beginner machines; why should A-Basin care about beginner terrain?; is beginner development is related to Ikon Pass membership?; what it means that the MDP designs for 700 more skiers per day; assessing the Lenawee Express sixer three seasons in; why A-Basin sold the old Lenawee lift to independent Sunlight, Colorado; A-Basin's patrol unionizing; and 100 percent renewable energy.What I got wrong* I said that A-Basin was the only mountain that had been caught up in antitrust issues, but that's inaccurate: when S-K-I and LBO Enterprises merged into American Skiing Company in 1996, the U.S. Justice Department compelled the combined company to sell Cranmore and Waterville Valley, both in New Hampshire. Waterville Valley remains independent. Cranmore stayed independent for a while, and has since 2010 been owned by Fairbank Group, which also owns Jiminy Peak in Massachusetts and operates Bromley, Vermont.* I said that A-Basin's $259 early-season pass, good for unlimited access from opening day through Dec. 25, “was like one day at Vail,” which is sort of true and sort of not. Vail Mountain's day-of lift ticket will hit $230 from Nov. 14 to Dec. 11, then increase to $307 or $335 every day through Christmas. All Resorts Epic Day passes, which would get skiers on the hill for any of those dates, currently sell for between $106 and $128 per day. Unlimited access to Vail Mountain for that full early-season period would require a full Epic Pass, currently priced at $1,121.* This doesn't contradict anything we discussed, but it's worth noting some parking reservations changes that A-Basin implemented following our conversation. Reservations will now be required on weekends only, and from Jan. 3 to May 3, a reduction from 48 dates last winter to 36 for this season. The mountain will also allow skiers to hold four reservations at once, doubling last year's limit of two.Why now was a good time for this interviewOne of the most striking attributes of modern lift-served skiing is how radically different each ski area is. Panic over corporate hegemony power-stamping each child mountain into snowy McDonald's clones rarely survives past the parking lot. Underscoring the point is neighboring ski areas, all over America, that despite the mutually intelligible languages of trail ratings and patrol uniforms and lift and snowgun furniture, and despite sharing weather patterns and geologic origins and local skier pools, feel whole-cut from different eras, cultures, and imaginations. The gates between Alta and Snowbird present like connector doors between adjoining hotel rooms but actualize as cross-dimensional Mario warpzones. The 2.4-mile gondola strung between the Alpine Meadows and Olympic sides of Palisades Tahoe may as well connect a baseball stadium with an opera house. Crossing the half mile or so between the summits of Sterling at Smugglers' Notch and Spruce Peak at Stowe is a journey of 15 minutes and five decades. And Arapahoe Basin, elder brother of next-door Keystone, resembles its larger neighbor like a bat resembles a giraffe: both mammals, but of entirely different sorts. Same with Sugarbush and Mad River Glen, Vermont; Sugar Bowl, Donner Ski Ranch, and Boreal, California; Park City and Deer Valley, Utah; Killington and Pico, Vermont; Highlands and Nub's Nob, Michigan; Canaan Valley and Timberline and Nordic-hybrid White Grass, West Virginia; Aspen's four Colorado ski areas; the three ski areas sprawling across Mt. Hood's south flank; and Alpental and its clump of Snoqualmie sisters across the Washington interstate. Proximity does not equal sameness.One of The Storm's preoccupations is with why this is so. For all their call-to-nature appeal, ski areas are profoundly human creations, more city park than wildlife preserve. They are sculpted, managed, manicured. Even the wildest-feeling among them – Mount Bohemia, Silverton, Mad River Glen – are obsessively tended to, ragged by design.A-Basin pulls an even neater trick: a brand curated for rugged appeal, scaffolded by brand-new high-speed lifts and a self-described “luxurious European-style bistro.” That the Alterra Mountain Company-owned, megapass pioneer floating in the busiest ski county in the busiest ski state in America managed to retain its rowdy rap even as the onetime fleet of bar-free double chairs toppled into the recycling bin is a triumph of branding.But also a triumph of heart. A-Basin as Colorado's Alta or Taos or Palisades is a title easily ceded to Telluride or Aspen Highlands, similarly tilted high-alpiners. But here it is, right beside buffed-out Keystone, a misunderstood mountain with its own wild side but a fair-enough rap as an approachable landing zone for first-time Rocky Mountain explorers westbound out of New York or Ohio. Why are A-Basin and Keystone so different? The blunt drama of A-Basin's hike-in terrain helps, but it's more enforcer than explainer. The real difference, I believe, is grounded in the conductor orchestrating this mad dance.Since Henceroth sat down in the COO chair 20 years ago, Keystone has had nine president-general manager equivalents. A-Basin was already 61 years old in 2005, giving it a nice branding headstart on younger Keystone, born in 1970. But both had spent nearly two decades, from 1978 to 1997, co-owned by a dogfood conglomerate that often marketed them as one resort, and the pair stayed glued together on a multimountain pass for a couple of decades afterward.Henceroth, with support and guidance from the real-estate giant that owned A-Basin in the Ralston-Purina-to-Alterra interim, had a series of choices to make. A-Basin had only recently installed snowmaking. There was no lift access to Zuma Bowl, no Beavers. The lift system consisted of three double chairs and two triples. Did this aesthetic minimalism and pseudo-independence define A-Basin? Or did the mountain, shaped by the generations of leaders before Henceroth, hold some intangible energy and pull, that thing we recognize as atmosphere, culture, vibe? Would The Legend lose its duct-taped edge if it:* Expanded 400 mostly low-angle acres into Zuma Bowl (2007)* Joined Vail Resorts' Epic Pass (2009)* Installed the mountain's first high-speed lift (Black Mountain Express in 2010)* Expand 339 additional acres into the Beavers (2018), and service that terrain with an atypical-for-Colorado 1,501-vertical-foot fixed-grip lift* Exit the Epic Pass following the 2018-19 ski season* Immediately join Mountain Collective and Ikon as a multimountain replacement (2019)* Ditch a 21-year-old triple chair for the mountain's first high-speed six-pack (2022)* Sell to Alterra Mountain Company (2024)* Require paid parking reservations on high-volume days (2024)* Go unlimited on the Ikon Pass and exit Mountain Collective (2025)* Release an updated USFS masterplan that focuses largely on the novice ski experience (2025)That's a lot of change. A skier booted through time from Y2K to October 2025 would examine that list and conclude that Rad Basin had been tamed. But ski a dozen laps and they'd say well not really. Those multimillion upgrades were leashed by something priceless, something human, something that kept them from defining what the mountain is. There's some indecipherable alchemy here, a thing maybe not quite as durable as the mountain itself, but rooted deeper than the lift towers strung along it. It takes a skilled chemist to cook this recipe, and while they'll never reveal every secret, you can visit the restaurant as many times as you'd like.Why you should ski Arapahoe BasinWe could do a million but here are nine:1) $: Two months of early-season skiing costs roughly the same as A-Basin's neighbors charge for a single day. A-Basin's $259 fall pass is unlimited from opening day through Dec. 25, cheaper than a Dec. 20 day-of lift ticket at Breck ($281), Vail ($335), Beaver Creek ($335), or Copper ($274), and not much more than Keystone ($243). 2) Pali: When A-Basin tore down the 1,329-vertical-foot, 3,520-foot-long Pallavicini double chair, a 1978 Yan, in 2020, they replaced it with a 1,325-vertical-foot, 3,512-foot-long Leitner-Poma double chair. It's one of just a handful of new doubles installed in America over the past decade, underscoring a rare-in-modern-skiing commitment to atmosphere, experience, and snow preservation over uphill capacity. 3) The newest lift fleet in the West: The oldest of A-Basin's six chairlifts, Zuma, arrived brand-new in 2007.4) Wall-to-wall: when I flew into Colorado for a May 2025 wind-down, five ski areas remained open. Despite solid snowpack, Copper, Breck, and Winter Park all spun a handful of lifts on a constrained footprint. But A-Basin and Loveland still ran every lift, even over the Monday-to-Thursday timeframe of my visit.5) The East Wall: It's like this whole extra ski area. Not my deal as even skiing downhill at 12,500 feet hurts, but some of you like this s**t:6) May pow: I mean yeah I did kinda just get lucky but damn these were some of the best turns I found all year (skiing with A-Basin Communications Manager Shayna Silverman):7) The Beach: the best ski area tailgate in North America (sorry, no pet dragons allowed - don't shoot the messenger):8) The Beavers: Just glades and glades and glades (a little crunchy on this run, but better higher up and the following day):9) It's a ski area first: In a county of ski resorts, A-Basin is a parking-lots-at-the-bottom-and-not-much-else ski area. It's spare, sparse, high, steep, and largely exposed. Skiers are better at self-selecting than we suppose, meaning the ability level of the average A-Basin skier is more Cottonwoods than Connecticut. That impacts your day in everything from how the liftlines flow to how the bumps form to how many zigzaggers you have to dodge on the down.Podcast NotesOn the dates of my visit We reference my last A-Basin visit quite a bit – for context, I skied there May 6 and 7, 2025. Both nice late-season pow days.On A-Basin's long seasonsIt's surprisingly difficult to find accurate open and close date information for most ski areas, especially before 2010 or so, but here's what I could cobble together for A-Basin - please let me know if you have a more extensive list, or if any of this is wrong:On A-Basin's ownership timelineArapahoe Basin probably gets too much credit for being some rugged indie. Ralston-Purina, then-owners of Keystone, purchased A-Basin in 1978, then added Breckenridge to the group in 1993 before selling the whole picnic basket to Vail in 1997. The U.S. Justice Department wouldn't let the Eagle County operator have all three, so Vail flipped Arapahoe to a Canadian real estate empire, then called Dundee, some months later. That company, which at some point re-named itself Dream, pumped a zillion dollars into the mountain before handing it off to Alterra last year.On A-Basin leaving Epic PassA-Basin self-ejected from Epic Pass in 2019, just after Vail maxed out Colorado by purchasing Crested Butte and before they fully invaded the East with the Peak Resorts purchase. Arapahoe Basin promptly joined Mountain Collective and Ikon, swapping unlimited-access on four varieties of Epic Pass for limited-days products. Henceroth and I talked this one out during our 2022 pod, and it's a fascinating case study in building a better business by decreasing volume.On the price difference between Ikon and Epic with A-Basin accessConcerns about A-Basin hurdling back toward the overcrowded Epic days by switching to Ikon's unlimited tier tend to overlook this crucial distinction: Vail sold a 2018-19 version of the Epic Pass that included unlimited access to Keystone and A-Basin for an early-bird rate of $349. The full 2025-26 Ikon Pass debuted at nearly four times that, retailing for $1,329, and just ramped up to $1,519.On Alterra mountains with their own season passesWhile all Alterra-owned ski areas (with the exception of Deer Valley), are unlimited on the full Ikon Pass and nine are unlimited with no blackouts on Ikon Base, seven of those sell their own unlimited season pass that costs less than Base. The sole unlimited season pass for Crystal, Mammoth, Palisades Tahoe, Steamboat, Stratton, and Sugarbush is a full Ikon Pass, and the least-expensive unlimited season pass for Solitude is the Ikon Base. Deer Valley leads the nation with its $4,100 unlimited season pass. See the Alterra chart at the top of this article for current season pass prices to all of the company's mountains.On A-Basin and Schweitzer pass partnershipsAlterra has been pretty good about permitting its owned ski areas to retain historic reciprocal partners on their single-mountain season passes. For A-Basin, this means three no-blackout days at Monarch and two unguided days at Silverton. Up at Schweitzer, passholders get three midweek days each at Whitewater, Mt. Hood Meadows, Castle Mountain, Loveland, and Whitefish. None of these ski areas are on Ikon Pass, and the benefit is only stapled to A-Basin- or Schweitzer-specific season passes.On the Mountain Collective eventI talk about Mountain Collective as skiing's most exclusive country club. Nothing better demonstrates that characterization than this podcast I recorded at the event last fall, when in around 90 minutes I had conversations with the top leaders of Boyne Resorts, Snowbird, Aspen, Jackson Hole, Sun Valley, Snowbasin, Grand Targhee, and many more.On Mountain Collective and Ikon overlapThe Mountain Collective-Ikon overlap is kinda nutso:On Pennsylvania skiingIn regards to the U.S. Justice Department grilling Alterra on its A-Basin acquisition, it's still pretty stupid that the agency allowed Vail Resorts to purchase eight of the 19 public chairlift-served ski areas in Pennsylvania without a whisper of protest. These eight ski areas almost certainly account for more than half of all skier visits in a state that typically ranks sixth nationally for attendance. Last winter, the state's 2.6 million skier visits accounted for more days than vaunted ski states New Hampshire (2.4 million), Washington (2.3), Montana (2.2), Idaho (2.1). or Oregon (2.0). Only New York (3.4), Vermont (4.2), Utah (6.5), California (6.6), and Colorado (13.9) racked up more.On A-Basin's USFS masterplanNothing on the scale of Zuma or Beavers inbound, but the proposed changes would tap novice terrain that has always existed but never offered a good access point for beginners:On pulse gondolasA-Basin's proposed pulse gondola, should it be built, would be just the sixth such lift in America, joining machines at Taos, Northstar, Steamboat, Park City, and Snowmass. Loon plans to build a pulse gondola in 2026.On mid-mountain beginner centersBig bad ski resorts have attempted to amp up family appeal in recent years with gondola-serviced mid-mountain beginner centers, which open gentle, previously hard-to-access terrain to beginners. This was the purpose of mid-stations off Jackson Hole's Sweetwater Gondola and Big Sky's new-for-this-year Explorer Gondola. A-Basin's gondy (not the parking lot pulse gondola, but the one terminating at Sawmill Flats in the masterplan image above), would provide up and down lift access allowing greenies to lap the new detach quad above it.The Storm explores the world of lift-served skiing year-round. Join us. Get full access to The Storm Skiing Journal and Podcast at www.stormskiing.com/subscribe
After spending an early Friday evening hunting in the woods behind his home in Vermont, Wilfred “Butch” King III left his home on two crutches, driving off into the fall night never to be seen alive again. Despite years of investigation, what happened on the night of October 24, 1980 remains a mystery. There are many people, from investigators to family, who say they have strong theories about who is behind Butch's disappearance, yet decades later, police have never even been close to proving those theories right.If you know anything about the disappearance of Wilfred “Butch” King III, please contact Essex Police at (802) 878-8331.View source material and photos for this episode at: darkdowneast.com/wilfredbutchkingiiiDark Downeast is an Audiochuck and Kylie Media production hosted by Kylie Low.Follow @darkdowneast on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTokTo suggest a case visit darkdowneast.com/submit-case Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
This week, The Voices of SOUL ON FIRE series welcomes the man who brought one of America's most beloved voices to life: legendary broadcaster Jack Buck. To capture Jack's courage and compassion, we turned to William H. Macy, the award-winning actor and master storyteller whose humility and heart shine through every frame. Today, William shares lessons from his father's humor and integrity, the heartbreak and resilience that shaped his mother, and how a young man in Vermont stumbled into acting and into purpose. He opens up about failure, rejection, and what it really means to “tell the truth for a living.” My friends, if you have ever questioned your direction, your dreams, or your ability to start again, this conversation is for you. You will leave it reminded that authenticity still matters, that faith shows up when you need it most, and that no matter your stage in life, there is still time to move forward boldly, bravely, and with heart.