Rutland

Negotiations stretched well into the night. The Vermont-NEA announced that a deal had been reached in a short statement released just after midnight.

If the two sides don’t settle before next Wednesday, it would be the first teachers’ strike in Vermont in nearly a decade. Burlington teachers went on strike for four days in 2017.

Labor negotiations are souring in Rutland City schools, where the school board has just rejected the recommendations of an independent fact-finder's report. Board members argue the report was flawed — and unaffordable for taxpayers. The union says the district's teachers are among the lowest-paid in the region.

People across Vermont are remembering Pope Francis, who died Monday at age 88. "He was a bright light, you know, something positive for people to look to for hope, guidance and support,” said one Rutland parishioner.

Urinetown, the Tony Award-winning musical, will be on stage this weekend at Rutland’s Paramount Theater. The dark comedy is set in a dystopian future where water is so scarce, corrupt companies control where people relieve themselves — and charge for it. Those who don’t follow the rules are sent to Urinetown, until rebels fight back.

Tom Huebner, longtime former president and CEO of Rutland Regional Medical Center, died Wednesday at age 71. Hospital and community members say he left a lasting mark on the region.

Rutland Mayor Michael Doenges won a second term, and voters approved city and school budgets as well as a $3.8 million capital improvement bond.

The city police department says false statements made by one of the candidates negatively impacted the department’s contract negotiations. Now, city unions have weighed in, and the race itself is colored by the work history of the two men running for the job.

Vermont is the only state in the U.S. that requires annual inspections of racetracks, but regulators say it may be time to deregulate.

Rutland’s historic public library and City Hall both need lots of repairs. City officials are seeking public input on what could be a much less costly option: creating a joint downtown civic center.