Melissa Dunster, 51, of Waterbury Center, Vermont, passed away peacefully on the early morning of July 13, 2025, surrounded by her loving friends and family, at Central Vermont Medical Center, after a long battle with illness.
Shirley Mae Fiske Viens passed away on June 11, 2025, at her home with her three sons by her side.
Richard L. Catchapaw, Sr., 86, passed away at his home in Duxbury on June 26, 2025.
A special community art and meditation project happening on Saturday aims to bring people together to create a new artwork that could be publicly displayed in the future.
It may be July, but Waterbury LEAP members are already making plans for their second fall building effort to create energy-efficient, low-cost window inserts to help make drafty houses more comfortable this winter.
Summer has made a steamy, muggy and hot entrance. The warm weather and holiday weekend brought many visitors to the reservoir, keeping rangers, park staff, vendors, and our Aquatic Invasive Species greeters very busy.
The Valley Players will hold auditions Aug. 3 and 5 for their fall production of the play “Blithe Spirit” by Noël Coward.
Like many eye-catching berries, blueberries contain pigment chemicals that selectively absorb some light wavelengths, reflecting the other colors back to our eyes for us to see. They also have a waxy layer, or bloom, that scatters and reflects blue light.
A new art exhibition at The Phoenix Gallery & Music Hall opens July 17 with a reception and runs through Oct. 19. ‘Primordial Forms’ presents the abstract work of three artists.
The New Stage Players will hold auditions July 22, 23 and 25 in Waterbury to cast a fall stage production of the play “Middletown” by Will Eno that presents a modern telling of the classic “Our Town” story.
Phantom Theater’s 40th Anniversary season continues with a dramatic presentation July 25-26 when renowned author, aviator and adventurer Susan Edsall performs her one-woman show, “Buen Camino” on the Edgcomb Barn stage.
You probably know Vermont’s Long Trail, but are you familiar with the Green Mountain Club’s Short Trail?
Monarch butterflies are noxious to potential predators because of the cardenolide toxins lacing their bodies, courtesy of the milkweed plants they fed on as larvae. Viceroy butterflies have no such defenses, so they act as a copycat, disguising themselves as monarchs.
Moose Meadow Lodge in Duxbury provides the outdoor setting to hear the big orchestral sound of the Vermont Philharmonic’s Summer Pops concert on Sunday, Aug. 10.
The local garden club, A River Runs Through It, hosts its Gardens of Waterbury annual self-guided tour of seven Waterbury gardens on Sunday, July 20.
The Waterbury Historical Society on July 20 welcomes the Lincoln craftsman who worked on the restoration of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.
While Blackburnian warblers are not uncommon in mature conifer and mixed hardwood forests, they can be hard to see, since they forage and nest high in the branches. But once spotted, they are easy to identify.
Waterbury’s long-term flood recovery group, CReW, would like to mark the July 10, 2023-24 flood anniversaries with an ice cream party at this week’s Concert in the Park.
Visual art turns a page at Axel’s next week with the July 9 opening of H. Keith Wagner’s abstract landscapes in a show titled ‘Lines, Layers and Land.’
High summertime is more than just visits to the beach and hikes in the hills. There’s music and theater happening on stages around the region to take in.
Forty summers ago, a Broadway actress, a local architect, and a shared vision for creative collaboration planted the seeds of what would become one of Vermont's most distinctive theatrical ventures.
One of summertime’s biggest events in Waterbury is right around the corner as organizers at Revitalizing Waterbury put the finishing touches on plans for Waterbury Arts Fest next weekend.
Summer reading isn’t just for the kids. The Waterbury Public Library has its own summer reading challenge for adults and plenty of ongoing and monthly programs to boot.
Neighboring towns are throwing parties on July 4 and Montpelier and Burlington celebrate on July 3. Check out some options to catch parades, fireworks, food, music and more.
As a budding naturalist growing up in the concrete-heavy environs of Boston, I would regularly thumb through my family’s collection of nature books and daydream about the creatures within. One species I was particularly drawn to was the Eastern box turtle.
The Green Mountain Roamers Snowmobile Club of Waterbury has announced the debut of the Vintage Snowmobile & Powersports Show to be part of this year’s Vermont Automobile Enthusiasts Antique and Classic Car Meet, scheduled for Aug. 8–10 at Farr’s Field in Waterbury.
July programs at the Waterbury Public Library have fun in store for the library’s youngest patrons. Here are some highlights from children’s and teen programming at the library in July.
For the third year, Waterbury is at the top of the summer schedule for the Circus Smirkus Big Top Tour which will set up at Farr’s Field on U.S. Route 2 for four shows on July 2 and 3.
Have you seen a bear? The Mad River Valley Bear Initiative wants to hear bear stories from community members.
Support Waterbury Roundabout.
Waterbury Roundabout is an online news site launched in May 2020 as a volunteer effort in collaboration with the University of Vermont's Reporting and Documentary Storytelling program to cover local news in and around Waterbury, Vermont.
A Harwood Middle School student was honored this spring with a top prize in the annual 8th Grade Hildene Lincoln Essay Competition.
Just three days after an announcement that federal COVID-era funding for schools would be released to school districts across the nation, the federal government said it was not distributing funds for several key education programs for the 2025-26 school year as anticipated.
Two Vermont organizations have awarded grants to Mad River Mentoring to help fund the nonprofit’s work to support youth learning.
Somehow, the first day of school gets all the hype. But, there’s something equally if not more thrilling about the last day of school. Photographer Gordon Miller caught dismissal at Brookside Primary School on the last day of school.
Central Vermont Career Center held its year-ending awards ceremony Wednesday night in central Vermont's most storied gymnasium. Several Harwood students were among speakers and those recognized at the event.
Crossett Brook Middle School eighth graders, along with their families, friends and teachers, played it safe – and dry – Tuesday evening, holding their graduation ceremony in the school gymnasium as showers moved in just as the ceremony’s entrance music began.
Excitement and anticipation hummed through and around the tent on Saturday morning as family members and friends of Harwood Union High School’s class of 2025 awaited the procession of graduates to emerge from the school.
In the Senior Awards Night ceremony on June 6, a number of graduating Harwood students were recognized for their achievements and presented with awards and scholarships from community organizations and school staff.
A young Norman Rockwell sits at an easel, reciting a speech to people as they pass by. But the artist at work is not Rockwell — it’s fourth grader Addie Kenyon.
On their final day of school, Harwood Union’s graduating seniors toured the district’s elementary schools, kickstarting a new tradition.
As the weather warms and the school year winds down, a now-yearly tradition returns: Brookside Primary School’s first-grade pilgrimage to Maxi’s Restaurant for breakfast.
The latest one on June 4 managed to land on a not-rainy morning as more than 225 kids and grown-ups met at Rusty Parker Park in downtown Waterbury, according to organizers Duncan McDougall and Bill Minter.
On Saturday morning, the 116 members Harwood Union High School’s class of 2025 will don their black and gold caps and gowns for commencement.
Fayston fifth- and sixth-grade teacher Doug Bergstein is retiring this month, and he’ll enjoy his first September off while on the Cape with his wife Alison Duckworth, who retired from American Flatbread this spring after 40 years with the company.
Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas invites fifth-grade classes across the state to join a national civic education initiative called Kid Governor that she’s launching in Vermont this year.
Students and teachers in the art department at Harwood Union High School are prepping for their June 10 spring Art Show, celebrating student work.
The recent resignation of Harwood Union Middle School Assistant Principal Bethany Turnbaugh has launched a recruiting effort to hire a new administrator for the 2025-26 school year.
Crossett Brook Middle School’s sustainability program has landed a grant that will help take the school’s composting capability to a new level.
Students and teachers from Harwood Union High School who traveled to India in the fall will host a free presentation about their experience this Sunday at Zenbarn in Waterbury Center.
In the past few months, you may have seen him standing on the corner of State and Main, holding a sign that says “Drive Less, Walk More.” The young activist is Abe Rosenberg, a seventh grader at Montpelier’s Main Street Middle School.
Eyeing a November bond vote, leaders from the Central Vermont Career Center are visiting schools in its district to present plans for the proposed new facility and hear community feedback.
A Harwood Union Music Department project takes its act to the next level on Friday when multiple local high school bands hit the stage at Higher Ground in South Burlington.
As the Vermont Senate gets closer to voting on legislation aimed at making major changes to Vermont’s public education system, Harwood’s superintendent is raising concerns to the community over what the impacts might be.
Local control matters. This bill would make deep cuts in funding for our schools while shifting decision-making to a regional board that does not adequately represent our communities.
After an almost four-decade career, Brookside Primary teacher Chris Costello plans to retire at the end of the school year.
Harwood Union High School has announced that sophomore Claire Nagurney is the recipient of this year’s Liam Kenneth Hale Adventure Scholarship.
Continuing a Harwood tradition, students from Harwood’s Harkness Leadership class will host a community Socrates Café on Thursday, May 22, at the Harwood Middle-High School library.
Six local students from Brookside Primary School and Crossett Brook Middle School participated in the University of Vermont Math Fair on Saturday, May 3.
Harwood Union Middle School is hosting its second annual walk-a-thon on Thursday, May 15, at the Harwood track, and students have chosen three charities to support with proceeds.
Harwood and U-32 students recently spent April break together in France. Harwood French teacher Marcus Grace shares photos and memories from their adventures exploring French language and culture.
In the heart of Waterbury Village, there’s a toy store called The Tiny Acorn. Sally and Bob Dain have owned and run the store for two decades. At the end of this summer, they plan to retire. The Tiny Acorn will close on August 15.
A parking company with more than two dozen private lots in the Burlington area and two in Waterbury has agreed to pay a hefty fine after the Vermont attorney general found it was using deceptive ticketing practices.
If you’re looking to spend time at the Ben & Jerry’s Waterbury factory beyond getting a scoop and a quick visit to the gift shop, mark your calendar for a nearly two-week closure coming up.
A free film screening to be hosted next week by University of Vermont Health Network – Central Vermont Medical Center will explore the roles of nursing and midwifery can play in solving a crisis in American obstetrical care
Waterbury’s efforts to focus on housing are taking a step forward as an online residential rental registry has launched using a new town permitting website. May 1 is the signup deadline.
After acquiring the historic station from the Squier family, Myers Mermel has sought to reach a broader audience with a renewed emphasis on commentary and news.
Central Vermont Habitat for Humanity has landed a $150,000 grant from the M&T Charitable Foundation, the philanthropic arm of M&T Bank.
Cochran’s Ski Area, about 10 minutes off Interstate 89, has been bringing young people out on the snow for decades. The small mountain features seven trails, accessed by a T-bar and rope tow, and since 1998 has been home to one of the few nonprofit ski areas in New England.
By the time the door had shut after the closure of the Big Picture Theater in Waitsfield last fall community members and theater owners were working on a plan to reinvent the community institution.
Just days before celebrating its 30th anniversary, the owners and founders of K.C.’s Bagel Cafe sold the business and began their long-awaited retirement.
State Treasurer Mike Pieciak has announced the formation of a Vermont Baby Bonds Advisory Committee that will convene local and national experts to develop a baby bonds pilot program in Vermont.
Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark this week issued a consumer alert to advise Vermonters on protecting their personal data in the wake of 23andMe’s recent bankruptcy filing.
The ice cream brand’s ongoing legal battle over its independence led employees to take a stand, voicing concerns over Unilever’s reported plans to oust their CEO.
Unilever moved to oust David Stever in early March for “his commitment to Ben & Jerry’s Social Mission and Essential Brand Integrity,” Ben & Jerry’s claimed in court filings.
Yestermorrow Design/Build School is located in the heart of Vermont’s Mad River Valley. It’s been around for 45 years. They teach hands-on courses in design, construction, woodworking and architectural craft.
Vermont ice cream icons Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield are thinking about buying back their eponymous brand from parent company Unilever, according to recent media reports.
The U.S. Bankruptcy Court is in the process of converting the iSun Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing from last June into a Chapter 7 liquidation.
In Waterbury, the question isn’t which came first, the chicken or the egg? It’s more like are there any eggs today? So far, the answer depends on where and when you shop.
Battery energy storage manufacturer KORE Power announced on Friday that it has named Jay Bellows in Waterbury as its Chief Executive Officer.
The state’s newly formed Task Force on the Federal Transition will convene a webinar for Vermont employers on Feb. 6 aimed at reviewing key steps workplaces can take to be prepared for a visit from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel.
More than 300 employees at the Ben & Jerry’s ice cream plants in Waterbury and St. Albans recently ratified their first ever union contract.
The Vermont Division of Fire Safety issued an alert on Friday that it’s investigating incidents involving a fraudulent contractor impersonating a fire marshall in order to drum up business.
Revitalizing Waterbury recently held its annual celebration to thank volunteers and once again has rallied local businesses to take part in the annual Wrap it Up and Win holiday local shopping promo.
BARRE — Capstone Community Action will be in search of new leadership because, after six successful years, Sue Minter is stepping down as executive director of the organization that got its start as the Central Vermont Community Action Council in 1965.
Revitalizing Waterbury has chosen its next executive director who hardly needs an orientation to his new post heading up Waterbury’s community and economic development nonprofit.
We at Waterbury Roundabout want our readers to know that we’ve managed to join a groundbreaking national fundraising effort through the end of 2024 to support local news operations.
The Mad River Valley Rotary Club is partnering with Lawson’s Finest Liquids this month through Dec. 3 to boost the Rotary’s fundraising.
Looking to fill its winter class of new troopers, the Vermont State Police is launching a year-end recruiting push with a few unique twists.
Vermonters looking for a new job that pays the bills or just eager to meet entrepreneurs and leaders building new businesses can do both at the Vermont Tech Jam on Saturday, Oct. 26, at Hula in Burlington.
The U.S. Small Business Administration’s Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman has announced that nominations are open for the 2025 National Small Business Week Awards.
Are solar panels Vermont’s new sacred cow? Vermont agricultural lands are in decline and a recent contributor to this alarming trend is industrial-scale solar development, which brings ecological devastation and threatens food security.
Led by the owners of the independent bookstore chain Phoenix Books, 270 Vermont individuals and business owners have signed a letter to town officials in Essex opposed to plans by Amazon to build a 107,000-square-foot distribution center there. The Essex DRB meets about the project on Thursday, July 17.
We’ve all seen the videos—bears lounging in a hammock, coyotes playing with tennis balls, otters sliding down a snowy embankment—clear reminders that wild animals are capable of a wide range of emotions, not so different from our own.
Coaches and families of the Central Vermont 8-10-year-old girls softball team are fundraising for the team to represent Vermont at the regional competition later this month.
July 10th didn't pass by without stress, worry, and rain. While we are keeping our neighbors in the NEK in our thoughts (link to volunteer at the bottom of this post), we are also so very grateful that Waterbury made it through the day without any emergencies.
As we look back at how far we’ve come, it’s also important to remember the work is far from over. In fact, after Tropical Storm Irene, it took over a decade to complete the final project. So, we have to stay focused and continue to build back better, stronger, and more resilient.
As is generally accepted, the norm today is that everyone my age has a smartphone and social media. What is not generally known is just how harmful these things are, especially to the underdeveloped, impressionable mind of the adolescent.
This summer, Phantom Theater reaches a remarkable milestone – 40 years of bold, original, and unforgettable performances.
After much reflection, I will be stepping down as the Vermont Superintendents Association’s representative to the Commission on the Future of Public Education, effective at the conclusion of today’s meeting.
This bill has passed, even with 24 hours of proposed and rejected and some passed Senate amendments. It passed with a 50-to-50 tie and the Vice President added his vote. This bill has since passed the House once again and is on its way to the White House.
Of all the brainless things the legislature did in recent years when there was a supermajority that freely overrode Governor Scott’s vetoes, perhaps the most senseless was the provision in the Global Warming Solutions Act that allows absolutely anybody to bring suit against the state, at state expense, for failure to attain the arbitrary and unattainable mandates established in the act.
The Tiny Acorn, along with owners Sally and Bob Dain, has been such a lovely resource in our community for many years. The shop will be missed. I just stopped in this week, and they still have a large inventory.
We would like to sincerely thank Sen. Bernie Sanders and his staff for their help in getting the U.S. Department of Education to reimburse the Harwood Unified Union School District for the approximately $500,000 we were owed by the DoE.
The following was submitted by Central Vermont Medical Center as an announcement and commentary on steps taken over the past year to improve staff and patient safety at the hospital.
MakerSphere, Waterbury’s community nonprofit art and maker organization, is thrilled to share a major update about the future of our woodshop.
We Vermonters pride ourselves on Vermont being one of the healthiest states in the country. In 2024, Vermont ranked second in the widely respected United Health Foundation’s rankings and in recent years, it has been among the top five.
The Natural Disaster Preparedness Committee would like to invite all past, present, and future flood preparedness/response volunteers to a pizza party and informational meeting on Wednesday, June 25, at Dac Rowe Park.
At 8:35 p.m. on Monday, June 16, the Vermont Legislature officially adjourned after passing H.454, the education transformation bill. Reps. Torre and White share a summary of legislative highlights from the session.
The legislature passed H.454 – the education reform bill – and it is headed to the governor’s desk where he is expected to sign the bill.
They’ve done this before: Rushed out of the door. A bill few have read, with aspects unsaid.
I’d like to share with constituents how I voted on H.454, why I voted the way I did, and how I got there.
I have started a Tennis Ball Drive. Gently used tennis balls would be appreciated to give the dogs of the Waterbury Unleashed Dog Park something to play with.
The Harwood Unified Union School District’s decision not to consolidate schools is disappointing to those of us who hoped to see more efficient use of resources and stronger academic opportunities for students.
If and when the governor and Legislature agree on something they call “transformational educational reform,” it’s unlikely to be what most people expected or wanted.
Our executive and legislative branches have failed during this biennium to come up with a workable education reform.
I am deeply urging Vermonters to reject bill H.454. Vermont could make the same mistakes Maryland did, which will change schools, making them less unique to the community.
Most Vermonters agree that our state is facing an affordability crisis, yet few suggest the solution is to raise taxes on low and middle-income Vermonters.
In response to a sudden spike in immigration enforcement activity, the Vermont Asylum Assistance Project has launched a rapid-response legal orientation and screening initiative for individuals detained by federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Vt. correctional facilities.
Once again, the Vermont Legislature has failed to stand up for Vermont’s education system and has failed to defend our rural schools.
It’s clear that Vermonters want stronger protections for wildlife, so why do privileged special interest groups seem to have the governor’s ear?
After getting in some practice time on the turf at Norwich University, the Green Mountain Morgans girls softball team heads to Staten Island, New York, on Thursday to represent Vermont in the Eastern Regional Little League 10U Softball Championship.
Registration is open for youth teams around the region to sign up for the 12th World Soccer Festival on Saturday, Aug. 23, at Montpelier High School.
Harwood Union High School’s Cross Country team’s second Summer Fun Run held on Monday attracted 18 runners and even the youngest runners were eager to run the 3K, according to Assistant Coach Tom Cahalan.
Leaving multiple teams scoreless in their wake, the Green Mountain Morgans — Central Vermont’s all-star 8-10-year-old softball team — claimed their division’s championship title in the recent Vermont Little League State Tournament.
The Harwood Union Boys Varsity Ice Hockey team is running a summer-long bottle and can drive to help raise money for things like summer ice time, new practice equipment and our 2025 VT Division 2 Championship banner to hang at the Ice Center.
Harwood Union’s Cross Country team announced that it will once again host summer Fun Runs on the Harwood Union High School trails starting on Monday, July 7.
Two wins and two sellouts marked this year’s women’s exhibition matches as a permanent team is in the works.
Spring sports have wrapped up and multiple Harwood Union High School student-athletes have received recognition for their accomplishments this season. Here’s a roundup with news about several standout players.
It’s not every day that you win a state championship. And it’s not every day that you graduate from high school. Eleven Harwood seniors did both last weekend.
Harwood Athletic Director Ian Fraunfelder announced that registration is open for middle and high school students to sign up for fall athletics teams.
No. 1-seeded Harwood Boys Lacrosse (11-1) is the final HU team standing in the spring high school athletics season and they head to the Division II state championship game on Saturday.
Harwood Union Middle School Girls Track & Field made its mark at the state championship meet recently, bringing home a state title and setting four new Harwood Middle School records.
Under gray skies and relentless rain at Burlington High School, 15-year-old Harwood freshman Isabella Pockoski landed a spot in the history books as the 2025 Vermont Girls Division-II Shot Put State Champion.
Harwood Athletic Director Ian Fraunfelder has announced a special fundraiser running through June 10 with proceeds to support school athletic programs.
A team of 14 American youth runners heads to Italy this summer for the ninth World Youth Skyrunning Championships, led by coaches with deep Vermont roots.
In one memorable throw, Harwood Union freshman Isabella Pockoski has made school Track and Field history, breaking a shot put record that’s stood for 26 years.
Harwood varsity Track & Field competed at Burlington High School last Thursday. The boys team finished fourth out of nine teams ; the girls fifth out of nine teams. Highlight': A HU senior new this year to the team has catapulted to the front of the pack in javelin.
Harwood varsity Track & Field competed at Mount Mansfield Union High School last week with both girls and boys teams coming in third place out of four teams.
Organizers of the Mad River Valley Soccer Association’s spring season say registration is now open for boys and girls at the pre-K through second-grade levels.
A busy weekend for Harwood Union student-athletes and fans with Boys Basketball and Hockey teams making it all the way to the D-II title games ended with a firetruck escort through Waterbury.
Harwood Boys Basketball returns to the Barre Auditorium today for a sold-out Division II state championship game against the Montpelier Solons.
Harwood’s discipline and months of preparation have paid off with an 18-2 regular season record, and they have clinched the number one seed in the Division II state playoffs.
On Wednesday, Feb. 26, Harwood Girls Basketball beat crosstown rival Montpelier, 47-24. The victory marked the 100th varsity victory for the team under Coach Tommy Young.
On Jan. 29, Harwood Girls Hockey secured a 3-2 win in front of a hometown crowd – their first since March 2022. The good vibes continue with the team 4-3 since and the D-II playoffs around the corner.
In front of a cheering home-court crowd at a game against Lake Region, Harwood senior guard Eloise Lilley reached her 1,000th basketball career point, becoming the school’s eighth and third-ever female athlete to hit this record.
Highlander Youth Lacrosse offers a spring program for boys and girls in grades K-8 and registration for 2025 is now open.
Fall high school sports playoffs get under way this week. Here’s a schedule for the first-round matchups for Harwood Union teams with links to bracket pages.
The Stowe Nordic ski club is offering a seven-session program this winter for adults who are new to classic cross-country skiing or who have skied a little but have not received any formal instruction.
This time of year brings remembrances that are both bittersweet and joyful. On Friday afternoon, one particular remembrance unfolded at Mad River Park as girls youth soccer players convened for what's become an annual tradition honoring the memory of Harwood student-athlete Mary Harris.
Ethan Wagner has been fishing as long as he can remember, mostly as a hobby. So when the Essex High School senior injured his knee playing football, he joined the school’s varsity bass fishing team. He’s found a new bond taking part in Vermont's newest high school varsity fall sport.
