Saturday May 18, 2013 ROSES to students at Arlington Memorial Middle School/High School who found a creative way to raise money for additional computer work stations for a new music and media lab at the school. The Kickstarter campaign, "Chromatic: Building a Media Lab for Art, Music & Adventure," seeks to raise enough for 10 $1,000 workstations and will succeed only if the it reaches   Full Story

Friday May 17, 2013 In a fitting measure for National Older Americans Month, Vermont Rep. Peter Welch, along with Florida Congressmen Ted Deutch and Vern Buchanan, on Wednesday introduced the Seniors Fraud Prevention Act of 2013 The proposed legislation is intended to empower the Federal Trade Commission to target con artists preying on seniors, according to a press release from   Full Story

Wednesday May 15, 2013 I grew up in State College, Pa., home of Penn State University and its fabled football program. In high school I walked the halls and attended classes with the children of Penn State football royalty: A couple of Paternos, some Sanduskys. We were the Little Lions, a play on the college mascot the Nittany Lion.   Full Story

Saturday May 11, 2013 THORNS to the former president and trustee of Bennington School Inc., his son and son-in-law, and another man who defrauded the state of Vermont and the federal government for a total of $4.3 million. Matthew Merritt Jr., 81, of West Stockbridge Mass.; his son, Matthew Merritt III, 54, of Lenox, Mass.   Full Story

Friday May 10, 2013 If you’ve visited Bennington’s Main Street recently, you’ve likely noticed that the fair spring weather has brought out the masses. There are families strolling the sidewalks pushing kids in strollers and/or trailing dogs on leashes, teenagers on bikes, and groups of friends headed out to lunch or dinner.   Full Story

Wednesday May 8, 2013 The Banner has reported on a lot of big news in Bennington since the beginning of 2013. * Former Mount Anthony Union High School science and math teacher Steven P. Davis made headlines across the state after posting videos and messages on the Internet Dec. 31 criticizing school officials, co-workers, and the teachers union shortly after surrendering an AR-15   Full Story

Saturday May 4, 2013 ROSES to the Rev. Jerrod Hugenot for his seven years of service at First Baptist Church of Bennington. In June Hugenot will begin a new role in Albany as associate executive minister for the American Baptist Churches of New York. We wish him well in his new challenge, which includes oversight of more than 300 American Baptist congregations in New York State.   Full Story

Thursday May 2, 2013 When you're sick and in need of cheering up, who's always there for you, tail wagging? Who can you turn to for unconditional support and comfort? Man's Best Friend, naturally. Keeping dogs' caregiving qualities in mind, it's fitting that our four-legged friends have been officially enlisted in the battle against cancer.   Full Story

Saturday April 27, 2013 ROSES to Sen. Patrick Leahy, who continues to press for reimbursement of funds used to pay for emergency work in Bennington, Rockingham and Woodford in the wake of Tropical Storm Irene. ROSES to the Hoosick Falls Central School girls lacrosse team, who won their first home game in program history on Monday.   Full Story

Friday April 26, 2013 If the official Earth Day on Monday didn’t inspire you to get outside and try to make things greener, you haven’t missed your chance. There will be another opportunity to show the Earth you care this Saturday, which is also known as Youth Appreciation Day in Bennington following a proclamation by the Bennington Select Board earlier this week.   Full Story

Monday April 22, 2013 We are a nation that lives with terror every day. Since 9/11, if not before, terror is part of our lives. It is in the back of our minds when we drop a child off at school, board an airplane, enter a tall building, or cross a border. It is present. When bombs exploded during the Boston Marathon on April 15, killing three people and badly wounding more than   Full Story

Saturday April 20, 2013 THORNS to the U.S. Senate for failing to pass legislation that would require background checks for gun buyers and a ban on assault weapons. President Barack Obama, who supported the measure, said opponents of the legislation in both parties "caved to the pressure" of special interests.   Full Story

Friday April 19, 2013 With the attention of the nation on the aftermath of the deadly bombing at the Boston Marathon on Monday, a minority in the U.S. Senate managed this week to completely scuttle any meaningful expansion of federal gun regulation -- for now. With votes on Wednesday, Senate Republicans, backed by a small band of rural-state Democrats, rejected tighter background checks   Full Story

Tuesday April 16, 2013 We don't have the answers as to who caused the horrific, deadly explosions at the Boston Marathon Monday ... or why they did what they did. We only know some of the facts: * Two explosions went off just before 3 p.m. near the famed race's finish line; a third explosion was soon reported at JFK Library but was later reported by Boston Police as a   Full Story

Saturday April 13, 2013 ROSES to the Second Chance Animal Center in Bennington for finding homes for more than 800 dogs, cats and other animals in 2012 and for honoring volunteers and contributors at its annual meeting this weekend. The shelter saw a more than 25 percent increase (from about 600 animals on average per year) of animals in need of homes last year and is looking to expand.   Full Story