Rutland Daily Herald from Rutland, Vermont • A5

Black Magenta Or EVEN ODD Or Monday, March 21, 2011 The Rutland Daily Herald A5 In Brief Lots of snow left for spring skiing are offering promotions for reduced passes, daily lift tickets, food and drinks. Some inns are offering spring ski getaway packages with discounted resort vouchers, such as the Mul-burn Inn in Bethlehem, N.H. The theme at this year's pond-skimming event on March 26 at the Bolton Valley Resort in Vermont is superhe-roes and comic book characters, spokesman Josh Arneson said. "We had a lot of hippies for the '60s, a lot of disco-groovin'-type folks for the '70s theme," he said of past themed pond-skimmings, in which intrepid skiers and snowboarders try to cross a cold, slushy man-made pond without getting wet "We get over 100 competitors." SkiVermont President Parker Riehle anticipates Vermont will reach the 4 million mark in skier visits this year as the state has benefited from the third-snowiest winter on record. Estimates for this season were not available yet; last year, the season resulted in more than $750 million in direct spending.

A new event called the FestEVOL is combining a concert series featuring the band O.A.R. with an "eco village," exhibits by environmental nonprofit groups and businesses and organic food sampling. The event, sponsored by EVOL Burritos, kicked off at Okemo Mountain in Vermont over the weekend, then travels to Crested Butte Resort, before wrapping up at Mount Sunapee Resort in New Hampshire on April 2-3. April 2 also is the annual BodeFest at Cannon Mountain, where New Hampshire Olympian Bode Miller donates proceeds to the Turde Ridge Foundation promoting youth sports. At Bretton Woods in New Hampshire, spokesman Craig Clemmer said the resort reached a base snow depth of over 100 inches in January, a month earlier than usual, followed by lots more snow.

That's made for great skiing conditions, as well as for unconventional events, like the finals of the Winterbike BY KATHY MCCORMACK THE ASSOCIATED PRESS CONCORD, N.H. Ahhh, spring! Steve Moulton's got his skis packed for several spring outings in Vermont along with his suntan lotion and sunglasses. Moulton, 53, of Windsor, loves skiing this time of the year. "The only people left on the slopes are fun-loving, genuine folks who love skiing for what it is fun," he said. "Nobody's out to impress with their expensive attire, there are no lodge skiers, these are the real ski people and when you need a break, you can just hang out on the patio listening to tunes or if lucky, some live music or sit on the side of the mountain enjoying the day." New England ski resorts are rounding out a season full of generous amounts of snow and good attendance.

They're hoping for a strong finish before people start digging out their golf clubs, boats and tennis rackets. "This has been an outstanding winter for snowfall and the ski areas really couldn't have asked for much more," said Karl Stone, marketing director for Ski NH, a statewide association representing alpine and cross-country resorts and lodging properties. Stone estimates that total spending on skiing and related activities by the end of the season will reach over $800 million, a bit higher than in the past few years. Curt Hazeldine, 50, of Fox-borough, who enjoys skiing and snowboarding, said the snow can get a litde "mashed-potatoey" and the weather a bit fickle in the spring, but it's still a great time to be outdoors. "Bad conditionsweather on the slopes beats any day at home or at work," he said.

In addition to skiing, the spring brings a variety of events at mountain resorts: pond skimming, snow golfing, cardboard box races, motor bike racing, as well as beach and reggae parties and concerts. A lot of the resorts 1 fHhKm A skier heads down the mountain last week at Gunstock Ski Resort in Gilford, N.H. Ski areas across the Northeast have plenty of snow to offer unusual spring skiing events. Judge withdraws bid for new term MONTPELIER A Vermont judge who got a vote of no confidence from lawmakers said he's withdrawing his bid for reappointment. Superior Court Judge Mark Keller said Friday he won't seek another six-year term.

Keller, reading a short statement at the Franklin County courthouse a day after a legislative committee voted 6-2 against his retention, said he believes his courtroom demeanor was only a problem for some. He said well-prepared lawyers who appeared before him had no problem with it, but the ones who came before him unprepared did. The 59-year-old jurist, a former Chittenden County prosecutor, is one of 15 being reviewed this year as part of the state's Judicial Retention process. The Burlington Free Press reported that lawmakers will vote on the other judges March 30. Scott heads to meeting of peers MONTPELIER Vermont Lt.

Gov. Phil Scott travels to Washington this coming week for a meeting of his peers that's expected to focus on promoting investments within their states and on relations with Canada. Scott will be at a meeting Wednesday through Friday of the National Association of Lieutenant Governors at which cuts in federal aid to the states also is expected to be a hot topic. Also on tap for the conference is a session on nursing home and other long-term care and its impact on state budgets. Scott is a Republican in his first term in the No.

2 spot. The Associated Press THE ASSOCIATED PRESS MONTGOMERY The Vermont State Police are hoping the 7th anniversary of the disappearance of a Sheldon teenager might prompt someone to come forward with new information that will help investigators solve the case. Investigators continue to receive tips and investigate leads into the disappearance of Brianna Maitland. Maitland, 17, was last seen when she got out of work at the Black Lantern Inn in Montgomery at 11:20 p.m. on March 19, 2004.

The next day her 1985 Oldsmobile was found about a mile away, smashed into an abandoned barn. Four days later, her parents reported her missing. THE Vt. police anniversary early as October and closing as late as May. At Sugarloaf, which just celebrated its 60th anniversary, free lift tickets are available for children ages 6-18 with a minimum stay of three midweek nights from March 21-25.

One of the more unusual events of the season is March 26 at Maine's Shawnee Peak, the fourth annual America's Mattress Race. Teams of up to four people decorate and race downhill on their old, beat-up mattress. The prize for the fastest team? A new mattress. Championship Point Series. "That's pretty fun, watching all these mountain bikers coming down the snowy hillside," he said.

In Maine, where well over $500 million of economic activity comes from skiing and snowmobiling, most ski areas have plenty of snow, said Greg Sweetser, executive director of Ski Maine. "The state of Maine has the longest ski season of any ski area east of the Rocky Mountains," he said, with some resorts opening as Paul Clark of Nashua, N.H., 44, a fan of spring skiing, said people expect to battle the elements during winter skiing layers and layers of clothing, hand and feet warmers to cut the biting chill. "Make it through a winter's day of skiing and you feel like you've conquered the snow gods!" he said. "But when spring grants its gifts to the ski slopes, it is a gift that must be received and remember that gifts such as these are rare and few." 6sense POWERED BY MONSTER'S SEARCH TECHNOLOGY seek clues on seventh of missing teenager Don't judge a book by its cover. Use our rankings instead.

Police say there is no evidence at this time to indicate that she left the area on her own. They believe she was a victim of foul play. "We never lose hope in any of these investigations," said state police Lt. Matthew Birmingham, one of the detectives on the Maitland case. "There are cases in Vermont and across the nation that are solved after decades." The DNA section at the Vermont Department of Public Safety laboratory in Waterbury The Patricia Scoville Memorial CODIS Laboratory is named after the woman killed in Stowe in 1991.

A random DNA match in 2005 led police to suspect Howard Godfrey, who was convicted in 2008. He is now serving a life sentence. "That's an example of a case that went unsolved for decades," Birmingham said. "We just don't lose hope." Searchers continue to comb areas of northern Vermont looking for clues to Maitland's disappearance and her whereabouts, but no sign of her has been found. Maitland's family is offering a $10,000 reward for anyone who can help investigators find her and a separate $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the person or people responsible for her disappearance.

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