Due to significant support and energy from the Bristol Recreation Club, Bristol Recreation Department and dedicated volunteers, the town ice rink will be holding a loosely organized pickup hockey night on Sundays. The fun starts at around 9 p.m. and the hockey will last as long as your wheels hold out. If you haven’t been, the Bristol rink is regulation-size with meter-high boards, full-size goals, lights and a warming hut. If you want to participate, bring a stick and your skates. It’s located off Airport Road near the Rec Fields. A donation jar will be in the hut, and financial contributions during these skates will be used for hockey-specific upgrades to the rink. Email questions to [email protected].
On Friday, Jan. 24, from 5:30-7 p.m., Middlebury Underground and Bundle invite you to tell your unique story in the latest installment of the free, curated, moth-style series. The topic of the evening is “Love.” The type of love — and how you choose to punctuate your story — is entirely up to you. Hosted at Bundle’s 51 Main St. pop-up location, the evening invites you to dig deep into your sense memories and tell your best five-minute tale. Love takes many forms — from romantic love to small acts of kindness to everything in between. Whatever the theme of your love-inspired story, please consider sharing it. Complimentary bites will tantalize your taste buds while stories stoke your appetite. Adult beverages from local partners will be available for purchase, alongside free, local apple cider. To become a featured presenter, please send a brief synopsis of your five-minute story to [email protected]. Deadline for submission is Friday, Jan. 17. Open mic opportunities are dependent on the number of registered speakers. People who just like to listen are most welcome too.
The state recorded a jobless rate of 2.3% in November, according to data just released by the Vermont Department of Labor.  In Addison County, there were 371 jobless people seeking employment out of a labor force of 18,053. That translated to a jobless rate of 2.1% for the month. That’s up from the 1.6% unemployment rate the county recorded during the month of October, according to state officials. The local jobless rate in November of 2018 was 2.4%.
The Middlebury Macintosh Users Group is going into hibernation for the winter. The group will resume meeting at Ilsley Library the first Monday of each month beginning Monday, April 6.