 In 1957 in his role as "Valley News" editor he mounted an investigation into the transparency and practices of the managers of the town of Lebanon that led to the shift to a town council form of government there.Paine became a stockholder of Ascutney Mountain Resort of Brownsville, Vermont in 1957 and majority owner in 1961.He owned the Resort for more than ten years, selling it on October 3, 1972.