By Marguerite Jill Dye I never knew I craved normalcy To such an extent, to such a degree. But suddenly, I’m finding myself Heaving sigh after sigh of needed relief.   Your calm, steady voice, and healing words, Spoken directly from your heart, Soothe my soul, calm my nerves, Alleviate headaches and regulate my heart…

Dear Editor, Today we have political Reds and political Blues. One party is out for blood—you can guess which one—and the other is not. We think that the ones out for blood will lose because they are in the minority. But a century ago, in a far away land, there were political Reds and political…

Dear Editor, Yes, it’s January, not June, and you may feel like you’re finally settling into a routine during a challenging school year. But as the saying goes, “The secret to getting ahead is getting started.” Despite the disruptions of Covid-19, January is the ideal time to check in with your child about your school…

Dear Editor, The events of Jan. 6, 2021 in the nation’s capitol represent the culmination of a widespread revolutionary assault on the American way of life. The assault has been directed at all three branches of government: the executive branches of the 50 state governments, which are responsible for election security; state and federal judiciaries;…

By Bob Allen, former president of Green Mountain College, Poultney The Select Committee and the Vermont Legislature have a difficult task ahead. Covid-19 exacerbated and accelerated a problem that has existed in higher education for at least a decade or more. I will argue the business model for most public and private colleges and universities…

By John Steen Editor’s note: John Steen is a retired scholar and teacher of philosophy, followed by a 20-year career in health care planning, health regulation and public health, ending as a professor of health policy and a private consultant. He is immediate past president of the American Health Planning Association. He lives in South Burlington. Public…

A group of Vermont parents are suing the state and local school districts over unequal access to education under the state’s 150-year-old town tuitioning system. The parents say the program violates the state constitution by allowing children residing in certain school districts to attend the school of their choice and denying the same right to…

The Vermont Lodging Coalition, formed during the pandemic, and the Vermont Inn and Bed & Breakfast Association, with 11 years of advocacy history in the state, together announce the formation of one collaborative organization named the Vermont Lodging Association (VLA). The lodging industry in Vermont, which represents $600 million in annual revenue, is the backbone of…

By Rep. Jim Harrison “We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.” ~ Martin Luther King, Jr. In this time of dissension and uncertainty in our country, let us all take a moment to reflect on the words of Martin Luther King, Jr, and how to best come…

Bill prevents health insurance companies from price fixing, collusion Legislation led in the Senate by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Senator Steve Daines (R-Mont.) that promotes lower health insurance costs to consumers by increasing transparency and enhancing consumer protections in the health insurance industry was signed into law Wednesday by the president. The Competitive Health Insurance…

By Eesha Williams A new Vermont group is working to stop logging on publicly-owned land in the state — including in the Green Mountain National Forest near Rochester. The group, Standing Trees Vermont supports banning logging on publicly owned land and, instead, encourages logging companies to buy their own land. If the companies want to…

By Curt Peterson The town of Killington initiated a new short-term rental (STR) registration program in November, after residents voted to approved the zoning change. Zoning Administrator Preston Bristow told the Mountain Times that of the estimated 507 eligible short-term rental units in Killington, 394 have been registered and assigned program numbers as of Jan.…

Beginning Tuesday, Jan. 19, Killington Resort and Pico Mountain Resort will only require parking reservations on Saturdays, Sundays and peak days, Feb. 15-19. “We are able to make this change because our lift and terrain capacity are allowing plenty of space for social distancing and we have not had a need to limit visits on midweek days.…

By Emma Cotton/VTDigger MOUNT HOLLY — A 350-acre chunk of forest with high ecological significance has been protected. The state purchase of the parcel completes a conservation project that protects a 100-mile corridor for wildlife. The parcel connects sections of the Green Mountain National Forest, Okemo State Forest and Coolidge State Forest. The high elevation and…

Over 400 highly-trained volunteer instructors make Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports’ mission of empowering individuals with disabilities possible. Out of a dedicated pool of volunteers, Vermont Adaptive program coordinators recognized this year’s four Volunteers of the Year at off-snow trainings this fall, which were held virtually due to the pandemic. Tim Lonergan of Middletown Springs, Mike…