Dear Editor, To the legislators, first, thank you all for your willingness to serve your constituents and all Vermonters. You are appreciated by most of us. But please remember, you serve both the special wants and needs of your constitution, and, of all Vermonters, whose needs sometimes differ. Foster the balance. The bill-drafting process is…

By Laura Wilkinson The light is slowly returning and the final days of 2018 are upon us. The festivities of December will be replaced by the quiet starkness of January. As much as I enjoy the rituals of the season, I welcome the opportunity to mirror the dormancy of the outer world with introspection. For…

As rural economies go in the nation, so goes Vermont By David Moats Economic stagnation in Vermont is not new. For decades, it has defied the efforts of political leaders, Republican and Democrat, to solve it. What’s new is a growing awareness that the problem is a widespread condition, animating protests from Paris to London,…

By Russell Jones/Brandon Reporter BRANDON — The Girl Scouts began in 1912 when Juliette Gordon Low organized the first troop of 18 girls in Savannah, Ga. Now, 3.7 million members strong, the Girl Scouts of the United States of America have helped mentor and develop strong female leaders such Lucille Ball, Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day…

By Cal Garrison a.k.a. Mother of the Skye Our New Years’ Eve Horoscopes are coming out under the light of a Scorpio Moon, just as Mars crosses the Pisces-Aries Cusp. I find it interesting that just as we enter the New Year, the planet that governs the male principle, and all of our most visceral,…

The Vermont Farmers Market Association has named Jack Crowther as its Person of the Year for 2018. Crowther has been an editor for the Rutland Herald and worked hard to highlight the connection of clean water and food to health. He’s donated countless hours and resources to the Vermont Farmers Market Association farmacy ( VFFC’s…

During my teenage years in the 50s and 60s there were a couple of opportunities in Rutland to get dressed up in a gown and attend a formal event open to the public. One of these was the Cotillion. It began in 1949 and was considered a charity dance to benefit the Rutland Hospital. You…

By Carolyn Lorié Few things seem as remote as the January sun in northern New England. We see the light, but we feel almost no heat. In this way, winter can feel like a kind of exile – there’s a sense that the Earth has been flung to the farthest reaches of its orbit. The…

Living in sync with our true selves and being guided by the spirit within allows us to follow whatever unfolds in its natural sequence. Without trying to control the chaos of life with the left brain’s overthinking, our right brain flows from thing to thing, perceiving, sensing, and connecting. When given the time, the right…

Saturday & Sunday, Jan. 5-6—KILLINGTON—Join Killington Resort for the Newschoolers Tell a Friend Tour, a traveling freeskiing demo tour that focuses on fun and eating pizza. Ski with Andy Parry and the Tell a Friend Tour (TAFT) crew in the Killington Parks. Guest skiers include LJ Strenio, Khai Krepella, Charlie Dayton, Sawyer Sellingham and Kevin “Tweak” Merchant. On…

Sunday, Jan. 6, 4 p.m.—BOMOSEEN— Lake Bomoseen Lodge hosts the next Science Pub, Sunday, Jan. 6 at 4 p.m. Join your curious friends and neighbors at this free event to hear Assistant Professor Gregory Engel of Castleton University explore this puzzle: Why can some people safely use opioids or drink alcohol while others become quickly addicted? The answer…

Thursday, Jan. 3, 5 p.m.—KILLINGTON—Pico Mountain welcomes the return of the Thursday Fun Race Series. Put together a team or sign up individually for the opportunity to challenge yourself and your friends for a fun slalom race series. The registration party will be Thursday, Jan. 3 at Moguls Sports Pub on Killington Road. The cost…

Vermont dairy farmers could see much needed relief in the 2018 Farm Bill. With the signing of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, more improvements have been made to the renamed Margin Protection Program, now called the Dairy Margin Coverage program. “Farmers should look at this new program closely.  The early signs indicate it could…

Sunday and Monday, Jan. 6-7—RUTLAND—Rutland Youth Theatre is excited to announce its open auditions for “Tales from Japan,” an original show written by Skyler Ambrose, RYT alumna, and produced by Saskia Hagen Groom. From an ogre-slaying child, to the man (and a rabbit!) on the moon and a shape-shifting raccoon, this show will whisk the…

Saturday, Jan. 5, 7:30 p.m.—RUTLAND—Hosts Edda Belle Undies and Anita Cocktail are back for the second of four themed evenings of drag queen performances at Merchants Hall. On Saturday, Jan. 5, the theme is Gods and Goddesses, an evening of self expression. Enchanting performers will entertain the audience with drag routines, audience games, special performances,…