Dear Editor, Too often in 21st Century political elections we are faced with the situation of voting for the lesser of two evils from the two establishment parties. In the 2020 Vermont general election we have seven candidates for the office of Vermont governor and thankfully a chance to break away from the aforementioned voting…

Dear Editor, On behalf of the Castleton Community Center members and board of directors I would like to express our sincere gratitude to the many individuals and businesses that helped make our 16th annual Castleton Community Center Golf Outing a success.  Proceeds from the golf outing support our elderly and disabled transportation program. A special…

Dear Editor, I recently began volunteering for the Vermont Democratic Party in hopes of aiding the blue wave in the upcoming election cycle but also due to my strong interest in the campaign of Molly Gray for Lieutenant Governor. Molly is the change Vermont needs. She is passionate, driven, intelligent and truly cares about her…

Dear Editor, In the 1990s, my wife and I bought a home in Vermont. We lived there and raised a family. Our kids went to school there. We ran a small business, and made lasting friendships in a close community. But as time went on, Vermont became a less affordable place to live. Our property…

Dear Editor, We all know that there are some elected officials whom you only see when they are running for another term of office - if you see them at all. They have their solid supporters, and that’s whose favor they continue to curry. Not so for state Senator Cheryl Hooker. I’ve known Cheryl for…

Dear  Editor, My letter is addressed to my Vermont friends who are ATV, snowmobile, and motorcycle enthusiasts and who do not vote. Many of you say it doesn’t matter. “My vote doesn’t count,” you insist. Sadly, I have heard these sentiments from gun owners and hunters, too. The Vermont Legislature has passed the Global Warming…

Dear Editor, The residents of Brandon, Pittsford and Sudbury are so very lucky to have Stephanie Jerome as our representative in Montpelier. Her hard-working ethic, integrity and genuine desire to help people makes her the perfect legislator. It is well-known that Jerome has the education, intelligence and experience to do the job. But what she…

By Dr. Michael Shank Many things in life are easier when done together. Whether it’s education, economic development, everyday chores or even emergency response, when you have more hands and more help, the work is more efficiently executed and more effectively implemented. It takes a village to lighten the load and leverage our power. And…

By Jim Condos, Vermont Secretary of State Many of us love going to the polls on Election Day. Joining in-person with our friends, family, and neighbors to participate in the civic process is something I look forward to every election year. As Vermont’s chief election official, it is my responsibility to ensure we can all safely…

By Emma Cotton/VTDigger As a river steward for the Connecticut River Conservancy, Kathy Urffer keeps an eye on water-related permits through Vermont. Last year, one caught her eye — to allow the state’s first-ever transfer of water from one river basin to another. The application came from Killington Resort, which asked the Vermont Agency of Natural…

By Lisa Lynn, VT SKI & Ride On Sept. 29 Vail Resorts announced one more move in the consolidation of its personnel in Colorado: The company that owns Mount Snow, Okemo, Stowe and 34 other resorts eliminated 60 positions in their resort-based marketing and communications teams. The company announced a restructuring that will centralize many…

The ruffed grouse is an iconic game bird of Vermont that is widely recognized and enjoyed by hunters and non-hunters alike, but wildlife biologists are concerned that grouse populations across the Northeast have declined over the past 30 years. This trend has prompted ruffed grouse research on potential causes, including emerging disease threats and habitat…

Food distribution sites break attendance records statewide, Farmers to Families likely to end after October After a summer of record-breaking food distribution by the Vermont Foodbank, many people throughout the state are facing hunger this winter — intensified by the coronavirus pandemic. While the USDA’s Farmers to Families Food Box program has helped to supplement…

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao announced on Sept. 30 that the federal government will provide $574 million in emergency relief (ER) funds to help 39 states and Puerto Rico make repairs to roads and bridges damaged by storms, floods, and other unexpected events. “This $574 million in federal funding will help states repair…

Vermonters may claim a property tax credit or receive a renter rebate to help offset the cost of housing, but those claims must be filed by Oct. 15. The Vermont property tax credit and renter rebate programs help make housing more affordable for thousands of Vermonters, and the Department of Taxes has seen a marked…