By Mary Ellen Shaw Coffee shops seem to be the trend these days. People want a spot to sit and relax, enjoy a cup of coffee and have something light to eat. Back in my youth, during the 50s and 60s, people did that at lunch counters. Of course, they were not staring at their…

By Brett Yates Last week, I wrote a column whose conclusion I myself found, at the very least, debatable. Fortunately, my conception of my job here has never included a requirement to be correct—every week, I try my best only to put forth a single thought that might be interesting, and that’s all: my opinions…

RUTLAND—The Regional Prevention Partnerships grant initiative has announced its new name, Partners for Prevention. Since January 2017, the prevention partnership has laid groundwork for coordinated substance abuse prevention in the Rutland region and surrounding communities by facilitating regular community meetings. This group of stakeholders includes representatives from law enforcement, education, mental health and substance abuse…

Sept. 4-10—MIDDLETOWN SPRINGS—The Paramount Theatre will host the third residency of the acclaimed New York City theatre company Bedlam, Sept. 4-10.  The residency will feature two workshop presentations of works in progress: George Bernard Shaw’s “Saint Joan” (a re-mount of Artistic Director Eric Tucker’s signature production prior to a national tour) and a new play, “Kind Man…

By Karen D. Lorentz The years 1879, 1891, 1916, 1931, the 1960s, 1970 and 2017 have much in common. Do you know why? Here’s a clue: “Midway of the southern range of the Green Mountains... and close to the banks of the historic Otter where that stream winds its way through southwestern Vermont, is Rutland—by…

By Karen D. Lorentz Rutland County faces a serious population decline that has already begun. The county lost over 1,000 residents between 2010 and 2013 when the estimated population was 60,622 (further reading on VT population). The projection from a 2013 study is that by 2020 it will be 60,791 if the economy is growing.…

By Lee J. Kahrs BRANDON — Plans to build a convenience store and Dunkin Donuts where the Mobil station currently sits have been put on hold as the Segment 6 Route 7 project gets underway. Property owner Midway Oil in Rutland received a permit from the Brandon Development Review Board in April 2016 to tear…

By Dom Cioffi I want to believe this chapter of my life is over. On Friday of last week, I traveled to Jacksonville, Fla., for another check-up concerning my cancer battle. It was exactly a year ago when I went down for my first appointment after having agreed that the doctors at the Mayo Clinic would…

Dear Editor, There’s a bit of a misrepresentation in the third sentence of Brett Yates’ otherwise excellent piece “Good things for bad people” published in the Aug.23-29 edition of the Mountain Times, in regards to the infamous Google memo. It reads: “The engineer, James Damore, asserted that the relative absence of women in Silicon Valley…

Dear Editor, Anyone watching the network news lately would think that Adolph Hitler, the entire Nazi Army and a legion of Civil War Reconstruction Klansmen had risen from from the dead and invaded the United States. I have never seen so much outlandish hysteria perpetrated by the media in my entire life. In trying to…

Dear Editor, Throughout the ages many attempts have been made to revise history. Some, such as the burning of books, have had mild success in encouraging some and intimidating others to join in the hateful venture. Others have bred the spreading of false or modified reports of events by way of angry opinion in ways…

Dear Editor, Lately much has been made about the cost of the proposed land purchase for the new Public Safety Building. Having been on the Firehouse Committee I can state unequivocally the committee exhausted all possible sites available with the criteria of land cost, development cost, and location along with other more specific criteria within…

Dear Editor, The following is in no way to disparage those who put in their effort to select a site, nor negotiate the sale price for the proposed firehouse. The following are facts we the citizens need to consider. An acre of land is 43,560 square feet, times 4 it equals 174,240 square feet. Fifty…

By Angelo S. Lynn Walls to divide, or bridges to unite? On the campaign trail, politicians of all stripes promise big things — but few were as boastful, wasteful and wrong-headed as “The Donald” was during his run-up to the Republican convention and throughout the general election. After his first eight months in office, he’s accomplished…

RUTLAND—The Rutland Free Library’s main public meeting space, the Nella Grimm Fox Room, is closed to all public use until further notice, according to a new release Friday, Aug. 25. A portion of the ceiling collapsed on Wednesday, Aug. 16, and subsequent testing revealed a small amount of asbestos in the debris. Glue used in…