Dear Editor, Do you remember fireflies from your childhood? Tiny flashing lights in the fields and woods, in the green grass? They were magical, and other-worldly. I thought they would always be here, part of summer. But they are endangered, because of us. The night skies are no longer dark, and the flashing lights…

Dear Editor, The planet has a protective plan for itself: Climate change, toxic waste, AI, guns and the ultimate “second civil war,” which will collectively eliminate people. Without people, don’t worry, the planet will heal itself and survive.  Alexander Lyall, Middlebury

  Dear Editor, Raccoon hounders can run their hounds in the middle of the night during “training” season, which started June 1st. The torment of animals by released uncontrolled hounds lasts throughout much of the year. Summer is also a time when people, dogs, and other animals are using the woods. Hounds are loud and…

  Dear Editor, Last March my wife and I spent two weeks way down south. One week was on the Florida coast just north of Miami, the second on coastal Georgia.  While it was wonderful to enjoy warm weather, the beaches and lots of sunshine, we could not fail to notice the profound cultural differences.…

  By Lieutenant Governor David Zuckerman The Legislature reconvened for a special summer veto session — a time to review the bills that the governor vetoed and vote on whether those vetoes should be overridden. At the end of the session there were seven bills passed by the legislature that saw the governor’s veto pen,…

  By Rep. Peter Conlon Editor’s note: State House Rep. Peter Conlon, D-Cornwall, chair of the House Education Committee. The recent news that Vermont’s Attorney General has filed suit against Monsanto for its sale of PCB-containing materials is an important step to hopefully recoup what is on track to be tens of millions of dollars…

  Dear Editor, The unhousing—eviction—of people in the motel voucher program is continuing as planned by the governor and legislature. Approximately 760 households are being evicted this month.  Some of the 1,100 households scheduled to be booted out on July 1 have apparently been given a temporary reprieve. I cannot believe the insensitivity and ignorance…

  Dear Editor, The Pete Giancola Gift-of-LIfe Mini Marathon Blood Drive is fast approaching — but appointments are not filling fast at all.  At this point last year, we had twice as many appointments as we have right now for the July 11 drive, which will be held at the Rutland Elks Club and the…

  Dear Editor,  In my letter to the Brattleborow Reformer on Saturday, Dec. 5, 2009, with the   headline, “Homelessness is a sign of a society that’s failing,” I wrote, “We spend a lot of time preaching about the importance of good deeds and gratitude, and not enough time making any tangible change. It’s really…

  By Drew McConville Editor’s note: Drew McConville, a resident of Montpelier. He is a senior fellow with the Center for American Progress, and a former official at the White House Council of Environmental Quality under President Obama. Vermonters who value outdoor access, healthy forests and clean water recently celebrated the enactment of a new…

  By Bill McKibben Editor’s note: Bill McKibben is an internationally known climate activist and writer who lives in Ripton. In Vermont, the scent of wood smoke on a late fall afternoon is an iconic smell. It’s not like that here today, in the first week of June — it’s more like sitting on the…

  By Richard Rawson Editor’s note: , Ph.D, is a research professor at the UVM Center for Behavior and Health. He lives in Brandon. He also is a professor emeritus in Psychiatry at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. In a June 8 commentary, Jim Tomczak poignantly described the impossible situation he faces in caring…

  Dear Editor, Saturday, June 24, marks one year since the Supreme Court of the U.S. overturned Roe v. Wade in the case titled Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.  With that decision, the court ended the federal constitutional right to abortion after nearly 50 years and allowed states to ban abortion. This was a…

  Dear Editor, I am reaching out because our show is planning to return to Vermont in August 2023! We’re looking for leads throughout the state, specifically interesting characters with fascinating items and lots of them! The way we find people and collections for our show is through spreading the word far and wide so…

  By Guy Payne Editor’s note: Guy Payne is the executive director of Sustainable Energy Outreach Network in Brattleboro. Did you know: Vermont’s Energy Code is the law, yet many builders and homeowners are unaware or choose to ignore it?  Vermont’s housing crisis has highlighted not only the lack of adequate housing in the state…