Dear Editor, Egg prices have tripled in some states in the past year, largely because of the slaughter of nearly 58 million birds sickened by bird flu. Yet, no price can possibly justify the cruelty inherent in egg production. When chicks are hatched, all “useless” males are ground up alive or suffocated in large plastic…

By Jack Hoffman Editor’s note: Jack Hoffman is senior analyst at Public Assets Institute (www.publicassets.org), a non-partisan, non-profit organization based in Montpelier. He is a resident of Marshfield currently living in France. There were two threads running through Gov. Phil Scott’s fourth inaugural address last week. One was a clear, even refreshing, acknowledgement of the…

By Lise Sparrow Editor’s note: Rev. Dr. Lise Sparrow is the chair of religious affairs of the Windham County NAACP. Martin Luther King, Jr. famously said, “Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle.”  Here in Vermont the dismantling of structural racism has been happening slowly but relentlessly…

By Scott Giles and Joyce Judy Editor’s note: Scott Giles is the president and CEO of Vermont Student Assistance Corp; Joyce Judy is president of the Community College of Vermont. We’ve long known that the most promising jobs in Vermont require education and training beyond high school. Yet too often, Vermonters seeking that education and…

By Jim Condos For more than 35 years, it has been my great honor to serve the people of Vermont as a public servant as: Secretary of state for 12 years, state senator for eight years, and South Burlington city councilor for 18 years.  During this time, I have always worked hard to serve Vermont’s…

Dear Editor, A very important fact was edited from my letter to the Mountain Times on Dec. 28 about Killington’s removal of beaver dams that the town residents should be made aware of. It’s obvious the town and state have implemented this river management plan in the complete absence of knowledge about the river itself.…

Dear Editor, In the Dec. 28 Mountain Times, a letter writer made many false claims and assertions. I am referring to the letter about Killington’s river permit. The writer is uninformed and not qualified to make these comments regardless of how much time they have spent paddling the river. I have lived on this segment…

By Michael J. Caduto Editor’s note: Michael J. Caduto is author and co-author of more than 20  books, including the “Keepers of the Earth” series. He is executive director of Sustainable Woodstock. He lives in Reading. Although Jan. 1 is day one in the year of the Western (Gregorian) calendar, it is not written in…

Dear Editor, ‘I don’t give them money, because they’re just going to buy drugs with it. I don’t want to feed their addiction.' Let’s unpack that statement that was just repeated to me for what felt like the gazillionth time today. Maybe they are, maybe they’re not. But let’s say for argument’s sake they are…

Dear Editor, Since the merger between Vermont PBS and VPR and the subsequent name change, I have been referring to the organization as “Vermont Public Whatever.” My suggestion, made to a long time VPR reporter as well as various concerned members of the public I have spoken to on the subject, was that the merged…

By Lawrence W. Reed and David Flemming Editor’s note: Lawrence W. Reed is president emeritus of the Foundation for Economic Education. David Flemming, a policy analyst at the Ethan Allen Institute. All of us have heard, perhaps many times, complimentary references to the so-called “common man.” He (or she) is widely regarded as praiseworthy simply…

By Sas Carey Editor’s note: Sas Carey’s new book, “Marrying Mongolia,” is being published by the International Polar Institute and will be released in February 2023. Her healing practice in Middlebury can found at.lifeenegyheal.com. The documentaries and Mongolian work can be found at nomadicare.org. When you follow your inner guidance or calling, amazing things can…

By Robert S. Emmons Editor’s note: Robert S. Emmons has maintained a private psychiatric practice in Vermont for 33 years. He is a member of the volunteer clinical faculty at UVM Larner College of Medicine, where he has taught in the fields of professionalism, ethics and psychoanalytic psychotherapy. It’s hard to wrestle old habits to…

Dear Editor, Founded in 2007 Appalachian Trail Adventures, the company has enjoyed steady growth each year since—with a focus on providing fun adventures and premier customer service. Escapades range from guided hikes on the Appalachian Trail, to kayaking on rivers, to exploring a cave, to taking a sightseeing tour and much more. Given the scope…

By Tom Evslin This commentary is by Tom Evslin of Stowe, an entrepreneur, author and former Douglas administration official.  The Trumpenfinger to the elite wasn’t meant to be pretty. I’m being optimistic in using the past tense about the former president. I do hope he’s fading from the political scene. However, there are important reasons…