Dear Editor, Before the Covid pandemic, theater and live music were doing OK in Rutland. Many of the local performing artists were part of that “gig economy” and were making a living playing the Killington entertainment scene, while holding day jobs in the food & travel industry which both shut down with Covid. Now, a…

By Richard Balzano Editor’s note: Richard Balzano of Ryegate, a Ph.D candidate in history, a former high school teacher, a stand-up comedian, and a veteran in the fields of human services and mental health. This is a letter he submitted to the Blue Mountain Union School Board, in Wells River, in support of a vaccine…

Dear Editor, Tens of thousands of children are victims of sexual abuse and exploitation in the U.S. every year — in their homes, communities and online. Covid-19 has created a perfect storm for unprecedented levels of abuse by trapping children at home with their abusers and children are also spending an unprecedented amount of time…

By Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos and Deputy Secretary of State Chris Winters It only takes just a few minutes online to get a snapshot of America in 2022; a country divided; a digital battleground of rhetoric where information is wielded as a weapon. We hold faith that we can still heal this divide…

Dear Editor, Editor’s note: The following letter is an adaptation of the testimony Art Malatzky gave to the Vermont Economic Progress Council (VEPC) on Jan. 27. VEPC is considering the town of Killington’s application to utilize future incremental municipal and education property tax revenue to finance debt, if approved by the voters and incurred for…

By Janet McLaughlin Editor’s note: This commentary is by Janet McLaughlin of Burlington, executive director of the Vermont Association for the Education of Young Children. Just before the calendar flipped to 2022, thousands of Vermont families with school-age children picked up free Covid rapid tests to ensure as safe a return to school as possible.…

By Seton McIlroy, vice-chair of Woodstock Village Board of Trustees Weatherwise, the toughest time in Vermont is not the freezing days of winter, as some out-of-staters think. It’s the Janus-faced month of April. We get a few days, maybe a week, when the snow melts, flowers poke out, and heavy coats stay in the closet.…

Dear Editor, I’m terrified to go to school. That’s really nothing new — I’m from a generation raised on school shooter drills, told that a strap on a door would protect us and that if all else failed, our books could be shields. Expect the worst-case scenario; any learning environment could be a war zone…

By Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) As you read this, the number of Covid cases in Vermont are reaching levels far greater than at any point in the crisis. Today, I am writing to you with some news that should be of help as we fight this terrible pandemic. The scientific community has been very clear…

By Elaine Haney Tim Newcomb’s cartoon on Jan. 19 compares the three candidates running for the U.S. House of Representatives. It appears to imply that experience is the most important factor for voters to consider. But whatever the primary message of this cartoon is supposed to be, the implicit, negative messages it sends about these…

By Angelo Lynn It’s not surprising that any governor of Vermont faced with creating a budget with more than $1 billion in one-time ARPA money (with $500 million still left to spend), plus another $2.2 billion coming from the congressional infrastructure package, would choose to spread it around to as many constituencies as possible for…

Dear Editor, The Vermont Medical Society states that “no abortion providers in Vermont perform elective abortions in the third trimester.” However, their claim seems terribly disingenuous considering that prop 5 sets no time limits, but allows for unrestricted, unregulated abortion for any reason right up to the moment of birth. If they feel so strongly…

Dear Editor, We’d like to take this opportunity to thank those that very kindly and generously contributed money to help with the recent animal and neglect situations which VVSA Humane Society had been addressing these last couple of months. Donations were used to provide veterinary care, medical treatment, food and neutering some of the neglected…

Dear Editor, H 584 was just introduced in the Legislature. As Vermont high school students who worked closely on creating and developing this bill, we hope it will move swiftly through the Legislature and be passed into law. As schools across the country debate over teaching about race in the classroom, there couldn’t be a…

Dear Editor, The American Academy of Pediatrics Vermont Chapter (AAPVT) supports the direction that the Agency of Education is moving in adapting contact tracing and surveillance testing practices. The proposed model will only be successful with easy access to and adequate availability of rapid tests for all students, educators and school staff.  Keeping children safe is…