Dear Editor, A ruling was made last week in the VT Superior Court, WRJ, on the return of German shepherd dogs and their puppies to the owner of the puppy mill from which they were recently rescued by VT state police and local humane societies. While the details of this horrific situation cannot yet be…

By Sandra Paritz Editor’s note: Sandra Paritz, of Montpelier, directs the Poverty Law Project at Vermont Legal Aid. Years ago, when my 3-year-old son first saw someone sleeping in the doorway of a building in the cold, he asked: Why is he sleeping there? Won’t he be too cold? Why doesn’t he have a home?…

Dear Editor, Editor’s note: this was submitted as an open letter to the Killington Select Board on Dec. 10. As the Select Board leads the effort to bring a TIF (Tax Increment Financing) District to Killington, it appears obvious that the Board and SP Land are orchestrating an effort to promote this project in the…

By Peter Sterling Editor’s note: Sterling is the interim executive director of Renewable Energy Vermont. Talk to anyone who has tried to bring renewable energy to Vermonters and they will tell you the same thing: despite our green reputation and the thousands of Vermonters who have asked for leadership to avoid the existential crisis climate…

Dear Editor, Jonathon Spiro was the perfect president to lead Castleton University through the dual challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic and the proposed merger of Castleton with its northern brethren. He was and still is completely committed to the university’s success, to its students and its faculty and its staff, and to its role in…

Dear Editor, A news story published by WCAX Nov. 21 said that Brattleboro police are warning Vermonters that “fentanyl-laced marijuana” has been found in our region, and that it caused one person to overdose Saturday. The next day, similar reports were published by the Brattleboro Reformer and MyNBC5. I felt an immediate need to address…

By Bob Stannard Editor’s note: Bob Stannard of Manchester is an author, musician and former state legislator and lobbyist.  Bang! Bang! Maxwell’s silver hammer Came down upon his head Clang! Clang! Maxwell’s silver hammer Made sure that he was dead — The Beatles And so happy Christmas for black and for whites, (War is over…

Dear Editor, Sen. Patrick Leahy’s recent announcement has caused me to reflect on his legacy and his many years of service to Vermont and the nation. Until recent events, I considered myself a lifelong Republican. Although I now consider myself an independent, I still firmly believe in limited government, self-reliance, public safety and free enterprise.…

By Julia Purdy A prominent thread woven into the fabric of present-day Vermont is the question of the “two Vermonts” — the old versus the new, the traditional versus the forward-looking, the rural versus the urban, the economically depressed versus the financially flush, and the assumptions and expectations on both sides. A particular issue has…

Dear editor, Scammers are getting even more imaginative in their attempts to separate you from your money. One technique they use – successfully – is to pretend they are a legitimate business or service soliciting information from you so you can get something you want or think you need... or give you false protection you…

By Nicholas Boke Editor's note: Nicholas Boke is a freelance writer and international education consultant who lives in Chester. In late December, Rutland Board of Aldermen member Matt Whitcomb asked the big question as he and his colleagues puzzled over the possibility of enacting mask mandates. Rutland Herald reporter Gordon Dritschilo explained in a Nov.…

Dear editor, We recently learned that the federal government has notified the state of Vermont that the enrollment targets for all-payer model (and thus the Accountable Care Organization, One-Care) are both “unattainable” and “unnecessary.” This is an entirely new way to set standards. Imagine if a professor or teacher tells her students they need to…

By Ken Fredette Editor's note: Ken Fredette resides in Wallingford. After watching public input and the ensuing conversation among board members at the Mill River School Board meeting Nov. 17, I find myself compelled to reach out to all of you with some thoughts. First and foremost: It is clear that members of the board…

Dear Editor, It sometimes feels like no one wants to agree on anything these days — from national politics to the most local of issues. So, I’m writing to offer your readers an antidote to some of the negativity, divisiveness, anger, and suspicion that may seem so pervasive: The opportunity to participate in the 2021…

By Dr. Marvin Malek Editor's note: Dr. Malek is an internal medicine specialist at Springfield Hospital. He is also on the executive committee of Vermont Physicians for a National Health Program. In 1938, the notorious bank robber Willie Sutton was asked why he robbed banks. His response: “That’s where the money is.” Were Willie Sutton…