By James Lyall Editor’s note: James Lyall is the executive director at the ACLU of Vermont. We all want to live in healthy, safe, vibrant communities, where everyone is treated fairly, and their rights are respected. We need leaders whose vision for Vermont is consistent with those goals and with these shared values.  …

  Dear Editor, Fall is the time of year we generally begin to put our gardens to bed. I have recently changed my garden practices considerably since learning that our gardens can be important havens for pollinating insects and other wildlife during every season of the year. Last year at this time, the Pollinator Pathway…

  Dear Editor, The Fish & Wildlife Board is made up of people with some level of knowledge and concern for hunting, fishing, trapping and conservation. Much like the first conservationists in this country 100 years ago, hunters, trappers, and fishers are the ones who do the most for conservation and always have. And not…

  By Walt Amses Editor’s note: Walt Amses is a resident of North Calais. As the current uptick of Covid comes into focus — likely more than reported since keeping track of infections became a political nonstarter — the initial fall season’s conspiracy theories are making their debut.  Weirdest so far is that these new…

  By Don Keelan Editor’s note: Don Keelan of Arlington is a retired certified public accountant. The time is long overdue for the Republicans/conservatives, Democrats/Progressives to put away their hatchets and stop attacking each other. Instead, let’s deal with the Vermont crisis of losing young people at a rate that will soon devastate the state. …

  Dear Editor, Fractures need repair to ensure normal function.  “Comminuted” fractures, in which the bone breaks into multiple pieces, are difficult to repair.  The more pieces there are, the more difficult the repair.  Our healthcare system displays the most severe kind of fracture: shattering into many pieces.  It’s so bad that we don’t even…

  Dear Editor, September is Hunger Action Month.  It is a time set aside when individuals and organizations work to help fight food insecurity.  The numbers of families now facing food insecurity continues to rise.  According to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), food insecurity is defined as the lack of consistent access to enough…

  By John W. Casella Editor’s note: John W. Casella is the chairman and CEO of Casella Waste Systems Inc. From time to time, the good people of DUMP — Don’t Undermine Memphremagog’s Purity — gather in a room, wring their hands, and manufacture another round of hyperventilated boilerplate letters to the editor.   While…

  Dear Editor, It was probably inevitable in this partisan age that even a good-faith initiative to replace a nondescript state flag with a new design that more vividly captures a state’s history would — in the words of The New York Times — “prompt furious backlash that shows how politically risky such a change…

  Dear Editor,  We have all experienced nuisance animals such as hearing about skunks under porches, raccoons in the attic, foxes killing chickens, fisher preying on cats, coyotes attacking dogs and livestock, and volumes could be written about beaver complaints.  But, have you ever wondered why?  Why do these animals cause us trouble instead of…

  By Steven Berbeco Editor’s note: Steven Berbeco is the director of United Way of Northwest Vermont’s Mental Health Initiative, a collective impact project launched in early 2022. He lives in Winooski with his family and serves on the Winooski School Board.  Youth mental health has been a priority of our state government and many…

  Dear Editor, While Social Security was never intended to be the only source of retirement income, it is a core part of Americans’ retirement security and often the only long-term, inflation-proof source of income for many Americans. In fact, 38% of Vermont residents age 65 and older rely on the program for at least…

  Dear Editor, Illegally made fentanyl has had a devastating impact on local communities across the state. Drug prevention and education remain crucial to reducing overdose deaths and preventing addiction. Regardless of age, anyone can learn about the risks and speak about them.  Grandparents can help their grandkids by speaking about fentanyl and other drugs.…

  Dear Editor, Even before the pandemic Americans were starting to fall away from connecting with their neighbors. According to the Pew Research Center, social events among neighbors were starting to become relatively rare. “Among Americans who know at least some of their neighbors, a majority (58%) say they never meet them for parties or…

  Dear Editor, In 2019, after an extensive state inspection, Killington Elementary School was faced with the looming reality of a deteriorating Kids’ Kingdom in need of replacement. In the spring of 2021, Parents and Educators Aligned for Killington Students (PEAKS), the parent organization at Killington Elementary School (KES), began the endeavor of raising funds…