Dear Editor, In March of this year, the KSAR volunteer group, which served this town for over 10 years, wrote a letter to the town manager, explaining that the chief that the town hired for fire, ems and search and rescue, created a toxic work environment through bullying and misogyny. They requested that they…

  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.…

  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…

  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 Faith Gong Editor’s note: Faith Gong has worked as an elementary school teacher, a freelance photographer, and a nonprofit director. She lives in Middlebury with her husband, five children, assorted chickens and ducks, one feisty cat, and one anxiety-prone labradoodle. In her “free time,” she writes for her blog, The Pickle Patch. I…

  Dear Editor, Killington Fire and Rescue was once a respectable agency made up of members that love the town they serve. Now it has gone from a group of people that are there to help the neighbors, to a boy’s club forcing out anyone the current chief and his buddies do not align with.…

Minimum wage boost needed Dear Editor, On March 29, Vermont senior U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., was grilling Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz on the illegal union-busting activities used by that corporation.  In order to embarrass our senior senator, Schultz shot back with the fact that Vermont has a paltry minimum wage of only $13.18/hour. His…

  Dear Editor,  The American Red Cross experienced a concerning shortfall in blood and platelet donations last month. The Red Cross collected over 26,000 fewer blood donations than needed in May to meet the needs of patients. The need for blood is constant, with someone needing a blood transfusion in the U.S. every two seconds.…

Dear Editor, Reading about the housing crisis in Vermont and all over the country, and how a judge could change in one stroke of his pen the fate of hundreds of unhoused Vermonters, it is one grave sign that our society and our governments (federal, state and local) are moving toward a catastrophic end. I…