Dear Editor, In an Addison Independent article last week regarding Ripton’s withdrawal from the Addison Central School District, Oliver Olsen said: Other communities contemplating similar activity should view Ripton’s experience as a cautionary tale and should consider postponing any withdrawal actions. In effect, the chairman of the Vermont Board of Education warned Vermont citizens against…

Dear Editor, The Covid pandemic has continued to drag on for nearly two years, changing all of our lives in ways great and small. For our two daughters, ages 5 and 7, this pandemic has lasted for a significant portion of their lives. This was most evident when we first went to the local library…

Dear Editor, The recent news that Vermont experienced 487 Covid cases on Thursday, Nov. 4, breaking the all-time record by more than 100 cases, was extremely disheartening even to the most optimistic Vermonters. Friday followed on its heels with 377 new cases and a 3.3% positivity rate. With more than 90% of eligible Vermonters vaccinated,…

Dear Editor, Here is a recap of the Nov. 1 Rutland Aldermen meeting, as it pertains to my request that the board take a fresh look at fluoridation of the city water supply. I believe this issue is important, as indicated by a significant turnout of people. All members of the public who spoke were…

Dear Editor, Phoners, that’s the term I coined for those people that have decided it’s their god-given right to drive and phone at the same time. I have been the near victim to these phoners five times in as many years. Lucky for me I have quick reflexes and I was paying attention. As recently…

Dear Editor, As Health Careers Awareness Month in Vermont ends, it's time to keep up the buzz around the importance of health careers in our state. Vermont has among the highest shortages of medical professionals in the nation per capita, and the Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated an already stressed and depleted health workforce. The need…

Dear Editor, Editor’s note: this is an open letter to Gov. Scott and Vermont Fish & Wildlife. My husband and I are hoping to relocate to New England next year. Vermont was our first choice. However, in researching the state’s regulations governing wildlife, we decided, regrettably, Vermont was not for us. My husband and I…

Dear Editor, Little scares me about Halloween or trick-or-treating. Ghosts, zombies, skeletons and witches have nothing on all the milk ingredients in candy and the frightening truth about the dairy industry. This is the industry that has spent billions convincing humans that drinking the milk of another species is okay. This is the industry that…

Dear Editor, This is in direct response to the article “Monkey Wrench: How the Delta Variant Caught Vermont Off Guard,” published in the Mountain Times Oct. 6. Why do case counts remain stubbornly high, despite vaccination of so many eligible Vermonters? Community spread. Without pairing vaccines with other mitigation measures, cases will increase or remain…

Dear Editor, I grew up spending summers on Lake Bomoseen, where Fair Haven was our nearest village for shopping, restaurants and other activities. I was also a soccer player in high school at that time, and spent two months in Germany, where I was invited to play soccer. My daughters all played soccer from grade…

Dear Editor, Covid cases are climbing around the state and Gov. Scott says “I don’t know why.” The answer is obvious: the abandonment of the indoor mask mandate. This is causing serious outbreaks across the state, particularly in schools. From the early days of the outbreak, Vermont was justly praised for keeping the numbers down.…

Dear editor, In 2022, after decades of hopes, fears and tears, Amtrak’s Ethan Allen Express should finally restore passenger rail service between Rutland and Burlington, after a 69-year absence. The Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTRANS) and media will closely track this $25 million project until the train becomes a reality: Vergennes Station/Platform restoration (summer 2020),…

Dear editor, In response to the article about combined state colleges to be named Vermont State University, it truly is time for the state of Vermont to come to terms with its support of its state college system. This problem has plagued the schools for years, not only because of the national issue colleges and…

Dear editor, Since 1964, Oct. 15 has been designated White Cane Safety Awareness Day to celebrate the achievements of people who are blind or visually impaired, and to recognize the importance of that tool for independence. The white cane is a symbol of strength and independence for blind and visually impaired people. As a blind…

Dear editor, Vermont is at an interesting crossroads with the fossil fuel empire. On the one hand, our Attorney General is suing ExxonMobil, Sunoco and Citgo for deceptive and unfair practices, as a consumer protection issue. Included is a proposal to prevent said companies from engaging in future unfair and deceptive acts, as well as…