Dear Editor, While living in Wolcott, I had the pleasure of having John Rogers, who is now running for lieutenant governor, serve as my state senator. During this time, I corresponded with him on numerous occasions regarding legislation. Although we may not have always seen eye-to-eye on every issue, John Rodgers always made the time,…

Dear Editor, Vermont Conservation Voters (VCV) announced its endorsement of Mike Pieciak for state treasurer of Vermont, Sept. 5. During his tenure as state treasurer, Pieciak has been an effective leader on issues aligned with Vermont Conservation Voters’ mission, championing policies that safeguard our environment and support our communities. Through its endorsements, VCV aims to…

Dear Editor, Animals suffer from pain, just like people do, and it can come in many forms: surgical pain, arthritis, cancer, and dental pain are just a few. Acute pain is obvious — for instance your dog got hit by a car or your horse has a bruised foot and is limping — and it…

Dear Editor, In David Moats’ opinion piece “True generational change in view” published in the Sept. 4-10 edition, he completely misses an important part of the equation: Generation Jones (born 1954-1965, between Boom & X). Gen Jones has become a widely-embraced concept/term as this, among many websites, clearly show: GenJones.net.  There have been articles about Gen…

Dear Editor, As Vermont’s population ages and in many places declines, we’re seeing the impact in all aspects of our daily lives — whether it’s housing, education or health care. What’s the core problem in Vermont’s health care system? At its most simple, the number of people paying for care through commercial insurance is going…

Dear Editor, In its first six months legalized sports betting brought $3.5 million dollars in tax revenue to the state of Vermont. Except that Vermonters and visitors bet more than $100 million in that time period and the casinos paid out less than 90%. So $10 million left our economy and we got a $3.5 million return,…

Dear Editor, What was at first a peaceful and unassuming summer has now jolted Vermonters with another wave of midyear inundations. Many communities just beginning to get back on their feet from last year’s flooding have been forced back to square one. In the wake of these unfortunate circumstances, we are reminded that Vermont’s forests…

Dear Editor, Labor Day often brings to mind long weekends, barbecues, and the close of summer. But it’s also an opportunity to make compassionate choices. Each day, over 23 million land animals and 150 million sea animals are killed in the U.S. for food.  The worldwide numbers are even more staggering. Choosing to eat animals,…

Dear Editor, I am delighted to share some wonderful news with the Rutland community. The Winter Farmers’ Market is officially returning to Farmers’ Hall at the Vermont Farmers’ Food Center, starting Nov. 2!  Once the Summer Farmers’ Market at Depot Park wraps up at the end of October, we are excited to invite everyone to…

Dear Editor, Kamala Harris’ acceptance speech showed she is capable of being firm in her convictions when it comes to ensuring “safety, dignity, and justice” for rising American generations. However, she came off as much less firm about ensuring “hope,” “joy,” and “love” for Muslim women and children living in Gaza. She said, “I will…

Dear Editor, In response to the guest editorial titled “Vt. Republicans face a choice,” the author implies being a Republican is amusing. He goes on about previous Republicans and the past. Reality check: it’s a new world. People talk about the “far right,” you know those that don’t think it’s OK for children to be…

Dear Editor, As Vermont recovers from yet another round of flooding and braces for what’s left of Tropical Storm Debby, it may come as no surprise that Vermont is ranked seventh in the nation for the most federal disaster declarations due to extreme weather since 2011. And some parts are harder hit than others: Washington County is…

Remembering Dan Kelly Dear Edtior, We are so sorry to hear about the passing of Dan Kelly. He was truly a “Great Waiter” and most importantly a great person. He was an unique character, not short on personality. Many customers asked to be seated in his section and would wait until tables became available. He…

Dear Editor, On May 11, 2022, Governor Scott signed into law Bill H.411, which prohibits killing wildlife without intention to use or dispose of it properly—known as wanton waste. A 2017 survey by the University of Vermont’s Center for Rural Studies showed that 70.5% of Vermonters oppose wanton waste. The passing of H.411 ignited a glimmer of…

Dear Editor, A third party always challenges the dual-mode of the scales, up and down. The dual-mode (“two party system”) has dominated America since John Adams was president. Picture a fist fight. Dramatic, sure. Useful? To vested interests, very. You get the drama. Vested interests pocket the dharma: the money and influence. The power.  The…