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…

By Allen Gilbert Editor’s note: Allen Gilbert of Worcester, a former journalist, teacher and ACLU-VT executive director. He chaired his school board in Worcester when it joined the education funding lawsuit that resulted in the Brigham v. State decision by the Vermont Supreme Court. Don Keelan’s commentary printed in this publication July 31 — “The ‘welcome to Vermont’…

Dear Editor, In response to Susan Weiksner’s letter in the last edition of the Mountain Times about being offended by political cartoons: I, in turn, was offended by your racism. You stated you are a retired teacher from Georgia. I hope your retirement offers you the time and motivation to seek knowledge, as any student…

Dear Editor, For the second consecutive year – exactly one year to the day – Vermont was struck by catastrophic flooding, wreaking havoc across our beautiful state. Kingsbury Companies, alongside many others, has been on the frontlines of cleanup and recovery efforts these past few weeks, and we are still supporting Vermonters in the aftermath…

Dear Editor, There are many acute problems crying for attention in the upcoming legislative session.  Affordability is a leading one that affects most Vermonters in one way or another. Families and individuals who would like to live in our communities are priced out due the lack of affordable housing. Businesses cannot fill open positions; hospitals, medical…

Dear Editor, First I want to say I appreciate your free weekly newspaper. We caretake a home here in Pico for the last 6 years and it’s very informative as to upcoming events. I am truly upset about the voice of your political cartoons. I realize everyone has a right to their beliefs, but not…

Dear Editor, I’m writing in support of my State Senate colleagues, Alison Clarkson and Becca White, who are seeking Democratic nominations for re-election to represent the Windsor County District. We’ve worked together to make life better for Vermonters with economic development, a higher minimum wage, childcare, family leave, and school meals. We’ve worked for Diversity,…

Dear Editor, I want to sincerely thank the Killington Rescue Team and the fifth floor “Red Team” emergency crew from Rutland Regional for saving my life on July 25. EMT Kristina, Colin McCreight, MD, Andrew DeNicco, MD, Julie Foster, MD and Taylor Stugart (owner of the Clear). I’m sincerely for help and kindness. Everyone did…

Dear Editor, A new peer reviewed paper, “Best Management Practices for Furbearer Trapping Derived from Poor and Misleading Science,” was recently published and debunks Vermont Fish & Wildlife’s  attempt to convince the public that “Best Management Practices” for trapping result in more humane trapping practices. They don’t. In 2022 there was a bill to ban leghold traps—a straight-forward bill that…

Dear Editor, I don’t know where the idea of open primaries came from or the history of how they began in Vermont. I was originally from Connecticut and when you registered to vote you had to declare your party affiliation. Only if you were registered in a political party, could you take part in that…

Dear Editor, Many cruel and unethical practices occur in Vermont’s fields and forests during hunting and trapping seasons, but you’ll never hear about them from Vermont Fish & Wildlife. Thankfully, watchdog groups like Protect Our Wildlife shed light on the most egregious, cruel and wanton acts of violence against wild animals in Vermont. One such act…

Dear Editor, There has been no shortage of notable quotes from Montpelier recently, and not many of them charitable. Reading that our governor referred to lawmakers as “a bit arrogant” in overriding his vetoes at a press conference brings to mind several historical quotes and sayings. What immediately came to mind were “Let he who…