Dear Editor, As I gradually lost my sight over my lifetime, I realized how important work is. Obviously it provides the income you need to live, but it also shapes identity, builds confidence, and provides purpose and meaning. I benefitted from all the preceding because I was able to remain employed as I transitioned from…

Dear Editor, I was expecting a ghost town when I dropped my 13-year-old daughter off at Okemo on Sunday. I’d been working from home in Brattleboro for months, only seeing the occasional friend for a walk, and assumed most Vermonters were similarly wary of public spaces during the pandemic. So it was shocking to drive…

Dear Editor, Good news: Leading medical experts in the U.K. believe that eating vegan foods rather than animal-based ones is the simplest, cheapest ways to reduce one’s risk of “becoming seriously ill with Covid-19.” In an open letter to the British government, the physicians explained that people who eat wholesome vegan foods are less likely…

Dear Editor, Thank you for allowing my family’s voice to be heard. We’ve spent years in legal disputes, pursuing the town for our “grandfathered status” and illegal “selective enforcement.” There is a significant amount of information to share and I would be doing the story a disservice by only talking about the wastewater system that…

Dear Editor, Last night on my way home from work I stopped by Stewart’s State Street store to pick up a gallon of milk. After I left, I had gone about one block when a police cruiser popped out behind me, lights flashing. The officer told me she was pulling me over because my headlights…

Dear Editor, The debate has started again as to whether the U.S. Constitution should be amended in order to change the presidential election process. Some promote eliminating the electoral college in favor of a direct popular vote for president while others believe the electoral college should remain unchanged. Just as compromise solved the initial problems…

Dear Editor, With so many small businesses closing due to Covid hardships, and local markets and craft shows across the state forced to halt in-person operations, the businesses that do succeed are the ones that update their business model and get creative. The Vermont Farmers Market is no exception. Down to half capacity this summer…

Dear Editor, A walk through town reveals many signs, like our own, proclaiming that Black Lives Matter. Folks may be searching for other ways to promote racial equality, and to learn about and work to end systemic racism, other than posting signs. One option among many is to join the Rutland Area NAACP. Now the…

Dear Editor, First is my big thank you to the 1,471 Windsor County voters. Those voters saw the issues facing local democracy. I, Mason Wade, spoke strongly about our local democracy being homoginized by the two party system, as an independent candidate for the past two Windsor Senate races. Before I share an example, I…

Dear Editor, Regarding the death of a pedestrian crossing Route 7 by Day’s Inn in Rutland Town (“Pedestrian struck and killed in Rutland,” Nov. 11-17 edition) — I travel Route 7 South often and am always amazed that pedestrians have to take their lives in their hands to cross Route 7 at one of the…

To the Editor, I was pleased to learn an Israeli startup called SuperMeat is serving cultured-chicken sandwiches at a test kitchen in Tel Aviv. For those who don’t know, cultured meat is grown from cells, without slaughtering animals. The U.S. Congress should help fund development of this revolutionary protein. Though cultured meat is rapidly approaching…

Dear Editor, This week, President Trump will take a break from brooding over his election loss to pardon two turkeys. Every one of us has that same awesome power to pardon an innocent, sentient bird by choosing a plant-based roast for our Thanksgiving dinner. The 222 million turkeys killed in the U.S. this year are…

Dear Editor, The year 2020. What a year. The pandemic has forced all of us to look closely at our place in the world. Last year at this time, we only saw masks at the dentist or in the operating room. Today, a mask is part of our wardrobe. A year ago, we were shaking…

Dear Editor, A C-Span caller voiced her fear that Democrats would get rid of Medicare and Social Security.  An article about Black men who support Trump mentioned concerns that Biden would cut Medicare and Social Security.  I’ve heard the same in everyday conversations. That level of ignorance by people who care about these programs is…

Dear Editor, Thank you, people of the Windsor County Senate District, for re-electing us as your State Senators. Your trust is an honor, and a challenge to be worthy. We’re grateful to the many people who’ve worked to re-elect us, and we thank our various opponents for a civil contest in these uncivil times. We…