Dear Editor, The WSYB Christmas Fund has been a Christmas tradition for families in the Rutland area for 44 years. For many, it wouldn’t be Christmas without sharing their good fortune and giving a donation to the Christmas Fund. Since that first Christmas, the Christmas Fund has raised well over a million dollars from small…

Dear Editor, I’m a ninth generation Vermonter so while I might be proud, I think history has shown that we’re very capable of governing ourselves, even when our approach is different from those of other states. In response to the op-ed by Julia Purdy “Vermont ‘exceptionalism’ is naïve,” I ask: Was it naive to help…

Dear Editor, In 2007, the Killington Growth Initiative (KGI), a community group composed of business leaders, local government and residents, identified key challenges before the town, including a depressed economy, decline in cultural activities, lack of sustainable year-round economy, poor communication, and a strained relationship between Killington Resort and community members. KGI worked with the…

Dear Editor, One of the biggest frauds being perpetrated on this country is the attempt by our national leaders and some misguided individuals right here in our own state of “what’s yours is mine” Vermont, is none other than climate change. The climate has changed continually since God rested on the seventh day, after the…

Dear Editor, On Oct.16, 2012, the first homemade meals were made for “Feed the Freezer” and started a project that is now three years old and feeding thousands of people in Rutland County. Feed the Freezer volunteers cook and provide nutritious homemade meals (such as casseroles) that are frozen, then distributed to food shelf participants…

Dear Editor, It is with a heavy heart I report to you that the Southwest Freedom Riders will be dissolving at the end of 2015. It’s been a long, strange, wonderful journey through the last 15 years. We have done our best to help as many people as possible, and really make a difference—locally, state-…

Dear Editor, Santa would like to thank the elves at Boss Office Works for helping to get all my letters out to the community children this year. I couldn’t have done it without you! Sincerely, Santa Claus

Dear Editor, This week world leaders and 200 scientists have decided on a plan to address climate change, the largest problem humankind has ever had to deal with. We Vermonters also are addressing the same social dilemma. It is simple: either we rest on our laurels and just wait to see what the world will…

By Lee H. Hamilton Not many people outside of Capitol Hill paid attention last month when the congressional leadership released next year’s legislative schedule. Its headline feature is a strikingly long summer recess: half of July and all of August, along with a few spotty weeks of work before the November election. In all, the…

Dear Editor, As as Rochester community member, I am writing to share some of my thoughts and concerns about the future of our school. My hope is that this will be the beginning of a conversation. I know there are lots of concerns and worries coming from all different points of view. My concern is…

Dear Editor, Happy holidays on behalf of the Killington Pico Area Association (KPAA) to you and your families. Looking outside its hard to determine which holiday season we are in. I’d like to remind everyone that we have been here before and there’s no reason to panic as some have   expressed to me. I,…

By Julia Purdy Governor Shumlin has been quoted saying that legalizing recreational marijuana is entering “uncharted territory.” Other supporters have claimed that Vermont will legalize marijuana “the Vermont way.” The governor’s statement is completely disingenuous, since we do not lack for a crystal ball (now five, in fact). And the jingoistic notion expressed by optimists…

Technology will increasingly provide efficiencies—plan accordingly By Alan Shusterman The robots are coming—and they may put your friendly neighborhood retail staffer out of work. Home-improvement superstore Lowe’s recently began employing robot sales assistants in its stores. The robots can answer questions in multiple languages and take customers directly to what they’re looking for. Lowe’s isn’t…

Dear Editor, There has been a lot of wonderful activity going on in our town over the past few years, showing that despite setbacks (like Irene, and a major recession), we as a town have made a lot of progress since 2008 when we voted in the options tax in an effort to revitalize our…

Dear editor, ARC Rutland Area (ARC) recently held its annual membership meeting for people with developmental disabilities and their families. We celebrated the accomplishments of our members with Maggie Pak Awards and the 25th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. At the meeting, we also explored how the ARC services make impacts in the members’ lives.…