Dear Editor, There’s a vocal segment of  Vermonters who consistently decry what they see as “the liberal” tendency to spend “other people’s money” on social programs. I ran across this most recently in comments supporting gubernatorial candidate Phil Scott’s public statement that he’s pretty sure that $50 million can be cut from Medicaid. That’s an…

Dear Editor, I haven’t fully made my mind up yet about the national election, but there’s a weird similarity between the presidential campaign and the politics of Rutland, Vt. Without a doubt the presence of Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump (both totally unlikely candidates) have demonstrated that change is in order. Both spoke clearly on…

Dear Editor, I am writing regarding the Rainbow Family of Living Light Gathering of the Tribes that has been setting up in the Green Mountain National Forest in Mount Tabor. I am a California native who has travelled to Vermont in order to volunteer my time and labor at the gathering. Rainbow Gatherings mean a…

Dear Editor, On, July 4, my wife, an extremely careful driver who has never received a speeding ticket in her life, was driving on 100 South in Plymouth at the posted speed limit of 50 m.p.h., when suddenly she passed a 35 m.p.h. speed limit posted without previous warning on the same road—with a police…

Dear Editor, The 2016 gubernatorial candidacy of Bill Lee marks the resurgence of the Liberty Union Party as the main voice of progressive conscience and thought in state politics as the Vermont Progressive Party has lost that distinction due to recent ill-advised decisions and bad campaign strategies in their attempts to collaborate with the establishment…

Dear Editor, Last Wednesday, June 15, at The Local in Rutland, Team Romulous raised money for animal cruelty investigations against a background of outrageous music by Rick Redington & the Luv with Swamp Cabbage. Founder Walter Parks and Rick generously donated their time for our cause. In his column last week in the Mountain Times,…

Dear Editor, At the Killington select board meeting, Tuesday, June 21, Ms. Kathryn Bellis whose husband was killed in an accident involving Craig Mosher’s bull July 31, 2015, was allowed to speak at the meeting during citizens input. What she said was for the most part a direct quote, from the letter that appeared in the…

By Stephanie Yu Young people and rich people are moving to Vermont. If this surprises you, you aren’t alone. You’re more likely to hear that the young and the wealthy are fleeing Vermont for better opportunities. Your neighbors bought a condo and moved to Florida. Your daughter got a good job and took off for Chicago. So…

By Jon Margolis, VTDigger.org (Editor’s note: Jon Margolis is VTDigger’s political columnist.) Last week the federal government came out with some new state-by-state economic data, and guess which state looks to be in pretty good shape. Yep, little ol’ Vermont. Not that its economy is booming. But now that the prices of oil and gas…

By Angelo S. Lynn The die has been cast: Clinton will be the Democrat nominee. She has won the majority of the pledged delegates, she has won more states and contests, her steadfast support is across more demographic sectors of the population and far stronger in the most populated regions of the nation. She also…

Dear Editor, When my husband and I moved to Chester in March of 2001 on a very snowy day it was impossible to really appreciate the meadow we had acquired. By the middle of April we were able to walk the property. As we were coming back to the house I mentioned to him what…

Dear Editor, The majority of the citizens who I hear oppose the refugee relocation program for Rutland are afraid to speak up or be branded “phobes” and bigots . . . nasty politics. The people are not opposed to humanitarian efforts or persons of cultural difference. It’s the lack of democratic process that angers them.…

I would like to thank everyone who bowled or made donations for the Strike Out Hunger Benefit Bowl, held on Friday, June 3. Together, we raised $1,726 for the Rutland Meals Challenge! This is enough money for us to package an additional 6,904 meals for local community dinner programs, food pantries and the Vermont Food…

Dear Editor, A big thank you to Amy Morrison for all of her help with organizing the town-wide tag sale and to the KPAA for the space.  Though the weather was less than perfect on June 11, the sale was somewhat of a success and we hope to make it an annual event. Again, thanks to…

Dear Editor, Ms. Bellis certainly has my sympathy for the loss of her husband. As she stated in her letter to the editor last week, not only did she lose her husband but also her best friend. No one can deny the gravity of such a loss. But I question her characterization of Craig Mosher…