Dear Editor, Happy New Year from Pentangle Arts. I’ve completed my first year as the organization’s executive director and find every day as interesting and challenging (in a good way) since the day I started. Over the year I’ve met so many talented singers, dancers, and artists from the Upper Valley and beyond. I’ve had…

Dear Editor. The “silly season” for the mass media is supposed to be a short period of time, “usually late summer when the media focuses on trivial or frivolous matters for lack of major news stories,” according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary. This presidential election cycle the silly season started early and has yet to subside.…

By Stephen Seitz Town meeting is right around the corner, and the period to run for local office has begun. While there are still some towns like Reading and Bridgewater which conduct business by electing officers from the floor, most elect their officers by the ballot box. Besides selectmen, voters will pick school board members,…

The deadline was 5 p.m. on Jan. 11 for candidates to file their petition to appear on the ballots of the Vermont presidential primaries. Secretary of State Jim Condos announced that 14 candidates qualified for the ballots: 10 candidates for the Republican ballot and 4 candidates for the Democratic ballot. The Republicans qualifying for placement…

By Bob Twillman More than 100 million Americans suffer from chronic pain, at an annual cost of $635 billion. That’s more than we spend treating cancer, diabetes, and heart disease combined. Worse, our efforts to treat this pain have led to a significant increase in the use of prescription pain relievers, with tragic and often…

Dear Editor, Last Thursday Governor Shumlin delivered his final State of the State address to a chamber full of dignitaries, special guests and a group of legislators who are facing yet another difficult budget crisis. While there was much in the speech I could agree with, especially the Governor’s call to keep gaining ground on…

By Lee H. Hamilton Whoever wins next November’s presidential election, it’s a sure bet that at some point he or she will vow to set the federal government on the straight and narrow. It’s a bracing sentiment. But you’ll want to take it with a grain of salt. Our history is filled with remarkable government…

Dear Editor, The “Dietary Guidelines for Americans” released Jan. 7 by U.S. departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services mark the ninth time in a row that the meat industry has successfully suppressed scientific findings recommending reduced meat consumption. The reduction was recommended by the government-appointed Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee in a 571-page report…

Dear Editor, My friend John and I were pulled over in Woodstock, Vt., at 10:30 p.m. New Year’s Eve. John has a Rhode Island license place, therefore, I wasn’t surprised. I have a Massachusetts license plate and was pulled over in Pittsford, Vt., on the 4th of July, 2014. My parents and siblings have Connecticut…

By Bruce Lisman After traveling the state for the last six years, I’ve heard many versions of the same challenges faced by Vermonters all across our state. Increased property taxes are making it harder to afford homes. Jobs that pay a livable wage are scarce. Shrinking populations are threatening our local schools and communities. And…

Dear Editor, We would like to bring to your attention some concerns we have with a petition drive by Energy Independent Vermont and VPIRG (Vermont Public Interest Research Group), that took place in the summer of 2015. The group that was canvassing towns were asking folks to support a statement on post cards that would…

Dear Editor, There have been a number of letters citing the need for a Vermont carbon tax. Some proposing as much as $0.50 a gallon since energy prices are currently low. Although I don’t disagree that global carbon emissions need to be reduced, I vehemently disagree that Vermont needs to tax itself out of existence.…

Dear Editor, The staff and clients of Black River Good Neighbors would like to thank all of those who donated goods, money or time to help this year’s holiday food distribution. The process begins early in the year, but gears up in earnest with the annual Stuff-a-Bus in Ludlow, followed by the Okemo Cares and…

Dear Editor, Thank you for your support of Catwalk for a Cause on Nov. 22, 2015! The Catwalk for a Cause Fashion Show raised over $17,000 for the United Way of Rutland County! We couldn’t have done it without such great community support. All who shared talent, time and energy with our larger community mean…

Dear Editor, On Dec. 29, 2015 there was a fatal car crash in Killington on Route 4 near the junction of Route 100 that involved the death of three people. It involved a tractor trailer headed east and an SUV headed west. The crashed occurred around 3 p.m. Local Killington fire fighters and police were on the…