Dear Editor, Matt Roberts’ passing last week is a loss for our entire Killington community. He was a wonderful human being who dedicated his life to his family, to his work and to the Great Outdoors of Vermont. Matt was one of a kind. Our entire team [at skionskioff.com] worked with Matt for the last…

Dear Editor, If you live in Ludlow, Mount Holly, or Shrewsbury, like me, you probably received a mailing from Kevin Winter about running for State Representative. The headline says “It’s time for moderation and reason in Montpelier.” Elsewhere he describes himself as an extremist. He has said he is a First Amendment extremist. This would…

Dear Editor, I am excited to support Becca White in her bid for re-election as one of our Vermont State Senators.   She has been dedicated to serving the people of Vermont for 10 years (four years on the Hartford Select Board, four years as a State Representative, and these last two years in the…

By Jeffrey Reel  Editor’s note: Jeffrey Reel is a writer living in Hartland and author of “Uncommon Sense: The War on Hunger and Other Myths. How Our Adversarial Relationship With Life Undermines Our Best Intentions.” Critical thinking has been described as an ability to question; to acknowledge and test previously held assumptions; to examine, interpret, evaluate, reason,…

Dear Editor, A recent statewide survey shows Vermonters strongly support the decriminalization of consensual adult sex work by more than 26% compared to those that think sex work should remain a crime; while 26% of those surveyed remain undecided. The poll found that Democrats/Progressives strongly support decriminalization with 62% in support and only 14% opposed.…

Dear Editor, Factory farms are destroying the environment and a animals on a massive scale. Their waste pollutes our water, harms sea life, and creates awful conditions for people living nearby. And now, these big U.S. meat companies are moving their operations to developing countries, which will hurt local farmers, food supplies, and the environment…

Dear Editor, The Legislature allocated a large sum of money—I believe a million dollars—for a consultant to assess the state of Vermont’s healthcare and identify potential solutions. After many months and miles and meetings, the consultant, Dr. Bruce Hamory, released a lengthy report that identified numerous problems.  The vast majority of these he could have…

Dear Editor, What happened yesterday in Vermont to people experiencing homelessness is nowhere close to a humane treatment of our neighbors. I saw babies and school children being sent to live in the woods and on our streets. I saw people on oxygen and in wheelchairs completely disregarded by our state. I saw people who…

Dear Editor, The people in Windsor District are so fortunate to have Alison Clarkson representing us in the Vermont Senate where she is currently the Senate Majority Leader. She is one of our three state senators from the Windsor District and is seeking re-election for her fifth term in the senate. In her 20 years representing our…

By Rep. Brian Cina Editor’s note: Brian Cina is a state Representative for Chittenden 15 (Old North End | East District, Burlington). Cina is also on the House Health Care Committee and House Ethics Panel. This commentary was originally addressed to the members of the Vermont General Assembly, Governor Scott and Administration, Lieutenant Governor Zuckerman,…

Dear Editor, Editor’s note: The following was submitted to the Mountain Times as an open letter to Governor Scott. To quote Yogi Berra, “It’s deja vu all over again.” Once again, there are members of the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Board whose terms have expired, this time as of last February, yet they are still…

Dear Editor, I’m writing to support of Steve Radonis’s bid for Windsor’s 5th district state rep. And as a 74-year-old Connecticut resident and life-long (so far!) registered Democrat, that’s pretty much all I can do because out-of-state homeowners in Vermont cannot vote in local elections, one of a few issues on which Radonis and I…

Dear Editor, In his Aug. 28, 2024, Mountain Times letter “Response to Republican choice,” Mr. George de Luna states rather oddly that “Most of his [Trump’s] ‘lies’ are exaggerations but are in the same direction of the truth.”  Actual journalists disagree.  In their Jan. 24, 2021, Washington Post article “Trump’s false or misleading claims total…

Dear Editor, Thank you to so many who celebrated the life of Erica Hurd last month on the Pittsfield Green.  Like her, it was beautiful in so many ways. She brought us together again to share our love, stories, food, music, tears and laughter. And lots of purple. The support of so many — family,…

By Gov. Phil Scott Editor’s note: At a press conference Thursday, Sept. 12, Governor Phil Scott discussed the costs and barriers to implementing the Legislature’s Clean Heat Standard, and the impacts it will have on affordability. This is the transcript of that speech. Last year, I vetoed S.5, the so called ‘Affordable Heat Act’ which…