Dear Editor, Try to imagine Rutland City without its New England steeples and Grace Church’s organ parts strewn all over Court and West Streets. Imagine a flattened parking garage down the street and Walmart a charred pile of plastic poisoning the air.  No running water because the water treatment plant no longer exists, little food,…

Dear Editor, In 2023, the Vermont Declaration of Inclusion Initiative completed the third full year of its statewide effort, grew internally, and was recognized by several Vermont organizations. At year’s end, 131 cities and towns had adopted the Declaration of Inclusion. Nearly 73% of Vermont’s population resides in those towns. Members of the Initiative are…

Dear Editor, The Ludlow Area Rotary Club thanks the residents and businesses of the greater Ludlow area for their support in 2023. Our club is a part of Rotary International which is one of the largest service organizations in the world. The mission of Rotary is to “provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance…

Submitted   By Reps. Seth Bongartz (D-Manchester), Scott Beck (R–St. Johnsbury,  Michelle Bos-Lun (D–Westminster), Bobby Felice-Rubio (D–Barnet), Robin Chestnut-Tangerman (D–Middletown Springs) and Mike Rice (D–Dorset) A recent commentary by Reps. Rebecca Holcombe of Norwich, Erin Brady of Williston and Monique Priestley of Bradford, while making a few fair points about the rising cost of education,…

  Dear Editor, While real estate prices are absurd — and home-buying and renting are an impossibility for many — laying blame for homelessness at the feet of people of means who move here from elsewhere is a trite and glib iteration of a Vermont Old Guard classic: “It wasn’t a problem until these people…

  Dear Editor, Don’t look down, just breathe, I told myself. Breathe. Just admit you’re scared and breathe.  Slowly try to make just one simple move. Just move one foot. One hand. Breathe. Another foot, another hand. Breathe. You’re going to be OK. If you can climb a flight of stairs you can begin to…

By John Gonter Editor’s note: John Gonter teaches cooking, foraging, fishing and hunter safety. He volunteers as an instructor with Vermont Fish & Wildlife. In Vermont, we are blessed with opportunities outside. Direct experience with our mountains, lakes, rivers, fields and forests are restorative, develop our outdoor skills and reduce our stress. Our modern lives,…

  By Lucie Lehmann Editor’s Note: Lucie Lehmann of South Burlington is a former state director for now-retired U.S. Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski of Maryland. She is a member of the board of the Green Mountain Audubon Society.  Just in time for the gift giving season comes word of yet another honor bestowed on retired…

  By Sarah Billings-Berg, VTSU dean of nursing and health sciences  Ready for some good news about nursing in Vermont? I bet you are. I know, reports haven’t always focused on the good news. As recently as last year, news reports focused on nurses retiring, how we don’t have personnel or facilities to educate new…

  Dear Editor, As concerned parents, my husband and I have recently removed a child from a local school for his safety as the bullying, harassment and constant safety issues have risen and are not being dealt with. Schools are supposed to be safe places for our children to gain an education.  As parents we…

Dear Editor, A recent commentary by an anti-hunting activist took their standard track in denying the value of the sporting community to wildlife stewardship in Vermont. It is intriguing that this handful of activists has the hubris to claim that they speak for the general public. They don’t. They speak for themselves. If they spoke…

  Understanding the Dec. 1 property tax letter By Kathleen James Editor’s note: Rep. Kathleen James, D-Manchester, serves as assistant majority leader in the Vermont House.  On the last day of November, the annual “Dec. 1 Letter” was published by the Vermont Department of Taxes.  This year’s letter landed with a bang, as Tax Commissioner Craig Bolio…

  Dear Editor, It is with deep gratitude that the Ludlow Expeditionary School announces another successful fundraiser to help support the school. For its Giving Tuesday 2023 Campaign, ESBR once again had several anonymous (“Angel”) donors offer a Matching Fund Challenge of up to $7,000 to be doubled. Thanks to the support of many wonderful…

  Dear Editor, Greetings from the North Pole! As the holidays approach, I wanted to share some exciting changes happening in Christmas preparations this year. In the spirit of embracing sustainability, I am delighted to announce that our beloved reindeer will be retiring to a beautiful sanctuary. They have served tirelessly, guiding my sleigh through…

  Dear Editor, Down in Montpelier, groups are actively trying to persuade legislators to ban the use of dogs to hunt bears. They either don’t realize or don’t care, that their goal would make us all much less safe. Everybody loves to see bears. These amazing creatures are fun to watch in the wild. But…