What is the ideal structure for public safety? By Polly Mikula Monday night over 70 people attended the select board meeting (in person and online). The recent riff between Killington Search and Rescue (KSAR) and the newly hired Chief of Killington Fire and Rescue Chris LaHart, spurred the spike in attendance. Unfortunately, the three-plus hour…

Dear Editor,  Thank you to our fantastic Killington community for supporting the Drive-Thru Lasagna dinner on March 3 at the Killington Public Safety Building sponsored by the Sherburne United Church of Christ, Killington’s Little White Church.  A special thanks to Rob Merrill who prepared and cooked the lasagna, to the Killington Resort who donated the…

Dear Editor, Human-wildlife conflict poses a major challenge for the conservation of carnivore species globally. Today black bears inhabit only about 60% of their historic range in North America, mostly due to human persecution. Large home territories and a varied diet can easily lead them into conflict with humans. Wildlife agencies consider bear hunting to…

Dear Editor, Last month, 21 schools across Vermont were targeted by a vicious hoax that terrorized countless students and staff members as they were sent into lockdown and SWAT teams carrying AR-15s burst into the lobby.  We are thankful nobody was physically harmed in these incidents. Yet, many of us faced the credible threat of an active…

Dear Editor, A big thank you to the voters of Killington. The passage of the Killington Forward article at last week’s Town Meeting, by a wide margin, has finally set the new Six Peaks Village into motion. We owe it all to this amazing community. Killington Resort and Great Gulf Group are excited to embark…

Dear Editor, The citizens of Castleton, along with students, faculty and staff of Castleton University, are taking action. We held a book read-in Monday, March 6, to show support for retaining print books at the Vermont State University libraries. The read-in began on the Calvin Coolidge Library steps at 5:30 p.m. and everyone was asked…

By Howard Jennings Editor’s note: Howard Jennings, a Bristol resident, is the former research director of Mobility Lab, a transportation think tank in Virginia. He is now working with Save Public Forests, a collective effort of scientists, researchers, ecologists and individuals from many organizations, united in researching and promoting realistic modern-day solutions to climate change,…

Dear Editor, Today, more than ever, our children are struggling with their mental health. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, but the issue needs to be recognized all year long. We simply can’t ignore the problem any longer. Between mass shootings, the pandemic, and social media our children are suffering. Covid-19 alone has increased rates…

Dear Editor, Thank you to all the wonderful volunteers that were going to help with Vermont Volunteer Services for Animals Humane Society’s “Drive Up & Poke!” Rabies Clinic. We couldn’t win a fight with Mother Nature, so we’ve postponed the clinic to April 1, 12:30-2 p.m., WUHS Parking Lot. $13 per vaccination.  Drive ups are…

Dear Editor, When Vermont faces an acute crisis – floods, pandemics, national security events – our first thought is often: “Call out the Guard.” With a phone call from the governor, the women and men of the Vermont National Guard drop everything to help our beloved state in its time of greatest need. From Tropical…

Dear Editor, On Feb. 7, Vermont State University President Parwinder Grewal announced a new decision to transition to an all-digital, university-wide “library” and repurpose the existing library spaces on each campus. The Middlebury chapter of the Association of American University Professors (AAUP) strongly opposes the closing of any of the VTSU libraries.   “Libraries are…

By Sen. Chris Bray Editor's note: Christopher Bray of New Haven, represents Addison County in the state senate. He is the chair of the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy, serves on the Senate Committee on Government Operations, Joint Energy Committee, Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules, and Joint Carbon Emissions Reduction Committee. Vermonters are…

By Jim Furnish and Zack Porter Editor’s note: Jim Furnish served as the U.S. forest service deputy chief from 1999 to 2002. Zack Porter is co-founder and executive director of Standing Trees, a nonprofit working to protect and restore New England’s public lands. An old saying goes, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and…

Dear Editor, While I am not a full time resident and cannot vote, I have been a property owner/stakeholder in Killington for 30 years. On March 7 we have an opportunity to take a critically important step forward. The economic reality is that without growth, stagnation and degration set in. We have all lived through…

Dear Editor, I've owned property in Killington for 15+ years, and I want Killington to be successful for a long time to come. I need to say that every growing community that I've lived in and worked with over the past 20 years struggles to cover the cost of new services associated with growth/development with…