Dear Editor, The recent proposal by Vermont Huts Association (VHA) and Moosalamoo Association (MA) to construct a hut next to Silver Lake in the Moosalamoo National Recreation and Education Area in Leicester (Addison County) reveals numerous problems with the USDA/forest service’s management of the Green Mountain National Forest (GMNF). Pitched as connecting trails and establishing…

Dear Editor, As a resident of Vermont and a student intern with the Vermont Public Health Association, it was distressing to learn that some Vermonters believe that because our state is small, our efforts to combat climate change are futile. If smaller communities use their size as an excuse to remain stagnant surrounding climate issues,…

By Linda Bowden Editor’s note: Linda Bowden is AARP Vermont’s volunteer state president. We are paying more for nearly everything today – from groceries to gas to housing. As inflation reaches its highest in 40 years – rising 7% last year alone – Vermonters are asking what Congress can do to help them pay for…

Dear Editor, This is in response to George De Luna’s letter of July 12. In it, he repeatedly refers to “God-given” rights. Passing over his total lack of evidence for the existence of any supernatural being, let’s look to see how many times this term occurs in the Constitution. Hmmm, well no “God-given,” but maybe…

By Roxanne Vought Editor’s note: Roxanne Vought is the executive director of Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility. She lives in Weybridge. For those of us who envision — and strive each day toward — a just, thriving, and transformative economy that works for all people and the planet, the final week of June 2022 was…

By Angelo Lynn Editor’s note: Angelo Lynn is the editor and publisher of the Addison County Independent, a sister publication to the Mountain Times. As fallout of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade in the Dobbs decision takes hold, what’s clear is that the issue will continue to resonate deeply in…

Dear Editor, With pandemic restrictions easing, most people are anxious to get away on a vacation and want to include their pets. Bringing along your pet can be stressful though —for both of you. Advance planning, proper restraint, and helping them with their motion sickness and anxiety surrounding travel can help. First, contact your veterinarian…

Dear Editor, In response to Linda Johnson’s letter " Child abuse is preventable and gun violence is child abuse," published in the Mountain Times last month, guns, per se, are not the problem. We didn’t have this problem 50 years ago. The problem is a decaying morality that is prevalent in this country. The AR-15…

Dear Editor, It wasn’t long ago when we listened for decisions rendered by the Supreme Court of the United States with hope that the court’s rulings would reflect justice for all, and a jurisprudence imbued with compassion and concern for the greater good. This hope now seems misplaced, if not quaint, in light of last…

By John McClaughry Editor's note: McClaughry is vice president of the Ethan Allen Institute, a policy research and educational nonprofit organization promoting principles of free enterprise, a constitutional and limited government, and individual liberty. The U.S. Supreme Court’s June 21 decision in the Maine pupil tuitioning case (Carson v. Makin) brings to a head a long-simmering issue…

By Steph Yu Editor’s note: Steph Yu is the deputy director of Public Assets Institute, a non-partisan, non-profit organization based in Montpelier. The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade has devastating effects on anyone who can get pregnant. Plain and simple, this ruling is a clear effort to assert control over women’s…

Dear Editor, To overturn a bad Supreme Court decision, the same thing, that has just been done, has to be done again. Usually start with a new court line of justices, more favorable to the change. Then start a new case to go to the SCOTUS. The allowance for abortions was made 50 years ago…

Dear Editor, When we think about our independence and freedom in the United States, I wonder how many people think of the freedom of farmed animals. There are currently 1.6 billion animals in our nation’s 25,000 factory farms who often never see the light of day. Cows, chickens, pigs and more are subjected to unnecessary…

Dear Editor, What does the recent Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade mean for Vermont? It does not change anything in our state in terms of our failure to legally protect women and innocent preborn human children from the violence of abortion. Abortion is still protected by Act 47, signed by Gov. Phil Scott…

Dear Editor, While I was listening to the news about Roe v. Wade and the Supreme Court, a young man was interviewed. He was excited about all of the thousands of lives that will be saved. I would like to ask him (and others who agree with him) if they will help support: The family…