Dear Editor, The long-anticipated Christmas holiday is nearly upon us. It conjures visions of happy families gathered by a warm fireplace, opening presents, sharing their love, and... feasting on ham and turkey. It’s the happiest time of the year, but not for the animals. The 222 million turkeys killed in the U.S. this year were…

Dear Editor, “If you build it, they will come,” is a phrase that haunts the main character in the movie “Field of Dreams.” In that film, the thing to be built is a baseball field for spectral players from the early 1900s, but it got me thinking, and not about baseball. It got me thinking…

By Michael Caduto What a journey we are on together. For some 10 months our lives have been upended by Covid-19, and yet we carry on. In the midst of more than 1.65 million deaths worldwide, including over 313,000 who have lost their lives in the United States (more than 100 in Vermont and rapidly approaching…

Dear Editor, As I gradually lost my sight over my lifetime, I realized how important work is. Obviously it provides the income you need to live, but it also shapes identity, builds confidence, and provides purpose and meaning. I benefitted from all the preceding because I was able to remain employed as I transitioned from…

Dear Editor, I was expecting a ghost town when I dropped my 13-year-old daughter off at Okemo on Sunday. I’d been working from home in Brattleboro for months, only seeing the occasional friend for a walk, and assumed most Vermonters were similarly wary of public spaces during the pandemic. So it was shocking to drive…

Dear Editor, Good news: Leading medical experts in the U.K. believe that eating vegan foods rather than animal-based ones is the simplest, cheapest ways to reduce one’s risk of “becoming seriously ill with Covid-19.” In an open letter to the British government, the physicians explained that people who eat wholesome vegan foods are less likely…

By Philip Finkelstein Editor’s note: This commentary is by Philip Finkelstein, of Charlotte, Vermont, who is a technical writer and business analyst. After attending the University of British Columbia, where he received a BA in political science, he served as a blog contributor for Citizens’ Climate Lobby.  Americans value their freedom—so much so, that refusing to…

Dear Editor, Thank you for allowing my family’s voice to be heard. We’ve spent years in legal disputes, pursuing the town for our “grandfathered status” and illegal “selective enforcement.” There is a significant amount of information to share and I would be doing the story a disservice by only talking about the wastewater system that…

Dear Editor, Last night on my way home from work I stopped by Stewart’s State Street store to pick up a gallon of milk. After I left, I had gone about one block when a police cruiser popped out behind me, lights flashing. The officer told me she was pulling me over because my headlights…

Dear Editor, The debate has started again as to whether the U.S. Constitution should be amended in order to change the presidential election process. Some promote eliminating the electoral college in favor of a direct popular vote for president while others believe the electoral college should remain unchanged. Just as compromise solved the initial problems…

Dear Editor, With so many small businesses closing due to Covid hardships, and local markets and craft shows across the state forced to halt in-person operations, the businesses that do succeed are the ones that update their business model and get creative. The Vermont Farmers Market is no exception. Down to half capacity this summer…

By Angelo Lynn As all Americans wish fervently for a return to normal times, we are faced with twin crises that have shaken the country to its core: a meteoric rise in Covid cases and an erosion of trust in the truth — a casualty of four years of lies and misinformation spewed by a…

By Haley Frechette In all the chaos of the election, it would be easy to lose track of the fact that Nov. 8 was National First-Generation Student Day. This day was meant to highlight and celebrate those who are the first in their family to attend college. I am proud to be one of those…

Dear Editor, A walk through town reveals many signs, like our own, proclaiming that Black Lives Matter. Folks may be searching for other ways to promote racial equality, and to learn about and work to end systemic racism, other than posting signs. One option among many is to join the Rutland Area NAACP. Now the…

Dear Editor, First is my big thank you to the 1,471 Windsor County voters. Those voters saw the issues facing local democracy. I, Mason Wade, spoke strongly about our local democracy being homoginized by the two party system, as an independent candidate for the past two Windsor Senate races. Before I share an example, I…