Dear Editor, Southwestern Vermont Council on Aging would like to thank the many individuals and organizations throughout our service area, who, in recent months, have generously coordinated and contributed to a range of charitable initiatives benefiting the clients of SVCOA. In November, Rutland Loyal Order of Moose Lodge 1122, the Salvation Army of Rutland, Elks…

By Laura Wilkinson The light is slowly returning and the final days of 2018 are upon us. The festivities of December will be replaced by the quiet starkness of January. As much as I enjoy the rituals of the season, I welcome the opportunity to mirror the dormancy of the outer world with introspection. For…

By Jan Demers What happens when you are 1 percent over the eligibility limit? You need help and help is so close but the edge of the cliff is crumbling underneath you. She had come to our office 10 years ago and needed help paying for fuel. Year after year the cold of winter brought…

By Dick McCormack When the Legislature convenes in January, there will be an effort to amend the Vermont Constitution to alter the 1777 language prohibiting slavery, the first prohibition of slavery in North America. I think doing this is a bad idea.  As I understand it, supporters of amending object to the anti-slavery language because…

Dear Editor, The committee for the new public safety building along with representatives from each department and the design team met again after receiving the drawings which were presented in the Mountain Times. The main discussion was to assess the drawings which were according to our previous discussions. At this meeting we looked for ways…

Dear Editor, My heart is breaking for the child who felt so alone in our community that the only answer they could come to was violence. We need to wrap that child, and every child, in love. We need to do better. As grateful as I am for the advocacy (mostly by our youth) that…

Dear Editor, Throughout the course of this year I have had the opportunity to meet many first-responders in the fire service, emergency medical services, law enforcement, and emergency management through the governor’s Capitol for a Day initiative. I continue to be humbled and awed by your service and commitment to you communities. As 2018 ends,…

Dear Editor, Things are getting better. Dec 11 is the time when the sun starts to set later. A second of time a day at the start and by noon March 20 (the equinox, when the Sun crosses the equator and day and night are equally long at the equinox) when we gain 4 minutes…

Dear Editor, On Saturday, Nov. 17, the Pittsford Recreation Department sponsored the annual holiday craft sale in the Lothrop Gym and downstairs in the cafeteria. The Recreation Department would like to recognize Kelly Connaughton, the craft fair coordinator. Thank you very much for all your hard work you put into the Craft Fair events the…

By Melissa Martin Santa Claus (a.k.a, St. Nick, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa) is a Christmas figure celebrated for flying around the globe on Dec. 25 to give gifts to children. And the holly-jolly guy carries around a list of names with two columns: one labeled “good” and one labeled “bad.” “Santa Claus…

By Angelo Lynn Vermont’s congressional delegation lined up in support of a compromise $867 billion Farm Bill passed overwhelmingly by the U.S. House and Senate earlier this week. The House approved the bill 386-47; the Senate approved it 87-13. The strong bipartisan support, analysts said, was spurred in part by pressure from farmers battered by…

By Euphemia Anderson Vermont is known for its picturesque pastures, endless seas of white pines, and its historically tight-knit communities. Being the sixth smallest state in the country geographically, with the second smallest population, it has maintained its open spaces without infringement for most of its existence. But there is something that is slowly killing…

By Erin Forbes The holiday season has arrived and brings not only celebrations, presents, and decorations but also concerns for pet safety. There are many dangers to be aware of as you begin to celebrate this year. These includes specific types of plants, certain foods, and even decorations. Chocolate is in great abundance during many…

By The Valley News It is profoundly discouraging to witness adults failing in their obligations to the young people in their charge. Examples abound, from the thoughtless to the tawdry to the traumatic, and in each case they represent a betrayal. But what a glorious thing it is when young people, with right on their…

By Angelo Lynn In Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio and Missouri, legislators led by Republicans are using this lame-duck session (that time between the Nov. 6 General Election and the start of the new administration in January) to pass a slew of state laws that would either reduce power of the incoming Democratic governors or attorney generals,…