I write in support of Rep. Notte’s May 21 commentary urging the mandatory use of masks to protect our retail workers. I agree with Mr. Notte that it is unfair to put employees in retail establishments in the uncomfortable and potentially dangerous role of enforcers of store policies. At leas…

Forget “government takeovers” of health care. It was taken over long ago by insurance companies and other commercial interests. Now, it’s just a money pit.

Would it not be great to have a sign "No shirt, No shoes, No mask, No service" posted at stores and places of business? Would it not also be great if a sign like that were as accepted as the "No shirt, No shoes, No service" sign we are accustomed to seeing?

A recent flurry of political signs promoting Pat Winburn (for governor) have appeared here in southern Vermont along Route 7 and probably other places where I do not travel.

I would like to thank the Rutland Herald for the uplifting photographs, especially on the front page. Your photographer, Jon Olender, has a great eye, especially for his shot of the woodchuck last week. It reminds me of a time when I surprised one and he gave me the same "oops, I've been see…

James Hall: Concerning your letter of May 21, "In the eye of the beholder," I can only respond by saying you are mostly delusional.

Homeschooling better choice

What are we going to put our groceries in come July 1? Most stores won't let you bring your own bags into the store. Vermont won't let the stores give you a free plastic bag as of July 1. What are we going to put our groceries in? Gov. Scott knows this is a problem. The Legislature knows thi…

There are still lots of people here in Vermont not wearing masks. Refusing to cover your face and protect yourself and others from the virus is not only irresponsible, it is a violation of other people's safety. Now, some areas in Vermont are requiring masks be worn in public and in stores.

In reading Kate Taylor's comments regarding the Trump administration and such, I was reminded that the American people rejected handily in 2016, the continuation of the most incompetent and corrupt eight years of governance from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, this nation has ever seen. The items …

Modern journalism is all about deciding which facts the public shouldn’t know because they might reflect badly on Democrats.

We are living an experience few could have imagined in this era of advanced medical/scientific, industrial/commercial, military and cyber technology.

Public debate about the COVID-19 pandemic understandably focuses on the number of deaths from the disease. That number also plays a major role in the debate about whether the virus is serious enough to warrant the restrictions imposed to minimize its spread of the disease. But death is not t…

Needing justification for AG Barr's recent exoneration of Michael Flynn, Lindsey Graham plans hearings to investigate "Obamagate" on the premise the Obama administration was trying to undermine the incoming administration by surveilling and "unmasking" Flynn for having conversations with Rus…

The weather has been warming up, and it is feeling more like spring. It has been nice seeing individuals, families and small groups enjoying our outside spaces and all that they have to offer. Recently, our governor has made new recommendations to protect the public health of Vermonters. Thi…

The Republican Party has been labeling itself "pro-life" for the past decades due to their opposition to women making their own decisions about the size and timing of our families. Well, please, people, never call these people "pro-life" again.

A few things to consider while deciding whether or not to adequately fund the Vermont State Colleges System, a public good that serves all Vermonters.

So earlier in the week, Donald said he might disband the pandemic team. Then he reversed his decision a few days later saying he "didn't realize it was so popular" or something like that.

High praise is due to Jennifer and Fred Bagley for writing the Commentary appearing in the May 5 edition of your paper. In presenting the underlying forces working to contribute to the displacement of Castleton University president, Karen Scolforo, a worthy and important service to the commu…

I was shocked and greatly disappointed that Dr. Karen Scolforo resigned as president of Castleton University. Over the past three academic years, Dr. Scolforo became a true community partner and ambassador for Castleton University. Karen worked with her staff and town officials to make acces…

Dear Governor Scott: Please support Secretary of State Jim Condos' proposal that mail-in ballots be the policy for the November elections. You have been doing a fine job through this virus pandemic in promoting social distancing and opening our Vermont economy gradually with your calm and re…

While waiting for a resolution to the COVID-19 crisis, we need to be looking to the future of health care, in general. We have continued to struggle with unaffordable premiums, unaffordable deductibles and unaffordable co-pays, forcing choices between health care and food, rent, mortgages, c…

Massive slaughterhouse closures are driving U.S. consumers to plant-based meat products as sick workers pay the price.

Like many organizations and programs, Southwestern Vermont Council on Aging (SVCOA) has faced its share of challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically around maintaining high levels of service to older Vermonters in our region amidst an unprecedented increase in service demand.

Question for the governor: If smoking is banned from stores because second-hand smoke can cause cancer, why are people allowed to go into stores without wearing masks when spreading the coronavirus can cause death?

A follow-up to Sen. Joe Benning’s piece, “We can’t close colleges,” in the Rutland Herald April 21 edition:

Shame on you

Political correctness is the reduction of governance to winning an argument. Good governance is lost. This is our situation.

I have thought long and hard about bringing this matter up to the public, but I think it is time. As Vermonters, we have been patting ourselves on the back for how well we all are social distancing, wearing masks and staying at home, but there is another group of people in our state who are …

With the 50th anniversary of Earth Day on April 22, we are already reducing our carbon footprint during the pandemic by severely curtailing travel. But we can do so much more by cutting our consumption of animal meat and milk products. Yes, that.

I respectfully disagree with Will Notte's assertion Rutland City could be seen as unfriendly to business by rejecting the extension of a fracked gas pipeline to Rutland.

The idea that the federal government is sending out $1,200 checks to get us through may be a revelation in that maybe all of us need a emergency fund of $1,200 in our bankbook so that next time this happens we will not incur more debt at the federal level.

Unprecedented means, by definition, something we have never dealt with before. So before we judge how different people or groups react to COVID-19, we should keep this in mind.

It seems to me these protesters protesting the shutdown of the economy by the various states are being very foolish.

I strongly and respectfully request of the Board of Aldermen that the Rutland City Master Plan not be altered to remove the possibility of extending the existing natural gas pipeline infrastructure to Rutland.

An April 20, City of Rutland Facebook post stated in part, "Exploring other ways to try and give beleaguered taxpayers some more relief."

All good citizens are obeying the restrictions, correct?

I am becoming increasingly alarmed by the growing movement to defy stay at home orders and instead take to the streets in a twisted form of protest against a seeming rise in “tyranny.” At first these seemed to be isolated — albeit alarming — incidents, but now it seems this foolhardy trend o…

The world is about to become embroiled in what will surely be a vital social experiment. As locations around the globe open up their communities, how will humanity respond? Will there be a change in behavior that will provide protection from this virus or as we are seeing in places that alre…

April 22 will mark the 50th anniversary of the first Earth Day, when a group of college students spearheaded what's now the world's largest secular holiday. With this annual reminder of the global environmental struggle, it's important to look ahead towards what the nation is doing to contin…

Would it not be a fine thing for those who are waving guns and flags in protest against social distancing and business closings — those who think they are in no danger from what they see as the democratic deep state coronavirus hoax — to volunteer to work in the nursing and veterans' homes t…

I am responding to the letter submitted by Doug Friant of South Londonderry.

We tell our young people that education is important, but we don’t really mean it judging by our funding priorities. Our lack of support has caused a spate of closings among colleges in Vermont, and now it’s extending to our public colleges. Over the years we have cut taxpayer support to all…

Food needs to get to the people’s plates, not plowed under or spilt. We need to find efficient ways to fix our food supply chain breaks. We need to find solutions so our seasonally bountiful harvest can make it to those in need of nutrition.

I noted the article in the Rutland Herald, “Doctors move away from ventilators,” indicated that in New York City patients with COVID-19 put on ventilators only had a 20% survival rate, and those that did survive had considerable lung damage. This agrees with information from a recent intervi…

This morning, my husband and I, being in the 60 and older age group, arrived at our local grocery store at the early hour of 6 a.m. We were surprised to see the number of shoppers already there, but following social-distancing guidelines and most wearing masks. The clerk in the checkout line…

I’ve been listening to some of Gov. Scott’s press conferences on COVID-19. They include clear and comprehensive information from various knowledgeable state authorities about what matters to the public. Questions from citizens and the media are handled respectfully and efficiently. These con…

From Ayn Rand to Ronald Reagan, America’s conservative heroes have preached “public is bad, private is good.” Yet public means “accessible to or shared by all members of the community,” while private means “intended for or restricted to the use of a particular person, group or class.” We’re …

Often our perspective of an event is bizarre. At times, we tend to embellish the truth with confabulation. “We waited for at least an hour and a half just to buy a four-pack of TP.” In reality, it was 17 minutes from the time we picked it off the shelf and got through the register.

Women in southern Vermont have made more than 1,800 masks for facilities including supermarkets, nursing homes, the hospital, and more for their families and friends.