As a first-time candidate for the House of Representatives, I would like to thank everyone who voted for me in the primary. My thanks also go out to the town clerks and election officials of each town in the Rutland-Bennington District for holding safe elections in this very complicated worl…

I am writing to express my appreciation for what I perceive to be a change in the content of your editorial page. Factual, nonagenda-driven commentary and accurate reporting of the news is important. Recent editorial pieces taken from The Wall Street Journal have reinforced my belief that yo…

I’ve never been to a meeting of the national Republican Party but this is what I imagine the agenda for such a meeting might look like:

Open letter to the Green Mountain Care Board and fellow taxpayers:

The National Park dedicated to the war heroes of Gettysburg would be an odd place for the acceptance speech by this “Commander-in-Chief," a shameless, pusillanimous, impeached grifter who, after shirking military service, went on to a career of unprincipled self-promotion and, tragically, to…

Donald Trump yells in front of a helicopter that the U.S. Post Office has lost much money over many years — more than anyone else.

What if people were told to run from the police because those who did not in the past stories were jailed without cause?

As I drive down Center Street, I get a welcoming feeling. The changes made to the sidewalk areas allowing seating in front of several businesses, look great. Flowerpots, trees, some artificial, even palm trees, umbrellas and chairs beckon me to stop, get out and wander up and down. I envisio…

For all the Black Lives Matter supporters, you are awfully silent about their violent riots and rampaging through America’s cities. Is it because it’s not happening in your neighborhood that you stay silent? Or have you lost your sense of what is right and moral?

In response to Bob Smith’s commentary in Rutland Herald, Friday, Aug. 7, if he came to the Saturday Farmers’ Market in Depot Park, he would see all of our vendors are wearing masks in complete compliance with the Vermont Department of Health mandate.

On behalf of Killington Resort, I would like to publicly acknowledge our support for the REDC/Rutland Chamber merger. Combining these two nonprofits means expanded services to better meet the economic and community development needs of businesses and residents in our community.During the pas…

Has anyone bothered to listen to Democrat Joe Biden when he is answering questions from the media? He can't answer a simple softball question from a journalist without stumbling all over himself. And this is the best man the Democrats have to offer this country? And Bernie Sanders and Nancy …

I just saw this minion with what looked like a moose with masks on. Odd, but it inspired me to write the following.

Well, Isaias was upon us here in Vermont, and the forecast for this Aug. 4 afternoon was wind gusts as high as 50 mph. We were told there might be isolated power outages. That's a frequent occurrence in our rural communities: thunderstorms in the summer, snow and ice storms in the winter — j…

I think it is disgusting and in bad taste, not to say discriminatory against agnostics and atheists, that the Rutland Daily Herald has published a commentary-quasi editorial about what Jesus said or didn’t say.

The paper’s photographer should take pictures illustrating — or not! — that Diamond Run Mall is poorly maintained, an allegation in a recent story and easily verified by the newspaper.

In response to Virginia Duffy's comment on RRMC flying the BLM flag: If standing up against police brutality and for racial equality is "Marxist," then I guess I'm a Marxist. But seriously, throwing labels around adds nothing to civil debate and discourse; in fact, it discourages civil debat…

I’m happy sports have resumed play. We have all been missing our favorite teams compete and win. I, personally, have missed watching tennis.

I would submit that the final gift John Lewis has given the nation, in a lifetime of service to its ideals and opposition to the practices that betrayed those ideals, is a very simple and straightforward measure of our values: on which side would you have stood on the Edmund Pettus bridge in…

The Rutland County Free Clinic would like to make the public aware of the generosity of Dr. William McDonald.

Polls appear to show President Trump’s re-election chances are slipping. His reaction was to play the worn-out race card which he dealt so frequently during his campaign — he refused to go to the Capital Rotunda to honor the passing of civil rights legend and 17-term Congressman John Lewis, …

The Trump campaign never ceases to amaze. In response to a survey in which I said I would not vote for Mr. Trump, I received an email that included this:

Dear Governor Scott: I am writing to inform you I will not vote for you and will encourage all voters I can to do the same unless you rescind the addition of the Excess Spending Threshold to Act 68. This has decimated our local schools for years as we have tried to provide a quality educatio…

This letter is long overdue. I would like to publicly thank the 500-plus voters in the Mill River district for signing our petition to put the Black Lives Matter/Pride flag issue to a public vote.

Here in Vermont, we are fortunate to have open primaries. This means registered voters need not be a member of a particular political party to vote in that party’s primary. Indeed, Vermonters who participate in the primaries receive three ballots — those of the Republican, Democratic and Pro…

Congratulations to Superintendent Younce for your outstanding lesson in teaching methodology. Most people know that "learning by doing" is the most effective way to teach both kids and adults.

OK, I admit it. I’m an oversimplifier. I don’t get the school opening/not opening mess we’re currently engaged in. I remember sometime in the late-’40s or early-’50s, probably as a consequence of the post-war baby boom, there were more kids than schoolrooms. So cities and towns split the sch…

Here we are seeing Joe Biden at his best: first thing he wants to do is raise income taxes. Does that include him, Nancy Pelosi and Bernie Sanders paying more when they are millionaires? The question is once again how do they become millionaires and billionaires on the wages we pay them — by…

OK, essential grocery store employees — let me get this straight: You make mask-wearing mandatory for the safety of colleagues and customers so they won't catch a respiratory illness. How kind. However, co-workers are permitted to smoke during their breaks on the job site and get the risk of…

To the clients at Center Rutland Animal Hospital: We miss you and we are sorry we cannot be there for you and your pets – Esther, Crissy and Robin

There's only one way not to disrespect America and our national anthem: When playing the anthem at sports events, etc., if you are in civilian clothes, stand facing the flag of the USA and place your right hand over your heart, hats off. If you are in a military uniform of the USA, stand at …

The leaders in charge of the Rutland Sculpture Trail are going to create a sculpture of Redfield Proctor, founder of Vermont Marble Co. UVM professor Kevin Thornton revealed quite clearly, for those who didn’t already know, Proctor’s legacy of selfish grasping for power was so great that he …

These are unprecedented times for most of us. I suggest we act locally and put a 1% sales tax on top of the 6% sales tax and perhaps, more on luxury goods for the duration of the pandemic.

Thanks for your editorial July 23 on Trump's use of federal forces in U.S. cities. I just want to point out the Border Patrol (CPB), an arm of Homeland Security, has been following this script in Vermont for a number of years: operating checkpoints on our roadways, staking out courthouses in…

Perhaps the folks at Rutland Regional Medical Center should have done their homework regarding this Marxist movement before deciding to hoist the BLM flag over their facility.

As a former Mountie, I don’t really have an opinion on the new mascot for Rutland High School, but it did give me an idea. Let’s not just change the name of the mascot, let’s change the name of the city.

So Amazon will no longer sell Redskins merchandise. That move is calculated, disingenuous and an empty gesture. Want a typical Confederate flag? Amazon — $13.99, free shipping. Plenty of variants of the "stainless banner" and the less recognizable "stars and bars" available. Not your thing? …

If it ain't important to us, it ain't important.

Are we going to quietly accept the presence of unknown military-type personnel on the streets of American cities in ful-dress combat fatigues, whisking protesters off the streets in unmarked cars to unknown locations, with no words of explanation to anyone, including the elected officials of…

In response to some of the lieutenant governor candidates who responded to a moderator's question in last Tuesday's VPT/VPR debate by expressing support for Donald Trump's economic policies, i offer these pertinent facts.

The hateful letter of July 22 was hard to read without feeling deeply depressed for the future of this country.

I have never in my life thought there would be a time of blatant chaos. Never did I ever think, even with a pandemic that has, to date, killed 135,000 American people, there’d be so much hate.

As an outlander, but one with very strong connections to Proctor, Rutland and Bridport, I just want to congratulate every citizen in Vermont for their steady and conscientious response to the coronavirus.

Wearing a mask, I entered a large Rutland store today and was pleased to observe most patrons were wearing protective masks.

Dear Rutland Regional Medical Center CEO Claudio Fort:

In 1959, Bertrand Russell was asked what advice he would give to future generations. This is what he said:

The splash of color photo on the front page of Saturday's paper is of hollyhocks, not gladiolus, and the wall is of cedar shingles, not clapboards. Hardly a catastrophe, but little things count.

It is insulting for RRMC to say they are not political and don't support the BLM organization, the fact is you caved to mob pressure and group think. You are now flying their flag, which means you value what it represents and, therefore, the denials that you don't align with their core belie…

I never realized just how fast cars were going on Killington Avenue until the police put the speed checker out. The lack of respect for our neighborhood that I see is sad. I would say three-quarters of the cars are going over the posted speed limit. During peak traffic times between 7:30 to …

Bearing the name that perfectly describes this lovely Vermont stream, Cold River, in North Clarendon runs under Route 7 in a quintessential New England spot enjoyed by waders and picnickers alike.