Letter to the Editor (8/23/23) 

Booze-Free Best

The annual Seven Daysies contest is such a fun way to celebrate local businesses and places [All the Best, August 2]. I would like to suggest that, next year, you add a category for bars/restaurants to get the best alcohol-free cocktails. There are great places to get creatively crafted adult beverages that should be recognized.

Elizabeth White

Essex

Editor's note: There is a Daysies category for best mocktail. Winooski's Waterworks Food + Drink took the award this year.

The Great Rain of 2023

Jessie Martin

Randolph Center

'Checks and Balances'

I liked the picture that accompanied the article "On the Offensive: A Conservative Legal Group Finds Plenty to Litigate in Vermont" [August 2] — the state of Vermont lollygagging on a hammock, being suddenly awakened out its complacency by a lawsuit from the Alliance Defending Freedom. In a state where left-wing ideology permeates nearly every segment of society, it's easy for state officials to forget their beloved Green Mountains are a part of a larger nation, a democracy with a constitution and rights for all individuals.

Leaders here are accustomed to having their own way. They make the rules. The people get in line. They're always surprised when someone has the audacity to disagree. A teenage boy declares himself to be female and wants to shower with teenage girls? Don't question it! A 14-year-old girl wants to have a double mastectomy so she can pretend to be a boy? Just accept it! Engaging your brain makes you an enemy of the state.

Only in countries like North Korea does the state decide what is truth, then impose that "truth" on the people, demanding strict compliance. In a democracy, there should be open and civil discussion on the issues and the freedom to disagree. Organizations like the ADF are necessary to keep our leaders honest. They serve as a recourse for those the state seeks to silence.

We should all be glad our nation has three branches of government. It's called "checks and balances." We need that in Vermont, too, where many officials are Democrats in name but Marxist in practice.

Douglas Hoffman

Burlington

Where's the Backstory?

Seven Days is to be commended for its Animal Issue; and Terry Meis, the subject of an intriguing piece on her brave work rescuing animals in Stowe, for her selfless efforts ["Special Teams: A Member of a Famous NFL Family Keeps Blind Ponies, Arthritic Horses and a Goat Hotel in Vermont," August 9].

The reporter of the piece also wrote quite well but seemed to omit mention of the necessary context about the history of the Pownal racetrack, owned by Pat Rooney, Meis' father. The racing of greyhounds, as an industry, was fueled by the overbreeding and early deaths of thousands of greyhounds annually.

Meis is doing what she can to alter the stain of this wretched history in her family. Surely readers would have wanted to know more about that background.

Martin White

Salem, NY

Cartoon Fan

I have enjoyed cartoons as far back as I can remember. So much so that 12 years ago, as part of a continued search for creative outlets, I found myself creating my own cartoons. Soon after, a coworker mentioned that your publication offers cartoons. I had known about Seven Days but never opened it. So I grabbed an issue and took a look. Now, hardly a week goes by that I don't read at least some of this paper. I usually start with the back to get those jollies in.

I enjoy the variety of comics you host and look forward to the annual Cartoon Issue [July 5]. I very much enjoyed your features on Harry Bliss ["Drawing Conclusions: As His Career Peaks Following a New Book With Steve Martin, Cartoonist Harry Bliss Considers Walking Away ... Maybe," December 14, 2022] and Ed Koren [From the Publisher: "love EK," April 19]. Unfortunately, I don't have time to read cover to cover each week. However, if I know it's a cartoon or cartoon-related, I try harder to read it. I am a fan of virtually everything cartoon-related that you offer.

As an avid supporter of all things local and small business, I appreciate your efforts to support local and lesser-known artists.

While I understand it's an effort to keep your paper sustainable, it has saddened me whenever you cut back on the number of weekly comics you offer. I applaud your recent efforts to diversify by alternating some comics biweekly. I do find the shrunken size of strips like "This Modern World" are often almost too difficult to read.

Keep up the excellent work!

Ian Ross

Cornwall

Editor's note: We've changed the layout of the Fun Stuff section to make the type in "This Modern World" a bit bigger.

Save the Forest

Thank you for your highly informative article on the Town of Colchester's initiative to wipe out some of the precious little sand plain forest community that remains in the Champlain Valley ["Not in My Forest: Ecologists, Neighbors Protest Colchester Rec Center Construction," July 5]. I vividly recall walking through this one-of-a-kind forest cover type in my youth and marveling at the uniqueness of its pitch pine and its three needles per bundle and telltale spike on each and every cone scale. I understand the Iroquois even used to use its pitch in wound dressings, owing to its antifungal and antibacterial properties.

It's highly ironic that a proposed rec center is effecting the demolition of this precious tract of land that is already a veritable park and recreational entity.

Town planners should instead recognize, celebrate and carpe diem the rare ecotourism gem that could be promoted with kiosks, walking trails and information plaques. Nature-loving visitors from far and wide would drop their dollars in a multitude of other Colchester venues, including lodging facilities, grocery outlets and dining establishments.

Hopefully the wisdom of greater minds will prevail and this precious tract of rare Vermont forest type will be spared from becoming just another step in our ever-hastening march toward ubiquitous urbanization and the cliff edge ahead because of such yesteryear's "planning."

Onni Miller

Newport

Gary Margolis

Cornwall

Corrections

Last week's story "Vermont to Hold a 'Green Up Day' for Flood Debris" misstated how a $50,000 donation to the Vermont Strong license plate fund will be distributed. It will support not just businesses impacted by the flooding but also individuals.

"The Therapist Is Out" erroneously described the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility as the "state's only women's prison" when referencing a time before it became so in 2011. Bob Wolford, a clinical social worker who surrendered his professional license, worked there for 15 years, including in the early 1990s, according to an online bio that has since been taken down. It is unclear whether Wolford worked at the facility after it stopped incarcerating men.

The True 802, "Scythe Season," misstated the location of Addison County Fair & Field Days. The event is in New Haven.