Wednesday, July 1 Gas will not get cheaper I was interested to read of U.S. Rep. Peter Welch's efforts to do something about the cost of gasoline ("Welch co-sponsors new oil legislation.") Unfortunately, this legislation, if enacted, will do little to lower prices. The fact is that there is just too much demand for product at the current price of gasoline.   Full Story

Thursday, June 11 Send letters and columns to the Bennington Banner: by mail to 425 Main St., Bennington, VT 05201; by e-mail to news@benningtonbanner.com (no attachments, please); by fax to 802-442-3413. We may edit any letter or column for length, style or content, and reserve the right to reject letters or columns as not suitable.   Full Story

Tuesday, June 30 Single-payer is truly the answer The Banner should be commended for publishing some truly sensible editorials and columns recently in favor of single-payer health care. I have some comments to add to the dialogue because this is clearly a crucial time in which Congress and the president are attempting to fix the dysfunctional health-care system in the U.   Full Story

Monday, June 29 Re: The SVMC article in the June 9 Banner I am a proud RN employed at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center. I came to work in this hospital nine years ago because of the outstanding patient care. Your article entitled "Report: SVMC employees highest paid in the state" is omissive in reporting.   Full Story

Friday, June 26 Was it tongue-in-cheek? Did Don Keelan write his column about the New System (health care) with tongue-in- cheek? I hope so, otherwise I will have to think he was paid by the insurance companies, who have been extremely successful at preventing Americans from getting good quality affordable insurance since health care reform was first on the agenda at least five decades ago.   Full Story

Tuesday, June 23 Setting the record straight The Hoisington Realty advertisement in Saturday's (June 20) Banner had a picture of the old Yoshi's Restaurant building (where the former Mannequins restaurant is located just past the Vermont border on N.Y. Route 7). Yes, the building has been sold, but Yoshi's is not coming back.   Full Story

Saturday, June 20 Nuclear-powered mythmaking A letter to the editor appeared in the Banner several weeks ago pertaining to nuclear power in general and the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant in particular. Several outrageously erroneous comments were made, obviously for the purpose of frightening people into believing the Vermont Yankee license should not be renewed.   Full Story