Top Stories for Tuesday February 9, 2010

In Celebration of Couples: Happy Valentines Day
By Cookie Steponaitis
Tis the Valentine’s Day season and all the trappings are out in the stores. There is candy, cards, flowers, and a dissaying array of stuffed animals of all shapes and sizes. You can send a bear, send an email or even secretly let your Valentine know you are thinking of them. While these traditions are a wonderful part of this worldwide holiday, they sometimes put a screen in front of the real issue at the heart of the celebration, the expression of love. The Addison County community is full of couples who have celebrated countless Valentine’s Days together and in doing so hold up as rock solid demonstrations that love goes deeper, further and longer than a rembrance or an evening out. In honor of all of those couples, the Valley Voice salutes Valentine’s Day and shares the story of one special couple.  [ more ]

Hidden Treasures: Honoring The Contributions Of Others
By Cookie Steponaitis
We all know who these people are. We depend on them everyday. They are fixtures in our lives and anchor points in the community. We rely on their devotion, knowledge and presence to hold the line against change. We trust their judgment and we often go through our busy lives without taking time to recognize them or let them know how valued they truly are. They are our hidden and valued treasures.
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Bishop Matano Visits St. Mary’s School
By Mike Cameron
His Excellency Salvatore R. Matano Ninth Bishop of Burlington was in Middlebury on Thursday morning February 4th 2010 looking after his flock.  The event was Catholic Schools Week January 31st thru February 6th 2010, at Saint Mary’s Parish and Saint Mary’s School where the Bishop celebrated Holy Mass with students and their grandparents during a special Grandparents Day as part of the week long event. Bishop Matano visited each classroom at Saint Mary’s and offered praise and encouragement to the students individually and collectively, complimenting them and blessing many of their class projects.  [ more ]