Conflict erupted in the Caucasus between Russia and Georgia. Half a world away, a cable giant faced Vermonters in a town meeting, answer questions about its conduct and product. Southwestern Vermont commemorates its place in the war that gave birth to America. Families in cold-weather states like Vermont are looking with anxiety towards the winter, its unavoidable heating bills, and the lack of necessary action from Washington. Vermont's beautiful and pristine Northeast Kingdom region celebrates two significant milestones of progress. And more focus is paid to the nationwide success of at least one part of our health care system.

The Caucasus Conflict "What we seem to have forgotten is who started the conflict," Senator Sanders said of the war that began August 8 when Georgian troops launched a major military offensive to regain control over the breakaway province of South Ossetia. The United States denounced, not the invaders, but the Russian response. "Georgia started the war. They launched an invasion," Sanders said. "Clearly I have concerns about the growing lack of democracy in Russia. I think Russia overreacted" he added, "but the last thing we need is another Cold War." Sanders also voiced concern about revelations that Senator John McCain's chief foreign policy adviser, Randy Scheunemann, was paid hundreds of thousands of dollars by the former Soviet republic as he helped shape McCain's stance. "What you have," Sanders told Air America Radio, "is John McCain trying to bring back the Cold War again. Halliburton and all the big defense contractors are just salivating." To read the BBC's coverage of the event, click here.

Cable Monopoly Sen. Bernie Sanders hosted a town meeting Thursday night in Rutland to give Vermonter's a chance to voice their opinions about the service they are receiving - or are not receiving - from cable giant Comcast. The capacity crowd asked for Comcast to cut their rates if they are going to cut back on the channels available a given package. They asked for a la carte channel selection. Comcast's answer: no. After the meeting, Sanders told the Rutland Herald, "We are going to need Congressional action to make sure that people can get reasonably priced cable television. Left alone, prices will continue to rise and families are going to be priced out of cable television." To read the senator's opening statement from the town meeting, click here. To read coverage of the meeting click here.

Bennington Battle Day On Saturday August 16, Vermont commemorates the day on which the Revolutionary War Battle of Bennington took place. During this battle in 1777, Gen. John Stark and his American forces — which included the famed Green Mountain Boys — defeated two Hessian detachments from British Gen. John Burgoyne's army. Bennington will celebrate with a series of events, many of which will take place at or around the Bennington Battle Monument, a 306 foot obelisk which was completed in 1889. To read state senator and history professor Bill Doyle's piece on the significant of this battle, click here.

New England's Katrina? Eight million homes rely on heating oil during the winter months, and last winter's prices forced too many citizens to choose between heat, food, and medicine, threatening to become what the Boston Globe called: "a frozen Katrina." Sen. Bernie Sanders tried to increase home energy assistance funding all the way back in November and the Republicans continued to stand in the way last month when they blocked his legislation to double program funding, wrote The Nation online. You can read The Nation piece here.

Progress in the Kingdom Sen. Sanders went to the Caledonia County towns of St. Johnsbury and Lyndon to celebrate significant steps forward in the most rural region of the Green Mountain State. In a celebration at which more than 200 people appeared, St. Johnsbury opened a new welcome center in the historic train depot right in the heart of the downtown. Sanders said, "Something as extraordinary as this does not happen unless a lot of people come together." Later in the day, the senator went to Lyndon State College to participate in the groundbreaking ceremony at the school. To read about the welcome center grand opening, click here.

Community Health Centers Primary health care for all Americans who need it is the goal of legislation proposed recently by Senator Bernie Sanders. "We're definitely extremely excited about it. Senator Sanders is a huge supporter of the health centers. We're extremely grateful for that. Both here in Vermont and nationally, he has really set an extraordinary bar that has helped bring a lot of new resources to health centers," Hunt Blair of the Bi-State Primary Care Association told Vermont Public Radio. Legislation to expand a successful and cost-effective community health center program has been introduced by Sanders, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, health committee Chairman Edward M. Kennedy and other key senators. The Access for All America Act would provide primary health care for all Americans at a significant savings and address a critical shortage of primary care physicians. To listen to the Vermont Edition interview on Vermont Public Radio, click here.