All Entries in the "Commentary" Category
To the editor: Board praises ‘amazing’ SMCS staff during these difficult Covid times
It is with an immense amount of pride that the Board of Directors of Springfield Medical Care Systems, Inc. would like to acknowledge the amazing efforts and commitment of all the staff of SMCS over the last two years during this pandemic. Their efforts have highlighted that excellent care is a team effort and that […]
Op-ed: Covid exacerbates, highlights inequality of working women
By Kellie Campbell, Ed.D. Vermont Commission on Women If you have been to a restaurant lately, you have probably seen signs on the door about being short-staffed and asking for your patience. Perhaps you are a parent who received a message from your childcare provider about having to close early or shorten hours due to […]
Op-ed: Fixing the state’s public pension system
By Sen. Alison Clarkson When the Pension Benefits, Design, and Funding Task Force was created last year, I was relieved. Our public pension system was in crisis. If we did nothing to fix the problems, Vermont taxpayers were looking at an unfunded pension liability of $4.5 billion, with that liability growing for the teachers and […]
To the editor: Legislature should pass single-member districts
Below is a letter sent to state Reps. Carolyn Patridge and Leslie Goldman, both Democrats representing Windham-3, on the morning of Friday, Jan. 14. Good morning, Carolyn and Leslie, Best wishes to you and yours for the new year. This afternoon, the Vermont House will vote on redistricting the electoral districts in the state. As […]
Op-ed: A Q&A with Chester Planning Commission chair Cathy Hasbrouck
In early November of this year, Chester businessman Steve Mancuso, owner of Chester Electric and head of the nascent Chester Business Coalition**, asked a series of questions of Cathy Hasbrouck, chair of the Chester Planning Commission, which is working on updating the town’s bylaws, to clarify recent activities and the general direction of the […]
To the editor: Eye-opening discussion over masking in Chester
Last Wednesday’s select board meeting with public discussion on the mask mandate was truly eye-opening! It’s difficult to listen to the same theme from so many people, “My personal freedom is more important than yours.” Whatever happened to taking care of your neighbor with regard to public health? Wearing a mask is such a simple […]
To the editor: Thanks to all who made Dance Factory’s ‘Nutcracker’ a success
The Dance Factory would like to extend heartfelt thanks and immense gratitude to the myriad community members whose contributions made this year’s production of The Nutcracker possible. To our amazing cast of dancers: thank you for your time, talent and dedication, and for being so mindful of staying healthy and safe. Performing in masks […]
From the editor: A poll is just a poll, not a vote
By Cynthia Prairie ©2021 Telegraph Publishing LLC Every so often, The Chester Telegraph rolls out a poll to take the pulse of our communities on various issues: bringing a big box store into Chester; what type of restaurants you would like to see move in; cannabis laws etc. Voters have been respectful in their voting, […]
To the editor: Chester board should institute a mask mandate
After some debate on the topic, I can only determine three core reasons that some of my fellow citizens have for not wanting a mask mandate in Chester. a) They don’t want anyone telling them what to do. b) They don’t believe the science telling us that masks help mitigate the transmission of Covid. c) […]
The Telegraph Poll: A mask mandate for Chester?
This Telegraph Poll will be open until Dec. 15. Should the Chester Select Board institute a mask mandate for public buildings and businesses?
Op-ed: Does the First Amendment allow racist and personal threats of violence?
By Bill Schubart It’s time for a statute prohibiting hate-speech, online bullying and threats of physical violence. Five years ago, Rep. Kiah Morris (D-Bennington) resigned from the Vermont legislature, where she had earned the respect of her colleagues and a reputation as an effective promoter of equity and justice in Vermont. The online harassment began […]
To the editor: Londonderry should consider other ways to control speeding than costly sheriff
At Town Meeting last year, Londonderry voted to appropriate $45,000 to hire the Windham County Sheriff to spend up to 20 hours per week for policing the town of Londonderry. A representative from the sheriff’s office said that they were committed to policing the community as a whole (which was important to the voters since […]
To the editor: Budget deliberations to begin for BRSU school districts; public urged to attend
As December is upon us, the Bennington Rutland Supervisory Union is focusing on the future of its three school districts: Winhall, Mettawee, and the Taconic & Green, which serves Peru, Londonderry, Landgrove and Weston. For all three jurisdictions, December marks the traditional start of formal district budget discussions on finances and tax rates for fiscal […]
To the editor: Thanks to all who made Warm Hands coat drive successful
The Warm Hands Warm Hearts planning committee wishes to thank the Chester and Andover communities for the wonderful support for Warm Hands Warm Hearts 2021, held in late October. Many generous donations of coats, blankets, boots and other warm items were all given free to all shoppers. Donations of cash were used to purchase healthy […]
To the editor: Community responds to Whiting Library visioning efforts
On Sept. 7 and Oct. 5, 2021, residents of Chester and Andover gathered at the Chester Town Hall to talk about shared aspirations for the community and to envision the future of Whiting Library. Professional library consultant, Amy Howlett, facilitated these conversations with the assistance of Library Director Deirdre Doran. The goal of the meetings […]
To the editor: Family Center seeks donations for Thanksgiving meals
The Chester-Andover Family Center Food Shelf needs your help. We are busy preparing to provide Food Shelf participants with food for their Thanksgiving dinners. As Vermont Food bank partners, we can purchase turkeys and shelf stable items at very low cost. We also partner with local grocery outlets and farmers to purchase fresh produce and […]
To the editor: Townscape celebrates fall season with new plantings
Many changes let residents and visitors know that Chester is geared up for the fall season. Most of summer’s prominent bridge boxes and pots and barrels of cascading flowers have been replaced with decorations that proclaim a new season with a different abundance. Chester Townscape thanks all those volunteers who planted, watered, and cared for […]
Op-ed: Critical Race Theory is American history
By James Michael Brodie Across the country, lawmakers, educators (including the Board of Regents at my alma mater, the University of Colorado), and other interested parties are taking up discussions regarding Critical Race Theory and the 1619 Project. The conflict among many White Americans is whether or not to acknowledge what actually happened to enslaved […]
To the editor: People should not be used as mascots
Mascots are symbolic figures adopted by a group to bring them good luck, to promote a sense of teamwork and unity, and to symbolize the attributes that the group aspires to. A stereotype is an oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing. I believe that, when an image is based […]
Op-ed Why is there a worker shortage?
By Jack Hoffman The Washington Post recently tackled the question a lot of people have been talking about. The headline read: “Why America has 8.4 million unemployed when there are 10 million job openings.” What was refreshing about the Post story was that it didn’t offer the usual explanation about the mismatch between jobs and […]
