All Entries in the "Commentary" Category
To the editor: Whiting Library kicks off annual appeal
What do you value most about the Whiting Library? Is it he latest in reading, audio and video materials or the up-to-date computers and instruction. How about free Wi-Fi access? How about educational and fun programs for children offered all year long – or the stimulating programs for adults, including the monthly book group? Whatever […]
To the editor: BRGNS thanks donors, customers, volunteers
The staff, clients and board of Black River Good Neighbor Services offer their sincere thanks to the donors, customers and volunteers who made our semi-annual rummage sale a great success. We held the sale on May 19 through 21 at Fletcher Farm on Route 103 in Ludlow and happily the weather cooperated with sun and […]
To the editor: No cost summer lunch offered at GMUHS
Green Mountain High School in Chester is once again participating in the very popular no cost lunch program this summer. No cost lunches will be offered the school Monday through Friday all summer long. When school lets out, a huge number of households lose access to the school lunches their children receive during the school […]
Op-ed: Up-ending the carbon status quo
By James Gustave Speth With the Trump administration doing everything it can to eliminate progress made in combating climate change, it is particularly important for forward-thinking states like Vermont to take action. Because of the urgency of the issue, it is quite disappointing to see this year’s legislative session draw to a close without any […]
To the editor: Townscape thanks Chester Electric for Hearse House work
The non-profit Chester Townscape was delighted when Steve Mancuso of Chester Electric volunteered the labor for all the electrical work to be done on the Hearse House – the building located opposite Chester’s Village Green that formerly housed the Town’s horse-drawn hearse. Prior to the structure’s recent renovation and Mancuso’s work, the building had lacked […]
To the editor: Superintendent Powden on Ludlow school vote flyer
Dear Ludlow and Mt. Holly School families, community members and school board members, On behalf of the Two Rivers Supervisory Union, I am deeply sorry for the errors that were made on the May 25th flyer that was sent out from the Ludlow Elementary and Mt. Holly School boards. On the back side of the […]
To the editor: Ludlow Elementary board clarifies mailing
To the Voters and Citizens of Ludlow and Mount Holly, The Ludlow Elementary School Board wishes you to know that some information included on the May 25 mailing was not written, authorized or approved by any board member. The two text boxes on the addressee side stating “A ‘NO’ vote means:” as well as the outdated information […]
To the editor: Citizen group wants more time for BRHS ideas
Black River Area Innovative Network, BRAIN, is a grassroots organization of people from both Mount Holly and Ludlow who have been meeting for the past several weeks. Initially a few of us came together to promote a NO vote. We wanted more time to figure out a possible solution rather than closing our school. Our […]
To the editor: An open letter to AOT Secretary Flynn from Londonderry Rescue
Dear Secretary Flynn: The motto on the Vermont Agency of Transportation’s web page says: “Providing for the safe and efficient movement of people and goods.” Unfortunately, VT RT 11 between Londonderry and Chester does none of those things and is, in fact, a very dangerous stretch of road for our patients and for our ambulance […]
To the editor: Family Center, Food Shelf grateful to mail carriers, donors, volunteers
A big thank you from the Chester-Andover Family Center to our local rural carriers for collecting donations of non-perishable food donations to benefit the Chester-Andover Food Shelf. Thanks to board member/volunteer Ginger Roper for coordinating the 25th Annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive on Saturday, May 13. A very special thanks also to Postmistress Cathy […]
To the editor: Loss of Black River High will resound throughout community
It takes a community to raise a child. Ludlow has been that community for generations. When my daughter began thinking about high school, Black River was her first choice even though we live in Springfield. Black River is a school that her grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, and cousins have attended. She visited for a day, […]
To the editor: Champion Fire Co. thanks others who helped during storm
I would like to take a moment and thank all of the mutual aid fire companies that came to our aid in the storm on May 18. Our dispatch system was completely overwhelmed and we were left on our own. The incident on Spring Hill took a long time to control, there were five homes […]
To the editor: School rankings depend on more than tests
Mount Holly and Ludlow will be voting on May 30 whether or not to close Black River HS and send their 7 – 12th grade students to Mill River HS. Some folks have been saying that Mill River ranks higher than Black River HS, but Vermont does not have a ranking list for its high […]
To the editor: Neighborhood Connections thanks you
Neighborhood Connections, based in Londonderry, would like to thank the towns of: Andover, Jamaica, Landgrove, Londonderry, Peru, Weston and Windhall for their pledge of support at the recent March Town Meetings. Your generous backing helps us do our important work – particularly since we do not receive any federal or state funds. Neighborhood Connections provides […]
To the editor: Get the facts and vote on May 30
This letter is for the parents of students that would be impacted by the Section 721 merger vote. As you may know, there has been a lot of noise out there about Act 46, Section 721 and the upcoming vote for Ludlow and Mt Holly on May 30 to decide whether or not to close […]
To the editor: Thank you to all Green Up Day volunteers
I would like to express greetings and gratitude to many who made Green Up Day 2017 a vibrant reality. Thank you! To the volunteers: More than 22,000 people of all walks of life and varied ages volunteered to come out and clean up litter from Vermont’s roadsides, public and natural spaces and waterways. They did […]
Op-ed: President’s baseless claims undermine trust in voting
By Jim Condos Vermont Secretary of State On Friday, President Trump announced the establishment of a commission by executive order to investigate the presence of voter fraud in elections. Despite continued assertions by President Trump that widespread voter fraud, in the millions, occurred during the 2016 election, there has been no evidence that any widespread […]
To the editor: The French vote and an ode to joy
On Sunday, May 7, the Springfield Community Chorus celebrated its 50th anniversary by performing Beethoven’s Ode to Joy, the final movement of the Ninth Symphony, with the Choral Society of Bennington, at Springfield High School. Also on the program was John Rutter’s Distant Land. It includes these words, which the chorus sang with passionate intensity: […]
To the editor: Answers to Act 46 merger questions
Saturday’s Andover Information Forum on the proposed school merger was attended by about 25 voters and generated a many good questions. What follows is a recap of the questions and the answers that were discussed: Why are we talking about a merger? ACT 46 requires that small, local school districts consolidate into larger unified school […]
To the editor: Board members urge Yes vote on Act 46 merger
We urge the residents of Andover, Baltimore, Cavendish and Chester to vote on May 2 in favor of forming a single pre K-12 school district, the Green Mountain Unified School District. A “yes” vote merges the governance structure of the existing school districts into one school district. A merger will stabilize the tax rates for […]
