All Entries in the "Commentary" Category
To the editor: Motion to terminate Rockingham Library director uncalled for
To the Board of Trustees of the Rockingham Free Public Library, I object to the recent motion to terminate our library director, Célina Houlné. Earlier in the year I heard that Houlné’s job performance was in question and I was shocked. Then, I found out about the claims that were being leveled against her. I’ve […]
To the editor: Does Dollar General fit in with Chester?
Have you been wondering and following why Chester has been targeted to allow a small box Dollar General store to be built across from the Country Girl Diner on our Main Street? As many of our good friends know, Bonnie and I have party status in the Act 250 hearing and the appeal process now […]
To the editor: The global economy affects Chester
This has been quite the story: The sleepy hamlet of Chester takes on globalism locally, the proverbial David & Goliath economic analogy. On one hand, it should be applauded that folks are protective of their township and its collective economic outlook. I wonder how we would fare if every small town across America expressed such […]
To the editor: A Dollar General for Chester?
Imagine a store next to the former Zachary Pizza restaurant but three times as large. Imagine a store that is a large rectangle, more than 9,000 square feet with the only natural light coming in the doorway. Imagine a parking lot in front and to the side. Imagine an attempt to have it look like […]
To the editor: Thank you GMUHS community
Thank you for supporting the Class of 2013 at its graduation ceremony on June 21, 2013. The Green Mountain Union High School campus was beautifully prepared and the ceremony went very well. Speeches by the valedictorian, Jess Ralston, and the salutatorian, Katie McNally, were heartfelt and delivered with passion. The graduation was well-attended and the […]
To the editor: Addiction recovery is possible
Lives will be saved by last week’s drug arrests by our public safety officers, and the community should be grateful for this intervention. Addiction is a progressive, life-threatening, often fatal disease. However, treatment is available. There is no cure, but long-lasting recovery is possible for all addicts. Many people first come to understand that they suffer from addiction when a major arrest occurs, as easy access to the addictive drug is interrupted. Symptoms of acute […]
To the editor: Good Neighbors thanks all who gave during food drive
The staff, volunteers and clients of the Black River Good Neighbor Services’ food shelf extend their thanks to all who participated in the U.S. Post Office’s 2013 Stamp Out Hunger National Food Drive – the largest one-day food drive in the nation and probably in the world. Mail carriers for each of the towns and […]
To the editor: With a lot of volunteer help, Music in Meadow turns 11, raising $28,000 for Komen
When my husband and I moved to Chester in March 2001 on a very snowy day it was impossible to really appreciate the meadow we had acquired. By the middle of April, we were able to walk the property. As we were coming back to the house I mentioned to him what a great place […]
To the editor: VT lawmakers should not pass physician assisted suicide
Editor’s note: Here’s a link to the latest story on this issue from VTDigger.com. Passing S77, physician assisted suicide (misnamed “Patient Choice”) and calling suicide a legal medical treatment takes away patient choice from far many more Vermonters than it gives to those few who want to require others to bless and participate in the […]
Telegraph Poll: The Astronomical Observatory for Chester?
B ackground: The Southern Vermont Astronomy Group, also known as SoVerA, proposed to donate an observatory building and telescope to Chester for use by the public. SoVerA would maintain and staff the observatory while the town would put in-kind services and $7,000 toward installation. In the end, the Select Board determined that it could not […]
To the editor: Solar farm aesthetics leave much to be desired
Regarding the solar farm — those of us in Chester need to better understand the benefits the town would accrue from this. Would the financial benefits be shared with the taxpayers? Another concern is the aesthetic look of solar farms. It’s like those wind farms that do not fit with the character of Vermont. If […]
Rep. Dakin seeks your input on end of life, GMOs, early education and child-care issues
Clearly, End of Life Care legislation — where terminally ill patients with less than six months to live can request a prescription for drugs that they can self-administer to end their lives — will be a major issue in the State House in the final eight weeks of the session. I’d like your opinion: Do […]
To the Editor: Vote yes for kids
The Green Mountain Union High School Board respectfully requests your support of the FY 2013-14 budget on Town Meeting Day. The budget proposal to be voted on Town Meeting Day represents a decrease in the amount to be raised by taxes of 1.73%, largely due to revenues that will offset increased expenditures. Our estimated education […]
Time to vote
The Norman Rockwell image is that Vermont governments are supremely open and Vermonters ensure that openness through hearty civic participation through institutions like Monday’s annual Town Meeting and Tuesday’s Election Day. That belief is reinforced each March by national media reports that tell of the quaintness and fervor of Vermont’s Town Meeting day. So, it’s […]
To the editor: No to assisted suicide
An amended version of S-77 has passed the Vermont Senate and will be read in the Vermont House sometime soon. As a Vermont resident, I ask that all our representatives vote no on assisted suicide. If assistance to die becomes a medical procedure, then what will stop my insurance company or whomever the hospital requires […]
State should adopt more transparency for law enforcement
This commentary by Bill Schubart was written for Vermont Public Radio and aired Monday, Feb. 4, 2013. Audio is available on line at VPR.net. By Bill Schubart By way of full disclosure, I’m Chair of the VT Journalism Trust, doing business as VTDigger.org, serve on the Board of the VT ACLU, and am a former […]
From the editor: Thank you for an exciting 1st year
One year ago, if you were interested in news about Chester, you might find the occasional story – fire, crime, accident or town government issue – in the Southern Vermont sections of the Rutland Herald or the Eagle Times. Or chances are, you turned to the blog at Chestervermont.org. But for the past year, The […]
Health care, job creation top Rep. Dakin’s legislative priorities
We have hit the ground running after our swearing in on Wednesday Jan. 9 and the inauguration of Gov. Peter Shumlin on Thursday Jan. 10. I have the privilege of continuing as a member of the House Committee on Health Care, where for the past two years we have been working on legislation that hopefully […]
To the editor: What you can do now that flu is widespread in Vermont
Influenza is currently widespread in Vermont and cases of influenza-like illness are higher than in recent years. Last week, designated general practitioners in Vermont reported that 7 percent of their visits were due to patients with influenza-like illness, a measure that typically peaks between 3 percent and 4 percent in non-pandemic years. Emergency room visits […]
To the editor: Many to thank for making Overture to Christmas a success!
I would like to thank everyone involved in helping to make this year’s Overture to Christmas the best yet. Let me start by saying that the level of participation in the planning and execution was so large, it is inevitable that I will overlook someone in this thank you. For this, I apologize. Thanks to […]
