All Entries in the "Commentary" Category
To the editor: Thanks to Londonderry, Peru for ARPA allocations
The staff of Neighborhood Connections would like to express our sincerest gratitude to the Town of Londonderry and the Town of Peru for their recent allocation of ARPA funds to our organization. We are thrilled to receive this support and grateful for the recognition of our important work. These funds will allow us to continue […]
To the editor: State prisons fail inmates needing healthcare
On May 4, 2021 members of the Vermont Just Justice organization held a rally at the statehouse to bring awareness to the accepted practice of denying healthcare to incarcerated individuals. Vermont law 28 VSA 801 (a) clearly states the following: The department shall provide healthcare for inmates in accordance with prevailing medical standards. A quick […]
To the editor: S. 5 will raise cost of heating fuel
The Vermont legislative session for 2023 has come to an end. There is no good news for those few Vermonters who might expect their elected representatives to respect our hard earned tax dollars. The Democratic supermajority has passed an $8.5 billion budget, the largest in the history of the state. Windsor County state Sens. Alison […]
To the editor: Thank you volunteers for Greening Up Springfield
The weather cooperated beautifully for the 53rd Annual Green Up Day, and it was a great success! The Springfield Regional Chamber of Commerce was joined on Saturday, May 6 by more than 250 community members helping to Green Up Springfield. We distributed over 600 bags for trash pickup. Thanks to Amy Duffy of Edward Jones, […]
To the editor: Thanks to all who ‘Greened Up’ in Chester
Huge shout out to all corners of Chester for the amazing Green Up Day efforts! 250 bags were distributed by the helpful folks at Chester Hardware, Erskines, Whiting Library, and the Chester Town Office. One look at the dumpster and you can easily see that all 250 bags came back. Way to go! The Whiting […]
To the editor: Only books can stir the imagination
As members of the Vermont Antiquarian Booksellers Association, we have dedicated a portion of our lives to the care of used and rare books. Our shops exist to aggregate good books and to find suitable homes for each. Unsurprisingly, we were horrified to learn of the state university administration’s decision to eliminate physical books from […]
To the editor: GM must abide by E5 policy and retire Chieftains name
Someone is a human being. Something is a mascot. The continued use of the Chieftains at Green Mountain Union High School is in direct violation of the school’s E5 policy, which prohibits the use of a school mascot based on any person’s identity. The definition of the word Chieftain, by itself, does not have to […]
Op-ed: A much-welcomed immersion in poetry
By Nicholas Boke We’ve all—everyone, everywhere—been through a lot lately. Maybe your power went out for several very cold days recently; maybe you have friends in Ukraine, or Israel, or Mississippi; maybe you — like me — just spend too much time wondering what will happen to teen-age girls who’ve been raped in Texas, or […]
To the editor: Chester Rotary raises $5,000 with Trivia Night, thanks all who donated, participated
The Chester Rotary would like to thank the Chester community and surrounding area for the generous support for our April Fools Trivia Night held at the American Legion in Chester on Saturday, April 1. The event raised more than $5,000 to support scholarships for Green Mountain graduates. Scholarships will be presented to deserving seniors this […]
Op-ed: The price we must pay to protect our kids from the proliferation of guns
By Bill Dunkel The U.S. spends $1.73 trillion a year for national defense, but we cannot protect our children from being shot in school. The carnage at Covenant School in Nashville — the 13th school shooting this year — proves again that all children are vulnerable to this madness. Twenty years ago, the gun industry […]
Sen. Clarkson: Priority housing bill comes before House
By Sen. Alison Clarkson What an intense and productive two weeks it has been in the Vermont legislature. Crossover is largely finished and, with it, the passage of many bills from one chamber to the other. Getting this much work, representing the first half of this 2023 session, presented on the floor in each chamber […]
To the editor: Expeditionary School thanks Ludlow voters
A huge thank you from ESBR to Ludlow’s voters. The March 6, 2023 Ludlow Town Meeting was a phenomenal lesson in how democracy can work for the betterment of its community. Thank you to all who voted to help sustain the vision of the Expeditionary School at Black River, situated right here in the heart […]
To the editor: Author seeks stories about Vermont Civilian Conservation Camps
The Civilian Conservation Corps began on April 5, 1933 under President Roosevelt’s “New Deal” to relieve the poverty and unemployment of the Depression. CCC camps were set up in towns, state parks and forests. Workers built trails, roads, campsites and dams, stocked fish, built and maintained fire tower observer’s cabins and telephone lines, fought fires […]
To the editor: Londonderry Rescue Service Raffle deadline is April 1
The Londonderry Volunteer Rescue Squad Benefit Raffle is our organization’s most important fund raiser. It helps pay for building and vehicle maintenance, fuel, training and a host of other things that help ensure that LVRS is the only squad in Vermont that does not charge for its services. To buy raffle tickets online, click here […]
Op-ed: Honor Sunshine Week by requiring hybrid government meetings
By Justin Silverman During the early months of Covid-19, governors in New England states issued executive orders allowing municipalities to meet online so long as the public could attend remotely. The democratic benefits of this arrangement quickly became evident. According to a public official quoted in a 2020 study, the changes “made it a lot […]
Commentary: Trapping is cruel and unnecessary
By Carol Scafuro As a Vermont resident, do you enjoy the opportunity to observe a majestic bobcat or a playful river otter in the wild? Have you ever had the chance to watch a beaver family, led by a mother and father who mate for life, busily build their family’s lodge? Did you know that […]
To the editor: Windham senators asked to vote ‘no’ on Affordable Heat Act
An open letter to Sen. Wendy Harrison and Nader Hashim, Democrats representing the Windham District: You will shortly be voting on the so-called “Affordable Heat Act,” (S.5) formerly the “Clean Heat Act.” The intent of the legislation is to accomplish a statewide switch from heating systems that run on fossil fuels such as oil, natural […]
Op-ed: Ranked choice voting, sheriff qualifications on agenda in Montpelier
By Sen. Alison Clarkson So much is happening at the Statehouse. Bills are beginning to be passed out of committees at a rapid pace, a new set of pages have arrived, the Budget Adjustment Act is poised for a final vote in the Senate and will probably go to a Conference Committee, and the building […]
Commentary: What will make the shooting stop?
By Nicholas Boke Let’s see where the action is this morning. Ah. A shopping mall in El Paso. Again. Just across the street from the Walmart where 23 people were murdered in 2019. The earlier shooting was racist. There’s no clear motive for this one yet. Better check in on that Michigan State University shooting […]
To the editor: Vote for Martha Dale for Londonderry Select Board
I would like to endorse Martha Dale, resident of Londonderry, as a candidate for the Londonderry Select Board. I have known Martha for many years as a neighbor, friend and professional colleague and have seen her succeed in many leadership roles. She brings to the table many skills that include listening, discerning and identifying common […]
