WALDEN – Renewables don’t change anything fundamental. They are just the latest business-as-usual scheme to keep the destructive economic party going for a few more years. In a recent VTDigger commentary, Sen. Becca White and Rep. Gabrielle Stebbins touted the “progress on climate” accomplished by the state Legislature. They claim,[Read More…]
Another Opinion
Cabot Fire Department Enters Its Temporary Home
CABOT — By the time you read this, Cabot Fire Department (CFD) should just be settling into the new, temporary building next to the recreation field on South Walden Road. After nearly nine months without a centralized space to store equipment and train our members, it’s safe to say our[Read More…]
There’s Probably a Humanitarian Disaster Happening, But the Judge Said It Was Okay
EAST MONTPELIER – Truly bizarre happenings over the last 24 hours, even by the bizarre standards of this seemingly never-ending crisis of housing and homelessness. We’ll get to the judge’s decision allowing Gov. Phil Scott’s ridiculous policy to go forward, but first a note from an official in the city[Read More…]
Mountain View Union Elementary School District: A Time to Consider Divorce
When Woodbury, Hardwick and Lakeview Elementary Schools were merged it was a shotgun wedding. It was a marriage that was ordered by an 11-member State Board of Education, the majority of whom had never been to Greensboro and probably didn’t even know where Stannard was. In fact, in the board’s[Read More…]
Goddard College Faces Challenges
PLAINFIELD — I have deep concerns about the future of Goddard College, an institution that holds a unique place in liberal higher education history and ethos. As a longstanding beacon of democracy, self-governance, and academic rigor, Goddard faces unprecedented challenges that threaten its very essence. Founded in 1938 as a[Read More…]
Three Essential Climate Bills Vermont Needs to Pass this Session
by Liz Steel and Laura Zakaras Later is too late. We must take sweeping action now to wean ourselves off fossil and other greenhouse gas emitting fuels. The climate crisis is raining out our iconic Vermont winters, flooding our streets and homes, battering our vibrant local farms, and filling our air with smoke. These[Read More…]
Closing Lakeview
by Karl Stein Patrick Larson’s February 20 post regarding “Closing Lakeview” stated that “For those wondering, the cost to educate a student at both Woodbury and Hardwick Elementary is in the neighborhood of $15,000/pupil. At Lakeview the cost is $31,317/pupil. Any argument that doesn’t acknowledge equity disparity and affordability is[Read More…]
A Stain On the Senate
EAST MONTPELIER – The Senate Appropriations Committee is a distillation of everything I don’t like about the Senate as a whole. It’s heavily weighted toward seniority. The senior solons get near-total deference from any junior colleague who manages to wedge their way onto the committee. Those veteran members are a[Read More…]
Quo Vadis America
GREENSBORO – Years ago, before the collapse of the Soviet Union, two friends and I began organizing high school exchanges between the United States and the Soviet Republics in hopes of reducing some of the tensions between our countries. At one point we had a group of students here from[Read More…]
What makes you a Wildcat?
by Jennifer Thompson GREENSBORO BEND – Are you born into it? Do you sign up for it in kindergarten? Do you have to attend school in the Hardwick district? Is it an oath? Often this wanders through my mind while attending Hazen Union basketball games. I am a Kansas girl:[Read More…]
Right-to-repair is a Pro-common-sense Bill
by Rep. Anne Donahue (R), Northfield and Rep. Katherine Sims (D), Craftsbury MONTPELIER – Vermont has the opportunity to do the right thing for our farmers and loggers and to do it the Vermont way. Last year the Vermont House passed a pro-farmer, pro-logger, pro-market, pro-commonsense piece of legislation with[Read More…]