Editorial

A changing landscape of Vermont’s schools: Cause for concern?

Big changes are planned that could radically alter high school choice in Vermont and the college experience at the state colleges.
A large percentage of secondary and postsecondary education in Vermont may be undergoing some extreme changes in the next few months. That will happen if...

Town Meeting 2023: An exercise in democracy

Tuesday, March 7, is the traditional Town Meeting day across Vermont.
Town Meeting has long been celebrated in Vermont as a cherished tradition and one of the purest forms of democratic governance, when citizens of a community come together to talk about the issues their town is facing...

Let’s be better role models for our children

On Tuesday Gov. Phil Scott used his weekly press conference to address recent instances of intolerance and violence, including a fight at a middle school basketball game that led to a man dying from a suspected heart attack shortly after the brawl. This is the second time in the past two months...

Bankruptcy punctuates Barnes’ mixed legacy

News last week that a bankruptcy court judge had approved the final report and disbursement of funds in the Hermitage Inn Real Estate Holding Company should close the books on the Jim Barnes era of the Hermitage Club.
It was five years ago that the Barnes-led club closed. That followed a...

A weather roller coaster

“One of the brightest gems in the New England weather is the dazzling uncertainty of it.”
― Mark Twain
The esteemed author Mark Twain clearly had a love-hate relationship with New England weather. Twain, who spent two decades living in Connecticut while writing some of his...

The dangers of extending COVID-era meeting laws

Right now the Vermont Legislature is considering extending the pandemic-driven laws that allow for virtual government meetings and Australian ballots. There are some who would like to make it permanent.
We think that’s a bad idea.
While we understand the desire to keep the virtual...

Sen Leahy’s legacy: five decades of public service

This week marks a significant milestone in Vermont history. On Tuesday the state’s longest-serving senator, Patrick Leahy, retired from Congress.
Leahy spent 48 years, eight terms, in the Senate. It’s incredible to think about how much the country has changed in the five decades since...

Lessons and reflections as we approach the new year

“Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards”
Soren Kierkegaard Well, here we are on the cusp of 2023. With the New Year comes new hope. Let’s all toast to the end of 2022 and the beginning of 2023. We wish everyone a healthy and happy new year.
On...

Peace and goodwill; easier said than done?

“Every year at this time, an important phrase marks the season: peace on Earth and goodwill towards men. It’s so common we sometimes forget about what it really means - that we strive for a world without war, a society where we respect and help our neighbors, a place where we protect and uplift...

Vermont says “yes” to personal autonomy

Tuesday was a historic day at the Vermont Statehouse. With all the pomp and circumstance befitting a milestone event, a number of state officials formalized Proposition 2 and Proposition 5 as amendments to the state’s constitution (see Lauren Harkawik’s report in this week’s edition).
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