Editorial

A time when we can no longer predict the weather

Anyone who was in the valley or around southern Vermont this past Monday evening experienced a taste of the extreme weather that much of the country has been dealing with this winter. The wind howled for a number of hours on Monday, blowing down branches and full trees, knocking out power in many...

The public deserves answers regarding racism in schools

“Community members need to challenge their school boards to do better.”
-Curtis Reed, head of the Vermont Partnership for Fairness & Diversity, made that statement to a reporter in a January 20 article about racial bullying and harassment at Twin Valley Middle High School. In doing so...

As Town Meeting day approaches, remember its value to Vermonters

Tuesday, March 1, is Town Meeting day across the state. Vermonters will have the opportunity to voice their opinions on a variety of issues.
Well, at least in normal times Tuesday would be Town Meeting day. But, as with many things during the past two years, COVID-19 has disrupted how...

Has the Covid-19 pandemic created a “lost generation” of students?

We’ve been hearing quite a bit about how difficult the pandemic has made it for students, especially in primary and secondary schools. COVID lockdowns, remote learning, quarantine absences, and changing guidelines from state and federal officials have made the past two years extremely difficult...

Town Meeting day will look different once again

Local governments have had to make some difficult decisions in the past few weeks in terms of how they will go about their Town Meetings. Due to the ongoing pandemic, the big decision was whether to postpone Town Meeting to a later date instead of the traditional first Tuesday in March or not...

Is pandemic groundhog day coming to an end?

Yesterday was February 2. That means it was Groundhog Day. Everyone knows the story, how a groundhog (known as a woodchuck here in Vermont) comes out of its hole and predicts the coming of spring by either seeing its shadow or not. If it sees its shadow, it gets scared and runs back into its...

Public, Legislature must work toward budget goals

“In my 21 years in public life, there has never been a more transformative moment. We have, within our grasp, the chance to combine good ideas, thoughtful legislation, and unprecedented financial resources into a better, brighter future: Where there are good jobs, affordable homes, and every...

Trying to define exactly what “new normal” is

“It’s not going to be that you’ll eliminate this disease completely. But hopefully, it will be at such a low level that it doesn’t disrupt our normal social, economic, and other interactions with each other. To me, that’s what the new normal is.”
Dr. Anthony Fauci The “new normal” is a...

Honoring MLK means confronting actions, beliefs

Monday the country celebrates the anniversary of the birth of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. It’s a day to recognize the life and accomplishments of the civil rights leader, who was gunned down in 1968 at the age of 39. During the 1950s and ‘60s King became the face of a nonviolent movement...

One thing is certain: nothing is certain

Tuesday marked the start of the 2022 legislative session for Vermont. Unlike previous years, when legislators from across the state made their way to the Statehouse in Montpelier, this year saw an unusual kickoff to what promises to be an unpredictable session.
Members of the House checked...