Editorial

Don't give up on the holidays, just change how you go about them

“Before we took down the tree each year, Dad would always say a prayer that we would be together the next Christmas. I cling to that prayer, which serves as a reminder that it’s important to be grateful in the present for the people you love because, well, you never know.”
Catherine Hicks...

Legislators need to weigh in on education funding report

A few weeks ago we wrote about the upcoming Vermont legislative session and how legislators need to take seriously the problems around education funding. In particular, we urged legislators to take seriously the “weighting study” report that came out a year ago.
That report showed that...

Virus vaccine not a miracle cure, yet

We would be remiss if we didn’t comment on the coronavirus pandemic and the history-making widespread rollout of an effective vaccine across the pond in the United Kingdom.
While it is certainly welcome news, we feel the need to join in the chorus reminding people that there is much work...

Budgeting for Town Meeting won’t be the same this year

It’s budget season for towns and school districts around the valley and across Vermont, as officials lay out plans for the next fiscal year and beyond.
While budgeting can be a dry, boring process, it can also have real world ramifications. Budgets are essentially blueprints that lay out...

Lots to be thankful for, even during pandemic

Thanksgiving Day marks the beginning of what is likely the most unusual end-of-the-year holiday period most of us will see in our lifetime.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Americans are being urged to cancel their traditional plans to visit family and friends for the holidays and to stay...

Shop local, save some cash, save a business

As Vermont and the country see an unprecedented rise in the number of coronavirus infections the need to support local communities is more apparent than ever. There are a number of ways to do so. Some are health-related: wearing masks, keeping socially distant, and avoiding crowded indoor...

Thanks to veterans for their service

Wednesday was Veterans Day, a time to honor all who have answered the call to serve. For those in active duty, for those in the reserves, for those who have served in the past, and for those who gave the full measure of their devotion, words alone cannot convey the gratitude everyone in the...

With some good news comes a lot of bad

Much of the country is still waiting for a final resolution to last week’s presidential election. Certainly, that is big news and has dominated the media landscape for much of the past week. But the bigger news story may not be what is happening in the political world, but in the medical world....

Win or lose, candidates must accept the process

“We were getting ready for a big celebration. We were winning everything. And all of a sudden it was just called off. This is a fraud on the American public. This is an embarrassment to our country.”
President Donald Trump As we were going to press this week, the nation was still very...

Virus still spreading, beware of “back burn”

A few weeks ago, Gov. Phil Scott warned of a COVID-19 “back burn” that could send Vermont’s coronavirus numbers trending in the wrong direction.
Scott’s warning appears to be prescient, as Vermont is seeing an uptick in virus cases. During the past week more than 140 cases have been...