Letter: Comment by Aug. 19 on state rule change to prevent wakesports on the Waterbury Reservoir & other lakes
State rules approved in 2024 now allow wakesports on 30 inland Vt. lakes including the Waterbury Reservoir. Calls to reduce that number have prompted the state to consider rule changes. Public comments are due this Tuesday, Aug. 19. The Friends of Waterbury Reservoir support new restrictions.
Op-Ed: Data handover gives feds details on 1 in 5 Vt. households
When people signed up for state-run programs such as unemployment insurance or SNAP, they did not consent to have their data shared with DOGE for unspecified purposes. SNAP is a health and nutrition program, not a surveillance tool.
Treasurer Pieciak & Sue Minter: Preparing for a future with less federal support
Vermonters have learned a hard lesson from past disasters: being prepared makes a difference.
LETTER: Host family needed for Rotary high school exchange student
The Mad River Valley Rotary Club is urgently seeking one more host family to help welcome a high school student to Harwood Union H.S. from Sweden who arrives in just a few weeks as part of the Rotary Youth Exchange program for the 2025–2026 school year.
Op-Ed: End Homelessness Vt. shares outrage at data-sharing decision
End Homelessness Vermont is both stunned and outraged after learning of the egregious privacy breach executed by the Scott Administration.
Letter: Vt. sends private data to Trump administration
Last week, Gov. Phil Scott complied with a Trump administration demand to turn over personal information – including names, Social Security numbers, and home addresses – of more than 64,000 Vermonters who receive SNAP benefits.
Gov. Scott: Facts matter – Vt. complies with federal law requiring SNAP info. sharing
Gov. Phil Scott’s office issued the following statement on Aug. 5 regarding the decision to share data about Vermont SNAP program participants with the federal government.
Commentary: A conspiracy theory? You decide.
We are seeing (or not) the clear erosion of democracy as we have known it in favor of a ruling class of plutocrats who believe they can better manage society once they control it.
Op-Ed: Are you satisfied with the Trump dictatorship?
I wonder how the 77 million Americans who voted for President Trump now feel about our economic future after these initial months of his presidency, watching the president follow the Heritage Foundation’s playbook governing America’s finances.
COMMENTARY: Humane beaver management could save Vt. towns thousands of dollars
Beavers are remarkable animals who are both admired for their industrious engineering skills and disliked when their activities flood roads and fields. But our often-contentious relationship with them is long overdue for change.
LETTER: Stroll with neighbors in ‘Passeggiata Waterbury’
It’s an Italian tradition – a leisurely walk through the town center, just for the joy of being out, connecting with others, and soaking in the evening. No destination, no agenda, no pressure.
Op-Ed: Are solar panels Vermont’s new sacred cow?
Are solar panels Vermont’s new sacred cow? Vermont agricultural lands are in decline and a recent contributor to this alarming trend is industrial-scale solar development, which brings ecological devastation and threatens food security.
LETTER: Vt. businesses, individuals push back on Amazon proposal for Essex
Led by the owners of the independent bookstore chain Phoenix Books, 270 Vermont individuals and business owners have signed a letter to town officials in Essex opposed to plans by Amazon to build a 107,000-square-foot distribution center there. The Essex DRB meets about the project on Thursday, July 17.
COMMENTARY: Individual wild animals matter
We’ve all seen the videos—bears lounging in a hammock, coyotes playing with tennis balls, otters sliding down a snowy embankment—clear reminders that wild animals are capable of a wide range of emotions, not so different from our own.
LETTER: Green Mountain Morgans softball team seeks community support for next games
Coaches and families of the Central Vermont 8-10-year-old girls softball team are fundraising for the team to represent Vermont at the regional competition later this month.
LETTER: What’s next for disaster preparedness
July 10th didn't pass by without stress, worry, and rain. While we are keeping our neighbors in the NEK in our thoughts (link to volunteer at the bottom of this post), we are also so very grateful that Waterbury made it through the day without any emergencies.
Gov. Scott: Marking Vermont’s one- and two-year flood anniversaries
As we look back at how far we’ve come, it’s also important to remember the work is far from over. In fact, after Tropical Storm Irene, it took over a decade to complete the final project. So, we have to stay focused and continue to build back better, stronger, and more resilient.
Op-Ed: A digitally enslaved generation cries for independence
As is generally accepted, the norm today is that everyone my age has a smartphone and social media. What is not generally known is just how harmful these things are, especially to the underdeveloped, impressionable mind of the adolescent.
COLUMN: An insider’s look at Phantom Turns 40!
This summer, Phantom Theater reaches a remarkable milestone – 40 years of bold, original, and unforgettable performances.
LETTER: Harwood superintendent resigns from state education panel
After much reflection, I will be stepping down as the Vermont Superintendents Association’s representative to the Commission on the Future of Public Education, effective at the conclusion of today’s meeting.