OPINION: Workforce depends on housing
Vermont faces a headwind slowing its economic engine: a profound lack of housing. Without enough affordable homes, we cannot grow our workforce, increase the number of students in our schools, attract new businesses, or sustain the rural communities that make this state special.
OPINION: Five reasons why public health matters
November 24 is Public Health Thank You Day and this year it feels vitally important to speak out in support of public health professionals, given the demoralizing attacks on public health from the Trump administration and the potential impact on state health departments.
COMMENTARY: Our aging presidents – America deserves better
The nation and the world expect America’s presidents to be able to handle the rigors of the job. We are not well served by unelected, loyal party members who fill the vacuum created by aging presidents.
LETTER: A nation where work no longer matters
At the Vermont AFL-CIO, we work every day to support workers throughout the state and raise up their voices. Through the power of collective bargaining and union organizing, working families in the Green Mountain state can restore hope for tomorrow.
Call for submissions: Giving Thanks 2025
For the past 5 years, we've asked readers of all ages, "What are you thankful for this year?" We're asking again this year.
LETTER: Fish & Wildlife reforms should include board makeup, process
There is no reason the Fish & Wildlife Board should continue operating like a private game club where a small minority controls the process.
Woods & Senning: ‘Our people are deeply skeptical’ of school redistricting plans
In summarizing a community survey to the state panel charged with reconfiguring Vermont’s school districts, Harwood School Board leaders said that district residents ‘are deeply skeptical that consolidation will result in either improved education or significant cost savings.’
Op-Ed: Making good on the wild promise of the Long Trail
Most Long Trail hikers know the motto, “A Footpath in the Wilderness.” But how many hikers know that most of the landscapes the trail traverses still lack the wildland protections envisioned by the trail’s founders?
LETTER: Gratitude for Nov. 1-2 food drive success
My sincerest gratitude to our community during this uncertain time for food security. The local food shelves were blown away by the donations.
SWEENEY: Vermont needs more housing now
What I’m calling for is a paradigm shift in our local economies before it’s too late. That means housing and a metric ton of it.
Child abuse prevention efforts at risk during government shutdown
As the federal government remains shut down, many of the supports that Vermont families and children rely on are under threat, creating ripple effects for child abuse prevention programs and the safety net services that help keep homes healthy and safe.
Op-Ed: Do you want lead with that?
Lead left in the field – gut piles, expended shot, or unretrieved game – poisons wildlife. Fortunately, hunters and anglers have a choice. Safe and effective non-lead alternatives are widely available, and the Vermont Department of Fish & Wildlife encourages their use.
LETTER: Food drive Nov.1-2 will help bolster supplies as need grows
With the government shutdown, many of our community members will be left without SNAP benefits starting November 1. I am proposing an emergency food drive for our local food pantries on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 1-2.
Moore & Johnson: Housing needs require decisive action – Step up or step away
Responding to a governor’s executive order, a number of environmental interest groups have responded with criticism without contribution – the easiest position to maintain and the least helpful for Vermonters struggling to find housing.
LETTTER: Everybody Wins! program needs local mentors
The Everybody Wins! mentoring program is seeking adult volunteers to read with second graders at Brookside Primary School on Thursdays, 11:15 a.m.- noon.
Op-Ed: Vermonters’ decisions today will shape communities for generations
The land use maps that will shape future development in Vermont aren’t handed down from the State House. They’re built through local conversations where residents bring their hopes and concerns to the table. Every Vermonter has a role to play.
Zuckerman: Fix the property tax – leave schools alone!
Vermonters want the property tax system to be fair and reasonable. We also want a solid education system for our kids, not closed local schools and long bus rides. Vermonters also think we can provide a high-quality education with better efficiency and lower some costs.
Op-Ed: Protect Our Wildlife aims to set the record straight on trapping
The recreational trapping season in Vermont begins on Oct. 25 and runs through March 31. This includes the use of baited steel-jawed leghold traps and body-crushing kill traps, as well as underwater cage traps that drown multiple animals at once.
Op-Ed: ‘One-size-fits-all’ is bound to be problematic with state employees
Here in Vermont, the administration of Gov. Scott announced in late August that state employees will be required to spend at least three days each week in the office starting Dec. 1.
School district seeks families with children under age 5
We are planning for the future, and we need your help. Even if your child won’t start school for a few years, letting us know now ensures they’re included in our planning.