Times Argus: 15 years after Irene
Aug. 28 marks 15 years since Tropical Storm Irene bore down on Vermont, soaking some parts of the state with as much as 11 inches of rain in 12 hours.
LETTER: Waterbury’s school came from consolidation – in 1898
As the Harwood Unified Union School District considers a consolidation plan that could close Brookside Primary School, I have been thinking about Waterbury's long history with school consolidation because we have been through versions of this before.
Rep. Stevens remembers Tropical Storm Irene: ‘Stay resilient’
August 28 has come and gone, and I missed taking a moment to remember and acknowledge the power of Tropical Storm Irene and what it did to our community and to our state.
New York paper mill closure is bad news for Vermont forests and Vermonters
Recent news coverage about the end of pulping operations at Finch Paper has understandably focused on how it is bad for logging contractors and the forest products industry. As organizations and associations focused on the future of Vermont forests, we agree — those impacts are significant. But the story is more than that: This is bad news for everyone who cares about sustaining Vermont’s forests.
Responding to Sweeney: A community is more complex than ‘us vs. them’
Most of us do not begin a public-policy argument by presenting our résumé of suffering. And we should not have to.
Gov. Scott to education leaders: We must finish the job
Dear education leader: For the past few years, we’ve had a lot of conversations about education — property taxes, funding formulas, district boundaries, and governance. Those things matter. But they aren’t what this conversation is really about.
Sen. Sanders seeks Vermonters’ views on AI, robotics technology
I would very much appreciate hearing your thoughts regarding AI and how we best go forward in responding to this unprecedented development. This is a vitally important discussion that needs to happen, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Sweeney: ‘United we bargain, divided we beg’
If service and hospitality workers, factory workers and teachers in this town want any real change, there is only one way that they’re going to get it — and that’s organizing. Organizing labor unions, organizing tenant unions, and organizing community meetings.
Op-Ed: Paralyzed by bureaucracy
As more and more parts of our governmental systems and priorities founder on the rocky shoals of crisis, I am convinced that our governmental and business bureaucracies are simply paralyzed.
Vermont Head Start Association condemns Trump administration’s proposed changes
The Vermont Head Start Association condemns Friday’s proposal from the Trump administration to overhaul the Head Start Program Performance Standards, warning that it would weaken one of America’s most successful investments in young children and families and make it harder for local programs to provide the high-quality services children deserve.
LETTER: School Board prepares Q/A documents on budget and consolidation
As the Harwood Unified Union School District School Board prepares for the 2026-27 school year, two major topics on its agenda are the next school budget and the possibility of school consolidation. There are now FAQ documents on the school budget and on consolidation on the HUUSD Budget webpage.
Green Mountain Performing Arts: Seeking community support for a sustainable future
Green Mountain Performing Arts is facing an immediate funding shortfall as we prepare for the 2026-27 season. We are seeking $60,000 in community support to close this gap, enter the new fiscal year on stable footing, and continue providing the classes, performances, scholarships, and community programming that families have come to rely on.
LETTER: Women launch ‘giving circle’ to boost Washington County nonprofits
A powerful new philanthropic initiative is coming to Central Vermont with the official launch of 100 Women Who Care Washington County. Founded by Susan Colgan, Mary Edith Leichliter, Jane Macan, and myself, Suzanne Johnson, this giving circle unites women across the county to make a massive, immediate impact on local 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations through collective giving.
Op-Ed: It’s not ‘outsourcing.’ It’s democracy and the rule of law.
Complaints about unelected officials and allegations of unconstitutional delegations of legislative authority never, it seems to me, accompany praise for the decisions these folks make.
Madeleine Kunin: ‘The lieutenant governor’s office is not ceremonial’
When I was elected Vermont's Lieutenant Governor in 1978, I became only the second woman to hold the office. I later served as Vermont's first woman governor, Deputy U.S. Secretary of Education, and U.S. Ambassador to Switzerland. I want to remind Vermonters why the office of lieutenant governor matters.
LETTER: Appreciation for vigil honoring recent ICE victims
As a member of the greater Waterbury community, I want to thank Camel’s Hump Indivisible for creating the July 29 Vigil for the Lives Lost to ICE, prompted by the most recent deaths of two men: Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston, Texas, on July 7, and Johan Sebastián Duran Guerrero in Biddeford, Maine, on July 13.
Amid strong turnout, Waterbury Arts Fest launches Discover Waterbury
Perfect summer weather, strong community participation, and a growing regional audience helped make the 2026 Waterbury Arts Fest one of the most successful in the event's 25-year history. It also ushered in a new era for Discover Waterbury.
OPINION: It’s time to stop outsourcing responsibility
In recent years, the Vermont Legislature has increasingly relied on a governance model in which it establishes broad statutory requirements while delegating substantial policy design and implementation authority to appointed (non-elected) boards, commissions and councils.
Rep. Stevens: Ryan McLaren leads by listening
To the Community: I have watched Ryan McLaren grow up through his work in public service, and I have seen him become the kind of leader who connects with people where they are.
LETTER: Excited for Amanda Janoo’s campaign for governor
To the community - I have been excited about Amanda Janoo’s campaign for Vermont Governor since the day she announced!