Dear Editor, Our centuries-old Vermont tradition of Town Meeting Day is just days away. This year, perhaps the presidential primary on that same day is getting most of the attention, but remember that other important business will happen on Super Tuesday. Throughout the state, Vermonters will vote on their school and town budgets. Some will…

Dear Editor, Editor’s note: This letter was directed to the members of the Slate Valley Unified Union School District, which includes Orwell, and shared with the press. I am writing to thank you for your service. I want to thank you for your countless hours of work, your missed family dinners, children’s performances, and sporting…

By Greg Dennis Fear not, my fellow liberals: Donald Trump is a one-term president. If you believe, as I do, that anyone who says they know what will happen in the 2020 presidential election actually has no idea what will happen, then you can happily ignore the first sentence of this column. But if you…

By Christopher Ross, Addison Independent To get a sense of why the Electoral College is criticized so heavily these days, one need only consider that Republican Donald Trump was elected president in 2016 despite losing the popular vote by 2,868,686 ballots. In other words, the Electoral College system had the equivalent effect of erasing every…

A new poll conducted by Public Policy Polling and commissioned by the Marijuana Policy Project found that an overwhelming 76% of Vermont residents support allowing adults 21 and over to purchase cannabis from regulated, tax-paying small businesses. These results come just before the Vermont House is expected to vote on S. 54, a bill that…

The Vermont High School bowling individual tournament was held Feb. 22 at the Rutland Bowlerama on Route 7 North. Those in attendance were treated to some great bowling by students from around the state. At the end of the day, the top four bowlers were: 1st place:    Patrick Kelley, Windsor 2nd place   Jacob…

By Sen. Allison Clark During the Legislative session we often get caught up in all the challenges we face as a state and all the problems we are trying to solve.  We often forget to remind ourselves of how lucky we all are to live in such a special part of the world.  We often…

by Rep Jim Harrison While waiting in the State House lobby, an influential state senator happened by and kiddingly called me a “troublemaker.” He was referencing my quote on the House floor the prior afternoon picked up by one of the media outlets in which I said, “Do we really need a study committee to…

Eight months after a law went into effect requiring Vermont schools to test their drinking water taps for lead, most are finding at least one tap with elevated lead levels – results that health officials say are in line with expectations. Of the 168 schools that have received their water test results to date, 79%…

Staff report Voters in Rochester are being asked to approve a declaration that would require town officials to consider climate change when making decisions. The declaration, which will be presented to voters at Town Meeting on Monday, March 2, says climate change should be an “integral” part of town planning, policy and decision making. “Global…

By Lola Duffort/VTDigger Since the state put a moratorium on school construction aid a decade ago, Vermont’s preK-12 districts have bonded on their own for local projects to the tune of about $350 million. But that number could more than double in the next couple years as schools begin addressing long-deferred capital needs. An ad-hoc group…

On Saturday morning, Feb 22, Republican delegates from all around Rutland County filled the Fox Room of Rutland Free Library to nominate candidates for appointment to fill two vacated county offices. Assistant Judge David Lewis, having served since 2011, recently resigned effective March 1, 2020. Also, Sheriff Stephen Benard submitted his letter of resignation to…

When voters receive their ballots on Town Meeting Day one of the questions they will be asked is whether or not to accept the Barnard school district into the Windsor Central Modified Unified Union School District. This past December, the townspeople of Barnard voted to voluntarily merge their elementary school district with the unified district.…

By Virginia Dean Local residents at the March 3 Town Meeting this year will be asked to vote to appropriate a proposed general fund budget of $2,854,000 of which $1,415,066 shall be raised in taxes for the fiscal year 2020-2021. Select Board Administrative Assistant Bill Sweet said the budget represents a 3.93% increase from last…

By Virginia Dean At Town Meeting on March 3, The Board of Aldermen is asking voters to approve a proposed municipal general fund budget of $22,054,009 for the fiscal year 2020-2021. According to Board of Aldermen President Sharon Davis, this sum is an increase of approximately 3%. “At the end of the fiscal year, we’ll…