By Jack Hoffman In addition to pushing up property taxes in many towns, the education reform bill passed in the closing days of the session violates a fundamental principle of fairness in Vermont’s education funding system: towns with the same education spending per pupil have the same homestead tax rates. Before Gov. Peter Shumlin decides…

By Lynn R. Webster As a physician and author of the forthcoming book “The Painful Truth: What We Can Do About the Largest Invisible Epidemic in America,” I hope to provide a few insights that may help as we work toward a safer world that is free of opioid abuse. Here are six steps we…

By Dr. Stephen Pitmon Vermont has a great deal to be proud of when it comes to dental health care. We are one of America’s healthiest states. In fact, 88 percent of our children received dental care last year–the highest such rate in the nation. And, only 4.3 percent of Vermonters live in an underserved…

By Erin Mansfield, VTDigger.org Gov. Peter Shumlin signed into law Wednesday, May 20, a bill that makes permanent a series of protections in the state’s death with dignity law, otherwise known as physician-assisted suicide. The law passed the Legislature in 2013 and became Act 39, but the procedural requirements and additional safeguards in the bill…

Submitted Jarvis Green May 29-30 — WOODSTOCK – Jarvis Green and Cantare Con Spirito are thrilled to present “An Evening of Opera and Spirituals” in collaboration with ArtisTree Community Arts Center, Friday and Saturday, May 29-30 at 7:30 p.m. at ArtisTree. The audience is invited to a pre-performance reception at 6 p.m. on Friday May 29. The…

Submitted Thursday, May 28 — ORWELL — Join SunCommon and friends for a Community Solar Picnic this Thursday! Tour a working Community Solar Array and learn how you can help re-power Vermont and benefit from hosting solar on just one acre! Participants will also learn how to support solar and save money in the process…

Spraying restrictions debated By Lee J. Kahrs LEICESTER — In what local mosquito control officials are calling a “perfect storm” for breeding, the 2015 mosquito season may be one of the worst in recent memory, especially for residents living on private roads. The first hatch of the season created mosquito swarms of epic proportions in…

Submitted Charles Smith The Vermont Symphony Orchestra Board of Directors has named Charles Smith of Burlington, Vermont, as Interim Executive Director. Alan Jordan, who held the position of Executive Director for 16 years, has stepped down to pursue other orchestra management opportunities. “I’m delighted that Charles Smith has agreed to be our interim executive director,”…

By Dom Cioffi For as far back as I can remember, I have had a persistent need to win. It didn’t matter if it was baseball, darts or a game of Go Fish, my mindset has always been focused on the top of the podium. And this competitiveness didn’t stop with sports. I had to…

Submitted Raising Cane Thursday, May 28 — BENSON, SUDBURY — The Vermont Symphony Orchestra’s “Raising Cane” Woodwind Trio will present performances at schools in Benson, Sudbury, and Addison on May 28. “Raising Cane” is always a big hit in schools, say VSO organizers. Oboist Ann Greenawalt, clarinetist Steve Klimowski, and bassoonist Janet Polk are all excellent…

Thursday, May 28 — LUDLOW — The Friends of the Fletcher Memorial Library in Ludlow will hold a book discussion on Thursday evening, May 28 at 7 p.m. The book This book is a gripping tale of two boys in Poland, once as close as brothers, who are divided by the Holocaust and who meet…

By Robert Eddy Arioso Saturday, May 30 — BRANDON — On Saturday at 7:30 p.m., Central Vermont’s acclaimed chamber music ensemble performs at Brandon Music with varied music for piano, voice, and viola. At this spring concert, Arioso will perform music of Henry Purcell, J.S. Bach, Charles Ives, and Rebecca Clarke, plus two works by…

Submitted Two young boys, with a little help from their canine companion, are busy transplanting plants for the upcoming gardening festival in Middletown Springs. Saturday, May 30 — MIDDLETOWN SPRINGS — Experienced and novice gardeners alike are in for a delightful day on Saturday, May 30, at the Friends of the Library’s Gardening Festival in…

Submitted A seminar for landowners at the Kehoe Education Center in Castleton on May 30 will discuss improving land for wildlife and forestry through the federal Farm Bill. Saturday, May 30 — CASTLETON — A free seminar for landowners entitled “Understanding Farm Bill Programs for Forestry and Wildlife Management” will be offered on Saturday, May…

Courtesy of VINS Many wild plants in our local forests are edible; learn which ones in VINS talk. Sunday, May 31 — QUECHEE — The Vermont Institute of Natural Science presents “Foraging for Wild Plants with Arthur Haines” on Sunday, May 31, from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the VINS Nature Center in Quechee, Vt.…