By David Moats Editor’s note: David Moats, of Salisbury, is editorial page editor emeritus of the Rutland Herald, where he won the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for his editorials on Vermont’s civil union law. The festive atmosphere on the town green in Brandon during the “Hands Off” protest on April 5 did not mask the seriousness of the…

By Rep. Peter Conlon and Rep. Charlie Kimbell Editor’s note: Rep. Peter Conlon, Cornwall, is the chair of the House Education Committee and Rep. Charlie Kimbell, Woodstock, is the ranking member of the House Ways & Means Committee. On Friday, March 28, Vermont’s House Committee on Education voted out its much anticipated “Education Transformation” bill,…

Dear Editor,  I was at the Hands-Off rally in Montpelier on Saturday. It was an amazing display of solidarity and showed the determination we need to oppose what’s going on in our nation’s capital. The size of the crowd gave me hope that we are at the start of a true resistance movement that will…

Dear Editor, I would like to bring to your attention The Institute For Museum and Library Services Executive Order. Services are threatened. The March 23 Manchester Journal quoted Starr LaTronica, the director of Brooks, about the cuts to essential library services, including staffing, purchasing large print books, and inter-library loan service. (Vermont’s 228 libraries shared…

Dear Editor, Can an entire country kill itself? We’re about to find out. Among all the self-destructive policies being pursued by this administration, I’ll focus on the one I spent my entire academic career studying: our medical response to infectious disease. In 1796, Dr. Edward Jenner created the smallpox vaccine. But now, under Robert F.…

Dear Editor, Equity is meaningless when it is defined by those in power, rather than by stakeholders. Legislators need to keep this in mind as they reimagine Vermont’s education system. Living in a rural area is a social determinant of health, of educational outcomes, and, I would argue, of power. Nearly 65% of Vermonters live in small towns, rural,…

By Seth Bowden Editor’s note: Seth Bowden, Jericho, is president of the Vermont Business Roundtable. Vermont stands at a crossroads. In fact, we’ve been there for some time. Economic growth, affordability and social equity must converge to create a sustainable and prosperous future, yet the existing conditions of our communities prevent them from doing so. …

By Mary Cushman Editor’s note: Mary Cushman, MD, MSc is a University Distinguished Professor and Vice Chair of Medicine, Co-Director Vermont Center for Cardiovascular and Brain Health, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine Director, Thrombosis and Hemostasis Program, University of Vermont Medical Center Recommendations from the Act 167 “Oliver Wyman report” suggest that UVM…

Dear Editor, As if the onslaught of U.S. tariffs on goods from the Great White North weren’t enough... … now this, per Bloomberg via The Spokesman-Review, Spokane, Washington. The Trump tariffs on Canadian petroleum, cars, hydropower, medications, vehicles, and softwood lumber for construction include wood pulp for … paper products. Yes, that includes toilet paper.…

Dear Editor, March was Youth Art Month, and we held our bi-annual show at the statehouse in Montpelier. I want to share my speech from that evening. My name is  Melissa Kristiansen, and I am honored to serve as president of the Vermont Art Education Association and co-chairperson of Youth Art Month alongside the incredible…

By Angelo Lynn If you’re worried that Trump’s proposed cuts to the administration of Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security will negatively affect the benefits you or a member of your family may receive, you should speak out. If you’re worried that privatizing the U.S. Postal Service will reduce rural delivery to your mailbox, negatively impact…

It was the war plans group chat heard aroundthe world. The Atlantic journalist Jeffrey Goldberg received a request to connect on the encrypted messaging app Signal from a user named “Mike Waltz” (possibly the Trump administration’s national security adviser) on March 1. Goldberg was later added to a group chat called “Houthi PC small group”…

By Secretary Lindsay Kurrle Too often in Vermont, popular and necessary housing construction is derailed, delayed, or diminished by a small number of folks abusing the appeals process who have no direct skin in the game and are reluctant to welcome new neighbors. While appeals are valuable in certain cases, they also drive-up costs, affecting…

Dear Editor, I want you to imagine standing in a field surrounded by 9,000 beautiful, healthy Brussels sprout plants—months of careful planning, hard work, and abundance growing from the soil. But then, in a matter of days, relentless rain pounds the earth, drowning the roots, rotting the harvest, and washing away not just my crops…

Dear Editor,  I think about energy a lot. I grew up in a drafty house with cold bedrooms, whereas my best friend lived in a modern, passive solar home that was always comfortable. That contrast put the role energy consumption and efficiency played into clear focus at a young age. This idea led me to…