Dear Editor, The Mentor Connector is a non-profit community based organization that focuses on the youth of today. Created in 2004 by dedicated community members with a belief that every youth deserves to feel valued, supported, and welcome. Since then, the organization has blossomed with a wide range of support services ranging from prevention and…

By Addie Lentzner, Astrid Young and Lydia Beaulieu Editor’s note: Lentzner, Young and Beaulieu are members of the Vermont Student Anti-Racism Network. Schools shape everything in society; there is no doubt that education is the key to societal change. However, schools are so cemented in systems, traditions and bureaucracy, which makes that change an incredibly…

Dear Editor, Pomfret Voters: Please consider voting “No” on Article 2. [The article asks: Shall the voters change the 1-year terms of the two additional Selectboard members to staggered 2-year terms? (Note: If adopted, this article will take effect as of the 2023 annual meeting.)] The premise for Article 2 is to avoid the potential…

By Annette Smith Editor's note: Annette Smith is the executive director of Vermonters for a Clean Environment, a non-profit that believes Vermont’s economic growth depends on its environmental health. It was founded in 1999 by citizens in southwestern Vermont who joined together to deal with an inappropriate industrial development project. When it comes to building…

Dear Editor, The Vermont House has advanced Prop. 5, a proposed constitutional amendment to guarantee a so-called right to “personal reproductive autonomy,” which includes abortion. While portrayed by advocates as a simple proposal to preserve abortion rights in case Roe v. Wade is overturned, the reality is much different. Unlike Roe v. Wade, Prop. 5…

Dear Editor, Proposal 5 is a proposed amendment to the Vermont State Constitution that its supporters say is necessary to protect a woman’s right to an abortion. Unfortunately, it is becoming apparent that the wording of Proposal 5 is so convoluted and vague that it might actually have the opposite impact on a woman’s right…

By Rep. Pattie McCoy Editor's note: Rep. Pattie McCoy (R-Poultney) represents Poultney and Ira in the Vermont House where she serves as House minority leader. I want to talk to you about three numbers: 4,000, 60,000 and 221 million. Four thousand is the number of military retiree families in Vermont who are fully taxed on…

Dear Editor, With Covid-19 and a harsh winter as a backdrop, I’m writing to provide two bright spots that speak to the positive nature of this community. One is a blood drive fully booked more than a month in advance, the other a fundraiser for the Community Cupboard that has already inspired dozens of donations…

By Governor Phil Scott Editor’s note: Gov. Scott delivered the following remarks as part of the Vermont Housing and Conservation Coalition (VHCC) Legislative Week kick-off, Wednesday, Feb. 9: It is good to be with you to talk about some of the most important issues facing our state, like housing, supporting rural Vermont and protecting our…

Dear Editor, Now that I have announced my candidacy for lieutenant governor as a Republican for our great and beautiful state of Vermont, I have many questions for the current leadership of our Legislature. We need to learn from those missteps from this session and the past. We need to do a better job for…

Dear Editor, Changing our Vermont Constitution is no small matter. The last time chapter 1 of our constitution was amended was in 1786. The stated purpose of Pop. 5 is to ensure that every Vermonter is afforded personal reproductive liberty, in the article itself it uses the words, “The right to personal reproductive autonomy.” There…

A serendipitous haven on the hill By Lisa M. Cuzydlo-Donohue Don’t we all need something more to believe in, maybe even magical/mystical these days? The Olympics seemed to have showed up precisely at the right time to inspire us all. So might this story, which still heartens and influences even after four years. We arrived…

By Karen D. Lorentz As if the pandemic’s shift to an endemic isn’t enough for weary souls, David Brooks, the New York Times columnist, has observed that bad behavior has become rampant. Despite people driving less, they’re also driving more recklessly and fatalities are up as is the murder rate. People are becoming more abusive…

Dear Editor, As Vermont embarks on its climate action plan, how are our toilets helping us get to the sustainable future we need? Compost toilet systems can protect water resources, complete the nutrient cycle, and even help build climate resilience. Many Vermonters use composting toilets to safely and affordably transform their human waste into a…

By Roxanne Vought Talk to any business owner today and you’ll likely hear the same refrain: they’re struggling to find workers. They’ve tried everything: raising wages, sign-on bonuses, creative recruitment strategies, and they still can’t fill their openings. Some are eliminating product lines or reducing their manufacturing runs, others are cutting back hours. How did…