By David Martins Editor's note: Martins is the director of the Vt. Affordable Housing Coalition. “Out of storm and manifold perils rose an enduring state, the home of freedom and unity” — These words are the epitaph printed on the gravestone of the first governor of Vermont, Thomas Chittenden. The phrase serves as an acknowledgement…

By Karl Meyer Editor's note: This commentary is by Karl Meyer of Greenfield, Mass., a member of the Fish and Aquatics Studies Team in this FERC relicensing process since 2012. He did not sign a confidentiality agreement with FirstLight. Meyer is a member of the Society of Environmental Journalists.   No river should die in the…

By Rep. Emilie Kornheiser Editor’s Note: Rep. Emilie Kornheiser, D-Brattleboro, is vice chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, co-chair of the task force on the implementation of the pupil weighting factors report, and a state legislator since 2019. Vermont’s commitment to equitable access to education is enshrined in our constitution, which established the…

By Steve Costello Editor’s note: Steve Costello is the vice president of Green Mountain Power. Time and again, Vermonters amaze and inspire with their kindness and generosity — from our communities’ strength seen throughout Vermont during the 10th anniversary of Tropical Storm Irene just last month, to the seemingly endless acts of kindness that have…

By Angelo Lynn As Congress grills the Biden administration on its troubled withdrawal from Afghanistan, as small businesses throughout Vermont and many parts of the nation struggle to hire enough employees to keep their businesses open, as housing prices rise and millions of Americans can’t find affordable solutions, as the climate crisis magnifies, or as…

By John McClaughry Editor’s Note: McClaughry, vice president of the Ethan Allen Institute, a free-market oriented public policy research and education organization. A large insurance company has been flooding the television channels with an advertising slogan “Only Pay for What You Need.” It’s an interesting exercise to apply that idea to various public spending issues.…

By Jennifer Mayhew Editor’s note: This commentary is by Jennifer Mayhew, executive director of the Turning Point Center of Addison County. September is both Recovery Month and Suicide Prevention Month. An increase in overdose and suicide deaths across the country is shining the spotlight on how the Covid-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected those already struggling…

By Walt Amses Editor’s note: Walt Amses is a writer and former educator who lives in Calais. The last few weeks have seen the word “unprecedented” beaten like a rented mule. I’ve wielded the whip myself too often to cast aspersions at others, but collectively, we’ve all been habitually categorizing what should have been predictable…

By Reagan Bissonnette You have likely heard about the supposed death of recycling in recent years. But have you heard that recycling is actually thriving again? If this comes as a surprise to you, you’re not alone. I recently read a local article with outdated and inaccurate information about recycling markets. So I thought I’d…

Editor’s note: This commentary is by five medical doctors, Meghan Gunn, Ebrahim Ghazali, Judy Orton, Ann Marie Swann and Jaclyn Lozier; Kelsey Pierce and Emily Rice, physician's assistants; Bridget Bromirski, pediatric nurse practitioner; and Lynn Mann, doctor of osteopathic medicine. We are writing this in response to the many “anti-masking in school” groups that have…

By Eric Davis The Vermont Department of Health reported on Tuesday, Aug. 31, that there were 968 new cases of Covid-19 reported in the state over the past week, and that there were 36 people hospitalized with Covid. The count of new cases and hospitalizations in Vermont is now the highest it has been since…

By Angelo Lynn Editor’s note: This commentary is written in collaboration with The Boston Globe, which has provided news reports, charts and graphics on the Covid-19 virus to participating papers throughout New England. Their initiative seeks to more fully educate the public about the virus and the benefits of getting vaccinated. Each participating paper was…

By Chris Winters, Vt. Deputy Secretary of State It is important we all understand the strengths of American democracy, as well as its weaknesses. If we are to work together as a nation to address the limits of "the great experiment," and ensure our government is truly created of, by and for the people, having…

By Tom Evslin Editor’s note: Tom Evslin is an entrepreneur and author from Stowe. He is a former Douglas administration official. The U.S. government talks the talk about Covid vaccination but doesn’t walk the walk. The CDC and the FDA say “get vaccinated” but they don’t act as if they really believe in the efficacy of…

By Anne N. Sosin, Liz Winterbauer and Annie Hoen Editor’s note: This commentary is by Anne N. Sosin, a policy fellow at the Nelson A. Rockefeller Center at Dartmouth College; Liz Winterbauer, a consulting epidemiologist currently supporting national Covid-19 testing efforts; and Annie Hoen, an associate professor of epidemiology at the Geisel School of Medicine…