By Jim Condos Dismantling the U.S. Postal Service during a pandemic will suppress the voting rights of American voters and is a disgrace to democracy. During any election year, and especially during a pandemic when voters are increasingly turning to mail-in voting as a safe and secure way to exercise their sacred franchise, we rely…

By Layne Bruce A move by the USPS to slow down mail service by cutting overtime and reducing sortation sure seems like a gambit by the Trump administration to impact voting by mail this fall. He practically said as much Aug. 13 on Fox Business. Democrats have proposed over $3.6 billion for voting by mail at…

Dear Editor, As children get ready to return to school, I am reminded of my family counseling work after 9/11. Kids came to school following that horrific day carrying tremendous trauma and stress with them. Not surprisingly, they used phrases and drew pictures much like their parents described to explain their own despair. It became…

Dear Editor, The National Congress of American Indians advocates for “ending the legacy of racism and the era of harmful ‘Indian’ mascots.” As the NCAI elaborates, such mascots “have serious psychological, social and cultural consequences for Native Americans, especially Native youth.” The caricatures and stereotypes perpetuated by the use of “Indian” mascots spawns a culture…

Dear Editor, The Woodstock Area Relief Fund (WARF) anticipates that many local residents will be significantly impacted by the lapse of the $600 per week supplemental unemployment income.  If you live in Woodstock, Barnard, Bridgewater, Killington, Plymouth, Pomfret, or Reading, WARF can help provide immediate financial assistance of up to $1,000. This is available to anyone…

By Rob Roper A number of public school teachers and administrators have recently raised serious concerns about re-opening schools this fall. Harwood Union Superintendent Brigid Nease, just penned a 2,225 word letter sounding the alarm about the overwhelming challenges facing the system (see letter on page 10). Then on July 30, the House Education Committee held a…

By Betsy Bishop and Aly Richards When we look years ahead, how do we picture Vermont? Where are our workplaces centered, where are our homes in relation to our workplaces, and how do we see working parents in our state thriving? Vermont is in a pivotal moment. Amid the economic and emotional pain caused by the Covid-19…

By Rob Katz, Vail Resorts CEO What will the 2020-21 ski and snowboard season look like? We are still in the heat of July – still celebrating the successful opening of our resorts for summer —  and that is the number one question we are getting across our 34 North American resorts. What lies ahead…

Dear Editor, When I stood with students, parents, and educators recently to discuss the challenges of emergency remote education during this global pandemic, I found myself wondering, how have we left so many children behind. To be clear, the efforts of our teachers during this crisis have been nothing less than heroic. Our teachers have…

Dear Editor, Vermont is aptly named the Green Mountain State. Our verdant forests are a defining part of our landscape and offer incredible and diverse services. They provide us with clean air and water, flood control, and climate change mitigation. They are habitat for native plants and animals, and are places where we maintain our…

Dear Editor, Most of us know it’s just as important to be a good guest as it is to be a good host. But what if we’ve never been taught how? That hospitality is as much about respecting the rules of the house to which we’ve been invited as it is providing a place of…

By Governor Phil Scott Earlier this summer, my team set a goal for our state: If our positive health trends continue, let’s return to in-person instruction for our kids in the fall. Our core principle has been to help school districts safely provide every child with an education that is as good or better than…

By Angelo Lynn With Gov. Phil Scott’s declaration that everyone in the state should don facemasks when inside public establishments and when social distancing is not possible outside, Vermont just might be one of the few states to stay ahead of this pandemic’s rapid spread. The governor’s timing was particularly relevant as college towns and ski…

Dear Editor, We all can play a significant role in electing a woman as Vermont state auditor for the first time in a long time. Interesting? You bet. For many reasons. Linda Joy Sullivan of Bennington County is that woman. She is a certified public accountant, with an MBA and a master of laws in…

Dear Editor, Schools in Vermont support the academic, social and developmental needs of children, help address food insecurity, and provide mental health services. Weighing the health risks of reopening schools in fall 2020 against the educational and developmental risks of limiting in-person instruction, school districts should prioritize full-time, in person attendance for all students preschool through…