By Bob Cappadona In mid-March, several states gave redemption centers and retailers the option to temporarily stop accepting bottles and cans. They advised households to stockpile their water bottles and soda cans for several weeks, or to simply toss them in their curbside recycling bins. While it is unclear how many redemption centers chose to…

By Angelo Lynn It’s time Vermont’s Democrats urged Gov. Phil Scott to open Vermont’s economic spigot a bit faster, even significantly faster. The onus falls on the Democratic leadership because Scott appears afraid of the political risks if he makes the call on his own. Here’s the political calculus: If Scott were to lead the…

By Zayda Kellogg I am a junior at Peoples Academy High School in Morrisville, Vermont. Throughout the pandemic, and the consequential shutdowns, there is often talk of wanting to go “back to normal,” to fall back into the past, the thought of which provides us comfort and a sense of security, to forget Covid-19 ever…

Dear Editor, To all of those who helped us search for our dog Finn in Pittsfield, the Masillo family can not thank you enough. He got free with his leash attached and was out in the woods and stuck for 42 hours. We are overcome with gratitude, by both the willingness and kindness, of our community. He…

Dear Editor, The following is a letter that U.S. Rep. Peter Welch wrote to Speaker Pelosi and Minority Leader McCarthy on May 8. I write today to request that the next Covid-19 legislative package include funding to support local journalism and media. This support is essential to ensure that our communities continue to have access…

Dear Editor, There is no hiding from Covid-19. This virus has no borders and travels at will, menacing people and businesses in every sector of society. The pandemic threatens agriculture and with it our food security, as farmers work to produce the food on our tables.  Our farmers, producers and those making their living off…

By Andre M. Fleche During an uncertain time for the Vermont State College System, the people of Vermont should have confidence that Castleton University remains well-positioned to continue to serve the social and economic good of the state. Each year, Castleton sends forth new nurses, teachers, social workers, journalists, entrepreneurs, and many other graduates who…

By Joe Kraus In the summer of 2012, a large and diverse group of citizens gathered to ask what could be done about the growing opioid crisis affecting our community. That group ultimately became known as Project VISION, a very eclectic collaborative of virtually every agency and organization dedicated to the welfare of the greater…

By Royal Barnard My friend, Fred Rinaldi, living in California, woke up my senses early in the “lockdown” period with a Facebook post noting that the smog had disappeared in Los Angeles. I immediately thought about the possibility that the earth was getting a much needed cleansing. A breath of fresh air, if you will.…

By John Downes and James Nagle Editor’s note: The following is an excerpt of testimony given by John Downes and James Nagle to the Vermont Senate Education Committee on April 21, 2020. John Downes is the director of The Tarrant Institute for Innovative Education in the College of Education and Social Services at the University…

Dear Editor, As our public health paradigm shifts with the emergence of Covid-19, many Vermonters are experiencing loss—of connection, of livelihood, of basic necessities, and some have lost loved ones. We are living with uncertainty. The road forward must be paved with time for grieving, resources for the vulnerable, and opportunities to restart Vermont’s economic…

Dear Editor, While waiting for a resolution to the Covid-19 crisis we need to be looking to the future of  health care in general. We have continued to struggle with unaffordable premiums, unaffordable deductibles, and unaffordable co-pays, forcing choices between health care and food, rent, mortgages, clothes, tuition,….add to that the millions of people who…

Dear Edtior, Like many organizations and programs, Southwestern Vermont Council on Aging (SVCOA) has faced its share of challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic, specifically around maintaining high levels of service to older Vermonters in our region amidst an unprecedented increase in service demand. Thankfully, SVCOA is backed by a compassionate, hardworking and committed volunteer roster,…

By Lee H. Hamilton We are living in a difficult time. Our country and its communities are deeply polarized; many Americans distrust one another as well as the government and other institutions. The novel coronavirus has deepened our problems in a way none of us imagined. The number of Americans who have contracted Covid-19 has…

By Nick Richardson, president and CEO of the Vermont Land Trust For some it may feel too soon to ask this question, as new cases of Covid-19 are reported every day and the economic impacts for our state and our country grow more severe. Yet it’s this question we must ask relentlessly over the days…