CABOT – Act 181 and pending legislation in the House affects every facet of my work life. While not the opinion of the town as a whole, this is my experience. While understanding the need for Act 250 reform, Act 181 is not the answer. I keep hearing historic legislation:[Read More…]
News
Statehouse has been active
MONTPELIER – The past couple of weeks have been quite active in the House. Many bills have passed out of the House and have gone to the Senate for consideration. Some of the bills do not do much other than correct language in current laws which was identified as needing[Read More…]
Education bill builds on months of hard work
MONTPELIER – I want to share an update on the education bill that the House Education Committee advanced. At its core, this proposal is about finding long-term, sustainable ways to support our schools while recognizing Vermont’s rural reality and strong sense of local identity. This work builds on months of[Read More…]
Good land use policy requires balance
MONTPELIER – A long time ago, when I was just a 22-year-old untested college student, the select board in Morristown appointed me chair of the town planning commission. It was the mid-1970s, and land use planning and zoning were still in their infancy. I quickly realized I had been thrown[Read More…]
Krowinski says she hears Vermonters
MONTPELIER – Speaker Jill Krowinski made the following statement on Act 181 and pending legislation in the House on April 3. “In 2024, we passed Act 181 which seeks to reform our decades old Act 250 land use policy and make it easier to develop housing while also making our[Read More…]
2026 State of the Union essay contest winning essay
CRAFTSBURY – In a time when America faces political polarization, economic instability, national security threats, as well as social and environmental issues, our citizens are feeling vast pessimism. The nation’s future is uncertain, but that doesn’t mean it is negative. If we start investing in today’s youth, we will foster[Read More…]
Barred Woods Maple, from taps to bottle
HARDWICK – Barred Woods Maple is an organic and ecologically conscious maple sugaring business located in northern Vermont. They produce maple syrup from their 300 acre sugarbush, which is part of a much larger parcel of land conserved through the Vermont Land Trust. They also use their syrup to create[Read More…]
The lost art of getting lost
GREENSBORO – It has become rare to get lost while navigating unfamiliar places with GPS on our phones. Early in my driving days I relied on maps and the kindness of strangers to keep me on course, but getting lost was my way to learn my way around. Getting lost[Read More…]
Why did the frog cross the road?
NORWICH – In spring, when temperatures rise above 40 degrees Fahrenheit and usher in gentle rains, a plethora of life emerges from the forest. Last year, I went out on such a night to catch the spring migration of amphibians. I could feel the rain coming before it hit the[Read More…]
Ada Allen’s State of the Union essay receives award
CRAFTSBURY – Craftsbury Academy Sophomore Ada Allen was awarded third place in Bernie Sander’s 16th Annual State of the Union Essay contest. Her essay proposing a community capacity-building after school program was one of only 15 essays chosen from 418 entries statewide. She and 13 other high school student finalists[Read More…]
Hazen students take learning to lunch
HARDWICK – Students from Cynthia Osgood’s Life Skills classes at Hazen Union brought their classroom into the real world, March 24, with a special outing to The Village Restaurant. The trip was part of an ongoing financial literacy unit in which students have been building practical skills such as calculating[Read More…]
