PLAINFIELD – WGDR received approval from the FCC in early March to move its antenna to a Plainfield tower on a ridgeline 1,000 feet higher than the 30-year old antenna now located on the former Goddard College Campus. “The FCC just did something right!” said Central Vermont Community Radio Executive[Read More…]
News
Grants awarded to local farm, forest and food businesses
MONTPELIER – Earthbound Forest Services of Cabot and Stannard Farm Vermont Pure Maple Syrup of Craftsbury, have received grants through the Working Lands Enterprise Board (WKEB). Earthbound Forest Services, a logging business, received $28,000 for a forwarding wagon to expand low-impact timber extraction. Stannard Farm Vermont Pure Maple Syrup received a $7,321[Read More…]
REV UP VT aims to empower disability vote
MONTPELIER – Dawn Fancher wanted to vote on the Plainfield town budget at this year’s Town Meeting Day on March 3. But due to a disability, they couldn’t attend in person, and the ballot they received didn’t include that question. “Our town does floor vote for the town budgets, so[Read More…]
Education tax funding fails
To the editor: Due to Vermont’s byzantine Education Funding Formula, there is some confusion surrounding Greensboro’s Homestead Education Property Tax. The plain facts are as follows: In 2024 Greensboro’s Homestead Education Property Tax Rate increased by 9.7%. In 2025 it increased by 8.7%. This year, the smoke hasn’t yet cleared[Read More…]
Janoo visiting Hardwick
To the editor: Amanda Janoo is running for governor on a message of hope, economic prosperity with a clear vision for a thriving Vermont. (She was also in my Emerge class.) Amanda is visiting Hardwick on Sunday, April 12, from 4:30 to 7 p.m., at Front Seat Coffee. This is a candidate meet-and-greet, but it[Read More…]
Let’s not let town meeting die
Hardwick’s lively town meeting last month has me concerned about what might happen if a petition recently turned in to Town Clerk Tonia Chase passes muster with the select board and then voters. The petition essentially calls for an Australian ballot vote to decide whether “all public questions, town budget[Read More…]
Bored with the details
EAST MONTPELIER – Whatever happened to the idyllic idea of living in our houses by the side of the road and being a friend to people? Whatever happened to listening to Walter Cronkite talk about the main story of the day? Ending with “And that’s the way it is.” Poor[Read More…]
A few MVU budget misrepresentations
HARDWICK – It is time to weigh in on the MVU district revote, April 7. It doesn’t surprise me that the board, without much consideration, moved to present the same budget that was defeated on Town Meeting Day. This shows a lack of respect for the voters. Voters support education,[Read More…]
Act 181, housing, education financing dominate
MONTPELIER – The annual education tax bill, H.949, has been advanced by the House on a party-line vote with all Republicans opposed. If you recall, the December 1 Tax Letter projected that property taxes would increase by about 12% statewide. H.949 forces a statewide average 7% increase, which is unacceptable,[Read More…]
The stakes are high
MONTPELIER – The property tax issue erupted yet again this week. Back in December, the Tax Department reported that property taxes would need to increase by roughly 12 percent to cover rising school spending. That number got everyone’s attention, And rightly so. Shortly thereafter, Governor Phil Scott proposed bringing down property taxes[Read More…]
Excellent books from the world of basketball
HARDWICK – Wow! Congratulations to both the Hazen Union boys’ and girls’ basketball teams on their Vermont State Championships. For the past thirty years Hazen has been recognized as a powerhouse in boys basketball, and now the girls have won two titles in the last three years. The success of[Read More…]
Cellar holes and old foundations
BURLINGTON – As I kneel digging in the dirt of the gently collapsing stone foundation, birds singing, knees aching and dirt permanently embedded under my fingernails, I try to imagine life here in Vershire, in the 1880s. I’ve been excavating the bottle caches and midden heaps of this foundation for[Read More…]
