To the editor: There’s a lot of talk right now about landowner rights being violated and government overreach, but there’s a bill, H.723, now before the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy that would update Vermont’s land posting laws, the rules governing how landowners notify the public that their property is off-limits to[Read More…]
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Heller’s World
Nonviolent protest against unconstitutional actions
To the editor: If you participated in the March 2026 No Kings Day event, thank you. It was the largest day of protest in American history. We are building to the 3.5% of our nation’s population actively engaged in nonviolent protest against the unconstitutional actions of the Trump administration. Research[Read More…]
Woodsmoke
Joining the human race
EAST MONTPELIER – Summer, 1958. I was in temporary remission from higher education and looking for work. I possessed a copy of “On the Road” that I read rather as a bible. I still have it; it’s about eight feet behind me on the bookshelf. I was driving a 1946 Plymouth sedan[Read More…]
Help build the foundation of a vital community resource
Thanks to the support of hundreds of readers, The Hardwick Gazette is in a much stronger position than it was at this time last year. The Gazette’s end-of-year fundraising campaign was an overwhelming success, allowing us to make good on all past obligations and enter 2026 with a healthy bank[Read More…]
Act 181 is not the answer
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…]
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…]
