NORTHAMPTON, MASS.-I'm a flatlander now, and when I drive into town without my old green license plates, I am sometimes treated as such. But I still love my hometown and so many of the people in it. Seeing the hardships the area has faced during the past few years has been painful.
That's why I am alarmed that one of your most progressive legislative champions, State Rep. Emilie Kornheiser, who has been endorsed by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, is being challenged by a person of significant wealth who has branded herself as a quintessential Vermont farmer, yet has hinted at a regressive tax policy that would shield the wealthiest Vermonters from paying their fair share.
Amanda Ellis-Thurber does admirable work on her organic farm, but a glance at the substance of her financial disclosure shows she is anything but an average Vermonter.
Ellis-Thurber's real estate holdings alone are impressive. According to Nebraska Taxes Online, Amanda Ellis Farms, Inc. held several hundred acres of Nebraska farmland in 2023, with an assessed value over $2 million. That is in addition to the 572 acres she farms in West Brattleboro, which includes a short-term rental property.
Also signing this letter were Brandie Starr, of Brattleboro, and Diana Whitney, of Brattleboro. In the recent WSESD candidates' forum, Kelly Young talks about empathy for survivors, and Tim Maciel says his "heart goes out" to them. Brian Remer says that he hopes survivors will someday "build resilience." These...
Censorship. It's a word, an idea that ignites the ire of people who care about the arts. We all know censorship is bad - it's the stuff of fascists, or worse: of prudes and numbskulls. Rejecting censorship is righteous. It reveals a person's high-mindedness and sophistication. Defending artistic freedom...
Since I published my Viewpoint in The Commons [“No more secrecy,” Voices, Aug. 11], detailing the various investigations into Robert “Zeke” Hecker's behavior with students over the years and the culture of complicity that gave him ongoing access to them, numerous other people have come forward with stories of grooming and abuse by Hecker and others at Brattleboro Union High School. I have been working with local parents, survivors, and advocates to push for actions from BUHS and the Windham...
When I was a student at Brattleboro Union High School in the 1980s, Robert (Zeke) Hecker did not sexually abuse me. I have come to feel fortunate. On several occasions between 1985 and 2018, local agencies and organizations investigated complaints that Hecker engaged in sexual contact with his underage students. None of the investigations were publicized, and I was unaware of the extent of the accusations until the fall of 2018. I have reviewed the police records, and will share...
When supporters of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump called the recording of him bragging about assaulting women “normal locker-room talk,” respectful, courteous men across the internet replied in unison, “That's not normal!” Even my husband joined in, telling me, “I've spent plenty of time in locker rooms, and I've never heard anybody brag about sexual assault.” To my husband and well-meaning friends: I get it. We should not accept this behavior as “normal.” But in your denial, you are unintentionally...