The Scene: Presidential primary election, March 3 in Vermont.
Election official: “Which ballot do you want? Democratic or Republican?”
Vermont voter: “Why do I need to tell you which ballot I want?”
“Well, umm, it's the law .â—Š.â—Š.â—Š.“...
Following from Toni Powling's assumption in her Jan. 1 Reformer letter that impeachment proceedings ought to follow traditional due process procedures such as having a “speedy trial,” then those procedures also need to include a “fair trial.” Impartial jurors - Sens. McConnell and Graham, for example - should not...
With respect to the question of whether the $100,000 appropriated by Representative Annual Town Meeting for sustainability purposes be spent on a position or activities, I have perhaps a hypothetical question as to how Brattleboro approaches issues such as the following, which might give insight to the answer. On...
With reference to James Ehlers' open letter to the Vermont Senate, proposing an amendment to the state constitution to the effect that “all people have a natural and inherent right to a clean and unspoiled environment,” I want to offer an endorsement and share a quote that has stayed with me for a long time. U.S. Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas, in his 1972 dissenting opinion in Sierra Club v. Morton, wrote: “Inanimate objects are sometimes parties in litigation.
An open letter to Senators Jeanette White and Becca Balint: It is my understanding that the appointment of Karen O'Neill as a “neutral” on the Vermont Labor Relations Board is pending confirmation by the Senate. I am writing in opposition to that appointment. The applicable law states that “'Nominees with neutral backgrounds' means individuals in high standing not connected with any labor organization or management position, and who can be reasonably considered to be able to serve as an impartial...
Brattleboro being a compassionate town means acting on behalf of those in need locally. But it also means extending this compassion to others in need, wherever they might be. At present, those in the world most in need of assistance are likely to be refugees from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere, and many now find themselves in European refugee camps. Most of us are familiar with the huge challenges involved in bringing such persons to Vermont. But creative groups and...
Where do you see compassion at work in our community? Is there a person who comes to mind when you think of selfless acts? An organization that has made a caring impact on your life? A time that people have come together out of concern for others? We are looking for good stories about compassion that you have seen or experienced! Consistent with Brattleboro's newly publicized, and continued, commitment to compassion, the Reformer and The Commons have agreed to publish...
Recent articles on NorthStar's bid to take over decommissioning of the Entergy Nuclear Vermont Yankee site have raised some questions for me. The issue surrounds “rubblization,” defined on Wikipedia as a “technique that involves saving time and transportation costs by reducing existing concrete into rubble at its current location rather than hauling it to another location.” NorthStar CEO Scott State pointed out that concrete was used as fill at Yankee Rowe and the technique was approved at Connecticut Yankee. On...