Voices

Two of some 200 marchers share their views two days before the Presidential inauguration.

But we can act

We must turn to one another and work together to advocate for a better vision of what this nation might become


Dan DeWalt, a frequent contributor to these pages and one of the founders of this newspaper, writes that if he didn't love his country, he "wouldn't spend so much time trying to get it to live up to its purported principles."...

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Ballot article spreads misinformation, deepens hostility

BRATTLEBORO-For the Brattleboro voters, the March 4 ballot is about more than just a symbolic pledge, it's about whether Brattleboro will support a divisive and misleading political statement. Article II asks voters to approve a pledge declaring the town an "apartheid-free community." It specifically targets Israel, accusing it of...

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Candidate statement: Bex Slattery, Putney Selectboard

PUTNEY-My name is Bex Slattery, and I am running for Selectboard in Putney. I am originally from Westport, Massachusetts. My appreciation for civic engagement came from growing up in a small town where my grandparents were deeply involved. My grandfather served on the School Committee, and I held signs...

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Dwelling in darkness and reaching for light

Sarah R. Ellis is a writer, disability advocate, and former teen librarian who grew up in Brattleboro and now calls Burlington home. To learn more about bipolar disorder, visit the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance or the International Bipolar Foundation. BURLINGTON-I just went to a thoughtful, progressive show that happened to include a joke about bipolar disorder, an offhand comment that played the diagnosis for laughs and used "bipolar" as a shorthand for irrational and unstable. This is what it...

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Evans-Frantz: informed, pragmatic, and community-driven

GUILFORD-I met Isaac Evans-Frantz last summer while working at the Governor's Institutes of Vermont in Montpelier. Isaac was on the faculty of the Global Issues and Youth Action Institute, and we were paired up as teaching partners. Spending time planning and discussing issues with Isaac became a nightly routine, and a friendship blossomed. I watched him approach a classroom of high school students from all over Vermont with respect, curiosity, and great passion for the subject matter. Isaac brought his...

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Avoid misinformation about Rockingham’s proposed EMS changes

The writer is a member of the Rockingham Selectboard but submits this letter as a citizen. SAXTONS RIVER-Voters attending Rockingham's 2025 Annual Town Meeting at the Bellows Falls Middle School on Saturday, March 1 at 2 p.m. will decide the future of our fire and rescue services. Article 9 will ask the voters to approve the creation of a single municipal Fire and Rescue Department managed by the town. The plan includes three stations in Rockingham, Saxtons River, and Bellows...

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One-sided pledge on ballot violates spirit of inclusivity

WESTMINSTER-I never imagined I would have to defend my Jewish identity in my own neighborhood, but the upcoming March 4 Annual Town Meeting Australian ballot in Brattleboro is forcing me to speak up. The proposed pledge of Article II, which takes a one-sided stance on the Israel-Palestinian conflict, makes me feel unwelcome in my own community. Israel is far from perfect - no country is - but reducing such a complex situation to a black-and-white issue ignores history and reality.

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Hefele: a resourceful, client-oriented problem solver

VERNON-I enthusiastically endorse Ian Hefele for Vernon town clerk because he has the qualifications, experience, and skills needed to do the job. First and foremost, a town clerk should be client-oriented and resourceful as well as a problem solver and able to patiently guide people through challenging situations. During the past 15 years, Ian has honed these skills in his work at the School for International Training in Brattleboro, at Stoneleigh-Burnham School in Greenfield, and at the ECDC Multicultural Community...

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