Vermont’s House of Representatives recently passed H.107, a bill to create a statewide paid family and medical leave program. It’s now being considered by the Senate. That may sound like great news for working women and families struggling to get by, but these are the workers who are most li…

Vermont House Bill H.57 and Senate Proposition 5 to amend the Vermont Constitution guarantees a woman the right to terminate her pregnancy at any time. Proponents claim granting this right codifies federal law and widespread practice in the United States. These pieces of legislation are in r…

Like a hearty wind that whips leaves up and around. Like the swirling air that carries the leaves across fields or rivers and then drops them scattered wherever they land. With time and the forces of nature, the leaves will remake themselves as they revitalize the soil and cultivate new life.

Veterans For Peace (VFP) is becoming increasingly alarmed about the mounting evidence that President Trump intends to attack Iran. In his 2019 “State of the Union Address,” President Trump stated:”My administration has acted decisively to confront [Iran] the world’s leading state sponsor of …

The Bennington Free Clinic continues to care for adults who have no health insurance. We depend on our volunteer nurses, doctors and many others to provide health care. We think everyone has a right to receive health care and it should not depend on a person’s income.

After decades of philanthropic investment in Vermont’s early care and learning system, it is gratifying to see a bill moving through the Legislature that includes significant new investments to make high-quality child care more affordable to Vermont families.

As the legislative session winds down, it is time for soul searching. I find myself reflecting on the meaning of politics and, more so, the politics of meaning.

As I sat down to the first night Passover Seder I attended on campus, I was offered a sheet with four recommended discussion questions. One question stood out to my friends and me: What enslaves you? We laughed over it at the time, at the sometimes-dark Jewish humor of the discussion of how …

The Vermont House is, for the seventh time over 37 years, trying to enact a primary seat belt law for drivers age 18-plus. Worse yet, this time, its backers are trying to slip their cherished bill through where it won’t be noticed. Fortunately, it’s been noticed. Here, in Q&A format, is …

Reproductive justice stands at the intersection of health, dignity, economic justice and human rights. At Planned Parenthood of Northern New England (PPNNE), we think a lot about the need to raise the minimum wage in Vermont. When we advocate for reproductive justice, we’re not only focusing…

The possibility that lead in school drinking water is derailing the development of my children’s brains shouldn’t be something I have to worry about. But it is.

Our communities are at risk — now.

It is important to pass the $15 per hour minimum wage bill without delay, even when it hurts a bit.

Recently, the Lake Champlain Chamber of Commerce surveyed 500 young professionals, primarily Burlington-area residents between the ages of 22 and 34, and learned that over 40% intend to leave Vermont. Why? The high cost of housing, the overall high cost of living and the lack of upwardly mob…

I respond to Bob Montgomery’s (April 17) “recommended read for any parent or grandparent of a junior-high-school-college student Tell your children,’ by Alex Berenson.”

The F-16s have left and the F-35s are scheduled to begin arriving in Vermont this fall. For about five months, this part of the country is left without the protection by the Air National Guard from incoming threats. Interesting. This brings up the question — was it necessary and crucial that…

Day 137. As I write this, it’s been 137 days since my 23-year-old son, Andrew Black, walked into a gun store, bought a handgun, drove home and within hours, shot himself. On Day 3, we wrote an obituary, suggesting a way to honor Andrew would be to call your local representative asking for a …

Over and over again, we have seen committee rooms and panels full of mostly white men making decisions about women’s access to basic reproductive health care. This has devastating and sometimes deadly consequences for women and the choices they can make about their own bodies, especially for…

In the April 13 weekend Rutland Herald, John Nassivera had a piece titled “The religious shall inherit the earth.” The article starts off by saying that New England is the least religious area in the entire United States, and I have heard from other sources also that Vermont is probably No. …

The Black family of Essex (had) an empty chair at their table this holiday weekend. So (did) 477 other Vermont families who have lost a loved one to suicide since 2011. This public health crisis is ravaging Vermont’s families and communities.

Special counsel Mueller’s report does not “clear” the president of a charge that he conspired with the Russians to be elected. Instead, on Page 2 of Vol. 1, it merely says the special counsel “did not establish” this charge. It clearly says “A statement that the investigation did not establi…

I am writing you today to share my support for the Springfield school budget that goes to voters on April 30.

There has been a consistent message from the State House this session: We need to grow Vermont’s labor force. Solving a problem of this magnitude, one that may prove to be Vermont’s largest barrier to prosperity, will require seeking and utilizing every opportunity we can. Of those solutions…

In Wednesday’s article regarding the request for $30,000 for bump-outs, Mayor Allaire was quoted: “It’s hard to put a price tag on people’s safety.”

Over the past 28 years as a practitioner and teacher of primary care pediatrics at UVM’s Larner College of Medicine, and as a member of Vermont’s Child Fatality Review Team, I have had the opportunity to learn much about suicide and gun violence prevention. I have seen more than I wish I had…

“Respect, Protect and Enjoy” — words from the website of Vermont’s Agency of Natural Resources. Words matter. Lowell Lake State Park’s long-range plan matters. This quiet system of woods, lake, swamps, fens and trails found near Londonderry has been an undeveloped park since 1977. The park i…

Strong schools are necessary for a strong community. Our youth are our future. When voters vote down a school budget, it gives our youth the message that Springfield voters do not care for them. When it makes the news that Springfield is one of three towns in Vermont to vote down its school …

When my wife and I moved from Boston to Rutland County in 1971, we could not be more excited to raise our family and start our business. One of the reasons we chose the Rutland area was, my wife was a graduate of Middlebury College and we learned through conversations with members of the com…

I am a therapist in private practice working with people of all ages and all issues. People struggle for all kinds of reasons. But what bothers me the most is the struggles brought on by the hurt and pain caused by others.

I am writing to support the passage of Springfield’s revised school budget.

On a recent Friday (April 5), I had the pleasure of spending the afternoon in Rutland Middle School speaking to Mr. Lindgren’s and Ms. Geno’s history classes. What I observed there was both enlightening and disturbing.

In Vermont and around the country, we have a major crisis in primary health care. Far too many people are unable to see a doctor or a dentist when they need one. Some people lack health insurance and can’t afford the care. For others, especially in rural areas like Vermont, there are simply …

To my Springfield community, I am so appreciative to you for allowing me to represent you once more for another term on the school board. This is work that I not only enjoy but welcome the challenges that it brings.