Opinions
OPINION: The Alternative Media Conference
by Dan Jones Once upon a time, Goddard College was able to grab and hold a bit of the lightning bolt that was the 1960s counterculture. The school’s progressive education methods attracted young idea searchers who have since grown into many of Vermont’s thinkers and doers. One of the seminal events in that period of [...]
OPINION: Make Montpelier Pedestrian and Bicycle Friendly
by Deborah Hillman I was pleased to see in The Bridge (May 16–June 5) the recently established goals of City Council. I feel encouraged by the city’s commitment to reducing car dependency and creating better conditions for walkers and cyclists. I have lived without a car, by choice, my whole adult life. Although I lived in [...]
OPINION: Lots of Summer Events
At The Bridge, our deadline for calendar entries is the Friday before our production week. But the volume of late news coming in this Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday is quite a deluge. Tornado Relief: In the category of “near-missed news” is an e-mail received on Wednesday from T.J. Michaels of Great Eastern Radio Vermont and [...]
OPINION: Is the Empire Imploding?
by Margaret Blanchard Over the last 58 years, the United States has been at war for 32 years, leaving only 26 relatively peaceful years. An American born in this century has known no peace. The wars in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan have each lasted longer than any other American war, including the longest preceding war, [...]
OPINION: Users of Strong Cannabis Need Rehab, Not Just a Ticket
by Catherine Antley I am a physician in Vermont. Reluctantly, I am testifying April 18 before the Senate on H.200, which makes possession of cannabis a civil offense instead of a crime. I am a private person and have a busy life but feel compelled in this instance to testify because there seems to be [...]
OPINION: Local Food Cures Diseases Caused by Industrial Food
by David Grundy What a wonderful food distribution system we have available to us today. Why, we can trip on down to the supermarket and select from a wide variety of foods from around the country and even from around the world. We can enjoy strawberries in December, summer squash in winter and blueberries in [...]
TRIBUTE: Remembering Bob Northrop: Volunteer Extraordinaire
by Bob Lincoln Recently, I attended a memorial service in honor of Bob Northrop who died on March 30 at the age of 92. Bob was a unique public citizen who volunteered thousands of hours to many organizations including Vermont Public Radio, the Vermont Electric Cooperative, the Vermont Mozart Festival and others. One of his [...]
OPINION: April Fools for Farmers: H.112 and GMO Regulation
by Gerard Renfro I don’t care about pollution. I’m an air conditioned gypsy, that’s my solution. Watch the police and tax man miss me. —The Who Get ready for a third round of food fighting at the state legislature. H.112 (the Vermont Genetic Engineering Food Labeling Act) is being presented to the Vermont House this [...]
East Montpelier Trails Fundraising Update
Last fall, East Montpelier Trails, Inc. (EMTI) launched a fundraising campaign to improve the beautiful Mallory Brook Trail between Johnson Road and Cherry Tree Hill Road. EMTI is happy to report that it has received almost $2000 toward its goal of raising $4000 from the community. Trail builder extraordinaire Greg Western worked through the fall [...]
OPINION: Protecting Vermont’s Shorelines Is Good for the Economy and the Environment
by Deb Markowitz Looking out my window at a fresh pile of snow gets me thinking about next summer’s vacation. As a family, we like nothing better than to relax next to one of Vermont’s beautiful lakes where we can swim, canoe and fish. But it’s getting trickier to decide where to go. Last year [...]