Letters & Commentary News: Letters to the Editor February 25, 2010, pages 2 - 4..... Town Meeting Letters, and letters of thanks     - Submitted: Tuesday, February 23rd [more ...] Commentary: A Rare Opportunity for the Town by the Charlotte Selectboard February 11,2010, page 2..... In this commentary we would like to explain the Selectboard’s thinking on the proposed purchase of the LeBoeuf property in the West Charlotte Village.     - Submitted: Wednesday, February 10th [more ...] Letters February 11, 2010, Issue of The Charlotte News     - Submitted: Wednesday, February 10th [more ...] Raising Taxes in Vermont: Enter at Your Own Risk Letter from Anders Holm, MD 1/28/2010     - Submitted: Tuesday, January 26th [more ...] Congratulations CCS Girls B Basketball Team! Letter from Joe Messingschlager 1/28/2010     - Submitted: Tuesday, January 26th [more ...] Announcing Candidacy for CVU School Board Letter from Richard Hess 1/28/2010.....     - Submitted: Tuesday, January 26th [more ...] Providing a Framework to Understand the Challenges of Developing the FY11 Budget Commentary by Patrice Machavern, Charlotte School Board, Chair .....     - Submitted: Monday, January 18th [more ...] Teachers Please Help Us! Letter from Dick Hess....... I am writing this after a series of meetings with my local school board and being granted the opportunity to voice my opinions in there budget process as a “budget buddy” as they have called it.     - Submitted: Sunday, January 17th [more ...] Failing Grade for CCS on Implementation Letter from Carle Falk..... My name is Carle Falk and I am a parent of two boys in lower grades at CCS. I write expressing profound sadness and disappointment that yet again the School Board is making decisions base     - Submitted: Thursday, January 14th [more ...] Decommission Vermont Yankee Letter from Martha Waterman..... Vermonters deserve safe, clean energy--nuclear power is neither safe nor clean.     - Submitted: Thursday, January 14th [more ...] Are We Losing Touch with the REAL World? Commentary by Larry Hamilton 1/14/10, Page 2..... Our ancestors were hunter-gatherers and therefore had to look closely at and give some kind of a name to those elements of their surrounding environment that were good to eat, were toxic or otherwise h     - Submitted: Tuesday, January 12th [more ...] Horrific Accidents Happen Letter from Kit Perkins 1/14/10..... With a heavy heart, I write to share some of my thoughts about an unimaginable tragedy that struck a Vermont family three weeks ago.     - Submitted: Tuesday, January 12th [more ...] Kudos to Shelburne Market! Letter from Wendy Bratt 1/14/10 I am so pleased that, as of January 1, Shelburne Market stopped offering plastic bags as an option for bagging our groceries.     - Submitted: Tuesday, January 12th [more ...] Please Support CY Mentoring Program Please Support CY Mentoring Program Letter from Carol Conard 1/14/10 January is National Mentoring Month, and each year at this time we in the CY Mentoring Program at CCS take the opportunity to extend a heartfelt thank-you to our caring, generous ca     - Submitted: Tuesday, January 12th [more ...] To the Charlotte School Board Letter from Joyce Wallace 1/14/10 As you know, I am acutely aware of the challenges every board member faces during budget season.     - Submitted: Tuesday, January 12th [more ...] Alternatives to CCS Staff Cuts Alternatives to CCS Staff Cuts Letter from Chris Falk 1/14/10 I’m saddened to read the school board is considering further CCS staff cuts.     - Submitted: Tuesday, January 12th [more ...] Food Shelf Appreciated Letter from Karen Doris 1/14/10 I have received a note from a mother with children who has needed assistance from the Food Shelf this fall.     - Submitted: Tuesday, January 12th [more ...] Velco's Toxic Cocktail Letter from Sylvia Knight 1/14/10 It’s time to consider VELCO’s herbicides to be used at their new substation, which has an underground drain extending 100 feet into the nearby wetland.     - Submitted: Tuesday, January 12th [more ...] New from THE NEWS – Goodbye 2009, Hello 2010 With this issue there are several changes here at The Charlotte News.     - Submitted: Tuesday, December 15th [more ...] Reckless Driving Can Lead to Tragedy, Commentary by John Jordan I want to thank Deb Olsen for her Commentary article last week titled “Ask Your Teen Driver to Read This!.” Her story “rings” true for our family. Recently, I witnessed some very reckless and da     - Submitted: Tuesday, December 15th [more ...] Thank you for supporting us! Letter from the CVU Nordic Team The Champlain Valley Union (CVU) Nordic team extends a heartfelt thank-you to our generous business community and to our parents and friends.     - Submitted: Tuesday, December 15th [more ...] Senator sends healthcare caution, Letter from State Senator Tim Ashe If you’re like me, you believe when government decides to do something it should do it well. Because the Catamount health care program has been left solely to the private insurance companies, taxpayers and small businesses are throwing away millions of do     - Submitted: Tuesday, December 15th [more ...] 2,300 Prayer Cloths Delivered to National Guard, Letter from Patricia Coleman Your generous coverage of project Pocket Prayer Cloths for Our Troops was like a pebble tossed into a placid pond… the ripples reached far and wide.     - Submitted: Tuesday, December 15th [more ...] Speed Limits are too High, Letter from Gordon Troy As most residents of Charlotte are no doubt aware, there is a significant and dangerous increase in traffic volume from the Charlotte-Essex Ferry due to the closure of the Crown Point Bridge.     - Submitted: Tuesday, December 15th [more ...] Commentary - Swedish Style Healthcare in America: America has a very large decision ahead of it – to remain the only first-world nation without a socialized medical system or to move toward a comprehensive healthcare delivery and payment system.     - Submitted: Tuesday, December 1st [more ...] Commentary - Ask Your Teen Driver to Read This! On Wednesday, November 11, I witnessed two very troubling incidents involving teenage drivers.     - Submitted: Tuesday, December 1st [more ...] Commentary - We Need to Improve Math Education at CCS We are writing this commentary in the hopes of mobilizing our community to convince the School Board and CCS to make major improvements in math education.     - Submitted: Tuesday, November 17th [more ...] Commentary - RAVEN RIDGE – What was the Selectboard thinking? Raven Ridge is a spectacular 364-acre area of mostly forested land located in Charlotte, Hinesburg and Monkton.     - Submitted: Tuesday, November 3rd [more ...] Commentary - About The “Raven Ridge” Conservation Conversations I have a real sense of sadness about town action on October 26 to contribute just $15,000 of town Conservation Fund funds toward the Charlotte portion of the private nonprofit project...     - Submitted: Tuesday, November 3rd [more ...] Commentary -Working Together Will Insure Best Possible Outcome Last week questions were raised about the accuracy of the school’s fuel oil consumption in relation to the CCS proposed bond projects.     - Submitted: Tuesday, October 13th [more ...] Commentary -Maximum Efficiency, Minimize Cost I am sorry to be unable to attend tonight’s meeting, but I have to attend a Selectboard meeting scheduled for the same time.     - Submitted: Tuesday, October 13th [more ...] Commentary - Vote “No” to Increased Budgets As a beginning note, I suggest that you pay close attention to the information, facts and figures that have been presented – and then vote against the bonds.     - Submitted: Tuesday, October 13th [more ...] Commentary - Healthcare: A Regard for the Facts At the bottom of this page is the following disclaimer: “All opinions expressed in Letters and Commentaries are those of the writers and not of The Charlotte News, which is published as an independent, nonprofit, non-biased community service and forum.”     - Submitted: Tuesday, September 1st [more ...] Commentary - How It’s Done In America? As a physician I feel obliged to respond to last week’s “Commentary” on (preventing) healthcare reform.     - Submitted: Tuesday, September 1st [more ...] Commentary - A Tilted Playing Field As a practicing physician for over 30 years, I believe the recent anti-healthcare reform editorial in The Charlotte News requires a response.     - Submitted: Tuesday, September 1st [more ...] Commentary - Medicaid for all? Vermonters are doing their homework and realizing that a massive government takeover will prove to be their worst nightmare     - Submitted: Tuesday, September 1st [more ...] Commentary - Today you killed my dog. Tomorrow…who knows? My question…how could you slow down, knowing what you had just done and then speed off as if this action would absolve you of any responsibility?     - Submitted: Tuesday, August 4th [more ...] Commentary - Notes from the Front Porch A Vermont country store cannot be adequately described in words. This is something I did not know when I embarked on this project on a beautiful, sunny Halloween last year.     - Submitted: Friday, July 17th [more ...] Commentary - Three Reasons to Say No to November CCS Bond Along with the rest of the board I remain convinced that repairs and renovations to the building are in order.     - Submitted: Tuesday, June 30th [more ...] Commentary - Health Care Needed, not Health Insurance With talk of health reform flowing from all angles, it is too easy to get caught in the thick web of politico-ideologies.     - Submitted: Tuesday, June 30th [more ...] Commentary - Math Curriculum Reform Needs Complete Analysis t appears that the topic of math education is the talk of the town these days, which has inspired me to share my thoughts with you.     - Submitted: Wednesday, June 17th [more ...] Commentary - Move the Monument! While well intentioned, however, I think the Selectboard made the wrong decision when it decided not to reposition it at its present location, but instead to create a different shaped base with a higher curb on the exact same spot.     - Submitted: Sunday, May 24th [more ...] Commentary - Green Up as Way of Life For Charlotters who are taking their first bike rides of the season, strolling along the Charlotte Beach or heading off for their regular runs, spring arrives in unsightly and disturbing ways – old fastfood wrappers here, coffee cups nearby and beer cans     - Submitted: Friday, April 3rd [more ...] Commentary Save Vermont’s Passenger Trains     - Submitted: Friday, April 3rd [more ...] Commentary On March 3, the town is going to ask the voters of Charlotte to “convey by gift approximately three acres in the southwest corner of the Burns Property to Green Mountain Habitat for Humanity.”     - Submitted: Wednesday, February 18th [more ...] Commentary - CCS Board Response Disappoints     - Submitted: Tuesday, January 6th [more ...] Commentary - Time for a Decision - Again On January 21 Charlotte voters will be asked to decide for a third time whether to allow retail uses on the east side of Route 7 at property owned by the Spears...     - Submitted: Tuesday, January 6th [more ...] Commentary - A Christmas Story for Our Times I want to publicly thank the Charlotte School Board for disposing of the latest attempt by a tiny minority to impose its intolerant and politically correct views upon the rest of us.     - Submitted: Thursday, December 18th [more ...] Commentary - A Christmas Story for Our Times Children often have a way of cutting to the chase and calling it like it is.     - Submitted: Thursday, December 18th [more ...] Commentary     - Submitted: Thursday, November 20th [more ...] Commentary -West Village a Jewel in Charlotte’s Crown This summer my sister and I walked from our house through the Four Corners in Charlotte’s West Village on our way to a meeting in the Town Hall.     - Submitted: Wednesday, November 5th [more ...] Selectboard Hears Residents’ Views on Rezoning Route 7 Property The Selectboard held a special meeting October 2 to hear additional thoughts from town residents about Bid Spear’s intent to sell his property along Route 7 at the corner of Church Hill Road.     - Submitted: Wednesday, October 15th [more ...] Commentary - Thoughts to Consider for the Zoning Vote The request to change zoning regulations for the southeast quadrant of the Route 7/Ferry Road/Church Hill Road intersection has created strong opinions both pro and con, and understandably so.     - Submitted: Wednesday, October 15th [more ...] Commentary A couple of observations are in order on the subject of Mr. Kiernan’s commentary     - Submitted: Wednesday, October 15th [more ...] Commentary By now I’m sure everyone has seen the numerous articles that have been written about the proposed changes to the Land Use Regulations. I thought I’d take a minute and followup the article I submitted last month in an effort to help clarify some of the cur     - Submitted: Sunday, October 5th [more ...] Commentary - Common Courtesy No Longer Common? The other night I went before the Charlotte School Board and had a most troubling experience. I was there to ask the board for something.     - Submitted: Thursday, September 18th [more ...] Commentary - Charlotte’s Section of Route 7 Although loyalty to friends is a very nice trait, it is not helpful to be personal in public hearings such as this     - Submitted: Thursday, September 18th [more ...] Commentary -- How Important Is It?     - Submitted: Friday, September 5th [more ...] Charlotte Family Forms Relationship With Fresh Air Fund Friend As the Jordan family sat around their dining room table offering thanks for their blessings, a youth who has effortlessly blended into their lives spoke about gratitude and what it means to experience another way of life.     - Submitted: Sunday, August 31st [more ...] Commentary: Support Spear’s Request for a Zoning Change We need your support! The Spear family is working with the Selectboard to change the Land Use Regulations     - Submitted: Sunday, August 31st [more ...] Commentary -- How Important Is It? As I am writing this letter to the Editor, the Listers are in the final phases of the grievance process.     - Submitted: Wednesday, August 6th [more ...] Commentary Do you know how many of your neighbors are facing hunger each day?     - Submitted: Saturday, June 28th [more ...] Commentary It is troubling that in spite of that condition in VELCO’s Certificate of Public Good, VELCO has done much of their work in wetlands in Charlotte during the spring!     - Submitted: Saturday, June 28th [more ...] Commentary Climate Change is Real – the Time to Act is Now     - Submitted: Saturday, May 17th [more ...] Commentary Until recently I had not truly connected with either of the Democratic candidates     - Submitted: Wednesday, April 30th [more ...] Commentary As chair of the Charlotte Trails Committee I am delighted to see a robust discussion on what role trails should play in this town, if any.     - Submitted: Wednesday, April 16th [more ...] Commentary The Global Warming Debate, Part 3: Radical or Rational Environmentalism?     - Submitted: Wednesday, April 16th [more ...] Commentary Global Warming: A Layperson's Guide, Part II     - Submitted: Wednesday, April 2nd [more ...] Commentary East Charlotte Resident Comments on Ancient Roads Issue     - Submitted: Wednesday, March 19th [more ...] Commentary Washington Politics – Charlotte Style     - Submitted: Wednesday, March 19th [more ...] Commentary The Global Warming “Crisis”: The Emperor Has No Clothes: Part 1     - Submitted: Wednesday, March 19th [more ...] Happy (Rusty) New Year by Tom O'Brien     - Submitted: Wednesday, January 9th [more ...] Pease Mountain Commentary Peter Schneider and Jessica Donavan     - Submitted: Friday, October 12th [more ...] Pease Mountain Neighbors Surprised by Changes     - Submitted: Wednesday, September 26th [more ...] In Support of Ancient Roads     - Submitted: Wednesday, September 26th [more ...] [Post News...]