Category: Editorial

  • Issue:

    Stefanik on food labels: Keep public in the dark

    It began with a triumph of representative democracy. Last year, legislators in Montpelier voted overwhelmingly to make Vermont the first state in the nation to require labeling of foods containing genetically engineered ingredients. Over the past several years, Vermonters had made it clear that they wanted the right to know what was in their food, read more

    Stefanik on food labels: Keep public in the dark
  • Issue:

    Fixing the failures of a legal system

    Back in 2004, the first issue of this newspaper featured a story on Ansar Mahmood, a legal immigrant from Pakistan whose pursuit of the American dream was wrecked in part by bad legal advice. Mahmood was in his early 20s when he came to the United States in 2000 and got a job as a read more

    Fixing the failures of a legal system
  • Issue:

    On childhood vaccines, medicine in Vermont

    Supporters are calling it a victory for science, but the Vermont Legislature’s decision last month on childhood vaccines is rightfully leaving some parents feeling bullied. In the aftermath of a measles outbreak earlier this year in California that sickened 147 people, lawmakers in Montpelier were persuaded to do away with a longstanding provision of state read more

    On childhood vaccines, medicine in Vermont
  • Issue:

    In fight against hunger, Greenwich pantry inspires

    Our cover article this month examines the increasing use of emergency food pantries in our region and finds a particularly inspiring story in the Washington County village of Greenwich.There, a little more than a year ago, a newly formed community group took over a tiny food pantry that operated on a monthly, appointment-only basis on read more

    In fight against hunger, Greenwich pantry inspires
  • Issue:

    Changing the ground rules for Spa City development?

    We live in an era when zoning and planning laws supposedly give communities the power to shape their own destinies, where the public has a chance to shape the ground rules for their town’s development and an ability to scrutinize the specifics of each new project. The reality in many communities, however, is a planning read more

    Changing the ground rules for Spa City development?
  • Issue:

    A season of reform? Don’t be so sure

      It’s tempting to feel a bit gleeful about the spectacular downfall of Sheldon Silver, the New York Assembly speaker whose 20-year reign ended after he was arrested on corruption charges last month. After all, when you’re dealing with a government as unresponsive and opaque as New York’s, anything that forces a shake-up at the read more

    A season of reform? Don’t be so sure
  • Issue:

    Two cities, two tales of managing growth

    By coincidence we have two stories in this issue about small cities in the region that are grappling with how best to preserve their character and shape their future development.Pittsfield and Saratoga Springs are separated by a state line and have quite different economic and political traditions, so it may not be entirely fair to read more

    Two cities, two tales of managing growth
  • Issue:

    Ballston Spa battles again over Wal-Mart and sprawl

    One of the happier changes in Saratoga County over the past 10 or 15 years has been the revitalization of downtown Ballston Spa. Although it’s often overshadowed by Saratoga Springs, its bigger, better-known neighbor to the north, Ballston Spa has become a destination in its own right. Like Saratoga Springs, it has a pedestrian-friendly downtown read more

    Ballston Spa battles again over Wal-Mart and sprawl
  • Issue:

    Blurring the dividing line between police, soldiers

    It’s hard to imagine the circumstances that would prompt the president of the United States to dispatch military troops to keep order in our peaceful, mostly rural region of New England and upstate New York. It could happen, of course, but most of us assume it would only happen in the event of some incredible read more

    Blurring the dividing line between police, soldiers
  • Issue:

    In race for Congress, little so far to inspire

    For an object lesson in everything that’s wrong with our current political system, it’s hard to beat the video of Elise Stefanik’s press conference last month on Social Security and Medicare.For those who missed it, Stefanik, the Republican candidate for an open seat in New York’s 21st Congressional District, invited reporters to an event Aug. read more

    In race for Congress, little so far to inspire