Category: Government

The Hill Country Observer covers local leaders, elections and elected officials, town and city councils bodies including libraries, schools, planning and other town boards, and all kinds of conversations and decisions that matter to our communities.

  • Issue:

    Election 2017

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    Here are the results from major local races and ballot issues in the Nov. 7 general elecction in New York and Massachusetts. Winning candidates are in bold type. A brief summary follows the results for each county. The results shown are final, official tallies certified by local election officials, except in the case of the read more

    Election 2017
  • Issue:

    Changing course on pot

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    In Vermont, medical marijuana faces risks in push for broader legalization Mike Di Tomasso, Matt Lavallee, Chris Williams and Chris Motyka are among about 50 employees of Champlain Valley Dispensary and Southern Vermont Wellness, which operate Vermont’s largest legal marijuana-growing facility and supply medical marijuana dispensaries in Burlington and Brattleboro. Courtesy photo Jessica Sipe   By read more

    Changing course on pot
  • Issue:

    Election 2017

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    Here are ballot questions and candidates for major local races in the Nov. 7 general election in New York and Massachusetts. A brief summary follows the candidate list for each county.   MASSACHUSETTS BERKSHIRE COUNTY State representative — First Berkshire DistrictJohn Barrett III (D)Christine M. Canning (R) North Adams mayorThomas BernardRobert Moulton Jr. The state read more

    Election 2017
  • Issue:

    A chance to fix Albany – or a risk to cherished rights?

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    In N.Y. vote, a chance to fix Albany — or a risk to cherished rights? A coalition of labor unions and other groups has been distributing lawn signs urging a No vote on November’s question of whether to hold a state constitutional convention in New York. Groups supporting a Yes vote say they don’t plan read more

    A chance to fix Albany – or a risk to cherished rights?
  • Issue:

    Election 2017 — A roundup of area races, ballot questions

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    Voters in N.Y., Mass. to decide local races By FRED DALEYEditor   Mayoral races in North Adams, Saratoga Springs and Glens Falls, a hard-fought contest for Rensselaer County executive, and a proposal to revamp the system of city government in Saratoga Springs are among the major contests voters in Massachusetts and New York will decide read more

    Election 2017 — A roundup of area races, ballot questions
  • Issue:

    Fear of empowerment — In a Vermont town, goal of ‘climate economy’ draws support, resistance

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    In a Vermont town, goal of ‘climate economy’ draws support, resistance Michelle Pekrol and some other residents of Pownal, Vt., have organized under the name SOS Pownal to oppose a new planning initiative aimed at helping the town better prepare for climate change.  Joan K. Lentini photo   By EVAN LAWRENCEContributing writer POWNAL, Vt. This read more

    Fear of empowerment — In a Vermont town, goal of ‘climate economy’ draws support, resistance
  • Issue:

    Trading old hazards for new? — Mystery shrouds chemicals that replaced PFOA

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    The Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics plant on McCaffrey Street in Hoosick Falls is blamed for contaminating the village’s drinking water wells with perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA. The chemical has been phased out of production, raising questions about what industries like Saint-Gobain are using in its place. Joan K. Lentini photo   By TRACY FRISCHContributing writer HOOSICK FALLS, read more

    Trading old hazards for new? — Mystery shrouds chemicals that replaced PFOA
  • Issue:

    State line sets sharp contrasts in PFOA water crisis

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    Border makes for sharp contrasts in handling of tainted-water crisis By TRACY FRISCHContributing writer HOOSICK FALLS, N.Y.   Downtown Hoosick Falls is seen from across the Hoosic River. The groundwater that supplies the village water system remains heavily contaminated, and a local manufacturing plant near the water supply was designated as a federal Superfund site read more

    State line sets sharp contrasts in PFOA water crisis
  • Issue:

    Climate-saving efforts go local

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    States, cities and activists push to meet goals of Paris agreement By EVAN LAWRENCEContributing writer   With President Trump’s announcement June 1 that he would pull the United States out of the Paris climate accord, area states, cities and citizen groups are redoubling their efforts to curb carbon dioxide emissions and shift to renewable energy read more

    Climate-saving efforts go local
  • Issue:

    Internet equality for all?

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    Some in region warn of fallout in battle over net neutrality By JOHN TOWNESContributing writer   The future of the Internet is at stake in regulatory changes now being debated in Washington, and the effects of these changes will be felt in local offices, living rooms and libraries, area advocates say. Last month, the Federal read more

    Internet equality for all?