Pro Plant
Thanks for a slice of Vermont’s favorite pastime, nitpicking public projects on the virtues of electrical power supply in “Pipe Dream?” [September 27].
I respect debate and regulatory procedures, but Seven Days gaslighted us with the cover’s nighttime file photo of the McNeil Generating Station by Matthew Thorsen (1968-2019). The editor’s choice of a fiery red glow to accent the scene was overly dramatic. It looked like Maui burning.
Burlington’s hippie force needs to consider the tangible power solution on the table. In the real world, Hydro-Québec means “electric Québec,” as hydro oddly became a synonym for the mix of all power sources in Canada. Elsewhere, France’s electrical power grid is exclusively supplied by nuclear plants. Russia’s gigantomania approach was building the likes of Chernobyl. Today China still burns everything to meet electrical demand without controls.
Bill McKibben’s The End of Nature was written in 1989. Sixteen years later, McKibben wrote the introduction for the 2005 edition. He admits to spending that summer in China studying its economy while giving China’s electric power generation a pass.
McNeil Station is a success in many purposeful respects. I was employed there, but, like every citizen, I rely on affordable electrical power at home. And as that citizen, I’m compelled to quote project backers in the article: “Without the plant, Burlington — and the state — would be more dependent on electricity purchased from the grid, largely generated elsewhere in New England from fossil fuels.”
Roger Donegan
Hinesburg
As Goes Portland…
[From the Publisher: “Burlington Blues,” September 27]: Having read the Sunday New York Times article about a security guard in Portland, Ore., and the challenges that city is facing, I could hear myself saying, “Let’s not let Burlington get to that point.” Perhaps if you live out of town, you are immune to our crisis, but if you live, shop or run a business in Burlington, you know what I’m talking about.
What got us and other cities here? Of course it’s a complex mix of factors, but simply talking about “our most vulnerable” has not helped; in fact, things are worse than ever. With people sleeping on sidewalks, needles strewn about, our bike path overrun with tents, trash everywhere, graffiti covering buildings and, worst of all, people shooting up in broad daylight, we are going to lose tourists, shoppers, businesses and residents — and our vibrant, beautiful, very special city will continue to suffer.
I’ve written to Gov. Phil Scott because we cannot do it alone. We need Montpelier to clearly understand the crisis we’re facing. I’ve asked the governor to take a walk with me on the streets of Burlington. I hope he responds, and I hope you’ll join us! Stay tuned; I will let you know if he responds.
Katy Lesser
Burlington
Different Downtown
Paula Routly’s September 27 “From the Publisher” letter [“Burlington Blues“] hits the nail on the head: The problem in Burlington stems back to policies that aren’t working. I recently took my daughters to downtown Burlington on a Tuesday after school to get their ears pierced. The owner of Body Art did an incredible job — so professional. It was a wonderful experience! But the walk from the parking garage to Body Art wasn’t the Burlington I’ve lived in for the past 20 years. The sidewalks were crowded with homeless people, garbage and used syringes, and we watched blatant intravenous heroin use in broad daylight. We used to enjoy the colorful fountains at City Hall Park in the summer — now this place intended to attract kids is entirely unsafe for children. What a shame. (And what a waste of money!)
Have the policy makers ever watched the documentary on Max titled What Happened to San Francisco? We’re on the same path. The subjects in that documentary said quite clearly: “We came here because we know we can get tons of free food, free tents to sleep in, and we won’t get arrested for doing drugs on the street.”
If you build it, they will come!
Ginger Vieira
Essex Junction
No Easy Fix
In [From the Publisher: “Burlington Blues,” September 27], the author concludes by asking: “Does anyone know what will [fix these problems]?,” alluding to behaviors associated with people using drugs in public, those with mental health challenges and the unhoused.
The answer is “Yes, we do, but the will of the people has been nullified by the power of the current administration.”
The article itself is sensationalized and a slanted depiction of the very real consequences of public health policy derelictions here in Vermont. As usual, the mistreated, prosecuted, disenfranchised and politically underserved are blamed, and the thrust of the article therefore descends morally to what “we” are going to do about “them.”
The true question is: “What are we going to do about an administration that ignores science, feigns compassion and hoards money?”
H.728, an act related to overdose responses and based in science, was vetoed by our governor in 2022, the worst year ever in Vermont, with 264 neighbors dying of accidental drug overdose.
That same year, in a transparent attempt to feign compassion for this exact same group of Vermonters, the governor declared August 31 Overdose Awareness Day.
Presently, over $15 million lies idly in Vermont’s coffers, while 2023 screams in our faces every day, sirens blasting, exhausted first responders working overtime, family after family facing the preventable death of a loved one.
We, the people, can and must elect leaders who follow proven science, demonstrate compassion and find the resources necessary to care for the most vulnerable.
Ed Baker
Burlington
Disappointed Citizen
My husband and I recently moved here from Florida, primarily for the weather and sociopolitical environment. We have consistently bragged to our Florida friends of how welcoming and progressive Vermont is — Burlington, in particular.
Last week, some cider-loving friends and I began making plans to visit the Citizen Cider brewery. But then one in our group mentioned trouble there. None of the rest of us had heard of this. With much disappointment, I read the Seven Days article [“Hey Bub, Citizen Cider’s New Light Beer, Brews Trouble with Staff,” September 25]. We are a progressive-minded bunch and would not want to support a business that is in opposition of basic rights, decency and dignity for all.
As much as I have enjoyed Citizen Cider and it helped to make me feel like I can “belong” here in Vermont, this treasure of a place compared to my home state insofar as respect and dignity for all, I will still sadly give up Citizen Cider to send a message to the owners that their Hey Bub marketing and their treatment of their on-site staff is unacceptable.
Previously, I enjoyed Citizen Cider in ignorant bliss. Now I can no longer associate myself or my wallet with this company.
Valli Van Meter
Monkton
‘Not a Narcissist’
Have to write to thank you for the long and lovely article about Bread and Puppet Theater and especially for the writer’s focus on Peter Schumann’s artistic energy at the age of 89 [“Circus of Life,” August 30].
But I also write to assure your readers that Peter Schumann is not a narcissist. I’ve looked up the word in several dictionaries, just to be sure, and no current meaning of the word in any of my English dictionaries applies to the kind, polite, concerned man whom I have known for 50 years.
The person whom the writer quoted as saying Peter’s “a real narcissist” was speaking some kind of whimsical language applicable neither to the meaning of the word itself nor to Schumann. I think it was a mistake to quote her for saying this, at least without further explanation of why she did.
Peter has given his life to expressing concern for our planet, our need for world peace, our collective sanity and responsibility for caring for each other. Narcissists care only about themselves, if my several dictionaries have it right. Peter cares about all of us. That’s why he keeps expressing his concern for us with his art.
Sylvia Manning
Glover
‘Stale’ Bread
Dan Beaupré’s letter [Feedback: “Bread and Puffery,” September 13] describing Bread and Puppet Theater’s “stale narratives, tired tropes, in-jokes and all-too-simple answers to complicated problems” resonated with me more than I would like. This year was the first in many years that I did not drive out to see Bread and Puppet’s Sunday pageant, largely because of reports from trusted friends and from seeing videos of scenes that seemed hollow and insensitive — especially the one depicting Ukrainians’ struggle to defend their homeland as nothing more than a NATO “puppet state.”
The reason I and many others have loved Bread and Puppet all these years is not its politics but the poetic creativity by which it has turned politics (and much more) into beauty. The politics only had to be coherent and more or less defensible. With that no longer there, it’s fitting that Chelsea Edgar wrote an article that felt like a generous and heartfelt eulogy [“Circus of Life,” August 30]. Long live the Bread and Puppet of our memories.
Adrian Ivakhiv
Barre
‘Skateboarding Cultivates Community’
[Re “Skateboarders Cry Foul Over Bolton Valley’s Plan to Close Indoor Park,” September 20]: You wouldn’t expect a small, rural state like Vermont to be on the radar of the international skateboard community, and yet it has produced more than a few notable contributions to the wide world of skateboarding, thanks to a small number of shops, mentors and skate parks that foster what has become a thriving skateboard community. Talent Skatepark in Burlington is a fantastic example of what happens when you give folks of all ages, especially kids, a supportive place to skate year-round.
Skateboarding cultivates community, culture and unique personal development benefits that kids and adults in Vermont desperately need. Offering another indoor skate park alongside Talent is a great service that Bolton has proven it can provide. If it stops, will another indoor park pop up to fill the growing need? Will the kids trade in their skateboards for pickleball rackets? Unlikely.
Evan Litsios
Richmond
‘Support Vermont Families’
We in Vermont have been the fortunate beneficiaries of several substantial gifts from MacKenzie Scott’s charitable giving organization, Yield Giving. The most recent gift of $20 million to the Champlain Housing Trust will make a significant difference for Vermonters [“MacKenzie Scott Donates $20 Million to Champlain Housing Trust,” September 27].
Yet, as housing trust CEO Michael Monte notes, “With housing prices escalating in Vermont and nationwide, $20 million won’t solve northwestern Vermont’s housing problems. But it helps.” The issues facing Vermonters are complex and intertwined. While substantial charitable gifts are more than welcome, they are not enough. One powerful, effective financial tool we already have at our disposal is the federal tax system, which can immediately reduce child poverty and promote housing stability.
In 2021, an expansion of the Child Tax Credit dramatically reduced child poverty. New census data show that child poverty more than doubled when Congress allowed the expansion to expire. Now, with families again struggling to make ends meet, expanding the Child Tax Credit must be a top priority for Congress.
In addition, millions of American renters, including many Vermonters, can’t keep up with the high cost of rent. A Renter Tax Credit for rent-burdened households (those paying more than 30 percent of their total income for rent) would result in housing stability, fewer evictions and reduced homelessness.
Our elected representatives in Congress — Rep. Becca Balint, Sen. Peter Welch and Sen. Bernie Sanders — must do all they can to support Vermont families. We can’t afford to leave the work to others.
Julia Russell
Charlotte
Vermont vs. Virginia?
Reading [“Amid Soaring Construction Costs, Developers Consider Building Modular Homes,” September 6], I was amazed at the quoted costs. So I checked prices for some newly built houses in northern Virginia. They ranged between $300 and $400 per square foot. Townhouses went down to $250 per square foot. So I am curious as to why it costs so much more to build in Vermont than Virginia — and how much has to do with the building regulations in Vermont versus Virginia.
Robert Feuerstein
Ferrisburgh
Millers’ Tale
[Re Paid Post: “How UVM Health Network — Home Health & Hospice Makes the End of Life Worth Living,” September 20]: I know that Ernie Pomerleau arranged the Seven Days “native” article on UVM Home Health & Hospice/McClure Miller Respite House as a tribute to Holly and Bobby Miller. I just wanted to thank your staff for the very fine piece, which described the work Respite House does for the terminally ill and their families.
It is so fitting that Holly spent her last days in the kind of setting she and Bobby worked so hard to create. I hope that they are at rest together.
Kay Ryder
Shelburne
Related Stories
Pipe Dream? It’s Decision Time on Burlington’s Long-Simmering Proposal to Heat Buildings With Wood-Fired Steam
Inside Bread and Puppet Theater as Founder Peter Schumann, 89, Contemplates His Final Act
How UVM Health Network – Home Health & Hospice Makes the End of Life Worth Living
This article appears in Oct 4-10, 2023.
Got something to say?
Send a letter to the editor and we'll publish your feedback in print!