Opinion

From Global to Local: Natural world’s gift economy has lessons for all

05-05-2025 7:00 AM

By H. PATRICIA HYNES

No one wrote more powerfully about humans’ poisoning the Earth and its consequences than biologist Rachel Carson — with a focus on one contaminant, the pesticide DDT. She traced its toxicity through the food chain of nature and the loss of beneficial insects and birds, and then warned of the ultimate destruction of the natural world. Other environmental writers of the time were perplexed by the tidal wave of impact “Silent Spring” had compared to their books: it was both the accuracy of her science and the powerful beauty of her science writing. The award-winning “Silent Spring” was translated into all the languages of the industrial world, influenced key environmental legislation and spurred the creation of the US EPA. It was a gift that kept on giving. That was 1962.


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My Turn: Protect voting for all eligible citizens

05-04-2025 10:34 PM

BY RANDI KLEIN

Americans’ voting rights are under assault from pending legislation and a presidential executive order. Led by the League of Women Voters (LWV) and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Americans are fighting back against attempts to make it harder for millions of eligible voters to have their voices heard.


My Turn: Choosing money over life brings trouble

05-04-2025 10:34 PM

By MARIAN KELNER

I am interested in the illusion of worth that money gives to individuals since money in and of itself is dead. It is comprised of metal or pieces of paper mixed with cloth. It is only the human agreement as to how much the paper or metal is worth that allows us to purchase objects with it. On the other hand, people, animals, plants, the earth are alive. We and they have inherent value. When people choose money over life, we are all in trouble.


Kathy Sylvester: Tim Hilchey known for dependable leadership

05-02-2025 4:04 PM

I am writing to express my full support for the re-election of Tim Hilchey to the DeerfieldSelectboard. As a former chair of the Community Preservation Committee and the Conservation Commission and a member of the Selectboard for the last three years, Tim has shown steady leadership, a deep commitment to our community and a genuine willingness to listen and act on the concerns of residents.


Virginia and Howard Hastings: Vote Brassor for Northfield Selectboard

05-02-2025 10:38 AM

Barbara Brassor is a win-win for Northfield. Growing up here, she attended Northfield schools, and spent decades serving in our community as town clerk, treasurer, tax collector and gave assistance with elections. Barbara is a loving grandmother, caring about the future of Northfield for our kids and grandkids. She is retired and ready to commit to the Selectboard with “common sense solutions.”


Susan Wright: Dan Campbell is best candidate for Northfield Selectboard

05-02-2025 10:38 AM

I am writing to express my strong support for Dan Campbell as the most qualified candidate to fill the vacant seat on the Northfield Selectboard. Dan has lived in Northfield for 35 years. He is conscientious and dedicated as evidenced by his long service to the town. As a member of the Finance Committee for over 20 years he possesses a deep understanding of our town and school budgets, our financial strengths and vulnerabilities and a keen awareness of the pressures and concerns of Northfield taxpayers. As town clerk for 10 years and assistant town clerk for two years, he knows the townspeople and has served as part of the excellent Town Hall employee team that our town administrator has built over the past several years.


Barry Pfannebecker: Hilchey works for all of Deerfield

05-02-2025 10:38 AM

Tim Hilchey has proved he works for all of Deerfield, not just a few of us. His credentials, accomplishments and commitment have been demonstrated over and over again.


Steve and Joan Stoia: Support Barbara Brassor for Select Board

05-02-2025 10:38 AM

On May 6, Northfield voters will fill a vacancy on the Select Board. Two candidates are running: Dan Campbell, who currently serves as assistant town clerk, chair of the Finance Committee, and is a former town clerk — and Barbara Brassor, a lifelong Northfield resident with a deep history of public service. Barbara has served as town clerk, treasurer, tax collector, and election official in Northfield, as well as town clerk in Bernardston for six years. We’re supporting Barbara Brassor, and here’s why.


Sarah Kerns: Brassor’s experience sets her apart

05-02-2025 10:38 AM

Northfield’s town election is on Tuesday and there is a race for Selectboard. I want to share some information about one of the candidates.


As I See It: For Democrats to survive, they must attack the oligarchs now

05-02-2025 10:34 AM

By JON HUER

News media reports are that Trump “bragged” about helping his billionaire donors take advantage (to the tune of $300 billion) in a suspected insider trading with his on-again, off-again tariff decisions. And America’s working poor have never seen such blatant and brazen in-your-face money grabbing by the rich oligarchs.


Ed Gregory: Industry away

05-01-2025 1:24 PM

I do believe emperor Donald Trump failed to factor in a couple of significant dynamics into his delusion of having sizeable industry return to the good ‘ole U.S. of A. I give you robotics and unions. Heavy manufacturing in our technical world incorporates industrial robots to do jobs that a great deal of humans once performed, and, new jobs are being roboticized daily. For those areas that may require people, unions will most likely be a component in the workplace.


Christine Heard: Love the semicolon

05-01-2025 1:24 PM

Thank you, Gene Stamell, for a wonderful My Turn column about my favorite punctuation, the semicolon! For many years I have edited my children’s writing and now that of my grandchildren, even friends and colleagues, all along educating them about the use of the semicolon to clarify and dress up a sentence, bringing crispness and elan to prose writing. You provided a great deal of information new to me about the semicolon’s history and current usage. I appreciate your amusing column which I do not find “rather trivial“; I love the semicolon!


Holly Lankowski: Wolfram has a plan

05-01-2025 1:24 PM

I have lived in Deerfield since 1977. Over the years we have had some hurdles with funding projects and lining up priorities. We seem to jump around with what order we have for town projects. We need a plan for all town projects, not just the campus center. We have some terrific new staff at the Town Hall. We need to focus on our needs to develop long-range goals of what we expect to accomplish in 5, 10, and 15 years. We need to use their expertise to guide us forward.


Kim Wolfram: Wolfram brings a legacy of service to Deerfield

05-01-2025 1:24 PM

On Nov. 7, 1964, my grandmother, Virginia (Tuttle) Wolfram, passed away at the age of 43, leaving nine children. My father buried her on his 12th birthday. The town of Deerfield gathered for her funeral, reflecting on her life of service and kindness. I have grown up hearing stories about that day and how she supported those in their times of need. Sixty years later, at my Aunt Mary (Wolfram) Stokarski’s funeral on Nov. 7, 2024, her legacy was reflected in familiar faces —family, teachers, firefighters, nurses, and neighbors — who make Deerfield proud. Like her mother, she lived with generosity and dedication to community, values that continue to guide our family.


Ava Gips: Examining Wolfram record

05-01-2025 1:24 PM

An April 28 letter to the editor makes claims about Deerfield that don’t hold up on closer examination [“Deerfield needs David Wolfram on Select Board”]. In particular, the letter addresses property tax increases and housing affordability.


My Turn: This is not who we are

05-01-2025 1:20 PM

By POLLY BYERS

In the three months since President Trump took office, we have seen an unprecedented upheaval of the norms and principles that are foundational to who we are as a nation and a people. Of the myriad devastating impacts resulting from the chaotic behavior of the current Administration, the effort to disparage, dismantle and defund the institutions of America’s international leadership and engagement is most strikingly at odds with America’s fundamental values and what it has long stood for — a reliable partner, a country of opportunity and hope, and a beacon to those seeking a better life.


My Turn: A message for young Americans

04-30-2025 11:56 AM

By DANIEL A. BROWN

While attending the April 5 “Hands-Off” rally in Santa Fe along with 2,000 others, I couldn’t help noticing that many of us were long in the tooth which inspired some humorous conversations along the lines of “Ain’t you sick and tired of doing this?” My first protest rally was in 1966, so yeah. Plus, I’m still waiting for my check from George Soros.


Joseph Podlesny: Tim Hilchey for Select Board

04-30-2025 11:55 AM

Regarding the upcoming election for Select Board in Deerfield, and in response to a public statement seeking to make one particular claim tying tax increases to Select Board members. The Select Board doesn’t raise taxes. The citizens vote at Town Meeting to approve projects, like the sewer plant and the library- that raise taxes. Housing values have skyrocketed in the past 5 years which has increased taxes, while the Select Board has actually reduced the tax rate. To imply that one Select Board member is responsible for tax increases is perhaps not a completely informed suggestion. I’ve also learned that Tim Hilchey has assisted in bringing in millions of dollars in grants to pay for much needed improvements to the sidewalks which everyone was complaining about, a beautiful parking lot with high speed EV chargers which bring people to town who spend their money while waiting to charge their EV, and worked tirelessly to get money to rehab the old senior center to make new town offices without spending any local tax dollars. Tim has shown himself to be resourceful and hard working for our town. To blame him for tax increases is a false argument, and does not do justice to a man who has done so much for our town. To quote Tim Hilchey: “I’m a guy who likes to get things done, and I enjoy it.” OK, sounds good to me. And just to be clear — I am grateful that we have two good candidates to choose from, both of whom have served the community. We live in a great place here, and it’s great to see more and more citizens interested and involved.


Robin Whitcomb: Proud of Greenfield

04-30-2025 11:55 AM

When people in your community are having their civil rights challenged and taken away and they call on you to help, you step up and help. It’s basic humanity and it’s caring about your neighbors, coworkers, friends and family. The resolution for Greenfield to become a safe city (also known as sanctuary city) for transgender and gender diverse people is just that, an answer to the call for help and support. Unless you are part of that community or know people who are part of that community, you probably don’t realize the extent of the assault that is happening right now on their everyday lives. It’s not their responsibility to educate you, but if you’re going to argue against Greenfield becoming a safe city for them, you should step up and educate yourselves.


Eve Brown-Waite: Why are we bombing Yemen?

04-30-2025 11:55 AM

There have been a lot of questions about how a former Fox TV host may have mangled the handling of sensitive (if not classified) military information regarding the bombing of Yemen. But there are other questions that are raised by this incident. Why are we bombing Yemen? Is that really helping anybody? If so, who? What is our interest in all of this and how many Yemenis is America willing to sacrifice for this interest? Should we maybe be discussing these questions as well?


Your Daily Puzzles

Cross|Word

An approachable redesign to a classic. Explore our "hints."

Flipart

A quick daily flip. Finally, someone cracked the code on digital jigsaw puzzles.

Really Bad Chess

Chess but with chaos: Every day is a unique, wacky board.

SpellTower

Word search but as a strategy game. Clearing the board feels really good.

Typeshift

Align the letters in just the right way to spell a word. And then more words.


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