Hurrah for Norwich Director of Public Works Andy Hodgdon for planting trees and to the Norwich Police Department for enforcing our laws. Boo to Tammy Ellis, a Vermont Agency of Transportation administrator, for the important things she omitted from her “brief history” of the corridor controversy and for those “higher ups” in the Vermont Agency of Transportation who occasionally regurgitate their “green book” rules without making an effort to solve problems. A raspberry too for columnist Jim Kenyon’s gratuitous remarks directed at Norwich townspeople under the guise of investigative reporting. If his derision of our community were less predictable, his work might be taken more seriously.
Over 20 years ago, the Vermont Agency of Transportation fought against implementing a safer design for the Ledyard Bridge. Fortunately, they lost that battle, but it took 15 years to paint a bicycle path on the road from the bridge to McKenna Road after Norwich had been assured by VAOT that a bicycle path was part of the plan. What happened to the Corridor Committee established in 1995 to promote and monitor progress on the implementation of the Corridor Master Plan? It is a good plan that was funded by a $400,000 federal grant obtained with the help of Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy. Some fraction was spent on developing the plan. What became of the rest?
The Norwich Town Plan of 2011, and the proposed draft for 2018 states, “The implementation of this plan has moved slowly over the years … Despite these setbacks, the town should retain the vision of this plan for future improvements in the corridor.” Moving slowly is an understatement!
Andy Hodgdon and Norwich Town Manager Herb Durfee attempted to implement a small portion of the plan. They may have inadvertently encroached on someone else’s turf but they deserve accolades for their efforts.
“The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago, the second best time is now.” — Anonymous
Dean Seibert
Norwich
Hagar as a Role Model
In a recent issue of your esteemed paper, I read the Forum letter from Stephen Raymond, who was expressing his opinion against including Hagar the Horrible in the comics section. I see his point about torture being something we should abhor, not consider humorous, but I disagree that this comic strip should be swept under the proverbial rug. Being partly of Swedish (maybe Viking) descent, I read the strip on a daily basis and do occasionally cringe at his really bad behavior. I realize that part of the cartoonist’s goal in his depictions of Hagar is to make it clear to us what constitutes bad behavior, with the implication that we should (as we make our way through life) eschew such behavior.
Think of the political cartoons that all newspapers worth their salt feature. Most put one politician or another in a bad light by depicting one bad behavior or another. Should we discontinue those because they make our politicos look bad? I don’t think so. They make us think about one issue or another better than most editorials.
So, please, Mr. Editor, continue to feature Hagar The Horrible, and maybe bring back The Wizard of Id.
Charles L. Russell
Lebanon
The Valley News has failed to publish a review of Dancing Lessons, currently playing at the Shaker Bridge Theatre in Enfield. For those of us who wait for the Valley News reviews to make our final decisions about which plays in the Upper Valley we want to see, this can be a significant handicap, and if it is a good play, also for the theater in question.
We feel very fortunate that we attended Dancing Lessons at the Shaker Bridge Theatre Dec. 8. The play is about an autistic man who asks an injured professional dancer to help him prepare for a formal event where he will receive an award and give an acceptance speech. What terrifies him is that he will have to shake hands, hug people and perhaps even take a short spin around the dance floor.
Reluctantly, the injured dancer takes him on and the two actors poignantly portray their developing relationship. It’s occasionally hilarious, but always sensitive.
The play received a prolonged standing ovation, and at least for us, was an unusually powerful theater experience. Performances will continue through Sunday.
David Berlew
Joan Kidder
Hanover
Need a New Tax Plan
Where is the Democratic tax plan to compare with the Republican plan so voters can see clearly the differences and decide what they really want?
Or the progressive tax plan?
Anything else!
Rik Sheridan
Corinth
U.S. Is No Longer a Mediator
By recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, our country has abandoned its posture as a potentially impartial mediator between Israel, the Palestinians and the moderate Arab world. In the past we have recognized the claims of both sides without adopting the position of either. From that stance we have been in a position to dampen conflict on innumerable occasions over many years. That has helped our country, and it has helped Israel.
Donald Trump is systematically unraveling the fabric of American international leadership, woven carefully by administrations of both political parties ever since World War II. If the most recent event — an obliteration of the 70-year cornerstone of our policy in the Middle East — is happening with full knowledge, it evidences a shocking preference for domestic political expedience over international order. If it is without deep understanding on our president’s part, which I tend to believe, it is reckless. In either case, it is deserving of the condemnation it will continue to receive from our former allies in Europe and the Arab World.
Arthur Gardiner
Hanover
I am wondering if anyone else was distracted, almost, but not quite, to the point of annoyance, by the unnecessary use of question marks in the “#MeToo Growing Pains” story in Monday’s paper? There seemed to be more used than were needed? Sometimes changing the nuance of meaning? No one appears to grammar check the stories before release? There … I’ve said my piece?
David Cooper
Hartland