The Bernie Buzz

It is no secret that Vermont and the entire nation are facing a mental health crisis. This crisis has been long-standing, but it has been exacerbated by the COVID pandemic – and all of the illness, fears, isolation, and disrupted school and work schedules that we have experienced. As a result, in the last few years, Americans have experienced an increase in anxiety and depression, drug and alcohol related deaths, death by suicide, and intimate partner violence.

Tucked into the foothills of Whitingham on the southernmost edge of Vermont, the Corse family have been stewards of their farmland since 1868. More than 150 years later, Leon Corse continues that long tradition today with his family’s dairy – where he himself grew up and later raised his own kids, Henry, Caleb, and Abbie. Today he runs the farm with his wife Linda and now their daughter Abbie as well.

Winter is around the corner and I know many of you are worried about your heating bills. The good news is that assistance is available to help you and your family stay safe and warm through this winter season.

Each Veterans Day, we pause to honor and remember the brave Vermonters, and our brothers and sisters across the country, who put on the uniform to keep our communities, our families, and our nation safe and protected. Vermont has a long and proud history of military service throughout U.S. history, dating all the way back to the Green Mountain Boys during the American Revolution. On Friday, we came together in St. Albans to commemorate that legacy and the extraordinary sacrifice of our veterans and their families.

But what many people don’t know is that in 1939, Rockwell moved to Arlington, Vermont with his wife Mary and their three sons. They were a part of the Arlington community for more than a decade, and it is there that Rockwell painted some of his best-known paintings, including his “Four Freedoms” and the majority of his “Main Street America” works. More than 200 local Vermonters modeled for and inspired Rockwell’s paintings during that time.

Since its construction at the turn of the 20th century, the Haskell Free Library and Opera House has prided itself in being a resource and community center for both communities on either side of our northern border. It provides books, shows, education resources, and a variety of programs in both English and French. It is a place where our Vermonters and their Canadian neighbors can connect and share culture and experiences with one another.