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by Guy Page
Israel can only be secure if there is also an independent Palestinian state, Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT) told the Senate September 19 in introducing his resolution for a “two state solution” to the war in Gaza.
Welch and seven other senators called on President Trump to recognize a Palestinian State. The resolution—the first of its kind in the United States Senate—calls for U.S. recognition of a demilitarized Palestinian State alongside a secure Israel, in accordance with international law and the principles of a two-state solution.
The move accompanies similar calls by Australia, Canada and other nations for a Palestinian state, in response to the ongoing war in Gaza that began when Hamas attacked Israel in October, 2023, killing more than 1000 civilians and soldiers and taking many Israelis hostage. The Israeli government claims that it can never be secure as long as Hamas is able to prepare another attack.
“I am deeply committed to a safe, secure, democratic Israel. But this outcome is only possible if there is also an independent, demilitarized, and sovereign Palestinian state,” Welch said in remarks on the Senate floor September 19.
All three comments on Welch’s X page were opposed. “Long story short; you refuse to accept the fact that current Palestinian leadership thru bribery and/or coercion accepted Hamas militants into the general Palestinian population where the Islamist militants continue to co-exist (hide among) with the peaceful Palestinian people,” one reader said.
VPIRG pushes ‘plug-in’ solar law
The Vermont Public Interest Research Group (VPIRG) has launched a campaign calling for legislation to enable the home use of portable, plug-in solar in Vermont.
“These aren’t your typical rooftop arrays,” VPIRG said in a campaign statement. “We’re talking about small, affordable, portable systems that you can set up on your porch, patio, balcony, or sunny patch of lawn – then you just plug them directly into a standard electrical outlet.”
The group argues that current Vermont rules for connecting generation to the grid were designed for larger systems and create unnecessary costs and red tape for small-scale plug-ins.
Proposed legislation would:
- Establish a “Right to Plug In” so households can connect certified systems without costly applications or fees.
- Allow homeowners to simply notify their utility at no cost, plug into an exterior outlet, and go.
- Support systems that include battery backup for use during power outages.
Windham school bus drivers ratify contract
Teamsters Local 597, the union for bus drivers and monitors at the Windham Southeast School District, voted unanimously this week to ratify a new five-year agreement.
According to the union, the new contract delivers increased wages, stronger retirement and health care benefits, and key picket line protection language.
“This group has been put through a lot by the company, yet they stood strong throughout, and now they finally have a deal they deserve,” said Curtis Clough, President of Local 597. “It was a hard-fought battle, and I couldn’t be prouder of our members. Perseverance pays off and this contract is a testament to solidarity.”
A lockout kept workers away from their jobs for 12 days last month. Workers will gain an increase of over 20 percent in wages, as well as increased longevity and attendance bonuses for drivers.
“This was not an easy fight, and it only goes to show that when Teamsters stand united there is nothing that can stop us from getting the contracts we deserve,” said Bobby Powers, a bus driver and member of Local 597. “I’m glad we can go back to doing what we love.”
Chartered in 1939, Teamsters Local 597 represents workers in trades such as small package, fuel and freight delivery, dairy processing, warehousing, security, policing, school and public busing, dispatching, hardware sales, laboratory tech, and maintenance. For more information, visit teamsterslocal597.net.
EPA to host Pike Hill Copper Mine cleanup meeting
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is hosting a public information meeting tonight at 7 p.m. at the Corinth Town Hall in Cookeville to discuss cleanup activities at the Pike Hill Copper Mine Superfund Site, the Journal-Opinion reports.
EPA will provide updates on Phase 1 work completed during the 2024 and 2025 construction seasons, as well as planning for Phase 2 construction activities.
This is the first public informational meeting in a year.
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Categories: SHORTS
How can the US recognize a Country that does not exist? Another Democrat push that is ignoring the needs of Vermonters. Are there safety concerns about the plug in solar as there is with emergency generators?
Re: VPIRG: As long as the ‘plug-in’ regulations don’t include tax subsidies for various vendors or limit the liability on the vendor or manufacturer, eliminating regulation is a good idea.
Final call: Trust but verify the legislation… before the Governor signs it.
I’m shocked, who would have ever thought Welch and VPIRG would take such a stand, so out of character, what is happening to this world?
Will Bernie and Bailant have the courage to follow his foots steps?
More Vermont solar math:
Let’s say the panel generates 300 W DC. It has to have its own inverter to convert to AC to backfeed the circuit and its breaker. With no conversion or other losses, the homeowner gets 10 hours of full sun on a summer day and puts that back into his or her home. That’s 300W x 10 hrs, = 3000 Hrs, or 3 kWh. At $.20/kWh retail, that’s $0.60 per full summer sun day saved from the homeowner’s bill. Max out production with a rainless August, saying 30 days/mo of full sun: That’s 30days x $.60 = $18/month, maximum return.
Now, let’s be stupidly generous and assume you get those optimal conditions all year, without a day of rain. $18 x12 months = $216/year return, max, full sun, no rain, California latitude.
Now be VT realistic, with clouds, rain, declination, and seasonality of day length, and still generous, and cut that number in half. Simple payback is $108/year per 300W panel. Retail.
And you want battery systems (more expensive, of course), you need to make sure they don’t backfeed the grid during a power outage (“islanding”) which can be fatal to line workers who are working to restore power.
And how much do these cost upfront?
And this is what VPIRG is prioritizing. And the legislature is tirelessly working on.
Very well said Tyler !
So, according to your own math, if you had 10 of these panels, that would be over $1,000/year off of your electric bill. Who wouldn’t want to save $1,000? And, they’re maintenance free, and last over 20 years. My rooftop panels have zeroed out my Green mountain power bill every year for 12 years and still producing like year one.
They work great, when you have massive subsidies, to buy the units, install the units and get paid a premium for the electricity they produce. Yeah, they work great on tax payer subsidies…..just like affordable housing, just like healthcare, just like our educational system when you have a blank check written by the taxpayer it’s amazing how well things work.
When it’s your own dollar, perhaps not so easily.
Yes, Brian, what you are referring to is a SOLAR ARRAY – power at scale, with just one point of entry into the breaker bar, on a specified, dedicated circuit. Which is fine. Many such arrays are already in place, and like yours, safely working well.
But to try to plug 10 of these individual panels into a house’s existing electrical infrastructure is untenable for most (How many ground fault protected outlets do you have outside your home, preferably on the (unshaded) south side?), and potentially dangerous. And of dubious value other than as a virtue signal.
So IF Palestine gets its own state, will our delegation and these supporting countries condemn that state when they start lobbing rockets into Israel again?
Will they still consider Hamas terrorists even if they are the elected leaders? I doubt either. The blood is on them.
My perspective is that the Vermonters that support his position and statements could not answer the question of what happened on October 7th
A Palestinian state simply can’t be achieved. To many factions two of which seek total annihilation of Isreal and other factions as well. Not feasible.
It is a battle between the weapons of God and the weapons of Mohamed