Sheelah Kolhatkar’s article, in the Feb. 5 issue of the New Yorker on the EB-5 debacle at Jay Peak was not news to those of us in Vermont. Yes, the piece outlined yet another example of a well-meaning program for depressed communities being usurped as a confidence game for personal gain. Stenger’s career in business runs the gambit of difficulty when capital is hard to come by, but hubris and carelessness when capital is easy to access.
The real story, however, was hiding in plain sight. The reason we knew about the EB-5 issue in Vermont is that it was brought to public awareness by VTDigger, a community-supported news outlet that sprang to life when for-profit media crumbled. VTDigger is not alone in keeping citizens informed and engaged. Vermont Public is an award-winning source for public radio and television stations devoted to local programming. Front Porch Forum provides free social networks for communities throughout the state. Hardwick Food Hub, dismissed by Kolhatkar based on data five years out of date, has doubled its capacity in the past two years allowing it to support more farm and food businesses, expand its workforce and access larger markets. All are committed to the vitality and sustainability of rural areas.
During a time when doom and hopelessness prevails, it is important to be reminded that there are those who are not seduced by easy fixes but rise to the challenges that face all of us. And inspire us to do the same.
Jason Cadwell
Shelburne
