Vermont Edition

During the current cold snap, many Vermonters are able to take comfort in their wood stoves or heating systems. Others aren’t so lucky. A growing number of people without permanent housing are living outside during the depths of winter. Vermont has had a high rate of homelessness ever since the pandemic — one of the highest rates in the country . The state used to pay a lot of money to house peopl...

Bernie Sanders is one of our country’s most famous senators. He’s run for president, has stood up to oligarchs, and even became a mitten-wearing meme. Before all that, he was Mayor Sanders, of Burlington, where he served from 1981 to 1989. A new book, Bernie for Burlington: The Rise of the People's Politician , covers that pivotal time of change in the Queen City. The author, poet and professor Da...

Last week, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney described the U.S.'s current posture towards its trade allies as a "rupture." U.S. President Donald Trump fired back, threatening new tariffs on its northern neighbor. Carney's speech at the World Economic Forum is viewed by many as a landmark moment in the rapidly shifting relationship between the U.S., Canada, and the international community writ la...

During the legislative session, Vermont’s Statehouse is usually full of heated debate, gaveling and other sounds of lawmaking. But on Wednesday nights, legislators cede the dais to musicians and artists for the Farmers Night series. David Schutz , Vermont’s longtime state curator, joins Vermont Edition to look back at the origins of the series. Rep. Mary-Katherine Stone (D-Burlington) shares a pre...

Vermont’s state legislators remain divided on the need for mandated district consolidation.

More than 12,000 Vermonters make their living as farmers. 41% percent of them are women. And while you can read lots of the articles about the agricultural industry, sometimes the best way to really capture a changing industry is through a photograph.  The work of our region’s female farmers has been memorialized in black-and-white by the Plymouth-based photographer JuanCarlos Gonzalez . His serie...

There are a few different types of people when it comes to winter. There are migrators — the snowbirds, the Florida folk. There's the active bunch — the ones who, when you complain about winter, they cry out, "But have you even tried cross country skiing?" And then there are the hibernators — the bookworms, stew cookers, knitters and tea drinkers. Animals' winter survival strategies fall along sim...

Mental health struggles and high suicide rates in the construction industry

Each month, Vermont Edition takes a deep dive into one Vermont town or city and learns what makes it special. At the end of the hour, a guest helps us randomly select our next location by spinning our big colorful county wheel .  For the latest in our Town by Town series, we head to Swanton , in Franklin County, for a live broadcast from the Swanton Public Library. Swanton is known for the Missisq...

Over the past year, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has made many changes in federal health guidelines. Some of his biggest shakeups relate to vaccinations. Last week the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – the CDC – scaled back its childhood vaccine guidelines for six different immunizations, including flu and RSV . This hour we’re joined by Vermont’s He...

Ski season is not immune to the impacts of climate change. This seasonal activity and other outdoor leisure activities will require adaptation to withstand warming Northeast winters.  Dr. Caitlin Hicks Pries , associate professor of biological sciences at Dartmouth College, discusses her research on the surprising ecosystem impacts of snow loss. The Appalachian Mountain Club has also been studying...

This legislative session, lawmakers are working on addressing the state’s housing shortage by continuing to reform the state's permitting and land use laws. This work began in 2024 with the passage of Act 181 , which made significant changes to Vermont's signature land use law, known as Act 250. Act 181 divides the state into three tiers, each with different requirements for development. The new l...

Plus, a conversation with Green Mountain Care Board's Owen Foster 

Publishing a book can take many forms. Some may be published with large corporations in New York City while other books are self-published. Another option for writers to consider is publishing with a small, independent press.  Samantha Kolber , owner and publisher of Rootstock Publishing in Montpelier, and Dede Cummings , owner and publisher of Green Writers Press in Brattleboro, tell us about the...

Vermont’s state lawmakers are back in Montpelier for the new legislative session. They’ll pick up where they left off last June: trying to reform education, lower property taxes and make health care more affordable and accessible. Today on Vermont Edition, we're live from inside the golden dome of the Vermont Statehouse. First, we'll check in with legislative leaders Democratic Senate President Pr...

Following the US attack on Venezuela and the capture of it's president and first lady, we're joined by Rep. Becca Balint to get her thoughts on what's transpired and what's ahead. We are also joined by Vermont State Rep. Troy Headrick , an Independent, who has introduced legislation related to the state's involvement in Federal deployment of the Vermont Air National Guard. We'll also hear from a p...

On this last day of the year, we’re following up on three Vermont Public stories from 2025. We hear from Vermont Public’s Nina Keck about her consistent reporting on adult day programs throughout the state. We also sit down with Father Brian Cummings of Saint Anne’s Shrine. Father Brian was in Rome this past April when Pope Francis passed away. We spoke to him the very day the new conclave began,...

"Decision Making in the Age of Plastics"

The city of Rutland sometimes gets a bad rap, but residents say there’s a side of the city that people often overlook. The team at Brave Little State recently solicited questions from a live event in Rutland and the winning question centers on why Rutland is made to feel like the ugly child .

The American Chestnut tree once dominated forests in the Eastern US. That is, until a blight nearly wiped it out. Now, scientists and volunteers are trying to bring back these towering trees. Today on Vermont Edition, we’ll listen back to a show from this summer about chestnut restoration efforts in the Northeast. Scientists are developing and planting blight-resistant American chestnuts around ou...

Vermont’s Air National Guard and F-35A fighter jets have arrived in Puerto Rico . They’ve been deployed as part of Operation Southern Spear — a build-up of U.S. forces in the region targeting Venezuela and the Maduro regime. Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT) joins us to weigh in on the deployment. He’s spoken out against President Donald Trump’s actions against Venezuela. Stephon Boatwright , a St. Michael’...

An advocate for people experiencing homelessness. A folk singer, beloved by adults and children alike. A devoted mother who founded a food pantry. A poet. A professor. A Peace Corps volunteer. Today on Vermont Edition, we honor some of the remarkable people from our communities who died in 2025. You’ll hear from their friends, family members, colleagues, and admirers. We’ll also share calls and em...

2025 was a landmark year for the genre-bending singer-songwriter Neko Case. She released a new album, " Neon Grey Midnight Green ," and published a memoir, The Harder I Fight The More I Love You . In both, she uses her singular voice to weave together personal stories, the sounds of a diverse musical community and her abundant respect for the natural world. Case has deep roots in Vermont. She spen...

Today on Vermont Edition: it’s the latest in our monthly series, Town By Town. Each month we spend an hour learning about a randomly selected town or city in Vermont.  Today it’s Berlin, in Washington County. You’ll hear from three residents with deep roots, including a local author and the president of the town historical society! We’ll also visit the longstanding Wayside restaurant.  Broadcast l...

The Winooski School District’s superintendent, Wilmer Chavarria , has emerged this year as an outspoken advocate for immigrant families in his city, which is the most diverse municipality in Vermont. Chavarria first made national headlines this summer after he was detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Texas after visiting family in Nicaragua. Last week he testified on Capitol Hill abou...