802 News with Mark Johnson

Send us a text Sen. Peter Welch says there are limits to what he can do to stop the "lawless and pretty cruel" policies of the Trump administration given that Democrats are in the minority in the U.S. Senate. "It's hard, it's dangerous, but these are the times we're in. And I think we've got to hang in."

Send us a text Burlington-based historian Garrett Graff discusses "Life Became Very Blurry," an oral history of the pandemic featuring interviews of Vermonters. The Vermont Historical Society initiated the project. 

Send us a text Burlington-based journalist and historian Garrett Graff says the country is at an "enormously dangerous moment" and has seen "the quick unraveling of many of the foundations" of American democracy since Donald Trump's return to the presidency in January. 

Send us a text A key Vermont official is worried federal cuts to Medicaid could hurt patients, rural hospitals, physician practices and nursing homes. Congress is considering cuts to the program which costs more than $2.2 billion a year in Vermont. DaShawn Groves is the commissioner of the Department of Vermont Health Access, which oversees the Medicaid program, which covers 172,000 Vermonters.  

Send us a text Attorney General Charity Clark discusses the court cases Vermont has joined alongside other states against the Trump administration. 

Send us a text Burlington Police Chief Jon Murad will step aside in April after almost five years running the department. He cited differing views on policing than Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak for why he's leaving. Murad said the new chief will face multiple challenges, including recruiting more officers to a department still affected by city leaders' "tremendously bad" decision...

Send us a text State Treasurer Mike Pieciak is promoting a program to wipe out medical debt for many low and moderate-income Vermonters. The proposal would also prevent medical debt from being included on an individual's credit report.

Send us a text The former eight-term senator discusses his accomplishments while in office, the presidents he served alongside, hip surgery, returning to Vermont and "the rock," his wife Marcelle. 

Send us a text Former Senator Patrick Leahy criticizes President Donald Trump's rampant misstatements, misguided pardons and cabinet nominees. Leahy also highlights some of his accomplishments during his 48-year Senate career. 

Send us a text Sue Wear has been helping families find their lost pets since 2013. She solved one of her most challenging canine cases recently, Ruby, a mixed breed rescue who was on her own for four months throughout Chittenden County before being humanely captured in December. 

Send us a text In December 1999, the Vermont Supreme Court ruled the state's prohibition on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional. In the Baker decision , the justices ordered the Legislature to either allow gay marriage or establish an alternative system to afford those rights. The Legislature created civil unions. Plaintiffs Stan Baker and Peter Harrigan discuss the ruling and the vitriol...

Send us a text In December 1999, the Vermont Supreme Court ruled the state's prohibition on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional. In the Baker decision , the justices ordered the Legislature to either allow gay marriage or establish an alternative system to afford those rights. The Legislature created civil unions. In part 1, plaintiffs Stan Baker and Peter Harrigan discuss the ruling and t...

Send us a text An internal survey found widespread dissatisfaction among Burlington Police officers. Officers feel overwhelmed -- still -- after the city council voted to reduce the force in 2020 soon after a Minneapolis police officer killed George Floyd. Burlington detectives Eric Dalla Mura and Padric Hartnett discuss the rank and file concerns, including public support for more police oversigh...

Send us a text Lawmakers responded to the property tax revolt and budget defeats earlier this year by forming the Commission on the Future of Public Education in Vermont. Chair Meagan Roy discusses some of the findings and funding ideas in the draft report  the commission will share with the Legislature next week. 

Send us a text Vermont is the 11th state to allow legalized sales of cannabis. James Pepper is the chair of the Cannabis Control Board which oversees regulation of the industry from seed to sale.

Send us a text Ginny Sweetser died by suicide after battling PTSD from her military service in Iraq. Her mother, Susan , is part of an effort to have wreaths placed at the gravesites of all Vermont veterans this holiday season. Click here to sponsor a wreath as part of the Wreaths Across America project.

Send us a text Singer-songwriter Jon Gailmor's musical impact on Vermonters has stretched across 45 years and been particularly profound on children through his long-running radio program "Just Kidding." Now 76 and facing health challenges, Jon is moving to New Orleans to be closer to family.  He promises to come back and visit the Green Mountains as often as possible.

Send us a text Owen Foster, the chair of the Green Mountain Care Board, discusses an analysis by Dr. Bruce Harmory that paints a bleak financial picture for many of the state's 14 hospitals and why health care reform is urgently needed.

Send us a text Progressive Emma Mulvaney-Stanak took over as mayor of Burlington in April with a focus on community safety. 

Send us a text University of Vermont Medical Center officials say the state's largest hospital costs more than $2 billlion to operate. UVMMC President Stephen Leffler points to Vermont’s older population as one major reason. The Green Mountain Care Board, which recently approved "painfully high" double-digit health insurance premiums for the third year in a row, wants to hold down h...

Send us a text Ellen Kahler, executive director of the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund, was recently inducted into the Vermont Agricultural Hall of Fame as an innovator for her work on the state's Farm to Plate program, which has benefited farmers and people by increasing the amount of local food consumed by Vermonters.

Send us a text Retired businessman and opinion writer Bill Schubart explains why he thinks Vermont's health care system is at a "tipping point" with costs rapidly rising and accessibility diminishing. A recent study by Rees Partners presented to the Green Mountain Care Board showed where savings could be achieved.

Send us a text Print and digital news outlets in Vermont are struggling financially. Seven Days reporter Colin Flanders discusses the in-depth analysis he and colleague Kevin McCallum conducted on the difficulties and efforts media sites are making to stay alive. 

Send us a text Historian/Journalist Garrett Graff of Burlington discusses why the crimes and coverup that led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon still resonate today. Graff is the author of "Watergate: A New History" that details the events and explains why the scandal has endured 50 years after Nixon stepped down in August of 1974.

Send us a text Historian Will Randall discusses past presidents who've faced the same pressure as Joe Biden to not run again. Some allies of the 81-year-old president have been concerned about his electability after a poor debate performance against Donald Trump. On Wednesday, Vermont Democrat Sen. Peter Welch said in Washington Post opinion piece that Biden should step aside.