802 News with Mark Johnson

Send us a text Doris Sumner is the author of "Camp Life: Combating the Sexism We Tolerate and Why the Military Should Take the Lead."  She served in the military for 36 years in several capacities, including as State Equal Opportunity and Diversity Manager for the Vermont National Guard. 

Send us a text Lawmakers will try later this month to overturn Gov. Phil Scott's veto of a bill allowing for the creation of an Overdose Prevention Center in Burlington.  Ed Baker ,  a retired psychotherapist, and David Mickenberg of the Drug Policy Alliance discuss how the center would save lives and reduce the strain on emergency workers.  

Send us a text Ashley Van Zandt, a mother of two from Lyndonville, suffered from an unusual aftereffect from Covid that left most foods tasting and smelling like "moldy garbage" or the "bottom of your compost bucket" for a year until she tried a radical treatment in Texas.

Send us a text The head of the coalition of Vermont's free health care clinics says: "More people falling through the cracks into the safety net is indicative of a system that is failing." Olivia Sharrow blames "out of control hospital costs" for the rise in uninsured and underinsured people seeking help at the state's nine free clinics. 

Send us a text State Treasurer Mike Pieciak was elected in 2022. Before that he served as Commissioner of the Department of Financial Regulation, where he played a key role in the state's Covid response and helped untangle the Ponzi-like fraud at Jay Peak. Part of his job as treasurer includes overseeing the Unclaimed Property Division , from where I received my $29 check. 

Send us a text UVM History Department senior lecturer Andrew Buchanan discusses why it's important to look at what happened before 1941 and after 1945 to understand the full implications of World War II... even to today. 

Send us a text Auditor of Accounts Doug Hoffer has released a 69-page report on the role of state officials in the EB-5 ponzi scheme scandal. Three developers, Ariel Quiros, Bill Stenger and William Kelly were sentenced to jail in connection with the fraud. 

Send us a text Ten years ago, Vermont documentary filmmaker Bess O'Brien put the spotlight on opioid addiction in "The Hungry Heart." Now, she aims to raise awareness about Vermonters facing food and housing insecurity in "Just Getting By." The film tours from March 22 - April 12 throughout the state .

Send us a text Dan Daltry served as a contact tracer for the Vermont Department of Health in the frightening early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic, which was declared a national emergency four years ago. Daltry, an infectious disease program manager, has worked for the department since 2006.  This interview will also appear as part of the Vermont Historical Society's oral history project on t...

Send us a text Lawmakers and Vermonters are bracing ahead of Town Meeting Day over potentially staggering increases in education property taxes. 

Send us a text Howard Center helps people and communities by providing services to address mental health, substance use, and developmental needs. Beth Holden, Chief of Client Services, Dan Hall, Director of Outpatient Services, and Dr. Heidi Melbostad, Director of the Chittenden Clinic discuss some of the challenges clients and the Burlington-based organization are facing.

Send us a text Northeast Kingdom developer Bill Stenger served jail time in connection with the EB-5 scandal that rocked Vermont. The Newport businessman led the effort to raise more than $400 million from foreign investors to fund projects in Jay, Burke and Newport. In Part 2 of "Fall from Grace," Stenger discusses his culpability, remorse and post-prison efforts to help see some of unf...

Send us a text Northeast Kingdom developer Bill Stenger served jail time in connection with the EB-5 scandal that rocked Vermont.  The Newport businessman led the effort to raise more than $400 million from foreign investors to fund projects in Jay, Burke and Newport. In part 1 of "Fall from Grace," Stenger discusses his 9 months at a Massachusetts prison and his relationship with busine...

Send us a text Michael Monte, the executive director of Champlain Housing Trust, discusses the complex challenges to create affordable housing and the recent surge of homeless people in Vermont.

Send us a text Lindsay DesLauriers, president of Bolton Valley , discusses her family's history owning the Chittenden County site and some of the challenges of being an independent ski operation. 

Send us a text Former Ambassador Skip Vallee talks about the suicide of his 27-year-old son, Charlie , and the foundation the family started for research on Long Covid.

Send us a text House Speaker Jill Krowinski, D-Burlington, discusses priorities and goals for the second half of the 2023-2024 biennium.

Send us a text Senate President Pro Tem Phil Baruth, D/P-Chittenden Central, discusses goals for the second half of the legislative biennium starting January 3, as well as accomplishments in 2023.

Send us a text Ken Squier, the voice of NASCAR motor racing and owner of WDEV Radio, died two weeks ago at the age of 88. 

Send us a text Former Gov. Jim Douglas discusses the lawsuit against Middlebury College leaders for removing the Mead Memorial Chapel sign in 2021. 

Send us a text Democrat Joan Shannon is running for mayor.  She's served on the City Council for 20 years.

Send us a text Emma Mulvaney-Stanak is running for mayor in Burlington as a Progressive.

Send us a text Democrat Karen Paul has entered the race for mayor. Paul has been on the City Council since 2008 and serves as its president.

Send us a text Madeleine Kunin, the only woman to serve as governor of Vermont,  just turned 90. She talks about her extraordinary life, love and loss. 

Send us a text The opioid crisis is taking its toll on Burlington Fire Department medical response personnel. How close are they to the breaking point?