Vermont Edition

Vermont’s school redistricting task force is wrapping up its work. It was charged with creating consolidated school district maps for the state. But what it’s come up with is pretty different from that original goal. Today on Vermont Edition: you’ll hear from a co-chair of the task force, Representative Edye Graning, and a member, Jay Badams. They’ll share their reasons for not pushing forced merg...

A new podcast from the nonprofit Green Mountain Justice shares the stories of people in our region who struggle with housing insecurity. They’ve had to live outside, in a shelter, or other temporary housing as they search for a more permanent and affordable home. "Voices from the Edge" features intimate interviews between its host, Tom Morgan , and his guests. Morgan founded the Addison County-bas...

It’s the second installment of our three-course November series on holiday food. Last week was appetizers. This week – main courses. If you love a traditional meal, we’ll learn about what Vermonters in the 1800s served on their Thanksgiving tables with Christine Scales, the director of education and interpretation at the Billings Farm Museum. Then we hear from chef and owner of a restaurant and in...

Vermont Edition heads to Grafton in Windham County for the latest installment in our monthly “Town by Town” series.  Grafton is known for its cross-country ski trails, its award-winning cheddar cheese, the centuries-old Grafton Inn, and its tight-knit community of longtime residents. Our guests include: Grafton News editor Wendy Martin ; lifelong Grafton resident Cynthia Gibbs ; Patrick Cooperman...

About 6% of Vermonters are veterans. That's nearly 39,000 people , as of 2023. Many veterans face mental and physical challenges because of experiences they had while serving. They often have to navigate complex legal systems to make sure they receive the benefits and services they’re entitled to. Ahead of Veterans Day, we learn about a few local programs that support veterans.  Misha Pemble-Belki...

It’s the first installment of our three part – or three course – series on food. Up first – appetizers. We’ll talk dips, dumplings, charcuterie and cheese. We get ideas for what to serve your guests this holiday season when we talk with Pete Colman , the founder of Vermont Salumi, which makes all kinds of cured meats, Cara Tobin , the chef and co-owner of two Burlington restaurants focused on Midd...

As a high school history teacher, Tyler Alexander is always trying to figure out how to make events like the Civil War feel relevant to young Vermonters. Well, what’s more relevant to teenagers than the frustrations of love? Alexander is the author of a new nonfiction book about the Civil War called " If I Can Get Home This Fall: A Story of Love, Loss, and a Cause in the Civil War ." It tells the...

What’s the story of the phrase Jeezum crow? How’s Vermont doing on composting? And why do people like the band Phish so much? These are just some of the questions taken on by the Vermont Public podcast Brave Little State over its 200 episodes. Today on Vermont Edition: we celebrate our homegrown podcast’s 200th episode. To mark the milestone, the Brave Little State team answered 20 questions in on...

We're one month into a government shutdown and the ramifications are being felt throughout the state. We're joined by joined by Congresswoman Becca Balint to talk about the shutdown and why she says Democrats should hold the line to extend ACA subsidies. Then, we continue our discussion and take listener questions on changes to health insurance with Mike Fisher and Marjorie Stinchcomb from Vermont...

Tomorrow evening, neighborhoods across our region will be infiltrated by ghosts, witches, princesses, superheroes and Louvre jewel thieves. It’s almost Halloween! Halloween brings out our crafty, creative sides. This time of year can also create a slight panic if you’ve waited too long to put together a costume for yourself or your kid. Thankfully, we've got a bunch of experts in the creative arts...

On Saturday, Oct. 18th, the world-famous cellist Yo-Yo Ma sat down on a folding chair in the grass near the banks of the Connecticut River. It was dawn in Hanover, New Hampshire, and mist was rising off the water. He took a deep breath, then began to play. This was "We Are Water," a special series of performances inspired by the waterways of the north. It was part of the reopening celebrations for...

Windham County author explores how the ultra-rich shape everyday life

Vermont and Maine are the only two states that allow incarcerated people to vote. A new report tells us what is and isn’t working about ballot access in Maine and Vermont prisons. Kristen Budd , a senior research analyst at the Sentencing Project, authored the report. Tim Burgess , executive director of VT CURE , voted in the 2006 and 2008 elections while he was incarcerated in Vermont. And Vermon...

The signs are all there – stick season is almost upon us. The skies are gray, the wind’s a blowin', and the leaves are dropping.  Despite the changing seasons, the gardeners among us are still busy, trouble shooting garden falls from the summer, prepping beds for the winter and bringing potted plants indoors.  For anyone with turnip trouble or potato problems, it's Vermont Edition’s annual fall ga...

October 30th marks the 30th anniversary of one of the most pivotal and divisive moments in Quebec history. On that day, Quebeckers held a referendum on whether or not to secede from Canada. The votes against independence won out by a tiny margin — 50.6% voted "no," while 49.4% voted yes. A new Léger poll shows that Quebecers' attitudes on sovereignty have shifted significantly in the last 30 years...

Both the University of Vermont and Middlebury College have new presidents: Marlene Tromp at UVM and Ian Baucom at Middlebury. These new leaders entered their role at a time of heightened federal scrutiny on higher education. Today on Vermont Edition, we’ll talk with these two new presidents of leading higher education institutions. We’ll hear about town-gown relations in both Burlington and Middle...

Vermont state senator Sam Douglass has resigned, effective today. He participated in a Young Republicans group chat that included racist, misogynist and antisemitic messages. Today on Vermont Edition: the fallout of the group chat in our region. Vermont GOP chair Paul Dame will comment on Douglass’s reputation as a lawmaker, his decision to resign, and political rhetoric in the state at large. The...

For Vermont Edition 's new monthly series, Town by Town, we’ll hone in on one of Vermont’s 252 towns or cities and talk to residents, share local history and lore, and learn about what it’s like to live there. At the end of the hour, a guest will help us randomly select our next town by spinning a big Wheel of Fortune style spinner. Today's show focused on Belvidere, in Lamoille County. At the tim...

Nearly 13,000 Vermonters aged 65 and older had Alzheimer’s disease as of 2020 — 10% of the state's over-65 population. Around each of those people orbits nurses, doctors, home health aides and family members who devote their lives to care.  The documentary " Walk With Me " by filmmaker and casting director Heidi Levitt tells the story of her husband Charlie Hess's early-onset Alzheimer's. The film...

Censorship, imagination and healing with Vermont's literary community

Birds to look out for this fall migration season

After nearly two weeks on the picket line, St. Albans dairy processors have signed a new contract with their employer, Dairy Farmers of America, based in Kansas. The St. Albans plant processes Vermont milk for vendors like Ben and Jerry’s, Cabot, and Kate’s Butter. We speak with Curtis Clough , president of Vermont Teamsters Local 597 union, tells us about the negotiations, strike and return to wo...

The federal government shutdown is entering its second week. Democrats say they’ll hold the line until health insurance subsidies are renewed. Today on Vermont Edition, Senator Peter Welch will share his perspective on the negotiations underway on Capitol Hill and why Democrats picked this moment to fight. Senator Welch says it’s because millions of Americans could see their health insurance premi...

'It's an equity issue': Gov. Phil Scott defends his return-to-office order

The New England Sacred Harp Convention is coming up in Burlington on Oct. 4th and 5th. Hundreds of singers will come together to celebrate one of the country’s oldest Christian music traditions.  But Sacred Harp goes beyond Christianity — all are welcome to sing. And this year, sacred harp aficionados are celebrating a brand new edition of their songbook . Anya Skibbe and Anna Mays share the histo...