Vermont Edition

In Vermont author Amy Klinger's new novel, unlikely connections abound between softball players, migrant farm workers, an experimental art sculptor--and a Scarecrow Jesus. Klinger joins guest host Mitch Wertlieb to talk about about her book Ducks on the Pond . At turns darkly comic and dramatically poignant, it's a story of people from wildly different backgrounds and circumstances trying to find...

The neon street sign. The Phish memorabilia. The gravy fries. The iconic stage. For those who loved Nectar’s restaurant, bar and music venue in Burlington, these were the hallmarks of a good time for nearly 50 years. We’ll relive Nectar’s storied history with Seven Days music editor Chris Farnsworth and what the closure of one Burlington music club signals about the local music scene in our region...

Every summer, the Vermont Edition team heads to a local fair for a special live broadcast, and this year we chose the Vermont State Fair in Rutland.  Our team set up shop right by the milking parlor at the fairgrounds as the food was getting fried, the kids were gearing up for the 4H competitions, and the rides were getting ready to provide the ambiance of summer fun.  We spoke with the fair's pre...

The use of artificial intelligence for therapy is growing, including for minors. AI makes therapy more accessible. But clinicians want to make sure kids get medically sound advice and stay safe. We weigh the pros and cons of this mental health approach with Dr. Steven Schlozman , the chief of child psychiatry at the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington, as well as an associate profes...

Today on Vermont Edition, we'll talk with climate writer and activist Bill McKibben of Ripton. In his new book, he makes the case for solar power as the cheapest energy source on the planet. And he says it’s time to stop thinking of solar as “alternative energy” and bring it into the mainstream. Then, programs to support Vermont veterans have lost staff due to cuts in federal funding this summer....

How today's college students navigate romance in a digital age

Town by town: The 251 Club

In Vermont, annual precipitation has increased six inches since the 1960s. That, plus the state’s steep terrain, make Vermont a laboratory for the study of intense rainfall and flooding. Today on Vermont Edition, The New Yorker magazine staff writer John Seabrook explores how Vermont manages its rivers in his latest article. He sees scientists, land use planners and policymakers breaking away from...

Canada and the U.S. are in an intense period of negotiations over a trade deal. Many Canadians are boycotting the States this summer over President Trump’s policies and 51st state rhetoric. We talk with Shawn Appell , host of our sister show on the CBC, Radio Noon in Québec, about what he's hearing from his listenership regarding their feelings on travelling to Quebec in the age of Trump.  Then, d...

Money runs out to pay federal defense lawyers, and Champlain College hones in on cybersecurity

Today on the show, we explore the sibling dynamic, and how some families have multiple high achieving kids. Susan Dominus is a staff writer at The New York Times Magazine. Her new book, “The Family Dynamic,” looks at classic sibling examples, like the Bronte sisters, and modern ones.  We’ll talk with two New Hampshire sisters featured in the new book – Olympic triathlete Sarah True and renowned no...

Tourism-heavy towns often have a lot of AirBnBs per capita. Some towns, like Londonderry, are putting stricter rules in place on short-term rentals. Their goal, in large part, is to maintain housing for full-time residents — Vermont has a housing shortage , after all. But some short-term rental owners think the new rules are too strict and end up hurting the local economy. Vermont Public reporter...

For 29 years, Robert Resnik celebrated folk and world music as the host of the Vermont Public music show All the Traditions. He passed away earlier this week.  Through his show, he elevated local musicians and introduced listeners to new sounds and styles. He was also a musician himself and played more than two dozen instruments. We’ll share memories with friends, fellow musicians, and our listene...

Vermont state symbols and how they came to be

Love 'em or hate 'em, jam bands have infiltrated our culture and forever changed the music industry. There’s the Grateful Dead and Phish, but also Widespread Panic, The String Cheese Incident, and The Dave Matthews Band. Author Mike Ayers joins Mikaela to talk about his new oral history which chronicles the rise of the jam band genre in the 1990s, and the culture that surrounded them. It's called...

Last year, Vermont became just the second state in the nation to ban a type of pesticides called neonicotinoids. Now, that ban is going into effect.  Many farmers use these treated seeds to keep pests away, but pollutes water and hurts fragile pollinator populations, like honey bees. The Vermont state government is in charge of enforcing this ban. It also has a role in determining exemptions. Who...

To make a feature film, you don’t have to move to Hollywood. It might take a little more resourcefulness, but you can do it right here in our region. Three local film professionals join Vermont Edition to talk about their latest projects: Chad Ervin , president of the Vermont Production Collective and director of the documentary Gone Guys ; Emma Schlenoff , producer of The Obelisk and a Vermont Pr...

Many longtime educators understand that the traditional one-size-fits-all approach to teaching is not always effective. There are different types of learners with unique needs. Landmark College in Putney is designed for students who learn differently, like those with dyslexia, autism, or ADHD. The college marks its 40th anniversary this fall, and its new president Jim Dlugos is optimistic about it...

Sunil "Sunny" Eappen is the president and CEO of the University of Vermont Health Network. It’s the largest hospital system in Vermont where health insurance premiums are among the highest in the country. We talk with Dr. Eappen about why that is, and the role hospitals play in setting health care costs. He also discusses how he’s thinking about the hospital system’s budget for the coming year.

President Trump’s new travel ban is in effect. For a month now, people from 12 countries have been barred from entering the U.S., including Afghanistan, Burma and Eritrea. Seven other countries are partially banned, and the President has floated the idea of banning several more. We’ll hear how the travel ban affects refugees, green card holders, international students and others in our region. joi...

A good jingle is short, catchy and teaches you a business name or phone number that you can't get out of your head — maybe even for years. This hour we celebrate the art of the local jingle. We from some jingle writers who have written some legendary earworms. Jim Giberty is based in Bethel and wrote ads for local ski areas, as well as some broader New England gems, most notable, The Lobster Claw...

Scientists try to restore American chestnut trees to the northeast

Vermont marks the anniversary of the 2023 and 2024 summer floods

State Senators Seth Bongartz (D-Bennington) and Scott Beck (R-Caledonia) are the subject of an ethics complaint that alleges their ties to independent schools influenced their work on Vermont's big education reform bill.  Vermont Public reporter Lola Duffort has been closely following the education reform process and this ethics complaint. We also explore the process of investigating alleged ethic...

Who wants to turn on the stove and cook dinner this time of year when you could stop by a local snack bar instead? Eating out at these seasonal restaurants is a beloved summer tradition in our region. Seven Days food writer and editor Melissa Pasanen shares some of her favorite snack menu items, like the smash burgers from Gondola's Snack Bar in Morristown and the hand cut fries at Green Meadows G...