Vermont Edition

Among DOGE's federal funding cuts, tariffs, and proposed cuts to Medicaid, there is a lot of change happening in the federal budget. Vermont State Treasurer Mike Pieciak, Senate minority leader Scott Beck, and a recently-fired USDA worker give us their thoughts.

Romantasy books are booming. Vermont authors and readers understand the appeal.

Across Vermont, Black entrepreneurs are running successful businesses that serve both Black Vermonters and the broader population. This is the third installment of our Black History Month series, where we explore different aspects of Black life in our region. They discuss the ups and downs of being entrepreneurs.Leroy Nedd, owner of Hair R Us in Burlington, specializes in wigs, weaves, extensions, and other hair products. Restaurateur Leslie McCrorey Wells co-owns Sotto Enoteca, Pizzeria Verita, and Trattoria Delia in Burlington, as well as Lovestock Farm in Grand Isle. She has served on numerous boards, including the University of Vermont’s Fleming Museum of Art, the Flynn Center, the Intervale, and a three-year appointment on Vermont’s Future of Agriculture Commission. BJ Robertson also joins the conversation. After playing basketball in high school and college in Vermont, as well as for the Vermont Frost Heaves, he founded Blueprint Basketball, a mentorship and training program for young athletes.

In January, a U.S. Border Patrol agent was shot and killed in Coventry during a routine traffic stop. Two others were shot, and two people died. In the weeks since, it has emerged that those involved were followers of a fringe ideology known as Zizianism, which has been linked to multiple killings across several states. VTDigger’s Peter D’Auria and his colleagues have been covering the shooting, its aftermath, and the broader connections that have emerged.

In the name of government efficiency and cutting foreign spending, the Trump administration is freezing funds and furloughing workers at many federal agencies. Billions of dollars and hundreds of thousands of jobs are at stake. Leaders of organizations in our region that receive federal funding join us to discuss the local impact.We’ll hear about the major changes to institutions like USAID when we speak with Eric Postel* of Bennington, a Senior Advisor at DAI, Inc., and a USAID political appointee during the Obama and Biden administrations, and Nazgul Abdrazakova, President and CEO of Resonance Global, based in Winooski. Their organizations both receive USAID funding. The Vermont Afghan Alliance receives funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to support Afghan refugee resettlement. Executive director Molly Gray and Yassin Hashimi, who leads the organization's employment program, explain the uncertainty caused by the funding cuts. Then, we're joined by Jack Glaser, a local biomedical researcher whose organization, MBF Bioscience in Williston, receives federal grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). *Eric Postel spoke to Vermont Edition a personal capacity and not on behalf of DAI, Inc.Broadcast live on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.Have questions, comments, or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

Forget the flowers and candy — let's shine a light on our friends!

It's been nearly a month since President Trump has taken office, and he's moved quickly in implementing some big changes in the Federal Government. On today's show, we hear from Vermont elected officials about their reaction to the Trump administration's early days, and what they're doing in response. First, we'll hear from Senator Bernie Sanders. Then, a conversation with Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark and Solicitor General Jonathan Rose, who have been a part of many efforts to stall some of Trump's biggest initiatives. Plus: a Northfield author, Nathaniel Ian Miller recently published his second novel. It tells the story of a young man returning to his family farm.

In 1988, Louvenia Dorsey Bright made history as the first woman of color elected to the Vermont legislature. Her son, Bill Bright, reflects on her accomplishments and what it was like to watch her break barriers. The Friends of the Vermont State House is raising funds to commission her portrait.Then, we hear from three black politicians in our region — State Sen. Joe Majors who represents Windsor, Winooski Deputy Mayor Thomas Renner, and former Burlington City Councilmember Zoraya Hightower. They share their political inspirations, what motivated them to run for office, and the roles they see for themselves in local and state government.

Vermont, like most states, doesn't track the deaths of homeless residents. An investigation by Vermont Public and Seven Days finds that at least 82 people have died in the state in the past four years while unhoused. Derek Brouwer of Seven Days, whose work focuses on law enforcement and the courts, and Liam Elder-Connors, Vermont Public’s senior reporter on public safety, provided a behind-the-scenes look at their reporting. Resources mentioned on today's show include a warming shelter at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Bennington and an overnight shelter at the Unitarian Church of Montpelier. Those looking for help or ways to volunteer can find information on Vermont 211’s website, or by calling 2-1-1.

Food is a central part of our lives — we share meals with loved ones, cook together, and pass down family recipes to honor those who came before us. For many Black Americans, cooking and eating certain foods helps build and strengthen community. This episode focuses on all things food in the first installment of our Black History Month series.Homegoings host and executive producer Myra Flynn shares a recent episode exploring the history of hot sauce. We also hear from a professional chef and a home cook about how they keep their food traditions alive in their kitchens. Burlington chef Harmony Edosomwan discusses her favorite soul food dishes and the journey of launching her own business. Lea Ann Macrery of Jeffersonville shares her favorite recipes and stories from her food service work at UVMMC.

Most of Vermont's trash ends up in just one place — a landfill in Coventry, just 20 minutes south of the Canadian border. In a recent episode of Brave Little State, Mikaela sets out to answer this listener question: "New Hampshire has six landfills. Why does Vermont only have one?" We also look to the future, when the landfill reaches capacity and we need a new place to put our trash.Then, John Leddy of the Northwest Solid Waste District and Thomas Kennedy of the Mount Ascutney Regional Commission discuss how their particular parts of the state manage their trash and recycling.Broadcast live on Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

In the final installment of our series In Good Health, we examine the importance of mental health as the inpatient psychiatry unit at Central Vermont Medical Center in Berlin closes. Reporter Lexi Krupp explains how the decision was made and shares perspectives from former patients. Then, Dr. Lisa Catapano-Friedman, a psychiatrist in Bennington and president of the Vermont Psychiatric Association, discusses the state’s mental health needs and how the facility's closure will impact the state.Plus, we hear from Middlebury Philosophy professor Lorraine Besser about her new book 'The Art of the Interesting, What We Miss in Our Pursuit of the Good Life and How to Cultivate It.'

It’s hard to find a subject more frustrating to Vermonters in recent years than education. Specifically, how to fund it, how to make it affordable, and how to ensure that all Vermont students have access to a high quality learning environment. Today on Vermont Edition, we're joined by Vermont's Education Secretary, Zoie Saunders. We'll hear why the Scott administration is aiming to fundamentally change the way how schools are run in the state, including a massive consolidation school districts, a statewide curriculum, how schools are funded, and more. We’ll also speak with the head of Vermont’s teacher’s union, Don Tinney, and the executive director of the state’s Rural Education Collaborative, John Castle, for their initial reactions to the plan. And Vermont Public’s education reporter Lola Duffort joins us as well for analysis.

An executive order on gender runs counter to state laws that offer LGBTQ protections.

Technology has changed so many aspects of our lives, including health care. In our region, a network of innovative health-focused startups is growing quickly.David Bradbury with the Vermont Center for Emerging Technologies guides us through conversations with the leaders of several local companies. Aaron Stein, the chief technical officer for South Burlington-based Resonant Link, talked about building wireless charging platforms for medical devices inside the body. Co-founder and chief pharmacy officer Keri LeCompte of the Montpelier start-up Aprexis shared how their software provides pharmacists better patient care with medication therapy management. Ethan Bechtel, co-founder, and CEO of OhMD, a texting and patient engagement platform for patients and providers, talked about how they care for patient's privacy.Broadcast live on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2024, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.Have questions, comments, or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

Executive orders from President Donald Trump fundamentally change immigration and citizenship rules in the U.S. Moves like halting refugee admissions and ending birthright citizenship have many people in our region wondering, what these new rules mean for them, their work, and their families? Today, Brett Stokes, an immigration lawyer at Vermont Law School and Sonali Samarasinghe, a coordinator with the U.S. Committee of Refugees and Immigration help us break down these orders’ goals and whether or not they’re constitutional. The New Hampshire ACLU believes at least one is not – they are suing the President over birthright citizenship. We're joined by their senior staff attorney SangYoeb Kim to hear more. Plus: Steven Tendo, A Ugandan asylum-seeker shares how these new rules could affect his legal status and why for him, it’s a matter of life and death.Broadcast live on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.Have questions, comments, or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

President Donald J. Trump was sworn into office Monday in Washington. Vermont’s sole U.S. House representative, Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vt) attended the inauguration. She shares why she attended, her reaction to President Trump’s first executive orders, and her own priorities for the new Congress.President Trump has promised to impose a 25% tariff on Canadian goods, starting Feb. 1. In response, the Canadian government has vowed to impose tariffs on U.S. goods. Ottawa-based journalist David Akin, the chief political correspondent for Global News, gives us an inside look into the current state of Canadian-American relations.Broadcast live on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.Have questions, comments, or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

For most of us, thinking about death is not a pleasant subject. There’s a natural tendency to put your head in the sand and focus on everything and anything else. But a little planning now can save a lot of confusion and heartache later.Today we break down the process of creating an advance directive, or living will. It’s the third installment in our weekly January series, In Good Health. Our guests are Nina Keck, a Vermont Public senior reporter whose focuses on aging, Eva Zivitz, a registered nurse who coordinates the palliative care program at Rutland Regional Medical Center, and Cindy Bruzzese, the executive director of the Vermont Ethics Network.Broadcast live on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2024, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

Winter in Vermont can wreak havoc on a car. All that salt causes corrosion and rust, and that can make your car unsafe to drive. The hazardous conditions require upgrades and protective measures to stay safe on the slippery roads. To keep your car in top shape requires a lot winter car maintenance. Demeny Pollitt, the owner and manager of Girlington Garage in South Burlington, and Steve Belitsos, a retired professor of automotive and transportation services at Vermont State University’s Randolph campus, share insights on undercoatings, snow tires, and windshield wipers. Plus, former Gov. Peter Shumlin reflects on the life and career of former Gov. Tom Salmon, who passed away Tuesday at age 92. Girlington Garage is a Vermont Public business sponsor. Broadcast live on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

Beloved as they are, general stores often generate little profit for their owners. So, what does it take to keep them running? Emily Maclure, owner of two general stores in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, shares her experiences, insights, and the vital role these stores play in their communities. Ben Doyle of the Preservation Trust of Vermont explains the models some towns are using to keep their general stores open. Democratic Rep. Marc Mihaly, who represents the Washington-6 district, discusses how East Calais successfully reopened its general store after a years-long effort.Broadcast live on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.Have questions, comments, or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.