Vermont Edition

Vermont's state senate has a new leader. Democrat Sen. Kesha Ram Hinsdale represents Chittenden Southeast, and is the new Senate majority leader. She was elected over her opponent, the incumbent Majority Leader Alison Clarkson from Windsor County. Vermont Democrats lost their supermajority on Election Day. It comes as Republicans flipped six seats and broke the Democrats' supermajority in the last session. Sen. Ram Hinsdale outlines her visions and goals as we head into a new session in January.Broadcast live on Wednesday, November 20, 2024, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.Have questions, comments, or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

President-elect Donald Trump says he plans to deport millions of undocumented migrants living in the United States, but how could it impact Vermont? Peter Hirschfeld reports approximately 1,500 immigrants living and working on Vermont’s dairy farms. He tells us about his report, and what he's heard from farm workers and activists in our region. Executive director of the Vermont Asylum Assistance Project and an immigration attorney Jill Martin Diaz share their experience on the calls they're receiving from people of all legal status. They also share resources and information that you find here.Broadcast live on Wednesday, November 20, 2024, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.Have questions, comments, or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

St. Negritude discusses his first collection of poetry, "Mountain Spells."

With the colder weather seeping in, it's about time for cozy fall recipes and trying new hot spots. This ski season, our region’s mountain towns are teeming with new and newly reimagined restaurants. Melissa Pasanen, food writer for Seven Days, joins us for a conversation about our region’s food and beverage scene. For more info on Melissa's recommendations: Places to eat near Vermont's ski towns Frankie’s in Burlington is one of Eater’s 14 best new restaurants of 2024Access Cafe opens in Montpelier Dedalus Wine Shop closed in Stowe and BurlingtonMichael's On the Hill adds a wine bar in StowePlus, squash rolls!

For years, Burlington residents have gone back and forth about police oversight in their city. On Election Day, voters approved a charter change that's intended to do just that. Liam Elder-Connors, Vermont Public’s senior reporter on public safety, talks us through the measure and the years of local debate over police conduct and oversight that led to this moment. Michael Moran and Eric Dallamura of the Burlington Police Officers Association discuss their concerns, and Burlington Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak explains why she sees the charter change as a promising compromise.

After a failed gubernatorial run in 1982, Madeleine Kunin secured 50% of the vote in her second run in 1984, winning against her Republican challenger. John J. Easton, Jr. Forty years ago, Kunin became the first and only woman to Vermont's highest-elected office. She’s also the first and only Jewish person to serve as Vermont’s Governor."I think the women's movement gave me the idea that women could do anything," Kunin said. "And I wanted to be involved in public events, and being in Vermont politics seemed more accessible. We had a small group of people at that time who encouraged each other to do things larger than their personal lives, and I took that seriously."When reflecting on the career of former Vermont Gov. Madeleine Kunin, it’s natural to focus on her historic “firsts.” Once in office, she appointed the first woman to Vermont's Supreme Court, Denise Johnson, She then appointed Mollie Beattie to the Department of Forest, Parks and Recreation, who would go on to become the first woman Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The influence her leadership has had on generations of women. This legacy continued when, two years ago, Becca Balint was elected as Vermont’s first female representative in Congress. Balint’s election ended Vermont’s distinction as the only state never to have elected a woman to Congress.Broadcast live on Thursday, November 14, 2024, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.Have questions, comments, or tips? Send us a message or check us…

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of his show, "My Place," Joel Najman recounts his long radio career.

Vermont has numerous invasive species, including zebra mussels, Japanese knotweed, false indigo, and golden clams. Invasive species are plants, insects, or other organisms introduced—intentionally or accidentally — from other places. A recent episode of Brave Little State centers on a listener's question about which invasive species has done the most damage in our region. The episode also features Noah Hoffman, invasive species coordinator for Vermont’s Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation, who explains the prevention measures the state takes.Broadcast live on Tuesday, November 12, 2024, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.Have questions, comments, or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

Local veterans reflect on their experiences in the Vietnam War. Plus, Vets Town Hall events encourage veterans to share their stories.

Election anxiety can accompany any election, as the results determine the country’s direction for the next four years. This year, Vermonters were deciding which candidates could best improve their lives and communities. We spoke with Middlebury College Professor Matt Dickinson for analysis of the campaign and its outcome. We also heard from Vermonters across the political spectrum about their perspectives on the election.Additionally, But Why host Jane Lindholm discusses how to navigate tough conversations with kids and students who may have many questions following this election season.Broadcast live on Thursday, November 7, 2024, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.Have questions, comments, or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

Today on Vermont Edition, we'll get a breakdown of the main takeaways from the state's elections with Vermont Public statehouse reporter, Peter Hirschfeld. Then, we speak with winners of major local and statewide races. Republican John Rodgers appears to have won the lieutenant governorship, besting Progressive Democrat David Zuckerman, the incumbent. Republicans flipped six seats in the Vermont Senate, ending the Democratic supermajority. We'll hear from one of those Republican winners, Steve Heffernan of Addison County. And Democratic state senator Thomas Chittenden of South Burlington will tell us about his re-election and gives us his take on why some candidates from his party were not able to hold on to their seats. Lastly, Democratic Congresswoman Becca Balint joins us to give us her thoughts on the results on the national stage, including the re-election of President-elect Trump, and how the changes in congress will affect her work next year.

Months of campaigning and planning have lead to today— Election Day. Polls across Vermont are open until 7 p.m., and Vermonters can still register and vote at their local polling place. Vermont Public digital producer Zoe McDonald spent the past few months reporting about voting access in Vermont and talks about ways the state could still improve. Reporters Nina Keck and Erica Heilman give some insights from their corners of the state. Nick Capodice and Hannah McCarthy, hosts of the NHPR podcast Civics 101, share a look at the races in New Hampshire and other New England races. Broadcast live on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.Have questions, comments, or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

At the University of Vermont, students involved with the Community News Service have been preparing for months to cover the 2024 elections. The program connects student journalists with professional editors and local news outlets. CNS Managing Director Meg Little Riley explains how the program works, while student journalists Gwen Mathews and Ace Sheehan highlight their recent election-related coverage.Meanwhile, at Vermont State University, political science professor Rich Clark is helping to lead get-out-the-vote efforts at Castleton. He also regularly volunteers at the polls. Ruben Somda, a senior and president of the school’s Content Lab, discussing their efforts to encourage college students to vote through effective marketing and messaging.

In honor of Halloween, Vermont Edition explores some of the spookiest places in our region — eerie graveyards, centuries-old buildings, haunted dorms and more. Director of Collections and Access at the Vermont Historical Society Amanda Gustin shares stories about our region's troubling tombstones and gory graveyard tales.Then, producer Daniela Fierro takes us on a trip to East Corinth, where scenes from the 1988 cult classic "Beetlejuice" and its 2024 sequel "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" were shot.Broadcast live on Thursday, October 31, 2024, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.Have questions, comments, or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

Local government is a Vermont tradition. But recent disasters have lawmakers considering a new option – regional governments. They’d handle duties that some think are too complex for individual towns and their volunteer officials. This change would transform the way Vermont oversees emergency services, law enforcement, infrastructure projects, and more. We hear from the co-sponsor of the bill that kickstarted this discussion, Sen. Ruth Hardy of Addison County, Two Rivers-Ottauqueechee Regional Commission Executive Director Peter Gregory, and Executive Director for the Vermont League of Cities and Towns Ted Brady.

Vermont has a state bird, a state flower, and, as of 2016, a state vegetable— the Gilfeather turnip. The mighty root vegetable originated in Wardsboro and the town just celebrated it's annual Gilfeather Turnip Festival. Wardsboro resident, Gilfeather turnip enthusiast and festival volunteer Anita Rafael shared insights on the festival and ways to eat these root vegetables.Broadcast live on Tuesday, October 29, 2024, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.Have questions, comments, or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

Greenland’s ice sheet holds millions of years of Earth’s history. By drilling down into the ice and learning about the past, we can also learn about the future of our warming planet.Geologist and UVM professor Paul Bierman is the author of “When the Ice is Gone: What a Greenland Ice Core Reveals About Earth’s Tumultuous History and Perilous Future." We’ll learn about his expeditions to Greenland, his work with UVM graduate students, and a surprising discovery he made while looking through his microscope.Broadcast live on Tuesday, October 29, 2024, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.Have questions, comments, or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

A recent episode of the podcast Rumble Strip focuses on the experiences of people in our region with active drug addiction.

Vermont Public's general election debate series concludes tonight with the candidates for U.S. Senate, incumbent independent Sen. Bernie Sanders and Republican challenger Gerald Malloy. The debate is presented in partnership with VTDigger.This debate is part of Vermont Public’s Citizens Agenda approach to election coverage. We’re asking a simple question: What do you want the candidates to be discussing as they compete for your votes? Front Porch Forum is our lead outreach partner for this project.Have questions, comments, or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

Vermont Edition revisits a conversation with the Grammy-nominated musician from July.