Vermont Edition

With more than 70 percent of the Earth’s surface covered by water, what’s contained in all that H2O is pretty important. A Granville-based marine conservation and expedition scientist has traveled as far as Antarctica to sample and study microplastics in the world’s water supply, chronicling and explaining the dangers they pose. Rachael Z. Miller explores the choices around the plastics in our daily lives in her new book, Decision-Making in the Age of Plastics: A choose-your-own-adventure style guide to purchasing while balancing your health, the environment and your budget. Originally broadcast live on Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Have questions, comments, or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

What does the timber rattlesnake have in common with the eastern meadowlark? Or how about the elm-leaved goldenrod and the Green Mountain quillwort? These plant and animal species are all classified as endangered or threatened in Vermont. And right now, local biologists are working to update the state’s Wildlife Action Plan. That plan is basically a wildlife-focused conservation blueprint for the state. The team that’s been working on it is proposing some changes that could mark a shift in how the state thinks about conservation. Recently I sat down with Dr. Rosalind Renfrew to learn more. She’s based in Montpelier as the Wildlife Diversity Program lead for Vermont Fish & Wildlife. We were also joined by Kent McFarland from the Vermont Center for Ecostudies in Norwich. Then; Marie Curie is a famous name, but even if you know who she is, you might only know the basics of her extraordinary life. Marie Curie was a Polish-French scientist and a pioneer in the study of radioactivity. She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, and the first person to win a Nobel twice. Marie Curie is also the subject of a new book by Devon Jersild of Weybridge, Vermont. Devon is a psychotherapist and a writer. She’s won a prestigious O. Henry Award for her short story writing, and is the former associate director of the Bread Loaf Writers Conference, associate editor of the New England Review, and a visiting lecturer in English at Middlebury College.

Salt helps us travel safely when ice forms over roads and sidewalks, but those little grains of salt can have a big impact on the environment. Today on Vermont Edition: road salt and how it affects our natural world. The associate director of the Lake Champlain Sea Grant will share her research on sustainable alternatives to help navigate the slippery conditions of winter. A road foreman in Hyde Park discusses putting one of those alternatives to use. We’ll also hear the concerns of a Rutland state senator regarding cost and regulation. Then, we’ll head to Addison County, where a Lunar New Year celebration in Middlebury includes one of the biggest movies of the past year: K-Pop Demon Hunters.

Orange, Grand Isle, Lamoille, those are just a few of Vermont’s 14 geographically and culturally unique counties. Compared to many states across the United States, Vermont has one of the weakest forms of county government, and a lot of you out there are curious why. Vermont Edition revisits a recent Brave Little State episode to find out why. Broadcast live on Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Have questions, comments, or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

In the latest installment of our Town by Town series, we learn about the northern Vermont community of Alburgh. It was founded in 1781 by Ira Allen (Allen, Alburgh...get it?) Three longtime Alburgh residents join us: Terry Tatro, who's held numerous positions in town government; Peg Theoret, the founder and a trustee of the Alburgh Historical Society; Sandy Rosa, a member of the Alburgh Public Library board of trustees; and Jed Ladd, co-owner of J&M Ladd Families Farm. We also hear Mikaela get a snowmobile lesson from Jeff Porter and Dave Landry of the Alburgh Sno Springers Club, a group of snowmobilers who spend the winter sledding on the Alburgh Dunes. And managing producer Jon Ehrens talks with Nick Smith, a 12th generation Vermont farmer who co-owns Emerald Visions, a cannabis cultivator in Alburgh. Broadcast live on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Have questions, comments, or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

This cold winter has created excellent conditions for ice skating on local lakes and ponds. Some wild ice skaters in our region have found audiences for their adventures on social media. Today on Vermont Edition, experienced skaters explain how to know when wild ice is safe to skate on and what to do if conditions suddenly shift. You’ll hear from the Pawlet-based moderator of the Vermont Nordic Skating Facebook group and a farmer-slash-skater from Barnet. Plus, a Middlebury College alum manufactures Nordic skates in Alaska. He’ll explain the art of crafting the perfect blade for getting off the rink and out on remote ice.

Representative Becca Balint. She’ll discuss her role at the hearing, including a face off with Bondi over antisemitism. We’ll also talk about the possibility of ICE increasing its presence in Vermont. Then: Green Mountain Transit faces serious budgetary issues. General Manager Clayton Clark says more service cuts could be on their way. He’s asking the state for more funding. We talk about the high demand for rides from older people and those with disabilities. Broadcast live on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

In the latest installment of our At Home series, the Vermont Edition team visits the Brandon home of award-winning poet Bianca Stone. Stone was named Vermont’s poet laureate in 2024. Her latest book of poetry, The Near and Distant World, came out this year. Stone is also the creative director of the Ruth Stone House in Goshen, where she hosts poetry events, retreats, and classes. We’ll hear about her writing process, how she handles digital distractions, and an upcoming project to bring the poetry of past poet laureates to people all across the state.

First, we speak with Vermont Public's housing and infrastructure reporter Carly Berlin, about a new state initiative intended to spur housing construction in Vermont. It's a catalog of prefab homes that would help people fastrack their approval process and keep costs of new construction down. The specific challenges facing boys and young men often make headlines: For the last 50 years, for example, the number of male students on college campuses has slowly but steadily decreased. And young men are also more likely than women to experience drug and alcohol addiction. For parents of young boys, these headlines and statistics can be particularly distressing. What can we control in our homes to help our boys navigate the world with confidence, happiness and care? Two guests join Vermont Edition to discuss the art and peril of raising boys. Keegan Albaugh is the founder of Dad Guild, a Burlington-based nonprofit that supports masc-identifying caregivers by running playgroups, educational events, pick up sports, peer support groups, and more. Kate Mangino is a Virginia-based speaker, facilitator and writer who is in Vermont to host a series of parenting workshops this week. She’s the author of the book Equal Partners: Improving Gender Equality at Home. Broadcast live on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Have questions, comments, or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

College athletes can cash in on their name and image. And as of last year, colleges can pay their athletes directly, too. This rule change impacts everyone in college sports. University of Vermont Athletic Director Jeff Schulman says pay-to-play has changed the game. Every year in Montpelier, residents wake up to find their city covered in red hearts. This is the work of the Valentine Phantom, a mysterious figure— or figures— who brings love to the state capital each year in the form of thousands of hearts. Broadcast live on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

School boards reckon with looming district consolidation

First up on the show: Colchester resident and asylum seeker Steven Tendo was detained by ICE Wednesday after his shift at the University of Vermont Medical Center, where he works as a nursing assistant. Tendo fled Uganda in 2018. On Vermont Edition last year he said he was tortured by the Ugandan government for encouraging youth voter registration. For an update on Tendo's case and whereabouts, we speak with immigration attorney Brett Stokes. He is the director of the Center for Justice Reform Clinic at Vermont Law and Graduate School. Thousands of athletes are in Italy for the 2026 Winter Olympics, which start tomorrow. Some of those athletes are from our little corner of the world, which makes them extra fun to root for. Here to give us a local look at the biggest international sports competition in the world is Mitch Wertlieb. He’s the host of Vermont This Week on our main TV channel, and as of just a few days ago, the host of the Sports Rapport, a weekly sports show from Vermont Public. If you’re not familiar with the biathlon, here’s how it works. Athletes cross-country ski with rifles on their backs. During the race, they stop and shoot at targets 50 meters away. If they miss a shot, they get time added to their race, or they have to ski an extra 150 meter penalty loop. Biathlete Susan Dunklee of Craftsbury joins us now. She’s competed in three winter Olympics, and she’s won two silver medals in world championship races. She is now the Director of Biathlon at the Craftsbury Outdoor Center.

New BlueCross BlueShield CEO says 'we have an affordability crisis' in Vermont

In the mid-1970s, avant-garde musician and Bennington College professor Bill Dixon created a department called the Black Music Division. Along with fellow musician and professor Milford Graves, they taught performance and theory while bringing Black music into the academic sphere. Joining to walk us through this history is Michael Wimberly, a percussionist, composer and Bennington College professor. Last year, he organized a two-day symposium to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the division's founding with live music and reflections.

During the current cold snap, many Vermonters are able to take comfort in their wood stoves or heating systems. Others aren’t so lucky. A growing number of people without permanent housing are living outside during the depths of winter. Vermont has had a high rate of homelessness ever since the pandemic — one of the highest rates in the country. The state used to pay a lot of money to house people in motels, but that program was significantly scaled back last year. Some of the money was redirected to shelters that only open on the coldest nights. But when temperatures rise, even by just a few degrees, those shelters close their doors. In Brattleboro, homeless encampments have been a repeated topic of discussion at select board meetings this winter. Meanwhile, the arts center 69A is working to provide basic services to homeless people in the area. It moved to a new location at the end of last year. Its director, Lisa Marie, has personal experience living in encampments in the Brattleboro area. We also hear from Charles "Chuck" Keir III, Brattleboro's assistant fire chief and town health officer, Becky Best, director of shelters at Groundworks Collaborative; select board chair Elizabeth McLoughlin and select board member Isaac Evans-Frantz. Broadcast live on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Have questions, comments, or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

Bernie Sanders is one of our country’s most famous senators. He’s run for president, has stood up to oligarchs, and even became a mitten-wearing meme. Before all that, he was Mayor Sanders, of Burlington, where he served from 1981 to 1989. A new book, Bernie for Burlington: The Rise of the People's Politician, covers that pivotal time of change in the Queen City. The author, poet and professor Dan Chiasson, is a Burlington native and weaves in many personal anecdotes about his hometown.

Last week, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney described the U.S.'s current posture towards its trade allies as a "rupture." U.S. President Donald Trump fired back, threatening new tariffs on its northern neighbor. Carney's speech at the World Economic Forum is viewed by many as a landmark moment in the rapidly shifting relationship between the U.S., Canada, and the international community writ large. A year into Trump's second presidency, and nearly a year into Carney's leadership, we asked listeners from both Quebec and Vermont how they are feeling about the tensions between the two nations. Vermont Edition teamed up with our friends at the CBC's Radio Noon and their host Shawn Apel for this conversation. We also heard from Newport, VT Mayor Rick Ufford-Chase to hear how the Canadian boycott of the U.S. has affected his town. Broadcast live on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Have questions, comments, or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

During the legislative session, Vermont’s Statehouse is usually full of heated debate, gaveling and other sounds of lawmaking. But on Wednesday nights, legislators cede the dais to musicians and artists for the Farmers Night series. David Schutz, Vermont’s longtime state curator, joins Vermont Edition to look back at the origins of the series. Rep. Mary-Katherine Stone (P/D-Burlington) shares a preview of this year’s lineup and talks about the value of bringing the arts directly to the House Chamber. The 2026 Farmers Night series continues through April 8 and takes place on Wednesday nights at 7:30 p.m. at the Vermont Statehouse. Performances are free and open to the public. Then, noted Palestinian-American poet Naomi Shihab Nye is headed to Putney’s Yellow Barn for a performance that weaves together poetry and music. Nye joins the show, along with Yellow Barn’s executive director Catherine Stephan. Naomi Shihab Nye will perform alongside musicians Daniel Chong, Jessica Bodner and Daniel Anastasio on Saturday, Jan. 31, at 3:00 p.m. Admission is free, but advance registration is recommended. Broadcast live on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Have questions, comments, or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

Vermont’s state legislators remain divided on the need for mandated district consolidation.

More than 12,000 Vermonters make their living as farmers. 41% percent of them are women. And while you can read lots of the articles about the agricultural industry, sometimes the best way to really capture a changing industry is through a photograph. The work of our region’s female farmers has been memorialized in black-and-white by the Plymouth-based photographer JuanCarlos Gonzalez. His series, Vermont Female Farmers, has been showcased at museums and gallery spaces across Vermont and in Boston. Its next stop is the Highland Center for the Arts in Greensboro, where Gonzalez's photographs will be on view from late February through late March. Gonzalez and two of the women featured in the series join us to talk about the long legacy of women farmers in Vermont. Emily von Trapp owns von Trapp Flowers, a year-round flower farm in Waitsfield, and Jennifer Rodriguez owns Triple J Pastures, a livestock and vegetable farm in Irasburg. But first we talk with meteorologist Mark Breen at the Fairbanks Museum in St. Johnsbury about the upcoming weekend of extreme cold. Broadcast live on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Have questions, comments, or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.