Vermont Edition

Vermont Edition went down the rabbit hole with a recent episode of Brave Little State to find out if there really are more twins per capita in the town of Sheldon — and if so, how it happened. Two sets of Vermont twins told us about going into business together. Leah Klatzker and Rachel Klatzker, co-owners of So Full Sisters, run two food trucks as well as a Middlebury College coffee stand. Circus artists Elsie Smith and Serenity Smith Forchion co-founded the nonprofit New England Center for Circus Arts and the creative circus production company Nimble Arts. They shared what it's been like to work together everywhere from the trapeze to the board room. Broadcast live on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

Some movie stars or celebrity chefs have massive followings on Instagram or YouTube. Others gain followers by posting addictive content. But some people simply post about what they love, and build a community from there. Today on Vermont Edition, three Vermonter content creators showcase their passions on social media. Mirna Valerio is an endurance athlete, writer and brand ambassador for major brands like Darn Tough, Lululemon and LLBean. She also advocates for inclusion in the outdoors community. Graham Montague snorkels in local lakes and ponds and posts about his underwater wonders. Christine Tyler Hill is an artist and Burlington crossing guard. She mails a monthly printed newsletter about what she sees, but people on Instagram have caught on, too. They’ve each learned a lot about how to make social media meaningful instead of soul-sucking. And they also have some big adventures planned for this summer.

Military academies and ROTC clubs teach children and young adults — most of them boys — how to fight in war. But this education comes with its own risk of scars. Vermont-based freelance journalist Jasper Craven explores American military education in his new book, God Forgives, Brothers Don't: The Long March of Military Education and the Making of American Manhood. Craven has reported on the military and veterans' issues for local and national publications including VTDigger, Mother Jones, the New Republic and the New York Times Magazine. Broadcast live on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

We’re nearing the traditional end point of Vermont’s legislative calendar. Adjournment at the statehouse in Montpelier is tentatively scheduled for May 29, but there’s a lot left to settle before the state’s part-time lawmakers head home. Throughout this legislative session you’ve heard lawmakers on Vermont Edition discuss these issues. Now, we get to hear from the state’s top elected official, Gov. Phil Scott.

Tick season is upon us yet again, and tick bite-related emergency room visits in the Northeast are higher than normal right now. It’s hard not to resent these disease-spreading arachnids. Ticks spread pathogens like anaplasmosis, babesiosis, Powassan virus, and Lyme disease. We're joined by David Allen, an associate professor of biology at Middlebury College to talk about the different types of ticks in the region, the diseases they spread, how to prevent tick bites, and how he learned to embrace one of the most detested parts of the animal kingdom. But first; the chair of the education committee in Vermont's House of Representatives will not seek reelection this fall. Rep. Peter Conlon (D-Cornwall) has served in the state legislature for a decade. He's focused his efforts in the last few years on education reform and the ongoing school redistricting debate. He joins us to talk about his decision to step down and what he's learned from his time in the legislature. Broadcast live on Monday, May 18, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

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Vermont has no shortage of artists creating new works. Author Tim Weed of Putney has a new novel set in Vermont called The Gatepost that blends modern science and ancient cosmology. Photographer Nathan Larson of Windsor packed up his entire life into a van and hit the road. A new book of poetry and photographs captures his adventures. And filmmaker Robbie Leppzer's latest work is a documentary about the founder of Bread and Puppet Theater. Broadcast live on Wednesday May 13, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

There are many tech tools making their way into kids’ classrooms: Chromebooks and iPads, Canvas and Powerschool, ChatGPT and Claude. Is that a good thing? Depends on who you ask. Some states are passing laws to limit in-school screen time. Rep. Angela Arsenault, a Democrat from Williston, supports these measures, saying Vermont should better regulate the use of tech like chatbots and smartphones in schools. Providing the tech perspective is Sara Kloek, vice president of education policy at the Software & Information Industry Association, a non-profit that represents the interests of EdTech companies. Educators Michael Berry, director of curriculum and technology for the Montpelier Roxbury Public Schools, and Brian Burgess, a speech pathologist at Harwood Union Middle and High School, also provided insight.

Manufacturing is an important part of Vermont’s economy. According to the state, about seven percent of Vermont workers are employed by manufacturing companies and those employees make an average of $68,000 dollars a year. But the sector is shrinking fast. Between 2020, before the pandemic, and now, the number of manufacturing jobs has fallen by more than 11 percent. Case in point: The infant formula maker Perrigo. About a year ago, it announced it’d be closing its factory in Georgia, Franklin County. This month, it kicked off that process, laying off 162 people. By the end of June, all manufacturing at the plant will have ceased and more than four hundred will be laid off. We’ll work to understand why the plant is closing with Vermont Business Magazine’s Tim McQuiston and Megan Sullivan of the Vermont Chamber of Commerce. We'll also hear from the owner of Georgia Market near the Perrigo plant about the impact to his own business’s future. Then: Overdose deaths have declined in Vermont for three years in a row. Why? Is it access to overdose reversal meds? State-funded treatment programs? Changes in street supply? We'll break down the data with the state's Department of Health.

Over the past few years, Vermonters have upped their flood resilience efforts. As we enter another flood season, this work becomes even more urgent. Douglas Farnham, the state’s Chief Recovery Officer, joins to tell us about how changes at the Federal Emergency Management Agency are impacting Vermont flood recovery efforts. And he gives us an update on the FEMA buyout program. Also, we talk with Arion Thiboumery from the Plainfield Community Development Corp, an organization dedicated to creating new affordable housing in the town of Plainfield. Their current effort called the East Plainfield Expansion Project aims to build 20 new units of housing near the village on higher ground. They just received a grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Vermont Edition intern Maeve Fairfax went to Hardwick to investigate the challenges that Vermonters face trying to find new housing after being displaced by a flood. She talked with taqueria owner and buyout recipient Bryan Palinonis. Then, Audrey Grant of Northeast Kingdom Organizing joins us to talk about Resilience Hubs. These are community spaces that are stocked with supplies needed for emergency disaster response — muck and gut kits, dehumidifiers, generators, and more. They are also used in quieter times as a space where communities can gather, organize, and access services they might need. These are operated by the organization Northeast Kingdom Organizing. Broadcast live on Thursday, May 7, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

It's Vermont Edition’s annual spring gardening show and our guest is Charlie Nardozzi, gardening consultant extraordinaire, speaker, and TV and radio host. You can hear Charlie on Sunday mornings right here on Vermont Public for All Things Gardening. His latest book is called The Continuous Vegetable Garden, all about how to create a low effort, perpetually productive food garden.

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At both the state and federal level, there's growing momentum behind the progressive idea of new taxes on the richest Americans. Democrats in Montpelier recently revived the idea of raising taxes on high-income earners, but the effort was not successful. Vermont Public's Peter Hirschfeld shared details on what was being proposed, why it wasn't able to happen this year and why the issue is sure to bubble up in future legislative sessions. Joining us to discuss both sides were Rep. Edward "Teddy" Waszazak, a Democrat from Barre City who advocated for the tax, and Vermont tax commissioner Bill Shouldice, appointed by Gov. Phil Scott in 2025. We also heard from reporter Chris Lisinski of the CommonWealth Beacon for insight into a wealth tax enacted in Massachusetts. Broadcast live on Monday, May 4, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

As the weather warms, farmers in our region are filling up their customer lists for their annual CSAs. Today we hear from two local organizations working to increase access to healthy, locally grown food through community supported agriculture. Gabby Boyston is the Boyson is the food access manager at the Intervale Center in Burlington, and Grace Woroch is the community health manager at Vermont Youth Conservation Corps. Plus, Vermont Public reporter Howard Weiss-Tisman talks through struggles and opportunities facing food co-ops in the region. Broadcast live on Thursday, April 23, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

Circus Smirkus has been training young performers for four decades. But with financial challenges and an aerial accident last summer, the future of the touring youth circus is uncertain. The youth circus cancelled its signature Big Top Tour this summer. Reporter Mary Ann Lickteig of Seven Days explains what that means for the organization’s finances. We’ll also talk through some parents’ discontent over Smirkus leadership and safety protocol. Then: a theater group in Brattleboro has a special mission. They help actors with disabilities claim the stage. Now, they’ve created a guidebook so others can follow their blueprint. They want community theater to be accessible – and enjoyable – to everyone.

Strafford’s Noah Kahan is arguably the most famous musician to come out of Vermont in recent years. A new Netflix documentary, "Noah Kahan: Out of Body," follows the Upper Valley singer-songwriter as he grapples with fame, his mental health and complex family dynamics. Following the meteoric success of "Stick Season" in 2022, Kahan spent the next few years touring, playing increasingly larger venues. This culminated in stops at Madison Square Garden in New York City and Fenway Park in Boston. The "Out of Body" filmmakers joined him for those concerts, but also for many quieter moments at home in Nashville and Strafford. The cameras capture Kahan struggling with body dysmorphia and disordered eating, and trying to write new songs that could survive in the shadow of "Stick Season." The documentary premiered at SXSW last month, where it won an audience award. Its director, Nick Sweeney, made repeated trips to Strafford and the surrounding area during filming in order to better understand his subject. Then; JLee MacKenzie is an animator who grew up in Chittenden County. He was in film school in California when the pandemic hit, so he turned to animation to find a new way to tell stories. MacKenzie's new film is called “Definitely Gangster,” and it just premiered at the Made Here Film Festival. It follows the story of two kids who fly around the world to chase a dream. One of the kids is terminally ill, but the film is still a comedy. It was made with motion capture in a cabin in Worchester, Vermont and features local voice actors. Lastly; Seven Days music editor Chris Farnsworth chats with Vermont Edition managing producer Jon Ehrens about notable new music releases out of Vermont. They discuss Burlington stalwart Bob Wagner's new song "The Richest Man on Earth," and the improbable techno of Roost.World and their single "Genesis."

The most significant land use law in Vermont’s recent history is on the brink of major change. Key portions could be repealed, like the “road rule” and tier system. Today, we discuss the future of Act 181. The law inflamed tensions between urban and rural Vermonters. Housing and infrastructure reporter Carly Berlin catches us up on lawmakers debate over Act 181 in Montpelier. We also hear from Alex Weinhagen from the Land Use Review Board, the state agency charged with implementing Vermont's land use laws. We're also joined by farmer Neil Ryan of Corinth and land planner Ben Falk, founder of Whole Systems Design in Moretown and Rochester. Broadcast live on Monday, April 27, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Have questions, comments, or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

Every month, Vermont Edition hones in on a different town or city for a series called Town by Town. Our goal is visit all 252 towns in Vermont. For the latest installment, we head to Royalton, which includes the unincorporated villages of North and South Royalton. It’s known for being the home to the state’s only law school, its bucolic location along the White River, and much more. Today's show was broadcast from First Branch Coffee in South Royalton with a live audience.

Around the turn of the 20th century, only 25% of Vermont was still forested. Today, that situation has completely reversed, with forests covering about three quarters of the state. Author Robert Mello helps Vermont Edition mark Earth Day 2026 with an environmental comeback story: How the Green Mountain State became green again. His new book, When the Trees Came Back: The Great Battle to Save Vermont’s Forests, is a history of the hard-won successes of local forest reformers. It was release by the Vermont Historical Society on Apr. 21. Plus: postdoctoral researcher Morgan Southgate with the Appalachian Mountain Club wants to better understand how climate change affects spring wildflowers' development. She discusses what she's learned so far from her ongoing research on Mt. Equinox in Manchester, and how community members can contribute their own data to help protect the year's earliest blooms. Broadcast live on Wednesday, Apr. 22, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

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