VPR News
Commentary Series
Garden resolutions
|
On this last day of 2002, commentator Henry Homeyer has a sampling of gardeners’ resolutions for 2003.Commentary Series
Praise for the pope’s anti-war message
|
Commentator Ellen David Friedman thinks that the pope’s Christmas message was especially powerful – and relevant – this year.VPR News
Democrats choose Welch for Senate leader
|
The Senate Democratic Caucus on Monday unanimously chose Windsor County Senator Peter Welch as the Senate president pro tempore candidate for the upcoming session. Because the Democrats hold a commanding majority in the Senate, Welch’s formal election next week by the full Senate is considered a certainty.VPR News
Hazardous materials stored in idle Springfield plants
|
The state has gone to court to force the removal of thousands of gallons of hazardous materials from two idle machine tool plants in Springfield.VPR News
2002 Year in review
|
The past year in Vermont will be remembered for its themes, as much as for its events. The state’s economic hardships, the rise of heroin and the struggle of dairy farmers were stories that recurred through the year. Along the way, Vermonters elected their first new governor in more than a decade, and celebrated the accomplishments of a few notable neighbors.VPR News
Brookfield inn bans sledding, cites insurance costs
|
Like other businesses in the state, Vermont’s innkeepers are paying much more these days for liability insurance. And in at least one case, the insurance companies have deemed that some activities are just too risky to allow. For example, a favorite sledding hill in Brookfield is now off limits because of liability concerns.VPR News
Interview: biography of Governor George Aiken
|
VPR’s Neal Charnoff talks with Steve Terry about the life of Governor George Aiken. Terry and co-author Bill Porter are writing a biography of Aiken.VPR News
Dean says Bush is playing politics with terrorism
|
Vermont Governor Howard Dean says a list of priorities that was recently put together by the White House is “another attempt to play politics with terrorism.” The internal White House document outlines President Bush’s re-election agenda. It starts with the war on terrorism and homeland security.Commentary Series
A Different Spotlight on Figure Skating
|
Nordic skiing expert and commentator John Morton confesses that he has a pet peeve when it comes to figure skating.Commentary Series
The New Year
|
Madeleine Kunin reflects on the good and the bad of 2002, and looks forward to the New Year.VPR News
Vermont’s share of the Ford settlement
|
The state of Vermont is sharing a 51 (m)million dollar settlement with Ford Motor Company over deceptive trade practices.VPR News
Gilman paper mill up for purchase
|
A Georgia company has offered to buy an idle paper mill in the Northeast Kingdom town of Gilman.VPR News
Dairy merger review extended
|
The U.S. Justice Department has extended its review of a proposed merger between two large dairy companies, the H.P. Hood company of Massachusetts and Dallas-based National Dairy Holdings.Commentary Series
A Candle in a Dark World
|
Commentator Willem Lange has been reflecting lately on the winter solstice — reflecting as well as anyone can, that is, in the dark.Commentary Series
Vermont Corn Maze
|
Allen Gilbert remembers a September afternoon he spent tromping through the Vermont corn maze.VPR News
Uncertain future for VT energy conservation program
|
State utility regulators will soon decide whether to trim a statewide energy conservation program. A business group opposes the planned expansion of the Efficiency Utility. The group also says it will lobby against the program in the Legislature.Commentary Series
Act 60
|
Commentator Tim McQuiston predicts that Act 60 will provide Jim Douglas with one of his biggest challenges in the New Year.Commentary Series
Fathoming Our Food System
|
Commentator Vern Grubinger says that we must all become better informed about our food delivery systems.VPR News
Volunteering at the Christmas Shop
|
Many Vermonters find ways to help others, especially at this time of year. One volunteer is Marguerite Holden, who’s a native of Middlebury. She’s worked in the Christmas Shop at the Addison County Community Action Group for many years.Commentary Series
Family Portrait: Last Christmas with my Brother
|
Last year commentator Philip Baruth got one of the best Christmas presents he can remember: a family portrait, taken by his older brother.VPR News
Santa Claus’ helpers
|
Santa Claus and his helpers are a familiar sight this time of year. Practically every shopping mall features a Santa who poses with children and listens to their Christmas wishes. One recent Saturday, VPR’s Steve Zind visited the Diamond Run Mall in Rutland and spent time with a man who, every year at this time, takes time off from work and dons a red suit.Commentary Series
The Loudest Voice
|
Vermont author Grace Paley returns with one of our favorite seasonal stories. Read by the author from her collection of short stories published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux, “The Loudest Voice,” celebrates both Chanukah and Christmas through the experience of a young girl, narrator of the neighborhood school holiday pageant.Commentary Series
Great thoughts: Vermont’s first rope tow
|
Sometimes, great ideas emerge from collective inspiration. As VPR continues to explore Great Thoughts of Vermont, commentator Mary McKann tells the story of how Vermont got it’s first ski tow.VPR News
Cost of Fletcher Allen development project
|
Vermont’s top hospital regulator says a new report should help Fletcher Allen Health Care trim costs from its expensive development project.VPR News
Vermont home weatherization program
|
Vermont’s Auditor of Accounts says the state’s home weatherization program should be continued despite budget concerns.VPR News
VLCT urges changes in Act 60
|
The Vermont League of Cities and Towns is urging the Legislature to make some important changes to Act 60 – changes that the League says will help lower local property taxes. The Dean administration says the proposal is short-sighted.VPR News
New federal law affects Vermont’s large dairy farms
|
Vermont agriculture officials are trying to figure out how a new federal law regulating large farms will affect the state.VPR News
Sanders says Patriot Act invades readers’ privacy
|
Congressman Bernie Sanders says Congress went too far when it gave the government broad surveillance powers over libraries and bookstores. The USA Patriot Act allows federal investigators to find out who uses library computers, what web sites they visit, and what books they read. Sanders says the law is an invasion of privacy. He plans to introduce legislation to roll back the new authority.VPR News
Leahy comments on Lott’s decision to step down
|
Vermont’s two U.S. Senators say that Majority Leader Trent Lott made the right decision when he decided to resign as Republican leader. Lott’s announcement came two weeks after he ignited a political firestorm over remarks that many interpreted as racist.VPR News
‘Costume Ladies’ help spread holiday cheer
|
Everyone knows that Santa Claus needs some extra help during the busy weeks before Christmas. Brattleboro’s “Costume Ladies” have been catering to Santa’s deputies for yearsCommentary Series
Favor Johnson
|
This is a time of year when we often retell seasonal stories and today commentator Willem Lange returns with one of our all time favorites. “Favor Johnson” is the story of a hound names Hercules, a flatlander doctor, homemade fruitcake and the real spirit of Christmas.Commentary Series
Christmas carols
|
Commentator Tom Slayton reflects on the pagan and Christian roots of caroling.Commentary Series
1948 elections and the Progressive Party
|
Commentator Ellen David Friedman takes a look a back at third party candidates and the roots of the Progressive Party.VPR News
Companies struggles with liability insurance rates
|
Vermont businesses say it’s harder – and much more expensive – to buy liability insurance. The reasons for the rate hikes are complex. But in some cases, insurance companies have more than quadrupled the cost of coverage.VPR News
Douglas warns of Medicaid deficit, reduced benefits
|
An increasing deficit in the Medicaid program is a concern for Vermont’s new administration. According to incoming governor Jim Douglas, the deficit will require reductions in benefits for some Medicaid recipients.VPR News
Administration elevates importance of ‘e-government’
|
Vermont may get a new department in state government that will concentrate on ways to improve the state’s information technology capabilities.VPR News
BP Amoco to reduce tobacco sales to minors
|
BP Amoco, one of the country’s largest oil companies, will adopt policies that will reduce the purchase of tobacco by minors.VPR News
Vermont receives FEMA appropriation
|
Vermont will received more than $400,000 to improve its response to possible acts of terrorism or other emergencies.VPR News
Florence residents oppose OMYA disposal plan
|
Residents in the Rutland County village of Florence, fearful that their water could become polluted, are opposing a mining company’s plan to stockpile waste.VPR News
Interview: Douglas transition team
|
VPR’s Steve Delaney talks with Mike Smith, the head of the transition team for Governor-elect Jim Douglas.Commentary Series
The Santa suit
|
Believe it or not, last week commentator Cheryl Hanna got a call from the North Pole and she’s here to tell us about what’s been on Santa’s mind.Commentary Series
No teacher bashing
|
Commentator Nick Boke wishes all teachers a happy and restful school vacation – he says they’ve earned it!VPR News
Dean says Bush must prove Iraqi threat
|
Governor Howard Dean says President Bush must present convincing evidence to the American people that Iraq has weapons of mass destruction before sending any U.S. troops to overthrow Saddam Hussein. Dean, who is seeking the Democratic presidential nomination, says the United States must also be prepared for a long-term commitment in Iraq if military action is taken against that country.VPR News
Environmental Board rescinds rule changes proposal
|
Vermont environmental regulators have dropped their attempt to rewrite Act 250 rules. The changes pushed by the Environmental Board would have made it harder for environmental groups to intervene in Act 250 cases. The board now has backed off from the proposal, and says the changes should be part of a broader effort on permit reform.VPR News
Interview: novelist Edra Zeisk
|
VPR’s Neal Charnoff talks with novelist Edra Zeisk about her book, “A Cold Spring,” which is set in Vermont.VPR News
Lawsuit filed against Vermont priest
|
A second Vermont priest is being sued for alleged child sexual abuse. A former Massachusetts man is filing a civil suit in Chittenden Superior Court against the Reverend George Paulin of Ludlow.VPR News
Service board levies fines on utilities
|
Thirteen of Vermont’s public utilities will have to pay nearly $400,000 in penalties for repeated clerical and administrative errors.VPR News
Interview: lighting the Bennington Battle Monument
|
VPR’s Steve Delaney talks with the Bennington town manager about the proposal to the light the Bennington Battle Monument.VPR News
Agriculture department may become cabinet agency
|
Governor-elect Jim Douglas says he’ll ask the Legislature to elevate the commissioner of Agriculture to cabinet level status. Douglas says the move will help stimulate the diversification of the state’s agriculture industry.Commentary Series
More gifts for gardeners
|
If you’re still looking for a really unusual gift idea, commentator Henry Homeyer mayCommentary Series
Christmas rituals
|
Commentator David Moats reflects on how rituals and personal stories enrich the holidays.VPR News
Ethan Allen invests in energy efficiency
|
A major Northeast Kingdom business says it’s investing money to save energy and hold onto jobs in Vermont. The Ethan Allen furniture company says the new investment in energy efficiency will lower electricity bills by a million dollars over 10 years. Ethan Allen says those savings will help keep more than 1,000 people employed in Essex and Orleans counties.VPR News
Laid off Ethan Allen workers start new plants
|
Former Ethan Allen furniture workers have started new woodworking businesses since the company’s layoffs in Island and Randolph over the last year.VPR News
Diocese to turn over 50 years of records
|
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington says the information it must provide in a lawsuit against a Vermont priest goes far beyond what it has given to the Attorney General’s office.VPR News
Interview: research in the Northern Forest
|
VPR’s Steve Delaney talks with UVM scientist Donald DeHayes about research projects in the Northern Forest.VPR News
Agriculture Department names farm of the year
|
Vermont’s farm of the year award goes to Lilac Ridge Farm in Brattleboro.VPR News
Citizens take a course in public participation
|
With the new Legislature just weeks away, several dozen would-be citizen activists spent a day at the Statehouse getting an inside look at the art of effective citizen participation.Commentary Series
Fletcher Allen board and public trust
|
Commentator Timothy McQuiston says that “Dance with the one that brung yuh” isn’t only a good philosophy of life, it’s also pretty much the way the state’s second largest private employer runs its board.Commentary Series
Great thoughts: Bread and Puppet Theater
|
Commentator Lois Eby reflects on how the ideas of Peter Schumann and the Bread and Puppet Theater have contributed to art and social conscience in Vermont and around the world, as VPR continues to explore Great Thoughts of Vermont.Commentary Series
Great thoughts: Philip Hoff and public service
|
As VPR continues to explore Great Thoughts of Vermont, commentator Allen Gilbert examines former Governor Phil Hoff’s philosophy of public service: his conviction that individuals can make a difference, and his belief that government can do good.VPR News
Dean hopes to attract Gore supporters
|
Governor Howard Dean is in Iowa contacting supporters of former Vice President Al Gore. Dean says Gore’s decision not to run for president in 2004 will help his own presidential campaign effort.VPR News
Clavelle seeks two-party nomination
|
The mayor of Vermont’s largest city wants to broaden his political base as he campaigns for a seventh term in office. Mayor Peter Clavelle has run before as a Progressive candidate. Now Clavelle is seeking the Democratic nomination as well. At Clavelle’s announcement Monday, Clavelle and his supporters said it was time to move away from party labels.VPR News
Groups mobilize for Instant Runoff Voting
|
Supporters of an instant runoff voting system have launched a statewide petition drive to encourage lawmakers to support their proposal during the coming legislative session.VPR News
Interview: Democratic presidential race
|
VPR’s Steve Delaney talks with political science professor Eric Davis about former Vice President Al Gore’s decision not to run for the Democratic presidential nomination, and the implication that decision has on Governor Howard Dean’s campaign.VPR News
Mad River towns begins Act 60 petition drive
|
A new citizens’ group wants towns to challenge the Act 60 school funding law in court. The group calls itself “ReAct 60,” and it’s begun a petition drive to ask town boards to file suit. The group hopes to build on a successful case brought by the town of Killington.Commentary Series
Raggedy dolls with living hearts
|
Commentator Willem Lange’s wife recently came across a pair of long-ago Christmas gifts that awakened a flood of memories before they were mailed to their original owners.VPR News
Vermont prepares for smallpox vaccinations
|
President Bush Friday announced plans to administer smallpox vaccines to some military personnel and health care workers. It’s expected up to 2,000 Vermonters could receive the vaccinations.VPR News
Douglas may cut state jobs
|
Governor-elect Jim Douglas says he’s taking a serious look at reducing the size of the state’s workforce as a way to balance next year’s budget.VPR News
Face of homelessness
|
State officials say that more than 9,000 Vermonters have no place to call home. Some stay in shelters or with friends. Others live in cars, and even in tents. Homelessness in Vermont wears many faces and has many causes.VPR News
Interview: new transportation hotline
|
VPR’s Steve Delaney talks with Dan Grahovac about a new “511” hotline for emergency road conditions information.Commentary Series
New governor’s three challenges
|
Commentator John McClaughry reflects on the challenges that lie ahead for the Douglas administration.Commentary Series
Holiday gifts for gardeners
|
Commentator Charlie Nardozzi has advice for gifts that gardeners would enjoy.VPR News
Douglas appoints BISHCA commissioner
|
Governor-elect Jim Douglas says his new administration will conduct a thorough investigation of the state’s role in reviewing a controversial expansion project at the Fletcher Allen hospital. Douglas wants to know if state regulators should have been able to foresee some of the major problems that developed in this project.VPR News
FAHC announces new board members
|
Former gubernatorial candidate Con Hogan has taken on a new assignment as a trustee of Vermont’s largest hospital. The appointment of Hogan to the board of Fletcher Allen Health Care comes as the hospital tries to recover from a financial scandal. Trustees also named a Burlington pediatrician and two local business leaders to the hospital board.VPR News
Heroin conference draws lawmakers, community members
|
By every measure, heroin use in Vermont continues to increase: drug arrests are up, more people are seeking treatment for addiction, and drug related deaths are climbing. In Montpelier Thursday, legislators, law enforcement officials, health care providers and community members met to talk about Vermont’s heroin problem.VPR News
Teen attempts Eastern seaboard hike
|
A Vermont teenager hopes to be the youngest person ever to hike the length of the Eastern seaboard.VPR News
Dean criticizes smallpox vaccine program
|
Governor Howard Dean is criticizing a plan by the Bush administration to revive a national smallpox vaccination program.VPR News
Interview: Statehouse heroin summit
|
VPR’s Steve Delaney talks with Attorney General William Sorrell and US Attorney Peter Hall about the heroin conference they are sponsoring for lawmakers in Montpelier.VPR News
Water Board rejects Hinsdale neighbors’ appeal
|
A Charlotte farmer has won a round in his legal battle with neighbors. On Tuesday, the state Water Resources Board rejected their appeal of a permit for a manure pit.Commentary Series
Travel in a space elevator
|
Commentator Ruth Page imagines the possibility of space travel in an elevator.Commentary Series
What is patriotism?
|
Commentator Bill Seamans considers patriotism, dissent and paying your taxes.VPR News
Insurance group sells timberland in Northeast Kingdom
|
A big chunk of Vermont timberland is up for sale. The Hancock Timber Resource Group wants to sell 10,400 acres of forest in Essex and Caledonia counties. But the company says it’s not getting out of the land management business.VPR News
Dean enthusiastic about campaign’s progress
|
Governor Howard Dean says his campaign for president is ahead of where he thought it would be at the end of this year. Dean also acknowledges that his campaign will be the first in recent memory where the candidate’s spouse won’t be an active participant on the campaign trail.VPR News
Lott criticized for comments on Thurmond
|
Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean says Senator Trent Lott’s comments at a birthday party for retiring Senator Strom Thurmond appear to endorse the segregationist policies of more than 50 years ago.VPR News
Dean supports adding consumers to FAHC board
|
Governor Howard Dean says adding some consumer members to the Board of Trustees at the state’s largest hospital would be a good idea.VPR News
Dartmouth-Hitchcock commended for service
|
The Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center has been chosen one of the top 100 hospitals in the country by a leading healthcare data company.VPR News
Public meets in Fletcher Allen ‘town meeting’
|
Several hundred people jammed a Burlington church last night to call for major changes at Vermont’s largest hospital. Many of those who spoke said the trustees of Fletcher Allen Health Care need to be more open and more accountable to the public.VPR News
Interview: Republican House floor leader
|
VPR’s Steve Delaney talks with Representative Connie Houston. In January Houston will become the Republican floor leader in the Vermont House of Representatives.VPR News
Census Bureau releases supplementary Vermont data
|
The U.S. Census Bureau has released the 2001 Supplementary Survey data for Vermont and other New England states.VPR News
Vallee appointed to White House advisory group
|
Vermont businessman Skip Vallee who has been prominent in helping Republicans raise money has been appointed to a White House advisory group.Commentary Series
Regaining public trust
|
Public trust is a valuable commodity. When you’ve lost it, rebuilding it is a difficult challenge, according to commentator Allen Gilbert.Commentary Series
Vermont’s high-tech bat caves
|
Commentator Philip Baruth talks about the way the Vermont landscape has become home to all sorts of hidden high-tech operations, operations that preserve a traditional exterior while using new technologies to connect to the world at large.VPR News
Farmers meet, discuss solution to milk pricing
|
Against a backdrop of low milk prices and increasing consolidation in the industry, dairy farmers from Vermont and New Hampshire met Tuesday to talk about the causes and the solutions.VPR News
Tracy accuses Freed of partisan politics
|
The race for speaker of the Vermont House is heating up. Democrat John Tracy is accusing Republican Walter Freed of creating a partisan atmosphere at the Statehouse in the weeks before the election. Freed says the charges have no foundation and are part of Tracy’s strategy to attract more votes.VPR News
Schools comply with military reporting mandate
|
Vermont schools have been complying with a new federal requirement that they turn over the names of students’ home addressees and phone numbers to military recruiters.VPR News
Schools comply with military reporting rules
|
Vermont schools have been complying with a new federal requirement that they turn over the names of students’ home addressees and phone numbers to military recruiters.VPR News
Interview: Democratic House leader
|
VPR’s Steve Delaney talks with the Democratic Party’s floor leader in the Vermont House, Gaye Symington.Commentary Series
Great thoughts: Ralph Flanders defies Joseph McCarthy
|
Commentator Gregory Sanford says that the ideas of Vermont Senator Ralph Flanders greatly influenced how we conduct public discourse, and our notion of what it means to be an American.Commentary Series
Great thoughts: Ethan Allen and the spirit of rebellion
|
Commentator Frank Bryan examines the intellectual legacy of Ethan Allen, and in particular, one especially enigmatic statement.VPR News
Administration issues revenue report
|
State officials say there’s mixed news in the state’s new revenue report.VPR News
Revenues decline in state transportation fund
|
It looks like there will be less money available for new highway construction next year. The state Transportation Fund has seen a decline in revenues. So officials say they may ask the Legislature to borrow more money to fund major new road projects.VPR News
Dean ranks fourth in NH presidential poll
|
According to a new poll, 6% of New Hampshire Democrats support the presidential campaign of Vermont Governor Howard Dean. Dean says he’s encouraged by these results.VPR News
Supreme Court rebukes assistant judge
|
The Vermont Supreme Court has publicly reprimanded an assistant judge. A state judicial conduct board found that Windsor County Assistant Judge William Boardman misused his official position to oppose a science center near his home.VPR News
Students compete in high school design challenge
|
Thirty high schools from across Vermont participated in this year’s technology and science challenge Saturday at the University of Vermont.VPR News
Republicans caucus before new Legislative session
|
Republican House members celebrated their party’s gains yesterday and elected new leaders for the coming two-year legislative session.VPR News
Recounts confirm election results in House races
|
None of the nine recounts in Vermont House races have produced a new winner.Commentary Series
A bigger and more powerful Europe
|
Commentator Olin Robison ponders the future of Europe, and the future of American-European relations.VPR News
Health care workers could soon receive smallpox vaccine
|
Vermont health care workers could be vaccinated for smallpox beginning as early as January, under a plan the state will submit to the federal government next week.VPR News
Chittenden County plans for transportation growth
|
Officials in Vermont’s most populous county have ambitious plans for new roads and rail projects. Draft proposals for Chittenden County include expanding Interstate 89 to six lanes and developing new rail passenger service to surrounding areas. The plans are preliminary. But already there’s concern that the cost could take money away from projects needed in southern Vermont.VPR News
Dean lights state Christmas Tree
|
The state Christmas Tree was lit this evening in Montpelier. The 32-foot blue spruce was donated by the Clark-Dodge family Jeffersonville.VPR News
December 6, 2002 – News at a glance
|
Regional headlines from Vermont Public Radio and other news sources.VPR News
State committee releases medicinal marijuana findings
|
The state Legislature’s Medical Marijuana Study Committee has concluded that marijuana has medical value as a drug that can ease pain.VPR News
Businesses react to Internet sales tax proposal
|
The president of one of Vermont’s largest direct marketing companies doesn’t like the idea of collecting more taxes from catalog and online sales.Commentary Series
The legend of Pownal’s ‘Weeping Rocks’
|
Commentator Joe Citro pleads with people of Pownal: preserve the Weeping Rocks.Commentary Series
Complexity of the winter season
|
Commentator Tom Slayton is savoring the onset of winter.VPR News
State budget faces revenue shortfall
|
Governor-elect Jim Douglas has warned that state government faces a serious budget problem. Douglas says his administration may cut programs and lay off state workers to avoid a budget deficit.VPR News
States consider ‘streamlined’ sales tax
|
It’s likely that the Legislature will be asked this winter to give its approval to a streamlined sales tax plan that will allow the state to collect revenues from mail order and Internet companies. The proposal, which could bring the state millions of dollars in new revenue, would require some important changes to Vermont’s sales tax law.VPR News
Douglas names ANR and commerce secretaries
|
Republican Governor-elect Jim Douglas has picked Elizabeth McLain to lead the Natural Resources Agency and he’s selected business lobbyist Kevin Dorn as his new commerce secretary.VPR News
Vermont utility sells NH subsidiary
|
A Vermont power company has agreed to sell its New Hampshire subsidiary. Central Vermont Public Service Company of Rutland says it will sell the small Connecticut Valley Electric Company to Public Service of New Hampshire.VPR News
St. Johnsbury residents discuss needle exchange
|
Saint Johnsbury held a second community forum Wednesday night to discuss the Vermont CARES needle exchange program. The first forum in August elicited emotional reactions in the debate over whether the needle exchange program should continue.VPR News
Interview: campaign to clear landmines
|
Steve Delaney talks with Martha Hathaway of Clear Path International, about efforts to raise funds and awareness for clearing landmines.Commentary Series
Poindexter and ‘Total Information Awareness’
|
Commentator Cheryl Hanna has never subscribed to conspiracy theories, but in view of recent events that may change.Commentary Series
Two Vermonters take in the sights of New York
|
Commentator Will Curtis and his wife Jane recently paid a visit to the Big Apple, to hear some music and take in the sights.Commentary Series
Poindexter and ‘Total Information Awareness’
|
Commentator Cheryl Hanna has never subscribed to conspiracy theories, but in view of recent events that may change.VPR News
Lawmakers face revenue shortfalls in next state budget
|
In less than a month, the Vermont Legislature will begin to craft a new state budget. But when lawmakers return in January, they’ll face an unprecedented financial situation.VPR News
Long term revenue projections may impact state services
|
State revenue growth has dropped sharply, while demand for state services is rising. The trend of state revenues will likely have a long term impact on Vermont’s state services.VPR News
US-Canada agreement could limit asylum seekers
|
The United States and Canada are scheduled to sign an agreement this week to increase cooperation on counter-terrorism efforts. But critics say one section of the pact is designed to cut down on the number of immigrants allowed asylum in the two countries. They argue the pact will hurt people who have fled persecution and could lead to more refugee smuggling.VPR News
Route 7 proposal wins transportation award
|
Vermont officials say their chances of getting critical federal funding for several large-scale transportation projects in the western part of the state are looking up. A proposal to improve road and rail traffic along Route 7 has been recognized in a national competition to promote smart growth.VPR News
Sanders blames FAHC board, Dean oversight
|
Congressman Bernie Sanders says he’ll ask the Legislature to make substantial changes to the Board of Trustees of Fletcher Allen Health Care if the current Board does not implement these changes on its own.VPR News
Interview: Saxton’s River village center
|
Steve Delaney talks with Greg Brown of the Commerce and Community Development Agency about designing village center to prevent sprawl.Commentary Series
Winter reading recommendations
|
Whether or not you believe in global warming, it’s a safe bet that Vermont has some cold days ahead. Commentator Jules Older suggests some books to help keep out the cold.Commentary Series
Power Point boredom
|
Most people enjoy being read to, but recently commentator David Moats experienced a moment when he did not.VPR News
Safety officials seek funds to test drugged drivers
|
State highway safety officials are working to secure new federal funds to help crack down on drivers who are operating their cars under the influence of illegal drugs.VPR News
Douglas critical of relaxed clean air rules
|
Governor-elect Jim Douglas disagrees with the Bush administration over a plan to relax air pollution rules.VPR News
Vermont company to develop mine clearing robotics
|
The Vermont branch of an international engineering firm has been awarded a $3.5 million federal grant. Applied Research Associates in South Royalton will develop remote-controlled equipment used to clear anti-personnel mines.VPR News
Interview: professor of the year
|
Steve Delaney talks with Adrie Kusserow, who has been named Vermont professor of the year.VPR News
City councilors condemn Patriot Act
|
Burlington’s city councilors say the federal government is overstepping its bounds in combating terrorism. The City Council voted 10-to-2 Monday to condemn the Patriot Act, a law passed in reaction to the September 11 attacks.VPR News
Douglas holds southern Vermont jobs summit
|
Governor-elect Jim Douglas held his first regional jobs summit in southern Vermont Monday. Douglas says he wants to hear directly from business leaders concerning ways to create new good paying jobs across the state.VPR News
Forest management plan may use new federal rules
|
Late last week, the Bush administration proposed loosening the environmental rules that govern national forests. Officials in Vermont’s Green Mountain National Forest say they may use the new rules as they rewrite the forest management plan.VPR News
Resident charges Vermont Pure conflict of interest
|
Opponents of plans to expand operations at Vermont Pure Springs in Randolph Center say two members of the local Development Review Board should have excused themselves from the permit process. Last month, after the board approved the expansion, it was revealed that two members own stock in Vermont Pure.Commentary Series
Great thoughts: Minnie Dole and the ski patrol
|
Commentator John Morton says that the founder of the National Ski Patrol was inspired with his “great thought” by difficulties he encountered while on a ski vacation in Vermont.Commentary Series
Great thoughts: Calvin Coolidge and American business
|
The thoughts and philosophies of Calvin Coolidge helped shape the American business identity. Commentator Jeff Wennberg thinks they may be more relevant than ever.VPR News
Questions linger in Woodward in shooting
|
One year ago December 2, a distraught man walked into the sanctuary of a West Brattleboro church and asked for help. Less than half an hour later, he was dying from gunshots fired by local police. In the year since, the attorney general has cleared the police of wrongdoing. A civil suit has been filed. But the pain and the questions linger.VPR News
‘In-Sight’ gives Brattleboro youth creative outlet
|
For many young people the search for a creative outlet is an important part of growing up. In Brattleboro, a nonprofit organization called “In-Sight” supplies young people with the skills and equipment to express themselves through photography.VPR News
Jeffords to deliver Saturday’s radio address
|
Independent Senator James Jeffords has been chosen by Congressional Democrats to deliver the official opposition radio address Saturday morning.VPR News
Brattleboro spice company encourages sustainable farms
|
All across America this week people topped off their Thanksgiving dinners with pumpkin pie. The spices in some of those pies, and that cup of organic coffee on the side, are helping to preserve the world’s shrinking rainforests and the cultures that live in them. A Brattleboro company called ForesTrade is in large part responsible for making that connectionVPR News
State settles securities suit with Merrill Lynch
|
The State of Vermont has received a $500,000 payment from Merrill Lynch as part of a multi-state settlement that was negotiated with the brokerage firm.Commentary Series
Semper tinnitus
|
Commentator Willem Lange fondly remembers a former colleague, a teacher who raised the game of everyone around her.Commentary Series
Film, ‘Here Today’ moves audience
|
Recently commentator Lois Eby saw the film “Here Today: Heroin in Vermont” and she was moved by this documentary about the effects of heroin on addicts and their families.VPR News
Interview: Snowflake Bentley museum exhibit
|
Steve Delaney talks with the president of the Buffalo Museum of Science about the expansive “Snowflake” Bentley exhibit that begins Friday.VPR News
Best apple pie in Orleans County
|
Much goes into making homemade pies for the holiday table. One of Vermont’s many experts tells just how it’s done.VPR News
Bringing in the wood
|
The sound of chainsaws in the woods and the smell of wood smoke in the morning are sure signs that summer has ended and autumn has arrived. For those who heat with wood, its time to cut, split and stack the winter supply.Commentary Series
Thanksgiving with the aunts
|
For many years, commentator Edith Hunter’s family celebrated Thanksgiving with aunts Mary and Margaret Peirce of Weathersfield Center, in the same house where she now lives. Edith takes us to Thanksgiving Dinner with the Aunts, as recalled in a memoir by her daughter, Elizabeth.Commentary Series
Giving thanks
|
Ruth Page finds much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving, from the admirable reaction of Americans during the horrors of 9-11, to the ceaseless work of scientists and re-searchers helping to protect earth’s environments.VPR News
Lake Champlain preservation receives federal money
|
President Bush has signed legislation that allocates $55 million to protect the environment of Lake Champlain.VPR News
State launches web site with expanded services
|
Vermont has quietly launched a new state web site that will soon allow the public to register cars or buy a hunting license online. The web site was developed by a Maine company and cost the state about $230,000.Commentary Series
The ‘latte’ spy in Washington
|
Commentator Bill Seamans says President Bush has a curious lack of concern for secrecy in a preemptive strike against Iraq.Commentary Series
Organic police come knocking
|
Commentator Vern Grubinger imagines an unpleasant side of the new federal organic standards.VPR News
Interview: Dean’s campaign manager
|
Steve Delaney talks with Scott Ridder, chair of Governor Howard Dean’s campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination.VPR News
Wild turkeys make a comeback in Vermont
|
Thirty-five years ago, there were no wild turkeys in Vermont. Today, the big birds are a familiar sight in fields and back yards across the state.VPR News
Dean to pursue youth vote in presidential campaign
|
Governor Howard Dean says attracting young people to his upcoming presidential campaign is an important strategy in his effort to win the Democratic nomination.Commentary Series
Overwintering rose bushes
|
Commentator Charlie Nardozzi has advice on caring for rose bushes over the winter.Commentary Series
More bad news from Vermont businesses
|
Commentator Tim McQuiston says that from Brattleboro to Randolph, from Bennington to Island Pond, a lot fewer people these days are saying, “I work up to the plant.”VPR News
Parents fundraise to keep pediatric clinic open
|
A group of parents in Bellows Falls must raise $25,000 to prevent a pediatric health clinic from shutting down. The parents met last week with officials from Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, which operates the heath center. The hospital backed off earlier threats to close the clinic. But now the parents have to come up with half the money to keep it operating.VPR News
Some recounts in House races may be challenged
|
According to the Secretary of State’s office, the official tabulation of five legislative recounts shows no change from the winners on Election Day. Still, there’s a possibility that some of the recounts may be challenged.VPR News
VPIRG issues annual list of toy warnings
|
With the two biggest shopping days of the holidays coming up this weekend, the Vermont Public Interest Research Group is urging consumers to be careful not to purchase toys that could be hazardous to young children.VPR News
Dean leaves for Israel Saturday
|
Vermont Governor Howard Dean will be leaving for Jerusalem on Saturday. He’ll spend five days touring the area and meeting with Israeli and Palestinian leaders.VPR News
Bartlett drops out of race for Senate leader
|
The senior woman in the Vermont Senate apparently has dropped out of the race to become its leader.VPR News
Interview: Vermont Route 9
|
Steve Delaney talks with Jim Sullivan of the Bennington Regional Commission about the effort to designate Vermont Route 9 a scenic byway.VPR News
Attorney general to investigate milk processor merger
|
The Vermont Attorney General’s office will investigate how a planned merger in the milk business will affect Vermont consumers and dairy farmers.VPR News
Fresh turkey market grows in Vermont
|
Turkey production has declined across most of New England, but it has become a growth industry in Vermont. That’s according to the state’s Department of Agriculture, which expects an increase this year in the sale of farm-fresh turkeys.Commentary Series
Great thoughts: Deane Davis’s ‘Green Up’ day
|
Great thoughts and philosophies from Vermonters have shaped our state and sometimes influenced the nation. Commentator Philip Baruth says conservative governor Deane Davis left a legacy of environmental protection.Commentary Series
Great thoughts: Dorothy Canfield Fisher
|
Commentator Edith Hunter says that Vermont writer Dorothy Canfield Fisher greatly influenced our ideas about women, children and education during the first half of the 20th century – especially the value of learning by doing.VPR News
Supporters gather signatures for Instant Runoff Voting
|
Supporters of an instant runoff voting (IRV) plan say they’ll urge the Legislature to adopt their proposal this winter. The plan faces a tough battle in the General Assembly and Governor-elect Jim Douglas says he’ll oppose it.VPR News
Burlington offers market assessment to attract business
|
The city of Burlington wants to encourage businesses to open up in the downtown shopping district. A Burlington official says the city will provide free market research for retailers interested in moving to the city’s commercial area.VPR News
State unveils Dean’s official portrait
|
The official gubernatorial portrait of Governor Howard Dean has been unveiled at the Statehouse. About 150 people attended the ceremony, which took place in the well of the House Chamber.VPR News
Buffalo museum shows Snowflake Bentley exhibit
|
Snowflake Bentley’s work is going on display this season in one of the snowiest places in the East.VPR News
Interview: Reagan documentary
|
Steve Delaney talks with retired White House Correspondent Frank Sesno. Sesno, formerly of Springfield, is hosting a television documentary on the Reagan White House.VPR News
Researchers develop insight into ice
|
Underfoot and on our windshields, ice can be a nuisance and a danger. Because it’s so abundant, you might think scientists had long ago learned all there is to know about ice. Dartmouth College researchers have advanced our understanding of ice and, in the process, developed new technology that could change our relationship with this common substance.Commentary Series
Great Thoughts: Robert Frost captures Vermont
|
Commentator Willem Lange often thinks Great Thoughts about Vermont himself, but realizes when he does, that somebody else has already put them on paper.Commentary Series
Great thoughts: equality in Vermont history
|
Commentator Olin Robison says that while many “Great Ideas” are expressed in words, others are embodied in symbols. And in some cases, they’re embodied in certain individuals, persons whose presence and work pointed the way for others to follow. He says three Vermonters are a case in point.VPR News
Freed, Tracy seek votes to become next House speaker
|
The four Progressive members of the Vermont House say they will vote for Democrat John Tracy to be the next speaker of the House. Both Tracy and Republican Speaker Walter Freed say they have the 76 votes needed to win this electionVPR News
State refinances long term debt
|
With interest rates now at some of their lowest levels in years, the state of Vermont is doing something that many consumers are thinking about: refinance some larger loans.VPR News
Newspaper stories in question
|
This week, the Barre-Montpelier Times Argus fired its managing editor after it could not substantiate a story he wrote about a teenage heroin addict. Now, the paper is questioning other stories the editor wrote.VPR News
Interview: orientation for new legislators
|
Steve Delaney talks with incoming legislator Mitzi Johnson of grand Isle. Johnson will be participating in “freshman orientation” for new Vermont legislators.VPR News
Institute prepares Vermont lawsuit over school vouchers
|
The Institute for Justice, a Washington-based advocacy group that promotes school choice, says it plans to sue the state of Vermont. The group wants to overturn a Vermont Supreme Court decision that prevents state tax dollars from being used to pay tuition at religious schools.Commentary Series
Great thoughts: Justin Morrill and higher education
|
Commentator Libby Sternberg says that American colleges and universities owe a debt of gratitude to Justin Smith Morrill, a Vermont Senator whose great idea became the Land Grant College Act of 1862.Commentary Series
Great thoughts: marriage rights and civil unions
|
One of the more recent ideas to shape our community is that of Civil Union. But commentator David Moats says that Chief Justice Jeffery Amestoy’s ruling was based on traditional Vermont notions of equality.Commentary Series
Listener comments on ‘Great Thoughts of Vermont’
|
Great Thoughts of Vermont inspire great reactions from VPR listeners.VPR News
Diocese clarifies policy on abuse reporting
|
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington says it was mistaken when it said last week that it would no longer immediately report sexual abuse allegations to authorities.VPR News
Regulators say hospital oversight needs strengthening
|
Vermont’s top health care regulator says the oversight system needs to be strengthened to avoid future cases of hospitals misleading state agencies. But Banking and Insurance Commissioner Elizabeth Costle disagrees with Governor-elect Jim Douglas who says that the state should have asked harder questions of Fletcher Allen.VPR News
VPIRG urges schools to reduce pesticide use
|
The Vermont Public Interest Research Group has released a study on the use of pesticides at school across the state. VPIRG says the use of pesticides can lead to health risks in children.VPR News
Interview: Ruth Stone wins poetry award
|
Steve Delaney talks with Vermont poet Ruth Stone. Stone received the prestigious National Book Award for poetry Wedensday night in New York City.Commentary Series
Great thoughts: John Deere and the polished plow
|
One Vermonter had an idea for improving a simple but basic tool. Commentator Vern Grubinger says that John Deere’s inspiration ultimately transformed agriculture worldwide.Commentary Series
Great thoughts: Wilson Bentley and snowflakes
|
Commentator Cheryl Hanna tells us that Vermonter Wilson Bentley had a big idea about a very small thing indeed. And his work has greatly influenced the vision of both the artistic and the scientific communities.VPR News
Two Fletcher Allen Health Care administrators resign
|
Trustees at Vermont’s largest hospital blamed their management for misleading regulators about the true cost of a multi-million dollar expansion project. In an internal report on the problems at Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington, the trustees also said they were ultimately responsible. They also announced Wednesday that two top hospital officials have stepped down.VPR News
Douglas concerned over public trust in FAHC
|
Governor-elect Jim Douglas says the most important issue facing Fletcher Allen is the restoration of public confidence in the hospital. Douglas is concerned that the ongoing problems at Fletcher Allen will undermine public confidence in the hospital and will badly damage the morale of the hospital’s staff – a development that could affect patient care.VPR News
Douglas writes six state troopers into new budget
|
Governor-elect Jim Douglas says he’ll propose the addition of at least six new state troopers when he submits his budget to the Legislature in January.VPR News
Sanders calls for FAHC trustees to resign
|
Congressman Bernie Sanders has called for the entire Board of Trustees at Fletcher Allen to resign. He says the mismanagement at the hospital has had an impact on federal funding for health care.VPR News
Interview: young people leave Vermont
|
Steve Delaney talks with Chris Delia of the Economic Development Department on the trend of young people leaving Vermont.VPR News
Douglas criticizes administration’s oversight of FAHC
|
Governor Elect Jim Douglas says he believes the Dean Administration should have done a better job keeping track of the Fletcher Allen Hospital expansion project.VPR News
Citizen groups study Rutland’s challenges
|
What can a community do to fight crime and substance abuse? That’s a question that will be addressed Wednesday at 6:30 at a public forum at Rutland’s Grace Congregational Church. Rutland City Police, the Department of Corrections and Rutland’s United Neighborhoods joined forces over the past several months on a community dialog project that will culminate Wednesday.Commentary Series
Great thoughts: Clarina Nichols on voting rights
|
Great thoughts and philosophies from Vermonters have shaped our state and sometimes influenced the nation. Commentator Madeleine Kunin explores the legacy of suffragist Clarina Nichols.Commentary Series
Great thoughts: George Perkins Marsh and conservation
|
Great thoughts and philosophies from Vermonters have shaped our state and sometimes influenced the nation. The ideas of George Perkins Marsh influenced Vermonters and the nation to think differently about stewardship of the land. According to commentator Tom Slayton, Marsh is considered to be a founder of today’s environmental movement.VPR News
Leahy, Jeffords split on homeland security bill
|
Senator James Jeffords says a proposed Homeland Security bill will do very little to help this country fight terrorism. Jeffords says the proposal will undermine local and regional disaster relief efforts in the future.VPR News
Region’s airports staffed for new security regulations
|
The Transportation Security Administration has staffed all of the region’s commercial airports to provide better screening of passengers. The federal security officers have replaced a private guard force that was criticized for being inattentive and poorly trained.VPR News
Recount show Miller wins House seat in Shaftsbury
|
The Democratic incumbent in a race for a Vermont House seat in Shaftsbury has widened her lead in a recount. Monday’s recount finds that Democratic Representative Alice Miller defeated Republican Charles Bushey by 946 to 878.VPR News
EHV Weidmann cuts 27 jobs
|
EHV Weidmann, an electrical equipment contractor in Saint Johnsbury, cut 27 jobs today. EHV Weidmann makes insulation for high-voltage applications in the electrical power industry.VPR News
Anti-abortion group critical of contest rule
|
An anti-abortion group is calling attention to what it termed an inconsistency in the policies of the abortion rights group, Planned Parenthood.VPR News
Interview: Wilmington and Act 60
|
Steve Delaney talks with the Wilmington school board chairman about the town continuing fight against the state’s education funding law.VPR News
Fairbanks Scales workers end strike
|
Striking workers at the Fairbanks Scales plant in Saint Johnsbury are returning to work this morning. Roughly 70 employees went on strike two weeks ago over pensions, wage issues and health insurance.Commentary Series
More Great Thoughts – audio and transcripts
|
Vermonters’ great thoughts, inventions and philosophies have shaped the state and made a lasting imprint on how people live in Vermont and across the country. Review the online audio and transcripts of this commentary series.Commentary Series
Great thoughts: John Dewey on education
|
Great thoughts and philosophies from Vermonters have shaped our state and sometimes influenced the nation. Today, commentator Ruth Page explores John Dewey’s ideas about education.Commentary Series
Great thoughts: George Aiken on the ideal community
|
Great thoughts and philosophies from Vermonters have shaped our state and sometimes influenced the nation. Commentator Frank Bryan explores George Aiken’s concept of the ideal community.VPR News
Sorrell says church should not investigate first
|
Attorney General William Sorrell says the Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington should not conduct it’s own investigation before informing authorities of sexual abuse allegations against priests or church employees.VPR News
CLF may sue 15 businesses over stormwater runoff
|
An environmental group says it may sue 15 Chittenden County businesses over water pollution violations. The Conservation Law Foundation says the companies never obtained stormwater permits for the runoff that flows in Lake Champlain.VPR News
CVPS repairs storm damage to power lines
|
Work crews at the state’s largest utility are working at this hour to restore power to thousands of customers in Addison, Rutland and Bennington counties. Central Vermont Public Service has restored power to roughly 70% of the 10,000 homes that lost electricity.VPR News
Times-Argus editor dismissed
|
The top editor of the Barre-Montpelier Times Argus has been dismissed. Publisher John Mitchell says details of a story written by Managing Editor Scott Fletcher in September were not true.VPR News
Interview: Vermont celebrates Hayden Carruth
|
Steve Delaney talks with David Budbill on the poetry readings around the state that have honored Vermont poet Hayden Carruth.VPR News
Water board to hear Hinsdale farm case Tuesday night
|
Neighbors opposed to a large farm project in Chittenden County say they’ll continue their fight, despite the farmer’s plans to move some of the animals to another location. The state Water Resources Board has scheduled a hearing on Tuesday in the large farm case.VPR News
Diocese returns to internal investigation policy
|
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington says it will no longer immediately report allegations of sexual misconduct by priests to state authorities. The diocese says it will first look into the charges to determine if they’re credible.VPR News
Douglas to scale back committment to energy efficiency
|
Supporters of energy conservation programs say they’re disappointed that Governor-elect Jim Douglas wants to scale back the state’s commitment to these efforts.VPR News
Central Vermont baseball fans welcome the Mountaineers
|
The New England Collegiate Baseball League has just awarded a new franchise to the state of Vermont. The team will play in Montpelier and will feature some of the best college players from around the country.VPR News
Ski areas delay opening one weekend
|
A number of Vermont ski areas will be opening this year with new and faster lifts and increased snowmaking. But there are signs that after years of investing in technology, the resorts are beginning to focus on other types of improvements.Commentary Series
Fall overturn in Vermont lakes
|
According to commentator Ted Levin, this time of year the water in your local pond or lake undergoes an environmentally critical transformation.Commentary Series
Two views on the election results
|
Commentators Cheryl Hanna and Libby Sternberg reflect on the recent election and offer Two Views on who won, and who lost.Commentary Series
Bringing in the wood
|
Commentator Willem Lange has been bringing in his woodpile, a satisfying job that seems to get a little harder every year.Commentary Series
Buddhism and war
|
Commentator Nick Boke has been thinking a lot lately about the idea of a Holy War.VPR News
Tracking a dollar in the dairy industry
|
Dairy farmers have always wondered why milk prices stay high in the supermarket when their own paychecks fall. The Vermont Department of Agriculture is trying to answer the question. Officials are researching where the money goes in the milk industry.VPR News
Interview: rifle season opens Saturday
|
Steve Delaney talks with John Buck of the Fish and Wildlife Department on the opening of rifle season Saturday.VPR News
Governor-elect Douglas holds first news conference
|
Governor-elect Jim Douglas says he’ll urge the Legislature to bring back horse racing in Pownal as a way to stimulate the economy of southwestern Vermont and to bring new revenue to the state. Douglas also wants the General Assembly to support a plan to have Vermont join Powerball.VPR News
VPR goes backstage with ‘The Crucible’
|
Arthur Miller’s play “The Crucible” is set during the Salem witch trials in 1692. But its politics are rooted firmly in 1950’s America.VPR News
Gorczyk says Springfield prison should open
|
Vermont Corrections Commissioner John Gorczyk says the new prison in Springfield should be opened as soon as construction is completed. There have been suggestions the state could save money by delaying the opening.VPR News
Hinsdales purchase neighboring Charlotte farm
|
The family that has been proposing a large farm operation in Charlotte has just bought one of the town’s largest farms. The Hinsdale family purchased Nordic Farms, which sits along U.S. Route 7 for $840,000.VPR News
Interview: high speed rail
|
Steve Delaney talks with Charlie Miller of the Vermont Transportation Agency. Miller will be a meeting Thursday night in Montpelier to discuss the possibility of building high-speed rail between Boston and Montreal, through Vermont.VPR News
Sanders supports Pelosi as House minority leader
|
Congressman Bernie Sanders says he strongly supports the election of California Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi as the new head of the Democrats in the U.S. House.VPR News
Fairbanks Scales may hire replacement workers
|
Officials at the Fairbanks Scales plant in Saint Johnsbury say they may need to hire replacement workers. Roughly 70 workers went on strike ten days ago in a dispute over pensions, wage issues and health insurance.VPR News
Phone company ends scam in Vermont
|
An Indiana-based phone company has agreed to stop doing business in Vermont and make refunds to customers. Business Option Incorporated switch people to their long distance service without proper permission.VPR News
Newport mayor disputes police investigation
|
Newport Mayor Reynold Choiniere is unhappy with a state police investigation that cleared the city police chief of abuse allegations. Choiniere told The Barton Chronicle that the investigation into the incident was a “white wash.”VPR News
Commission considers changes to hospital oversight
|
State health care regulators are looking for new ways to control hospital spending. The review follows the disclosure that Vermont’s largest hospital misled state officials about the true cost of its redevelopment project.VPR News
Douglas sets priorities for state budget cuts
|
Governor-elect Jim Douglas is establishing his priorities for the new state budget. While Douglas is asking most agencies to consider a 5% cut in spending, he says three departments will not be subject to any cuts: Public Safety, Higher Education and Economic Development.VPR News
Police use pepper spray on striking Fairbanks workers
|
Tempers flared on the picket lines at the Fairbanks Scales plant in Saint Johnsbury late Tuesday when police used pepper spray in a scuffle with strikers.Commentary Series
Remembering Celia Hunter
|
Commentator Will Curtis remembers Celia Hunter, a pioneer in the conservation movement.VPR News
Wind energy project proposed for Londonderry
|
A Vermont-based energy company plans to build the state’s largest wind energy project at the Magic Mountain ski area in Londonderry. Catamount Energy has proposed a $50 million wind farm for the ski area’s summit.Commentary Series
Ode to the newspaper
|
Commentator Tom Slayton says he’ll never put down the paper.VPR News
Interview: Speaker Walter Freed
|
Steve Delaney talks with Speaker Walter Freed about the possible change in leadership in the Vermont House of Representatives.VPR News
Douglas will commute from Middlebury
|
Governor-elect Jim Douglas says he plans to continue to commute from his home in Middlebury to Montpelier once he’s sworn into office in January. Douglas has been making the two and a half hour roundtrip for most of the past 22 years, when he served as secretary of state and state treasurer.Commentary Series
Winning and almost winning
|
Commentator David Moats reflects on what it means to win, and come close to winning.Commentary Series
White-tail deer population
|
Commentator Ruth Page looks at how an unchecked deer population can destroy forest ecosystems.VPR News
State plans to test deer for chronic wasting disease
|
State biologists plan to sample about 500 deer killed this hunting season to see if a fatal brain disorder has spread to Vermont from the Midwest.VPR News
Secretary of state announces official vote totals
|
The final results from last week’s election are in. Republican gubernatorial candidate Jim Douglas defeated Democrat Doug Racine by just under 5,900 votes, and a proposed constitutional amendment passed by a wide margin.VPR News
Vermont Guard deploys security forces
|
More Vermont National Guard members are headed overseas as part of the U.S. war on terrorism.VPR News
School board to decide on ‘safe zone’ signs in school
|
The school board in Barre wants some time to decide whether it’s okay for a teacher to post a sign saying she is available to talk with students who are questioning their sexuality.VPR News
New baseball team forms in Montpelier
|
Vermont has a new baseball team. The Vermont Mountaineers are the latest addition to the New England Collegiate Baseball League, a summer league for college athletes.VPR News
Farmers, officials discuss low milk prices
|
State agriculture officials from throughout the Northeast met last week to search for a regional solution to low milk prices. The officials heard that many dairy farmers are on the brink of survival because their milk checks no longer cover their costs of production.VPR News
Study suggests high-speed rail for Vermont
|
A preliminary study of high-speed rail service between Boston and Montreal has concluded the idea warrants a closer look.VPR News
Consumers urged to request generic prescriptions
|
A coalition of consumer and medical groups is launching a public education campaign to help reduce the state’s prescription drug budget.Commentary Series
Election redemption
|
Commentator Philip Baruth was on a search for redemption election night.Commentary Series
Stock market review
|
Commentator Timothy McQuiston offers advice and insight into the turbulent stock market.VPR News
Towns study viability of methadone clinics
|
Two and a half years ago, the Legislature approved the creation of methadone clinics to help treat Vermont’s increasing number of heroin addicts. But establishing the clinics has been a slow process.VPR News
Dean winds down term in office
|
Governor Howard Dean says the election of a new governor last week has brought home the reality that Dean will soon be stepping down as Vermont’s chief executive.VPR News
Colodny announces more FAHC expenses
|
The state’s largest hospital says the cost of its major renovation project has gone up by tens of millions of dollars. The disclosure shocked state regulators. They said hospital administrators had apparently deliberately deceived the state about the project’s costs.VPR News
Amtrak service will continue for 9 months
|
A key legislative committee has voted to maintain Amtrak’s rail passenger service in Vermont for the next nine months, but the future for the state’s two passenger trains is very uncertain.VPR News
Chesapeake Hardwood closing Hancock plant
|
A Virginia-based wood products company is pulling out of Vermont. Chesapeake Hardwood Products says it’s moving its Hancock operations to Virginia.VPR News
Interview: Representative John Tracy
|
Steve Delaney talks with Representative John Tracy. Tracy is making a bid to be elected House majority leader in the newly configured Vermont House of Representatives.VPR News
Progressives, Democrats reflect on a three-party race
|
Republican Brian Dubie won this week’s race for lieutenant governor with 41% of the vote. His Democratic and Progressive challengers split most of the remaining votes. Vermont Democrats are wondering if Dubie’s election is a sign of difficult days ahead. They say if Democrats and Progressives continue to split votes, Republicans will continue to win.Commentary Series
Why the Turkish elections matter.
|
Commentator Olin Robison urges Americans to pay attention to the elections… in Turkey.Commentary Series
The mother tongue
|
Commentator Willem Lange has been speaking English, more or less, for over sixty years, and often laments what has happened to it during that time.VPR News
Dean, Douglas discuss transition and new budget
|
Governor Howard Dean and Governor-elect Jim Douglas met for over an hour on Thursday to discuss the gubernatorial transition. Dean says he’s confident that Douglas will be a good governor for the state of Vermont.VPR News
Polls get it wrong
|
Polls conducted for Vermont news organizations in the weeks leading up to the election all put Doug Racine ahead in the race for governor. The last poll, released days before the election, showed Racine with a ten-point lead, the largest of the campaign.Commentary Series
Halloween with Houdini
|
Commentator Joe Citro spent Halloween remembering the fate of Harry Houdini.Commentary Series
Election post-mortem
|
Commentator Madeleine Kunin can’t help but notice that elections do matter.VPR News
Douglas forms transition team
|
Governor-elect Jim Douglas announced the formation of his transition team on Wednesday. Douglas says the biggest challenge facing the team will be the formation of a new state budget.VPR News
Racine concedes governor’s race to Douglas
|
Democrat Doug Racine will ask lawmakers in January to elect Republican Jim Douglas as governor. The race will go to the Statehouse, because neither candidate won more than 50% of the vote.VPR News
Vermont’s U.S. Senators to lose power
|
When the Republicans take charge in the U.S. Senate, it will diminish the power of Vermont’s two U.S. Senators.VPR News
Democrats gain seats in Vermont House, Senate
|
While Republicans were in the limelight in the governor and lieutenant governor elections, it was a night of Democratic gains in the Vermont House and Senate.VPR News
Vermont senators to be unseated as committee chairs
|
Republicans Tuesday morning appear headed to win control of both the U.S. House and the Senate in Washington. And that spells trouble for Vermont’s two senators.VPR News
Douglas likely winner of gubernatorial race
|
It appears that Republican gubernatorial candidate Jim Douglas will be Vermont’s next governor. With 94% of the vote counted, Douglas has a 6,000-vote lead over Democrat Doug Racine, but Racine is not yet conceding this race.VPR News
Dubie wins plurality in lieutenant governor’s race
|
Republican Brian Dubie will be Vermont’s next lieutenant governor. Dubie, who ran unsuccessfully two years ago, won with 41% of the vote. Democrat Peter Shumlin had 32%, while Progressive Anthony Pollina took 25%. Shumlin conceded the race shortly after midnight.VPR News
Democrats take lower-tier state offices
|
Democrats may have had a bad night at the top of their ticket, but lower-tier candidates swept into office.VPR News
Sanders defeats Meub in U.S. House race
|
Congressman Bernard Sanders will return to Washington in January. The nation’s only Independent Congressman defeated Republican challenger William Meub by a wide margin.VPR News
Brattleboro Reformer hosts ‘election central’
|
In Windham County, the one place to be on election night is the Brattleboro Reformer office.VPR News
Town clerks observe voters’ sentiment
|
At Vermont’s polling places, Election Day provides a unique look into the voters’ minds. Among those who get to see this side of Vermonters are the state’s venerable town clerks.Commentary Series
Bike down a volcano
|
When someone says “Hawaii,” mountain biking probably isn’t the first thing you think of. But as commentator John Morton and his wife Kay discovered, it’s a great way to see the sights.VPR News
Election night news updates
|
Summary reports from the VPR news team, reporting live from across the state on election night.VPR News
Specialty Filaments adds jobs in Vermont
|
A company that makes bristles for toothbrushes, paint brushes and cosmetics is moving 25 to 30 jobs to Vermont.VPR News
Forbes lauds Green Mountain Coffee
|
Green Mountain Coffee has been named one of Forbes magazine’s 200 best small companies in the country for a third year in a row.VPR News
Interview: polls are open
|
Across the state Tuesday, town clerks are working to ensure that Election Day runs smoothly. Steve Delaney talks with Dencie Mitchell of the Vermont Town Clerks’ Association. Across the state Tuesday, town clerks are working to ensure that Election Day runs smoothly. Steve Delaney talks with Dencie Mitchell of the Vermont Town Clerks’ Association.Commentary Series
Door to door campaigning
|
Commentator Edith Hunter reflects on dogs, swing-sets and campaigning door to door.Commentary Series
Time to vote
|
Commentator Frank Bryan has been thinking about the Vermont tradition of civic engagement.VPR News
Senate races likely to impact Jeffords, Leahy
|
Even though their names are not on the ballot, Vermont’s two United States senators have a lot at stake on Election Day. If the Republicans gain control of the U.S. Senate, Pat Leahy and Jim Jeffords will no longer chair two of the Senate’s most important committees.VPR News
Dean, hunters agree resolve Champion lands dispute
|
Governor Howard Dean and a group representing Vermont hunters say they’ve resolved one of the most contentious issues of the 2002 Legislature. Late last week, Dean signed an executive order that guarantees hunters may access all parts of the Champion timberlands in the Northeast Kingdom. The sportsmen had complained that they might be excluded from a state-owned ecological reserve on the property.VPR News
Constitutional amendment on Tuesday’s ballot
|
Voters will be deciding Tuesday whether to amend the Vermont Constitution. The issue is whether the constitution should continue to mandate judges’ retirement at 70 years of age.VPR News
Fairbanks Scales workers strike
|
Union members at Fairbanks Scales in Saint Johnsbury are on strike. The workers began marching in protest outside the Fairbanks building at about 6:00 a.m. Monday.VPR News
Interview: Banknorth lists on NYSE
|
Steve Delaney talks with William Ryan, president of Banknorth Group, Inc. Banknorth is listing on the New York Stock Exchange Monday.VPR News
Political scientists weigh the impact of negative ads
|
The candidates running for statewide office spend hundreds of thousand of dollars in their quest to win an election. Much of the money goes toward advertising. As the election draws near, campaign ads become more hard hitting.Commentary Series
A great year for tomatoes
|
Commentator Vern Grubinger reflects on tomatoes – in the garden, in history, and in the U.S. Supreme Court.Commentary Series
Honoring poet Hayen Carruth
|
This month Vermont will host a series of four celebrations honoring the poet Hayden Carruth. Commentator Lois Eby shares her own memories of the poet.VPR News
Parties, candidates take credit for Circ ‘fast track’
|
Democrats say there’s some politics involved in the federal government’s help for a Vermont highway project.VPR News
Fairbanks union workers reject company’s offer
|
Unionized workers at the Fairbanks Scales Company in Saint Johnsbury have voted to reject the firm’s latest contract offer.VPR News
Chief Justice urges more support for foster children
|
The chief justice of the Vermont Supreme Court on Friday urged state human service officials, judges and lawyers to work more closely together on foster care cases involving younger children.VPR News
Supreme Court rules on privacy of Dean’s schedule
|
The Vermont Supreme Court says Governor Howard Dean must release his daily schedule that relates to his presidential campaign. But the Supreme Court sent the case back to a lower court to decide whether Dean can continue to keep the other parts of his schedule to himself.VPR News
Douglas proposes Act 60 prebate changes
|
Republican gubernatorial candidate Jim Douglas is backing an Act 60 Reform plan that would sharply curtail the number of people who would qualify for tax prebates under the law. Democrat Doug Racine strongly opposes the plan.VPR News
Survivors recall memories of the 1927 flood
|
This weekend marks the 75th anniversary of the greatest natural disaster in Vermont history. Several Vermonters who remember the Flood of 1927 shared their memories.VPR News
Interview: Vermont schools and federal standards
|
Steve Delaney talks with Deputy Education Commissioner Bud Myers Most about Vermont schools targeted for improvement by the Federal Education Act.VPR News
Leahy defends Judicial Committee’s record
|
Senator Patrick Leahy says a plan proposed by President Bush to speed up the U.S. Senate’s confirmation process of federal judges is little more than a political ploy in the final days before Tuesday’s Election.Commentary Series
Cramming for the Election Day test
|
Election Day is right around the corner. Commentator Allen Gilbert says there’s still time to do some homework before the big test.Commentary Series
Wandering the Missisquoi wildlife refuge
|
Commentator Alan Boye has spent some time in northwestern Vermont pondering landscape and language.VPR News
Shumlin ad stirs controversy in lt. governor’s race
|
A new radio ad in the lieutenant governor’s race is stirring up a lot of controversy in the final days of the campaign.VPR News
Douglas,Racine search for votes in campaign’s last days
|
As the election season winds down, the two major candidates for governor have stepped up their search for votes. Democratic Lieutenant Governor Doug Racine told a news conference in Burlington that he’ll work intensely on issues important to women and families. And Republican Jim Douglas took credit for the Bush administration’s decision to place a long-awaited highway project on a priority list.VPR News
Challenger seeks to unseat Rutland state’s attorney
|
Voters in Rutland County will choose their state’s attorney on Tuesday. Long time incumbent Jim Mongeon faces Democratic Challenger Lamar Enzor, a deputy state’s attorney in Windsor County.VPR News
Danby residents blame Omya for dry wells
|
Some Danby residents complain their springs and wells went dry after the Omya company pumped ground water from the site of its proposed marble quarry. The state environmental agency wants to know if there was any impact on local water supplies.VPR News
Voters cast early ballots in record numbers
|
According to the Secretary of State’s office, Vermonters are picking up early ballots at a record pace. It’s possible that 30% of all voters will cast their ballots before Election Day.VPR News
Fairbanks Scales workers may strike
|
Eighty-one workers at Fairbanks Scales in Saint Johnsbury will vote Friday morning on whether to strike or continue contract negotiations with the company.Commentary Series
Shishi odori meets Spiderman
|
Commentator and former Rutland mayor Jeff Wennberg is here with a unique Vermont tale of East meets West.Commentary Series
A visit to the Pawlet Library
|
Commentator Tom Slayton is reveling in the Vermont spirit after a recent visit to Pawlet.VPR News
Interview: new ski season opens
|
Steve Delaney talks with the president of the Vermont Ski Areas Association about the open of ski season.VPR News
Gubernatorial candidates debate on ‘Switchboard’
|
The four major candidates for governor debated a wide range of issues last night on VPR’s Switchboard program.VPR News
Program helps communities with furloughed inmates
|
The Department of Corrections is launching a new program designed to give towns a greater say when criminal offenders are returned to a community.Commentary Series
Food for birds
|
Commentator Henry Homeyer has some tips on plants that attract birds to your yard.Commentary Series
A refresher course on the constitution
|
Commentator John McClaughry offers a civics lesson for the current debate on plurality in Vermont elections.VPR News
Veterans endorse Sanders for U.S. House
|
Independent Congressman Bernie Sanders has been endorsed by a leading veterans organization, even though Sanders voted against a plan to give President Bush the authority to take military action against Iraq.VPR News
Interview: developmental needs of boys
|
Steve Delaney talks with Dr. William Pollack, author of “Real Boys: Rescuing our Sons from the Myths of Boyhood.”VPR News
Act 250 draws fire and support from gov. candidates
|
As the gubernatorial candidates focus on jobs and the economy, they also debate ways to reform Vermont’s environmental permit process. The proposals range from rewriting the state’s major development control law to using more specialists to guide companies through the permit maze.Commentary Series
A weird African plant
|
here are a number of plants that can survive on earth for many hundreds of years. Today, commentator Ruth Page describes one that hangs onto its first two leaves for all that time, and rarely produces any more.Commentary Series
Why I like elections
|
As the current political campaign reaches it’s noisy crescendo, commentator David Moats has a confession to make.VPR News
Gubernatorial candidates meet at Rotary forum
|
With election day just a week away, the major candidates for governor on Monday afternoon discussed health care, Act 60 and economic development at a special forum in Montpelier.VPR News
Coalition urges support for constitutional amendment
|
A new coalition wants voters to support a proposed amendment to the Vermont Constitution on Election Day.VPR News
Sanders endorses Racine
|
Independent Congressman Bernie Sanders is endorsing Democrat Doug Racine in the race for governor.VPR News
Gilman water safe to drink
|
People using the Gilman water system don’t have to boil the water any more.VPR News
Interview: black bears and transportation planning
|
Steve Delaney talks with Chuck Wise of the Two Rivers Ottaquechee Planning Commission on the impact of roads on bear country.VPR News
Hinsdale plans counter-suit in large farm case
|
There’s more legal wrangling over a large dairy operation planned for Chittenden County. Neighbors appealed the project last month. But now the farmer says their appeal was filed in the wrong place. The farmer wants the case moved to Superior Court, where he hopes to bring a counter-suit against the opponents.VPR News
Brattleboro group establishes Estey Organ museum
|
For the past year, a group in Brattleboro has been working to launch a new museum to celebrate the legacy of the Estey Organ Company. The company made organs from 1846 to 1960 and is credited with putting Brattleboro, Vermont on the map.Commentary Series
Proud of Carter
|
A few weeks ago, former president Jimmy Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2002. The decision came not a moment too soon, for commentator Philip Baruth.Commentary Series
Wait for the dust to settle around the General Election
|
With the election just a week away, commentator Cheryl Hanna is wondering what will happen if none of the three major candidates for governor receives a majority of votes.VPR News
‘War Drivers’ seek weakness in wireless networks
|
Wireless networks offer convenience and mobility by connecting computers without using cables. But experts say these systems can be a vulnerable target for computer hackers.VPR News
Computerized weather voice undergoes fine-tuning
|
Many Vermonters use specialized weather radios to tune into forecasts broadcast 24 hours a day from the National Weather Service office in Burlington. The effort to improve the computerized system means weather radio listeners shouldn’t get too attached to the voice bringing them the forecasts.VPR News
Gubernatorial candidates release fundraising reports
|
The two national political parties have pumped hundreds of thousands of dollars into Vermont’s gubernatorial campaign. Finance reports filed Friday show that Democrat Doug Racine and Republican Jim Douglas have accumulated large amounts of cash in the last weeks of the campaign.VPR News
U.S. House candidates meet in debate
|
The three major party candidates for Vermont’s sole seat in the U.S. House debated a wide variety of issues Friday.VPR News
Sanders pays homage to Wellstone
|
Congressman Bernie Sanders says the unexpected death of Minnesota Senator Paul Wellstone on Friday is a tremendous loss for the entire country.VPR News
Interview: methadone clinic opens in Burlington
|
Steve Delaney talks with Bob Bick, an organizer of the methadone clinic that is opening in Burlington.VPR News
Farmers meet to demand higher milk prices
|
Some Vermont dairy farmers are hoping to band together to demand higher prices from milk processors. The National Farm Organization is planning a meeting in the Northeast Kingdom for Sunday.VPR News
FAHC expansion costs unknown
|
State health care regulators don’t know how much a major hospital expansion project will cost. Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington admitted ten days ago that its $228 million Renaissance Project faces at least $26 million in cost overruns.Commentary Series
Hunting camp with Satch
|
Commentator Willem Lange greets the gathering darkness of fall with a favorite ritual: going to hunting camp with his sonCommentary Series
Jimmy Carter and the Nobel Peace Prize
|
Commentator Olin Robison takes great satisfaction in the Nobel Prize Committees decision to award Jimmy Carter the Peace Prize.VPR News
Dubie proposal high school graduation exam
|
Brian Dubie, the Republican running for lieutenant governor, wants greater accountability for Vermont schools. Dubie says high school seniors should pass a new state graduation test before they get a diploma. Dubie’s opponents don’t like the plan at all.VPR News
Vermont war protesters head to Washington, D.C.
|
While the U.S. continues to threaten military action against Iraq, some Vermonters are heading for a peace rally in Washington on Saturday. They’re also making their anti-war sentiments known at home.VPR News
Film festival starts in Burlington
|
This weekend marks the arrival of the thirteenth annual Vermont International Film Festival in Burlington. Unlike most film festivals, which highlight celebrity and marketing, the Burlington Film Festival focuses on social and environmental issues.VPR News
Election will decide balance of power in Vermont Senate
|
The Vermont Senate is up for grabs on Election Day. Democrats hope to hold onto their 16 to 14 majority. Republicans say they have a good chance of gaining control of the chamber for the first time in six years. The outcome is hard to predict because a number of veteran senators have retired, and some senate districts were redrawn by the Legislature.VPR News
Interview: police shortage in Vermont towns
|
Steve Delaney talks with Brett VanNoordt, head of the Vermont Police Chiefs’ Association, about the difficulties towns have attracting and retaining police officers.VPR News
Health Department warns of whooping cough
|
Vermont health officials are asking physicians and parents to be on the alert for signs of pertussis, also known as whooping cough.Commentary Series
The importance of voters going to the polls
|
Commentator Madeleine Kunin puzzles over low voter turnout in U.S. elections.Commentary Series
Joy of running on a perfect autumn weekend
|
Not long ago, Vermont celebrated a weekend of running. Commentator John Morton says that running in Vermont this time of year is especially rewarding.VPR News
Gubernatorial candidates share health care plans
|
Vermont’s gubernatorial candidates are proposing very different strategies to bring health care costs under control.VPR News
East-west highway discussed for northern New England
|
The Federal Highway Administration has agreed to undertake a comprehensive study of transportation needs along the northeast border with Canada.VPR News
Allen to become first female sheriff
|
Vermont is set to elect its first female sheriff. Connie Allen, who has been a deputy sheriff for the last decade, is running unopposed in Grand Isle County.VPR News
Trial date set for Kopp
|
A New York judge has set a tentative trial start date of February 3 for James Kopp. Kopp is an anti-abortion activist accused of the 1998 sniper slaying of Doctor Barnett Slepian.VPR News
Lieutenant governor candidates spar on ‘Switchboard’
|
The three major party candidates for lieutenant governor debated a wide variety of issues Tuesday night in a special debate on Vermont Public Radio.VPR News
Vatican, US bishops deliberate sexual abuse policy
|
Last summer, American bishops endorsed a new policy that deals with sexual abuse by Catholic priests. The policy is being questioned by the Vatican, but Catholic officials in Vermont say that they will continue to put the policy in place.VPR News
Vermont historian lends perspective to sniper shootings
|
A Vermont historian has an unusual perspective on the sniper killings in Maryland and Virginia. Howard Coffin was staying in a Fredericksburg motel when a woman was killed by the sniper a few hundred yards away from his room.Commentary Series
Bill Davison and Jamaican artists at the Fleming Museum
|
Commentator Lois Eby recently visited UVM’s Fleming Museum where she viewed two exhibits, both very impressive and each very different from the other.Commentary Series
Nonspeak and nonsense in the Bush White House
|
Commentator Bill Seamans says that controversy continues over the Bush administration’s information policies.VPR News
Charges of negative campaigning mark governor’s race
|
With two weeks to go in the campaign, the major party candidates for governor have started running TV ads that paint unflattering portraits of their opponents.VPR News
Lawmakers seek to form mail order drug program
|
A legislative coalition that’s working to lower drug prices has a new plan to buy pharmaceuticals in Canada. The coalition wants to form a non-profit organization that would use a mail order system to import drugs purchased north of the border.VPR News
Leahy to campaign for Racine
|
Senator Patrick Leahy says he’ll be lending a hand to help the gubernatorial campaign of fellow democrat Doug Racine. Leahy is expected to join Racine at a number of events in the final two weeks of the campaign.VPR News
Justice Department program will support drug prevention
|
Senator Patrick Leahy says new legislation that reauthorizes the operations of the U.S. Justice Department will provide valuable drug prevention funds for the state of Vermont.Commentary Series
An education commissioner accountable to whom?
|
Commentator Libby Sternberg reflects on the relationship between the education commissioner and the governor, and how education policy is determined in Vermont.Commentary Series
Extending the growing season
|
Commentator Ron Krupp says that with a little extra work and planning, you can harvest vegetables late into autumn.VPR News
Douglas, Racine continue to spar over campaign radio ad
|
Republican gubernatorial candidate Jim Douglas is accusing the Democrats of using a controversial ad to divert voters’ attention from the real issues in the governor’s race. Democratic candidate Doug Racine says the charge is absolutely false and that the issues raised in the ad need to be discussed.VPR News
Milanese set to return to Randolph parish
|
A priest who has been under suspension by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington is returning to work. The Reverend John Milanese of Randolph was one of six priests placed on administrative leave last May because of alleged sexual misconduct.VPR News
Gubernatorial candidates differ on Iraq in debate
|
Speaking in a political debate last night in Rutland, three of the candidates for governor split over the recent congressional resolutions on Iraq.VPR News
Activists say peace movement is growing in Vermont
|
A growing number of Vermonters are turning out at demonstrations and vigils to express opposition to U.S. policy toward Iraq. Activists say many people who didn’t speak out against military action in Afghanistan are voicing their concerns about a war with Iraq.VPR News
Energy costs predicted to rise over last winter
|
The Energy Department has issued a report saying the cost of keeping warm this winter could increase up to 45% from last year. But there’s some debate over the actual impact on consumers.Commentary Series
Wild turkeys return to Vermont
|
Commentator Edith Hunter reports that wild turkeys have made quite a comeback in her neighborhood – as they have all over Vermont.Commentary Series
Getting behind President Fogel
|
UVM’s new president, Dr Daniel Fogel, plans to spend at least half his time fund-raising for the University. He also wants state government to increase its support by another million dollars a year. Commentator Tim McQuiston contemplates the intellectual as salesman.VPR News
Shumlin denounces opponents’ personal ambition’
|
Democratic lieutenant governor candidate Peter Shumlin says he’s astonished that Progressive Anthony Pollina and Republican Brian Dubie would allow the Legislature to elect them as lieutenant governor even if they don’t get the most votes.VPR News
Colodny eases tension with mental health advocates
|
The interim CEO at Fletcher Allen Health Care has reached out to a group that has been among the hospital’s strongest critics. Ed Colodny spoke Friday to a group of mental health advocates. The group in the past has clashed with the hospital over its plans to move a psychiatric ward.VPR News
High tech response to the dreaded cluster fly
|
Who hasn’t felt the unpleasant thud of a cluster fly at this time of the year? The cluster fly’s appearance indoors is one of the less-celebrated winter migrations in cold weather climates like ours. The flies congregate in sunny windows, buzzing and batting around. But in the high tech world, there are new ways to fight the bugs.VPR News
Report names Vermont healthiest state
|
According to a new report, Vermont is the healthiest state in the country to live in. The report, which was released by the Morgan Quitno Press, analyzed a variety of factors.VPR News
Welcome centers busy during tourist season
|
Vermont welcome centers are seeing favorable numbers in this year’s fall tourist season.Commentary Series
The two-edged sword of free speech
|
Commentator Willem Lange has been listening to this year’s public debates, and reflects that the precious gift of free speech can be a two-edged sword.Commentary Series
Vermont schools and the federal testing standards
|
Commentator Allen Gilbert thinks that the new federal testing program might not do what it’s supposed to do — improve schools for kids.VPR News
Democrats’ ad says Republicans will steal votes
|
With less than three weeks to go before Election Day, Vermont Democrats have turned up the heat. The Democrats Thursday began airing advertisements that accuse Republicans of wanting to “steal” the election for governor and lieutenant governor. Republicans want the ad to be pulled.VPR News
Federal money may help prevent voter fraud in Vermont
|
Secretary of State Deb Markowitz says a new election reform bill that has just been passed by Congress could bring as much as $20 million to the state over the next three years to help communities upgrade their local election systems.VPR News
Meub says Sanders’ trade opposition costs Vermont jobs
|
Republican U.S. House candidate Bill Meub says Congressman Bernie Sanders has cost Vermont jobs by his strong opposition to free trade agreements. But Sanders says Meub’s claims are false.VPR News
Board hears testimony on proposed Act 250 rule changes
|
The Environmental Board was criticized Wednesday for its proposed changes to the rules for Vermont’s Act 250 development law. At a public hearing, witnesses questioned if election year politics and pressure from development groups were behind the changes. They told the Board that its proposal could exclude the public from Act 250 hearings.VPR News
Leahy, Jeffords speak against homeland security bill
|
The battle over a plan to create a new agency of homeland security is heating up in Congress and both of Vermont’s senators are urging their colleagues not to support a plan supported by the Bush administration.Commentary Series
War is not abstract
|
Commentator Rebecca Coffey reflects on the news, computer games and the prospect of war.Commentary Series
Faded legacy of Larkin Mead
|
Commentator arkin Mead recalls Vermont’s once-renowned scultor, Larkin Mead.VPR News
Davis to step down as state Historical Society director
|
The director of the Vermont Historical Society is stepping down. Gainor Davis says she’ll leave in December, after six years on the job.VPR News
U.S. House candidates debate on ‘Switchboard’
|
In a debate Tuesday night, incumbent Independent Congressman Bernie Sanders and his Republican opponent Bill Meub clashed over tax policies, ways to reduce prescription drug prices, social security taxes and the recent resolution giving the President the authority to take military action against Iraq.Commentary Series
Chicken nuggets and school lunches
|
This is national school lunch week, and commentator Vern Grubinger has been thinking about what his kids eat, and why.Commentary Series
Self defense and the justification for deadly force
|
Commentator David Moats reflects on self defense and the point at which the use of deadly force can be justified.VPR News
Attorney general reviews new FAHC disclosures
|
State regulators have asked Fletcher Allen Health Care to scale back the size of its massive expansion project. The Burlington hospital is under state and federal investigation for allegedly concealing tens of millions of dollars in project costs.VPR News
GOP lawmakers may choose Pollina over Shumlin
|
A group of House Republican lawmakers say they may vote for Progressive Anthony Pollina for lieutenant governor. The group says Pollina is more trustworthy than Shumlin.VPR News
Dean quiet on Iraq resolution
|
Governor Howard Dean won’t say if he supports a congressional resolution that authorizes the use of force against Iraq.VPR News
Ben & Jerry’s may cut jobs in South Burlington
|
Ben & Jerry’s Homemade says there are job cuts pending at its headquarters.VPR News
Douglas, Dubie say state should encourage job creation
|
Republican gubernatorial candidate James Douglas and lieutenant gubernatorial candidate Brian Dubie say they want to change the state’s priorities by directing more money toward job creation.VPR News
Interview: civil liberties and the environment
|
Steve Delaney talks with Jonathan Lash about the connection between civil liberties and environmental sustainability. Lash is the former Vermont Commissioner of Environmental Conservation and will be delivering an address to the Vermont ACLU later this week.VPR News
Utility workers say poles treated with excess creosote
|
State regulators are investigating complaints from utility workers about a toxic chemical that’s used to treat telephone poles. The investigation by the Public Service Board follows a dispute between Verizon Vermont and the union that represents line workers.VPR News
FAHC admits $26 million in additional cost overruns
|
Vermont’s largest hospital has reported another $26 million in cost overruns for its massive redevelopment project. The disclosure shocked state regulators, who are continuing to investigate Fletcher Allen Health care in Burlington.VPR News
Hogan proposes increased alcohol tax
|
Independent gubernatorial candidate Con Hogan has proposed raising the state tax on alcohol to help pay for health care programs. Hogan says he hopes the tax increase will also encourage Vermonters to consume less alcohol.VPR News
Dean endorses Racine in gubernatorial race
|
Governor Howard Dean gave his endorsement Monday to Lieutenant Governor Douglas Racine.Commentary Series
Afflictions of health care ‘reform’
|
John McClaughry is critical of the campaign for single payer health care.Commentary Series
Vehicle world of tomorrow
|
Car manufacturers are working on new vehicles that reduce our dependence on imported oil. Commentator Ruth Page points out that the hybrids using both gas and electricity are already on the market and are selling better every year.VPR News
Television campaigning starts in earnest
|
With the election just three weeks away, the airwaves will soon be saturated with political advertisements. Vermont’s two leading gubernatorial candidates are taking a very different approach in their electronic campaigns, as VPR’s John Dillon reports.Commentary Series
Hot rod Lincoln Town Car
|
Commentator Philip Baruth recently drove out into the Champlain Islands to buy a used car. Unexpectedly, the trip became a moral, ethical, and existential crisis.Commentary Series
Death penalty and democracy
|
Commentator Cheryl Hanna reflects on the death penalty, Vermont and the federal government.VPR News
Wind project proposed for Little Equinox Mtn.
|
The Manchester Planning Commission has raised questions about a large-scale wind energy project that’s planned for one of the highest peaks in town. The commission this week voted not to support the project until it learns more details about how it would look on the scenic mountaintop.VPR News
VT congressional delegation speaks on Iraq resolution
|
In a special broadcast on Friday October 11, VPR aired the entirety of the speeches that Vermont’s congressional delegates gave on the floor of the House and Senate.VPR News
FDA approves heroin treatment, researched at UVM
|
The Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of a drug that officials say should dramatically improve treatment for heroin addiction in Vermont. The approval comes after years of clinical trials at the University of Vermont School of Medicine.VPR News
White House says Leahy is breaking protocol
|
The Bush administration is accusing Senator Patrick Leahy of breaking Senate protocol by refusing to consider a judicial nominee from South Carolina. Leahy’s office says the charge is little more than a right wing political attack.VPR News
Dean appoint two Superior Court judges
|
Governor Howard Dean today announced that he has appointed Assistant Attorney General Katherine Hayes and Burlington attorney Geoffrey Crawford.VPR News
Bomb threat suspect to undergo psychiatric exam
|
A federal judge in Burlington has ordered 55-year old Roger Stockham to have a psychiatric exam. Police say Stockham made a bomb threat in Colchester Thursday.VPR News
Behind the numbers: Legislative vote for governor
|
Competition for a number of seats in the Vermont Senate this year has thrown into question which party will have a majority when the Legislature convenes in January. The make up of the Legislature could affect who the next governor and lieutenant governor will be.VPR News
Interview: Ari Fleischer on press and the presidency
|
Steve Delaney talks with White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer. Fleischer will be in Vermont Sunday to give a speech at Middlebury College on the “Press and the Presidency.”Commentary Series
Drumbeat of the Bush Doctrine
|
Commentator Olin Robison compares the legacy of the Truman Doctrine with President Bush’s new National Security Strategy.Commentary Series
A carpenter on his knees
|
Commentator Willem Lange recently spent a whole morning on his knees. But he wasn’t praying; he just couldn’t get up.VPR News
Attorney general candidates debate on ‘Switchboard’
|
Attorney General Bill Sorrell says he supports legislation that adds religious organizations to the list of groups that must report allegations of child sexual abuse. However the Progressive Party candidate for attorney general, Cindy Hill, strongly disagrees with Sorrell’s position.VPR News
House passes Iraq resolution, Sanders votes no
|
The U.S. House gave its strong approval on Thursday to a resolution authorizing President Bush to take military action against Iraq. Congressman Bernie Sanders voted against the proposal.VPR News
Bomb scare causes Colchester evacuation
|
Seven buildings in Colchester were evacuated today after a man made threats against a Veterans Administration clinic. Police used a robot and bomb sniffing dogs to sweep the Fort Ethan Allen buildings. They later determined the threat was a hoax.VPR News
Filmmaker Guggenhein dies at age 78
|
Filmmaker Charles Guggenheim died Wednesday in Washington, D.C. Guggenhiem was one of the country’s pre-eminent documentary filmmakers. Guggenheim also had a Vermont connection.VPR News
“Parental Alert” stickers track teen drivers
|
Rutland County sheriff’s department wants to communicate with the parents of teenagers who get in trouble with law.VPR News
Interview: solving the heroin problem
|
Steve Delaney talks with state Senators Jim Leddy and Dick Sears about their Legislative experience in addressing the problems of heroin in Vermont towns.VPR News
Behind the numbers: ‘undecideds’ in the lt. gov. race
|
All indications are that the race for lieutenant governor is a virtual three-way tie with a lot of voters still undecided about their choice. The three candidates are shaping their campaign strategies to win the “undecided vote.”Commentary Series
Autumn in the yard we planted
|
Vermont State Poet Ellen Bryant Voigt has seen the seasons change around her home in Cabot for 30 years.Commentary Series
What the war is and is not about
|
Commentator Madeleine Kunin reflects on the debate about war with Iraq.VPR News
Two investigated priests will not be prosecuted
|
The lawyer for one of the priests investigated by the Attorney General’s Office says he expects his client will return to his parish in the near future. Authorities have finished investigating two priests in the wake of allegations of sexual misconduct against members of the Catholic clergy in Vermont.VPR News
Leahy calls war resolution a ‘blank check’
|
Senator Patrick Leahy urged his colleagues in the Senate on Wednesday to reject a plan to give President Bush the authority to use military force against Iraq. Leahy says the proposal represents an abdication of power by the Congress because it gives the President “a blank check” to take any action Bush deems necessary.VPR News
Barre considers conflict resolution program
|
The Barre City Council has unanimously agreed to apply for a state grant that would help start a new conflict resolution program in the city. Organizers say that a “Community Restorative Justice Center” would help people settle disputes in a constructive manner.VPR News
Vermont House candidates focus on economy and jobs
|
Jobs and the economy are the overarching themes of campaigns for the Vermont House this year.VPR News
Stafford testifies to Senate on Clean Water Act
|
When the U.S. Senate Environment Committee examined the thirty-year legacy of the Clean Water Act, it turned to one of the people who made the law a reality.VPR News
Behind the numbers: ‘undecideds’ in the governor’s race
|
When it comes to voting for a new governor, a large number of voters have not made up their minds, as a VPR poll showed this fall. The undecided Vermonters could have a significant influence on the strategy of the candidates. This week, VPR’s Bob Kinzel looks “Behind the Numbers,” at a profile of the undecided voter.VPR News
Heroin: emergency room sees rise in drug problem
|
Heroin use across Vermont has skyrocketed over the last five years and the fallout is widespread. Health care providers in Rutland have seen the effects of heroin – especially in the local emergency department. VPR’s Nina Keck visits the emergency department at the Rutland Regional Medical Center.VPR News
Secretary of State candidates debate on ‘Switchboard’
|
The Republican candidate for secretary of state, Michael Bertrand, says he opposes most of the provisions of Vermont’s new campaign finance reform.Commentary Series
Summers with Fresh Air kids
|
Commentator Edith Hunter recalls summers with Fresh Air kids.Commentary Series
Barge trip on the Erie Canal
|
Commentator Will Curtis recently took a trip that followed – or you might say floated – along the same route once taken by his great, great grandfather.Commentary Series
Foot dragging in the White House Press Corps
|
Commentator Bill Seamans says that the relationship between the Bush administration and the press may be about to change.VPR News
Transmission line may ease bottleneck in electric grid
|
A new high voltage power line is being considered for the western side of Vermont. The company that runs the power grid in Vermont is looking at a number of options to fix a transmission bottleneck near Burlington.VPR News
Jeffords will vote against military resolution
|
Senator James Jeffords says he’ll oppose a resolution allowing President Bush to take military action against Iraq. Jeffords says the president hasn’t presented Congress with any evidence that supports the need to launch a preemptive military strike.VPR News
Tax reveues still low
|
Administration Secretary Kathy Hoyt says lawmakers may have to consider additional cuts to this year’s budget if the state’s revenue picture does not improve in the coming months. Tax receipts for the first quarter of the new fiscal year are just below revised targets.VPR News
Heroin: documentary follows six families in Vermont
|
A new documentary that examines Vermont’s heroin problem is being shown throughout the state. Filmmaker Bess O’Brien is hoping the movie will raise awareness about how serious the problem has become.VPR News
Heroin: drug-related crimes use police resources
|
Police officers are among those on the front lines of the heroin and substance abuse problem. VPR’s Steve Zind reports on how law enforcement agencies are responding to the need for increased drug enforcement.VPR News
The Heroin Problem, a VPR impact series
|
VPR’s four-part series looks at the impact heroin has on Vermont as families, communities and state agencies respond to problems that stem from heroin addiction.Commentary Series
Act 60: Unreliable, unfair, arbitrary and capricious
|
A recent court ruling has called into question the fairness of the state property tax under Act 60. CommentatorJeff Wennberg thinks the implications are much bigger than the state admits.VPR News
General election begins this week with early voting
|
Voting for the General Election officially got under way this week as the provisions of Vermont’s early ballot law went into effect. State officials believe as many as 25% of all voters will use the early system to cast their ballots this year.VPR News
Jeffords campaigns for Shaheen in NH gov. race
|
Senator James Jeffords traveled to New Hampshire this week to endorse Democratic Governor Jeanne Shaheen in her bid to be elected to the United States Senate.VPR News
Court asks for second review of campaign finance law
|
The U.S. appeals court panel in August upheld Vermont’s law restricting campaign contributions. Now the same court wants to look again at the issue.VPR News
Fire destroys Woodstock school administration building
|
Vermont State Police are investigating what caused a fire that destroyed the Windsor South Supervisory Union superintendent’s office this morning.VPR News
Interview: civil liberties
|
Steve Delaney talks with Vermont Law School professor Michael Mello on the balance between security and civil liberties.VPR News
Sounds of Vermont: getting in the wood
|
The sound of chainsaws in the woods and the smell of wood smoke in the morning are sure signs that summer has ended and autumn has arrived. For those who heat with wood, its time to cut, split and stack the winter supply.VPR News
Fletcher Allen nurses vote to unionize
|
By a nearly 2-to-1 margin, registered nurses at Vermont’s largest hospital have voted to unionize.VPR News
Dean urges gov. candidates to endorse plurality victory
|
Vermont Governor Howard Dean is calling on the candidates in the gubernatorial race to agree that the person who receives the most votes should be declared the winner of that race.Commentary Series
Autumn in Randolph Gap
|
Commentator Alan Boye shares the autumn scenery in central Vermont.Commentary Series
Planting a $5 tree in a $50 hole
|
Everyone knows that spring is planting time, but commentator Henry Homeyer says that Fall is too.Commentary Series
War is the people’s decision
|
Commentator Ellen David Friedman thinks that we need more time and more voices in the debate over possible war with Iraq.VPR News
Heroin: portrait of a recovering addict
|
From Brattleboro to Saint Johnsbury, communities are holding meetings to address the growing concern about the drug. Vermonters are looking to town officials, social service agencies and law enforcement for explanations and solutions.VPR News
Polish Catholic Church may start in NW Vermont
|
In northwestern Vermont, immigrants are hoping to establish a Polish Catholic Church to support their community.VPR News
Colodny named interim president of FAHC
|
Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington announced the appointment on Friday of an interim CEO.VPR News
Treasurer candidates disagree on bonded debt level
|
Thursday night Republican candidate John LaBarge and Democratic candidate Jeb Spaulding debated the issues in their race for state treasurer.Commentary Series
Newspaper competition
|
Newspaper readership may be down, but a battle has broken out between two papers in Chittenden County. Commentator Allen Gilbert is watching it with special interest.VPR News
Candidates address high school students in debate
|
The candidates for lieutenant governor debated a number of key issues at Montpelier High School on Thursday. The forum found the candidates disagreeing on school vouchers, a parental notification abortion bill, and economic development issues.VPR News
Gov. candidates disagree on family leave
|
Republican gubernatorial candidate Jim Douglas and Democrat Doug Racine on Thursday clashed over a proposal to provide paid family leave in Vermont.VPR News
Movie companies choose out-of-country film shoots
|
When a major motion picture films in Vermont, it can mean millions for the state economy. But more and more film companies are choosing to shoot their movies in Canada or eastern Europe to take advantage of lower production costs. A small but growing film company in Rutland has found a successful niche in Hollywood while continuing to make movies in VermontVPR News
Superintendent criticizes federal education act
|
A new study says Vermont schools and taxpayers would be better off if the state rejected the money associated with the new federal education law. The study says the federal government won’t cover the full cost of meeting the law’s new mandates.Commentary Series
Supporting education will improve the economy
|
The debate over whether or not Vermont is anti-business is missing the point, according to commentator Timothy McQuiston. He says the real debate should be over the state of the economy.Commentary Series
Recipes for garden composting
|
Commentator Charlie Nardozzi shares soil that he got at a gardening conference.Commentary Series
Vermont’s patron saint of the impossible
|
Commentator Tom Slayton honors Ralph Nading Hill’s efforts to preserve Vermont history.VPR News
Jeffords says Bush is ignoring domestic issues
|
Senator James Jeffords on Wednesday urged President Bush to pay more attention to the pressing domestic issues facing the country.VPR News
Massachusetts methadone clinic turns away Vermonters
|
A Massachusetts-based methadone program used by recovering heroin addicts in Vermont says it has no more room. The situation has created problems for Vermonters seeking treatment because the state currently has no methadone programs.VPR News
Gubernatorial candidates debate family leave programs
|
Vermont’s gubernatorial candidates debated a wide variety of issues at a special campaign forum sponsored by several women’s groups on Wednesday. Several hundred people attended the debate, which took place in the House Chamber at the Statehouse.VPR News
Selma, Alabama school choir tours Vermont
|
The high school chorale from Selma, Alabama brought its music to schools and churches in Chittenden County this week. The tour offers Vermonters a chance to get to know African-American students from the south, and to hear their songs.VPR News
Hyde, Ready debate the politics of the auditor’s office
|
The Republican candidate for auditor, Bruce Hyde, says incumbent Democratic Auditor Elizabeth Ready has inappropriately politicized some of the operations of her department. It’s a charge that Ready strongly denies.VPR News
Interview: economic forecast
|
Steve Delaney talks with Alan Day, chief economist, of Banknorth Investments.VPR News
Presidential Campaign Trail
|
VPR’s complete coverage of the Democratic presidential candidates, including former Vermont Governor Howard Dean. Click links below for audio and transcripts.Commentary Series
We cannot ignore Africa
|
Commentator Madelein Kunin shares her impressions of people and animals in Kenya.Commentary Series
One theory on frog deformities
|
If you’ve wondered about all the news pictures of frogs with a couple of extra legs or other deformities, commentator Ruth Page offers one scientist’s tested explanation.VPR News
Goddard College names new president
|
Goddard College in Plainfield has a new president. Dr. Mark Schulman currently heads Antioch University Southern California.VPR News
Commissioner denies egg farm expansion application
|
Agriculture Commissioner Leon Graves has rejected a proposed expansion of a Highgate egg farm. Graves says the project failed to meet the manure management requirements set out in the state’s large farm law.VPR News
Meub, Sanders argue over Vermont’s business climate
|
Congressman Bernie Sanders and his Republican opponent Bill Meub clashed over economic issues on Tuesday afternoon.VPR News
FAHC may appoint Colodny interim president
|
Fletcher Allen Health Care is considering the appointment of former UVM President Ed Colodny as interim chief executive.VPR News
Bombardier Capital announces layoffs
|
Bombardier Capital, the financial services company, has announced cost-cutting measures to its assets-management division. The division currently employs about 50 people in Colchester.VPR News
Dean discusses Iraq on ‘Face the Nation’
|
Governor Howard Dean says President Bush still hasn’t made a strong enough case for a strike against Iraq.VPR News
Interview: energy without oil
|
Steve Delaney talks with Robert Costanza from UVM’s Gund Institute for Ecological Economics on energy alternatives after oil.Commentary Series
Securing Dick Cheney
|
Vice President Dick Cheney flew into Vermont last week for a Republican campaign rally at the Burlington International Airport. Or at least that’s what most people thought . According to commentator Philip Baruth, Cheney spent the previous night at Philip’s house, where the two men got down to brass tacks.Commentary Series
‘First Monday’ and the new Supreme Court term
|
Commentator Cheryl Hanna says that the Supreme Court is about to open a session that will be marked by change.VPR News
Jeffords says Bush’s timing may be driven by elections
|
Senator James Jeffords says it’s critical for the United States to get the support of the United Nations before launching any military action against Iraq. Jeffords also believes the Bush administration may be keeping the matter in front of the public as a way to enhance Republican chances in November’s congressional elections.VPR News
Meub, Sanders clash over debate schedule
|
Congressman Bernard Sanders was ready to talk about farm issues Monday when his Republican opponent tried to steal the limelight. GOP candidate Bill Meub says Sanders has ducked debates, a charge Sanders emphatically denies. Meub went to Sanders’ office and challenged the incumbent to face him on the issues.VPR News
UVM to purchase Trinity College campus
|
The University of Vermont is set to buy property owned by Trinity College of Vermont. UVM will pay $14.3 million for the entire campus property, which includes 17 buildings on 21 acres.VPR News
Supreme Court reviews property tax calculation
|
Vermont Supreme Court justices are being asked to review Rutland Superior Judge William Cohen’s decision that the property tax equalization system is unreliable.VPR News
September 30, 2002 – News at a glance
|
Regional headlines from VPR and other news sources.VPR News
Sounds of Vermont: the train
|
Time was when railroads were the primary means of travel in Vermont. Then the automobile took over, and the sound of a distant train became mostly a nostalgic memory. For our series, Sounds of Vermont, VPR’s Betty Smith takes a ride on the Green Mountain Flyer.VPR News
Diocese falls short of fundraising goal
|
The Roman Catholic of Diocese annual fund drive ends today and church officials say the drive will fall short of its goal. The diocese says it’s clear child sexual abuse allegations against a number of Vermont priests have had an impact on this year’s fundraising effort.VPR News
VPR Backstage: Much Ado About Nothing
|
For their eighth annual Fall Foliage Shakespeare presentation, Montpelier’s Lost Nation Theater turns to one of William Shakespeare’s most popular comedies.VPR News
Group rallies for efficient health care
|
Hundreds of Vermonters are expected to converge on the Statehouse Saturday to voice support for a universal health system. The crowd will include physicians and other health care professionals who are part of a new effort they say will show lawmakers that voters support publicly-funded health care.VPR News
Dubie changes position on legislative vote
|
Republican lieutenant governor candidate Brian Dubie says he’s changed his mind on what should happen if no candidate in the race receives 50% of the vote.VPR News
Green Party endorses Badamo
|
Progressive gubernatorial candidate Michael Badamo says the most important environmental issue facing the state of Vermont is the development of renewable energy programs.Commentary Series
Classified ads from Never-Never Land
|
Commentator Willem Lange has been hanging out in a West Coast cafe reading the want ads in a local paper, and is very glad to be back home again.Commentary Series
Remember your favorite charity
|
Commentator Olin Robison encourages people to give generously to charities in the midst of an economic downtorn.VPR News
September 27, 2002 – News at a glance
|
Regional headlines from VPR and other news sources.VPR News
Gov. candidates debate economy and environment
|
Vermont’s gubernatorial candidates met for a debate on environmental issues Thursday night. The debate was sponsored by the Vermont Natural Resources Council.VPR News
Interview: peace summit
|
Steve Delaney talks with Dr. Dorothy Maver, one of the organizers of the the peace summit at UVM.Commentary Series
A cricket ‘s song at summer’s end
|
Commentator Edith Hunter reflects on the song of the cricket as summer comes to a close.Commentary Series
Efficient health care policy
|
A good manager routinely sets a goal and then analyzes which alternative best meets that goal. Commentator Rick Hubbard thinks our Vermont political leaders should use this approach to improve delivery of our health care.VPR News
Leahy speaks against Congressional resolution on Iraq
|
Senator Patrick Leahy says the Bush administration has not made a compelling case to invade Iraq to the American people. Leahy also says it’s mistake for Congress to vote on this issue until the United Nations sends weapons inspectors to Iraq.VPR News
Environmental Board seeks to alter ‘party status’ rules
|
As political candidates debate ways to reform the state’s permit process, Vermont’s Environmental Board has proposed its own changes. The Board oversees the Act 250 development review law. Its proposal could limit environmental groups from participating in Act 250 reviews.VPR News
Cigarette tax impacts state revenues and smokers
|
Last spring the Vermont Legislature approved a two-tiered increase in the state cigarette tax. The first hike went into effect July 1 and has had some impact on businesses, state revenues and smokers.VPR News
Warren Commission lawyer dies in NH plane crash
|
An attorney from Newfane who helped investigate the assassination of President Kennedy is dead. Friends say 71-year-old Wesley Liebeler was the second person killed in a plane crash yesterday in New Hampshire’s Lake Winnipesaukee.VPR News
Shooting range improvements prompt neighbors’ criticism
|
A shooting range in Richmond that has operated for at least 80 years is now causing a stir among neighbors. Neighbors say the shooting is louder and more persistent than it used to be.VPR News
Vermonters receive MacArthur Genius grants
|
Paul Wennberg, originally of Waterbury, joins fellow Vermonter Karen Hesse in receiving the $500,000 grant for creative work.VPR News
September 26, 2002 – News at a glance
|
Regional headlines from VPR and other news sources.VPR News
Interview: Alaskan wildlife refuge
|
Steve Delaney talks with Tim Leach, one of the coordinators of a bike campaign against oil drilling in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.VPR News
Special Series: History of Middle East Conflict
|
NPR News and Vermont Public Radio present a special series on the history of the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, airing on Morning Edition September 30th – October 8th.Commentary Series
Plant a row for the hungry
|
Comentator Ron Krupp urges gardeners to share their vegetables with people in need.Commentary Series
Teenage war burden
|
Commentator Bill Seamans has been thinking about today’s teenagers and what a war with Iraq might mean for them.VPR News
Dean visits Jimmy Carter
|
Governor Howard Dean traveled to Georgia Wednesday afternoon to meet with former President Jimmy Carter. The governor says the Carter presidential campaign of 1976 serves as a model for Dean’s own presidential effort.VPR News
Vermont Pure receives expansion permit
|
Vermont Pure Springs has received the go-ahead to expand its spring site in Randolph. The company’s plans have drawn fire from some local residents who object to increased traffic caused by the expansion.VPR News
Death penalty ruling may have broad impact
|
Lawyers and scholars say a death penalty decision handed down Tuesday by a Vermont judge may provide new legal argument for those challenging capital punishment.VPR News
September 25, 2002 – News at a glance
|
Regional headlines from VPR and other news sources.VPR News
Interview: downtown revitalization
|
Steve Delaney talks with Paul Bruhn about the challenges facing Vermont’s downtowns and village centers. Bruhn is executive director of the Preservation Trust of Vermont.VPR News
Sanders gives conditional support to action in Iraq
|
Congressman Bernie Sanders says he would support an international military action against Iraq if Saddam Hussein refuses to give United Nation weapons inspectors total access to that country.VPR News
Libertarian candidate calls for reduced services
|
Officials of the Vermont Libertarian Party are calling for a significant reduction in state government services in order to lower tax burdens across the state.Commentary Series
A frisbee generation
|
Commentator David Moats says he’s discovered a key of sorts for determining where one generation leaves off and another one beginsCommentary Series
New England literary recordings
|
When it comes to books, commentator Jules Older doesn’t just read. Sometimes he listens.VPR News
Judge declares death penalty law unconstitutional
|
The federal judge for Vermont says the federal death penalty law is unconstitutional. The ruling came in the case of a man accused of killing a Clarendon woman two years ago.VPR News
Leahy urges death penalty reform before adjournment
|
Senator Patrick Leahy is urging members of the House Judiciary Committee to take up his death penalty reform bill before Congress adjourns for the year.VPR News
Weapons inspector criticizes policy towards Iraq
|
The former chief weapons inspector for the United Nations Special Commission in Iraq told Vermont audiences this week that the United States has no proof that Saddam Hussein has weapons of mass destruction. Scott Ritter says military action against Iraq should come only after inspection of the country’s weapons facilities and only if authorized by the U.N. Security Council.VPR News
Pollina announces economic growth plan
|
Anthony Pollina, the Progressive Party’s candidate for lieutenant governor, says he has a low-cost plan for the state to help Vermont businesses. On Tuesday Pollina announced an economic development effort that he says could jump start the struggling economy.VPR News
September 24, 2002 – News at a glance
|
Regional headlines from VPR and other news sources.VPR News
Candidates take campaigns online
|
More and more candidates for public office are utilizing the Internet as part of their campaigns. In 2002, it’s almost expected that a political candidate would have his or her own web site.VPR News
Gubernatorial candidates debate economic issues
|
Economic issues dominated a campaign forum in Burlington Monday. The state’s leading candidates for governor outlined their plans to change the state’s environmental permit process to make it easier for businesses to grow.VPR News
Conservation group releases environmental scorecard
|
The Vermont Alliance of Conservation Voters released its Environmental Scorecard for the Vermont Legislature Monday. The Alliance also endorsed 94 candidates for the General Assembly.VPR News
Man in custody for West Lebanon shooting
|
A White River Junction man has been taken to New Hampshire to face a murder charge for a shooting in West Lebanon Sunday.VPR News
September 23, 2002 – News at a glance
|
Regional headlines from VPR and other news sources.VPR News
Sounds of Vermont: Thunder Road
|
The last weekend of September, Thunder Road in Barre will feature its one-of-a-kind “Milk Bowl” when stock car racers tally their scores and vie for the chance to kiss a cow. All summer long, races have filled the air with excitement, danger, and noise.VPR News
Stratton House closing prompts discussion of elder care
|
The Stratton House nursing home in Townshend is known for its friendly atmosphere and loyalty in the region. But recently the nursing home announced that it would close this fall. The news forced this Windham County community to reconsider how to care for its growing elderly population.Commentary Series
A civilized example
|
Commentator Nick Boke sees preparation for war with Iraq as a failure to learn one of the lessons of September 11.Commentary Series
Bush’s presidential leadership
|
Commentator Jeff Wennberg sees preparations for war with Iraq as a test of presidential leadership.VPR News
Findings announced in two priest investigations
|
Vermont’s attorney general has finished looking into sexual misconduct charges against two Roman Catholic priests. William Sorrell says the allegations against the two were serious, but no criminal charges will be filed. Sorrell says his office continues to investigate allegations against nearly 40 Vermont priests, including eight who are still active in the ministry.VPR News
September 21, 2002 – News at a glance
|
Regional headlines from VPR and other news sources.VPR News
Dean calls for parental leave bill
|
Governor Howard Dean says the time has come for Vermont to pass a family leave bill that will allow parents to attend important school meetings for the children during the day. Dean says direct parental involvement in their children’s education is the single most important factor in improving student performance.VPR News
Neighbors appeal Hinsdale dam permit
|
The legal battle has begun over a large farm expansion project planned for Chittenden County. A group of neighbors this week appealed a dam permit granted to a Charlotte dairy operation. The dam is needed for a large manure pit. But the neighbors say the pit will pollute groundwater and a nearby stream.VPR News
September 20, 2002 – News at a glance
|
Regional headlines from VPR and other news sources.VPR News
Interview: Robert DeCormier
|
Steve Delaney talks with composer and conductor Robert DeCormier, who will be honored at a Statehouse ceremony on Friday for his contributions to music.VPR News
Dean backs FAHC nurses’ union
|
Governor Howard Dean is throwing his support behind an effort by the nurses at Fletcher Allen Hospital, the state’s largest medical facility, to form a union next month. The union drive is being strongly opposed by the administration at Fletcher Allen.Commentary Series
Nothing happens here
|
Ask commentator Willem Lange what’s happening, and he’ll reply, “Nothin’! That’s why I live here.”Commentary Series
Fletcher Allen’s mistakes continue
|
Missteps by Fletcher Allen Health Care continue, according to commentator Allen Gilbert.VPR News
Cheney raises $200,000 for Vermont Republican Party
|
Vice President Dick Cheney said Thursday in Vermont that Iraq’s offer to allow weapons inspectors to return is a ploy to deflect action by the United Nations. Cheney also warned that terrorist cells based in 50 to 60 countries still threaten the United States.VPR News
Dean opposed to military action in Iraq
|
Governor Howard Dean says he opposes a Congressional resolution giving President Bush the authority to take military action against Iraq. Dean says the president hasn’t made a compelling case to the American people to support this action.VPR News
School test scores linked to parents’ involvement
|
Scores on state and national education tests have improved in Vermont, according to the latest results released Thursday.VPR News
Burlington-Essex rail project receives federal money
|
Senators Patrick Leahy and James Jeffords announced today they have secured $4.8 million to link Burlington and Essex Junction with a commuter rail line.VPR News
September 19, 2002 – News at a glance
|
Regional headlines from VPR and other news sources.VPR News
The Pulse of Vermont: voters’ stances on the issues
|
According to a new VPR poll, a strong majority of Vermonters disapprove of the way that President Bush is handling the economy. Today in our series on “The Pulse of Vermont” VPR’s Bob Kinzel also examines how Vermonters feel about a possible war with Iraq.VPR News
The Pulse of Vermont: Dean’s presidential campaign
|
New poll results indicate that Vermonters have ambiguous feelings for Governor Howard Dean’s presidential campaign.VPR News
Vermont fares well in vaccine shortages
|
According to a report by the Congress’ General Accounting Office, in the last year more than half the states have had to ration childhood vaccines. The shortages have forced some states to waive immunization requirements for children entering school. Officials say Vermont has been able to avoid any serious vaccine shortages.Commentary Series
The paintings of Jose Clemente Orozco
|
Commentator Lois Eby says that a current show at the Hood Museum of Art unites art, politics, history and human suffering.Commentary Series
Being there: lessons from a war zone
|
Commentator Jim Luken says that spending even a short time in a war zone challenges the notion that war is an acceptable means of resolving conflict.VPR News
Democrats, peace activists prepare for Cheney’s visit
|
Vice president Dick Cheney’s visit to Vermont Thursday has triggered a strong reaction among Democrats and anti-war activists. The state Republican Party will host Cheney for a brief fundraiser at the Burlington airport. Democrats have challenged Republican gubernatorial candidate James Douglas to distance himself from White House policies. And protesters also plan to picket the Cheney event.VPR News
Lieutenant governor candidates vie for endorsements
|
In Vermont’s very close race for lieutenant governor, two candidates are battling for the support of various labor organizations.VPR News
Woodward’s firend maintain shooting was not justified
|
Friends of Robert Woodward say his shooting by police in a Brattleboro church was not justified.VPR News
Grand jury indicts nine people for drug crimes
|
Federal indictments of nine people for allegedly dealing drugs in Rutland will help relieve pressure on the state justice system.VPR News
Vermont roads are relatively safe
|
A report from a national highway safety group says Vermont’s roads are relatively safe, but the state has a high number of run-off-the-road accidents.VPR News
September 18, 2002 – News at a glance
|
Regional headlines from VPR and other news sources.VPR News
The Pulse of Vermont: lieutenant governor’s race
|
According to a new VPR poll, the race for lieutenant governor is wide open and features a large number of undecided voters. In Part Two of this week’s series “The Pulse of Vermont,” VPR’s Bob Kinzel examines this contest and some related issues.VPR News
Town officials criticize Dept. of Corrections policies
|
Officials in several Vermont towns have taken the state to task over the number former prison inmates living in their communities. In the first of a two-part report, VPR’s Steve Zind reports that some communities are questioning Department of Corrections policy and want the state keep people in prison longer.VPR News
Department of Corrections costs escalate
|
In the second of a two-part report, VPR’s John Dillon reports that legislative budget writers are having a hard time keeping up with escalating prison costs. There’s concern the state may not be able to operate the newest prison in Springfield.Commentary Series
Chemistry of autumn colors
|
Commentator Ted Levin explains the many variables that give New England its distinctive blaze of fall colors.Commentary Series
Lessons for FAHC from the UVM hockey scandal
|
Commentary Timothy McQuiston offers a cautionary tale on the recent shakeup at one of Vermont’s largest institutions.VPR News
Fiscal report shows Medicaid deficit in 2005
|
The Legislature recently trimmed the state budget to erase a $39 million deficit. But a much bigger budget problem looms on the horizon In several years, the state could run out of money to fund its Medicaid programs. Fiscal analysts now predict a Medicaid fund deficit in 2005.VPR News
Douglas outlines job growth strategy
|
Republican gubernatorial candidate Jim Douglas is pledging to take several important steps to boost job growth in Vermont if he’s elected governor in November. Douglas says economic development issues are his top priority in the campaign.VPR News
Departments authorized to spend anti-terrorism money
|
The Vermont Health Department and Public Safety Department can now spend more than nine million dollars to fight terrorism. The Legislature’s Joint Fiscal Committee authorized the departments to spend the federal grant money.VPR News
Furniture makers receive federal grant
|
An effort to start a new furniture company in Island Pond has received a big boost. Island Pond Woodworkers Incorporated has been awarded a one-million dollar grant from the U.S. Commerce Department.VPR News
The Pulse of Vermont: governor’s and U.S. House races
|
According to a new VPR poll, Democrat Doug Racine holds a slight lead over Republican Jim Douglas in the race for governor. In Part 1 of this week’s series “The Pulse of Vermont,” VPR’s Bob Kinzel also reports on the results of the U.S. House contest.VPR News
Republicans plan for Cheney’s brief fundraising stop
|
The Vermont Republican Party is preparing for a visit from Vice President Dick Cheney later this week. The vice president’s brief Vermont appearance could be the most lucrative fundraising event in the state Party’s history.Commentary Series
Can a new cancer drug control fat?
|
Lately, physicians have found a few drugs that are helpful for more than one human problem. Ruth Page describes an instance in which a cancer control drug, now being tested, might keep people from getting fat.Commentary Series
Politicians and journalists
|
Commentator Madeleine Kunin reflects on the tenuous relationship between journalists and politicians.VPR News
The Pulse of Vermont: VPR Poll Results
|
This week, Vermont Public Radio releases the results of a new poll that examines Vermont’s top political races and a variety of other topics, including Governor Howard Dean’s quest for the presidency the possibility of a war with Iraq.VPR News
Boettcher resigns as Fletcher Allen CEO
|
The controversial top administrator at the state’s largest hospital has left his job. Trustees of Fletcher Allen Health Care announced Monday that William Boettcher resigned, six weeks after the Board placed him on paid leave.VPR News
Racine says job creation is a campaign priority
|
Lieutenant Governor Doug Racine wants to make job creation the centerpiece of his gubernatorial campaign. On Monday, Racine outlined a series of measures he says will promote small businesses and expand job training opportunities for Vermonters.VPR News
Spaulding High School students fined for hazing
|
Eight students from Spaulding High School in Barre have been fined after a hazing incident last month. One of the students who took part videotaped the hazing, in which upperclassmen hit ninth-graders with a hockey stick, a piece of wood, and other items.VPR News
Veterinarians advise horse owners on West Nile virus
|
Horse owners in Vermont are asking veterinarians how to protect their animals from West Nile virus. In the last two months, the virus has been found in three horses in Vermont – in Franklin, Addison and Orleans counties. One of the horses had to be euthanized.VPR News
September 16, 2002 – News at a glance
|
Regional headlines from VPR and other news sources.VPR News
Langrock finished final harness race at Tunbridge Fair
|
Peter Langrock is a well-known Middlebury lawyer. But since the 1960s, Langrock has led a second life: he’s a harness racer. Now Langrock has decided to retire from racing. Friday at the Tunbridge Fair he and his horse ran their last race.VPR News
Sounds of Vermont: school days
|
Fifth and sixth graders are at an age of “in-between.” They’re in between toys and teenage years. And during that time are moments of personal discovery. For our series, “Sounds of Vermont,” we listened in to some of that discovery during a typical school day in Waitsfield.VPR News
Oversight Commission examines long-term spending
|
A state commission is looking for new ways to control rising health care costs. Last month, the Public Oversight Commission recommended only minor cuts in budgets for two of Vermont’s 14 hospitals. The panel will now examine whether there’s a better system to curb hospital spending.VPR News
Auditor suggests putting permit applications online
|
Vermont’s auditor of accounts wants the state’s environmental officials to put their permit applications on line. Auditor Elizabeth Ready has just completed a review of the permit process at the Department of Environmental Conservation. Department officials asked Ready to step in after they discovered a $4 million deficit in last year’s budget.Commentary Series
Where men are men, and dogs are dogs
|
The City of Burlington opened a dog-friendly park near commentator Philip Baruth’s home last year. It’s a wonderful addition to the city, but for Philip it was a little bit too late.Commentary Series
Act 60 and the fiscal crunch
|
Commentator John McClaughry shares his analysis of the sharing pool debacle.VPR News
September 14, 2002 – News at a glance
|
Regional headlines from VPR and other news sources.VPR News
Sanders declines spending limit on Congressional race
|
Republican U.S. House candidate Bill Meub is calling on Congressman Bernie Sanders to accept a spending cap in their campaign. Sanders is rejecting that proposal because he’s concerned that the National Republican Party will spend a lot of money on Meub’s behalf.VPR News
Woman arraigned on four arson charges
|
A Williamstown resident has been charged with arson in connection with a string of camp arsons this summer in Washington and Orange counties.VPR News
Vermont Air Guard intercepts small plane
|
A small plane that may have entered Canadian airspace was intercepted by F-16 fighters over Vermont Friday and the pilot was questioned after the plane landed in Wiscasset, Maine.VPR News
September 13, 2002 – News at a glance
|
Regional headlines from VPR and other news sources.VPR News
St. Johnsbury asks to decertify needle exchange
|
The selectboard in Saint Johnsbury has asked the Health Department to decertify a controversial needle exchange program that recently started in the community.Commentary Series
The grieving spiral
|
Commentator Willem Lange has been reflecting on the process by which we get over devastating losses in our lives, and describes it as an ever-widening spiral.Commentary Series
Hard cases, bad law, and the right to privacy
|
Commentator Cheryl Hanna has been thinking about hard cases, bad law and the right to privacy.VPR News
Jeffords, Leahy, Sanders oppose invading Iraq alone
|
All three members of Vermont’s congressional delegation say it’s critical to have the support of the United Nations before the United States invades Iraq and attempts to remove Saddam Hussein from power. And they say it would be a mistake for the United States to act alone in a mission against Iraq.VPR News
Milk commission convenes to help farmers
|
A state panel is looking for ways to help dairy farmers who have been hit hard by a severe drop in milk prices. The Vermont Milk Commission was recently reconvened to find ways to boost farm income.VPR News
Vermont Pure wins approval for expansion project
|
The Vermont Pure water company in Randolph has won approval for part of its planned expansion project.VPR News
September 12, 2002 – News at a glance
|
Regional headlines from VPR and other news sources.VPR News
Badamo wins Progressive gubernatorial primary
|
Based on nearly complete campaign results, Secretary of State Deb Markowitz says Michael Badamo has almost certainly won the Progressive gubernatorial nomination. Badamo easily defeated Peter Diamondstone, and a write in effort to block Badamo was not successful.VPR News
New citizens take oath on September 11
|
On a day of solemn observances, there was also a celebration in Burlington yesterday. The celebration marked a passage for 42 people who chose September 11 to become U.S. citizens.VPR News
Agencies map natural radiation in Vermont
|
Vermonters have a new tool to help them understand where naturally occurring radiation might be encountered in the state. A series of maps was developed by the Vermont Geological Survey at the Agency of Natural Resources.Commentary Series
Windmills
|
While climbing in the mountains of Maine, commentator Tom Slayton learned about a wind generation project that raised several questions for him.Commentary Series
Indian harvest festival
|
Commentator Charlie Nardozzi was in India last fall. He tells us about a harvest festival he witnessed there.Commentary Series
Special commentary series: September 11
|
Vermont public Radio asked commentators to share their reflections and observation on the anniversary of the terrorist attacks.VPR News
Vermonters observe anniversary of attacks
|
Vermonters marked the first anniversary of the September 11 attacks by taking part in a variety of events today. The observances included readings, prayers, reflections and even a naturalization ceremony for new citizens.VPR News
September 11, 2002 – News at a glance
|
Regional headlines from VPR and other news sources.VPR News
Spaulding wins Democratic treasurer’s race
|
Former State Senator Jeb Spaulding won a big victory over former state auditor Ed Flanagan for the Democratic nomination for treasurer in Tuesday’s primary election. Spaulding defeated Flanagan by roughly a two to one margin.VPR News
Meub wins GOP congressional primary
|
Rutland lawyer William Meub has won the Republican nomination to run for the U.S. House, receiving about 60% of the vote. Meub, who lost a GOP gubernatorial primary two years ago, defeated opponents Greg Parke and Karen Kerin.VPR News
Mongeon wins primary in Rutland state’s attorney race
|
In Rutland County, long-time incumbent James Mongeon defeated Brian Marthage in the republican Primary for Rutland County State’s Attorney. Voter turnout was relatively low and unofficial results indicate Mongeon won by several hundred votes.VPR News
Wiesel delivers message of peace and dignity
|
Nobel Peace Prize winner, author and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel spoke to students and members of the public at Middlebury College Tuesday afternoon. On the eve of the anniversary of September 11, Wiesel said his message was one of compassion and respect for human dignity.VPR News
Friedman criticizes U.S. policy in Saudi Arabia
|
Thomas Friedman, the New York Times columnist and Middle East expert, said in an address at St. Michael’s College Tuesday that U.S. attitudes toward Mideast oil need dramatic revision.Commentary Series
‘Portraits of Grief’
|
Commentator Bill Seamans reflects on one of the most compelling – and enduring – of the September 11 memorials.Commentary Series
Reflections on September 11
|
In a special commentary observing the first anniversary of the September 11 attacks, Governor Howard Dean reflects on how the evens of that day touched all Vermonters.VPR News
Providence Diocese settles abuse cases
|
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence, Rhode Island, has settled dozens of lawsuits in which Vermont Bishop Kenneth Angell was named as a defendant. The diocese has agreed to pay $13.5 million to 36 plaintiffs.VPR News
EPA says state must reassess Circ highway
|
The Environmental Protection Agency says the state needs to look at alternatives to the “Circ” highway project proposed for Chittenden County. The EPA says that the new environmental assessment of the project was inadequate.VPR News
Voter turnout light for primary elections
|
Town clerks from around the state are reporting a relatively light turnout today for Vermont’s primary election, but turnout in some communities is heavier than expected.VPR News
State police on high alert
|
The state police emergency command post in Waterbury was activated Tuesday. The preparations began after the federal government increased the terrorism threat level from yellow, which means average, to orange, which means high.VPR News
September 10, 2002 – News at a glance
|
Regional headlines from VPR and other news sources.VPR News
Low voter turnout expected in Tuesday primaries
|
State officials are expecting a low turnout for Tuesday’s primary elections. The election marks the first time that Vermont’s Progressive Party has been a part of the primary process.Commentary Series
First-year gestures of completion
|
Commentator Rebecca Coffey reflects on what is involved in achieving a measure of emotional recovery after a loss on the magnitude of September 11.Commentary Series
The evaporation of sympathy
|
Commentator Olin Robison shares concerns about American policy that he has gathered from abroad.VPR News
State police discuss Vermont’s terrorism risk
|
In the year after the September 11 attacks, the state launched a new program to respond to any terrorist incidents in Vermont. The state homeland security office also gathers intelligence on potential threats and works with other federal and state agencies. On Monday, public safety staff met with reporters to discuss Vermont’s anti-terrorism efforts.VPR News
Candidates use web site to inform voters
|
Vermont candidates for office are increasingly taking their campaigns online this year. Nearly every statewide candidate in this year’s election has a web site.VPR News
Wild fire burns 4 acres on Mt. Tabor
|
Officials with the Green Mountain National Forest say there’s a small wildfire burning in Mount Tabor. The four-acre blaze was spotted over the weekend and officials say it was probably caused by a lightning strike.VPR News
‘The Lexus and the Olive Tree’ discussion groups
|
The Vermont Humanities Council is sponsoring book discussion groups on The Lexus and the Olive Tree, following the lecture by Thomas Friedman. Find a discussion group in your county.VPR News
Communities plan ceremonies for September 11
|
Vermonters will mark the first anniversary of the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in a variety of ways.VPR News
Construction to increase Statehouse security
|
Government embarked on many security improvements in the past year. One of those projects involved increased security at the Vermont Statehouse in Montpelier. Workers are putting the finishing touches on the project now.VPR News
Vermont utilities prosper in financial turnaround
|
Over the last two years, there’s been a dramatic turnaround in the financial health of Vermont two largest electric utilities. At one time, Green Mountain Power and Central Vermont Public Service were facing possible bankruptcy. Now they’re doing well in spite of a sputtering economy.VPR News
Rutland airport responds to hard times
|
One year after September 11, air travel nationwide remains sluggish. And many of the major airlines are struggling to stay in business. Burlington International Airport has managed to buck the trend – they’ve seen a 20% increase in ridership in the last two years, due mainly to increased competition among airlines. Rutland airport, which has only one passenger carrier, is having a tougher time.Commentary Series
Garden memorial
|
It’s been a year now since the tragedy of September 11, and commentator Henry Homeyer has some thoughts about what we can do to remember those who died that day.Commentary Series
One year later
|
Commentator David Moats reflects on how some events become etched in our memory, to stand forever as bridges between “before” and “after”.VPR News
Congress meets in New York City
|
All three members of Vermont’s congressional delegation traveled to New York City on Friday to attend a joint meeting of Congress at Federal Hall and to tour the site of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.VPR News
Douglas defends record of tobacco divestment
|
Vermont’s investments in tobacco companies have become the latest flap in the gubernatorial campaign. Some Democratic lawmakers are criticizing State Treasurer James Douglas for failing to divest all tobacco holdings from state pension funds. But Douglas, who is now the Republican gubernatorial candidate, says the Democrats have misrepresented the issue.VPR News
Fire danger rises
|
Forestry officials in Vermont said today that the state’s forests are becoming extremely dry and fire danger is rising. They said the state is approaching drought conditions because there’s been so little rain.VPR News
September 11 remembrance events
|
Communities across Vermont are commemorating the anniversary of the terrorist attacks in many ways. VPR provides this listing of ceremonies across the state.VPR News
Interview: an Iowan’s impression of Dean
|
Steve Delaney talks with Ellen Gaffney, a Democratic Party offical from Buchanan County, Iowa. Gaffney gives her impression of how Iowa voters are receiving Dean’s campaign message.VPR News
Dean expands presidential campaign operations
|
Governor Howard Dean’s presidential campaign enters a new stage this week. Dean is opening an office in Burlington, hiring several staff people, and launching a national web site for his campaign.VPR News
Candidates debate: GOP congressional race
|
Republican U.S. House candidate Bill Meub says it’s critical for the party’s congressional nominee to appeal to moderate voters if the GOP hopes to defeat Independent Congressman Bernie Sanders in the fall election.VPR News
Flanagan defends spending in treasurer’s race
|
One of the Democratic candidates for state treasurer says the news media isn’t covering the important issues in his campaign. Candidate Ed Flanagan complained Thursday that too much attention is being paid to how much money he’s spent, rather than on how he would run the office.VPR News
Judiciary Committee rejects Bush appointee
|
The Senate Judiciary Committee has voted to reject one of President Bush’s appointees to the federal appeals court. Senator Patrick Leahy, who chairs the panel, says the controversial judge was an ideological activist who was unqualified for the position.VPR News
Adirondack fire closes roads
|
All trails and roads leading to Sleeping Beauty Mountain just east of Lake George, New York, were closed today as firefighters battled a five-acre fire on the mountain.VPR News
Court hears women’s arguments against Elks Club
|
Four women who were denied membership to the Elks Lodge in Hartford six years ago have taken their case to the state’s highest court. The Vermont Supreme Court heard arguments in the case today.Commentary Series
Ethan Allen’s homestead
|
Commentator Alan Boye recently took a walk along the banks of the Winooski River, following paths that Ethan Allen himself might once have roamed.Commentary Series
Birding hot spots
|
Commentator Ted Levin says that some of the best months of the year for bird watching are just ahead, as the days of summer wind down and the great migrations begin.VPR News
Interview: socially responsible businesses
|
Steve Delaney talks with Spencer Putnam. Putnam is the new president of Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility.VPR News
Warren family, USDA still dispute sheep test results
|
A Warren family whose sheep were seized by the federal government last year is raising money for a documentary film about their ordeal. The U.S. Department of Agriculture destroyed 125 sheep belonging to Linda and Larry Faillace. The government says two of the animals were infected with a version of mad cow disease. But the Faillaces say the government’s tests were flawed.Commentary Series
The lead tube
|
Commentator Joe Citro tells the little-known story of Vermont’s other first Europeans.Commentary Series
Five years of Brigham and Act 60
|
Commentator Allen Gilbert is looking forward to attending an event next Friday, September 13 in Randolph, for a look at school funding policy five years after Brigham.VPR News
UVM, faculty discuss contract impasse
|
The University of Vermont and the Union that represents roughly 600 faculty members have declared an impasse in contract talks.VPR News
Vermont student attends World Summit in South Africa
|
The United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development wrapped up Wednesday in South Africa. For one young Vermonter, the opportunity to participate in this gathering of world leaders proved to be an experience of a lifetime.VPR News
Sanders returns from Saudi Arabia
|
Congressman Bernie Sanders is calling on the Bush administration to make some major changes in its foreign policy with Saudi Arabia.VPR News
Commission recommends hospital spending cuts
|
A state panel that reviews health care costs has recommended spending cuts for two Vermont hospitals.VPR News
Court says state must recalculate property tax
|
A Rutland Superior Court judge says the state’s method of calculating property values – and by extension the statewide property tax – is badly flawed.VPR News
Truck driver killed in crash with school bus
|
U.S. Route 7 in Danby has reopened following a fatal accident involving a pickup truck and a school bus Wednesday morning.VPR News
Interview: fall foliage
|
Steve Delaney talks with UVM Forestry Program Chair John Shane about the impact of weather and pollution on fall colors.VPR News
UVM, faculty union declare impasse
|
After almost ten months of contract negotiations, the University of Vermont and the union representing the faculty have declared an impasse.Commentary Series
Legislative reform
|
In anticipation of the coming legislative session, commentator John McClaughry reflects on one of the most notable characteristics of the last one.Commentary Series
What I learned at reform school
|
Recently commentator Edith Hunter found herself reflecting on a long-ago summer…spent in a reform school garden.VPR News
Burlington firm sues government over climate change
|
A Burlington law firm has filed the first-ever lawsuit over the role of the federal government in climate change. The suit was filed in federal court in San Francisco on behalf of several people who argue that they are victims of global warming. One of the parties in the case is a maple sugar maker from Vermont.VPR News
Spaulding, Flanagan debate campaign issues, style
|
The two candidates seeking the Democratic nomination for state treasurer clashed over campaign spending, school vouchers and each other’s personal style during a debate last night on Vermont Public Radio.VPR News
LaBarge defends performance of state pension funds
|
Republican state treasurer candidate John LaBarge says he’s disappointed that some statewide Democratic candidates are trying to score political points using the poor performance of the state’s three pension funds over the past 18 months.VPR News
Authorities investigate NH plane crash
|
Authorities are examining the wreckage of the small plane that crashed in Swanzey, New Hampshire yesterday to see if they can determine what went wrong.VPR News
Judges’ retirement age on November ballot
|
Vermonters will decide on Election Day whether to give the Legislature the power to change the age at which judges must retire.VPR News
Early voting system may increase voter turnout
|
Voting in Vermont’s primary election has gotten underway because ballots are now available at local town clerks’ offices under the state’s early voting law. Secretary of State Deb Markowitz says as many as 25% of all voters will choose this method of voting for the November election.VPR News
Adams Farm is a model of agri-tourism
|
Facing economic numbers that don’t add up, many Vermont farms are finding new ways to market retail products. In some cases that means marketing farming itself.Commentary Series
African assassin bug
|
Can you imagine an insect that has double camouflage, one type to protect it from predators, the other to keep its own prey from noticing it? Ruth Page describes the creature.Commentary Series
Fletcher Allen
|
The Fletcher Allen Health Care debacle could cost a lot more than $300 million, commentator Timothy McQuiston says it could cost some very prominent Vermonters their reputations.VPR News
Small planes crashes, kills 7
|
Seven people were killed today when their small plane crashed in woods shortly after takeoff and burst into flames in Swanzey, New Hampshire.VPR News
Sanders opposes funding for FAHC anti-union effort
|
Congressman Bernie Sanders wants state regulators to prevent Vermont’s largest hospital from using funds to pay for anti-union efforts.VPR News
Fire destroys historic barn
|
Investigators are trying to determine what caused a historic barn in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom to burn to the ground Sunday.VPR News
Sounds of Vermont: ‘Moonlight in Vermont’
|
In 1944, a new popular song gave the world an image of Vermont that included falling leaves, ski trails and the evening summer breeze. The 13-line song became a standard that is still sung today. VPR’s Neal Charnoff reports on the enduring “Moonlight in Vermont,” for our series, “Sounds of Vermont.”VPR News
Vermonters explore the job market on Labor Day
|
One year ago, Vermont Public Radio visited the Department of Employment and Training Job Center in Barre and talked with several people hoping to find jobs. At the time, the labor market was beginning to slow and there was concern that hunting for a job was about to get harder.Commentary Series
The Pond
|
Vermont State Poet Ellen Bryant Voigt has witnessed the gradual loss of family farms, both in her adopted state of Vermont and in her native Virginia. The following poem is a meditation on that loss.Commentary Series
Reopening the health care debate
|
Commentator Madeleine Kunin says it’s time to take another look at the health care system.VPR News
Spaulding, Flanagan spar in Democratic treasurer’s race
|
Democratic treasurer candidate Jeb Spaulding is accusing his opponent, Ed Flanagan, of using deceptive and negative campaign tactics in their race. Spaulding is calling on Flanagan to put an end to these tactics. Flanagan denied the charges and said Spaulding is wrong in his claims.VPR News
Vt Democratic Party predicts strong support for Dean
|
So far, early political polls haven’t shown a surge of enthusiasm in Vermont for Governor Dean’s presidential bid. Officials at the Vermont Democratic Party say he’ll have local support in the race.VPR News
Interview: Johannesburg earth summit
|
Steve Delaney talks with Randy Kritkausky, president of the Vermont-based NGO Ecologia. Kritkausky is attending the world earth summit in South Africa.VPR News
New program seeks to retain superintendents
|
This year nine of Vermont’s 64 school superintendents are new to their jobs. That turnover is expected to increase over the next five years as 40% of the state’s school superintendents reach retirement age. Now there’s a new initiative to head off a shortage of school leaders in Vermont.Commentary Series
Last hiker of the summer
|
Commentator Willem Lange maintains a short section of the Appalachian Trail, and this time of year he meets some very interesting people.Commentary Series
Religion and international politics
|
Commentator Olin Robison shares his thoughts on church, state and Islam.VPR News
Vermont receives $20 million for homeland security
|
According to the Dean administration, the state of Vermont is set to receive at least $20 million in Homeland Security Funds in the next few weeks. Most of the money will be administered by two state agencies – the Health Department and Emergency Management Department.VPR News
LaBarge announces candidacy for treasurer
|
Republican John LaBarge says his three goals as treasurer are to maintain Vermont’s bond rating, to protect the state employees’ pension fund and to keep the treasurer’s office efficient.VPR News
Sturnick retires from Vermont College
|
The president of Vermont College in Montpelier has unexpectedly announced her retirement.VPR News
Interview: Vermont technology sector
|
Steve Delaney talks with Boston Globe technology writer Scott Kirsner. Kirsner is in Vermont Thursday speaking to the Vermont Venture Network on the state of the technology sector in Vermont and New England.Commentary Series
Woodchuck wars
|
Commentator Charlie Nardozzi has some advice for dealing with woodchucks.Commentary Series
Knoll Farm
|
Commentator Tom Slayton honors the Vermont Land Trust and the Knoll Farm in Waitsfield.VPR News
Vermont to fight electricity grid merger
|
Governor Howard Dean says the state of Vermont will actively litigate an effort by the federal government to link New England’s power grid with a similar system in New York State. Dean says the proposal will cost the region’s ratepayers more than $60 million and represents an abuse of power by federal energy officials.VPR News
Dean criticizes “No Child Left Behind” legislation
|
Governor Howard Dean says a controversy in Bennington over a new federal education law is just the beginning of public criticism over this legislation.VPR News
Interview: Progressive Party politics
|
Steve Delaney talks with Bill Gover about the Progressive Party in Vermont. Grover is chairman of political science department at St. Michael’s College.VPR News
Rutland County weighs candidates for state’s attorney
|
For the first time in twenty years, voters in Rutland County will have a choice for state’s attorney. Incumbent James Mongeon, was appointed to the job in 1980, and has run unopposed since. But two opponents hope to unseat him this year.VPR News
St. Johnsbury residents discuss needle exchange program
|
Since it began operating three weeks ago, a needle exchange program in St. Johnsbury has been the subject of heated debate in the community. A community forum was held Tuesday night to exchange information and air concerns about the program.VPR News
Wilmington upholds nudity ban
|
Voters in the town of Wilmington have told nude sunbathers at the Harriman Reservoir to “suit up.” Tuesday’s vote was close – 289 to 282 – in favor of the ban on public nudity.VPR News
Douglas comments on legislative vote for governor
|
Republican gubernatorial candidate Jim Douglas says lawmakers should not automatically vote for the candidate who receives the most votes if the governor’s race is decided by the Legislature in January.VPR News
The latest from Marketplace
|
Something new every day from PRI’s Marketplace, with David Brancaccio.Commentary Series
Parsons Hill
|
Contaminated drinking water at an apartment complex in Castleton is currently the subject of complex litigation, and commentator Jeff Wennberg thinks that the case involves a number of concerns that are greater than local.Commentary Series
The strategic doctrine of preemption
|
One of the ironies of history is how the present often echoes the past. When President Bush endorsed the idea of striking an enemy first and by surprise – what is called the strategic doctrine of preemption – he set a new course for the journey to Baghdad to topple Saddam Hussein.VPR News
Shumlin, Pollina disagree on FAHC criticism
|
Democratic candidate Peter Shumlin is urging all political candidates to refrain from any additional criticism of the Fletcher Allen Hospital because these comments are undermining public confidence in the hospital. Progressive Anthony Pollina says Shumlin’s plan is a very bad idea.VPR News
Dean opposed to wholesale electricity market merger
|
The text of this article will be available shortly.VPR News
Quebec meeting yields cleanup plan for Champlain
|
The state of Vermont and province of Quebec have agreed on a plan to reduce phosphates in the bay that straddles the U.S.-Canadian border.VPR News
Ryegate mill sold for $100
|
An East Ryegate paper mill that shut down last winter has a new owner. The Caledonian Record newspaper says New Hampshire resident Ronald Morgan paid $100 for the plant.VPR News
Howard’s Friendly Market changes hands
|
A Barre grocery store that has been owned by the same family for 99 years is being sold to the Hannaford’s supermarket chain.VPR News
Interview: Governor Dean in Canada
|
Steve Delaney talks with Governor Howard Dean about the regional environmental initiative. Dean is in Canada meeting with New England governors and premiers of eastern Canadian provinces.VPR News
Wilmington debates public nudity ordinance
|
Voters in Wilmington decide today whether they’ll keep a town ordinance banning nudity. Selectman passed the ordinance earlier this summer in response to complaints about behavior at a popular swimming area. Last night the Selectboard held a special town meeting to respond to questions about the ban.Commentary Series
What hare-brained idea?
|
Commentator Libby Sternberg reflects on the predicament of a Vermont couple who is being charged with trying to circumvent public school residency regulations.Commentary Series
Others who shared our farm
|
Commentator Will Curtis reflects on some of the critters that he and his wife Jane have had as neighbors over the years.Commentary Series
Dear Howard Dean – Babe, if I may
|
Governor Howard Dean’s run for the presidency has entered its most crucial phase, according to commentator Philip Baruth: the phase where the attack ads start to fly. Philip has a few words of advice.VPR News
Sanders departs for Israel, Saudi Arabia
|
Congressman Bernie Sanders is embarking on a weeklong trip to Saudi Arabia as part of an official congressional visit. Sanders says he wants the delegation to deliver a clear message to Saudi leaders about the need for political reforms in that country.Commentary Series
Budget shuffle
|
Commentator Allen Gilbert thinks that the state is using some tricky accounting practices to balance the state budget – and that ultimately property owners will be the ones who have to foot the bill.VPR News
Hinsdales receive dam permit
|
The Hinsdale Farm in Charlotte has received a permit to construct a dam around a large manure storage pond. The project is just one part of a controversial proposal to expand the existing dairy herd to 2,500 cows.VPR News
Five arrested in Lamoille County heroin bust
|
A bail hearing is scheduled Tuesday for five Lamoille County residents indicted on charges of heroin distribution, according to the U.S. attorney’s office in Burlington. Officials said police seized 90 bags of heroin, some cash and drug paraphernalia Monday.VPR News
Helicopter surprises Crown Point soccer team
|
Some high school soccer players in Crown Point, New York, had an unexpected visitor today. A wayward National Guard helicopter aiding firefighters in the Adirondacks set down on the athletic fields at Central High School in Crown Point. The craft was supposed to pick up supplies for firefighters battling several stubborn forest fires in the area.VPR News
Sounds of Vermont: Montpelier
|
A Statehouse debate in Montpelier may be a familiar sound, but it’s only part of the character of Vermont’s capital. The city, with a population just over 8,000 people, has developed a distinctly independent personality.VPR News
Commission reviews hospital budget increases
|
Vermont’s hospital budgets are on the rise. And the rates that the 14 hospitals charge next year are also expected to jump by approximately 5.4%. This week, a state commission begins its review of what’s driving the higher budgets – and whether the rate increases are justified.VPR News
Interview: needle exchange forum
|
Steve Delaney talks with Steve Watson of the St. Johnsbury Community Justice Center. CJC is sponsoring a public forum for St. Johnsbury residents to discuss the city’s needle exchange program.VPR News
Dean, finance committee finalize budget cuts
|
The Legislative Joint Fiscal Committee has reached an agreement with the Dean administration on a plan to cut this year’s state budget.VPR News
Fire danger moderate in southern Vermont
|
Southern Vermont has a “moderate” fire danger rating according to the state’s Department of Forests and Parks.VPR News
FAHC files certificate of need for computer system
|
Officials at Fletcher Allen Health Care of Burlington say they will seek state approval for a new $12.2 million computer system. Last month, the state ordered the hospital to stop work on installation of $9 million computer system because it lacked approval.VPR News
Wyeth lays off 75, effective today
|
Franklin County’s largest private employer is shedding 75 jobs. Wyeth Nutritionals layoffs go into effect today.Commentary Series
The annual something-or-other
|
Commentator Willem Lange has been visiting a daughter in northern Vermont and marvels at the energy that goes into the state’s annual August celebrations.Commentary Series
Two views on the regional environmental initiative
|
Commentators John McClaughry and Ruth Page offer Two Views of a Regional Environmental Initiative being considered by leaders in Northern New England and Quebec.VPR News
Pollina supports new large farm review process
|
Progressive lieutenant governor candidate Anthony Pollina wants the state to provide greater regulatory oversight of proposals to create large farms in Vermont. Pollina says the current system of giving the commissioner of agriculture the sole authority to rule on these projects needs to be changed.VPR News
Interview: low mortgage rates
|
Steve Delaney talks with Sara Carpenter about mortgage interest rates. Carpenter is executive director of the Vermont Housing and Finance Agency, which is now offering the lowest mortgage interest rates in its history.VPR News
Jean Chretian to step down as Canada’s prime minister
|
Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien surprised many Canadians this week by announcing he will step down. The 68-year-old Chretien has been in office longer than any current Western leader.Commentary Series
Wisdom of elders
|
Lately commentator Edith Hunter has been thinking about a very practical kind of inheritance.Commentary Series
The current crisis of capitalism
|
Commentator Ellen David Friedman is drawing political lessons from the recent corporate crises.VPR News
State agencies to buy energy efficient vehicles
|
Vermont state government is taking steps to reduce the greenhouse gases blamed for global warming. On Thursday, Governor Howard Dean signed an executive order that directs state agencies to buy energy efficient vehicles and equipment.VPR News
Dean, fiscal committee close to finalizing budget cuts
|
Governor Howard Dean says he is close to a deal with legislative leaders on how to cut the state’s budget.VPR News
Sanders opposes action against Iraq
|
Vermont Congressman Bernard Sanders says an attack on Iraq would jeopardize the U.S. war on terrorism.VPR News
Couple seeks civil union recognition in Indiana
|
Three couples are suing the state of Indiana in a bid to win recognition there for civil unions they obtained in Vermont.VPR News
Interview: Lyndon water security
|
Steve Delaney talks with Art Sanborn about new security measures for the town of Lyndon’s water supply. Sanborn is the Lyndon Municipal Administrator.VPR News
Public comment begins on new Circ Highway plan
|
The public has less than two weeks to comment on a new highway planned for Chittenden County. The state Transportation Agency wants public comments on its environmental assessment of the sixteen-mile Circumferential Highway. But critics say the assessment itself is flawed and overlooks some of the potential impacts of the road project.Commentary Series
Janet McKenzie art exhibit
|
Commentator Lois Eby tells us about a thought provoking art exhibit coming to a close this weekend.Commentary Series
Nature
|
The extreme heat of the last few days has reminded commentator David Moats that the idea of what is “natural” can change.VPR News
Ready criticizes Douglas’ handling of pension funds
|
State Auditor Elizabeth Ready is calling on State Treasurer Jim Douglas to take a more active role in protecting the state’s pension funds. Douglas says Ready’s comments are purely political.VPR News
Health officials await Legionnaire’s test results
|
Vermont health officials investigating an outbreak of Legionnaire’s disease in Waterbury say four cooling towers are probably to blame.VPR News
Permits issued for four-day moose hunt
|
The Department of Fish and Wildlife has issued 365 moose-hunting permits this year — an increase of about 65% over the number that went out last year.VPR News
Interview: Rutland prepares for new school year
|
Steve Delaney talks with Bill Mathis about teacher shortages and the start of the new school year. Mathis is superintendent of the Rutland Northeast Supervisory Union.VPR News
Shumlin opposes private school vouchers
|
Windham Senator Peter Shumlin, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor, says he strongly opposes efforts to use state tax dollars to provide vouchers for students to attend private schools.Commentary Series
Aphids
|
Every gardener knows aphids – but here’s Ruth Page with facts about how some aphids can nest a couple of future generations of clones inside her while she seeks a home.Commentary Series
New visions of leadership
|
After attending a leadership workshop, commentator Cheryl Hanna has been thinking about why “politics as usual” doesn’t feel very meaningful any more.VPR News
Review board hears Vermont Pure testimony
|
The Randolph Development Review Board held a second public meeting last night on plans to expand the Vermont Pure Springs Company operation. The bottled water company says it needs to grow to accommodate increasing demand. Some Randolph residents say the company’s planned growth will hurt their way of life.VPR News
Bush administration rescinds transportation cuts
|
Vermont officials learned Tuesday that President Bush will not propose cuts in overall federal transportation spending. But the state will have to contribute more money if it wants to maintain their passenger rail service.VPR News
Starline Rhythm Boys remember the honky tonks
|
In the 1950s and ’60s, dozens of working class bars dotted the Vermont countryside. They smelled of beer and cigarette smoke and every weekend featured live music and a crowded dance floor. The music was called honky tonk. The Starline Rhythm Boys are veterans of Vermont’s honky tonks and still carry on today.VPR News
Campaign finance ruling appealed
|
Lawyers for the Vermont Republican Party say the ruling by the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals is unconstitutional.VPR News
UVM loses party school reputation
|
The University of Vermont is no longer listed in the annual Princeton Review rankings as one of the top 20 party schools in the country.VPR News
Rutland grand jury issues 50 drug indictments
|
A federal grand jury in Rutland has handed up more than 50 drug indictments in the last six months.Commentary Series
Kavalier & Clay
|
Commentator Jules Older is enthusiastic about the recent novel by Michael Chabon.Commentary Series
Women governors
|
Commentator Madeleine Kunin is keeping careful watch on women running for governor.VPR News
Dean develops foreign policy positions
|
Vermont Governor Howard Dean is developing a series of foreign policy positions as he pursues his long shot presidential campaign. In a trip to New Hampshire on Sunday, Dean was asked several times about the Bush administration’s potential plans to attack Iraq. Deans says if that happens, America must be prepared for a ten-year conflict in the most dangerous region of the world.VPR News
Shumlin supports using ‘rainy day fund’
|
The Dean administration says it will strongly oppose any effort by the Joint Fiscal Committee to use money from the state’s Rainy Day Fund to avoid difficult cuts in this year’s budget. But Senate President Pro Tempore Peter Shumlin says these funds may be needed to protect a number of critical Human Service programs.VPR News
Douglas says drug crime a priority
|
Republican gubernatorial candidate James Douglas says Vermont faces a drug crisis and that more police are needed to combat crime.VPR News
State employees’ retirement fund loses value
|
Vermont’s state employee retirement fund has lost about $178 million since the beginning of 2000.VPR News
Sounds of Vermont: Route 7
|
For 135.3 miles – from Pownal to Highgate – U.S. Route 7 slices up the western side of Vermont. It’s Vermont’s hard-working north-south highway, carrying commuters, truckers, farmers and tourists.VPR News
UVM study shows acid rain damages trees
|
Researchers at the University of Vermont believe that acid rain is doing more damage to the forests than they thought.VPR News
ANR staff appeal secretary’s Clyde River dam decision
|
A group that represents government employees has appealed a state water quality permit for a dam on the Clyde River. The group says Vermont’s secretary of natural resources over-ruled his staff and allowed more lenient permit conditions.VPR News
Opponents criticize Pollina tax proposal
|
Anthony Pollina, the Progressive candidate for lieutenant governor, wants lawmakers to reject the plan to cut the state budget by nearly $40 million. Pollina is proposing a tax on wealthy Vermonters to offset the state’s revenue shortage, and it’s a proposal his opponents dislike.VPR News
Governor’s race wide open according to poll
|
A new poll indicates the Vermont governor’s race is wide open, with many voters still undecided about who should lead the state next year.Commentary Series
A big trout at sunset
|
Commentator Willem Lange has been spending a few days in the brook trout country of northern Qu bec, a region that seems to be improving with age.Commentary Series
Enabling the non-profit sector
|
Commentator Olin Robison has picked up on resident Bush’s support for charitable tax deductions.VPR News
Interview: tourism revenues
|
Steve Delaney talks with Bill Skilling and declining and flat tourism revenues for this summer. Skilling is head of the Vermont Lodging and Restaurant Association.VPR News
State officials watch for drought conditions
|
Lack of significant rainfall has Vermont slipping back into drought conditions and state agencies say they’re preparing for problems created by the dry weather. Officials say they’ve learned a lot from other recent droughts.Commentary Series
Pressure-treated wood
|
Commentator Charlie Nardozzi shares his information on remedies and alternatives to pressure-treated woodCommentary Series
Poetry then and now
|
Commentator Tom Slayton appreciates the work of Vermont folk poet Gordon Tallman.VPR News
IRS release Fletcher Allen financial documents
|
The top five corporate officers at the state’s largest hospital earned a combined salary of over $1.5 million for the 2001 fiscal year. Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington disclosed the salary information and other financial data in documents filed with the Internal Revenue Service.VPR News
Legislative panel votes on additional budget cuts
|
A special legislative panel voted Thursday to trim spending in this year’s budget by an additional six million dollars. But the committee postponed action on another five million dollars in more controversial cuts because it hopes to find some creative ways to avoid these reductions.VPR News
Sanders opposes Brazilian aid package
|
Vermont Congressman Bernie Sanders wants to block a financial bailout of Brazil that’s designed to prevent the country from defaulting on its international debt.VPR News
Interview: teddy bear stamps
|
Steve Delaney talks with Nicole L’Huilliere from the Vermont Teddy Bear Factory. The U.S. Postal Service is unveiling new teddy bear stamps at the Shelburne company on Thursday.VPR News
Heat wave lingers
|
Around the state, near record temperatures were recorded Wednesday as the heat wave continued. It’s not often we see such a long string of 90-degree plus days in Vermont.Commentary Series
The joys of a country fair
|
Commentator Henry Homeyer is looking forward to one of the traditional end-of-the-summer pleasures: going to the fair.Commentary Series
A quiet crisis
|
Commentator Bill Seamans says that we may be in the middle of a quiet constitutional crisis, perhaps all the more dangerous for its lack of noisy debate.VPR News
State police, administration dispute department budget
|
Some legislators and state police officials are concerned that new budget cuts could make a shortage of troopers even worse. But the governor’s office says the cuts won’t affect the workforce, and that the Public Safety Department needs to manage its money better. The governor’s staff say other factors are to blame for the trooper shortage.VPR News
Heat wave strains power grid
|
Electricity demand is skyrocketing across New England today. As people escaped the heat in air-conditioned buildings, the operators of the New England power grid issued a plea for the public to conserve energy.VPR News
Psychiatry to stay on FAHC’s main campus
|
A deal has been reached that will keep the psychiatric ward on the main campus of Fletcher Allen Health Care. Two floors of an existing building at Fletcher Allen’s medical center campus will be converted to an inpatient psychiatric ward.VPR News
Rutland courthouse plan scaled back
|
The size of the planned courthouse in Rutland has been cut by a third. The state is committing just $10 million to the project, instead of $12 million.VPR News
Ames closing all stores
|
Officials for Ames Discount Store chain announced this morning they are closing all 327 stores, including twelve stores in Vermont.VPR News
Vermont sends Christmas trees to New York firehouses
|
Thanks to a handful of Vermonters, Christmas came early this year for NYC firefighters and their families.VPR Series and Specials
Maple Sugar Time
|
VPR’s 1978 documentary on Maple sugaring co-produced with NPR and featuring music from Pete Seeger.Commentary Series
Hen spectacles
|
Janet Greene was a well-known independent book publisher and editor. But it was her zest for life that made her memorable. From the VPR archives, here’s one of Janet Greene’s earliest commentaries.Commentary Series
Adam’s Ale
|
Janet Greene was a well-known independent book publisher and editor. But it was her zest for life that made her memorable. From the VPR archives, here’s one of Janet Greene’s earliest commentaries.VPR News
Campaign finance law unlikely to affect 2002 elections
|
A federal judge says it’s unlikely that Vermont’s strict campaign financing law will go into effect before this fall’s elections. The judge’s comments came almost a week after a federal appeals court said the state can limit campaign spending and donations.VPR News
Smog prompts state to issue health advisory
|
The state has issued a smog advisory for southern Vermont. Officials say the air quality is bad enough that people should limit outdoor activities.VPR News
Dean says US should attack if Iraq has weapons
|
Governor Howard Dean says the United States should attack Iraq if Saddam Hussein has atomic or biological weapons.VPR News
State, Developer settle on Maple Tree Place
|
The Maple Tree Place development at Williston’s Taft Corners won’t be losing its land-use permit, but one of the buildings will be changing.VPR News
Interview: campaign finance law
|
Steve Delaney talks with professor Eric Davis about the Second Circuit Court of Appeals recent ruling on Vermont’s campaign finance law. Davis teaches political science at Middlebury College.VPR News
Looking back at 1977
|
Twenty-five years ago, when Vermont Public Radio went on the air, Vermonters lives were very different than they are today. Some of those differences are significant, others are simply small reminders of another time.Commentary Series
Burlington’s ‘sick’ side
|
Every generation has its own path through a city, but commentator Philip Baruth has recently found himself forced from one path to the next in Burlington.Commentary Series
Loss of innocence
|
Vermonters may once have thought that our state was immune from the financial deceit practiced by such corporations as Enron and WorldCom. Commentator Allen Gilbert thinks that’s all changed with the problems at Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington.VPR News
Administration announces state budget cuts
|
The Dean administration’s plan to reduce state spending includes eliminating 88 state jobs and cutting a variety of government programs.VPR News
Agencies react to budget cuts
|
About half of the $11 million in proposed state budget cuts fall on the Agency of Human Services. It’s the largest agency of state government, and it offers services to some of the state’s neediest citizens.VPR News
Agriculture department warns of invasive hogweed
|
The Vermont Department of Agriculture is urging people who spend time outdoors to watch out for noxious hogweed. The invasive plant’s sap can cause severe skin irritation, blisters and swelling if not handled properly.VPR News
Moyers pleads guilty to negligent driving
|
Public television journalist Bill Moyers pleaded guilty today in a Bennington courtroom to a charge of negligent driving.VPR News
Two kayakers missing
|
The Coast Guard in Burlington is looking for two missing kayakers. Officials say 21-year-old John Martin and 18-year-old Angela Duclos rented two kayaks yesterday morning. But the two have not returned.VPR News
Sounds of Vermont: Fair days
|
Nothing says fair season quite like the Addison County Fair and Field Days. Last week, for the fifty-fourth time, Vermont’s largest agricultural fair had its run with familiar faces and familiar events.VPR News
Vermont creameries win national cheese awards
|
Vermont cheesemakers have earned praise from the American Cheese Society. The annual parade of cheeses was held last week in Washington, D.C. and among the awards in the competition were 13 for Vermont companies.VPR News
Five more cases of Legionnaire’s confirmed
|
Five more cases of Legionnaire’s Disease have been reported in Central Vermont. But state health officials say they’re confident they’ve eliminated the source of the outbreak.VPR News
Dartmouth Hitchcock to provide budget information
|
One of the largest hospitals in the region is outside the scope of Vermont regulators. But top officials from the Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center were in Montpelier earlier this week to brief officials on their hospital’s budget.VPR News
Connecticut court to hear civil union dissolution case
|
A Connecticut man wants to dissolve his civil union but not in Vermont, where the union is legally recognized. But two lower courts have already ruled that Connecticut has no jurisdiction over civil union matters.VPR News
Administration prepares to unveil proposed budget cuts
|
Governor Howard Dean’s chief budget aide says she’s getting ready to unveil $39 million in budget cuts. That amount has to be cut out of the spending plan that went into effect a little more than a month ago.Commentary Series
In the south
|
Commentator David Moats just got back from a road trip, and he’s still savoring a renewed sense of regional diversity – and flavors.Commentary Series
Snakes and people
|
Commentator Willem Lange has been thinking about the relationship between the snake, which God curses in Genesis, and mankind, his crowning achievement. He thinks the snakes are getting a raw deal.VPR News
Actor misidentified
|
VPR misidentified an actor in the St. Michael’s College Playhouse production of “Godspell”. The role of Jesus was played by Brad Coolidge.VPR News
Gubernatorial candidates series: Doug Racine
|
In his race for the governor’s office, Democratic Lieutenant Governor Doug Racine is talking to voters in a series of small meetings throughout the state. The face-to-face campaigning seem to fit Racine’s low key, informal style.Commentary Series
Roger has a mind of his own
|
We usually think of the garden as a peaceful place, but commentator Edith Hunter says it can also be a hotbed of determined – if quiet – rebellion.Commentary Series
The ten-of-nine whistle
|
What’s the buzz in Rutland? According to commentator and former mayor Jeff Wennberg, the buzz is the ten-of-nine blast.VPR News
Analysts debate impact of VT campaign finance ruling
|
Yesterday’s court ruling in support of limits on campaign spending and contributions in Vermont may have broader implications. Experts say the federal appeals court’s action could lead to an important U.S. Supreme Court decision on the issue.VPR News
Vermont court to decide on limits for Fall elections
|
A federal judge has scheduled a hearing for next week on whether strict new spending guidelines should apply to Vermont’s campaigns this year.VPR News
FAHC bond placed under credit watch
|
Standard & Poors has warned investors that a controversy involving the state’s largest hospital could affect its credit rating. On Wednesday, Standard & Poor’s placed Fletcher Allen’s $100 million bond issue under a credit watch.VPR News
Federal dairy program goes into effect next week
|
Vermont dairy farmers will be able to sign up for a new federal dairy program beginning this Tuesday. The subsidy program was championed by Vermont’s congressional delegation, and authorized by this year’s farm bill.VPR News
Crown Point bridge reopens after accident
|
The Crown Point bridge over Lake Champlain has reopened to traffic this afternoon. New York and Vermont state police closed the bridge at Chimney Point after a logging truck struck an overhead beam on the bridge.VPR News
Gubernatorial candidates series: Con Hogan
|
Independent gubernatorial candidate Con Hogan is traveling around Vermont in a Winnebago this summer and fall. Hogan says the office on wheels symbolizes his approach to this campaign.VPR News
Nine cases of Legionnaire’s Disease confirmed
|
State health officials report two more people have been diagnosed with Legionnaire’s disease. That brings to nine the number of confirmed cases in Central Vermont.Commentary Series
Corn
|
Commentator Ron Krupp celebrates his favorite vegetable of summer: sweet corn.Commentary Series
Lemonade and refreshing corporate culture
|
On a recent hot summer day, commentator Cheryl Hanna happened upon a refreshing drink and an even more refreshing attitude.VPR News
Court restores Vermont campaign finance limits
|
The Second Circuit Court of Appeals in New York has restored Vermont’s limits on campaign contributions and campaign spending. The judges sent the case back to the federal court in Vermont to decide when to put the provisions into place.VPR News
Commission prepares to review hospital budgets
|
A citizens’ panel that reviews hospital budgets in Vermont is asking some tough questions. They want more information in the wake of allegations that the state’s largest hospital tried to circumvent state oversight.VPR News
UVM workers reached tentative contract agreement
|
The University of Vermont has reached a tentative contract agreement with the union that represents custodial and maintenance workers.VPR News
Nine cases of Legionnaire’s Disease in central Vermont
|
State health officials report that two more people have been diagnosed with Legionnaire’s disease. Health Commissioner Jan Carney says she expects there will be more.VPR News
Gubernatorial candidates series: Jim Douglas
|
Although he has run twelve statewide campaigns since 1980, Republican gubernatorial candidate Jim Douglas is putting together the largest organization that he’s ever had for this year’s race.Commentary Series
Effort at speech
|
Vermont State Poet Ellen Bryant Voigt has been writing and observing animals in Cabot for 30 years. But the creature in the following poem was living in the Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland.Commentary Series
CEOs and baseball
|
Commentator Timothy McQuiston finds some unsettling similarities between baseball and health of American corporations.VPR News
FBI investigates Woodward shooting
|
The FBI is investigating whether Brattleboro police violated Robert Woodward’s civil rights when they shot him six times last December. Attorney General William Sorrell concluded that the shooting was legally justified, but he says he welcomes the new federal investigation.VPR News
UVM faculty contract negotiations falter
|
The faculty and administration at the University of Vermont have both filed complaints of bad-faith bargaining. The complaints center on public comments that have been made on both sides.VPR News
VLS dean joins investigation committee
|
Fletcher Allen Health Care trustees have named Vermont Law School Dean L. Kinvin Wroth to serve on the special committee investigating allegations that the hospital officials deliberately skirted state regulations.VPR News
Trapp Family Lodge plans expansion
|
The Trapp Family Lodge is seeking state permission to build an $18 million condo development on its land in Stowe.VPR News
Guard honors Vermont veterans with new medal
|
Vermont veterans have been recognized for the first time with newly designed medals.VPR News
Crop circles found in southern Quebec
|
Mysterious crop circles have turned up on a Quebec farm just north of the U.S.-Canadian border. A series of twelve circles arranged in a concentric pattern was found over the weekend on a farm in Howick, Quebec.VPR News
Communities plan to commemorate September 11
|
A variety of organizations around the state are making plans to observe the first anniversary of the September 11 attacks.VPR News
BOW program teaches women to shoot straight
|
The number of Vermont hunters is decreasing, down 13% in the last decade. In an effort to stem the decline, the state wants to tap a group not usually associated with hunting: women.VPR News
IBM employees charge age discrimination in layoffs
|
Several present and former IBM employees claim that older workers were unfairly discriminated against during the company’s recent round of layoffs.VPR News
Anti-sprawl group releases poll results
|
A new poll shows that Vermonters are worried that the state’s landscape is being consumed by suburban sprawl. The poll, conducted by the University of Vermont’s Center for Rural Studies, asked people to rate the issues that most concern them.VPR News
Sounds of Vermont: the lake
|
Samuel de Champlain gave the lake his own name in 1609. It’s been a key player in the campaigns of war. Commerce once thrived over its waters. And there has even been an effort to declare Champlain one of the Great Lakes. In a segment of our series, Sounds of Vermont, listens in at the lake from morning to night.Commentary Series
Clover, Vermont state flower
|
Commentator Vern Grubinger reflects on the history and importance of Vermont’s state flower.Commentary Series
Hello, are there any liberals out there?
|
Commentator Nick Boke wonders just what happened to American liberals.VPR News
FAHC case prompts state to review regulations
|
Vermont’s auditor of accounts says she’ll look at how the state oversees major health care projects. Auditor Elizabeth Ready’s review follows allegations that Fletcher Allen hospital in Burlington evaded state oversight when it began construction of a $55 million parking garage.VPR News
Transportation agency submits new Circ Highway plan
|
The state Transportation Agency has reapplied for pollution permits for a new Chittenden County highway. Agency officials say the road will not damage nearby streams, but environmentalists say they’ll continue to challenge the project.VPR News
Diocese investigation nearing completion
|
Two and a half months after his office began looking into sexual misconduct allegations against Vermont priests, the attorney general says the first reviews are nearly complete.VPR News
VPR goes backstage with ‘Godspell’
|
When the musical “Godspell” was performed off-Broadway in the early 1970s, the audience was invited onstage during the intermission for wine and cheese. That communal spirit is at the heart of “Godspell,” now being presented at the St. Michael’s College Playhouse in Colchester.VPR News
Legislators ask for second review of CVH application
|
Over a dozen Washington County lawmakers want state health care regulators to re-examine a local hospital project.VPR News
Interview: Vermont emergency management
|
Steve Delaney talks with Howard Rice, who recently became Vermont’s director of emergency management.Commentary Series
Coyotes, east and west
|
Commentator Alan Boye shares mythic and real stories of coyotes.Commentary Series
Globalization
|
Commentator Olin Robison shares his thoughts on the paradoxes of globalization.VPR News
Attorney general and U.S. attorney join FAHC probe
|
State and federal prosecutors are investigating Vermont’s largest hospital. Attorney General William Sorrell says his office is looking into allegations that top officials at Fletcher Allen hospital in Burlington deliberately circumvented state regulatory review with a multi-million dollar parking garage project. Sorrell says the office of the U.S. attorney is also involved in the probe.VPR News
Regulators comment on FAHC ‘synthetic lease’
|
State health care regulators are concerned that officials at Vermont’s largest hospital have systematically tried to avoid state review. Regulators focused on a parking garage being built by Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington. The complex financing for the garage involves an offshore insurance company and a construction loan that was made to look like a lease.VPR News
Progressive Party urges Sanders write-in
|
The Progressive Party has found itself with more primary candidates than it bargained for. Now party leaders are urging voters to write in the name of independent Congressman Bernard Sanders in the September primary against a woman who is already on the ballot as the party’s candidate.VPR News
Interview: Rural doctors
|
Steve Delaney talks with Dr. Amy Ferguson about a grant program that give newly licensed physicians incentives to practice in rural areas. The program seeks to reduce medical students’ debt load while increasing medical services in under-served regions of the Vermont.VPR News
Cabot man sentenced for trespassing at Fort Benning
|
A Vermont man has been sentenced to three months in a federal prison for his part in a demonstration at an Army facility in Georgia.Commentary Series
Mystery stones
|
Commentator and mystery lover Joe Citro explores the story on unexplained stones in Hardwick, MA.Commentary Series
Goddard College
|
(Host) Commentator Tom Slayton has some thoughts on the decision to close down resident undergraduate programs at Goddard.VPR News
FAHC puts president on leave amid allegations
|
The trustees of Fletcher Allen hospital have placed President William Boettcher on paid leave while a special committee investigates allegations that he deliberately misled state regulators. John Dillon has the first report of a two-part look at the Fletcher Allen situation.VPR News
Governor Dean comments on FAHC allegations
|
The trustees of Fletcher Allen hospital have placed President William Boettcher on paid leave while a special committee investigates allegations that he deliberately misled state regulators. Bob Kinzel reports on Governor Dean’s reaction.VPR News
Entergy buys Vermont Yanke, sale final
|
Entergy Nuclear has bought the Vermont Yankee plant, closing a deal that was strongly endorsed by regulators but that critics say is bad for New England ratepayers. The $180 million deal was sealed this morning with the electronic transfer of funds and the filing of a deed.VPR News
Gallery reports two Maxfield Parrish murals stolen
|
Two large Maxfield Parrish murals have been stolen. They were discovered missing from a Los Angeles gallery this morning. Parrish was part of the well-known “Cornish artists colony” which thrived along the Connecticut river in Vermont and New Hampshire during the early 1900’s.VPR News
Racine calls for independent FAHC investigation
|
Lieutenant Governor Doug Racine is calling for an independent state investigation into allegations that some executives at the Fletcher Allen Medical Center deliberately misled state officials about the cost of their new $50 million parking garage.VPR News
Yankee sale set to close today
|
Utility executives are dotting the “i’s” and crossing the “t’s” today as the clock winds down toward tonight’s deadline to sell the nuclear plant.Commentary Series
Birds and berries
|
Commentator Henry Homeyer loves both birds and berries, but not necessarily together. So he’s devised a way to keep the birds and his berries apart.Commentary Series
Losing civil liberties
|
Commentator Bill Seamans shares his thoughts on TIPS, John Ashcroft and civil liberties.VPR News
Congressional delegation criticizes Bush Iraq policy
|
Vermont’s congressional delegation has serious concerns about the Bush administration’s desire to launch a military strike against Iraq. And the delegation says the president needs to get the consent of Congress before starting a war.VPR News
Modeling clay may pose health risk to children
|
According to a new report released by the Vermont Public Interest Research Group, several popular children’s baking clay products may pose serious health risks. VPIRG is urging the Federal Consumer Product Safety Commission to launch an investigation into this issue.VPR News
Ready announces candidacy for auditor
|
State Auditor Elizabeth Ready formally announced on Tuesday that she’s seeking a second term in office. Ready, who is a Democrat, is a former state senator from Addison County.VPR News
Computer program may provide therapy for astronauts
|
Researchers at Dartmouth College are working on a self help computer program to provide astronauts with psychological advice in space. The program talks and offers resources to solve personal problems, but it won’t exactly be the Hal of the movie 2001.VPR News
Anti-nuclear groups try to stop Wednesday’s Yankee sale
|
Two groups opposed to the Vermont Yankee sale are trying to stop the deal at the last minute. On Monday, the Citizens Awareness Network and the New England Coalition on Nuclear Pollution filed new legal arguments against the sale with state and federal regulators.Commentary Series
School vouchers and Roger Williams
|
Commentator Ruth Page examines the Supreme Court decision to let tax money be used for vouchers to either public or religious schools.Commentary Series
Fuel emission standards
|
Commentator Madeleine Kunin has some thoughts about why the federal government lags behind the states in fuel emission control.VPR News
State budget deficit among largest in nation
|
According to a new report, Vermont’s revenue shortfall is among the worst in the nation. Administration Secretary Kathy Hoyt says a drastic drop in capital gains revenues is a major reason why.VPR News
ANR faults transportation agency in damaging wetlands
|
The Vermont Agency of Transportation is in trouble with another arm of state government. The Natural Resources Agency is investigating an incident this spring in which one of its contractors apparently filled in part of a state-protected wetland.VPR News
Sounds of Vermont: the drive-in movie theater
|
Five-dollar double features under the stars aren’t yet a thing of the past. You’ll find them every summer weekend at the Randall Drive-In in Bethel. The Randall is one of only four drive-in theaters left in Vermont.Commentary Series
Attach of the master gardeners
|
It’s summer movie time, and commentator Philip Baruth brings us another chilling installment of the Urban Troubleshooter. This time Vermont is threatened by a menace that’s been secretly gaining strength for decades: master gardeners.Commentary Series
School testing
|
Commentator Allen Gilbert thinks that the emphasis on school testing may be producing an academic arms race – and he’s not sure that kids are the winners.VPR News
Private company may run Vermont’s rail service
|
State officials hope to learn next week if Amtrak plans to make any changes in service to Vermont’s two passenger trains. Any effort to reduce service could encourage some private groups to take over the operations of the lines.VPR News
Maine utilities commission questioning Yankee sale
|
The state of Maine wants to look at how the Yankee sale affects electricity consumers there. It’s not clear if this development could delay the sale of the plant.VPR News
VPR goes backstage with ‘The Princess and the Pea’
|
At Quarryworks, the local theater company in Adamant, one of the missions is to introduce young people to the stage. This summer the company is performing the classic fairy tale “The Princess and the Pea.”VPR News
Sanders likely to vote against homeland security bill
|
Congressman Bernard Sanders says it’s likely that he’ll vote against legislation that expands the authority of the Homeland Security Agency when the measure comes up for a vote later tonight on the House floor.VPR News
Vermont company wins landmines removal contract
|
New England division of Applied Research Associates in South Royalton has won a contract valued at nearly $2.5 million to develop a vehicle that would help dismantle landmines.VPR News
Interview: 100 years of 4-H
|
The Windsor County Fair opens this weekend with an unusual attraction, especially for Vermonters raised in the agricultural tradition. There will be an exhibit on the first 100 years of 4-H. Steve Delaney talks with Debbie Fajans of UVM’s Extension Service. Fajans has been involved in putting the exhibit together.VPR News
Vermont Pure expansion raises neighbors’ criticism
|
Vermont Pure Springs, one of the state’s best-known businesses, says growth is in the double digits. The company sells bottled water to businesses and retailers in 30 states. Now, Vermont Pure wants to expand its Randolph operation, but some of the neighbors object.VPR News
VLCT concerned that state budget cuts may affect towns
|
The Vermont League of Cities and Towns is urging the Dean administration not to support budget cuts that will impose new burdens on local property taxpayers. Governor Howard Dean says one key local program, state aid to education, will be exempt from the cuts.VPR News
Dubie calls for review of state government programs
|
Republican Lieutenant Governor candidate Brian Dubie is calling for a top to bottom review of all programs in state government to help determine which programs should be continued in the future.VPR News
New law forces regular elevator inspection
|
All elevators in Vermont will be subject to new safety standards and annual inspections under regulations that are expected to go into place at the beginning of September.VPR News
Sanders says corporate ethics bill is first step
|
Congressman Bernie Sanders says he’s pleased that the U.S. House has given its strong support to legislation dealing with corporate fraud. But Sanders says passage of the bill is only the first step in a larger effort to protect consumers from the inappropriate policies of large businesses.VPR News
FAHC investigated for circumventing building permits
|
Fletcher Allen Health Care is promising to take “appropriate action” if an investigation finds hospital officials deliberately tried to circumvent state regulations.Commentary Series
Poor self image
|
Commentator Willem Lange has been a lifelong sufferer from poor self-image, and has some tips on overcoming this self-defeating emotional problem.Commentary Series
The first commandment
|
The executives and directors of companies like WorldCom, Enron and Adelphia broke the one and only commandment of business, commentator Timothy McQuiston tells us what that was.VPR News
Satellite TV subscribers to receive local signals
|
For many rural Vermonters, owning a satellite dish has been a mixed blessing. While viewers had their choice of sports events, cooking shows and movie channels, they couldn’t receive local stations.VPR News
Jeffords introduces tri-partisan drug paln
|
As Democrats and Republicans in the U.S. Senate battle over rival prescription drug plans for Medicare, a proposal sponsored by Independent Senator James Jeffords is emerging as a possible compromise solution.VPR News
Utilities move ahead with Yankee deal, despite critics
|
Officials at Vermont Yankee say they plan to go ahead and sell the plant, despite a last minute challenge that’s still before state regulators.VPR News
VPR Backstage: “The Mikado” at Hyde Park Opera House
|
One of the oldest community theater companies in Vermont celebrates an anniversary this week. The Lamoille County Players have presented dozens of shows and over a thousand performances over the last fifty years. Now the volunteer theatre group is restaging the show it began with in 1952, “The Mikado.”Commentary Series
It’s the Economy, Stupid
|
Will the unfolding corporate scandals erode support for President Bush and boost Democratic prospects in the fall elections? Commentator Jeff Wennberg isn’t so sure.Commentary Series
President Bush and the economy
|
Commentator David Moats reflects on the crisis in American business, and how it is proving to be a crisis in credibility for President Bush.Commentary Series
Math, a love story
|
In the last couple of years, the math genius has become a popular subject with movie makers, and recently commentator Dan Rockmore joined the club.Commentary Series
Be a mentor
|
This summer, commentator Cheryl Hanna has found something that’s both easy to do and extremely challenging. It also addresses a serious problem.VPR News
Congress deliberates corporate ethics bill
|
Senator Patrick Leahy is urging congressional leaders to pass a comprehensive corporate reform bill before the August recess. Leahy says the measure is needed to help restore consumer confidence in the national economy.VPR News
Interview: Career expo
|
Steve Delaney talks with Stephen Gold, commissioner of the Department of Employment and Training. Gold managed the Career Expo in Essex in the wake of the IBM layoffs and he offers his observations on employment rates and job opportunities in Vermont.VPR News
Dean’s presidential campaign gets publicity
|
Over the last several weeks, Governor Howard Dean has been riding a wave of publicity for his long-shot presidential campaign. The publicity is part of Dean’s strategy that has moved him into the top tier of Democratic candidates. In the first story of a two-part report, Vermont Public Radio looks at the national publicity Dean has received.VPR News
Dean discusses presidential campaign strategy
|
Over the last several weeks, Governor Howard Dean has been riding a wave of publicity for his long-shot presidential campaign. The publicity is part of Dean’s strategy that has moved him into the top tier of Democratic candidates. In the second story of a two-part report, Vermont Public Radio looks at the strategy Dean has mapped out for his campaign.VPR News
Utilities trying to salvage Yankee deal
|
The owners of the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant hope their $180 million deal to sell the reactor is back on track. The utilities say they’ve worked out a plan that allows a Mississippi company to share money left over in a fund set aside to dismantle the plant. But opponents have already challenged the plan.VPR News
Vermont investors appear calm
|
As nervous Vermonters watch the stock market, brokers say they haven’t fielded many calls from panicky investors.VPR News
Hinsdale, CLF discuss large farm permit process
|
Clark Hinsdale of the Vermont Farm Bureau says regulations governing large farms in Vermont are adequate. Speaking last night on VPR’s Switchboard program, Hinsdale said he opposes subjecting large farm applications to a review similar to Act 250 by giving adjoining land owners party status.Commentary Series
Haying
|
Commentator Will Curtis remembers haying in the early 1950’s, after he and his wife Jane moved to their first Vermont farm.VPR News
Interview: Loons
|
Steve Delaney talks with Eric Hansen, a contractor who participating in taking a census of Vermont’s loon population. The loon census was conducted on Saturday across northern New England. Hansen offers his preliminary observation’s on the health of Vermont’s loons.VPR News
Hinsdale says deeds prevent neighbors from suing
|
Some Charlotte residents are fighting a plan to expand a dairy farm adjacent to their neighborhood. The developer of the large farm project says that deed restrictions on the property prevent the neighbors from taking legal action against him.VPR News
Leahy’s death penalty reform bill goes to Senate floor
|
Death penalty reform legislation sponsored by Senator Patrick Leahy has been approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee. But the future of the measure is uncertain because opponents of the bill may launch a filibuster on the Senate floor.VPR News
Manchester groups fights village truck traffic
|
A group opposed to a new access road in Manchester says it will take its fight to the state supreme court. Casella Waste Management plans to build the access road from Route 7A to the Sunderland transfer station.Commentary Series
Haying
|
Commentator Will Curtis remembers haying in the early 1950’s, after he and his wife Jane moved to their first Vermont farm.Commentary Series
James Nachtwey: Testimony to an Inferno
|
Weeks after friends urged her to see an exhibit of disturbing photographs at Dartmouth’s Hood Museum, commentator Lois Eby is still reflecting on the unforgettable images.VPR News
Burlington Diocese undecided on investigation policy
|
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington hasn’t decided if it will change its policy of investigating child sexual abuse allegations first, before turning information over to authorities. Vermont officials have made it clear they want the change. But the diocesan attorney says he wants to see how the attorney general handles its review of allegations against a number of Vermont priests.VPR News
Sounds of Vermont: Nightlife
|
Evenings in Vermont are celebrated in postcards and song as a peaceful time, when the sun goes down and the day’s work is over. It’s a time to sit back on the porch and listen to the crickets. But for many Vermonters the best part of the day is just beginning.VPR News
Jeffords opposes moving FEMA to Homeland Security
|
Senator James Jeffords says he will strongly oppose efforts by the Bush administration to place the federal agency responsible for disaster relief within the new Homeland Security Agency.Commentary Series
Art public service announcements
|
Commentator Libby Sternberg reflects on an ad campaign advocating for more public support of arts in the schools, that she doesn’t think is very effective.Commentary Series
Vermont’s Poetry Slam Scene
|
It’s called “Slam Poetry” but to commentator Nick Boke, it’s the poetry part that counts.VPR News
Charlotte holds hearing on Hinsdale farm expansion
|
Some residents of Charlotte worry that a proposed large dairy farm is far too big for their neighborhood and could pollute their well water. On Friday, the neighbors raised questions about the proposal during a hearing on the project’s proposed manure pit.VPR News
VPR Backstage: Marlboro College Puppet Institute
|
Puppetry is an ancient performance art form that s experiencing a revival. At Marlboro College this summer, students are getting intensive training in Puppet Theater.VPR News
Williston information centers open on I-89
|
Two large barn-like structures have been under construction in Chittenden County for quite a few months. But they won t be used for milking cows or storing hay. They re Vermont s answer to the old rest stop.VPR News
FEMA opens two flood offices
|
Federal emergency management officials have opened up temporary offices in Vermont to help those whose property was damaged by the floods in June. The high water in early June damaged property in the northern counties of the state.VPR News
Vermont Yankee lawyers express concern to PSB
|
Lawyers for the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant are expressing their concern to the state’s Public Service Board. In a letter sent today, Vermont Yankee’s lawyers point to the economic benefits for ratepayers if the deal with Entergy Nuclear moves forward.VPR News
Interview: Historical Society Grand Opening
|
Saturday between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. something special will be happening in Barre. The Vermont Historical Society opens up its brand new showcase. Steve Delaney talks with Gainor Davis, the director of the Vermont Historical Society.VPR News
Entergy Likely to Cancel Vermont Yankee Deal
|
The Mississippi company that planned to buy the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant wants out of the deal unless regulators reverse a condition that they put on the sale.VPR News
Time Capsule Reveals Photographs and Writings from 1938
|
Governor Howard Dean opened a time capsule on Thursday that had been hidden in a statue that has been standing on top of the Statehouse dome since 1938. The time capsule was recently discovered by workers who are restoring the base of the statue.VPR News
Dean Says Foreign Policy Needs “Nation Building” Focus
|
Governor Howard Dean says he remains hopeful that a peaceful solution can be found to the problems facing the Middle East. Dean says he believes it’s critical for the United States to include “nation building” as key part of this country s foreign policy.VPR News
Century-old Shipwreck Preserves Artifacts of Canal Life
|
A late nineteenth century shipwreck discovered on the floor of Lake Champlain will be the subject of a study by the Lake Champlain Maritime Musuem.Commentary Series
Mexican Night on the Barrens
|
Commentator Willem Lange has been getting ready for a canoe trip to the Arctic, and salutes the creativity that his wife is putting into the food preparation.Commentary Series
Public Diplomacy Dilemma
|
Commentator Olin Robison urges the United States to undertake more spending on “public diplomacy.”VPR News
Goddard Group Seeks to Re-establish Residential Program
|
Last month, Goddard College trustees voted to do away with the College’s on-campus residential programs. Board members cited the expense of maintaining the campus and the difficulties in meeting accreditation requirements for residential programs. Now, a small group of Goddard supporters wants to use the idle campus to breathe new life into the College.VPR News
Dean Gathers Support from Governors in Drug Lawsuit
|
The National Governors’ Association is supporting new pharmaceutical drug laws in Vermont and Michigan that are designed to help control Medicaid budgets. The NGA resolution strongly criticizes the nation’s drug companies for filing a lawsuit to overturn the new laws.VPR News
Candidates Release Personal Finance Statements
|
Vermont’s leading gubernatorial candidates have followed the lead of Governor Howard Dean and are releasing their recent tax returns and financial information.VPR News
Green Mountain Power Changes Accountants
|
The state’s second largest electric utility has decided it will no longer use the troubled Arthur Andersen accounting firm.Commentary Series
Return of the Peregrine Falcons
|
A once regular summer visitor has returned to Weathersfield for the first time in 50 years and commentator Edith Hunter is celebratingCommentary Series
Demeter, Persephone and Sabra Field
|
Tom Slayton is here with some observations on the latest set of prints from the quintessential Vermont artist, Sabra Field.VPR News
Liberty Union Candidates Run in Progressive Primaries
|
Vermont’s Progressive Party will be holding its first statewide primary in September. Party officials say they are not concerned that a number of Liberty Union candidates are seeking office under the Progressive banner.Commentary Series
Childcare
|
Lots of working parents depend on childcare, but what’s it really worth? Commentator Vern Grubinger says that there’s a new report that documents the value of childcare in Vermont.VPR News
Leahy, Jeffords, Sorrell Criticize Bush Policies
|
Three of Vermont’s top elected officials Tuesday strongly criticized the Bush administration s plans to ease Clean Air rules. Attorney General William Sorrell went to Capitol Hill to testify before a joint hearing chaired by Senators James Jeffords and Patrick Leahy.Commentary Series
War Plans Leaked
|
Commentator Bill Seamans offers his thoughts on leaking confidential documents.VPR News
Economists Say Vermont Heading Toward Recovery
|
Two economists say they expect to see signs of an economic recovery in Vermont by the end of the year. Speaking last night on VPR s Switchboard program, state economist Jeffrey Carr said there could be more job cuts in Vermont before a turnaround takes place.VPR News
Markowitz Announces Candidacy for Secretary of State
|
Secretary of State Deb Markowitz says she s seeking another term in office because there are still many projects she wants to work on in the next few years. Markowitz, who is a Democrat, has been elected to two terms as secretary of state.Commentary Series
White-Winged Trumpeter of Amazon
|
Ruth Page describes forest families in which a single female mates with several males, and all the males care for the young.Commentary Series
Presidential Leadership in Corporate Reform
|
Commentator Madeleine Kunin reacts to George Bush s statement on corporate responsibility.VPR News
Interview: Low-polluting Watercraft
|
Steve Delaney talks with Larry Wells, who s worked closely on an EPA effort to encourage the sale of low-polluting outboard motors and personal watercraft engines in Vermont.VPR News
Candidates File Nominating Petitions for State Offices
|
The line up of candidates for statewide office for Vermont’s three major political parties is now set. The filing deadline of Monday afternoon at 5:00 p.m. revealed a few surprises for the Fall elections.VPR News
Decommissioning Fund Has Limited Stock Market Exposure
|
The main obstacle to the sale of the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant is a dispute over a $300 million fund that’s set aside to dismantle the reactor. The fund is now partially invested in the stock market, but it’s not as risky as some of investments on Wall Street.VPR News
Dean’s Fundraising Starts Slowly
|
Governor Howard Dean says he’ll need to raise between $8 million and $10 million in order to run a competitive race for the Democratic presidential nomination.VPR News
State Forces American Paper to Pay Workers
|
The state has taken the unusual step of forcing a company to use profits from its Vermont operation to pay workers. A Rutland court has ruled that money the American Paper Company receives from a hydroelectric facility at its idle Gilman mill must be used to pay current bills and compensate a small number of workers who continue to staff the mill.VPR News
Pearl Running for Governor as Independent
|
Brian Pearl has decided to run for Vermont governor as an independent. The forty-two-year-old Grand Isle man announced last fall that he would seek the office as a Republican.Commentary Series
Loss of Respect
|
Commentator Allen Gilbert thinks that the real news story of the summer is not the court case over the Pledge of Allegiance. It’s the loss of respect abroad for corporate America.Commentary Series
War on Terrorism: Fixing the Score
|
This past Fourth of July, there was a shooting at Los Angeles International Airport. Commentator Philip Baruth thinks it says a great deal about where we’ve come to since September 11.VPR News
Sounds of Vermont: VPR Series
|
Explore the “Sounds of Vermont” and what they mean to us. A new VPR series, heard on Mondays during Morning Edition, and here at VPR.net.VPR News
Bicycling Banned on Federal Tract of Champion Land
|
The federal government has banned bicycles on its portion of the Champion timberlands in the Northeast Kingdom. The decision has upset some local cycling enthusiasts, as VPR’s John Dillon reports.VPR News
Fairfielder Restaurant Closing Amid Mall Renovations
|
Renovations to an old shopping plaza in Brattleboro have threatened to upset the routines of hundreds of locals. While the new stores will be welcome, local residents are drawing the line at changes to a favorite eatery.VPR News
Sounds of Vermont: Haying
|
As the saying goes, you make hay when the sun shines. Making hay is a constant race against time, machinery and weather. At the Pease farm in Middlesex this time of year, the sound of haying is also the sound of neighbors working together.Commentary Series
The Enviornmental Oncologist
|
Commentator Willem Lange says his friend is one of the unsung heroes of Vermont: a biologist defending wildlife habitat against the constant spread of human development.Commentary Series
Welfare to Work to Marriage
|
President Bush recently announced a new approach to welfare policy, and commentator Cheryl Hanna has some thoughts on where the president s plan falls short.VPR News
Interview: Smallpox Vaccine
|
Neal Charnoff interview State Epidemiologist Ann Fingar. They discuss the use and risks of the smallpox vaccine in response to bioterrorism.VPR News
Sorrell Opposes Using Tobacco Money for Budget Deficit
|
Attorney General William Sorrell is strongly opposing a plan by the Dean administration to use money from the national tobacco settlement fund to help balance this year’s budget deficit.VPR News
State, Utility and Workers Ease Flooding at Idle Plant
|
State environmental officials, a Vermont utility and laid off employees are working to prevent chemicals stored at an idle paper mill from contaminating the Connecticut River. Meanwhile officials are considering how the state can maintain the mill so it can reopen in the future.Commentary Series
Two Views of Workers’ Unions
|
Commentators Ellen David Friedman and Frank Bryan have two views on organizing workers’ unions.VPR News
State Budget Cuts Will Include Health Care Programs
|
Vermont’s economy continues to show signs of weakness. The Legislature s Joint Fiscal Committee has lowered revenue projections for the new fiscal year by nearly $40 million. Governor Howard Dean says there’s no doubt that some health care programs are going to have to be scaled back as part of an overall budget reduction package.VPR News
Yucca Mountain May Not Store All Vermont Yankee Waste
|
The U.S. Senate has cleared the way for a nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain in Nevada. But that may not completely solve Vermont’s radioactive waste problems.Commentary Series
Japanese Beetles
|
Commentator Charlie Nardozzi has advice for ridding your yard of Japanese beetles.Commentary Series
Science Heroes and ‘QED’
|
Commentator Dan Rockmore went to the theater recently, where he found himself doing a little time traveling.VPR News
Fireflies Attract Experts, Observers and Mates
|
One of the most familiar sights of a summer evening is the flashing of lightning bugs hovering over lawns and meadows. But there’s more to a firefly than meets the casual eye. Recently, a group of Vermonters curious to learn more about these luminous insects recruited the help of a firefly expert.VPR News
Candidates Fundraise for Most Expensive Race Ever
|
Vermont’s gubernatorial candidates are doing a lot of fundraising this summer. They believe that overall spending in their race will break the state record for a governor’s race.Commentary Series
The Art of Weeding
|
Commentator Henry Homeyer reveals some of his master gardening techniques for the art of weeding.Commentary Series
Canoe
|
Commentator David Moats, who recently bought his first canoe, reflects on the joys of paddling.VPR News
State Budget Cuts May Include Layoffs
|
The Dean administration is putting together a plan to cut roughly $30 million from the new state budget. Administration Secretary Kathy Hoyt says it s possible the proposal could include layoffs in the state s workforce.VPR News
INS Plans Staff Expansion in Vermont
|
The nation s focus on preventing terrorism will lead to more jobs at the Immigration and Naturalization Service in Vermont. INS Commissioner James Ziglar said in South Burlington Monday that Vermont is a key part of the agency s operations.VPR News
Forest Fires Continue to Burn in Quebec
|
Smoke from forest fires in the James Bay region of Canada has drifted east of Vermont, but hundreds of firefighters are still battling the blazes. Charlotte Leger of the Forest Fire Protection Agency of Quebec says there are dozens of fires currently burning.VPR News
Bill Would Jail Fraudulent Executives
|
Congressman Bernie Sanders is introducing legislation to deal with what he calls “the culture of corporate greed.” Sanders serves on the House Banking Committee. The Committee held a special hearing Monday on the finances of WorldCom – the nation’s second largest telephone company.Commentary Series
Two Views: School Vouchers
|
Commentators Sam Lloyd and Libby Sternberg offer Two Views of the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that upheld the constitutionality of a voucher program in Cleveland that allows parents to send their children to private, religious schools using public funds.Commentary Series
Camden Yards
|
At a ball park, commentator Ted Levin scans the sky for fly balls along with everyone else, but he says there are other airborn attractions that are worth spotting too.VPR News
Sounds of Vermont: Everyone Loves a Parade
|
Today and in the coming weeks, VPR will explore the “Sounds of Vermont” and what they mean to us. This week we look at the community parade. The Vermont Department of Tourism estimates that some 170 different parades will be held this year across the state. While the themes may vary, the underlying feelings, memories and emotions that parades conjure remain constant for many of us.VPR News
Vermonters Re-enact Constitutional Convention
|
Two Hundred-twenty five years ago today, Vermont’s constitution was adopted by a group of delegates meeting in Windsor. It’s a landmark document. Last weekend, the Secretary of State’s Office invited Vermonters to play the part of the document’s authors and consider what changes might be made to Vermont’s original constitution.VPR News
Bristol Launches Community Reading Project
|
There’s an effort underway to get people in one Vermont community to read the same novel this summer. As VPR’s Steve Zind reports, organizers hope to get the whole town talking about the issues the book raises.Commentary Series
Calling the Barred Owl
|
Commentator Alan Boye has been practicing a new skill lately – and he thinks he’s gotten rather good at it – but so far without the desired results.Commentary Series
A Fourth of July Confessional
|
Commentator Olin Robison has a public confessional about what he thinks is important about the Fourth of July.VPR News
ANR Secretary Approves Clyde River Project
|
Vermont’s Natural Resources secretary has overruled his staff on permit conditions for a Clyde River hydroelectric project. The permit would allow Citizens Utilities to get a new federal license for its two Clyde River dams. But environmentalists argue the power generation will come at the expense of stream habitat.VPR News
Musicians Paying Tribute to Vermont’s Robert DeCormier
|
Musicians from around the country are honoring the work of Vermont’s Robert DeCormier this year. The occasion is DeCormier’s eightieth birthday and the celebrations mark his life’s work. Vermonters may know him as the director of the Vermont Symphony Orchestra Chorus, but he has deep roots as a conductor and arranger in the nation’s folk music scene.VPR News
VPR Goes Backstage with “Proof”
|
During the summer theater season, Vermont Public Radio goes “Backstage” to talk with actors and directors about the plays and the performances. This week, the Weston Playhouse opens the Vermont premiere of Proof, the play by David Auburn that’s still running on Broadway, and last year’s recipient of a Tony Award and the Pulitzer Prize.VPR News
Program Targets Invasive Plants
|
In Vermont, a new ban on selling or propagating invasive and exotic plants is part of a larger effort to keep them from overpowering native species.Commentary Series
Lookout Schoolhouse
|
Commentator Joe Citro puzzles over the story of Brookline’s 1822 round schoolhouse and it’s mysterious founder.Commentary Series
Battle of Hubbardton
|
Commentator Tom Slayton has some Fourth of July thoughts about the only Revolutionary War battle that was fought on Vermont soil.VPR News
Interview: Canoe Tour of Lake Champlain
|
Steve Delaney talks with Dr. Lucy Petrie. Petrie just completed a canoe trip around Lake Champlain, studying the health of the lake.VPR News
Officials Declare “Click it or Ticket” a Success
|
State Highway safety officials say they’re very pleased with the results of a recent public awareness campaign that encouraged Vermonters to use their seatbelts. The campaign dramatically increased seat belt usage throughout the state.VPR News
Shelburne Museum Visitors Walk Through RV History
|
You’ve tried to pass them on the interstates. You’ve seen them parked in driveways and campgrounds. They take up two, even three spaces at rest stops. They are the recreational vehicles, or RVs, of this world and one in nine households own one. A new exhibit at the Shelburne museum traces the evolution of the RV industry – a quintessential American business that began nearly a hundred years ago.VPR News
CLF Drops Appeal in Bennington School Project
|
An environmental group has given up its fight against a Bennington school project. But the Conservation Law Foundation says it will continue to oppose public projects that it says contribute to sprawl around the state.VPR News
McCormack Will Not Seek Re-election
|
Another member of the Vermont Senate Democratic leadership has decided to retire from politics. Windsor County Senator Dick McCormack announced on Wednesday that he will not seek a seventh term in office in November.Commentary Series
The ‘What If’ Game
|
Although it’s no laughing matter, commentator Bill Seamans thinks that recent administration statements about the Middle East may inspire a new game.Commentary Series
Sense of Place
|
Anticipating the Fourth of July, commentator Vern Grubinger has been thinking of his grandmother and her deep appreciation of this country.VPR News
Interview: New UVM President
|
Steve Delaney talks with newly seated UVM President Daniel Fogel. Fogel faces several challenges at UVM, including raising academic standards, shoring up the institution’s finances and improving town-gown relations.VPR News
Burlington may open methadone clinic this summer
|
If all goes according to plan, Vermont’s first methadone clinic will open later this summer. The Burlington facility is a partnership between the Howard Center for Human Services and Fletcher Allen Health Care.VPR News
Leahy to Vote for Yucca Mountain Storage Site
|
Senator Patrick Leahy says it’s likely that he will vote in favor of a plan to build a nuclear waste storage facility in Yucca Mountain, Nevada.VPR News
No Fundraising Agreement in Lt. Governor’s Race
|
The three major party candidates in the lieutenant governor’s race are exchanging sharp words after an effort to limit spending for their campaign fell through. Two weeks ago, Republican candidate Brian Dubie called on his opponents, Democrat Peter Shumlin and Progressive Anthony Pollina, to cap spending in their race at $100,000.VPR News
Drug Industry Files Lawsuit over New Vermont Drug Laws
|
State officials say Vermont could face a serious fiscal problem if a lawsuit filed by the national pharmaceutical industry is successful in overturning the state’s new drug assistance law.VPR News
Entergy Argues for Decommissioning Fund at PSB Hearing
|
The company that wants to buy the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant says it may walk away from the deal unless the state Public Service Board changes a key condition that it placed on the sale.VPR News
Strawberry Season Strong but Short
|
The growing season for strawberries is well under way and the Department of Agriculture reports that it appears to be a “pretty good one” for most of Vermont’s approximately 60 growers. The season typically lasts for only two to three weeks.Commentary Series
Arctic Icemelt
|
Probably the biggest change occurring in Earth’s climate is the rapid warming in the Arctic. Commentator Ruth Page looks at some of the implications for humans, animals and plants.Commentary Series
Death Penalty
|
Commentator Madeleine Kunin shares her thoughts on the Supreme Court’s recent death penalty decisions.VPR News
Interview: Summer Theater
|
Steve Delaney talks with Unadilla Theater founder Bill Blachly about the growth of summer theater in Vermont.VPR News
State Finds Officer Justified in Pittsford Shooting
|
Attorney General William Sorrell and Rutland County State’s Attorney James Mongeon say a state trooper was justified when he shot a Pittsford man last April. In Rutland on Monday, Sorrell and Mongeon announced the results of their investigations into the shooting.VPR News
Officials Cautious about Terrorism Risk on July 4
|
The FBI has issued an alert to local law enforcement officials, warning that the July 4 holiday could be a time when terrorist groups might plan an attack. Vermont officials say they’re not planning any extra measures, but they’re not taking the alert lightly either.VPR News
State Pension Has Limited WorldCom Exposure
|
State Treasurer Jim Douglas says Vermont’s public pension funds were not affected by the collapse of the WorldCom Corporation, but Douglas is very concerned that consumer confidence has been shaken by a number of recent corporate scandals.VPR News
UVM Professor Wins Invention Award
|
A University of Vermont professor has won the 29th annual Inventor of the Year Award. George Long, a professor of biochemistry, has won the award for his role in the creation of a drug that inhibits blood clotting during the onset of sepsis.VPR News
Two Suspects Held in Grafton Double Homicide
|
Two men charged in connection with last week’s murders in Grafton have both pleaded innocent. The suspects are 20-year-old Michael Perez and 42-year-old Charles Sherman, both of Bellows Falls.Commentary Series
Careful Language
|
Commentator Allen Gilbert has been listening carefully to how we use language.Commentary Series
There Will Come Soft Rains
|
Commentator Philip Baruth attended the Vermont History Expo this past Saturday. It rained non-stop, from beginning to end. But according to Philip, the rain didn’t matter one bit.VPR News
Sounds of Vermont: Vermont Voices
|
Today and in the coming weeks, VPR will explore the Sounds of Vermont and what they mean to us. The first sound of Vermont is the sound of our voices and what they say about being a Vermonter. VPR’s Steve Zind explores this identity in part one of our series, Sounds of Vermont.VPR News
State May Not Have Funds to Operate Springfield Prison
|
Because the state’s prisons are so overcrowded, about 430 Vermonters are doing jail time out of state. A new prison now under construction in Springfield was supposed to address some of the crowding problem. But officials are now worried that the state won’t have enough money to operate the prison once it’s finished next year.Commentary Series
Cuban Dissonance
|
Commentator Willem Lange recently visited Cuba with forty other VPR listeners, and was intrigued by a point of view quite different from that of most Americans.VPR News
Senate Reconvenes for Veto Session
|
The Senate returned to Montpelier on Friday in an unusual veto session. The legislative chamber overwhelmingly sustained Governor Howard Dean’s veto of an abandoned vehicle bill.VPR News
Telemarketing Law Takes Effect July 1
|
A number of new state laws go into effect the first of July. One of the new statutes may help limit unwanted telemarketing calls.VPR News
VPR Goes Backstage with “Jekyll and Hyde, the Musical”
|
Summer theater is under way all over Vermont with performances of Broadway standards and recent plays. During the season, Vermont Public Radio goes “Backstage” to talk with actors and directors about the plays and the performances. VPR’s Neal Charnoff visits the Stowe Theatre Guild’s production of “Jekyll and Hyde, the Musical.”VPR News
Court Ruling Energizes Vermont School Choice Supporters
|
Supporters of school choice in Vermont are hailing a new U.S. Supreme Court decision that upholds the use of vouchers for religious schools in Cleveland.VPR News
Jeffords Delays Subpoena of EPA Documents
|
Vermont Senator James Jeffords has given the Bush administration more time to hand over documents on its plan to ease regulation of coal burning power plants.VPR News
Bill Would Ban Mercury Thermometers
|
The Environment Committee chaired by Vermont Senator James Jeffords has unanimously approved a bill to phase out mercury thermometers.VPR News
State Officials Debate Vermont’s Amtrak Subsidy
|
State transportation officials say Vermont’s two passenger trains will continue to run this summer even though the state and Amtrak have not resolved a number of key financial issues.VPR News
Candidate Filing Deadline Approaches
|
Partisan control of the Vermont Senate is expected to be a major campaign issue again this year. Republicans and Democrats are working hard to recruit candidates to run for each of the seats.Commentary Series
Cowboy Johnson
|
Ever wish you were really young again? To his great surprise and against his will, commentator Jules Older recently found himself back in kindergarten.Commentary Series
Rhubarb and Lilacs
|
Commentator Edith Hunter loves rhubarb, not only for it’s distinctive taste and texture in pies, but also because it’s a living link to the traditional New England homestead.VPR News
Police Investigate Double Homicide
|
The bodies of a man and woman were found Tuesday in a pickup truck parked at the end of a state forest road.VPR News
Governor’s Race Heats Up Early
|
This year’s gubernatorial race has gotten off to an unusually intense start as candidates try to position themselves in the minds of Vermont voters.VPR News
Film Studios Shy Away from New England
|
A movie being filmed in the Rutland area is back on schedule now that a labor dispute has been settled. The film company has agreed to provide health and pension benefits to members of the stagehand union for its next production. A studio official says he has no problem with the union. But he says production companies throughout the country are squeezed by higher costs and foreign competition.VPR News
Bertrand Announces Candidacy for Secretary of State
|
Montpelier lawyer Michael Bertrand announced Wednesday that he is seeking the Republican nomination for Secretary of State.VPR News
Manchester Film Festival Begins
|
The Manchester Film Festival is a four-day event showcasing feature films, documentaries, animation, music videos and short films from 32 countries.Commentary Series
It All Cycles Back to the Law
|
Commentator Cheryl Hanna reminds us that riders and drivers are responsible for bicycle safety.Commentary Series
New York Zeros
|
Commentator Dan Rockmore reflects on those times when nothing is really something – even downright inspiring.VPR News
Jeffords Warns of Chaos if Amtrak Shuts Down
|
Senator James Jeffords says he’s confident that Congress will pass emergency funding to keep the nation’s passenger rail system in operation. Jeffords says shutting down Amtrak would lead to utter chaos in many parts of the country.VPR News
Construction Begins on Unique Connecticut River Bridge
|
The single-span arch bridge over the Connecticut River between Brattleboro and Chesterfeld, New Hampshire, is a historic landmark. In 1937, the year it was built, the American Institute of Steel Construction recognized it as the most beautiful bridge of its kind.VPR News
Leahy, Jeffords Questioning Yucca Mountain Plan
|
Both of Vermont’s U.S. senators say they have serious concerns about a plan to ship nuclear waste to a proposed repository in Nevada. The votes of Senators Patrick Leahy and James Jeffords could be critical when the Senate votes on this issue in the very near future.VPR News
Utilities Side with Yankee on Decommissioning Fund
|
Vermont’s two largest electric utilities want state regulators to remove a condition they imposed earlier this month on the sale of Vermont Yankee. The two utilities are major owners of the Vermont nuclear plant. They hope to sell the reactor next month to Entergy Nuclear of Jackson, Mississippi. But the companies are worried that a recent regulatory order could kill the deal.VPR News
Hogan Criticizes Statehouse Partisanship
|
Independent gubernatorial candidate Con Hogan says he believes that the partisan bickering between the Republican and Democratic parties in Vermont is an obstacle to finding good solutions to many of the key problems facing the state.Commentary Series
Opening Up the Summer House
|
Commentator Will Curtis and his wife Jane take us along as they open up a summer house for the season – on the island of Monhegan, twelve miles off the coast of Maine.Commentary Series
Majority Rules
|
Commentator David Moats reflects on the political tension that exists between the American icon of the rugged individualist and the democratic concept of majority rule.VPR News
State Considers Taking Over Amtrak Lines in Vermont
|
Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta has told Amtrak’s Board of Directors that the government will keep the nation’s passenger rail system from shutting down this week. The rail line’s president says without a $200 million loan, Amtrak could start canceling service as early as tomorrow.VPR News
Administration to Cut $35 Million from State Budget
|
The Dean administration is drafting a plan to cut as much as $35 million from the state budget that will go into effect on July 1. The governor hopes it won’t be necessary to lay off any state workers but he says it’s an option that must be explored.VPR News
Sanders Announces Candidacy for Congress
|
Vermont Congressman Bernard Sanders kicked off his campaign for a seventh term Monday with a rally at the Burlington community boathouse. The Vermont independent urged voters to rise above the politics of cynicism and work to change the political system.VPR News
Vermont Foresters Fight in Western Fires
|
The U.S. Forest Service has called up a crew of firefighters from Vermont, New York and New Hampshire to fight the big western wildfires. A crew of 20 left from Manchester, New Hampshire, on Sunday and were assigned to a fire in Utah.Commentary Series
Successful Communities
|
Commentator John McClaughry reflects on what it takes for a community to achieve economic success.Commentary Series
Exotic Indian Vegetables
|
Commentator Charlie Nardozzi brought home from India memories and exotic vegetables.VPR News
Here and Now: Public Radio’s Noon Newsmagazine
|
Here and Now is a new Public Radio’s newsmagazine, now available as a Web special from VPR.NETVPR News
Canadian Border Inundated with Refugee Applicants
|
Refugee processing centers along the U.S. border are inundated with people trying to enter Canada. According to immigration officials, many of those seeking asylum are concerned a pending agreement between the United States and Canada will make it more difficult for them to cross the border.VPR News
Entergy Challenges Condition of Yankee Sale
|
The Mississippi company that wants to buy Vermont’s only nuclear power plant doesn’t like one of the conditions that state regulators put on the deal.VPR News
New Laws Protect Elderly from Financial Abuse
|
Governor Howard Dean has signed two bills into law that are designed to protect the elderly from financial exploitation.VPR News
Wind Energy Project Gets Boost from Ben & Jerry’s
|
Visitors to Ben and Jerry’s “One World-One Heart” festival in Warren Saturday may have seen a scale model wind turbine near the main stage. The exhibit highlighted an effort by two Vermont companies to help develop a wind energy project on a South Dakota Indian reservation.VPR News
Dean Outlines Presidential Campaign Strategy
|
Governor Howard Dean says he plans to spend a lot of time in the next six months organizing his presidential campaign. Dean says he is clearly aiming his message at independent voters all across the country.VPR News
Hartford Reservoir Vandalized
|
Residents of Hartford were warned not to use the town water supply last Friday. Officials discovered that the town’s northern reservoir was vandalized sometime last week.Commentary Series
Father’s Day at the Pond
|
Commentator Willem Lange loved Father’s Day not because he thought he deserved it, but because he got to go fishing without guilt.Commentary Series
Watergate Remembered
|
On the thirtieth anniversary of the Watergate break-in, commentator Olin Robison reflects on how the political crisis tested the system.VPR News
Vermont Prisons Crowded with Pre-Trial Detainees
|
It’s no secret that Vermont’s prisons are overcrowded. The state Corrections Department has to ship hundreds of inmates out-of-state because there’s no room in the local jails. But one reason for the overcrowding is the growing number of people who are locked up before they’re convicted of a crime.VPR News
Candidates for Lt. Governor Disagree on Spending Limits
|
Republican Lieutenant Governor hopeful Brian Dubie is calling on his opponents to agree to a $100,000 spending cap in their upcoming race. Progressive Anthony Pollina and Democrat Peter Shumlin have some serious concerns about the proposal.VPR News
Burlington Taiko to Perform in Japanese Sister State
|
One way countries learn about each other is through music. A Vermont musical group will soon be traveling to Japan as part of a cultural exchange program.VPR News
Vermont Playgrounds Receive C- for Safety
|
Vermont rates a C-minus in playground safety, according to a new study by the Vermont Public Interest Research Group. V-PIRG studied ten Vermont playgrounds for hazards that can lead to injuries or illness in children.Commentary Series
Egypt
|
Time has taken on a new meaning for commentator Nick Boke since his recent trip to Egypt.Commentary Series
10 Reasons for Buying Local Produce
|
Commentator Vern Grubinger’s storage crops ran out long ago so he’s eagerly awaiting the bounty of locally grown produce that’s soon to come.VPR News
Man Fasts, Holds Vigil for Victims of Church Abuse
|
For nearly three weeks one man has stood in front of the Roman Catholic Diocese in Burlington protesting church handling of priests accused of sexual abuse of children. The man claims he has a personal stake in how the church deals with victims of abuse.VPR News
Wheels Drivers Strike Over Agency Fee
|
A strike at a central Vermont public transportation company has entered its sixth week. The walk-out by drivers and mechanics isn’t about higher wages or benefits. The labor negotiations broke down over a fee that the union wants to collect from workers.VPR News
Shumlin Will Call Senate Back into Session
|
The 2002 Legislative session is not quite over. Senate President Pro Tempore Peter Shumlin said on Wednesday afternoon that he has no choice but to call the Senate back to the Statehouse next week in a special veto session.VPR News
Sanders in England to Address Gulf War Illness
|
Congressman Bernie Sanders has gone to England in an effort to coordinate international research concerning Gulf War related illnesses. Sanders has followed this issue very closely as a member of the House subcommittee on Veterans Affairs.Commentary Series
Summer Reading List
|
Better get out the pen and paper. Commentator Jules Older has his summer reading list ready.Commentary Series
Intelligence and Accountability
|
Commentator Bill Seamans is getting tired of waiting to find out where the buck will stop concerning the intelligence failures leading up to September 11.VPR News
Interview: Middle East Peace Effort
|
Steve Delaney talks with Ambassador Thomas Pickering about peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Pickering will speaking Thursday at a panel discussion in Manchester.VPR News
Drug Law Aims to Curb Marketers’ Gifts to Doctors
|
The nation’s pharmaceutical industry says it won’t challenge Vermont’s new drug law in court. The law, which goes into effect on July 1, requires drug salespeople to report how much they spend to influence doctors to use their products. It’s the only reporting provision of its kind in the country.VPR News
Racine Announces Candidacy for Governor
|
Douglas Racine officially announced his candidacy for governor Tuesday. Speaking before supporters in Burlington, Racine emphasized economic issues as top priorities.VPR News
Little Steps Down from Legislature
|
State Representative Tom Little of Shelburne is ending his career in the Vermont Legislature.VPR News
Angell Returns from Conference
|
Bishop Kenneth Angell of the Catholic Diocese of Burlington says he’s returned from the Dallas conference of bishops with a determination to “see the task through.”Commentary Series
Girls’ Sports and Title IX
|
Commentator Madeleine Kunin is cheering for the thirtieth anniversary of Title IX.Commentary Series
The Brains of the Elderly
|
Baby Boomers may have to face up to some uncomfortable facts about changes that can occur in their brains after age 85, as commentator Ruth Page explains.VPR News
Citizen Group Drops Appeal Against OMYA
|
A citizens group has decided to drop its challenge to a pollution permit issued to OMYA Incorporated in Proctor. The group, Vermonters for a Clean Environment, says it can’t afford to continue the expensive legal battle. The environmentalists say that instead they will concentrate on fighting a marble quarry that OMYA wants to build in Danby.VPR News
Veto May Force Legislature to Reconvene
|
Governor Howard Dean has vetoed a bill that deals with abandoned vehicles. Legislative leaders say they don’t want to come back to the Statehouse to override the veto but they may have no choice.VPR News
Childcare Advocates Release Study of Parents’ Earnings
|
A new study has measured the importance of childcare to working families in Vermont. About half the employers in Vermont have at least one worker paying for childcare. Those parents earn about a billion dollars a year, about 13% of the wages in Vermont, and pay more than $100 million in state and federal income taxes.VPR News
Supreme Court Votes Down Town’s Canvassing Law
|
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled today that the Constitution protects the right of missionaries, politicians and others to knock on doors without first getting permission from local authorities. Chief Justice William Rehnquist was the only dissenter, mentioning killing of two Dartmouth College professors by two Vermont teenagers, who had cased their neighborhood by going door-to-door.VPR News
California Company Buys Otter Creek Brewing
|
Otter Creek Brewing has a new owner. Otter Creek announced today it has been sold to Panorama Brewing Company, which produces Wolaver’s Organic Ales.VPR News
Jeffords Announces Disability Work Program
|
Senator Jim Jeffords is making it easier for disabled Americans to work without losing their health care coverage and other benefits. Jeffords joined state and federal officials Monday in launching the “Ticket to Work” program.Commentary Series
Planting Peonies
|
Commentator Henry Homeyer invites us to enjoy and perhaps to plant a spring classic: the peony.Commentary Series
Legislative Deals
|
We’ve heard a lot about cuts that lawmakers had to make during the legislative session. But how about the special deals that legislators doled out? Commentator Allen Gilbert takes a look.VPR News
Real Estate Market Stays Strong
|
The economic slow down of the past year and post 9-11 jitters have affected many areas of the economy. But Vermont’s housing market doesn’t seem to be one of them. Real estate agents across the state say home sales remain strong.VPR News
Veterans Ask Vermonters to Vote
|
A new program was launched last week to encourage more people to vote. The goal of the effort is to ask Vermonters to honor the memory of veterans by going to the polls and participating in their local, state or national election.Commentary Series
President Dean
|
Is there a personality defect that makes a politician more effective on the campaign trail? Commentator Jeff Wennberg thinks there is.VPR News
Ben and Jerry’s Increases Chemical Storage Security
|
Thousands of manufacturers around the country use hazardous chemicals and store them on site. But heightened concerns over terrorism have brought new attention to these operations. Even companies like Ben & Jerry’s have adopted stricter security measures.VPR News
Lawsuits May Challenege Reapportionment Plan
|
Even though the Legislature gave its approval to a new reapportionment plan this week, Secretary of State Deb Markowitz believes that parts of the plan will be challenged in court. However Markowitz says it’s likely that any changes approved by the courts would implemented after the November election.VPR News
ASC May Move Headquarters to Utah
|
The company that owns Killington and Mount Snow ski areas could be moving to Utah.VPR News
Black Fly Research
|
Commentator Willem Lange has been using himself as bait in the search for a bloodthirsty creature that lives in northern New England, and he’s found thousands of specimens.VPR News
PSB Approves Vermont Yankee Sale with Conditions
|
State regulators Thursday approved the sale of Vermont’s only nuclear power plant to a Louisiana-based energy company for $180 million. But the Public Service Board imposed several conditions on the deal that it said would protect Vermont electricity consumers.VPR News
House Agrees to Reapportionment, Legislature Adjourns
|
After spending five and a half months in session, the Legislature adjourned Thursday after passing a new compromise reapportionment plan.VPR News
Computer Viruses Hit Some State Offices
|
Like computer users everywhere, state government offices have been plagued by the recent wave of electronic viruses. The state defender general’s office was particularly hard hit.VPR News
Growing Deer Herd Damages Forestland
|
The white-tailed deer occupies a place of honor in Vermont. A vigorous deer herd is often equated with a healthy landscape. But in parts of the state, especially in the southern Connecticut River Valley, experts are saying there are too many deer for the land to support. Foresters and landowners are concerned that heavy browsing of maple, ash and oak poses a threat to the future of the forest.VPR News
Jeffords, Leahy Critical of New EPA Clean Air Rules
|
Vermont’s two U.S. senators are criticizing the Bush administration’s plans to relax air pollution requirements for older power plants.VPR News
Dean Signs Two Medical Bills into Law
|
Governor Howard Dean signed two medically related bills into law on Thursday afternoon. The first bill eliminates the autonomous status of the state’s Medical Practice Board and places the Board under the jurisdiction of the Vermont Health Department. The second bill is designed to help reduce the cost of prescription drugs.VPR News
ASC Posts Increased Third Quarter Income
|
American Skiing Company had some good news to report today: its third-quarter earnings were more than triple last year’s figure.VPR News
New Law Regulates Pharmaceutical Promotions
|
Governor Howard Dean has signed into law an initiative that makes Vermont the first state in the nation to require pharmaceutical companies to disclose their marketing practices. The law will require the companies to report to the state any time they give something worth $25 dollars or more to a physician or nurse.Commentary Series
Church Street Marketplace Turns 20
|
Burlington’s Church Street Marketplace is now 20 years old. Commentator Tom Slayton has some thoughts on that anniversary.Commentary Series
Father’s Day
|
Commentator Cheryl Hanna reflects on home improvements and Father’s Day.VPR News
Conference Committee Agrees on Reapportionment Plan
|
House and Senate negotiators have reached an agreement on a new reapportionment plan. If the full General Assembly gives its approval to the proposal later this week, Vermont will become the first state in the country that has a split Legislature to adopt a reapportionment compromise.VPR News
Angell Comments on Proposed Policy
|
Bishop Kenneth Angell of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington will join other U.S. Bishops in Dallas, Texas today. The bishops are gathering to consider a draft national policy to deal with priests who have sexually abused children. On Wednesday, Angell spoke out on one controversial sections of the policy.VPR News
Heavy Rains Cause Evacuations and Road Closures
|
Widespread flooding hit northern Vermont Wednesday as heavy rains forced rivers over their banks and led to the emergency evacuation of several neighborhoods.Commentary Series
Father’s Day and the Gift of Time
|
With Father’s Day approaching, commentator Edith Hunter has been thinking about her own father – and the gift of time.Commentary Series
Living the Good Life
|
When commentator Ron Krupp moved to Vermont, he found inspiration in the writings of two other transplants, Scott and Helen Nearing.VPR News
Roads Flooded Around Vermont
|
Several roads are flooded in northern Vermont today. The town of Lyndonville declares a state of emergency.VPR News
Dean Considers Rejecting Federal Education Money
|
Howard Dean, Democratic governor of Vermont, says his state may want to reject the millions of dollars in federal education aid rather than comply with the law’s student testing requirements. VPR’s John Dillon filed this story for National Public Radio.VPR News
Interview: Patrick Leahy
|
Steve Delaney talks with Senator Patrick Leahy about the proposal to consolidate several security and intelligence agencies under a new Department of Homeland Security.VPR News
IBM Union Organizers Extend Help to Laid Off Workers
|
Organizers say job uncertainty at IBM has renewed worker interest in forming a union at the Essex Junction plant. Last week, IBM cut nearly a thousand jobs at the facility. The future of a union is uncertain, but organizers are working this week to help former employees of the company.VPR News
U.S. Supreme Court Upholds Vermont Mercury Label Law
|
Vermont has won a key legal victory as it tries to force companies to label products that contain mercury. The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to hear an industry group’s appeal of the Vermont labeling law.VPR News
Pollina Advocates for Renewable Energy Industry
|
Anthony Pollina, the Progressive Party’s candidate for lieutenant governor, says some of the money from the Vermont Yankee sale should go to jump-start renewable energy.VPR News
St. Johnsbury Athenaeum Closing for Renovations
|
The Saint Johnsbury Athenaeum will close for six to eight months next year for renovations. The library will move to a temporary site at the Sumner Street school during the construction.VPR News
Costes Retiring from Senate
|
A Republican state senator from Franklin County says he’s retiring. Senator George Costes has served three terms in the Senate.VPR News
Supreme Court Debates Privacy of Governor’s Schedule
|
Vermont’s Supreme Court justices today grilled lawyers for the state and for three newspapers as the attorneys argued over access to the governor’s daily schedule.VPR News
IBM and Economic Development
|
Commentator David Moats expects that the recent job losses at IBM will play a major part in the political discourse of the election season ahead.VPR News
Young People Inherit a Difficult World
|
With recent graduations in mind, commentator Lois Eby offers some thoughts on the world young people are inheriting and the qualities they bring to it.VPR News
Interview: Legislative Meltdown
|
Audio of this interview will be available later this morning.VPR News
New AARP Chapter Has Strong Base in Vermont
|
Until eight months ago, there was no AARP office in Vermont. Now that the organization has opened up shop, it’s become an influential force in state government.VPR News
State Budget Deficit Projected at $25 Million
|
According to the latest revenue report, the state will end the current fiscal year with roughly a $25 million deficit. Money will be taken from the rainy day budget fund to cover this shortfall.VPR News
Sanders Warns of Cuts in Federal Health Care Spending
|
Congressman Bernard Sanders warns that Vermont hospitals and health care providers are threatened by cuts in Medicare and Medicaid. He says that the federal government fails to cover the full cost of care, and that means hospitals often lose money on Medicare patients.VPR News
Casella Solid Waste Settles Anti-Trust Case with State
|
The Vermont attorney general’s office has reached an anti-trust settlement with a Rutland-based solid waste company.Commentary Series
Future of Dairy Farming
|
Commentator John McClaughry reflects on the new national dairy program and the future of dairy farming in Vermont.Commentary Series
IBM Shock
|
Commentator Peg Devlyn says that changes at IBM should spur changes in Vermont’s economic development policy.VPR News
Reapportionment Tension Rises, Adjournment Uncertain
|
Lawmakers got caught up in a parliamentary fight on Saturday that made it impossible for the Legislature to adjourn. They’ll be back in Montpelier this week with the state’s capital bill and reapportionment still on the table.VPR News
Goddard Trustees Postpone Decision Till August
|
Trustees at Goddard College will wait a little longer to decide whether or not to close down the private, non-profit liberal arts school. At a weekend meeting, trustees at first voted to shut down the college’s residency programs, which would have closed the Plainfield campus. The Board then decided to postpone a final decision on Goddard’s future until August 15.VPR News
Increased Border Security Slows Drug Smuggling
|
The prosecutor in the county with Vermont’s biggest international port of entry says he’s not worried about a growing number of busts on the border. Franklin County State’s Attorney James Hughes was reacting to news from other parts of the country that beefed up border security has resulted in a big spike in drug cases being sent to local prosecutors.VPR News
Interview: Free Fishing Day
|
This weekend marks the celebration of “Vermont Days” across the state. Highlights include “Free Fishing Day” on Saturday, meaning anyone can fish in Vermont without a license. Steve Delaney talks with Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Ron Regan.VPR News
Reapportionment Stalemate Continues, May Extend Session
|
The stalemate over reapportionment continued at the Statehouse Thursday. The Senate offered a new plan to the House but it was immediately rejected.VPR News
Construction Begins on Route 9 Oxbow
|
After decades of delays, work has begun on a $20 million project to correct a dangerous situation on Route 9. It’s one of Vermont’s most heavily traveled east-west truck routes.VPR News
Sheep Owners Say Animals Weren’t Diseased
|
The East Warren farmers whose sheep were seized last year amid fears of Mad Cow Disease are disputing the governments interpretation of test results. The sheep were slaughtered because the government said tests showed the sheep might have had an illness related to Mad Cow Disease.VPR News
Dubie Announces Candidacy for Lieutenant Governor
|
Brian Dubie made it official Thursday. The Essex Junction resident says he will seek the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor this year. Dubie was the GOP candidate in this race two years and lost to Lieutenant Governor Doug Racine by roughly a 10-point margin.Commentary Series
Flora Lewis Remembered
|
Commentator Olin Robison tells us about the exceptional life and work of correspondent and columnist Flora Lewis.Commentary Series
Strolling of the Heifers
|
Commentator Vern Grubinger tells us about some events this month that reflect a Dairy theme.Commentary Series
Flora Lewis Remembered
|
Commentator Olin Robison tells us about the exceptional life and work of correspondent and columnist Flora Lewis.VPR News
Reapportionment Committee to Meet One More Time
|
House and Senate leaders on Friday began to consider the legal ramifications of throwing the issue of reapportionment to the Vermont Supreme Court. The leaders were cautioned not to assume that the Court will necessarily follow any particular course of action.VPR News
VPR Goes Backstage with “Chicago”
|
Summer theater is getting under way all over Vermont with performances of Broadway standards and recent plays. During the season, Vermont Public Radio goes “Backstage” to talk with actors and directors about the plays and the performances. Today, VPR’s Betty Smith visits the Middlebury Community Players’ production of Chicago.VPR News
Goddard Board of Trustees Deliberates College’s Future
|
Since the 1930s, central Vermont’s Goddard College has been known for it’s unique and unorthodox approach to higher education. The college’s Board of Trustees meets this weekend and there are indications the Board could decide to make significant changes; including merging with another institution or even selling the college.VPR News
Douglas Accuses Racine of “Flip-flop” on Circ Highway
|
Republican gubernatorial candidate Jim Douglas is accusing his Democratic opponent, Doug Racine, of political opportunism. Douglas says Racine has changed his position on the need to build the circumferential highway in Chittenden County purely for political reasons.VPR News
IBM Sells Company Country Club
|
IBM has announced it’s selling its country club, golf course and more than 600 acres of property near Binghamton, New York. The property in the town of Union, a few miles east of Big Blue’s sprawling Endicott manufacturing complex, was acquired by the company more than 70 years ago.VPR News
Rutland High School Cannon Starts Noise Debate
|
Fans of the Rutland Raiders high school football team think it’s a blast when a cannon at the field gets fired after the team scores a touchdown. Some neighbors don’t, and now that those sounds have become the focus of land-use hearings under Vermont’s Act 250.VPR News
ReCycle North Salvages Materials in Deconstruction
|
For the last 11 years, Burlington’s ReCycle North has dedicated itself to the repair and re-use of household items, such as appliances, furniture and electronics. They’ve now turned their attention to house deconstruction.VPR News
Interview: Aluminum and Copper Microchips
|
Steve Delaney talks with Craig Damon, UVM computer science professor, on why IBM is focusing on copper microchip technology and laying off employees with alumnium engineering expertise.VPR News
IBM Says State Business Climate Not Liable for Layoffs
|
IBM officials said Wednesday that there was nothing the state of Vermont could have done to affect the company’s decision to reduce its workforce by nearly 1,000 people. The officials say an international slowdown in the demand for computer chips and a reorganization of the company are the major factors driving the decision.VPR News
Parishioners Ask Diocese for Information
|
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington says it’s been hearing from some parishioners who want to know if their priests are among those placed on administrative leave while under investigation by the Vermont attorney general.VPR News
Revenue Report Expected to Show $20 Million Deficit
|
The Dean administration is expected to release a new revenue report by the end of this week and it’s likely that the report will show that the state will have roughly a $20 million deficit with one month remaining in the current fiscal year. Administration Secretary Kathy Hoyt says money from the state’s rainy day funds will be used to cover the shortage.Commentary Series
IBM and Vermont’s Business Climate
|
The unfortunate thing about rumors is that they are frequently based in fact. And Commentator Timothy McQuiston says such is the case with IBM.VPR News
Interview: Milton School Budget Passes
|
Steve Delaney interviews the Milton superintendent of schools on yesterday’s school budget vote. The initial budget was soundly defeated on Town Meeting Day.VPR News
IBM Cuts 988 Jobs in Vermont
|
IBM cut 988 jobs at its Essex Junction Microelectronics plant Tuesday. It’s one of the single largest job cuts in the state’s history.VPR News
Dean Reacts to IBM Announcement
|
IBM cut 988 jobs yesterday at its Essex Junction microelectronics plant. It is one of the largest job cuts in the state’s history and it comes only a week after the state economist issued pessimistic projections for Vermont’s economic health. The state has put together a plan to help the laid off employees at IBM find new jobs.VPR News
Blind Golfers Hit the Links
|
Since the U.S. Blind Golf Association was organized in the early nineteen fifties, golf leagues for the blind and visually impaired have been established in nearly every state in the country. Now a Randolph Center woman is trying to organize a league in Vermont.Commentary Series
Costa Rica Visited
|
Commentator Ted Levin recently visited Costa Rica with a group of students. He says that it was indeed, very educational.Commentary Series
Dan Rather was Right
|
Commentator Bill Seamans is concerned with recent press coverage of the administration – and he’s not alone.VPR News
Interview: Springfield Machine Tool Purchase
|
Steve Delaney interviews Patricia Moulton Powden, a sort of ‘industrial nutritionist’ for Springfield. Powden has been in the middle of the effort to salvage something out of the Bryant Grinder and Fellows closings.VPR News
Legislators Turn Attention to Reapportionment
|
The Legislative stalemate over next year’s budget and reapportionment continued at the Statehouse on Monday afternoon. Senate Republicans are trying to block consideration of the budget until a compromise can be reached on reapportionment and the dispute may carry over to the House later this week.VPR News
Ski Areas Report Average Season
|
Despite a difficult season, Vermont ski areas report an above average turnout last winter. According to the Ski Areas Association, there were just over four million skier visits for the two thousand one, two thousand two season.Commentary Series
Truth May Set the Church Free
|
Commentator Jim Luken reflects on the priesthood and the current scandal in the Catholic Church.Commentary Series
10% Energy Savings
|
The Greater Burlington area is trying to get every person and business to save cash by reducing CO2 emissions, as Ruth Page explains.VPR News
Legislature Still in Session, Revenue Report Due Soon
|
The Vermont Legislature failed to adjourn late Saturday night because of disagreements over the state budget and reapportionment, so lawmakers will be back in Montpelier this week. There’s a possibility that the session could be extended for days or perhaps weeks if new budget concerns emerge this week.VPR News
Vermont Man Runs Diesel Car on Cooking Oil
|
One alternative car fuel comes direct from the deep frier in the form of recycled cooking oil. At least one of the nation’s “cooking oil cars” is chugging along the roads of southern Vermont.Commentary Series
We’re All In This Creemee Together
|
Recent statistics have shown that Burlington is now predominantly composed of non-native Vermonters. Commentator Philip Baruth wonders what all the fuss is about.Commentary Series
Priest Scandal
|
Commentator Allen Gilbert thinks that the Catholic Church has done a poor job of handling the abuse scandal that’s facing American priests.VPR News
Legislature Disagrees on Budget and Reapportionment
|
The Legislature made some progress toward adjournment Friday but disagreements remain over a number of key issues. Lawmakers will have to meet again today to wrap up this year’s session.VPR News
Debate Continues on Transportation Bill and Champion
|
As the weekend began, the Legislature was deadlocked on a number of issues that have polarized lawmakers for months. The House and Senate are divided on a key transportation bill and over legislation that would allow logging on state land in the Northeast Kingdom.VPR News
National Life CEO Steps Down
|
The president and chairman of National Life, Vermont’s largest insurance company, is taking another job.VPR News
FAA Dispels Suspicions about Plane
|
The Federal Aviation Administration has revised an earlier statement to say a commercial airline did circle above southern Vermont last week.Commentary Series
Two Views: Legislative Wrap Up
|
As the legislature prepares to adjourn, commentators Ellen David Friedman and Jeff Wennberg offer Two Views on what happened during this session, what didn’t, and some of the possible reasons why.VPR News
Parishoners Defend Priests and Speculate on Accusations
|
As Attorney General William Sorrell looks into sexual misconduct allegations against six active Vermont priests, members of the parishes are weighing their own responses. Some members are supportive of their priests, and others are waiting to see how the cases are resolved.Commentary Series
Edgar Christian’s Journal
|
Seventy-five years ago, during the same week that the world went wild over the flight of Charles Lindbergh, a boy was starving to death in the arctic. Commentator Willem Lange has been reading his journal.VPR News
Transportation and Construction Bills Deadlocked
|
As lawmakers work to resolve their differences on next year’s budget and a variety of tax issues, virtually no progress is being made on two other key bills – the capital construction bill and the transportation bill.VPR News
Sorrell Comments on Diocese Investigation
|
Vermont Attorney General William Sorrell says his office has received allegations of sexual misconduct against one or two still active priests, in addition to the six placed on leave by the Catholic Diocese of Burlington. Sorrell made his comments last night on VPR’s Switchboard.VPR News
Entergy Claims Rights to Yankee Decommissioning Fund
|
State utility regulators will soon decide whether to approve the sale of the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant. But before the Public Service Board rules on the sale, it wants to know about a multi-million dollar fund that’s supposed to be used to dismantle the reactor.VPR News
Accused Vermont Priest May Have Been Reassigned
|
An official with the Catholic Diocese of Burlington said today that in one instance a Vermont priest may have been moved from one parish to another due alleged sexual impropriety.Commentary Series
In Season
|
Commentator Tom Slayton has some thoughts on spring and a book that celebrates nature year-round.VPR News
Interview: Bug Season
|
Steve Delaney talks with Jon Tumel about black flies, mosquitos and other pests of srping. Tumel is the insect specialist at the Vermont Department of Agriculture.VPR News
My New Wildflower Patch
|
Commentator Charlie Nardozzi has found that wildflowers are perfect match for poor soil.VPR News
ASC Defaults on Real Estate Loans
|
There’s more bad news for American Skiing, the resort company that owns two ski areas in Vermont. The company’s real estate subsidiary has defaulted on its loans and banks have begun the process of taking over the properties.VPR News
Legislature Still Divided on Champion Reserve Lands
|
As the Legislature moves toward a possible weekend adjournment, strong disagreements still exist between the House and the Senate. One split is over the future use of the state’s portion of the Champion lands.VPR News
Dean Forms PAC for Presidential Campaign
|
Governor Howard Dean is moving closer to a formal decision to run for president. Dean says he’ll create a political action committee later this week that will help finance a presidential campaign.VPR News
IBM Announcements Minimal Layoffs
|
IBM’s Global Services unit in Essex Junction will see a layoff of fewer than ten employees. But company officials say they are not the much-anticipated layoffs that Vermont officials fear could see hundreds of people losing their jobs.Commentary Series
Wardrobe Chronicles
|
Commentator Lois Eby recently attended an exhibit of what two Vermont artists call an “exploratory visual journey.”Commentary Series
Graduation
|
Commentator David Moats recently attended his son’s college graduation, an event that prompted quite a bit of contemplation.VPR News
Senate and House Debate Future of Champlain Flyer
|
The House and Senate still strongly disagree about the future of the Champlain Flyer, a commuter train project in Chittenden County. The disagreement is a central issue in the negotiations over next year’s transportation bill.VPR News
Septic Systems Spur Debate over Development
|
The Legislature is trying to break an impasse over regulation of home septic systems. State environmental officials say the legislation will result in cleaner systems that don’t pollute groundwater. But some environmentalists worry that the law could open hundreds of thousands of acres to new development.VPR News
Legislation Expands Some Police Powers
|
The Senate has given its approval to a compromise plan to expand the power of police in a limited number of cases. Currently, law enforcement officers who don’t have a warrant can’t arrest a person charged with a misdemeanor if the officer didn’t witness the crime.VPR News
Lyndonville Suspends Manager of Water System
|
The manager of the Lyndonville water system, which was feared to be contaminated after a break-in at a reservoir, is being suspended from his job. Scott Townsend will begin his two-week suspension on Saturday. Village trustees say the suspension stems from discrepancies about when Townsend checked the reservoir.VPR News
Con Man Hits Several Stores in Southern Vermont
|
Police in Keene, New Hampshire, and southern Vermont are looking for a man who is using an old con man’s trick to steal hundreds of dollars from stores. Police say the man appears to be a befuddled, grandfatherly-type.VPR News
Virus Found in Lake Champlain Northern Pike
|
The Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife is warning anglers not to eat northern pike from Lake Champlain that show symptoms of a viral disease. Officials say ice fisherman first noticed pike and muskellenge with strange lesions on their bodies.VPR News
Childhood Vaccines in Short Supply
|
Vermont Senator Peter Shumlin wants Congress to investigate why there’s a shortage of vaccines, especially for diseases affecting young children. Shumlin, who is running for lieutenant governor, says that some vaccines apparently in short supply are available to private medical practices for a higher price.VPR News
Dean Signs Downtown Revitalization Bill
|
Governor Howard Dean was in Brattleboro today to sign a bill that will help revitalize Vermont’s downtowns, town and village centers. The bill is an expansion of the downtown bill that was passed 1998.Commentary Series
Political Clash over Health Care
|
Commentator John McClaughry suggests a solution to the current political clash over the rising costs of health care and health care insurance.Commentary Series
Champion Debate
|
Commentator Sam Lloyd has been listening to the Champion Debate in the legislature with increasing concern.VPR News
Unresolved Bills Loom Before Adjournment
|
Legislative leaders are hoping to adjourn by this weekend. But as VPR’s Bob Kinzel reports, there are still a number of very difficult issues that will have to be resolved in order for that to occur.Commentary Series
Memorial Day
|
Commentator Edith Hunter reflects on Memorial Day, cemetaries and lilacs.Commentary Series
Spring
|
Commentator Madeleine Kunin has been observing the landscape during the warm days of spring.VPR News
Vermont City Marathon Draws Runners and Spectators
|
Strong winds and some rain added extra challenge to the Key Bank Vermont City Marathon on Sunday. The fourteenth annual race has become a Memorial Day tradition in Burlington. In addition to the individual racers seeking to qualify for the Boston Marathon, relay teams registered to share the 26.2 mile run.Commentary Series
Cuba
|
Commentator Olin Robison has been examing the role of Cuba in American politics.VPR News
Coolidge Museum Opens Display of Presidential Artifacts
|
Much has been made of Calvin Coolidge’s humble beginnings on his family farm in Plymouth Notch. But as the country’s thirtieth president, Coolidge was the recipient of scores of lavish gifts from everyone from world leaders to school children. Now, the Coolidge Historic Site has put on display some of items Coolidge receive during his presidency.VPR News
CLF Ad Campaign Aims at Dean and Yankee Sale
|
An environmental group has used a series of newspaper advertisements to take aim at Governor Howard Dean’s energy policy. The Conservation Law Foundation says the Dean administration wants to lock ratepayers into a bad deal with the sale of the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant. But Dean says the group’s ads are misleading.VPR News
Vermont Supreme Court Goes Online
|
When you hear the words ‘Vermont Supreme Court,’ you may think about black robes, woody chambers and quiet and learned deliberations. Now think “dot-com.” Add to your thoughts the latest technology, instant access to information, biographies of the justices, their opinions … and now their voices on-line.VPR News
Senate Passes Physicians’ Regulation Bill
|
The Senate gave its approval on Friday to legislation that would give more information about doctor misconduct to the public.VPR News
Arrests Made in Heroin Conspiracy Ring
|
Six people have been arrested for a drug conspiracy operating between Yonkers, New York and Burlington. The charges follow an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and police departments in Yonkers and Burlington.VPR News
IBM Receives Defense Contract
|
IBM’s Essex plant got a boost from the Pentagon Friday with the announcement of a major contract for a new computer chip technology. The Defense Department awarded a $10 million contract to IBM and a South Burlington company for chips that use x-rays to create microscopic electronic circuitry.VPR News
Anastasio Embarking on Solo Tour
|
One of Vermont’s most famous musicians is heading out on his own.Anastasio is setting out on a solo summer tour. It will include a hybrid of jam and swing that is dotted with love songs and chamber music.VPR News
Interview: Vermont City Marathon
|
This weekend marks the fourteenth annual running of the Vermont City Marathon. “Runners World” recently rated VCM as one of the top twenty marathons in the country – based on the beauty of the course, among other criteria. Steve Delaney interviews Andrea Sisino, executive director of the event.VPR News
Letter to JD Salinger
|
Commentator Willem Lange has been rereading some books from his high school days, and writes a fan letter to one of the authors, who just happens to live locally.VPR News
Lawyer Defends Accused Priest
|
The lawyer for one of priests under investigation by the attorney general has released details of allegations against his client. Middlebury Attorney Peter Langrock says the information shows his client has not engaged in any impropriety.VPR News
Douglas Announces Candidacy for Governor
|
State Treasurer Jim Douglas stood on the steps of the Statehouse on Thursday afternoon to formally launch his campaign for governor. Douglas backed a number of proposals that are designed to improve the state’s economic climate.VPR News
Dean Measures His Standing for Presidential Race
|
Governor Howard Dean has the “help wanted” sign out for his fledgling presidential campaign. The Democrat says he’s just about made up his mind to run. He plans to hire staff, including a professional fundraiser, as he gears up for the race.VPR News
Governor Encourages More Act 60 Negotiations
|
Governor Howard Dean wants legislative leaders to jumpstart their stalled negotiations over legislation that would make key changes to Act 60. Earlier this week, House and Senate conferees agreed that it’s unlikely that the differences between the two chambers can be bridged this year.VPR News
Clergy as Mandated Reporters
|
The Dean administration wants the clergy to be required to report allegations of child sex abuse. And administration officials say that requirement should extend to information that’s discovered in the confidential confessionals of the Catholic Church.VPR News
IBM Says Essex Junction Plant Not for Sale
|
An executive with IBM says the Vermont plant is critical to the company and isn’t for sale.Commentary Series
Complacency No More
|
Now that the experts have admitted the probability of suicide bombers here at home, commentator Bill Seamans says we must become better prepared to defend ourselves.Commentary Series
Memorial Day Tomatoes
|
It’s a New England tradition to plant your tomatoes around Memorial Day but commentator Henry Homeyer says that may be too soon – especially in New England.VPR News
The Jeffords Effect: Patrick Leahy’s Heightened Profile
|
It’s been a year since Vermont Senator James Jeffords left the Republican Party and the ripple effects continue. One of those most affected by Jeffords’ actions has been Vermont’s other Senator, Patrick Leahy. When control of the Senate switched to the Democrats, Leahy assumed a much more pivotal and controversial role on Capitol Hill.VPR News
Six Priests Begin Administrative Leave on Friday
|
The Catholic Diocese of Burlington says six priests under investigation by the Vermont attorney general’s office will be placed on administrative leave beginning this Friday.VPR News
Legislature at an Impasse on Act 60 Reform
|
House and Senate negotiators working on a compromise plan to change Act 60 hit an impasse on Wednesday afternoon and the issue could be dead for the session.VPR News
Gubernatorial Candidates Debate Business Issues
|
The state’s troubled economic climate was the dominant theme as Vermont’s gubernatorial candidates faced off in a debate Wednesday. The candidates agreed that many Vermont businesses are hurting. But they offered different prescriptions for a cure.VPR News
Dean “Certain” to Seek Democratic Nomination
|
Vermont Governor Howard Dean said he’s virtually certain to seek the Democratic presidential nomination in the next election cycle.Commentary Series
Turning Sixty
|
Commentator Peg Devlyn has a birthday to talk about and she’s hoping we’ll hold back our black balloons.Commentary Series
Jim Jeffords: Hero or Opportunist?
|
It’s been a year since Jim Jeffords rebelled against his party and was cloaked a hero of the independent, free-thinkers that are part of the Vermont tradition. Now, a year later, while everyone else is analyzing the effects of Jeffords’ decision on national policy, commentator Frank Bryan takes the long view.VPR News
Interview: U.S.-Canadian Trade
|
The Vermont Business and Industry Expo is being held today at the Sheraton Hotel in Burlington. It’s a chance for companies and institutions to showcase their products and services. Steve Delaney interviews Deputy Consul General and Senior Trade Commissioner Robert Noble, who will be representing the Canadian government at the Expo.VPR News
The Jeffords Effect: Impact on National Policy Issues
|
In the second part of our series on “The Jeffords Effect,” VPR’s John Dillon looks at the national farm plan, environmental issues and transportation policy a year later.VPR News
The Jeffords Effect: Vermonters Share Opinons
|
It’s unlikely many people have changed their minds about the wisdom of Jeffords’ decision in the year since he announced his switch. A survey of the breakfast crowd at Montpelier’s Coffee Corner found that most people saw Jeffords’ move in light of it’s broader political implications, not in terms of specific issues.VPR News
Conference Committees Meet to Settle Differences
|
The House and Senate conference committee working on next year’s budget is considering some changes to the state’s Medicaid program, but the two chambers have yet to reach an agreement on this controversial issue. The conference committee is a familiar scene at this time of the year as the legislature winds down, as VPR’s Bob Kinzel reports.VPR News
Hill Announces Candidacy for Attorney General
|
Middlebury attorney Cindy Hill announced on Tuesday that she’ll seek the Progressive nomination for attorney general. Standing just outside of the Vermont Supreme Court Building, Hill told reporters that if elected she would be an advocate for the people.Commentary Series
Vacationing in Florida
|
Weather and beach life come to the fore as commentator Ruth Page remembers her April vacation in Sarasota, Florida.Commentary Series
Single-Sex Education
|
Commentator Cheryl Hanna’s support for one of the elements of the President’s initiative on education has surprised some of her friends.VPR News
Gilman Millworkers List Grievances
|
Workers at the idle American Paper Company mill in the northeast kingdom town of Gilman met today to get a progress report on a long list against the mill’s owners.VPR News
Interview: Governor Dean on Federal Education Money
|
Steve Delaney interviews Governor Howard Dean on the governor’s leading role in opposing the Bush administration’s education bill, passed earlier this year by Congress.VPR News
The Jeffords Effect – Senator Reflects on the Past Year
|
VPR’s Bob Kinzel examines how Jeffords’ decision has personally affected the Senator and how it has touched the entire country in the first part of our series, “The Jeffords Effect.”VPR News
Chronic Wasting Disease Found in Wisconsin Deer
|
Vermont officials have banned imports of deer and elk into the state as they try to stop the spread of an incurable illness that’s related to mad cow disease. The action by the state Wildlife and Agriculture Departments follows the discovery last winter that the disease had moved from western states to deer herds in the Midwest.VPR News
Act 60 Reform Deadlocked in Committee
|
A conference committee on Act 60 appears to be deadlocked over new changes to the state’s education funding law. House Republican leaders on Monday rejected a new Senate Democratic compromise plan for Act 60.VPR News
Gates Foundation Announces Health Grant in Burlington
|
A one million dollar grant to improve global health was announced Monday in Burlington. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation selected the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International as recipient of the 2002 Gates Award for Global Health.Commentary Series
Al Gore Returns to Fantasy Island
|
one of Al Gore’s closest confidantes has never been a walk in the park for commentator Philip Baruth, but over the last several months it’s become particularly trying. As is often the case with Philip, we cannot guarantee that this commentary contains even a shred of truth.Commentary Series
Financial Aid
|
According to commentator Allen Gilbert, the hardest part of college isn’t getting in. It’s paying for it.VPR News
Critics Request Safety Inspections at Vermont Yankee
|
Hearings have ended on the sale of the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant. But the debate continues on whether the 550-megawatt reactor should be remodeled to boost its power output. An anti-nuclear group also wants a top-to-bottom safety review of the 30-year-old plant.VPR News
Sharing Provision Hinders Compromise on Act 60
|
House Republican leaders say they need some time to review a new Senate Act 60 plan, but it’s clear that the proposal faces some major obstacles in the House.VPR News
Transcripts Describe Parker and Tulloch’s Friendship
|
The New Hampshire attorney general has released transcripts of interviews with 17-year-old James Parker. Parker was sentenced last month for his role in the murders of Dartmouth Professors Half and Suzanna Zantop.VPR News
Dartmouth College Presents, “Mexotica”
|
Art and performance came together at Dartmouth College Saturday night at the Epic of American Civilization mural. The colonization of America was the subject of an unusual performance installation called “Mexotica.”VPR News
Border Immigration Services Expand
|
The Vermont Service Center in Saint Albans expects to hire 300 new workers over the next six to eight months, bringing its steadily growing work force to around 1,500 people.VPR News
Piano Prompts Research into Forgotten Theater
|
The city of Plattsburgh is trying to solve a musical mystery. Officials in West Hollywood, California recently contacted Plattsburgh Mayor Daniel Stewart to tell him about an antique piano that was discovered in a famous saloon.Commentary Series
The Last Frontier
|
Commentator Willem Lange has been burning brush in his swamp lately and reflecting on the myth of The Last Frontier.Commentary Series
IBM
|
Commentator Timothy McQuiston says that it’s hard to imagine what could be much worse for the Vermont economy right now than massively bad news from IBM.VPR News
Dean Rebuts Rumors of IBM’s Future
|
Sam Palmisano, IBM’s chief executive, told stock analysts in New York Wednesday that the company has too much capacity at its computer-chip plants. His report to the analysts took place while Vermonters waited for word on possible job cuts at the IBM plant in Essex Junction, but there were no specifics yet.VPR News
Interview: Water Reservoir Vandalism
|
The director of Vermont’s Emergency Management System, Ed Von Turkovich, explains the state’s response to a broken lock at the Lyndon reservoir, which has raised fears about local terrorism.VPR News
Diocese Changes Reporting Policy, Complies with Inquiry
|
The Catholic Diocese of Burlington says they’ll no longer wait before turning over information to authorities. Vermont Attorney General William Sorrell also said the information the church gave his office earlier this week could result in criminal proceedings involving Vermont priests.VPR News
Equinox Hotel Announces New Partnership with VINS
|
The Equinox Resort in Manchester has teamed up with a Woodstock-based organization to develop environmental education programs in the Mount Equinox area. The partnership between the resort and the Vermont Institute of Natural Science was announced Thursday.VPR News
Star Wars Hits the Movie Theaters
|
Vermonters are joining filmgoers across the country this year as they flock to movies about superheroes and fantasy worlds. Fans packed theaters for the Lord of the Rings, and Spiderman. Now they’re coming out “in force” for one of this year’s most anticipated movies.VPR News
GMP Chairman Retires
|
There’s a changing of the guard at Vermont’s second largest electric utility. Former Governor Thomas Salmon has stepped down as chairman of the board of Green Mountain Power.VPR News
Senate Proposes Compromise on Act 60 Reform
|
A potential breakthrough has been found on the Act 60 education funding law. Members of a Senate team negotiating compromises on the law have proposed eliminating the sharing pool that’s at the heart of Act 60.Commentary Series
Eating the Lawn
|
Commentator Charlie Nardozzi says his lawn serves a bigger purpose than just looking nice.Commentary Series
Above and Beyond
|
Commentator Tom Slayton recommends a book that examines the emerging suburban landscape of Vermont.VPR News
Interview: Mandated Reporting of Child Abuse
|
Steve Delaney interviews William Young on how the mandated reporting law for child abuse cases applies to church clergy. Young is the commissioner of the Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services. (Listen to the interview online.)VPR News
IBM President Says Company Has Too Much Capacity
|
Sam Palmisano, IBM’s chief executive, told stock analysts in New York Wednesday that the company has too much capacity at its computer-chip plants. His report to the analysts took place while Vermonters waited for word on possible job cuts at the IBM plant in Essex Junction, but there were no specifics yet.VPR News
Dean to Meet IBM Officials on Thursday
|
Governor Howard Dean will meet with IBM officials on Thursday to discuss the company’s future in Vermont. Dean says he expects that IBM will lay off some workers at its Essex Junction facility but the governor doubts the plant will be sold.VPR News
Flanagan Announces Candidacy for Treasurer
|
Former State Auditor Ed Flanagan announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for treasurer on Wednesday. The office will be open this November because incumbent Republican Treasurer Jim Douglas is running for governor.Commentary Series
Garden Optimism
|
Commentator Vern Grubinger says that gardeners are natural optimists, especially in the spring.Commentary Series
Not Looking Away
|
As the legislature approaches adjournment, a bill dealing with Parental Notification is one that may remain unresolved, but commentator Libby Sternberg has determined her own stand on the subject.VPR News
Diocese Releases Records to Attorney General
|
The Catholic Diocese of Burlington said Tuesday that six Vermont priests will be placed on administrative leave. The church said it is taking the action while Vermont’s attorney general investigates allegations of sexual misconduct against the priests. VPR’s Steve Zind reports.VPR News
Interview: Impact of IBM Business Decisions
|
IBM, Vermont’s largest employer, is expected to confirm the rampant rumors that something big, and probably negative, is about to happen at the chip-making plant. Steve Delaney interviews George Tyler, managing editor of the The Essex Reporter in the speculation in town. (Listen to the interview online.)VPR News
Employees, State Officials Await IBM Announcement
|
Concern continues to grow that International Business Machines will trim its Vermont workforce. Some stock analysts have reported that IBM plans to sell its Vermont chip-making plant and lay off 1,000 or more workers. State officials say they don’t know if that’s true, but they’re getting increasingly worried about Vermont’s largest employer.VPR News
Senate Approves Medicinal Marijuana Bill
|
By a vote of 22 to 7, the Senate Tuesday gave its approval to a medical marijuana bill. But the legislation is very different from a plan passed by the House several weeks ago.VPR News
House, Senate Leaders Debate Medicaid Spending
|
One of the most difficult issues for the Legislature to resolve in the final weeks of the session is how to control costs for the state’s Medicaid program.VPR News
Hyde Announces Candidacy for Auditor
|
Former Waitsfield Representative Bruce Hyde announced on Tuesday that he’s seeking the Republican nomination for state auditor. He says he’s concerned that the incumbent auditor has inappropriately politicized the office.VPR News
Dorset Protects Ridgelines from Development
|
Dorset voters continued their support Tuesday for a subdivision regulation that protects Dorset’s ridgelines from development. It was the second time the community has approved the amendment to the town’s bylaws.Commentary Series
Bigness
|
Commentator David Moats is growing concerned…about the growing trend…of “supersizing.”Commentary Series
Overpopulation
|
The Bush administration has declined to release the $34 million Congress has approved for the UN Population Fund. Commentator Ruth Page explains why she sees this as a terrible mistake.VPR News
Interview: Legislature’s Impact on Business
|
As the Legislature approaches the end of its current session, a lot of Vermonters are assessing what the lawmakers have done. One issues is the ongoing effort to attract and retain good jobs in Vermont.VPR News
Washington Conservatives Criticize Leahy
|
Senator Patrick Leahy’s job as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee is coming under fire. Three conservative lawyers from around the country flew to Vermont Monday to accuse Leahy of delaying action on President Bush’s nominees to the federal bench.VPR News
House, Senate Negotiate on Act 60 Sharing Pool
|
House and Senate negotiators began work on a compromise Act 60 reform plan on Monday. The future of the “sharing pool” of Act 60 is the largest issue separating the two chambers.VPR News
President Signs Farm Bill with Dairy Price Supports
|
Senator James Jeffords is heralding the new farm bill, signed into law Monday by President Bush. Jeffords says the law provides Vermont dairy farmers with critical financial assistance for a number of years.VPR News
Burke Lumber May Become Canadian Transfer Station
|
A Northeast Kingdom lumber company may go back into business. A letter on file in the Sutton town clerk’s office indicates that the old Burke Lumber property may become a station for transferring Canadian lumber into the United States.Commentary Series
Spenser
|
It turns out that commentator Jules Older is a Spenserian. But he may not be the kind of Spenserian you expect.Commentary Series
Corporate Welfare for Renewables
|
Commentator John McClaughry thinks that the renewable energy initiative currently before the legislature isn’t what it appears to be.VPR News
Burlington Diocese Changes Position on Reporting Abuse
|
The Catholic Diocese of Burlington has changed its position on how much information it will give authorities about alleged sexual abuse by priests. The announcement was made over the weekend by Bishop Kenneth Angell.VPR News
State Officers Worried About Possible IBM Lay-offs
|
There’s more concern that computer giant IBM may trim its workforce. IBM is the state’s largest private employer. Recent reports that it may lay off 8,000 workers has prompted Governor Howard Dean to call a meeting next week with top company officials.VPR News
Missing Eagle Returned to Falconry School
|
“Elsie” the eagle has landed. The tawny eagle that flew away from the British School of Falconry in Manchester last week was discovered this week near Bromley Mountain.VPR News
New Bidder on Tool Plant May Keep Jobs in Springfield
|
There’s a new bidder for two machine tool shops in Springfield. Town officials say they’re now hoping a Delaware bankruptcy court will expedite the sale of the shops.Commentary Series
Don’t Worry, Be Happy
|
Commentator Jeff Wennberg believes that Vermont’s elected leaders should be more concerned about the recent job losses across Vermont than most of them appear to be.Commentary Series
Wintering with Henry
|
Commentator Willem Lange recalls the year he and his family spent the winter in a little cabin in the woods, like Henry David Thoreau – but not quite.VPR News
Medicinal Marijauna Bill to be Decided This Week
|
The future of the medicinal marijuana bill could be decided next week. A compromise plan is expected to be on the Senate floor that would allow individuals to use marijuana as a pain killer under certain circumstances.VPR News
“Promito”: Vermonters and the Priesthood
|
The shortage of priests in Vermont is critical. There are fears the current scandal over priests and child sexual abuse will discourage men from entering the priesthood. VPR’s Steve Zind looks at how the church is coping with fewer pastors and what life is like for a newly minted priest in Vermont.VPR News
Gubernatorial Candidates Speak Out on State Budget
|
The disagreement between Governor Howard Dean and Senate Democratic leaders over a proposed budget for next year has spilled over into the gubernatorial race for 2002.VPR News
Agriculture Commissioner Critical of Some Farm Groups
|
Vermont’s agriculture commissioner has strongly condemned a coalition of farm and environmental groups for opposing a large egg farm. Commissioner Leon Graves says the groups threaten the future of agriculture in Vermont. But the spokesman for one of the organizations says Graves is biased in favor of corporate agriculture.VPR News
Hospitals Contract With Blood Supply Company
|
Vermont’s blood supply is about to grow more plentiful. Ten of Vermont’s fourteen hospitals have contracted with a national blood management company to increase the state’s blood supply.VPR News
Sorrell and Diocese to Meet Again on Child Abuse Cases
|
Vermont Attorney General William Sorrell says he plans to meet next Tuesday with representatives of the Catholic Diocese of Burlington. The meeting is the third between authorities and church officials.Commentary Series
Mother’s Gift
|
This Sunday is Mother’s Day and it’s reminded commentator Edith Hunter of her own mother – and a priceless gift.Commentary Series
Nativity Church, Bethlehem
|
Commentator Bill Seamans remembers more peaceful times at the Church of the Nativity and wonders how it came to be caught up in the recent standoff.VPR News
All State Music Festival Celebrates Young Musicians
|
About 3,000 young musicians in more than 40 bands marched through Burlington last night to open the seventy-fifth Vermont All State Music Festival. Vermont Public Radio caught up with some of the musicians to get their impressions of the festival in this audio portrait.VPR News
Governor, Senate Leaders at Odds on Key Issues
|
Governor Howard Dean is accusing Senate Democratic leaders of adopting a state budget for next year that is bloated and fiscally irresponsible. Senate President Pro Tempore Peter Shumlin says the governor has a lower bottom line because Dean is willing to abandon those Vermonters who need help the most.VPR News
INS Increases Personnel at Canadian Border
|
Vermont will receive more resources to patrol the border with Canada, according to the head of the Immigration and Naturalization Service. James Ziglar announced in Swanton Wednesday that Vermont would be assigned 20 new border patrol agents and 48 additional inspectors.VPR News
Seatbelt Laws Will Be Enforced This Summer
|
Vermont law enforcement officials announced on Wednesday that they’ll be beefing up efforts to enforce the state’s seat belt law in the coming weeks.VPR News
Hazen Union Teachers’ Strike Averted
|
Negotiators have reached agreement on a new contract for teachers at Hazen Union High School in Hardwick. The agreement came at 1:30 a.m., after 17 months of bargaining and only hours before teachers were to go on strike.Commentary Series
FDA, Botox and Making Faces
|
Commenatator Cheryl Hanna has been examining the FDA’s limited power in regulating drug companies.Commentary Series
Reunion at the Colmubia Journalism School
|
Recently commentator Madeleine Kunin went to her forty-fifth reunion at Columbia Graduate School of Journalism. As the luncheon speaker, she reminisced about how life was in 1957 for a new young reporter.VPR News
House, Senate Divided on Act 60 Sharing Pool
|
House and Senate leaders say they’re hopeful that they’ll be able to reach a compromise on an Act 60 reform bill but it’s clear that disagreements over the future of the sharing pool will be the major issue of dispute between the two chambers.VPR News
Widow Asks for Police Documents in Shooting Death
|
The widow of a Burlington man killed by police last fall wants the state to release documents from its internal investigation of the incident. State and local police shot Eilisei Borlovan last September after he reportedly refused orders to drop a weapon.VPR News
Senate Committee Modifies Misdemeanor Arrest Bill
|
The Senate late Tuesday afternoon gave its approval to legislation that expands the number of crimes that an individual can be arrested for without a warrant. But the bill does not go nearly as far as a proposal passed by the House several months ago.VPR News
Vermont Jazz Center’s Weekly Jam Session
|
Jazz has evolved in part through an institution known as the jam session, in which musicians gather to improvise and play. That tradition is still thriving at the Vermont Jazz Center in Brattleboro, where musicians and fans come together every Wednesday for the weekly jazz jam.VPR News
Vermonters Show Interest in Botox
|
Last month, the federal government approved the marketing of Botox as a treatment for wrinkles and frown lines, and the drug’s popularity has skyrocketed. VPR’s Steve Zind set out to discover whether there’s an increased interest in Botox in Vermont.VPR News
CVPS Will Cap Rates for Four Years
|
Central Vermont Public Service, the state’s largest electric utility, says it wants to avoid rate increases for the next four years. Some critics say the utility should be offering rate cuts.VPR News
Growing the Non-Toxic Lawn
|
Commentator Henry Homeyer observes that the lawn care season is upon us, and he offers some of his favorite tips for keeping your lawn green and healthy.VPR News
Interview: Ryegate Considers Buying Paper Mill
|
This evening, the residents of Ryegate, VT will gather to look a gift horse in the mouth. The town has been offered ownership of a closed paper mill and 25 acres of land for next to nothing. But there is a catch or two. VPR’s Steve Delaney interviews Andy Smith, who is chairman of the Ryegate Selectboard and will preside over tonight’s meeting.VPR News
State Revenues Falling Short by $25 Million
|
Administration Secretary Kathy Hoyt says it’s likely that the state will need to take roughly $25 million from its rainy day fund to balance this year’s budget.VPR News
Ben & Jerry’s to Close Two Plants
|
Ben and Jerry’s has announced it will close two Vermont manufacturing plants. The ice cream maker announced Monday that it will shut down facilities in Springfield and Bellows Falls. The move will affect about 120 workers.VPR News
Lambert Steps Down From Commerce Agency
|
Vermont Commerce Secretary Molly Lambert will resign from her post July 1 to serve as the new president of the Vermont Captive Insurance Association. Lambert says that as the Dean administration winds down it’s final year, the time is right to move on.VPR News
Senate Gives Preliminary Approval to Budget
|
With very little debate, the Senate yesterday afternoon gave its preliminary approval to the state budget for the year. The vote on the bill was 19 to 8. The proposal increases state spending by roughly 5%.Commentary Series
The New Victims of the Scandal
|
Commentator Peg Devlyn sees a second layer of victims emerging in the Catholic Church’s child abuse scandal.VPR News
Vermont Yankee Buyers May Boost Power Output
|
A Louisiana company wants to squeeze more life out of an aging Vermont nuclear power plant. But an anti-nuclear group says that before the Entergy Corporation can crank more power out of Vermont Yankee, it first needs permission from the Vermont Legislature.Commentary Series
Act 60 Reform
|
Commentator Allen Gilbert thinks that the Act 60 reform bill that recently passed in the House benefits the few at the expense of the many.Commentary Series
The Bible Tells Me So
|
Part of the problem with being a fiction writer is that when you experience something unbelievable but true, everyone thinks you’re lying. Commentator Philip Baruth knows this all too well.VPR News
School’s Compost Squad Celebrates Green-up Day
|
Saturday is Green-up Day and volunteers are out in force to clean up the Vermont countryside. This year, a group of third- and fourth-graders at Williston’s Allen Brook School have been working on a unique green-up project.VPR News
Shanley Accused of Child Sexual Abuse in Vermont
|
In the early 1970s former priest Paul Shanley, who is at the center of the child sexual abuse scandal in Boston, was the leader of a retreat in Weston. At least one of Shanley’s accusers alleges that he was abused in Vermont.VPR News
House, Senate Unreconciled on Cigarette Tax
|
House and Senate negotiators will begin work next week over the size of a proposed increase in the state cigarette tax. The issue is directly linked to the future of the state’s drug assistance program for Medicaid recipients.VPR News
Interview: Role of Primaries in Vermont Politics
|
Steve Delaney interviews attorney Paul Gillies on the purpose of primary elections. Gillies is the former deputy secretary of state.VPR News
Senate, House, Governor Disagree on Medicinal Marijuana
|
Confusion surrounds legislation that would allow people with chronic illnesses to use marijuana for pain relief. A group of Senate leaders has drafted a compromise that they say Governor Howard Dean will support but Dean says he is not ready to take that step.VPR News
Woodworkers Attempt to Re-open Ethan Allen Shop
|
The Ethan Allen furniture company laid off more than 200 people this week at two plants in Vermont. Yet despite the bad news, some of the company’s former workers hope to re-open a manufacturing plant in Island Pond.VPR News
New Commission to Review Domestic Violence Fatalities
|
Dean signed into law a measure that will review all domestic violence fatalities in Vermont. In the past 11 years, 53% of all homicides in the state were related to cases of domestic violence.VPR News
Dean Defends Schedule Privacy
|
Governor Howard Dean says he’s appealing a lower court decision that calls on the governor to make his entire daily schedule available to the public. Several newspapers claim that the details of the governor’s schedule should be released under Vermont’s Right to Know law.VPR News
General Dynamics Expansion May Create Vermont Jobs
|
General Dynamics, which operates a weapons manufacturing plant in Burlington, has bought a Georgia company that makes products found on many U.S. fighter jets and helicopters.Commentary Series
The French Elections
|
Commentator Olin Robison has been following the roll of race in the current French elections.Commentary Series
The Ghosts of Spring
|
Commentator Alan Boye took a walk recently that spooked him – just a bit.VPR News
Interview: Employment Trends in Vermont
|
Steve Delaney interviews Molly Lambert, secretary of the Agency on Commerce and Community Development. Lambert discusses recent factory closings in Vermont and growth areas that are offsetting those layoffs.VPR News
Critics Compare Vermont Yankee Sale with Seabrook
|
Vermont utilities say that they got a good deal when they sold the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant, despite the higher price to be paid for the Seabrook reactor in New Hampshire.VPR News
Barak Discusses Middle East Crisis in NH Address
|
Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak was in Hanover, New Hampshire Wednesday. Barak met with students and delivered an afternoon address. Barak says he’s not optimistic that the situation in the Middle East will improve in the short term.VPR News
Senate Passes Tax Bill
|
The Vermont Senate last night voted 18 to 11 to approve legislation that makes changes to the state’s income tax system. As part of the debate, the Senate also supported a plan to raise the state cigarette tax by 67 cents a pack, after rejecting a proposal to increase it by $1.06.Commentary Series
The Old Gaol
|
Commentator Joe Citro has been ghost hunting in an old New England “gaol.”Commentary Series
April in Vermont
|
As May begins, Commentator Tom Slayton joins us with some thoughts on the strange and varied weather we experienced this past April.VPR News
Faculty, Administration Differ on UVM’s Finances
|
A study sponsored by the faculty union at the University of Vermont contends UVM is in sound financial condition. The conclusions contradict the University’s claims of serious budget problems. The study is intended to bolster the union position that UVM has the money to increase faculty salaries.VPR News
Senate Passes Compromise Stormwater Legislation
|
The Senate has unanimously passed a bill to regulate stormwater pollution. The measure approved Tuesday represents a compromise that was reached last week between business and environmental groups.VPR News
Senate Seeks to Keep Flyer, Prevent Highway Ads
|
The Senate has rejected a House plan to place new business signs along the Interstate. In passing its transportation bill, the Senate also restored state funds for the Champlain Flyer commuter rail project in Chittenden County.VPR News
Perpetual Leases Approved for Camps on Champion Land
|
The Vermont House has decided to give a perpetual lease to the people who own camps on the state’s portion of the former Champion Lands. That’s a big change from legislation approved in 1999 which allows camp owners to keep their leases for their lifetime plus 20 years.Commentary Series
Granite and Wildflowers
|
In Vermont, the natural world often meets the literary world. Commentator Jules Older has found the meeting place. In this case, the meeting places.Commentary Series
Quake
|
Commentator David Moats rather enjoyed the earthquake that recently shook the region, but he’s glad it wasn’t any stronger. (Listen to the commentary online.)VPR News
Interview: Fletcher Allen Psychiatric Treatment Center
|
Steve Delaney talks with Senior Vice President Dave DeMers of Fletcher Allen on the hospital’s plan to move the psychiatric unit to the former Fanny Allen Hospital campus. (Listen to the interview online.)VPR News
Families Sue Milton over Radon in Drinking Water
|
Two families in Milton have discovered that their drinking water is contaminated with radon and other dangerous elements. They recently sued their town and the local real estate agents who sold them the property. The families claim that town officials and the real estate agents should have known that the water was dangerous.VPR News
Bankruptcy Court May Consider Springfield’s Interests
|
This is a critical week for efforts to save hundreds of jobs in Springfield. A bankruptcy court in Delaware is set to rule on whether to expedite the sale of equipment owned by the Goldman Industrial Group. The ruling could pave the way for a company in the Midwest to dismantle much of what remains of Springfield’s machine took industry.VPR News
Senate Finalizes Reapportionment Plan
|
The Senate on Monday afternoon gave its final approval to a new reapportionment plan. The vote on the measure was 21 to 8. Most of the Democrats supported the bill while the Republican caucus was evenly split on the legislation.VPR News
Elderly Lobby for Lower Drug Prices
|
A coalition of Vermont elderly groups is launching a media campaign to rally support for legislation that is designed to lower the cost of many prescription drugs.Commentary Series
Terror in National Parks
|
Commentator Ruth Page has some thoughts on the personal safety of rangers and other staff at national parks.Commentary Series
Israeli-Palestinian War
|
Commentator Ellen David Friedman has been trying to understand events in the Middle East without much success – until recently – when she read an article that she found to be helpful.VPR News
Vermont Survivors Reflect on September 11
|
In the days following the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center, Vermont Public Radio reporters spoke with several Vermonters who were directly affected by these acts of terrorism. Recently, reporter Beth Schmidt talked with four of these individuals again to see how they’re doing.VPR News
Equinox Hotel Restructures Preservation Trust
|
The Equinox Resort in Manchester and the Vermont Institute for Natural Science are working on an expanded partnership. But some conservationists worry that the educational and research programs of the Preservation Trust could be jeopardized by the restructuring and the loss of its director.Commentary Series
Pearl Buck and the Cycle of War
|
Commentator Lois Eby says that recent events have reminded her of writer Pearl Buck’s experiences in China at the beginning of the twentieth century.Commentary Series
How Colorado Put the Brakes on High Taxes
|
Commentator John McClaughry says that some interesting new innovations in tax policy are being pioneered out west.VPR News
Vermont House Passes Bill for Highway Advertising
|
After several hours of debate, the Vermont House on this afternoon voted in favor of a plan to allow new signs near interstate exits that would advertise nearby food, gas and lodging businesses.VPR News
State Takes Action Against Gilman Paper Mill
|
The state is taking action against the owners of a Gilman, Vermont paper mill. The Vermont Department of Labor and Industry on Friday ordered the American Paper Company to pay employees back wages.VPR News
Congress Agrees to Dairy Price Supports in Farm Bill
|
House and Senate negotiators in Washington are set to give their approval a new farm bill that includes a key support program for dairy farmers.VPR News
Interview: Jeffords on Air Pollution
|
Steve Delaney interviews Senator James Jeffords on the president’s “Clean Skies” pollution abatement program, announced earlier this week. Jeffords is critical of the president’s proposal. (Listen to the interview online.)VPR News
Floor Debates and the Creation of New Law
|
As the legislative session nears an end, lawmakers are debating the bills that have been hammered out in the past few months. The debates can consume hours of lawmakers’ time. VPR’s Steve Zind looks at the role of the floor debate in the legislative process.VPR News
Bill Pays for Road Projects, Allows More Highway Signs
|
The House late Thursday gave its preliminary approval to next year’s transportation bill. The legislation contains a controversial provision that authorizes new business information signs on the Interstate.VPR News
Racine Signs Pay Equity Bill into Law
|
Lieutenant Governor Douglas Racine signed the “equal pay for equal work” bill into law Thursday. The legislation requires employers to give the same salary to a woman that it offers to a man for comparable work.VPR News
Douglas Announces Plan to Reduce Illicit Drug Use
|
Republican gubernatorial candidate Jim Douglas proposed a three-point program Thursday that Douglas says will help reduce the state’s growing drug problem.Commentary Series
The Only Thing to Fear
|
Student testing and school choice are back in the news and commentator Jeff Wennberg advises us not to be afraid.Commentary Series
A Daughter Comes Home
|
Commentator Willem Lange was beginning to feel like an old apple tree. Then one of his kids came home to Vermont, and that has made all the difference.VPR News
Present at the Creation
|
Each week NPR’s Morning Edition explores an icon of American Culture… from the story of the claymation cartoon “Gumby” to the origin of the phrase “OK.”VPR News
Researcher Connects Forgiveness and Health
|
Getting over the hurt isn’t easy, but recent studies have shown that people who learn how to forgive say they feel better. A scientist in Burlington hopes to take those findings one-step further, and show that forgiving actually causes a physical response in the body as well.VPR News
Legislature Takes Up Animal Cruelty Bill
|
The Senate gave its preliminary approval Wednesday to a bill that would crack down on cruelty to animals. The bill is designed to make it easier for law enforcement officials to take action when a pet is abused.VPR News
House Creates New Districts, Senate Unchanged
|
House and Senate negotiators will agree on a new reapportionment plan for both the House and the Senate on Thursday. While the House map contains some new districts, it’s likely that the Senate proposal will be very similar to the existing boundary lines for Senate districts.VPR News
Legislature Considers Drug Court for Juvenile Offenders
|
The Senate has given its strong preliminary approval to legislation that sponsors hope will lead to the creation of a regional drug court in the state.Commentary Series
Overseas Press Corps vs. Donald Rumsfeld
|
Commentator Bill Seamans says that there’s growing concern over the military’s control of the media’s efforts to cover the war on terror.Commentary Series
Poem: “Anthropology”
|
Vermont Poet Laureate Ellen Bryant Voigt lost one of her large, hairy dogs this winter, but his sister is still patrolling the dooryard. Both dogs are reflected in the following poem, taken from her book, SHADOW OF HEAVEN, published by W. W. Norton.VPR News
Interview: Planets in Alignment
|
Steve Delaney interviews astronomer Frank Pakulski on the upcoming alignment of Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. (Listen to the interview online.)VPR News
Parties Compromise on New House Districts
|
It appears that the Vermont House and Senate leaders have reached an agreement concerning a new reapportionment plan for the House. The details of the compromise are to be released later today.VPR News
Battlefield Preserves Vermont’s Civil War History
|
A civil war battlefield where more than twelve hundred Vermonters fell has been saved from development. The National Park Service will spend just over six million dollars to protect the Wilderness battle site near Fredricksburg, Virginia. Vermont Civil War enthusiasts say preserving the site has been their top priority for years.VPR News
House Supports More Staff for Environmental Court
|
The Vermont House has given its strong preliminary approval to legislation that sponsors hope will increase the productivity of the state’s Environment Court.VPR News
Hartford School Support Staff Negotiate New Contract
|
Members of the Hartford school support staff delivered a petition to the Hartford School Board yesterday. The petition urges that the union contract currently being negotiated include livable wages and affordable health insurance.Commentary Series
Charter Schools
|
How do we improve our schools? Commentator Madeleine Kunin has some thoughts on the potential of charter schools.Commentary Series
The Education of Springfield
|
Amid factory closings, commentator Timothy McQuiston sees hope in Springfield’s future.VPR News
Interview: Moose on the Roads
|
Steve Delaney interviews Cedric Alexander, a moose biologist at the Department Fish and Wildlife. Alexander discusses the balance between moose and people. (Listen to the interview online.)VPR News
Garelick Farms Moves Half of Operations to New York
|
The former Fairdale Farms dairy plant in Bennington will be closing in June. The company, now known as Garelick Farms of Vermont, will transfer roughly half of its 125 employees to its facility in East Greenbush, N.Y.VPR News
Abenaki Video Brings Native Culture to Classrooms
|
A new video, produced by the Vermont Folklife Center and an Abenaki advisory group, aims to help Vermont educators teach about the state’s native culture.VPR News
Senate Unlikely to Take Up School Choice
|
It appears that the issue of school choice is dead for the session. The House passed a new plan last week but Senate President Pro Tempore Peter Shumlin says the proposal is flawed. And Shumlin says the Senate doesn’t have the time to address the legislation this year.VPR News
Gilman Millworkers Go Without Paychecks
|
After months of struggling to keep operating, a Gilman Vermont paper plant has closed at least temporarily. Union officials say negotiations are underway between the plants owners and operators and the facility could reopen as early as midweek.Commentary Series
Medicaid Prescription Drug Coverage
|
Today, commentator Peg Devlyn has an urgent message for lawmakers regarding Medicaid.Commentary Series
I Took My Troubles Down to Madame Ruth
|
For commentator Philip Baruth, there are some problems that are too great for your run-of-the-mill doctors and priests and therapists. Some problems require someone with access to the deeper truths. Philip has reached that point with George W. Bush.VPR News
Omya, Critics Deadlock on Expansion Plans
|
Omya Incorporated is an industrial giant. It makes crushed calcium carbonate from marble. The product is used in everything from chewing gum, to paint, to glossy paper. The company operates in 30 countries and it would like to expand here in Vermont. The expansion plans have run into opposition in Rutland County.VPR News
Chorus of the Peepers
|
An unseasonable heat wave has brought the sounds of spring to Vermont earlier than usual. Millions of tiny tree frogs have expanded their vocal sacs in hope of finding a mate. It’s the chorus of the peepers.VPR News
Circ Highway Receives Stormwater Permit
|
The Circumferential Highway in Chittenden County now has gained a key pollution permit. The state Agency of Natural Resources granted a stormwater permit that requires the Transportation Agency to manage the runoff from a new, four-mile section of road in Williston.Commentary Series
Earth Day: Rejoicing in the Unseen
|
Do we need to see the Earth’s wonders in order to appreciate them? Commentator Ruth Page thinks not.Commentary Series
Journalists’ Rights
|
Commentator Allen Gilbert assesses the dispute between Vermont Public Television, columnist Peter Freyne and the House leadership.VPR News
“The Year That Trembled”
|
Vermont filmmaker Jay Craven has turned to a pivotal moment in the 1960s. It’s a period that Craven feels has special relevance in today’s political climate.VPR News
“Moderate” Earthquake rumbles through Northeast
|
Saturday morning at 6:51 an earthquake shook the Northeast for about 30 seconds. The National Earthquake Information Center reports that the earthquake magnitude was 5.1 on the Richter scale, centered 15 miles Southwest of Plattsburgh, NY.VPR News
“Raging Grannies” Head to Washington, D.C.
|
About two hundred activists from Vermont are in Washington this weekend. They’ll join thousands of others taking part in marches and rallies to highlight a variety of concerns. One small but unusual group of protesters took the train yesterday.VPR News
House Passes Act 60 Reform Bill
|
After a full day of debate, the House late Friday afternoon gave its approval to legislation that makes some key changes to Act 60, the state’s education funding law. The final vote of 75 to 61 was largely along party lines. Most Republicans voted for the bill, most Democrats voted against it.VPR News
UVM Seeks to Limit “420” with Alternative Celebration
|
The University of Vermont will stage a rock concert tomorrow as part of a three-day spring celebration. The event is designed to replace an annual protest of marijuana laws that brought thousands to campus to smoke pot in public.VPR News
Vermont Experts Discuss Middle East Crisis
|
It will be difficult to break the cycle of escalating violence in the Middle East because of deepening mistrust between Israelis and Palestinians. That was the message last night on VPR’s Switchboard program.VPR News
House Passes Medicaid Changes
|
The Vermont House approved changes to the state’s Medicaid program after an all-day debate Thursday, with the final decision coming by voice vote last night. Governor Howard Dean says he supports many of the cuts in the state’s drug assistance program that are backed by House Republican leaders.VPR News
Waitsfield Shooting Not an Accident
|
Vermont State Police have determined that last week’s shooting death of a Montpelier man was not an accident. Two people were seen near the American Flatbread Pizza in Waitsfield last Friday afternoon at about 2:10 p.m.Commentary Series
If it isn’t written…
|
Commentator Willem Lange has always found it difficult to balance the responsibilities of a husband and homeowner with the more important demands of hunting and fishing.VPR News
ANR Releases Stormwater Permit Plans
|
The Dean administration has announced several proposals that are designed to improve the quality of water in the state’s rivers, lakes and streams. The plans detail all of the stormwater discharge permits that the state has issued in each watershed region.Commentary Series
The Curious Events in Venezuela
|
Commentator Olin Robison says that the U.S. erred in it’s response to the recent coup in Venezuela.Commentary Series
Life and Times of Abby Hemenway
|
Commentator Tom Slayton reflects on the life of Abby Hemenway, and the early Vermont history that she documented.Commentary Series
Las Vegas
|
When commentator Jules Older leaves home, he likes to really leave home. Here’s his report from Sin City – Lost Wages, Nevada.VPR News
Vermont Jews Respond to Mideast Turmoil
|
About 200 members of the Chittenden County Jewish community gathered Wednesday evening to express support for the Israeli government’s military actions in response to terrorist attacks. Speakers called upon Jews to set aside political disagreements and speak out against what they see as a rising tide of anti-Semitism.VPR News
Yankee Will Retain Union Workers, Release Documents
|
The company that wants to buy the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant has agreed not to lay off any unionized workers over the next several years. Utilities involved in the sale also agreed to release some of the previously confidential documents in the case.VPR News
House Gives Preliminary Approval to Medicaid Changes
|
After more than five hours of debate, the Vermont House Wednesday gave its preliminary approval to a Medicaid reform bill. The vote on the bill was 80 to 64. During its debate, the House rejected a plan to restore some budget cuts by raising the cigarette tax by 67 cents.VPR News
UVM Receives Forest Research Appropriation
|
The University of Vermont’s School of Natural Resources has received a one million dollar appropriation for research in the 26-million acre Northern Forest. The research will focus on forest management and land stewardship in the Northern Forest, an area that stretches from eastern Maine through New Hampshire and Vermont to northern New York.VPR News
Patriots Bring Lombardi Trophy to Vermont
|
Several thousand Vermonters jammed the steps of the Statehouse Wednesday to celebrate the Super Bowl victory of the New England Patriots.VPR News
Students Clean Up Cigarettes at North Beach
|
Saint Michael’s College senior has been working with a group of high school students to demonstrate that cigarettes aren’t just bad for your health, they’re also bad for the environment.VPR News
Springfield Votes on New Recreation Center
|
A group of Springfield residents wants voters to choose between five proposals for a new town recreational center. Money for the project came from the state in exchange for hosting the state’s newest prison.Commentary Series
Private Schools: Contributers to the Common Good
|
Commentator Libby Sternberg reflects on private schools and their place in the community.Commentary Series
C & S Leaving Vermont
|
Commentator Timothy McQuiston considers the role that income taxes played in C & S Wholesale Grocer’s decision to relocate to Keene, NH.VPR News
Racine Undecided on Yankee Sale
|
Lieutenant Governor Doug Racine says he has yet to be convinced that it is a good idea to sell the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant to an out of state energy company.VPR News
House Gives Preliminary Approval to School Choice
|
The Vermont House last night gave its preliminary approval to school choice legislation. After more than three hours of debate, the House supported the plan by a vote of 69 to 64.VPR News
Interview with Tom Debevoise
|
Under the provisions of a bill given preliminary approval by the Vermont House Tuesday, a student could move to any school in Vermont and his or her state education money would transfer as well.VPR News
Negotiations on Dairy Bill Shrink Benefits to Farmers
|
Negotiations are under way in Congress on a subsidy program to help dairy farmers in Vermont and around the country. The subsidy plan is meant to replace the Northeast Dairy Compact that expired last fall. But not everyone is satisfied with the concessions made in the negotiations.VPR News
Seniors Gather at Statehouse to Protest Medicaid Cuts
|
Several hundred older Vermonters came to the Statehouse on Tuesday to urge lawmakers not to make cuts in the state’s pharmaceutical assistance program. They called on the Legislature to increase the state cigarette tax by at least 67 cents as a way to finance their plan.VPR News
House Approves Changes to Medical Practice Board
|
The Vermont House on Tuesday afternoon gave its approval to legislation that makes major changes in the way that doctors are regulated in the state.VPR News
Legislature Hears Home Schooling Testimony
|
Home schoolers are expected to turn out in force for a public hearing tonight.VPR News
Heating Costs Way Down During Warm Winter
|
A state survey finds that Vermonters spent about 30% less for heat this winter than was the case the year before.VPR News
Vermont Yankee Supports Federal Yucca Mountain Program
|
A coalition of organizations opposed to the shipment of nuclear waste is taking its lobbying efforts to Vermont’s airwaves.VPR News
Potassium Iodide Demand Lower than Expected
|
The state has started distributing potassium iodide pills to people living near the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant, but so far there’s been little demand for the tablets.VPR News
Sanders Pushes for Increase in Veterans’ Health Care
|
A number of Vermont veterans’ organizations are supporting Congressman Bernie Sanders’ plan to increase health care funding for veterans.Commentary Series
It’s not Too Late to Plant Tomatoes
|
Commentator Henry Homeyer says that if you haven’t already started tomato seedlings, it’s not too late. And even if you’ve never done it before, it’s not too hard.Commentary Series
Cigarettes
|
Commentator David Moats wonders why the Legislature is reluctant to raise the cigarette tax.VPR News
Interview with Paul Gillies
|
Steve Delaney and Paul Gillies discuss possible outcomes of a reapportionment stalemate in the Legislature. Gillies is lawyer and former deputy secretary of state.VPR News
Lobbyists’ Spending Reports Issued
|
Vermont’s legislative session has entered its fourth month and work for the dozens of lobbyists has become more intense. The most recent lobbyist spending reports show that business groups and the state’s largest health insurance company are the top spenders this year.VPR News
Kingdom May Lose Senate Seat in Reapportionment
|
The Vermont Senate this week is expected to consider a new reapportionment plan for itself. It appears unlikely that the Senate is going to back a proposal that would shift one senator from the northeast kingdom to the northwestern part of the state.VPR News
Police Shoot Pittsford Man After Domestic Assault Call
|
A Pittsford man remains hospitalized after being shot by a Vermont state police officer yesterday. State troopers were responding to a domestic dispute when the shooting occurred just off Route 7 in Pittsford.VPR News
Police Investigate Shooting Death in Waitsfield
|
Authorities have determined that a Montpelier man found dead in Waitsfield last Friday was shot to death. Twenty-four year old Declan Lyons of Montpelier was killed while working at the American Flatbread Company.VPR News
Auditor’s Criticism Starts Party Skirmish
|
Republicans are crying foul over a state audit that says Vermont Treasurer James Douglas has failed to balance the state’s books on time. They say the report is politically motivated, since Douglas is now running for governor. But Auditor Elizabeth Ready, a Democrat, says the same criticism was contained in three previous reports.VPR News
Kinsey Will Run for Vermont House as a Democrat
|
Robert Kinsey of Craftsbury served in the Vermont House for 30 years. A lifelong Republican, Kinsey lost his seat in the last election because of opposition to his vote in favor of civil unions.VPR News
House Strongly Endorses Medical Malpractice Bill
|
The Vermont House gave its strong approval Friday to legislation that is designed to make doctors more accountable to the public.Commentary Series
A House Full of Books
|
Commentator Edith Hunter feels right at home in a library. In fact, both her life and her house have been filled with books.Commentary Series
Duty to Live
|
Commentator Cheryl Hanna has been following a legal case that raises some profound questions about life and death, rights and obligations.VPR News
Warren Family Disputes USDA Findings on Seized Sheep
|
The Warren family whose sheep were seized and destroyed by the federal government were paid for their loss this week. But their lawyer says the government has so far failed to prove that the animals were infected with mad cow disease.VPR News
State, Diocese Disagree on Information to Disclose
|
The Burlington Diocese attorney says the diocese is giving the state information that is pertinent to cases that could still be prosecuted under the law. But the Vermont attorney general has said he’s disappointed that the church is not providing more information about sexual abuse allegations.VPR News
Senate Approves Bioterrorism Bill
|
The Vermont Senate has strongly approved legislation that makes it a crime to use weapons of mass destruction in an act of terrorism in the state.VPR News
Sorrell Receives No Information from Diocese
|
Vermont Attorney General William Sorrell has come away empty handed from a meeting with the Catholic Diocese of Burlington.VPR News
Utilities, Opponents Debate Sale of Vermont Yankee
|
Utility companies contend the sale of Vermont Yankee will benefit Vermont ratepayers and free the utilities from the risks and costs of operating the plant. Opponents say the sale commits the utilities to continue to buy power from Vermont Yankee. They argue the power will be more expensive for ratepayers.VPR News
Interview with Janet Milne
|
Steve Delaney talks with Vermont Law School Professor Janet Milne about environmental taxation. VLS is hosting a conference Friday on how tax policy can compel environmentally sound behavior. (Listen to the interview online.)VPR News
Freyne, VPT Settle Controversy
|
A public debate over who can be a panelist on a television news show has come to an end. Vermont Public Television has reversed its decision to limit the appearances of one of the panelists on its program “Vermont This Week.”VPR News
USDA Says Two Seized Sheep Were Infected
|
The U.S. Department of Agriculture says two sheep from a Vermont flock have tested positive for a family of illnesses that includes mad cow disease. The test results were released more than a year after federal officials destroyed two flocks of sheep out of concern that the animals were infected with the fatal brain disorder.VPR News
Douglas Speaks Out Against Sterzbach
|
Republican gubernatorial candidate Jim Douglas says there’s no place in Vermont politics for the hate-filled message of the Reverend David Stertzbach. Douglas’ Democratic opponent, Doug Racine wonders why it’s taken Douglas two years to come to this conclusion.Commentary Series
The Oily Land
|
Commentator Bill Seamans thinks that our dependence on Middle Eastern oil is a serious threat to our national security.Commentary Series
Me and Clouseau
|
Commentator Willem Lange has been reflecting on his failure as a comedian, and has decided to leave the funny business to his idol, Inspector Clouseau of the Paris Sureté.VPR News
Welfare to Work: Dean interviewed on NPR
|
NPR’s Robert Siegel speaks with Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and Vermont Gov. Howard Dean about the Bush administration’s proposed changes in welfare rules. Both Huckabee and Dean have concerns.VPR News
Vermont Ranks 9th in Federal Pork Barreling
|
Vermont is among the top ten recipients of congressional pork barrel money according to a new report by a Washington-based group. Citizens Against Government Waste says the state ranks ninth in per capita federal spending on overly expensive or unnecessary projects.VPR News
State Will Likely Keep No-Photo Licenses
|
The Legislature is unlikely to pass legislation mandating that all drivers in the state have their photograph on their license. Motor Vehicles Commissioner Bonnie Rutledge says she’s disappointed by the lack of action.VPR News
Auditor Asks Nuclear Safety Panel to Meet
|
Vermont’s auditor says the state should convene an emergency meeting of the panel that oversees the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant. But another official who regulates utilities says there isn’t an emergency that would justify such a meeting.VPR News
Dean Opposes Bush’s Welfare Reform Proposal
|
Governor Howard Dean says he strongly opposes a plan by the Bush administration to make significant changes to the current welfare reform law.Commentary Series
“From Swastika to Jim Crow” a Documentary
|
Commentator Lois Eby recently saw a new documentary that tells the story of an unusual partnership between a handful of American colleges and Jewish teachers fleeing the holocaust.Commentary Series
How Mentors Are Helping Children
|
Commentator Peg Devlyn tells the story of how mentoring is an important key to a child’s success.VPR News
MAU Wrestler Loses Wrestling Title
|
VPR’s Steve Delaney interviews Rick Pembroke, Chairman of the Mount Anthony Union School District. Pembroke responds to the official report on a dangerous high school wrestling match. (Listen to the interview online.)VPR News
State, Abenaki Disagree on Federal Status
|
Supporters of an effort to have the federal government grant the Abenaki formal status as an Indian tribe say the protection of civil rights for the Abenaki is the chief reason they’re seeking federal recognition.VPR News
Sorrell Expects Full Report from Burlington Diocese
|
The number of sexual abuse allegations against Catholic priests in Vermont continues to climb, according to Attorney General William Sorrell. Sorrell expects the church to provide him with all the information it has on sexual misconduct by priests at a meeting later this week.VPR News
EPA Says Stormwater Bill Conflicts with Federal Law
|
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says a Vermont bill that is supposed to add clarity to the water pollution permit process will instead cause confusion and delay. The EPA’s comments came in response to stormwater legislation that has passed the House and is now pending in the Senate.VPR News
Reapportionment Debate Impacts Legislative Calendar
|
Legislative leaders say they must have an agreement on a new House reapportionment plan by this Friday if lawmakers want to adjourn by the second week of May. If the House and Senate cannot agree on a new proposal, it’s likely that the issue will have to be resolved by the courts.Commentary Series
Preparing to Explore Costa Rica with Kids
|
Commentator Ted Levin is going to spend spring break in Costa Rica with his two sons and a group of high school students. He says just getting ready for the trip is an adventure.Commentary Series
Legislative Politics and Health Care Spending
|
It’s only spring, but commentator Allen Gilbert thinks that this fall’s political campaigns are already underway.VPR News
Montreal Record Company Donates Proceeds to Red Cross
|
In recent months, a number of record companies have created benefit albums to help raise money for the victims of September 11. One Montreal-based company has quietly donated proceeds from their charity CD to a local chapter of the American Red Cross.VPR News
Dean Critical of Powerball and Act 60 Reform Plan
|
Governor Howard Dean says he won’t sign a school choice bill being considered in the House because it will hurt the quality of education at smaller schools throughout the state. Dean is also criticizing an Act 60 reform bill drafted by House Republican leaders.VPR News
Canadian Company Pays Fine for Vermont Label
|
A Canadian cheese company and its Vermont subsidiary will pay the state $56,000 to settle consumer fraud violations. The attorney general’s office says Fromage Cote of Warwick, Quebec labeled its Swiss-style cheese as a Vermont product when, in fact, it was made in Canada.VPR News
Burlington Collects Humanitarian Aid for Bethlehem
|
With Bethlehem under siege in the Mideast conflict, Burlington residents have raised more than $5,000 for humanitarian aid. Bethlehem is Burlington’s sister city in the West Bank.Commentary Series
Incentives for Compact Development Discourage Sprawl
|
Commentator Madeleine Kunin supports a bill that would encourage development in Vermont’s downtowns and discourge sprawl.Commentary Series
Environmental Impact on Phangnga Bay, Thailand
|
Commentator Ruth Page tells the story of an ecotourist’s good intentions going awry in the lost world of Phangnga Bay, Thailand.Commentary Series
Powerball: An Idea Whose Time Is Dumb
|
The Vermont Legislature is considering reforming Act 60 with a proposal to develop the Powerball lottery as a source for education funding. Commentator Philip Baruth has only one word for this idea: dumb.VPR News
NH Prison Deals With Tulloch and Parker
|
Robert Tulloch and James Parker are now in the hands of the New Hampshire Prison system. The two Vermont teenagers were sentenced last week for the murders of Dartmouth College professors Half and Susanne Zantop.VPR News
Church Community Tries to Heal After Shooting Report
|
A report this week by the Vermont attorney general on a police shooting in Brattleboro has closed the book on the criminal investigation. But the debate over the shooting lives on in the minds of the witnesses.VPR News
State Revenues Show Continued Weakness
|
Administration Secretary Kathy Hoyt says it’s very likely that the state will need to tap into its “rainy day” funds in order to balance this year’s budget. A new revenue report shows that receipts from the personal income tax and corporate taxes are weaker than projected.VPR News
House Committee Passes Property Tax Increase
|
The House Ways and Means Committee has voted to raise the statewide property tax by 28 cents. That would pay for changes to the Act 60 education funding law.Commentary Series
Powerball: An Idea Whose Time Is Dumb
|
The Vermont Legislature is considering reforming Act 60 with a proposal to develop the Powerball lottery as a source for education funding. Commentator Philip Baruth has only one word for this idea: dumb.Commentary Series
New Health Care Policy Consensus?
|
Commentator John McClaughry talks about health care policies and a new bipartisan health insurance tax credit proposal.VPR News
Tulloch Pleads Guilty, Sentenced to Life Without Parole
|
More than a year of legal proceedings came to a swift conclusion Thursday when Robert Tulloch and James Parker were sentenced for the murders of two Dartmouth College professors. The random killings of the popular professors and the arrests of the two Chelsea, Vermont teenagers last year were a shock to the twin-state region.VPR News
State Extends Deadline for Egg Farm Expansion Proposal
|
The state has allowed a Canadian company more time to come up with a waste management plan for its Franklin County egg farm. But the expansion was dealt a setback last month, when a Burlington agricultural foundation said it wouldn’t accept manure from the new barn.VPR News
State Announces Economic Program for Springfield, NEK
|
The Dean administration unveiled a new proposal Thursday that is designed to stimulate economic development in Springfield and the Northeast KingdomVPR News
Constitutional Amendment Removes on Judges’ Age Limit
|
The Vermont House has given its strong approval to a proposed constitutional amendment concerning the retirement age for judges.VPR News
Effort to Bar Out-of-State Residents From Voting Fails
|
A group of House Republicans tried to make it much more difficult Thursday for out-of-state college students to vote in Vermont.VPR News
State Distributes Anti-Radiation Pills Near VT Yankee
|
The Vermont Health Department is getting ready to distribute potassium iodide tablets to people near the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant. The distribution will begin April 15.Commentary Series
In Search of Ancient Vermonters
|
Commentator Alan Boye recently visited an spot where ancient Vermonters once camped – four to five thousand years ago.Commentary Series
Has American leadership failed in the Middle East?
|
Commentator Olin Robison talks to us from Salzburg, Austria about European reaction to the tragedy in Israel.VPR News
Guardsman Reporting for Border Duty Arrested for DUI
|
A Vermont National Guardsman has been relieved from active duty after he was stopped for drunk driving on his way to work on the U.S. Canadian border. Authorities say the soldier had two loaded weapons in his vehicle.VPR News
House Likely to Undo Core Ecological Reserve
|
The House late Wednesday afternoon gave its preliminary approval to legislation that eliminates the state’s plan to create a core ecological reserve as part of the Champion land deal.VPR News
Senate Bill Would Raise License and Registration Fees
|
The Senate on Wednesday afternoon gave its preliminary approval to legislation that increases dozens of motor vehicle fees in order to raise almost ten million dollars for a variety of local road and bridge repair projects.VPR News
Water Board Dismisses Group’s Standing in Omya Case
|
A state appeals board has ruled that a citizens group does not have the legal right to challenge a pollution permit issued to Omya Incorporated. Omya produces calcium carbonate at its plant in Pittsford.VPR News
Muellers Consider Legal Actions Against ASC
|
The owners of Okemo Mountain Ski Area are back in Vermont after meeting with lawyers and investors in Colorado. Tim and Diane Mueller are considering their next move now that plans to buy the Steamboat Springs Ski Area have fallen through.Commentary Series
Two Views on Campaign Finance Reform
|
Commentators Jeff Wennberg and Rick Hubbard offer Two Views of recent developments in Campaign Finance Reform. Here’s Jeff Wennberg.Commentary Series
Dowsing
|
Commentator Joe Citro recently tried his hand at “dowsing.” Here he is to tell us about how it went.VPR News
Interview with Cheryl Hanna
|
Steve Delaney and Vermont Law School professor Cheryl Hanna discuss the difference between “guilty and “no contest” pleas in the Dartmouth murder cases. (Listen to the interview online.)VPR News
Sorrell Clears Brattleboro Police in Fatal Shooting
|
Attorney General William Sorrell has concluded that two Brattleboro police officers were legally justified when they shot a distraught man in a church last December. Thirty seven year old Robert Woodward died several hours after the shooting.VPR News
Bioterrorism Bill Passes with Amendments
|
The Senate Judiciary Committee has given its unanimous approval to a new terrorism bill. But the legislation has been scaled back to meet the concerns of civil libertarians.VPR News
House Committee Reviews School Choice Bill
|
Supporters of an expanded school choice bill say they hope to bring the legislation to the House floor for a vote in the very near future. The proposal would allow students to go to any public school in the state.VPR News
Senate Defeats Body Piercing Bill
|
The Vermont Senate has defeated legislation that would require that a person be 18 years old before they could have any part of their body pierced.Commentary Series
A Reluctant Olympic Volunteer, Converted
|
Commentator John Morton wasn’t sure he wanted to volunteer for the recent Winter Olympics – but he’s glad he did.Commentary Series
Frog Run
|
The close of the maple-sugaring season is approaching and commentator Tom Slayton is here with a review of John Elder’s book on the topic.VPR News
Tulloch Will Change Plea in Dartmouth Murder Cases
|
Robert Tulloch plans to change his plea of innocent by reason of insanity in the murders of two Dartmouth professors. Tulloch is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the January 2001 stabbing deaths of Half and Susanne Zantop in their Hanover home. He’s expected to plead either guilty or no contest to the crimes.VPR News
GOP Caucus Seeks Consensus on Act 60 Reforms
|
This could be a key week concerning efforts by House Republicans to make changes to Act 60. Finding consensus in the GOP caucus for any major change is proving to be a difficult task.VPR News
New Foodbank Program Increases Food Distribution
|
In 1999, the Vermont Foodbank lost part of it’s main facility when the building roof collapsed. Now with a new building and a new program, the Foodbank is ready to put healthier, fresher food on the table.VPR News
Vermonters Memorialize Britain’s Queen Mum
|
England’s Queen Mother died Saturday at the age of one hundred and one. Her passing did not go unnoticed among Vermonters with ties to England.VPR News
Angell, Priests Reflect on Abuse Cases
|
In his Easter homily, Vermont Bishop Kenneth Angell addressed the sexual abuse scandal that has gripped the Catholic Church. Angell apologized for the conduct of some priests and asked Catholics not to despair.VPR News
Coalition Calls for Lower Electric Rates
|
A consumer group says utilities should lower their rates after they sell the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant. The Vermont Electricity Consumers Coalition represents business and residential customers.VPR News
Sanders Calls for Federal Support for Childcare
|
Congressman Bernie Sanders is calling on Congress to allocate more money in next year’s budget for childcare programs. Sanders says he is very concerned that the Bush administration wants to level fund the federal childcare block grant for the next five years.Commentary Series
History
|
Commentator David Moats reflects on a lifetime of reading books about American History – and the people who made it.Commentary Series
Transfat
|
What’s the difference between saturated and unsaturated fats? What are trans fats? Commentator Ruth Page explains.VPR News
Blue Cross/Blue Shield Seeks for-Profit Status
|
The non-profit Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Vermont wants to create a for-profit subsidiary that can sell stock. The proposal has triggered a debate about whether Blue Cross/Blue Shield will abandon its longtime role as a health insurance safety net for all Vermonters.VPR News
House Passes Budget, Upholds Program Cuts
|
The House on Friday afternoon gave its final approval to next year’s budget bill. House members easily defeated several efforts to restore funds for several programs.VPR News
Advocates Ask Legislature for Drug Treatment Programs
|
Recovering substance abusers and their advocates came to the Statehouse today to urge lawmakers to create more treatment and recovery programs for addicts.Commentary Series
Two Views: Cuts and the Governor’s Commission on Women
|
Commentators Libby Sternberg and Cheryl Hanna offer Two Views of the recent debate in Montpelier concerning budget cuts and the Governor’s Commission on Women.Commentary Series
Whidbey Island
|
Commentator Jules Older found an island paradise – for writers. And once he got there, he found something that excited him even more.VPR News
State Worries Arthur Andersen May Not Fulfill Contract
|
Vermont has a multi-million dollar contract with Arthur Andersen accounting and consulting firm. Vermont used Andersen computer consultants for an expensive computer upgrade. The system still is not working right, and state officials are now worried that Andersen’s recent troubles may affect its ability to complete its Vermont contracts.VPR News
Surprise Reapportionment Amendment Dies in Senate
|
The Senate on Thursday afternoon gave its final approval to a new House reapportionment map. But there were some surprises during the Senate’s debate over this issue.VPR News
Task Force Says Drought is Serious, Not Critical
|
Vermont’s Drought Task Force met Thursday to go over the latest information on the impact of a yearlong spell of dry weather. There are currently 35,000 people in Vermont affected by water outages and shortages due to the drought.VPR News
Senate Sees Renewable Energy as Growth Industry
|
The Senate on Thursday afternoon gave its final approval to legislation that is designed to stimulate the state’s renewable energy industry.VPR News
House Upholds Cuts, Gives Initial Approval to Budget
|
The House late Thursday afternoon gave its preliminary approval to a proposed state budget for next year. During the first day of review, House members rejected several efforts to restore funds for various programs.Commentary Series
Easter and Passover
|
Commentator Olin Robison shares his thoughts on freedom of religion and the separation of church and state.Commentary Series
Mother and I in Burlington
|
Commentator Willem Lange visited the big city of Burlington recently, and was fascinated by all the interesting new people he met there.VPR News
American Skiing Backs Out of Steamboat Sale
|
News that the American Skiing Company has cancelled plans to sell a Colorado Ski Area to the owners of Okemo Mountain has taken the ski industry by surprise. The last minute announcement came as a group of investors led by Okemo’s Tim and Diane Mueller were preparing to close the deal.VPR News
Senate Gives Preliminary Approval to New House Map
|
The Senate on Wednesday afternoon gave its unanimous preliminary approval to a new reapportionment map for the House. There was no debate over the bill but some opposition may emerge when the measure comes up for final approval on Thursday.VPR News
Leahy Asks VT Senate to Amend Dairy Compact Resolution
|
A Vermont House resolution that calls on Congress to reauthorize the Northeast Dairy Compact has raised concerns among the congressional delegation in Washington. Staff for Senator Patrick Leahy in Washington are concerned the resolution could upset negotiations now taking place on the federal Farm Bill.VPR News
Refugee Resettlement Program Names New Director
|
Vermont’s Refugee Resettlement Program has a new director. Stacie Lee Blake of Hinesburg will assume the job at the end of April.Commentary Series
Four Women Artists in March
|
Commentator Lois Eby observed March as Women’s History Month by seeing the work of four artists.Commentary Series
The Insanity of the Insanity Defense
|
Robert Tulloch is scheduled to stand trial in April for the Zantop murders and commentator Cheryl Hanna has been thinking about what it means to plead insanity.VPR News
Hoff’s Election Changed Party Tradition in the State
|
In the 1940s and 50s, Vermont was regarded as the most Republican state in the nation. No Vermont Democrat had won an important statewide election since before the Civil War. Finally, in 1958, Democrat William Meyer of West Rupert won election to Congress and Vermont’s Democratic Party began to stir.VPR News
Hoff Years Ushered in Landmark Changes in Vermont
|
The tenure of former Governor Phil Hoff marked some important changes in the operations of state government in Vermont. Many of the key issues debated at the Statehouse in the 1960s are the same as those under discussion today.VPR News
Groups Rally for Prisoners’ Rights
|
Vermont is one of only four states that does not make it a crime for prison guards to have sexual contact with prison inmates. Human rights activists plan to gather at the Statehouse Wednesday to rally for legislation that would protect prison inmates.VPR News
Douglas, Racine Differ on Cigarette Tax Proceeds
|
State Treasurer Jim Douglas and Lieutenant Governor Doug Racine, who will face off in next fall’s gubernatorial race, have very different ideas about how to use money from a proposed cigarette tax increase.VPR News
Task Force Meets on Drought Relief
|
Despite this month’s precipitation, an increasing number of Vermonters are running short of water due to drought conditions affecting much of the Eastern U.S.VPR News
CVPS Nominated for Osprey Conservation Work
|
The state’s largest electric utility is a finalist for one of the industry’s top awards. Central Vermont Public Service Corporation was nominated for the Edison Award for its work to restore Vermont’s endangered ospreys.VPR News
Koop Testifies in Support of Cigarette Tax
|
Former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop urged the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday afternoon to increase Vermont’s cigarette tax.Commentary Series
Wildflowers for Emily the Wonder Dog
|
Commentator Henry Homeyer lost a good friend this winter, and he’s decided to honor her with wildflowers.Commentary Series
Phil Hoff
|
Commentator Tom Slayton reflects on Vermont in the 1960’s and the Hoff administration.VPR News
Governor Hoff Remembers LBJ
|
Forty years ago, Vermont elected Philip Henderson Hoff its first Democrat as governor in more than 100 years. During his tenure, Hoff was highly regarded by President Lyndon Johnson. Newly released tapes of phone conversations between Hoff and LBJ provide an insight into the period when democrats established a foothold in Vermont.VPR News
Ratepayers Will Cover Expense of Yankee Repairs
|
An unplanned shutdown at the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant will come before the plant was scheduled to be sold to a Louisiana energy company. That means Vermont ratepayers – and not the new owners – will eventually have to foot the bill for the repairs.VPR News
Senate Will Vote on Redrawing House Districts
|
The Vermont Senate this week is set to consider a plan to reapportion the House. If the Senate passes this bill, House leaders have vowed to get revenge and it’s possible that this issue will not be settled until this summer.VPR News
House Committee Seeks to Eliminate Commission on Women
|
The Dean administration says it will fight a plan to eliminate the independent status of the Governor’s Commission on Women. The House Appropriations Committee on Monday afternoon voted to cut the budget of the Commission by more than $100,000 and to place the Commission directly under the jurisdiction of the governor’s office.Commentary Series
Two Views: Education funding and school choice hearings
|
Commentators John McClaughry and Allen Gilbert offer Two Views of the recent hearings in Montpelier on education funding and school choice. Here’s John McClaughry.Commentary Series
The Golden Egg Bug
|
Commentator Ruth Page is here today to tell us about a bug that lays a golden egg.VPR News
Stowe Debates Consecrating Cemetery for Jewish Burials
|
In Stowe, a request to set aside an area of the town cemetery for Jewish burials has met with some resistance and led to a debate over the separation of church and state.VPR News
House Passes Resolution to Reauthorize Dairy Compact
|
Late last week, the Vermont House overwhelmingly endorsed a resolution that calls on Congress to reauthorize the Northeast Dairy Compact.VPR News
Faillaces Mark Anniversary of Sheep Seizing
|
A year ago, federal agents were in Vermont to seize two flocks of sheep suspected of carrying a form of mad cow disease. The flocks’ owners say they’re still waiting for the government to prove that their animals were sick.Commentary Series
Environment
|
Commentator Madeleine Kunin shares with us her assessment of the government’s environmental policies.VPR News
VT House May Cut Champlain Flyer Service
|
The Dean administration says it plans to actively fight any effort to cut funds for a commuter rail project in Chittenden County.VPR News
Pollina Will Not Seek Public Financing
|
Progressive Anthony Pollina announced on Friday afternoon that he will not seek public financing in his race for lieutenant governor this year.VPR News
Consumer Dairy Prices Steady, Despite Compact’s Demise
|
Farmers are paid less for milk since the demise of Northeast Dairy Compact, yet consumers are not paying less at the store. When the Northeast Interstate Dairy Compact started up five years ago, supermarkets immediately raised the price of milk. Wholesale milk prices dropped sharply in December, but the retail price has stayed the same.VPR News
Intervale Move Casts Doubt on Egg Farm Expansion
|
A controversial egg farm in Highgate has lost a key partner for its expansion plans. A coalition of environmental and farm groups announced Wednesday that it would fight the egg farm’s plan to add 135,000 birds to its Highgate operation. The group calls the farm a factory food operation.VPR News
All Judges Retained, Suntag by Slim Margin
|
Lawmakers have voted to retain five state judges for new six-year terms. While most of the judges were retained on strong votes, District Court Judge David Suntag was approved by a 16 vote margin.VPR News
In Search of the Perfect Pancake
|
When the sap is boiling and the syrup is flowing this time of year , our thoughts turn to… pancakes. VPR uncovers the secrets behind a golden stack of tasty flapjacks in this audio postcard from Vermont kitchens. (Read the transcript or listen to the story online.)VPR News
House Votes to Repeal Zero-Emissions Law
|
The Vermont House on Thursday afternoon voted to repeal the state’s mandate for the sale of zero emission vehicles by the year 2004. Vermont is one of four states in the country that requires the national car companies to make a non-polluting vehicle available for sale in the state or face financial penalties.Commentary Series
Everything’s sticky
|
Commentator Edith Hunter says you don’t have to see the steam billowing from her sugarhouse to know when she’s sugaring. You can close your eyes and tell by touch.Commentary Series
Email from the Arctic
|
Commentator Willem Lange has been battling late-winter cabin fever by corresponding with a friend, who lives north of the Arctic Circle.VPR News
State, Church Deciding Next Steps in Abuse Cases
|
The Catholic Diocese of Burlington says it has finished investigating several recent allegations of sexual misconduct by priests. Meanwhile, the church and the Vermont attorney general’s office say they have received new allegations of abuse by priests.VPR News
Brattleboro Grapples with School Closing
|
Earlier this year, the Brattleboro School Board voted to end regular classes at the Canal Street School, which serves a low income neighborhood. The new plan calls for the building to be used for HeadStart and pre-school programs instead. It’s an unpopular decision in some quarters.VPR News
Neighbors Fight Highgate Egg Farm Expansion
|
A Canadian company wants to more than double the size of its Franklin County egg farm. The Highgate farm already has 100,000 hens. The owner wants to build a new barn for another 135,000 birds. But a coalition of environmental and farm groups said on Wednesday that they will fight the proposal.VPR News
House Intends to Redraw Senate Districts
|
The battle over the reapportionment of the Legislature is heating up at the Statehouse. House Republican leaders are unhappy that the Senate is making changes to the House plan, so the House is now prepared to radically change most Senate districts.Commentary Series
Stuart McLean
|
Who’s the Canadian Garrison Keillor? You didn’t know there was a Canadian Garrison Keillor? Commentator Jules Older introduces him.Commentary Series
Renewable Energy
|
Commentator Ruth Page joins us today to tell us about efforts to establish a renewable energy plan in Vermont.VPR News
State Says Abenaki Do Not Have “Continuous Presence”
|
The Vermont attorney general’s office is casting doubt on claims by Abenaki Indians that they have been in the state for generations. The Abenaki need to show a continuous presence in Vermont in order to win federal recognition as a tribe. The attorney general’s office has just released a preliminary report that refutes the Abenaki’s claims.VPR News
Interview with Sharon Davis
|
Steve Delaney interviews Sharon Davis, who recently became chairwoman of the Rutland Board of Aldermen. (Listen to the interview online.)VPR News
Is it Spring?
|
Today marks the Vernal Equinox: one of two times in the year when the sun is directly over the equator. The equinox officially marks the first day of spring. In Vermont, the most obvious signs of the season are yet to come.VPR News
VPIRG, Pollina Split on Campaign Finance
|
The Vermont Public Interest Research Group has broken with Anthony Pollina, its former top lobbyist, over campaign finance reform.Commentary Series
Clicking On Memory Icons
|
Commentator Chester Liebs reflects on architectural icons in our community.VPR News
Interview with “Mac” MacIntyre
|
Steve Delaney talks with the owner of the Morning Star Café in Springfield, about that town’s cultural and community life in the wake of factory closings.VPR News
House, Senate Take Up Redistricting Revisions
|
A special Senate Reapportionment Committee hopes to vote on a new House redistricting plan by the end of the week. It’s expected that the committee will make several changes to a proposal that was adopted by the House last month.VPR News
Preliminary Results of Doyle Survey
|
According to the preliminary results of Senator Bill Doyle’s Town Meeting Day questionnaire, Vermonters appear to be split over a plan to raise the gas tax.Commentary Series
Compassion Index
|
Commentator Jeff Wennberg thinks that the policy differences between Vermont and New Hampshire often provide an opportunity for interesting comparisons.Commentary Series
Biodiversity 911
|
Commentator Ted Levin tells us about a new exhibit at the Montshire Museum of Science in Norwich.VPR News
Examining The Vermont Accent
|
A University of Vermont researcher is studying the Vermont accent to learn what makes the dialect unique and how it’s changing.VPR News
Monster’s Ball
|
Commentator Cheryl Hanna talks about a troubling new film that examines some very tough issues.Commentary Series
Clean elections
|
Commentator Ellen David Friedman reflects on recent dramatic developments in campaign finance reform.VPR News
Federal Judge Refuses To Halt Pollina Investigation
|
A federal judge has said it’s too early for him to get involved in the fight between Democrats and Progressives over the state’s campaign funding law. At question is whether Progressive Party candidate Anthony Pollina qualifies for public financing.VPR News
Former Boston Globe Editor Thomas Winship Dies
|
Thomas Winship of Randolph Center, former editor of the Boston Globe, died Thursday at a Boston hospital.VPR News
VT House Approves Medicinal Marijuana Legislation
|
After two days of debate, the House gave its final approval to legislation that will allow doctors to prescribe marijuana to patients with terminal or chronic illnesses.VPR News
Jeb Spaulding Launches Campaign For State Treasurer
|
Former state senator Jeb Spaulding of Montpelier formally launched his campaign for state treasurer at the Statehouse on Friday afternoon.VPR News
Dartmouth Offers To Buy Dresden School District Land
|
The towns of Norwich, Vermont, and Hanover, New Hampshire, make up the Dresden School District. The District’s middle school and high school are in downtown Hanover near Dartmouth College, but the schools need extensive repairs. Dartmouth College has offered to buy the land the schools are currently on.VPR News
Leahy’s Committee Votes Down Pickering
|
Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy and other Democrats on the Judiciary Committee voted to reject one of President Bush’s judicial nominees. Leahy is chairman of the Judiciary panel.VPR News
House Approves Medical Marijuana
|
After nearly five hours of debate, the House Thursday night voted 81 to 53 in support of legislation that allows doctors to prescribe marijuana.VPR News
Family’s Lawyer Says Civil Suit Should Procede
|
The lawyer for the slain Brattleboro man’s family says the Vermont attorney general is unnecessarily requesting a hold on the family’s civil suit.VPR News
American Skiing Delists from NYSE Today
|
American Skiing Company, which owns the Killington and Mount Snow ski resorts in Vermont, is off the New York Stock Exchange effective today.Commentary Series
The Power Is Out
|
Commentator Willem Lange and his wife, like most of us, lose electrical power from time to time, and find it not a bad experience at all.Commentary Series
To be an American
|
Commentator Peg Devlyn sees an optimist’s ending to a not-so-happy tale.VPR News
Supreme Court Hears Challenge to Right-to-Farm Law
|
A feud between neighbors landed in the Vermont Supreme Court yesterday in a test of Vermont’s Right to Farm Act. The law is designed to protect farm operations from nuisance suits that might arise from encroaching development and complaints about the smells and sounds of normal farm operations.VPR News
Coalition Says Vermonters Support New Cigarette Tax
|
Supporters of a plan to increase the state cigarette tax say a new poll shows that a strong majority of Vermonters back their effort. According to a poll released by the Coalition for a Tobacco Free Vermont, 77% of the people responding to the survey support boosting the cigarette tax by as much as a dollar a pack.VPR News
House Debates Stormwater Bill
|
The Vermont House has approved a bill that would make it easier for developers to win stormwater pollution permits. The bill was drafted in response to a ruling last summer that business groups said would restrict development in Chittenden County.VPR News
VT Terrorism Bill Debated in Senate
|
The Senate Judiciary Committee has started work on a new terrorism bill. The American Civil Liberties Union says the legislation is unnecessary and could have a chilling effect on the first amendment rights of Vermonters.VPR News
Clavelle Endorses Racine
|
Burlington Mayor Peter Clavelle will support Democratic Lieutenant Governor Douglas Racine in this year’s race for governor. Clavelle, who’s a Progressive, says it’s somewhat unusual for him to support a candidate from a different party.VPR News
Court Hears Case of Ethnic Names in Vanity Plates
|
The Vermont Supreme Court heard arguments Wednesday in a case brought by a Wallingford woman who was denied a vanity license plate containing the word “Irish.” The Department of Motor Vehicles policy prohibits vanity plates from including references to ethnic heritage.Commentary Series
Old Road
|
Commentator Alan Boye discovers the ghost of an old road – deep in the woods – on a steep hillside.Commentary Series
Two Births
|
Commentator Madeleine Kunin reflects on the escalating violence in the Middle East.VPR News
Meub Annouces Candidacy for Congressional Seat
|
Rutland attorney Bill Meub is seeking the Republican nomination for Vermont’s seat in the U.S. House. Meub, who announced his candidacy Tuesday, hopes to run against incumbent Congressman Bernard Sanders.VPR News
Progressives Ask Judge to Rule on Campaign Finance
|
The Vermont Progressive Party wants a federal judge to rule that political parties can share polling information with candidates who are seeking public financing. The party requested the ruling in response to an effort by the Democratic Party to make Anthony Pollina ineligible for public funds in the race for lieutenant governor.VPR News
Warm Weather Hurt Nordic Ski Season
|
The mildest winter on record and continued drought conditions have combined to make for a difficult season at Vermont’s Nordic ski areas.VPR News
Fraudulent Airbag Bill Awaiting Senate Approval
|
The Vermont Senate on Tuesday gave its preliminary approval to legislation that is designed to protect people who ride in the front seat of a car. The bill imposes stiff penalties on car mechanics who knowingly replace air bags that have been activated in an accident with fraudulent materials.Commentary Series
Australian Spring
|
Anticipation of spring’s return to the Green Mountains reminds commentator Will Curtis of spring in the Blue Mountains of Australia.Commentary Series
A Poem for Mud Season
|
In celebration of mud season, Vermont Poet Laureate Ellen Bryant Voigt reads her poem “Jug Brook”..VPR News
Coalition Urges Response to Housing Shortage
|
Vermont Housing officials say a growing shortage of affordable housing throughout the state will seriously undermine economic development efforts if the shortage is not reduced in the next few years.VPR News
Yankee Settlement Questioned at Hearing
|
Last week, the agency that represents ratepayers said new conditions added to the sale of the nuclear power plant will protect consumers. But on Monday, the independent Public Service Board laid out a series of detailed questions it wants the state and the utilities to answer before it rules on the deal.VPR News
Markowitz Urges Legislative Action on Instant Runoff
|
Secretary of State Deb Markowitz is urging lawmakers to consider legislation that would implement an instant runoff election system in Vermont.Commentary Series
Salty Tomatoes
|
Commentator Ruth Page tells us about another fascinating way in which scientists are working to undo – or at least cope with – some of the damage we have done to our environment.Commentary Series
Voucher Challenge
|
Commentator Allen Gilbert thinks school vouchers threaten core values that are important to us all.VPR News
Schools, Economy Outweigh Interest in Civil Unions
|
Two years ago at town meeting, civil unions was a much talked about issue. This year, a referendum dealing with how homosexuality is discussed in schools barely received notice on town meeting day. Voter concern over civil unions and homosexuality may have waned.VPR News
Deer Version of “Mad Cow Disease” Found in Midwest
|
Scientists have discovered that deer in Wisconsin have been infected with a fatal brain disease. The illness is similar to mad cow disease and this is the first time it’s been detected in wild deer east of the Mississippi River. The discovery has raised concerns that the deer herd here in Vermont could be at risk.Commentary Series
On the Death of Astrid Lindgren
|
Astrid Lindgren, the author of the Pippi Longstocking books, recently died at the age of 94. While she won most of the world’s awards for children’s literature, she never won the Nobel Prize. Commentator Philip Baruth wants to know why.Commentary Series
Two Views: What is a Moderate Republican?
|
Commentators Libby Sternberg and Angelo Lynn offer “Two Views” on what constitutes a Moderate Republican in Vermont today.Commentary Series
A Bob Run Journal
|
Commentator Willem Lange was moved by the recent Olympics to dig out an old journal with its own hair-raising tales, but a lot of fond memories, too.VPR News
Revenues Weak, State May Tap Rainy Day Fund
|
Administration Secretary Kathy Hoyt says Vermont will probably have to dip into its rainy day fund in order to balance this year’s budget. Hoyt says a new revenue report shows continued weakness in state income tax receipts.VPR News
Pollina Announces for Lt. Gov, Will Run Against Shumlin
|
Progressive Anthony Pollina announced this afternoon that he’ll be a candidate for lieutenant governor this year. Pollina believes a success for that office would be good for his party.VPR News
Abenaki Claim State Racism
|
Vermont’s Abenaki Indians are accusing state government of racism. Abenaki Chief April Rushlow says the state is using misinformation and scare tactics to oppose the Abenakis’ attempt at formal tribal recognition.VPR News
Tango Lives in Brattleboro
|
Argentine tango originated in Buenos Aires in the late 1800s. It was danced in boarding houses and bars by men who practiced together until they were good enough to attract a female partner. In the ’30s and ’40s, it was popular with European sophisticates. And now it’s turned up in southern Vermont.Commentary Series
The Public Diplomacy Dilemma
|
Commentator Olin Robison reflects on the need for an effective American public information capability.VPR News
Instant Runoff Bill Likely to Stall in Committee
|
Backers of an instant runoff voting system say they’ll urge the Legislature to adopt their plan this year. The group says their strong success on Town Meeting Day in almost 50 communities sends a clear message to lawmakers. Still, it appears that the proposal faces an uphill battle in the Statehouse.VPR News
Maine Yankee Pulls Out of Interstate Compact
|
A decade ago, the Vermont Legislature agreed to join with Maine and ship the state’s low-level nuclear waste to Texas. But now that Maine’s only nuclear power plant is closed, Maine is trying to pull out of the three-state compact. Vermont still plans to ship its waste to Texas.Commentary Series
Addison County Winter
|
Commentator Tom Slayton shares his musings about winter in Addison County.VPR News
Precision Valley Town Meetings
|
As voters went to the polls in towns along the Connecticut River Tuesday, VPR’s Betty Smith visited five communities to hear about the major issues and observe the turnout.VPR News
Interview with Deb Markowitz
|
Steve Delaney talks with Secretary of State Deb Markowitz about town meetings across the state.VPR News
School Budgets Pass, Some Exceptions
|
Despite tight economic times and rising tax rates, town voters passed many school budgets around Vermont.VPR News
Referenda Considered by Towns Across the State
|
It appears that most referenda fared well at town meetings this week.VPR News
Burlington Defeats School Budget
|
The big story in Burlington Tuesday was the school budget. Voters had been asked to approve a 6% increase, and defeated the budget by 24 votes.VPR News
Rutland Voter Turnout Light
|
In Rutland City, voter turn out was very light and with no hot button issue, many described this year’s elections as a non-event. There were few candidates running for local office and no contested school board races.VPR News
Waitsfield Approves Budget Increase
|
Voters in Waitsfield have approved the school and town budgets that were recommended by town officials. The budget comes with some financial pain for town taxpayers. Even though the elementary school budget increased by around 3%, residents will see a 14% boost in their tax rate.VPR News
Wallingford Voters Energized by School Debate
|
It was standing room only at Wallingford’s town meeting Monday night and larger than usual crowds gathered again Tuesday at the polls. Rising education costs in Wallingford have stirred up debate and action.VPR News
Whitingham Grapples with Deficit, School Spending
|
Voters in The southern Vermont community of Whitingham went to town meeting Tuesday facing a municipal budget deficit and a double digit increase in their school tax rate.VPR News
Windsor Voters Well Informed
|
Windsor voters turned out in a steady stream at the American Legion Hall on Court Street Tuesday. Some people think the electorate is becoming better informed.VPR News
Brandon Defeats New Town Office Building
|
Brandon voters passed their elementary school and town budgets on Tuesday. But a controversial one-million dollar bond to build a new town office building was defeated.Commentary Series
San Francisco
|
Apparently tired of snow, commentator Jules Older went as far west as he could go, to the City by the Bay.Commentary Series
Women’s Health
|
Commentator Madeleine Kunin shares her thoughts on women’s health issuesCommentary Series
Extinction
|
Commentator Ruth Page investigates the possibility of a Sixth Mass Extinction on Earth.VPR News
March 5, 2002 – News at a Glance
|
News on Town Meeting Day and other headlines from across the region.VPR News
Interview with Bill McGrath
|
On the Vermont side of the Connecticut River, Bill Mc Grath is in the center of the effort to keep the C & S Wholesale Grocers headquartered in Vermont. McGrath is the executive director of the Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation.VPR News
Interview with Guy MacMillan
|
Sometime this spring, C & S Wholesale Grocers of Brattleboro will decide whether to move its headquarters operation across the Connecticut River to Keene, New Hampshire. Brattleboro is trying hard to keep the 400 or more jobs in town, and Keene is trying to attract them.VPR News
Pollina Will Announce Run for Lt. Governor
|
Progressive Anthony Pollina will announce later this week that he will be a candidate for lieutenant governor this year. Pollina says he is very disappointed that the Vermont Democratic Party is trying to make his candidacy ineligible for public campaign funding.VPR News
Williston Passes Local 1% Sales Tax
|
The business of every town meeting includes taxes and budgets. But in Williston, a new tax issue took center stage Monday night as voters overwhelmingly approved a 1% retail sales tax.VPR News
Goshen Voters Hold Traditional Town Meeting
|
Today is the traditional day for Vermont’s town meeting. But voters in many communities got down to business on Monday night. The small Addison County town of Goshen was one of them.VPR News
Residents Vote on Brandon Town Office Building
|
Brandon residents will have a chance to vote Tuesday on a controversial one-million dollar bond proposal. The bond would pay for the construction of a new downtown municipal office building as well as the renovation of an existing building for a new police station.VPR News
Passage of School Budgets Uncertain
|
There is a sense of uncertainty about the fate of school budgets this year. Some communities are seeing increases in their school budgets. Even districts with small budget increases are seeing large increases in their tax rates.VPR News
Legislature Recesses for Town Meeting Day
|
Vermont lawmakers won’t be in Montpelier this week. They’re taking their traditional recess so they can attend Town Meeting Day in their home districts. A few communities already have held their town meetings but the vast majority will meet on Tuesday.VPR News
Water Shortages Likely After Yearlong Drought
|
It’s going to take more than last weekend’s rain to pull Vermont out of its yearlong drought. The state climatologist says that it will take months of steady precipitation to bring the state back to normal levels.VPR News
OMYA Makes Act 250 Appeal in Federal Court
|
A Vermont company has taken its appeal of an Act 250 land-use permit to a federal appeals court. OMYA Incorporated argues that Vermont is improperly restricting truck traffic on U.S. Route Seven.Commentary Series
Who was Pius XII?
|
Commentator Libby Sternberg tells us about a new book that takes another look at papal politics during World War II.Commentary Series
Sport: the way it should be
|
Commentator Jim Luken says that recently he has been contemplating the obvious, but that he intends to ignore what it’s telling him anyway.VPR News
Towns Prepare for Meeting Day
|
Vermonters in communities across the state will attend their town’s annual meeting tomorrow. They’ll be electing local officials, wrestling with school and municipal budgets and debating a variety of referenda.Commentary Series
Cell phones
|
Commentator and high school senior Alia Stavrand Woolf has been researching cell phone services. She’s anxious to get one of her own.Commentary Series
Cell Phone Towers
|
Tom Slayton is following the debate about construction of new cell phone towers with interest. He shares his thoughts about how they will affect Vermont’s future.VPR News
Democrats Allege Pollina Campaign Finance Trangression
|
The Vermont Progressive Party is defending its choice to commission a recent public opinion poll. Democrats are charging that the poll represents a premature campaign expenditure on behalf of Anthony Pollina. Pollina has been deciding whether to run as a Progressive candidate for governor or for lieutenant governor.VPR News
Essex IBM to Manufacture Fastest Chip
|
Vermont’s IBM plant is set to become the only site that will produce the world’s fastest semiconductor chip. The newly unveiled chip is designed to improve the performance of communications products.VPR News
Mildest Winter on Record
|
This winter is officially the warmest on record in Vermont. The National Weather Service says the average temperature for December, January and February was more than eight degrees warmer than normal.VPR News
Wireless in Vermont, Part Five
|
More Vermonters are using wireless communication than ever before for convenience, safety, business and just to stay “connected.” In the conclusion to our series “Wireless in Vermont,” examines how cell phones are part of the cultural landscape. (Read the transcript or listen to the story online.)VPR News
Bishop Angell to Meet With Sexual Misconduct Board
|
The Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington plans to meet today with the diocese’s Sexual Misconduct Board to discuss recent allegations involving Vermont priests. The allegations could be an important test for the diocese’s sexual misconduct policy and for Bishop Kenneth Angell.VPR News
Governor, Legislature Debate Taxes and School Funding
|
Governor Howard Dean says it’s up to the Legislature to find the money to increase state education funding. On Thursday, Dean defended his plan to level-fund the state’s block grant to schools.VPR News
Tyminski Wins Grammy
|
West Rutland native Dan Tyminski has a share in a Grammy award. Tyminski is a member of the group The Soggy Bottom Boys, which has won a Grammy Award for the song “I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow.”Commentary Series
Town Meeting
|
This weekend and early next week Town Meetings will convene all over Vermont. Commentator Frank Bryan reflects on the importance of this New England tradition.Commentary Series
DWY – Driving While Yakking
|
Commentator Cheryl Hanna thinks that a good case can be made for restricting cell phone use while driving.VPR News
Workers in Springfield May Buy Idle Factory
|
Idle workers met in Springfield Thursday in an effort to revive the area’s machine tool industry. The industry has been in decline for years. Recently two long time machine tool plants closed. Now the former employees looking into buying the businesses.VPR News
Wireless in Vermont, Part Four
|
On one hand, cell phones provide a valuable service for emergency crews and can save lives. On the other hand, when it comes to personal safety, debate is growing over the effects of radio-frequency radiation. (Read the transcript or listen to the story online.)VPR News
Dean Campaigns in Maine
|
Mainers got a taste of Vermont Governor Howard Dean’s stump speech this week at a gathering in Portland, Maine. Dean flew in from Washington D.C. after a tour of Iowa, where he was testing the appeal of his message for a possible presidential run in 2004.VPR News
UVM Names Watershed Science Chair
|
The University of Vermont announced today (Wednesday) the appointment of “Breck” Bowden to the Chair of Watershed Science. Bowden will head a research program on watershed issues in Vermont, such as water quality and land use planning.Commentary Series
Cell Towers of Babel
|
Commentator Jeff Wennberg reflects on the debate in Washington six years ago that led to the cell phone tower siting issues Vermont faces today.Commentary Series
Cell Phones
|
Commentator David Moats contemplates cell phones, friends and a wireless world.VPR News
February 27, 2002 – News at a Glance
|
Regional news headlines from VPR and other news sources.VPR News
Wireless in Vermont, Part Three
|
As more and more drivers in Vermont use cell phones, there are growing concerns that public safety could be jeopardized. (Read the transcript, or listen to the story online.)VPR News
VT National Guard Called Up to Service at Border
|
The National Guard will call up 78 Vermont Army National Guardsmen and women to assist in security at the Vermont-Canadian border.VPR News
Colody Asks Legislature for Increase in UVM Funding
|
UVM wants a 3% funding increase, slightly more than was recommended by Governor Howard Dean in his budget. Interim President Edwin Colodny told lawmakers yesterday that the school is an economic engine that brings hundreds of millions of dollars into the state.Commentary Series
Rock of Courtesy, Hard-Place of Technology
|
Commentator Philip Baruth is one of those people who believe that other people should not watch television or talk on the phone while piloting a 4,000-pound automobile at high speeds. But only recently did he decide to do something about it.Commentary Series
Blaming the Victims
|
Commentator Peg Devlyn is thinking today about how we could all make ourselves – and our health care system – healthier.VPR News
Wireless in Vermont, Part Two
|
Cell towers are a new challenge for the volunteers who sit on town planning boards. In the second part of our series “Wireless in Vermont,” Steve Zind looks at two towns that are dealing with the rush to build cell towers. (Read the transcript or listen to the story here.)VPR News
PSB Asks Utilities to Reexamine Vermont Yankee Deal
|
The Public Service Board recently asked utilities to re-evaluate their decision to sell Vermont Yankee nuclear Power plant, in light of new forecasts that show lower prices for power in New England. On Monday, the regulators again asked the utilities to slow down on the deal.VPR News
Attorney General Requests Meeting with Bishop Angell
|
The Vermont Attorney General’s office has asked to meet with officials of the Catholic Diocese of Burlington to discuss allegations of past sexual abuse by priests. The attorney general requested the meeting after the diocese acknowledged it has recently received several reports of alleged incidents.VPR News
Flu Spreading in Localized Areas, Not Epidemic
|
Although it may seem like everyone you know has the flu, the Vermont Health Department says it’s not that bad of a year.Commentary Series
Reapportionment
|
Commentator Allen Gilbert looks at the reapportionment fight underway in the Vermont Legislature. He thinks that it’s not the sort of politics to be proud of.Commentary Series
Wyatt Earp. U.S. Marshall
|
Recently commentator Ted Levin was surprised to encounter a western legend – in most unexpected surroundings.VPR News
Junkyard Debate Spurs Select Board Race
|
The town of Guilford is cracking down on unofficial junkyards that officials say are polluting the landscape. But recent letters calling for a cleanup have divided the town.VPR News
Wireless in Vermont, Part One
|
The first of a five-part series examines town policies on cell tower construction.Commentary Series
Foreign Policy and the Concept of Evil
|
Commentator Olin Robison talks about evil as a component of foreign policy.Commentary Series
Argumentative Americans
|
Commentator Willem Lange, like the rest of us, has been listening to the fierce arguments everywhere around us, and considers them to be part of our constitutional obligations.VPR News
House Votes to Expand Police Powers
|
The House on Friday afternoon, by a two to one margin, gave its preliminary approval to legislation that will give law enforcement officers new power to take people into custody. Opponents argued that the measure gives the police too much discretion in determining whom to arrest.VPR News
Bishop Angell Returns to VT to Address Abuse Policy
|
The Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington has decided to cut short a vacation and return to Vermont. The Bishop is determining how the Burlington Diocese should respond to disclosures that the Catholic Archdiocese in Boston has quietly settled sexual abuse claims against more than 70 priests in the last decade.VPR News
Miller Medals Again
|
Bode Miller takes silver in giant slalom. Coverage of women’s hockey final and U.S. medals count.VPR News
Palestinians, Israelis Explore Peace Through Sports
|
This winter, a group of Israeli and Palestinian basketball coaches spent ten days together at the University of Vermont. They attended coaching workshops and played basketball. Their hope is that peace can be built through personal interaction.VPR News
VT Diocese Investigates Possibility of Sexual Abuse
|
Officials in Vermont’s Roman Catholic Church say they are starting an investigation to determine if there have been recent incidents of sexual abuse in parishes here.VPR News
Legislature Considers Bill to License VT Crematories
|
The gruesome discovery of scores of bodies near a Georgia crematory has renewed calls in Vermont to oversee the facilities. Vermont is one of only eight states that don’t license crematories. A bill in the Legislature would require the operations to be licensed and inspected every year.VPR News
Senate, House Anticipate Redistricting Standoff
|
The Vermont House and Senate are apparently on a collision course concerning the reapportionment of the Legislature this session.VPR News
High Temperatures Prompt Early Sugaring
|
Temperatures reached past 50 degrees today in southern Vermont and at least for the moment, the sap is flowing.Commentary Series
One Big School System
|
Commentator John McClaughry says that Hawaii’s statewide school system may offer some lessons of particular relevance for Vermonters.Commentary Series
Garden Economics
|
Commentator Henry Homeyer thinks that there are economic lessons to be learned in the garden.VPR News
Jim Shea Wins Gold in Skeleton
|
The Lake Placid athlete overcame a difficult month since the death of his grandfather, Olympian Jack Shea.VPR News
Police Urge Caution, Common Sense in Wake of Murders
|
People who live in Vermont and New Hampshire may be a little more wary of strangers these days. This week, prosecutors said that the Vermont teenagers charged in a brutal murder tried to get into a house by claiming that they needed help. Even before this week’s news, police say it was never a good idea to let strangers inside.VPR News
Jeffords Will Fundraise for Democrats
|
Senator James Jeffords says he plans to campaign for some Democratic U.S. Senate candidates this year. Jeffords says he’s concerned that a return to GOP control of the Senate will lead to an abuse of power by the Republicans.VPR News
FBI Releases Description of Armed Robber
|
Authorities have released a description of the man who robbed an armored car company in Rutland last month and made off with nearly $2 million.VPR News
Prescription Drug Bill Pending in Senate
|
The Vermont Senate gave its unanimous preliminary approval on Wednesday to legislation that is designed to reduce the cost of prescription drugs.VPR News
Senate Takes Testimony on Reapportionment
|
A map of new Vermont House legislative districts has won final approval. And now a committee of the state Senate is scrutinizing the House’s work.VPR News
City Market Opens in Burlington
|
Burlington has been without a grocery story for two and a half years, so when the doors to a new downtown market opened on Wednesday it was big event.Commentary Series
Great Things at the Hood
|
Recently commentator Nick Boke had just a few minutes at Dartmouth’s Hood Museum of Art in Hanover, and he found himself torn between two current exhibits and his favorite permanent installations.Commentary Series
The Future of UVM
|
Commentator Tom Slayton shares his thoughts about the problems that face the University of Vermont and its new president.VPR News
U.S. Men’s and Women’s Hockey Dominate at Olympics
|
Continuing coverage of men’s and women’s ice hockey and preview of the upcoming skeleton competition.VPR News
House Committee Takes Up Income Tax Changes
|
The head of the House Ways and Means committee says he would like to see his panel vote out a new state income tax plan by the end of the week.VPR News
Reapportionment Plan Passes in House
|
The Vermont House has given its approval to a Republican-backed reapportionment plan. The process has taken on more of an edge this session because this year is the first time the Legislature has considered a reapportionment plan with the Republicans in control of the House and the Democrats in the majority in the Senate.VPR News
Investigators Disclose Motive in Dartmouth Murders
|
On Tuesday, officials disclosed an apparent motive for last year’s brutal murders of Dartmouth College professors Half and Susanne Zantop. Prosecutors say that the two Vermont teenagers tried to enter other homes in Vermont and New Hampshire. Officials allege the teenagers wanted to steal bank cards and then kill the homeowners.Commentary Series
Campaign Finance Reform
|
Commentator Madeleine Kunin shares her thoughts about campaign finance reform.Commentary Series
Plant Talk
|
Commentator Ruth Page has some fascinating news about how plants communicate with each other and with their environment.VPR News
Pollina Still Undecided in Governor’s Race
|
Progressive Anthony Pollina says he will make a decision about his political future in about two weeks. Pollina says he is still strongly considering a run for lieutenant governor.VPR News
Environmental Group Dismissed in Omya Ruling
|
A citizens group has lost a round in its appeal of a wastewater permit granted to the Omya Corporation. They had filed an appeal before the state Water Resources Board. Late last week, the Board issued a preliminary ruling that says the appeal should be dismissed.Commentary Series
All Eyes on Cleveland
|
Commentator Libby Sternberg says that this week, the US Supreme Court will hear arguments for the first time in a voucher case that originated in Cleveland Ohio, but is of great interest to voucher advocates everywhere.Commentary Series
Vermont’s Big Three
|
Maybe it’s the Olympic influence. Commentator Jules Older has been wondering: if there were literary Olympics in Vermont, which of our writers would win the medals?VPR News
Effects of Reapportionment on Lincoln and Worcester
|
Every ten years, the Vermont Legislature draws new legislative districts. The proposed Republican plan has drawn fire from Democrats, who say it stacks the deck against their minority party. The same charges were heard in the 1980s, when the Democrats ruled the House.VPR News
Instant Run Off Proposed for Statewide Elections
|
The Vermont League of Women’s Voters is urging lawmakers to support an instant run off election system in the state. The League says democracy is not well served when the Legislature determines the outcome of statewide races.VPR News
Jeffords Criticizes Bush Air Pollution Proposal
|
This week, President Bush outlined his plan to slow the buildup of greenhouses gases that are blamed for climate change. The plan has received a mixed reception. Industry groups generally favor the proposal. Environmentalists say the plan falls short.VPR News
High School Students Participate in Historical Society
|
The Vermont Historical Society has announced the creation of a pilot project that is designed to involve high school students in the history of their community.VPR News
Aten-Johsnson Named to Board of Education
|
Governor Howard Dean has appointed a new member to state Education Board. Bonnie Johnson-Aten of Montpelier will fill the vacant seat on the board, effective immediately.VPR News
Norwich Offers New Degree Program
|
Norwich University is planning a new degree program that trains students in electronic security.VPR News
Northern Stage Produces Ovid’s “Metamorphosis”
|
The Roman poet Ovid’s Metamorphosis has been adapted for the stage in major new productions this year in New York, London… and in White River Junction Vermont.VPR News
A Tale of Two Churches
|
At a time when rural churches are being turned into meeting halls, residences or boutiques, many of Vermont’s small congregations are struggling to hold on. But sometimes survival means hard choices.Commentary Series
Enron
|
Commentator Ellen David Friedman thinks that the Enron bankruptcy was all but inevitable in a dangerously deregulated, laissez-faire economy.Commentary Series
Waiting for a Star
|
Commentator Willem Lange hung around outdoors on a cold evening recently, and except for nearly freezing to death, found it to be a lovely experience.VPR News
Olympic Coverage: Men’s Ice Hockey and Weekend Preview
|
Vermont athletes on the men’s ice hockey team and preview of weekend events.VPR News
GMP Study Says Utility Prices Will Drop
|
Wholesale power prices over the next decade are expected to drop in New England, according to a study commissioned by Green Mountain Power. GMP says the study bolsters its case for buying power from the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant after the plant is sold. Critics say electricity from other sources should be much cheaper.VPR News
Colodny Leaving UVM Presidency in High Regard
|
The University of Vermont’s incoming president faces several challenges. But one thing that seems to have improved at UVM is confidence in the office of the President. VPR reports on Ed Colodny, who has served as the university’s interim president.VPR News
Hogan Announces Independent Candidacy
|
Former Human Services Secretary Con Hogan says he’s running as an independent candidate for governor this year because he hopes to “light a fire” with Vermont voters. He wants to help end partisan fighting that he says is undermining the state’s political system.VPR News
Sanders: Campaign Reform is Most Important Vote
|
Congressman Bernie Sanders says the vote this week in the U.S. House in support of campaign finance reform is one of the most important votes that has taken place during his congressional career.VPR News
Libertarians Offer Plan for Redistricting
|
The Vermont Libertarian Party has it’s own plan for redrawing the state’s legislative districts. The Party would like to create new districts in which a state senator would represent only 20,000 constituents.VPR News
St. Johnsbury May Feel Impact of Woodstock Jail Closing
|
The Saint Johnsbury Select Board is worried that the state is trying to boost the population of the local prison. Legislators met with the Select Board earlier this week to discuss what’s going on with the Corrections Department.Commentary Series
George Washington’s Favorite Cookies
|
Presidents Day Weekend reminds commentator Edith Hunter of an old story in which George Washington visits Weathersfield Vermont and samples some of the local cuisine.Commentary Series
A Valentine’s Day love story…sort of
|
Today is Valentine’s Day and commentator Cheryl Hanna has some unusual advice about finding true love.VPR News
Hogan Leaves GOP Primary, Will Run as Independent
|
Gubernatorial candidate Con Hogan has dropped out of the Republican primary and say’s he’ll run instead as an independent in November.VPR News
Polina, Racine React to Hogan’s Candidacy
|
Con Hogan’s decision to run for governor potentially sets up an unprecedented four-way political contest in Vermont. Candidates Doug Racine and Anthony Pollina comment on how Hogan decision might affect their own election prospects.VPR News
Cree Nation Signs Development Deal with Quebec
|
The Cree Nation has signed a major new treaty with the Province of Quebec. It would allow the construction of hydro dams and the development of other resources on Cree land. In return, the Cree people would have a greater say in future projects and a share of the revenues.VPR News
Farm Bill Passes U.S. Senate
|
The U.S. Senate gave its strong approval Wednesday afternoon to a farm bill that includes a key provision for Vermont’s dairy farmers. The legislation establishes a floor price for milk and it calls for payments to farmers whenever federal milk prices drop below the floor.VPR News
Freed Back Act 60 Reform Proposal
|
The bill, introduced by Rep. Marron, increases the student block grant by more than $1,000 and it pays for this change by raising the statewide property tax rate to $1.38. The proposal also eliminates the sharing pool of Act 60 unless a community spends more than $10,000 per student.VPR News
Olympics Security and Local Athletes’ Results
|
Changes in security, profiles of Olympics support staff and the results of Evan Dybvig, Kris Freeman, Nina Kemppel and Tessa Benoit.VPR News
Reapportionment Plan Headed for Vote on the House Floor
|
The House Government Operations Committee approved a new reapportionment plan late Tuesday. The vote sets the stage for a highly partisan fight on the House floor later this week.VPR News
Competitive Snowboarding Has Vermont Roots
|
The first International Snowboarding Championship was held in 1982 at the Suicide Six ski area in Woodstock. VPR looks at the early days of competitive snowboarding.VPR News
FBI, Police Still Investigating Armored Car Robbery
|
A $70,000 reward is offered by police and FBI investigators for information on the $2 million robbery last month in Rutland. The FBI is not releasing a description of the suspect to the public.Commentary Series
Normal
|
Recently commentator David Moats has noticed signs that the country may be getting back to “business as usual”.Commentary Series
Maleski and Enron: Making Hay While the Sun Shines
|
With so many witnesses taking the 5th on the matter of the Enron collapse, commentator Philip Baruth has decided to speak up himself — after receiving a grant of complete and unlimited immunity from prosecution for the commission of political satire of course. Here’s his blockbuster testimony.VPR News
Powers Wins Olympic Gold in Halfpipe
|
Vermonter Ross Powers wins gold medal, leading a U.S. sweep in the halfpipe snowboarding medals.VPR News
Forums Highlights Childcare Shortage
|
Child Care Fund of Vermont held a forum at which three gubernatorial candidates agreed to help ease the shortage of quality, affordable childcare in the state.VPR News
Coalition Draws Attention to Lack of Affordable Housing
|
A coalition of state and private groups says that solving the housing shortge in the state requires the attention of builders, environmentalists, banks and community leaders.VPR News
Dairy Price Support Bill Goes to Committee
|
Senator James Jeffords says he’s confident that Congress will give its approval to a new dairy price support plan that will replace the Northeast Dairy Compact.VPR News
Congress Considers Ban on “Soft Money”
|
Congressman Bernard Sanders says an upcoming vote on campaign finance reform legislation will be one of the most important issues to come before Congress this year. The legislation would ban the use of “soft money” in political campaigns.VPR News
NY Trooper Killed While Responding to Domestic Abuse
|
A man armed with a rifle shot and killed his girlfriend and a state trooper before killing himself after a domestic dispute Monday morning in Crown Point, New York, state police say.VPR News
Powers Wins Gold in Snowboarding
|
Monday, Vermonter Ross Powers led a U.S. sweep of the men’s halfpipe Olympic medals.Commentary Series
Health Care on the Horizon
|
To-day commentator Peg Devlyn is asking, “What’s on the horizon for health care?”Commentary Series
Campaign Finance Reform
|
Commentator Rick Hubbard is concerned about recent proposals to empty Vermont’s campaign finance fund.VPR News
Clark Wins Gold in Snowboarding
|
Contributing reporter Beth Schmidt is in Salt Lake City, where she’s an editor at the Olympic News Service. Steve Delaney and Beth Scmidt discuss the gold medal win of Vermonter Kelly Clark. Adam Heidt of Lake Placid took fourth place in luge, and Ross Powers of South Londonderry will compete Monday in snowboarding.Commentary Series
Governor Dean and the Property Tax
|
Did Governor Dean balance the budget without a tax increase? Commentator Jeff Wennberg doesn’t think so.Commentary Series
Brigham, Five Years Later
|
Act 60 was passed in response to the Vermont Supreme Court’s Brigham decision. Commentator Allen Gilbert looks back at the landmark decision — and at what we’ve learned since then.VPR News
Billy Strauss Nominated for Grammy Award
|
Billy Strauss of Putney has been nominated for a Grammy Award for his work producing the soundtrack to the Broadway musical, “The Full Monty.”VPR News
House Committee Hears Testimony on Stormwater
|
The legislature has waded into a legal controversy over water pollution and new development. On Friday, a House committee took testimony on a stormwater bill that is backed by business lobbyists and criticized by state officials and environmentalists.VPR News
State Revenues Still Down
|
The state’s new revenue report shows a continued weakness in income tax receipts. Administration Secretary Kathy Hoyt says it will probably be necessary to tap into the state’s rainy day fund to balance this year’s budget.VPR News
Legislature May Mandate Photo Driver’s Licenses
|
Senate Transportation Committee considers how to extend licensing services to drivers in rural areas.VPR News
Sanders Criticizes Federal Tax Cuts
|
Congressman Bernie Sanders says the federal budget is in trouble and that Congress should rescind the tax cuts approved last year.Commentary Series
The Next Phase
|
Commentator Olin Robison shares his view that for the past few months the President has lived in a criticism-free zone — but that this is going to end.VPR News
Employees Claim Company Secretly Ended Health Insurance
|
Employees say the bankrupt owners of the paper mill in Gilman cancelled their health insurance but continued deducting payments from employees’ paychecks.VPR News
Company Demonstrates “It” at the Statehouse
|
At the Statehouse on Wednesday, lawmakers, lobbyists and reporters took a spin on a revolutionary new personal transportation machine.Commentary Series
Reading Celebrations
|
Commentator Nick Boke calls our attention to a couple of statewide celebrations that are just around the corner.Commentary Series
Gals at the Bor’as
|
Commentator Willem Lange reminisces about a long-ago midwinter practical joke that backfired, and hasn’t been mentioned since.Commentary Series
Electric People
|
Here’s Joe Citro with some thoughts and anecdotes about how the electricity between people is not always imaginary.VPR News
VPR’s Olympic Coverage
|
Opening Ceremonies and overview of possible medal winners from our region.VPR News
Dartmouth Study Links Indoor Tanning to Skin Cancer
|
A new study at Dartmouth College says indoor tanning can double the risk of certain forms of skin cancer.VPR News
House Approves Budget, Protects Rainy Day Fund
|
The House gave final approval to its budget adjustment bill Wednesday. It also defeated an effort to use the state’s rainy day fund to balance this year’s budget.VPR News
Shumlin Will Fight House Reapportionment Plan
|
Peter Shumlin, Senate president pro tempore, says that the Senate will not accept the current version of the House’s redistricting plan.VPR News
Senate Affirms Recreation on Champion Lands
|
The Senate passed a bill that reaffirms recreation and hunting on the Champion lands. It voted down an amendment that would have led to logging on the state-owned portion of the land.VPR News
Dean Will Veto Logging on Champion Lands
|
Governor Howard Dean says he will veto a budget adjustment bill that allows logging on the state’s share of the Champion lands.VPR News
Lawmakers Recommend Overhaul of State Juvenile Justice
|
Leaders in the Vermont Senate want to reform the way the state deals with young people in trouble with the law.VPR News
Dean Criticizes President’s Budget Proposal
|
Governor Howard Dean says he is “alarmed” by the fiscal future of the country under President Bush’s proposed budget. Dean says he will fight against health care and transportation cuts that will have a local impact.VPR News
Judges Undergo Scheduled Review
|
Joint Committee on Judicial Retention has begun seven days of hearings that will review the performance of individual judges.Commentary Series
Truth can be Beautiful
|
It was as a Princeton math student that Commentator Dan Rockmore first became aware of mathematician John Nash, subject of the current movie, “A Beautiful Mind.”Commentary Series
New Voices
|
Commentator Tom Slayton tells us about an event that featured some new literary talent in our area.VPR News
Enron Fallout Prompts Campaign Finance Reform
|
Vermont Congressman Bernie Sanders says Enron’s collapse may finally force Congress to consider campaign finance reform.VPR News
State Auditor Criticizes VT’s Electronic Systems
|
State Auditor Elizabeth Ready says recent problems with the state’s electronic income tax filing system reveal serious problems with more ambitious plans to use the Internet for many government transactions.VPR News
NRA Backs Hunting on Champion Lands
|
The National Rifle Association has now joined the debate over the Champion lands. The gun-rights lobby warned over 10,000 members in Vermont that hunting could be banned from the state-owned portion of the property.VPR News
Owners Plan Improvements for Steamboat
|
The new Vermont-based owners of Steamboat Springs plan improvements for the Colorado ski resort.VPR News
Lake Placid Tourism Up
|
Lake Placid tourism is experiencing double-digit increases over last year.Commentary Series
Time for Honesty in Health Care Programs
|
Commentator John McClaughry is concerned that plans to expand state funded health care programs reflect the real cost of those services less accurately than ever.Commentary Series
Cats can be social animals
|
Commentator Ruth Page disputes the widespread belief that cats are aloof.VPR News
Public Service Board Reviews Vermont Yankee Sale
|
The Public Service Board starts technical hearings this week on the sale of Vermont Yakee nuclear power plant. The state agency that represents ratepayers has serious reservations about the deal.VPR News
Public Service Board Reviews Sale of Vermont Yankee
|
Public Service Board starts technical hearings Monday on the sale of the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant. One concern is over the corporate structure that the new owners want to establish.VPR News
CLF Will Testify Against New School Project
|
Conservation Law Foundation will be allowed to take part in hearings on whether a land-use permit should be granted for a new school in Bennington.Commentary Series
Real Bipartisanship – the ESEA
|
Commentator Libby Sternberg says that she has been pleasantly surprised by the new federal education law and the spirit in which the legislation was crafted.VPR News
Federal Cuts Will Impact State Transportation Projects
|
Governor Howard Dean says some of the state’s largest highway construction projects may have to be re-evaluated because it is likely that there will be significant cuts in federal transportation funds next year.VPR News
Pending Transportation Cuts Concern Local Officials
|
With the possibility of big cuts in transportation funds, Vermont’s local officials worry that there will be haves and have-nots when it comes to road projects.VPR News
Senate Passes Preliminary Bill on Champion Lands
|
By a vote of 17-12, the Senate gave its approval Friday to legislation concerning the recreational uses of the former Champion Lands. However it’s expected that a number of controversial amendments will be offered to the legislation when it comes up for final consideration next Tuesday.VPR News
House Takes Up Reapportionment
|
House Republicans have come up with their first new map of Vermont legislative districts. But Democrats have expressed their dislike for the map right away. House Democratic leader John Tracy calls it “textbook gerrymandering.”VPR News
Jeffords Calls for Improvements in Education
|
Senator James Jeffords spoke at Friday’s meeting of the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Jeffords spoke at length about education, reiterating his call for adequate funding to improve the nation’s schools and calling for increased federal funding for special education.VPR News
Task Force Will Examine Job Growth
|
Governor Howard Dean has announced the formation of a special economic development task force that will focus on job growth in the Northeast Kingdom and the Springfield region.VPR News
Dean PAC Raises $111,000
|
Governor Howard Dean has raised just over $111,000 for his new political action committee. Dean says he’s very pleased that his fundraising efforts for “The Fund for a Healthy America” have exceeded his initial goals.Commentary Series
Winter’s Night Walk
|
Commentator Alan Boye thinks that one of the best times for a walk is on a cold winter night.Commentary Series
Defining George W. Bush
|
Will the ENRON bankruptcy affect the public perception of the president? Commentator Jeff Wennberg thinks it might.VPR News
Gunman Robs Armored Car in Rutland
|
A gunman robbed Berkshire Armored Car Services in Rutland’s Howe Center and made off with nearly $2 million dollars.VPR News
State May Close Electronic Tax Filing System
|
Governor Howard Dean says the state may have to discontinue its own electronic income tax program, if bugs in the system can’t be worked out by the end of next week.VPR News
Vermont Man Placed on FBI Ten Most Wanted List
|
Federal law enforcement officials are asking for the public’s help in finding Michael Scott Bliss. Officials want Bliss on charges that he repeatedly molested a child.VPR News
Farm Show May Relocate
|
The annual Farm Show may leave Barre after 50 years and relocate to the more spacious Champlain Valley Fairgrounds.VPR News
Farmers Testify to Hardship Without Dairy Compact
|
Dozens of farmers and their supporters gathered at the Statehouse Tuesday night to testify that milk prices are falling fast and farmers lack a safety net.VPR News
Dean Proposes Anti-Terrorism Bill, Photo ID Cards
|
The Dean administration is proposing an anti-terrorism plan that requires photo driver’s licenses as a new Vermont identification card.VPR News
Fogel Makes First Visit to UVM
|
Daniel Fogel, newly named president of the University of Vermont, met faculty and students on his first visit to campus Wednesday.VPR News
Bill Protects Elderly From Check Fraud
|
The Vermont House gave approval to legislation that will allow an elderly person to authorize another individual to sign checks only for a specific purpose.VPR News
Voyer Will Not Run for Lt. Gov Seat
|
Representative Cathy Voyer decided that she will not run for the Republican nomination.VPR News
Lawmaker Proposes Legalizing Marijuana for Medical Use
|
Representative David Zuckerman has introduced a bill to allow seriously ill people to grow and smoke marijuana.VPR News
Lyn Jarvis Retires
|
Lyn Jarvis is retiring after 27 years of hosting the television program "Across the Fence" on WCAX.Commentary Series
The Abaya Controversy
|
Commentator Cheryl Hanna joins us today to tell us about another victory for women in the military.Commentary Series
Ghosts of Evolution
|
Commentator Ted Levin says that as a child he was fascinated by the prehistoric riches of North America…and he still is.VPR News
Legislators Disagree on Intent of Champion Land Deal
|
In 1999, the Legislature overwhelming approved the Champion land deal. Now some of the same House members who voted for the deal say they were blind-sided when the state unveiled a plan to ban logging on 9% of the acreage.Commentary Series
Enron
|
Commentator Madeleine Kunin weighs in with her thoughts on the Enron collapse.Commentary Series
King
|
Commentator David Moats has been thinking about the words of Martin Luther King Jr, and what it is about them that moves him so deeply.VPR News
Coalition Urges Support for Cigarette Tax
|
A coalition of 78 Vermont organizations backs a plan to increase the state cigarette tax by 67 cents a pack.VPR News
Former Lawmakers Gather for Statehouse Reunion
|
Several dozen former lawmakers returned to the Statehouse this week for a reunion and shared memories of the landmark debates that have occurred in the Legislature.VPR News
House Debates Transportation Fees
|
The House gave its preliminary approval to legislation that raises more than 100 different transportation fees. The legislation is designed to raise nearly $10 million for local road and bridge repair work.VPR News
Mayors Criticize Prison Furlough Policies
|
The mayors of Rutland and Barre City are accusing the Corrections Department of “dumping” a large number of furloughed inmates into their communities to ease crowding in the state’s prison system.VPR News
NYSE May Delist the American Skiing Company
|
The stock price of American Skiing Company has fallen far over the last few years. Now regulators have begun moves to remove the stock from trading on the New York Stock Exchange.VPR News
UVM Names Fogel As President
|
The University of Vermont Monday named Daniel Fogel the institution’s next president. He is the fourth UVM president in the last decade.VPR News
VT Pension Fund Slightly Affected by Enron Failure
|
Vermont’s three pension funds have lost roughly $4 million because of investments in Enron. State Treasurer James Douglas says recent gains in these funds far outweigh the Enron loss.Commentary Series
Heartburn
|
Today Commentator Peg Devlyn takes a look at one of the causes of rising health care costs.Commentary Series
West Mountain
|
Commentator Bryan Pfeiffer has been following the Champion Land debate with mounting concern. He’s afraid that we may be about to miss a unique opportunity.VPR News
Local Group Appeals Omya Permit
|
A Swiss company that has extensive operations in Rutland County is fighting environmentalists over its state wastewater permit. Vermonters for a Clean Environment says the permit would allow Omya to use new chemicals without state review.VPR News
Racine Opposes Level Funding of Education
|
Lieutenant Governor Doug Racine says he opposes Governor Howard Dean’s plan to level fund state aid to education next year. (1-28-02)VPR News
Credit Unions Open Doors to Community Members
|
Some of Vermont’s largest credit unions have recently opened their doors to community membership, allowing more Vermonters to join a credit union and providing the organization with new deposits and borrowers. The change is also seen as new competition for local banks. (1-28-02)Commentary Series
Son of the coolest woman in the universe
|
Philip Baruth drove a team of huskies this past weekend, and almost immediately got more than he bargained for.Commentary Series
Camps in the woods
|
Commentator Allen Gilbert thinks the recent huff over the land management plan for the Champion lands was motivated by politics — and the longing for a vanished Vermont.VPR News
Legislation May Preserve Campign Finance Rules
|
The House is likely to reject Governor Howard Dean’s plan to transfer funds from the state’s public campaign fund to cover the budget deficit. (1-25-02)Commentary Series
Painting the Bedroom
|
Commentator Willem Lange and his wife are polar opposites, which colors their relationship a great deal when it comes to painting the bedroom.Commentary Series
One-Year Report Card
|
One year into the Bush administration, commentator Olin Robison rates the President’s performance.VPR News
House Passes Resolution for Pledge of Allegiance
|
Tthe House on Thursday gave passed a resolution that encourages schools to have their students recite the pledge of allegiance at the start of the school day.VPR News
Utilities Oversight Board Rejects Budget Plan
|
Dean administration wants to use $500,000 collected from telephone customers to supplement the 2002 budget. State utility regulators say that the law requires that the money be used solely for telecommunication purposes.VPR News
Dean Proposes Natural Resources Budget Increase
|
Governor Howard Dean has proposed a substantial boost to the Agency of Natural Resources budget. The money will protect existing programs and compensate for an error in allocating federal funds.Commentary Series
Tribute to Half and Susanne
|
One year ago this Sunday, two Dartmouth professors were murdered in their home in Etna, New Hampshire. Along with many in the Upper Valley, commentator Alexis Jetter mourns them – and remembers them.Commentary Series
Foreign News Coverage
|
Commentator Bill Seamans says that the war on terror has forced American news organizations to revisit the need for overseas press bureaus.VPR News
Lawmakers Recommend 3-Tiered Income Tax
|
Two dozen legislators are sponsoring a bill to increase the Vermont income tax. They say a three-tiered tax policy would offset drastic budget cuts.VPR News
Dean Defends Budget Cuts to Critics
|
A coalition of education, elderly and human service groups opposes many of Governor Howard Dean’s budget cuts.VPR News
Expert Recommends Policies to Reduce Obesity
|
A national expert on health prevention programs urged lawmakers this week to adopt policies to fight what he called a “nationwide epidemic of obesity.”VPR News
Dean Will Not Appoint Special Prosecutor
|
Governor Howard Dean has concluded that no special prosecutor is needed to investigate the fatal shooting by police of a man who disrupted a Brattleboro church service in December. Two lawmakers and the man’s family had requested that a special prosecutor be appointed.VPR News
Education Commissioner Responds to Budget
|
Vermont’s new Commissioner of Education, Ray McNulty, says he does not agree with Governor Howard Dean’s decision to level fund state aid to education next year.VPR News
Governor Will Not Appoint Special Prosecutor
|
Governor Howard Dean has concluded that no special prosecutor is needed to investigate the fatal shooting by police of a man who disrupted a Brattleboro church service.Commentary Series
2002 Tax Issues
|
Commentator Ellen David Friedman talks about some of the tax issues that will be debated in the legislature this year.Commentary Series
Barbara Snelling
|
Commentator Tom Slayton has some thoughts on the retirement of Senator Barbara Snelling.VPR News
Dean Recommends Cuts in Annual Budget Address
|
Governor Howard Dean [Tuesday] unveiled his budget plan for next year. Dean proposed major cuts in transportation, health care and education programs.VPR News
Agencies React to Dean’s Budget Address
|
Governor Howard Dean’s budget launches one of the most contentious budget debates in a decade.VPR News
Legislature May Reform Victims’ Restitution System
|
The Senate Judiciary Committee this week is expected to give its approval to legislation that reforms Vermont’s system of victim restitution.VPR News
Olympian Jack Shea Dies at 91
|
America’s oldest living Winter Olympics gold medallist has died. Jack Shea of Lake Placid, NY was killed Monday afternoon in a car crash.VPR News
Officials Prepare for Town Meeting Day
|
Town Meeting Day is six weeks away and officials in Vermont communities are busy preparing.VPR News
Foundation for Excellent Schools Expands Mentoring
|
The Cornwall-based organization has helped students from all over the country improve performance through programs that focus on mentoring, goal-setting and early awareness of college. Recently, FES expanded its programs to include fifty Vermont schools.Commentary Series
Champion lands
|
Commentator John McClaughry thinks that the Champion Land debate currently going on in Montpelier is about public trust as much as it is over land use issues.Commentary Series
Ice Hotel
|
Commentator Ruth Page tells us about a chilly Scandinavian retreat where you might receive an icy welcome.VPR News
Civil Rights Lawyer Commemorates Dr. King
|
A key figure in the Civil Rights movement visited Vermont last week to commemorate the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. Fred Gray marked the holiday in a state with the smallest minority population in the country.VPR News
Board May Revoke Act 250 Permit for Williston Store
|
State regulators may revoke the Act 250 permit for a large shopping mall in Williston. The Environmental Board says the developers of Maple Tree Place failed to follow permit conditions when it built the project.VPR News
Family Sues Police, Town Over Brattleboro Shooting
|
The parents of a man who was killed by Brattleboro police last month have filed suit against the town of Brattleboro and the two police officers involved in the shooting.VPR News
Dean Will Ask for Spending Cuts During Budget Address
|
Governor Howard Dean will deliver his budget address to the Legislature [Tuesday] afternoon at the Statehouse. Dean will unveil a spending plan that contains some significant cuts.Commentary Series
Hillside history
|
Commentator Edith Hunter is enthusiastic about the teaching and learning of local history and she tells us about a certain rocky hillside where you can learn a good bit of it.Commentary Series
Soft bigotry
|
On this Martin Luther King holiday, commentator Libby Sternberg talks about a common practice in education that she says is, in effect, a subtle form of segregation.VPR News
Middlebury College Adds Portuguese Language Program
|
The College’s Summer Language Schools are expanding to offer comprehensive language study of Latin American countries.VPR News
Abenaki Testify at Statehouse for Official Recognition
|
The chief of the Abenaki Tribe came to the Statehouse on Friday afternoon to urge lawmakers to support a resolution that would recognize the tribal status of the Abenaki. The resolution is strongly opposed by Governor Howard Dean.VPR News
State Loses Nelson Farms Case
|
Judge rules that Nelson Farms is in compliance with the state’s large farm operations law. This case was the first test of the 1996 law that requires special permits for large farms.VPR News
Jeffords Will Donate Enron Money to Employees’ Fund
|
Senator James Jeffords will donate the $2,500 campaign contribution that he received from Enron to the failed company’s employees’ fund.VPR News
Family of Slain Man Will File Lawsuit Against Police
|
Robert Woodward’s family will file suit against Brattleboro police for using improper force in the shooting death of Woodward last month.VPR News
Lowe’s Granted Permit
|
Water Resources Board reverses ruling on water pollution and issues a storm water permit to the Lowe’s Home Center planned for South Burlington.Commentary Series
Stimulus Debate
|
Commentator Jeff Wennberg thinks that the political stalemate over the stimulus package might actually be a blessing in disguise, and the best thing for the economy in the long run.Commentary Series
Sliding on a shovel
|
Commentator Willem Lange reflects on the fine points of shovels and their uses, some more unorthodox than others.VPR News
State Defends Use of Anti-Tobacco Money
|
Vermont gets mixed ratings in a national study on how states are spending their tobacco settlement money.Commentary Series
Fly Naked
|
Commentator Cheryl Hanna is here today with an intriguing proposition for speeding up air travel during this time of increased security.Commentary Series
John Biggers: His Life and Art
|
In anticipation of the Martin Luther King holiday, commentator Lois Eby talks about the artist John Biggers and the African American imagery reflected in his work.VPR News
House Opposes Champion Ecological Reserve
|
The House passed a resolution on Thursday that opposes an ecological reserve within the Champion lands. Legislators disagree about the intent of the original 1999 legislation.VPR News
Diane Snelling Appointed to Senate
|
Governor Dean set aside Republican recommendations to appoint the daughter of retiring Senator Barbara Snelling.VPR News
Former Legislator Denied Parole
|
Gregory Reed will serve at least two more years of his prison sentence for a 1984 murder conviction.VPR News
Ben & Jerry’s Lays Off Seven Vermont Executives
|
Company is restructuring to create a new marketing strategy. Officials say the decision was made locally, and not by Unilever executives.VPR News
Vermont Arts Council Holds Public Forums
|
Council members seek public input and encourage local leaders to include the arts in town planning.VPR News
Burlington Sells its Shares of Vermont Yankee
|
City plans to save money by purchasing power from non-nuclear sources.VPR News
Ruth Dwyer Joins Channel 22 as Reporter
|
Former gubernatorial candidate Ruth Dwyer sets aside politics to become a reporter for WVNY Channel 22.Commentary Series
Las Patatas
|
Commentator Ron Krupp joins us today with a history lesson on the potato.Commentary Series
The legislature
|
Commentator David Moats attended the opening session of the Vermont legislature last week. Here are some of his observations.VPR News
Service Providers Testify Against Budget Cuts
|
Human services providers urged the House Appropriations Committee not to cut funding to their programs. The committee is trying balance the state budget.VPR News
Dean Will Consider Diane Snelling for Senate Seat
|
Chittenden County Republicans are not recommending Diane Snelling for the open Chittenden Senate seat. Dean says he will consider the out going senator’s daughter for the appointment.VPR News
Senator Wants Citizen Feedback on Further Budget Cuts
|
Senator Susan Bartlett suggests postponing additional budget cuts until the public has time to review the impact of the cuts already made.Commentary Series
Emergency
|
Commentator Ruth Page reflects on the challenges of providing up-to-date medical care to civilians in war-torn Afghanistan, and the extraordinary efforts of one man.Commentary Series
Trust in Government
|
Commentator Madeleine Kunin is here today with some thoughts on a new attitude in this country towards our government and our government employees.VPR News
Bill Allows Recreation in Protected Champion Lands
|
Senate President Pro Tempore introduces a bill that would reverse restrictions against logging and recreation in some parts of the Champion lands.VPR News
Vermont Ski Waxer Goes to the Olympics
|
Veteran racer John Sackett will advise Olympic athletes in Salt Lake City on ski wax.VPR News
Agency Recommends Increasing Transportation Fees
|
Agency of Transportation awaits legislation that will raise motorists’ fees to cover road projects around the state.VPR News
Dean Backs Multi-State Plan to Reduce Drug Costs
|
Dean and some state lawmakers propose a plan that introduces more competition intro pharmaceutical pricing.Commentary Series
Taxes and budgeting
|
Commentator Allen Gilbert thinks we should all pay close attention to the tax discussions getting under way in the Legislature in Montpelier.Commentary Series
Tony’s Boy Goes Coast to Coast
|
In high school commentator Philip Baruth played sports only when he was forced, but recently he attended a South Burlington basketball game and found that the high school gym is now only half as frightening a place as he used to think.VPR News
Deficit Prompts Lawmakers to Examine Role of Government
|
House leaders consider which government services are essential amid tight budgets and declining revenues.VPR News
Helmet Factory Grows in Newport
|
Company workforce expands to produce sophisticated military helmets.Commentary Series
Québec à la Carte
|
Commentator Willem Lange and his wife have recently returned from another anniversary trip, which was fun, but has raised an interesting technical question.VPR News
Vermont Celebrates 225th Anniversary of Constitution
|
State Archivist and a State Supreme Court Justice explain how Vermont’s constitution set precedents for other states.VPR News
Vermont Air Guard Deploys Squadron to Afghanistan
|
Guard unit will protect air bases and equipment in its first overseas deployment since 1991.VPR News
Live from the Statehouse, Part 4
|
VPR reports live from the Statehouse during the opening week of the Vermont Legislature. John Dillon talks with Representative Dick Marron.VPR News
New Legislative Pages Start Their Assignments
|
Legislators are not the only ones beginning work in the State House this week. Ten eighth-graders comprise the session’s first group of legislative pages.VPR News
House Committee Develops Act 60 Compromise Plan
|
House Republicans are developing a plan to raise statewide property tax and increase the student block grant. The plan has some similarities to a bill that passed the Senate last session.VPR News
Champion Land Deal May Be Undone by New Legislation
|
House Fish and Wildlife Committee considers legislation to allow logging and recreation in the West Mountain Wildlife Management Area, protected by the 1999 Champion land deal.VPR News
General Dynamics Expects Modest Growth in Burlington
|
Despite a slowing national economy, General Dynamics in Burlington is anticipating modest growth due to military contracts.VPR News
Ski Areas Will Use Wind Power
|
The Vermont Ski Areas Association will install wind turbines at the Killington resort in an effort to reduce fossil fuel use.VPR News
Live from the Statehouse, Part 3
|
VPR reports live from the Statehouse during the opening week of the Vermont Legislature. Bob Kinzel talks with House Speaker Walter Freed and John Dillon talks with Representative Michael Fisher.Commentary Series
Buddy
|
News of former Clinton First-dog Buddy’s death reminded commentator Bill Seamans of his own recently departed Labrador Retriever.VPR News
Governor, Lawmakers Debate Health Care Costs
|
Bipartisan study of rising health care costs offers no clear solution.VPR News
State Income Tax Revenues Down 18%
|
Low income tax receipts may prompt Dean Administration to make another downward revision in state revenue expectations.VPR News
Live from the Statehouse, Part 2
|
VPR reports live from the Statehouse during the opening week of the Vermont Legislature. Bob Kinzel talks with Senator Bloomer and John Dillon talks with Senator Chard.Commentary Series
Reforming Our Health Care System
|
Commentator Peg Devlyn sees obstacles ahead this year for those hoping to reform our health care system.Commentary Series
Mountains
|
Vermont’s ski slopes may be especially busy right now, but commentator Ruth Page says we’ve always been drawn to the mountain tops.VPR News
Behind the Scenes at the Vermont State House
|
VPR looks at behind-the-scenes preparations before the opening gavel is raised at the Vermont State House.VPR News
Public Rally Criticizes Budget Cuts
|
On the day of Governor Dean’s State of the State address, citizens gather to protest possible cuts to social services.VPR News
Legislators React to Dean’s State of the State Address
|
Republicans and Democrats comment on Governor Dean’s last State of the State address.VPR News
Coverage of Dean’s State of the State Address
|
Governor Dean emphasizes response to September 11 and upcoming health care funding debates in his last State of the State address to the Vermont Legislature.VPR News
Live from the Statehouse, Part 1
|
VPR reports live from the Statehouse during the opening week of the Vermont Legislature. Steve Delaney and Bob Kinzel preview Governor Howard Dean’s last State of the State address, tobe delivered this afternoon.Commentary Series
Victory Bog in Winter
|
Recently commentator Alan Boye took a winter walk through Victory Bog.Commentary Series
2001 Predictions Revisited
|
Last year commentator Jeff Wennberg made a dozen predictions for 2001. Today he takes a look back to see how he did.Commentary Series
The Ring
|
Commentator David Moats sees some surprising reflections of contemporary life in the movie ‘The Lord of the Rings”; and he thinks one character in particular looks quite familiar.Commentary Series
Fair Debt Collection Laws
|
Commentator Cheryl Hanna reflects on economic reckoning and the laws that govern fair debt collection practices.VPR News
Governor Will Appoint Senator from Chittenden County
|
Barbara Snelling’s resignation creates a Senate vacancy; Dean considers candidates for the appointment.VPR News
Brattleboro Considers Citizen Review of Police
|
After a police shooting, Brattleboro Select Board members debate whether the town needs a citizen review board to oversee police.Commentary Series
The War Drawings and Etchings of Kerr Eby
|
Commentator Lois Eby contemplates the work of an artist who documented scenes of war.VPR News