VPR News

VPR Evening News December 31st, 2008

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Vermont Yankee owners will not offer Vermont utilities a new deal on power; New commissioner appointed for Department of Corrections; Actor Matt Dillon stopped for speeding on I-91; and commentator Howard Coffin looks forward to looking back.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: December 31, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 12:10pm A veteran administrator in state government has been appointed commissioner of the Department of Corrections; Vermont State Police are examining handguns collected as part of a probe into a series of shootings in the Northeast Kingdom; more…
Commentary Series

Tuning In Again

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Despite depressing headlines, commentator Deborah Luskin finds that – ever since the election – she has a renewed interest in the news. And she’s even  looking toward the New Year with cautious optimism.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: December 31, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: A coalition of education groups has dropped its lawsuit against Tax Commissioner Tom Pelham.  Pelham has now complied by recommending a two-cent cut in the residential rate. But the battle over education funding is expected to be a key issue in the 2009 legislative session…
VPR News

Education groups drop lawsuit against tax commissioner

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A coalition of education groups has dropped its lawsuit against Tax Commissioner Tom Pelham.  Pelham has now complied by recommending a two-cent cut in the residential rate. But the battle over education funding is expected to be a key issue in the 2009 legislative session.
VPR News
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Sounds of 2008: Gubernatorial Race

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Today we close out our series, Sounds of 2008, a review of the top news of the past year. And we wrap up with a reminder of the dominant news story of the year – politics.  
Commentary Series

Gift Tags

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This holiday season, commentator Kristen Laine has been thinking about family stories – how they’re created, changed and passed along.
VPR News
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The art of skate sharpening

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Sixteen-year-old Zoë Cross is a newcomer to the craft of sharpening skates…but in less than six months she’s picked up the basics and found the art behind creating a hollow in the blades of hockey and figure skates. We spent a recent Sunday afternoon with Zoë as she sharpened rental skates at the Leddy Park Arena in North Burlington.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: December 30, 2008

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Sen. Bernie Sanders says Congress will act quickly to pass a massive economic stimulus package; later this afternoon, demonstrators in Vermont plan to protest Israel’s strikes against Palestinians in Gaza;
Commentary Series

Good Neighbors

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As part of VPR’s continuing effort to explore the ways in which we Reach Out to each other in hard times, commentator Ken Davis looks back on the big events of 2008 – and a few important stories that didn’t make the news.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: December 30, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Vermont’s tax commissioner has issued his tax rate recommendations, but he’s suggesting that lawmakers not accept them.  The recession has hurt one source of state revenues that some thought were immune to tough economic times. Proceeds from the Vermont lottery are down about 10 percent…
VPR News

State warns of mortgage scams

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Vermont regulators are warning people about new scams in which companies offer mortgage help to cash-strapped homeowners only to bilk them of money later.
VPR News
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Sounds of 2008: Howard Dean

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As we approach the end of the year, we’re taking a few moments to look back at what made news. The series is called Sounds of 2008. This morning, we hear from former Governor Howard Dean.
VPR News

Flooding threat from ice jam wanes

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The threat of downtown flooding in Montpelier is past, at least for now. Cooling temperatures and falling Winooski River water levels have all but eliminated the threat.
Commentary Series

House Call

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Commentator LeeLee Goodson is a native Vermonter who lives with her husband in an old farmhouse surrounded by horses, dogs, and chickens. She also teaches American literature at UVM – and as part of VPR’s continuing effort to explore the ways in which we Reach Out to one another in hard times – she recalls the events of one snowy evening, a cat and a house call.  
Vermont Edition
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Cities and Towns Face Budget Uncertainties

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How will state budget cuts impact Vermont’s towns and cities in the current and coming years? We talk about it with Steven Jeffrey of the Vermont League of Cities and Towns. Plus, we survey the year’s top environmental stories with Candy Page. And we visit with a 92-year-old track star.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: December 29, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 12:10pm. A Bethel man is due in court later this hour to face several charges after an armed confrontation with state police last night; Vermont and three other New England states will join together on a regional standardized test for third- to eighth-graders; more…
Commentary Series

Historical Memory

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Recent events have inspired commentator and Vermont Humanities Council executive director Peter Gilbert to think about how history informs the way we makes sense of the present.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: December 29, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Many Vermont real estate professionals are hoping a drop in mortgage interest rates will spur a wave of home buying in early spring.  Vermont’s neighbor to the north is celebrating a very big birthday this year. Quebec City is 400…
VPR News

Exhibit marks Champlain exploration

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Vermont’s neighbor to the north is celebrating a very big birthday this year. Quebec City is 400. From Washington, Elizabeth Wynne Johnson has this story about the 17th Century French explorer who founded the city, and his legacy on both sides of the US-Canada border.
VPR News
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Sounds of 2008: Gay Marriage

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In April, a commission completed nearly a year of studying whether Vermont should legalize full marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples.
VPR News

Given economy, Lynch skips inaugural balls

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When he won his first two terms, Lynch celebrated with two inaugural balls, one in Manchester and one in the North Country. But Lynch says it doesn’t seem like the right thing to do this time given the sad state of the economy.
In Concert @ 8

SymphonyCast: Los Angeles Philharmonic

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Conductors love to work with the Dutch violin phenom, Janine Jansen, who doesn’t just play the music, she becomes the music. Edo de Waart picked Jansen to bring Tchaikovsky’s passionate Violin Concerto to life in this unforgettable performance from Los Angeles.
All the Traditions

All the Traditions – November 28, 2008

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Our last show of 2008, featuring a wealth of local musicians who will be performing at First Night celebrations all over the VPR listening area, and a special tribute to Davey Graham, a very influential English guitarist who passed on last week.
Saturday Afternoon at the Opera

The Magic Flute

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Live from the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City, an abridged English-language version of Mozart’s The Magic Flute.  Our Opera Postlude presents l’enfant et les sortilèges by Maurice Ravel and Amahl and the Night Visitors by Gian-Carlo Menotti.
Interlude

Winter

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Two pieces in honor of winter: Concertino d’hiver for trombone and strings by Darius Milhaud and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 1 "Winter Daydreams."
My Place with Joel Najman

The Ladies By Name – Part One

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For as long as songs have been written, many have been about girlfriends and love interest, songs that refer to women specifically by name. And this type of song saw its greatest proliferation during the early golden years of the Rock&Roll era. From Buddy Holly’s "Peggy Sue" to Ricky Nelson’s "Hello Mary Lou", these "girls’ names" records are featured this week on Joel Najman’s "My Place" program in an episode titled "Addressing The Ladies By Name – Part One".  And yes, there will be a Part Two, and listeners are encouraged to request those "name" records you’d like to hear, or to ask whether a record actually exists for a specific name – and Joel will do the research and try to track it down for airplay.  You can contact Joel by writing "My Place", Vermont Public Radio, 365 Troy Avenue, Colchester, VT 05446 or by email: myplace@vpr.net . Joel Najman’s "My Place" program airs from 8-9PM Saturdays following "A Prairie Home Companion" on VPR.
VPR News

Sounds of 2008: Darren Tardif

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In the Northeast Kingdom, law enforcement was an issue in the village of Island Pond and the surrounding town of Brighton.
VPR News
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Volunteers prepare celebration of Lincoln

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Vermont volunteers are gearing up to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s birth next year. Organizers say it is "altogether fitting and proper" that the celebration will take place without a penny of public funding.
Vermont Edition
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Cancer Support; Population Media Center

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Support groups, such as one in we visit in Addison County, help cancer patients and survivors handle the emotional toll the illness takes in everyday life. Also,  how the Vermont-based Population Media Center teaches family planning in deeloping countries.
Commentary Series

Christmas Bird Count

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 Anyone with a bird feeder knows that there is still plenty of lively activity in nature this time of year. Commentator Tom Slayton tells us about an annual event that celebrates that fact – the Christmas Bird Count.
VPR News
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Sounds of 2008: Dam Removal

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We look back again now to some of the events of the past year in our Sounds of 2008 series. In Northfield, it was the sound of water flowing freely again that made news.  
VPR News

Morning Newscast: December 26, 2008

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Christmas Eve fire destroys historic building in Fairfax; new regulations concern Vermont’s handmade toy industry; in VPR’s continuing series, Sounds of 2008, water flow after a dam excavation in Northfield.
VPR News
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Sounds of 2008: Elton John Fan

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This morning, we take up Sounds of 2008, our review of the past year. Singer Elton John’s voice was heard, in person, in Vermont for the first time this year.  
VPR News
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Vermont toymakers concerned about rules change

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Vermont’s handmade toymakers are resting after the Christmas rush. But they’re looking ahead with concern to the New Year. That’s when new regulations require manufacturers to test their products to prove that they’re safe. As VPR’s John Dillon reports, the tests are so expensive that some companies may be forced out of business.
VPR News

Fathers dance with kids in “Nutcracker”

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During the holidays, Tchaikowsky’s Nutcracker Ballet is a tradition   This year, the Adams School of Dance presented the classic.   It’s a performance the school has done for years. But as VPR’s Nina Keck reports, in addition to the professional dancers and students, there were some relative newcomers in the cast.
VPR News
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Sounds of 2008: Cola Hudson, Sara Gear Boyd & Graham Newell

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We’re pausing to remember some of the events of the past year through the Sounds of 2008.And this morning, we pause to remember some of the Vermonters who died this year. Three politicians who were dedicated to this state were among them.  
VPR News

Sounds of 2008: Louis Peck & Tom Fagan

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In our series Sounds of 2008, we’re reviewing the events of the past year. And as in any year, we mark the passing of some of the people who’ve made news over the years. In May, former Vermont Supreme Court Justice Louis Peck died at 89.  
VPR News
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Expert teaches children art of baking bread

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At this time of year the kitchen is often filled with the delicious smell of things baking.  And there’s nothing quite like the scent of fresh bread.  One instructor has been teaching the lost art of bread-baking to thousands of school children around the country. 
VPR News

VPR Evening News December 24th, 2008

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Police investigate random shootings in the Derby area; Comments on Dr. Phil show highlight 9-1-1 call-taking training; State giving away Chester bridge; Garrison Keillor at the Champlain Valley Fair; and commentator Philip Baruth cuts his own Christmas tree.
Commentary Series

Cut it Yourself

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Once upon a time, Commentator Philip Baruth drove out to a place where you can cut your own Christmas Tree. He will never do it again, even if you offer him lots of money. Here’s Philip.
VPR News
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Sounds of 2008: Garrison Keillor

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Public radio’s own, Garrison Keillor, headlined the Champlain Valley Fair at the end of the summer. He brought "A Prairie Home Companion” – along with all of the stories, jokes and music – before a sellout crowd.  
VPR News

Milton delays school expansion discussions

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The weak economy is a factor in the Milton school board’s decision not to continue with a planning process that could add an addition to the junior and senior high school.
VPR News
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Inauguration tickets in high demand

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Members of Congress each get a few hundred Inauguration tickets to dole out. And demand is off the charts. The Vermont delegation is getting hit up hard.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: December 24, 2008

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Sen. Sanders says Congress should reject a request by the Treasury Secretary to release the second half of the $700 Billion Wall Street bail out fund, because he says what happened to the first half is shrouded in secrecy; more…
VPR News
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Sounds of 2008: High School Sports

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In January, two freshmen from Montpelier High School asked the Vermont Principals Association to alter rules that would let them compete in cross-country running.
VPR News

Montpelier officials watch ice jam

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City officials in Montpelier are keeping an eye on the Winooski River, where an ice jam west of downtown is raising water levels and fears of flooding.
Commentary Series

Favor Johnson

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Commentator Willem Lange retells one of our all time favorite seasonal stories. "Favor Johnson" is the story of a hound names Hercules, a flatlander doctor, homemade fruitcake and the real spirit of Christmas.
VPR News

VPR Evening News December 23rd, 2008

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A look at the governor’s priorities for the upcoming legislative session; Socks for low-income children; A look back at the Shelburne Museum Mary Cassatt exhibition; and commentator Charlie Nardozzi on holiday greens.
Commentary Series

Holiday Greens

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When you say holiday greens, most people think live Christmas trees. However, there are a number of other evergreens that can be cut now and brought indoors to add to the seasonal cheer.
VPR News
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Homeless family searches for apartment

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Circumstances have left Meghann Cline and her three children homeless. They’ve been living at the COTS shelter for more than three months and time is running out. Success would be: saving enough money for an apartment, finding an apartment that’s affordable, and then getting a landlord to say yes.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: December 23, 2008

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A new report concludes that Vermont Yankee can operate past it’s license; the Winooski River has receded, but officials are still watching an ice jam in Montpelier; Unicel will take over AT &T’s Vermont assets in January; more…
Vermont Edition
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Presumptive House Speaker Shap Smith

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Morrisville Democrat Shap Smith, the Democratic choice for Speaker of the Vermont House, talks about his hopes for the coming legislative session. And a live performance by Twist of the Wrist, a Vermont band that plays old and new music in a centuries-old style.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: December 23, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Low income children in Vermont will keep their toes warm this winter, thanks to help from a charitable foundation and a Northfield sock maker.  Hundreds of people will be at Rutland’s Paramount Theatre today to give a rather unconventional holiday gift – blood. And we listen to the Sounds of 2008…
VPR News

Lynch asks for fed disaster aid for NH

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New Hampshire Governor John Lynch has asked President Bush to declare that the state has suffered a major disaster as a result of the ice storm that began on December 11.
VPR News
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Sounds of 2008: The Rooney Verdict

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In May, much of the state’s attention was focused on Rutland. That’s where Brian Rooney of Richmond was on trial for the 2006 rape and murder of Michelle Gardner Quinn.  
VPR News

State steps up enforcement following court ruling

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The Vermont Department of Public Safety appears to be stepping up its enforcement against landlords whose properties are found to violate the Vermont housing code, following a court order saying it needed to do just that.
VPR News

New Englanders dig out after massive nor’easter

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A nor’easter on the first day of winter buried parts of northern New England under more than 3 feet of snow and added to the misery for hundreds of New Hampshire residents still in the dark more than a week after a crippling ice storm hit the region.
VPR News
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Sounds of 2008: Cassatt

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As the holidays approach, we’re taking some time to review the year through our Sounds of 2008 series. And this summer at the Shelburne Museum, there were sights to go along with the sounds.
Classical Music with Joe Goetz

Afternoon Classics: Snowy and sacred music

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We’ve got a foot and a half of snow on the ground outside our Colchester studios, so let’s celebrate it (or at least try to) with some snowy music by Tchaikovsky, Elgar, Offenbach, and Debussy. We’ll also hear large sacred works for Christmas by Britten, Bach, and Poulenc.
Vermont Edition
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Collecting Oral Histories

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NPR’s popular StoryCorps project inspired people to talk with relatives, friends and neighbors about their lives. We’ll talk about the art – and the value – of gathering and preserving these stories. Also a look at businesses thriving during the recession – and an appreciation of the fruitcake.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: December 22, 2008

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There are still difficult driving conditions around the state; the new snow storm is causing a few new power outages in New Hampshire, where 10,700 people are still without power, 12 days after and ice storm;
Commentary Series

Anne’s Biddies

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As part of VPR’s celebration of the season, commentator Bill Schubart turns storyteller. In this story, exploring the difference between "health care" and "caring for people", a veteran nurse tends to elderly ladies at a rural hospital during the holidays.  
VPR News

Another snowstorm hits Northern New England

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Yet another snowstorm hit Northern New England this weekend. State and town snowplows are out in force this morning in many parts of Vermont, trying to make a tough commute a little easier.
Commentary Series

Neighbor to Neighbor

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As part of VPR’s continuing effort to explore the ways in which we help each other through hard times, commentator Henry Homeyer describes how his small town Reaches Out – Neighbor to Neighbor.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: December 22, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Gov. Jim Douglas is sticking by his opposition to raising taxes in Vermont after a series of hearings in which lawmakers took testimony from people saying they would be severely hurt by budget cuts. The storm 10 days ago that coated southern Vermont in a thick blanket of ice will probably continue to affect the region…
VPR News

Forester warns about falling limbs

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The storm 10 days ago that coated southern Vermont in a thick blanket of ice will probably continue to affect the region. Experts say branches and limbs from damaged trees could continue to fall for a long time.
VPR News
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Sounds of 2008: Patrick Leahy

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We’re listening back to some of the news, and newsmakers, of the past year. And in this election year, Senator Patrick Leahy’s voice was heard across the country.
VPR News

Douglas sticks with opposition to new taxes

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Gov. Jim Douglas is sticking by his opposition to raising taxes in Vermont after a series of hearings in which lawmakers took testimony from people saying they would be severely hurt by budget cuts.
VPR News

Jury foreman: Vt. bishop showed “no real remorse’

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The foreman of a jury that last week awarded a Maryland man $3.6 million in a case of sexual abuse by a priest says the current Vermont Catholic bishop’s attitude during a videotaped sworn statement may have hurt the church’s case.
VPR News

Firm to pay state $215,000 over lead in products

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A company that sold metal trinkets that contained high levels of lead will pay the state $215,000.  And the company will have to live by restrictions on the amounts of lead in products it distributes within Vermont, under a settlement with the state.
VPR News
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Sounds of 2008: Rain

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We’re listening to the Sounds of 2008 as we review the news of the past year. And throughout the summer, it was the sound of rain that defined our days.  
Saturday Afternoon at the Opera

Thaïs

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Renée Fleming sings the title role in Massenet’s Thaïs, live from the Metropolitan Opera House.  The opera is followed by excerpts from Loreena McKennitt’s new CD, A Midwinter Night’s Dream”, and a reading of Dylan Thomas’s A Child’s Christmas in Wales by Peter Fox Smith.
My Place with Joel Najman

A Musical Profile Of Songwriter And Record Producer Bob Crewe – Part 2

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This week Joel Najman’s "My Place" program concludes a two-part series profiling songwriter and record producer Bob Crewe. This week’s program begins with Bob Crewe’s enormous success writing and producing hits for The 4 Seasons, continues with the launching of Bob’s own record company with big hits for Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels and others, and concludes with Bob’s later dance hits of the 1970’s and beyond. Bob Crewe is a true rennaissance man and a giant within the contemporary music industry, and his life in music is profiled this week on Joel Najman’s "My Place" program Saturday from 8-9PM on VPR.
VPR News

VPR Evening News December 19th, 2008

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Lawmakers hold back on cuts to mental health programs; Vermont unemployment rate goes up in November; Patrick Leahy expects Eric Holder to be confirmed as Attorney General; Celebrating Chanukah; Language of the Abenaki; and commentator Leora Dowling on becoming a volunteer cancer advocate.
Commentary Series

Volunteer Advocate

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As part of a station-wide effort to consider some of the ways in which we help each other through hard times, commentator Leora Dowling describes how becoming a volunteer cancer advocate helped in her own recovery.
VPR News
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Sounds of 2008: Abenaki Song

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We’re reflecting on the events of the past year through our series "Sounds of 2008.” In January, we heard from some members of Vermont’s Western Abenaki culture who don’t want to lose their language.  
VPR News

Midday Newscast: December 19, 2008

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Legislators and members of the Douglas administration are near an agreement on budget cuts; budget shortfalls have caught up with another Vermont institution; Sen. Patrick Leahy says he’s confident of Eric Holder’s confirmation; more…
Vermont Edition
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Annual Music Show

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Hosts Jane Lindholm and Bob Kinzel look at the music of 2008, the great tunes, noteworthy artists and albums that deserve a second, third, fifteenth listen. Click here to tell us your favorites.
VPR News

Beaver colony destroyed

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The town of Essex has destroyed a colony of beavers after their dam clogged a culvert, prompting flooding of a trail that encircles Indian Brook Reservoir.
Commentary Series

Obama and the Press

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The relationship between an incoming President and the reporters who cover him is of great importance to the Presidency – and ultimately to the country itself. This morning commentator Barrie Dunsmore, a veteran diplomatic correspondent for ABC News, looks at how relations between President-elect Obama and the news media are starting to take shape.
VPR News
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Interview: Rowly Brucken on Zimbabwe

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The country of Zimbabwe has been facing a humanitarian crisis. An outbreak of cholera has swept through the country killing over 1,000 people and infecting over 20,000 according to the United Nations. Rowly Brucken is Zimbabwe specialist for Amnesty International, and he’s also a professor at Norwich University.
VPR News
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Sounds of 2008: Rough Roads

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Today in "Sounds of 2008,” we remember the condition our roads were in after another tough winter. You remember. They were rough.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: December 19, 2008

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Almost every VT home and business has been restored to power; the VT State economist says the recession will not recede for at least another year; two N.E. utilities want to bring a new transmission line to carry power from Hydro-Quebec without running through VT; more…
VPR News
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Sounds of 2008: Tom Salmon

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We turn to politics now in "Sounds of 2008,” our review of the year’s news. In June, state Auditor Tom Salmon got called to active duty with the U.S. Naval Reserve and he was deployed to Iraq.
VPR News

VPR Evening News December 18th, 2008

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Agriculture Secretary urges President-elect to develop alternative energy systems for Northeast farmers; A power outage update; Regulators says an outage that left 911 service unavailable was foreseeable; Lawyer blames Defender General’s office for trial delays; Brooke Bennett’s mother appears before Judiciary Committee; and commentator Bill Mares on volunteering for the Vermont Foodbank.
Commentary Series

The Food Shelf

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As VPR commentators join a station-wide effort to consider ways we can help each other through hard times, commentator Bill Mares reflects on the small satisfactions of working in a large cause.
VPR News
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Sounds of 2008: al Jazeera

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Today in our "Sounds of 2008" series, we’re looking at how in Burlington, the Middle East television news network Al Jazeera was itself news.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: December 18, 2008

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A week after an ice storm devastate parts of northern New England, 230 Vermont customers are still without power; the University of Vermont has settled a lawsuit stemming from a triple-fatal car crash; more…
Vermont Edition
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State budget crisis

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This week nearly $20 million in budget cuts were proposed by the Douglas administration and the Joint Fiscal Committee, but they say that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Administration Secretary Neale Lunderville discusses the constantly shifting budget situation. Also on the program, how town budgets are taking a hit, and a new movie captures the spirit of Brattleboro’s Harmony Parking Lot.
VPR News

Verdicts against Vt. diocese now top $12 million

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A new $3.6 million verdict against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Vermont in a priest sex abuse trial brings to more than $12 million the money the church owes in a series of similar law suits – and it still has 25 more to go.
Commentary Series

Best Christmas Ever

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As most of us scurry around in search of last minute holiday gifts, commentator Willem Lange is remembering a Christmas that was almost entirely home-made – and it’s one that his family now looks back on as the "best Christmas ever".
VPR News

Interview: Sen. Matt Houde on power outages

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More than 700 people in Vermont are still without power today, almost a week after an ice storm hit New England. Even harder hit was New Hampshire…where an estimated 54,000 people are still in the dark. New Hampshire State Senator Matt Houde of Plainfield is one of those thousands who spent nearly a week without power
VPR News

Morning Newscast: December 18, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: A new congressional investigation, requested by Senator Bernie Sanders, shows that the U.S. Navy has wasted more than $7 billion on unneeded spare parts. A small cheesemaking business at the Calvin Coolidge Historic Site has been told by the state to leave…
VPR News
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Sounds of 2008: Scoville Lab

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Today, in "Sounds of 2008,” our review of the year’s news, we turn to a poignant dedication ceremony at the Statehouse.
VPR News
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State terminates Plymouth cheese makers’ lease

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A small cheesemaking business at the Calvin Coolidge Historic Site has been told by the state to leave. The decision will have an impact on two local companies that employ about 20 people. The companies’ owners and local legislators are protesting the decision, but the state says it will close the cheese factory for now.
VPR News
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Sounds of 2008: DUI Law

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In "Sounds of 2008,” our year-end review of the news, we turn to a somber topic. Victims of crime.
VPR News

Former altar boy awarded $3.6 million

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A former altar boy is offering to donate a $3.6 million priest sex abuse award, if the Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington posts the photos of pedophile priests on its Website.
VPR News

Power outages about 750

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Vermont’s largest power company is continuing to make progress in getting the power back on after the ice storm that hit the southern part of the state last week.
VPR News

Red Cross asks for blood donations

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The American Red Cross is asking for people to come out and give blood as the recent ice storm that hit New Hampshire and other states has canceled blood drives.
VPR News

VPR Evening News December 17th, 2008

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Jury awards $3.6 million to former altar boy; Faculty and students want UVM to hold off on budget cuts; More testimony on proposed budget cuts, but Amtrak service saved; Bernie Sanders leads investigation into Navy wasteful spending; Same-sex marriage advocates hail New Jersey study; Helping people pay for fuel during the holidays; and commentator Mary Barosse-Schwartz on community spirit.
VPR News
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Sounds of 2008: Billboards

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And now our series that listens back to the news and newsmakers of the past year. One of those “Sounds of 2008” actually dated to 1968. That’s when Vermont became the first state in the country to adopt a total ban on billboards.
Commentary Series

Meaning of Community

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This week during All Things Considered, VPR commentators are joining in a station-wide effort to reflect on how we can help each other make it through hard times. Community identity seems to be an important factor, and writer-commentator Mary Barrosse Schwartz marvels that while it may have been lost in many other places, a sense of community is apparently alive and well in Vermont.
VPR News

Ethan Allen Express train service gets reprieve, for now

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There was more testimony today at the Statehouse on the effect that $20 million in proposed budget cuts could have on the state. For now, the Legislature’s Joint Fiscal Committee has decided to delay separate proposals to cut town highway aid and passenger rail service in Rutland.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: Dec. 17, 2008

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Vermont’s largest power company says 1,000 without power; advocates for children worry about budget cuts; a Northeast Kingdom woman has an innovative gift-giving idea; funding of the Ethan Allen Express.
Vermont Edition
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Holiday etiquette

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Awkward holiday moments can be eased over with advice from the etiquette experts at the Emily Post Institute.  Environmental reporter Candace Page updates us on Vermont’s endangered species list. And we visit with children’s author Tracey Campbell Pearson, whose Vermont-centered books are popular across the country.
VPR News
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Sounds of 2008: Welch on bailout

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We go back now to “Sounds of 2008,” our review of the news of the past year. During the fall, Congress debated whether to prop up the financial industry with an infusion of 700 billion dollars. Congressman Peter Welch didn’t like the idea.
VPR News
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Sounds of 2008: Bailout protest

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This month, we’re reviewing the news of the year by listening back to the “Sounds of 2008.” Today, the financial crisis. Wall Street’s collapse echoed from Main Street to State Street to Capitol Hill.
VPR News

Catamount enrollment still low

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It’s been a little more than a year since Catamount Health began taking applications from uninsured Vermonters. And fewer than 6,500 of the state’s 65,000 uninsured people have enrolled in the state-sponsored insurance program.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: December 17, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: As part of the state’s budget cutting, the Transportation Agency wants to eliminate passenger rail service between Rutland and Albany, New York. It would be replaced with a bus that would stop in additional Vermont towns. Transportation Secretary David Dill says that would add service and draw riders…
VPR News

Rutland leaders oppose Amtrak service cuts

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As part of the state’s budget cutting, the Transportation Agency wants to eliminate passenger rail service between Rutland and Albany, New York. It would be replaced with a bus that would stop in additional Vermont towns.
VPR News

VPR Evening News December 16th, 2008

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Advocacy groups urge postponement of state budget cuts; Wind project may harm black bears; Several thousand still without electricity following ice storm; The Vermont Foodbank faces a crisis; and commentator Dennis Delaney on mentoring felons.
VPR News
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Sounds of 2008: National Guard

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VPR is sampling some of the sounds in the news as the year comes to an end. This time, we hear from the Vermont National Guard First Colonel Terry Lambert.
Commentary Series

Comfort Zone

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‘Tis the season when winter winds howl, tires skid on patches of ice, and our thoughts turn to Reaching Out with a friendly hand to neighbors in need. This week, during All Things Considered, VPR commentators are joining a station-wide effort to consider how we can help each other through the holidays, the winter, and hard economic times. For commentator Dennis Delaney, this sometimes means reaching beyond our natural comfort zone.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: December 16, 2008

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Five days after the ice started collecting on trees and utility lines in southern Vermont, several thousand still have no electricity; the Vermont Food Bank says the state’s emergency food system faces a crisis; more…
Vermont Edition
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Catamount Health, One Year Out

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We explore what Catamount Health has (and hasn’t ) accomplished in its first year of operation, and whether it can be made sustainable in the current economic climate. Also, Candy Page talks about endangered species, and we get a lesson on the art of curling.
VPR News
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Hard Times: Part Two, Vermont in the Depression

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With the word now official that the United States is in recession, VPR is looking back at the country’s most infamous economic downturn, the Great Depression. Today, we get a snapshot of what Vermont looked like in the worst throes of the Depression, and how those times affected Vermonters.
VPR News
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Morning Newscast: December 16, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Vermont utility crews are continuing to chip away at power outages caused by last week’s ice storm.  The Douglas Administration has released the details of its plan to cut this year’s budget by almost $20 million. The biggest reductions come in Human Service programs affecting children, families, the disabled, the elderly and Vermonters who receive mental health services…
VPR News
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Sounds of 2008: Bush Visit

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We’re reviewing the news of the past year by listening to the "Sounds of 2008” a moment or two at a time.A sound that we didn’t hear was President Bush’s voice. Vermont is still the only state in the union the president hasn’t visited while he’s been in office.  
VPR News
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Sounds of 2008: Prices

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We’re taking some time, as the year comes to a close, to sample some of the "Sounds of 2008.” This year, from the gas pump to the grocery store, rising prices were having an effect on almost everyone.  
VPR News

NH outages down to about 117,000

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Power has been restored to nearly three-quarters of the New Hampshire homes and businesses left in the dark by last week’s ice storm.
VPR News

VPR Evening News December 15th, 2008

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The Douglas Administration releases budget cut details; State of emergency declared in four Vermont counties; Vermont’s first “Community Health Center’ opens; New Web site launched from the Vermont Criminal Information; State gets money from toy company settlement; and some of the Sounds of 2008.
Commentary Series
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Warm Clothing Drive

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All this week, during All Things Considered, we’ll be hearing from VPR commentators about some of the ways in which we help each other make it through the holidays, through trying economic times, and through the hard months of winter.  After working with his students to collect warm clothing for the Vermont Refugee Resettlement Program, commentator Mike Martin has a new-found respect for this generation’s community spirit and generosity.
VPR News
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Sounds of 2008: Legislative Hearings

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With the end of the year approaching, we’re sampling some of the sounds we heard in the news in 2008. Some memorable moments came from the hearing rooms at the Statehouse.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: December 15, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas says a weekend of negotiations has resulted in $19.7 million in cuts to the state budget; Everyone knows they’re supposed to eat more fruits and vegetables. And with the price of groceries rising, eating nutritiously on a budget is not so easy…
VPR News
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Sounds of 2008: Presidential Visits

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Today in our series, Sounds of 2008 … the voices of presidential candidates and their supporters … that we heard early in the year during the primary season.
VPR News

Advice for healthy eating on a budget

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Everyone knows they’re supposed to eat more fruits and vegetables. And with the price of groceries rising, eating nutritiously on a budget is not so easy. But as VPR’s Nina Keck reports its possible with a little work.
VPR News

Sounds of 2008: Snow

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Last winter one of the most consistent sounds heard were Snowplows and front-end loaders were busy day after day, hauling away the record snow.
My Place with Joel Najman

A Musical Profile Of Record Producer And Songwriter Bob Crewe – Part 1

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Bob Crewe has been one of the giants of the world of contemporary popular music, having distinguished himself as a successful songwriter, record producer, manager, music publisher and record company executive dating to the early days of the Rock & Roll era.  This week Joel Najman’s My Place program presents a look at the earliest years of Bob Crewe’s career in music, focusing on his own attempts to succeed as a singer and recording artist as well as his earliest successes as a hitmaking songwriter and record producer in the late 1950’s. Tune in for Part 1 of a musical profile of Bob Crewe this week on Joel Najman’s My Place program, Saturday evening from 8-9PM on VPR.
Saturday Afternoon at the Opera

The Queen of Spades

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Live from the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City: Tchaikovsky’s The Queen of Spades with Maria Guleghina, Ben Heppner, and Felicity Palmer, conducted by Seiji Ozawa.
VPR News

VPR Evening News December 12th, 2008

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Powerful storm leave 25,000 customers without power; Governor continues to consider budget cuts; How to best utilize state employees during fiscal crisis; and commentator Jay Craven remembers his grandfather.
Commentary Series

Greatest Living Murdoch

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A combination of the holidays and the recent comparisons of our times to the days of Franklin Roosevelt have reminded commentator, filmmaker, and Marlboro College teacher Jay Craven of his grandfather.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: December 12, 2008

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Southern Vermont and parts of neighboring Massachusetts and New Hampshire have been crippled by the weather; a veteran state senator says Vermont could save state jobs by reducing the number of hours that public employees work;
Commentary Series
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Preparing the Soil

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Gardening guy Henry Homeyer has been experimenting with small-scale gardens designed to save both money and time – set in the middle of the lawn – so preparing the soil is a key to success.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: December 12, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Due to weather conditions Vermont State Police in Brattleboro are asking people to suspend all unnecessary travel plans; Both of Vermont’s senators say that allowing Ford, General Motors or Chrylser to fall into bankruptcy could affect a lot of auto related jobs in Vermont…
VPR News
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Volunteers plan celebration of Lincoln

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Vermont volunteers are gearing up to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s birth next year. Organizers say it is "all together fitting and proper" that the celebration will take place without a penny of public funding.
VPR News
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Health Department reports error in asbestos study

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The state Health Department says it made an error in a recent report that pointed to higher cancer rates in towns surrounding an old asbestos mine in northern Vermont. But it says the study still shows higher rates of another asbestos-related disease.
VPR News

NRC: No ‘turf war’ over VY

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The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is disputing an industry critic’s assertion that an appeal by NRC staff of a quasi-judicial review panel’s determination on the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant represents a "turf war."
VPR News

Barnard drops recount effort

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A state Senate candidate who asked for a recount in the Chittenden County Senate district dropped her request after votes were recounted in the city of Burlington.
VPR News
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Winter weather warnings, information

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An ice storm in Windham, Windsor, and Bennington Counties and snow in other parts of the state are causing extensive damage. 27,000 customers are without power, and utilities say it could be several days before power is restored to all customers.
Vermont Edition
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Gov. Jim Douglas

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The Douglas administration and legislative leaders are aiming to cut $37 million from the state’s budget. VPR’s Ross Sneyd explains the budget shortfall and the process for making cuts. Then Gov. Douglas joins us to explain the budget priorities and take your calls.
VPR News

VPR Evening News December 11th, 2008

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Vermont’s U.S. Senators reluctantly endorse auto industry bailout; Governor asks for special assistance from Congress; Health Department finds error in recent asbestos report; Essex Junction looking to become more pedestrian-friendly; and commentator Deborah Luskin reminds us to celebrate responsibly.
VPR News
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Solstice marks return of Christmas Revels

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For the past 34 years, Hanover has been one of 10 cities across the country to mark the solstice with an annual Christmas Revels performance. VPR’s Steve Zind visited a rehearsal to see what Revels is all about.  
VPR News

Midday Newscast: December 11, 2008

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Governor Jim Douglas is before a congressional committee at this hour to make a pitch for financial help for the states; before he left for Washington, Gov. Douglas weighed in on the future of the Vermont Yankee power plant;
Vermont Edition
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2008 Winter Reading Program

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It’s the winter reading show! We discuss the best book bets for those long winter nights.And we’ll visit rehearsals for the 34th annual Christmas Revels in Hanover, a celebration of the Winter Solstice. Tell us what you’re reading
VPR News

Mold closes Sutton school till January

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A mold problem is giving Sutton school children an early start on their Christmas vacations. Principal Brian Rayburn says the kindergarten through grade 8 school will be closed until the mold problem can be corrected.
Commentary Series

Almost Utopia

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Commentator Tom Slayton says there’s a new book out that documents a bit of Vermont history that influenced both the back-to-the-land movement of the nineteen-sixties – and the Vermont we know so well today.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: December 11, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Groups that represent towns and school boards say the Douglas Administration should reduce the statewide property tax rate. Serious problems have developed over cutting $37 million from the state budget in the next week…
VPR News

Welch, Hodes, Shea-Porter vote for auto bailout

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A plan to throw U-S automakers a $14 billion lifeline cleared the House last night. House Representatives Peter Welch, Carol Shea-Porter and Paul Hodes all voted in favor of the bill.  But the legislation is still in jeopardy in the Senate. A vote there could come today.
VPR News

Leaders say budget cuts should be left to full legislature

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Serious problems have developed over cutting $37 million from the state budget in the next week. Legislative leaders say such major policy decisions shouldn’t be left to just one committee. They say that’s the job of the full Legislature, which returns next month. But the Douglas Administration says that might be too late.
VPR News

VPR Evening News December 10th, 2008

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Problems cutting $37 million from the state budget; Vt’s congressional delegation introduces bill to improve transportation infrastructure; Dartmouth scientist heads to Antarctica to study climate change; and commentator Bill Schubart on the challenge of cooking with too many people in the kitchen!
Commentary Series

Folks In The Kitchen

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Cook and commentator Bill Schubart maintains that it’s impossible to cook with a kitchen full of people – especially during the holidays.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: December 10, 2008

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A lawyer and former part-time Family Court judge is losing her law license for three months because marijuana was found in her house; activists say they’re happy that the U.S. Supreme Court has decided not to take up a child custody case between two women;
VPR News

Morning Newscast: December 10, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Vermont’s health care ombudsman says there has been a spike in calls this month from people who can’t afford their health insurance.  A Vermont woman has won a legal victory in a case that tested whether a ban on same sex unions could affect a child custody dispute…
VPR News

Court upholds visitation rights in same-sex custody battle

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A Vermont woman has won a legal victory in a case that tested whether a ban on same sex unions could affect a child custody dispute. The decision by the U.S. Supreme Court was hailed by gay rights activists. But a lawyer for the Vermont woman says she’s still fighting for the right to see her child.
VPR News

Group: Vt. scores 9 of 10 in terror, disaster prep

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The Trust for America’s Health says the state comes up short only in the lack of a medical reserve corps coordinator. The trust’s Liz Richardson says that person makes sure the required personnel are lined up to respond to different types of emergencies.
VPR News

VPR Evening News December 9th, 2008

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Looking for money for bridges and roads; Hunger relief programs say demand has jumped; Judge allows Burlington Diocese to introduce defense evidence in abuse lawsuit; Vermont scores high in disaster preparedness report; Vermont Climate Collaborative meets for the first time; and commentator Bill Seamans with some good news for veterans.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: December 9, 2008

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Congressman Peter Welch says he’s likely to support a limited bailout package for the auto industry; Quebec voters returned the Liberal Party to power in provincial elections yesterday; more…
VPR News

Climate Collaborative searches for mission

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The Vermont Climate Collaborative has met for the first time – more than a year after Governor Jim Douglas announced its creation. But the group’s first session produced little consensus about direction.
Commentary Series

Milton Turns 400

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Vermont Humanities Council executive director and commentator Peter Gilbert tells us that today marks the 400th anniversary of the birth of a man who’s been called "one of the most significant writers and thinkers of all time."
VPR News
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Morning Newscast: December 9, 2008

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Here are the tops stories at 7:30 a.m.: Congressman Peter Welch says he will support a limited bail out package for the nation’s auto industry, but only if he’s convinced the plan will save jobs, force the companies to redesign their cars and protect taxpayers.  Senatory Patrick Leahy says Eric Holder will be good for the Department of Justice. And he’ll be good for Vermont…
VPR News
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Welch will support limited auto bail out, if conditions are met

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Congressman Peter Welch says he will support a limited bail out package for the nation’s auto industry, but only if he’s convinced the plan will save jobs, force the companies to redesign their cars and protect taxpayers. Vermont officials are following the issue closely, because there are several thousand good paying jobs in the state that are tied to the auto industry.
VPR News

Brattleboro band headed to inaugural parade

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The Brattleboro Union High School band has been invited to Washington to march in the Inaugural Parade, following Barack Obama’s swearing in as the nation’s 44th president.
VPR News

Vermont man’s vanity plate case on appeal

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Shawn Byrne, of West Rutland, is suing the Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles for rejecting his application for a license plate that reads "JN36TN," short for John 3:16, a Bible passage.
VPR News

VPR Evening News December 8th, 2008

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Advocates urge state to spare Catamount health program from budget cuts; Commission holds off on a milk surcharge; Patrick Leahy meets with AG nominee; Brattleboro Union High School Band to march in the Inaugural Parade; and commentator Tim McQuiston sees a sea change ahead in basic economic concepts.
Commentary Series

Capitalism

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Now that we’re offically in a recession, commentator Tim McQuiston predicts that many of our most basic economic concepts are about to undergo a sea change.
VPR News

Midday Newscast, December 8, 2008

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Vermont’s third deer season got under way this weekend when hunters took their muzzle loaders into the woods; some in the ski industry say last week’s sale of Okemo Mountain Resort could signal a new era of ownership shifts; more…
Vermont Edition
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“Our Great War”

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We hear from Wake Robin Retirement Community residents who have published a book of their collected memories from World War II.  Also, we hear about cell phone policies in one Northeast Kingdom school, and we bring you holiday music from the Rose Ensemble.
VPR News

Leahy praises Shinseki choice for VA

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Senator Patrick Leahy is praising President-elect Barack Obama’s choice of retired Army General Eric Shinseki to be secretary of Veterans Affairs.
VPR News

Quebec law boon to tire dealers

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A new Quebec law requiring winter tires on passenger vehicles by December 15 has meant booming business for tire dealers south of the border.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: December 8, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: The Legislature’s anticipated vote on whether Vermont Yankee can keep operating after its current license expires in 2012 may not come this session; Vermont’s largest family-owned ski resort was sold last week to a Florida real estate investment trust…
VPR News

Ski industry faces further consolidation

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Vermont’s largest family-owned ski resort was sold last week to a Florida real estate investment trust. Management will stay the same at Okemo Mountain Resort. But the transfer of ownership reminds some in the industry of how challenging consolidation can be.
VPR News

UVM expects funding cut

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The University of Vermont’s budget troubles have worsened with news that the school will likely face an $11 million state funding cut in the next two years.
VPR News

Bennington plant lays off 55

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The latest round of cuts at NSK Steering Systems America brings the total number of layoffs to about 120 since October.
VPR News

Decision on Vermont Yankee delayed

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The Legislature’s anticipated vote on whether Vermont Yankee can keep operating after its current license expires in 2012 may not come this session.
VPR News

Audit finds poor oversight of NH state vehicles

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There is no formal statewide monitoring of the vehicles, nor is there any statewide agency in charge of requisitioning, maintaining or disposing of cars. Instead, each department makes decisions for itself, leading to a dearth of quality data and poor use of resources.
Commentary Series

Recession

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With news that America has been officially in recession for the last year, Commentator Philip Baruth feels somehow as though he’s moving back to the very early 90’s, when the last serious down-turn began to ease, and he was lucky enough to land a job at the University of Vermont.
My Place with Joel Najman

A Musical Profile Of The Chad Mitchell Trio – Part 2

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This week Joel Najman’s My Place program concludes a two-part musical profile of The Chad Mitchell Trio. This week the focus is on the departure of Chad Mitchell from the act that bore his name, the introduction of John Denver, and a much heralded reunion of the original lineup in 1987. The program concludes with a look at the later success of several alumni of the trio and with a reunion of the Chad Mitchell Trio today, approaching the 50th anniversary of their founding. Joel Najman’s My Place program, Saturdays from 8-9PM on VPR.
Saturday Afternoon at the Opera

Tristan und Isolde

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Live from the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City, Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde, with Katarina Dalayman and Peter Seiffert, conducted by Daniel Barenboim, who makes his Met Broadcast debut.
VPR News

VPR Evening News December 5th, 2008

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State treasurer says Legislature needs to consider a major revenue bond; One candidate left for Speaker of the Vermont House; Okemo Mountain Resort has been sold; Officials recommend paying less for worker’s comp; and Deborah Luskin on having a Green Christmas.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: December 5, 2008

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Okemo Mountain Resort has been sold to a Florida company that operates eleven other ski resorts in North America; voters in Quebec head to the polls on Monday to elect a provincial government; more…
Vermont Edition
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Gas tax for road and bridge repairs

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State Treasurer Jeb Spaulding and Transportation Secretary David Dill discusses a proposal for a new gas tax to improve Vermont’s transportation infrastructure. VPR’s John Dillon examines the deep cuts that are being made to the state budget. And we listen back to some of the voices in the week’s news.
Commentary Series

Obama’s Choices

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Since President elect Obama named his National Security team last Monday, most of the complaints have come from Democrats – not Republicans. This morning, commentator Barrie Dunsmore, a veteran diplomatic correspondent for ABC News, has some words of reassurance for those nervous Democrats.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: December 5, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: State officials are excited about a new job training program that they say could help potential workers and employers. Officials say Vermont businesses should be paying less for workers’ compensation insurance…
VPR News

State launches new job training program

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State officials are excited about a new job training program that they say could help potential workers and employers. As VPR’s Ross Sneyd reports, people who complete the course will return to the work force with what amounts to a seal of approval.
VPR News

Amber Alert test finds glitch

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Vermont State Police officials say a mass e-mail that was supposed to go a large number of recipients did not work as planned.
VPR News

Hodes wants to know why Brattleboro chosen for VA clinic

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New Hampshire Congressman Paul Hodes says he’s disappointed that the Department of Veterans Affairs has decided not to put a new outpatient clinic in Keene. That clinic was sought by members of state’s Washington delegation.
VPR News
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Charleston residents close-mouthed about death

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The discovery of skeletal remains in a swampy area last week helped solve a long-running missing persons case in northern Vermont, but it doesn’t explain what happened to 18-year-old Nathan Currie.
VPR News

NH children’s summit on Monday

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Representatives of groups that serve and advocate New Hampshire families and children will attend a statewide children’s summit on Monday.
VPR News

VPR Evening News December 4th, 2008

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Health care advocates say Vermont’s system could be a model for the country; Amtrak service may be reduced; Third priest sex abuse trial opens; Fairpoint expands broadband service in Bennington County; Vt. State Police director will retire next year; and commentator Ted Levin on barn owls.
VPR News

Priest sex abuse trial gets underway

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A priest sex abuse trial has opened with the victim’s lawyer telling the jury that the Roman Catholic Diocese chose to protect priests rather than children. The church attorney is saying that the victim waited too long to file a lawsuit.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: December 4, 2008

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A new job training program will be launched this month to help 450 Vermonters improve their skills in everything from math to using computers; a shortage of physicians is an issue in provincial elections in Quebec next week; more…
Vermont Edition
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Natural Resources Secretary Jonathan Wood

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The new secretary of the Agency of Natural Resources, Jonathan Wood, describes his top priorities for Vermont’s environmental policies. Vermont’s consumer bankruptcy filings are up 44 percent, and we look behind the numbers. And a Puccini opera takes the stage at the Latchis Theater in Brattleboro.
Commentary Series

Simple Gifts

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Our seasonal search for "the perfect gift" reminds commentator Willem Lange of an old song – and the religious community that inspired it.  
VPR News

Interview: Quebec faces shortage of doctors

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Provincial elections take place in Quebec on Monday. One of the issues Quebecers will take into consideration is a growing shortage of doctors. Dr. Serge Dulude is Director of Planning at the Quebec Federation of General Practitioners, and says the numbers are alarming.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: December 4, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Leaders of Montpelier’s health care reform efforts hope Vermont will get special help from the next Congress and the Obama Administration.  In a time of rising drug crime in Vermont and tight resources for law enforcement, the people of St. Albans are waging their own war on drugs…
VPR News

Report finds Vermont is healthiest state

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The report by the United Health Foundation, the American Public Health Association and the Partnership for Prevention says Vermont has made progress in areas where the rest of the country needs improvement.
VPR News

Newport mill lays off 54

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Columbia Forest Products cites declining sales in the current tough economy as the cause of the layoffs.
VPR News

Committee objects to rules on nuke radiation

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A committee of the Vermont Legislature is formally objecting to changes in rules by the Health Department that allow the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant to release more radiation into the environment.
VPR News

VPR Evening News December 3rd, 2008

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The annual history expo on hold; The evolution of the Vermont House Speaker; Authorities say a West Glover church fire was arson; Skeletal remains identified; and commentator Bill Shubart on the value of bonds.
Commentary Series

Vermont Bonds

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 Having heard some recent discussion about a plan in which Vermont State government and municipalities might issue new infrastructure bonds to enable Vermonters to catch up on deferred maintenance – the hopefully obvious occurred to commentator Bill Schubart.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: December 3 2008

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One of Vermont’s most popular summer events, the History Expo, won’t be held next year; Secretary of State Deb Markowitz says an audit of optical scan voting machines shows the machines accurately counted votes on Election Day; more…
VPR News

Layoffs expected at UVM

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University of Vermont President Dan Fogel says layoffs and spending freezes are likely as the school grapples with a projected $22 million budget shortfall.
VPR News

WCAX-TV lays off 5

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The recession has hit the airwaves. WCAX-TV has laid off five employees, including some on-air staff.
Commentary Series

Repeal of Prohibition

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This week we observe the seventy-fifth anniversary of the passage of the Twenty-first Amendment – which repealed the Eighteenth Amendment. And if you think that’s just dull Constitutional legal history, think again. Here’s commentator and executive director of the Vermont Humanities Council Peter Gilbert to explain.
VPR News
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Interview: Caro Thompson on “Champlain: The Lake Between”

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In 2009, Vermont is commemorating the 400th anniversary of Samuel de Champlain’s voyage to the lake that is named after him. The native people who lived around the lake called it "the Lake Between." And it’s the history of those people, the European explorers, and their first 150 years together that film maker Caro Thompson explores in a new documentary.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: December 3, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Secretary of State Deb Markowitz says an audit of optical scan voting machines shows the machines accurately tabulated votes on Election Day.  And demand for maple syrup has skyrocketed because it’s being used in so many more products…
VPR News

Maple syrup in short supply

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Two years ago a sugarmaker in Vermont might sell his syrup wholesale for about two dollars a pound. But demand for syrup has skyrocketed because it’s being used in so many more products, including breakfast cereal. As the popularity of maple rises … there is a shortage.
VPR News

VPR Evening News December 2nd, 2008

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Governor Douglas meets with President-elect Obama; Senate President warns that health care programs may be cut; Governor wants to streamline the environmental review process; and commentator John McClaughry on the milk tax.
Commentary Series

Milk Tax

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There’s an old saying that if something walks like a duck – it probably is one. Commentator John McClaughry thinks the same principle might apply to something that may not be called a tax – but looks very much like one..
VPR News

Midday Newscast: December 2, 2008

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The Tax Department says three years of rising property values have built a $20 million surplus in the state’s Education Fund; Senator Patrick Leahy praises President-elect Barack Obama on his choice for attorney general; Senator Leahy also plans a hearing of the Judiciary Committee this week in St. Albans.
Vermont Edition
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Incoming Education Commissioner Armando Vilaseca

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We talk with Vilaseca about his priorities for the department, how he plans to deal with stagnating test scores, and we also learn about his family’s ties to Cuba.  Then, we look into why gas prices are high in Vermont, and we hear a commentary about how Vermonters have weathered tough times in the past.
Commentary Series

Beets for Lunch

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Several Vermont schools are involved in a program that teaches about farms and food by getting the students involved in planting and growing. Recently, commentator Tom Slayton visited one of them – in Hardwick.
VPR News

Interview: Lt. Robert Evans on drug crimes

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Senator Patrick Leahy is coming to St. Albans Friday to chair a hearing on what law enforcement says is a growing problem-crime related to drug abuse. Lt. Robert Evans is station commander at the St. Albans police barracks and confirms that his department is dealing with a recent an uptick in drug-related crimes.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: December 2, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Governor Jim Douglas wants to streamline the state’s environmental review process. The results of the races for governor and lieutenant governor from Barnet, Brattleboro, Rockingham and Stowe will be hand-counted today in Montpelier. The Vermont Telecommunications Authority announced it had awarded $180,000…
VPR News

Governor wants to streamline Act 250

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The Douglas administration’s new permit reform task force has already drawn fire. Environmentalists say they haven’t yet been part of the discussion, and some question whether reform is needed.
VPR News

Commissioner expects $20 million education surplus

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Tax Commissioner Tom Pelham says he expects at least a 20 million dollar surplus this year in the state’s Education Fund. Pelham says rising property values over the past three years is a major reason why the fund is doing better than the overall state economy.
VPR News

CVPS gets small rate increase

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The Vermont Public Service Board has approved a rate increase of one-third of 1 percent for Central Vermont Public Service Corp., effective Jan. 1.
VPR News

Court upholds aggravated assault sentence for hunter

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In a case arising out of Lamoille County, the court upheld the aggravated assault conviction of Eric Patch Junior, who was out partridge hunting in November of 2006 when he saw movement in a tree, fired his 12-gauge shotgun and hit a deer hunter.
VPR News

VPR Evening News December 1st, 2008

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Governor Douglas goes to Washington to ask for federal bailout money; Department of Health urges H-I-V-testing; Saving money by home-sharing; and commentator Olin Robison with the international take on the Obama election.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: December 1, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 12:10pm Gov. Jim Douglas is in Washington today asking Congress to help the states deal with their financial problems; St. Johnsbury is among the Vermont towns that would like to take advantage of an economic stimulus package;
Vermont Edition
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HIV and AIDS in Vermont

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December 1 is World AIDS Day, and we examine the progress our region has made in preventing and testing for the disease.  Also, we check in on the governor’s recommendations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, one year later. And a French chef enlivens a country store in Tunbridge.
VPR News

A look back at the 1991 budget deficit

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Republican Governor Dick Snelling and Democratic House Speaker Ralph Wright won support for a package of cuts and tax increases to help balance the budget. Raising more revenue was part of the overall solution 18 years ago. But Governor Jim Douglas says higher taxes are not an option this year.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: December 1, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: U.S. and Canadian officials are planning to meet later this month to begin its efforts to track phosphorous pollution from Lake Champlain’s Missisquoi Bay back to its sources on land; A growing number of Vermonters are trying an old fashioned way to save on housing – sharing…  
VPR News

US and Canadian officials to discuss lake issues

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A commission of U.S. and Canadian officials is planning to meet later this month to begin its efforts to track phosphorous pollution from Lake Champlain’s Missisquoi Bay back to its sources on land.
VPR News

Douglas says Governors will focus on economic stimulus

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Governor Jim Douglas says he’ll encourage President-elect Barack Obama to consider increasing support for Medicaid and transportation projects. Douglas will meet with Obama on Tuesday at the National Governors Association meeting.
VPR News

Recounts completed in NH House races, no changes

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The recounts cost those who requested them $10 each, but Secretary of State Bill Gardner says he doesn’t want to estimate the true cost of the two week effort, which involved more than 250,000 ballots from 85 cities and towns.
VPR News

CarShare Vermont to launch fleet

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CarShare Vermont, the state’s first nonprofit pay-as-you-go car-sharing program, plans to launch its initial fleet of four Toyota Priuses and four Subaru Imprezzas in Burlington later this month.
VPR News

Hulett due for release in January

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Vermont corrections officials say a man whose relatively lenient sentence for sexually molesting a child generated national controversy almost three years ago is likely to be released from prison in about a month.
Commentary Series

Promises

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As President-elect Obama prepares for a challenging term, teacher, historian, and commentator Vic Henningsen is thinking about promises – and how they sometimes come back to haunt us.
Interlude

Hector Berlioz

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Two compositions by Hector Berlioz: his Rêverie et Caprice for violin and orchestra and Tristia.
My Place with Joel Najman

A Musical Profile Of The Chad Mitchell Trio – Part 1

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The Chad Mitchell Trio made an indelible contribution to the folk music movement within the contemporary popular music of the 1960’s, both with their polished and trendsetting harmonies and for their penchant for comedic political and social satire. The trio’s story is as compelling as is their music, and this week, Joel Najman’s "My Place" program presents Part 1 of a two-part musical profile of the Chad Mitchell trio, Saturday from 9-10PM on Vermont Public Radio.
Commentary Series

Galjour

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Filmmaker, teacher and commentator Jay Craven recently saw Anne Galjour’s performance at Dartmouth’s Hopkins Center – and he liked what he saw.
Commentary Series
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The Small Garden

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Last summer, gardening guy Henry Homeyer decided to experiment with somewhat unorthodox, small-scale gardens – designed to save both money in the food budget and time in the garden. Today, in the first of several commentaries on the success of this venture, he says it’s not too late to start one for next year.
VPR News

VPR Evening News November 27th, 2008

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Man who hit Governor Douglas with a pie is sentenced; Store clerk admits to lying about robberies; Man wounded in shootout with trooper to return to Vermont to face charges; Officials applaud donors to New Hampshire Foodbank; Pies baked for Hardwick Food Bank; and commentator Ruth Page gives thanks.
Commentary Series

On Being Thankful

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Commentator Ruth Page has taken a critical look at the many challenges facing us this year and concludes that we still have many reasons to be thankful.
Classical Music with Joe Goetz

Afternoon Classics: Happy Thanksgiving!

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We’ll celebrate this holiday with New England roots with works by several New England composers.  And, since we’re not the ONLY ones in the country celebrating, we’ll hear Dvorak’s Symphony #9 "From the New World."  All of that, plus music for feasting and general merriment.  Don’t fall asleep after dinner!
Holiday Programming
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2008 Thanksgiving Programming on VPR and VPR Classical

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Help is on the way for Thanksgiving! Lynne Rosetto-Kasper, award-winning host of "The Splendid Table", will be joined by a number of special guests as she takes your calls and answers questions America is asking on the biggest cooking day of the year.  Listen at 11am on Thanksgiving Day
VPR News

Morning Newscast: November 27, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30am. Proctor man wounded in State Police shootout will return to Vermont to face charges; Burlington restaurant to open doors on Thanksgiving for coat drive in addition to a meal; wild turkeys have made a big comeback in Vermont.
VPR News

VPR Evening News November 26th, 2008

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Bernie Sanders wants to know why Vermont gas prices are still higher than the rest of the country; Ski resorts look forward to the season; Demand rises for heating assistance; and commentator Mary Barosse-Schwartz on a localvore Thankgiving.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: November 26, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 12:10pm Some well-timed snow has gotten Vermont’s ski and snowboard season off to a start just in time for the holidays; drivers will see one of Vermont’s Thanksgiving traditions on the state’s highways tonight and through the weekend; more…
Vermont Edition
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Vermont Edition Thanksgiving Dinner Show

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On the Day before Thanksgiving, we scour the state in search of locally-grown cranberries, freshed-picked Brussels sprouts, farm-raised turkeys and more. Plus we share holiday cooking tips and your Thanksgiving tales of culinary triumph and disaster.
VPR News

Vt. sees smaller gas price decline than other places

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Data from AAA show Vermont had the fourth highest average price in the country for regular unleaded gasoline on Tuesday, 23 cents per gallon above the national average and topped only by Alaska, Hawaii, New York and Washington, D.C.
VPR News

Applications up for low income heating assistance

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State officials now estimate that more than 40 thousand Vermonters will apply for low income heating assistance this winter. Fuel Assistance Director Richard Moffi says the combination of higher prices and a downturn in the state economy is driving an increased demand for the program.
VPR News

Morning Newscast,: November 26, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30am. State officials estimate that more than 40,000 Vermonters will apply for low income heating assistance this winter; Gas prices are coming down in VT but not as much as in other places; Burlington man is charged in North Hero burglary;
VPR News
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Interview: Colonel Robert Rooks

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For the past 30 years Lieutenant Robert Rooks has been part of the state’s Fish and Wildlife law enforcement department. And over the years he’s attained the post of Chief Game Warden. And today Rooks is marking his final day in the office, as he heads into retirement.
VPR News

VPR Evening News November 25th, 2008

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Governor hopes Congress will offer states a bailout as part of stimulus package; Lawmakers accuse Douglas Administration of watering down an energy conservation program; Senator Leahy brings a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing to St. Albans; Rain and snow mix triggers power outages; and commentator Ron Krupp on the CSA Initiative.
Commentary Series

CSA’s

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There are many ways to support local agriculture, but commentator Ron Krupp says that one particular concept is rapidly gaining in popularity – and for good reason.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: November 25, 2008

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A federal review panel says Entergy Vermont Yankee should not be allowed to operate after 2012 unless it conducts a more detailed analysis of aging metal components; community groups and restaurants already have begun to serve meals of turkey and all the trimmings;
VPR News

Suit by fired city manager moved to federal court

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In the suit Handverger is seeking reinstatement and back pay. The suite also alleges that the City Council violated Handverger’s civil rights by firing him on Sept. 30 and denying him a proper hearing.
Commentary Series

November Soul

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Commentator Deborah Luskin recently attended a concert of gospel music that offered a welcome contrast to the darkness of November – and turned into a celebration of community life in Vermont.
VPR News
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Morning Newscast: November 25, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: A federal review panel says Entergy Vermont Yankee should not be allowed to operate after 2012 unless it conducts a more detailed analysis of aging metal components;  Michael Mello, a prominent member of the Vermont Law School faculty, has died…
VPR News
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NRC says Vermont Yankee must study metal fatigue

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A federal review panel says Entergy Vermont Yankee should not be allowed to operate after 2012 unless it conducts a more detailed analysis of aging metal components. The decision marks the first time that the three-judge panel has ruled against a company’s application for a license extension. But Yankee says it’s already doing the studies that the panel has called for.
VPR News

Tuition to rise at Vermont State Colleges

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Robert Clarke is chancellor of the Vermont State Colleges. He says the state has chronically underfunded the college system. And with the financial crisis creating an even tighter state budget, the colleges are left with few options.
VPR News

VPR Evening News November 24th, 2008

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Federal panel says Vermont Yankee should not operate after 2012 without more studies; Burton co-owners respond to criticism of snowboard graphics; Remembering Vt. Law School professor Michael Mello; and commentator Bill Mares on the pleasures of deer hunting.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: November 24, 2008

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Vermont’s congressional delegation says the national economy would be boosted if more transportation construction projects got started; Vermont retailers say they’re ready for the busy holiday shopping season;
Vermont Edition
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Colleges face the economy

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Colleges are dealing with tighter public funding and families that can’t afford tuition. We talk with leaders of Vermont public colleges about how they’ll preserve their programs while remaining accessible to students. Also, freshman lawmakers go through a rigorous orientation before taking their seats in January. And a teen from Arlington wins a big national fashion award.
VPR News

Interview: Tasha Wallis on holiday shopping

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Tasha Wallis is the Executive Director of the Vermont Retail Association. She says store owners around Vermont are a resilient group of men and women who don’t cower easily, and they’ve taken steps to make shopping enticing for Vermonters even in these tough economic times.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: November 24, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: The state’s unemployment rate held steady last month, but economists say the worst is yet to come.  New Hampshire state agencies will continue spelling out their budget requests today.  A Bennington County judge who’s been working in the courts for almost 50 years is calling it quits…
VPR News

After almost 50 years, judge calls it quits

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Probate Judge Doris Buchanan, who’s 74, is retiring effective February first. Buchanan will draw a curtain on a career that included stints as a municipal court reporter, stenographer, clerk and judge.
VPR News

Economists say layoffs will continue

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The state’s unemployment rate held steady last month, but economists say the worst is yet to come. And the unemployment numbers released late last week don’t reflect several major lay offs in Rutland County.
VPR News

Budget hearings continue at NH Statehouse

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New Hampshire State agencies will continue spelling out their budget requests today. But Governor John Lynch has warned them to be frugal given the tough economic times.
Commentary Series

Hunting

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Deer hunting holds other pleasures than pulling a trigger, as commentator Bill Mares was recently reminded – on a Northeast Kingdom hillside.
My Place with Joel Najman

From Folk To Rock: Some Observations Of The Folk Music Scene Of The 1960’s

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This week’s "My Place" program with Joel Najman looks at the folk music scene of the early 1960’s and its evolution into what was labeled "Folk Rock" by the middle of that decade. Included are some of the early folk-style recordings of the individual members of the Mamas & Papas as well as some little known interactions between that group and folksinger Barry McGuire. Joel Najman’s "My Place" program, Saturday nights from 9-10PM on Vermont Public Radio.
Interlude

St. Cecilia’s Day

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In honor of St. Cecilia’s Day we hear the Ode for St. Cecilia’s Day by George Frideric Handel.
VPR News

VPR Evening News November 21st, 2008

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Bernie Sanders says Congress must pass a massive economic stimulus package; Rutland Plywood is the latest Vermont employer to downsize; Vermont’s unemployment rate remains unchanged; State ski resorts are optimistic about the coming season; and commentator Vic Hennignsen looks at JFK to understand how leaders learn.
Commentary Series

Revisiting JFK

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The conjunction of the recent election and the anniversary of a tragic event has led teacher, historian, and commentator Vic Henningsen to take another look at how leaders learn.  
VPR News

Midday Newscast, November 21, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 12: 05pm New England will experience a significant recession; a fund set up to help workers in the Bennington State office building has fallen short by $230,000; Congressman Peter Welch says Waxman election to Chair the House Committee on Energy and Commerce spells good news for VT; more…
VPR News
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Voices in the Week’s News: November 21, 2008

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From the statehouse to the offices of charitable organizations, the economy dominated the news this week. Lawmakers came to terms with low tax revenues and the need to cut the state budget, tapping into the rainy day funds was debated, and a report confirmed that more families need food assistance.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: November 21, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: State and federal agencies estimate it will cost more than $200 million to clean up hazardous waste from an asbestos mine in northern Vermont. Rep. Peter Welch supports the election of California Rep. Henry Waxman as the new chairman of the House Energy and Commerce…
VPR News
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Absestos mine clean-up to cost more than $200 million

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State and federal agencies estimate it will cost more than $200 million to clean up hazardous waste from an asbestos mine in northern Vermont. The government has filed claims in state court and in bankruptcy court as it tries to get the money from the mine’s former owners.
VPR News

Lynch proposing budget cuts today

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Lynch is asking lawmakers to cut between $50 and 60 million from the state budget now, leaving about $90 million in cuts to be made early next year.
Vermont Edition
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Sen. Bernie Sanders

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We’ll talk with Sen. Sanders about the economic bailout issues that the Senate is dealing with, and we’ll learn how he see the Obama administration shaping up. Also on the program, news analysis with VPR’s John Dillon and we listen back to some of the voices in the week’s news.
Commentary Series

Great Expectations

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The list of high priority issues for President- elect Barack Obama is daunting, to say the least. However, commentator Barrie Dunsmore, veteran foreign and diplomatic correspondent for ABC News, tells us this morning there is one problem for Obama that may turn out to be greater than all the rest.
VPR News

VPR Evening News November 20th, 2008

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Governor will oppose same-sex marriage legislation; Today is 33rd Annual Great American Smokeout; New education commissioner announced; Vermonters lining up for tickets to inauguration; and commentator Willem Lange says Buy Local.
Commentary Series

Buy Local

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Writer, storyteller and commentator Willem Lange thinks that one of the best ways to fight the slumping economy is to buy local.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: November 20, 2008

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State Senator John Campbell says a woman called and threatened to blow up his house for wanting to introduce a same sex marriage bill next year; Gov. Jim Douglas says he does not want to tap into the state rainy day fund to help deal with a $63 million budget deficit; more…
Vermont Edition
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Thirteen Books that Changed America

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Author and poet Jay Parini’s new book outlines the thirteen books he believes have shaped America. Also, we hear about an upset in a county treasurer race in New Hampshire.  And, we visit a Brattleboro priest and his wife who serve up spiritual sustenance at their restaurant.
Commentary Series

Poetry Events

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Two poets with Vermont roots were celebrated in Vermont last weekend. Commentator Tom Slayton attended both – and has these observations.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: November 20, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Governor Douglas says the state could face additional financial pressures this winter, and he doesn’t want to use the contingency funds until they’re absolutely needed.  Douglas also threw the switch on the state’s largest solar energy project. A Williston e-commerce company is going to be cutting a third of its work force over the next three months.
VPR News

Hunger continues to rise in Vermont

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Many Vermonters households are still struggling with hunger. According to a U.S. Department of Agriculture study one in ten Vermont households lack access to enough food to feel secure and live healthy lifestyles.
VPR News

NH paying more for road salt

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The state of New Hampshire is paying about 25 percent more for road salt than it did last winter, and prices also are higher for cities and towns.
VPR News

VPR Evening News November 19, 2008

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Governor Jim Douglas wants to avoid using rainy day funds to help deal with the state’s budget deficit; Treasurer Jeb Spaulding proposes a new gas tax to help pay for bridge repairs; The switch is flipped on a new solar energy project in Montpelier; Dennise Casey, Governor Douglas’ former campaign manager, is appointed to be his chief of staff; Commentator Peter Gilbert takes note of Alistair Cooke’s 100th birthday.
Commentary Series

Alistair Cooke at 100

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Tomorrow is the one hundredth anniversary of the birth of Alistair Cooke.  VPR commentator and Vermont Humanities Council Executive Director Peter Gilbert tells us about a new collection of Alistair Cooke’s writings to commemorate the occasion.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: November 19, 2008

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Paul Porier has defeated state Rep. Leo Valliere in a recount of the Barre representative; the Douglas administration hopes that the federal government can pay more for road and bridge repair; more…
Commentary Series

Vision

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Commentator Bill Schubart has been thinking about the opportunity afforded by new leadership in Washington and the strong mandate given our own Vermont leadership.
VPR News
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Morning Newscast: November 19, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: The Douglas Administration hopes the federal government will pay more for road and bridge repair; The New England Culinary Institute is laying off at least seven employees;more…
VPR News

Burlington Council wants talk of Burton boards

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The Burlington City Council is asking Burton Snowboards to meet with members of community organizations upset by some snowboard lines that include images of Playboy centerfolds and self-mutilation.
VPR News

NH prescription privacy law upheld

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A federal appeals court has upheld the constitutionality of New Hampshire’s first-in-the-nation law that restricts drug company access to some information about doctors’ prescription writing habits.
VPR News

VPR Evening News November 18, 2008

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Vt. lawmakers hear more bleak economic news; Auto dealers are concerned about declining sales; A decommissioning fund for Vermont Yankee dropped in value by $33 million in October; Former Senator Jim Jeffords made a last minute decision in 1978 not to go to Jonestown with a colleague. Today marks 30 years since the mass suicide in Guyana; Commentator Jay Craven discusses expressing the election outcome through poetry.
Commentary Series

The Dream

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Recently, filmmaker and Marlboro College teacher Jay Craven found himself at a loss for words. Fortunately, a friend came to the rescue.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: November 18, 2008

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State Senator John Campbell says he will introduce legislation to pass same-sex marriage; A new study says power will be more expensive and the air dirtier if Vermont Yankee closes in 2012, environmentalists disagree;
VPR News

Morning Newscast: November 18, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: The state has announced a plan to spend $19 million in federal money to buy, fix and resell foreclosed homes.  A new study says electricity would be more expensive and the air would be dirtier if the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant is closed. Sen. Bernie Sanders says he’ll introduce legislation to block payment of the second half of the Wall Street bailout plan…
VPR News

New land eligible for current-use taxation

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A new state law is helping more landowners enroll parts of their properties in the state’s current-use program, lowering their property taxes and preserving sensitive areas from development.
VPR News

Vt. gets $19 million in federal housing money

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The state has announced a plan to spend $19 million in federal money to buy, fix and resell foreclosed homes. Some of the money also will go to renovate or demolish blighted and abandoned buildings.
Vermont Edition
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Charitable Giving

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In this program:  We explore how a slumping economy is affecting donations to area charities and non-profits.  Then, we turn to how the economy affects car dealerships.
VPR News

VPR Evening News November 17th, 2007

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State revenue forecast will be downgraded, spelling more budget trouble; Union and advocacy groups weighing in on budget cuts; Senator Bernie Sanders wants to block payment of the Wall Street rescue package; Burlington City Council will vote on a Burton Snowboards resolution; 10th anniversary of enhanced 9-1-1 service; and commentator Madeline Kunin says New Hampshire helped make election history.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: November 17, 2008

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Senator Patrick Leahy has requested that the White House and Office of the Vice President preserve all documents relating to national security; The Vermont Retail Association says prospects for the upcoming holiday shopping season are mixed;
Vermont Edition
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Why so Blue?

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The solid mass of "blue states" in the northeast spells concern for Republicans and we examine what can be learned from these trends. Also, issues of social class are explored through a theater performance, and artists transform old books into sculptural pieces in a provocative exhibit.
Commentary Series

Races

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The end of Election 2008 hit everyone a little bit differently.  For various reasons, it took Commentator Philip Baruth back to a moment when he was twelve years old, running his first sled-dog race.
VPR Series and Specials
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Farm Families

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In this special VPR series hear stories of six multi-generational farm families in Caledonia County – why they plan to hold onto their farms and the efforts to pass it on to the next generation.  Check out the audio slideshow and tell us your farm family heritage.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: November 17, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: The Douglas administration is calling for the merger of  the departments of Economic Development and Housing and Community Affairs; Eighteen grants totaling nearly $1 million have been awarded to northern New Hampshire and Vermont groups; Altered book art has been gaining in popularity – but not without raising a few eyebrows…   
VPR News
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Norwich library starts conversation on art of altered books

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Some books are treasured for a lifetime. Others fall out of favor because they’re damaged or outdated.   But in recent years artists have found a new use for books that the artists say have lost their value to readers.  Altered book art has been gaining in popularity – but not without raising a few eyebrows.   
VPR News

Recession’s pain to deepen in NH

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Economists say New Hampshire should weather the economic tornado sweeping through the country better than other states, but won’t escape deepening fiscal pain through next year.
VPR News

Governor calls for merging departments

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The Douglas administration is calling for the merger of  the departments of Economic Development and Housing and Community Affairs and cutting one of the commissioner positions.
VPR News

CDC says Burlington is healthiest city

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Vermont’s largest city is tops among U.S. metropolitan areas by having the largest proportion of people – 92 percent – who say they are in good or great health.
VPR Series and Specials
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A Tribute to Hayden Carruth

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Hayden Carruth spent many years in Johnson, VT. He wrote more than thirty volumes and received numerous awards. Many of his best known works are about the people and places of northern Vermont, rural poverty and hardship.
My Place with Joel Najman

More “Original” Versions Of Famous Pop Music Hits

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This week’s "My Place" program with Joel Najman features a collection of some rarely heard "original" versions of songs that later when recorded anew by other artists became some of the biggest and enduring hit records of the Rock & Roll era’s first golden years. "My Place" with Joel Najman – Saturday nights from 8-9PM on Vermont Public Radio
Interlude

Ned Rorem

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Music by American composer Ned Rorem, in honor of his 85th birthday.
Commentary Series

UVM Football

By |
College football is in full swing, causing commentator Brian Porto to think about the status of football at the University of Vermont.
VPR News

VPR Evening News November 14, 2008

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Senator Leahy says Lieberman should not be allowed to keep his chairmanship; Three Vermont utilities are looking for new power supply contracts; Longest flying F-16c in the U.S. flies last mission in Vt.; Commentator Brian Porto discusses UVM football club.
VPR News
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VT Edition: Sen. Leahy says Lieberman should not be chair

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Sen. Leahy says Sen. Joe Lieberman should not be rewarded with a major chairmanship in the next Senate.  Leahy also comments on Vice President Dick Cheney’s email and records and the need to ensure they are saved and not destroyed. VPR’s Bob Kinzel talks with Senator Patrick Leahy about the last session of the current Senate, and the issues that the next Congress will need to tackle.
VPR News
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Midday Newscast: November 14, 2008

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Three utilities in Vermont are looking for new power supply contracts; Vermont’s congressional delegation supports a Vermont state senator’s plan to quickly rebuild the country’s transportation infrastructure; more…
Vermont Edition
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Sen. Patrick Leahy

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Sen. Leahy says Sen. Joe Lieberman should not be rewarded with a major chairmanship in the next Senate.  Leahy also comments on Vice President Dick Cheney’s email and records and the need to ensure they are saved and not destroyed. Also in the program, news analysis from VPR’s John Dillon and we listen back to some of the voices in this week’s news.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: November 14, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Vermont’s congressional delegation is supports transportation infrastructure plan;  Standard & Poor’s indicates that it may lower the debt rating of FairPoint Communications; Officials at the Northeast Kingdom Waste Management District say old newspapers and magazines waiting to be recycled paper are backing up…
Commentary Series

Just Keep Going

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Commentator Timothy McQuiston is editor of Vermont Business Magazine, and, like most people, he’s been trying to make sense of current economic conditions. And, also like most people, he’s not having much success.
VPR News

VPR Evening News November 13, 2008

By |
Lowell residents are concerned about exposure to asbestos; Four recounts have been requested in legislative races following last week’s election; Commentator Tim McQuisten tries to make sense of the current economic crisis.
Vermont Edition
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Wild spaces preserved through philanthropy

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In a new book of essays and photography, Huntington writer Tom Butler explores the stories of how some of America’s and New England’s best-loved wild spaces came to be preserved. Also, Chinese lawyers study environmental law in Vermont, and a Sandgate writer puts turns an unsold novel into a hyperserialized multi-media project.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: November 13, 2008

By |
Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Corrections officials hope to sign a contract with a new Alabama prison to send up to 80 prisoners there.  Vermont lawmakers want the state Department of Health to rewrite a rule on how radiation from Vermont Yankee is measured. While the overall number of hunters has declined in the past decade, their economic impact remains strong.
VPR News
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Hunters boost local businesses

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Rifle hunters are staging their gear this week, getting ready for Saturday’s opening day of deer season.   While the overall number of hunters has declined in the past decade, their economic impact remains strong.
VPR News

NH unveils DUI mobile command unit today

By |
New Hampshire authorities are unveiling a mobile command unit today that would test people for drunk driving and educate drivers about the dangers of driving impaired.
VPR News

VPR Evening News November 12th, 2008

By |
Senate Dems prioritize a new sexual assault law; Asbestos waste causes concern; New secretary for the Agency of Human Services is announced.; and commentator Henry Homeyer with fall chores to ease the transition to winter.
Commentary Series

Fall Chores

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It’s time to get ready for winter, and commentator Henry Homeyer says that doing fall chores in the garden can help with the seasonal transition.
VPR News

Backstage with “A Chorus Line”

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Chittenden County’s largest community theater company is presenting one of Broadway’s longest-running musicals. Lyric Theater opens its new season with "A Chorus Line". VPR’s Neal Charnoff went "Backstage" for a preview. The Lyric Theater singers in our story were Josh Slade, Mindy Hinsdale and Serena Magnon O’Connell.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: November 12, 2008

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State officials want to know whether waste from an old asbestos mind in Lamoille County was used on local roads or construction projects; a group of Franklin County doctors wants to fight prescription drug abuse by requiring patients to sign a contract when they seek pain drugs;
VPR News

Morning Newscast: November 12, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Vermont lawmakers are planning to outline today their plans for legislation that would create a new sex crimes law that would carry a mandatory 25-year minimum prison sentence; State environmental officials want to know whether asbestos waste from an abandoned mine was used for roads or construction projects in northern Vermont…
VPR News

Early voting sets a record

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There was a dramatic increase in the number of Vermont voters who used an early ballot for last week’s election. But the state didn’t set an all-time record for overall voter turnout.
VPR News

VPR Evening News November 11th, 2008

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Fuel dealers warn credit crisis could lead to higher heating prices; Liberty Union Party loses major party status; Bennington plaza contamination being cleaned up; Haiti native wants to raise money following school collapse; and commentator Ted Levin says we should drop sanctions against Cuba.
Commentary Series

Changes for Cuba?

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At a time when everyone is talking about the need for political change, commentator and naturalist Ted Levin says there’s one change in American foreign policy he’d really like to see.  
VPR News

Midday Newscast: November 11, 2008

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Veterans Day is being observed across Vermont today; a dramatic increase in the number of Vermont voters who used an early ballot for last week’s election; Jean Charles of Lyndonville wants to raise money to help families whose children were killed last week when a school in Haiti collapsed.
Commentary Series
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Veterans’ Day

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Today is Veteran’s Day – a day we set aside each year to honor our veterans. It’s also a day that brings mixed emotions to commentator Larry Doane, who has deployed with the Vermont National Guard.
VPR News
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Morning Newscast: November 11, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: A group that is seeking the unclaimed remains of veterans across the country has buried four sets of ashes at the Vermont Memorial Veterans’ Cemetery in Randolph.  The Douglas Administration is preparing for another round of budget cuts in the current fiscal year…
VPR News

More state budget cuts possible

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The Douglas Administration is preparing for another round of budget cuts in the current fiscal year. Governor Jim Douglas says the cuts will be needed because it’s very likely that the state’s revenue forecast will be downgraded once again next week.
VPR News
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UVM faces budget cuts

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UVM President Daniel Fogel said the financial crisis sweeping the country has also hit colleges and universities with damaging force.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: November 10, 2008

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A new east-west bus service through southern Vermont was launched this morning; the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant began sending electricity back to the regional power grid early this morning; more…
Vermont Edition
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Commercial Wind in the National Forest

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On this program: We discuss a commercial wind project proposed on Green Mountain National Forest Land in Readsboro and Searsburg. Champlain Housing Trust CEO Brenda Torpy talks about the international award her agency received. Plus, jazz from the Will Patton Ensemble.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: November 10, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: A new national survey ranks New Hampshire second – and Vermont fourth – in the amount of debt students pile up getting through college.  Last week, students from 30 schools traveled to Montpelier to hear the story of a boy who was bullied to the point that he took his own life…
VPR News
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Father speaks out against cyber-bullying

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Last week, students from 30 schools traveled to Montpelier to hear the story of a boy who was bullied to the point that he took his own life. John Halligan’s son, Ryan, died five years ago. In the years since, the father has called attention to the growing problem of "cyber-bullying" and the circumstances that led to Ryan’s death.
VPR News

NH Democrats must make deep budget cuts

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New Hampshire’s Democratically-controlled Legislature faces the sobering chore of cutting hundreds of millions of dollars in state spending over the next 32 months to avoid raising taxes.
Saturday Afternoon at the Opera

Tiefland

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The seldom-heard Tiefland by Eugen d’Albert – plus The Yeomen of the Guard by his teacher, Arthur Sullivan (with words, of course, by W.S. Gilbert).
VPR News

VPR Evening News November 7th, 2008

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Peter Welch says a second stimulus package must be passed; Howard Dean speculates on his political future; Governor Douglas reshuffles his cabinet; Douglas concerned that a state milk commission may try to regulate retail prices; Author speaks to low-income Vermonter on the cycle of poverty; and commentator Mary McCallum on meaningful change.
Commentary Series

Meaningful Change

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We’ve been hearing a lot about change recently and commentator Mary McCallum has some thoughts about what it takes to bring about change that’s both real and meaningful.
VPR News
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Voices from Election 2008

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There are so many sounds and images that will stay with us from this historic election — from the victory of Barack Obama to Vermonters upholding their tradition of ticket-splitting. Here are some of the voices from this week:
VPR News
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Midday Newscast: November 7, 2008

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Former Gov. Howard Dean says he supports the direction that President-elect Barack Obama is taking in assembling an administration; Senator Bernie Sanders says he will push for a substantial economic stimulus package when Congress returns to session in about 10 days;
Commentary Series

Historic Election

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Barack Obama’s election has been widely hailed as historic. This morning, commentator Barrie Dunsmore, a veteran diplomatic correspondent for ABC News, puts that history into perspective.
VPR News
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VPR Interview: Howard Dean

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VPR’s Mitch Wertlieb speaks with Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean about President-Elect Barack Obama, the fifty-state strategy, the country’s future and his own.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: November 7, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Changes are coming to the administration of Governor Jim Douglas; and the Governor says he’s concerned that a state milk commission may try to regulate retail prices. The commission is considering the regulation as a way to get more money to farmers without hurting consumers…
Vermont Edition
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Congressman Peter Welch

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Congressman Welch was elected to his second term with 84 percent of the vote this week. He takes your phone calls on the new balance of power in Washington. Also, news analysis of statewide election results, and the voices of and reactions from election night in Vermont.
VPR News

VPR Evening News November 6th, 2008

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GOP doesn’t pick up members in the Legislature; State warning people away from abandoned asbestos mine; Fire destroys a Vermont Technical College building ; President of UVM Student Government Association talks about the election.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: November 6, 2008

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Congressman Peter Welch believes the framework for Barack Obama’s winning presidential campaign was built in Vermont by Howard Dean; the impact of a proposed southern Vermont wind development on black bears promises to be a major issue in the project’s approval process; more…
VPR News

Impact on bear population could affect wind project

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The Deerfield Wind Project calls for seventeen, 400-foot turbines to be built on Green Mountain National Forest land in Searsburg and Readsboro. The project would be near a smaller wind farm operated by Green Mountain Power on private property in Searsburg.
Commentary Series

Cold Turkey

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Commentator Leora Dowling has been caught up in the political process for months – and now that the election is over, she’s finding it a little hard to adjust.
VPR News

Analysis: Legislative make-up remains largely unchanged

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The dust hasn’t completely settled on Vermont’s election landscape, but we’ve got a pretty clear picture of how things will shake out politically once it does. We’re getting a handle on what happened Tuesday and exploring what may lie ahead with Louis Porter, Bureau Chief at the Vermont Press Bureau.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: November 6, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Congressman Peter Welch believes the framework for Barack Obama’s winning presidential campaign was built in Vermont;  The latest vote count in the governor’s race shows Independent Anthony Pollina edging out Democrat Gaye Symington for second place. Democrats, Independents and Progressives are now looking back at the race, and they promise not to divide their vote in the future…
VPR News

Progs, Dems promise not to split vote

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The latest vote count in the governor’s race shows Independent Anthony Pollina edging out Democrat Gaye Symington for second place. Democrats, Independents and Progressives are now looking back at the race, and they promise not to divide their vote in the future.
VPR News

VPR Evening News November 5th, 2008

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Vt’s congressional delegation reflects on the election; Governor Douglas looks ahead to pulling Vt. out of its economic downturn; IBM lays off 100 temp workers; Officials say warm weather bringing dirty air; Vt. National Guard Memorial opens this weekend.
Commentary Series

Overwhelming

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Commentator Robert Hager is a native Vermonter who went off to work for NBC news in the U.S. and abroad for many years. Now, he finds himself reacting emotionally to the outcome of the presidential election.  
VPR News

Midday Newscast: November 5, 2008

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Here are the top stories at noon: Senator Patrick Leahy says the Senator Barack Obama’s election is a historic milestone; Congressman Peter Welch says much of the credit for Obama’s election goes to Governor Howard Dean; Five Democratic Representatives have announced they are running for the Speaker of the House…
Vermont Edition
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Day after: Election Recap

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On the day after the election, we bring you all of the results– from the presidential race to Vermont’s governor’s race, to individual legislative races.  And, we want to hear from you.  Email your thoughts and reflections on Election 2008 to vermontedition@vpr.net.
VPR News

Welch crusies to re-election

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(Host) Congressman Peter Welch easily won re-election to a second term. Welch faced only token opposition and was able to win nearly 85 percent of the vote. Welch told the Democratic victory party that he believes Congress and the new Obama administration will deliver on promises of change. (Welch) “What this election is about is important things, like restoring our middle class, like restoring and reviving our reputation in the world, like fighting for a new energy economy. But, you know, what we fight for is something even more important.
Commentary Series

Meeting House

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Commentator and historian Howard Coffin visited Boston recently – where he had a strong premonition about the outcome of this presidential election.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: November 5, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Barack Obama wins Vermont; Governor Jim Douglas easily won re-election last night to a 4th term in office winning more than 50% of the vote; and news from the legislative races around the state…
VPR News

Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie defeats Tom Costello

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(Host) Lieutenant Governor Brian Dubie has won re-election to his fourth term. Dubie easily outpolled Democrat Thomas Costello and won by almost 20 points. (Dubie) “It’s with humility and sincere gratitude that I say thank you for this awesome responsibility and to look you in the eye the people of Vermont and to say I accept this responsibility.” (Host) Costello is a former chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. He got into the race late and was never able to overcome Dubie’s name recognition and popularity.
VPR News

Vermonters no strangers to split ticket votes

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Vermont voters are well known for crossing party lines to choose the candidate they think is best. This tendency to split the ticket is the reason why the state often votes for a Democratic candidate for president and a Republican for governor.  
VPR News

Vermont communities report heavy turnout

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Communities across the state are reporting heavy turnout for today’s election. Local officials say strong interest in the presidential race and perfect weather conditions could help the state set a new record for voter participation.  
VPR News

VPR Evening News November 4th, 2008

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Heavy turnout reported in today’s election; Ticket-splitting in Vermont; Missisqui River will be chemically treated to kill sea lamprey; Pot charges follow Montpelier apartment fire; and commentator Bill Mares on Studs Turkel.
Commentary Series

Remembering Studs

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The death last week of Studs Terkel, raconteur, musician, critic and oral historian extraordinaire brought back to commentator Bill Mares, memories of their encounters in Chicago 40 years ago.
VPR News

Governor’s race could be decided by lawmakers

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Comfortably ahead in the polls, Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas still faced a world of uncertainty in Tuesday’s election. At issue: a state Constitution provision that requires the leading gubernatorial candidate to poll more than 50 percent of the vote.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: November 4, 2008

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Here are the top stories at noon: Voting is underway across the state, and polling places say there’s a heavy turnout but no lines; Bennington was the first town to open their polls, and voting started at 5 a.m.; A view of voting in Rutland, where turnout has been steady…
Vermont Edition
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The Way We Vote

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UVM political scientist Alec Ewald leads us in discussing variations in national election protocols, from place to place and throughout our political history. Legal Analyst Cheryl Hanna fills us in on opening arguments in a Vermont-based lawsuit now before the U.S. Supreme Court. And town clerks share their election-day worries and satisfactions.
VPR News

Advocates struggle to expand household solar power

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The rise in energy prices is spurring more and more states to help homeowners pay for solar panels, which have an upfront cost of more than $40,000. But even with government help, most low-income people can’t afford them.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: November 4, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: The weather is expected to be good and turnout heavy today as Vermonters head out to vote in a historic election; New Hampshire election officials have prepared for a record turnout this Election Day by adding voting machines, extending polling hours and printing extra ballots…
VPR News

Polls open in some towns

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It’s Election Day and polls are opening in many locations across the state at 7 a.m. Vermont’s election officials are expecting a heavy turnout of voters.
VPR News

Stowe cleans up 4,000 gallon oil leak

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Officials in Stowe say there was no threat to the environment or public health when 4,000 gallons of fuel oil leaked from a boiler during the weekend.
Commentary Series

The Impossible Presidency

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On this election day, commentator and political scientist Frank Bryan suggests that who we elect may not be as important as how we treat our leaders after we elect them. 
VPR News

VPR Evening News November 3rd, 2008

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Vermont woman’s case goes before the Supreme Court; Vermont colleges ranked most expensive in the country; Regional Circuit City stores not affected by nationwide closings; Election officials bracing for heavy turnout; and commentator Ruth Page says we need elite political candidates.
Commentary Series

Elitists

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Commentator Ruth Page has been observing nature – human and otherwise – for many years. Today, she’s thinking about tomorrow’s election.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: November 3, 2008

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A Vermont woman and her lawyer were in Washington this morning to listen to arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court; town clerks across the state say they’re just about ready for tomorrow’s election; more…
Vermont Edition
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Last impressions before Election Day

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VPR reporters share observations from the campaign trail. Political analyst Eric Davis joins our listeners to discuss the final moments of an historic election season. A newpaper publisher explains the tradition and changing value of editorial endorsements. And older voters recall elections past.
Commentary Series

Words

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With Election Day nearly upon us, commentator Olin Robsion is thinking about the power and symbolism of words.
VPR News

Interview: VSC Chancellor Robert Clarke

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It’s a number one ranking, but certainly not one the state of Vermont wants. A recent study by the College Board found that Vermont tops the nation in costs for higher education. The state’s average in-state tuition and fees were $11,300 – up over 8 percent over last year.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: November 3, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Since the 2006 election when human error prompted a recount and reversal of Vermont’s election for auditor, 30 more Vermont communities now have vote-tabulating machines bringing the total to 103. In just a few hours from now, the U.S. Supreme Court will open its November session. In the audience will be a Vermont lawyer and his client…
VPR News
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Musician’s case headed to Supreme Court today

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In just a few hours from now, the U.S. Supreme Court will open its November session. In the audience will be a Vermont lawyer and his client. Their case caps a legal journey that began eight years ago with a horrible medical injury. The outcome could determine the rights of people to sue companies over dangerous products.
VPR News
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Town clerks ready for big turnout tomorrow

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Town clerks across the state are gearing up for tomorrow’s election. And they’ve been dealing with an increase of early voters. VPR’s Nina Keck checked in with the Chittenden Town Clerk.    Roberta Janowski says they’re expecting a big turnout.
VPR News

Towns divided over use of voting machines

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Since the 2006 election when human error prompted a recount and reversal of Vermont’s election for auditor, 30 more Vermont communities now have vote-tabulating machines bringing the total to 103.
VPR News

Archery deer hunting season numbers are up

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Preliminary numbers show the amount of deer taken during Vermont’s archery season increased from past years, which Fish and Wildlife officials say is good news for hunters for the upcoming rifle season.
My Place with Joel Najman

Songwriters’ Demonstration Recordings – Part 3

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"My Place" with Joel Najman this week features yet another collection of rarely heard songwriters’ demonstration recordings of songs that became big hits by well-known recording artists during Rock & Roll’s early years. "My Place" with Joel Najman, saturdays from 8-9PM following "A Prairie Home Companion" on Vermont Public Radio.
Saturday Afternoon at the Opera

Tannhäuser

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Wagner’s Tannhäuser is performed by a cast that includes Elisabeth Grümmer, Gottlob Frick, Hans Hopf, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, and Fritz Wunderlich.
VPR News

Voices from Campaign 2008

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Here are some of the impressions we’ve heard over the air in the governor’s race, the attorney general’s race, and in our in-depth interviews with statewide candidates:
Commentary Series

Foreign Policy Choices

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The war in Iraq has taken a back seat to the economic crisis in the Presidential campaign. But commentator Barrie Dunsmore, a thirty year veteran diplomatic correspondent for ABC News, reminds us this morning that on the significant issues of national security and foreign policy, the voters have two very different choices.
VPR News

Interview: Deputy Secretary of State Bill Dalton

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Election Day is just around the corner, but at Vermont’s 246 local election offices, preparations and early voting have been underway for weeks. Barring any bad weather, the Secretary of State’s Office expects a very strong turnout on Tuesday, and no significant snafus.
VPR News
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Morning Newscast: October 31, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Vermont lawmakers are still worried about the state Department of Health’s decision to change the way radiation from Vermont Yankee is measured; A record number of Vermonters are opting to vote early in this year’s election, and it has become a key issue in the Secretary of State race…
VPR News

States petition for mercury reduction

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Vermont is one of seven states petitioning the federal Environmental Protection Agency to take stronger steps to reduce mercury pollution from power plants outside the region.
VPR News

Sununu, Shaheen face last NH debate

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The presidential race has spilled into New Hampshire’s Senate race, with both candidates asked during a debate to defend statements made by their party’s nominee.
VPR News
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Candidate’s essay prompts free speech dilemma

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An independent candidate for Vermont governor is being criticized as anti-Semitic for writing – in an essay for a state-published election guide – that some Jews allegedly discriminate against disabled Vermonters.
Capitol Steps
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Politics Takes a Holiday Halloween Special

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Take a break from politics this Halloween with the Capitol Steps. It’s a trick-and-treat-filled night of songs and stories from Washington’s most irreverent political satirists.  Get into Halloween with the Capitol Steps.
Vermont Edition
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Reporters’ Roundtable

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We’re gathering some of the Vermont’s top political reporters to look at where the key statewide races stand, and what impact the presidential race will have here. Also, an audio scrapbook of some memorable campaign moments.
In Concert @ 8

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

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Haydn: Symphony #1 Schoenberg: Variations for Orchestra, Op. 31 Chin: Rocana Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique 9:46 pm: Wagner: Lohengrin: Prelude to Act III; Berlin Philharmonic; Klaus Tennstedt; EMI 86248    
VPR News

VPR Evening News October 30th, 2008

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Record number of Vermonters voting early; Lawmakers again focus on Vt. Yankee decommissioning funds.; Researchers identify bat-killing fungus; and commentator Bill Mares on American foreign policy.
Vermont Edition
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The Halloween Show

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We celebrate Halloween with a close look at horror films. What is it about them that attracts us and what do they tell us about ourselves? We also meet the resident ghost at College Hall at the Vermont College of Fine Arts.
Commentary Series

Nulhegan River

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Commentator and Editor-emeritus of Vermont Life Magazine, Tom Slayton, recently took a canoe trip that was unexpectedly challenging – and rewarding.
VPR News

Interview: Corrections Commissioner Rob Hofmann

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A few weeks ago some inmates at the Marble Valley Regional Correctional Facility in Rutland took part in what officials called a prison disturbance. Earlier this week, inmates were returned to the damaged unit. And an investigation by the Vermont State Police is still underway. Corrections Commissioner Rob Hofmann says the disturbance was confined to one area…
VPR News

Bove’s fined under labeling law

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A Vermont based company is the first to be fined under a three year old rule outlining how Vermont’s name can be used on the labels of food products. The company’s owner he’s not happy with the rule – and wants it to be changed.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: October 30, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Independent gubernatorial candidate Anthony Pollina says incumbent Governor Jim Douglas is deliberately distorting Pollina’s plan to create a Vermont credit card. Douglas says the plan should be rejected because it will throw Vermonters deeper into debt. Pollina says that charge is simply not true. A Vermont-based company is the first to be fined under a labeling law regulating what can be labeled as a Vermont product…
VPR News

Lt. Gov candidates disagree over sex offender laws

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Speaking last night on VPRs Lieutenant Governors Debate, Republican incumbent Brian Dubie said he strongly supports the passage of a civil confinement law. That’s legislation that would allow the state to keep a convicted sex offender in custody beyond their sentence if it’s determined that the person still poses a threat to the public.
VPR News

Essex shooter sentenced to life

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The daughter of one of the victims of a 2006 school shooting in Essex says the man convicted of the killings deserves an eternity of pain.
Commentary Series

Foreign Policy

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Commentator Bill Mares is a writer, educator and former legislator who says that American foreign policy often appears to be a confusing mix of competing interests and conflicting claims. So he’s decided to help sort things out.
VPR News

VPR Evening News October 29th, 2008

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Anthony Pollina says Jim Douglas is distorting Pollina’s plan for a Vt. credit card; Gaye Symington says Jim Douglas is getting a free ride at taxpayer’s expense; Residents urged to buy local firewood; and commentator Willem Lange with reflections from an abandoned logging camp.
VPR News

Pollina says Douglas distorts his credit card proposal

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Independent gubernatorial candidate Anthony Pollina says incumbent Governor Jim Douglas is deliberately distorting Pollina’s plan to create a Vermont credit card. Douglas says the plan should be rejected because it will throw Vermonters deeper into debt. Pollina says that charge is simply not true. VPR’s Bob Kinzel reports.
VPR News

Audio Postcard: Westminster

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Today in our series of post cards from Vermont towns we tag along with a group of local residents on a Sunday hike to the pinnacle in Westminster led by ecologist Tom Wessels.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: October 29, 2008

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Vermont’s healthy deer population has drawn more poachers this year; today is the deadline for anyone who wants to vote next Tuesday to register; a professor from George Mason University says the Buy Local movement may be overrated;
Commentary Series

Election

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Election Day 2008 is nearly here, and commentator Bill Seamans is thinking about the responsibility, priviledge and opportunity – of voting.
VPR News

Interview: Russell Roberts on the Buy Local Movement

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You’ve probably seen bumper stickers that urge you to "Buy Local!" In Vermont the "localvore movement"-a call to purchase as much of your food as possible from within a close radius to where you live, is an idea that’s been gaining more ground. But today at the University of Vermont, Russell Roberts will argue that buying local is a really lousy idea.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: October 29, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: A new poll shows that Republican Gov. Jim Douglas is maintaining a significant lead over his two major opponents;  Four years ago, 60 percent of Americans voted in the presidential election.  That was the highest turnout since 1968. Even more Americans are expected to vote next week.  And the latest on the winter weather…
VPR News

Election excitement trickles down to local campaigns

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Four years ago, 60 percent of Americans voted in the presidential election.  That was the highest turnout since 1968. Even more Americans are expected to vote next week.    But is excitement over the presidential campaigns trickling down to local races?    VPR’s Nina Keck talked with voters, candidates and campaign volunteers in Rutland County and filed this report.  
VPR News

FCC to rule on white space channels

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The Federal Communications Commission is expected to rule next week whether to open up unused television channels for use as wireless broadband service, which could be a boon for rural states like Vermont, where these so-called white spaces are abundant.
VPR News

Congressman Welch hires new spokesman

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Paul Heintz most recently worked as a reporter for the Brattleboro Reformer. He has also worked as a freelance reporter for a number of other publications.
VPR News

State challenges ballot lawsuit

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Vermont and the secretary of state are seeking to have a federal lawsuit dismissed over the reporting of military absentee ballots.
In Concert @ 8

New York Philharmonic

By |
Polish pianist Rafal Blechacz makes his New York Philharmonic debut with Chopin’s F Minor concerto, plus music of Bartok and Dvorak in a concert guest-conducted by Marin Alsop.
Commentary Series

First Snow

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The first snow of the season for much of our region reminds commentator Willem Lange of rambling in the woods, and taking a break for reflection in the ruins of an abandoned logging camp.
VPR News

VPR Evening News October 28th, 2008

By |
Power outages forecast along with tonight’s storm; State working to expand mental health services in Rutland; One candidate who is giving no speeches; and commentator Vic Henningsen wonders if debates matter.
Commentary Series

Do Debates Matter?

By |
After watching debates among the presidential candidates from the start of primary season on through, teacher, historian and commentator Vic Henningsen wonders if it’s really worth the time and effort.
Vermont Edition
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Prisons and corrections oversight

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Two lawmakers who serve on the Corrections Oversight Committee join us on the next Vermont Edition to look at the capacity and budget of our Corrections Department. Also, why Vermont is one of two states that lets prisoners vote. And guided tour of Burlington’s ghostly haunts.
Commentary Series

“W”

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Commentator, teacher and film producer Jay Craven has been to the movies recently, where he found himself reflecting on cinematic and historical fact and fiction.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: October 28, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Governor Jim Douglas and his counterparts in other states are calling on Congress to act soon on an economic recovery package that includes additional funding for Medicaid and infrastructure projects.  With time ticking down on this year’s gubernatorial race, some political observers say they see a shift in strategy by the Douglas campaign…
VPR News

Six ski resorts protest Burton boards

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Six ski resorts are joining in the protest over Burton’s two controversial new snowboards, which feature images of Playboy models and cartoons of self-mutilation.
VPR News

Douglas, other governors want Capitol Hill help

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Governor Jim Douglas and his counterparts in other states are calling on Congress to act soon on an economic recovery package that includes additional funding for Medicaid and infrastructure projects.
VPR News

Shaheen sees desperation in Sununu ad

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New Hampshire Republican Senator John Sununu accuses Democrat Jeanne Shaheen of switching positions on President Bush’s tax cuts and the war in Iraq to win votes. But Shaheen says Sununu is the flip-flopper – when it comes to attacking her.
Commentary Series

Road Signs

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Writer and commentator Ted Levin is a naturalist – and a runner. And he says that here in northern New England it’s possible to pursue both interests at the same time.
VPR News

Evening Newscast: October 27, 2008

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Some political observers note a shift in strategy in the Douglas campaign; Governors association calls on Congress to pass economic recovery package; Commission will look into reasons for farmers’ declining milk checks; Commentator Ted Levin says that in New England it’s possible to be a naturalist and a runner at the same time.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: October 27, 2008

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Vermont’s forests are threatened by three insects that could devastate stands of many tree species; Jerry Trudell is one of five people challenging Congressman Peter Welch’s bid for re-election; transportation industry surcharges that were imposed in Vermont as gas prices rose are now falling.
Vermont Edition
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Gubernatorial candidate Gaye Symington

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Democratic candidate for governor Gaye Symington discusses the key issues facing the state’s economy. A report on how downtown Rutland has recovered from flooding in summer rainstorms. And a bonsair grower reveals the art of cultivating tiny trees.
VPR News

Interview: Congressional candidate Jerry Trudell

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Vermont Congressman Peter Welch doesn’t face any Republican challenger in the November election, but he is running against five other candidates. And today we continue our series of interviews with lesser known candidates seeking statewide office with Jerry Trudell.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: October 27, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Vermont’s junior senator is asking Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson to block bonuses for bank executives;  Vermont’s forests are threatened by three insects that could devastate stands of many tree species; University of Vermont officials say a special committee will consider a request that UVM withdraw its investments in companies that build weapons systems for the U.S. military…
VPR News
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Forests threatened by invasive insects

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Vermont’s forests are threatened by three insects that could devastate stands of many tree species, including the state’s trademark sugar maple. Officials hope to keep timber and firewood out of the state that could be harboring the tiny bugs.
VPR News

Former Jacques probation officer faults system

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A former probation officer who supervised the repeat sex offender charged in the rape and killing of a 12-year-old girl says he and his colleagues were given too little time and too few resources to do an adequate job supervising probationers.
VPR News

Heating costs put squeeze on churches, nonprofits

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Heating fuel prices are coming down, but are still higher than last year’s, leaving churches and other nonprofit groups around Vermont wondering how they’re going to keep their facilities warm this winter.
VPR News

Sanders asks Paulson to block bonuses

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Vermont’s junior senator is asking Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson to block bonuses for executives at the nation’s nine largest banks that were recently propped up with taxpayer funds.
VPR News

UVM Students demand divestiture from arms firms

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University of Vermont officials say a special committee will consider a request by more than 100 student protesters that UVM withdraw its investments in companies that build weapons systems for the U.S. military.
VPR News

Two dead in Williston shooting

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Williston and Vermont State Police are investigating a shooting early yesterday in Williston that left two people dead, including the alleged shooter.
All the Traditions

All the Traditions – October 26, 2008

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Many exciting new musical arrivals, including a first time collaboration between Cuban music legend Omara Portuondo and Brazilian music legend Maria Bethania, a wild Halloween set, and previews of lots of interesting concerts in the VPR listening area this week.
My Place with Joel Najman

A Musical Remembrance Of Nick Reynolds Of The Kingston Trio

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On  October 1, 2008 founding member of the Kingston Trio singing group Nick Reynolds passed away at a San Diego hospital at age 75.  Beginning with the mammoth hit "Tom Dooley", the Kingston Trio catapulted the Folk Music revival of the 1950’s into the contemporary music mainstream of the 1960’s, selling tens of millions of records in the process. This week, Joel Najman’s "My Place" program celebrates the life and music of Nick Reynolds during his tenure with the Kingston Trio.  "My Place" with Joel Najman. Saturdays from 8-9PM following "A Prairie Home Companion" on Vermont Public Radio
Interlude

Music by Bizet

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In honor of Bizet’s October 25, 1838 birthday, we hear his Agnus Dei and the 1st suite from L’arl ésienne.
VPR News

VPR Evening News October 24th, 2008

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Senate Appropriations Chair pushes new economic plan; Governor still supports Sarah Palin; Inter-state dispute over youth hunting; Behind a high-tech job fair; and commentator Peter Gilbert on the Great Flu Epidemic.
Commentary Series

Spanish Flu

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As we prepare for another flu season, and health officials warn of a possible worldwide flu epidemic, Vermont Humanities Council executive director and commentator Peter Gilbert looks back to the fall ninety years ago, when more people died in one year of the Great Flu Epidemic than in four years of the Bubonic Plague.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: October 24, 2008

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Senator Susan Bartlett has a plan to pump tens of millions of dollars into the economy; political candidates will take advantage of the last 10 days of the campaign; environmental regulators say wood-burning furnaces are cleaner and more efficient.
Vermont Edition
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Governor Jim Douglas

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We continue our series of one-on-one interviews with Vermont’s top candidates, with Governor Jim Douglas.  Email your questions ahead of time to vermontedition@vpr.net.  Also, VPR’s Ross Sneyd analyzes the week’s top stories, and we listen back to voices in the week’s news.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: October 24, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gaye Symington has released a new economic plan, prompting an attack from Gov. Jim Douglas’ campaign as those two candidates and independent Anthony Pollina continue to spar over the economy; With winter on the way, Vermonters are turning back to wood for heat. But many outdoor wood heaters are smoky and inefficient. As a result, state environmental regulators have imposed tough standards to control the pollution; Like the rest of New England, Vermont is seeing home heating oil prices come down significantly this fall.
VPR News
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Cleaner outdoor wood boilers touted

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With oil prices high and winter on the way, Vermonters are turning back to wood for heat. But many outdoor wood heaters are smoky and inefficient. As a result, state environmental regulators have imposed tough standards to control the pollution.
VPR News

Symington releases new economic plan

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Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gaye Symington has released a new economic plan, prompting an attack from Gov. Jim Douglas’ campaign as those two candidates and independent Anthony Pollina continue to spar over the economy.
VPR News

VPR Evening News October 23rd, 2008

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Vermont officials are pushing for a wide ranging economic stimulus package from Congress; A Danby man faces jail on charges he buried waste; Rutland’s "Mr. Halloween" dies.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: October 23, 2008

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Political analysts and Governor Jim Douglas’ challengers wonder how the economy will affect the gubernatorial race; University of Vermont officials are dealing with an outbreak of illness on campus that made at least 60 people sick; more…
Vermont Edition
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Local meat

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Interest and demand is on the rise for meat raised in our region, but some experts say there’s a limit to how much meat we can produce if the capacity of our regional slaughterhouses doesn’t keep up. Also, a comparison of how Vermont and New Hampshire are handling budget woes.
VPR News

Teacher who spoke out on sex abuse loses job

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A teacher at a Rutland alternative school for juvenile sex offenders was removed from his job in September, just weeks after testifying to a legislative committee about the likelihood that offenders will commit new crimes.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: October 23, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: The major party candidates for the U.S. House have sharp disagreements over the recently passed $700 billion bailout bill for the financial services industry. High gas prices have persuaded more Vermonters to leave their cars at home and take the bus to work…
VPR News

House candidates disagree over bailout bill

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Speaking last night during VPRs Congressional debate, Democratic incumbent Peter Welch defended his vote in favor of the legislation. But Welch says the bill is only the first step in a long term effort to rebuild the economy:
VPR News

Public transportation demand to outpaces funding

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High gas prices have persuaded more Vermonters to leave their cars at home and take the bus to work. Advocates say that helps the environment and saves wear-and-tear on the highways. But they say the demand has begun to outstrip the state’s ability to pay for public transit.
VPR News

Beetle invasion threatens New England trees

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A wood-devouring beetle has gained a foothold in New England, and authorities plan to cut down large numbers of infested trees and grind them up to stop the pest from spreading to the region’s celebrated forests and ravaging the timber, tourism and maple-syrup industries.
Commentary Series

Recession

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Commentator Art Woolf foresees a rocky economic road ahead and looks to Vermont’s past as a guide to what the nation, and the state, might expect in 2009.
Jazz with George Thomas

Jazz For The Fall Fund Drive October 22, 2008

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Ben Webster’s big tenor sax sound leads us in and takes us out of an evening of classic & new jazz. Please take a moment to call 800-639-6391 or go to VPR.net and make a financial contribution to your public radio station for jazz and all the programming that you enjoy. Thanks.
VPR News

Evening Newscast: Oct. 22, 2008

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Stalling economy becomes an issue in the gubernatorial race; Heating oil contracts, signed at peak, are now haunting buyers; A ‘Hands and Faces’ exhibit tells stories in a Brandon gallery.
VPR News

Stalling economy becomes issue in gubernatorial race

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The financial headlines are big news in the gubernatorial race as the challengers try to blame incumbent Governor Jim Douglas for the state’s hard times. But Douglas says he has the experience and the fiscal discipline to guide the state through the economic downturn.
Vermont Edition
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Meeting the Public Transit Challenge

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The growing demand for public transit comes in a time of stiff competition for transportation dollars, and meeting that demand proves difficult. Also, an environmental institute brings together future Arab and Jewish leaders to tackle the Middle East’s environmental problems while promoting peace.
VPR News

Economist: Vt. heading for deep recession

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With Vermont’s unemployment rate above 5 percent for the first time in 15 years, at least one prominent economist is predicting that the current economic downturn hasn’t hit bottom yet.
VPR News
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Undecided voters in Bristol cite unhappiness with political system

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The presidential candidates have been in battleground states looking for independent voters who haven’t made up their minds, yet. But in Vermont, where early voting began two weeks ago, many voters have already made their decisions. VPR has been speaking with voters around the state this fall. In today’s special report, Steve Delaney went in search of the still-undecided voter.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: October 22, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Governor Jim Douglas is outspending his Democratic opponent 2-1 on media advertising in recent weeks. The state says several ringleaders are to blame for a prison riot in Rutland. But a lawyer whose office defends prisoners says a new disciplinary system raised tensions at the prison. The state of Vermont could lose up to $35,000 in federal funding if it doesn’t expand its online sex offender registry…
VPR News

State says prison ringleaders to blame for disturbance

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The state’s corrections commissioner says the inmates responsible for a prison riot in Rutland last weekend may get more time behind bars. But there is disagreement about the conditions that led to the violence. The state says several ringleaders are to blame. But a lawyer whose office defends prisoners says a new disciplinary system raised tensions at the prison.
Commentary Series

Just Say No

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Commentator Mark Redmond is executive director of Spectrum Youth and Family Services in Burlington – and he’s concerned that a new line of snowboards sends kids a potentially damaging message.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: October 21, 2008

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The Orange County sheriff will announce this afternoon that he plans to form a special unit to investigate sexual crimes; Two Vermont teenagers are among six young people who will be recognized tonight in San Francisco for tackling environmental challenges.
Vermont Edition
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Looking to save money?

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In this program:  We hear from experts in family budgets about how to cut costs and expenses.  And, we visit a new school in Brattleboro that focuses on teenagers with autism.
VPR News

Vermont gas prices plunge

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Gas prices in Vermont are continuing to drop and are nearing the $3 a gallon threshold. On Monday the average price for gas in Vermont was $3.05, down nearly 60 cents in the last month. Nationally, gas prices have dropped to $2.93 a gallon. The organization AAA says a year ago the Vermont average price for gas was $2.828. Joseph Choquette of the Vermont Petroleum Association says the price decline is being driven by the national economy and competition.
Commentary Series

Thinking

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The overheated rhetoric of this presidential campaign have reminded commentator, writer, and former teacher and legislator Bill Mares of how important it is to teach students to think for themselves.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: October 21, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: The major gubernatorial candidates have clear differences in transportation priorities – and how to pay for the work; The Essex select board won’t consider any changes to the town firearms ordinance until police complete their report into the shooting death of a retired college professor; Public health experts say most New Hampshire hospitals and community health centers are faring well right now, but their future is shaky because of rising costs and the faltering economy…
VPR News

Candidates weigh in on transportation priorities

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The state’s Transportation Fund is running a deficit. Vermont’s roads and bridges need urgent repair, and some large highway projects remain unfinished. The major gubernatorial candidates have clear differences in transportation priorities – and how to pay for the work. VPR’s John Dillon reports.
VPR News

NH medical centers facing uncertain future

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Public health experts say most New Hampshire hospitals and community health centers are faring well right now, but their future is shaky because of rising costs and the faltering economy.
In Concert @ 8

SymphonyCast: Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra

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Who says 40 is over the hill? The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra has got the birthday candles lit, and they’ve invited their founding music director, Sir Neville Marriner, to come conduct this virtuoso band in a gala 40th anniversary concert.
Commentary Series

Zero Waste

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The three "R’s" used to refer to Reading, Writing and Arithmetic. But lately, commentator Deborah Luskin thinks that the three R’s have come to stand for Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.
VPR News

VPR Evening News October 20, 2008

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Gubernatorial candidate Anthony Pollina wants to focus on prevention programs for sexual abuse;Health Commissioner urges pandemic preparation; A new park and ride opens tomorrow in Randolph; and Commentator Deborah Luskin contemplates the ‘three R’s’: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
VPR News
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Audio Postcard: Old Bennington

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The hillside village of Old Bennington is a popular spot for leaf-peepers. We continue our series of audio postcards from Vermont towns with a visit to the Old First Church that stands there, and the cemetery that dates back to 1761.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: October 20, 2008

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Montpelier based group signs agreement to help an industrial area in China reduce its greenhouse gas emissions; public health officials say it’s only a matter of time before a deadly worldwide flu pandemic hits; more…
Commentary Series

White House Kitchen Garden

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The next President is going to have a long list of requests from many people on how to turn the country around. Commentator and gardening expert Charlie Nardozzi would like to add to that list with a simple, elegant, and powerful idea that could inspire Americans to grow more of their own food.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: October 20, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: The Vermont State Police are delaying a proposal to reduce dispatching and other services to local municipalities because of concerns by local officials.  There’s one thing missing from Vermont’s race for state auditor: the auditor. Flu season is just about here. But public health officials say that’s nothing compared to what they’re certain will eventually come: a worldwide flu pandemic…
VPR News
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Health Commissioner urges pandemic preparation

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Flu season is just about here. But public health officials say that’s nothing compared to what they’re certain will eventually come: a worldwide flu pandemic. Health officials say Vermonters won’t be able to go out in public during a pandemic. So they recommend families prepare by stocking their pantries. VPR’s Ross Sneyd went grocery shopping with the health commissioner to learn more.
VPR News

NH cities seem to avoid financial crisis

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In other states, cities are cutting expenses as they watch their tax revenue and investment returns plummet due to the mortgage crisis and slumping economy. But New Hampshire municipalities appear to be in better shape because they rely almost exclusively on property taxes to fund their budgets.
VPR News

Police quell disturbance at Rutland jail

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Officials say criminal charges will be filed against at least some of the participants in a Saturday night disturbance at the Marble Valley Regional Correctional Facility in Rutland.
Vermont Edition
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Gov. candidate Anthony Pollina

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Anthony Pollina’s independent campaign for governor got a boost from a federal court ruling on campaign finance recently. We talk with about the three-way race for governor. Also, an audio postcard from Old Bennington.
VPR News
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Midday Newscast: October 17, 2008

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Brian Rooney was formally sentenced this morning to life in prison without parole; House Speaker Gaye Symington complains that Governor Jim Douglas has misrepresented something she said in a recent interview;
Vermont Edition
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U.S. House candidate Jane Newton

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In this program:  Liberty Union candidate for U.S. House, Jane Newton, talks about her views on nuclear power, the Iraq war, and the bailout bill.  Then, analysis from VPR reporter John Dillon, and a look back at voices in the news this week.
Commentary Series

Blueback Trout

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Writer, storyteller and commentator Willem Lange has spent decades trying to catch a particular fish – one that has proven to be especially elusive.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: October 17, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: The Bush administration yesterday released $5.1 billion in fuel assistance to states, nearly doubling federal money to help poor people cope with high home heating bills expected this winter.  Polls show that Governor Jim Douglas enjoys a comfortable lead in his re-election campaign. Yet the governor is running tough ads that seem to personally attack his Democratic opponent….
VPR News

Symington says Douglas ad off base

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In the campaign season, advertisements are often the source of controversy. Campaigns debate who said what, when and what the statements actually mean. One example of that has come up in the Vermont gubernatorial campaign. The ad in question has to do with Vermont’s workforce. VPR’s John Dillon reports.
VPR News

Volunteers hunt woolly adelgids

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The hunt is on for hemlock woolly adelgids, invasive insects from Asia that state officials say threaten Vermont’s hemlock trees.
VPR News

Part of Interstate 89 to be closed thru next week

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Vermont Agency of Transportation officials say a southbound section of Interstate 89 in Sharon closed after a piece of granite fell off a truck will remain closed through about Oct. 24, and maybe longer.
VPR News

VPR Evening News October 16th, 2008

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Anthony Pollina did not violate Vermont’s campaign finance law; Vermont gas prices have dropped; Senate Judiciary Committee recommends stronger laws for sex crimes against children; Bush Administration released fuel assistance funds; State increases the number of moose hunting permits ; and commentator John McClaughry on Vermont Yankee.
Commentary Series

Radiation

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Commentator John McClaughry is president of the Ethan Allen Institute, a Vermont policy research and education organization. And he thinks that at least one of the criticisms leveled at the Yankee Nuclear Plant deserves a closer look.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: October 16, 2008

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There’s a little bit of good economic news at Vermont gas stations: Prices have dropped; State Treasurer Jeb Spaulding says it’s a good time to plan for retirement, despite the swings on Wall Street; more…
VPR News
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Backstage: “Well”

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Burlington’s Vermont Stage Company opens their new season with the post-modern memoir, "Well" was written by New York City playwright Lisa Kron . Kron describes it as "a solo performance with other people".  
Vermont Edition
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Next steps in punishing sex offenders

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Sen. Dick Sears recaps the public testimony his committee has taken on how to punish and treat sex offenders, and gives us a preview of draft recommendations for the Legislature. Also, VPR’s Neal Charnoff goes backstage with a production of "Well" by playwright Lisa Kron.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: October 16, 2008

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Here are the top stories 7:30 a.m.: Energy issues have generated some heat in this year’s gubernatorial race. The major candidates are divided over the future of Vermont Yankee and the role of wind power in the state’s energy portfolio;The major party candidates for Secretary of State strongly disagree over the issue of instant runoff voting…
VPR News

Leahy announces funding for NEK groups

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The Vermont Food Venture Center, an incubator project that provides commercial kitchen equipment and business advice to small food entrepreneurs, has received a big boost.
Commentary Series

Final Debate

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Along with the rest of the nation, veteran ABC News correspondent and commentator Bill Seamans is looking forward to tonight’s final presidential debate – and thinking about possible tactics and strategies.
VPR News

VPR Evening News October 15, 2008

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Energy issues have generated some heat in this year’s gubernatorial race; Vermont volunteers for Barack Obama are heading to New Hampshire, where the presidential race with John McCain is tighter;Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper was returned to power, but not with the majority he’d hoped to win;and commentator Bill Seamans anticipates tonight’s final presidential debate.
Vermont Edition
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Lt. Gov. Candidate Richard Kemp

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We continue our series of one-on-one candidate interviews with Progressive Richard Kemp, who’s running for Lieutenant Governor.  Then we learn about Norwich University’s long history of hosting international students.  And, we learn how to make cider.
Commentary Series

Real Money

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Commentator Olin Robison has been thinking about numbers that are so big – that most of us can’t begin to comprehend how big they really are.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: October 15, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Officials from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission tried yesterday to reassure people attending a hearing in Brattleboro about recent problems at the cooling towers;  A Republican activist is suing House Speaker and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gaye Symington; Child care providers across the state are on virtual strike this week to highlight the importance of quality child care…
VPR News

Child care workers on virtual strike

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Child care providers are staging a “virtual strike” across Vermont for the rest of the week. They say they want to highlight the importance of quality child care to the state’s economy – and how much families struggle to pay for it. VPR’s Ross Sneyd reports.
VPR News

Swanton residents want dam to stay

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Some Swanton residents are upset about a proposal to remove a dam from the Mississquoi River as a way to reopen seven miles of spawning habitat for several Lake Champlain fish species.
VPR News

VPR Evening News October 14th, 2008

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Sec. of State candidates disagree on voter fraud; Independent candidate for governor wants to avoid partisan politics; Committee is studying bulling in Vermont schools; State studying ways for consumers to get better deals on heating fuel; Swanton residents upset by proposed dam removal; and commentator Ron Krupp on round barns.
Commentary Series

Round Barns

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Author, gardener, and commentator Ron Krupp reminds us that colorful leaves aren’t the only thing of beauty to be seen in the Vermont countryside this time of year.  
VPR News

Midday Newscast: October 14, 2008

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National Life Group in Montpelier has promoted one of its senior executives to the post of president and chief executive officer; a 30-year-old man from Glover says he’s running for governor as an independent because he wants to get beyond partisan politics; more…
Vermont Edition
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School Bullying

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Despite legislative efforts to control it, bullying is a grim reality for many students. We explore the problem of school bullying. Also, we hear about a second Vermont court case slated for a hearing by the U.S. Supreme Court this year. And we continue our series of audio postcards with a walk through Bennington’s First Church Cemetery.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: October 14, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: The state of Vermont is facing a federal lawsuit for allegedly failing to report the amount of absentee ballots sent to Vermonters overseas for the 2006 general election; A lot of people in the Northeast are worried about paying for heat this winter. Some think wood might be the answer to high oil and natural gas prices…
VPR News
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Northeast homeowners ponder switching to wood heat

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A lot of people in the Northeast are worried about paying for heat this winter. Some think wood might be the answer to high oil and natural gas prices. But although it’s cheaper, burning wood may not be that good for the environment.  
VPR News

NH investigating need for large animal care

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A New Hampshire legislative commission is investigating whether a new classification of animal care worker might provide relief to sparse veterinary care in parts of the state.
VPR News

GMP takes steps to help low-income customers

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Vermont’s second-largest power company says it will help limited-income customers by increasing a discount and by increasing contributions to a program that helps them pay for heating fuel.
VPR News

VPR Evening News October 13th, 2008

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Gubernatorial candidate’s plans to provide health care coverage; Entergy affected by financial crisis; Honoring a former slave and Poultney resident; and commentator Mary McCallum on owning a dog.
Commentary Series

On Getting a Dog

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When she recently adopted a rescue dog, commentator, teacher and free lance writer Mary McCallum discovered that owning a dog isn’t as simple as it used to be.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: October 13, 2008

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The presidential campaign is back in New Hampshire today; some fuel dealers are turning away customers unless they first agree to a credit check; some analysts say a plan by the owner of Vermont Yankee to spin off the nuclear plant into a new company could be in jeopardy.
Vermont Edition
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Lieutenant Governor Brian Dubie

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Our series of interviews with the candidates for Vermont’s top posts continues as host Jane Lindholm talks with Brian Dubie about his bid for a fourth term as Lieutenant Governor. We also take a look at electoral politics in Canada, and get an introduction to bow hunting.
Commentary Series

Prevention

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Commentator and psychology professor Sharon Lamb is currently teaching a course at Saint Michael’s College on Abuse and Victimization.  She attended the first of 5 public hearings held by the judiciary committee on the state’s sex offender policies. The last hearing will be held this Thursday in Burlington.
VPR News
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Economic worries don’t seem to sway voters

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The economy is clearly the dominant issue in the Presidential election campaign. But does the Wall Street crisis really reach into Main Streets in Vermont? VPR is sampling political opinion across the state. In today’s report, Steve Delaney went to White River Junction to assess the links between the election and the economy.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: October 13, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Homeless shelters filling up so quickly they are having to turn some people away; Some fuel dealers are turning away customers unless they first agree to a credit check — even if they pay cash; Despite gloomy economic news, Vermont’s ski areas getting a lot of early reservations… 
VPR News

Fuel dealers demand credit checks

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Some fuel dealers are turning away customers unless they first agree to a credit check. And in a few situations, the dealers have refused to sell fuel even if the customers agree to pay in cash. An anti-poverty agency that serves the Connecticut River Valley says the practice is wrong, and hurts customers already suffering from today’s financial crisis. VPR’s John Dillon reports.
Interlude

Ralph Vaughan Williams

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Ralph Vaughan Williams was born in Gloucestershire on October 12, 1872.  We celebrate his Birthday with one of his two string quartets, a symphony, and his incidental music to "The Wasps."
VPR News

VPR Evening News October 10th, 2008

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Peter Welch supports government role in economic recovery; Intervale compost battle is over; Vermont woman at center of Supreme Court case; NRC scolding Vermont Yankee for inadequate cooling tower fix; Former slave honored in Poultney; and commentator Ruth Page on one of her favorite wildflowers.
Commentary Series

Jack-in-the-Pulpit

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Commentator Ruth Page has lived in Vermont and enjoyed the natural world for many years. This summer, she spent some time learning more about one of her favorite native wildflowers.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: October 10, 2008

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A yearlong battle over the future of the Intervale Compost in Burlington is over; a former slave who won his freedom and settled in Poultney will be honored by the town on Sunday with a historic marker;
VPR News
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Parents raise concerns about new Burton snowboard line

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The controversy that’s been swirling over two new lines of Burton Snowboards has jump- started the season for local retailers at the same it’s pushed some parents to consider boycotting Burton products.  Burton’s new “Love” series features scantily clad Playboy models, and its Primo line features cartoon graphics of self mutilation.   VPR’s Nina Keck reports.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: October 10, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: A Vermont woman is at the center of a U.S. Supreme Court case that could determine the rights of consumers to sue over dangerous products. The woman is Diana Levine, a musician who lost her right arm because of a medical disaster;  A yearlong battle over the future of Intervale Compost in Burlington is nearing conclusion, with the Chittenden Solid Waste District paying $170,000 to take the operation over on Monday.
VPR News
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Vermont consumer rights case goes to Supreme Court

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A Vermont woman is at the center of a U.S. Supreme Court case that could determine the rights of consumers to sue over dangerous products. The woman is Diana Levine, a musician who lost her right arm because of a medical disaster. VPR’s John Dillon has the story that leads from the back roads of Marshfield to the marble halls of the Supreme Court.
VPR News

New cell tower activated along Adirondack highway

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Verizon Wireless has activated the first of a dozen planned cell phone towers along the Adirondack Northway to fill a nearly 50-mile service gap along a remote stretch of the highway that connects Albany and Montreal.
VPR News

Interview: ESPN’s Buster Olney on the ALCS

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the Boston Red Sox continue the defense of their 2007 World Series title tonight…hoping to end up with their third championship in the past five years. Buster Olney is a senior baseball writer at ESPN the Magazine, and says the Rays are more than just a Cinderella story this year.
VPR News

Heating assistance could double for Vermont

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Vermont is expected to get more than twice as much in federal funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program this year under a measure that also makes more families eligible.
Vermont Edition
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Congressman Peter Welch

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In this program:  We continue our series of one-on-one interviews with the candidates for Vermont’s top offices with Congressman Peter Welch.  Also, analysis with VPR reporters, and a look back at the voices in this week’s news.
Commentary Series

Pundits

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As the presidential election race heads into the home stretch, once again the question of how the news media are doing their jobs has become part of the political debate. This morning commentator Barrie Dunsmore, a veteran ABC news foreign and diplomatic correspondent, gives his former media colleagues a barely passing grade.
VPR News

VPR Evening News October 9th, 2008

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Vt. Yankee decommissioning fund becomes an issue in the governor’s race; Vermont benefits from increase to LIHEAP funding; Scientists still trying to understand White Nose Syndrome; New Hampshire utility warns of carbon monoxide poisoning; and commentator Tom Slayton on Trap Day.
Commentary Series

Monhegan Trap Day

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Commentator Tom Slayton is a confirmed bird-watcher. But he also likes to watch people. And recently those two interests came together for him in an unexpected way.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: October 9, 2008

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Candidates for attorney general say the state needs to do more to combat sexual assaults and other similar crimes; in the race for the U.S. House, several independents are on the ballot against Congressman Peter Welch and Progressive Thomas Hermann; more…
Vermont Edition

The Bird Show

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As the weather grows colder, birders get ready to witness the great migration south.  We find out which birds we can expect to see, and we take your questions.  Also, an update on how our bats are faring this year. 
VPR News

Morning Newscast: October 9, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Officials say the decommissioning trust fund for Vermont Yankee nuclear plant has fallen by 10 percent in the past month. That’s more than $40 million; A violent summer and a tight state budget have put a strain on the Vermont State Police. The public may feel the impact. The state police director says troopers may not be able to respond in person to minor crimes…
VPR News

State Police works to trim budget

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A violent summer and a tight state budget have put a strain on the Vermont State Police. Officials have responded by reducing overtime, trimming expenses and cutting out-of-state travel.  
VPR News

Civil trial under way in suit over advertising

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An expert on smoking and health says R.J. Reynolds relied on suspect data to support its claim that smokers of its Eclipse cigarettes may face less risk than smokers of conventional cigarettes.
VPR News

VPR Evening News October 8th, 2008

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Wall St. bailout becomes a key issue in House race; Revitalizing the Northern Forest economy; The Liberty Union Party is fielding a full slate of candidates; and commentator Deborah Luskin on Reading and Discussion programs.
Commentary Series

Reading Ain’t Thinking

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Commentator Deborah Luskin once thought that she would become a college professor. But she found life in Vermont more compelling than a tenured position – and work as scholar for the Vermont Humanities Council richly rewarding.  
Vermont Edition
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Liberty Union Candidates

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Vermont’s Liberty Union Party is fielding a full slate of statewide candidates this year, running on a platform stressing socialized medicine and closing Vermont Yankee, among other issues.  We’ll find out why they’re running and where they think the state should be heading.  Plus, an update on the future of the Intervale composting operation. 
VPR News

Midday Newscast: October 8, 2008

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Report says Vermont and three other states in the North Country need to band together to boost the region’s economy; a University of Vermont professor says there is reason to be optimistic about the country’s economic future;
VPR News

Medical marijuana user charged with possession

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A man allowed to have a limited amount of marijuana for medical purposes has been charged with possessing far more – nearly four pounds of marijuana at his Stowe restaurant, home and on a vacant lot.
Commentary Series

Fall Plants

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 At a time when money’s tight, smart shopping is important. Commentator and gardening expert Charlie Nardozzi says that fall is a good time to check out local garden centers for deeply discounted trees and shrubs. And he has some tips on how to get the best deals.
VPR News

Interview: Dr. Jim Gatti on the financial crisis

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Dr. James Gatti, Professor of Economics and Finance at the University of Vermont, visited our VPR studios to give us a kind of  "financial 101" on the recent troubles, and you may be pleased to hear he has a "glass half full" view of what might happen next. First, Dr. Gatti helps us understand how some initial economic sparks eventually spread into a full-blown financial inferno
VPR News

Morning Newscast: October 8, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: A group of companies in Hardwick wants to change the way Americans eat. The companies are part of a nonprofit organization that they say can show communities how to raise and produce all the food they need and the University of Vermont will help to develop the model;A new national study says health insurance costs in New Hampshire have climbed nearly five times faster than salaries this decade…
VPR News
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UVM to work with Center for Agricultural Economy

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A group of companies in Hardwick wants to change the way Americans eat. The companies are part of a nonprofit organization that they say can show communities how to raise and produce all the food they need. As VPR’s Amy Noyes reports, the University of Vermont will help to develop the model.
VPR News

Fish and Game Dept tells hikers to be prepared

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New Hampshire’s Fish and Game Department says two hiker rescues in the White Mountains in recent days underscore the need for heightened awareness of safe hiking practices as people get out to enjoy the fall foliage.
VPR News

Michelle Obama returns to NH

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Michelle Obama, wife of Democratic presidential nominee Senator Barack Obama, returns to New Hampshire today for a rally at Keene State College.
VPR News

VPR Evening News October 7th, 2008

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Governor Douglas still backs privatizing Social Security; Stowe Mountain Resort could be sold off by AIG; Vermont to receive settlement money from drug maker; and commentator Ken Davis on negative campaigning.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: October 7, 2008

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Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department works to control a non-native species that preys on Lake Champlain fish; Peter Welch has some questions for executives of the insurance company American International Group; more…
Vermont Edition
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Business schools respond to financial crisis

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In this program: Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business uses the financial crisis as a "teachable moment."  Brattleboro’s Strolling of the Heifers organization begins a micro-lending program for farmers.  And, we learn how to make applesauce that can last through the winter.
Commentary Series

War Memorials

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This September 11th, a memorial was dedicated to fallen members of the Vermont National Guard. Commentator and Guard Captain Larry Doane offers a soldier’s view of its significance.
VPR News
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Interview: Gubernatorial candidate Tony O’Connor

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The Vermont gubernatorial election is just about a month away, and while the three leading candidates garner most of the attention, there are four other candidates running for the office. Tony O’Connor lives in Derby. He’s a 58-year old former border patrol officer with passionate views on everything from Vermont’s energy future to decriminalization of marijuana.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: October 7, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: One of Vermont’s oldest and most prestigious ski resorts could soon be sold off by its financially troubled parent company. American International Group recently announced that everything but its core business is for sale; The federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission has dismissed calls by anti-nuclear groups for an overhaul of its review process before it finishes processing license renewal applications from Vermont Yankee and three other plants…
VPR News

NH gets ag disaster aid declaration

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New Hampshire received disaster assistance help from the Agriculture Department. That means farm operators in all ten counties are eligible to apply for low-interest federal emergency loans.
VPR News

AIG could sell Stowe Mountain Resort

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One of Vermont’s oldest and most prestigious ski resorts could soon be sold off by its financially troubled parent company. American International Group has owned the Stowe Mountain Resort for years. And the insurance company recently announced that everything but its core business is for sale.  
VPR News

Sununu, Shaheen tangle on bailout plan

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Ignoring a moderator’s request to refrain from attacks, Republican Sen. John Sununu and Democrat Jeanne Shaheen accused each other of showing poor leadership on the government’s bailout of the financial industry.
VPR News

State issues Winooski water warning

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The Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife is issuing an advisory not to use Winooski River water for several days after a chemical is used to kill sea lamprey.
VPR News

NRC rejects complaints based on inspector reports

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The federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission has dismissed calls by anti-nuclear groups for an overhaul of its review process before it finishes processing license renewal applications from Vermont Yankee and three other plants.
VPR News

Police ID victims in pursuit fatal

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The driver of a car that crashed while attempting to elude police – killing two young people – has been identified as a 28-year-old Burlington man with a history of traffic infractions.
VPR News

VPR Evening News October 6th, 2008

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Vermont’s early voting under way; Quebec Premeir makes appearance with Governor Douglas; Advisory not to use water from Winooski River; Bennington AIDS activist dies; and commentator Jay Craven remembers Paul Newman.
VPR News

The art of stacking firewood

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Retired banker-farmer Tom Johnson gives us a lesson in the art of stacking firewood. His long, meticulously stacked woodpiles occasionally stop traffic on the road near his house in Dummerston.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: October 6, 2008

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Vermont voters who’ve settled on their candidates can cast ballots now; Vermont’s Transportation Agency faces tough choices about which projects need to be done and how they should be paid for; more…
Vermont Edition
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About that retirement plan….

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In this program: Experts have warned for years that Americans aren’t saving enough for retirement, but the unfolding financial crisis gives new urgency to that warning. Also, a 19th century Vermont painter’s images of Montpelier. And, a lesson in stacking firewood.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: October 6, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Hundreds of people in Franklin County say they want a new Wal-Mart store built in St. Albans; Housing advocates say Vermont has pioneered a way for families to finance a home purchase — and to keep the house forever affordable. It’s done through a nonprofit land trust. One of the oldest land trusts in the country is in Burlington, and its work is being recognized by the United Nations.
VPR News

Champlain Housing Trust wins United Nations award

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Housing advocates say Vermont has pioneered a way for families to finance a home purchase — and to keep the house forever affordable. It’s done through a nonprofit land trust. One of the oldest land trusts in the country is in Burlington, and its work is being recognized by the United Nations.
VPR News

Poultney honors slave’s life

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A former slave whose memoir is among the only ones known to describe abduction from Africa is about to get a historical marker in Poultney, where he ended up settling.
All the Traditions

All the Traditions – October 5, 2008

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A rockin’ dedication in the memory of Nappy Brown, one of the great blues shouters who passed on last week, lots of wonderful local music to preview shows this upcoming weekend, three very different versions of a John Denver song, and much, much more!
Interlude

Gabriel Fauré

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An all- Fauré program, including the wonderful Requiem with Kathleen Battle and Andreas Schmidt.
My Place with Joel Najman

A Mixed Bag Of Early Rock And Pop Music

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It’s a My Place theme that’s no theme at all: "A Mixed Bag Of Early Rock And Pop Music".This week’s program features a nice assortment of New York City Doowop as well as the recordings mentioned in recent listener emails to myplace@vpr.net. My Place, Saturdays from 8-9PM following A Prairie Home Companion on Vermont Public Radio.
VPR News

VPR Evening News October 3rd, 2008

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Peter Welch explains his change of heart on the bailout bill; Governor Douglas comments on the revised bailout plan; New federal funds added to LIHEAP; and commentator Ted Levin on the snapping turtle.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: October 3, 2008

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Peter Welch has faced the question of whether to support the latest version of the federal bailout of the financial industry; Former Vermont federal prosecutor George Terwilliger says the Justice Department should drop its criminal investigation of Alberto Gonzales;
VPR News

Welch votes in favor of bailout

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Welch says he believes something needed to be done to deal with the credit crisis. He says he won’t get everything he wants out of the bill. But Welch says one of the most important things to him was an accounting change that the Securities and Exchange Commission will adopt.
Vermont Edition

Gov. Jim Douglas

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Vermont Edition continues a series of one-on-one interviews with candidates for statewide office with incumbent Governor Jim Douglas. Also, news analaysis from VPR’s John Dillon and a snapshot of voices in the week’s news.
VPR News
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Backstage: Lamoille County Players, 1776

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2008 has seen its share of political debate, from the presidential campaigns to the Wall St. bailout. Now the Lamoille County Players take us back to the granddaddy of deliberation with their production of the Broadway musical, 1776. VPR’s Neal Charnoff takes us backstage.
VPR News

Literary Festival takes over Brattleboro

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The seventh annual Brattleboro Literary Festival takes place this weekend. More than 30 novelists, poets, nonfiction writers and children’s authors will be reading and talking about their craft in venues all over town. VPR’s Susan Keese has a preview.
VPR News

Interview: George Terwilliger on habeas corpus

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Monday at the University of Vermont that dilemma will be explored in depth with multiple presentations by nationally recognized legal experts, and a panel discussion: "The Constitutional Rights of the Individual During Times of War versus National Security Needs of the Nation." One of the panelists is familiar to Vermonters, George Terwilliger was Vermont’s chief federal prosecutor as United States Attorney for the District of Vermont.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: October 3, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: The Douglas Administration may have to fill a seven million dollar hole in the budget next year because the federal government says it will not pay for patient care at the Vermont State Hospital; Consumer advocate and presidential candidate Ralph Nader is visiting Vermont and New Hampshire…
VPR News

Board approves alternative regulation for CVPS

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The Vermont Public Service Board has approved a new system of setting rates for the state’s largest power company that will allow it to recover what it pays for power at wholesale prices more quickly. The system also could help promote energy conservation.
VPR News

Mass. AG appeals ruling affecting Vt. Yankee

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The Massachusetts attorney general is appealing the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s rejection of concerns about possible accidents or sabotage involving the spent radioactive fuel pools at the Pilgrim and Vermont Yankee nuclear plants.
VPR News

The 2008 Vice Presidential Debate

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Senator Joseph Biden and Alaska Governor Sarah Palin face off in their only debate during the 2008 campaign. Listen at 9 tonight for NPR’s live coverage and analysis. For VPR’s complete debate schedule and more campaign news, click here.
VPR News

VPR Evening News October 2nd, 2008

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Peter Welch undecided on financial bailout bill; Patrick Leahy on why he voted for the bailout package; Members of Vt. National Guard await deployment news; New rate-setting system approved for CVPS; and commentator Philip Baruth on Halloween rituals.
VPR News

Welch undecided on amended bailout bill

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Earlier this week, Congressman Peter Welch voted against the bail out plan because he was concerned that it placed too great a burden on taxpayers. Welch says he needs to balance several factors as he decides how he’ll vote on the amended bill.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: October 2, 2008

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Vermont’s economy is the top issue for the political parties as this year’s election approaches; officials keep close watch on state’s cash flow since financial crisis hits some Vermont colleges; more…
Vermont Edition
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Equal pay, equal work

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In this program: Senator Patrick Leahy on the Senate’s vote on the bailout package, and unequal pay for women. The problem still persists – despite efforts to eliminate the pay gap, and legislation in Vermont that bars it. And, a local crusader on climate change gets training from Al Gore.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: October 2, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: The Wall Street bailout package that passed the Senate last night got a split vote from Vermont’s delegation; Many members of the Vermont National Guard will be learning in coming weeks if they’ll be deployed to Afghanistan; The U.S. Supreme Court says it will hear a Vermont prosecutor’s appeal in the case of a domestic assault suspect whose conviction was thrown out because it took a court three years to hear his case…
VPR News

Supreme Court to hear Vermont case

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The U.S. Supreme Court says it will hear a Vermont prosecutor’s appeal in the case of a domestic assault suspect whose conviction was thrown out because it took a court three years to hear his case.
VPR News

Vermont Party Chairs Forum

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Political parties play a key role in the elections.  Wednesday evening at 7, the chairs of the Republican, Democratic and Progressive parties talk with Bob Kinzel about the issues they stand for and their strategies for the November Election.  See VPR’s complete debate schedule.
VPR News

VPR Evening News October 1st, 2008

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UVM is swept up in financial crisis; Bernie Sanders likely to vote "No’ on financial rescue plan; Experts recommend reining in credit card debt; Grand jury indicts uncle of Brooke Bennett; Vermont State Hospital denied re-certification; and remembering poet Hayden Carruth.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: October 1, 2008

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The University of Vermont has been hit by the American financial crisis; Journalist says the bailout that the U.S. Senate will vote on today is the wrong approach; Phish is getting back together; more…
Commentary Series

Safe Service

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President Eisenhower and his son John were confronted by a dilemma that some national leaders and their families also face today – and it’s one for which veteran ABC News correspondent and commentator Bill Seamans says there are no easy answers.
VPR News

Interview: Author David Cay Johnston

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David Cay Johnston, a former economic reporter for the New York Times, won a Pulitzer Prize in 2001 for his running investigation of the tax system, and his new book is called "Free Lunch: How the Wealthiest Americans Enrich Themselves at Government Expense (and Stick You With the Bill)." Johnston will bring that message to Burlington and Montpelier.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: October 1, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Financial experts say you’re much more likely to qualify for a mortgage if you rein in credit card debt and get smarter when it comes to using your plastic.    A coalition of environmental groups say the latest draft of a 10-year energy plan lacks specifics and fails to aggressively promote renewable energy or transportation alternatives.
VPR News

Financial experts urge consumers to control credit card debt

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The current financial crisis has left many wondering about their chances for getting a loan.   Mortgages, for instance, are more difficult to get. But financial experts say you’re much more likely to qualify if you rein in credit card debt and get smarter when it comes to using your plastic.    VPR’s Nina Keck has more.
VPR News

Vermont gets federal rail help

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The Vermont Transportation Agency is going to be getting about $1 million in federal help to pay for two projects to improve the Amtrak passenger rail system in the state.
VPR News

SEC charges Penn Traffic with accounting fraud

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Federal regulators are charging an upstate New York-based regional grocery chain with fraud, claiming a multimillion dollar accounting scheme made the company’s finances look better than they were.
Commentary Series

Hurricanes

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As he watched from afar as Hurricane Ike passed over his boyhood home, commentator, writer, former teacher, and legislator Bill Mares remembered the hurricanes of his childhood.
VPR News

Fairpoint to expand broadband coverage

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FairPoint Communications officials say they’ll be providing broadband communication services to all of its customers in 51 Vermont locations by the end of 2010.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: September 30, 2008

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Bankers say their institutions are in good shape in Vermont; taxes could rise on cigarettes in New Hampshire; State Police say an apartment house fire in Williamstown was intentionally set; a familiar figure at the Vermont Statehouse has died.
VPR News

Statehouse Police chief Janawicz dies

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David Janawicz, who modernized the Capitol Police during his 13 years heading security at the Statehouse, has died after battling lung cancer. He was 62.
Commentary Series

Maverick

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Commentator, teacher and film producer Jay Craven has been amused by the political revival of a word that reminds him of an old TV show, a personal friend, and the truth – you might say – about legends.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: September 30, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Congressman Peter Welch says he wasn’t persuaded that the package would provide a long term solution to the country’s economic problems. Turmoil on Wall Street and in Washington has many Vermonters wondering how the banking crisis will affect their ability to get a mortgage or business loan…
VPR News

Mortgage lenders tightening requirements for loans

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Turmoil on Wall Street and in Washington has many Vermonters wondering how the banking crisis will affect their ability to get a mortgage or business loan. VPR’s Nina Keck talked with several Vermont bankers and mortgage experts to find out.
VPR News

VPR Evening News September 29th, 2008

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Peter Welch votes against Wall St. bail-out; N.H. members of Congress also oppose bailout bill; Gaye Symington says Vermonters were against the bailout bill; Green Auction raises money for the state; Justice Dept. criminal investigation announced; Vermont gets PTSD grant; Congress doubles money for LIHEAP; Brattleboro will buy cleaner-burning biodiesel fuel for school buses; Boston Bruins in-state for preseason practice.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: September 29, 2008

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Vermont earned $620,000 in last week’s first-ever auction of "carbon credits”; Congress has doubled home heating assistance, but community action agencies across Vermont say that still won’t cover all the needs; Brattleboro plans to buy biodiesel fuel for its school buses this year.
VPR News

Brattleboro uses grant for cleaner buses

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Brattleboro’s share of a $314,406 Environmental Protection Agency grant to five communities will enable its 35 school buses to burn cleaner-burning biodiesel fuel this year.
Commentary Series

Wordsworth in the Tropics

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Like many Vermonters, Humanities Council executive director and commentator Peter Gilbert loves the natural world and the beauty of Vermont. But he knows that that isn’t the whole story on nature, and he wonders if the way we think about our relationship with nature isn’t changing.
VPR News

Interview: Michael Dobbs on the Cuban missile crisis

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In October of 1962 the United States and Soviet Union were on the brink of nuclear war. And while a lot has been written about the Cuban missile crisis, there is a lot of new information to be found in the book "One Minute to Midnight," by veteran reporter Michael Dobbs. Dobbs will discuss his book in Burlington this Wednesday night as part of the Vermont Humanities Council’s First Wednesdays Lecture Series.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: September 29, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Congress has approved doubling the amount of money it will spend to help people heat their homes this winter. But community action agencies across Vermont say that still won’t cover all of the needs that the state is likely to see; Don’t make any sudden and drastic moves. That’s the advice from the state Department of Banking, Insurance, Securities and Health Care Administration as Vermonters contemplate the troubled financial markets…
VPR News

State officials urge caution on financial troubles

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Don’t make any sudden and drastic moves. That’s the advice from the state Department of Banking, Insurance, Securities and Health Care Administration as Vermonters contemplate the troubled financial markets.
VPR News

Overdue decisions rising in NH courts

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More people are being left in legal limbo due to increased caseloads, more complex cases and shortages of judges and clerical staff at New Hampshire’s Superior Courts.
VPR News

Last call for Montpelier landmark

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The Thrush Tavern, a Montpelier institution known as much for its burgers as being a watering hole for state lawmakers, has closed after 36 years in business.
Sunday Bach

Sunday Bach for September 28th, 2008

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Enjoy the Concerto in E Major for Violin, with Andrew Manze and the Academy of Ancient Music–this week on Sunday Bach. We’ll also hear a performance of Cantata Number 96, "Herr Christ, der einge Gottessohn", with the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra and Choir, led by Ton Koopman.
Interlude

Souvenirs of Italy

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Two works inspired by the composers’ visits to Italy: the overture In the South by Elgar and Tchaikovsky’s Souvenir of Florence.
My Place with Joel Najman

A Collection Of “Car” Songs Of The 1950’s

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America has always had a love affair with the automobile, and this is often reflected in its popular music. On previous My Place programs we’ve enjoyed many of the 1960’s era car songs about hot rods and muscle cars, many of these records by the Beach Boys and Jan&Dean. This week we’re featuring earlier car songs mostly from the 1950’s, taken from the archives of Rhythm&Blues, Blues, and straight-ahead Rock&Roll. My Place with Joel Najman "takes to the road" this week, Satrurday from 8-9PM on Vermont Public Radio.
VPR News

VPR Evening News September 26th, 2008

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Lt. Governor candidate Tom Costello says future of Vt. Yankee is a key campaign issue; Three nuclear experts named to Public Oversight Panel; Agency of Agriculture says a Highgate egg farm has violated its permit; UVM faculty ratifies new contract; Six N.Y. caves being closed to protect bats; and commentator Art Woolf says you shouldn’t panic about the economy.
Commentary Series

Financial Fallout

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Commentator Art Woolf teaches economics at UVM and blogs at vermont tiger.com, and he says that when it comes to the current financial crisis, the best advice for investors still is: Don’t Panic.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: September 26, 2008

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Some Vermonters are upset about the bailout of Wall Street companies that Congress and the Bush administration have proposed; Barack Obama’s nomination as the Democratic presidential candidate has stimulated discussion about race and politics; more…
VPR News

Yankee oversight panel names two members

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A nuclear watchdog and a veteran nuclear industry executive have been named to a state panel examining whether Vermont Yankee gets the OK to remain open another 20 years.
Commentary Series

Debate

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The first presidential campaign debate, scheduled for tonight in Oxford Mississippi, was supposed to deal with Foreign Policy. But, as commentator Barrie Dunsmore, a veteran diplomatic correspondent for ABC News, tells us this morning, America’s current economic crisis has cast a major shadow on that debate.
VPR News

Interview: Steven Lawson on the presidential elections

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Since no African-American candidate in U.S. history has ever been as close to winning the nation’s highest office as Barack Obama is today, it is perhaps not surprising that his campaign is facing some extraordinary challenges. Rutgers University Professor and Civil Rights author Steven Lawson will speak about those challenges tonight at Lyndon State College.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: September 26, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Frustration with plans to bail out Wall Street has spilled onto Main Streets across America. In Vermont, protesters raised signs – and their voices – against the federal government spending 700 billion dollars to rescue banks.  If no candidate in the gubernatorial race wins 50% of the vote, the Legislature will elect the next governor in January…
VPR News

Protesters frustrated by Wall Street bailout

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Frustration with plans to bail out Wall Street has spilled onto Main Streets across America. In Vermont, protesters raised signs – and their voices – against the federal government spending 700 billion dollars to rescue banks. VPR’s Ross Sneyd was at their protest in Burlington on Thursday.
VPR News

Senate passes NH-inspired Michelle’s Law

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The U.S. Senate has passed a federal version of a New Hampshire law allowing college students to take up to a year off school for medical reasons and still stay on their family’s health insurance.
VPR News

VPR Evening News September 25th, 2008

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Gubernatorial candidates divided on what happens if election is decided by Legislature; as budgets tighten, an advocacy group urges the public not to forget about Vermont’s wildlife; police are sorting through circumstances of an accidental shooting in Essex; Vermont’s minimum wage will increase by 5% in January. 
Commentary Series

Bailing Out

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As he watches the Congressional debate over the proposed financial bailout, teacher, historian and commentator Vic Henningsen can’t help thinking that the conversation is really about something else.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: September 25, 2008

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A first-of-its-kind auction is under way today in the Northeast; new school test results show that Vermont students are not scoring well in science; despite legal challenges in other towns, Swanton has adopted restrictions on where sex offenders can live.
Vermont Edition
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Fall Gardening

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Calling all green thumbs!  Email your fall gardening questions ahead of time to vermontedition@vpr.net.  Then listen as expert gardener Charlie Nardozzi answers your questions.
Commentary Series

Meeting Frost

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The life and work of Robert Frost is getting a lot of attention in Vermont this year, and that has reminded commentator Willem Lange that he once got some advice directly from the poet himself – and didn’t take it.  
VPR News

Interview: Richard Cowart on RGGI

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Greenhouse gases are on the auction block today, as Vermont and nine other northeastern states hold the nation’s first-ever sale of pollution credits. We’re finding out more about RGGI from Richard Cowart. He was one of the creators of the program and former chairman of the Public Service Board.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: September 25, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Republican Governor Jim Douglas and his Democratic challenger Gaye Symington clashed over sex offender laws, energy policy, and budget issues in a VPR broadcast debate last night; St. Johnsbury employer Lydall Inc. is moving to North Carolina, meaning the loss of 190 jobs in Vermont. 
VPR News

Quarry blast sends rocks flying

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The manager of the Burlington International Airport says a planned explosion at a rock quarry owned by the airport went awry and sprayed rocks onto cars, planes and buildings, but no one was hurt.
VPR News

VPR’s 2008 Gubernatorial Debate

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VPR’s series of campaign debates kicked off Sept. 24 with the governor’s race. VPR’s Bob Kinzel and Jane Lindholm co-hosted the live debate from the Main Street Landing Film House in Burlington.
VPR News

VPR Evening News September 24th, 2008

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Vt. non-profits concerned about a major donor’s ties to AIG; Vt. Dems say a Douglas campaign ad should be pulled; Planned explosion in S. Burlington goes awry; and commentator Mike Martin’s wife has been thinking about Sarah Palin.
Commentary Series

Considering Palin

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Commentator Mike Martin says that his wife has been thinking about Sarah Palin lately – and what effect her candidacy may be having on public discourse.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: September 24, 2008

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Vermont Democrats accuse Governor Jim Douglas of waging a negative personal campaign against Gaye Symington; Vermont dairy farmers face more tough times; new poll in New Hampshire’s U.S. Senate race shows Senator John Sununu and former Governor Jeanne Shaheen are virtually tied.
Vermont Edition

Political Spin

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Jane Lindholm explores the phenomenon of spin, in national politics and in our own state. We’ll talk about how and why it happens, and how to recognize it and get beyond it.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: September 24, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Senator Bernie Sanders says his proposal for a new surtax on the wealthy to pay for a bailout of the financial services industry is drawing support; Economic trends have begun to move in the wrong direction for Vermont dairy farmers; Lieutenant Governor Brian Dubie formally kicked off his third re-election campaign…
VPR News

Farmers facing economic trouble

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Milk prices are projected to fall in the next couple of months just as grain and fuel costs rise. Experts say it might be difficult to make much money on the farm this winter.  
VPR News

Two appeal charges in 2006 St. Johnsbury incident

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It’s not clear when the Vermont Supreme Court will rule on a request to throw out criminal charges against two anti-war protesters who heckled a Bush administration official during a 2006 appearance in St. Johnsbury.
In Concert @ 8

Cleveland Orchestra

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Guest conductor Giancarlo Guerrero leads a concert from the orchestra’s "other home" in Miami, FL.
VPR News

VPR Evening News September 23rd, 2008

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New policy allows illegal immigrants to report crime without fear of reprisal; Vermont economy holding up against Wall St. turmoil; Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie kicks off his third re-election campaign; and commentator Mary Barosse Schwartz on being a localvore.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: September 23, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Experts acknowledge that the problems in the financial industry could damage the national economy, and that would hurt Vermont; Congressman Peter Welch says it will be difficult for him to support the $700 billion Wall Street bail out package, unless he’s convinced that the proposal protects middle class Vermonters…
VPR News

UMass officials quash credit-for-campaigning offer

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University of Massachusetts officials have quashed efforts by an Amherst campus chaplain to offer two college credits to any student willing to campaign in New Hampshire this fall for Democrat Barack Obama.
VPR News

EPA says New England had fewer bad air days

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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says people in New England states breathed easier this summer, with fewer "unhealthy ozone" days than in 2007 – unless you were in Vermont.
VPR News

Marble investor sentenced for fraud

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A marble dealer who pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges in March has been sentenced to more than 11 years in prison and ordered to pay restitution of more than $9.1 million.
VPR News

NH releases multi-year mental health care plan

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New Hampshire officials have released a multi-year plan to overhaul the state’s mental health care delivery system that focuses on providing more housing for treatment and maintaining qualified staff.
VPR News

Vermont Castings expands in Bethel

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Officials say Vermont Castings wood stove maker and metal fabricator New England Precision are expected to add up to 88 jobs in Bethel and Randolph in the next several years.
VPR News

Planned Parenthood, women’s group back Symington

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Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gaye Symington has picked up two endorsements, one from the political arm of Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, and the other from a national organization, the Women’s Campaign Fund.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 8, played by the Takacs Quartet, which will be at Dartmouth Saturday and Middlebury College on Sunday; plus The Flower Clock of Jean Francaix; Kreisleriana of Schumann, played by Mitsuko Uchida; and a suite from The Sleeping Beauty of Tchaikovsky.
VPR News

VPR Evening News September 22nd, 2008

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Peter Welch weighs in on the Wall St. bail-out; Concerns grow over home heating this winter; A VLS professor says a treaty is key to the future of the Arctic; Man charged with killing infant daughter; EPA releases ozone data; and commentator Jay Craven on DV8..
Commentary Series

DV8

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Commentator, teacher and film producer Jay Craven says that a dance performance coming to the Hopkins Center may offer an intriquing glimpse of the future of the performing arts.
VPR News

UVM agrees to use only “green” toilet tissue

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Starting Oct. 1, the University of Vermont will only use toilet tissue made from 100 percent recycled fiber that has been bleached without chlorine and approved by an independent green certification group.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: September 22, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Vermont and nine other northeastern states this week will conduct the nation’s first carbon auction, taking the same approach that curbed lake-killing acid rain; The Vermont Yankee nuclear plant wants permission from the state to operate for another 20 years. And it wants the Public Service Board to make that decision by this spring…
VPR News

Police look to relieve tensions with immigrants

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Advocates for immigrant farm workers are hailing a decision by Vermont State Police not to investigate the immigration status of three farm workers allegedly assaulted and robbed earlier this month.
VPR News

First US greenhouse gas auction set for Sept. 25

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Vermont and nine other northeastern states this week will take steps to check global warming when they conduct the nation’s first carbon auction, taking the same approach that curbed lake-killing acid rain.
Classical Music with Joe Goetz

Afternoon Classics

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Dvorak’s G Major quartet of Op. 106 performed by the Audubon Quartet (a group that gained noteriety for a terrible internal scandal which resulted in financial ruin for three of its members…read more here if you dare).  Also, a Mendlessohn double feature and Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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The Autumn Equinox occurs at 11:44 this morning.  We’ll celebrate with Autumn from Haydn’s oratorio The Seasons; plus the Symphony on a French Mountain Air by Vincent D’Indy and the Violin Concerto of Edward Elgar, played by Hilary Hahn.
Interlude

Mozart Concertos

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3 Mozart concertos – one for violin, one for French horn, and one for piano.
My Place with Joel Najman

A Collection Of Doowop Group Harmonies

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One of the most cherished sub-genres of Golden Age Rock&Roll is group harmony doowop. In many cases the creators of this music embraced by America’s youth were young people themselves. This week Joel Najman’s My Place program samples a collection of old doowop favorites from the mid-1950’s into the early 1960’s. Joel Najman’s My Place program, Saturday’s from 8-9PM on Vermont Public Radio.
VPR News

VPR Evening News September 19th, 2008

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State wants the NRC to inspect Vt. Yankee; Sen. Sanders has financial advice for Congress; Progressive House candidate says Welch has misled voters on Iraq War funding; More Vermonters out of work; Filling salt sheds for winter; Plane lands on I-89; and commentator Willem Lange goes to a reunion.  .
VPR News
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Midday Newscast: September 19, 2008

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Bernie Sanders says he wants the wealthiest Americans to pay for the federal bailout of the financial industry; a hard frost hit many parts of the region this morning, a reminder that winter driving is fast approaching; more Vermonters are out of work; Vermont Yankee has found more problems with the nuclear power plant’s cooling towers.
VPR News
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VT Edition: Thomas Hermann on his campaign for Congress

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Progressive candidate for Congress Thomas Hermann is an Iraq War veteran and a strong critic of how Congressman Peter Welch has cast some votes on funding for the war. Host Bob Kinzel talks with Hermann in our ongoing series of one-on-one interviews with candidates for Vermont’s top offices.
VPR News
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Vermont Reads: Robert Frost – The Legacy

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Until recently, if you asked someone what they knew about Robert Frost, they might describe seeing him on television, his white hair ruffled by the wind at JFK’s inauguration. Or they might recall a poem of his they had learned in school. And to Middlebury professor of English John Elder, that’s a good indication of Frost’s legacy.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: September 19, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Public works directors have stored up a large supply of road salt to avoid the kind of shortages that left roads slippery last winter.  One program is designed to help homeowners better understand which energy efficiency measures have the greatest payback. Another will make low-interest loans available to help homeowners finance projects…
Classical Music with Cheryl Willoughby

Morning Classics

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It’s National "Talk Like a Pirate" Day! – we’ll dance like a pirate, with the "corsair’s bacchanale" from the ballet by Adolphe Adam (black hip boots not required!) – and, the tick-tock sound of Beethoven imitating the newly-invented metronome, in his Symphony #8.
Classical Music with Joe Goetz

Afternoon Classics

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Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto with Leif Ove Andsnes, a gorgeous psalm setting of Brahms, and Schumann’s little heard Violin Concerto with Joshua Bell.
In Concert @ 8

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

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A retrospective that also serves as a preview of the orchestra’s 2008-2009 season, in which nationalistic music from across the world is featured.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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Schubert’s Piano Trio No. 2, played by the Paris Piano Trio, which performs all of Beethoven’s Piano Trios tonight and tomorrow in Montpelier; plus music of Beethoven played by Vladimir Feltsman, who performs in Middlebury tonight.
VPR News

VPR Evening News September 18th, 2008

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Gubernatorial candidates debate economic issues; New programs for reducing home energy bills; Moving forwared with a methane-powered generator; and commentator Tim McQuiston says that greed has its price..
Commentary Series

Greed

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 Commentator Timothy McQuiston is editor of Vermont Business Magazine – so he’s had lots of practice interpreting economic news.  But he has to admit that events over last few days have been a challenge.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: September 18, 2008

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State unveils new program to help Vermonters reduce their home energy use this winter; Two groups involved with mental health care want to know which Vermont doctors got thousands of dollars last year in gifts from drug companies;
Vermont Edition
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Vermont’s Population Debate: Too Much or Not Enough

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Are we growing too fast, or too slowly to sustain a healthy, prosperous society? Vermont has added the equivalent of the city of Burlington to its population four times since 1970. But Vermont also has the nation’s second-lowest birth rate, and many young adults leave the state in search of new opportunities.
VPR News

Vermont Reads: Robert Frost – Conflict & Contradiction

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Frost’s poems appear simple and accessible through his use of natural imagery and every-day speech. But, they are complex in both structure and meaning. Likewise, Frost’s life – on the surface – appeared to be that of a fairly simple man. in fact, his life – as a poet, farmer and teacher – was full of conflict and contradiction.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: September 18, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: A judge has rejected a request by lawyers for Christopher Williams for a new trial in the 2006 shooting deaths of two people and the wounding of two others; Two groups involved with mental health care want to know which Vermont doctors got thousands of dollars last year in gifts from drug companies; A new report says it pays to shop around for hospital care in New Hampshire…
VPR News

Williams loses bid for new trial

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A judge has rejected a request by lawyers for Christopher Williams for a new trial in the 2006 shooting deaths of two people and the wounding of two others.
VPR News

Health care groups want doctor loophole closed

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Two groups involved with mental health care want to know which Vermont doctors got thousands of dollars last year in gifts from drug companies. The companies can withhold some of the names under a law that protects trade secrets. The groups say that loophole should be closed. VPR’s John Dillon reports.
Classical Music with Joe Goetz

Afternoon Classics

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Brahms had an influence on several composers, and was instrumental (no pun intended) in the early career of Alexander Zemlisnky.  Today we’ll hear Zemlinsky’s piano trio, a work Brahms lauded when it was first performed.  We’ll also hear the first symphony by Tchaikovsky, "Winter Daydreams," due to the cold weather anticipated tonight.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4; Schumann’s Symphonic Etudes, played by Vladimir Feltsman, who will be at Middlebury College Friday; and The Plow that Broke the Plains by Virgil Thomson.  
VPR News

VPR Evening News September 17th, 2008

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More money found for winter fuel assistance; Vt. Yankee cooling system springs another leak; Remembering a Vermont America’s Cup winner; and commentator Bill Seamans on financial news and campaign rhetoric..
Commentary Series

Enough

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With the presidential race nearing the finish line, commentator Bill Seamans is thinking about the latest financial news, and what effect it has had on campaign rhetoric.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: September 17, 2008

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A new loan program helps VT homeowners improve their houses for this winter; different points of view on results of the first opinion poll in the governor’s race; Vermont Yankee is reduced to about half power after cooling tower problem; Senator Patrick Leahy questions FBI Director about Wall Street crisis;
Vermont Edition
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Homeschooling

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More than 2000 kids in Vermont are learning to read, write and do arithmetic through homeschooling.  We talk about the reasons why and what challenges they face.  Then, we hear how kindergarten has changed over the years, and we hear the story behind one gravestone.
VPR News
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Morning Newscast: September 17, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: It’s official: Voter turnout in last week’s Vermont primary election was only 8.5 percent, which officials say is the lowest in recent memory; The first statewide poll shows incumbent Republican Governor Jim Douglas with a roughly 15 point lead over Democratic candidate Gaye Symington; Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., calls himself a proud Democrat, but says he’ll accept the Republican congressional nomination…
VPR News
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Douglas ahead in first statewide poll

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The first statewide poll for the governor’s race has been released.  It shows incumbent Republican Governor Jim Douglas with a roughly 15 point lead over Democratic candidate Gaye Symington.  Independent candidate Anthony Pollina ran a distant third in the poll.
VPR News
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Labor Commissioner says layoffs don’t tell full story

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Vermont’s commissioner of labor says layoffs in some pockets of Vermont don’t tell the whole story about the state’s economy.  Patricia Moulton Powden says layoffs like the ones this summer at IBM, or the back-to back plant closures in Brandon are serious. But they’re not as numerous as in 2001 or other recessions the state has seen.
Classical Music with Cheryl Willoughby

Morning Classics

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Edvard Grieg’s "Holberg Suite" will be featured during this year’s "Made in Vermont" Music Festival with the VSO. We’ll hear it this morning along with Renee Fleming singing the plaintive "Ne andro lontana", from Catalani’s "La Wally".
In Concert @ 8

New York Philharmonic

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Celebrating the centenaries of Herbert von Karajan, Olivier Messaien, and Elliot Carter (who’s still alive and kick’ at age 100!).
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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Roman Sketches by Charles Tomlinson Griffes, played by Vermont pianist Sylvia Parker; the complete Peer Gynt Incidental Music of Edvard Grieg; and Schubert’s Piano Trio No. 1 played by the Paris Piano Trio, which will perform all of Beethoven’s Piano Trios in Montpelier this weekend.
VPR News

Strafford woman named Teacher of the Year

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A Strafford elementary school teacher is Vermont’s teacher of the year. Diana Leddy has been a teacher at the Newton School since 1983. She was awarded a $5,000 grant by Hannaford Brothers for classroom materials.
VPR News

VPR Evening News September 16th, 2008

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Commission calls for fundamental change in regulating health care costs; Leaders from Northeast and Canada meet; Labor Commissioner comments on recent layoffs,  Wall St. turmoil won’t affect retired state employees; Vermont’s Teacher of the Year is named; and commentator Vic Henningsen on the Hurricane of ’38..
Commentary Series

New England Hurricane

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After a wet summer and news of major storms like Gustav, Hanna, and Ike, most of us have had enough of bad weather. But teacher, historian, and commentator Vic Henningsen remembers the granddaddy of all New England storms – which occurred seventy-five years ago this week – and wonders…  
VPR News

Midday Newscast: September 16, 2008

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Strafford woman recognized as Vermont’s teacher of the year; financial turmoil on Wall Street is reverberating across Vermont’s state retirement funds; Vermont utility regulators have given the public an opportunity to say whether Vermont Yankee should operate for another two decades.
Vermont Edition

Life After Layoffs

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Pockets of Vermont have been hit with multiple layoffs in recent months. With our guest, Vermont Labor Commissioner Patricia Moulton Powden, we talk about life after layoffs. We’ll discuss tips for bouncing back, what help is available and current job prospects for people starting over.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: September 16, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30: The financial turmoil on Wall Street is reverberating across Vermont’s state retirement funds. State Treasurer Jeb Spaulding says the market slump has caused a decline in the investment portfolios overseen by his office. But Spaulding says the downturn has not affected the benefits paid out to retirees…
VPR News
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Wall Street turmoil will affect state investments

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The financial turmoil on Wall Street is reverberating across Vermont’s state retirement funds. State Treasurer Jeb Spaulding says the market slump has caused a decline in the investment portfolios overseen by his office. But Spaulding says the downturn has not affected the benefits paid out to retirees. VPR’s John Dillon reports.
VPR News

Prison construction has been boom for Berlin

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The Federal Bureau of Prisons says the majority of the 280 people working on the federal prison construction in Berlin, New Hampshire are from Coos County and that nearly 2 million dollars in goods and services have been bought from businesses in the county.
VPR News

FairPoint delays cutover date for Verizon network

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FairPoint Communications Inc. has pushed back the "cutover date" when it assumes full responsibility of the northern New England landline phone and Internet network it bought from Verizon Communications Inc. this year.
VPR News

High winds blamed in 11,500 power outages

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About 11,500 Vermont homes and businesses lost power after gusty winds – the remnants of Hurricane Ike – blew through New England, downing trees and power lines.
Classical Music with Cheryl Willoughby

Morning Classics

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We’ll hear from a brand new recording with cellist Matt Haimovitz, this morning – a string trio arrangement of the Bach "Goldberg Variations". And a listener request for Tchaikovsky: the lyrical Orchestral Suite #4, a tribute to Mozart.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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We’ll listen to some of Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2, played by Vladimir Feltsman, who performs at Middlebury College Friday; plus Brahms’ Piano Trio No. 3 played by the Paris Piano Trio, which will perform all of Beethoven’s Piano Trios in Montpelier this weekend.
VPR News
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Folk legend performs in Brattleboro

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The famous banjo picker and singer-songwriter Pete Seeger wrote or popularized such songs as "Turn, turn Turn," and "We shall overcome," which became the anthem of the civil rights movement. He played the concerts to raise money for micro loans for New England farmers.
VPR News

VPR Evening News September 15th, 2008

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Anthony Pollina receives 3 key labor endorsements; Pollina defends his call to dip into rainy-day funds; A profile of author and activist Diane Wilson; Pete Seeger performs in Brattleboro and Lebanon; and commentator Madeline Kunin on the nomination of Sarah Palin.
Commentary Series

Public Families

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The nomination of Sarah Palin for Vice President has sparked a new round of lively debate about women in politics – and it’s one that reminds commentator and former Vermont governor Madeine Kunin of her early days as a candidate.
VPR News

Program encourages kids to bike to school

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Our series of interviews with people who are working to improve the environment continues with a look at how school kids are lessening their carbon footprints. Jane Lindholm checks in on the Safe Routes to School program that encourages walking and biking, rather that driving to school.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: September 15, 2008

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Gubernatorial candidate Anthony Pollina has won another labor endorsement for his campaign; author and environmental activist Diane Wilson will speak at Green Mountain College today; Vermont Technical College in Randolph is getting some money to support a program that helps freshman improve their math and English skills; more…
Vermont Edition

Gov. candidate Anthony Pollina

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Anthony Pollina’s campaign for governor has been hit with questions about his party affiliation and financing – but he’s still campaigning hard and stating his position on a number of key issues. Also, how schoolkids are reducing their carbon footprints by walking and biking to school.
VPR Series and Specials
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Vermont Reads 2008: Robert Frost

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Listen to VPR’s a five-part series on Robert Frost.  Hear interviews with scholars and readings from Frost’s work.  Presented in collaboration with The Vermont Humanities Council’s Vermont Reads program. 
VPR News

Vermont Reads: Robert Frost – Family Life

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One of Robert Frost’s books of poetry is titled North of Boston. And just as his poetry is full of references to the region, so too is the region full of reminders of his life here. Author Natalie Bober and Frost’s grandaughter Robin Fraser Hudnut talk of his family life in New England.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: September 15, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: It’s been a busy summer for police across Vermont investigating homicides from one end of the state to the other; Defense attorneys are resisting legal changes proposed by prosecutors in the wake of the Brooke Bennett kidnapping and murder; Governor John Lynch and lawmakers from both parties are announcing plans today to advance up to $10 million in state money to help New Hampshire families pay their winter heating bills…
VPR News

Defense Attorneys resist some changes to court procedures

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Defense attorneys are resisting legal changes proposed by prosecutors in the wake of the Brooke Bennett kidnapping and murder. The defense lawyers say that the changes to court procedures and the rules of evidence could result in innocent people being wrongly convicted. VPR’s John Dillon reports.
VPR News

Quarter of GOP primary voters skipped over Kenney

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The New Hampshire Republican nominee for governor–  Joe Kenney — got 93 percent of the vote in last week’s primary. Kenney was running unopposed. But more than a quarter of Republicans casting ballots skipped the governor’s race entirely.
VPR News

NH leaders agree on $10 million in heating aid

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Governor John Lynch and lawmakers from both parties are announcing plans today to advance up to $10 million in state money to help New Hampshire families pay their winter heating bills.
Classical Music with Cheryl Willoughby

Morning Classics

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On a morning when the calendar says mid-September, but the thermometer (and barometer!) says "tropical summer", we’ll hear the Seasons by Glazunov. A little summer, a little fall, we have it covered.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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We’ll celebrate today’s birthday of American composer Horatio Parker with some of his piano music; and the birthday of conductor Bruno Walter with his 1960 recording of the Symphony No. 4 of Brahms.
Interlude

Serenades

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Serenades by Bruch, DvoÅ™ák, and Rodrigo.
My Place with Joel Najman

A 50th Anniversary Celebration of Little Anthony And The Imperials

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Little Anthony And The Imperials burst on the scene in 1958 with their DooWop classic hit "Tears On My Pillow", and today, five decades later, the group – with its same lineup from their glory days – is celebrating its 50th Anniversary with a new album and a series of high-profile network television appearances. This week Joel Najman’s "My Place" program traces the career of Anthony Gourdine from his beginnings in the tenements of Brooklyn to the stages of Las Vegas to his status today as living legend of DooWop group harmony.  Joel Najman’s "My Place", Saturdays from 8-9PM on Vermont Public Radio
VPR News

VPR Evening News September 12th, 2008

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A southern Vermont wind project could harm bear habitat; Producing ethanol from trees and grasses; A reunion of USS Pueblo crewmen; and commentator Deborah Luskin seeks the "altitude cure" for the blues.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: September 12, 2008

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Advocates say they’re heartened that two northern Vermont rivers could be recognized as "wild and scenic” by the federal government; The Vermont State Hospital has won accreditation from a national health care organization; more…
Commentary Series

Media Intimidation

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As the Presidential election campaign moves into the home stretch, the role of the news media has once again become a hot topic. Commentator Barrie Dunsmore, who for more than three decades was a diplomatic and foreign correspondent for ABC News, joins the conversation.
VPR News

Interview: Megan Ganz of the Onion

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Staff from the Onion will be on hand for the Burlington Book festival, which begins today. We spoke with assistant editor Megan Ganz from New York City, where she’s worked at the Onion for the past two years.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: September 12, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: A wind project planned for national forest land in southern Vermont would supply needed clean energy for the region, but could also harm bear habitat; The town of Richmond will spend $25,000 for short-term repairs to a bridge closed last week; Wildlife officials say a pair of bald eagles apparently nested and raised at least one eaglet along the upper Connecticut River this spring…
VPR News

Agency finds wind farm could hurt bear habitat

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A wind project planned for national forest land in southern Vermont would supply needed clean energy for the region, but could also harm bear habitat. Those are among the findings in a Draft Environmental Impact Statement released this week by the Forest Service. VPR’s John Dillon reports:
VPR News

In Vermont, nesting bald eagles have landed

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Wildlife officials say a pair of bald eagles apparently nested and raised at least one eaglet along the upper Connecticut River this spring, potentially erasing Vermont’s stigma as the only state in the lower 48 without nesting bald eagles.
VPR News

Lawmakers seek emergency heating aid

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Congressmen from New England are urging President Bush to release $120 million in emergency relief funding to help poor residents pay high heating bills.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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Some of Schubert’s incidental music for the lost play Rosamunde; Schumann’s Symphony No. 2; and the Concerto Grosso #1 of Ernest Bloch, which will be on this weekend’s performances of the Hanover Chamber Orchestra.
VPR News

VPR Evening News September 11th, 2008

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Congressman Welch supports new energy bill; Lawmakers urge President to release emergency heating assistance funds; Cape Air begins Lebanon to Boston service; Vermont National Guard memorial unveiled today; and commentator Bill Mares on Philippe Petit and the Twin Towers.
Commentary Series

Man on Wire

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Since 2001, commentator Bill Mares has experienced deeply conflicting emotions on September 11. But this year, he says that a rose has appeared among the thorns.
VPR News

NY wind turbines spark debate

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New York is the Northeast’s wind capital. There, giant wind farms are producing renewable energy and reviving rural economies. But the turbines are also dividing neighbors and sparking an angry debate.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: September 11, 2008

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A memorial is dedicated to members of the Vermont National Guard who died in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; two national elections will be held in North America this fall; Gaye Symington says she wants to help more Vermonters go to college.
Commentary Series

9/11

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As we pause to remember events that took place seven years ago today, commentator Willem Lange wonders if you remember where you were when everything changed.
VPR News

Interview: Jeff Ayres on the Canadian elections

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Canadians were set to go to the polls in October of next year, but will cast ballots October 14th of this year instead. Jeff Ayres is the Chairman of the Political Science Department at St. Michael’s College, and he visited our VPR studios to tell us why Stephen Harper insisted on holding the election a year ahead of schedule.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: September 11, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Vermont will expand eligibility for Food Stamp assistance as state officials plan for what they say could be a difficult winter; Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gaye Symington has unveiled a plan to get more Vermont students to attend college; Renovations to transform Vermont’s Northwest State Correctional Facility into a prison for women are under way…
VPR News

Symington unveils new higher education plan

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Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gaye Symington has unveiled a plan to get more Vermont students to attend college. The program would help pay for tuition, and it’s aimed at students who would be the first in their families to seek higher education. VPR’s John Dillon reports.
VPR News

Vermont Teddy Bear CEO dismissed

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The chief executive officer of the Vermont Teddy Bear company in Shelburne is out of a job. Elizabeth Robert was dismissed on Wednesday, but the company isn’t saying why Robert was ousted.
VPR News

Busy campaign week in NH starts with Biden

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Senator Joe Biden kicked off a flurry of visits to New Hampshire by the two presidential campaigns with a town hall forum where housing market worries topped voters’ concerns.
VPR News

VPR Evening News September 10th, 2008

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Food stamp eligibility expanded; New signs the Vermont economy is slowing; Manchester company wins Navy contract; CCV getting a new home in Burlington; and commentator Leora Dowling on understanding Haiti.
Commentary Series

Haiti

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Recent news of the hurricane damage in Haiti has reminded commentator Leora Dowling of a life-changing journey she took almost 40 years ago.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: September 10, 2008

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State to expand eligibility for Food Stamp benefits this winter; Tom Costello says he thinks voters responded to his call to end the partisan bickering at the State House; Peter Welch says he’s grateful for the support people gave him after his first term in Congress;  more…
Commentary Series

Hawaiian Connection

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Barak Obama isn’t the first Hawaiian-born, non-white candidate to make a serious bid for the presidency. Executive director of the Vermont Humanities Council and commentator Peter Gilbert has the story of the man who achieved that distinction 44 years ago.  
VPR News

Hamlet comes to downtown Rutland

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Shakespeare and Company will perform Hamlet at Rutland’s Paramount Theatre this Friday.  It’s the first stop on a national tour for the acclaimed, Massachusetts-based theater company. Many consider Hamlet to be one of the most influential tragedies ever written.   VPR’s Nina Keck has more.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: September 10, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Secretary of State Deb Markowitz says the low voter turnout in Tuesday’s primary election could be a record; Peter Welch says he’s grateful for the support people gave him after his first term in Congress; Former Brattleboro Representative Tom Costello defeated Northfield businessman Nate Freeman to win the Democratic nomination for Lieutenant Governor…
VPR News

Welch grateful for support

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Vermont’s lone representative to the United States House says he’s grateful for the support people gave him after his first term in Congress.
Classical Music with Cheryl Willoughby

Morning Classics

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This morning, a listener request for Tchaikovsky’s lyrical "Serenade for Strings" – and, Lauretta makes a compelling case to be united with the man she loves, in the sweet aria "O mio babbino caro", from Puccini’s opera "Gianni Schicchi". (How could dad turn her down, with a persuasive presentation like that!?)
Classical Music with Joe Goetz

Afternoon Classics

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Ravel’s "Le Tombeu de Couperin," Rimsky-Korsakov’s Capriccio Espagnole, and Borodin’s Petite Suite are fine examples of orchestral gems we’ll hear today.
VPR News

VPR Evening News September 9th, 2008

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Primary election update; Dairy industry says milk policy could cost consumers; More Vermonters behind on mortgage payments; Moretown landfill will make electricity from methane; Fort Ticonderoga Director steps down; and commentator Charlie Nardozzi on variety in your fall garden. 
VPR News

Midday Newscast: September 9, 2008

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Polls open across VT, NY and NH for primary elections; Vermont Milk Commission wants to require dairy processors to pay premium on all fluid milk sold in VT; a debate is under way about how much oversight the state has into a company that is building a computerized network of medical records.
Vermont Edition
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Bridge Closures

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Several Vermont communities are dealing with bridge closures this summer – we’ll find out how our bridges are doing.  Then, we walk through the process for overseas voting, and visit an exhibit on how women’s fashions have evolved.
Commentary Series

Energy Policy

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One of the most critical issues in this campaign year is the nation’s energy policy, and commentator Richard Mallary thinks that most of the debate so far is missing a fundamental point.  
VPR News

Morning Newscast: September 9, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Turnout is expected to be light in today’s state primaries; State officials want to tighten control over a corporation that is building a computerized network of medical records. Lawmakers and the Douglas Administration say the additional oversight is needed, since the private organization gets public money…
VPR News

VPR Evening News September 8th, 2008

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Gaye Symington asks Governor Douglas to pull radio ads; CCTA gets grant to buy new low emission buses; Homeless shelters worried about winter demand; Wheelchair-accessible portion of Appalachian Trail opens; and commentator Frank Bryan on low voter turnout during Vermont’s primaries. 
Commentary Series

Vermont Primaries

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 Commentator Frank Bryan says that in recent years, there’s been a decline in voter turnout for the Vermont primary – one that he warns may have an adverse effect on our democracy and our party system.
VPR News
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Actor’s presence at convention a missed news story

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Commentator Philip Baruth was an Obama delegate to the Democratic Natinoal Convention, and had a front-row seat for all the action. But he says the news story that has stayed with him is one the national media never reported.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: September 8, 2008

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Turnout is expected to be low for the statewide primary races in; the victim of a carbon monoxide poisoning has filed a motion to stop a company involved in a lawsuit from hiring a private investigator to follow her; more…
Vermont Edition
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Gov. candidate Gaye Symington

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Democrat Gaye Symington has a tough fight ahead in the campaign for governor. Voters are concerned about fuel prices and the  economy, and state leaders are worried about more budget cuts this Fall.  We’ll talk with her about how she plans to tackle these issues.
VPR News

Fewer NH loons survive; chemicals eyed as cause

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The Loon Preservation Committee says the survival rate has dropped for five years and was the second worst this year since 1975. The nonprofit committee says 95 of the 125 chicks hatched on New Hampshire lakes this year survived.
Commentary Series

Daniel Pink

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Recently, many Vermont teachers attended a professional development day sponsored by the Champlain Valley Educational Consortium. Business and technology writer Daniel Pink gave the keynote address – and that got commentator Mike Martin thinking about how, for students today – the future is now.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: September 8, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Pre-buying heating oil for the winter may not be the best choice this year; Vermont’s homeless shelters worry that they’ll be confronted by demand this winter that they might not be able to meet; A bridge through the town of Richmond remains amid concerns about its safety…
VPR News

Homeless shelters brace for difficult winter

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Vermont’s homeless shelters worry that they’ll be confronted by demand this winter that they might not be able to meet. Many are already at or near capacity, so they’ve started to raise money that would pay for overflow space when the weather turns cold. VPR’s Ross Sneyd reports.
Classical Music with Cheryl Willoughby

Morning Classics

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From the snappy sounds of Spanish castanets, in Massenet’s "Le Cid" – to the sun-washed beaches of Southern California, in Martinu’s "La Jolla" Sinfonietta…who needs to travel when you have VPR Classical?
My Place with Joel Najman

A Musical Profile Of P.F. Sloan

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P.F. Sloan is a singer, songwriter, guitarist and record producer responsible for some of the biggest and memorable pop music hits emanating from Los Angeles in the mid-1960’s. Come the 1970’s he quit the music business and all but disappeared, maintaining a very low profile to this day. This week Joel Najman’s "My Place" program traces the unusual and fascinating music career of P. F. Sloan.
VPR News

VPR Evening News September 5th, 2008

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Dem lawmakers accuse the Douglas Administration of misleading the Legislature over state job cuts; Two Dems vie for Lieutenant Governor nomination; Acting Commissioner of Housing and Community Affairs selected; UVM and faculty reach contract agreement; and commentator Willem Lange on the safety and ownership of water.
Commentary Series

Bottled Water

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Commentator Willem Lange has been thinking about a vital resource, and pondering the question: Who owns the water we drink, and how do we keep it safe?  
VPR News

Dems hit Douglas administration on job cuts

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Democratic lawmakers are accusing the Douglas Administration of misleading the Legislature over state job cuts. But the administration says it’s the Democrats and their allies in the state employees union who are being dishonest.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: September 5, 2008

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Here are the top stories at noon: Two separate reviews rule that two Vermont State Police troopers were justified in shooting a Bradford man in April; Senator Bernie Sanders has announced new funding for teen centers in Vermont; Democratic House challenger Craig Hill says he’ll do a better job than Peter Welch to end the war in Iraq…
Vermont Edition
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Democratic lt. governor’s race

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The Primary Election is Tuesday and there are two Democrats running for lieutenant governor: former representative Tom Costello of Rutland and businessman Nate Freeman of Northfield.  We’ll find out what they would do as lieutenant governor, and why they want to challenge incumbent Republican Brian Dubie.
VPR News

Interview: Democratic House challenger Craig Hill

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Incumbent Congressman Peter Welch so far doesn’t have to worry about a Republican challenger in the November general election, but he does face an opponent this Tuesday in the Democratic primary. Craig Hill of Montpelier is running against Welch for the Democratic nomination, and says there are stark differences between them.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: September 5, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Allegations of bad faith are flying from both sides in the debate over the elimination of 400 vacant jobs from Vermont state government; Teen centers around Vermont will get some needed money thanks to a federal grant secured by U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders…
VPR News

Sanders announces grants for teen centers

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Teen centers around Vermont will get some needed money thanks to a federal grant secured by U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders. The funds will help pay for health and fitness programs. The teen centers provide after-school and weekend activities for kids, and help them avoid drugs and other unhealthy behaviors. VPR’s John Dillon reports.
VPR News

Report: Sloppiness to blame in UVM fiscal shakeup

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The University of Vermont’s auditors say sloppy money management was to blame for fiscal irregularities discovered last spring that led to the resignation of the college’s top financial officer.
VPR News

NH-VT bridge relief seen as unlikely

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A Vermont senator says he doubts Congress will act soon to help truckers who are inconvenienced by new weight limits on a bridge between New Hampshire and Vermont.
Classical Music with Joe Goetz

Afternoon Classics

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Joshua Bell’s latest release: Vivaldi’s Four Seasons.  We’ll also hear a song and variations composed on that song later by Franz Schubert, and Bartok’s creepy and surreal Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celesta.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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A String Quartet by Amy Beach, based on Alaskan Inuit tunes; Beethoven’s Diabelli Variations; Tchaikovsky’s Little Russian Symphony; and Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G.
VPR News

VPR Evening News September 4th, 2008

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Governor Douglas and Senator Leahy differ on the veep selection of Sarah Palin; Eight Vermont Republican delegates are married couples; Crime down 3% in Vermont; and commentator Henry Homeyer says our gardens need more rain.
Commentary Series

Time to Water

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Gardening coach, writer and commentator Henry Homeyer says that in spite of all the rain we’ve had this summer, many yards and gardens need watering again.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: September 4, 2008

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Here are the top stories at noon: Crime was down 3 percent in Vermont last year; Vermont delegates say Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has electrified the Republican National Convention in St. Paul; Ground was broken this morning on a new cancer center at Central Vermont Hospital in the Barre-Montpelier area; The town of Bennington is suing the owner of the former middle school.
Vermont Edition
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Robert Frost’s Life in New England

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We learn more about Robert Frost’s life and writings in Vermont and New Hampshire. Then we visit with bestselling Barre author Jennifer McMahon, and we travel to Greensboro, where writer Wallace Stegner summered for more than 50 years.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: September 4, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Health care planners hope Vermonters are willing to answer questions in a poll this fall. The Division for Health Care Administration Health conducts an extensive survey every few years.  A stream in Northfield will soon run free for the first time in seven decades…
VPR News
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Dam removal begins in Northfield

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A stream in Northfield will soon run free for the first time in seven decades.A construction crew this week is removing an old concrete dam from Cox Brook, a tributary of the Dog River. The project eliminates a safety hazard caused by the aging dam, and it will open up miles of spawning habitat for wild trout. VPR’s John Dillon has the story.
VPR News

Douglas administration e-mails reveal job cuts process

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Internal Douglas administration e-mails discussing a round of 400 state job cuts say members of the House Appropriations Committee are like children and scold one agency secretary for not being supportive enough of the cuts.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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We’ll feature Randall Thompson’s setting of poems by Robert Frost, Frostiana, as we anticipate this year’s Vermont Reads project, which involves a biography of the great poet.
Commentary Series

G.I. Bill Revisited

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Veteran ABC News correspondent and commentator Bill Seamans enthusiastically supported the drive for a new GI Bill of Rights, but now he says that the resulting program isn’t everything he hoped it would be.
VPR News

Officials begin health care survey

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Health care planners hope Vermonters are willing to answer questions in a poll this fall. The Division for Health Care Administration Health conducts an extensive survey every few years.
Vermont Edition
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Vermont’s Muslims

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It’s estimated that at least 2,000 Muslims are living in Vermont. As the Islamic holy month of Ramadan begins, guest host Steve Zind talks with some of them about the challenges they face in our post 9-11 society, and also what they like about living here. And we take your questions.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: September 3, 2008

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Members of the Vermont Air National Guard leave VT to help people on the Gulf Coast recover from Hurricane Gustav; traffic flows in Chittenden County after backups this morning; health care planners hope Vermonters are willing to answer questions in a poll this fall; It’s debate season for congressional candidates in NH.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: September 3, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Vermont Republicans have rallied around Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, John McCain’s pick as a vice presidential running mate. The Vermont Telecommunications Authority says it’s on track to provide cell phone coverage and Internet service to every part of the state in the next two years.
VPR News

Vermont’s Republican delegation happy with VP pick

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Vermont Republicans have rallied around Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, John McCain’s pick as a vice presidential running mate. The state’s delegates to the Republican National Convention say revelations about Palin’s family have done nothing to dampen their enthusiasm. VPR’s Ross Sneyd reports.
VPR News

Head of Native American commission resigns

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The chairman of Vermont’s Commission on Native American Affairs is resigning, and blaming the Legislature for failing to set up a mechanism by which groups can become recognized as tribes.
Classical Music with Joe Goetz

Afternoon Classics

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Little-heard works by Russian composers such as Liadov, Tchaikovsky, and Borodin…Shostakovich’s controversial 9th Symphony, and orchestral fireworks from Ravel and Richard Strauss.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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Symphony No. 53 by Haydn and a Fantasy for Harp by Marcel Grandjany based on a theme from that symphony; plus Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 5; and Soovin Kim’s new recording of the Concert for Violin, Piano, and String Quartet by Ernest Chausson.
VPR News

VPR Evening News September 2nd, 2008

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Vermont could be on track to have statewide cell and Internet service; Consumer group accuses Vermont Yankee of deceptive advertising; Vermont Guard may not be needed in the Gulf Coast; Chairman of Vermont’s Commission on Native American Affairs resigns; and commentator Charlie Nardozzi on planting garlic.
Commentary Series

Garlic

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 It’s nearly time to start putting the garden to bed for the winter, but first, commentator and gardener Charlie Nardozzi says there’s one more crop to consider planting.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: September 2, 2008

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Vermonters at the Republican National Convention say they haven’t been distracted by Palin controversies; planning officials say they want to have more local control over development; the chairman of Vermont’s Commission on Native American Affairs has resigned.
Vermont Edition
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Vermonters at the GOP Convention

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Walter Freed and Brian Dubie join us from the Republican National Convention in Saint Paul, Minnesota to talk about the national ticket of McCain-Palin, and how Republican candidates in Vermont are approaching the November election.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: September 2, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: VT National Guard ready to head to the Gulf Coast to help with victims of Gustav; NH National Guard sending mentoring unit to Afghanistan for a year; A lot of new development has gone up on  Route 7 in Rutland Town, south of Rutland City; Williston may replace a gold driving course with a new multi-use  development near Exit 12. 
VPR News

Rutland town considers zoning regulations

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A lot of new development has gone up on Route 7 in Rutland Town, south of Rutland City.  There’s a Bed Bath and Beyond, a larger Hannaford’s, a Dick’s Sporting Goods and a Taco Bell.   Regulation of that development has fallen to the state, under Act 250, because Rutland Town has no zoning.   As VPR’s Nina Keck reports, planning officials in Rutland Town want to change that.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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Bach’s French Suite No. 5, from Simone Dinnerstein’s new recording; the Violin Concerto of Mendelssohn, played and conducted by Pinchas Zukerman; and the Divine Poem Symphony of Alexander Scriabin.
VPR News
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Campaign 2008: Coverage from VPR & NPR

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Visit the Campaign 2008 page for the schedule of NPR and VPR debates, the latest political news and a list of election resources and websites. Go to Campaign 2008 from VPR and NPR »
VPR News

VPR Evening News September 1st, 2008

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Vt. National Guard ready to help Hurricane Gustav cleanup; Hopes for tourism dollars from mountain bikers; Several Vermont school districts expand free lunch programs; Jury awards Brattleboro woman $290,000 in eviction lawsuit; St. J lifts fortune-telling ban; and commentator Leora Dowling on Mary Cassatt exhibition at Shelburne Museum..
Commentary Series

Circle of Learning

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An exhibit that runs through October at the Shelburne Museum has reminded commentator Leora Dowling of the special relationship that can develop between a gifted teacher and a willing student.
VPR News
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Frying pans fly at skillet toss competition

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The Lamoille County Field Days is home to a different sort of contest – The Northern Vermont Ladies’ Underhanded Skillet Tossing Competition. It’s an annual tradition for some competitors. Even childbirth six years ago couldn’t keep champion Tracy Laporte away…
VPR News

Kingdom Trails hopes to attract bicyclists this fall

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Now that one of the soggier Vermont summers is drawing to a close, tourist operators are hoping for a slew of sunny weekends to make up for a lackluster season.  And nowhere is dry weather more important than at Vermont’s largest network of mountain biking trails, Kingdom Trail.  
VPR Series and Specials
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Fair People

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VPR visited a number of Vermont fairs this summer and spoke to people about why the come. Click here to listen to our special series about the Fair People on VPR. Also, share your memories of the fair!
My Place with Joel Najman

Another Collection Of Rare “Demo” Recordings From Rock&Roll’s Early Years

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During the last half of the 20th century, pop music songwriters typically "demo’d" the songs that they wrote, that is, recorded demonstration versions of their songs so the intended recording artist could get an idea of the composer’s vision as to how the song should be sung.  This week Joel Najman’s "My Place" program presents another collection of these songwriters’ demos and the hit records that derived from them. Joel Najman’s "My Place" program, Saturdays from 8-9PM following Garrison Keillor on Vermont Public radio. 
VPR News

Evening Newscast: Aug. 29, 2008

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Vermont Republicans reacted with surprise and delight to Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s choice as VP running mate; Vermont State Police plan to work with colleagues in three other states this weekend to go after anyone who drives drunk; the Vermont Supreme Court has thrown out a man’s sexual assault conviction; students have are streaming back to Vermont’s colleges and universities; commentator Dick Henningsen Vermont summers are famous for local festivals, celebrations and parades.
Commentary Series

Labor Day Parade

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Vermont summers are famous for local festivals, celebrations and parades.  Commentator Vic Henningsen is particularly fond of one he calls "intensely local" – one that will happen again this coming Monday morning.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: August 29, 2008

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Howard Dean helps to close the Democratic National Convention in Denver; Vermont State Police to work with three other states this weekend to go after drunk drivers; Students head back to Vermont’s colleges and universities; A New York State Trooper was shot in the hand during a struggle last night in the Adirondacks.
Live Fridays at Noon (vpr.net exclusive)
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Live Friday at Noon: Jim Boggia

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Boggia would spend hours in his room, as a child, listening to records and trying to emulate the sounds on his guitar. Born legally blind in his left eye and the sight in his right eye receding over the years, his ears have become a powerful tool. Since then he has collaborated with the likes of Aimee Mann, Juliana Hatfield and Bernadette Peters.
Commentary Series

Democratic Convention

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At the half way point in this year’s political convention season, commentator Barrie Dunsmore, a veteran diplomatic and foreign correspondent for ABC News, reflects on how convention news coverage mostly fails the needs of the American people.
VPR News

Bridge Reopened

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Commuters between Montpelier and Waterbury can take the back way home again. The Route 2 bridge in Middlesex is once again open to traffic.  
Vermont Edition

Gov. Jim Douglas

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The GOP convention starts next week, and Vermont’s top Republican office-holder will be in attendance: Governor Jim Douglas. We talk with Douglas about John McCain’s choice for vice president, the prospects for Republican candidates in the November elections.
VPR News

Evening Newscast: Aug. 28, 2008

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Governor Jim Douglas says it’s critical for Republican presidential candidate John McCain to pick a running mate who has gubernatorial experience; Vermont delegates to the Democratic National Convention aren’t just rallying and partying this week. Some are busy blogging – giving their take on the party – and the media covering it. Commentator Deborah Luskin has devised her own fashion protocol for what to wear after Labor Day.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: August 28, 2008

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A White River Junction company wants to get copies of a new book into the hands of delegates to the Democratic National Convention; Peter Welch says Vermont delegates to the Democratic National Convention will leave united; more…
Vermont Edition

Etiquette for young people

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College students are testing the waters of independent living and recent grads are emerging into the work world – and those big life transitions offer countless ways for a young person to commit a social faux pas. Etiquette experts from the Emily Post Institute share how young people can master social graces to ease the transition into adulthood.
VPR News

Police: No charges in Middlebury student’s death

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Police say they do not plan to charge anyone in the death of 19-year-old Middlebury College freshman Nicholas Garza, saying all evidence points to him simply getting drunk, falling into the Otter Creek and drowning.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: August 28, 2008

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UVM and State Colleges are being asked to give up the 2.5% budget increase VT lawmakers promised earlier this year; a VT company has found itself at the center of a controversy that involves politics and publishing.
VPR News

Nuclear plant workers evacuated

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Human error is being blamed for a radiation spike at the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant that prompted the evacuation of about a dozen workers from the main reactor building for about two hours.
VPR News

Pollina donors file suit over campaign finance law

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Three donors to independent gubernatorial candidate Anthony Pollina have filed suit in federal court over an interpretation of Vermont’s campaign finance law issued by the office of Attorney General William Sorrell.
Classical Music with Joe Goetz

Afternoon Classics

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Today we’ll hear an absolutely stunning performance of Chopin 24 Preludes by a young Polish pianist named Rafal Blechacz.  He won the 2005 Chopin Competition in Warsaw and delighted his fellow Poles with riveting performances, sweeping each category at the competition.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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Mozart’s Posthorn Serenade; Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3, played by Horacio Gutierrez, who is 60 today; and a Flute Sonata by the late Louis Moyse, played by Vermonters Karen Kevra and Paul Orgel.  
Commentary Series

Labor Day

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As we all get ready for the last holiday weekend of the summer, author and commentator Ken Davis of Dorset, is thinking about the real meaning – and history – of Labor Day.
Commentary Series

Labor Day

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In Vermont, temperatures can fluctuate by forty degrees in the course of a single September day, so commentator Deborah Luskin has devised her own Fashion protocol for what to wear after Labor Day.  
VPR News

VPR Evening News August 27th, 2008

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Joint Fiscal Committee approves $32 million in budget cuts and budget transfers; Vermont delegation have prime real estate in the Pepsi Center; Mistrial declared in Burlington Diocese trial; Human error cause of radiation spike at Vt. Yankee; and commentator Willem Lange on Homeland Security.
Commentary Series

Can’t Happen Here?

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This time of year, with the political season entering the final stretch and the anniversary of September Eleventh just ahead, commentator Willem Lange can’t help but think about the meaning of security – and the cost.
VPR News

Audio Postcard: Swanton, VT

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As part of our ongoing series of audio postcards from Vermont towns, we visit Swanton. We begin by stopping by the village green, which is home to something that no other Vermont town has.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: August 27, 2008

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State lawmakers approved a $22 million reduction in the state budget; cities and towns may face a stark choice because of the state’s budget problems; Leahy & Patterson denounce President Bush and John McCain at Dem. Cnvention; a judge says the R.J. Reynolds company has to defend Eclipse cigarette health claim.
VPR News

Red Cross calls for donors

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Blood supplies across northern New England are precariously low, and the Red Cross hopes for more donors before the Labor Day Weekend.
VPR News

Sanders tries to attract Independents to Obama campaign

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Senator Bernie Sanders has thrown himself into the campaign for president. Even though he was elected as an independent, Sanders is in Denver this week to attend the Democratic National Convention. As VPR’s Ross Sneyd reports, Sanders is an enthusiastic supporter of Barack Obama.
VPR News

Suit threatened over campaign finance ruling

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Anthony Pollina is striking a conciliatory tone over demands from two top state officials that he return some of the money he’s raised to his campaign donors. But some of his supporters are threatening to sue.
Classical Music with Cheryl Willoughby

Morning Classics

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From the mystical song cycle the Rig Veda, Gustav Holst gives us the shimmering sounds of the "Hymn to the Waters" and the "Hymn of the Travelers"…and, a listener request for the traditional melody "The Water is Wide".
Classical Music with Joe Goetz

Afternoon Classics

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Great works for piano and orchestra by a man you know–Chopin–and a woman who who don’t hear enough from–Amy Beach.  PLus a fun recording by the Calliope Renaissance Band and rieg’s popular Peer Gynt Suite #1.
VPR News

VPR Evening News August 26th, 2008

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Candidates differ on tapping into the state’s rainy day fund; A Clinton supporter at the DNC; Vermont Yankee workers evacuated; Vermont launches program to combat rabies; High school seniors perform well on SAT’s; and commentator Tom Slayton on mowing less.
VPR News

Gubernatorial candidates disagree on tapping rainy day fund

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In Vermont, budget cuts have been proposed in higher education, the judiciary and child care. Some political leaders say the state should tap into its rainy day fund to avoid the cuts.   The three main gubernatorial candidates have different points of view. VPR’s Bob Kinzel reports.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: August 26, 2008

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Anthony Pollina stresses conservation and the development of local renewable energy projects; Vermont launches aggressive anti-rabies program; Democrats will hear from Senator Hillary Clinton at their convention in Denver; good news for drivers in Bennington County.
VPR News

Typewriters still tapping, selling at Vermont shop

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Anyone above a certain age can remember using a typewriter: the satisfying clatter of a manual, or the more muted tapping of an electric. By and large, the typewriter has been a casualty of the computer age: consigned to attics and yard sales. But VPR’s Steve Zind found one place in White River Junction, where typewriters are still sold and still treated with reverence
Vermont Edition

Bernie Sanders at the Democratic convention

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Senator Bernie Sanders is using his role as an independent to gather support for Democrat Barack Obama. Sanders joins us from the Democratic convention in Denver to look at the role of independent voters and Sanders’ own interest in working closely with Democrats.
VPR News

Nearly 60 NH homes suffered the worst damage in tornado

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A month after a tornado struck New Hampshire, state officials say about 60 families have suffered major damage to their homes or lost them completely, and that money going to the communities should be in the state’s hands soon.
VPR News

Douglas leading in campaign finance race

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Campaign finance reports show that incumbent Republican Governor Jim Douglas is substantially ahead of his Democratic and independent challengers in the race to raise money for this fall’s election.
Commentary Series

I Have A Dream

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As we prepare to hear Senator Barack Obama accept the Democratic nomination for President this Thursday evening – teacher, historian, and commentator Vic Henningsen thinks it’s interesting to note that Thursday will also mark the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s "I Have a Dream" speech – highlight of the 1963 March on Washington.
VPR News

Vermont joins EPA environmental suit

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Vermont has joined twelve states, New York City and the District of Columbia in suing the Environmental Protection Agency, claiming the Bush Administration has failed to rein in emissions from oil refineries.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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The Violin Sonata of Debussy, played by Soovin Kim, who joins us tomorrow to preview his new Lake Champlain Chamber Music Festival; a classic recording of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 22 from Robert Casadesus; and the Piano Quartet No. 2 of Faure, in an all-star performance including Jaime Laredo.
Commentary Series

Lawns

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Commentator Tom Slayton, author and editor-emeritus of Vermont Life magazine, has been thinking about ways to use his lawnmower less.
VPR News

VPR Evening News August 25th, 2008

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Observations from one of Vermont’s DNC delegates; Gubernatorial candidates have different financial bases; Restoring muskies to Lake Champlain, and commentator Mary McCalllum remembers her father’s shiny shoes.
Commentary Series

Shining Shoes

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Commentator Mary McCallum is a free lance writer and teacher who remembers her father with affection – and still practices a Saturday night ritual that reminds her of him.
VPR News

Douglas outpaces Symington, Pollina in raising money

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As Vermont’s 3 major party gubernatorial candidates prepare for the general election, their new finance reports show that they enter the 9 weeks before the election with very different financial bases. It’s a situation that could dictate the kind of strategies the candidates will use during their campaigns. VPR’s Bob Kinzel reports.
VPR News

Higher textbook costs passed along to students

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Back-to-school time always means stocking up on fresh school supplies, and for college students it can mean spending a lot of money on textbooks. VPR’s Susan Keese stopped by the UVM bookstore, where students and workers are seeing increasingly higher costs for textbooks.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: August 25, 2008

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Howard Dean will gavel the Democratic National Convention to order later this afternoon; Vermont Democrats will have to choose between two candidates for lt. gov. during the primary on Sept. 9th; efforts are under way to restore Lake Champlain’s population of muskies.
Vermont Edition

Rising School Costs

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To cut bus routes or raise hot lunch prices? We talk about the tough choices schools face with rising food and fuel costs. Then, challenges facing 911 cell phone callers, and paying for college textbooks.
VPR News

Kayakers rescued from Lake Champlain

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A dozen out-of-state kayakers are safe after being helped from the rough waters of Lake Champlain by the U.S. Coast Guard, Vermont State Police and others.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: August 25, 2008

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Attention focused on Dem. primary for Lt. Governor; State officials want to possibly treat St. Albans Bay as part of new Clean and Clear strategy; divided VT Supreme Court says international child custody case should be decided by a Canadian court; school for autistic children in VT to open in the fall; Leahy will address the DNC tomorrow night.
Commentary Series

Birth Rate Blues

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In its most recent study, the US Census Bureau reported that Vermont had the nation’s second lowest rate of fertility. Predictably enough, the news has sent Commentator Philip Baruth into a tailspin of depression. Here’s Philip.
Classical Music with Joe Goetz

Afternoon Classics

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Bach’s 101st Cantata may have been composed nearly 300 years ago, but its chorale was inspiration enough for Philip Lasser to write a set of varations on it in 2002.  We’ll hear both of those pieces today, plus 20th century ballet music of Prokofiev and Poulenc.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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For the 90th anniversary of Leonard Bernstein’s birth: he conducts Schubert’s Symphony No. 5 and his own ballet, Facsimile; also today, Beethoven’s Archduke Trio; Debussy’s Sonata for Flute, Viola, and Harp; and Brahms’ Horn Trio.
Saturday Afternoon at the Opera

Don Giovanni

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Mozart’s Don Giovanni in a performance by Samuel Ramey, Ferruccio Furlanetto, Anna Tomowa-Sintow, Kathleen Battle — conducted by Herbert von Karajan.
VPR News

VPR Evening News August 22nd, 2008

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Trying to close a $30 million dollar shortfall in the state budget; How prevention programs can reduce the rate of child sex abuse; Blue-green algae found in Missisquoi Bay; Tests for fish virus come back negative; Vermont and New Hampshire lose claim to sharing the longest covered bridge; and commentator John Fox on the concept of play.
Commentary Series

Bolt of Fun

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As the Olympics wind down, writer, anthropologist and commentator John Fox reflects on a basic human element that’s been all but missing in the Beijing games.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: August 22, 2008

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Patrick Leahy is concerned about a set of proposed rules designed to help the FBI catch terrorists; Vermont Department of Health has found elevated levels of toxins in Mississiquoi Bay; N.H. officials say there are several factors 2006 Vermont low birth rate report; more…
VPR News

Voices in the Week’s News: August 22, 2008

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The state budget and campaign finance problems were only part of the news this week. We also heard in-depth reporting on pollution in Lake Champlain, the attorney general defended how prosecutors go after sex offenders, a new health center was designated for Lamoille County, and oil prices were blamed on market speculators. We listen back to some of the voices in the news this week.
Vermont Edition
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Preventing child sexual abuse

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Experts in child sex abuse want to shift the state’s conversation from how to punish offenders, to how to prevent these crimes in the first place. We find out what kids need to know to keep themselves safe.
Live Fridays at Noon (vpr.net exclusive)
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Live Friday at Noon: Jenny Scheinman

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Singer-songwriter, violist and composer Jenny Scheinman has numerous high-profile arranging credits, having worked with the likes of Lucinda Williams, Bono, Lou Reed and Sean Lennon. Scheinman has four releases of original music under her belt, and you can hear her live today at noon.
Commentary Series

Ossetian Independence

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Commentator Alexandre Strokanov is a professor of history at Lyndon State College and a native of Russia. He’s spent time in Georgia and South Ossetia and still has friends there – on both sides of the conflict.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: August 22, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Gaye Symington says incumbent Republican Gov. Jim Douglas needs to level with Vermonters about long-term budget trends and come up with solutions to growing shortfalls in the state’s finances;  Worries are growing in Vermont and neighboring states that their low birth rates may eventually force employers to leave the region due to a shortage of workers…
VPR News

MRSA infections on the rise in Vermont

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Aggressive, antibiotic-resistant infections  have been a problem in hospitals for decades. Health officials say the main offender in Vermont communities is a strain of staph infection known as MRSA. Vermont does not keep track of the number of MRSA infections, but indications are they’re on the rise. VPR’s Susan Keese has more.
VPR News

Symington hits Douglas on budget

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Gaye Symington says incumbent Republican Gov. Jim Douglas needs to level with Vermonters about long-term budget trends and come up with solutions to growing shortfalls in the state’s finances.
Classical Music with Cheryl Willoughby

Morning Classics

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Robert Schumann’s flower piece ("Blumenstuck"), for a summer morning…and Arthur Grumiaux shows us why his recordings of the Mozart Violin Concertos are still some of the best recordings ever made of those works.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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We celebrate Debussy’s birthday with 3 works: Three Nocturnes, Cello Sonata, and Khamma; also today, Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto and Glenn Gould plays Bach’s Overture in the French Style.
VPR News

VPR Evening News August 21st, 2008

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Former N.H. Governor Jeanne Shaheen will address the DNC next Wednesday; Senator Bernie Sanders renews his call to re-regulate the energy futures market; DNC Chairman Howard Dean mobilizes young voters in Nevada; Study says Vermont has the second-lowest fertility rate; Pilot .injured attempting to land his plane near Lake Sunapee; and commentator Arthur Milnes on constitutional rights in a post-9/11 world..
VPR News

Shaheen to address convention

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Former NH Governor and current U.S. Senate candidate Jeanne Shaheen will address the Democratic National Convention in Denver next week.
Commentary Series

Librarian Hero

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Recently, commentator and Canadian journalist Arthur Milnes has been reflecting on public libraries, vacations in Vermont, and constitutional rights in a post-nine-eleven world.  
VPR News

Midday Newscast: August 21, 2008

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Report says unregulated trading of energy futures is worse than expected; New study says Vermont has the second-lowest fertility rate in the nation; some Vermont school districts are looking for ways to cut spending due to increased fuel costs; State Treasurer Jeb Spaulding is elected president of the National Association of State Treasurers; Orleans County Sheriff Lance Bowen to resign before the end of his term.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: August 21, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Vermont’s four largest electric utilities believe the state needs new generating plants to replace at least some of the power they buy from outside sources. Vermont’s budget is $30 million out of balance this year. Senator Susan Bartlett says the situation could be worse next year unless something is done now…
VPR News

Electric utilities want more renewable power

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Vermont’s four largest electric utilities believe the state needs new generating plants to replace at least some of the power they buy from outside sources. As VPR’s Ross Sneyd reports, the companies say the plants should be powered by renewable energy, such as wood or wind.
Classical Music with Cheryl Willoughby

Morning Classics

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Cavaradossi compares his love, Tosca, to the woman in his painting,…it’s Puccini’s passionate aria, "Recondita armonia"…and, a very stylish wind sonata from the late Baroque, by Czech composer Zelenka.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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The Harp Concerto of Gliere; Ruckert Lieder of Mahler, sung by Dame Janet Baker, who is 75 today; Cello Concerto No. 1 of Haydn, played by Jacqueline Dupre; and the Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, played by Lang Lang.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: August 20, 2008

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Study says new electric power plants could make sense for Vermont’s largest utilities; Dramatic increase in the number of calls to The Women’s Rape Crisis Center in Burlington; The New York State Senate back in session to vote on spending cuts; Vermonter Andrew Wheating’s Olympic drive is over.
Vermont Edition

Where to find $30 million?

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With state revenues lagging, officials are grappling with how to cut $30 million from the budget. We’ll talk with a legislative leader and a member of the administration about what cuts are being contemplated. Also: A Vermont author tells us how to live with pigs. And a Vermont band from the early 1960s reunites.
Commentary Series

Vet’s Care

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Commentator Bill Seamans is concerned that a fresh update on the health care provided to wounded American soldiers – doesn’t show much improvement.
VPR News
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Lake Champlain, Science and Solutions, Part 2

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Five years ago, the Douglas Administration launched a new effort dubbed the "Clean and Clear" action plan. But the lake isn’t getting better. So this summer, research is under way to find out why and to figure out what to do.  
VPR News

Morning Newscast: August 20, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Senator Patrick Leahy is scheduled to address the Democratic National Convention next week;  Supporters of the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant are defending its operating record in the face of a call by a consumer and environmental group that it be shut down when its current license expires in 2012; Community Health Services of Lamoille Valley is the most recent clinic to win the federal community health center designation…
VPR News

Lamoille County clinic wins federal community health center designation

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Seven clinics in Vermont have now qualified for federal support to expand health care services to those who need them. Community Health Services of Lamoille Valley is the most recent clinic to win the federal designation. As VPR’s Ross Sneyd reports, some hope the clinics are setting the stage for a broader reform of American health care.
VPR News

Pollina says he’s not in violation of campaign finance law

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Independent gubernatorial candidate Anthony Pollina says he hasn’t violated Vermont’s campaign finance law by accepting contributions of more than $1,000 from some donors, despite statements to the contrary from Secretary of State Deb Markowitz.
VPR News
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VPIRG calls for closing Vermont Yankee in 2012

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Supporters of the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant are defending its operating record in the face of a call by a consumer and environmental group that it be shut down when its current license expires in 2012.
Classical Music with Cheryl Willoughby

Morning Classics

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What do Respighi’s "Ancient Airs & Dances", and Monteverdi’s motet "Beatus Vir" have in common? True; they’re both Italian in origin. They’re also both requests from VPR Classical listeners. You can use the contact form here to send us your own musical request!
In Concert @ 8

New York Philharmonic

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Leonard Bernstein and Young People – some of he works Bernstein conducted in their entirety in his Young Persons Concerts.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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Anton Arensky’s String Quartet No. 2, which the Central VT Chamber Music Festival will perform this weekend; Schubert’s Great C-major Symphony, from one of Leonard Bernstein’s last recordings; and William Grant Still’s Symphony No. 2, Song of a New Race.
VPR News

VPR Evening News August 19th, 2008

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The Republican candidate for Attorney General is calling for an end to sex offender plea bargains; Congressman Peter Welch hopes for a VP who can work with Congress; Poultney man changes his plea in a fatal hit-and-run; VPIRG wants Vermont Yankee to close; Metal thieves are targeting manhole covers; and commentator Olin Robison on the Russian-Georgian conflict.
VPR News

Lake Champlain Monster celebrated in song

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Plattsburgh folk musician Stan Ransom, who’s known as the Connecticut Peddler, has written a song celebrating the mystery of the Lake Champlain Monster.  It’s called, Champ, and it’s from his album, Songs of Lake Champlain.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: August 19, 2008

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Another community health center in Vermont has won federal qualification to expand its services; Peter Welch says U.S. needs a vice president who can work with Congress; Metal thieves have a new target: manhole covers.
VPR Series and Specials

Those CCC Boys: A VPR Documentary

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It’s now 75 years since the first Civilian Conservation Corps camps opened. More than three million men served in the CCC, which changed the American landscape. VPR explores how those changes occurred and how the Corps’ legacy still resonates in America in the documentary Those CCC Boys.
VPR News
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Lake Champlain, Science and Solutions, Part 1

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Governor Jim Douglas had promised a cleaner lake to celebrate next year’s 400th anniversary of Samuel de Champlain’s exploration of the lake that bears his name. VPR’s John Dillon has the first of two reports on Lake Champlain science and solutions.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: August 19, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Facing the prospect of giving back some campaign donations, independent gubernatorial candidate Anthony Pollina may ask supporters to loan him money to help; A new poll confirms some long-held assumptions about Vermonters…
VPR News

Poll says Vermonters value landscape, community

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A new poll confirms some long-held assumptions about Vermonters. They cherish the state’s working landscape … its sense of community… and its independence. But the poll also shows that people worry that the state faces some challenges that could threaten those values. VPR’s Ross Sneyd has more.
VPR News

Gas prices driving scooter sales up in NH

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Scooters that were once a novelty have gone into high demand in New Hampshire’s Lakes Region – and area dealers say a nationwide fuel crisis has them difficult to get from manufacturers struggling to meet orders.
VPR News

VPR Evening News August 18th, 2008

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No agreement on state budget cuts; Survey shows agreement on goals for the state; Vermont hospitals show vigilance in controlling infections; and commentator Mike Martin on incidents at French nuclear power plants.
Commentary Series

French Nuclear Worries

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As Hydro-Quebec decides this week whether or not to shut down a nuclear power plant in Quebec, and as Vermonters consider the future of Vermont Yankee, commentator Mike Martin has been thinking about a series of recent incidents at French nuclear power plants.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: August 18, 2008

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Survey says Vermonters value the state’s working landscape; more Vermont children will be eligible to receive free breakfasts at school this fall; Middlebury celebrates opening of the Town Hall Theater; a recent UVM graduate among five activists deported by China for protesting at Olympics.
Vermont Edition
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Vermont Summer Olympians

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Only a handful of Vermonters have competed in the Summer Olympics and a few of them join us to share their memories of reaching the highest goal in athletics. Also in the program, the Vermont Supreme Court will be hearing a case that tries to determine what the death of a pet is worth.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: August 18, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Vermont’s unemployment rate for July increased slightly over June and was up one full point from last year;  Vermont hospitals compare well with their peers around the country when it comes to controlling infections; A recent graduate of the University of Vermont was among five activists deported by China for protesting at the Summer Olympics…
VPR News

NH Senate candidates’ views on social issues

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New Hampshire Senator John Sununu has twice helped block constitutional amendments to ban gay marriage and is prepared to do so again if re-elected. His chief rival in this fall’s U.S. Senate race, Democrat Jeanne Shaheen, says she’d vote to block a ban as well, but for a very different reason.
Commentary Series

Haying

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Rain or shine, haying is part of summer on the farm. And as this rainy summer winds down and Labor Day approaches, commentator Tom Slayton remembers haying in the Vermont of his youth.
My Place with Joel Najman

A Musical Profile Of Bobby Darin – Part 2 – The Swinging Years

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A musical profile of Bobby Darin continues with his transition in the early 1960’s from the teenage Rock&Roll he had been recording in the 1950’s to a more adult, swinging Sinatra-style repertoire, best illustrated by his definitive recording of "Mack the Knife". My Place, Saturdays from 8-9PM following A Prairie Home Companion, on Vermont Public Radio
Interlude

Central Vermont Chamber Music Festival

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Excerpts from past performances by the Central Vermont Chamber Music Festival, who are peforming this year in Randolph, Montpelier, and Woodstock August 14-24.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: August 15, 2008

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Toxic blue-green algae has begun to bloom in northern reaches of Lake Champlain; Senator Bernie Sanders says cable television companies should be regulated by the government; most state offices are closed today in observance of Bennington Battle Day.
VPR News

Voices in the week’s news: August 15, 2008

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The Prosecution of sex crimes and state budget cuts were the big stories this week, but we also dealt with flooding from ongoing rains, continues concern about winter heating, and an effort by China to stall a piece of recycling legislation in Vermont. We listen back to some of the voices in the news this week.
Vermont Edition
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Prosecuting sex crimes

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The attorney general and most of the state’s prosecutors are in favor of changes that would make it easier to prosecute sex crimes. We talk with Attorney General Bill Sorrell and Bennington County State’s Attorney Erica Marthage about why they support these reforms. And VPR’s Ross Sneyd joins us to analyze how the candidates for governor are approaching this issue.
Live Fridays at Noon (vpr.net exclusive)
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Live Friday at Noon: Melody Gardot

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While recovering from a serious accident, singer-songwriter Melody Gardot used music for recovery therapy recorded and released Worrisome Heart, which brings to mind Laura Nyro, Joni Mitchell and Eva Cassidy while fusing blues, folk and jazz. Melody performs Live Friday at Noon on VPR.net
Commentary Series

Lightning

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Writer and commentator Deborah Doyle-Schechtman says it’s possible to be hit by lightning and live to tell the tale, but that it’s much better to take precautions and avoid the experience altogether.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: August 15, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: More than 20,000 people have registered to vote in Vermont this year. And many of these new voters are expected to participate in the state’s early voting system;  Senator Patrick Leahy is taking a Vermonter’s side in her case before the U.S. Supreme Court. Leahy filed arguments on behalf of Diana Levine of Marshfield…
VPR News

Early voting influences campaign strategy

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More than 20,000 people have registered to vote in Vermont this year. And many of these new voters are expected to participate in the state’s early voting system. VPR’s Bob Kinzel takes a look at how the early voting process could influence media strategies in Vermont campaigns this fall.
VPR News

Evening Newscast: Aug. 14, 2008

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Many environmental groups want Vermont to improve its record on controlling water pollution; Sen. Leahy files U-S Supreme Court arguments supporting Diana Levine who lost an arm after injection of drug made by Wyeth; Champlain College to purchase Woodbury College; a $2500 reward is offered for info on dynamite theft from Rock of Ages quarry in Bethel; Commentator Brian Porto on the controversy behind one of NFL’s high profile quarterbacks.
VPR News

Reflections on musical a visit to China

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Last summer members of the Vermont Youth Orchestra traveled to China, and performed in magnificent concert halls, and even played at The Great Wall of China.   Since the world’s eyes are on China Olympics, we thought we’d listen back to one student’s reflections about playing on the Great Wall.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: August 13, 2008

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Champlain College plans to take over operation of Woodbury College; Vermont to get up to $20 million from the federal government to help homeowners avoid foreclosure; Sen. Bernie Sanders plans to look into the latest changes proposed by Comcast.
Vermont Edition
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Maximize your composting and recycling

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Get a crash course on what you can and can’t recycle, how to set up a composting system in your backyard, and what role all this plays in reducing our waste. Also, a Vermont reporter in Havana updates us on an Upper Valley youth baseball team that’s visiting Cuba.
VPR News

Protesters decry “Tropic Thunder” in Vermont

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Protesters who picketed a Montpelier movie theater showing the new movie "Tropic Thunder" say the blockbuster comedy is mean-spirited in the way it portrays a character with cognitive disabilities.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: August 14, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Vermont stands to get $20 million from the federal government to help homeowners avoid foreclosure, and the state hopes it can use the money to deal with other problems;  Another priest sex abuse trial is under way for Vermont’s Roman Catholic Church;  The Vermont man accused of kidnapping 12-year-old Brooke Bennett has waived a preliminary hearing at which an FBI agent was expected to testify…
VPR News

Underground FEMA fuel tanks removed from NH

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As the government checks on hundreds of potentially leaking underground fuel tanks left over from the Cold War, New Hampshire authorities say that tanks in the state were removed long ago.
Classical Music with Joe Goetz

Afternoon Classics

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After hearing Leif ove Andsnes play Schumann’s piano concerto yesterday, today we’ll hear his performance of the concerto by Grieg.  Also two works by Aaron Copland and symphonies by Schubert and Sibelius.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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Arensky’s Piano Trio No. 2, played by the Beaux Arts Trio, whose founding pianist, Menahem Pressler, is teaching master classes at the Adamant Music School this week; plus Ravel’s complete ballet Daphnis & Chloe.
VPR News

Evening Newscast: Aug. 13, 2008

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High demand and bad weather have made it difficult for many Vermonters who want to heat their homes with wood this winter; Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gaye Symington and Republican governor Jim Douglas strongly disagree over the most effective way to combat sex crimes in Vermont; the man accused of kidnapping 12-year-old Brooke Bennett waived a preliminary hearing; ubernatorial candidate Anthony Pollina’s recent switch from Progressive to independent may force him into giving back some of his campaign contributions; Commentator Paul Richardson has been following the conflict between Russia and Ossetia, noting differences in US and Russian media coverage.
Commentary Series

Circus Montage

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This week, VPR asked listeners to call into Vermont Edition with Circus Stories. And here is a sampling of some of the results from both listeners and our in-studio guest, Rob Mermin of Circus Smirkus.
Commentary Series

Caucasian Stalemate

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Commentator and Russian Life magazine publisher Paul Richardson has been following the conflict between Russia and Ossetia, noting differences in US and Russian media coverage.  
VPR News

Midday Newscast: August 13, 2008, 2008

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Gaye Symington says more troopers should be transferred to special units that investigate sex crimes; a Vermont state senator says the Chinese government has tried to influence state law; artists have been asked to help Vermont tackle its future; some underground fuel tanks in New Hampshire need to be inspected because they might leak hazardous substances.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: August 13, 2008

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Anthony Pollina may have to return some campaign donations;  Chinese officials are disputing a proposed electronics recycling bill; Verizon Wireless has changed their policy regarding releasing addresses to 911 operators; The Vermont Arts Council and Lyman Orton are offering some of the largest commissions ever to artist who depict Vermont’s challenges.
Commentary Series

Politics of Fear

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Commentator Bill Schubart has been reading a book this summer that has gotten him thinking about how politicians can seduce electorates into supporting them – what works and what shouldn’t.
VPR News

China disputes Vermont computer recycling law

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Earlier this year, a Vermont legislator says she got an unusual message from a representative of the Chinese government. China wanted to discourage Vermont from passing a law that requires computer manufacturers to pay for recycling old equipment. VPR’s Ross Sneyd reports.
VPR News

Two charged in NEK animal cruelty case

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A Northeast Kingdom woman and her son are facing animal cruelty charges after a raid in which authorities found dozens of living and dead animals in their home. The house was infested with fleas, maggots and rotting carcasses.
VPR News

Death penalty experts join Jacques’ defense

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Two out-of-state lawyers have joined the defense team of Michael Jacques, in anticipation that federal prosecutors will seek the death penalty against the man accused of kidnapping 12-year-old Brooke Bennett.
Classical Music with Joe Goetz

Afternoon Classics

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Robert Schumann’s only piano concerto, in a wonderful live recording with pianist Leif Ove Andsnes and the Berlin Philharmonic.  We’ll also hear Hindemith’s Symphonic Metamorphosis on themesby Carl Maria von Weber, a piano trio by Dvorak, and a baroque violin that sounds like a cuckoo.
VPR News

Evening Newscast: August 12, 2008

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Vermont’s tax revenues continued their downward spiral last month; Three state highways remain closed do to storms and flash floods;  Democrats criticize Republican energy policy efforts; Eco-Judaism topic of Burlington conference;
VPR News

Midday Newscast: August 12, 2008

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Vermont Democrats are holding a news conference to criticize Republican energy policy; State crews have worked for 10 days to reopen a highway in Wallingford that was heavily damaged when a beaver dam failed; Michael Jacques’ defense team has hired two New Jersey lawyers who specialize in death penalty cases.
Commentary Series

Wee Adventure

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Recently, Commentator Philip Baruth traveled to Sweden to spend some time with his wife’s family there. As always, he felt physically smaller surrounded by the descendents of Vikings. But, this time around, that feeling of smallness led to some unusually large problems.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: August 12, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: The Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington returns to court this week for another trial focusing on its handling of a priest who allegedly molested altar boys;  Three state highways are still closed as much as ten days after sections of the roads were washed out in flash floods; A study has found that the number of women in state government leadership positions is on the rise…
VPR News

Flood clean-up efforts continue

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Three state highways are still closed as much as ten days after sections of the roads were washed out in flash floods, and though crews have dumped tons of fill and rebuilt culverts, the going has been slow.  
VPR News

N.H. Senate candidates talk fuel prices, economy

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Both Republican Senator John Sununu and Democrat Jeanne Shaheen say tax incentives for developers and users of renewable energy can help bolster the nation’s economy as well as relieve the pain of high fuel prices.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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The Central Vermont Chamber Music Festival plays a Quintet by Mendelssohn, recorded in Chandler Music Hall, Randolph, in 2004; plus Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite; Beethoven’s last piano sonata; and Bartok’s Divertimento for Strings.
Commentary Series

Generation Boomerang

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Commentator Deborah Luskin is a Baby Boomer who says that with children now in their late teens and parents in their early eighties, she’s beginning to feel more like a member of the Boomerang Generation.
VPR News

Evening Newscast: August 11, 2008

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VT Judiciary and Douglas Administration square off over proposed budget cuts; enrollment for Catamount health falls short of projections; regional initiative aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions gaining ground in Northeast; NH fuel company fined $6,000 for 2 fuel spills in VT; Camp Ta-Kum-Ta moving from Colchester; Deborah Luskin on boomers caught between elderly parents and maturing children.
Vermont Edition

Community Health Centers

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Vermont’s Community Health Centers are an important piece of the state’s health care puzzle. On the next Vermont Edition, we’ll talk about how these centers operate.  Also, an interview with one of the state’s top college professors and we’ll learn about an art exhibit in Stowe featuring the work of one of Mexico’s best known painters.
VPR News
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Works of Rafael Cauduro shown in Stowe

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The work of popular Mexican muralist Rafael Cauduro is not often seen in this country.  This summer, however, an exhibition of his work has not only made it north of the border, it’s come all the way to Northern Vermont.  The name of the exhibit is Sin Fronteras: "No boundaries."  VPR’s Amy Noyes recently attended the exhibition.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: August 11, 2008

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Concerns today about the possibility of flash floods from torrential storms; Verizon Wireless takes over Unicel, but must sell the assets in Vermont and upstate New York to maintain competition. Today’s the first day to cast a ballot in Vermont’s primary election. A New Hampshire fuel company is fined $6,000 for spilling fuel at two Vermont sites.
Commentary Series

Family Camp

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Family vacations are a wonderful thing but, as teacher, historian and commentator Vic Henningsen observes, sometimes they take a little work to appreciate.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: August 11, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: The Vermont Supreme Court is refusing the governor’s request to cut its budget by 5 percent;  Vermont’s rainy summer is taking a toll on farms;  Verizon and Unicel have been fierce competitors in this region. To maintain the competition, regulators say Verizon has to sell Unicel’s assets here and in Washington state…
VPR News

Verizon to sell Unicel assets in Vermont

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Verizon Wireless completed its purchase of the Unicel mobile telephone network last week. But that’s not the end of the story in Vermont and New York. Verizon and Unicel have been fierce competitors in this region. To maintain the competition, regulators say Verizon has to sell Unicel’s assets here and in Washington state. VPR’s Ross Sneyd reports.
VPR News

Fair Haven police chief OKs officers’ Taser use in call

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After an internal review, Fair Haven Police Chief William Humphries says he is satisfied with officers’ decision to use a Taser to subdue a man who was charged with disorderly conduct and assaulting a police officer during a medical call.
My Place with Joel Najman

A Musical Profile Of Bobby Darin – Part One – The Early Years

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Bobby Darin was one of the most successful and versatile recording and performing artists of the twentieth century, having recorded over 40 nationally charted hit singles and many top selling LP’s. Joel Najman’s My Place program this week looks at Bobby Darin’s earliest years in the music business when he distinguished himself recording some of early Rock&Roll’s most memorable hits of the 1950’s. My Place, Saturdays from 8-9PM following A Prairie Home Companion on Vermont Public Radio.
VPR News

Evening Newscast: Aug. 8, 2008

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Congressman Peter Welch supports releasing oil from the strategic oil reserve; the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee is frustrated that a judge won’t testify about Jacques case; a federal court jury rules in favor of South Burlington police in a case of alleged racial profiling; a seven-year-old Rhode Island girl is killed when a flash flood sweeps her family’s SUV downstream in New Hampshire; commentator Bill Mares on restoring painted theater curtains.
Commentary Series

Curtains

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Commentator Bill Mares, who failed his high school drama class,  has enjoyed following his wife’s work around Vermont to find and repair painted theater curtains.
VPR News

Welch says he supports releasing oil from national reserve

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Congressman Peter Welch says he supports efforts to release oil from the nation’s strategic reserve as a short term way to help reduce gas prices. In the long term, Welch says the country must make significant investments in renewable power sources as part of an overall energy independence plan.  
VPR News

Morning Newscast: August 8, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: This year’s gubernatorial candidates have taken very different approaches to releasing their financial data;  The probation officer who supervised the man accused of abducting 12-year-old Brooke Bennett says he felt compelled to recommend the release of Michael Jacques from probation on an earlier conviction;  Young baseball players from New Hampshire and Vermont leave today for Cuba…
VPR News

CCTA could trim service, raise fares

By |
The Chittenden County Transportation Agency is considering a plan to trim public bus services and raise fares on a Burlington to Middlebury commuter route.
VPR News

Hearings begin on sex crime penalties

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The probation officer who supervised the man accused of abducting 12-year-old Brooke Bennett says he felt compelled to recommend the release of Michael Jacques from probation on an earlier conviction.
Vermont Edition
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Congressman Peter Welch

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Vermont Congressman Peter Welch talks about a number of issues, including efforts to combat high fuel prices. We’ll discuss proposed funding increases for the fuel assistance program and Welch’s opposition to expanded offshore drilling.
VPR News

Evening Newscast: Aug. 7, 2008

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Sen. Patrick Leahy and FBI Director Robert Mueller discuss anthrax probe; state assesses damage from floods; Vermont Senate Judiciary Committee begins hearings on sex offender laws; Winooski police investigate fatal shooting; commentator Ron Krupp says it’s ironic that corn has become one of the problems plaguing American agriculture.
VPR News
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Leahy says he wants to know motivation behind anthrax attacks

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Senator Patrick Leahy, who was the target of an anthrax attack seven years ago, says he trusts that federal authorities have identified the person responsible. But Leahy, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, says he wants to know the motivation behind the attacks, and if others were involved.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: August 7, 2008

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Here are the top stories at noon: State and federal authorities have spent the morning assessing damage from floods that washed over parts of Addison and Windsor counties; FBI Director Robert Mueller is in Burlington at this hour to visit Vermont’s efforts to combat Internet crimes against children; Members of the Vermont Senate Judiciary Committee are meeting in Montpelier today.
Vermont Edition
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Beginning Farmers

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We look into programs that help farmers just starting out. Then, we hear from a Vermont judge who’s overseeing trials in Bosnia and Herzegonvina, and we remember Alexander Solzhenitsyn.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: August 7, 2008

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Here are the top stories at noon: Vermont’s two federal judges have ruled that the method of selecting jurors for federal court in Vermont is not racially biased;  Meteorologists say weather patterns over the Atlantic Ocean and along the jet stream have trapped the region in a vise grip of storms; Independent gubernatorial candidate Anthony Pollina says he and his wife have about $656,000 in financial assets…
VPR News
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Meteorologists say jet stream causing wet weather

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Another series of heavy rainstorms caused widespread damage across Vermont over the past 24 hours. Meteorologists say weather patterns over the Atlantic Ocean and along the jet stream have trapped the region in a vise grip of storms. And, as VPR’s Ross Sneyd reports, the bad weather could continue for a while, yet.
VPR News

NH working on student loan problem

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Turmoil in the financial markets has driven many lenders out of the student loan market, leaving students struggling to pay their fall tuition. That’s a problem that New Hampshire officials are working on.
VPR News

Texas landfill search for computer fruitless

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Texas authorities have stopped looking in a landfill for a computer allegedly containing child pornography and other evidence connected to the abduction and killing of a 12-year-old Vermont girl.
VPR News

Towns cleaning up after flooding

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It could be several days before all the roads damaged by yesterday’s flash floods in southern Addison County are reopened and officials can estimate the cost of the repairs.
Classical Music with Cheryl Willoughby

Morning Classics

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Havana’s Ernesto Lecuona is described as "the Cuban Gershwin" – we’ll hear his lovely "Malaguena" – and, a souvenir from Gershwin’s own visit to Havana: the raucous, rhythmic "Cuban Overture". (Where else will you hear classical music filled with claves, congas and maracas?!)
Commentary Series

Corn

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As we begin to enjoy the first sweet-corn of the season, author, gardener, and commentator Ron Krupp observes that America’s over-all dependency on corn is really too much of a good thing.
VPR News

Evening Newscast: Aug. 6, 2008

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Storms dumped more rain on the region today, sending streams and rivers over their banks across a broad section of Vermont; Vermont’s prosecutors are backing a package of criminal justice reforms designed to make it easier to prosecute sex crimes; wind power has emerged as a key issue in this year’s gubernatorial race; IBM workers face a pay decrease; New Hampshire court officials say retired Superior Court Justice Peter Smith of Bethlehem has died.
VPR News

State’s prosecutors offer package of reforms to sex offender laws

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Attorney General Bill Sorrell and most of Vermont’s state’s attorneys are backing a package of criminal justice reforms designed to make it easier to prosecute sex crimes. The package doesn’t include longer mandatory minimum sentences for convicted child sex offenders because some members of the group believe this issue needs more study.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: August 6, 2008

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Here are the top stories at noon: There’s flooding at this hour in a number of communities across the state; The National Weather Service has upgraded a flood watch to a flood warning in northern Coos County; The state Board of Education says it will spend the next two months advertising and searching for candidates to be the next Education Commissioner…
VPR News

Morning Newscast: August 6, 2008

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Here are the top stories at noon: Gov. Jim Douglas says he wants heavy trucks to be able to use the Interstate 89 bridge between Vermont and New Hampshire; IBM is reducing pay for some of its shift workers at its semiconductor plant in Essex Junction; AIDS advocates say they hope the more accurate statistics will mean the federal government will do a better job of addressing the pandemic in the next year…
VPR News

AIDS activist hope new statistics means more resources

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For each of the last 10 years, the federal government has underestimated the number of people who are infected with HIV. Advocates say they hope the more accurate statistics will mean the federal government will do a better job of addressing the pandemic in the next year. VPR’s Ross Sneyd has more.
VPR News

Four win Yankee Quill Awards

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Four New England journalists, including one from New Hampshire, have been honored with Yankee Quill Awards for their contributions to the betterment of journalism in the region.
VPR News

Evening Newscast: Aug. 5, 2008

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Here are the top news stories at 6 p.m. Heavy rains have swollen Vermont rivers and raised bacteria levels; state policymakers are readying a plan aimed at reducing the state budget; Northeast governor want the president to boost heating aid; Rutland passes a sex offender ordinance; commentator Dan Rockmore on summer hikes, genetics and dogs. 
Commentary Series

Digger

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When commentator Dan Rockmore thinks about summer hikes, he thinks about dogs. But being a mathematician, he also thinks about genetics and probability.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: August 5, 2008

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Here are the top stories at noon: Rutland has adopted a new ordinance restricting where convicted sex offenders can live after their release from prison; A big swath of forestland in northern New Hampshire has been preserved with the help of snowmobilers, anglers, preservation groups and an anonymous donor…
VPR News

Rains make torrents of once-sleepy swimming holes

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Three girls are safe after they went to a popular swimming hole only to be swept downstream by the fast-moving Castleton River and were finally pulled from the stream just above a series of waterfalls.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: August 5, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Volunteers conducting water quality tests around Vermont are finding high levels of bacteria in several streams.  Soaring gas prices and rainy weather appear to be taking a bite out tourism in Northern New England. Vermont State Police say a utility substation in Charlotte has been hit by burglars looking for copper wire for the third time since May 27…
VPR News

High levels of bacteria found in Vermont streams

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The torrential rains that have soaked Vermont this summer have swollen rivers and washed out roads. But there’s another effect that’s not so easy to see. Volunteers conducting water quality tests around Vermont are finding high levels of bacteria in several streams. VPR’s John Dillon reports.
VPR News

State Police warn of fraudulent e-mail

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The state police is warning the public about a new e-mail scam that is circulating to some members and nonmembers of the Vermont State Employees Credit Union.
Classical Music with Cheryl Willoughby

Morning Classics

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Lots of rain recently has made for overflowing streams and rivers…we’ll hear about a couple of them, in this morning’s music: Edward Elgar’s settings of the Charles MacKay poems "The Rapid Stream" and "The Woodland Stream".
Classical Music with Joe Goetz

Afternoon Classics

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Modern masterpieces by composers you might normally NOT listen to because they are so thorny: Eduard Tubin and Arnold Schoenberg.  But the two pieces we hear in the 3 pm hour are anything but difficult to listen to.  We’ll also hear a gorgeous quartet by Schubert and a late Beethoven piano sonata.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: August 4, 2008

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Here are the top stories at noon: The rainy summer has made it even more of a challenge than usual to maintain Vermont’s thousands of miles of dirt roads; In Vermont, Alexander Solzhenitsyn is being remembered for his time in Cavendish; A juvenile from Wells is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon in Vermont District Court for the death of his mother.
Vermont Edition
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Connecting farms with restaurants

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The farm to to-table movement has some ardent supporters across the country, and particularly in this region. We talk with nationally renowned chef Dan Barber and with Tristan Toleno, chef of the Riverview Cafe in Brattleboro, about the role of restuarants in a local food economy.
Commentary Series

Afghan Treasures

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Commentator and Vermont Humanities Council executive director Peter Gilbert tells us about a stunning exhibit of Afghani treasures – currently touring the United States – that took him back to his travels in Afghanistan.
VPR News

Interview: Paul Richardson on Alexander Solzhenitsyn

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The famed Russian writer Alexander Solzhenitsyn has died at the age of 89. The reclusive Solzhenitsyn granted few interviews, but the editor of Russian Life Magazine Paul Richardson was able to speak with Solzhenitsyn’s wife Natalya in Moscow this past spring. Richardson speaks with VPR’s Mitch Wertlieb.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: August 4, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Vermont lawmakers are investigating whether the state Health Department broke the law by changing its methods for measuring radiation emitted by the Vermont Yankee; The power may be coming back on at the Middlebury falls; Vermont tourism officials say it’s rain and not high gas prices that has kept tourism down so far this summer…
VPR News

Advocate says sex offender law won’t work

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An advocate for victims of domestic and sexual violence says an ordinance being considered by the city of Rutland that would require sex offenders to live far from schools, playgrounds and day care centers won’t work.
VPR News

Committee probes VY radiation reading changes

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Vermont lawmakers are investigating whether the state Health Department broke the law by changing its methods for measuring radiation emitted by the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant without getting the approval of a legislative committee.
Classical Music with Joe Goetz

Afternoon Classics

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Featuring some "only" symphonies today…Edvard Grieg and Cesar Franck each only wrote one symphony, and we’ll hear both of those symphonies today.  Plus piano fireworks from Tchaikovsky and Liszt.
My Place with Joel Najman

“Demo” Recordings From The Early Days Of Rock & Roll

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The way many songwriters get their songs to the artists who record them is by making demonstration recordings or "demos" of these songs. These demos are not designed to be ever heard by the general public and provide fascinating insights into the creative process of making a hit record. This week Joel Najman’s "My Place" program features a collection of these very rare demos from the early days of Rock & Roll. "My Place", Saturdays from 8-9PM following "A Prairie Home Companion" on Vermont Public Radio.
Interlude

English Composers

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A program of music by English composers William Boyce, William Walton, and Ralph Vaughan Williams.
VPR News

VPR Evening News August 1st, 2008

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CVPS wants to spend $40 million on new efficient technology; This summer has been the fourth wettest on record;  Rutland may vote on a 1 percent sales tax; Health Dept. warns of West Nile Virus; Southern Vermont College will rent a motel for student housing; and commentator Deborah Luskin on being a highway leadfoot.  .
Commentary Series

Lead Foot

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Commentator Deborah Luskin knows she could save money on the unleaded she pumps into her car – if only she could get the lead out of her heavy right foot.  
VPR News

Midday Newscast: August 1, 2008

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Summer already has been the fourth wettest on record; Vermont college students bicycle across country to register voters; mayor says Rutland more high-risk sex offenders than other cities; cleaning asbestos in Montpelier school will cost $50,000.
Vermont Edition
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Vermont Wines

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From Rieslings, to Pinot Noirs, to hearty French hybrids…we look at how the wine industry is taking off in Vermont. Then, VPR’s Ross Sneyd analyzes the top stories and we listen back to voices in the news this week.
Commentary Series

Opinion Poll Margin

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Opinion polls show the race between Senators John McCain and Barack Obama as much closer than many analysts expected. This morning commentator Barrie Dunsmore, a veteran correspondent for ABC News, has some thoughts on why that might be.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: August 1, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: A new study of state highway systems ranks Vermont at number 30 in the nation; A new report says more poor Vermont children are enrolling in programs that provide free or reduced price lunches in the summer; Officials say it will cost at least $50,000 to clean up asbestos found in Montpelier Middle School; The Vermont barn census takes place this weekend.
VPR News

VPR Evening News July 31st, 2008

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Governor Jim Douglas is leading the race for campaign cash; Prosecutors in the Brooke Bennett case get more time t make their case ; State Police warn of a false Amber Alert text message; Douglas Administration unveils a plan to supply low-income Vermonters with wood; The first-ever Vermont Barn Census is this weekend; and commentator Tom Slayton on the compost controversy.
Commentary Series

Compost Wars

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Commentator Tom Slayton has been following the recent controversy over compost operations, and he thinks it’s really about fundamental values and vision.
VPR News

Interview: Ellen Bryant Voigt

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Vermont poet Ellen Bryant Voigt revisits some of her work, and introduces new pieces, in the collection "Messenger-New and Selected Poems," which has just been released in paperback.
Vermont Edition

The Governor’s Race

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As the contest begins to heat up, we’ll look at the issues affecting the race for governor, and talk about how the candidate’s campaigns are shaping up. We’ll also hear from three visiting foreign students about their impressions of Vermont. And we’ll hop aboard a Dragon Boat.
VPR News

Dragon Boat Festival this weekend

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This weekend more than 80 teams of rowers will be in the water at Burlington Harbor for the annual Dragon Boat Festival. For many of the competitors, Dragon Boat racing isn’t just a sport – it’s a way of recovering from and raising money for breast cancer.
Commentary Series

Long Trail Patrol

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Though we shouldn’t, many of us take for granted the pleasure of hiking on a well-maintained trail.  VPR commentator and former park ranger Vic Henningsen recently paid a visit to one of the hard-working crews that make that experience possible.
VPR News

Interview: Richard Schnell on the International Haiku Festival

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Professor Richard Schnell of SUNY Plattsburgh says Haiku can vary–in English, it’s generally regarded as any poem of fewer than 17 syllables, Un- rhymed, that evokes a clear, often calm and bucolic mental image of the natural world. And Schnell says that regard for environmental beauty made the North Country an ideal setting for this International celebration of Haiku.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: July 31, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Entergy company faced tough questions this week about its financial health after federal regulators approve a spin-off company;  A Florida congressman is criticizing a Vermont-New Hampshire youth baseball team’s trip to Cuba next week…
VPR News

House passes NH-inspired Michelle’s Law

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The U.S. House of Representatives has passed Michelle’s law, the federal version of a New Hampshire bill that would allow seriously ill or injured college students to take up to one year of medical leave without losing their health insurance.
VPR News

VPR Evening News July 30th, 2008

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A federal housing bill was inspired by a successful program in Vermont; Mistrial declared in Orange County fatal car crash trial.; Indictments in a July border incident; Remembering historian Deborah Clifford; and commentator Jay Craven goes sailing.
Commentary Series

The Sail Boat

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Two summers ago, film make, teacher and commentator Jay Craven bought a seventeen-foot, forty-year old sailboat that turned out to be a bit more than he could handle.
VPR News

Shape Note Singing experiencing a revival

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Shape Note singing involves using little squares, ovals, triangles and diamonds to designate musical notes. Today, the centuries old practice is experiencing a sort of revival, and in Vermont, you can find singing events in churches, community centers, and schools all over the state. VPR’s Charlotte Albright attended one held earlier this summer in Newbury.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: July 30, 2008

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Patrick Leahy presides over Justice Department hiring hearing;  new study looks at pollution in Vermont’s air; the national housing bill includes a key provision based on a Vermont program; authorities in the Adirondacks say they plan to crack down on an annual party held at the eastern shore of Lake George.
Vermont Edition
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Are you middle class?

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Do you consider yourself part of the middle class? We explore what class distinctions mean in Vermont. Also, we look into a new law that allows for virtual companies, and hear the music of Shape Note singing.
Commentary Series

Ideological Rhetoric

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National and local candidate debates – and discussions with friends – have commentator Bill Schubart thinking a lot about liberals and conservatives, and he’s intrigued to find that many share similar traits.
VPR News

Interview: Dr. Gary Lovett on air pollution

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A new study between the Cary Institute for Ecosystem Studies and the Nature Conservancy found that no ecosystem type in the northeast is free from the affects of pollution, including Lake Champlain, the Connecticut River and the Adirondacks. Dr. Gary Lovett of the Cary Institute was a co-author of that study. Lovett speaks with VPR’s Mitch Wertlieb.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: July 30, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: A government watchdog will appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee today to answer questions about political hiring at the Justice Department; Experts say Vermont needs to develop rules for large-scale composting businesses that recognize both the benefits and the potential hazards of the operations…
VPR News

Leahy calls hearing on Justice Department hiring practices

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A government watchdog will appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee today to answer questions about political hiring at the Justice Department. Senator Patrick Leahy says he called the hearing so he can get to the bottom of what he says is improper influence by partisan appointees throughout government. VPR’s Ross Sneyd reports.
VPR News

NH Senate calls on Congress for more heating aid

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New Hampshire’s Senate has sent an urgent appeal to its congressional delegation, calling on them to support at least double the funds for home heating aid through the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.
VPR News

Kentucky company buys Vermont Castings

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It looks as though Vermont Castings will be around for at least another winter. Kentucky-based Monessen Hearth Systems acquired Vermont Casting’s parent company CFM Corp., which filed for bankruptcy protection in April.
Classical Music with Cheryl Willoughby

Morning Classics

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An "Invitation to the Dance"; Figaro’s challenge, "Se vuol ballare" ("If you want to dance!"); and, the Symphony that Wagner described as "the apotheosis of the dance" – Beethoven’s 7th. Are you ready? Let’s dance!
Classical Music with Joe Goetz

Afternoon Classics

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A couple of excellent Yo Yo Ma recordings today…a Beethoven sonata for cello and piano with Emmanuel Ax (probably one of the few times you’ll ever see a performance with two people with two-letter last names…) and the Brahms Double Concerto with violinist Isaac Stern.
VPR News

VPR Evening News July 29th, 2008

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A bleak economic forecast for Vermont; New rules needed for large-scale compost operations; Vermont State Representative Jim Hutchinson has died; Vermont Castings has a new owner; The Vermont Food Bank is going into farming; and commentator Ruth Page says the summer rains come with a silver lining.
Commentary Series

Summer!

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There’s an old saying that every cloud has a silver lining, but commentator Ruth Page thinks that if the rainclouds of this July have a lining  – it’s probably green.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: July 29, 2008

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Green Mountain Power wants to make it easier to build renewable projects; the U.N. honors a Vermont housing agency; the Vermont Food Bank is going into farming; state Rep. Jim Hutchinson has died.
Vermont Edition
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Large-scale composting

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Two of Vermont’s large-scale composting operations have faced questions about their environmental impact this year. We look at the important role that such organizations play in reducing waste in Vermont, and how they can be managed to protect the environment and public health.
VPR News

VT Edition interview: Shortage of shingles vaccine

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On Monday, the Vermont Department of Health announced that it had run out of a free shingles vaccine it was distributing at its Burlington District Office. Jane Lindholm talks with Don Swartz, Medical Director for the Vermont Department of Health, about the vaccine and the illness it’s designed to prevent.
VPR News
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VT Edition interview: Large-scale composting

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Two of Vermont’s largest composting operations are facing questions about their environmental impact. While some worry these facilities are running afoul of Act 250 policies, others don’t like having the facilities in their backyards.
Commentary Series

Carla Bruni

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The First Lady of France is also a pop star who’s just released a new album with some racy lyrics about her new love, President Sarkozy. Commentator Mike Martin has been listening to the CD and thinks some critics have missed the point.
VPR News

Interview: Doug O’Brien of the Vermont Foodbank

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Vermont Food Bank Executive Director Doug O’Brien says the organization has been seeking an opportunity to grow its own food as part of a long-term strategy for helping stave off hunger in Vermont’s neediest communities. O’Brien speaks with VPR’s Mitch Wertlieb about the purchase of the Kingsbury Farm.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: July 29, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: The federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission has given the green light for Entergy Corp. to spin off Vermont Yankee and four other nuclear plants to a newly created company;  Green Mountain Power says it ultimately wants to rely more on environmentally friendly power – and less on nuclear; The wood harvesting program that state officials plan to expand is a multiyear initiative to help Vermonters heat their homes…
VPR News

New GMP head announces energy plan

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Vermont’s second largest electric utility has drawn up a plan for where it will get its power over the next quarter century. Green Mountain Power says it ultimately wants to rely more on environmentally friendly power – and less on nuclear. VPR’s Ross Sneyd has more.
VPR News

Shea-Porter introduces bill on vets’ health services

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New Hampshire Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter is introducing a bill today that would require states to have access to at least one full-service Veterans hospital or receive comparable services through other health-care providers.
VPR News

VPR Evening News July 28th, 2008

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Legislative leaders and the Douglas Administration give a status report on the looming heating crisis; State officials plan a cut-your-own wood harvesting program; The NRC approves Entergy restructuring; GMP would like to move to renewable sources of energy; Fairpoint Communications hires Cisco Systems to help expand broadband internet service; and commentator Henry Homeyer on planting your garden early.
Classical Music with Joe Goetz
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Afternoon Classics: Live Performance with Eliot Fisk

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Guitarist Eliot Fisk is a featured soloist at the Vermont Mozart Festival, and his visit to the Green Mountain State also includes a stop at our performance studio for a special live performance and conversation. Other music today includes the 6th Smphony by Jean Sibelius, and even more guitar music by Rodrigo.
VPR News

Rains cause damage to raspberry crop in Westford

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Reg Morse grows raspberries at Morse Hillside Farm, in Westford, Vermont.  He says the heavy rains have damaged 40% of his crop this year.  Raspberries are one of the most delicate berries, and one of the most difficult to grow.  VPR’s Sarah Ashworth stopped by his farm on a rare sunny afternoon.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: July 28, 2008

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Experts say it’s time for the state and federal governments to figure out new ways to pay for highways and other transportation systems; Vermont’s Health Department has run out of a vaccine to protect people against shingles; the University of Vermont and the Environmental Protection Agency want to figure out the financial value of the natural world.
Vermont Edition
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Rain, rain, rain

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Record rains and storm damage have been THE story of this summer’s weather. We talk with weather watchers about the storms and rainfall we’ve experienced, and the impact of that rain on farms and crops.
Commentary Series

Hardwick

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Former governor and commentator Madeleine Kunin recently visited a small town that’s reinventing itself – and also perhaps, offering a glimpse of the future of Vermont.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: July 28, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Key Vermont lawmakers and Douglas administration officials today are set to announce a series of steps designed to avert a crisis due to the high cost of heating fuel for next winter;  Senator Bernie Sanders is vowing to continue fighting for increased federal home heating assistance despite a setback in the Senate;  High gas prices mean the state and federal governments are collecting less money in transportation taxes…
VPR News

Experts say it’s time to move away from the gas tax

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High gas prices mean the state and federal governments are collecting less money in transportation taxes. The shortfall comes just as Vermont struggles to pay for a backlog of needed road and bridge projects. Some experts say it’s time to look for new revenue sources. VPR’s John Dillon reports.
VPR News

Leahy, Sanders, Gregg, Sununu vote for housing bill

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Senators Patrick Leahy and Bernie Sanders, and New Hampshire’s John Sununu and Judd Gregg were on the winning side Saturday as the Senate approved a plan to help homeowners facing foreclosure and to save mortgage companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
VPR News

High water delays river cleanup

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High water caused by recent heavy rains is prompting a local company to put off its volunteer effort to clean up the Winooski River.
VPR News

Flood damage seen around $400,000

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A Vermont state official says recent heavy rains and flooding in the state have caused damage – mainly to local roads – that could reach the $400,000 mark.
Classical Music with Cheryl Willoughby

Morning Classics

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Igor Stravinsky may have emigrated to LA, in 1942 – but his heart was still very much in Russia. This morning we’ll hear the "Danses Concertantes", a lyrical piece reminiscent of the St. Petersburg ballet tradition.
Sunday Bach

Sunday Bach for July 27th, 2008

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Join us Sunday morning at 7 for a performance of Cantata Number 136 with the Gachinger Kantorei and Bach Collegium of Stuttgart, led by Helmuth Rilling. We’ll also enjoy the Sonata No. 3 in g minor with cellist Yo Yo Ma and harpsichordist Kenneth Cooper, along with the Prelude and Fugue in a minor with pianist Alexis Weissenberg.
My Place with Joel Najman

A Mixed Bag Of Early British Invasion Hits From 1964 & 1965

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The arrival in the US of the Beatles and other British Commonwealth Bands in early 1964 brought about a change in the makeup of North American contemporary popular music rivaled in magnitude only by the start of the Rock & Roll era itself a decade earlier. This week Joel Najman’s "My Place" program takes a sampling of this music from 1964 and 1965, revisiting a number of major hit singles as well as a few very interesting obscurities. "My Place" with Joel Najman, Saturdays from 8-9PM following "A Prairie Home Companion" on Vermont Public Radio.
Saturday Afternoon at the Opera
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American Musical Sampler

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Our "American Musical Sampler" is an essential part of Summer in Vermont. Saturday Afternoon at the Opera spotlights new musicals like "Adding Machine" – favorites, like "Westside Story" and a brand new revival recording of "South Pacific". Listen Saturday at noon on VPR Classical.
VPR News

VPR Evening News July 25th, 2008

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The number of home foreclosures continues to climb; Federal heating oil assistance faces a test in the U.S. Senate; A wood-pellet mill is planned in North Troy; A Rutland non-profit will sell wood to low-income households; Increased radiation is detected near Vermont Yankee; Economic grant given to St. J. company; and commentator Deborah Doyle-Schectman on perennials. 
VPR News

Midday Newscast: July 25, 2008

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Scientists have detected increased radiation near Vermont Yankee since the nuclear power plant boosted its power level by 20%; all the water flowing down Vermont rivers has helped most hydroelectric operators; the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department says it’s looking for some help counting the state’s wild turkey population.
Vermont Edition
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Health and security of Vermont banks

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With several financial sectors in turmoil and one recent bank failure in California, consumers are wondering about their own banks in this region. We look protections of savings deposits in Vermont banks, and how consumers can research the financial health of their banks.
Live Fridays at Noon (vpr.net exclusive)
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Live Friday at Noon: Mutlu

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Mutlu’s music is a blend of soul, reggae, hip-hop, and Brazilian jazz deriving inspiration from Marvin Gaye, Bill Withers, Bob Marley, and Antonio Carlos Jobim. Mutlu recently toured with Joe Jackson and had the opportunity to open for Daryl Hall.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: July 25, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Representatives of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission faced some tough questioning from a panel of judges weighing a citizen group’s challenge to the proposed relicensing of Vermont Yankee nuclear plant; This endless rain has left a lot of people cranky lately. But not the folks who run hydroelectric dams…
VPR News

Federal panel’s hearing in Newfane wraps up

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Representatives of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission faced some tough questioning from a panel of judges weighing a citizen group’s challenge to the proposed relicensing of Vermont Yankee nuclear plant.
VPR News

Shea-Porter, Hodes , Welch support AIDS bill

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Congressman Peter Welch and New Hampshire’s Carol Shea-Porter and Paul Hodes have voted with the majority of the House to pass a bill that would triple the money to fight AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis around the world.
VPR News

Officials warn of debris from bridge collapse

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Vermont state officials are warning canoeists, kayakers and others to avoid a stretch of the Winooski River below where a bridge undergoing reconstruction fell into the river this week.
VPR News

VPR Evening News July 24th, 2008

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An Iraq war veteran is challenging Congressman Peter Welch; How Vermont veterans are faring; A Vermont runner heads to the Olympics; Boy Scouts in Eden have to be evacuated after road flooding; and commentator Casey Huling on eating at summer camp. 
Commentary Series

Camp Cook

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As summer reaches its peak many Vermont towns play host to hundreds of young campers who descend upon our lakes and rivers for a few weeks of swimming, boating and waterskiing. And eating. Lots of eating.  Commentator Casey Huling thinks that whoever said that an army marches on its stomach – probably went to a summer camp – with good food.
VPR News

Hispaniola biologists explore Vermont bird conservation programs

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A group of conservation biologists from the island of Hispaniola spent the last three weeks in Vermont exploring U.S. bird conservation programs and learning skills to take back to their countries. VPR’s Jane Lindholm talked with them, and with their host, Vermont Center for Ecostudies Director Chris Rimmer, about some of the challenges they face in their home countries.
VPR News
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Midday Newscast: July 24, 2008

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Heavy rain is expected to continue sweeping across the region this afternoon; an Iraq war veteran formally announced his campaign for the U.S. House;  the Vermont National Guard is being recognized in Washington for its program to help veterans who return from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; Andrew Wheating prepares to head off to the Olympics.
Vermont Edition

Wild Edibles

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Wild edibles experts Les Hook and Nova Kim join us in the studio to answer your questions about collecting and eating everything from mushrooms and berries, to roots and bark.
Commentary Series

Punitive Damanges

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Commentator Dick Mallary is a former U.S. congressman from Vermont. He has also served extensively in state government, and he thinks there may be a better way to assess punitive damages in legal actions – that would be in the interest of both fairness and the public good.
VPR News
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Interview: Andrew Wheating headed to the Beijing Olympics

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Wheating is heading to Beijing next month after placing 2nd in the 800 meters qualifying trials held at the place he attends college–the University of Oregon. But if not for the watchful eye of his former soccer coach in Norwich, Wheating says his medal dreams as a runner would never have materialized at all.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: July 24, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Vermont leads the nation in helping service members when they come home;  Officials predict the power won’t be as cheap as it is now in the near future;  The first Vermont municipality to pass an ordinance restricting where sex offenders may live within its borders is expected to draw a legal challenge…
VPR News

Vermont leads the nation in helping veterans

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Vermont has suffered the highest proportion of casualties from the Iraq War of any state. But it leads the nation in helping service members when they come home. Tanya Snyder reports from Washington.
VPR News

Burlington cable to keep Al-Jazeera

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Burlington has signed a contract to continue broadcasting the English-language programming of Al-Jazeera on the city-owned cable television system.
Classical Music with Joe Goetz

Afternoon Classics

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20th century works featured today, and some of them quite recent: John Corigliano’s Clarinet Concerto (1977), Four for Tango by Piazzolla (1989), and Janacek’s Sinfonietta.
VPR News

VPR Evening News July 23rd, 2008

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Congressman Peter Welch supports a second economic stimulus package; Vermont judges want to work with local reporters; Burlington Telecom signs a contract with Al Jazeera; Vermont is not doing enough to reduce oil dependency; Heavy trucks will have to detour around Upper Valley bridge and commentator Charlie Nardozzi on self-sown vegetables.
VPR News

Audio Postcard: Marlboro

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Today in our series of audio postcards from Vermont towns, we visit the hills of Marlboro, where at this time of year, music seems to pour from every open window on the Marlboro College Campus.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: July 23, 2008

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Flooding concerns as another round of heavy rain has begun to fall in Vermont; the Burlington Police Department has tough time filling vacancies; the Lake Champlain schooner, Lois McClure, continues its tour of Canada; businesses brace for changes because of weight restrictions on a bridge between Lebanon and White River Junction.
VPR News

African-American suing police for seizing money

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An all-white federal court jury is hearing the case this week of a Burlington minister who says he was targeted in a South Burlington police drug raid because he is African-American. That raid turned up nothing.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: July 23, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Republicans won’t field a US House candidate and Progressives won’t have a gubernatorial candidate this fall; some weather-dependent businesses say the rain won’t slow them down…
VPR News

Businesses say rain won’t slow them down

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Get ready for another soaker. Several inches of rain are expected through the end of the day, thanks to tropical moisture that’s being drawn into the region. Flood watches are in the forecast. But, as VPR’s Ross Sneyd reports, some weather-dependent businesses say that won’t slow them down.
VPR News

Nader, Barr, Phillies trying for NH prez ballot

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Third-party candidates Ralph Nader and Bob Barr are working to beat a deadline to qualify for New Hampshire’s presidential ballot as alternatives to Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama.
VPR News

Welch faces primary race

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Congressman Peter Welch is heading into his first re-election season facing a Democratic primary challenge from a candidate who feels he hasn’t done enough to end the war in Iraq.
Classical Music with Cheryl Willoughby

Morning Classics

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Banjo player Jayme Stone says that “Blending genres is like trying to braid water: you quickly find out it’s all one thing anyway.” Arts and literature are similarly intertwined.  This morning’s music includes Gustav Holst’s tribute to Thomas Hardy, and Thomas Albert’s musical rendering of the classic Wallace Stevens poem "Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird."
Classical Music with Joe Goetz

Afternoon Classics

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Poish statesman and composer Ignacy Jan Paderewski and his Piano Concerto in A Minor, plus lots of other piano gems today by the likes of Mendelssohn, Chopin, and Faure.
VPR News

VPR Evening News July 22nd, 2008

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Who’s running and who’s not this election season;  Legislative leaders accuse the Douglas Administration of hindering a Vermont Yankee independent review; CCTA is looking to reduce service and raise fares; “Click It Or Ticket” program is working: and commentator Jay Parini on naming boats.
Vermont Edition

Religion in Vermont

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Vermonters are less interested in organized religion than most Americans. We’ll talk about how we view religion and national trends in churchgoing. We’ll also visit a Vermont rest area that’s on the cutting edge of green technology, and talk with a man who lovingly restores old canoes.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: July 22, 2008

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Fuel prices may force changes at public transit agency; Gaye Symington doesn’t believe Anthony Pollina’s Independent status will affect the race; Barre city councilors get their first chance to consider mayor’s sex offender proposal; New York’s attorney general opens investigation of two companies that operate wind farms in the state; Truck detour in the Upper Valley.
Commentary Series

New Yorker Cover

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The cover of a recent New Yorker magazine features a satirical drawing of Barak and Michelle Obama portrayed as Muslim terrorists in the Oval Office. As Vermont Humanities Council executive director and commentator Peter Gilbert explains, the resulting uproar has its roots in the very nature of satire and irony.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: July 22, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: It’s unlikely the governor will call a special session in the wake of the Brooke Bennett case;  Police are searching for about two dozen convicted sex offenders who couldn’t be found during a recent sweep of Chittenden County; Progressive Party candidate Anthony Pollina says he’s decided to run as an Independent candidate this fall…
Classical Music with Cheryl Willoughby

Morning Classics

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What do two Dons (Quixote and Juan), Henry Longfellow, and Liberace have in common? Not much. In fact, it would seem, the only common denominator here is the fact that they all figure into this morning’s music mix. But what a mix!  
VPR News

VPR Evening News July 21st, 2008

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Gubernatorial candidate Anthony Pollina will run as an Independent; The Governor and legislative leaders remain at odds over a special session; Some Vermont prosecutors question “Jessica’s Law”; We meet a fan anxious for this evening’s Elton John performance.
Commentary Series

Name That Boat

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Commentator Jay Parini is a teacher, novelist, biographer and poet – with a special fondness for boats – and the names people give them.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: July 21, 2008

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Deadline today for political candidates to get their names on the ballot for this fall’s elections; two gubernatorial candidates raise serious questions about Vermont Yankee operation; cheese aging facility in Greensboro hopes to help artisan cheesemakers; heavy trucks to be banned from the U.S. Route 4 bridge over the Connecticut River.
Vermont Edition
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Prosecuting Sex Offenders

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We talk with state’s attorneys about their experiences prosecuting sex offenders. Then, we hear from reporter Candace Page about the state’s efforts to control stormwater, and we visit with one Elton John fan who is eagerly awaiting the singer’s first concert in Vermont.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: July 21, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Burlington police say a 28-year-old man is in jail after being charged with making a false report about an abducted child; Jasper Hill Farm becomes the latest enterprise to boost Vermont’s agriculture industry – a series of climate-controlled caves where cheese can be stored as it ages…
VPR News
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Climate-controlled cave helps Vermont cheesemakers

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Tucked in the hills of Greensboro, Jasper Hill Farm is the picture of serenity. But below ground, it’s become the latest enterprise to boost Vermont’s agriculture industry – a series of climate-controlled caves where cheese can be stored as it ages. VPR’s Amy Noyes recently paid a visit.
VPR News

Anglican bishops open key summit in UK

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Anglican bishops have opened their once-a-decade summit in England, hearing a plea for unity despite deep rifts over the Bible and homosexuality that stems from New Hampshire’s consecration of the first openly gay Episcopalian bishop.
Classical Music with Joe Goetz

Afternoon Classics

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Hilary Hahn gives a stirring performance of Beethoven’s Violin Concerto, and we’ll hear youthful music of Janacek and the mournful tones of Dvorak’s "Dumky" Trio.
Commentary Series

Water

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Commentator Timothy McQuiston is editor of Vermont Business Magazine. And he says that in the years ahead, the politics of water may have a greater impact on Vermont than the politics of oil.
Saturday Afternoon at the Opera

Six American Singers

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Six American singers: James Melton, tenor (introduced by is daughter, Margo Melton Nutt); Renée Fleming, soprano; Lawrence Tibbett, baritone; Marilyn Horne, mezzo-soprano; Paul Robeson, bass; and Marian Anderson, contralto
My Place with Joel Najman

The Continuing Legacy Of Bo Diddley – Other Artists’ Hits With That ‘Bo Diddley Beat’

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On a previous "My Place" program we celebrated the life of the late Bo Diddley through the music he recorded during his fifty-year career as an entertainer and Rock&Roll innovator. Such has been the influence of Bo Diddley that many other artists over the past half-century have adopted that signature "Bo Diddley Beat" in their own hit recordings. Joel Najman”s "My Place" program this week features an hour of memorable recordings by a number of these other artists who successfully incorporated the "Bo Diddley Beat" in their own hit records.  Joel Najman’s "My Place", Saturdays 8-9PM following "A Prairie Home Companion" on Vermont Public Radio.
VPR News

VPR Evening News July 18th, 2008

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Vermont Yankee is criticized for poor management and lax state oversight; Senator Patrick Leahy is hopeful for better U.S. relations with Iran; Severe thunderstorms this afternoon caused damage and power outages; Heavy trucks will soon be banned from the Route 4 bridge in the Upper Valley; Quebec nationalists oppose Paul McCartney’s appearance at city’s anniversary celebration.
Commentary Series

Seneca Falls

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July is a revolutionary month.  Americans declared their independence on July 4th; Bastille Day – July 14th – marks the outbreak of the French Revolution. Teacher and historian Vic Henningsen reminds us of another revolutionary act whose 160th anniversary we observe this weekend.
VPR News

Problems at Vermont Yankee shake public confidence

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Critics of Vermont Yankee say the most recent problems with the nuclear plant’s cooling tower show a disturbing pattern of poor management and lax state oversight. But state officials say they’re not getting the cooperation they need from the plant’s operators.
VPR News
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Backstage: ‘Batboy – The Musical’

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If you’re in the mood for some tabloid hysteria, look no further than Stowe Theater Guild’s production of "Batboy — The Musical." Described as "a musical comedy with bite," Batboy is based on the "Weekly World News" story of a half-boy, half-bat found living in a West Virginia cave.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: July 18, 2008

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Vermont Yankee critics say cooling tower problems show pattern of poor management; Bernie Sanders says Al Gore should be applauded for setting a goal of weaning the U.S. off of fossil fuels; It’s another day of hot, sticky weather and dirty air for parts of VT; a major expansion and renovation project has gotten under way at a hospital in southwestern New Hampshire.
Classical Music with Cheryl Willoughby

Morning Classics

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Galway Kinnell describes the distinction between a good poem and a great poem as being measured in a poet’s willingness to not avoid the hard subjects. Artists have always been society’s greatest interpreters: in everything from nature, to politics and our relationships to each other. Reflections of the natural world this morning with Respighi’s "Cuckoo", Haydn’s "Bird" Quartet, and Ireland’s "A Downland Suite".
VPR News

Morning Newscast: July 18, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Federal regulators have turned down the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant’s plan to use some of the money from its decommissioning fund for management of the plant’s nuclear waste; Congressman Peter Welch says Congress needs to end the political gridlock over rising energy prices and he’ll back a bipartisan plan that includes additional drilling options for oil companies…
VPR News

Vermont’s state parks in need of upkeep

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Vermont’s state parks remain popular among residents and out-of-state visitors. But many of the parks are showing their age, and the state estimates it would cost $40 million to get them back in shape. As VPR’s Ross Sneyd reports, a special commission expects to make recommendations within a month about how to deal with the backlog.
VPR News

Dig under way at Crown Point

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Archaeologists are wrapping up the first half of a two-week excavation at an upstate New York historic site that was considered one of the most strategic military outposts in North America.
Vermont Edition

Senator Patrick Leahy

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We ask the senator about rising energy costs, and what role he expects to play in helping the Obama campaign choose a running mate. Also, news analysis with VPR’s John Dillon and a look back at the voices in the news this week.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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Vermont pianist Diana Fanning plays Chopin’s 3rd Sonata; plus Beethoven’s music for Goethe’s Egmont; and Brahms’ Piano Quintet in F minor, played by Leon Fleisher and the Emerson Quartet.
VPR News

VPR Evening News July 17th, 2008

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Congressman Peter Welch backs a bipartisan plan addressing rising energy prices; A civil-rights committee hears stories of racial profiling in Vermont; The Christopher Williams trial goes to the jury; Fire destroys the Butternut Inn in Stowe; and Senator Patrick Leahy and “Batman”.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: July 17, 2008

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Vermont Yankee has boosted its power output to 50%; solar power has become an attractive option for consumers;  the trial against a man charged with killing two people in a 2006 shooting rampage could wrap up soon; Rutland Mayor Christopher Louras wants to crack down on sex offenders.
Vermont Edition
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Vermont State Parks

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The state’s parks are increasingly popular destinations for Vermonters and visitors, but the parks are feeling the strain. We look at what kind of use our state parks are getting and what it takes to keep them running.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: July 17, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: The state is cracking down on two large-scale composting operations, and the legal actions may force both to shut down. But some critics complain of selective enforcement when it comes to pollution under Act 250 in Vermont; Fuel prices have gotten so high that many homeowners and businesses have begun to look for energy alternatives, such as solar power…
VPR News

Advocates say solar power viable in New England

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Fuel prices have gotten so high that many homeowners and businesses have begun to look for energy alternatives, such as solar power. As VPR’s Ross Sneyd reports, advocates say solar is viable in northern New England even though the region gets less sunlight than just about any place else in the country.
VPR News

Vermont Yankee power output at 50 percent

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Technicians at the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant have finished repairs on one of two sets of 11 cooling towers. And they’ve boosted the plant’s power level to 50 percent of its normal 650-megawatt output.
Classical Music with Joe Goetz

Afternoon Classics

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Celebrating the birthday of PDQ Bach (I mean Peter Schickele….), and great performances of 20th century masterpieces such as the Hapr COncerto of Ginastera and Richard Straus’s Metamorphosen for 23 solo strings.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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Today we feature a ‘jumbo classic,’ Anton Bruckner’s Symphony No. 5 in B flat; plus the Piano Trio of Rebecca Clarke, which the Point Counterpoint Chamber Players will perform on Friday at Salisbury Congregational Church.  
VPR News

VPR Evening News July 16th, 2008

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Still no decision on a special legislative session on the Brooke Bennett murder case; The state is cracking down on two large-scale composting operations; Schools team up with a high-tech science program; Shrewsbury’s town clerk has died; and commentator Deborah Luskin with chicken wisdom..
Commentary Series

Chicken Wisdom

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Humans have been living with chickens for millennia, which may explain why our language is rife with chicken metaphors. After twenty years of tending poultry, commentator Deborah Luskin has learned to question the truth of some bits of chicken wisdom, and to revere the truth in others.
VPR News

State cracks down on compost operations

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The state is cracking down on two large-scale composting operations, and the legal actions may force both to shut down. But some critics complain of selective enforcement when it comes to pollution under Act 250 in Vermont.
VPR News
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Audio Postcard: Wilmington, VT

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The Mountain Mills is a 55-passenger cruise boat that tours the Harriman Reservoir in Wilmington. It’s named after the little logging community that disappeared in the 1920s when the Deerfield River was dammed to generate power. VPR’s Susan Keese paid a visit to Wilmington to see the boat close-up.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: July 16, 2008

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Vermont schoolchildren may help the aviation industry solve problems; historians say Vermont has done an exceptional job at making one of its key historic sites accessible;  Bennington County’s state’s attorney asks U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a decision.
Commentary Series

Worry

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Commentator Mary McCallum is a free lance writer and teacher who says that supporting her elderly parents’ decision to continue living at home – in spite of serious health issues – has been a challenge.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: July 16, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Trouble continues at Vermont Yankee nuclear plant, and they’ve attracted the attention of federal and state regulators;  A recent report by the Attorney General’s office says drug companies are targeting key doctors in the state, in hopes of influencing the decisions other doctors make;  Governor Jim Douglas is praising Vermont’s first two-day sales tax holiday and has hinted he’d support making it an annual event…
VPR News

President declares Vt. flood disaster

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President Bush has declared Addison and Franklin counties disaster areas, making them eligible for federal assistance in repairing damage from last month’s flooding.
Classical Music with Cheryl Willoughby

Morning Classics

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The incomparable Régine Crespin sings a song of languid summer nights, from the Berlioz cycle "Les nuits d’étè"…and by listener request, we’ll revisit the 1990 New Year’s Day in Vienna concert for "Tales from the Vienna Woods".
In Concert @ 8

New York Philharmonic

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A retrospective of the innovative DG concert series, featuring an interview with Philharmonic music director Lorin Maazel.
VPR News

VPR Evening News July 15th, 2008

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Senate Democrats announce public hearings relating to the Brooke Bennett murder case; Prosecution rests in the Christopher Williams murder case; Vermont dairy farms sell cow embryos to Argentina; New Hampshire’s unemployment rate stays the same; Ben and Jerry’s creates ice cream for Elton John; and commentator Ruth Page on the shrew.
Commentary Series

Shrews

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Commentator Ruth Page has lived in Vermont and followed environmental issues for many years. But her fascination for the natural world is as strong as ever, and it still often takes her by surprise.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: July 15, 2008

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Here are the top stories at noon: Senate Democratic leaders are calling for Senate Judiciary Committee to investigate the Brooke Bennett case and to consider a series of reforms; The Washington Electric Cooperative wants to expand their methane generating plant at the Coventry landfill…
Commentary Series

Poetic Rivalry

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It’s the time of year for hoeing one’s garden. Commentator and Executive Director of the Vermont Humanities Council Peter Gilbert tells us about a Robert Frost poem that seems to be about hoeing a garden and a roadside visit with a friend. But it may, in fact, set forth the terms of a poetic rivalry between two literary titans.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: July 15, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission wants to know if repairs made last year contributed to the latest problem with Vermont Yankee’s cooling towers;  New Hampshire’s congressional delegation is divided along party lines on President Bush’s decision to lift an executive ban on offshore oil drilling…
VPR News

Symington calls Douglas to task in Bennett case

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The Democratic candidate for governor, Gaye Symington, is calling for an investigation of why the Vermont Department of Corrections recommended that convicted sex offender Michael Jacques be released from probation seven years early and without supervision.
Classical Music with Cheryl Willoughby

Morning Classics

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We’ll take a walk through a summer garden this morning, in music by Delius – and experience the residents of the toy shop coming to life when the toymaker leaves for the day: by listener request, it’s Respighi’s "Fantastic Toyshop".
VPR News

VPR Evening News July 14th, 2008

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The debate about tougher laws for convicted sex offenders continues to escalate; The NRC sends a team of investigators to Vermont Yankee;  CVPS starts up its home heating aid program early; and commentator Mike Martin on democracy in France.
VPR News

CVPS launches home heating program early

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CVPS says it will start its emergency home heating aid program five months early this year, in anticipation of what it calls a "grave situation" among people overwhelmed by high fuel costs.
VPR News

VT Edition: Martha Tormey

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  Comic Martha Tormey talks about her encounters with a mischievous friend and some frightening fauna.    
VPR News

Midday Newscast: July 14, 2008

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Here are the top stories at noon: Lieutenant Governor Brian Dubie wants the governor to call a special legislative session to consider a series of legislative reforms; The Nuclear Regulator Commission is sending experts to investigate a cooling tower leak at Vermont Yankee; Progressive gubernatorial candidate Anthony Pollina is proposing a new credit card…
Commentary Series

What to Tell the Children

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Commentator Sharon Lamb is a professor of psychology at Saint Michael’s College and a practicing therapist. This morning, she has some practical advice about how to talk to children when bad things happen – like the recent murder of 12 year old Brooke Bennett.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: July 14, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Vermont Yankee nuclear plant remains at only 25 percent power today in the wake of discovery of problems in cooling towers and continued low flow of its water source — the Connecticut River;  With heating oil prices skyrocketing, many people are looking at alternative, less costly ways to heat their homes…
VPR News

Demand increases for pellet stoves

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With heating oil prices skyrocketing, many people are looking at alternative, less costly ways to heat their homes.  Among the most popular in this part of the country are wood pellet stoves and furnaces.   But as VPR’s Nina Keck reports pellets and stoves are increasingly hard to come by.
In Concert @ 8

SymphonyCast

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A fire this spring nearly claimed the longtime residence of the Berlin Philharmonic. Thankfully, the firefighters were able to put out the blaze with the skill of a surgeon and so, for tonight’s concert, we celebrate the Philharmonic’s homecoming.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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For Bastille Day, an hour with the Orchestra of the Bastille, including Saint-Saens’ Organ Symphony; plus Gerald Finzi’s music for Love’s Labours Lost; the Symphonic Etudes of Schumann, played by Maurizio Pollini; and a recent recording of Gershwin’s Piano Concerto in F from Anne-Marie McDermott.
Commentary Series

Bastille Day

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Today France is celebrating Bastille Day and the democratic ideals of the French Republic, but commentator Mike Martin – who teaches French at Champlain Valley Union High School and writes about issues of culture and education – says that some French are worried that their president isn’t doing enough to promote democracy and human rights in his foreign policy.
My Place with Joel Najman

A Musical Remembrance Of Bo Diddley

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When the entertainer known as Bo Diddley died on March 2, 2008 at age 79, Rock & Roll lost one of its founding fathers and most creative innovators. Known for his famous rectangular guitars and pounding, mesmerizing rhythms, Bo Diddley will forever be remembered for his distinctive trademark "Bo Diddley Beat".  On July 12, 2008 Joel Najman’s "My Place" program celebrates Bo Diddley’s life and music. "My Place", from 8-9PM Saturdays following "A Prairie Home Companion" on Vermont Public Radio.
VPR News

VPR Evening News July 11th, 2008

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Vermont Yankee cuts its power output because of a cooling tower leak; A Bennington couple may be additionally compensated for land lost to a highway project; Barre considers a sex offender housing ordinance; A tax holiday in Vermont this weekend; and Burlington increases parking fees.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: July 11, 2008

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Here are the top stories at noon: Vermonters can take a holiday this weekend, at least if they want to avoid the state sales tax; The owners of Vermont Yankee are making the economic argument that what’s good for the company is good for the state; Shelburne philanthropist Lois McClure says Vermont has to get ready to care for its aging population…
Vermont Edition
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Annual Baseball Show!

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Every year near the All-Star Break, Bob Kinzel hosts our baseball call-in program. Die-hard Red Sox and Yankees pledge allegiance to their teams, and we dip into some of the history that makes baseball America’s past time.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: July 11, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Next Thursday Vermont Tubbs in Brandon will close its doors for good, leaving over 90 employees wondering what’s next; The University of Vermont has created a new “Center on Aging” that will use research and education to help people stay healthy as they grow older…
VPR News

UVM Center for Aging receives $5 million

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Vermont has the second oldest population in the country, and that has implications for everything from health care to employment. So the University of Vermont has created a new “Center on Aging” that will use research and education to help people stay healthy as they grow older. And as VPR’s Ross Sneyd reports, one of the state’s top philanthropists gave $5 million to get the work started.
VPR News

Vermont Tubbs lays off 90 workers

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Vermont Tubbs can trace it roots back 168 years.  That’s when William F. Tubbs began using steam to bend ash into snowshoes and skis.    The company opened its furniture factory in Brandon in 1996. Next Thursday that factory will close its doors for good, leaving over 90 employees wondering what’s next.   VPR’s Nina Keck reports.
VPR News

Sanders opposes cuts to weatherization bill

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Senator Bernie Sanders is part of a bipartisan group of senators from cold-weather states criticizing plans to cut a federal program that helps low-income families make their homes more energy efficient.
VPR News

Aquatic algae now found in Mad River

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State officials say an invasive aquatic algae that turned up last summer in the Connecticut and White rivers and the Batten Kill has now been spotted in the Mad River, its first incursion into the Lake Champlain basin.
Classical Music with Cheryl Willoughby

Morning Classics

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Benjamin Britten as composer AND conductor, from a 1964 recording of the "Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra" – and the rich baritone of Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau narrates the story of both trout – and fisherman! – in Schubert’s song, "Die Forelle".
In Concert @ 8

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

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During Riccardo Muti’s residency in the fall of 2007, he conducted several concerts and took the orchestra on tour to Europe.  Tonight’s program features music from those performances.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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We have "serious" music today: Berwald’s Sinfonie Serieuse and Beethoven’s Quartetto Serioso; plus Reger’s Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Mozart; and Copland’s Appalachian Spring from the 2006 Marlboro Music Festival.
VPR News

VPR Evening News July 10th, 2008

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State’s leaders disagree on how to reduce sexual violence; Prosecutors question whether tougher penalties make the public safer from sexual predators; More than 90 workers will be affected by closing of Vermont Tubbs; and commentator Ron Krupp on why the cost of food has risen so sharply.
Commentary Series

Food Crisis

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Author, gardener, and commentator Ron Krupp has been thinking about food, and why the cost of food has risen so sharply in recent months.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: July 10, 2008

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Here are the top stories at noon: Springfield has turned to Hollywood as the town begins to recover from a devastating fire taht hit the downtown earlier this week; Congressman Peter Welch says he thinks Washington can benefit from his experiences in Vermont dealing with health care reform…
VPR News
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VT Edition Interview: Chip Darmstadt on BioBlitz

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This Friday, Montpelier will host the state’s largest gathering of biologists and naturalists. Their goal: to identify as many species within city limits, and all within 24 hours. It’s called BioBlitz, and we take a walk through the city with one of the event’s organizers, Chip Darmstadt.
Commentary Series

Mary Cassatt

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There’s an important show of the American Impressionist Mary Cassatt currently at the Shelburne Museum.  Commentator Tom Slayton is editor-emeritus of Vermont Life magazine. He was there and has these thoughts.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: July 10, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: With Congressional approval of a new intelligence gathering law, Vermont will be forced to end its investigation into possible illegal wiretapping activities by a number of phone companies;  A landmark building in downtown Springfield sits empty today, partially gutted by a stubborn fire that burned for hours. It has been ruled an act of arson, and an 18-year old man is in custody…
VPR News

Springfield fire has potential to transform downtown

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A landmark building in downtown Springfield sits empty today, partially gutted by a stubborn fire that burned for hours. It has been ruled an act of arson, and an 18-year old man is in custody. As VPR’s Ross Sneyd reports, fire has transformed many other Vermont communities over the years.
VPR News

Welch sponsors health care reform bill

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Some members of Congress are getting an early start on what’s expected to be a big debate next year on the U-S health care system. Peter Welch is one of them. Todd Zwillich has more.
Classical Music with Cheryl Willoughby

Morning Classics

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Listener requests for Ravel’s "Valse Nobles et Sentimentales", and Mozart’s Horn Concerto #1. And Thomas Campion relates the many pleasures of taking a nap on a summer afternoon, in his lovely song "It Fell on a Summer’s Day".
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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We celebrate Carl Orff’s birthday with something OTHER than his Carmina Burana: a Little Concerto for Winds and Harpsichord, based on 16th-century lute music; plus Schoenberg’s Transfigured Night; Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1, played by Yundi Li; and a recent recording of Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 from Trevor Pinnock’s new group, the European Brandenburg Ensemble.  
VPR News

Evening Newscast: July 9, 2008

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Hundreds turn out for Brooke Bennett’s funeral; a new Congressional law puts an end to a Vermont wiretap investigation; critics say an OMYA landfill permit is illegal;a landmark building in Springfield was gutted today by a stubborn fire.
VPR News
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Funeral held for Brooke Bennett

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The funeral service for Brooke Bennett was held today. The 12-year-old Braintree girl’s disappearance and death triggered an intensive federal and state investigation and led to the filing of kidnapping charges against her uncle.
VPR News

Critics say OMYA permit is illegal

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A federal judge has ruled that chemicals leaking from Omya’s landfills in Pittsford could threaten human health. But the state is close to granting Omya a permit that would allow the company to keep operating the waste site for two more years.
VPR News

Bill Schubart on “The Right to Dry”

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That long holiday weekend we just had was filled with warm sunny days – perfect for hanging your laundry outside on a line.  That is, if you’re allowed to.  Independence Day gave commentator Bill Schubart a chance to reflect on the "right to dry."
VPR News

Midday Newscast: July 9, 2008

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A major fire hits downtown Springfield overnight; the funeral for 12-year-old Brooke Bennett of Braintree takes place; the Christopher Williams trial is underway; the chief of mental health at Vermont’s Veterans Administration Medical Center is seeing mixed results in treating younger veterans for combat stress.
Commentary Series

The Right to Dry

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That long holiday weekend we just had was filled with warm sunny days – perfect for hanging your laundry outside on a line.  That is, if you’re allowed to.  Independence Day gave commentator Bill Schubart a chance to reflect on the "right to dry."
Vermont Edition

Guantanamo Bay detainees

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Three Vermont lawyers are doing pro bono work for detainees. They’ll explain the impact of last month’s Supreme Court ruling, and update us on the results of hearing on Tuesday that might clarify the next steps for court proceedings.
VPR News

Voters OK fiscal measures in Arlington

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Voters in Arlington have approved a pair of ballot articles – one that will combine separate town funds into a capital reserve fund, and another that OKs $10,000 for cemetery maintenance.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: July 9, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Vermont fields have been busy for the past week or so with farmers cutting, raking and baling hay. But high fuel prices and some bad timing on weather has made it more expensive to make all of that hay. Betty Bandel, a longtime University of Vermont English professor, has died at the age of 95.
VPR News

Farmers expect high hay prices

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Vermont fields have been busy for the past week or so with farmers cutting, raking and baling hay. But high fuel prices and some bad timing on weather has made it more expensive to make all of that hay. As VPR’s Ross Sneyd reports, that could drive up the cost of raising livestock.
Classical Music with Cheryl Willoughby

Morning Classics

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Taking a stroll along the musical timeline this morning: we’ll hear a contemporary portrait of London in Edward Elgar’s "Cockaigne Overture", the sounds of Elizabethan England from Anthony Holborne, and Alexander Glazunov’s suite "From the Middle Ages".
Classical Music with Joe Goetz
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Afternoon Classics

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Deustche Grammophon just released the final public recital given by Vladimir Horowitz, a recording that, until now, was not available. This afternoon beginning at 3, we’ll sample some of the works from that magical performance that took place in Hamburg on June 21, 1987.
Commentary Series

The New News

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Commentator Bill Mares is an author, as well as a former teacher and legislator. He has also worked as a journalist. Lately, he’s been thinking a lot about how the news business is changing.
VPR News

Evening Newscast: July 8, 2008

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Report says drug companies spend millions in marketing to Vermont physicians, a food drive will complement this weekend’s tax-free shopping, longtime UVM English professor has died, commentator Bill Mares on news business changes.
VPR News
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Audio Postcard: Mount Holly, VT

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Every Vermont town has something unique to brag about in its history or geography.  But one town has a very unusual claim to fame.  The Rutland county community of Mount Holly, can boast of a link to Vermont’s prehistoric past.
VPR News

VT Edition Interview: John Kart & Rose Paul on efforts to remove invasive species in Vermont

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Jon Kart is a prime mover behind his town’s effort to save its highly prized flood plain forests from an onslaught of Japanese knotweed, barberry and garlic mustard. Rose Paul is co-chair of the Vermont Invasive Exotic Plant Committee. They spoke with VPR’s Jane Lindholm about why and how Vermonters from all walks of life are pulling up hundreds of pounds of invasives.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: July 8, 2008

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Weather is making it difficult for many people to breathe; Border Patrol says four people were involved in a confrontation; retailers say they hope sales tax holiday helps food shelves; young snowmobilers in New Hampshire will have to take some extra safety precautions next winter.
VPR News
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Morning Newscast: July 8, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Jury selection is moving faster than expected in the trial of the man charged with killing two people in Essex in August 2006;  Democratic challenger Gaye Symington says Governor Jim Douglas is not moving quickly to get additional funds out to Vermonters for home weatherization projects…
Classical Music with Cheryl Willoughby

Morning Classics

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Our summer "traveling with music" series continues today…destination: Italy! A collection of Neapolitan concertos, Mendelssohn’s "Italian" Symphony #4, and music from the man who said he "was, is, and will always be a simple peasant from Roncole (Italy)" – Giuseppe Verdi.
Commentary Series

IBM

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Commentator Tim McQuiston says that while IBM employees, and indeed the entire state, shivers every time there’s a rumor of a layoff, the company must itself wonder how its valuable Vermont plant fits into its own plans.
VPR News

Evening Newscast: July 7, 2008

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Delegation wants to increase heating aid; rates lowered for student loans; agent assaulted at border; former stepfather charged in Brooke Bennett case; and commentator Philip Baruth on a summer film.
Commentary Series

The Unbearable Realness of Wall-E

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For Commentator Philip Baruth, summer blockbusters are like Christmas fruitcakes: not very enjoyable, but at least they let you know what month it is.  Philip went to see Pixar’s animated tale Wall-E and found it just so-so.  That is, until life began to imitate art.  And then he had the time of his life.
VPR News

VPR Evening Newscast, July 7, 2008

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VT delegation hop to double low heating assistance money; VSAC loans for college students are going down.  U.S. Border Patrol officer fired shots in a scuffle in the woods at the Derby Line; Aabama authorities file child pornography charges against Brooke Bennett’s former stepfather; commentator Philip Baruth on life, art and the Pixar film WALL-E.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: July 7, 2008

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U.S. Border agent shoots at three suspects in Derby Line; Congressional delegation seeks assistance to help poor families heat their homes; Thomas Costello says he plans to run for lieutenant governor;  student loan rates are going down.
Vermont Edition

Efficiency tips to lower your heating bill

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Two experts in heating efficiency will share some valuable advice on what we can do around the house to reduce our heating bills this winter. We’ll hear about some small steps that are surprisingly effective, and what goes into a retrofitting an older home.
Commentary Series

Child Brides

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The parades, fireworks and picnics celebrating our democratic values may be over for another year, but former Vermont governor and commentator Madeleine Kunin wants us to remember that there are still places in the world where basic human rights are denied to many.
VPR News

Interview: VSAC’s Don Vickers on federal student loan rates

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Good new for anyone trying to pay off their student loans-with this year’s annual reset, the federal rate went down. And for families trying to plan for college, the rate for new borrowers will also decrease. Don Vickers, President of the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation tells VPR’s Mitch Wertlieb about the rates.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: July 7, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: The Asa Bloomer state office building in Rutland will reopen today;  A second Democrat is entering the race for Vermont’s lieutenant governor…
VPR News

Longtime Killington town manager retires

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For the first time in 32 years, Dave Lewis is not going to Killington for work. The longtime town manager stepped down from his position at the end of June. As VPR’s Nina Keck reports, after more than three decades on the job, Lewis’s imprint can be found just about everywhere in the resort community.
VPR News

Second Democrat enters Lt. Gov. race

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A second Democrat is entering the race for Vermont’s lieutenant governor, setting up a primary race to choose a candidate to challenge Republican incumbent Brian Dubie.
VPR News

Debit cards arriving at farmers’ markets

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More Vermont farmers’ markets are accepting debit cards and electronic food stamps this summer, making it easier for people to buy local produce, organic cheeses and homemade breads and pies.
VPR News

Second fire at Chittenden jail

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The Vermont State Police are investigating the second arson fire in two days at the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility in South Burlington.
Classical Music with Cheryl Willoughby

Morning Classics

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As we come down from the holiday weekend…music with patriotic themes, including the French national anthem (as heard in Schumann’s "Hermann und Dorothea" Overture), and "God Save the King" (in Clementi’s "Great National" Symphony #3). And, music for summertime!
In Concert @ 8

SymphonyCast

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Olli Mustonen plays a Beethoven concerto in a concert also featuring a rarely-heard symphony.
Sunday Bach

Sunday Bach for July 6th, 2008

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This week on the program we’ll enjoy a brand new recording of the Violin Sonata No. 2 in a minor, with Midori, as well as a new release with Murray Perahia performing the Partita No. 2 in c minor.
VPR Classical Specials
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Classical Fireworks

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It’s "Classical Fireworks" with Cheryl Willoughby for your July 4th evening! This special features all American performers in works like Morton Gould’s "American Salute", John Philip Sousa’s "Stars and Stripes Forever" March, and Victor Herbert’s "American Fantasia".
In Concert @ 8
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Made in America with Bill McGlaughlin

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Celebrate Independence Day with "Made in America" with Bill McGlaughlin. It’s an in-depth evaluation of Joan Tower’s Grammy-winning piece of the same name, which has now been heard by more than 75,000 audience members across the nation!
VPR News

VPR Evening News July 4th, 2008

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A state banking official says the weak economy is to blame for rising home foreclosures; A South Burlington mortgage broker faces jail time for wire fraud; The Middlebury Town Clerk’s office shifts to a four-day week; A historical walking tour of UVM; and commentator Willem Lange on national anthems. 
VPR News

VT Edition: Amy Trubek on “a sense of place” for food

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Amy Trubek, author of The Taste of Place, and a UVM Nutrition and Food Sciences Professor explores why the uniqueness of local taste matters. She speaks with VPR’s Jane Lindholm about terroir-a French term loosely translated as "sense of place" and used originally to describe geographic characteristics of wine, coffee, and tea.
Vermont Edition
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Food and music for July 4th

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We’re celebrating the fourth of July with food and music. We’ll talk with a UVM professor who’s written a book about how regional food is rich in taste and value. And we’re treated to a performance by the Vermont bluegrass group Banjo Dan and the Mid-Nite Plowboys – they have a new album out.
Commentary Series

The Meaning of Independence

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Celebrating Independence Day has special significance in an election year, when we consider where the country’s headed next.  Teacher and historian Vic Henningsen reflects on the politics of independence and its meaning to those who made it.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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American music for Independence Day, including the Second Symphony of Charles Ives (a virtual musical Declaration of Independence); and a recent recording of Gershwin’s SECOND Rhapsody, from pianist Anne-Marie McDermott.  
VPR News

VPR Evening News July 3rd, 2008

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Michael Jacques could face the death penalty; A Northfield businessman enters the race for lieutenant governor as a Democrat; The Vt. Department of Health cancels shingles immunization clinics;  The Asa Bloomer Building in Rutland will reopen next week; and commentator Howard Coffin recounts a Civil War Independence day tale. 
Commentary Series

4th of July

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The 4th of July is most closely associated with the Revolutionary War, but historian and commentator Howard Coffin reminds us that important events also occurred on this date during the Civil War – as reflected in the experiences of two Vermont brothers.
VPR News
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Midday Newscast: July 3, 2008

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Vermont man charged with kidnapping his 12-year-old niece could face death penalty; U.S. Customs officials want to avoid long backups at  Canadian border;  educators meeting in Washington discuss what the national union wants from the next presidential administration. Vermont communities gear up for  Independence Day observances.
Vermont Edition
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For the Love of Jane Austen

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Two women have started a Vermont chapter of the National Jane Austen Society. We talk with them about their passion for the early nineteenth century writer. And we hear about state job cuts, and the political fallout over bonuses for some employees. Then, we stop by an adult kickball league.
Commentary Series

Media Excess

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Did the news media go over the top in devoting far too much time to the death of NBC’s Tim Russert?  This morning, commentator Barrie Dunsmore, who spent more than thirty years as a correspondent for ABC News, has some thoughts on the coverage.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: July 3, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Hours after police announced they had found her body, members of the community gathered to mourn Brooke Bennett’s death.  Customs officials have been looking at ways to minimize wait times at the land ports of entry….
VPR News
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Community holds vigil for Brooke Bennett

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A week after she was reported missing, police believe they have found the body of 12 year old Brooke Bennett of Braintree. Hours after police announced they had found her body, members of the community gathered to mourn Brooke Bennett’s death. VPR’s Steve Zind reports.
VPR News

Spaulding urges speaking out on credit rules

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Vermont State Treasurer Jeb Spaulding is urging Vermonters to speak out before the Aug. 4 deadline for comments on changes to federal rules designed to crack down on what Spaulding calls unfair charges and billing practices by credit card companies.
VPR News

State launches moose permit auction

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For those unlucky in the state’s moose permit lottery, Vermont’s Fish and Wildlife Department once again is offering a chance to bid on a moose permit at auction.
Classical Music with Cheryl Willoughby

Morning Classics

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Spanish/Arabic influences in music by Edvarg Grieg, Francisco Tarrega, and Luigi Boccherini – and, for a summer morning – a visit to the quiet, cool spaces of Robert Schumann’s "Waldzenen" ("Forest Scenes").
VPR News

VPR Evening News July 2nd, 2008

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The Douglas Administration is criticizing Legislative choices for Vermont Yankee overseers; Green Mountain Power wins regulatory approval to reward customers who install solar generators; The Vermont State Treasurer is urging Vermonters to speak out on federal rules on credit card billing practices; A press conference is being held with updates in the case of Brooke Bennett; and commentator Art Woolf on economic interdependence. 
Commentary Series

Interdependence

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Art Woolf teaches economics at UVM and blogs at vermonttiger.com. He says that on the 4th of July, Americans celebrate more than just political freedom.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: July 2, 2008

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Green Mountain Power promotes solar system usage; a contingent of Vermonters is in Quebec City to help commemorate the 400th anniversary of its founding. Vermonters can apply for emergency unemployment benefits soon; the Douglas administration says it can cut 150 government positions without harming public programs.
Vermont Edition
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Vermont’s Gun Culture

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Vermont has the least restrictive gun laws in the nation. In the wake of the recent Supreme Court decision striking down a ban on handguns in our nation’s capital, we look at why Vermont’s gun laws are different, and why gun rights aren’t always a partisan issue.
Commentary Series

Frederick Douglass on 4th of July

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This summer the Rokeby Museum in Ferrisburg is featuring recordings of eight pivotal speeches by American abolitionists. Commentator and executive director of the Vermont Humanities Council Peter Gilbert says that one of them seems especially relevant today – as the Fourth of July approaches.
VPR News
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Interview with Art Cohn aboard the Lois McClure

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Celebrations will take place tomorrow in Quebec City as Quebeckers mark the 400th anniversary of the founding of their city, and Vermont will be well represented by the crew of the replica schooner Lois McClure. Art Cohn, director of the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum is aboard the ship. He speaks with VPR’s Mitch Wertlieb.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: July 2, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: The man charged with going on a shooting rampage in Essex in 2006 has been ruled competent to stand trial;  The new owners of the Jay Peak ski area want to build another hotel, as well as a new water park and a bowling alley…
VPR News

Lynch to sign NH Online Child Safety Act

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Governor John Lynch is signing the New Hampshire Online Child Safety Act this afternoon. The legislation designed to protect children from online predators and child pornographers.
VPR News

Williams ruled competent to stand trial

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The man charged with going on a shooting rampage in Essex in 2006, shooting two teachers at an elementary school in addition to two others, has been ruled competent to stand trial.
In Concert @ 8
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In Concert: A Tribute to Leroy Anderson

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We’ll mark the 100th birthday of Leroy Anderson’s birth (June 29) with a special broadcast of In Concert. One of America’s true musical treasures, Anderson is the man behind iconic classics like "The Waltzing Cat," "Bugler’s Holiday," "The Syncopated Clock," "Sleighride," and "The Typewriter."
VPR News

VPR Evening News July 1st, 2008

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The State Employees Union says government job cuts will harm public programs; Another arrest is made related to a missing 12-year-old girl in Bethel;  New provisions in Vermont’s lead law take effect today; Heavy rains compound flood cleanup efforts in Rutland; and commentator Deborah Luskin unplugs the clothes dryer. 
Commentary Series

Simple Solar Power

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It takes an active homeowner to take advantage of passive energy. Commentator Deborah Luskin and her family have recently accepted the challenge to make one, small, green change in their lives.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: July 1, 2008

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Jay Peak Resort has been sold; new lead poisoning provisions go into effect; some Chittenden Bank customers have been prevented from making credit purchases with their ATM cards; a Texas man is due in court today on a charge of aggravated sexual assault of a minor.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: July 1, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Many downtown Rutland retailers complain that even if they weren’t hurt by flood waters again, they’ve been hit hard by the perception that downtown Rutland is close;  About 15,000 Chittenden Bank customers have gotten a surprise the past few days when they tried to make purchases with their ATM cards; the Jay Peak Ski Resort has a new owner, but the faces in the front office won’t be changing much…
VPR News

Rutland retailers say downtown is open for business

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More heavy rains over the weekend compounded clean up efforts for some downtown Rutland businesses that were flooded last month. But as VPR’s Nina Keck reports, many retailers complain that even if they weren’t hurt by flood waters again, they’ve been hit hard by the perception that downtown Rutland is closed.
VPR News

Acting U.S. Surgeon General visits NH

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The country’s acting Surgeon General is honoring a program in Keene, New Hampshire today that focuses on nutrition and gardening for preschool children.
Classical Music with Joe Goetz

Afternoon Classics

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Different concertos each hour this afternoon…for two pianos by Bruch, for bassoon by Hummel, for violin by Barber, and for cello by Lalo…plus a gorgeous performance by the brother and sister duo of Gil and Orli Shaham.
VPR News

VPR Evening News June 30th, 2008

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An environmental group says the state has failed to adequately control pollution form large farms; An investigation into the disappearance of a 21-year-old Braintree girl is now focusing on her uncle; Progressive Anthony Pollina is attacking incumbent Governor Jim Douglas for cutting the state workforce while rewarding top officials with bonuses; More Vermont families have been hit by the slow economy; and commentator Ruth Page on jellyfish.
VPR News

Backstage: Doubt

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The Weston Playhouse Theatre Company is kicking off its 2008 season with the Pulitzer Prize winning drama ‘Doubt’ by John Patrick Schanley
VPR News

Midday Newscast: June 30, 2008

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New reason for concern about families stuggling to pay for their basic needs; fuel prices are on the minds of Vermont’s congressional delegation; environmental group says VANR has failed to control large farm pollution; Anthony Pollina  attacks Gov. Jim Douglas for cutting the state work force.
Vermont Edition
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Can government ease winter heating costs?

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The program that helps low-income Vermonters pay for heat is at least $19 million short this year, and middle income Vermonters are also struggling to plan for winter. We’ll look at whether federal and state government can ease the concern about heating costs.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: June 30, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: How much do lawmakers in Washington really know and understand about the changing economic circumstances of people in Vermont? Congress is talking a lot about real-world problems like rising gas prices and falling home values; but what effect will legislative wrangling have in the here-and-now? 
VPR News

Congressional delegation says gas, home prices to be addressed

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How much do lawmakers in Washington really know and understand about the changing economic circumstances of people in Vermont? Congress is talking a lot about real-world problems like rising gas prices and falling home values; but what effect will legislative wrangling have in the here-and-now? Elizabeth Wynne Johnson has this report from Capitol Hill:
Sunday Bach

Sunday Bach for June 29th, 2008

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Enjoy works for orchestra, strings and choir, this Sunday at 7, on Sunday Bach. We’ll feature the Sonata Number 5 for Violin and Harpsichord with Guiliano Carmignola and Andrea Marcon, along with the Keyboard concerto Number 7 with Christopher Hogwood and the Academy of Ancient Music.
My Place with Joel Najman

Some Big Names Of Early Country Music Who Attempted Teenage Rock&Roll

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Some of Country Music’s most famous recording stars of the 1950’s and 1960’s tried their hand at teenage Rock&Roll during the Rock&Roll explosion of the mid-1950’s.  Joel Najman’s "My Place" program this week featrures a number of these rarely-heard recordings.  "My Place" – Saturdays from 8-9PM following "A Prairie Home Companion" on Vermont Public Radio.
VPR News

VPR Evening News June 27th, 2008

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A new report shows that phosphorus pollution remains high in sections of Lake Champlain; Vermont State Police say their investigation into the whereabouts of a missing 12-year-old is concentrating on a social-networking Website; A federal appeals court in Manhattan has upheld the death sentence for Donald Fell; Members of the Civilian Conservation Corps will gather in Marshfield tomorrow to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the program; and commentator Willem Lange on the earwig.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: June 27, 2008

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Report says little progress made on Lake Champlain phosphorous reduction;  appeals court upholds Fell death penalty;  Gubernatorial candidates say economy will be the biggest factor in this year’s election; Civilian Conservation Corps members to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Corps’ founding.
Vermont Edition

Summer Camp

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Across Vermont, kids are packing their swimsuits, sleeping bags, and mosquito repellant and heading off to summer camp. We talk about what kids learn from the experience today. Also, we hear from John Gregg about New Hampshire’s role in the presidential election, and we look back at the week’s top stories.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: June 27, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: All three major party candidates for governor agree on one thing – the condition of the Vermont economy is the most important issue in their campaign. But they have different ideas about how to create more good paying jobs in the state;  more…
VPR News

SBA loans available for flood damage

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The U.S. Small Business Administration has issued a disaster declaration for four Vermont counties in the wake of June 14 flooding that damaged buildings and businesses in Rutland.
VPR News

Gubernatorial candidates agree, economy is top issue

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All three major party candidates for governor agree on one thing – the condition of the Vermont economy is the most important issue in their campaign. But they have different ideas about how to create more good paying jobs in the state. VPR’s Bob Kinzel reports.
VPR News

Telecom panels say keep Al-Jazeera

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Two committees that oversee Burlington Telecom are recommending that the city-owned cable television system continue to broadcast the English-language programming of Al-Jazeera.
VPR News

Brattleboro holds town meeting on racism

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Nearly 200 people turned out last night for a community forum on racism in Brattleboro, where the discovery of a racist group and the arrest of a teenager on hate crime charges has shaken people up.
VPR News

VPR Evening News June 26th, 2008

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A legislative committee is scrambling to find ways to help Vermonters pay for the skyrocketing cost of heating fuel; Senator Patrick Leahy is applauding the Supreme Court decision overturning the District of Columbia’s tough restrictions on gun ownership; Governor Douglas says Vermont lawmakers didn’t take enough action to lower property tax bills; Dr. Wendy Davis has been appointed the new acting commissioner of the Vermont Department of Health; The Vermont State Police issued an Amber Alert today as part of the search for a missing 12-year-old girl; Two Vermont National Guard soldiers will be decorated with Purple Hearts this weekend; and commentator Bill Shutkin says that when it comes to climate change, vision is more important than technology.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: June 26, 2008

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The Joint Fiscal Committee holds an emergency meeting on a $19 million short fall in LIHEAP funding;  Leahy lauds the Supreme Court ruling on the second amendment, and he says he’ll vote against the FISA bill;more…
VPR News
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Interview: Fast Food Nation author Eric Schlosser

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The rising cost and shortages of food world-wide are putting a spotlight on the politics of what we eat. And in Burlington this Saturday the topic will be explored further when Eric Schlosser joins Senator Bernie Sanders for a town hall meeting on sustainable agriculture and other food-related issues. Scholsser speaks with VPR’s Mitch Wertlieb.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: June 26, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Senator Patrick Leahy says he’ll vote against a compromise wiretapping bill unless Congress adopts a key change to the legislation. Leahy says the compromise doesn’t hold the Bush Administration accountable for its effort to "illegally wiretap the American people" several years ago.  Vermont Congressman Peter Welch, and New Hampshire Democrats Paul Hodes and Carol Shea-Porter were on the winning side as the House voted to protect more than 20 million mostly upper-income taxpayers in danger of being slapped with a tax increase…
VPR News

Welch, Hodes, Shea-Porter on winning side in tax relief vote

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Vermont Congressman Peter Welch, and New Hampshire Democrats Paul Hodes and Carol Shea-Porter were on the winning side as the House voted to protect more than 20 million mostly upper-income taxpayers in danger of being slapped with a tax increase.
Classical Music with Joe Goetz

Afternoon Classics

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Yesterday it was a prade of 9th symphonies…today its 4th symphonies.  We’ll celebrate the birthday of Claudio Abbado with the fourth symphonies of Brahms and Beethoven, and hear some gorgeous guitar music from Venezuela.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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We’ll celebrate the 75th birthday of conductor Claudio Abbado with one of his more recent recordings: Mahler’s Fourth Symphony, with the Berlin Philharmonic and soprano Renee Fleming.  
VPR News

VPR Evening News June 25th, 2008

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Gubernatorial candidates argue over who came up with the idea for Vermont consumers to buy food locally; Vermont’s electric utilities are discouraging their customers for switching to electric heat or hot water; Fewer people than expected have enrolled in Catamount health plans, and officials aren’t sure why; Vermont’s GOP Chairman says the deployment of Democratic State Auditor Tom Salmon is a legitimate campaign issue; and commentator Deborah Doyle-Schectman remembers high school friend Tim Russert. 
VPR News

Midday Newscast: June 25, 2008

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State officials are unsure why enrollment for Catamount Health is not meeting the legislature’s projections; state GOP leaders say Tom Salmon’s deployment to the Middle East is a legitimate campaign issue this fall;
Vermont Edition

Vermont Fishing

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Our series of summer programs continues with a look at how the fish are biting. Anglers and wildlife officials are working to control damaging invasive species that affect our fish population – and they’re experimenting with ways to improve fish habitat.
VPR News

Interview: Dr. Gene Cohen on creativity in aging

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As life expectancy for Americans grows, a lot of attention is paid to preserving the aging body, but too little attention is paid to keeping the mind healthy as well. That’s the view of Dr. Gene Cohen, who will speak about keeping the aging mind sharp at the University of Vermont this week. Dr. Cohen speaks with VPR’s Mitch Wertlieb.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: June 25, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Fewer people than expected are enrolling in state-sponsored Catamount health plans. A state oversight commission is digging into the numbers. Officials aren’t sure of the reasons for the low enrollment. They say some of the estimates may have been wrong to begin with. Graham Newell, a seventh generation Vermonter and iconic educator from the Northeast Kingdom, has died in Saint Johnsbury at the age of 92.
VPR News

Catamount enrollment numbers fail to meet expectations

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Fewer people than expected are enrolling in state-sponsored Catamount health plans. A state oversight commission is digging into the numbers. Officials aren’t sure of the reasons for the low enrollment. They say some of the estimates may have been wrong to begin with. VPR’s John Dillon reports.
VPR News

New England moose under attack from ticks

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Biologists say New England’s moose population is under siege from tiny ticks that have become so numerous in recent years that biologists are concerned about the long-term effect on the animals.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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For the first day AFTER our membership drive, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony; plus Chopin’s Cello Sonata, played by Allison Eldredge, Artistic Director of the Killington Music Festival, which gets underway this weekend; and Schubert’s Death and the Maiden Quartet, played by the Chiara Quartet, which will be at Dartmouth Friday evening.
VPR News

VPR Evening News June 24th, 2008

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IBM is cutting 180 jobs at its Essex Junction facility; A settlement has been reached with the tour boat operator in the lawsuits brought following a boat accident in 2005; Remembering Vermont legend Graham Newell, who died in St. Johnsbury at the age of 92.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: June 24, 2008

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State officials have confirmed that IBM in Essex Junction is laying off 180 employees; the newly formed Vermont College of Fine Arts will purchase the historic Vermont College in Montpelier; more…
Vermont Edition

Summer Theater: What Keeps it Going?

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We explore why and how seasonal theater offerings – both amateur and professional – survive in the Green Mountain State. And host Jane Lindholm speaks with Rutland Mayor Chris Louras and surveys the damage from last week’s storms.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: June 24, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Military veterans from throughout Vermont got a chance yesterday to bring their concerns directly to the head of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Sunbathers and swimmers will still be allowed to take off their clothes at a secluded beach on Willoughby Lake in the Northeast Kingdom. Following more than six months of wrangling in public hearings and the media, all three selectmen of the town of Westmore voted last night to table a controversial proposal to ban nudity.
VPR News

Westmore decides not to ban nudity on Willoughby beach

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Sunbathers and swimmers will still be allowed to take off their clothes at a secluded beach on Willoughby Lake in the Northeast Kingdom. Following more than six months of wrangling in public hearings and the media, all three selectmen of the town of Westmore voted last night to table a controversial proposal to ban nudity. VPR’s Charlotte Albright reports.
VPR News

Obama, Clinton to campaign together in Unity, N.H

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Former Democratic rivals Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton plan to campaign together on Friday in the small New Hampshire town of Unity. It will be their first joint appearance meant to ease tensions over the closely fought Democratic primary.
Classical Music with Joe Goetz

Afternoon Classics

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Krystian Zimerman plays a masterpiece from the 19th century: Liszt’s B Minor sonata, plus Britten’s 5 Flower Songs, a great late Haydn symphony, and a new recording of Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata done by Garrick Ohlsson.
VPR News

VPR Evening News June 23rd, 2008

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Military veterans got a chance to bring their concerns directly to the head of the Department of Veterans Affairs; The Attorney General’s office has issued a key Constitutional ruling regarding hemp legislation passed by lawmakers this year; First Lady Laura Bush came to Woodstock today to celebrate a grant for Vermont’s only national park; and commentator Charlie Nardozzi shows how East meets West when you plant bamboo.
VPR News

Attorney General says hemp bill is constitutional

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The Attorney General’s office has issued a key Constitutional ruling regarding hemp legislation passed by lawmakers this year. While the decision only affects the hemp bill, it establishes the legal framework to resolve similar constitutional controversies in the future.
VPR News

VT Edition: John Vowles, Brooke Pearson & Chris Wilkins on the teen summer job market

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John Vowles is the Northwest Regional Manager for the Vermont Department of Labor.  Brooke Pearson is an advisor and the Community Service Coordinator at Montpelier High School.  Chris Wilkins is the Factory Tour Manager for Ben & Jerry’s in Waterbury. They spoke with VPR’s Jane Lindholm about what the summer job market looks like for teens and the value of having one.
Vermont Edition
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Summer Jobs for Teens

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For many teens, summer means punching a time clock at the local pool or creemee stand. But is this year’s tight economy affecting their ability to find a summer job? And what’s the value of teens working? Also, we talk with a UVM Professor who just won a James Beard award for her healthy cookbook.
VPR News

State Guard seeks more veterans

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As the Vermont National Guard faces the potential for a large deployment, military officials are seeking to build up state reserves in case of a domestic crisis.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: June 23, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Suspects in 11 federal criminal cases pending in Vermont say the process of selecting jurors is racist so the charges against them should be dismissed;  The cost of getting married is going up;  Some of the ECHO Lake Aquarium’s temporary residents will leave their winter quarters and head home later this week. For the past nine months, the Lake Champlain science center has cared for 32 tiny turtles to help their species survive.
VPR News
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ECHO to release 32 tiny turtles

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Some of the ECHO Lake Aquarium’s temporary residents will leave their winter quarters and head home later this week. For the past nine months, the Lake Champlain science center has cared for 32 tiny turtles to help their species survive. VPR’s Ross Sneyd recently paid a visit, before the turtles are returned to the lake.
VPR News

Wild weather continues in NH

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New Hampshire is getting another taste of wild weather, after severe thunderstorms ripped through the state on Sunday, bringing hail, heavy rains and lightning strikes.
VPR News

Lake freighter commemorating European discovery

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The Lois McClure, a replica of a 19th-century Lake Champlain schooner, is playing a new role as international ambassador. The boat is the flagship of the 400th anniversary of the European discovery of Lake Champlain and the Hudson River valleys.
VPR News

Consultant sought delay in FairPoint takeover

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FairPoint Communications reluctantly agreed to a two-month delay in completing its takeover of Verizon’s northern New England landlines after a consultant funded by regulators expressed concern about FairPoint’s readiness to assume full control.
In Concert @ 8

SymphonyCast

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Vassily Sinaisky leads the LA Phil in works by two great pianist/composers….but only one of these works actually features the piano.
All the Traditions

All the Traditions – June 22, 2008

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A show featuring music from a wonderful box set of classic gospel music on the Dust to Digital label, and lots of artists who will be playing in the area, including many who will be performing at the Old Songs Festival in Ancramdale, NY this weekend.
My Place with Joel Najman

“A Musical Remembrance Of Eddy Arnold”

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Country music recording artist Eddy Arnold passed away on May 8, 2008 at age 89. During an entertainment career that extended over 70 years, Eddy Arnold placed an amazing 150 hit singles on the country music popularity charts and sold a staggering 85 million records. This week Joel Najman’s "My Place" program presents "A Remembrance Of Eddy Arnold", celebrating his life and music. "My Place" with Joel Najman, Saturday nights from 8-9PM following "A Prairie Home Companion" on Vermont Public Radio.
VPR News

VPR Evening News June 20th, 2008

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The president of AARP in Vermont says a new survey indicates that the number of under-insured people is growing at an alarming rate; Steve Zind visits one of Vermont’s historic barns; and commentator Willem Lange tells us about turning points in his life.
Live Fridays at Noon (vpr.net exclusive)
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Live Friday at Noon: Carly Simon and Yael Naim

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With the success of two Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, Golden Globe, and her eternal hit "You’re So Vain," Hall of Famer Carly Simon recently released her 24th album, This Kind of Love. Simon will be joined in a live performance by Singer/Songwriter Yael Naim, the first Israeli solo artist to have a top ten hit in the US.
Vermont Edition
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Health insurance for small businesses

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AARP Vermont is pushing to expand one of the state’s Catamount Health program to cover small businesses. Opponents say move would compromise the financial stability of Catamount. We’ll debate the issue, and we continue our series of interview on how Vermonters are reducing their environmental impact.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: June 20, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: All three members of Vermont’s congressional delegation oppose President Bush’s proposal to allow oil drilling off the U.S. coast. They describe the plan as "a gimmick" that won’t help lower gas prices for years to come. Instead, they have their own short term plan to lower energy prices;  A Bear Stearns Cos.’s fund managers charged in New York with lying to investors about the collapse of the subprime mortgage market is a Vermont native…
VPR News

Vermont congressional delegation opposes offshore oil drilling

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All three members of Vermont’s congressional delegation oppose President Bush’s proposal to allow oil drilling off the U.S. coast. They describe the plan as "a gimmick" that won’t help lower gas prices for years to come. Instead, they have their own short term plan to lower energy prices. VPR’s Bob Kinzel reports.
Classical Music with Joe Goetz

Afternoon Classics

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Another busy day of pledging…thanks for all your support…again, in thanks, we’ll have a 6 pm hour filled with gorgeous chamber works by composers such as Ravel and Schubert.
Commentary Series

Turning Points

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This week, we’ve been sampling the "Turning Point" essays recorded at this year’s Commentators’ Brunch. This morning we hear from commentator Barrie Dunsmore as he recalls events that led up to a "watershed moment" in world history.
Commentary Series

Turning Points

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To round out this week’s sampler of the "Turning Point" essays – recorded at this year’s Commentators’ Brunch – commentator Willem Lange observes that sometimes it’s the little things that count.
VPR News
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Dems may have a candidate for Lt. Gov.

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The Democrats may have a candidate for lieutenant governor. Mendon Representative Harry Chen says he’s seriously considering entering the race. Chen is a physician and has been a leader in the Legislature’s health care reform initiatives. VPR’s John Dillon reports.
VPR News
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Salmon deployed to the Middle East

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Vermont State Auditor Tom Salmon has been called to active duty for up to nine months with the U.S. Naval Reserve. Salmon says he will leave this weekend for two or three months of training. Then, he’ll be deployed to the Middle East for another six months.
VPR News
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Ferrisburgh Grange Hall to re-open on Saturday

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For decades, the Grange Hall was the visual center of Ferrisburgh. But in 2005, just when it was to become the center for town government, it burned to the ground. This Saturday, residents will get together to celebrate the opening of a replica. VPR’s Melody Bodette has more.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: June 19, 2008

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Vermont Democrats may have a candidate for lieutenant governor; there’s some good news about didymo — an invasive algae that was first discovered last summer in Vermont rivers; more…
VPR News

Morning Newscast: June 19, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: The federal government has ruled that the Social Security Administration must extend benefits to the children of partners in same-sex unions, even if the parent is not biologically related;Eight Northeastern governors – including Jim Douglas – are urging the U.S. House to approve $5.1 billion in funding to help low income Americans heat their homes next winter…
Classical Music with Joe Goetz

Afternoon Classics

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Keep the phone calls coming!  Thanks for all your support….we’ll hear Sibelius’s 3rd symphony this evening at 6:30 to give you a breather from the pledge talk.
Commentary Series

Turning Points

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Continuing our "Turning Point" sampler of essays recorded at this year’s Commentators’ Brunch, commentator Helen Labun Jordan has some thoughts about the passage of various childhood friends into adulthood.
Commentary Series

Turning Points

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This afternoon, in our "Turning Point" sampler of essays recorded at this year’s Commentators’ Brunch, commentator Deborah Luskin recalls a moment of both clarity and profound transformation.
VPR News

NE Governors want more home heating aid

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Eight Northeastern governors – including Jim Douglas – are urging the U.S. House to approve $5.1 billion in funding to help low income Americans heat their homes next winter.
Vermont Edition
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Making a Living in the Arts in Vermont

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Vermont ranks fourth in the nation for the number of artists living here per capita, and first when it comes to writers and fine artists. But is everyone making a living? Then we continue our Green Series, with a visit to UVM’s Dominico Grasso.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: June 18, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: The cleanup of flooding from Saturday night’s rainstorm continues in Rutland, where the Asa Bloomer Building remains closed; Untreated sewage continues to pour into public waters around the state – especially into the Lake Champlain basin. The reason is that treatment systems are sometimes weakened by age or overwhelmed by heavy rains.
VPR News

Sewage spills increase with heavy rains

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Untreated sewage continues to pour into public waters around the state – especially into the Lake Champlain basin. The reason is that treatment systems are sometimes weakened by age or overwhelmed by heavy rains. VPR’s John Dillon reports.
VPR News

FairPoint pushes back cutover from Verizon

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FairPoint Communications says it will delay a cutover related to its recent acquisition of Verizon Communications’ landline operations in New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont.
VPR News

House GOP leaders urge new wood heating programs

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Republican leaders in the Vermont House are urging that the state launch a new effort to promote installation of chunk wood and pellet wood stoves in Vermont homes, to stave off sharp increases in prices for fossil fuels.
VPR News

Sanders mailbag filled with economic troubles

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U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders has been railing about the shrinking middle class for years, but until now, he didn’t know the extent of the problem. But after appealing to his constituents to tell their stories of economic hardship, he got more than 800 responses that outlined in heart-wrenching personal detail how hard some have it these days.
Classical Music with Cheryl Willoughby

Morning Classics

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Please consider supporting VPR with your pledge today! We’re building a world-class music library, working to expand VPR Classical’s coverage, and strengthen the existing signals. We need your membership dollars to pay for the service and ensure a strong future. Click on "Support" above – thanks!
Classical Music with Joe Goetz

Afternoon Classics

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Pulling out all the stops in hopes that you’ll pledge today…thanks to all that have done so! Francis Poulenc also pulled out all the stops in his Concerto for Two Pianos…we’ll hear it today in the 4 o’clock hour.
Commentary Series

Turning Points

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This morning, as we continue to sample the "Turning Point" essays recorded at this year’s Commentators’ Brunch, commentator Mike Martin reflects that some transformative events are very slow in coming – if indeed – they come at all.
Commentary Series

Turning Points

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As we continue to sample the "Turning Point" essays recorded at this year’s Commentators’ Brunch, we hear about a major transition in the life of commentator Jay Craven that involved a creative mix of art and money.
Vermont Edition

Vermont’s Child Care Challenge

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With 70 percent of Vermont’s young children in out-of-home care for at least part of the work week, high quality, affordable child care has become a key economic development issue for the state. We talk about it with child care advocate Melissa Riegel-Garrett and with Green Mountain Power President Mary Powell, the co-chair of Governor Douglas’s Building Bright Futures Council. And we visit a farm that’s weaning itself from fossil fuels.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: June 17, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: One Vermont lawmaker is proposing that state government and public schools shift to a four-day work week because of the skyrocketing cost of fuel. Vermonters may soon see a lot more telecommunications towers on the landscape. That’s because the state authority charged with delivering universal broadband and cell service is looking for up to 200 more tower sites around the state…
VPR News

Telecommunications plan may mean 200 more towers

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Vermonters may soon see a lot more telecommunications towers on the landscape. That’s because the state authority charged with delivering universal broadband and cell service is looking for up to 200 more tower sites around the state. VPR’s John Dillon reports.
VPR News

Lois McClure sets sail for Quebec

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The Lois McClure, an 88-foot full-scale replica of a 19th century lake freighter, sets sail from Lake Champlain’s Basin Harbor today bound for Quebec City.
Classical Music with Cheryl Willoughby

Morning Classics

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In the spirit of partnership this morning, Andras Schiff joins the Chamber Orch. of Europe for a Bach keyboard concerto – and it’s soprano Mady Mesple with the Paris Orchestra, in the lovely aria from the Villa Lobos Bachianas Brasileiras #5. It’s easy to be a member at VPR, and your support is vital to our operations. Please pledge today, click on "Support" above.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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Le Tombeau de Couperin by Ravel; Jaime Laredo plays Schubert; and the 3rd movement of Mahler’s Symphony No. 3, which the Green Mountain Mahler Festival will read this evening at the Elley-Long Music Center at St. Michael’s College.
Commentary Series

Turning points

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This week we’re sampling the "Turning Point" essays recorded at this year’s Commentators’ Brunch. Commentator Deborah Doyle-Schechtman thinks that life is full of potential "Turning Points" – but that their meaning is determined by how we respond to them.
Commentary Series

Turning Points

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As we continue to sample the "Turning Point" essays recorded at this year’s Commentators’ Brunch, commentator Howard Coffin recalls how one event had a profound effect on his sense of priorities.
VPR News

VPR Evening News June 16th, 2008

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Vermont Emergency Management is warning people affected by weekend flooding in the Rutland area to take special precautions to avoid injury and illness; AARP Vermont will use its political muscle to work for an expansion of the state’s Catamount health program; Vermonters may find it easier to cross the border with “enhanced driver’s licenses”; and commentator Ruth Page on “Turning Points” in the Page family.
Commentary Series

Turning Points

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On Saturday, April 12th, more than thirty commentators gathered at the Stoweflake Mountain Resort and Spa for brunch – and to present a series of short essays on a common theme of "Turning Points". The event was recorded and this week we’re sampling some of the results. Commentator Tom Slayton, veteran journalist and editor-emeritus of Vermont Life magazine, came to his "Turning Point" on a mountain hike.
VPR News

Midday Newscast June 16, 2008

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When former Gov. Howard Dean became chairman of the Democratic National Committee in 2005, he put a controversial plan in place that allocated financial resources to every state Democratic committee in the country;
VPR Series and Specials
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Working To Be Green

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Listen this week during Vermont Edition as we look at what individuals and organizations in our state are doing to respond to climate change in a series of special stories.
Vermont Edition
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Canada’s apology to native people

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Residential schools were part of Canada’s effort to force native Indians to assimilate. We learn about the painful legacy of these schools in Quebec, and what this week’s formal apology from Prime Minister Stephan Harper means to native communities.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: June 16, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: An employee of the Agency of Natural Resources says the department dragged its feet in enforcing the law and cracking down on a company for allegedly allowing  toxic chemicals to migrate from its plant site to groundwater and neighbors’ wells;  When former Governor Howard Dean became chairman of the Democratic National Committee in 2005, he put a controversial plan in place that allocated financial resources to every state Democratic committee in the country. This year’s elections will be a big test of that policy…
VPR News

Elections will test Dean’s 50 state strategy

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When former Governor Howard Dean became chairman of the Democratic National Committee in 2005, he put a controversial plan in place that allocated financial resources to every state Democratic committee in the country. As VPR’s Bob Kinzel reports, the 2008 elections will be an important test for the 50-state strategy.
VPR News

State employee: Agency violates law in issuing permit

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An employee of the Agency of Natural Resources says the department dragged its feet in enforcing the law and cracking down on a company for allegedly allowing  toxic chemicals to migrate from its plant site to groundwater and neighbors’ wells.
VPR News

Scientists hoping cormorant control project will succeed

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Environmental groups and state agencies monitoring Lake Champlain are hoping to cut back on a population of Cormorants.  The birds’ population has boomed since the pesticide DDT, which had decimated cormorants and other birds, was banned.
VPR News

Crews clean up after storms; 80 Rutland properties damaged

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State and local emergency crews are working to clean up after storms late Saturday and early Sunday swept across Vermont. Rutland was among the hardest-hit communities, with up to 80 properties seeing damage, including the Asa Bloomer State Office Building.
Commentary Series

Turning Points

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On a Saturday morning in mid-April, thirty-plus commentators and assorted guests gathered for brunch – and a reading of short essays on the theme of "Turning Points". VPR recorded the event – and this week we’re sampling some of the results. Commentator Ruth Page departed from her usual environmental beat to discuss some of the "Turning Points" she has encountered in family life.
All the Traditions

All the Traditions – June 15, 2008

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Our annual Father’s Day spectacular, and also a very special "live-in-the-studio" performance by Vermont musicians Carol Abair and Rebecca Padula as a preview for a CD release concert of Carol’s compositions in Burlington on Saturday June 21st!
VPR News

Morning Newscast: June 14, 2008

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Lawyers praise Supreme Court ruling on Guantanamo Bay prisoners; Health officials are looking into bad tomatoes;  warning on surge in counterfeiters in Rutland.
Commentary Series

Friday the 13th!

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Today’s date – Friday the 13th – has inspired anxiety and superstition for generations. And commentator Dan Rockmore – professor of math and computer science at Dartmouth – wonders why.
VPR News

Midday Newscast June 13, 2008

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Arts organizations across Vermont say the economic downturn is affecting them; two Vermont lawyers representing detainees at Guantanamo Bay are hailing a Supreme Court decision allowing their clients to challenge their detention in a U.S. courtroom; more…
VPR News

Morning Newscast: June 13, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: State officials say a new law gives some Vermonters who missed out on property tax rebates a second chance at filing for them. Many arts organizations in Vermont have been affected by the economy. Frog Hollow closed its Manchester gallery last month.   In downtown Rutland, the Center Street Artisans Guild will close its doors…
VPR News

Arts organizations make changes to survive economic downturn

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Many arts organizations in Vermont have been affected by the economy. Frog Hollow closed its Manchester gallery last month. In downtown Rutland, the Center Street Artisans Guild will close its doors. As VPR’s Nina Keck reports, many theaters, galleries and non profit arts organizations have begun to rethink how they do things.
Classical Music with Cheryl Willoughby

Morning Classics

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Music’s most famous Triskaidekaphobic was Arnold Schoenberg…superstitious, and terrified every time a Friday the 13th came around. For this Friday the 13th we’ll hear "Sunrise" from his Gurrelieder, along with Bach’s chorale "Sleepers, awake!"
Vermont Edition
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Gov. Jim Douglas

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Governor Jim Douglas’ office has been in a high-profile disagreement with the EPA about cleaning up Lake Champlain. We discuss this issue and others, and we take your calls.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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For Friday the 13th, we’ll hear part of Carmina Burana, by Carl Orff, with its opening invocation of Fortune, Empress of the World; also today, Benjamin Britten’s Simple Symphony, conducted by the composer; and Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G, played by Yundi Li.
VPR News

VT lawyers hail Guantanamo court decision

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When the Supreme Court ruled today that Guantanamo Bay prisoners can challenge their detention in court, two lawyers in Vermont prepared to get to work. The attorneys have volunteered to represent Guantanamo detainees.  
VPR News

VT Edition: Chris Campbell & Denise Anthony on technology dependency

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Chris Campbell is the Telecommunications Director for Vermont’s Public Service Department. Denise Anthony is a Sociology Professor at Dartmouth College. They spoke with VPR’s Jane Lindholm about how the state is responding to the recent Internet outages and the broader implications for society as we all become more dependent on technology.
VPR News

Midday Newscast June 12, 2008

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The Agriculture Agency was assured this morning by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that Vermont-grown tomatoes are safe to eat; Burlington’s city-owned cable television network is considering the public’s views about the Middle Eastern news network Al Jazeera English; more…
Commentary Series

The Case for Leahy

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With the Democratic nomination finally in hand, Barack Obama last week created an informal committee to help sift the names of potential running mates. Vermont Senator Pat Leahy has apparently agreed to lend a hand. But commentator Philip Baruth, himself an early supporter and now an Obama delegate to the Democratic National Convention, believes that Leahy could easily play a more central role.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: June 12, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: The public weighed in last night on whether or not Burlington’s city-owned cable company should continue to carry the Middle Eastern news network Al Jazeera English. Some consider the network to be anti-American. Lieutenant Governor Brian Dubie says the state needs to prepare for a possible emergency this winter as Vermonters struggle to pay for home heating fuel.
VPR News

Dubie says state must prepare for fuel emergency

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Lieutenant Governor Brian Dubie says the state needs to prepare for a possible emergency this winter as Vermonters struggle to pay for home heating fuel. Meanwhile, Vermont fuel dealers say they can’t afford to offer "pre-buy" programs that customers have used to lock in prices for the winter ahead. VPR’s John Dillon reports.
VPR News
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Burlington weighs in on Al-Jazeera network

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The public weighed in last night on whether or not Burlington’s city-owned cable company should continue to carry the Middle Eastern news network Al Jazeera English. Some consider the network to be anti-American. Burlington is one of only two cable companies in the country carrying Al Jazeera, and as VPR’s Steve Zind reports, representatives of the network came to Vermont to join the debate.
VPR News

Vermont ranks number ten in healthy kids

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Vermont ranks number ten in the country for the overall health and well-being of the state’s youth. Vermont had mixed results on ten health indicators for children in the Kids Count report released today by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
Classical Music with Cheryl Willoughby

Morning Classics

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Ravel’s "Jeux d’eau" ("Water games"), Bernstein’s "Make Our Garden Grow"…VPR Classical looks to the natural world for inspiration this morning, on the first day of the Green Membership Drive!
In Concert @ 8

The San Francisco Symphony

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Guest Conductor Kurt Masur is joined by violinist Sarah Chang for one of the most popular violin concerti in the repertory…plus masterpieces by Richard Strauss and Mendelssohn.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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Music for the first day our VPR’s GREEN membership drive will include Zefiro torna (Summer breezes return) by Monteverdi (whose name means GREEN Mountains); Robin is to the GREENwood Gone by Percy Grainger; and The Banks of GREEN Willow, by George Butterworth.
VPR News

VPR Evening News June 11th, 2008

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Congressman Peter Welch has voted to ask the House Judiciary Committee to investigate articles of impeachment against President Bush; The EPA angered Governor Douglas with its criticism of the state’s efforts to clean up Lake Champlain, but those are not new concerns; Remembering Sara Gear Boyd; and commentator Tom Slayton on homegrown pesto.
Commentary Series

Homemade Pesto

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The gardening season is now in full swing, and commentator Tom Slayton, veteran journalist and editor-emeritus of Vermont Life magazine, is remembering last year’s garden – even as he plants this year’s basil…
VPR News

Republican leader Sara Gear Boyd dies at 67

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Sara Gear Boyd is being remembered as a trail blazing, common sense political leader who had a strong impact at both the state and national level. During her state legislative career, she was the first woman in the country to serve as majority leader of both the House and the Senate. Gear Boyd died of cancer Tuesday morning at the age of 67. VPRs Bob Kinzel has more.
Vermont Edition

Workers with Disabilities

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We talk with a worker, a business owner and a Voc-Rehab specialist about hiring workers with disabilities Hear how rising fuel costs are affecting car choices and sales in Vermont. And we get a preview of the new summer exhibit at the Bennington Museum.
Classical Music with Cheryl Willoughby

Morning Classics for Web Wednesday

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We’ll make a stop at "The Spider’s Banquet" this morning, and continue on to Spain for the "Tarantelas" (literally, "Tarantulas"), a traditional stamping dance. It’s Web Wednesday on VPR – don’t get caught, make a pledge at VPR.NET today and help support the great programming!
Commentary Series

Commencement

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It’s the season of commencement addresses. And commentator Peter Gilbert, the executive director of the Vermont Humanities Council, offers some advice for graduating students – and all of us – about the difference between goal-setting and the process of getting to that goal.
VPR News

Soldiers Revisited: Sebastian Szykier

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Two years ago, VPR profiled a group of Vermont guardsmen who had just returned from a year long deployment to Iraq. Recently, VPR’s Steve Zind visited several of the soldiers we interviewed to find out how they’ve adjusted to civilian life. Today, in our final story, Sebastian Szykier talks about the memories and the after effects of his time in Iraq.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: June 11, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Last week, the Environmental Protection Agency angered Governor Jim Douglas with its criticism of the state’s efforts to clean up Lake Champlain. But the EPA’s concerns are not new. A year ago, the federal agency told the state it needs to do more to cut phosphorus pollution in the big lake; Four Chittenden County police departments plan to start recording the race of people who are stopped on Vermont’s roads and in other detentions in an effort to reduce prejudice that leads to racial profiling…
VPR News

EPA voiced lake concerns last year

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Last week, the Environmental Protection Agency angered Governor Jim Douglas with its criticism of the state’s efforts to clean up Lake Champlain. But the EPA’s concerns are not new. A year ago, the federal agency told the state it needs to do more to cut phosphorus pollution in the big lake. VPR’s John Dillon has more:
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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Suite from the Wise Virgins by William Walton, based on music by Bach; the Jupiter Symphony of Mozart played by the Musicians of the Louvre; a Suite from the Temple of Glory, an opera-ballet by Rameau; and the Concerto of the South for Guitar and Orchestra by Mexican Manuel Ponce.
VPR News

VPR Evening News June 10th, 2008

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State government demands an explanation for Internet outages caused by Level Three Communications; Governor Douglas says the rising cost of energy is the biggest economic issue facing Vermont; Verizon Wireless has overcome some of the objections that regulators had with its planned merger with Unicel; and commentator Ted Levin on Costa Rican sea turtles. 
Commentary Series

Sea Turtles of Ostional

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Commentator Ted Levin recently returned from Costa Rica, where he discovered a business venture based on the conservation of an dangered species and the preservation of a rural culture.
VPR News

Interview: Robyn Warhol-Down on “Women’s Worlds”

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Tracing the stories of women like Julian of Norwich in the fourteenth century, through Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters, to contemporary authors like Toni Morrison and Barbara Kingsolver…a new anthology sets out to record and document seven centuries of writings by women.
VPR News

Midday Newscast June 10, 2008

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The statewide average price for gas exceeded $4 a gallon for the first time this morning; Vermont has a new law designed to monitor the use of large quantities of groundwater; more…
VPR News

Good thoughts about the heat

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Record high temperatures in the Northeast this week have people turning on air conditioners, breaking out the bathing suits and looking for a cool place to escape the heat. But VPR’s Tim Johnson says that after this past winter, it can’t get hot enough.
Vermont Edition
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Vermont’s Real Estate Market

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National headlines predict slow sales for this summer’s real estate market. We look at how Vermont home buyers and sellers expect to fare this summer. Also, we learn about seven centuries of women writers…and we hear from one Vermonter who loves the heat wave!
Commentary Series

Vacation?

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School will be out soon. Historian, teacher and commentator Vic Henningsen reflects that what teachers do – and might do – makes summer "vacation" a misleading term.
VPR News

Soldiers Revisited: Damon Rooney

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It’s been two years since the soldiers of Task Force Saber came home from Iraq, but the war is never far from their thoughts. Recently VPR’s Steve Zind caught up with three of the soldiers we interviewed to see how they’re doing two years after their deployment ended. Today, in the second of our series of profiles, Damon Rooney talks about life after the war.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: June 10, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: A heat wave has sharply reduced a surplus of electricity in New England as people use more energy to cool down;  Two environmental organizations want the state of Vermont to increase the money it spends on energy efficiency programs by $20 million;  State regulators plan to investigate why Internet service was interrupted across Vermont for the second time in a month…
VPR News

Second Internet outage causes disruptions

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State regulators plan to investigate why Internet service was interrupted across Vermont for the second time in a month. Customers of Level Three Communications of Colorado could not surf the Web or use their email for hours on Monday. As VPR’s Ross Sneyd reports, thousands of consumers depend on Level Three, even though they may not know it.
VPR News

Hospitals to test flu emergency plans

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Tomorrow 11 Vermont hospitals will be working with the Health Department and Emergency Management to test their ability to respond to an influenza pandemic.
Classical Music with Cheryl Willoughby

Morning Classics

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If you’re a fan of 1930s movies like "Anthony Adverse" and "The Prince & The Pauper"…you’ve already heard some of the Korngold Violin Concerto, a piece  stitched together with themes from those film scores. This morning we’ll hear the rest.
VPR News

Midday Newscast June 9, 2008

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The Vermont Department of Health has warned people about a nationwide outbreak of salmonella poisoning linked to certain raw, red tomatoes; more…
VPR News

Ferry holds a unique place in the Shoreham community

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At the southern tip of Lake Champlain the farm fields of Shoreham, Vermont lie just across a on a narrow stretch of water from Fort Ticonderoga, New York. Locals and travelers have been crossing that water on a ferry service that’s been in operation since the late 1700s.
VPR News

Soldiers Revisited: Timothy Tanner

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Two years ago this month, the soldiers of Task Force Saber returned home from Iraq. We talked to a number of the soldiers when they first touched down at Camp Shelby, Mississippi on their way back home and profiled profiling them in a series called Soldier Stories. Steve Zind recently caught up with three of them. Today he speaks with Timothy Tanner  
VPR Series and Specials

Soldiers Revisited

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VPR’s Steve Zind talked with three of the soldiers from VPR’s 2006 report, Soldiers Stories.  Listen to their reflections on their service in iraq and their experiences readjusting to civilian life.  
VPR News

Debate over big box stores simmers

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For a number of years in the 1990s, Wal-Mart stores symbolized Vermont’s debate about its future. Eventually, the big retailer opened stores in Bennington, Rutland, Berlin and Williston, and attention shifted. But the debate was never fully resolved and, now, with new proposals, it’s simmering again. VPR’s Ross Sneyd has more.
VPR News

Shooting suspect sues media, police

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The man charged with killing two people and wounding two others during a 2006 school shooting, is suing two media outlets, a police department, the state and the hospital that treated him.
VPR News

Douglas signs Yankee reliability assessment bill

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Governor Jim Douglas has signed into law a bill calling for a comprehensive reliability assessment at the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant before lawmakers vote next year on whether the plant’s license should be extended for 20 years beyond 2012.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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The Vienna Philharmonic plays music by its founder and first conductor, Otto Nicolai; the Wind Quintet of Carl Nielsen; and Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 2, played by Krystian Zimerman.
Commentary Series

Gardening with Kids

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Charlie Nardozzi is an all-around gardening expert with some creative ideas about how to get kids involved in gardening.
All the Traditions

All the Traditions – June 8, 2008

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A show respectfully dedicated to the memory of Bruce "U. Utah" Phillips, a modern folk music icon who recorded some of his best-known work in North Ferrisburg, VT with Philo Records, and who passed away last week at the age of 73.
Sunday Bach

Sunday Bach for June 8th 2008

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This week on Sunday Bach enjoy the French Suite Number 6, arranged for harp duo, with Nancy Lendrim and Judy Guinn. You’ll also enjoy a performance of the Brandenburg Concerto Number 3 with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment.
My Place with Joel Najman

A Collection Of Instrumental Pop Hits Of The 1950’s And 1960’s

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An interesting occurrence during the early days of the Rock & Roll Era was the proliferation of instrumental recordings that became big hits on the U.S. Pop charts – A phenomenon that’s been far less frequent in the years since. This week on Joel Najman’s "My Place" program the singers have the night off in favor of fifteen memorable pop instrumental hits of the 1950’s and 1960′ s. "My Place" from 8-9PM Saturday following "A Prairie Home Companion" on Vermont Public Radio
Saturday Afternoon at the Opera

La traviata

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A complete performance of Verdi’s La traviata with Ileana Cotrubas and Placido Domingo; excerpts and songs by some of the soloists who will be performing with this year’s Green Mountain Opera Festival; and, for dessert, Mozart’s Bastien und Bastienne.
Interlude

Jaime Laredo

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We honor Jaime Laredo as conductor, violinist, and chamber musician in performances of music by Rossini, Mozart, and Beethoven.
VPR News

Evening News: June 6, 2008

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There are new signs that an economic slowdown has hit the state of Vermont; the Virginia Supreme Court says that a Vermont court’s ruling should stand in a child visitation dispute between two former lesbian partners; a new report says Vermont’s high schools have the fifth-highest graduation rate in the nation; authorities say a flight that originated in Vermont ended in an emergency landing on an upstate New York golf course; Gov. Jim Douglas signed into law this morning a pair of new state holidays; Vermont’s summertime agricultural celebrations will get started with events this weekend.
VPR News

State tax revenue report shows more signs of economic downturn

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There are new signs that an economic slowdown has hit the state of Vermont. The state’s revenue report for May shows a decline in most major tax sources. And it’s likely that the state will have to downgrade its projections for transportation-related taxes next month. VPR’s Bob Kinzel reports.
VPR News

Midday Newscast June 6, 2008

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Governor Jim Douglas signed into law this morning a pair of new state holidays; the Virginia Supreme Court says that a Vermont court’s ruling should stand in a child visitation dispute between two former lesbian partners; more…
VPR News

Morning Newscast: June 6, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: If you take a walk in the Vermont woods this spring, there’s a pretty good chance that you could take some ticks home with you. State officials say the population of the tiny creatures has soared this year. Responding to complaints from workers, the state says files from a now-closed Bennington office building are no different than other files.
VPR News

Officials say tick numbers may be on the rise

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If you take a walk in the Vermont woods this spring, there’s a pretty good chance that you could take some ticks home with you. State officials say the population of the tiny creatures has soared this year. But, as VPR’s Ross Sneyd reports, the ticks that carry Lyme disease have not been a big problem so far.
VPR News

Dean urges party to unify behind Obama

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Former Governor Howard Dean is urging his fellow Democrats to put aside their differences and rally behind their party’s presumptive presidential nominee, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama.
VPR News

VPR Evening News June 5th, 2008

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Senator Bernie Sanders says he plans to actively campaign for Barack Obama; Anthony Pollina says a bridge in Middlesex is a symbol of why he’s running for governor this year; A 50 million dollar expansion is planned at the Southwest Vermont Medical Center; The Vermont Transportation Agency is looking for ways to improve safety on a steep stretch of Route 9 in Bennington; Vermont Tubbs is being sold to a New Hampshire company; and commentator Henry Homeyer says even a small garden can add a lot to your table.
Commentary Series

The Small Garden

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Commentator Henry Homeyer is a gardening coach and writer who lives in Cornish Flat, New Hampshire – and he says that even a very small garden can add a lot to your table.
VPR News

Midday Newscast June 5, 2008

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State officials say Vermont’s woods and other areas are full of ticks this spring; authorities have arrested 20 people accused of dealing cocaine, heroin, and other drugs in New York’s North Country;
Vermont Edition

Sen. Bernie Sanders

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Host Bob Kinzel talks with Sen. Bernie Sanders about the farm bill, gas prices and whether a global warming bill will be strong enough to get Sanders’ support. Also, Democratic superdelegate Billi Gosh on the next steps for the Clinton campaign, and the Discover Jazz Festival wraps up in Burlington.
Commentary Series

Obama and Israel

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There are several important groups that are uneasy with the prospects of a President Barack Obama, among them the American Jewish community. This morning commentator Barrie Dunsmore, former diplomatic and foreign correspondent for ABC News, examines that issue.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: June 5, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Progressive candidate Anthony Pollina says the sudden closing of a bridge in Middlesex symbolizes the failed policies of the Douglas Administration; New Hampshire’s public pension system will get much-needed cash to shore it up, and spare property taxpayers steep increases under an overhaul approved by lawmakers; One of Vermont’s biggest business success stories of recent years is expanding — to Tennessee.
VPR News

Bernie Sanders to stump for Obama

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Independent Senator Bernie Sanders says he’s going to urge independent voters around the country to support the presidential bid of Democratic Senator Barack Obama.
VPR News

Superdelegate Gosh will support Obama

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The only Vermont Democratic super delegate supporting presidential candidate Hillary Clinton says it’s clear that Barack Obama has won the party’s nomination. And Brookfield resident Billi Gosh says she’ll shift her support to Obama just as soon as Clinton concedes the race.
Classical Music with Cheryl Willoughby

Morning Classics

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Musical birdsongs for a summer morning…Carl Nielsen’s Flute Concerto, JC Bach’s "Birdcatcher" Overture, and the green-feathered birdcatcher himself: Papageno sings his introduction aria "Der Vogelfanger, bin ich ja", from Mozart’s "The Magic Flute"
Classical Music with Joe Goetz

Afternoon Classics

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Rachmaninoff’s Sonata for Cello and Piano, a work that was greatly overshadowed by his second piano concerto, finished and published at around the same time. Also, Frederick Delius’s Florida Suite, in anticipation of the hot and humid weather we’ll be seeing thsi weekend.
VPR News

VPR Evening News June 4th, 2008

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The EPA’s criticism about the pace of cleaning up Lake Champlain has become a debate about science and politics; The only Vermont Democratic super-delegate supporting Hillary Clinton says she will throw her support to Obama when Clinton concedes; Vermont Yankee’s owner will start storing low level radioactive waste next month at its Vernon plant; The Vermont National Guard has broken ground on a new memorial for soldiers killed in Iraq; and commentator Bill Mares on Fair Trade coffee.
Commentary Series

Fair Trade

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You may like cream with your coffee, but commentator Bill Mares, who is an author as well as a retired teacher and legislator, likes a little social activism with his….
VPR News

EPA’s criticism of Lake Champlain cleanup becomes scientific, political debate

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The Environmental Protection Agency’s criticism about the pace of cleaning up Lake Champlain has become a debate about science – and about politics. Governor Jim Douglas says it’s another example of the Bush administration’s refusal to effectively deal with environmental issues. But as VPR’s Ross Sneyd reports, Democrat Gaye Symington sides with the EPA and says it’s Douglas who has failed the environment.
VPR News

Audio Postcard: Readsboro

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In our continuing series of audio post cards from Vermont  towns, we visit Readsboro, located on a remote stretch of Route 100 near the state’s southern border. It has a proud industrial past and an equally proud connection to the Tyrolean Alps of northern Italy.
VPR News

Midday Newscast June 4, 2008

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Democrat Gaye Symington has joined critics of Governor Jim Douglas’ Lake Champlain cleanup; the Vermont National Guard has broken ground on a new memorial for soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan; more…
Vermont Edition
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Cleaning up Lake Champlain

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The EPA sent the state a strongly worded letter this spring outlining the ways the state has fallen short in its effort to reduce phosphorous loads in Lake Champlain. We’ll discuss the stratgies for the lake’s future health. And our series of audio postcards from Vermont towns continues with a visit to Readsboro.
Commentary Series

Rooney Verdict

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Commentator Cheryl Hanna, a Professor at Vermont Law School, attended much of the trial of Brian Rooney for the rape and murder of Michelle Gardner-Quinn.  She shares her thoughts on the meaning of it all.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: June 4, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Governor Jim Douglas is panning the Environmental Protection Agency for its criticism of Vermont’s efforts to clean up Lake Champlain;  As gasoline prices skyrocket, Vermont’s Transportation Agency plans to revamp its system of helping people organize carpools to get to work. Plans are being drawn up for two different memorials to Vermonters killed in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
VPR News

Douglas criticizes EPA criticism

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Governor Jim Douglas is panning the Environmental Protection Agency for its criticism of Vermont’s efforts to clean up Lake Champlain.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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Chopin’s Barcarolle and Fantasie, played by Krystian Zimerman; Norwegian Folk Songs from Trio Mediaeval; Debussy’s rarely-heard ballet Khamma; and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5, conducted by Evgeny Mravinsky, born 105 years ago today.
Election 2008 Coverage
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VPR and NPR Coverage of the Presidential Primaries

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In addition to our coverage in All Things Considered, VPR and NPR will offer a two-hour call in special this evening. Listeners have the chance to react to and discuss the evening’s results. Neal Conan will host our special, which will air from 10PM-12 midnight ET.
VPR News

Evening Newscast: June 3, 2008

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Secretary of State Deb Markowitz says Gov. Jim Douglas may have inadvertently vetoed a bill he intended to let become law. Two top lawmakers say the state should demand guarantees that the cost of closing Vermont Yankee will be covered before its owners go through a corporate reorganization. As gasoline prices skyrocket, Vermont’s Transportation Agency plans to revamp its system of helping people organize carpools to get to work. State officials say federal regulations might delay plans to demolish an 80-year-old bridge on Route Two in Middlesex that was closed last week. A 36-year-old Bethel man wanted in connection with a 2006 drug killing in Barre has been returned to Vermont after escaping to Mexico.
Commentary Series

The Poetry of Pitching

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The New England Collegiate Baseball League season is here, and the champion Vermont Mountaineers play their first exhibition game tomorrow at Montpelier’s Recreation Field on Elm Street at 5 o’clock. Commentator and Executive Director of the Vermont Humanities Council Peter Gilbert has some thoughts about the poetry of pitching.
VPR News

Midday Newscast June 3, 2008

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The Environmental Protection Agency has some harsh words for Vermont’s efforts to clean up the phosphorus that flows into Lake Champlain; more…
Vermont Edition
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Gas prices and driving habits

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Gas prices have been inching up for a long time but the recent spike is, for the first time, changing the way many of us get around. Also, gas shortages in the early 1970s and prompted a novel plan to reduce long lines back then. And we visit with a family that hopes to grow most of its own food.
Commentary Series

Energy and Climate Bills

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The legislature made an effort this past session to grapple with two huge issues that tower over Vermont: energy and climate change. Commentator Alan Betts, President of the Vermont Academy of Science and Engineering, reviews the results and urges Vermonters to take action.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: June 3, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: The Environmental Protection Agency has taken Vermont to task for not doing more to keep phosphorus out of Lake Champlain. The EPA says Vermont’s Department of Environmental Conservation has to write stricter permits and spend more money to deal with the problem.  A summer camp for children with cancer is going to have to find a new home,,,
VPR News

EPA says state needs to do more to clean up Lake Champlain

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The Environmental Protection Agency has taken Vermont to task for not doing more to keep phosphorus out of Lake Champlain. The EPA says Vermont’s Department of Environmental Conservation has to write stricter permits and spend more money to deal with the problem. As VPR’s Ross Sneyd reports, state officials say the EPA is off-base in its critique.
VPR News

Lawyers vie to lead suit over Hannaford breach

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Nearly two dozen lawsuits stemming from a computer security breach at Hannaford Bros. Co. are likely to be consolidated into a single class-action suit, with two competing groups of law firms vying to lead the case.
VPR News

VPR Evening News June 2nd, 2008

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Vermont super-delegate expects Hillary Clinton to drop out of the presidential race this week; The EPA says Vermont must do a better job cleaning up Lake Champlain; Senator Bernie Sanders is backing legislation that he says could reduce the price of gas; The state plans to make a new round of low-interest financing available to businesses; Use of public transportation is up in Vermont; Wild raccoons and skunks are about to get their rabies shots.
Commentary Series

Math Superheroes

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Commentator Dan Rockmore is a professor of math and computer science at Dartmouth, and – as many network TV series wrap up another season – he’s reflecting on the one in which mathematics has a starring role.
VPR News

Clinton’s Vermont superdelegate says she’ll likely drop out this week

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The only Vermont super delegate supporting Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton says she expects that Clinton will drop out of the race this week – if Senator Barack Obama wins the South Dakota primary on Tuesday. Democratic National Committee woman Billi Gosh says, if that happens, she’ll enthusiastically support Obama as the party’s nominee. VPR’s Bob Kinzel reports
VPR News

Ted Levin searches for the yellow-shafted flicker

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Lately naturalist and VPR Commentator Ted Levin has been wandering out with his recorder in search of the sounds of spring. Recently he encountered a yellow-shafted flicker signaling its territory from a dead pine.
Vermont Edition
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Lyme Disease

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Lyme disease is on the rise in Vermont. We talk about its prevention and the controversy over its diagnosis and treatment. Our guests are Lyme sufferer Dayle Ann Stratton, co founder of the Vermont Lyme Network, and Dartmouth infectious disease specialist Jeff Parsonnet.
Commentary Series

Year-round Green-up

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Green-up day may have come and gone for another year, but  free lance writer, teacher and commentator Mary McCallum says that on her road – the effort to keep Vermont green – goes on forever.
VPR News

Interview: UVM sailing coach Justin Assad

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The National Championships of College Sailing get underway in Newport, Rhode Island today, and for the first time, the University of Vermont’s sailing crew will be there. Head Coach Justin Assad is also gaining recognition, recently voted as the New England Sailing Association coach of the year. Assad speaks with VPR’s Mitch Wertlieb.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: June 2, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Bloggers will be given unprecedented access to the Democratic National Convention, including Vermont’s Green Mountain Daily;  Sixteen members of the Vermont Army National Guard have been honored for their service in Afghanistan; In some households, family pets are becoming the victim of the economic downturn…
VPR News

Green Mountain Daily headed to Democratic convention

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Internet blogs have become nearly indispensable to American politics, as they dish up news and rumors even while events unfold. And, as VPR’s Ross Sneyd reports, they’ve become so integral to politics that bloggers will be given unprecedented access to the Democratic National Convention.
In Concert @ 8

SymphonyCast

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Joseph Swenson conducts his own arrangement of a Brahms chamber work and two pieces by Mozart.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 19, played by Rudolf Serkin; Edward Elgar’s Symphony No. 2; Mendelssohn’s Reformation Symphony; and Nights in the Gardens of Spain by Manuel de Falla.  
All the Traditions

All the Traditions – June 1, 2008

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Music for the first day of June, a musical trip down the Mississippi River, a preview of the Roots on the River Festival in Bellows Falls, some Brazilian squeezebox music, and much more!
Sunday Bach

Sunday Bach for June 1st, 2008

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Join us this Sunday morning at 7 for a favorite Motet–"Jesu Meine Freude". We’ll hear a newer recording of this with the Hilliard Ensemble. We’ll also enjoy a performance with Andrew Rangell in the Partita Number 4 in D Major.
Interlude

Rachmaninov 4

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Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No.4 performed by the composer — plus a Haydn symphony and a Haydn string quartet.
My Place with Joel Najman

1950’s Rockabilly From Capitol Records

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Capitol Records was founded in 1942 in Los Angeles by singer and songwriter Johnny Mercer. Capitol quickly grew to major label status on a par with RCA Victor, Columbia and Decca, and over the years Capitol boasted a large and diverse roster of top artists including Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, the Beatles, and the Beach Boys.  In the mid-1950’s many of Capitol’s country music artists tried their hand at rockabilly flavored rock&roll in attempts to match the success that the phenomenal Elvis Presley was experiencing at rival RCA Victor.  It’s a hearty dose of 1950’s "Capitol" rock&roll this week on Joel Najman’s My Place Program from 8-9PM Saturday on Vermont Public Radio.
VPR News

VPR Evening News May 30th, 2008

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Questions are being raised about the financial stability of Vermont Yankee’s new owners; Secretary of State Deb Markowitz says she’d like to see the national political parties adopt a regional presidential primary system in 2012; A new law requires the installation of photoelectric smoke detectors in new homes; Copley Hospital and a nurses union reach agreement on a new-three year contract; and commentator Deborah Luskin on how she came to live in the Green Mountains.
Commentary Series

My Vermont: Deborah Luskin

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Teacher, writer and commentator Deborah Luskin was inspired by VPR’s My Vermont project to reflect on how she came to live in the Green Mountains. She says that her Vermont is a place to both work and play.
VPR News

Douglas administration raises questions about Entergy’s corporate restructuring

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The Douglas Administration is raising questions about the financial stability of the new owners of the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant. The administration says the new company will be financially weak because it will have to borrow billions of dollars. But the new questions are prompting critics to ask why the governor vetoed a recent Vermont Yankee bill. The bill would have required the new owners to guarantee it has enough money set aside to decommission the plant.
VPR News

VT Edition: Deb Markowitz on IRV & campaign finances

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Governor Jim Douglas has vetoed two elections bills, one that would have allowed instant runoff voting and another that would have clarified the rules around campaign finances. Host Bob Kinzel talks with Vermont’s chief elections officer Secretary of State Deb Markowitz about the implications of these vetoes for the November elections.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: May 30, 2008

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Vermont farm fields could one day be planted in hemp; Vermont’s state economist says it’s official: the state is now in a recession; A new report says Vermont’s the second-best place in America to raise children, even if it does have high health care costs; A new law will require photoelectric smoke detectors to be installed in every home in Vermont.
Vermont Edition
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Secretary of State Deb Markowitz

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Bob Kinzel talks with Secretary of State Deb Markowitz about two election-related bills that have been vetoed, and their implications for the November election. VPR’s Ross Sneyd analyzes the top stories this week, and we listen back to some of the voices in the week’s news.
VPR News

Morning Newscast May 30, 2008

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Governor Douglas criticizes a plan by Entergy Nuclear to spin off 5 of its facilities into a separate company that would start deep in debt. The legislature previously supported a bill that would have required Yankee to show it had adequate funding for decommissioning, but Douglas vetoed it; more…
Commentary Series

Celebrating Willie O’Ree

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Commentator, attorney and lifelong sports fan Brian Porto thinks that the man who broke the color barrier in professional hockey fifty years ago, should be more widely celebrated – for that accomplishment and for a great deal more.    
VPR News

A preview of a unique musical performance “Missa Gaia”

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The earth and all its inhabitants will be the focus of a unique musical performance Saturday night at the Grace Congregational Church in Rutland. Jazz and world music composer Paul Winter wrote "Missa Gaia," his mass for the earth,  in 1980. As VPR’s Nina Keck reports, 75 singers, 16 dancers, a youth chorus, lots of local musicians and a hump back whale will bring the work to life.
VPR News

Hemp bill becomes law without Douglas’ signature

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Vermont farmers might have a new chance to diversify their operations. Governor Jim Douglas allowed a bill that permits farms to plant crops of industrial hemp to become law without his signature. But, as VPR’s Ross Sneyd reports, advocates of a hemp industry are still going to have to wait.
VPR News

Douglas administration rips Entergy reorganization plan

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Three weeks after Gov. Jim Douglas vetoed legislation seeking guarantees behind the Vermont Yankee decommissioning fund, his administration is raising its own questions about the financial stability of a proposed new owner for the nuclear plant.
Classical Music with Cheryl Willoughby

Morning Classics

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A Midsummer Night Vigil, with a sky full of stars and bonfire dance – summery flower pieces, from Scotland’s James Oswald – and a Saturday Night Waltz to take us into the first weekend of June!
Classical Music with Joe Goetz

Afternoon Classics

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Zemlinsky’s Symphony in Bb Major (a tribute to Brahms that succeeds with flying colors!), Dvorak’s "Dumky" trio, and a whopper of an orchestral work by William Walton featured today.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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Aaron Copland’s Clarinet Concerto, played by Benny Goodman, for whom it was written; Mendelssohn’s Octet for Strings, played by the Emerson Quartet with itself; and Ernst von Dohnanyi’s Variations on a Nursery Song.
VPR News

VPR Evening News May 29th, 2008

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Progressive Anthony Pollina is committed to his gubernatorial campaign; Officials are pleased with a test of an emergency evacuation plan in the towns around Vermont Yankee; A judge will decide next week whether a school shooting suspect can use an insanity defense; Woodbury College will develop mediation training for judges and lawyers in China; A pair of ospreys is raising young on a platform above Leffert’s Pond in Chittenden; and commentator Willem Lange on the legend of Mount Chocorua.
Commentary Series

Mount Chocorua

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Storyteller, contractor and commentator Willem Lange has been climbing mountains again – and reflecting on the legends that sometimes become associated with them.
VPR News
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Pollina will stay in the race

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Progressive Anthony Pollina told supporters at a rally this afternoon that he’s committed to his gubernatorial campaign. He rejected suggestions that he run for lieutenant governor.
VPR News

Midday Newscast May 29, 2008

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Progressive Anthony Pollina will hold a rally within the hour and says he will disclose his political plans then; the wife of a Dartmouth College professor has been sentenced to six years in prison for bilking her former California church out of $320,000; more…
Vermont Edition

Vermont’s Rail Future

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With gas prices climbing, we "think big" about the possibilities for serious rail service in Vermont. Our guests are retired rail executive Charlie Moore, who chairs the Vermont Rail Council’s passenger rail committee, and Sam Lewis, operations manager for VTrans.
VPR News
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Audio Postcard: Barre

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By the late 1800s, Barre’s quarries and stone sheds were humming – and among those whose skills were in great demand were stone carvers from Italy. But the greatest tribute to their artistry is on a hill outside of town at the Hope Cemetary.
Commentary Series

American Chestnut

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Commentator Tom Slayton is a veteran journalist and editor-emeritus of Vermont Life magazine, who’s been reading a new book about the demise – and possible resurrection – of the American Chestnut tree.
VPR News

Interview: Mark Bosma on the Vermont Yankee evacuation drill

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During a drill held last month there were reported problems with radios used to communicate between a field office and a staging area for buses used to take people out of the danger zone. Mark Bosma is the Public Information Officer for the Vermont Emergency Management Agency and says, while it wasn’t perfection, things did go more smoothly this time around, when another drill was held yesterday.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: May 29, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: There’s enormous speculation in Vermont’s political circles about Progressive Anthony Pollina’s role in the 2008 campaign. Democrats are urging Pollina to drop out of the governor’s race and to seek the office of Lt. Governor. State officials say a housing development in Milton that mixes affordable and moderately priced homes could be a model for the rest of the state. And one of the developers of the subdivision says a new housing initiative signed into law this week might help other communities duplicate it.
VPR News

Bill to help promote development near downtowns

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State officials say a housing development in Milton that mixes affordable and moderately priced homes could be a model for the rest of the state. And one of the developers of the subdivision says a new housing initiative signed into law this week might help other communities duplicate it. VPR’s Ross Sneyd reports.
VPR News

Castleton soldier dies in Iraq

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Another U.S. soldier with Vermont ties has died in Iraq. The Pentagon says 37-year-old Sgt. 1st Class Jason F. Dene died Sunday of injuries suffered in a non-combat related incident in Baghdad on Saturday
VPR News

29 arrested in Rutland raid

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Authorities say a sweep by officers from 10 law enforcement agencies rounded up 29 people on drug and firearms charges yesterday in Rutland.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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Mass in A by Bach, conducted by Helmut Rilling, who is 75 today; Piano Quartet No. 1 of Faure, which will be performed in Northfield on Sunday; the Aladdin Suite of Nielsen; and Sacred and Profane Dances for Harp by Debussy.
VPR News

VPR Evening News May 28th, 2008

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There’s enormous speculation in Vermont’s political circles about Anthony Pollina’s role in the 2008 campaign; Several Cuban-American families are asking a federal court to lift travel restrictions that prevent them from visiting relatives in Cuba; Vermont Yankee is running at 88 percent of full power while a cooling tower that collapsed last year is brought back on line; Flowers and messages of condolence are appearing in Middlebury for Nichols Garza; and commentator Rebecca Coffey on dry cask storage at Vermont Yankee.
Commentary Series

A Perfect Storm

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Commentator Rebecca Coffey is a freelance writer with a special interest in mental health issues. And as a resident of Putney, she also takes an active interest in matters concerning Vermont Yankee. Most recently, she’s been paying close attention to the Dry Cask Storage Plan.   
VPR News

Midday Newscast May 28, 2008

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A new housing initiative that advocates say will concentrate development in downtowns is set to become law this afternoon; several Cuban-American families are asking a federal court in Vermont to lift travel restrictions that prevent them from visiting relatives in Cuba; more…
Vermont Edition
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Vermont Schools struggle with No Child Left Behind

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We look at why so many Vermont schools are failing to meet yearly progress standards under the federal No Child Left Behind Act. Vermont’s outgoing Education Commissioner Richard Cate helps us understand what the test scores say about our schools and what some schools are doing to improve.
Commentary Series

Spirit of ’68

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 Commentator Mike Martin teaches French at Champlain Valley Union High School and writes about issues of culture and education. Today he reflects on events that took place in France during the month of May in 1968 – and how they influence attitudes today.
VPR News

Interview: Larry Tye on spin in politics

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When we think about where spin comes from in the political process, the corridors of the nation’s Capitol naturally come to mind. But Larry Tye says a direct connection to Vermont can be traced to the origins of spin as we know it today. Tye is an author and Journalist for the Boston Globe. He wrote a 1998 biography about Edward Bernays called "The Father of Spin."
VPR News

Morning Newscast: May 28, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: The Middlebury College community is reacting to the news that police have pulled the body of a man from below the falls in Otter Creek, the body they believe is missing student Nick Garza;  A proposed housing project in Windsor has triggered debate over the role of environmental groups in the development review process…
VPR News

Windsor housing project sparks debate

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A proposed housing project in Windsor has triggered debate over the role of environmental groups in the development review process. The state Natural Resources Board opposes the groups’ involvement. But the groups say that the case could set a bad precedent. They’re concerned that they could lose their ability to weigh in on similar cases in the future. VPR’s John Dillon has more.
Classical Music with Joe Goetz

Afternoon Classics

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Luigi Cherubini’s Reqiuem, written in memory of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.  We’ll also hear a pair of works conducted by Seiji Ozawa in the 6 pm hour and a unique brass arragement of music by Isaac Albeniz.
In Concert @ 8

New York Philharmonic

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Bramwell Tovey conducts a concert of popular works, featuring recent Van Cliburn competition silver medalist Joyce Yang.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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Sleeping Beauty Suite by Tchaikovsky; duets for violin and cello by Gliere and David Ott, played by Jaime Laredo and Sharon Robinson, who perform tonight in Burlington; the Divine Poem of Scriabin; and the Romantic Symphony of Howard Hanson, which the Vermont Philharmonic will play this weekend.
VPR News

VPR Evening News May 27th, 2008

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The State Board of Education has named a new Acting Commissioner; The incoming head of the Vermont Agency of Transportation says there aren’t going to be many changes after he becomes secretary; The next priest sex abuse trial against Burlington’s Roman Catholic Diocese is scheduled to begin in August; The state Agency of Human Services has abandoned a plan to contract with a Missouri company to provide rides to Medicaid patients; Vermont’s honey bees have made it through the winter in good form; and commentator Deborah Luskin considers generating local hydro-power.
Commentary Series

Water Power

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As teacher, writer and commentator Deborah Luskin watched the spring run off and the flooding of local rivers this year, she got to thinking about the possibility of generating clean energy right in her own backyard.
VPR News

Death of an animal can be difficult for farmers

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For farmers with livestock, death is part of the job. Most of the time it’s planned. Cows are sent away on the beef truck, pigs become sausage. But it’s the unplanned kind of animal mortality that many farmers say can be difficult to deal with.
VPR News

Midday Newscast May 27, 2008

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Bill Talbott is the new Acting Commissioner of Education; with the price of diesel fuel hovering around 5-dollars-a-gallon, Central Vermont Public Service has purchased what it says is the first hybrid utility truck in New England; more…
Vermont Edition
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Memory Loss and Alzheimer’s

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We talk with two Vermonters – a medical researcher and a reporter – about the cutting edge work underway to understand and treat memory loss and Alzheimer’s Disease. We’ll also hear from farmers about the difficult loss when a farm animal dies unexpectedly.
Commentary Series

China Quake

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Commentator Chris Wren is a former reporter and editor for the New York Times. During the recent devastating earthquake he was in China – as host of VPR’s China trip.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: May 27, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Cassella Waste Management just purchased its first hybrid collection vehicle, and Central Vermont Public Service unveiled what it says is the first hybrid utility truck in New England; The Vermont Transportation Agency is trying to ease congestion for travelers and construction crews by doing more paving and repair work at night…
VPR News

State to do road work at night

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The Vermont Transportation Agency is trying to ease congestion for travelers and construction crews by doing more paving and repair work at night.
VPR News
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CVPS unveils hybrid utility truck

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With gas prices still climbing, sales of hybrid cars are up over 35 percent. And it’s not just individual consumers who are trying to go green. A growing number of Vermont businesses are considering hybrid vehicles for their companies. Central Vermont Public Service unveiled what it says is the first hybrid utility truck in New England.  
VPR News

Vt. ACLU joins lawsuit on Cuba policy

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The Vermont chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union is joining the legal fray between a group of Cuban-Americans and the federal government over travel restrictions to Cuba.
Classical Music with Joe Goetz

Afternoon Classics

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Ingrid Fliter’s new Chopin release featured this afternoon, with his 3rd sonata.  Also little-heard lute music from Baroque Germany and a piano trio by Ernest Chausson.
VPR News

VPR Evening News May 26th, 2008

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The Lois McClure schooner will visit Quebec City to helm mark the city’s 400th anniversary; Senator Patrick Leahy is in Ireland joining an international appeal to ban cluster munitions; A profile of the St. Johnsbury Town Band; and commentator Olin Robison reflects on the 25th anniversary of a landmark education analysis. 
VPR News

Maritime Museum boat will join Quebec anniversary, launch Champlain’s 400th

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In a few weeks, a reproduction of a 19th century boat that plied the waters of Lake Champlain will set sail for Quebec City. The Lake Champlain Maritime Museum’s replica canal schooner, the Lois McClure, will visit Quebec to help mark the city’s 400th anniversary. As VPR’s Ross Sneyd reports, the festivities in Quebec also start the observation of a big anniversary in the Champlain Valley.
VPR News
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VT Edition: Kenneth Davis on “America’s Hidden History”

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Kenneth Davis splits his time between Dorset, Vermont and New York City. He’s the author of the popular "Don’t Know Much About" book series, including the bestseller "Don’t Know Much About History." And he’s just published a new book called "America’s Hidden History." He spoke with VPR’s Jane Lindholm about his book.
VPR News

Midday Newscast May 26, 2008

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As gasoline prices rise towards or past $4.00 a gallon, it’s not just drivers who are affected, some small gas stations also feel the squeeze.  Officials from the Southwestern Medical Center are preparing pitch plans for a $45 million hospital expansion; more…
Vermont Edition

America’s Hidden History

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Historian Kenneth Davis shares stories about the early years of the United States from his new book, "America’s Hidden History: Untold Tales of the First Pilgrims, Fighting Women and Forgotten Founders Who Shaped a Nation."
Commentary Series

Last of the Last

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At Memorial Day services all over the country, aging veterans lead remembrance services.  Teacher and historian Vic Henningsen reflects on the legacy of one group rapidly disappearing from their ranks.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: May 26, 2008

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Governor Douglas to sign new domestic violence law tomorrow; pre-buy fuel contracts diminishing in NH; all over VT today, town bands are marching in parades and playing on village greens in memory of fallen soldiers.
Classical Music with Cheryl Willoughby

Morning Classics

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VPR Classical’s Memorial Day commemoration gets underway with Arthur Sullivan’s Overture, "In Memoriam"; Barber’s haunting "Agnus Dei", and a listener request for Ron Nelson’s "Lauds" – commissioned by the US Airforce to honor the families of service people worldwide.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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Music for Memorial Day will include An Outdoor Overture by Aaron Copland, the U.S. Marine Band led by Vermonter Michael J. Colburn; American Ballads by Morton Gould; Requiem by Mozart; Fugue and Chorale on Yankee Doodle by Virgil Thomson; and the Eroica Symphony of Beethoven.
Sunday Bach

Sunday Bach for May 25th, 2008

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This week on Sunday Bach we’ll enjoy a brand new recording of the Sonata for Violin Solo Number 1, in g minor, with Lara St. John. We’ll also hear a favorite Orchestral Suite–the number 4 in a performance with the Academy for Ancient Music in Berlin.
Saturday Afternoon at the Opera

NEA Opera Honors

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The recipients of the new NEA Opera Honors were announced on May 13. Our program celebrates the achievements of the honorees: soprano Leontyne Price, conductor James Levine, composer Carlisle Floyd, and impressario Richard Gaddes. Included will be a complete performance of Carlisle Floyd’s opera Susannah.
Interlude

Rachmaninov 3

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Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No.3 is performed by the composer with the Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Eugene Ormandy.
My Place with Joel Najman

A Musical Profile Of Bobby Rydell

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Bobby Rydell  is one of Rock & Roll’s earliest Teen Idol singers, recording some 34 nationally-charted hit singles in the late 1950’s and pre-Beatles 1960’s. Fifty years after his start as an entertainer, Bobby Rydell still performs and records today and he has legions of devoted fans. Tune in Joel Najman’s "My Place" program for a musical profile of Bobby Rydell Saturday from 8-9PM on Vermont Public Radio
VPR News

VPR Evening News May 23rd, 2008

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An Environmental Court judge says Vermont Yankee must control how much it warms the Connecticut River; More people are riding Vermont’s two passenger trains, but the trains have a poor record for running on time; People in two communities along the U.S.-Canadian border who share the same water system have been asked to conserve water until a pump is replaced; State Police will be out if force this holiday weekend; and commentator Willem Lange considers having a male identity crisis. 
Commentary Series

Male Identity Crisis

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Storyteller, contractor and commentator Willem Lange recently read a book that got him thinking about what it’s like to have a male identity crisis – and wondering whether or not to have one.
VPR News

Midday Newscast May 23, 2008

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Brian Rooney’s conviction for the rape and murder of Michelle Gardner-Quinn will now go to the Vermont Supreme Court; the summer travel season begins today with the arrival of Memorial Day weekend;
VPR News

Principal orders Jesus statue removed, generating debate

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The debate  over the right to free speech versus the separation of church and state was sparked last week at Mount Abraham Union High School in Bristol. That’s because two students placed a statue of Jesus in a school walkway and the principal ordered it removed.
Commentary Series

Cuba Policy Debate

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There are indications that a presidential campaign between Senators Barack Obama and John McCain would be likely to focus on American foreign policy. This morning, commentator Barrie Dunsmore, a veteran diplomatic and foreign correspondent for ABC News, takes a look at the early skirmishes.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: May 23, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: The jury spent six and a half hours deliberating yesterday, and in the end they found 37-year old Brian Rooney guilty of raping and murdering UVM student Michelle Gardner Quinn; Burlington Mayor Bob Kiss says he appreciates the good detective work that led to the conviction of Brian Rooney; Gas prices have shot past the $4-a-gallon mark in parts of Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, just days before Memorial Day weekend that marks the unofficial start of the summer tourism season in New England.
VPR News

Brian Rooney found guilty in murder of Michelle Gardner Quinn

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The jury spent six and a half hours deliberating yesterday, and in the end they found 37-year old Brian Rooney guilty of raping and murdering UVM student Michelle Gardner Quinn. The closely watched trial had been going on for over a week in Vermont district Court in Rutland. VPR’s Nina Keck reports.
Commentary Series
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Memorial Day Thoughts

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VPR presents a series of archival commentaries devoted to Memorial Day. Commentators include Willem Lang, David Moats, Christine Smith and Linda DuCharme.
VPR News

Gas topping $4 in some Northern New England towns

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Gas prices have shot past the $4-a-gallon mark in parts of Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, just days before Memorial Day weekend that marks the unofficial start of the summer tourism season in New England.
Classical Music with Cheryl Willoughby

Morning Classics

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"You ladies, you know what love is!" …so sings Cherubino as he’s ready to ship out to the military. We’ll hear that aria, and Edward Elgar’s setting of Alfred Lord Tennyson’s "There is Sweet Music" this morning.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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Music for brass and organ by Bach; Goyescas by Granados, played by Alicia de Larrocha, who is 85 today; a recent recording of the Violin Concerto by Sibelius from Lisa Batiashvili; and the Carmen Ballet, Bizet’s opera adapted by Rodion Shchedrin.
VPR News

VPR Evening News May 22nd, 2008

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A leading mental health advocacy group is calling on doctors and hospitals to reject gifts from the pharmaceutical industry; The jury is still out in the murder case against Brian Rooney; The Vermont Crime Laboratory’s DNA lab was dedicated this morning to the memory of Patricia Scoville; Members of Vermont’s congressional delegation celebrate the passage of the Farm Bill; Former Phish frontman Trey Anastasio received a reduced sentence for a drug conviction after he successfully completed a counseling program; The Vermont Air National Guard’s oldest fighter plane is being saved from the scrap heap; and commentator Bill Shubart had a let-down on Green-up Day.
Commentary Series

Green-up Let-down

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Hinesburg writer and commentator Bill Schubart experienced something you might call Green-up Let-down this year. He’d been ready for months and the day itself was a disappointment.
VPR News

Mental health group wants doctors, hospitals to reject gifts from drug industry

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A leading mental health advocacy group is calling on doctors and hospitals to reject gifts from the pharmaceutical industry. The Vermont Association for Mental Health says the payments to doctors create a conflict of interest that could compromise patient care. But medical professionals say they are already taking steps to limit the influence of drug companies. VPR’s John Dillon reports.
VPR News

Midday Newscast May 22, 2008

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A Vermont District Court jury in Rutland began its deliberations a half-an-hour ago in the Brian Rooney murder case; the Vermont Crime Laboratory’s DNA lab was dedicated this morning to the memory of Patricia Scoville, who was murdered in Stowe 16 years ago; more…
Vermont Edition

My Vermont Project: Health Care Costs

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VPR continues the My Vermont series with a special week devoted to challenges and concerns of listeners. Today we ask the question: Why does health care cost so much and what can be done to controll it?
VPR News
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Interview: Dr. Rosalind Renfrew on the Bobolinks’ winter diet

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You’ve no doubt seen the Bobolink in Vermont. It’s a medium sized American songbird–black underneath and white on the back. But where the Bobolink spends its time far away from Vermont is now a cause for concern. Dr. Rosalind Renfrew of the Vermont Center for Eco-Studies is conducting a study into some new dietary habits the Bobolink has picked up in its winter home. Dr. Renfrew speaks with VPR’s Mitch Wertlieb.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: May 22, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Paving projects and repairs to highway bridges lead the list of work to be funded by an additional $10 million in state transportation spending;  Vermont utilities rely on Hydro Quebec and Vermont Yankee for two-thirds of their power. But contracts for that electricity begin to expire in four years. Energy experts say replacing those contracts will force the state to consider some big changes in its mix of power supplies…
Classical Music with Cheryl Willoughby

Morning Classics

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This morning a piece that’s never been played before on VPR: Arthur Sullivan’s lyrical Cello Concerto. And, thinking about Memorial Day weekend coming up, we’ll hear Vivaldi’s "Et in terra pax" ("And peace on Earth") from his Gloria.
VPR News

VPR Evening News May 21st, 2008

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An additional $10 million dollars is pegged for state transportation spending; President Bush vetoed the Farm Bill today, and Congress quickly moved to override him; Senator Leahy sharply questioned the executives of America’s five biggest oil companies about the rising price of oil; The trial of Brian Rooney is nearing its conclusion; and commentator David Moats on the people he met on his round-trip train ride.
Commentary Series

Train Ride, Part II

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Commentator and Pulitzer Prize-winning writer David Moats recently traveled cross-country on the train. Round trip. This morning David recalled that one of the things he encountered on the way out was the land itself. This afternoon, David reflects on the trip back and the people he encountered both ways.
VPR News
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Interview: Meg Young on surviving the China earthquake

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Last week’s earthquake in China had a direct impact on one Middlebury College graduate. Meg Young was in the city of Chengdu when the earthquake hit, sending her running from the building crumbling around her. VPR’s Neal Charnoff spoke with Meg Young by cell phone about the earthquake.
VPR News

Midday Newscast May 21, 2008

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The White House press secretary says President Bush plans to veto the farm bill today; Congressman Peter Welch is in the midst of a dustup in Washington over the Environmental Protection Agency’s refusal to adopt state tailpipe emission standards; more…
Vermont Edition

My Vermont Project: Electricity Sources

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VPR continues the My Vermont series with a special week devoted to challenges and concerns of listeners. Today we ask the question: As Vermont faces critical decisions on where to get its electricity, how do we balance cost with environmental impact?
VPR News

Conditions tough for start of hiking season

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Memorial Day is the traditional start of Vermont’s summer hiking season, but people who reach the top of some of the state’s highest peaks this weekend might still find some snow.
Commentary Series

Train Ride, Part I

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Commentator and Pulitzer Prize-winning writer David Moats recently traveled cross-country on the train. Round trip. One of the things he encountered on the way out was the land itself.
VPR News

Interview: Vermont Tiger’s Geoffrey Norman on the farm bill

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Senator Patrick Leahy says the federal farm bill is good news for Vermont. But Geoffrey Norman has a very different view. Norman is a long-time journalist and editor of the on-line journal VermontTiger.com. He says even if the farm bill does contain some good things for Vermont, taken in full consideration, it’s anything but good. Norman speaks with VPR’s Mitch Wertlieb.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: May 21, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: The owner of Vermont Yankee nuclear plant is running into opposition in New York state over its plan to spin off its northeastern nuclear division into a standalone company. Vermont business leaders say the state needs to invest in education and technology to keep the economy on track. Without it, they say, rural areas of the state won’t prosper and economic development will stall…
VPR News

MD opts not to run for Lt. Gov.

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A Montpelier physician who’s campaigned for health care reform in Vermont is not going to be campaigning for lieutenant governor.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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Symphony No. 1 of Mahler, which the Dartmouth Symphony will play this Saturday; Variations on a hymn tune by John Weaver, who plays organ at Stowe Community Church today at noon; and La Boutique Fantasque by Respighi, based on music of Rossini.
Classical Music with Cheryl Willoughby

Morning Classics

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"The bright sun, merriment and noise / amuse the more frivolous; / only the poet is possessed / by love of quiet things." – Camille Saint-Saens, from his poem, "Calme des Nuits" – It’s "Music in Literature" week on Performance Today, and we’re getting an early start with that theme this morning on VPR Classical.
VPR News

VPR Evening News May 20th, 2008

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Members of a state advisory council are dismayed that an economic stimulus package will not help the state’s rail network; State and local police have launched the annual “Click It Or Ticket” campaign; Problems with a major computer data network caused widespread Internet outages in Vermont today; Environmental groups in Vermont have begun to work with volunteers to get rid of invasive species; The state is getting $1.7 million dollars as part of a multi-state settlement with Merck; and commentator Peter Gilbert on Vermont’s role in the film, “I Am Legend”.
VPR News

State experiences Internet problems today

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Problems with a major computer data network caused widespread Internet outages in Vermont today. State government was one of the institutions affected. Its computer network went down for about 90 minutes.
VPR News

Council asks: Why roads, not rail?

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The state will borrow an additional $10 million for transportation projects as part of an economic stimulus package. But members of a state advisory council were dismayed to learn this week that none of that money will go to improve the rail network in Vermont.
Commentary Series

Vermont is Legend

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Commentator and Vermont Humanities Council Executive Director Peter Gilbert is fascinated by how national media invoke Vermont as an idyllic place. But when he recently watched a movie that presents Vermont as a place apart – in a fallen world, he found a story teeming with symbolism.
VPR News

Midday Newscast May 20, 2008

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State and local police across Vermont have launched a campaign to increase the number of people who wear seat belts; St. Johnsbury’s school board wants to hire a private investigator to make sure children in its schools actually live in town; more…
Vermont Edition

My Vermont Project: Affordability

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VPR continues the My Vermont series with a special week devoted to challenges and concerns of listeners. Today we ask the question: What can be done to make Vermont a more affordable place to live? You can post your comments online.
VPR News
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Interview: Emily Boedecker on Japanese Knotweed

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Over the weekend, a group of people in Richmond got together to fight an invasive species that’s taking over the riverbanks. Emily Boedecker of the Nature Conservancy says it’s critical to identify invasive species like Knotweed. She speaks with VPR’s Mitch Wertlieb.
Commentary Series

Expressing Grief

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According to commentator and former Vermont Governor Madeleine Kunin, the sheer size of the disasters in Myanmar and China make it a challenge to comprehend on a human level.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: May 20, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: The Vermont Supreme Court has given a green light to the company that wants to build a new set of power lines to serve northwestern Vermont; The head of the Environmental Protection Agency initially supported partly granting California’s petition for a greenhouse gas emissions waiver, but reversed himself after hearing from White House officials, says a new report…
VPR News

Report: EPA reversed stand on greenhouse gas

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The head of the Environmental Protection Agency initially supported partly granting California’s petition for a greenhouse gas emissions waiver, but reversed himself after hearing from White House officials, says a new report.
VPR News

Vt. bishop writes letter on abuse verdict

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Vermont’s top Roman Catholic clergyman has written to parishioners around the state, apologizing to the victim in a priest sex abuse case but saying the church will appeal last week’s $8.7 million verdict against the Diocese of Burlington.
VPR News

NH Dems vote down creating income tax commission

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New Hampshire Democrats at their annual convention overwhelmingly voted against creating a commission that would look into establishing a state income tax, but they agreed to support consideration of “all potential sources of revenue” in their party platform.
Jazz with George Thomas
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Jazz vocalist Karrin Allyson on VPR

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George Thomas welcomes jazz vocalist Karrin Allyson to VPR Studios. Her new album is "Imagina: Songs of Brasil" and she’ll talk with George about her career as a singer, songwriter, pianist, composer and bandleader.
VPR News

VPR Evening News May 19th, 2008

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Vermont Yankee’s first attempt to move radioactive spent fuel ended in a mishap last week; Advocates of same-sex marriage say a decision by the California Supreme Court should help their cause in Vermont; The Vermont Supreme Court has given a green light to the company that wants to build a new set of power lines to serve northwestern Vermont; Vermont’s top Roman Catholic clergyman has written to parishioners around the state, following a $8.7 million dollar judgement against the Diocese of Burlington; Republican Karen Kerin has announced she is running for Attorney General; and commentator Philip Baruth on Cormac McCarthy’s “The Road”. 
Commentary Series

The Road

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Commentator Philip Baruth is a novelist who teaches at the University of Vermont. He got off to an early start on his summer reading list this year, only to confront a book powerful enough, and bleak enough, to shadow an entire summer.
VPR News

VT Edition: Bill Stenger & Bob Slayton on Vermont’s Identity

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The My Vermont Project continues as we examine Vermont’s Identity – the reality of youth flight, whether it is a phenomenon that Vermont is experiencing and how our state’s experience differs from other regions. Host Jane Lindholm’s guests are Bill Stenger, Chair of the Next Generation Commission and Tom Slayton, former publisher of Vermont Life magazine.
VPR News

Midday Newscast May 19, 2008

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The Boston Red Sox just announced that some Vermont technology will be powering Fenway Park; advocates of same-sex marriage say a decision by the California Supreme Court last week should help their cause in Vermont; another candidate has gotten into the race for governor; more…
Vermont Edition

My Vermont Project: Vermont’s Identity

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VPR continues the My Vermont series with a special week devoted to challenges and concerns of listeners. Today we ask the question: How are the people and landscape of Vermont changing, and what do we want to preserve? You can listen to a special rebroadcast of Vermont Edition every night this week at 7.
Commentary Series

2008 Legislature

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Commentator John McClaughry is president of the Ethan Allen Institute, a Vermont policy research and education organization. And he has considerable praise for the legislative session that has just ended.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: May 19, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: The chairman of the Vermont Republican party says his party may be in for a tough election year. Testimony resumes today in Rutland in the Michelle Gardner Quinn murder case. Delays are not uncommon in court, but they can make a stressful situation even more trying for the family and friends of the victim.  Gasoline prices around $3.75 per gallon for regular unleaded are prompting more Vermonters to try carpooling and public transportation.
VPR News
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Victim advocates support families through trials

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Testimony resumes today in Rutland in the Michelle Gardner Quinn murder case. Brian Rooney is accused of the abduction, rape and murder of the 21-year old University of Vermont student in 2006. The trial was postponed last week when Rooney became ill. Delays are not uncommon in court, but they can make a stressful situation even more trying for the family and friends of the victim. VPR’s Nina Keck has more.
VPR News

King memorial foundation target of federal probe

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They’ve been criticized in Barre for outsourcing the carving of a statue of the Reverend Martin Luther King Junior. Now the foundation planning a national memorial to the slain civil rights leader is under federal investigation.
VPR News

Dean: 50-state strategy working

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Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean says last week’s win by his party’s congressional candidate in what had been a strongly Republican Mississippi district shows that his “50-state strategy” of strengthening his party is working.
In Concert @ 8

SymphonyCast

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The Orpheus Orchestra performing works by Bach and Schumann….sans directeur, as they always do.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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Mozart’s Piano Quartet in G minor, K. 478; Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto, played by Hilary Hahn; Chopin’s Etudes, Op. 25, played by Maurizio Pollini; and the Symphony No. 5 of Prokofiev.    
Sunday Bach

Sunday Bach for May 18th, 2008

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Join us for Sunday Bach, Sunday morning at 7. We’ll enjoy a wedding cantata–Number 202, "Weichet nur, betrubte Schatten" with the Sarasa Ensemble, as well as the Concerto for Violin and Strings in A minor, with Monica Huggett.
Saturday Afternoon at the Opera

Cavalleria rusticana and Pagliacci

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The world’s most popular operatic double-bill consists of Mascagni’s Cavalleria rusticana and Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci. In the casts of this afternoon’s performances: Jussi Bjoerling, Zinka Milanov, Victoria de los Angeles, and Robert Merrill.
My Place with Joel Najman

Surf Music Of The 1960’s

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Surf Music was an exciting and regionally popular sub-genre of early 1960’s American popular music that rose out of the beachside dance clubs in southern California. It was the Beach Boys and Jan & Dean who recorded songs about the sport of surfing and turned them into nationally popular hits, but it was a slew of echo-laden guitar instrumentals locally popular in southern California that many purists say is the only "true" surf music. Regardless, a heavy dose of both styles is featured this week on Joel Najman’s My Place program Saturday from 8-9PM on Vermont Public Radio.
VPR News

VPR Evening News May 16th, 2008

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Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gaye Symington says Governor Douglas has shown too little leadership on some important issues; The Vermont Army National Guard has received an order for a possible mobilization in early 2010; Vermont’s top educator is leaving state government to become an administrator at UVM; Green Mountain Power plans to offer incentives for people thinking about installing solar panels to generate electricity; and commentator Willem Lange goes fishing.
Commentary Series

Gone Fishin’

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Storyteller, contractor and commentator Willem Lange recently went fishing for the first time this year. He had some luck and found lots to think about.  
VPR News

Midday Newscast May 16, 2008

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Vermont’s top educator is leaving state government to become an administrator at the University of Vermont; one of the closest advisers to Governor Jim Douglas is leaving state government;
Vermont Edition
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Dem. Gubernatorial Candidate Gaye Symington

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Bob Kinzel talks with Democrat Gaye Symington about the politics of a three-way gubernatorial race and the issues that define her candidacy. Also on the program, news analysis with VPR reporters and we listen back to some of the voices in the news this week.
VPR News
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Interview: Warren Kimble’s new exhibition at the Shelburne Museum

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Warren Kimble’s landscapes, barns, domestic and wild animal paintings are familiar, but a new retrospective at the Shelburne Museum also features many lesser known works, including early pieces from his time as a professor at Castleton State College. It also highlights newer and darker pieces, inspired by the war in Iraq. We got a sneak peek of the exhibit during a walk-through with Shelburne Museum Director Stephan Jost. But first VPR’s Mitch Wertlieb spoke with Warren Kimble from his home in Brandon.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: May 16, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: The top member of Governor Jim Douglas’s cabinet, Mike Smith, plans to leave the administration this summer, but he’ll be replaced by Transportation Secretary Neale Lunderville; Acting Health Commissioner Sharon Moffat is also stepping down;A farm bill includes provision allowing Bromley Resort to buy Green Mountain National Forest land is drawing criticism…
VPR News

GMP launches new effort to promote solar power

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Customers of Green Mountain Power Corp. who have been thinking about installing solar panels on their roofs now have a powerful new reason to do so: the opportunity to sell their excess electricity to the utility.
Classical Music with Cheryl Willoughby

Morning Classics

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It’s Liberace’s birthday, and we have just the tribute for the occasion: Michael Daugherty’s "Candelabra Rhumba" from "Le Tombeau de Liberace"! It’s a rhinestone-covered, Rolls Royce-collecting kind of morning on VPR Classical.
VPR News

VPR Evening News May 15th, 2008

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The U.S. Senate passes a five-year extension of the farm bill; Governor Douglas signs a bill that will make it easier for nursing mothers to continue breast-feed their babies after they return to work; Transportation Secretary Neale Lunderville will take over as Secretary of Administration; There are currently no breeding pairs of bald eagles in Vermont; and commentator John Fox on ball games and springtime. 
Commentary Series

Rite of Spring

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As baseball season finally gets underway in Vermont’s mountain communities, writer, anthropologist and commentator John Fox reflects on the magical – and ancient – connection between ball games and springtime.
VPR News
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VT Edition: Charlie Nardozzi

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VPR’s Jane Lindholm talks with Charlie Nardozzi of the National Gardening Association about flowers and vegetables, spring plantings, new varieties of hydrangeas and tomatoes, and particular pests to watch out for.
VPR News

Midday Newscast: May 15, 2008

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Testimony began this morning in the rape and murder trial of Brian Rooney of Richmond; Social service agencies say hungry Vermonters will benefit from the farm bill that passed Congress; more…
Vermont Edition
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The Annual Gardening Show

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Join Vermont Edition for gardening advice from Charlie Nardozzi of the National Gardening Association. We talk about flowers and vegetables, spring plantings, new varieties of hydrangeas and tomatoes, and particular pests to watch out for.
Commentary Series
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My Vermont: Susan Beard

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Susan is heartened by the enthusiasm in Vermont for relying more on healthful, locally grown food, and by a determination to preserve our wilderness.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: May 15, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Vermont’s congressional delegation says the federal farm bill passed by the U.S. House is good news for Vermont; Officials at several Vermont electric utilities say more people are falling behind on their bills; Progressive Anthony Pollina says he hoped he’d have a clear shot at defeating Governor Jim Douglas this fall…
VPR News

N.H. House rejects school funding proposal

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After dozens of failed attempts in 10 years, the New Hampshire House kept its record intact on Wednesday, rejecting a proposed constitutional amendment to let the state give the most school aid to needier communities.
VPR News

Diocese will appeal $8.7 million verdict

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Lawyers for Vermont’s Roman Catholic Church say they’ll appeal an $8.7 million verdict. On Tuesday, a Chittenden Superior Court jury found in favor of a Colorado man who says he was repeatedly abused by a priest in a Burlington church in the 1970s.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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Brahms’ String Quartet No. 3, from the Emerson Quartet’s recent recording; some of the Requiem of Maurice Durufle, which the Brattleboro Community Chorus will perform Sunday at 4 at Marlboro College; and the Pastoral Suite of Swedish composer Lars-Erik Larsson, born 100 years ago today.
Classical Music with Cheryl Willoughby

Morning Classics

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Today marks the 100th birthday anniversary of Sweden’s Lars-Erik Larssen, we’ll celebrate with the "Trombone" Concertina — that Larssen never wrote! And a listener request for music performed by pianist Emmanuel Ax…
VPR News

VPR Evening News May 14th, 2008

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A Quebec company wants to expand a large-scale Franklin County egg farm that in the past has drawn complaints from neighbors; Lawyers for Vermont’s Roman Catholic Church say they’ll appeal an 8.7 million dollar judgement; An upcoming trial will be challenging for Rutland jurors; and commentator Deborah Luskin on traveling when your plane is grounded. 
VPR News

Midday Newscast May 14, 2008

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Lawyers for Vermont’s Roman Catholic Church say they’ll appeal an $8.7 million verdict; a jury has been seated for the trial of Brian Rooney, accused of raping and murdering a UVM student;
Vermont Edition
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Progressive Gubernatorial Candidate Anthony Pollina

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Progressive Anthony Pollina is hoping to unseat Governor Jim Douglas in November. We talk with him about his gubernatorial campaign. Also, we visit the Saranac Lake lab where E.L. Trudeau conducted his pioneering research on tuberculosis, and learn why Trudeau is being honored with a postage stamp. And a trip to the Robert Frost Stone House Museum in Shaftsbury.
VPR News
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Interview: Alex Wolff on the Frost Heaves move to the PBL

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The Vermont Frost Heaves are moving on. The state’s only professional basketball team isn’t leaving Vermont for greener pastures, but is switching leagues, moving from the long-established American Basketball Association to the fledgling PBL, Premier Basketball League. VPR’s Mitch Wertlieb speaks with General Manager Alex Wolff.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: May 14, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.:  Vermont has seen an increase of 172 home foreclosures in Vermont over this time last year. That’s prompting state officials are urging people facing foreclosure to seek help before it becomes a crisis. A Quebec company wants to expand a large-scale Franklin County egg farm that in the past has drawn complaints from neighbors. A House panel is probing the Election Day 2002 phone-jamming plot by GOP operatives against New Hampshire Democrats.
VPR News

Special paving program under way

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Road crews will be out on Route 2A in Colchester today laying down the first pavement under this spring’s special supplemental Vermont state paving program.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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Choral Hymns from the Rig Veda by Gustav Holst, which the Bella Voce Women’s Chorus of VT will perform this weekend; and Duo for Flute and Piano by Aaron Copland, played by Music from Copland House, whose Artistic Director, pianist Michael Boriskin, will be our guest Friday morning at 11.
VPR News

VPR Evening News May 13th, 2008

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Congressman Peter Welch’s plan to suspend shipments to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve is generating strong support in Congress; A jury has awarded 8.7 million dollars to a former altar boy who sued the Catholic Church over sexual abuse he says he suffered at the hands of a priest; A former member of the Vermont fish and Wildlife board is being fined 200 dollars for baiting deer; Many areas in Vermont had record-setting snowfall this winter; and commentator Olin Robison on the end of a cold war monument.
VPR News

Welch’s proposal to suspend shipments to petroleum reserve gains support

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Congressman Peter Welch’s plan to suspend shipments to the national Strategic Petroleum Reserve is generating strong support in Congress. The U.S. Senate voted on Tuesday to back the plan and the U.S House is set to consider it. Supporters of the bill say the legislation could help reduce the cost of gasoline by between 5 and 20 cents a gallon.
VPR News

VPR’s Walter Parker on the legacy of Ernest Stires

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Vermont lost one of its best-loved musicians last week. Ernest Stires was a composer and jazz pianist, and a mentor to younger musicians. He died unexpectedly at his home in Cornwall at the age of 82. Jane Lindholm talked about his legacy with VPR’s own classical host Walter Parker.
VPR News

Midday Newscast May 13, 2008

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At least one Vermont ski resort says this winter was the best ever; Vermont’s Fish and Wildlife Department is drafting new policies that will guide management of the state’s four big game species;
Vermont Edition
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Checking in on Vermont’s Dairy industry

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We take a look at how Vermont’s dairy farms are faring in today’s economy. Also, we talk with David Goodman about his new book, cowritten with his sister, radio host Amy Goodman. And a remembrance of Ernest Stires, a much-loved musician who died last week.
VPR News

Price Chopper recalls meat

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Price Chopper supermarkets is recalling pre-packaged hamburgers that might contain small bits of hard plastic.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: May 13, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: A jury in Burlington is expected today to begin deliberating a priest sex abuse case against the Diocese of Burlington. Vermont’s Fish and Wildlife Department says the health of the state’s big-game species is generally good. Biologists say they want that to continue. So they’re drafting new policies that will guide wildlife management for the next decade…
VPR News

Public input sought for wildlife management plans

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Vermont’s Fish and Wildlife Department says the health of the state’s big-game species is generally good. Biologists say they want that to continue. So they’re drafting new policies that will guide wildlife management for the next decade. VPR’s Ross Sneyd reports.
VPR News

Fallen N.H. police officer one of 42 honored

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Franconia Police Chief Mark Montminy says an annual memorial service to honor fallen New Hampshire officers helps with the healing but also brings back sadness over Cpl. Bruce McKay’s death last May.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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Franz Liszt’s Sonata in B minor, played by pianist (and med student) Naida Cole; and Gershwin’s Concerto in F, played by pianist Michael Boriskin, who performs live on VPR Classical Friday at 11am.
VPR News

VPR Evening News May 12th, 2008

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House Speaker Gaye Symington announces she will run as a Democratic candidate for Governor; A judge says jury deliberations will begin tomorrow in the case of a former altar boy suing the Diocese of Burlington in a priest sex case; Business picks up at discount food stores; and commentator Bill Mares on his slightly eccentric Book Club.
Commentary Series

Book Club

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Commentator Bill Mares is an author – as well as retired teacher and legislator – who for many years, has belonged to a lively – if slightly eccentric – Book Club.
VPR News

Midday Newscast May 12, 2008

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House Speaker Gaye Symington ended speculation and announced her campaign for governor; Middlebury police continue to search the Otter Creek for signs of Nick Garza, a Middlebury College student who has been missing for three months; more…
Vermont Edition

Campus Safety

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The University of Vermont’s Chief of Police has co-authored a report on how safe America’s college campuses are. We talk with Gary Margolis about his findings. Also, we talk with Vermont Law School Professor Cheryl Hanna about the murder trial of Brian Rooney. And Gaye Symington makes a big political announcement.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: May 12, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Democratic House Speaker Gaye Symington is expected to announce today that she’s running for governor;  The rising cost of food has pushed up food shelf use in Vermont and across the country. It’s also made discount grocery stores a lot busier.  An anti-war group at the University of Vermont is pushing the school to divest its holdings in companies that profit from war.
VPR News
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More Vermonters head to discount food stores

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According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, food prices are expected to rise four to five percent this year. That’s on top of skyrocketing heating fuel and gas prices. The situation has pushed up food shelf use in Vermont and across the country. It’s also made discount grocery stores a lot busier. VPR’s Nina Keck has more.
VPR News

Judge enforces deadlines in shooting trial

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A Chittenden County judge says he will not delay the summer trial for Essex shooting suspect Christopher Williams, preventing the defense from calling a third witness to support its insanity defense.
All the Traditions

All the Traditions – May 11, 2008

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Our annual Mother’s Day spectacular, where we search for lots of songs about mothers, mamas, and moms from all over the place! Also lots of exciting music this week in the VPR listening area, including Roger McGuinn in Vergennes and David Francey tonight in Charlotte, VT!
My Place with Joel Najman

A Collection Of Commercials Recorded By Famous Recording Artists Of Yesteryear

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This week, Joel Najman’s My Place program presents a collection of commercials and radio jingles recorded by famous recording artists of yesteryear; from Nat "King" Cole and Dinah Shore to Del Shannon and Elvis Presley, the commercials they recorded are oftentimes as entertaining as the artists’ famous radio hits themselves.  Featured are a baker’s dozen of artists – first we hear a commercial from that artist, and this is followed immediately by a famous hit single from that same artist. Non-commercial radio goes commercial this week on Joel Najman’s My Place program, Saturday from 8-9PM on Vermont Public Radio.
VPR News

VPR Evening News May 9th, 2008

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The sudden closing of a Randolph water bottling facility has thrown dozens of people out of work; Letter carriers will do their part tomorrow for local food shelves; House speaker Gaye Symington is expected to announce on Monday her intent to run for Governor; Governor Douglas and Lieutenant Governor Brian Dubie were among the recipients of Freedom Team Salute commendations at a statehouse ceremony; More complaints filed over the now-shuttered Bennington State Office Building; Remembering former Vermont Supreme Court Justice Louis Peck; and commentator Barrie Dunsmore on dealing with Iran as a nuclear power.
Commentary Series
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My Vermont: Alice Outwater

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After moving to Vermont, Alice grew to appreciate Vermonters’ no-nonsense values, their work ethic, their reserve, their basic kindness and pioneer spirits.
VPR News

Midday Newscast May 9, 2008

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Former Vermont Supreme Court Justice Louis Peck is being remembered today for his wit and his dedication to the law; Vermont’s prime student lending agency says it will be able to make loans for the next school year; a former congresswoman from Connecticut will discuss the strength of Social Security in Vermont this weekend.
VPR News

Former Justice Louis Peck dies at 89

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Former Vermont Supreme Court Justice Louis Peck, who survived a debilitating war injury to become one of state government’s most respected lawyers and jurists, has died. He was 89.
Commentary Series
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My Vermont: Dawna Neron

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While Dawna often yearns for the Vermont she grew up in, she appreciates that it’s still a special place. It’s not perfect, but it just may be as perfect as it gets.
VPR News

Interview: Barbara Kennelly on Social Security and Medicare

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Senator Bernie Sanders is sponsoring a series of Town Hall meetings around Vermont this weekend on preserving and strengthening two federal programs some people fear are under threat. The keynote speaker at these meetings is Barbara Kennelly, the President of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare. She speaks with VPR’s Mitch Wertlieb.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: May 9, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Vermont’s prime student loan agency says it has avoided that upheaval because it’s struck a deal with a bank for $390 million in financing. This weekend at Mill River Union High School, middle school students will be presenting Robert Frost’s work on stage in an original, multimedia adaptation called "Frost Rimes.”
VPR News

Students bring Frost works to stage

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Most students, at some point in their academic lives, study the poetry of Robert Frost. This weekend at Mill River Union High School, middle school students will be presenting the poets’ work on stage in an original, multimedia adaptation called "Frost Rimes.” VPR’s Nina Keck has more.
VPR News

VSAC strikes deal with bank for loan financing

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Upheaval in credit markets has thrown many college loan programs into chaos, just as students are making choices about where they’ll study next year. Vermont’s prime student loan agency says it has avoided that upheaval because it’s struck a deal with a bank for $390 million in financing. VPR’s Ross Sneyd reports.
Vermont Edition

Reporters’ Roundtable

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Host Bob Kinzel is joined by some of the state’s top political reporters to look at how the Legislature’s work was affected by the strengths of Vermont’s political parties and party leaders, and who might be running ofice in the fall elections. Also, we continue our essay series My Vermont in which VPR listeners reflect on the character and values of life in Vermont.
Commentary Series

Nuclear Iran

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The next President of the United States may very well have to deal with Iran as a nuclear power. This afternoon, commentator Barrie Dunsmore, who for more than three decades covered war and diplomacy for ABC News, looks at how that might play out.
VPR News

VPR Evening News May 8th, 2008

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Wind advocates say there is a double standard when it comes to decommissioning Vermont Yankee and wind projects; Democratic Congressman Peter Welch says he’s encouraged that a number of prominent Republicans are now backing his plan to suspend shipments to the national Strategic Petroleum Reserve; Vermont’s prime student lending agency negotiates loans for the next school year; and commentator Kenneth Davis on the capture of Fort Ticonderoga by Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys.
Commentary Series

Swimming Through History

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This Saturday is the anniversary of the capture of Fort Ticonderoga by Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys. Author and commentator Ken Davis traces his interest in history back to a swim he took as a child near that historic site.
VPR News

Critics accuse Douglas of double standard on energy projects

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When Vermont Yankee’s license expires, the company won’t have enough money in a special fund to dismantle the plant. But the state has required wind energy companies to pay up front the full cost of decommissioning their projects. Wind advocates are saying there’s a double standard here.
Commentary Series

My Vermont: Josh VanHouten

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It’s been said that "Vermont is what America used to be," and that "in Vermont we live life in the slow lane." Josh says both those statements are true, and he wouldn’t have it any other way.
Commentary Series

My Vermont: Megan Humphrey

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Megan feels that with a little awareness and hard work by all of us, we can keep the best of the state and change the pieces that need a bit of help.
VPR News

Midday Newscast May 8, 2008

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Montpelier’s largest private employer announced a few minutes ago a new environmental initiative; both of Vermont’s U.S. senators have joined an effort to drive down gasoline prices; two researchers from the University of Vermont are part of a study about why landowners post their land.
Vermont Edition

What Happened to Health Care?

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The House and Senate health committees had goals of extending the state’s health care programs to cover more Vermonters who are lacking health insurance, but those plans fell short. We check in with Sen. Doug Racine and Rep. Steve Maier. Also, we visit a program where young single mothers are learning how to make jewelry. And we continue our essay series, My Vermont.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: May 8, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Wednesday, Democrats in the Senate rolled out a bill targeting high gas prices. Both of Vermont’s senators are firmly behind the bill, which targets record profits at oil companies. Vermont members of the Democratic National Committee say it’s now pretty clear that Illinois Senator Barack Obama is going to be their party’s presidential nominee.
VPR News

Leahy, Sanders support bill targeting gas prices

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Wednesday, Democrats in the Senate rolled out a bill targeting high gas prices. Both of Vermont’s senators are firmly behind the bill, which targets record profits at oil companies. Todd Zwillich has this report.
Classical Music with Joe Goetz

Afternoon Classics

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Schubert’s piano music continues, with German Dances, Hungarian melodies, and more.  We’ll also hear a popular guitar concerto and Saint-Saens’ "Organ" Symphony.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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Preludes and Fugues by Bach and Shostakovich, played by Keith Jarrett, who is 63 today; Symphony No. 6 of Sibelius; piano music of Gottschalk; and Mozart’s Posthorn Serenade.
Classical Music with Cheryl Willoughby

Morning Classics

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This morning: a rousing coronation anthem from Handel, and Giuliani’s Variations on a Theme by Handel. And we’ll hear from Henry Cowell, one of the American pioneers of modern music – his own composition, and a work by his good friend Charles Ives, which Cowell edited.
VPR News

VPR Evening News May 7th, 2008

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Governor Douglas has vetoed a bill that would have required Vermont Yankee to guarantee there’s enough money to dismantle the nuclear plant when it shuts down; Vermont Yankee will not be penalized for allowing a cooling tower to degrade so badly it collapsed last summer; Vermont super-delegates way it’s now pretty clear that Senator Barack Obama will be the Democrat’s presidential nominee; and commentator Ron Krupp on how the state is facilitating the ruse of locally grown food..
Commentary Series
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My Vermont: Mickey Meyers

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Mickey says the process of making art, which can be lonely, challenging and complex, is appreciated and fostered here. There is something about the support of the people that steers her, like the stars in the sky, through the journey in her own studio.
VPR News

Douglas vetoes Vermont Yankee decommissioning bill

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Governor Jim Douglas has vetoed a bill that would have required Vermont Yankee to guarantee there’s enough money to dismantle the nuclear plant when it shuts down. Douglas said the legislation would have forced Yankee to charge more for electricity. But Democrats pounced on the veto, and accused the governor of protecting Yankee’s out-of-state owners.
VPR News
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Vermont Democrats say party should unite behind Obama soon

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Vermont members of the Democratic National Committee say it’s now pretty clear that Illinois Senator Barack Obama is going to be their party’s presidential nominee. They hope the campaign between Obama and Senator Hillary Clinton can end on a positive note. They want Democrats to unite for the fall campaign against Republican nominee John McCain.
VPR News

Midday Newscast May7, 2008

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There’s a traffic disruption today on one of the most heavily traveled stretches of road in Vermont; a developer hoping to double the size of a Bennington Wal-Mart has filed for a state land-use permit; more…
Commentary Series

My Vermont: Dot Helling

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Dot Helling says the smells, the views, the culture and our way of living are all part of a package that she has yet to find anywhere else on this planet.
Vermont Edition
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Vermont’s Budget

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Governor Jim Douglas says lawmakers used every penny in the cookie jar in crafting this year’s budget. We talk with Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Bartlett and Finance Commissioner Jim Reardon about what they forecast for next year’s budget. Also, an upcoming conference at Dartmouth looks to uncover the "Human Algorithm." And we continue our series of My Vermont essays.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: May 7, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Service has been restored to about 250,000 Unicel cell phone customers in New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine and parts of Massachusetts and New York; Vermont’s leading economic development lender says business has dropped dramatically this year; Vermont’s top music students are gathering in Vergennes this week for the 81st annual All-State Music Festival.
VPR News

VEDA sees drop in loan requests

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Vermont’s leading economic development lender says business has dropped dramatically this year. The Vermont Economic Development Authority is still lending money to growing companies, but only half as much as it expected. The agency hopes to turn that around with economic stimulus loans that it will unveil in the next few weeks. VPR’s Ross Sneyd reports.
VPR News

After 28 years, Noonan steps down from VSEA

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The longtime head of the Vermont State Employees Association is stepping down. Annie Noonan is resigning after 28 years with the union that represents Vermont state workers, half of that time as director.
VPR News

State, Manchester swap road for money

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The town of Manchester and the state of Vermont are hoping a first of its kind highway-for-cash swap will save the state money and let the town fulfill a goal town officials have had for 30 years.
VPR News

VPR Evening News May 6th, 2008

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The head of the Vermont Republican Party says he hopes a candidate will emerge to challenge incumbent Democratic Congressman Peter Welch; The Vermont National Guard will be forming a State Partnership with the African Republic of Senegal; Northbound commuters on I-89 should expect delays for much of May; Service has been restored to about a quarter of a million cell phone customers in New England; The town of Manchester and the state are hoping a highway-for-cash swap will save the state money; The head of the Vermont State Employees Association is stepping down; and commentator Leora Dowling is looking forward to a new summer job.
VPR News

Midday Newscast May 6, 2008

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About a quarter of a million cell phone customers across New England and New York are without service today; the Health Department wants older Vermonters to get vaccinated against shingles; more…
Commentary Series

My Vermont: Lali Cobb

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Lali Cobb says that in an era when most Americans have forgotten the history of the food they eat the cycle in Vermont continues for all to see, and be inspired by.
Vermont Edition
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Restructuring Vermont’s Prison System

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Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Sears and Corrections Commissioner Robert Hofmann are our guests as we examine the prison restructuring plan recently approved by the Legislature. Also, Bruce Edwards of the Rutland Herald talks about the ski season just past, and we continue our My Vermont series with an essay by listener Lali Cobb.
Election 2008 Coverage
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The Indiana and North Carolina Primaries

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Join us for an NPR News Special Wednesday, May 7 at 2 PM ET. NPR’s Neal Conan and offers the latest news as well as reaction and analysis of Tuesday’s results in the North Carolina and Indiana Primaries. Listen to this Live NPR News Special on VPR.
Commentary Series
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My Vermont: Kate Cadreact

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Kate’s overriding concern is that only the highly paid and wealthy individuals will have adequate housing, heat, nutritional food, and the privilege of serving the community.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: May 6, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Vermont’s commissioner of Housing and Community Affairs is leaving his post to return to the private sector;  Last month, Toyota announced that it had found problems with some of the frames on its popular Tacoma trucks, and it’s made a busy time of year in Toyota service departments even busier…
VPR News

Tacoma buy back keeps Toyota dealers busy

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In March, Toyota announced that it had found problems with some of the frames on its popular Tacoma trucks. American-made frames on 1995 through 2000 model year Tacomas were rusting and failing at a higher than normal rate. As VPR’s Nina Keck reports, it’s made a busy time of year in Toyota service departments even busier.
VPR News

Housing Commissioner to leave post

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Vermont’s commissioner of Housing and Community Affairs is leaving his post to return to the private sector. John S. Hall of West Danville has been at the department since January 2003.
VPR News

15 Pepsi workers laid off in Vermont

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The new owner of Vermont’s Pepsi bottling franchise has laid off 15 workers in the state. A spokesman for Pepsi Bottling Ventures of Raleigh, North Carolina, says the layoffs were the result of an evaluation of the Vermont operations.
VPR News

Cabot fined for 2005 ammonia spill

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Cabot Creamery has been fined $50,000 and placed on two years’ probation for a 2005 ammonia spill that killed plants, fish and macroinvertebrates in the Winooski River.
Classical Music with Joe Goetz

Afternoon Classics

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Continuing our exploration of Schubert’s piano music with his four Impromptus of Op. 90.  We’ll also hear suites evoking the homelands of Bela Bartok and Jan Blockx, and an arrangement for two pianos of Faure’s Dolly Suite.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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The Spring Symphony of Robert Schumann, with orchestration revisions by Gustav Mahler; the Sinfonia Espansive (No. 3) of Carl Nielsen; and Glenn Gould plays Bach’s Overture in the French Style.
VPR News

VPR Evening News May 5th, 2008

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Senator Bernie Sanders has unveiled a plan to significantly lower gas prices for the rest of the year; Cabot Creamery has been fined 50 thousand dollars and placed on two years’ probation; The new owner of Vermont’s Pepsi bottling franchise has laid off 15 workers in the state; The Vermont Health Department has a newly revamped Quit Network with free tips and other help; Filming is scheduled to begin this fall for a movie set in an iron ore mining town in the eastern Adirondacks; and commentator Bill Schubart says we need more discussion on the role of government in our lives.
Commentary Series

Government

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The end of the legislative session has had Hinesburg writer and commentator Bill Schubart thinking about the need to talk more in our schools and our communities about the role of government in our lives.
Commentary Series

My Vermont: Maxine Leary

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Maxine Leary wrote this poem especially for a nephew who grew up in Montpelier but at the time was working overseas. She thinks a Vermonter’s life-story and geography resemble each other, so the poem has many layers of meaning.
VPR News
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Health Department offers some ideas for kicking smoking habit

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Smoking rates in Vermont have been dropping steadily, but 18 percent of adults are still hooked. Studies show that about 70 percent of all smokers want to quit. If you’re one of them, the Vermont Health Department hopes you’ll check out their newly revamped Quit Network to find free tips and other help.
VPR News

Midday Newscast May 5, 2008

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One of the most prominent Democrats in the Vermont Legislature ended her career over the weekend; a familiar name in New Hampshire politics also plans to step down; advocates say they’re hopeful that a new law will lead to construction of more housing near Vermont’s downtowns or village centers; more…
Vermont Edition

Legislative Priorities

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When the Legislature convened in January, we talked with leaders from all three of Vermont’s major parties about their hopes and expectations for the 2008 session. Now, with the session at an end, we check back in to see how it all worked out. Also, Candace Page talks about citizen science, and we hear the first in our series My Vermont — essays by our listeners on life in the Green Mountain State.
VPR Series and Specials

My Vermont

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My Vermont is a multi-part project that focuses on what Vermonters value about living here and the challenges we face in the future. 
VPR Series and Specials
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My Vermont Essays

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All this week, VPR is airing select essays from the My Vermont series. during Morning Edition, Vermont Edition and All Things Considered. These essays look at what people value about living in Vermont, its advantages and challenges.
Commentary Series
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My Vermont: Jim Woodard

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Jim Woodard says it’s challenging to live anywhere. Every place has its own inherent strengths and disappointing drawbacks. The key is how we, as a community, choose to respond to either.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: May 5, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Lawmakers in Montpelier finished their work over the weekend, ending a session dominated by energy issues, housing initiatives, and the state’s worsening economy; One of the last bills to break out of the legislative logjam was a bill designed to make it easier for developers to build housing near downtowns or village centers.
VPR News

Lawmakers wrap 2008 session

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Lawmakers in Montpelier finished their work over the weekend, ending a session dominated by energy issues, housing initiatives, and the state’s worsening economy. The House also said good-bye to Democratic Speaker Gaye Symington, who is leaving her post and is considering a run for governor. VPR’s John Dillon has this report:
VPR News

Eight lawsuits filed from 2005 carbon monoxide poisoning

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Eight lawsuits have been filed against companies involved with the heating system that malfunctioned at a Burlington student apartment complex in 2005, killing one and sickening others. The lawsuits target as many as 10 companies, including the maker of a pipe that malfunctioned, the manufacturer of the apartment complex’s heating boiler, the landlord and others.
VPR News

Symington won’t seek reelection in her district

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House speaker Gaye Symington will not seek re-election this fall from her Chittenden County district that includes the towns of Jericho, Underhill and Bolton. She made the announcement in the waning hours of the legislative session on Saturday.
VPR News

Early Killington pass buyers to get tax refund

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Skiers who bought their season passes early for next season at the Killington ski area are going to be getting refunds. The ski resort began collecting a 1 percent local option tax when it began selling its season passes last month.
VPR News

Church abuse trial set to begin today

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A trial is set to begin today in one of 32 priest sex abuse cases filed against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington since 2002. Five of the cases have been settled out of court. One has gone to trial.
VPR News

Lawmakers adjourn for year

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The Legislature adjourned on Saturday afternoon. The 2008 session was marked by tight money and legislation aimed at energy efficiency, revamping the state’s prison system and a late-in-the-session bid to stimulate a sagging economy.
In Concert @ 8

SymphonyCast

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Joshua Bell playing a big violin concerto in this concert conducted by JOnathan Nott.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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Mazurkas by Chopin, played by Charles Rosen, who is 81 today; Symphony No. 2 of Beethoven; 3 Nocturnes for Orchestra by Debussy; and the Symphony on a French Mountain Air by Vincent D’Indy.
My Place with Joel Najman

Hit Records In The USA That Are Partially In A Foreign Language

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Every now and then a recording of a song that’s partially in a foreign language becomes popular in the United States. This week’s "My Place" program with Joel Najman is a sampling of more than a dozen such recordings that were big hits in the US spanning a time period ranging from the late 1940’s into the early 1970’s. "My Place" with Joel Najman, Saturday from 8-9PM following "A Prairie Home Companion" on Vermont Public Radio.
Interlude

Mozart Favorites

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A program of Mozart favorites, including the Piano Concerto No.12 (with Murray Perahia) and the Violin Concerto No.3 (with Arthur Grumiaux).
In Concert @ 8

VPR Classical observes Holocaust Remembrance Day

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Join VPR Classical for two special programs devoted to Holocaust Remembrance Day. At 8, Monika Vischer hosts "Terezin: Lost Music from the Holocaust". At 9, it’s "A Voice For the Silenced", an exploration of how music and culture still thrived in the most desperate of times at the Terezin concentration camp.
VPR News

VPR Evening News May 2nd, 2008

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Congressional negotiators have agreed on a renewal of the farm bill that includes an expanded milk price support program; Negotiators in the Vermont House and Senate have reached agreement on next year’s budget, one of the final steps before adjournment; A provision that contains an exemption to the billboard ban draws criticism; Questions remain about whether Governor Douglas will sign legislation dealing with the Vermont Yankee decommissioning fund; A St. Johnsbury company has closed, putting 80 people out of work; Workers have repaired a gate on a Connecticut River hydroelectric dam; and commentator Mary McCallulm on one special graduation ceremony.
Commentary Series

Graduation Ceremony

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Across the country high school graduates are poised to accept diplomas in ceremonies honoring their achievements, but one recent graduation ceremony here in Vermont was especially moving to free lance writer, educator and commentator Mary McCallum.
VPR News
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Vermont Edition: Peter Shumlin on the current legislative session

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The leaders of the House and Senate are determined to adjourn this legislative session on Saturday, but several critical pieces of business need to be finished to meet that goal. The president pro tempore of the Vermont Senate, Peter Shumlin discusses work that’s been finished and pending bills with VPR’s Bob Knzel.
VPR News

Montage: Voices in the Week’s News

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As the Legislature heads for adjournment this weekend, the news this week was busy with stories on legislative action. The economic stimulus plan, exceptions to the billboard law, toxic plastics in baby toys and the mechanism for raising school budgets were debated. Vermont Yankee’s decommissioning fund, food stamp usage and school test scores were also on people’s minds.
Live Fridays at Noon (vpr.net exclusive)

Live Friday at Noon: David Ford

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Singer-songwriter David Ford debuted on the UK indie rock scene with the band Easyworld and quickly established a solo career with ‘I Sincerely Apologise For All The Trouble I’ve Caused’ the following year. His songs, while driven by their catchy acoustic melodies, are noted for poking fun at misery using irony. His breathy vocals and bluesy melodies present bouts of inspiration, which have been dexterously translated onto his second and latest solo album Songs For The Road.
VPR News

Stronger beer bill passes the Senate

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Beer lovers are cheering passage of bill that will allow stronger beer to be sold in stores across Vermont. The specialty beers, with an alcohol contest of more than 8 percent, are now only available in liquor stores. The bill, which was passed by the Vermont House last year and the Senate this week, would allow the beer to be sold at grocery and convenience stores statewide.
VPR News

Ten protestors arrested at General Dynamics

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Ten anti-war demonstrators have been arrested after locking themselves together with chains at the General Dynamics office in Burlington. Police used bolt cutters to remove and arrest the protesters last night.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: May 2, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: More Vermonters have turned to food stamps to help them make ends meet, and at the same time, the price for that food has risen faster than it has in 30 years. A state panel says a mural painted on the side of a barn to promote the village of Bellows Falls is illegal because it violates the state billboard ban. So lawmakers from the region tucked an exception to the ban into a transportation bill that’s still pending in Montpelier. ..
VPR News
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Proposed exemption for Bellows Falls mural worries enforcement agencies

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A state panel says a mural painted on the side of a barn to promote the village of Bellows Falls is illegal because it violates the state billboard ban. So lawmakers from the region tucked an exception to the ban into a transportation bill that’s still pending in Montpelier. The proposed exemption for Bellows Falls isn’t sitting well in the agencies that enforce Vermont’s sign laws. VPR’s Susan Keese has more.
VPR News

Advocates promote alternative commuting

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Governor Jim Douglas and about half of the state’s mayors gathered in Montpelier yesterday to promote a program that encourages Vermonters to find less-polluting ways to get back and forth to work. The program is known as the Way to Go Commuter Challenge. One of the coordinators is Bryan Davis of the Chittenden County Metropolitan Planning Organization.
VPR News

Three Vermont teens become Presidential Scholars

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The U.S. Department of Education says three Vermont high school students have been named 2008 Presidential Scholars. Christopher Fitzhugh, of Peacham, Rebecca Lee, of South Burlington, and William Begley, of St. Albans, were among 139 students nationwide chosen for the honor.
VPR News

Brattleboro Home Depot to close

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Home Depot is closing 15 of its stores across the country, including one in Brattleboro. It is the first time the home improvement retailer has closed one of its flagship stores for performance reasons.
Classical Music with Joe Goetz

Afternoon Classics

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It’s conductor Valery Gergiev’s 55th birthday today, we’ll hear him leading the Kirov Orchestra in Stravinsky’s complete ballet "The Firebird." Also Tchaikovsky’s 4th Symphony and a good deal of music from England.
Vermont Edition
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Senate President Peter Shumlin

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Peter Shumlin, president pro tempore of the Vermont Senate, updates us on whether lawmakers can conclude the legislative biennium this weekend. Also, VPR’s Ross Sneyd joins Bob Kinzel to analyze the top stories around the state, and we listen back to some of the voices in the news this week.
Classical Music with Cheryl Willoughby

Morning Classics

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"Of all the months of the year, to mirthful May there is no peer. Her glistening garments are so gay! You lovers all make merry cheer, Thru’ gladness of this lusty May." – Elizabethan ballad (featured this morning on VPR Classical!)
VPR News

VPR Evening News May 1st, 2008

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Agreement on an economic stimulus plan clears the way for the Legislature to adjourn this weekend; A plan to send male inmates at the St. Albans prison out of state could derail legislative adjournment; Republican Lieutenant Governor Brian Dubie says he’ll be a candidate for re-election this fall; The Home Depot is closing 15 of its namesake stores, including one in Brattleboro; and commentator Dennis Delaney on the lesser-known aspects of a legislative session.
Commentary Series

Legislature

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As the legislature works toward adjournment, former state representative and commentator Dennis Delaney reflects on some of the lesser-known aspects of a legislative session.
VPR News

Midday Newscast May 1, 2008

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The number of Vermonters signing up for food stamp benefits hit a 15-year high in March; the state Tax Department is already prepared for a possible sales tax holiday this summer; 
Vermont Edition
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Rise in Food Prices

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The American Farm Bureau says prices for a basket of 16 basic grocery items rose by 8 percent in the first quarter of 2008. Sec. of Agriculture Roger Allbee explains what’s behind the rise in food prices and how it’s affecting farmers, grocery retailers and consumers. Also, a new cookbook specializes in Vermont-grown foods, and we go searching for fiddleheads near the Winooski River.
VPR News

Burlington compost facility delays closure

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Burlington’s nonprofit Intervale Center is keeping open for another week its composting facility near the Winooski River. The Center hopes the extra time will enable officials to reach an agreement that would turn the operation over to the Chittenden Solid Waste District.
VPR News
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Stinehour Press employees ponder their future

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Lovers of fine books are mourning the demise of a company known world wide for uncompromising quality and design. The Stinehour Press opened its doors on a Northeast Kingdom farm in 1950. Three weeks ago, the owners decided to shut down. VPR’s Charlotte Albright spoke to some long-time employees in Lunenburg.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: May 1, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Legislative negotiators reached a tentative agreement yesterday on a plan that would move woman inmates to the St. Albans prison and close the existing women’s facility in Waterbury;  Opponents of the two vote school budget law that passed at the end of last year’s session are launching a final campaign at the Statehouse to repeal the policy…
VPR News

Legislature negotiates prison restructuring

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Vermont’s prison system is another step closer to being overhauled. Legislative negotiators reached a tentative agreement yesterday on a plan that would move woman inmates to the St. Albans prison and close the existing women’s facility in Waterbury.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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Music for May Day by Fanny Mendelssohn and Tchaikovsky; music depicting the four classical elements (earth, air, fire, water) by Andre Cardinal Destouches; and Appalachian Spring by Copland.
VPR News

VPR Evening News April 30th, 2008

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Opponents of the ‘two vote’ school budget law that passed at the end of last year’s session are launching a final campaign to repeal the policy; Federal regulators question Vermont Yankee’s intention to use decommissioning money to handle spent fuel; Workers are still trying to repair a gate on a Connecticut River hydroelectric dam; and commentator Cheryl Hanna contemplates a French law banning the promotion of extreme thinness.
Commentary Series

Am I fat?

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Commentator Cheryl Hanna, a professor at Vermont Law School, recently contemplated whether a French law banning the promotion of extreme thinness ought to be adopted here.
VPR News

Midday Newscast April 30, 2008

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Federal regulators say the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant is not allowed to use funds set aside for decommissioning to pay for storing its spent fuel; a Vermont civil rights panel will focus in the next two years on immigration and possible racial profiling; more…
Vermont Edition

Yearning for Zion and Island Pond

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The seizure of more than 400 children from a religious sect in Texas has many Vermonters recalling Vermont’s 1984 raid on a community in Island Pond, in which 112 children were seized. We compare the two cases with Jean Swantko-Wiseman, a member of the Twelve Tribes Community, and former newsman Jack Hoffman, who covered the raid. Also, we talk with Robert Babcock, the man behind the first Greenup Day, about the enduring tradition.
Commentary Series

Lack of Civility

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Veteran A-B-C News correspondent and commentator Bill Seamans regrets the lack of civility in the current contest between Barak Obama and Hillary Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination.  And he observes that he’s not the only one who feels this way.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: April 30, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Legislative leaders and the Douglas Administration agree on a number of steps to stimulate the Vermont economy. But lawmakers did not support a tax credit for businesses and a weekend tax holiday that the governor proposed. The Vermont has given its approval to legislation that bans the sale of baby toys that contain a group of chemicals known as  phthalates. 
VPR News

Senate rolls back Lake clean-up bill

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The Senate has rolled back a law it passed just last year that called for accelerated clean-up of Lake Champlain. The new bill satisfies the concerns of the Douglas Administration and the Vermont League of Cities and Towns. They worried that last year’s law would require towns to make expensive improvements to sewage treatment plants.
VPR News

Gregg, Sununu urge Bush to halt emergency crude oil deposits

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New Hampshire Senators Judd Gregg and John Sununu have joined their colleagues in writing to President Bush to request that the Energy Department temporarily stop deposits of domestic crude oil into the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserves to ease record-high gas prices.
VPR News

Inmate’s confession solves 1976 disappearance

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Police will be searching along the side of Interstate 89 in Vermont for the remains of a Burlington woman whose disappearance 32 years ago remained a mystery until her killer confessed last week.
VPR News

Douglas likely to veto decommissioning bill

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It looks likely that Governor Jim Douglas will veto a bill relating to the decommissioning of Vermont Yankee.  The bill says that if Vermont Yankee is transferred to a new limited liability company, the new company has to prove it can cover the full cost of dismantling the plant.
VPR News

Bellows Falls dam malfunctions

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A gate on a Connecticut River dam has malfunctioned and won’t close. Engineers from Vermont and New Hampshire are monitoring the hydroelectric plant in Bellows Falls.
In Concert @ 8

New York Philharmonic

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Conductor Sir Colin Davis tonight, in another part of the New York Philharmonic’s season-long Beethoven piano concerto cycle.  Featured tonight is pianist Richard Goode.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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Bach’s Partita No. 3, from Murray Perahia’s new recording; Beethoven’s Violin Concerto, from a recent recording of Vadim Repin; and the Symphony No. 5 of Shostakovch, which will be on this weekend’s programs of the Vermont Symphony Orchestra and Vermont Youth Orchestra.
Classical Music with Cheryl Willoughby

Morning Classics

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Imagine planning a wedding with over 20,000 guests! That’s what Percy Grainger and his wife-to-be did, when they were married at the Hollywood Bowl after the premiere of Grainger’s new work "To a Nordic Princess". This morning we’ll hear a work Grainger wrote around 3 decades prior, while still a student.
VPR News

VPR Evening News April 29th, 2008

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Legislative leaders and the Douglas Administration work on stimulating the Vermont economy; The Vermont House has approved legislation that prohibits the formal posting of Vermont court records on the Internet; The Senate has rolled back a law it passed last year that called for accelerated clean-up of Lake Champlain; A gate on a Connecticut River Dam has malfunctioned; UVM will be paying tuition and fees for some low-income students; and commentator David Moats on what brought him to the Green Mountains.
Commentary Series

My Vermont: David Moats

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Inspired by VPR’s My Vermont project, commentator and Pulitzer Prize-winning writer David Moats has been thinking about what it was – exactly – that brought him to the Green Mountains.
VPR News
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Audio Postcard: Reading

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The Windsor County town of Reading has a population of 707. The main street through town commemorates the day after an Indian Raid on Fort Number Four in Charlestown New Hampshire. VPR’s Susan Keese paid a visit to Reading and checked in on the town’s most famous four-legged resident, visited the local store and a monument on route 106.
VPR News

Midday Newscast April 29, 2008

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The Legislature and the governor are at odds on the economic incentive package; the Senate has rolled back a law it passed just last year that called for accelerated cleanup of Lake Champlain; more…
VPR News

Groundwater protection bill goes to governor

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It’s up to Governor Jim Douglas now whether to sign into law a bill that would designate Vermont’s underground aquifers a public trust like its lakes and rivers and require a state permit for large withdrawals of groundwater.
Commentary Series

Poetry Matters

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Commentator Tom Slayton is a veteran journalist and editor-emeritus of Vermont Life magazine. He says a new book by Vermont writer Jay Parini makes a compelling case for the importance of poetry.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: April 29, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: More than a third of Vermont’s schools failed to make progress in the past year toward increasing their students’ test scores.The Vermont House has approved legislation that makes all library records confidential, unless a judge issues a warrant for the information.
VPR News

House passes bill increasing access to mammography

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The Vermont House has given its approval to legislation that’s designed to increase access to mammograms for women over 40. The bill mandates that all health insurance companies provide mammography benefits in their policies, and that the cost to consumers not exceed $25.
VPR News

Report: Vermont gets an “F” for withholding info on abuse

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Vermont and nine other states get F’s in a report examining how forthcoming state governments are in releasing information about their roles in cases of severe child abuse. The report, "State Secrecy and Child Deaths in the U.S.,” says most states don’t release adequate information about fatal and life-threatening child abuse cases because of policies that put confidentiality above child welfare.
VPR News

Shaheen says U.S. should get out of Iraq

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New Hampshire Senate candidate Jeanne Shaheen says U.S. troops should be withdrawn from Iraq as quickly as possible. The former Democratic governor didn’t give a timetable. She is hoping for a rematch with Republican incumbent John Sununu in November.
VPR News

Police make arrest in Intervale barn fire

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Police in Burlington have arrested a 33-year-old Massachusetts man in connection with a fire that destroyed a 130-year-old barn at the Intervale Center. Police charged Edward T. Westley with setting the fire, which is estimated to have caused more than $100,000 worth of damage.
VPR News

New fan guns to be installed this summer at Mount Snow

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Aiming to green up its snowmaking operations, Mount Snow ski resort plans to install more than 150 more energy-efficient fan guns. The guns, which run on electricity and use on-board compressors, will be installed this summer along well-trafficked trails.
Classical Music with Joe Goetz

Afternoon Classics

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Rachmaninoff’s last work featured today, his Symphonic Dances, Op. 45.  We’ll also hear poety set for choral music by Brahms, and music inspired by ancient Persia by Arthur Foote.
Vermont Edition
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Mental Health Parity

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The Vermont House has passed legislation to strengthen the state’s mental health parity law. We talk with Rep. Mike Fisher who supports the measure. Also, we talk to Justice of the Peace Zeke Church about the job of marrying couples, and our series of audio postcards from Vermont towns takes us to Reading, population 707.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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As we anticipate violinist Jaime Laredo and cellist Sharon Robinson premiering a new work written for them this Saturday with the Vermont Symphony, we will hear them in Beethoven’s Piano Trio No. 1. Also, Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, orchestrated by Ravel.  
Classical Music with Cheryl Willoughby

Morning Classics

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Need a haircut or a shave? Don’t ask Figaro, he’s too busy plotting and meddling in everyone else’s business to do any "real" work! Featuring "The Barber of Seville" this morning – and, a listener request for the Bach double violin concerto.
VPR News

VPR Evening News April 28th, 2008

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The Vermont Senate has passed legislation designed to make it easier for developers to build housing projects near downtowns and villages; Policymakers in Montpelier will decide this week whether to adopt a bill to help stimulate the state’s economy; The Vermont House has approved legislation that makes all library records confidential, unless a judge issues a warrant for the information; A new report says 38 percent of Vermont’s schools failed to achieve what’s known as “adequate yearly progress” on student performance; Ed Feidner, whose theater career spanned 35 years at UVM, died last week at the age of 77. 
VPR News

VT Edition: Con Hogan & Steve Kimbell on the lawmaker/gubernatorial divide

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Steve Kimbell is a lobbyist with Kimbell Sherman Ellis in Montpelier, and former state planning director under Governor Madeleine Kunin. Con Hogan headed the Human Services Agency under Governors Snelling and Dean, and now works with countries around the world to improve their government structure. They spoke with VPR’s Jane Lindholm about how deep the divides are between lawmakers and the governor.
VPR News

Midday Newscast April 28, 2008

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A new report says 38% of Vermont’s schools failed to achieve “adequate yearly progress” on student performance; policymakers in Montpelier will decide this week how much they can stimulate the state’s economy; more…
Vermont Edition
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Capital Gridlock

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From how to repair potholes to how to fund health care, legislators and the governor can never seem to agree. We look at how deep the divisions are between parties, and between both branches. Then we talk with Valley News reporter John Gregg about the tension in New Hampshire’s legislature. And we hear from VPR Classical host Walter Parker and violinist Soovin Kim.
Commentary Series

Crisis Brand

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This year’s rough-and-tumble White House political campaign reminds filmmaker, teacher, and commentator Jay Craven of a penetrating documentary film he recently saw on DVD.  
VPR News

Morning Newscast: April 28, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Governor Jim Douglas’s economic proposal is aimed at boosting construction and making it easier for people to buy homes. But as lawmakers study the plan before the end of the legislative session, there are questions about how much economic growth will actually result.  Fire officials in Burlington say a suspicious fire has destroyed a 130-year-old barn at the Intervale Center…
VPR News

Police dog hall of fame planned

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Vermont will soon have a new hall of fame, and it’s for dogs. On Friday, 14 police dogs and their handlers will be inducted into the Vermont Police Canine Association Hall of Fame in a ceremony in Pittsford.
VPR News

Mortgage crisis expands to prime borrowers in N.H.

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New Hampshire housing advocates say they’ve noticed a troubling trend, the mortgage crisis is spreading to prime borrowers. Most of the foreclosures in New Hampshire stem from subprime mortgages made to borrowers who don’t qualify for traditional loans, usually because of bad credit or low income.
VPR News

Democrats urge gubernatorial run by House Speaker

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House Speaker Gaye Symington got a rousing reception from Vermont Democrats at a party dinner over the weekend, with former Governor Madeleine Kunin and others urging her to run against Governor Jim Douglas.
VPR News

Gas stations feeling pinch of high gas prices

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Pinched at the pump? Pump owners feel your pain. Skyrocketing gas prices are spelling hard times for Vermont gas station and convenience store owners, who say they’re suffering, too.
VPR News

Lawmakers move toward adjournment in Montpelier

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Vermont lawmakers shift into high gear this week, hoping to act on a number of items in time to adjourn their 2007-2008 session Friday or Saturday. Still awaiting their attention is a $214 million economic stimulus package proposed by Governor Jim Douglas.
VPR News

Second student convicted in cheating scandal files appeal

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A Vermont student convicted in a cheating scandal in Hanover, New Hampshire has filed an appeal with the New Hampshire Supreme Court. Jason Hadley of Norwich, Vermont, was convicted last month of being an accomplice to the theft of final exams that were stolen from the school last June. Another student, Paul Formella, was found guilty of being an accomplice in November and appealed his conviction the next month.
In Concert @ 8

SymphonyCast

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Like a flock of geese, The Cleveland Orchestra headed south for the winter, and tonight we’ll hear a recording they made this winter in Miami.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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Schubert’s Sonata for Arpeggione, played by cellist Yo-Yo Ma; the Symphony for Strings by Arthur Honegger; and a Quartet for Violin, Viola, and 2 Cellos by Anton Arensky, featuring violinist Soovin Kim and cellist Zuill Bailey.
My Place with Joel Najman

Foreign Language Songs That Were Popular In The United States

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It doesn’t happen very often, but every now and then a song sung entirely in a foreign language rises to prominence on the American contemporary music popularity charts. There was a proliferation of songs of this type in the USA during the late 1950’s and early 1960’s, spurred by the enormous success of an Italian song titled "Volare" written and recorded by Domenico Modugno. "Foreign Language Songs That Were Popular In The United States" is this week’s theme on "My Place" with Joel Najman Saturday night from 8-9PM following "A Prairie Home Companion" on Vermont Public Radio.
Commentary Series

Croc Man

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On a recent school trip, commentator and nature writer Ted Levin was reminded that when observing wildlife, it’s important to remember that it is – after all – wild.  
VPR News

VT House sustains Governor’s veto

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The House has voted to sustain Governor Douglas’s veto of a campaign finance reform bill by a one-vote margin. Backers of the the legislation said it’s needed to keep big money out of Vermont politics, but opponents argued that it gives incumbents an unfair advantage.
VPR News

Midday Newscast April 25, 2008

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Speaker Gaye Symington announced that the House could not muster enough votes to enact a campaign finance bill; prices for scrap metal are at an all-time high; the first member of the Kenyan Parliament to visit the United States after a controversial election in that country will be in Vermont tonight; more…
VPR News

Montage: voices in this week’s news

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Drunk driving, campaign finance reform, road repairs, gay marriage and the governor’s economic stimulus plan were all topics of discussion at the Statehouse in recent days. We also learned that foreclosures in Vermont are on the rise, as well as gas prices. We listen back to some of the voices in the news this week.
Live Fridays at Noon (vpr.net exclusive)

Live Friday at Noon: The B-52s

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Back after a 16-year hiatus from recording, the cheerfully hedonistic party band The B-52s returned to the public eye last month, releasing the appropriately titled Funplex. Though the group’s sound has been updated with more electronic sounds, there’s no mistaking these B-52s for anyone but the fun-loving oddballs behind "Love Shack" and "Rock Lobster." Hear The B-52s perform a concert Live Friday at Noon on VPR.net.
Vermont Edition

Vermont Yankee Decommissioning Fund

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The House has given final approval to a bill that says the owners of Vermont Yankee would have to make sure there’s enough money available to cover the full cost of dismantling the plant when it eventually ceases operation. Also in the program, VPR’s John Dillon joins Bob Kinzel to analyze the top stories at the Statehouse, and we listen back to the some of the voices in the news this week.
VPR News
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Kenyan MP to visit Vermont

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The first member of the Kenyan Parliament to visit the United States after a controversial election in that country will be in Vermont tonight. The Honorable Joseph Lekuton will be visiting a Vermont non-profit that does work in his region of Kenya.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: April 25, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Inspired by a Swanton teenager’s death last year, the Vermont House has approved a much tougher approach to drunken driving; The House has approved legislation that supporters say strengthens Vermont’s mental health parity law; Douglas plans to pick up trash along Interstate 89 today as part of State Employee Green-Up Day…
VPR News

House approves mental health parity law

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The House has approved legislation that supporters say strengthens Vermont’s mental health parity law. The state’s original parity law passed ten years ago. It requires health insurance companies to provide comparable coverage for physical and mental health conditions.
VPR News

House approves tougher drunken driving rules

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Inspired by a Swanton teenager’s death last year, the Vermont House has approved a much tougher approach to drunken driving. The owner of a car could be held responsible if he let an impaired driver use it. VPR’s Bob Kinzel reports.
VPR News

Sanders wants to take action on gas prices

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Senator Bernie Sanders says he hopes the prospect of $4-a-gallon gasoline is enough to get the attention of Washington. Sanders wants Congress to take action that would drive down prices for gas and home heating oil.
VPR News

No summer power shortage seen in New England

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The organization that oversees New England’s power grid says electricity supplies appear to be adequate to meet spiking demand this summer. An annual update from Holyoke-based ISO New England Inc. says grid operators should have enough flexibility to handle sharply higher electricity use, even in a prolonged heat wave.
VPR News

Lawyer for suspect in murder of Va. woman wants off case

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First, murder suspect Brian Rooney wanted to fire his attorney. Then he tried to have the judge removed. Now, three weeks before his trial is to begin, Rooney’s lawyer wants off the case, saying Rooney apparently is trying to represent himself.
Classical Music with Joe Goetz

Afternoon Classics

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After a day filled with live performances, we’ll hear more great music…..but all studio recordings, I’m afraid.  Rachmaninoff’s 2nd Piano Concerto caps a full day of wonderful selections.
VPR News

VPR Evening News April 24, 2008

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Here are tonight’s top stories: The Vermont House has approved legislation that backers hope will reduce drunken driving in Vermont; A quick-fix road repair program that Governor Jim Douglas called "Operation Smooth Ride" has run into some bumps in the Legislature; Governor Jim Douglas says Vermonters could pay higher electric rates because of a bill that requires Vermont Yankee to show it has enough money to decommission the plant; A bird’s eye view of the Governor’s weekly press conference…  
Commentary Series

Robert Putnam

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Commentator Frank Bryan is a writer who teaches political science at the University of Vermont — and *his Vermont* is a place where community still matters.
VPR News

Douglas warns Yankee bill could cause increase in rates

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Governor Jim Douglas says Vermonters could pay higher electric rates because of a bill that requires Vermont Yankee to show it has enough money to decommission the plant. The decommissioning bill won final approval on Thursday in the House. It will soon head to the governor for his signature – or his veto.
VPR News

“Operation smooth ride” hits bump in road

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A quick-fix road repair program that Governor Jim Douglas called "Operation Smooth Ride" has run into some bumps in the Legislature. Leaders in the House want to use the bulk of the $3 million for town road projects. But the Senate Transportation Committee wants to spend more of the money on state highways. VPR’s John Dillon has more.
VPR News

Interview: Donald Knaack on making music from recycled junk

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Donald Knaack is a musician and is also known as the "junk man." He creates music using pots and pans, radiator coils, and PVC pipe. His unusual instrumentation has taken him around the country, and also into Vermont schools where he adds environmental lessons to his performances. Earlier this week, Governor Jim Douglas honored Knaack for his unique school program. He spoke with VPR’s Jane Lindholml about his work.
VPR News

VT Edition: Chuck Carr, Ryan Towns, Callie Field & Tom Longstreth on scrap metal recycling, sales & theft

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Chuck Carr is Vice President of Member Services for the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries in Washington DC.  Ryan Towns is a co-owner of All Metals Recycling in Hardwick.  Trooper Callie Field handles the state’s highest profile case of copper theft.  Tom Longstreth is the Executive Director of ReCycle North in Burlington.  They spoke with VPR’s Jane Lindholm about the many aspects of scrap metal recycling, sales and theft.
VPR News

Midday Newscast April 24, 2008

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Many fire wardens across Vermont will not issue a burn permit for the rest of the spring because they’re worried about wildfires; Vermont legislators are on an overtime schedule this week as they move closer to adjournment; more…
Vermont Edition

Vermont’s Scrap Metal Market

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Prices for copper and steel are at an all-time high– and the boom in business is also driving an increase in scrap metal thefts. We talk with Chuck Carr, from the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, and we hear from Vermont scrap dealers and local law enforcement. Also, we visit with musician Donald Knaack who creates music using junk materials. And, we stop by a micro-distillery near St. Johnsbury that specializes in maple vodka.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: April 24, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: The House today overcame objections from the business community and approved a bill targeted at the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant; At least three Vermonters are among U.S. service members stranded in Kuwait even though they’re supposed to be headed back from Iraq and Afghanistan.
VPR News

Vermont service members stranded in Kuwait

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At least three Vermonters are among U.S. service members stranded in Kuwait even though they’re supposed to be headed back from Iraq and Afghanistan. As VPR’s Ross Sneyd reports, the same delays that have fouled commercial airline schedules are now affecting the military.
VPR News

Police release details about shooting in Bradford

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The head of the Vermont State Police says the two troopers who shot and killed a man who pointed a gun at them was doing what they were trained to do. The victim has been identified as 41-year-old Darren Tufts.
VPR News

Welch votes with majority on Medicaid bill

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Congressman Peter Welch and New Hampshire’s Carol Shea-Porter and Paul Hodes have voted with the majority in the House to pass legislation delaying the implementation of regulations affecting Medicaid programs.
VPR News

Douglas testifies on economic stimulus package

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Governor Jim Douglas made an unusual appearance before a legislative committee yesterday He asked lawmakers to quickly approve his economic stimulus proposal. He stood before a large easel and outlined the 15 points of his proposal. The ideas range from additional borrowing for transportation projects, to investing state retirement money in a housing finance program.
Commentary Series

Spring Is Here

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Commentator Madeleine Kunin is a former governor of Vermont, and today she’s celebrating the return of Spring.
Classical Music with Cheryl Willoughby

Morning Classics

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Pots, spoons, dishcloths – all cavorting in a wild story of romance and deception. What’s the world coming to?! Martinu’s "La revue de cuisine", is what: an absurdist ballet with freewheeling music and a plot straight out of a grocery store culinary department.
VPR News

VPR Evening News April 23rd, 2008

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The Vermont Senate has given its approval to the state budget for next year; The Vermont House approves a bill targeted at the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant; Vermont State Police have released more details about a shooting yesterday in Bradford; The head of the Vermont Ski Areas Association says it was a banner year for the state’s ski resorts; and commentator Rachel Johnson looks at the science of helping cure insomnia.
VPR News

Vermont Senate passes budget

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The Vermont Senate has given its approval to the state budget for next year. The Appropriations chairwoman says the legislation is an effort to protect vulnerable Vermonters during tough economic times.
VPR News

House approves bill aimed at Vermont Yankee

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The House today overcame objections from the business community and approved a bill targeted at the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant. The bill says the plant owners have to guarantee that there’s enough money available to dismantle the plant after it’s shut down.
Commentary Series

Can’t Sleep?

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Can’t sleep? Commentator Dr. Rachel Johnson is Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at UVM and an advisor to EatingWell magazine – and she’s been looking at the science to find out if anything we eat or drink can help.
VPR News
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Summertime snack bar ready for business

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Joe’s Snack Bar, which sits on the sharp curve on Route 15 in Jericho is a sumertime food landmark. It has been in that "can’t miss" location since 1950. Owner Joe Rotunda and his long-time partner, Marilyn Kozlowski have been busy in the past week buying supplies and preparing food. VPR’s Sarah Ashworth stopped by to see how the set up was going.
VPR News

Interview: Jack Neuhauser on the Pope’s message to education leaders

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When Pope Benedict XVI addressed the presidents of U.S. Catholic colleges in Washington DC last week, Saint Michael’s College President Jack Neuhauser was among them. Neuhasuer spok with VPR’s Jane Lindholm about the pope’s message to education leaders, and how the principle of academic integrity intersects with religious instruction.
Election 2008 Coverage

The Pennsylvania Primary: NPR Special Coverage on VPR

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Listen for an indepth report on the Pennsylvania Primaries Wednesday April 23 at 2pm on VPR. NPR will provide reaction and analysis of Tuesday’s results from voters as well as political experts. We’ll also look ahead to the North Carolina and Indiana Primaries on May 6. You’re invited to call in with your thoughts. That’s Wednesday afternoon at 2pm on VPR.
VPR News

VT Edition: Tom Little & Craig Benson on the same-sex equal rights study

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Tom Little is the chair of the Commission on Family Recognition and Protection. Craig Bensen is the President of Take It to the People, and is a pastor at the Cambridge United Church, a group that supports traditional marriage and wants a statewide referendum on the issue of same-sex marriage. They spoke with VPR’s Jane Lindholm about the issue.
VPR News

Midday Newscast April 23, 2008

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Gov. Jim Douglas made an unusual appearance before a legislative committee to lobby for his economic stimulus; Vermont State Police have released the name of a man who was fatally shot by troopers last night in Bradford; Congressman Peter Welch’s effort to crack down on what he describes as abuses by overseas contractors is before the U.S. House at this hour; more…
Vermont Edition

Same-sex marriage and civil unions

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A new commission has released a report that studies whether equality has been achieved between marriage and civil unions. The commission chair explains the findings, recommendations and next steps for the legal status of same-sex couples in Vermont. Also, President Jack Neuhauser of Saint Michael’s College on the pope’s message to Catholic educators, and summer snack shacks and creemee stands re-open for the season.
Commentary Series

Ta-dah!

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The Governor’s recent economic development surprise package has Hinesburg writer and commentator Bill Schubart asking about the broader strategic plan for Vermont’s prosperity.
VPR News
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Peak oil expert visits Vermont

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Richard Heinberg is the author of numerous books on alternative energies, including his latest:"Peak Everything: Waking Up to the Century of Declines." He’s in Vermont this week for a number of speaking engagements and he says if nothing else, the outrageous price of oil should motivate the world to look for alternative energies — not solely because of cost, but more critically, because of supply. He speaks with VPR’s Mitch Wertlieb.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: April 23, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: The Vermont Senate has voted to override Governor Douglas’s veto of campaign finance reform legislation. Central Vermont Public Service and Green Mountain College have joined forces on a unique project that uses hybrid cars and trucks to teach kids about energy consumption and its impact on the planet.
VPR News

College, utility join together to teach about energy consumption

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Central Vermont Public Service and Green Mountain College want to get kids more interested in science and conservation. The college and utility have joined forces on a unique project that uses hybrid cars and trucks to teach kids about energy consumption and its impact on the planet. VPR’s Nina Keck has more.
VPR News

Vermont ski resorts report good season

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The head of the Vermont Ski Areas Association says it was a banner year for the state’s ski resorts. Parker Riehle says he expects that skier visits during the winter of 2007-2008 will surpass 4.1 million.
VPR News

Legislative panel to review stimulus package

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Three days after Gov. Jim Douglas unveiled an economic stimulus package, the Legislature has set up a committee to review it and its and explore ways to strengthen Vermont’s economy.
Classical Music with Joe Goetz

Afternoon Classics

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Two birthdays today: Sergei Prokofiev (1891), and William Shakespeare (1564).  We’ll hear Prokofiev’s 2nd Piano Concerto, and music related to Shakespeare by Tchaikovsky and, more indirectly, Sibelius.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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Bach’s Goldberg Variations, played by Simone Dinnerstein, who joins cellist Zuill Bailey for Sonatas by Beethoven LIVE on VPR Friday at 1 and at Chandler Music Hall in Randolph that evening at 7.  
VPR News

VPR Evening News April 22nd, 2008

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The Vermont Senate has voted to override Governor Douglas’s veto of campaign finance reform legislation; The Senate president accused a prominent lobbyist for IBM of lying about a Vermont Yankee decommissioning bill;  Hannaford Brothers is taking steps to enhance the security of its data network; and commentator Charlie Nardozzi with advice for growing roses.
Commentary Series

Landscape Roses

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Roses have a reputation of being hard to grow. But commentator Charlie Nardozzi says that may no longer be true – if you grow landscape-type roses that flower freely, resist pests and are hardy in our cold climate.
VPR News

Martha Tormey on her personal reality television show

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Many prime time television shows are returning to the air this week with new episodes. And Burlington comic Martha Tormey is pretty happy about it. She explains how imagining a TV show about her life gets her through boring moments.
VPR News

Midday Newscast April 22, 2008

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The leader of the Vermont Senate says he would support a gay marriage bill; Legislators are beginning to review Governor Jim Douglas’ proposed "economic growth package"; Earth Day events are being held across the state today.
Vermont Edition
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What’s new in the Green Mountain National Forest?

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With the summer recreation season fast approaching, we look at new opportunities, new rules, and the ongoing competition for the use of the Green Mountain National Forest. Also on the program, Vermont Law School Professor Pat Parenteau on the state’s right to regulate vehicular greenhouse gas emissions. And how Vermont comic Martha Tormey confuses real life with television.
Commentary Series

Multitudes and a Torch

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Commentator Philip Baruth’s Vermont, whatever else might be said about it, is a very strange place. Today he imagines confronting the Olympic torch, and all of the political contradictions now implicit within it.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: April 22, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Earth Day is being observed throughout Vermont today with a variety of activities. In Chittenden County, an effort is being launched to reduce homeowners’ carbon emissions. And in southern Vermont, a beer company is about to invest in cleaner energy. The Maclure Library in Pittsford is using a novel about heroin addiction and its impact on teens to jumpstart a public dialog on drug abuse…
VPR News

Earth Day celebrated around the state

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Earth Day is being observed throughout Vermont today with a variety of activities. In Chittenden County, an effort is being launched to reduce homeowners’ carbon emissions. And in southern Vermont, a beer company is about to invest in cleaner energy. VPR’s Ross Sneyd has more.
VPR News

Farm interests seek milk hauling law repeal

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Dairy cooperatives and the state’s top agriculture official are urging the Legislature to repeal or delay a law that would require milk companies to pay to transport milk, rather than farmers.
VPR News

PSB: Former official can’t participate in case

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A former senior official with the Public Service Board has been barred from appearing before that panel on behalf of her new employer, a power transmission company. In its decision the board cited an ethics policy designed to prevent conflicts of interest.
VPR News

VPR Evening News April 21st, 2008

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Vermont’s economy is likely to be a major issue in this year’s gubernatorial race; A legislative commission has stopped short of recommending that Vermont legalize gay marriage; A novel about heroin addiction is being used to jumpstart a public dialog on drug abuse; A Vermonter attends the women’s U.S. Olympic team trials; and commentator Deborah Luskin on not watching television.
VPR News

Economy will be major issue in gubernatorial race

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Vermont’s economy is likely to be a major issue in this year’s gubernatorial race. The two announced candidates — incumbent Republican Jim Douglas and Progressive Anthony Pollina — share similar goals to stimulate the economy. But they have very different ideas of how to pay for their plans. 
VPR News

Midday Newscast April 21, 2008

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The Vermont Foodbank has taken on the operations of a Lamoille County organization that takes excess food from farms and distributes it to food shelves; Vermont has one of the lowest foreclosure rates in the country because lenders have avoided some of the problems that have affected other states; more…
Vermont Edition
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Cleaning up Vermont’s Brownfields

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Vermont is home to hundreds of brownfields, or contaminated land sites. We examine the state’s efforts to clean them up with Brownfields Project Manager Don Einhorn, and Sue Fillion from the Windham Regional Commission. We talk with Candace Page about Earth Day. And we look in on the springtime tradition of helping salamanders cross the road safely.
VPR News

Shoreline residents keep wary eye on water level

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Folks with property along the shores of Lake Champlain are keeping a close eye on water levels this spring. The lake was about a half foot above the flood stage this weekend, and there’s more snow in the mountains waiting to melt and make its way downhill.
Commentary Series

Running Boston

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Commentator Bill Mares is an author – and a retired teacher and legislator. He’s also been a marathon runner for 30 years; and today he’s reflecting on his absence from the most famous running race in the world.
VPR News

Foreclosure numbers up in first quarter of 2008

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First, the good news: A new Pew Center Research study predicts Vermont will be one of the states least affected by the national foreclosure crisis in the coming year. Now for the not so good: new tracking data since January of 2007 reveals an uptick in the number of foreclosures in the state. Tom Candon is Vermont’s Deputy Commissioner of Banking.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: April 21, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Vermont lawmakers appear skeptical about Gov. Jim Douglas’ economic stimulus package — doubtful about its details and doubtful they can enact his ideas in the last couple of weeks of the legislative session; A fledgling high-speed Internet network comprised of 25-towns has been rejected for funding by the Vermont Telecommunications Authority…
VPR News
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Program helps bring produce to Vermont Foodbank

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Every farm has crops that it either can’t harvest or can’t sell, and the food then goes to waste. But a Lamoille County woman found a way to save the fresh food and distribute it to local food shelves. Now, as VPR’s Amy Noyes reports, the Vermont Foodbank plans to take the idea statewide.
VPR News

Monthly premiums appear headed up for Catamount health plan

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It looks like moderate-income Vermonters on the state-backed Catamount Health program may be facing higher monthly premium payments. The Vermont House had already passed a budget plan calling for an additional $2.5 million to be raised through higher premiums.
VPR News

Sanders to appear on Colbert Report

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Bernie Sanders says he’s not known for his sense of humor, but promises to try not to make too big a fool of himself when he appears on the "Colbert Report” tonight.
VPR News

Douglas reverses himself on bonding for road repairs

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Gov. Jim Douglas’ proposal for $80 million in new bonding for road and bridge repairs over five years marks a switch for the governor. Douglas had been cool to earlier proposals to raise borrowed money through issuance of bonds to address Vermont’s infrastructure woes, saying he didn’t want to harm Vermont’s good credit rating.
VPR News

Lawmakers take dim view of Douglas stimulus plan

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Vermont lawmakers appear skeptical about Gov. Jim Douglas’ economic stimulus package — doubtful about its details and doubtful they can enact his ideas in the last couple of weeks of the legislative session.
VPR News

Common school calendar efforts stalled

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A year-old Vermont law to put the state on a common, statewide school calendar is not being implemented and is being criticized as too rigid, but efforts to fix it appear to have stalled. One result of the current system is that as spring vacation ends for students today in Bennington, Newport and some other parts of the state, it will be just getting under way in Chittenden County.
All the Traditions

All the Traditions – April 20, 2008

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Lots of music by local musicians who are playing the area this week, and a preview of some of the music at the Tulla Traditional Music Festival in Tulla, Ireland this September (a festival the VPR tour will be attending!)
Saturday Afternoon at the Opera

Satyagraha

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The Metropolitan Opera broadcast premiere of Philip Glass’s opera Satyagraha is preceded by a recital by the ageless Hungarian soprano Marta Eggerth.
Interlude

César Franck

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Two works by César Franck: his Prelude, Chorale and Fugue played by pianist Shura Cherkassky – and his Piano Quintet in F minor with the Borodin Quartet and pianist Svatoslav Richter.
My Place with Joel Najman

Pop Songs About Alcohol And Drinking

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This week’s program is a collection of "Pop", Country, and 60’s Rock songs that deal in some way with the drinking of alcohol.  Selections range from the Big Band era of the 1940’s to the Pop and Country of the 60’s and 70’s.  Included this week are several very funny novelty records.  "My Place" with Joel Najman, 8-9PM Saturdays on Vermont Public Radio.
VPR News

VPR Evening News April 18th, 2008

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The Legislature is moving ahead on a bill that requires the owners of Vermont Yankee to set aside more money to dismantle the plant; The process to cut next year’s budget by 25 million dollars is back on track at the Statehouse; The body of a missing kayaker has been found; and commentator Deborah Doyle-Schectman says one proposed budget-cutting measure doesn’t add up.
Commentary Series

False Economy

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With the hard economic news of the past week, cuts are being made in state spending. But to writer and commentator Deborah Doyle-Schechtman one proposed budget-cutting measure doesn’t seem to add up.
VPR News

Midday Newscast April 18, 2008

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UVM’s finance team is being reorganized today after disclosures about problems with contracting; Gen. Richard Cody, a Vermont native, says it’s time the country understands the strains that have been placed on the U.S. Army; more…
Vermont Edition

State Budget Cuts

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The goal is clear but it won’t be easy: lawmakers and the Douglas administration need to cut $25 million from the 2009 state budget. On Wednesday, a list of possible cuts was presented to the group, which will make its hard choices by Friday. Senate Appropriations Chairwoman Susan Bartlett and Finance Commissioner Jim Reardon give us the latest update on how the decisions are being made.
Live Fridays at Noon (vpr.net exclusive)

Live Friday at Noon: Kate Nash

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British award winning pop singer-songwriter, Kate Nash became a widely popular artist in the UK last year and is quickly taking America by storm. At only 20 years old, the alternative indie pop artist has already won herself a BRIT award for Best Female, and an NME Award, both coveted music awards in the UK. Nash’s platinum album "Made of Bricks" hit number one on the UK albums chart and the artist is currently working on her second album.
VPR News
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Interview: General Richard Cody on the Iraq War

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Back in 2004, Army Vice-Chief of Staff general Richard Cody said the U.S. Army was out of balance. He spoke critically, and publicly, about what he felt were demands being placed on U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan that stretched and stressed soldiers and their families. He speaks with VPR’s Mitch Wertlieb.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: April 18, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Vermonters continue to get a shock when they pull up to gas pumps, the statewide average for a gallon of regular unleaded this week is $3.36; A top administrator at the University of Vermont has resigned. And an investigation is under way into how a five million dollar consulting contract was agreed to – without proper approval…
VPR News

UVM to investigate improper contract

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A top administrator at the University of Vermont has resigned. And an investigation is under way into how a five million dollar consulting contract was agreed to – without proper approval. J. Michael Gower was the university’s chief financial officer. His resigned on Thursday just after the contract problems were disclosed.
VPR News

Gas prices reach record highs

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Vermonters continue to get a shock when they pull up to gas pumps. The statewide average for a gallon of regular unleaded this week is $3.36. As VPR’s Ross Sneyd found, drivers fear it’s only going to go higher.
VPR News

Police search for missing kayaker

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Vermont State Police plan to continue their search Friday for a missing kayaker. Twenty-four-year-old David Holcomb of Wardsboro was kayaking with a friend on the West River Thursday afternoon when both kayaks capsized. The other man was able to make his way to shore.
VPR News

Shea-Porter introduces bill to help National Guard with medical care

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New Hampshire Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter has helped introduce a bill that would increase medical and dental benefits for members of the National Guard and Reserves. The bill extends a Guardsman’s or Reservist’s pre-mobilization eligibility for some benefits to one year prior to deployment.
VPR News

Va. court hears arguments in lesbian custody case

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The Virginia Supreme Court heard conflicting views on whether the state’s ban on gay marriages and civil unions essentially voids a Vermont court’s child visitation order in a dispute between two former lesbian partners.
VPR News

Gregg calls for Iraq to match U.S. reconstruction funding

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New Hampshire Senator Judd Gregg has introduced a bill calling for Iraq to start matching U.S. funding assistance for reconstruction on a dollar-for-dollar basis. Gregg says he remains deeply concerned with reports of waste, fraud and abuse of U.S. taxpayer dollars in Iraq. He says the bill initiates a transition process where Iraqi funds are used to develop Iraq.
VPR News

DOJ wants court to set aside Vermont ruling on emissions

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The Bush administration has urged a federal appeals court to set aside a ruling by a federal judge that said states have the to authority regulate greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles. The move is in support of the auto industry.
VPR News

VPR Evening News April 17th, 2008

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A political firestorm over the state budget erupted at the Statehouse; Advocates for Vermont’s elderly are protesting possible cuts in state-sponsored pharmaceutical programs; The CFO at UVM is resigning following problems with financial services contracts; The nation’s economic downturn is reaching Vermont, with a rise in foreclosures; and commentator Jason Lorber explains a particularly absurd part of the tax filing process.
Commentary Series

Gay Tax

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Commentator Jason Lorber is a state legislator who takes his tax obligations seriously. But he’s also a stand-up comedian, who can’t help pointing out one especially absurd part of the filing process.
VPR News

Political firestorm erupts over state budget

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A political firestorm over the state budget erupted today at the Statehouse. Democratic leaders and Republican Governor Jim Douglas are locked in a struggle that threatens to derail a bipartisan effort to resolve big budget issues.
VPR News

Audio Postcard: Glastenbury

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The town of Glastenbury is located in the Southwest corner of Vermont. It has only a handful of fulltime residents, and over time has developed a reputation as a ghost town. VPR’s Susan Keese brings us this audio postcard from Glastenbury.
VPR News

Midday Newscast April 17, 2008

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There are new shocks at the gas pumps: prices are averaging $3.36 a gallon; There’s been a meltdown in negotiations between lawmakers and the Douglas administration over possible budget cuts; with warmer weather, people and wildlife are coming into closer contact, raising concerns about rabies.
Vermont Edition
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Spring Birds

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Red-wing blackbirds, robins, yellow-throats and phoebes. The return of our region’s birds is one of the most reliable signs of spring. We talk with Audubon Bird Expert Bridget Butler. Also, we hear from Father John McDermott, of the Roman Catholic Diocese in Burlington, about the Pope’s visit. And, we continue our series of audio postcards with a trip to the ghost town of Glastenbury.
VPR News

Supreme Court agrees to salary freeze

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Vermont’s Supreme Court has agreed to a salary freeze similar to the one applied to executive-branch employees of state government. But Chief Justice Paul Reiber told lawmakers that the judicial branch does not have as much flexibility as the executive branch to absorb budget cuts because it’s required to keep courts open.
Commentary Series

The “R” Word

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There’s been a tendency lately for economic pundits to avoid using the word "recession."   Economist and commentator Art Woolf says it’s beginning to sound like deja vu – all over again.
VPR News
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Expert kayaker Willie Kern on the Yangtze

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Willie Kern loves springtime for the same reasons many of us do, but also because he loves to run rivers. The expert kayaker and river guide can’t wait to get into Vermont’s waterways over the next few weeks, one of the best times of year for white water kayaking. We spoke with Willie Kern on a beautiful spring day by the banks of the Winooski River about what he and his friends in the kayaking community have been doing in China.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: April 17, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: A list of nearly $40 million in budget cuts was presented to key lawmakers and the Douglas Administration. The group needs to select $25 million in reductions from the list in the next few days. Federal policymakers are hoping that consumers cut short the national recession by quickly spending their economic stimulus checks…
VPR News

Group urges to spend stimulus money locally

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Federal policymakers are hoping that consumers cut short the national recession by quickly spending their economic stimulus checks. A local group says the money can have an even bigger impact if Vermonters spend it at local businesses, farms or by donating it to area nonprofits.
VPR News

Douglas to unveil $100 million stimulus package

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The Douglas administration is working on an economic stimulus package worth more than $100 million. State officials would not release details about the economic recovery program but say it will be released next week.
VPR News

St. Albans prison closure considered

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One of the budget cuts lawmakers are looking at would close a major Vermont state prison and move its inmates out of state. Vermont already houses some of its inmates in Kentucky and other states. Closing the state prison in Saint Albans Town would increase that number dramatically.
VPR News

Legislative staff veteran named chief

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The Vermont Legislature’s legal and bill-drafting staff has a new chief. Emily Bergquist, a veteran staff attorney with the Legislative Council, has been chosen as its chief, replacing William Russell, who is retiring after 35 years in the job.
VPR News

Evidence thrown out in child porn case

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A major child pornography case appears to be falling victim to faulty police work. Judge William Sessions of the U.S. District Court for Vermont has ruled that agents acted illegally when they seized evidence during their search of a Braintree home.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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Sonatas by Domenico Scarlatti played by Christian Zacharias, who is 50 today; Suites from the ballet Namouna by Lalo; the Roaring Fork Wind Quintet of Eric Ewazen; and Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3 played by Murray Perahia.
VPR News

VPR Evening News April 16th, 2008

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A list of nearly 40 million dollars in budget cuts was presented to key lawmakers and the Douglas Administration; The Senate Government Operations Committee rejects a proposed constitutional amendment creating a four year term for governor; Federal nuclear regulators have promised to work with the state on a safety inspection of Vermont Yankee; and commentator Alia Stavrand Woolf still feels connected to her Vermont roots.
Commentary Series

Expat Vermonter

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Commentator Alia Stavrand Woolf is a college student in New York City who still feels very connected to her Green Mountain roots. When she heard that Vermont policy-makers are concerned about too many young people leaving the state, it got her thinking.
VPR News

List of $40 million in budget cuts presented to lawmakers

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The impact of Vermont’s revenue shortfall became very real this afternoon. That’s when a list of nearly $40 million in budget cuts was presented to key lawmakers and the Douglas Administration. The group needs to select $25 million in reductions from the list in the next few days.
VPR News
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VT Edition Interview: Reeve Lindbergh on her new book

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Author Reeve Lindbergh is a long-time Vermont resident who lives in the town of Passumpsic. She’s written many children’s books, memoirs, and collections of poetry. She’s also the youngest daughter of the famous aviator Charles Lindbergh. Her new book is called "Forward From Here: Leaving Middle Age-and other Unexpected Adventures."
VPR News

Midday Newscast April 16, 2008

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A bid to give Vermont governors longer terms in office has been defeated in a state Senate committee; a new anti-smoking campaign is being launched by a variety of groups; the Vermont Arts Council has launched a new statewide arts project; a school bus driver suspected of drunken driving has been placed on leave.
Vermont Edition

Teaching English Language Learners

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Students who speak little or no English are the fastest growing segment of the U.S. public school population, and this demographic shift is being felt even in Vermont. We explore the challenges and rewards of working with students from other cultures.
Commentary Series

G.I. Bill Update

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Veteran A-B-C News correspondent and commentator Bill Seamans is encouraged by recent activity in support of a new G.I. Bill of Rights, but he says that the future of the initiative is still uncertain.  
VPR News

Council launches new state-wide arts project

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The Vermont Arts Council is back with a new state-wide arts project called "Art Fits," and they’ll announce the project later this morning at the statehouse. Executive director of the Vermont Arts Council Alex Aldrich explains how "Art Fits" pieces together.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: April 16, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: Senate President Peter Shumlin says he’ll decide his political future in the next few weeks. Shumlin is considering two options: seeking re-election to the state Senate or running for lieutenant governor. Climatologists say there’s a reason the sun feels warmer at this time of year – and gardeners should take advantage of it.
VPR News

Climatologist explains warm April sun

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Many of us are getting our first real taste of spring this week with sunshine and temperatures in the 60s, and even 70s, across much of the state. Climatologists say there’s a reason the sun feels warmer at this time of year – and gardeners should take advantage of it.   VPR’s Nina Keck has more.
VPR News

Rooney wants judge off his murder case

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A man accused in the 2006 slaying of a University of Vermont student wants the judge taken off his case. Thirty-seven-year-old Brian Rooney wrote a letter to Judge Michael Kupersmith in which he said Kupersmith is biased and makes bad legal decisions.
VPR News

Hodes asks for hearing on Iraq’s oil revenues

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As New Hampshire community leaders used yesterday’s tax filing deadline to highlight billions of dollars being spent on the war in Iraq, Congressman Paul Hodes asked for a hearing on the matter.
VPR News

No sign of chronic wasting disease in N.H.

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New Hampshire’s Fish and Game Department says there’s no sign of chronic wasting disease in the state’s white-tailed deer population. The study was based on more than 405 deer tissue samples provided by the Fish and Game Department. The samples were collected during hunting season.
VPR News

Drivers beware: Moose crossing roads in spring

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Drivers are being warning to be on the lookout for moose this time of year. The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department says in the spring moose are more likely to cross roads, especially at night and in the early morning as they move to spring feeding areas.
Classical Music with Joe Goetz

Afternoon Classics

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The celesta featured prominently today in a well-known movement by Tchaikovsky and a much grander work by Bartok, plus Brahms’ 2nd Symphony and a piano concerto for left hand alone by Maurice Ravel.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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Maria Joao Pires plays Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 23; Nikolaus Harnoncourt conducts Bruckner’s Symphony No. 7, which the Green Mt. Mahler Festival will read tomorrow at Elley-Long Music Center, Colchester; and Songs with Dances for Piano by Federico Mompou.
Classical Music with Cheryl Willoughby

Morning Classics

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The lovers bid a fond farewell as the lights dim, and the curtain comes down on the first act…the beautiful duet, "O soave fanciulla" from Puccini’s La Bohème – by listener request this morning.
VPR News

VPR Evening News April 15th, 2008

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The state’s economic forecast is bleak; Senate President Peter Shumlin says he’ll decide his political future in the next few weeks; Congressman Peter Welch says he doesn’t trust the Bush administration to crack down on fraud and abuse by contractors working overseas; Lyndon State College officials are planning a new student center and academic building; and commentator Peter Shutkin says that deception is the common denominator in contemporary news events.
Commentary Series

Deception

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What do Eliot Spitzer, Bear Stearns and the Iraq War have in common? Commentator Bill Shutkin is a writer, lawyer and Research Affiliate at MIT, who tries to connect the dots in his sometimes quixotic quest for truth.  
VPR News

Vermont’s economic forecast is bleak

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The state’s economic forecast is bleak. Declining state revenues will force lawmakers to cut about $30 million from next year’s budget. That was the word today as top state officials gathered to learn how a growing national recession has affected the Vermont economy.
VPR News

Midday Newscast April 15, 2008

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Congressman Peter Welch says he’s going to push this afternoon for more oversight of contractors working overseas for the U.S. government; the maple sugaring season is slowing down around the state, and in some places it’s already over; more…
Vermont Edition
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Lowering Vermont’s Drinking Age

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Twenty-three years ago Vermont raised its drinking age to 21. But now some Vermonters are advocating for lowering the age back to 18. We hear from John McCardell, the former President of Middlebury College, who supports the idea; and we hear why others are strongly against it. Also, we talk with a Vermont marathon runner preparing for the Olympic trials. And, we visit a Northeast Kingdom classroom where Latin has been taught for more than a century.
Commentary Series

Recession

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The Vermont legislature and Governor Douglas will get some difficult economic news to swallow this afternoon. Commentator Timothy McQuiston is editor of Vermont Business Magazine, and he explains what that bad news is.
VPR News
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New Yorker writer George Packer visits Middlebury

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New Yorker staff writer George Packer says in some ways, he misses the time he spent embedded with soldiers in Iraq. That may seem strange based on what he wrote in his book "The Assassins Gate: America in Iraq," a chronicle of nearly everything that went wrong following the U.S. invasion in 2003. Packer speaks with VPR’s Mitch Wertlieb.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: April 15, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: A repeat drunk driver who killed a teenager in a wrong-way crash on Interstate 89 last year is going to prison; one year ago, a ferocious wind storm blew through Rutland, felling about 2,000 trees with winds of more than 60 miles per hour; Vermont’s maple sugarmakers say they’re having a good year;  Lyndon State College officials are planning a new student center and academic building…
VPR News

A year ago, wind storm wreaked havoc in Rutland

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In Rutland, tomorrow marks the anniversary of a day many people would rather forget. One year ago, a ferocious wind storm blew through the city, felling about 2,000 trees with winds of more than 60 miles per hour.
VPR News
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Maple sugaring season comes to a close

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Vermont’s maple sugarmakers say they’re having a good year. The quality of the syrup is high this year and production appears to be solid. VPR’s Ross Sneyd has more on the sugar season that is coming to an end.
VPR News

Contract fraud loophole eliminated

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A multibillion-dollar loophole has been removed from a proposal to crack down on government contract abuse. The Bush administration removed the loophole the day before a hearing was scheduled to investigate how it was placed in a Department of Justice rule.
VPR News

Police still probing reason for drownings

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Police are still trying to figure out why 40-year-old Nicole Waring of Wolcott avoided a would-be rescuer and plunged into the Wardsboro Brook carrying her 6-year-old daughter on Saturday.
Classical Music with Walter Parker

Midday Classical

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Mozart’s Prague Symphony conducted by Sir Neville Marriner, who turns 84 today; Bach’s Cantata No. 106 "God’s Time is the Best Time of All"; Stravinsky’s ballet Petrouchka; and Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No. 1, played by Joshua Bell.
VPR News

VPR Evening News April 14th, 2008

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Senator Bernie Sanders is urging Congress to pass a second economic stimulus package to help repair the transportation and education infrastructure; Protesters criticize China’s crackdown in Tibet and the country’s human rights record; Law enforcement officials want to make the Internet safer for children; Police are investigating why a 40-year-old Wolcott woman plunged into the Wardsboro Brook with her 6-year-old daughter on Saturday; and commentator Allen Gilbert on why we should read poetry.
Commentary Series

Poetry Power

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April is National Poetry Month, and commentator and Vermont Humanities Council Executive Director Peter Gilbert has some thoughts about what keeps some people from reading poetry, how they can start, and why they should.
VPR News

Community devastated by death of mother and two children

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Police are still trying to figure out why 40 year old Nicole Waring of Wolcott avoided a would-be rescuer and plunged into the Wardsboro Brook carrying her 6-year-old daughter on Saturday. Both died, and the body of 2 1/2-year-old Grace Waring was found yesterday, although police haven’t said how she got into the brook.
VPR News
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Tibetan human rights protestors march on Statehouse

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China’s crackdown in Tibet reverberated in Montpelier on Monday as protesters marched on the Statehouse after a three-day walk from Burlington. The protesters criticized China’s human rights record. And they called on the U.S. to boycott the opening of the Olympic Games in Beijing.
VPR News

Longtime Middlebury hairdresser packs up shop for California

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Recently, loyal patrons of Brett’s Making Waves in downtown Middlebury were shocked to discover that their favorite hairdresser, Brett Weeks, had packed up shop and gone to Los Angeles. Brett’s owned his own shop in Middlebury since 1980. Before he left, we sat down with VPR’s Jane Lindholm for a quick cut, blow-dry and a chat.
VPR News

Midday Newscast April 14, 2008

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A rally is getting under way in Montpelier at this hour among people promoting peace and reconciliation in Tibet; law enforcement officials are holding a conference at the Statehouse today to discuss ways of making the Internet safer for children; more…
Vermont Edition

Landlords’ Rights

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The Senate unanimously approved a bill that makes it easier for landlords to evict problem tenants. We examine both sides of the issue with the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Bill Carris, and with Vermont Legal Aid Attorney Jack McCullough. Also, UVM has cut funding for its Canadian Studies Program; we talk with the program’s director, Paul Martin. And, we visit a Middlebury hairdresser who’s been cutting hair for decades.
VPR News
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Interview: Matt Howard on the winter soldier hearings

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Last month the group Iraq Veterans Against the War held the winter soldier proceedings near Washington, D.C. Matt Howard of Burlington was there. Howard was a Marine Corporal and served during the invasion of Iraq in 2003 and later went back in 2004. He speaks with VPR’s Mitch Wertlieb about the experience.
VPR News

Morning Newscast: April 14, 2008

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Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: State officials are expected to get an update on Vermont’s economic forecast this week, and the news may not be good; One agency is trying to prepare for the day when the EPA’s emissions standards change again and Vermont doesn’t meet them; in a budget-cutting move, the Douglas administration is reducing out-of-state, overnight travel for state employees…
VPR News
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Organization creates air pollution “budget”

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Some state officials were relieved when the Environmental Protection Agency announced new limits for ozone pollution. Vermont was still below the limits and avoided federal sanctions. But, as VPR’s Ross Sneyd reports, one agency is trying to prepare for the day when the standards change again and Vermont doesn’t meet them.
VPR News

Internet safety is focus of Statehouse summit

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Internet safety is on the agenda today in Montpelier, where lawmakers, law enforcement leaders and cyber experts are gathering for a summit entitled “How to Keep the Internet Safe For Our Kids.”
VPR News

Economic forecast expected this week

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State officials are expected to get an update on Vermont’s economic forecast this week, and the news may not be good. Governor Jim Douglas and legislators are already at work trying to pare $25 million in cuts from the 2009 state budget.
VPR News

Lake Champlain surpasses flood stage

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Thanks to spring snowmelt, Lake Champlain has surpassed flood stage, potentially threatening lakeside homes and businesses. Yesterday, the lake level reached 100.2 feet, surpassing the 100 foot stage at which the National Weather Service says to expect some flooding of low-lying roads.
VPR News

Economic pinch hitting nonprofits

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The New Hampshire Charitable Foundation says funding requests from the state’s nonprofits rose 59 percent during its most recent round of grant proposals.