Vermont Edition

Vermont Public
  • 4.3 (102)
  • Society & Culture
  • Updated Daily

Vermont Edition brings you news and conversation about issues affecting your life. Host Mikaela Lefrak considers the context of current events through interviews with news makers and people who make our region buzz.

  1. 13h ago

    Vermont National Guard leader on his airmen's return from deployment

    This month has been full of change for members of the Vermont National Guard. On September 6th, the 158th Fighter Wing returned home from a monthslong overseas deployment on back-to-back missions to the Caribbean and the Middle East.  Vermont National Guard Adjutant General Henry "Hank" Harder Jr. discusses their Guard's missions and the process of reintegration.  Over the past decade more than 30 states have considered Defend the Guard legislation. The Vermont version of the Defend the Guard Act would only allow the Guard to deploy to wars that have been formally authorized by Congress. Lonnie Poland of Milton is a Defend the Guard Act advocate, a former Vermont Air National Guard medic and the current chair of the Milton Democratic Party.Then; Jewish congregations across our region gathered repeatedly over the past few weeks to mark the High Holy Days together. Some of these Jewish communities date back to the turn of the 20th century. A new book by Margaret K. Nelson tells the stories of Jewish families that lived in small Vermont towns between 1900 and 2000. Many of them operated dry goods businesses or worked in scrap dealing.  Nelson is a professor emerita of sociology at Middlebury College and the author of numerous books. “Peddlers, Merchants, and Junk Dealers: Jewish Life in Small-Town Vermont" was published this July. Broadcast live on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

  2. 1d ago

    The in and outs of mushroom hunting in Vermont

    The cooling temperatures and autumn rain signal the end of summer. It also means that wild, edible mushrooms are popping up in forests around our region. While many mushrooms are delicious and safe to eat, others can be deadly, so it's very important to know the difference.  Today, we’re talking about the joys, and potential dangers, of mushroom foraging. Our guests, Ari Rockland-Miller and Jenna Antonino-DiMare, run a foraging blog and conduct workshops under the name The Mushroom Forager.  Together, they helped listeners make sense of fungi found on their own backyards, the best practices for plucking mushrooms, and ways to prepare them for dinner.

  3. 2d ago

    Barre's school budget woes could affect a future school district merger

    Two of the largest healthcare networks in the region just cut hundreds of positions. These hospitals are trying to stem their losses while still serving patients. On Vermont Edition: UVM and Dartmouth Health. Vermont Public’s health care reporter Lola Duffort helps us put these hospitals' financial straits into national context. Then: Barre residents voted down their school district budget for a third time. School board leaders are now back to the drawing board. What comes for the school budget and local taxes? Barre’s school superintendent and the head of the Vermont Principals Association discuss.  Broadcast live on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

  4. 6d ago

    When farm clothes become high fashion

    High fashion designers collaborate with Carthartt. Noah Kahan’s signature look is coveralls. Yep, workwear as fashion is officially a thing. Today on Vermont Edition, we're talking farm fashion, from work shirts down to wool socks. Carhartt’s archivist traces the company’s roots back to its founder, who designed products for railroad workers. A vintage retailer in Woodstock sells upcycled workwear. She’s seen firsthand how farm clothes influence high fashion. The museum at Billings Farm has a whole exhibit on farm fashion that opens this weekend. Its curator wanted to celebrate Vermont culture through clothing. We’ll talk about iconic brands like Darn Tough and Johnson Woolen Mills, and ask what you think about workwear turning into runway fodder.

  5. Sep 16

    New documentary explores Vermonters' everyday lives

    The new documentary Every Day: Big and Small shows how Vermonters build community and find connection through hard times. Today on Vermont Edition, it's filmmaker Bess O’Brien. For the new doc, she collected vignettes from around the state. They all show people helping each other out in ways big and small. Then: Author MT Anderson is fascinated by St. Nick. Not Santa Claus with the reindeer and bag of gifts, but the real, historical figure. His new book plumbs the strange but true history of the man in the red suit.

  6. Sep 15

    Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month in Vermont

    On Vermont Edition: Hispanic Heritage Month. University of Vermont's Spanish lecturer Adriana Sanchez-Gutierrez, known as DJ Adru, on her new radio show called Hispanic Worlds from Vermont. It kicks off this Sunday on 99.3 FM.  Musician Maiz Vargas Sandoval is the lead organizer of Burlington’s Latin American Connection event.  Plus: the founders of Hermanas Vermont, a group created by and for Latina women in the state.  Broadcast live on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

  7. Sep 14

    Clergy arrested at Williston ICE facility: 'We're going to continue this kind of resistance'

    A recent protest at an ICE facility in Williston ended with a group of Christian religious leaders arrested for trespassing. Today, we'll hear what led them to stage this protest, what happened that day and how faith guides their activism.  Three of the seven arrested clergy members joined us in the studio today: Rev. Jessica Derise, an ordained minister in Burlington with the United Church of Christ, or UCC; Rev. Earl Kooperkamp of the Diocese of Vermont is an Episcopal Pastor with the Church of the Good Shepherd in Barre, and St. Mary’s Parish in Northfield; and Rev. Elizabeth Gleich, an associate pastor at the UCC Congregational Church of Middlebury. Broadcast live on Monday, Sept. 14, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

  8. Sep 10

    Bestselling author Daniel Mason's new novel on Vermont's 'Country People'

    Bestselling author Daniel Mason's new novel, “Country People," is a comedic tale of a California family that moves to southern Vermont. They discover the beauty and quirks of rural living, as well as a centuries-old local legend.  Mason is a Pulitzer Prize finalist and the author of six books, including the 2023 bestseller North Woods. Plus, a longstanding music venue in Burlington – Radio Bean – just closed for good. It was an important launching pad for local bands, and a beloved nightspot.  Seven Days music editor Chris Farnsworth reflects on Radio Bean’s role in the local music scene.

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4.3
out of 5
102 Ratings

About

Vermont Edition brings you news and conversation about issues affecting your life. Host Mikaela Lefrak considers the context of current events through interviews with news makers and people who make our region buzz.

Information

  • Creator
    Vermont Public
  • Years Active
    2006 - 2026
  • Episodes
    322
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Vermont Public
  • Show Website
    Vermont Edition

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