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.

1D AGO

Flood preparedness and recovery in Vermont

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

50 min
2D AGO

Vermont Edition's annual spring gardening show with Charlie Nardozzi

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

57 min
3D AGO

After SCOTUS strikes down tariff rule, who gets a refund?

After SCOTUS strikes down tariff rule, who gets a refund?

50 min
4D AGO

Should Vermont raise taxes on the rich?

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

50 min
APR 30

Vermont CSAs take on food insecurity and health disparities

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

37 min
APR 30

The uncertain future of Circus Smirkus

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

50 min
APR 28

Nick Sweeney, director of the new Noah Kahan documentary

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

50 min
APR 27

The push and pull of land use reform in Vermont

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

50 min

See All (249)

4.3

out of 5

102 Ratings

An interesting listen

09/17/2024

JJ90909

I’m from New England and love visiting Vermont. The hosts are always polite even when callers are a little blunt. Although the callers tend to be very nice! You can learn a lot from this show regardless of where you live. One suggestion I have is that while each episode says it’s been edited for clarity and brevity, it feels like some content could be cut such as calls from people who can’t hear the hosts or vice versa. The hosts having to cut off callers who go on for too long is a little awkward too (maybe this interaction is left in for transparency?).
Love the show but…..

01/14/2023

lake/farmgirl

I love the show but some of the programs are just boring and useless. I love Jane Lindholm and miss her very much, the new hosts voices are super annoying. I love when brave little state does it because they are clear and factual.
Unprofessional

02/23/2023

123FakeSt

You don’t seem to have an editor. You leave in irrelevant calls, and the resulting fluster that it causes the hosts. Mikaela stutters and stammers and she sounds perpetually stuffed up. “Verbont” I can’t stand it. The guests are good, and the topics are interesting. Please make it sound more professional and smoother
I'm a Vermont Edition Fan!

07/20/2017

PMullery

Jane Lindholm does an amazing job of ferreting out the issues that are critical to all of us living in Vermont. She has a wonderful interview style - kind, calm, insightful. Her show is on daily, and I am continually amazed at how many topics of interest and significance there are to cover in our small state. Thank you, Jane. Thank you, Vermont Public Radio and everyone who contributes financially to keep Vermont Edition on the air. I'd give Vermont Edition a 5+ star if it were available.

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.