VPR News Podcast Vermont Public Radio

The pandemic shutdowns were a financial hardship for many museums, but they also provided an opportunity for these institutions to rethink their roles as places of education, and revolutionized how they use outdoor and virtual spaces. Now, as the pandemic eases, the question is: what, if anything, will Vermont’s museums keep?

Starting Aug. 9, vaccinated travelers from the U.S. will be able to enter Canada for non-essential trips for the first time since March of 2020. But Canadians won't be able to enter the U.S. at least until Aug. 21. That was decided by an order from the Biden administration this week, and members of Congress who represent some border districts from both parties have expressed frustration at this mismatch. But what's the reaction like in Canada?

In the last 25 years, nearly 150 of Vermont’s sawmills have gone out of business, but Dave Stratton has more orders than he can fill. Independent producer Erica Heilman stopped by to talk with Dave at his sawmill in Hardwick.

In a small town in Orange County, a popular car mechanic was robbed. When the police didn’t help he got a gun and took matters into his own hands. Now many in town are defending his actions, citing policing shortages and lenient criminal justice policies.

Poet and musician Toussaint St. Negritude recently became a landowner in Caledonia County, thanks to a handful of volunteer carpenters and over $60,000 donated to him as reparations.

On Monday, Amtrak service returns to Vermont for the first time in over 15 months. The service shut down when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. And while Amtrak trains began running a few months later, in many parts of the country, they didn't come here.