Vermont Public Radio

With Tentative Deal, Burlington Students Head Back To School Wednesday

After four school days on strike , Burlington teachers and the city's school board announced Tuesday evening they had reached a "tentative" deal that would allow classes to resume Wednesday.

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Rutland's Refugee Welcome Mat Is Waiting On Trump's New Order

By Nina Keck • 3 minutes ago

Despite resettlement plans to bring 100 Syrian refugees to Rutland this year, only 14 have arrived.

Nonetheless, Vermont’s Refugee Resettlement Program has applied to the US State Department to resettle 100 more Syrian and Iraqis refugees in Rutland in fiscal year 2018, which starts October 1.

But until President Trump decides how many refugees from all parts of the world will be allowed into the United States next year, nothing is certain.

Airbnb Urges Vermont Hosts To Share Their Experiences With State Working Group

By Howard Weiss-Tisman • 5 hours ago

A screenshot of the Airbnb website, taken Sept. 20, shows some available rentals in Vermont. A Vermont working group is studying short-term rentals, prompting Airbnb to reach out to Vermont hosts registered on the site to share their experiences. — Screenshot from Airbnb.com

Airbnb says more than 3,600 people across the state use the online service to rent out their homes. Now the company is asking those homeowners to get involved with a statewide study that could impact the future of home sharing in Vermont.

Talking Dirty: Discussing Your Septic System

By Jane Lindholm & Ric Cengeri • 9 hours ago

With over half of the state using septic systems, we talk with experts about how to keep yours operating properly. — BlakeDavidTaylor / iStock

Live call-in discussion: We know it's not your favorite subject. But over half of the state has to deal with them. Yes, your septic system.

Study: New England Loses 65 Acres Of Forest Per Day To Development

By Fred Bever • 11 hours ago

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Study: New England Loses 65 Acres Of Forest Per Day To Development

A new wave of forest loss is underway in New England, at a rate of 65 acres a day. That's the conclusion of a new regionwide study spearheaded by a Harvard University forest research group. And the authors say New England could lose more than a million acres of forest cover over the next half-century.

Former Vermont Governor: Small States Can't Pull Off Single Payer Alone

By Bob Kinzel • Sep 19, 2017

Former Gov. Peter Shumlin says he underestimated the political and policy challenges of implementing a single payer health care system in Vermont. — Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP

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3:30

Former Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin told the Harvard School of Public Health on Tuesday that he miscalculated the political and policy challenges associated with the single payer approach.

More News

The Frequency

Flood Insurance

What Does Flood Insurance Mean In Vermont?

When the topic of insurance comes up, most people probably think about fender benders or trips to the emergency room before they think of flooding. But as scientists predict increasingly severe weather events in coming years, Vermonters will likely need to become better acquainted with it.

A Norwich home on Turnpike Road is inaccessible by road after its bridge and culvert were destroyed. — Rebecca Sananes / VPR

As Floods Get More Intense, Insurance Is Needed More Than Ever. Will There Be Anyone Selling It?

Karin Hardy points to land along Ball Mountain Brook in Jamaica where her house stood before Tropical Storm Irene swept it away. Hardy's former house was not in the FEMA flood zone and she did not have flood insurance. — Howard Weiss-Tisman / VPR

Flood Risk For Vermonters Is More Than What's On FEMA's Flood Maps

Brave Little State

How Has The Geology Of Vermont Affected Its Character?

If you’ve lived in a state for a long time, or grew up there, you probably have this feeling — when you drive into or out of it, you feel like you can tell the difference.

Program Features

Hannah Palmer Egan's recipe for "Amazing Awesome August Pasta" includes kale, tomatoes, feta and pesto. — Hannah Palmer Egan / Seven Days

VPR Cafe: Pestopalooza

Get your food processor out. It's that time of year when you might have an abundance of basil and other greens which are perfect for making pesto.

This chelone plant or "turtle's head" is a hardy native perennial that comes in dark pink, white and red. — By Wouter Hagens - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2802803

Vermont Garden Journal: Planting And Enjoying The Hardy Chelone

Ben Stoll, 17, of Georgia, VT, writes about the power of imagination and how daydreaming can lift a person from darkness into the light. — Ben Stoll, Young Writers Project, courtesy

Young Writers Project: 'Daydreaming'

But Why: A Podcast For Curious Kids

How Do Hurricanes Form?

In the last couple of weeks, two big hurricanes have hit parts of the United States and Caribbean islands. In this episode we answer questions from kids who have been hearing the news and wondering: How do hurricanes form? Why do hurricanes strike Florida? Why do hurricanes have names? We speak with atmospheric scientist Shuyi Chen of the University of Washington.