More than 200 artisans across Vermont will open their studios to visitors this weekend. It’s the 21st annual tour sponsored by the Vermont Crafts Council. Council Director Martha Fitch says it gives visitors a behind-the-scenes look at how arts and crafts are made.

“Once you’ve seen something produced every single time you pick up a clay bowl or mug all of a sudden you remember the process that was used to create it and it’s just much more valuable," Fitch said.

Fri 5/21/13 Noon & 7PM How can the Republican Party connect with mainstream America? Former Governor Jim Douglas talks with Bob Kinzel about the future of Vermont's GOP. We'll also hear from Pete Hirschfeld of the Vermont Press Bureau.

Experts Say Time Is Running Out To Fight Spread of Japanese Knotweed

(Brian Colleran) “The simplest way to get into it is to dig slowly and carefully with a very small spade and try to find the whole plant..”

A land sale in East Montpelier is attracting a lot of attention, and it’s because the buyer of the property is Governor Peter Shumlin, and the seller is now publicly expressing remorse about the sale.

Peter Hirschfeld has been covering the story for the Vermont Press Bureau, and he joins VPR's Mitch Wertlieb for our Friday Regional Report.

Click listen to hear the interview.

Senator Patrick Leahy has decided not to include an amendment providing rights to same sex couples in the immigration reform bill because he’s concerned that it could cause a number of senators to vote against the overall legislation.

Over the course of the last three weeks, the Senate Judiciary committee considered hundreds of amendments to an immigration reform bill.

Vermont and three other states have asked the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to conduct a more expansive environmental review of storing highly radioactive waste at nuclear power plants.

The petition follows a federal court ruling last summer that found the NRC’s environmental review of onsite waste storage was inadequate.

The NRC staff has since launched a more limited review process. Attorney General Bill Sorrell says the petition asks the commission to overrule its staff.

Washington Electric Co-op is getting a new general manager.

The East Montpelier-based co-op says Patricia Richards will succeed Avram Patt on July 1.

For the past three years Richards has been a senior consultant for a company the co-op has relied on since 1997 for power supply planning, contracting and management, renewable energy development analysis, rate design and other regulatory matters.

In addition to her work for the co-op, Richards has managed a number of significant regulatory cases in other states during that time.

Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger has appointed Gene Richards as the permanent director of aviation at the Burlington International Airport.

Richards, the former chairman of the Airport Commission, has been serving as interim director of the airport since July of 2012.

Weinberger says he has exceeded his expectations as interim director, from reorganizing the airport staff to the airport refinancing bonds to creating a more welcoming atmosphere through new restaurants and concessionaires.

Congressman Peter Welch is joining Republican Rep. David McKinley of West Virginia to back legislation designed to promote more energy efficiency in homes and other buildings.

One of the bills, The Home Owner Managing Energy Savings Act, would provide rebates to homeowners who invest in energy efficiency improvements. Homeowners who demonstrate a 20 percent energy savings will receive a $2,000 rebate. For every 5 percent in additional energy savings, they can receive another $1,000 - up to a total of $8,000 or 50 percent of the project's cost.

Heavy rains fell over parts of Vermont causing road washouts and flash flooding.

Especially hard hit were the towns of Underhill, Jericho Cambridge and Essex.

Many local roads are closed. Route 15 and Route 104 are also closed this morning. Vermont State Police say a bridge in Westford has been washed out and numerous roads have been closed or partially closed due to flash flooding caused by heavy rains. Vermont Emergency Management is reminding drivers to never drive across a flooded road.