Vermont Edition

Using psychedelics in mental health treatment has been gaining legitimacy in recent years. Now, a little-known substance called ibogaine has some addiction counselors wanting to learn more about the benefits and dangers of ibogaine therapy. We hear from Vermont state representative Brian Cina, a Progressive-Democrat from Burlington who wants Vermont to use opioid settlement funding to pursue ibogaine research. He introduced a bill about it this year. We're also joined by Dr. Rick Barnett, the former chair of Vermont’s psychedelic advisory committee and a clinical psychologist in Stowe. He says ibogaine can help with trauma, addiction, and depression. We also learn about what happens when you take ibogaine with Roger Guest, a mental health and addiction therapist who moved from Springfield, Vt. to Mexico to work with an ibogaine clinic. Broadcast live on Thursday, Apr. 9, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

Rep. Becca Balint pushes for an Iran war powers vote in the House

Contra dancing has deep roots in New England. But it's also still evolving, from an increased emphasis on gender inclusivity to new styles of dance. Two well-known local callers help us explore the ever-changing culture of contra. Luke Donforth and Mary Wesley are both Burlington-based, but they call dances all across the region. Welsey is also the director of education and media at Vermont Folklife. This episode also includes recordings of a recent contra dance at the Capital City Grange in Montpelier. Interested in learning more about contra or trying it out for the first time? Check out one of these upcoming local dances, or find more information through the Country Dance and Song Society or trycontra.com. Broadcast live on Tuesday, Apr. 7, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

An unprompted hug. A shoulder massage that was never requested. A compliment or comment that crosses a boundary. What some consider acceptable workplace behavior may actually be problematic. Today on Vermont Edition, it's a conversation about appropriate–and inappropriate–conduct in the workplace. We’ll hear from the executive director of the Vermont Commission on Women on the laws supporting employees from harassment. An employment attorney will share the importance of setting expectations around workplace culture and bridging the gap between generations. We’ll also hear from two local educators who work with young people on consent, empowerment and concepts around healthy masculinity.

So you're thinking about getting a Canadian citizenship, eh?

Grab your lucky rabbit’s foot, walk around that ladder, and come talk about superstitions and tall tales with us. Do you ever wonder why you feel a little uneasy when a mirror cracks? You’re not alone. Locally, there’s stories like the Bennington Triangle and Emily's Bridge in Stowe. There’s also the superstitious behavior we inherit, such as saying 'rabbit rabbit' on the first of the month. Today, you’ll hear from Kerry Noonan, a folklorist and Champlain College professor, and author Joe Citro from Windsor. He’s written lots of books about Vermont’s haunts, legends and best kept secrets.

A recent U.S. Supreme Court decision has roots in Vermont and nationwide implications. The Zorn v. Linton case involved a 2015 protest in Montpelier, and Vermont State Police. We discuss the case with one of its subjects, Shela Linton of Brattleboro, and two constitutional lawyers: Jay Diaz, Civil Rights and workers compensation litigator at Darby Kolter & Roberts. He was formerly the lead advocate for qualified immunity reform with the ACLU of Vermont in Waterbury, and Jared Carter of Vermont Law and Graduate School. Then: a few days after the Mar. 11 confrontation between ICE agents and protesters in South Burlington, the Vermont House advanced a bill to allow citizens sue federal agents for alleged civil rights violations. The bill's sponsor, Rep. Martin LaLonde (D-South Burlington), also chairs the Vermont House's Ethics Committee and the Judiciary Committee. Broadcast live on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

Nurses at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital will return to the bargaining table tomorrow with hospital administrators.

Migratory songbirds warble, tweet and twitter their way back to Vermont

For the latest in our Town by Town series, we head to Rockingham, in Windham County. Rockingham sits along the Connecticut River and includes the villages of Saxtons River and Bellows Falls. Each month, Vermont Edition visits or learns about a different Vermont town or city, with the goal of hitting all 252 of them. At the end of the hour, a guest helps us select our next location by spinning a big wheel. Our guests are: the painter Charlie Hunter, twin brothers and small-scale developers John and Jeff Dunbar, Central Elementary School principal Kate Kane and Vermont Country Store proprietor Lyman Orton. Broadcast live on Wednesday, Mar. 25, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Have questions, comments, or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

As health plans drop GLP-1s, what's next for patients?

Lawmakers recently elected a new head of the Vermont National Guard. This new leadership comes as Guard members are being deployed around the world, from the Caribbean to the Middle East. Today on Vermont Edition, we'll talk with Major General Henry "Hank" Harder Jr. He now leads around 3,000 Guard members in the Green Mountain State. He’ll tell us about his military service, and his role when the Guard deploys. Plus, fossil fuel prices have increased significantly since the start of the war in Iran. Jared Duval with the Energy Action Network explains how rising gas prices affect Vermont’s economy.

In the latest installment of our series, Vermont Edition At Home, we head to the Williston home of Ryan Miller, lead singer and multi-instrumentalist for the pop rock band Guster. Miller and his bandmates have released nine albums over the last three and a half decades. Miller is also the former host of the Vermont PBS show Makin’ Friends With Ryan Miller, and composes for film and theater. His indie-rock musical, Safety Not Guaranteed, based on the film of the same name, is currently at the Signature Theater in Northern Virginia. We'll talk with him about his long-term friendships with his bandmates and making new friends when he and his family moved to Vermont. Plus, we'll take a tour of Miller's home music studio.

Commonsense House, a new publishing imprint in the Upper Valley, aims to bring more Arabic works to English readers. Its founder, Ezzedine Fishere, is an author himself. He is a Distinguished Fellow at Dartmouth from Egypt who teaches courses on Middle East politics. He discusses the highs and and lows of getting his novels translated into English. Daisy Rockwell is an award-winning Hindi and Urdu translator based in North Bennington. Her love of languages runs deep, as does her passion for bringing new books to American readers. Her latest translation is Sleep Journeys, a book-length prose poem by the noted Urdu poet Azra Abbas. Then, Mitch Wertlieb sits down with Westmore writer Ted Page. When he became a grandparent, Page couldn’t find much material that offered advice or reflection on this new stage of life. So, he decided to find out on his own and publish what he learned in Good Grandpa: Stories from the Heart of Grandfatherhood. Broadcast live on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Have questions, comments, or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

Happy St. Patrick's Day! The Irish have deep roots in Vermont. We’ll learn about Irish immigrants’ arrival in the Green Mountain State with Vincent Feeney, a Montpelier historian and co-founder of the Burlington Irish Heritage Festival. Seven Days Food writer Jordan Barry will share ideas for where to order traditional Irish food and other food news from our region. Plus, Vermont Senate leader Phil Baruth recently announced his retirement. The Chittenden County Democrat reflects on his years in state government and shares his priorities for the rest of this legislative session.

Reporter roundtable: Vt. legislature's 'crossover day'

Vermonters respond to major clash between ICE and protesters

Brattleboro Chief reflects on her 30 years in law enforcement ahead of retirement

Taste is in many ways subjective, but it’s also a learned skill. There is a craft to tasting, and it plays a big role in the food and beverage industry. Today's guest, Roy Desrochers, is a global sensory expert— what you could call a professional taster. He works with University of Vermont Extension’s northwest crops and soils program, which helps local farmers and manufacturers gain traction in the marketplace. He’s trained thousands of tasters all around the world, including at Borderview Farm in Alburgh. Roy joins us to tell us about his long career helping major brands develop their best-selling flavors, training others to become finely tuned tasting experts, and about the subtle notes found in Vermont delicacies like maple syrup and milk from grass-fed animals. Broadcast live on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Have questions, comments, or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

Vermont has a plan to stop using nuclear power by 2035. But Governor Phil Scott says we need to change course. To discuss the future of nuclear power in Vermont, we're joined by the state’s public service commissioner Kerrick Johnson, and Ben Edgerly Walsh, Climate and Energy Program Director of Vermont Public Interest Research Group (VPIRG). Johnson says today’s standards are too inflexible and that nuclear would lower energy costs for Vermonters. But Edgerly Walsh disagrees, saying nuclear power doesn't live up to the hype. Then: An update on the Yankee Nuclear Plant in Vernon. It was shut down over a decade ago. What’s next for the land and the community? We're joined by Jim Pinkerton, one of two local representatives on the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Decommissioning Citizens Advisory Panel. He is also the chair of Vernon’s Planning & Economic Development Commission. Broadcast live on Monday, March 9, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Have questions, comments, or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.