VPR News

Vermont schools have moved to Phase III of reopening, which means an increase in in-person learning. And while some subject areas have received specific guidance, the arts have had to be creative.

Despite hot, dry growing conditions and a pandemic, Winslow Farms, a popular pick-your-own pumpkin patch in Pittsford, has been enjoying brisk business.

The state's new law that bans household food scraps in landfills went into effect on July 1. Vermonters are getting on board with the new system, which means transfer stations are struggling to keep up and new businesses are popping up to haul the food scraps to composting facilities.

The lieutenant governor's race has been one of the closest in Vermont's 2020 election. Amid record-setting early voting , the two major party candidates — Democrat Molly Gray and Republican Scott Milne — are making final appeals to undecided Vermonters. This hour, Vermont Edition continues its series of one-on-one interviews with candidates for top offices continues with Democratic nominee Molly Gray.

Last week, a familiar voice to VPR listeners passed away. Peter Fox Smith, who hosted weekly opera programs on VPR for 40 years, died on Oct. 5 at the age of 85 at his home in North Pomfret, Vt.

The Center for Cartoon Studies in White River Junction has been working on creating comics that present complicated information in clear and accessible ways. Last year, they put out a graphic guide to Democracy and Government . Now they've collaborated with a mental health organization in Ohio and with Mass. cartoonist Cara Bean to produce a new comic called Let's Talk About It , a graphic guide to mental health.

Vermont will become the first state in the nation to make free condoms available in public middle and high schools next year after Gov. Scott signed a bill last week that expands access to contraceptives across the state.

Community health clinics across Vermont have dealt with unique challenges in addressing the coronavirus: determining when it's safe to open, how to encourage patients to get the care they need, ensuring patients a clinic is safe, and how to protect health care workers. This hour, we talk with directors of two clinics about how they’ve been caring for patients and weathering the pandemic.

Doctors are still discovering new health ramifications for those who contract COVID-19. But the isolation and fear associated with avoiding the virus, along with the economic hardship brought on by the shutdown of the economy are creating another set of challenges: anxiety, depression and a rise in substance abuse. The trends are further stretching mental health providers and worrying those who work in recovery.

The Nov. 3 election is less than a month away, and all active, registered Vermont voters should already have received their ballots in the mail. This hour, we kick off a series of one-on-one interviews with candidates for top office with David Zuckerman, the Democratic/Progressive nominee for governor.

After President Donald Trump contracted COVID-19, many Americans were suddenly wondering, “What happens if the President dies?” Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman says Vermonters should be asking the same question about their own governor.

Updated Center for Disease Control and Prevention guidance confirms airborne transmission of the coronavirus. Tiny particles of the virus can linger in the air for minutes or hours at a time. This hour, state health officials answer your COVID-19 questions and offer guidance for indoor air quality and circulation as winter weather returns to our region.

It's been in the works for years and now a bill has been passed: a tax-and-regulate system for recreational cannabis in Vermont. This hour, we'll look at how the law will work, the timeline for retail sales and some of the ongoing questions about whether the law adequately addresses social justice issues.

According to a new VPR-Vermont PBS poll, 67% of Vermonters say they are very concerned about the future of small businesses in the state. If you add in those who said they are somewhat concerned, the number jumps to 93%.

Vermont residents support a mask mandate, the Black Lives Matter movement and the leadership of Gov. Phil Scott, according to a new poll from VPR and Vermont PBS.