VPR News

Updated 10:30 a.m. 5/15/2020 A bombshell proposal from the Scott administration Thursday would require school districts to hold revotes this summer on budgets approved by local voters in March.

Scientists are pursuing multiple tracks of research in the quest for an effective treatment to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. One pathway showing some early promise involves llamas. A new study shows that antibodies from llamas can neutralize the virus that causes COVID-19.

The COVID-19 crisis has raised questions about the November general election. Like, will it possible to vote safely in person? And what would it look like for states to shift to a vote-by-mail system? This hour, we take an in-depth look at how Vermont is responding. We talk to elections analysts and officials, and we also hear from you.

A message from the governor for out-of-staters to stay out of Vermont leads to some racist incidents. Plus: the COVID-19 hole in Vermont’s budget, the coronavirus at the state women’s prison, and a visit with a poet.

Back in late February, when such a thing was still possible, VPR's Mitch Wertlieb visited poet Kerrin McCadden at her South Burlington home to talk about her new collection of poetry Keep This To Yourself .

As Vermont continues to outperform most other states in limiting the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Phil Scott has tried to limit outsiders' access to Vermont. He has required people arriving in Vermont to quarantine themselves for 14 days, and last week flatly urged out-of-staters to stay away for now. But some second-home owners say those policies, even if rooted in sound science, are fostering fear and encouraging racist attacks.

Since mid-March, many Vermonters have been working from home. And a new UVM survey indicates that many of these telecommuters want to continue remote working after the pandemic has ended. This hour, we discuss the future of how and where we work with a team of experts and researchers , and we also hear from you.

How students and teachers are adapting to the digital classroom. Plus: what it’s like for Vermonters observing Ramadan, an update on a high-profile 2019 shooting, and a chance to hunt moose.

In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, schools were closed with very little warning or preparation. And over the past few months, school districts, parents and students have been learning on the fly how to do remote learning in a state where internet service can be spotty, or not available at all.

Lt. Andrew Kehl has been working the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic – on two different fronts.

From snakes to salamanders and frogs, Vermont is home to many amphibians and reptiles. This hour, we talk with a herpetologist to find out how scaly and slimy critters are doing this spring, and get an update from the Vermont Reptile and Amphibian Atlas.

In the midst of a pandemic that has disrupted the food supply chain, a listener question about whether Vermont farms would feed the entire state. Also, teachers reflect on doing their job remotely, and the governor announces that retail stores can reopen soon.

The spring semester has been challenging for all students, and graduating high school seniors have dealt with canceled events and virtual graduation ceremonies. But for those who are — or were — planning on going to college in the fall, many questions remain: Can they afford school if family circumstances have changed? Will campuses be open? Will their school still be there? We talk with students, school counselors and colleges about their plans for the fall semester.

As the Scott administration gradually eases restrictions in Vermont, we talk to Deputy Health Commissioner Tracy Dolan about precautions to prevent further spread of COVID-19. We also learn about a Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center program, which is investigating convalescent blood plasma -- the plasma of recovered COVID-19 patents -- as a possible treatment for the disease.

Hospitals can resume some of the procedures that were put on hold due to the pandemic, but their finances are still up in the air. Plus, an audio diary from an EMT and the latest COVID-19 case numbers.