VPR News

Citing the risks posed by the coronavirus, the Scott administration has joined with waste haulers around Vermont to press for flexibility with the state’s recycling laws.

When a global pandemic abruptly shutters your business, do you close up shop, or pivot to a new model? That’s the calculation businesses around Vermont have had to make over the last month and a half. For Ardelia Farm in Irasburg, they’ve chosen to change things up, going from selling baked goods at farmers markets and flowers wholesale, to starting up a meal delivery business, all in just a few weeks.

The president of Castleton University submitted her resignation on Wednesday, at the same meeting where trustees formally accepted the resignation of Vermont State Colleges Chancellor Jeb Spaulding .

The coronavirus has highlighted our growing reliance on our computers, IT systems and broadband to navigate life, work and school under very unusual circumstances. But it's also underscored the lack of high speed broadband throughout the state. One way to see both the increasing reliance on computers, and Vermont's broadband disparities, is the use of telemedicine during the pandemic. VPR's senior political reporter Bob Kinzel shared his findings with Vermont Edition .

Homeless shelters are a place where it’s nearly impossible to practice social and physical distancing. Sleeping quarters are often cramped, and shared bathrooms and kitchens can increase the chance of an outbreak spreading quickly.

Christine Lebiecki has been separated from her husband, Chris Lévesque, since the U.S. Canada travel restrictions were first instituted in March. Christine is a South Hero resident. Chris lives in the Montreal suburbs. Neither is considered an essential traveler, so the couple has been separated until travel restrictions are lifted. They spoke with Jane Lindholm about what that time apart has meant for them.

Festivals canceled. Venues closed. COVID-19 has hit Vermont's performing arts hard. This hour, we talk about the strain on artists and arts organizations, and ways Vermonters can help.

How one restaurant is doing over a month into the shutdown. Plus, Vermont prisoners locked up past their minimum sentence, UVM’s fall plans, and an update on COVID-19.

Prisons are like cruise ships or nursing homes: they are among the riskiest places to be during this pandemic. Today, about 350 Vermont inmates are past their minimum sentences and could be released. And while Vermont prison officials frequently mention that the department has reduced its population by nearly 300 people in response to the coronavirus, an analysis of DOC policy and data suggests these reductions reflect changes in who is going to prison, rather than who is getting out.

Weeks of delays processing thousands of unemployment insurance claims put Vermont's antiquated IT systems on full display. We talk with the leader of the agency responsible for the state's computer hardware, software and cybersecurity about Vermont's aging computer infrastructure and examine paths toward an upgrade.

Bars and restaurants have been limited to takeout and delivery in Vermont since March 17 . While some have closed their doors for the time being, many have adapted, bringing food and drinks out to customers’ cars for pickup. So, after a month of scaled-back business, how’s that working out for restaurant owners? For one perspective, we check in with Jennifer Isabell. She owns and operates El Toro , a Mexican restaurant in Morrisville.

The price of oil has gone negative, meaning it's worth less than zero. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean someone is paying you to fill your gas tank. But what does it mean for our regional economy? Dartmouth economist Bruce Sacerdote joins us to explain.

Spotting a bear in a Vermont town isn't really newsworthy, but it appears that at least some of Vermont's bears are feeling emboldened by Governor Scott's recent "stay at home, stay safe" order, which they're interpreting as something that only applies to humans. We talk to state game warden Dave Taddei about one particular bear and its recent travels through downtown Bellows Falls.

State Colleges Chancellor Jeb Spaulding’s resignation. Plus, the latest COVID-19 case numbers, a library, and a very old hockey stick.

Whether you're stretching your food budget, cooking more to reduce your trips out or baking your coronavirus anxieties away, the pandemic is changing how we cook and eat. We're talking with chefs, food writers and bakers for recipes, kitchen tips and meal plans for the COVID-19 era.