Vermont Edition

With Black Panther roaring at the box office to become one of the top-grossing movies of all time, some hope it's the dawn of a new era of black representation in film. We're talking to Dartmouth professor Monica White Ndounou. She studies film and media and offers a cautionary take to the film's success, suggesting ways the structure and ideology of Hollywood need to change first.

The history of Ralston, Vermont is well-known to many: the story of feuding brothers at odds over logging and textile fortunes, a dispute that ultimately led to the digging of the Thibodeau Canal which now separates the island from Burlington. Only, there is no canal and that history isn't real. But it's all part of "Quality of Life: The Ralston Historical Museum" exhibit now at the Champlain College Art Gallery.

Eighteen F-35 stealth fighter jets are set to come to Vermont next year, but on Town Meeting Day, a ballot question with language rejecting the fighters passed with wide support in Burlington. We're looking at what that vote means and what happens next for the F-35s in Vermont.

A group of female musicians, from the nations of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan, are visiting our region to perform a new multimedia production based on the epic story 40 Girls, or Qyrq Qyz — an oral tale from the region that dates back centuries.

In order to be as useful as possible, robots need to be able to think and act for themselves. But with that autonomy can come serious concerns about human safety. We're talking about teaching machines how to be smart and independent, without kicking off a robot uprising.

An overwhelming majority of school budgets passed on Town Meeting Day, but the Scott administration says those budgets need be cut back further and placed in the hands of state policymakers.

There are two sides to school snow days. You've got the kids who get a day off and a chance to romp in the snow and catchup on the homework they might not have gotten done on time. And then there's the parents who might have to take a day off of work to watch the kids. But beyond that are the school superintendents who have to make the decision to close school.

Before the glow fully fades, we're checking in with two reporters from VPR's team to talk about some of the results out of Town Meeting Day.

UVM students blocked a main thoroughfare to highlight their demands for greater inclusion and diversity. High school students in Montpelier and Burlington organized to raise the Black Lives Matter flag at their schools. And next week, high school students across the state plan to walk out of class to push for gun legislation. In Vermont, student activism is alive and well in 2018!

There's a big election on the horizon in Vermont. Parties will choose their candidates for Governor in an August primary, with the general election in November. It's still early, but the race is starting to take shape.

A long-expected, but still dreaded, moment has arrived. The emerald ash borer, a tree-killing insect that has decimated forests in other parts of the country, has finally been officially confirmed in Vermont. We’re talking to experts about what comes next and what can be done to mitigate the damage from these invasive pests.

World class athletes from teams around the world are gathering in Craftsbury, Vermont for the final event in the Ski Orienteering World Cup this week. Never heard of SkiO? You're not alone.

Longtime VPR reporter Bob Kinzel is ready to answer your questions about the inner workings of the Legislature, state government and Vermont's political history. Today's question was originally sent to our podcast, Brave Little State and inquires about the length of the state's gubernatorial term.

VPR reporter Bob Kinzel has been covering the Statehouse since 1981 — longer than any continuously serving member of the Legislature. To take advantage of that institutional memory, we're kicking off a new periodic segment called "Ask Bob." First up: a look at the increasing number of lobbyists in the Vermont Statehouse.

Have you ever tried fixing one of your electric gadgets? Even simply replacing the battery in your cell phone can require special skills or tools. You may not be allowed to do more advanced repairs without potentially voiding a warranty. That's led to demands across the country, including here in Vermont , for the "right to repair," the ability to perform basic repairs on items like smart phones, other electronics and more.