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Vermont might be picturesque, but these Green Mountains are no strangers to scandal. This brave little state has its own long history of counterfeiting, illicit gambling, mysterious murders and more.  The exhibition Vermont Vice at the Bennington Museum explores some of the shadier aspects of life. Curator Jamie Franklin shares his favorite stories from the show.  Author Thea Lewis has written many books about the darker side of the state. Her new book, True Crime Stories of Vermont, is out this week. We also hear from Doctor Vu, artistic director of Green Mountain Cabaret and president of Nightlife Arts, for a modern take on the girly shows of yore.

It's the latest installment in our monthly series, Town by Town. Each month, we spend a whole hour learning about one of the state’s 252 towns and cities. At the end of the hour, we spin a big wheel to decide what town is next. This hour: Lemington, in Essex County. If you look at a map of Vermont, let your eyes wander to the far eastern border of the state, and then travel up, nearly to Canada. Lemington sits right there on the border with New Hampshire, along the Connecticut River. It’s population is under a hundred people. In the town’s whole history, its population never really topped 200. There’s a lot of forest there, a lot of logging, and people who love the land. We're joined by Sharon Ellingwood, an Administrative Services Coordinator with the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation who grew up in Lemington and has since moved back. We also hear from Joe Daley Jr., a lifelong resident of Lemington who is a selectman there and the towns road manager, Murray Duke, the town moderator, and Ray Gorman, a county commissioner for Coös County just over the New Hampshire border who grew up in Lemington and owns a camp there.  And, student reporter from the University of Vermont Community News Service Emily Rodin and Myla van Lynde bring us a story about the first ever Columbia Bridge Barn Dance, a recent event held on the covered bridge that connects Lemington, Vermont with Columbia, New Hampshire that celebrated the deep connection between the two towns.  Broadcast live on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

Governor Phil Scott is in the tightest reelection bid of his career. In a new poll Democrat Amanda Janoo is within 10 points of the governor. I’m Mikaela Lefrak. Today on Vermont Edition: the results of Vermont Public’s 2026 poll. What do people think about this year’s candidates? Taxes on second homes? Data centers? The causes of the high cost of living? Pollster Richard Clark of Vermont State University explains his polling methods and Vermont Public senior reporter Bob Kinzel adds context to the results. Plus: The Vermont Supreme Court has unanimously sided with Gov. Phil Scott about mandating in-person work for state employees. Theo Wells-Spackman with VTDigger explains the conflict between the Scott Administration and state employees. Broadcast live on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

Today on Vermont Edition: our annual fall gardening show with Charlie Nardozzi. He’s the host of All Things Gardening on Vermont Public, a backyard consultant and the author of many gardening books. We'll learn how to prep beds for the winter and get the most out of your remaining fall harvest. We’ll also look ahead to the arrival of El Nino this fall. It’s looking like it could be one of the strongest events on record. We’ll talk about adapting outdoor spaces to accept more water during sudden, heavy rains.  Broadcast live on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

This month has been full of change for members of the Vermont National Guard. On September 6th, the 158th Fighter Wing returned home from a monthslong overseas deployment on back-to-back missions to the Caribbean and the Middle East.  Vermont National Guard Adjutant General Henry "Hank" Harder Jr. discusses their Guard's missions and the process of reintegration.  Over the past decade more than 30 states have considered Defend the Guard legislation. The Vermont version of the Defend the Guard Act would only allow the Guard to deploy to wars that have been formally authorized by Congress. Lonnie Poland of Milton is a Defend the Guard Act advocate, a former Vermont Air National Guard medic and the current chair of the Milton Democratic Party.Then; Jewish congregations across our region gathered repeatedly over the past few weeks to mark the High Holy Days together. Some of these Jewish communities date back to the turn of the 20th century. A new book by Margaret K. Nelson tells the stories of Jewish families that lived in small Vermont towns between 1900 and 2000. Many of them operated dry goods businesses or worked in scrap dealing.  Nelson is a professor emerita of sociology at Middlebury College and the author of numerous books. “Peddlers, Merchants, and Junk Dealers: Jewish Life in Small-Town Vermont" was published this July. Broadcast live on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

The cooling temperatures and autumn rain signal the end of summer. It also means that wild, edible mushrooms are popping up in forests around our region. While many mushrooms are delicious and safe to eat, others can be deadly, so it's very important to know the difference.  Today, we’re talking about the joys, and potential dangers, of mushroom foraging. Our guests, Ari Rockland-Miller and Jenna Antonino-DiMare, run a foraging blog and conduct workshops under the name The Mushroom Forager.  Together, they helped listeners make sense of fungi found on their own backyards, the best practices for plucking mushrooms, and ways to prepare them for dinner.

Two of the largest healthcare networks in the region just cut hundreds of positions. These hospitals are trying to stem their losses while still serving patients. On Vermont Edition: UVM and Dartmouth Health. Vermont Public’s health care reporter Lola Duffort helps us put these hospitals' financial straits into national context. Then: Barre residents voted down their school district budget for a third time. School board leaders are now back to the drawing board. What comes for the school budget and local taxes? Barre’s school superintendent and the head of the Vermont Principals Association discuss.  Broadcast live on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

High fashion designers collaborate with Carthartt. Noah Kahan’s signature look is coveralls. Yep, workwear as fashion is officially a thing. Today on Vermont Edition, we're talking farm fashion, from work shirts down to wool socks. Carhartt’s archivist traces the company’s roots back to its founder, who designed products for railroad workers. A vintage retailer in Woodstock sells upcycled workwear. She’s seen firsthand how farm clothes influence high fashion. The museum at Billings Farm has a whole exhibit on farm fashion that opens this weekend. Its curator wanted to celebrate Vermont culture through clothing. We’ll talk about iconic brands like Darn Tough and Johnson Woolen Mills, and ask what you think about workwear turning into runway fodder.

The new documentary Every Day: Big and Small shows how Vermonters build community and find connection through hard times. Today on Vermont Edition, it's filmmaker Bess O’Brien. For the new doc, she collected vignettes from around the state. They all show people helping each other out in ways big and small. Then: Author MT Anderson is fascinated by St. Nick. Not Santa Claus with the reindeer and bag of gifts, but the real, historical figure. His new book plumbs the strange but true history of the man in the red suit.

On Vermont Edition: Hispanic Heritage Month. University of Vermont's Spanish lecturer Adriana Sanchez-Gutierrez, known as DJ Adru, on her new radio show called Hispanic Worlds from Vermont. It kicks off this Sunday on 99.3 FM.  Musician Maiz Vargas Sandoval is the lead organizer of Burlington’s Latin American Connection event.  Plus: the founders of Hermanas Vermont, a group created by and for Latina women in the state.  Broadcast live on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

A recent protest at an ICE facility in Williston ended with a group of Christian religious leaders arrested for trespassing. Today, we'll hear what led them to stage this protest, what happened that day and how faith guides their activism.  Three of the seven arrested clergy members joined us in the studio today: Rev. Jessica Derise, an ordained minister in Burlington with the United Church of Christ, or UCC; Rev. Earl Kooperkamp of the Diocese of Vermont is an Episcopal Pastor with the Church of the Good Shepherd in Barre, and St. Mary’s Parish in Northfield; and Rev. Elizabeth Gleich, an associate pastor at the UCC Congregational Church of Middlebury. Broadcast live on Monday, Sept. 14, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

Bestselling author Daniel Mason's new novel, “Country People," is a comedic tale of a California family that moves to southern Vermont. They discover the beauty and quirks of rural living, as well as a centuries-old local legend.  Mason is a Pulitzer Prize finalist and the author of six books, including the 2023 bestseller North Woods. Plus, a longstanding music venue in Burlington – Radio Bean – just closed for good. It was an important launching pad for local bands, and a beloved nightspot.  Seven Days music editor Chris Farnsworth reflects on Radio Bean’s role in the local music scene.

This September 11th marks the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Firefighter Michael Donovan served at Ground Zero that day. He lost many friends and colleagues. On Vermont Edition: Captain Michael Donovan of Ludlow. His new memoir commemorates the 25th anniversary from a firefighter’s perspective. Plus, a member of Vermont’s Nepali community is trying to support his friends and family from afar. They’re recovering physically and emotionally from the recent devastating floods. We’ll share ways for you to help. Broadcast live on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

For all you game show nerds, tonight’s a big night. It’s the "Jeopardy! Masters" final. If that means nothing to you, here’s the deal: high-ranking Jeopardy champions compete against each other for a $500,000 prize, a $100,000 donation to a charity of their choosing, and the illustrious Trebek Trophy. "Jeopardy!" is one of the most beloved and longest-running shows on American television. We're joined by three former champions from our region, and hear stories from listeners who were also contestants on trivia's big stage, including Vermont Public music manager and classical music host Helen Lyons. David Madden of Montpelier competed on the show four separate times. He won 19 games in 2005, and he now runs academic quiz tournaments for kids through his company International Academic Competitions. Jakob DeArruda is a three-time champion and quarter-finalist in the Tournament of Champions in 2023. He grew up in the Okemo Valley and now lives in Ithaca, New York. Susan White lives in Norwich, where she runs the online bookseller Sutton Books. She was a "Jeopardy!" champion in 2019. Broadcast live on Monday, Sept. 8, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

Dinner table scenes. Soldiers deploying to war. Kids with scuffed knees and dirty socks. The quintessential American illustrator Norman Rockwell painted them all. Many were created while he lived and worked in Vermont for more than a decade.  Today on Vermont Edition: Norman Rockwell in the Green Mountains. We'll hear stories from his granddaughter, the writer and translator Daisy Rockwell, as well as the executive director of the Shelburne Museum. The exhibit, “Norman Rockwell: At Home in Vermont,” is on view this fall and it celebrates his most iconic artwork, like his Saturday Evening Post covers.  Then: The Kelly Brush Foundation marks 20 years of advocacy for safe ski racing. Its founder, Kelly Brush, reflects on her last two decades, and shares her vision for the future of ski racing and adaptive sports.