Vermont Edition

Contra dancing has deep roots in New England. But it's also still evolving, from an increased emphasis on gender inclusivity to new styles of dance.

Two well-known local callers help us explore the ever-changing culture of contra. Luke Donforth and Mary Wesley are both Burlington-based, but they call dances all across the region. Welsey is also the director of education and media at Vermont Folklife.

This episode also includes recordings of a recent contra dance at the Capital City Grange in Montpelier.

Interested in learning more about contra or trying it out for the first time? Check out one of these upcoming local dances, or find more information through the Country Dance and Song Society or trycontra.com.

Broadcast live on Tuesday, Apr. 7, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

An unprompted hug. A shoulder massage that was never requested. A compliment or comment that crosses a boundary. What some consider acceptable workplace behavior may actually be problematic. 

Today on Vermont Edition, it's a conversation about appropriate–and inappropriate–conduct in the workplace. 

We’ll hear from the executive director of the Vermont Commission on Women on the laws supporting employees from harassment. 

An employment attorney will share the importance of setting expectations around workplace culture and bridging the gap between generations. 

We’ll also hear from two local educators who work with young people on consent, empowerment and concepts around healthy masculinity. 

Grab your lucky rabbit’s foot, walk around that ladder, and come talk about superstitions and tall tales with us. Do you ever wonder why you feel a little uneasy when a mirror cracks? You’re not alone. 

Locally, there’s stories like the Bennington Triangle and Emily's Bridge in Stowe. There’s also the superstitious behavior we inherit, such as saying 'rabbit rabbit' on the first of the month.

Today, you’ll hear from Kerry Noonan, a folklorist and Champlain College professor, and author Joe Citro from Windsor. He’s written lots of books about Vermont’s haunts, legends and best kept secrets.

A recent U.S. Supreme Court decision has roots in Vermont and nationwide implications. The Zorn v. Linton case involved a 2015 protest in Montpelier, and Vermont State Police.

We discuss the case with one of its subjects, Shela Linton of Brattleboro, and two constitutional lawyers: Jay Diaz, Civil Rights and workers compensation litigator at Darby Kolter & Roberts. He was formerly the lead advocate for qualified immunity reform with the ACLU of Vermont in Waterbury, and Jared Carter of Vermont Law and Graduate School.

Then: a few days after the Mar. 11 confrontation between ICE agents and protesters in South Burlington, the Vermont House advanced a bill to allow citizens sue federal agents for alleged civil rights violations. The bill's sponsor, Rep. Martin LaLonde (D-South Burlington), also chairs the Vermont House's Ethics Committee and the Judiciary Committee.

Broadcast live on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

Nurses at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital will return to the bargaining table tomorrow with hospital administrators. 

For the latest in our Town by Town series, we head to Rockingham, in Windham County. Rockingham sits along the Connecticut River and includes the villages of Saxtons River and Bellows Falls.

Each month, Vermont Edition visits or learns about a different Vermont town or city, with the goal of hitting all 252 of them. At the end of the hour, a guest helps us select our next location by spinning a big wheel.

Our guests are: the painter Charlie Hunter, twin brothers and small-scale developers John and Jeff Dunbar, Central Elementary School principal Kate Kane and Vermont Country Store proprietor Lyman Orton.

Broadcast live on Wednesday, Mar. 25, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

Have questions, comments, or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

Lawmakers recently elected a new head of the Vermont National Guard. This new leadership comes as Guard members are being deployed around the world, from the Caribbean to the Middle East.

Today on Vermont Edition, we'll talk with Major General Henry "Hank" Harder Jr. He now leads around 3,000 Guard members in the Green Mountain State. He’ll tell us about his military service, and his role when the Guard deploys.

Plus, fossil fuel prices have increased significantly since the start of the war in Iran. Jared Duval with the Energy Action Network explains how rising gas prices affect Vermont’s economy.