Vermont Edition

Winooski author Maggie Hersokvits loves the hardy little plants that grow through the cracks of our cities. Her new book is an urban field guide to the plants, trees and herbs you might find in a North American city, like pokeweed, ground ivy, yellow rocket and hackberry.

Plus, we'll listen back to our conversation from June with the state’s Historic Preservation Officer about the state’s newest historic markers.

In Vermont author Amy Klinger's new novel, unlikely connections abound between softball players, migrant farm workers, an experimental art sculptor--and a Scarecrow Jesus.

Klinger joins guest host Mitch Wertlieb to talk about about her book Ducks on the Pond. At turns darkly comic and dramatically poignant, it's a story of people from wildly different backgrounds and circumstances trying to find a sense of community and belonging in a fictional Vermont town...one that will feel very real to folks that have been here for generations, or are just arriving now.

Then: For more than a decade now, the Middlebury New Filmmakers festival has provided a haven for cinephiles in Vermont to gather together and get a first look at a wide range of new movies. Documentaries, dramas, comedies, experimental films — there’s pretty much something for everyone who loves movies to watch and talk about. But this year, the festival will also be hosting speakers who specialize in other forms in which narrative and story play an important role, such as poet Bianca stone and New York Times journalist David Sanger. They're going to apply their knowledge from their respective fields and how they relate to movie making. 

The Middlebury New Filmmaker’s Festival starts this Wednesday and runs through Sunday. Joining us is local filmmaker and the festival's artistic director, Jay Craven, and executive director Caitlin Boyle. 

Broadcast live on Monday, August 18, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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

The neon street sign. The Phish memorabilia. The gravy fries. The iconic stage. For those who loved Nectar’s restaurant, bar and music venue in Burlington, these were the hallmarks of a good time for nearly 50 years.

We’ll relive Nectar’s storied history with Seven Days music editor Chris Farnsworth and what the closure of one Burlington music club signals about the local music scene in our region. Lee Anderson, owner of the music venue Radio Bean, explains how important it is to have a network of venues for up-and-coming musicians.

Every summer, the Vermont Edition team heads to a local fair for a special live broadcast, and this year we chose the Vermont State Fair in Rutland. 

Our team set up shop right by the milking parlor at the fairgrounds as the food was getting fried, the kids were gearing up for the 4H competitions, and the rides were getting ready to provide the ambiance of summer fun. 

We spoke with the fair's president, Robert Congdon, Jr., who told us about the past and present of this storied Rutland tradition. We also heard from Marsha Johnson who is the superintendent of the Bucket of Junk Sculpture Contest, the writing contest, and runs the fair museum. UVM Extension 4H Coordinator for Rutland & Bennington Counties, Moonshine "Mooney" Shorey, talked to us about the 4H contests and brought along some young competitors. We got an on-air magic trick from magician Blaine Goad, a close encounter with a large snake courtesy of Alex Knapp, owner of Captain Aquatics Fins and Scales, and lastly, talked with Willie Tyler of Willie's BBQ. 

Broadcast live on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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

The use of artificial intelligence for therapy is growing, including for minors. AI makes therapy more accessible. But clinicians want to make sure kids get medically sound advice and stay safe.

We weigh the pros and cons of this mental health approach with Dr. Steven Schlozman, the chief of child psychiatry at the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington, as well as an associate professor of psychiatry and pediatrics at UVM’s Larner College of Medicine, and Shannon Newell, who works with the Greater Rutland County Supervisory Union and is president of the Vermont Association of School Psychologists.

Plus: Dartmouth researchers recently conducted the first-ever clinical trial of an AI therapy chatbot. Nicholas Jacobson is the study’s senior author. He’s an associate professor of biomedical data science, psychiatry, and computer science at Dartmouth. He also directs the AIM HIGH Lab at Dartmouth, which stands for AI and Mental Health: Innovation in Technology Guided Healthcare.

Broadcast live on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, 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, we'll talk with climate writer and activist Bill McKibben of Ripton. In his new book, he makes the case for solar power as the cheapest energy source on the planet. And he says it’s time to stop thinking of solar as “alternative energy” and bring it into the mainstream.

Then, programs to support Vermont veterans have lost staff due to cuts in federal funding this summer. We’ll talk with the head of the Vermont National Guard’s family programs, and an organizer with a storytelling group for local vets.