Post-census, somebody has to sit down and figure out what our state house and senate districts will look like. For the second decade in a row, Tom Little has been put in charge of the Legislative Apportionment Board. He joins us to outline the work the board will be doing this year. National correspondent Bob Ney joins us. We’ll then hear from two Seven Days writers who have interviewed some of Vermont’s candidates of color who are running in local elections this Town Meeting Day. And we finish the show speaking with former Vermonter Ed Tracy, whose new book - “Gorilla in the Room” - is a series of essays that marry his battle with colon cancer and an imagined Broadway play.

We open the show with Vermont author Ann Ambrecht, who has investigated the $9 billion global business of herbal supplements and products. Her new book, “The Business of Botanicals,” reveals whether they deliver on their promises. Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice President and CEO Sandy Rousse joins us to discuss the organization’s effort to help get people vaccinated and the funding they receive from the communities they serve. CCV President Joyce Judy and others from the community college discuss programs that are designed for high school seniors and for those already in the work force. 

Mercy Connections supports re-entry for women coming out of prison and educates adults who are focused on well-being, academics, job readiness and business ownership. We’ll start the show hearing about the organization’s work. In the wake of recent events in Texas, Public Service Commissioner June Tierney and VELCO President and CEO Tom Dunn join us to explain how Vermont’s power grid is able to survive our bitterly cold winters. We finish the show by speaking with author and historian Alex Kershaw about his career and about serving as the selection committee chair for Norwich University’s William E. Colby Award.

Vermont Fish & Wildlife Commissioner recently accepted signed the state’s Big Game Management Plan for 2020-2030. Commissioner Porter discusses the key issues that the plan addresses for Vermont’s deer, bear, moose and wild turkey. Zac Cota of the North Branch Nature Center take us back into the great outdoors to explore winter nature phenomena like owl nesting and we’ll prep for the upcoming amphibian migration season.  

A group of legislators and advocates are supporting a series of bills aimed at addressing Vermont’s opioid abuse crisis. We’ll discuss this legislation with Attorney General T.J. Donovan. Artist Matt Neckers has created rocket ships and a mobile art gallery. We’ll catch up with the creative Eden artist. Then Radio Vermont forecaster Roger Hill discusses his new podcast, Roger Hill's Weather Classroom and all things meteorological. We finish with 30 minutes of open phones.

We’ll talk with Wendy Reynolds of Planet Axis. The organization creates inspiring documentaries including “Community Through Crisis,” which followed the exploits of Vermonters during the pandemic. Then we get the low down on Vermont’s captive insurance industry and why it has been so important to the state for almost 40 years. National correspondent Bob Ney pops in with his take on what’s happening around the country and the world.  We’ll talk with Kevin McCallum of Seven Days on Elon Musk's satellite internet program Starlink and whether that helps or hurts broadband efforts in rural areas.

Kevin O’Connor of VTDigger brings us up to date on plans for Town Meeting Day, concerns over municipal charters and what the Harris Hill Ski Jump has in store for its centennial celebration. We hear from another candidate for mayor of Burlington. This time, City Council member Ali Dieng joins us with his vision for the city.  We’ll learn about the exhibits at the Burlington Museum & Art Center, including the inaugural Artful Ice Shanties Design-Build Competition!

The real estate market is red hot. So, it’s a good time to know what your options are when it comes to securing a mortgage loan or when you’re thinking about refinancing. Steve Kendall of Union Bank joins us with the intel. Then we head to Northfield to browse through Art, etc., an artisan crafts and art gallery, with owner Andrea Melville. And then we’ll learn about JAG Productions, which is based in White River Junction and produces classic and contemporary African-American theatre. They’re getting ready to debut a series of short radio plays.

For almost two decades, the Northland Journal has been covering the history and lore of Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom. We’ll learn about it from publisher Scott Wheeler. We then learn about the Historic Preservation Grants recently awarded by the State of Vermont. And we finish off talking to Sam Talbott-Kelly, seamstress for Norwich University’s Uniform Store, and a recent creation of hers being shown at the school’s Sullivan Museum.

Burlington City Councilor Max Tracy is the Progressive Party’s candidate for Mayor. We’ll learn what plans he has for the city if elected mayor on Town Meeting Day. Then we delight in learning about the delicious Vermont cheeses. Marty Mundy of the Vermont Cheese Council joins us as several Vermont cheesemakers.