Vermont Viewpoint

In light of several alleged sexual assault cases in the news lately, we’ll hear about the work of the Clarina Howard Nichols Center and about how we can support survivors of domestic and sexual violence. We then learn about how Central Vermont Habitat for Humanity brings people together to build homes, communities and hope.  And we finish by hearing about another group – Vermont SUPPORTS – that shows its appreciation for troops stationed around the globe by sending care packages to those serving our country. 

To start the show, we talk with Ken Picard of Seven Days about why there is no vaccine for Lyme disease yet and then learn about how Vermont’s health officials are working to overcome COVID vaccine hesitancy from VTDigger’s Mike Dougherty. Next, we travel to VINS in Quechee to check out raptors, reptiles and the incredible Forest Canopy Walk. Lastly, we finish the show with a hike in the Valley as we learn about the Mad River Path.

For the first hour, we’ll be joined by Washington/Chittenden District State Representatives Theresa Wood and Tom Stevens to get their take on the Legislative session that just wrapped up. Dave Sellers joins us. He and his contemporaries were pioneers of the design/build movement in architecture which they explored on Prickly Mountain in Warren. Now he runs the Madsonian Museum in Waitsfield, that highlights outstanding industrial design, from cars to toasters.

The only thing bad about being able to be around people again is being around people again. Lizzie Post, of the Emily Post Institute, reacquaints us with the proper etiquette of socializing, specifically after a pandemic. Then we take to the lake and get tips on bass fishing from guide Matt Appelbaum of Bass Fishing Vermont.  We’ll talk to a couple of staff members of The Dartmouth, the college newspaper at Dartmouth, about several student suicides at the Hanover school and how the school is handling mental health issues there. 

We’ll begin with a great baseball story that Ken Libertoff recently wrote for The Bridge that includes Ebbets Field in Brooklyn and finishes with Robin Roberts in Montpelier. Next, we get a wrap up of legislative action from Senate President Pro Tem Becca Balint. We head to the Northeast Kingdom to hear from Barton Chronicle Reporter Sylvia Dodge about some of the stories she’s been following in the NEK. And then Chef Joey Buttendorf joins us to let us know about the new session of the Community Kitchen Academy that’s about to begin.

We’ll open the show learning about the Leaders for Equity and Equal Pay – or LEEP – Toolkit. It will help small and medium Vermont businesses conduct in-house, ongoing gender and racial pay equity reviews. National correspondent Bob Ney checks in. Then we learn about some unfamiliar perennial vegetables from Melissa Pasanen of Seven Days. Sea kale or spinach vine, anyone? And then we start prepping for the wonderful Warren 4th of July Parade, which will be returning this year!

We’ll start by learning about a competition that gets middle and high school students from all across the state cooking up a storm – Junior Iron Chef VT. And we’ll even hear from one of the young chefs! VTDigger’s Katie Jickling shares details of a story she’s recently written about a sexual exploitation case that involved a former Randolph Union High School co-principal. And we finish the show meeting Meg McIntyre, who has created the radio show and podcast, The Vermont Ver-Mystery Hour.   

We’ll be in Norwich to visit the Montshire Museum of Science, where dinosaurs will be prowling the grounds all summer. We head out to Centennial Field to learn about this season's Vermont Lake Monsters.

We’ll start the show getting your questions answered about renewable energy sources by Olivia Campbell Anderson of Renewable Energy Vermont (REV). Next, we’ll learn about the Mad River Rotary Club’s upcoming golf tournament and the organization their raising money for – Vermont Adaptive Ski & Sports.  Then, you’ll get another opportunity to tour Vermont, this time as we meet the cows, stay at the cozy B&Bs and enjoy the world’s best cheddar on the Cabot Farm Trail. 

On a special Memorial Day show, during the first hour, Vermont native and 2021 Norwich University Colby Award recipient Mark Treanor discusses his new book “A Quiet Cadence.” It’s the story of a young U.S. Marine in combat and dealing with its aftermath over the years since serving in Vietnam. Erica Houskeeper tells us about her Happy Vermont blog and shares some off-the-beaten-path places around Vermont for picnics, hikes and getaways. She’ll share swimming holes, fun towns and country stores that you’ll want to seek out this summer.