Vermont Public Radio

The Otter Creek area is seeing a population surge of hundreds of thousands more northern leopard frogs than usual. — Calgary Reviews / flickr

'A Perfect Storm': Plague Of Frogs Overruns Otter Creek Area

Vermonters in the area of Otter Creek in Cornwall, Leicester, and Salisbury have been noticing something remarkable lately: hundreds of thousands more frogs than usual. Northern leopard frogs to be exact, in lawns, in pools, and — unluckily for the frogs — on the roads.

A sign showing planned construction of a lodge at Mount Snow. — Howard Weiss-Tisman / VPR File

Vail To Acquire Parent Company Of Mount Snow Resort

Equifax To Pay Up To $700 Million In Data Breach Settlement

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Young At Art

A black man wearing a shirt reading "silence=death" sits inside a theater. — Elodie Reed / VPR

'My Humanity Reflected': Actor And Artistic Director Jarvis Green

Jarvis Green is a 38-year-old actor, artistic director, and founder of JAG Productions, an African American theater company based in the Upper Valley.

'Vermont Edition' Revisits Interview With Loung Ung, Author And Cambodian Genocide Survivor

By Jane Lindholm & Matthew F. Smith • 3 hours ago

Loung Ung reads from her first memoir, "First They Killed My Father," to the students at Essex High School. — Anna Ste. Marie / VPR

This program originally aired on May 22, 2018.

She was just five years old when the revolutionaries known as the Khmer Rouge took control of her home country of Cambodia. Nearly a quarter of the population died in the ensuing genocide. But author Loung Ung survived, eventually making her way to Vermont, and going on to write memoirs and make movies of her time in Cambodia.

Will Robert Mueller's Testimony Shift The Prevailing Winds In Washington?

By Philip Ewing • 7 hours ago

Robert Mueller's appearance in Congress this week will be a hinge moment — the question is which way it might swing the political trajectory in Washington.

The Democrats who have negotiated for months to get Mueller to appear, and wound up compelling him with a subpoena, want Americans to watch the former special counsel tell his story on Wednesday in TV-friendly soundbites that erode support for President Trump.

High Heat + Precipitation = Blue-Green Algae Blooms In Vermont

By John Dillon & Elodie Reed • Jul 19, 2019

A sign saying the beach is closed due to blue green algae. — Elodie Reed / VPR

Temperatures boiled above 90 degrees Fahrenheit Friday afternoon, so sisters Margaret and Rosemary Mannix fancied a swim.

The pair — visiting their mother from Alaska and Oregon, respectively — took a drive over to Oakledge Park's Cove Beach in Burlington. That's where they saw the red signs staked into the ground: "Beach Closed Due To Blue Green Algae."

'My Heart Still Beats': An Intimate Conversation On Addiction And Recovery

By Jane Lindholm, Mary Engisch & Matthew F. Smith • Jul 19, 2019

Janelle Sing

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45:09

What role does storytelling play in addiction and recovery?

Burlington Mall Developers Provide Few Details, No Start Date For Stalled Project

By Liam Elder-Connors • Jul 19, 2019

The site of where a new mall is set to be built in downtown Burlington. — Liam Elder-Connors / VPR

The CityPlace Burlington project is facing more delays as developers appear to be scaling back the proposed redevelopment in the city's downtown core.

Gubernatorial Candidate Rebecca Holcombe Makes Her Case

By Mitch Wertlieb & Sam Gale Rosen • Jul 19, 2019

Rebecca Holcombe, former Education Secretary, is seeking the Democratic nomination for governor in 2020.. — Taylor Dobbs / VPR File

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7:54

While a number of contenders are considering running for governor in 2020, former Education Secretary Rebecca Holcombe is the first to declare her candidacy. Holcombe served as secretary of education under Gov. Peter Shumlin and Gov. Phil Scott, before resigning in 2018. She now says that she left the position over policy differences with Scott. She will seek the Democratic nomination for the governorship. Scott has not declared his intentions.

Committee Democrats Prepare For Highly Anticipated Robert Mueller Hearings

By Tim Mak • Jul 19, 2019

Updated at 12:45 p.m. ET

Members of Congress likely won't confine themselves to former special counsel Robert Mueller's report when they question him next week in two open hearings, staffers said.

Mueller, who is reluctant to appear, has said he would confine himself to what he's already written — but the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence won't.

2nd Democratic Primary Debate Matchups Set: Sanders Vs. Warren And Biden Vs. Harris

By Jessica Taylor • Jul 19, 2019

The lineup is now set for the second series of Democratic presidential primary debates, at the end of the month.

On the first night, progressive favorites Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren will be on stage together for the first time, while upstart South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg will be trying to continue his improbable rise.

The Final Four: Northwest All Stars Head To The Vermont State Tournament

By Mitch Wertlieb & Karen Anderson • Jul 19, 2019

Children in red baseball uniforms hug each other — Phil Lux, Courtesy

Big dreams for Little Leaguers are within reach in Vermont.

Alternative Therapy Hub Crystallizes Around Montgomery Center Salt Cave

By Amy Kolb Noyes • Jul 18, 2019

Interior of the Vermont Salt Cave in Montgomery Center — Amy Kolb Noyes / VPR

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3:03

The rural Franklin County town of Montgomery is earning a reputation as a destination for people seeking alternative wellness options. It all started nearly three years ago with the opening of the Vermont Salt Cave.

Brave Little State

Chain-link fence surrounds an overgrown area in downtown Newport where buildings once stood. — Liam Elder-Connors / VPR

What's The Plan For The 'Pit' In The Middle Of Newport?

A development project gone wrong. A community living with the fallout. And an uncertain path forward.

A pistol on a whit background. — Taylor Dobbs, Emily Alfin Johnson / VPR

Gunshots Project Update: Takeaways From 2018 Gun Death Data

More people died from gunshots in Vermont in 2018 than any year since at least 2011, according to the most recent update to the Vermont Public Radio gunshot database.

VPR Blog

Starting June 24, 2019, 'All Things Considered' host Henry Epp will be reading two extra local newscasts at 4:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. — Daria Bishop / For VPR

More Local News Coming To All Things Considered

Beginning Monday, June 24, you will notice some changes to All Things Considered on VPR as we make room for more local news.

Members of the VPR news team include, from left: Liam Elder-Connors, Olivia White (summer intern), Henry Epp, Mitch Wertlieb, Matt Smith, Mark Davis, Elodie Reed, Jane Lindholm, Ric Cengeri, Sarah Ashworth, Meg Malone, Emily Corwin and Sam Gale Rosen. — Ty Robertson / VPR

VPR Wins National Edward R. Murrow Award For Overall Excellence

'Friday Night Jazz', hosted by Ray Vega (left), will join the VPR Replay stream along with 'My Place', hosted by Joel Najman (center), and 'All The Traditions', hosted by Robert Resnik (right). — Daria Bishop

'Friday Night Jazz' Joins The VPR Replay Stream

A Beginner's Guide To Podcasts

Eye On The Sky

But Why: A Podcast For Curious Kids

What Is Electricity?

Where does electricity come from? What is electricity made of? Who invented it? How does electricity work? What are electrons made of? Where does static electricity come from? How is it generated? Why don't we use lightning as a power source? How does electricity power things? Electrical Engineer Paul Hines answers our questions, in part one of our live call-in program. Hines is a professor at the University of Vermont and co-founder of Packetized Energy.