Vermont Edition

Wild parsnip, aka "poison parsnip," has become ubiquitous in much of Vermont in the last decade, overrunning fields, highway medians and unkempt yards. But a group of intrepid Monkton residents are working at night to take on the invasive plant.

There was a time when non-U.S. citizens could vote in elections where they resided in this country. But anti-immigrant feelings in the late 19th and early 20th century changed that. Winooski and Montpelier are now exploring ways to allowing their non-citizen residents to vote in local elections.

Vermont’s Department of Corrections has more than 200 prisoners serving their sentences in out-of-state prisons . But what about the roughly 1,350 juveniles in state custody?

Vermont is striving to meet ambitious goals to get 90 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2050. But just how renewable is some of that energy? We're talking with energy experts and environmental advocates about how we assess renewability and other environmental costs to alternative energy sources.

The state is expanding a program to get unused prescription drugs out of medicine cabinets - adding state police barracks to the list of dozens of sites for year-round dropboxes in police and sheriff's departments across Vermont. We’re talking about how available unused drugs can contribute to the opioid epidemic, plus the environmental impacts of discarded pharmaceuticals.

You don't have to be an adult to be an expert in something. In fact, sometimes kids are the best teachers, especially when it comes to skills that require adults to use muscles they may not have tried flexing in a couple of decades. In this Summer School lesson, we learn how to climb a tree from Hinesburg 10-year-old Jack Kiedaisch.

Donald Fell was convicted in federal court of kidnapping Teresca King in Rutland in 2000 and killing her in New York state. He was sentenced to death, but his conviction was overturned due to juror misconduct. As Fell awaits a new trial, his attorneys are working to avoid the possibility of him facing the death penalty again with unique arguments against The Federal Death Penalty Act , including one invoking the 10th Amendment to the Constitution.

This month the Green Mountain Care Board told Vermont health insurers they won't get the rate increase they want. In the board's ongoing struggle with health care costs, it's also reviewing hospital budgets to curb medical spending and overhauling how Vermonters reimburse health care providers. We're talking about containing health care costs with GMCB Chair Kevin Mullin.

Before last Tuesday, many people were expecting the turnout for Vermont's 2018 primary elections to be low. Primaries during non-presidential election years are often lethargic. But when Secretary of State Jim Condos officially certified the primary election results, 22.5 percent of the state's registered voters made their voices heard. That might sound dismally low, but it's actually the second-highest primary vote total ever.

There's the old adage that you never want to know how the sausage is made. But in this case, we do! In this Summer School lesson we get tips on how to make the perfect sausage from Wesley Genovart, co-owner of restaurants Honey Pie and SOLO Farm & Table in South Londonderry.

VPR's Robert Resnik, one of Vermont's foremost wild mushroom experts, shares his philosophical approach to learning about mushrooms in this Summer School session.

Vermont has been part of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative for about a decade. But with emerging carbon markets, the state can play a role in California's move to meet its greenhouse gas reduction goals as well as those of foreign companies. We'll learn about these markets and efforts to include Vermont landowners.

Vermont’s farms are the stuff of legend. The iconic barn, the determined farmer, the sturdy tractor and fresh-cut fields bursting with towering bales of hay. But you wouldn't be the first to realize — hey, there are no stories about hay! East Calais author Christy Mihaly's new illustrated children's book aims to fill that gap in your child's bookshelf.

Dan French took over the job of Vermont's Secretary of Education just last week, but he's no stranger to the state's schools: he's taught in the Northeast Kingdom and worked as a superintendent in Southern Vermont for nearly a decade. We're talking with the state's new education secretary about merging districts, shrinking enrollment and his vision for Vermont’s schools.

In this edition of Summer School we learn the art and science of arc welding with Joe Slaimen.