Vermont Edition

Four victims. Their bodies found in two barrels. No trace of their identities. No suspects in their murders. That's how the investigation at the heart of New Hampshire Public Radio's recent true crime podcast Bear Brook begins. But over the course of six episodes, and several forthcoming updates, cutting-edge forensic testing and genetic genealogy provides answers to some of those questions—while raising new ones.

A new climate report from the U.S. government points to huge impacts across the country, some still to come, some already well underway. And the Northeast region faces the largest temperature increase in the contiguous U.S. by 2035. We're talking about the effects of climate change on our region, in specific areas from weather to wildlife.

Allegations of misconduct, abuse of power and a culture of impunity at the Vermont National Guard. Interviews with more than two dozen guardsmen alleging harassment of women and a toxic "good-old-boys" network. And alleged outrageous behavior among pilots and others high within the Guard ranging from the misuse of fighter jets to conduct that may have imperiled a mission in Africa. These are among the findings from of a six-month investigation by VTDigger into the Vermont National Guard.

In the most rural parts of this rural state, it can be difficult or confusing to access social services when you need them. Add in mountainous terrain and winter weather that can linger for months and you have a recipe for severe hardship. Neighborhood Connections is a nonprofit designed to fill in gaps of social services and to help people navigate the confusing red tape of some agencies.

You may think you know The New England Patriots. Brady, Belichick and five Super Bowl championships; what's more to know? But author Glenn Stout's new book, The Pats: An Illustrated History of the New England Patriots , serves up details, anecdotes and stories from the team's nearly 60-year history that will surprise even die-hard Pats fans.

There's a whole lot of singing, jumping and discovering on the new Vermont PBS program called Mister Chris and Friends . It's a locally-produced children's show hosted by Chris Dorman, who is Mister Chris. He joins Vermont Edition to talk about the program.

Vermont's full congressional delegation — Rep. Peter Welch and Sens. Patrick Leahy and Bernie Sanders — issued a joint statement objecting to the U.S. Border Patrol's plan to operate checkpoints deep within the state of Vermont, potentially up to 100 miles from the Canadian border.

Mike Touchette is a 28-year veteran of the Vermont Department of Corrections who will take over as the Department's Commissioner in December. We're talking to Touchette about the state of corrections in Vermont. We'll look at new programs like peer coaching - with inmates providing support to other inmates. And we'll talk about challenges like addiction treatment and conditions for out-of-state prisoners.

Act 250 is the state's comprehensive land-use program and it's nearing it's 50th birthday. A commission is now looking at how to make it relevant for the next half century. Vermont Edition hears thoughts on the past, present and future of Act 250.

Ed Koren . Even if you don't know his name, you probably recognize his work. Think furry people with big pointy noses, plus a whole lot of shaggy animals. The longtime New Yorker cartoonist and Vermont's former cartoonist laureate joins Vermont Edition to talk about his new collection Koren: In the Wild .

This program originally aired on November 23, 2016. What are you thankful for? We're talking about gratitude and what it means.

This program originally aired on November 6, 2017. Before he became head baker at King Arthur Flour in Norwich, Martin Philip trained as an opera singer and worked for an investment bank in New York City. Now the baker and author is sharing his expertise and answering questions for aspiring bakers

Bishop Christopher Coyne is leading a synod within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington. For more than a year, he's met with clergy, church officials and lay men and women to discuss low church membership and attracting young people and families to the church. But the past year has seen other issues arise that continue to shake the Catholic Church and Vermont's Burlington diocese specifically.

For the past three years, school districts around Vermont have been in a voluntary phase, allowing voters and school boards to work on their own Act 46 merger plans. In June, the acting Secretary of Education issued a statewide plan making a series of recommendations about unmerged districts. As the State Board of Education prepares to announce its final recommendations next week, Vermont Edition looks at how decisions are being made and what has and hasn't worked in the process.

Vermonters have a complicated relationship with big-box retail stores. Some inspire vocal opposition, while others are accepted, or even celebrated. We're talking about why Vermonters are big-box averse, except when they're not.