New Leadership in the New Legislative Session

Welcome 2021!

January 8, 2021: The calendar has turned a page, 2020 is over, and a new year has begun. Whew! And yet... the year may . . .

New leadership looks towards new biennium

Jan. 1, 2021 (pre-recorded 12-18-20): Vermont lawmakers start a new two-year cycle in January. Yet, with the COVID-19 . . .

NPAs and Increasing Participation in Government

December 25, 2020 (pre-recorded 12/17): In Olga and Emilie's search for effective ways to increase citizen involvement . . .

Privacy in a Digital Vermont?

December 18, 2020 (pre-recorded 12/15): In the age of facial recognition and virtual lives online, what does this mean . . .

Housing and COVID-19 in the New Year

December 11, 2020 (pre-recorded 12/10): Vermont's response to homelessness might be one of the bright spots of the . . .

New Leadership in the New Legislative Session

December 4, 2020 (pre-recorded on 11/27): Sen. Becca Balint is the new president pro tempore (or pro tem as we tend to . . .

The Ongoing Protections of Civil Liberties

November 27,2020 (pre-recorded 11-24-20): Falko Schilling of the ACLU Vermont discusses the organization's work during . . .

The Issues That Haven't Gone Away

November 13, 2020: Journalist and blogger John Walters joins the show to talk about where we go next in Vermont now . . .

The Elections Happened, Now What?

Emilie Kornheiser and Olga Peters discuss this week's presidential and state elections. What has changed? What hasn't? . . .

COVID, Elections, Uncertainty, and All The Feels

October 30, 2020 - For many, the pandemic and next week's presidential election are only the tip of the emotional . . .

A Livable Wage in Vermont?

October 23, 2020: Wages. What is up with wages in Vermont? It seems state agencies, economic development types, the . . .

Health Care is Affordable, But Can Vermonters Pay?

October 15, 2020: The state has worked for decades to create a more affordable health care system. Yet, according to a . . .

The Labor Movement in Vermont

October 9, 2020: Speaking in labor terms, Vermont is an "at will" state. So what does the labor movement look like in . . .

The True Value of Farming?

October 2, 2020: Vermont has built its brand on cows, rolling hills, and maple syrup. But what is the reality for . . .

The Legislative Session's End

September 25, 2020: As Vermont's legislative session for 2020 comes to a close, months after its traditional deadline, . . .

What's Next for Hazard Pay?

September 11, 2020: Two bills aimed at getting money directly to people during the COVID-19 pandemic are working their . . .

State Revenues and the COVID Penalty

September 4, 2020: We all know the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted state revenues, but, as the Legislature returns to . . .

COVID-19, second homes, and rural communities

August 28, 2020 (pre-recorded Aug. 25): Has COVID-19 sparked an urban exodus? Matt Dunne of the Center for Rural . . .

What Did We Learn and What Does it Mean for January?

August 21, 2020 (pre-recorded 8/14): Rep Selene Colburn joins the show to discuss the Aug. 11 primary and what it . . .

The Party After the Primary

August 14, 2020: Secretary of State Jim Condos joins the show to talk about the state primary. With COVID-19, many . . .

100 Years, and Still So Much to Do

August 7, 2020: A century ago, Congress ratified the 19th Amendment. Women have accomplished a lot with their . . .

Planning Beyond Crisis

July 31, 2020: Dru Roessle of the state Agency of Human Services joins the show today! As one of the agency leads for . . .

The donkey, elephant, and moose days of August

July 24, 2020: With Vermont's primary elections less than a month away, candidates are hitting the Zoom forms. John . . .

Shining the light of regulation on cannabis

July 17, 2020: Vermont has spent years taking baby steps towards a taxed and regulated cannabis market. A market, . . .

COVID's public health crisis within the private insurance system

July 10, 2020: In the world of health insurance, “affordable” means consumers get what they pay for. Vermont's Chief . . .

Racial justice and political courage

July 3, 2020: The Vermont Legislature recently passed bills intended to increase racial justice and decrease police . . .

And the Legislature recesses... thanks, COVID-19

June 26, 2020: The State Legislature is in the process of recessing for a couple months. Lawmakers will then resume . . .

Hungry communities before and after COVID-19

June 19, 2020: The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the number of hungry households in Vermont. But. People were hungry . . .

Budgeting with uncertain money

June 12, 2020: Surprise, surprise, COVID-19 upended the economy. So, in the midst of uncertain state revenues, the . . .

COVID-19 and the ominous silence of domestic violence

June 5, 2020: "Stay home, stay safe," was the way most Vermonters protected the community from the spread of COVID-19. . . .

Vermont ended homelessness, for a few more days at least

May 29, 2020: It's worth celebrating that Vermont ended homelessness during the COVID-19 pandemic. But now what? As . . .

COVID-19 and a laundry list of economic inequities

May 22, 2020: The economic and social fall out of COVID-19 has hit service jobs hard. Many of these jobs are held by . . .

Essential Vermonters

May 15, 2020: As Vermont enters its COVID-19 recovery phase, communities look to the future. In today's episode, . . .

Tracking COVID-19 and moments for optimism

May 8, 2020: Commissioner for the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation, Michael Pieciak, is busy crunching . . .

Naming the bread and the roses

May 1, 2020: It's May Day! And, the COVID-19 pandemic is still happening. And, people struggle to pay their rents and . . .

The uncertain ripple effects of COVID-19

April 24, 2020: Vermont Digger Reporter, John Walters, joins the conversation. John, Emilie, and Olga discuss how . . .

Why more representation is better than less

April 17, 2020: Windham County has a new House Rep. Meet Kelley Tully, who was recently nominated to fill the Windham . . .

The consequences of incompetence

April 10, 2020: Many Vermonters with autoimmune diagnosis have lost access to their medications. Why? According to . . .

Sewing bees filling holes left by the government during COVID-19

April 7, 2020: Governor Phil Scott has asked all Vermonters to wear face masks when in public. In this bonus, Emilie . . .

Remaining patient and trusting during COVID-19

April 3. 2020: We know that COVID-19 is scaring us. What is it teaching us? In this episode Emilie and Olga discuss . . .

What can Vermont control around evictions, mortgages and COVID-19?

April 1, 2020: It might be April Fools' Day, but the economic impacts on people's lives from COVID-19 are no joke. . . .

Welcome to Vermont, COVID-19...

March 30, 2020: Today Governor Phil Scott announced new restrictions on lodging and a directive that all people . . .

Federal funding and acknowledging the long haul

March 27, 2020: A lot has happened in Vermont this week: A Representative called for a quorum. House Speaker Mitzi . . .

COVID and our Human Economy

Olga and Emilie give a quick update on changes in our community.

COVID-19 and the Cracks in the System

The Corona virus has created a sense of uncertainty for workers and business owners alike. Rep Kornheiser and Reporter . . .