802 News with Mark Johnson

Send us Fan MailThe former chief executive director of Let's Grow Kids is seeking the Democratic Party nomination for governor. Richards, 40, will have at least one opponent in the primary, economist Amanda Janoo. Political analysts expect Republican Gov. Phil Scott to run for reelection in 2026 but he won't make an announcement whether he will run or not until after the Legislature adjourns.

Send us Fan MailVermont investigative journalist Jasper Craven's new book "God Forgives, Brothers Don't: The Long March of Military Education and the Making of American Manhood" explores how the military and its training institutions have shaped the meaning of manhood and fueled toxic masculinity. 

Send us Fan MailSen. Peter Welch, D-Vt, calls the war in Iran a "catastrophe." He also discusses the firing of Attorney General Pam Bondi and the role of state and local police in a recent ICE raid in South Burlington. 

Send us Fan MailInnovation has increased maple syrup output over the last two decades, reducing fears that climate change could cause a "maple-pocalypse." Vermont sugar makers are thriving, producing half the country's syrup, using practices like vacuum tubing and reverse osmosis to increase the amount of sap per tree. Steve Palmer owns Shelburne Sugarworks, a 170-acre farm that uses many of the new techniques to produce 1,200-1,500 gallons a year as well as maple candy and maple-based ice cream.

Send us Fan MailLeaders of South Burlington, Burlington and Vermont State Police defended their departments' actions during a March 11 federal immigration enforcement effort in South Burlington. Police Chiefs William Breault and Shawn Burke, Public Safety Commissioner Jennifer Morrison and VSP Col. Matthew Birmingham appeared before the Vermont Senate and House Judiciary Committees. Afterward, protesters and activists, including Will Lambek of Migrant Justice, criticized Vermont police actions during the day-long operation by federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. 

Send us Fan MailState Sen. Phil Baruth recounts the highs and lows of his 16 years in the Vermont State Senate, including efforts to pass gun control legislation and boosting childcare subsidies. The Democrat/Progressive is stepping down after this session and will keep writing and teaching at the University of Vermont.

Send us Fan MailStatistics from the Burlington Police Department for 2025 show an overall decrease in violent crime, including homicides, and reductions in quality-of-life incidents including burglaries, retail theft, stolen automobiles and car break-ins. Drug arrests are up. However, domestic assaults increased. And recruitment of new police officers remains a challenge. Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak discusses public safety issues, as well as ways her administration plans to deal with another multi-million dollar budget gap and gives an update on plans for an overdose prevention center.

Send us Fan MailVermont journalist Peggy Shinn previews some of the events and participants at this year's Winter Olympics in Italy, including several with ties to Vermont. The Northeast Kingdom native has covered eight Olympics during her career. 

Send us Fan MailThere's a new book coming out about Bernie Sanders and Burlington. The author is Dan Chiasson, a Queen City native. "Bernie for Burlington" traces the political rise of Sanders from his 1981 mayoral win to his two unsuccessful bids for the presidency. Chiasson also shares his observations about Burlington. The author will be part of a book launch event at Burlington City Hall on Feb. 3. Tickets can be purchased from Phoenix Books in Burlington. 

Send us Fan MailMany boys and young men are struggling with isolation and loneliness and there is a significant gender gap in academic achievement, opioid deaths and suicide rates. Why? A Vermont documentary "Gone Guys" and the nationally acclaimed book "Of Boys and Men" explore these challenging issues. UVM's Ali Mahmood, assistant director of the Interfaith Center, and Evan Cuttitti, director of Men and Masculinities Programs, share their observations and the work being done to help young males.

Send us Fan MailBurlington attorney Walter Judge was one of the approximately 4,000 people in the US who received a heart transplant this year.

Send us Fan MailLawmakers and Gov. Scott agreed last year to major education reform in hopes of  reducing chronic property tax increases. However, a committee charged with drawing up new school districts presented this summer a different approach. How will the governor and legislature respond when lawmakers return to Montpelier next month? We spoke with 7Days education reporter Alison Novak about Act 73.  

Send us Fan MailJessie Krebs is an outdoor survival skills expert. She discusses how to prepare for an adventure and what to do when things go wrong. Krebs runs O.W.L.S. Skills and teaches courses throughout the country, including here in Vermont. She graduated from Air Force survival training and lasted 46 days on the TV show "Alone."

Send us Fan MailPresident Donald Trump is "an autocrat" who poses an unprecedented threat to American democracy. So says former Vermont Supreme Court Chief Justice Jeffrey Amestoy. With Trump loyalists running the Justice Dept., the FBI and the military, Amestoy worries the president will disregard court orders and election results with impunity. As Trump amasses power, Amestoy warns: "Don't look to an easy fix either from a decision of the United States Supreme Court or an election result. I don't think we're in a world where those are the answers to what we're in right now." 

Send us Fan MailMitra Mahtab (Naeimi), a 29-year-old Afghan woman, fled her country in 2021 after the United States completed its troop withdrawal and the Taliban regained control. The U.S. invaded Afghanistan after the 2001 9/11 attacks seeking to root out members of Al Quaeda. The Taliban greatly restricts the rights of Afghan women. Mitra had a long journey to reach the U.S. in 2023 and plans to help Afghan women after she graduates from the University of Vermont. She is among approximately 650 Afghans who have resettled in Vermont. 

Send us Fan MailInterim Police Chief Shawn Burke says a lack of accountability is a major factor behind the increase in drug use, theft, violent crime and other illegal activity in Vermont's largest city.  Burke was police chief in South Burlington but agreed in March to return as the interim chief in Burlington, where he previously worked for 21 years. In an interview at City Hall Park, a problem hotspot, Burke, 53, said he is hopeful and looks forward to working with state and local leaders to reduce concerns about safety and crime.

Send us Fan MailHeather Darby is a seventh generation farmer in Alburgh. She is an expert in sustainable agriculture at the UVM Extension Service. She has a Masters in Agronomy and a PhD in crop and soil management. We talked about this year's severe drought and her concerns about the future viability of farming here in Vermont. 

Send us Fan MailFormer Vermont Supreme Court Chief Justice Jeff Amestoy writes about why famed lawyer Clarence Darrow became involved in a grisly murder case in the Green Mountain State in the 1920's. The book, Winters' Time: A Secret Pledge, a Severed Head, and the Murder that Brought America's Most Famous Lawyer to Vermont, can be purchased from the Vermont Historical Society. 

Send us Fan MailSecretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas says the Trump administration is attempting to tamp down voter participation with false claims about the accuracy of elections, "witch hunt" requests she'll oppose to turn over sensitive voter information and calls to scrap mail-in voting. Those efforts, along with sending National Guard troops to patrol major cities in largely blue states, are creating "tremendous headwinds coming at our Democracy." The Bradford Democrat plans to run for re-election in 2026. 

Send us Fan MailA grassroots group, Building Burlington's Future, recently formed to confront some of the issues facing the Queen City and advocate for policies to make the city "affordable, safe and vibrant."

Send us Fan MailOwen Foster, chair of the Green Mountain Care Board, discusses the recent cost reductions proposed by the University of Vermont Health Network and the improved communications between the regulator and the state's largest health care provider. Hospital budget hearings before the GMCB start in August. Also, Chris Pearson of Vermont Health Care 911, reacts to the proposed cuts as well. 

Send us Fan MailPBS journalist and author Ray Suarez will preach and discuss his book "We Are Home: Becoming American in the 21st Century" at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Burlington on Sunday, July 20th. The book is an oral history of immigrants who've come to the United States. Suarez will also discuss the recent immigration crackdown by the Trump administration. (An event in South Hero where Suarez will speak on July 23 is sold out.)

Send us Fan MailA new advocacy group, Vermont Healthcare 911, is taking aim at the rising costs of health care and increasing insurance rates. Coalition members Lisa Ventriss and Dr. Craig Jones discuss why they think their group's efforts -- along with the Green Mountain Care Board, the state's regulatory body -- will be more successful than past attempts to contain medical spending, particularly by the University of Vermont Health Network. Network officials say they are conscious of the affordability issues and are presenting budgets with increases in line with requests by the GMCB. 

Send us Fan MailWCAX veteran photojournalist Joe Carroll talks about his journey after learning last year he has advanced prostate cancer. The 62-year-old host of "Super Seniors" is currently in remission. 

Send us Fan MailThe recent arrest of undocumented farmworkers by federal agents in Franklin County at the state's largest dairy operation has sparked fears of further enforcement efforts, as well as outrage against the Trump administration. Will Lambek of Migrant Justice discusses the reaction of the farming community and the resilience of the migrants who come primarily from Mexico. Vermont produces 63 percent of the milk supply in New England. 

Send us Fan MailDoes increasing tariffs make sense? UVM Economics professor Rich Sicotte explains the history, mechanics and wisdom of President Trump's push to levy higher fees on imported products.

Send us Fan MailSen. Peter Welch says there are limits to what he can do to stop the "lawless and pretty cruel" policies of the Trump administration given that Democrats are in the minority in the U.S. Senate. "It's hard, it's dangerous, but these are the times we're in. And I think we've got to hang in."

Send us Fan MailBurlington-based historian Garrett Graff discusses "Life Became Very Blurry," an oral history of the pandemic featuring interviews of Vermonters. The Vermont Historical Society initiated the project. 

Send us Fan MailBurlington-based journalist and historian Garrett Graff says the country is at an "enormously dangerous moment" and has seen "the quick unraveling of many of the foundations" of American democracy since Donald Trump's return to the presidency in January. 

Send us Fan MailA key Vermont official is worried federal cuts to Medicaid could hurt patients, rural hospitals, physician practices and nursing homes. Congress is considering cuts to the program which costs more than $2.2 billion a year in Vermont. DaShawn Groves is the commissioner of the Department of Vermont Health Access, which oversees the Medicaid program, which covers 172,000 Vermonters.  

Send us Fan MailAttorney General Charity Clark discusses the court cases Vermont has joined alongside other states against the Trump administration. 

Send us Fan MailBurlington Police Chief Jon Murad will step aside in April after almost five years running the department. He cited differing views on policing than Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak for why he's leaving. Murad said the new chief will face multiple challenges, including recruiting more officers to a department still affected by city leaders' "tremendously bad" decision in 2020 to reduce the force by 30 percent.

Send us Fan MailState Treasurer Mike Pieciak is promoting a program to wipe out medical debt for many low and moderate-income Vermonters. The proposal would also prevent medical debt from being included on an individual's credit report.

Send us Fan MailThe former eight-term senator discusses his accomplishments while in office, the presidents he served alongside, hip surgery, returning to Vermont and "the rock," his wife Marcelle. 

Send us Fan MailFormer Senator Patrick Leahy criticizes President Donald Trump's rampant misstatements, misguided pardons and cabinet nominees. Leahy also highlights some of his accomplishments during his 48-year Senate career. 

Send us Fan MailSue Wear has been helping families find their lost pets since 2013. She solved one of her most challenging canine cases recently, Ruby, a mixed breed rescue who was on her own for four months throughout Chittenden County before being humanely captured in December. 

Send us Fan MailIn December 1999, the Vermont Supreme Court ruled the state's prohibition on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional. In the Baker decision, the justices ordered the Legislature to either allow gay marriage or establish an alternative system to afford those rights. The Legislature created civil unions. Plaintiffs Stan Baker and Peter Harrigan discuss the ruling and the vitriol surrounding the passage of the civil union bill. In part 2, then-House Judiciary Chair Tom Little discusses how the civil union legislation came about and the political backlash that resulted. 

Send us Fan MailIn December 1999, the Vermont Supreme Court ruled the state's prohibition on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional. In the Baker decision, the justices ordered the Legislature to either allow gay marriage or establish an alternative system to afford those rights. The Legislature created civil unions. In part 1, plaintiffs Stan Baker and Peter Harrigan discuss the ruling and the vitriol surrounding the passage of the civil union bill. Here in part 2, then-House Judiciary Chair Tom Little discusses how the civil union legislation came about and the political backlash that resulted. 

Send us Fan MailAn internal survey found widespread dissatisfaction among Burlington Police officers. Officers feel overwhelmed -- still -- after the city council voted to reduce the force in 2020 soon after a Minneapolis police officer killed George Floyd. Burlington detectives Eric Dalla Mura and Padric Hartnett discuss the rank and file concerns, including public support for more police oversight, and the challenges they see finding a replacement for outgoing Chief Jon Murad, who requested city leaders apologize for cutting the force and raise the cap on the number of officers.

Send us Fan MailLawmakers responded to the property tax revolt and budget defeats earlier this year by forming the Commission on the Future of Public Education in Vermont. Chair Meagan Roy discusses some of the findings and funding ideas in the draft report the commission will share with the Legislature next week. 

Send us Fan MailVermont is the 11th state to allow legalized sales of cannabis. James Pepper is the chair of the Cannabis Control Board which oversees regulation of the industry from seed to sale.

Send us Fan MailGinny Sweetser died by suicide after battling PTSD from her military service in Iraq. Her mother, Susan, is part of an effort to have wreaths placed at the gravesites of all Vermont veterans this holiday season. Click here to sponsor a wreath as part of the Wreaths Across America project.

Send us Fan MailSinger-songwriter Jon Gailmor's musical impact on Vermonters has stretched across 45 years and been particularly profound on children through his long-running radio program "Just Kidding." Now 76 and facing health challenges, Jon is moving to New Orleans to be closer to family.  He promises to come back and visit the Green Mountains as often as possible.

Send us Fan MailOwen Foster, the chair of the Green Mountain Care Board, discusses an analysis by Dr. Bruce Harmory that paints a bleak financial picture for many of the state's 14 hospitals and why health care reform is urgently needed.

Send us Fan MailProgressive Emma Mulvaney-Stanak took over as mayor of Burlington in April with a focus on community safety. 

Send us Fan MailUniversity of Vermont Medical Center officials say the state's largest hospital costs more than $2 billlion to operate. UVMMC President Stephen Leffler points to Vermont’s older population as one major reason. The Green Mountain Care Board, which recently approved "painfully high" double-digit health insurance premiums for the third year in a row, wants to hold down hospital costs, including cutting UVMMC's requested increase in patient revenues. Observers and consultants say Vermont's entire health care system is "broken," and without major reforms will be financially unsustainable by 2030. Dr. Leffler agrees: "Without change, yes, we have a giant problem."  

Send us Fan MailEllen Kahler, executive director of the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund, was recently inducted into the Vermont Agricultural Hall of Fame as an innovator for her work on the state's Farm to Plate program, which has benefited farmers and people by increasing the amount of local food consumed by Vermonters.

Send us Fan MailRetired businessman and opinion writer Bill Schubart explains why he thinks Vermont's health care system is at a "tipping point" with costs rapidly rising and accessibility diminishing. A recent study by Rees Partners presented to the Green Mountain Care Board showed where savings could be achieved.

Send us Fan MailPrint and digital news outlets in Vermont are struggling financially. Seven Days reporter Colin Flanders discusses the in-depth analysis he and colleague Kevin McCallum conducted on the difficulties and efforts media sites are making to stay alive. 

Send us Fan MailHistorian/Journalist Garrett Graff of Burlington discusses why the crimes and coverup that led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon still resonate today. Graff is the author of "Watergate: A New History" that details the events and explains why the scandal has endured 50 years after Nixon stepped down in August of 1974.