802 News with Mark Johnson

Send us Fan MailThe city council president has announced his mayoral candidacy. He is expected to face Progressive incumbent Emma Mulvaney-Stanak. Traverse, 42, says Mulvaney-Stanak has not adequately addressed the issues facing downtown, including concerns about safety and businesses closing. Traverse developed the "Burlington Forward" proposal that calls for more police visibility downtown and increased enforcement against illegal activities and open drug use.

Send us Fan MailPollsters at the University of New Hampshire Survey Center put Democrat Amanda Janoo ahead of Republican Gov. Phil Scott by 8 percent days before the November election. Scott won by 7 percent. In this edition of 802 News, sponsored by Red Hen Baking Co., Andrew Smith, the director of the survey center, discusses some possible reasons pollsters misjudged the race. Scott's campaign accused the center of "statistical malpractice" underestimating Scott's strength. 

Send us Fan MailDemocrats took control of the U.S Senate and House in Tuesday's midterm elections in what Sen. Peter Welch called an "astonishing repudiation" of President Donald Trump. However, Welch cautions his fellow Democrats: "Trump lost. We didn't win." Welch said Democrats need to rebrand to gain back the trust of the American people. A former head of the Vermont Senate and unsuccessful candidate for governor, Welch also discussed Gov. Phil Scott's re-election and the campaign by Democrat Amanda Janoo.  

Send us Fan MailRepublican Gov. Phil Scott is seeking a sixth two-year term as Vermont's chief executive against Democrat Amanda Janoo, an economist and political newcomer. Vermont Public reporters Peter Hirschfeld and Lola Duffort discuss the major issues in the hotly contested race. 

Send us Fan MailPhil Scott is seeking a record sixth two-year term as Vermont governor. He's facing a challenge from Democrat Amanda Janoo. Scott, 68, said he wants to finish efforts to consolidate schools and be the state's leader during the last two years of the Trump administration. 

Send us Fan MailThe Northeast Kingdom filmmaker's latest documentary "Every Day: Big and Small" features a series of uplifting vignettes about lesser-known places, organizations and people building community, resilience and connection in Vermont. The film premieres Sept. 25th in Burlington and will tour in various locations through Oct. 11. Go to Catamount Arts for tickets and show times. 

Send us Fan MailWinthrop is best known as the former owner/publisher of two independent weeklies -- the Vanguard Press and Vermont Times -- but he also reported in-depth pieces for the two publications, as well as the Vermont Sunday Magazine. His new book "On the Record" chronicles 17 cover stories from 1978 to 2005 along with current day updates. Many of the decades-old stories discuss issues still relevant today, including the cost of health care, the effectiveness of sending people to prison and political activism in Vermont. 

Send us Fan MailA massive project is underway to document the history between 1850-1950 of four major immigrant groups in Burlington -- the Jewish, French-Canadian, Irish and Italian communities in the city's Old North End. Organizers Aaron Goldberg and Bob Duncan say the project mapping the four communities will be available for people to view online. The mapping project is under the auspices of The Lost Mural Project.

Send us Fan MailDemocrats and Progressive Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak are at odds over community concerns about open drug usage and homeless encampments in Burlington, particularly downtown. Democrats are calling for more enforcement. The mayor says Democrats want to “arrest and imprison” their way out of a complex crisis. In this edition of 802 News, journalist Michael Powell discusses his just-published story in The Atlantic magazine that examines cities like Burlington that have emphasized "harm reduction" when dealing with drug usage. 

Send us Fan MailEsther Charlestin is an education consultant, former Middlebury Selectboard member and chair of the Vermont Commission on Women. She ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2024, losing to Gov. Phil Scott. She's running in the Democratic Party primary for lieutenant governor against Ryan McLaren and Molly Gray. The primary is August 11, with the winner facing incumbent Republican John Rodgers.