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Vermont reporters provide a roundup of ongoing local coverage of the coronavirus and more for Monday, September 21.

Preparing for COVID-19 on the slopes. Plus, ending cash bail in Chittenden County jails, Vermont’s congressional delegation responds to the death of RBG, and unemployment.

Vermont's ski resorts employ about 13,000 people, a quarter of them year-round, and the $1.6 billion industry typically brings in $925 million in direct spending, plus the $675 million resorts spend on vendors according to Ski Vermont. The current pandemic, however, has been anything but typical, and across Vermont, ski resorts are taking different approaches for how to open for the upcoming season.

With a major step of an infrastructure overhaul completed, Middlebury's downtown is now open again.

What is the state of religion in Vermont? How do Vermonters characterize their beliefs?

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VPR Newscast for 9/21/2020 at 5:04 p.m.

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VPR Newscast for 9/21/2020 at 12:04 p.m.

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VPR Newscast for 9/21/2020 at 6:04 a.m.

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Vermont's ski resorts employ about 13,000 people, a quarter of them year-round, and the $1.6 billion industry typically brings in $925 million in direct spending, plus the $675 million resorts spend on vendors according to Ski Vermont. The current pandemic, however, has been anything but typical, and across Vermont, ski resorts are taking different approaches for how to open for the upcoming season.

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VPR Newscast for 9/20/20 at 9:04 a.m.

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U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died Friday at the age of 87. This hour, we talk with Vermonters — from sitting senators to past state officials who knew her — to reflect on her judicial legacy and the political ramifications of filling her court seat during the presidential election.

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Vermont's new vote-by-mail system for the Nov. 3 election means every active registered voter will be sent a ballot in the mail by Oct. 1. Voters can mail back their completed ballot, drop it off at the clerk's office or bring it with them to the polls on Election Day. This hour, we talk through how the mail-in voting system will work and the various ways Vermonters will be voting come November.

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This hour: it's Brave Little State 's third annual brief history of Vermont road names. We listen as host Angela Evancie and a team of VPR reporters drive around Green Mountain creation in an effort to uncover the roots of some of the state's most unusual road names. Plus: a visit to the archive. We hear highlights from Brave Little State 's 2018 and 2019 road name episodes, including a lesson on the elusive origin of Putney's Hi-Lo Biddy Road.

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It's been one week since K-12 schools reopened in Vermont and already some are reporting positive cases of COVID-19. This hour on our weekly health update, we talk with a pediatric infectious disease specialist at the University of Vermont, as well as the deputy health commissioner of the Vermont Department of Health.

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The Vermont Legislature has passed H.688 , or the Global Warming Solutions Act, which would legally require the state to meet carbon emission reductions targets in the coming years, and allow people to sue the government if it does not meet those targets. It’s now awaiting Gov. Phil Scott’s signature, though he is expected to veto the act. This hour, we discuss this bill with legislators from both sides. Plus, we’ll hear about how similar legislation in Maine has played out.

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Eye On The Night Sky For September 21, 2020 by VPR

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Midday Forecast by VPR

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Farm & Garden Forecast by VPR

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Morning Forecast by VPR

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Recreational Forecast by VPR

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And how do Vermonters characterize their beliefs? That's what Sue Leroux wants to know.

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Every summer, we drive across Green Mountain creation to find the origins of the strange road names you're wondering about.

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When a vaccine becomes available for COVID-19, who gets it first?

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How can a state that is 94% white do better? BIPOC Vermonters weigh in to answer this listener question.

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What's a symbol from the South doing in the Green Mountain State? Jason Broughton and Megan Bellavance (both, as it turns out, librarians) asked us to investigate.

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Here's the story that New England tells itself: Racism is a Southern problem. But our region's abolitionist past hides a darker history of racism, slavery and segregation. It's a legacy that lives with us today. This week on NEXT, we premiere a special series on racism in New England — produced by the New England News Collaborative and America Amplified. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

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The pandemic has been a balancing act for first-gen college students like Mikayla, who attends Brown University while worrying about her family back home. This week on NEXT, Mikayla’s audio diaries on navigating 2020 as an Ivy Leaguer and the daughter of undocumented immigrants. Plus, when a student gets COVID — what’s it like in the “isolation dorms”? And actor Luis Guzman on making Vermont his home. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

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A Canadian court has determined the U.S. is no longer safe for refugees. This week on NEXT, we go to the border of Vermont and Canada to learn what this could mean for asylum seekers heading north. Plus, when a COVID-19 vaccine is approved, who will want one and who will get priority? And New Hampshire residents who commuted to Massachusetts before the pandemic are not keen on the state’s persisting income taxes as they work from home. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

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College students are heading back to some New England campuses. This week on NEXT, how schools are dealing with the influx of students during a pandemic. Plus, a doctor who quit showering five years ago talks about the impact of "too much" hygiene on skin health. And a New Hampshire town considers how to honor a Black Revolutionary War hero who did not get his dues. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

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Most New England schools are still fine-tuning their reopening plans. This week on NEXT, we visit a school in northern Maine that has started the year early — and hear about the lessons learned so far. Plus, two sisters re-examine the racism they experienced growing up in a predominantly white Massachusetts town. And we hear from early survivors of COVID-19 about their long recovery process. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

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Why do dogs have whiskers? Why are dogs' eyesight black and white? Why do dogs have so many babies? Why do dogs have tails and we don't? Why are dogs thumbs so high on their paw? Why don't dogs sweat? Why do dogs roll in the grass? Why aren't dogs and cats friends? Veterinarian and dog scientist Jessica Hekman has answers. Download our learning guides: PDF | Google Slides | Transcript | Coloring Page | Dog Breed Quiz | Answer Key

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Why do cats purr? How do cats purr? Why can't we purr? Why do cats "talk" to people, but not other cats? Why do cats sharpen their claws? Are orange cats only male? Why do cats like milk and not water? Why are some cats crazy? Can cats see color? All of your cat questions answered with Abigail Tucker, author of The Lion in the Living Room. Download our learning guide: PDF | Google Slide | Transcript | Coloring Page

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In this installment, we follow up on our March episode about the novel coronavirus now that we know more about COVID-19 and how it spreads. Dr. Krutika Kuppalli, assistant clinical professor of infectious diseases at the Medical University of South Carolina, returns to answer questions about the things we can do to keep ourselves and those around us safe. And we'll learn about what vaccines are, how they're developed and the accelerated process for developing a coronavirus vaccine.

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How is ice cream made? Why does ice cream melt? Why does some ice cream melt faster than others? We’ll answer your questions about this summery concoction with Rabia Kamara, of Ruby Scoops in Richmond, Virginia. It’s going to be sweet. Download our learning guides: PDF | Google Slide | Recipe

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Why do forest fires happen? What happens to the forest after a fire? Sometimes you send us questions about things you've heard about, and sometimes you send us questions about your experiences. We'll hear from 5-year-old Abby in Australia who wanted to know more about the bush fires near her home earlier this year. Liam and Emma tell us about their wildfire experiences in California, and we get answers to your questions from Ernesto Alvarado, professor at the University of Washington. Download our learning guides: PDF | Google Slide

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Fen grass-of-Parnassus has a beautiful white flower that blooms from mid-August to mid-September in Vermont. It is the sole food source for a rare species of bee, which are only referred to by their Latin name, andrena parnassiae.

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In these times of social distancing, when people can feel disconnected from one another, it's important to realize that nature is just outside your door. From bird songs to green frogs' croaking chatter, stay connected to the outdoors by exploring your own "backyard biodiversity."

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Birdwatchers know that when they see the Red-winged Blackbird return, spring is on its way. These birds are numerous and everywhere. The males are stark-black with a red epaulette, a striking flash of color on their wings, that they use to attract mates and ward off other competing males.

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Blue jays are pretty common. We see them all the time, and yet, they still have mysteries to share with us. Blue jays are also known as the "engineers of the forest." Their diet consists of acorns and beech nuts and they take these seeds to new areas and cache, or bury, their food. Sometimes they forget to come back to get these stored nuts and seeds allowing them to grow. The birds are planting new trees and expanding the forest.

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In the past 125 years, only two Januarys have stayed below freezing for the entire month. Some Vermonters relish a period of warmer temperatures while others lament the melting snow. Is there such a thing as a regular, consistent January thaw?

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On Timeline, we’ve been telling the story of the Palchikoff family, their experiences fleeing Russia, settling in Japan and surviving the bomb. It’s also the story of Kaleria’s father, Sergei and his beloved violin which today, 75 years later, is being used to play songs of peace.

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August 6, 1945, was a clear, blue Monday morning in the city of Hiroshima. At 7:09 air raid sirens shattered the morning air as allied weather planes flew over, driving a city of around 345,000 people indoors and into shelters. About 15 minutes later, the planes left, the skies emptied and the all-clear sounded; Hiroshima woke back up and started their Monday over again.

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Over the past few episodes we’ve been telling the stories of hibaku-pianos and violins, musical instruments that survived the atomic blasts of Hiroshima and Nagasaki 75 years ago. In our last episode we were telling the tale of Sergei Palchikoff and his violin.

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We’re listening to violinist, Soichi Sakuma performing at a school in 2017 on a hibaku-violin, an instrument that survived the atomic blast of Hiroshima in 1945. On Timeline we’ve been telling the stories of instruments just like this, relics of a time of great suffering and how they have been rescued, restored and are now being used to play songs of peace. This violin that we are hearing right now, has a history of violence and conflict spanning well over a hundred years. The story of this instrument is really the story of its original owner, Sergei Palchikoff and his family.

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This year marks the 75th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In the past few episodes we’ve been looking at musical instruments that have been rescued from the ashes and rumble of those explosions. They’ve been reclaimed and are now being used to promote peace and to bring understanding of the real human cost of war.

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How the events of last year changed Vermont schools and law enforcement. Also - where's Jack?

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How do you know if a young person is plotting a school massacre? And what do you do then?

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How a Republican governor who had been rated "A" by the NRA decided that Vermont, one of the most gun-friendly states in the nation, needed gun control laws.

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When does planning a school shooting become attempted murder? The question went all the way to the Vermont Supreme Court.

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Who is Jack Sawyer, and why did he want to kill his former classmates?

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What role does storytelling have in addressing the opioid crisis? In March, Vermont Public Radio hosted a gathering at the Turning Point Center of Burlington to talk through that question with the team behind My Heart Still Beats .

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"When you have anxiety, or chronic depression, your mind is constantly going. And I tried opiates and realized that my brain was just quiet for a little bit."

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"When you're told over and over, 'Your child's a problem child — he's bad, he's bad, he's bad, he's bad!' ... You believe your kid's bad."

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"There were three things you could be good at: fighting, drinking or sports. So, I stink at sports. I can't fight. But I guess I can drink."

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"You’re right, I probably do deserve to be in jail the rest of my life. Or, I do deserve to give my life for hers. But since I can’t, let’s save somebody else’s life."