As VTDigger prepares to mark its 10th anniversary, we’re celebrating another milestone: we’ve now published 100 episodes of our weekly podcast, The Deeper Dig.
Since launching the series in May 2017, our goal has always been to explain our journalism better — to tell compelling stories, but also to put our beat reporting in context.
Over the past two and a half years, we’ve worked to improve our formula. We’ve reached out farther to find experts on issues facing Vermont. We’ve highlighted field recordings and original interviews to bring listeners closer to where news happens. We’ve added transcripts for each new episode to improve accessibility. And we’ve tacked up more soundproofing in our recording room.
If you haven’t checked out our light-hearted 100th episode — a conversation with comedian James Adomian and his pitch-perfect Bernie Sanders impression — you can find it here. But if you’re new to the series, here are five recent stories to get you started.
Blocked at the border (Feb. 1)
Last fall, a Congolese asylum seeker named Bienfait fled death threats in his home country. He passed through Vermont en route to Canada — but in accordance with a 9/11-era policy called the Safe Third Country Agreement, Canadian border agents turned him back over to U.S. authorities. With the Trump administration’s handling of asylum cases at the southern border in the spotlight, Bienfait’s case demonstrates how U.S. immigration policy is impacting migrants from beyond just Latin America. He tells VTDigger’s Elizabeth Hewitt and Lola Duffort his story.
Why Vermont colleges keep closing (March 8)
When three Vermont colleges announced closures or cutbacks this spring, it was clear that declining enrollments were having drastic effects on local institutions. Less clear was why potential students were bypassing these schools — and what might happen if the pattern continues. Tom Greene, the former president of the Vermont College of Fine Arts and a former college accreditor, talks about the pressures on higher education in Vermont and beyond. And VTDigger’s Lola Duffort describes how students deal when their colleges shut down.
How Vermont hospitals end up in the red (March 22)
State officials say mismanagement played a major role in Springfield Hospital’s financial collapse late last year. But broader trends are putting pressure on hospitals’ finances across the state. Green Mountain Care Board chair Kevin Mullin and former Agency of Human Services secretary Al Gobeille describe how demographic shifts affect the outlook for rural health care. Former VTDigger health care reporter Mike Faher discusses the data on hospital finances. And Katy Savage recaps the situation at Springfield.
Police body cameras bring clarity — and questions (Apr. 26)
While the Vermont Supreme Court considered a case about how police videos should fit into Vermont’s public records law, a wave of lower-court cases hinged on police body camera footage. Body cameras are a relatively new technology that’s used inconsistently across law enforcement agencies in Vermont. Why? The Vermont ACLU’s Jay Diaz describes what’s at stake for suspects, victims, and the public when body cam standards aren’t clear. Burlington Police Chief Brandon del Pozo discusses why his officers want to wear cameras. And VTDigger’s Alan Keays breaks down the Supreme Court case that could impact how future police recordings get used.
From biotech ‘dream’ to federal court (June 3)
VTDigger’s reporting on the Northeast Kingdom EB-5 fraud scandal spans about eight years and counting. But the federal criminal charges brought this May against the developers of a “bogus” biotech proposal marked a major turning point in the case. Using field recordings dating back to 2015, Anne Galloway traces the history of the doomed project and explains the charges that brought the developers to federal court.
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