There's No "A" in Creemee

Joanna and Andy are back in double scoop mode — just the two of them — digging into a packed post-crossover moment at the Vermont Statehouse. They open with dispatches from the No Kings Rally, where Joanna emceed, Senator Becca White airdropped in and owned the mic for three minutes flat, and Joanna's 15-year-old Isa Cramer delivered a speech that brought down the house — and handled an interruption like a seasoned pro.On education, they unpack the House Education Committee's significant pivot away from forced district consolidation and toward Cooperative Service Agreements — a shared-services model similar to BOCES in New York that could deliver real administrative savings without blowing up local schools. The Senate remains stalled with no clear direction, setting up a potentially messy conference. Joanna also reflects on the moment Chittenden County superintendents and school board chairs collectively broke from the sidelines to tell families that Act 73 would pull $63 million from their districts — and what it meant that they felt they had to do that.On housing, they break down S325, which puts an 18-month pause on Act 250's Tier 3 implementation and delays the road rule by three and a half years. A Republican-led amendment to strip Tier 3 entirely — which would have collapsed the political bargain that made Act 181 possible in the first place — failed on party lines. On healthcare, H-585 just passed the House with a quietly big provision: mandated site neutrality for physical therapy, which equalizes reimbursement rates between hospitals and independent providers. It also expands prior authorization relief, giving independent practices a fighting chance. And finally: H-621, the Priestly-Cole wealth tax, is now a standalone bill creating two new income brackets for earners above $500K and $1M. The JFO estimates it could raise $100 million — money that would otherwise come out of the other 99%. Joanna's heard from plenty of high-earners who say they'd sign up for it.Plus: the first creemees of the season and Front Porch Forum's not-so-candidate-friendly "candidate access" program.#TheresNoAInCreemee #VTPoli #VermontPolitics #NoKingsRally #DoubleScoop #VTLeg #Act73 #VermontEducation #Act250 #S325 #VermontHousing #H585 #SiteNeutrality #HealthcareVT #H621 #WealthTax #PriestlyCole #Crossover #VTElections2026 #Creemee #FrontPorchForum

Joanna and Andy open with a candid conversation about Democratic Party neutrality in primaries — and why the Vermont coordinated campaign's "buy-in" model undermines voter trust.Then Alex LeClair, CEO of Essex Physical Therapy, joins the pod to pull back the curtain on what it's actually like to run a small healthcare business in Vermont. Alex unpacks the authorization gauntlet that delays patient care, the jaw-dropping disparity between what hospitals and independent clinics get reimbursed for the same PT visit, and what House Bill 585's site-neutral billing proposal could mean for primary care. He also digs into Vermont's housing and healthcare premium crisis through a very personal lens — including a high school friend with a spinal injury who called him last summer worried he wouldn't be able to afford catheters if Medicaid cuts went through. Alex grew up in Essex, built a career in Boston, came back ready to plant roots — and is living in his parents' basement because the down payment isn't enough. He is the thirty-year-old in the basement.Plus: Joanna launches her State Senate campaign at the Richmond Library — live on mic, with her kid Isa by her side. The cookies got rave reviews. The signs are very slightly pink. And Isa has strong opinions about miniature horses.#TheresNoAInCreemee #VTPoli #VermontPolitics #VermontHealthcare #PrimaryCareCrisis #SiteNeutralBilling #HousingCrisis #AffordableVT #VTLeg #SmallBusiness #GreenMountainCareBoard #JoannaForSenate #VTElections2026 #Creemee #VermontLife #BasementGeneration

Joanna and Andy open with a St. Paddy's Day debrief — cement trucks, cold wind, and Andy's complicated relationship with foundation construction. Then it's into Act 73 territory: a CVU legislative breakfast where school board members laid out the math showing the foundation formula could slash Chittenden County school funding by 14%. Plus: Mets heartbreak, fantasy baseball drafts, and jersey fashion dilemmas.Then Molly Gray — former Lieutenant Governor, leader of the Vermont Afghan Alliance, and our first-ever repeat guest — joins the pod on her birthday to talk about why she's back in the race for Lieutenant Governor. She makes the case for fierce, experienced leadership in a moment that doesn't have room for on-the-job training. We get into the South Burlington ICE raid and what it exposed about Vermont law enforcement's lack of preparedness, the governor's decision to cut SNAP for Afghan SIV holders, and the real cost of a Vermont that's becoming a playground for the wealthy. Molly also reflects on the Democratic Party's identity crisis and how to bring back the people it's lost.In Last Licks, it's a Maple Weekend tribute: fun facts about syrup from space to the Civil War, and the jaw-dropping story of the Great Canadian Maple Syrup Heist of 2012 — $18 million of Quebec's strategic reserve, 30 arrests, and the longest food-theft sentence in Canadian history. Don't mess with the maple.#TheresNoAInCreemee #VTPoli #VermontPolitics #MollyGray #LieutenantGovernor #VTElections2026 #ICERaids #ImmigrantRights #Act73 #VermontEducation #VTLeg #AfghanAlliance #VermontValues #HoldTheLine #MapleWeekend #MapleHeist #VermontMaple #GreatMapleHeist #Creemee #VermontPodcast #802Politics

Joanna and Andy welcome Alison Novak, Seven Days education reporter and soon-to-be Reporter of the Year from the New England Newspaper and Press Association, for a deep dive into Vermont schools during a pivotal crossover week. They unpack the stalled implementation of Act 73, the fight over school choice and independent school funding, the lawsuits already in the pipeline, declining enrollment, technical education, and second homeowners tax proposals. In our opener Joanna opens up about his first week as a candidate in the wild — and the emotional gut-punch of an ICE raid in South BurlingtonPlus: a Glossary of Shame on bills "stuck on the wall," Amanda Janoo announces she's running for governor, and Allison reveals what may be the most creative Creemee order we've ever heard — the Dreamee from Yates Family Orchard.#TheresNoAInCreemee #VTPoli #VermontPolitics #Act73 #VTLeg #VermontEducation #AllisonNovak #SevenDaysVT #EducationReform #VermontSchools #Crossover #Creemee #AmandaJanoo #VTElections2026

We've got big news here on There's No "A" in Creemee.

We sit down with Ryan McLaren, longtime behind‑the‑scenes force in Vermont politics and now a candidate for Lieutenant Governor. We talk about what shaped him (including growing up in a 900‑square‑foot house in Essex Jct), what he's hearing from voters, and why he's running.Ryan digs into affordability, rebuilding trust with working Vermonters, the soft‑power weirdness of the LG’s office, and what it means to be “Made in Vermont.” Plus: rural vitality, floods, dairy, and how not to get pushed around by a Trump administration.Ryan levels up our Creemee Order segment with a deeply considered opinion on the subject.

This week’s episode centers on a deep-dive conversation with Burlington Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak. We talk about:The intertwined crises of homelessness, mental health, and substance use—and why Burlington’s challenges are really Vermont’s challengesCommunity safety, media narratives, and what it actually means for Burlington to be ranked among the safest communities in the countryPreparing for a potential ICE surge: what the city can do, where its authority stops, and how mutual aid and neighboring towns fit into the response“Modern Gov,” budgets, Dillon’s Rule, and why Vermont’s government structures need an updateGun policy, charter changes, and why Emma chose the Progressive PartyThe politics of style, taking up space in heels, and (crucially) what the Mayor orders at the creemee standWe also bring you along for a quick Great Ice Festival dispatch—bonfires, fireworks, and a goat named Lord Voldemort. Plus, we check in with Elaine Haney about her run for State Senate in Chittenden Central and what it means to challenge incumbents in a crowded primary.And finally: Vermont Business Magazine has added a Best Vermont Podcast category this year. It’s a write‑in, penultimate‑question situation—so if you’ve got a minute before March 1, we’d be honored to have your vote for There’s No "A" in Creemee.#Burlington #VTPoli #VermontPolitics #EmmaMulvaneyStanek #MayorEmma #TheresNoAInCreemee #CreemeeCulture #VTNews #CommunitySafety #HomelessnessCrisis #Act250 #HousingVT #LocalGov #ModernGov #GreatIceFestival

This week Joanna and Andy start with a hard look at Vermont’s relationship to the federal government: the illegal detainments of Steven Tendo and Hussein Noor Hussein, the senate's confirmation of Michael Drescher to the Vermont Supreme Court, and what it means when federal power collides with Vermont values. They also spotlight the Vermont Immigration Legal Defense Fund and why “every purchase is a protest” when local retailers step up where Amazon won’t.Then Deputy Auditor Tim Ashe joins the pod to talk about what the state auditor actually does, why accountability is a prerequisite for restoring public trust, and how the office can influence big-ticket issues like healthcare costs, water quality spending, housing policy, and municipal capacity. He shares stories from the Statehouse, his vision for a truly independent watchdog, and, of course, his go‑to creemee order.#TheresNoAInCreemee #VTPolitics #VermontPodcast #PodcastsOfVT #MontpelierMatters #802Politics #VermontNews #VermontLife #VermontAuditor #TimAsh #GovernmentAccountability #PublicTrust #VTLeg #VermontElections #WatchdogOffice #FollowTheMoney #VermontValues #ImmigrantJustice #VLIDF #HumanRights #VTEd #EducationFunding

We sit down with two incredible young organizers — Taylor Garner and Natalie Julow — for a conversation that’s equal parts inspo, reality check, and reminder that Vermont’s future is already rolling up its sleeves.Taylor and Natalie talk candidly about why they stepped up, what younger Vermonters are actually struggling with, and how affordability, voting access, democratic identity, and representation look from the people who are trying to build their lives, in Vermont, right now. We get into the frustrations and the hope — plus a very Vermont detour into rotary phones, basement living, federal overreach, and the perennial statewide question of: what does affordability mean?Also this episode:Is the party ready for the 2026 election season? Are we listening to young voters, or just explaining things at them?Is the Governor protecting democracy?TNAC hitting local TV (yes, really!)And of course… the creemee orders. Maple crunchies are apparently sprinkles now. It’s inspiring, it’s honest, it’s Vermont politics with heart — and some of the fastest Julow‑family wit on record.#elections2026 #vtpoli #theresnoaincreemee #vermont #podcast

This week is a vt-poli sampler pack: three interviews, three locations, and at least three questionable wardrobe choices. We kick things off with friend of the pod Peter Booth, fresh from a nonviolent sit‑in at the Williston ICE facility. Peter walks us through what happened that day, and what it means that ICE’s East Coast targeting runs out of Chittenden County.Then we shift gears for some legislative opening‑day energy under the Golden Dome. First up: retiring House Commerce Chair Rep. Mike Marcotte, who talks about workforce, tech ed, data privacy, and what it’s like to spend 22 years on the same committee.We wrap with Rep. Jana Brown from House Education, who pops in to chat about the mountain of education work ahead this session—and is kind enough to gush about the pod on mic, which we obviously did not edit out.Plus: why the hosts nearly got stranded in Montpelier, the continued saga of Vermont’s redistricting angst, and a reminder that the Islands still exist.

This episode of There’s No “A” in Creemee takes you straight to the Vermont State House for a jam-packed day of politics, personality, and a little style.Joanna and Andy sit down with Lieutenant Governor candidate Molly Gray to talk about her campaign launch, small business support, and fierce advocacy for working families.Then, we dive into a lively conversation with Senator Becca White, covering legislative priorities like transportation funding, AI data center moratoriums, and anti-ICE masking bills—plus her own podcast and The Art of Passing the Torch. And yes, Statehouse Style makes its comeback! As you would expect, both co-hosts "nailed it".Tune in for candid conversations and behind-the-scenes energy with this road-show edition of There's No "A" in Creemee#elections2026 #VTleg #MollyGray #BeccaWhite #LieutenantGovernorRace #VTLegislature #TheresNoAInCreemee #VermontPolitics #VTStateHouse #VermontPodcast

Why are healthcare costs in Vermont so high?! In this episode of There’s No “A” in Creemee, Owen Foster, Chair of the Green Mountain Care Board, explains. He joins us to unpack Vermont’s healthcare challenges and opportunities. From hospital costs to the looming of ACA subsidy cuts affecting tens of thousands of Vermonters, Owen offers candid insights on what’s driving the crisis—and what bold steps Vermont has taken to keep care accessible. We also dive into UVM Medical Center’s transformation, the fight for primary care, and why fixing the fundamentals matters. Plus, Owen shares his favorite creemee order and what being a “real Vermonter” means to him.If you care about healthcare, affordability, and the future of Vermont, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.#VermontHealthcare #GreenMountainCareBoard #HealthcarePolicy #AffordableCareAct #VermontLife #CreemeeCulture #PublicPolicy #HealthReform #VermontPodcast #TheresNoAInCreemee

Holiday break style, Joanna and Andy are at chillin the mics for 3 mini episodes this week— dropping bonus installments to get you through.In this special “double scoop” series of There’s No "A" in Creemee, we ditch the usual setup for a raw, unfiltered conversation in comfy chairs. In our first installment, we delve into 2026 predictions for elections and legislation, the latest twist in the Amazon saga, the future of Emerge Vermont, and we make some bold calls about the Mets (and rainbows!). We hope you enjoy our candid, fun, and revealing takes. Plus we have a little elderberry sour beer and a reluctant correction about Yukon Cornelius.We'll be dropping all three installments this week as our late Christmas/Hanukkah gift to our listeners. #vtpoli #theresnoaincreemee #vermont #vermontnews #politics #podcast

This week There's No "A" in Creemee does a little holiday special as only we can. We're back in the Skate Shack to talk with with Courtney Lockerby—assistant librarian, mom of three, and champion of values-driven shopping. Courtney shares how she’s turning everyday purchases into acts of resistance. We talk about why thrifting and local buying matters, and the tools she uses to help her align spending with her principles. We also talk about the realities of rural shopping, raising kids with conscious habits, and the surprising joy of deleting the Amazon app. In our Last Licks segment, Andy and Joanna do an inter-faith holiday review of Christmas songs that were written by Jewish composers with only a few side-tangents into space lasers and the illuminati.

We’re back with the second half of our conversation with Senator Martine Gulick, chair of Vermont’s Education Redistricting Task Force. Picking up where we left off, Martine dives deeper into the political dynamics surrounding Act 73 and what its implementation could mean for communities across the state.In the opening segment Andy and Joanna unpack the surprising unity between party leaders, the growing tension within Democratic ranks, and why rural districts and independent schools are at the center of this debate. Plus, we explore the unprecedented involvement of local school boards and superintendents in pushing back against state-level consolidation.Stick around for “Last Licks,” where we lighten things up with a Hanukkah quiz testing just how much Andy has learned over the last 12 months.

What if prosperity wasn’t measured by GDP, but by the health of our communities and the planet?In this episode, we sit down with Amanda Janoo of the Wellbeing Economy Alliance to explore a bold vision for Vermont and beyond—one that prioritizes dignity, fairness, and sustainability.From global lessons in economic policy to local strategies for resilience, Amanda shares how we can design systems that truly serve people, not profits.Plus, we dig into the role of government, the rise of authoritarianism, and why small businesses might hold the key to our future. And yes, we end with the ultimate question: maple creemee with jimmies or sprinkles?This is an episode so great, we are releasing it early instead of our planned holiday break (so yes, if you are counting episodes this one is out of order!).#TheresNoAinCreemee #WellbeingEconomy #VermontValues #EconomicJustice #CommunityFirst #LocalEconomy #SustainableFuture #MapleCreemee #PodcastLife

In this powerful and inspiring conversation, Jessica Barquist from Planned Parenthood of Northern New England talks with us about challenges and victories in reproductive and gender-affirming healthcare in Vermont. She also has a choice gotcha moment for us. We explore the impact of federal policies, the importance of state shield laws, the breadth of services provided by Planned Parenthood, and how Vermonters can advocate for holistic support and legislative change. #theresnoaincreemee #podcast #vtpoli #repro #vermont

Joanna & Andy unpack the School Redistricting Task Force. In this episode, we break down the Winnooski meeting of Vermont’s school redistricting task force, including the proposals, public feedback, and the big questions about cost, consolidation, and the future of local schools. We share firsthand accounts from the forum, reactions from parents and school board members, and why so many Vermonters are skeptical about the process.We catch up with Charity Clark and the Democratic Attorneys General at a fundraiser in Burlington with live coverage and talk about how they are pushing back on Trump.In an admittedly long opening segment, we share updates on our podcast’s winter move, the Great Ice Festival, a new must creemee shop in Burlington (donut sandwiches, anyone?), and discuss what is being done, or not done, to win back legislative seats lost in the 2024 election.From sticky notes at public meetings to sticky pumpkin soft-serve, it’s a lively mix of local flavor and policy debate.#vtpoli #podcast #vermont #vermontnews #ressit #savedemocracy #vted #charityclark #daga #icecream #theresnoaincreemee

Krista Huling, former Chair of the Vermont State Board of Education, joins us to speak candidly about her fight to level the playing field for public schools. From her work with Friends of Vermont Public Education to her push for ethical accountability and equitable funding, Krista challenges the status quo and calls out the deep disparities between public and independent schools. In this powerful conversation, she shares why Vermont’s education system needs bold reform, transparent leadership, and a renewed commitment to all students—not just a privileged few.#theresnoaincreemee #vermont #podcast #vtpoli

Collab with Justin Marsh & Democracy Dispatch! Andy and Joanna welcome Vermont Conservation Voters to the show. Justin tells us all about how VCV is teaming up with groups to train and recruit new candidates around the state. We talk about the challenges of campaigning in the digital world, the ongoing value of face to face interactions, and the increasing competitiveness of local races.We talk about the our podcast stories and of course get Justin's creemee order and try to trace the infiltration of "jimmies" into Lamoille County.