Vermont’s unemployment rate went up by 0.5 percent in December, to 6.9 percent, and last week the state requested federal funds to keep the unemployment insurance program running. Without the $58 million federal loan, the state’s unemployment fund would dry up in February. We talk about the immediate concerns about the unemployment insurance system, and potential long-term changes that could lead it back to solvency. Our guests are Labor Commissioner Patricia Moulton-Powden and Rep. Warren Kitzmiller, chair of the House Commerce and Economic Development Committee.
Also, the VA hospital in White River Junction has become a center of research into Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder among soldiers. We talk with Dr. Matthew Friedman about what researchers have learned about its causes and treatments, and the link between repeated deployments and increased risk of developing PTSD.