FRONTLINE, PBS’s investigative documentary series produced at GBH in Boston, has selected VTDigger for a yearlong reporting partnership to examine the aftermath of Vermont’s severe flooding and the federal government’s shifting response to natural disasters.

Emma Cotton, who has served as VTDigger’s environmental reporter before becoming a senior editor, will lead the project’s reporting. Her work, as part of FRONTLINE’s Local Journalism Initiative, will investigate how this extreme weather has affected our residents, housing situation, farms, businesses and landscape.

“Our goal will be to investigate why some Vermont communities are struggling to recover from the floods and how they could be better supported in getting back on their feet,” said Geeta Anand, VTDigger’s editor-in-chief. “We will do this in conversation with people in these communities so that our reporting is deeply informed by those most affected by the floods.” 

VTDigger is one of seven newsrooms selected for FRONTLINE’s Journalism Initiative. Digger will team up with Blue Ridge Public Radio and The Texas Newsroom (the collaboration among NPR stations in the state), providing in-depth coverage of the impact and recovery efforts as we grapple with worsening weather and increased destruction.

“I’m so grateful to have FRONTLINE’s support, which enables us to dedicate a new level of resources to one of the most important stories in the state,” Cotton said. “I look forward to giving this story my complete attention over the next year, and I’m eager to connect with Vermonters across the state to understand how flooding has affected them and their communities.”

Vermont, long cast as a climate haven, is struggling to recover from back-to-back major flooding events, never mind prepare for the next ones. For each of the past three years, extreme flooding has taken place on the same day, July 10.

Small, rural towns, like those in southern Vermont and the Northeast Kingdom, have tiny, sometimes volunteer governments with limited capacity to plan for floods. Some of these towns are currently grappling with millions of dollars in debt — doubling their annual budgets in some instances.

“So many of us were personally affected by these floods — my road washed out two years in a row, and my former Montpelier business was destroyed in 2023,” said Sky Barsch, VTDigger’s CEO. “I know firsthand how vital it is to have deep, sustained reporting on what recovery entails. Under Geeta Anand’s leadership and with Emma Cotton’s excellent reporting, VTDigger is proud to partner with FRONTLINE to bring these stories to light.”

If flooding touched your home, business or town, please share your story (anonymous is OK) to help guide our reporting.

This story by Tom McKone was first published in The Bridge on Nov. 6, 2025.

While doing research about the Civil War, Champlain Valley Union High School social studies teacher Tyler Alexander found an image of an 1872 painting by Julian Scott titled “The 4th Vermont Forming Under Fire,” which he hoped to include in a new book.

The problem was, at least initially, it appeared that no one in Vermont knew the painting even existed.

Internet searches were no help, and it was a few months before Alexander got his first good lead. Years ago, a Texas insurance company asked Vermont art historian Robert Titteron, who had written a book about Julian Scott, to appraise the value of the painting Alexander was seeking, and he still had the written communications. The last known owner was the University of Houston — and not only did the university still have the painting, it was about to auction it off.

Alexander quickly contacted David Schutz, the Vermont State Curator, who immediately contacted Vermont historians Howard Coffin and Kevin Graffagnino. With less than a week before the auction, there was no way to secure state money, so Coffin and Graffagnino asked Vermont Country Store owner Lyman Orton, who owns the largest private collection of Vermont art, for help.

Orton won the bidding for the painting and agreed to lend it to the state for display in the Statehouse’s Cedar Creek Room, which already had four other Civil War paintings by Scott, including “The First Vermont Brigade at the Battle of Cedar Creek, Oct. 19th 1864,” a 10-by-20-foot mural commissioned by the legislature and unveiled in 1874.

Skip forward 151 years, to Oct. 29, 2025, and an unveiling that brought Alexander, Orton, Coffin, Schutz, Graffagnino, a uniformed contingent from Vermont’s Civil War Hemlocks, and scores of other Vermonters to the Cedar Creek Room.

Alexander read a vivid description of the battle from one of the letters in his book, Coffin described the battle portrayed in the painting, Orton talked about his affinity for Vermont art, and Schutz reminded everyone that the Statehouse opened only two years before the Civil War started, and was, in a sense, baptized by that event.

A native of Johnson, Vermont, 15-year-old Scott joined the war as a drummer and fifer. He made camp and battle sketches during the war, and after it, he became a trained artist. Not only is his newly discovered painting on display at the Statehouse — it is also on the cover of Alexander’s new book, “If I Can Get Home This Fall: A Story of Love, Loss, and a Cause in the Civil War” (University of Nebraska Press 2025).

Over 20 states in the United States may be treated to a dazzling display of the Northern Lights tonight (November 11–12). Notably, the Northern Lights occur when solar winds collide with Earth’s atmosphere, producing shifting patterns of light. These displays often feature a mix of colours, including green, pink, red, and purple.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), two coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are expected to strike Earth late on Monday, potentially triggering strong (G3) geomagnetic storm conditions. A third and even more powerful CME is also forecast to follow.

This third burst, caused by a massive X5.1-class solar flare — the most powerful recorded so far in 2025 — is predicted to reach Earth at around 7 a.m. EST (12:00 GMT) on 12 November.

In response, NOAA has issued a G4 geomagnetic storm watch, suggesting the potential for widespread auroras visible much farther south than usual. While cloudy skies obscured the view for many last week, weather conditions this time are expected to be more favourable.

Which US states could see the Northern Lights tonight?

If you’re wondering, “from where can I see the northern lights?” NOAA’s latest aurora forecast map has the answer. According to the agency, the Northern Lights could be visible across at least 21 US states.

States expected to catch a glimpse of the aurora include Alaska, North Dakota, Minnesota, Montana, Wisconsin, Michigan, Maine, South Dakota, Idaho, Vermont, Washington, New Hampshire, Wyoming, New York, Iowa, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Nebraska, Ohio, Illinois, and Indiana.

This means that even residents in parts of the Midwest and Northeast could enjoy the stunning display if skies remain clear.

When is the best time to watch the aurora borealis in the US?

NOAA’s three-day geomagnetic storm forecast suggests that heightened activity will continue through the night. The best viewing times are expected to be:

4 p.m. – 10 p.m. EST (2100–0300 GMT): Minor (G1) to moderate (G2) storm levels possible

10 p.m. – 1 a.m. EST (0300–0600 GMT): Strong (G3) geomagnetic storm levels possible

During these peak hours, the Northern Lights could appear as glowing ribbons, arcs, or soft clouds of colour drifting across the northern horizon.

How can you improve your chances of seeing the Northern Lights?

Even if you’re not in an ideal location, a few simple techniques recommended by space.com can help you spot or photograph the aurora more easily:

Find a dark spot facing north: Move as far away from city lights as possible and look toward the northern horizon for the best chance of seeing the aurora borealis.

Use your phone camera: Your camera sensor can often detect faint auroras before your eyes do. Try scanning the sky through your camera to locate the right direction.

Let your eyes adjust: Spend at least 30 minutes in darkness to develop night vision.

Dress warmly: Temperatures can drop quickly at night, and aurora watching often involves standing outdoors for long periods.

Be patient: The Northern Lights can appear suddenly, so staying out a little longer might make all the difference.

Which apps can help track aurora activity?

To stay updated in real time, space.com recommends downloading a Northern Lights forecast app that provides alerts based on your location, such as My Aurora Forecast & Alerts or Space Weather Live, both available on iOS and Android.

These apps can notify you when the aurora visibility index spikes in your area — ensuring you don’t miss the show when it begins.