Brave Little State
163 episodes - English - Latest episode: 25 days ago - ★★★★★ - 339 ratingsWhat if you could decide what stories Vermont Public should be covering, before they're even assigned? That's the idea behind Brave Little State.
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Episodes
How To Support Vermonters Of Color: 'Listen To Us'
August 07, 2020 20:12 - 39 minutes - 36.6 MBHow can a state that is 94% white do better? BIPOC Vermonters weigh in to answer this listener question.
Why Do Some Vermonters Display The Confederate Flag?
July 17, 2020 21:01 - 14 minutes - 13.2 MBWhat'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.
A Master Class In Finding The Bright Side
July 02, 2020 16:35 - 14 minutes - 13.6 MBMichael and Stacy Lee have had a really tough year. So why do they feel so positive?
Remembering Vermont's 19th Century Black Communities
June 19, 2020 20:23 - 15 minutes - 13.7 MBHow did these communities form, and how are they being remembered? That's what Gale Harris wanted to know.
Is Vermont Really 'So Expensive'?
June 05, 2020 19:33 - 26 minutes - 23.9 MBEveryone loves to grouse about our cost of living. Bruce Post wonders: How bad is it really?
End-Of-Life Wishes In A Pandemic
May 22, 2020 19:43 - 12 minutes - 27.8 MBIf people — particularly elderly people — don't want doctors to take extreme measures to potentially save their lives, does that increase Vermont's COVID-19 death rate?
In A Food Shortage, Could Vermont Farms Feed The Whole State?
May 08, 2020 20:06 - 19 minutes - 17.6 MBThis hypothetical listener question has gotten a little more real. Love our show? Support Vermont Public Radio with a gift, sign up for our newsletter, and share your curiosity at bravelittlestate.org.
What Happens If A Presidential Candidate Dies?
May 01, 2020 20:28 - 7 minutes - 6.89 MBBonus episode: Our current president, and his presumptive opponent, are in an age group vulnerable to the coronavirus. What happens if...?
How Are Vermont Prisons Handling COVID-19?
April 17, 2020 20:44 - 14 minutes - 33.9 MBParole officers doling out hand sanitizer. Inmates cooking for those in quarantine. At the Department of Corrections, it's all hands on deck.
How's Everybody Doing?
April 03, 2020 20:13 - 30 minutes - 28.1 MBDispatches from our fellow Vermonters, including a nurse on the front lines and an expectant dad. Plus, some essay and poetry for our times.
Tips From A Home-Schooling, Remote-Working Mom
March 20, 2020 20:49 - 17 minutes - 16.1 MBWith Vermont schools now closed, many parents are facing a daunting reality. Today, a conversation between two moms — one is a veteran home-schooler and remote worker. The other is new to all of this.
Goodbye, Ollie: Remembering Vermont's Favorite Camel
March 13, 2020 16:01 - 3 minutes - 3.28 MBA question about a popular camel won in one of our recent public voting rounds. Sadly, our reporting did not go as planned.
Is Town Meeting Outdated? (And More)
February 28, 2020 16:36 - 35 minutes - 32.3 MBIt's "Ask Bob" on Brave Little State! VPR's senior political reporter Bob Kinzel takes on your questions about Town Meeting, the location of Vermont's capital, the limited functions of our county governments and more.
Why Has Vermont Never Sent A Woman To Congress?
February 21, 2020 17:48 - 18 minutes - 16.8 MBVermont is the only state in the country that's never sent a woman to D.C. We dig into the disparity, and poll Vermonters on whether they think it's a problem.
As Colleges Close, How Will Vermont Schools Survive?
February 07, 2020 20:54 - 32 minutes - 29.9 MBLow enrollment and financial troubles have caused a slew of Vermont’s small, independent colleges to shut their doors. What’s causing the problem — and is there a solution?
Vermont's 'Brand' Helps These Businesses. Do They Help Vermont?
January 17, 2020 18:15 - 13 minutes - 12.7 MBTanya Ocker of Burlington wonders about businesses that emphasize Vermont's "brand." Do they help our economy?
Why Does Vermont Have So Many Dollar Generals?
January 03, 2020 19:47 - 29 minutes - 33.7 MBThere are 37 Dollar General stores in Vermont. And what Danielle Drogalis of Swanton wants to know is: How did that happen?
What Do Vermont Constables Do, Anyway?
December 20, 2019 19:46 - 12 minutes - 11 MBWhat's the history and function of town constables in Vermont? That's what Richard Dumughn wants to know.
How Can Vermonters Drive Less?
December 06, 2019 20:02 - 34 minutes - 31.3 MBFor a state that calls itself green, Vermont sure has a lot of drivers. So what can be done? That's what Eve Jacobs-Carnahan of Montpelier wants to know. Eve's question about public transportation forces us to confront some difficult truths about life — and travel — in Vermont.
Will Burlington's Champlain Parkway Ever Get Built?
November 15, 2019 15:08 - 12 minutes - 11.6 MBThe highway project has been tangled in red tape for so long that there's a monument to bureaucracy in Burlington’s South End. What's the status?
Why Are Child Care Professionals Paid So Poorly In Vermont?
November 08, 2019 21:37 - 27 minutes - 25.6 MBThe typical angle for stories about child care is about how expensive it is for parents. But the professionals who educate and care for Vermont's youngest kids are struggling too.
Another Taste Of Star Pudding
October 18, 2019 19:40 - 9 minutes - 8.91 MBPodcast extra! After we aired our story about Marshfield's Star Pudding Farm Road, former longtime resident Laura Johnson got in touch to tell us more about the special property.
What Happens To Vermont's Recycling?
October 04, 2019 21:06 - 34 minutes - 31.7 MBAre people following Vermont's new recycling laws, and where does our recycling end up? That’s what Julie Ste. Marie of Troy wants to know.
A(nother) Brief History Of Vermont Road Names
September 06, 2019 18:50 - 38 minutes - 35.1 MBWe take on more of your questions about mysterious Green Mountain byways in our Second Annual Brief History of Vermont Road Names.
Happy Third Birthday To Us!
August 02, 2019 19:28 - 42 minutes - 39 MBWe celebrate three years of people-powered journalism with a listen back to some memorable moments from our archive.
What's The Plan For The 'Pit' In The Middle Of Newport?
July 05, 2019 20:51 - 28 minutes - 26 MBA development project gone wrong. A community living with the fallout. And an uncertain path forward.
Does Vermont Have Any Patches Of Old Growth Forest?
June 07, 2019 20:49 - 25 minutes - 23.3 MBA question about Vermont's most elderly woods, from Andrew Wild of Burlington.
What Draws So Many Writers And Poets To Vermont?
May 03, 2019 21:28 - 25 minutes - 23 MBThis month on the podcast: Exploring the literary luminaries of Vermont, and why so many writers seem to thrive in the Green Mountain State.
How Is Climate Change Affecting Vermont Right Now?
April 05, 2019 21:13 - 34 minutes - 31.7 MBWe know the predictions are dire; we know there are urgent conversations to be had about policy. But to answer this listener question, we stay focused on the present.
Why Does Vermont Have Such A Housing Crunch?
March 08, 2019 20:23 - 32 minutes - 29.8 MBWhat are the causes of Vermont’s tight housing market — and why aren’t things getting better?
Legislation vs. Investigation: How Is Rep. Peter Welch Balancing His Work?
February 01, 2019 20:47 - 28 minutes - 26.1 MBNow that Democrats control the U.S. House, we head to Capitol Hill to get a sense of how Vermont's Congressman is approaching things.
What Are The Pros And Cons Of Heating With Wood?
January 11, 2019 20:25 - 32 minutes - 29.6 MBWho doesn't love a cozy fire? There are benefits to heating with wood — but some drawbacks, too.
What Does It Take To Start And Run A Successful Small Business In Vermont?
December 07, 2018 21:48 - 30 minutes - 28.2 MBTo answer this listener question, we collect entrepreneurial wisdom from self-starters all over the state.
Why Are There So Many African-Americans Incarcerated In Vermont?
November 02, 2018 18:16 - 33 minutes - 30.9 MBOverall, Vermont has one of the lowest incarceration rates in the country — but one of the highest rates of African-American incarceration. So why is that?
What's It Like To Hike The Long Trail?
October 05, 2018 20:52 - 30 minutes - 27.8 MBThe 272-mile trail follows Green Mountain ridgelines from one end of Vermont to another. So what’s it like to hike the whole thing?
Presenting JOLTED, A New Podcast From VPR
September 06, 2018 02:00 - 19 minutes - 17.5 MBA story about a school shooting that didn’t happen, and the surprising things that did. This month we’re sharing Part 1 of JOLTED. Hear more at joltedpodcast.org.
A Brief History Of Vermont Road Names
August 03, 2018 20:30 - 31 minutes - 28.4 MBYou know the feeling. You’re driving along, and you turn onto a road with an intriguing name. And you wonder where it came from.
4 Vermont Towns Vs. 1 Utah Developer: What Happened With NewVistas
July 06, 2018 15:33 - 38 minutes - 35.1 MBThis month’s question led us straight into an unfolding story — about an outsider with deep pockets and big ideas, and the towns that banded together to reject those ideas. And now that their efforts have paid off, what happens next?
Those 'Aging Hippies' Who Moved To Vermont ... Where Are They Now?
June 08, 2018 21:01 - 35 minutes - 32.2 MBThe past may be obscured in a cloud of … wood … smoke. But what does the present look like?
What's The History Of French Canadian Immigration Into Vermont?
May 04, 2018 19:30 - 34 minutes - 31.8 MBThere was a time when it was totally normal to hear French spoken in some of Vermont's smallest towns and biggest cities. This month on 'Brave Little State,' we delve into the history of French Canadian immigration in Vermont.
Is Vermont Really Losing Young People?
April 06, 2018 18:50 - 25 minutes - 23.2 MBSince we started this show, there's a question we've gotten a lot: Why are so many young people leaving the state?
Is The Northeast Kingdom Really So 'Different'?
March 09, 2018 20:32 - 31 minutes - 28.8 MBJust how culturally different is the Northeast Kingdom from the rest of the state? Can it be quantified in any way, or is it largely legend?
Who Oversees Vermont's County Sheriffs?
February 02, 2018 20:54 - 30 minutes - 28.3 MBIf Vermont's county sheriffs are accountable to their voters, but most of their voters don't pay much attention to them, what happens when they do something wrong?
The Complicated History Of Hydro-Quebec
January 05, 2018 19:48 - 31 minutes - 29.2 MBFrom our friends at the podcast Outside/In, the story of how a massive, state-owned utility company came to be a symbol of the French-Canadian people.
Vermont Hustle: What It's Like To Work 3 Jobs
December 08, 2017 18:42 - 31 minutes - 29 MBThere's a joke about the employment scene in Vermont: "What do you call a Vermonter with two jobs? Lazy." In other words, it can take three or more jobs to make a living in Vermont.
What Would It Look Like If Vermont Seceded?
November 03, 2017 18:44 - 27 minutes - 25.6 MBWe aren't endorsing it, but ... if Vermont did manage to secede from the United States, how would we fare?
What's The History Of The Underground Railroad In Vermont?
October 06, 2017 17:46 - 28 minutes - 26.4 MBWhen it comes to Vermont's history with the Underground Railroad, where's the line between myth and truth? And whose voices are missing from the story? Those are the questions 'Brave Little State' set out to answer.
How Has The Geology Of Vermont Affected Its Character?
September 08, 2017 17:54 - 27 minutes - 25.5 MBIf you've lived in a state for a long time, or grew up there, you probably have this feeling - when you drive into or out of it, you feel like you can tell the difference. For many people, this is very true for crossings in and out of Vermont.
Low Pay, Weird Schedule: Who Exactly Can Pull Off The Legislator Lifestyle?
August 04, 2017 17:58 - 24 minutes - 22.1 MBVermont's citizen legislators get paid about $12,700 for five months of work. So, if you have a career and/or a family, how do you pull it off? This is the question recently brought to "Brave Little State."
Your Vermont History Fix, From Gold Mines To Witch Windows
July 07, 2017 18:49 - 21 minutes - 20 MBThis month, we're doing things a little differently. Instead of taking on one of your questions about Vermont, we're taking on three. We've got a question about those crooked windows you see on Vermont farmhouses, a question about Vermont's defunct gold mines and one about the history of Burlington's Church Street.