Just as we were putting the finishing touches on an episode about Vermont rivers and streams, historic flooding ravaged the state. Our rivers weren’t always this fast, deep or powerful — we made them this way. And efforts to bring them closer to a more natural state are vital to build future resiliency.  Visit vermontpublic.org/flood for ongoing reporting about the flooding and recovery efforts. And check out the web version of this episode here.Thanks to Gus Goodwin of East Montpelier for the great and timely question.Special thanks to Sophie Stephens, Mark Davis, Bill Keeton, Mary and Greg Russ, Ellen Wohl, Will Elridge, Skip Lisle, and Elizabeth Trail.This episode was reported by Lexi Krupp. Josh Crane edited and produced it, with help from Mae Nagusky. Our executive producer is Angela Evancie. Music by Blue Dot Sessions. As always, our journalism is better when you’re a part of it:Ask a question about VermontVote on the question you want us to tackle nextSign up for the BLS newsletterSay hi on Instagram and Reddit @bravestatevtDrop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.orgCall our BLS hotline: 802-552-4880Make a gift to support people-powered journalismLeave us a rating/review in your favorite podcast appTell your friends about the show!Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network.

What 'old streams' can teach us about flooding

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Vermont’s messy transition from winter to spring always brings its fair share of surprises and obstacles. And this year has been no exception: The mud came early, and it came often.Keith Gadapee is on the front lines of battling mud season as road foreman for the town of Danville — which has more dirt roads than anywhere else in Vermont. We spoke to Keith back in 2022 for an episode we called “Mud Season Madness” and put your pressing mud questions to the expert. We dug out that episode for an encore and checked back in with Keith as this year’s roller coaster of a season comes to a close.Find the web version of this episode here.This episode was reported and produced by Sabine Poux and Angela Evancie, with editing and additional production from Burgess Brown. Angela Evancie is our executive producer, and our managing editor and senior producer is Josh Crane. Our theme music is by Ty Gibbons; other music by Blue Dot Sessions.Special thanks to April McCullum and Sophie Stephens.As always, our journalism is better when you’re a part of it:Ask a question about VermontVote on the question you want us to tackle nextSign up for the BLS newsletterSay hi on Instagram and Reddit @bravestatevtDrop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.orgCall our BLS hotline: 802-552-4880Make a gift to support people-powered journalismLeave us a rating/review in your favorite podcast appTell your friends about the show!Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network.

Mud Season Madness (encore)

If you live in a rural part of Vermont, you know it — the one-finger lift or full-hand gesture from the steering wheel. Everyone has their own take on the so-called “Vermont wave.”Who gets a whole-hand wave and who doesn’t? When exactly do you do it and what does it mean? Reporter Nina Keck set out with question-asker Mica Tucker to learn the unwritten rules of the road and find out: “What’s up with the Vermont wave?”Find the web version of this episode here.This episode was reported by Nina Keck and produced by Burgess Brown. Editing and additional production from the rest of the Brave Little State team: Sabine Poux and Josh Crane. Angela Evancie is Brave Little State’s executive producer. Our theme music is by Ty Gibbons; other music by Blue Dot Sessions.Special thanks to Brittany Patterson, John Delgadillo and Sophie Stephens. As always, our journalism is better when you’re a part of it:Ask a question about VermontVote on the question you want us to tackle nextSign up for the BLS newsletterSay hi on Instagram and Reddit @bravestatevtDrop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.orgCall our BLS hotline: 802-552-4880Make a gift to support people-powered journalismLeave us a rating/review in your favorite podcast appTell your friends about the show!Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network.

What’s up with the Vermont wave?

Two Abenaki First Nations headquartered in Canada contest the legitimacy of Vermont’s state-recognized tribes. How are Vermont lawmakers responding? Last October, Brave Little State published “Recognized”: a three-part investigation into contested claims that Vermont’s four state-recognized tribes are not legitimate. The Abenaki First Nations making those claims have called on Vermont lawmakers to reconsider the state recognition process. Reporter Elodie Reed followed up on her original reporting and shared her findings with The Frequency podcast host Mitch Wertlieb. We’re resharing their conversation here.You can find a transcript of that conversation here.You can listen to the entire “Recognized” series here. This story was reported and produced by Elodie Reed, with help from Mitch Wertlieb. The Brave Little State team is Josh Crane, Burgess Brown and Sabine Poux. Angela Evancie is Brave Little State’s Executive Producer. We’ll be back soon with more people-powered Vermont journalism. As always, our show is better when you’re a part of it:Ask a question about VermontVote on the question you want us to tackle nextSign up for the BLS newsletterSay hi on Instagram and Reddit @bravestatevtDrop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.orgCall our BLS hotline: 802-552-4880Make a gift to support people-powered journalismLeave us a rating/review in your favorite podcast appTell your friends about the show!Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network.P.S. This story has been updated to more accurately reflect the response of Vermont's state-recognized tribes to scrutiny of the state recognition process. Additional context has also been added about genealogical documentation cited — but not made public — in state recognition applications.

‘Recognized’: An update

This week, a story from our neighbors at North Country Public Radio. If All Else Fails is a recent podcast about the growing presence — and threat — of far-right extremism in northern New York, and the voters and local law enforcement that are engaging with the movement there.You can learn more about the series here. That’s also where you can find photos from NCPR’s reporting, and listen to the rest of the series.Heads up: The show contains some harsh language and some listeners might find certain parts of this episode disturbing.This episode was reported by Emily Russell and Zach Hirsch for North Country Public Radio, with grant support from Grist and the Center for Rural Strategies. A big thanks to NCPR for letting us share their show here.The Brave Little State team is Josh Crane, Burgess Brown and Sabine Poux. Angela Evancie is Brave Little State’s Executive Producer. We’ll be back soon with more people-powered Vermont journalism. As always, our show is better when you’re a part of it:Ask a question about VermontVote on the question you want us to tackle nextSign up for the BLS newsletterSay hi on Instagram and Reddit @bravestatevtDrop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.orgCall our BLS hotline: 802-552-4880Make a gift to support people-powered journalismLeave us a rating/review in your favorite podcast appTell your friends about the show!Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network.

Investigating far-right extremism in northern New York

The Vermont Association of Snow Travelers, better known as VAST, maintains more than 6,000 miles of snowmobile trails across the state. Today, snowmobiling is one of the top contributors to Vermont’s winter economy. But for a sport so dependent on reliable snow, the future is uncertain.The majority of VAST trails are on private land. One of those landowners is winning question-asker Barb Huibregtse of Danville, who asks: “What is the impact of the VAST trail on Vermont’s economy?”Find the web version of this episode here.This episode was reported by Howard Weiss-Tisman and produced by Sabine Poux. Editing and additional production from Burgess Brown and Josh Crane. Angela Evancie is Brave Little State’s Executive Producer. Our theme music is by Ty Gibbons; other music by Blue Dot Sessions.Special thanks to Augie Melendez, Brian Henderson, Joan Cwirka, Kevin McDonnell and Zachary Amerling.As always, our journalism is better when you’re a part of it:Ask a question about VermontVote on the question you want us to tackle nextSign up for the BLS newsletterSay hi on Instagram and Reddit @bravestatevtDrop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.orgCall our BLS hotline: 802-552-4880Make a gift to support people-powered journalismLeave us a rating/review in your favorite podcast appTell your friends about the show!Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network.Correction: We removed a statistic that said that the number of days with an inch or more of snow in Vermont had dropped 40% since 1960, because we could not verify where it originated. According to data from NOAA, the total days of snow cover greater than one inch in Vermont was actually the same in 1960 and 2016, with variability from year to year. The story has been updated with additional reporting.

What 'old streams' can teach us about flooding

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