Free Daily Podcast Summary
Brave Little State: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Vermont Public
What if you could decide what stories Vermont Public should be covering, before they're even assigned? That's the idea behind Brave Little State.
Latest Episodes
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- 5 days ago31 min
Private, public … independent? Behind Vermont’s unusual approach to education
In most places, public school means public school. But depending on where in Vermont you live, it can also mean “independent school” — approved private schools that serve as de-facto public schools. One listener wants to know why.Thanks to Beth Murphy of St. Johnsbury for the great question. Click here for photos and a full episode transcript.*Join the BLS team on December 8 in St. Albans! Get tickets and details here.* This episode was reported by Burgess Brown. Editing and production from the rest of the BLS team: Sabine Poux and Josh Crane. Our intern is Sarah Bokelberg. Executive producer is Angela Evancie. Theme music by Ty Gibbons; other music by Blue Dot Sessions.Special thanks to Amy Zielinski, Charlotte Albright, Peggy Pearl, John McClaughry, Rebecca Holcombe, Amanda Gustin, Gail Wiese, Kara Koenig and Daniella Sutherland. As always, our journalism is better when you’re a part of it: Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for the BLS newsletter Say hi on Instagram and Reddit @bravestatevt Drop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.org Make a gift to support people-powered journalism Tell your friends about the show! Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network.
- 2 weeks ago31 min
A very Vermont Halloween
Spooky season is upon us – witches, werewolves … Wampahoofuses? Gather ‘round the campfire with us as we explore some of the creepy, mysterious and otherworldly questions our listeners have asked us over the years. For the full experience, we recommend listening to this episode with headphones.Thanks to today’s question-askers: Zachary West, Lauren Huffman and Mischa Tourin. Click here for photos and a full episode transcript.Hang out with us in Bennington! Click here for tickets. More from Brave Little State: Your Vermont Ghost Stories: A Halloween Special From Brave Little State The Bennington Triangle: How 5 mysterious disappearances developed a cult following online From apple pie to ... ticks? 20 of your Vermont questions, answered This episode was reported by Sarah Bokelberg. Editing and production from the rest of the BLS team: Josh Crane, Sabine Poux and Burgess Brown. Our executive producer is Angela Evancie. Halloween theme music by Ty Gibbons; other music by Blue Dot Sessions.Special thanks to Jack Vorster, Phil Edfors, Bob Furst, Inge Schaefer and Katherine Noiva.As always, our journalism is better when you’re a part of it: Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for the BLS newsletter Say hi onInstagram and Reddit @bravestatevt Drop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.org Make a gift to support people-powered journalism Tell your friends about the show!
- Oct 8, 202627 min
Weighers of coal, high bailiffs and other oddities of local government
Election Day is less than a month away. You’ve probably thought about the big races on your ballot. But what about the ones near the bottom of the page? And what about all those obscure positions appointed after Town Meeting Day?Today, we’re answering your questions about some of Vermont’s more under-the-radar positions in town and county government: high bailiffs, justices of the peace, fence viewers and weighers of coal.Thanks to today’s question-askers: Sarah Heim of Richmond, Peter Booth of Jericho and Megan Smeaton of Colchester.Click here for photos and a full episode transcript. And here for a comprehensive guide to the upcoming election.Hang out with us in Bennington! Click here for tickets. More from Brave Little State: What do Vermont constables do, anyway? Who oversees Vermont’s county sheriffs? This episode was reported by Sabine Poux. Editing and production from the rest of the BLS team: That’s Burgess Brown and Josh Crane. Our intern is Sarah Bokelberg. Our executive producer is Angela Evancie. Theme music by Ty Gibbons; other music by Blue Dot Sessions and Crowander.Special thanks to Liam Elder-Connors, Jay Furr, Jennifer Harlow and the many town clerks we contacted for this episode.As always, our journalism is better when you’re a part of it: Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for the BLS newsletter Say hi onInstagram and Reddit @bravestatevt Drop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.org Make a gift to support people-powered journalism Tell your friends about the show! Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network.
- Sep 24, 202632 min
What’s the deal with Vermont’s fire towers? (Encore)
Wesley Davis grew up in the woods of Mount Holly. But there was always one place where he could get high above the trees: the fire tower on top of nearby Ludlow Mountain. He’s been curious to learn more about the history of these remote towers scattered across Vermont peaks ever since.In this episode from 2023, reporter Sabine Poux searches for answers and arrives at the doorstep of a couple that found a lifetime of artistic inspiration as fire tower lookouts in southern Vermont.For photos from our reporting, and a map of fire towers around the state, check out the web post for this episode.This episode was reported by Sabine Poux. Editing and additional production from the rest of the BLS team: Burgess Brown and me, Josh Crane. Our intern is Sarah Bokelberg. Angela Evancie is our executive producer. Theme music is by Ty Gibbons; other music by Blue Dot Sessions.Special thanks to Mark Haughwout, Ron Kemnow, Peter Hayes, Alan Thompson, Keegan Tierney, Prudence Doherty, Juls Sundberg and Liam Elder-Connors. And thanks to Danielle Kovacs and the Robert S. Cox Special Collections and University Archives Research Center at the University of Massachusetts for finding the copy of Visitors, Hugh Joudry’s radio play. Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for the BLS newsletter Say hi on Instagram and Reddit @bravestatevt Drop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.org Call our BLS hotline: 802-552-4880 Make a gift to support people-powered journalism Tell your friends about the show! Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network.
- Sep 10, 202628 min
Is private equity taking over Vermont’s veterinary market?
McKayla Baker has two dogs, Casey and Nettles, who for years she took to the same local veterinary clinic — until a few years ago, when she noticed changes like extra fees and recommendations for expensive treatments. She found out that the clinic she thought was still independently owned had been acquired by a big corporation backed by private equity. That got her wondering:To what extent has private equity quietly consolidated Vermont's veterinary market? And what are the primary hidden risks for pet owners like me?Click here for photos and a full episode transcript.This episode was reported by Josh Crane. Editing and production from the rest of the BLS team: That’s Burgess Brown and Sabine Poux. Our intern is Sarah Bokelberg. Our executive producer is Angela Evancie. Theme music by Ty Gibbons; other music by Blue Dot Sessions.Special thanks to Zoe McDonald and Francis Wong.Further resources: SEARCH: Private Equity Vet SEARCH: Independent Vet LISTEN: "Loving Their Pets to Debt," from The Daily LISTEN: "Should You Trust Private Equity to Take Care of Your Dog?" from Freakonomics Radio LISTEN: "A pro-worker experiment in private equity," from NPR's Planet Money READ:Plunder: Private Equity's Plan to Pillage America, by Brendan Ballou ***We're heading to St. Albans and Bennington! Follow the links for details and tickets. As always, our journalism is better when you’re a part of it: Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for the BLS newsletter Say hi onInstagram and Reddit @bravestatevt Drop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.org Make a gift to support people-powered journalism Tell your friends about the show! Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network.
- Aug 27, 202648 min
Our 9th Annual Brief History of Vermont Road Names
Vermont is home to tons of peculiar road names. Every year, you nominate your favorites — and we crisscross the state looking for answers. Dive right into our exploration of Green Dolphin Drive in South Burlington. Wade into the origin story of Butternut Gutter in Arlington. And crack open our investigation of Old Shincracker Lane in Baltimore (and, yes, that’s Baltimore, Vermont). If you’re craving even more weird road name stories, explore all eight previous installments in this annual road names series. You can also submit your favorite road name for consideration in the future!Also – get a wicked cool limited-edition BLS Road Names tote bag by supporting our work for $10/month. Click here to get started.This episode was reported by Burgess Brown, Sarah Bokelberg and Josh Crane. It was produced and edited by Sabine Poux. 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 Mikaela Lefrak, Karen Jamiel, Maddison Potter, Al Farrington, Missy Marcell, Rick Hecht, Amanda Gustin, Steve Picazio, Gail Weisse, Sandy Rich, Carla Westine, Andy Kolovos, Theo Avent, Ellen Clattenburg, Josh Morse, Marla Krueger, Dale Bergdahl and Katie Dixon.As always, our journalism is better when you’re a part of it: Ask a question about Vermont Say hi on Instagram and Reddit @bravestatevt Drop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.org Make a gift to support people-powered journalism Tell your friends about the show! Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network.
- Aug 13, 202649 min
Behind the mic
Today, instead of chasing down leads and crisscrossing the state to satisfy your curiosity about one Vermont story or another, we’re going to indulge your curiosity about the show itself. A few months ago, the BLS team welcomed friends and fans to Northern Stage in White River Junction for an event we called “Behind the Mic with Brave Little State.” We lifted the hood on how we make the show, dissected all-time favorite episodes and answered questions from the audience. We even revealed a mortifying “blooper” (eek!).We had a great time, so we decided to share a (lightly condensed and edited) recording from the event with all of you!To mark a decade of BLS, we’re releasing a limited edition tote bag! It features original art with some of our favorite Vermont road names from episodes past. To get one, support our work for $10/month. Click here to get started.Sign up for our (free) newsletter to get updates about future events.This episode was edited and produced by the BLS team: Burgess Brown, Sabine Poux and Josh Crane. Our intern is Sarah Bokelberg and our executive producer is Angela Evancie. Theme music by Ty Gibbons.Special thanks to Amy Zielinski, Jason Smoller, Joshua Davis, Milena Zuccotti, Rachel Thomeer and everyone who joined us for a special evening at Northern Stage.As always, our journalism is better when you’re a part of it: Ask a question about Vermont Say hi on Instagram and Reddit @bravestatevt Drop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.org Make a gift to support people-powered journalism Tell your friends about the show! Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network.
- Jul 30, 202621 min
What’s the story behind Bethel’s famous white granite?
Bethel, Vermont is home to a rare geological treasure: a brilliant granite that’s often described as the whitest in the world. The stone has been quarried there for generations and sent as far as Paris and Abu Dhabi. Two local residents want to know: Why is this stone found in Bethel, of all places? And is it found anywhere else?Thanks to Bennett Law and Owen Daniel-McCarter for the great questions. Click here for photos and a full episode transcript.For more on granite in Vermont, here are some suggested resources: Vermont Stones/Italian Bones (2016) by Bill Johansen, published by the Bethel Historical Society A three-part series about the Woodbury Granite Company by Paul Wood in The Chronicle of the Early American Industries Association, 2021 “How has the geology of Vermont affected its character?” (Brave Little State, 2017) “Meet Giuliano Cecchinelli, Barre's last Italian stone carver” (Vermont Public, 2023) This episode was reported by Sabine Poux. Editing and production from the rest of the BLS team: That’s Burgess Brown and Josh Crane. Our intern is Sarah Bokelberg. Our executive producer is Angela Evancie. Theme music by Ty Gibbons; other music by Blue Dot Sessions.Special thanks to Gail Wiese, Timothy Rath, Laurie Grigg and Denise Guilmette.As always, our journalism is better when you’re a part of it: Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for the BLS newsletter Say hi onInstagram and Reddit @bravestatevt Drop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.org Make a gift to support people-powered journalism Tell your friends about the show! Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network.
About Brave Little State
What if you could decide what stories Vermont Public should be covering, before they're even assigned? That's the idea behind Brave Little State.
Customized Recaps
AI-powered recaps with compact key takeaways, quotes, and insights.
Straight to Your Inbox
Get key takeaways from Brave Little State in a 5-minute read.
Save Hours Every Week
Stay current on your favorite podcasts without falling behind.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Podzilla's Brave Little State daily summary?
It's a free AI-powered email that summarizes new episodes of Brave Little State as soon as they're published. You get the key takeaways, notable quotes, and links & mentions — all in a quick read.
How does the Brave Little State podcast summary work?
When a new episode drops, our AI transcribes and analyzes it, then generates a personalized summary tailored to your interests and profession. It's delivered to your inbox every morning.
Is this an official Brave Little State product?
No. Podzilla is an independent service that summarizes publicly available podcast content. We're not affiliated with or endorsed by Vermont Public.
Can I get summaries of other podcasts too?
Absolutely! The free plan covers up to 3 podcasts, any in the catalog. Basic raises that to 15, Pro to 40 and Max to 100. Browse our full catalog at /podcasts.
How often does Brave Little State release new episodes?
Brave Little State publishes biweekly. Our AI generates a summary within hours of each new episode.
What topics does Brave Little State cover?
Brave Little State covers topics including Culture, Society & Culture, Travel, Places & Travel. Our AI identifies the specific themes in each episode and highlights what matters most to you.
Start getting Brave Little State summaries tomorrow morning.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.