Stories
Hard Times: New England Hardwood Industry Struggles Amid Trump’s Trade War
Trevor Allard stands in the sawmill’s observation deck at Allard Lumber with his sales manager, looking down on a dusty expanse of grinding saw blades and conveyor belts. Allard’s father co-founded the company, in Brattleboro, Vermont, nearly 50 years ago. It’s located where Trevor’s grandfather once farmed the land. “Way back, before the highway,” Allard says.…
Read MoreThere Is An EEE Vaccine For Humans. You Just Can’t Get It
There’s no cure for Eastern equine encephalitis, or EEE, but there is a vaccine for the mosquito-borne illness. It’s just not commercially available. The United States military developed it in the 1980s as part of a vaccine program to protect military personnel from dangerous pathogens, says Sam Telford, an epidemiologist at Tufts University. “As a…
Read More‘It’s Totally A Disaster’: Ban On Vaping Products Frustrates Massachusetts Businesses
Pete Patel was excited about his new business venture as the owner of Liquid Smoke & Vape Shop in Allston. But just a few months in, that excitement has now turned to disappointment. “It’s totally a disaster for us. For the whole industry,” Patel said. “Now we have to close down.” On Tuesday, Gov. Charlie…
Read MoreMaine Fishermen Prepare For Losses And Gains In A Climate-Changed Ocean
In 30 years, the Gulf of Maine will have been transformed by climate change. Its waters will inexorably grow warmer, and the species that flourish there will be those that can adapt. The same might be said for the Mainers who make their living from the sea. The future of the state’s marine economy may…
Read More‘Magical Place For Us’: Syrian Family Finds New Home In Rutland
They fled violence in Syria. They moved from place to place for years. And now, Hazar, Hussam and their three kids are finally settling into their new home in Rutland, which they call a “magical place.” Three years ago, Rutland was planning to become Vermont’s newest resettlement community: 100 mostly Syrian refugees were expected to…
Read MoreTo Combat Climate Change, Do We Need The Nuclear Option?
Future? In Massachusetts, nuclear power is history. Last spring, Massachusetts’ last nuclear power plant — Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station — shut down after nearly 50 years. Repairing the aging plant was too expensive, and it couldn’t compete against cheap natural gas. Nuclear opponents like Mary Lampert, founder of the citizens’ group Pilgrim Watch, say “good…
Read MoreFormer EPA Head To Young Climate Activists: Drive Your Parents Crazy
From the school-skipping 16-year-old Swedish activist raising global awareness about climate change, to the Green New Deal and the emergence of the Sunrise Movement across the U.S., young people are leading the charge for environmental change and action. While youth climate activism is not a new phenomenon, the dire warnings about inaction give today’s movement a heightened urgency. Former Environmental Protection Agency…
Read MoreHeld For 20 Days: How New Hampshire’s Shortage Of Mental Health Beds Erodes Patients’ Rights
Imagine you are forced to go to a hospital to receive psychiatric treatment that you don’t think you need. What rights would you have? That’s the question at the heart of a court battle between the state of New Hampshire, the ACLU, and nearly two-dozen hospitals. A ruling in the case could have profound impacts…
Read MoreBack To The Grind (Stone): A Grain Revival Rises In New England
The local food movement has made it easier to find fresh veggies and fruit farmed nearby. But grains? Not so much. Most of the bread New Englanders break is made with flour from industrial, Midwestern farms. That’s changing, though, as farmers, millers and chefs rally to reinvent a lost regional “grain economy.” Michael Morway is…
Read MoreHens, Horses, Hills? The Elusive Origin Of Putney’s Hi-Lo Biddy Road
Brave Little State got a funny question a while back from Michael Hudson, in Putney, Vermont. He wrote, “For the love of God, please tell me the origin of Putney’s Hi-Lo Biddy Road!” Michael’s question is one of a bunch that Brave Little State received after an episode last summer, when we tried to decipher the origins of perplexing road names. In an attempt to establish a new tradition, we’re taking another road trip of inquiry to bring you more answers.
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