📊 The Brief, by the numbers
(War and Peace ×1.4)
Longest edition ever: Friday, August 21st at 8,387 words.
Most-mentioned places
| Burlington | 15,173 |
| South Burlington | 2,122 |
| UVM | 1,625 |
| Shelburne | 1,510 |
| Essex | 1,453 |
| Winooski | 1,437 |
| Church Street | 1,239 |
| Williston | 848 |
| Flynn | 674 |
| Colchester | 660 |
| Higher Ground | 626 |
| ECHO | 449 |
| Lake Champlain | 392 |
| South End | 329 |
| Waterfront | 320 |
Stories by topic
Month by month
| February 2025 | 12 editions | 22,688 |
| March 2025 | 7 editions | 16,064 |
| April 2025 | 9 editions | 22,146 |
| May 2025 | 9 editions | 27,484 |
| June 2025 | 8 editions | 28,088 |
| July 2025 | 8 editions | 36,999 |
| August 2025 | 7 editions | 30,462 |
| September 2025 | 8 editions | 39,405 |
| October 2025 | 10 editions | 43,932 |
| November 2025 | 10 editions | 40,832 |
| December 2025 | 11 editions | 50,944 |
| January 2026 | 10 editions | 51,953 |
| February 2026 | 11 editions | 63,011 |
| March 2026 | 9 editions | 59,800 |
| April 2026 | 10 editions | 64,974 |
| May 2026 | 10 editions | 66,786 |
| June 2026 | 9 editions | 57,291 |
| July 2026 | 9 editions | 62,269 |
| August 2026 | 7 editions | 47,948 |
🧠 Trivia time capsule
From the early editions, when trivia lived in the newsletter itself. A fresh few every visit.
What Mexican state is the inspiration behind the new Williston restaurant, El Comal? Feb 3, 2025
- A) Jalisco
- B) Oaxaca
- C) Baja California
- D) Yucatán
Answer: Oaxaca · edition
Which Vermont county accounted for the highest share of the state’s $4 billion in tourism revenue in 2023? Feb 7, 2025
Answer: Chittenden County · edition
Which natural process causes pancake ice to form, as recently observed at Leddy Beach? Feb 10, 2025
- A) Rapid freezing of splashed water on shorelines
- B) Supercooled water forming ice crystals in mid-air
- C) Floating ice disks colliding and rounding out their edges
- D) Underwater currents pushing ice into circular patterns
Answer: Lost to history. Check the edition! · edition
Which immunization campaign is UVMMC urging parents to consider for newborns and infants? Feb 14, 2025
- A) Influenza
- B) RSV
- C) Pneumococcal
- D) Measles
Answer: B) RSV · edition
Which country artist was announced as a performer for the 2025 Champlain Valley Fair? Feb 17, 2025
- A) Luke Combs
- B) Brantley Gilbert
- C) Morgan Wallen
- D) Kacey Musgraves
Answer: B) Brantley Gilbert · edition
Which Burlington-based nonprofit is currently seeking mentor volunteers to support women transitioning back into the community after incarceration? Feb 20, 2025
- A) Mercy Connections
- B) Women Helping Battered Women
- C) Vermont Works for Women
- D) Steps to End Domestic Violence
Answer: A) Mercy Connections · edition
Jay Peak is on pace to potentially break its all-time snowfall record. How much snow did the mountain receive during its record-breaking winter two decades ago? Feb 21, 2025
- A) 450 inches
- B) 500 inches
- C) 550 inches
- D) 600 inches
Answer: Lost to history. Check the edition! · edition
What is the name of the private equity firm purchasing Vermont Information Processing for approximately $1 billion? Feb 24, 2025
- A) Blackstone
- B) Warburg Pincus
- C) KKR
- D) Bain Capital
Answer: B) Warburg Pincus · edition
A Powerball ticket worth $1 million was recently sold in Vermont. Where was it purchased? Feb 27, 2025
- A) Burlington Market
- B) Glover’s Family Market and Deli
- C) Montpelier Convenience
- D) Rutland Supermart
Answer: B) Glover’s Family Market and Deli · edition
Trivia Time: What viral Valentine's Day gesture made UVM student Colin Deschamps a local sensation? Feb 28, 2025
- A) He wore his girlfriend’s high heels
- B) He serenaded her with a love ballad
- C) He organized a flash mob in downtown Burlington
- D) He surprised her with a pet llama
Answer: A) He wore his girlfriend’s high heels · edition
Which type of wildlife has been praised for “renovating” wetlands near Hinesburg, effectively helping to trap phosphorus in the process? Mar 3, 2025
- A) Raccoons
- B) Beavers
- C) Otters
- D) Muskrats
Answer: Lost to history. Check the edition! · edition
Burlington officials propose a lake bond of how much to upgrade the water treatment system? Mar 5, 2025
- A) $100 million
- B) $152 million
- C) $200 million
- D) $250 million
Answer: B) $152 million · edition
Which Vermont-based company is rolling out electric scoop trucks in collaboration with Rivian? Mar 7, 2025
- A) Green Mountain Coffee Roasters
- B) Ben & Jerry's
- C) Lake Champlain Chocolates
- D) Cabot Creamery
Answer: B) Ben & Jerry's · edition
Which Vermont official cautioned that tariff impacts on Canadian goods and energy could manifest in phases—affecting items from fuel oil to electricity? Mar 10, 2025
- A) Governor Phil Scott
- B) Vermont Commerce Secretary Lindsay Kurrle
- C) UVM Health Network CEO
- D) Burlington Mayor
Answer: Lost to history. Check the edition! · edition