AT THE POLLS
Seven things to watch on Town Meeting Day
VE R MO NT ’S INDE PEN DENT VO IC E FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024 VOL.29 NO.20 SEVENDAYSVT.COM
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Key to the
Queen City In Burlington’s mayoral contest, Joan Shannon and Emma Mulvaney-Stanak are mostly focused on one issue: public safety BY C O UR TNE Y L AMD IN, PAGE 2 6
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WEEK IN REVIEW
emoji 1,050 the total number that That’s of housing units
FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024 COMPILED BY SASHA GOLDSTEIN & MATTHEW ROY A GlobalFoundries employee on the production floor in Essex Junction
SWEET SURROUNDINGS
Randolph is the No. 1 “bucket list” town to explore by Amtrak train, per website thetravel.com. Lucky you can get there by car or bus!
FLU’S CLUES
Next-Gen Chips GlobalFoundries plans to invest millions of dollars in its Essex Junction plant over the next several years, powered by $1.5 billion that the Biden administration awarded the company on Monday. The federal government will give Vermont’s largest private employer $125 million in cash and tax credits to refurbish the semiconductor plant, according to Joan Goldstein, commissioner of the state Department of Economic Development. The bulk of the $1.5 billion will pay for an expansion of the company’s Malta, N.Y., factory, as well as the construction of a brand-new fabrication facility there. GlobalFoundries is the first manufacturer to receive money from the 2022 CHIPS and Science Act, a Biden administration initiative aimed at strengthening the U.S. role in the production of semiconductors. The chips are essential to manufacturing in the automotive, aerospace, defense and artificial intelligence industries. Demand for the chips soared during the pandemic as sales of smartphones and other products spiked. But supply chain disruptions led to shortages. The CHIPS and Science Act is intended to consolidate manufacturing in the U.S. to prevent future disruptions. In a statement applauding the announcement, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (I-Vt.) office noted that about 85 percent of phones use a GlobalFoundries chip. GlobalFoundries has said the semiconductor market is expected to double over the next decade. According to the
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National Institute of Standards and Technology, only four companies outside China provide semiconductor manufacturing at GlobalFoundries’ scale. The company is preparing to upgrade and expand capacity at its Essex Junction fabrication facility. The plant is expected to manufacture next-generation gallium nitride, or GaN, semiconductors for use in electric vehicles, power grids, data centers, 5G and 6G smartphones, and other critical technologies, the company said. Gallium nitride is an emerging material in semiconductor manufacturing. Over the next decade-plus, GlobalFoundries said, it plans to invest more than $12 billion in its New York and Vermont plants through public-private partnerships. “Combined, these investments are expected to create over 1,500 manufacturing jobs and about 9,000 construction jobs over the life of these projects,” the company said. With an estimated workforce of 1,800, the GlobalFoundries plant in Essex Junction is a major player in the economies of Chittenden County and Vermont overall. The investment will enable the facility to develop an on-site solar energy system that supplies up to 9 percent of the energy used at the plant, the National Institute of Standards and Technology said in a press release. The complex consumes more power annually than Burlington, Vermont’s largest city. Read Anne Wallace Allen’s full story at sevendaysvt.com.
A bobcat found dead in Cornwall tested positive for avian flu. It’s the first mammal in Vermont to be found with the disease, officials said.
ALL WET
It’s time again to guess when the ice will melt on Joe’s Pond in Danville. Last year, it happened the night of April 17.
the Cambrian Rise development on North Avenue in Burlington will have when completed.
TOPFIVE
MOST POPULAR ITEMS ON SEVENDAYSVT.COM
1. “The Fight for Decker Towers: Drug Users and Homeless People Have Overrun a LowIncome High-Rise. Residents Are Gearing Up to Evict Them” by Derek Brouwer. The building is functioning as an unfunded warming shelter, an unmonitored injection site, and a hub for distributing drugs and stolen goods. 2. “Burlington’s Tomgirl Kitchen Closed, Future Uncertain” by Jordan Barry. The company announced on social media that it was closing “until further notice.” 3. “Sweet Clover Market in Essex to Close” by Melissa Pasanen. The independent grocery store located in the Essex Experience will go dark by the end of February. 4. “Addison Selectboard Member Kept Serving Because Nobody Realized His Term Was Up,” by Rachel Hellman. Even Peter Briggs himself forgot his term was over. 5. “Reuben Jackson, Poet, Jazz Scholar and Longtime Vermont Public DJ, Dies at 67” by Ken Picard. The 67-year-old man suffered a stroke on February 2, just hours after finishing a radio show in Washington, D.C.
post of the week @btvjim
STATEMENT VOTE
U.S. Sens. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) voted against a $95 billion package that included aid to Israel. They cited the killing of Palestinian civilians.
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THAT’S SO VERMONT
On many a Town Meeting Day, Fairfax resident Alice Scannell would look at her ballot in bewilderment. While she knew about some of the offices and the candidates hoping to fill them, many were a mystery to her. “I’d be like, ‘What in the world does a cemetery commissioner even do?’” Scannell recalled. She figured that if she had these questions, her neighbors did, too. So she teamed up with another Fairfax resident, Pat LaClair, to build a website that would let voters know what positions were up for election on Town Meeting Day, who was running and why they wanted the job. Their nonpartisan Fairfax Voter Project went
live earlier this month (sites.google.com/ view/fairfax-voter-project/) and already has had 1,000 unique visitors. The goal is to publicize statements from all the candidates running for local office in the Franklin County town of 1,200 so voters can make informed decisions on March 5. No opinions. No heated political rhetoric. No anonymous posting. Just informative introductions to those running for local office. “It’s really clean. It’s just the candidates and what they want to say,” Scannell said. Scannell, a social worker, and LaClair, a former high school teacher, came up with a questionnaire for all the local candidates, gave them a week to fill it out, then posted their answers.
This year there are candidates for town moderator, selectboard, school board, library board, delinquent tax collector, Bellows Free Academy trustee and cemetery district commissioner. Some candidates initially were hesitant, fig-
uring they were a lock for a volunteer position that is sometimes viewed as more of an appointment than an elected post, Scannell said. It took some nudging, but everyone eventually came around. The site has answers from all 18 candidates on the ballot, including those running unopposed. Scannell hopes to jump-start interest in the upcoming election — especially among younger generations and newer residents — and reduce the risk of political divisiveness. “The commitment of these folks running for local office is an antidote to the dysfunction of national politics, and I hope our questionnaire helps everyone see that,” she said. KEVIN MCCALLUM SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024
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This effort will take time and be costly, but doing less will cost more, leaving the stairwells at Decker Towers and other public and private spaces to become de facto emergency shelters.
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Jean Markey-Duncan
PRIZE-WORTHY PIECE
Congratulations on this revealing and disturbing Decker Towers piece [“The Fight for Decker Towers,” February 14]. It is one of those rare reports that may even effect some kind of change. I hope you submit it for a Pulitzer or other journalism prize.
BURLINGTON
NO MORE HOTELS
Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger announced on February 8 that there will be less housing at CityPlace [“CityPlace Burlington Developers to Add Hotels, Elinore Standard Reduce Housing,” February 8, online]. This is bad news but not an emergency. BURLINGTON Why is urgent action by the city council required before the election on March 5 ‘RIGOROUS REPORTING’ — when we will have a new mayor and Kudos to Derek Brouwer for his inves- council who should chart the future tigative report “The Fight for Decker course of CityPlace? Can’t we as a Towers” [February 14]. This rigorous community take a moment and decide reporting could finally make a positive what the community wants and needs to difference. replace the lost housing? I worked for Champlain Valley Agency What funding was withdrawn, and on Aging, currently Age Well, when why? Is there an option to finish the projDecker Towers was ect with less housing with a comfortable, enjoythe funding we already TAXING SITUATION able community of have? lower-income seniors. Let’s keep it local. We Seniors deserve a learned over the past nine sense of safety and years that partnering with well-being, but when out-of-state developers Burlington Housing failed. Thank goodness Authority needed to for local developers and accept other categocontractors stepping up ries of vulnerable and taking charge. individuals into the And what about hotels? housing, they did not Downtown Burlington NERD ALERT TOO MANY COOKS? HAIL TO THE QUEENS have adequate support, has four beautiful downand the atmosphere town hotels for our small changed. Now, of course, the plague city of 44,595 people. Hotel Vermont, of highly addictive drugs has led to an Courtyard by Marriott, Hilton Burlingunprecedented number of ill and desper- ton Lake Champlain and Hilton Garden ate people seeking drugs and shelter. Inn supply 683 downtown hotel rooms, The concerns of the Decker Towers according to the Burlington assessor’s residents must be addressed satisfactorily. records. Why do we want to add two I applaud their efforts to come together more hotels with parking? to gain attention in the hope of solving The mayor recommends partnering their current unlivable and dangerous with Giri Hotel Management at CityPlace. conditions. However, some people taking up arms can only add to the danger. The medical and public health community CORRECTIONS must step up and take the lead to address Last week’s cover story, “The Fight what is fundamentally a public health for Decker Towers,” contained an crisis. We need a COVID-19-type response error. Police have not managed to now! shut down the suspected drug dealers What’s required is access to 24-7 in the building, according to Burlingmedical assessments, stabilization beds ton Housing Authority. followed by placement in evidence-based Due to an editing error, last week’s drug treatment centers leading to sober story “Busted Budgets” misreported living opportunities, continued trauma the circumstances under which therapy, skill building, job training/placeHeather Bushey was quoted. She ment and permanent housing. When all was interviewed and did not testify this is in place, we can more effectively to lawmakers. hold people accountable for their actions. Lawmakers grapple with rising ed costs PAGE 14
VOL.29 NO.19 SEVENDAYSVT.COM
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EVER HOPEFUL.
VERMONT’S INDEPENDENT VOICE FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024
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The Fight for Decker Towers
Drug users and homeless people have overrun a low-income high-rise. Residents are gearing up to evict them. BY DEREK BROUWER, PAGE 26
PAGE 34
LeMays to host their last drag ball
PAGE 40
Commercial kitchens scarce in ChittCo
PAGE 46
New science wing at Fairbanks
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Giri bought the former YMCA at 266 College Street on December 9, 2022. For more than year, Giri added no value to the blighted building. What is the level of trust for a new Giri partnership? Steph Holdridge
BURLINGTON
MAKE US LAUGH
Could you please run some comics that cause laughter? I know the state/country/world is in a tough spot, but Fun Stuff is basically two pages of graphic angst. Please don’t ever remove Harry Bliss, or I’ll have to up my medication again. Thanks for an otherwise excellent paper. Gigi Graner
SOUTH STRAFFORD
‘MYTH OF ACCOUNTABILITY’
I read with great attention [“Distress Signal: A Lawsuit Accuses Burlington Police of Using Excessive Force on a Black 14-Year-Old With Disabilities,” January 31]. This story finally made it past the city’s officials and out to the public. The light now focused on yet another excessive-use-of-force lawsuit against the Burlington Police Department cannot be understated. The young man at the center of the event is a Black male on the cusp of manhood, with significant and wellknown disabilities. The officers’ behaviors only served to escalate the situation, with predictably severe adverse and traumatic consequences. I have a particular perspective as a then-contracted counsel to the Burlington Police Commission. Independent counsel is required because of the
adverse interests of the city and the BPC, as evidenced here and elsewhere. I cannot go into detail on the machinations of the commission regarding Cathy Austrian’s complaint. It’s all confidential under the commission’s current enabling ordinance. The BPC has been the subject of great discussion. Despite repeated efforts to further empower the commission, proposed reforms were recently referred back to the commission by the city council for yet “further study.” Austrian beseeched the city for a copy of the commission’s investigation report. She apparently needed to file suit to get to tell her son’s story. I left to avoid further involvement in the façade of police oversight. Without the ability to share its insights with complainants and the public at large, all the commission effectively does is promote the myth of accountability.
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contents FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024 VOL.29 NO.20
COLUMNS
SECTIONS
11 Magnificent 7 13 From the Publisher 37 Side Dishes 48 Movie Review 54 Soundbites 58 Album Reviews 85 Ask the Reverend
24 Life Lines 36 Food + Drink 42 Culture 48 On Screen 50 Art 54 Music + Nightlife 60 Calendar 66 Classes 67 Classifieds + Puzzles 81 Fun Stuff 84 Personals
85
FOOD+ DRINK 36 A New Leaf
Richmond’s relaunched Kitchen Table doubles down on comfort food
Not Meatloaf Burger Night at Four Quarters Brewing is a soon-to-be smash
Going Grey
Key to the
Queen City
36
STUCK IN VERMONT
Drinking delightful London fog lattes at Great Harvest Bread
Online Thursday
In Burlington’s mayoral contest, Joan Shannon and Emma Mulvaney-Stanak are mostly focused on one issue: public safety BY COUR TNEY L AM D I N
26 COVER DESIGN REV. DIANE SULLIVAN • IMAGE MARK NADEL
NEWS+POLITICS 14
ARTS+CULTURE 42
Fly Girls
From the Mouths of Babes
A Franklin County nonprofit is drawing young women into aviation careers
A new podcast features Vermonters’ perspectives on climate change — through the eyes of an infant
Selectboard Member Accidentally Served an Extra Year
34
Budgets, Bees and Bonds
Vermont communities tackle Palestine, bridges and the postal service on Town Meeting Day
Ukrainian Man Pleads Guilty to UVM Medical Center Cyberattack Time to Vote Already?
Vermont picks mayors, councils and presidential candidates on March 5
Group Offers Tips for Renting Your Home During the Eclipse
Last Words
Book review: The General and Julia, Jon Clinch
Vermont Lawmakers Drop Bid to Give Themselves Raises
FEATURES 26 ‘Mr. Helpful’
Reuben Jackson, Poet, Jazz Scholar and Longtime Vermont Public DJ, Dies at 67
Burlington’s ONE Arts Center Expands Programs at a New Location At the Current, “In the Garden” turns over the fertile soil of artistic imagination
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Lynda Siegel began teaching mah-jongg SUPPORTED BY: classes at the Ohavi Zedek Synagogue in Burlington in March 2022. The game originated in China in the 19th century. Siegel, known to her fellow players as “the Queen of Mah-Jongg,” estimates that she has taught it to 125 people over the past two years — and raised $8,000 for the synagogue in the process.
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Find a new job in the classifieds section on page 73 and online at jobs.sevendaysvt.com.
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LOOKING FORWARD
MAGNIFICENT
FRIDAY 23 & SATURDAY 24
Fairy Tales Cofounded by Sir Patrick Stewart in 1975, Actors From the London Stage has been turning the Shakespeare game on its head for almost 50 years. At the UVM Lane Series at Burlington’s University of Vermont Recital Hall, the troupe’s five actors present their utterly unique staging of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, breaking the form down to its bare essentials with minimal props, multiple roles and bold self-direction.
MUST SEE, MUST DO THIS WEEK COMPI L E D BY EM ILY H AM ILTON
SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 62
SATURDAY 24
Play Your Cards Right Audiences lose their heads (in a good way) at the Queen of Hearts Drag Ball, hosted by Bellows Falls Pride at the Moose Lodge. Guests are encouraged to come dressed in their Wonderland best to this stacked show featuring Rhedd Rhumm, Anita Cocktail, Jack Rose and Moxxie Hart. SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 62
SATURDAY 24
Words in the Woods
THURSDAY 22
Inspired by StoryWalks at libraries across the state, the Stark Mountain Foundation holds its sixth annual StorySki at Mad River Glen in Waitsfield. Little readers (and their caregivers) with lift tickets enjoy Ten on the Sled by Kim Norman and Liza Woodruff page by page as they slide through the woods. Kids 12 and under get hot cocoa and a stuffed animal while supplies last.
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LEAVE IT TO BEAVER Science and history make dam good bedfellows in award-winning writer Leila Philip’s Beaverland: How One Weird Rodent Made America, America which launches in paperback at Norwich Bookstore. From the colonization of North America through the secretive modern fur trade, Philip traces the outsize influence that these furry architects have had on U.S. society.
SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 61
SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 62
SUNDAY 25 THURSDAY 22
Strike a Harpsichord
COURTESY OF JULIAN BENHAMOU
The wildly imaginative chamber group Le Consort take audiences on a musical journey across baroque Europe at Middlebury College’s Robison Concert Hall. This invigorating program features works from Italy, England, Germany and France and incorporates two different settings of “La Folia,” one of the most recognizable melodies in European history. SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 60
Submit your upcoming events at sevendaysvt.com/postevent.
Thrills and Chills On and around the snowy trails at Burlington’s Intervale Center, Wintervale promises a day of wintry, wonderful fun for all ages. Locals take advantage of free ski and snowshoe demos, guided wildlife tracking, maple-themed activities and treats, a friendly chili cooking competition, and a hot chocolate-fueled dance party. SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 63
ONGOING
Now and Zen Art lovers meditate on “K Is for Koan, T Is for Tone,” a solo show by Erika Lawlor-Schmidt at Studio Place Arts in Barre. These prints, drawings and collages play with the Zen Buddhist concept of “koan,” as in a paradoxical question, and “tone,” as in the timbre of sound or the quality of color. SEE GALLERY LISTING AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/ART
BROWSE THE FULL CALENDAR, ART SHOWS, AND MUSIC+NIGHTLIFE LISTINGS AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM. SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024
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SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024
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FROM THE PUBLISHER
Open to Debate
become an adult: Ambitious things were happening — the Flynn had just opened; Bernie Sanders was mayor — but the vibe was safe, supportive, accessible. If you wanted to make a difference in the community, you could. That’s why Pamela Polston and I started Seven Days here in 1995. Seeing people gathered, listening to the candidates, brought me back. Hopefully even more will read Courtney Lamdin’s cover story about the mayoral race in this week’s paper before returning their mail-in ballots, which arrived last week. Better yet, they’ll wait to vote on Town Meeting Day — March 5 — and read our coverage of everything election-related that comes to light between now and then. After the debate, Sasha and Courtney went to Manhattan Pizza & Pub for a bite with deputy publisher Cathy Resmer. A young couple who had attended the debate approached their table. The two identified themselves as Burlington residents concerned about the state of the city. They noted that this election seemed to them to be an important one and said they were grateful for the opportunity to hear from all the candidates in person. The woman said she had grown up here, left and come back as a 29-year-old; this was the first time she had ever engaged in local politics. She revealed that, before the debate, she was leaning toward Mulvaney-Stanak, while her male companion was in the Shannon camp. Hearing all four mayoral contenders speak challenged some of their assumptions and gave them both a lot to think and talk about. That’s our job. LUKE AWTRY
Two weeks ago, Seven Days hosted a debate with the four candidates who want to be the next mayor of Burlington. Voters of all ages and political persuasions filled city hall for the live event, which was simulcast on and recorded by Town Meeting TV. I found a seat in the balcony. Down below, Seven Days deputy news editor Sasha Goldstein questioned Democratic Burlington City Councilor Joan Shannon, Progressive Rep. Emma Mulvaney-Stanak and the two independents in the race: former Burlington Mayoral debate at Burlington City Hall School Board member Chris Haessly and used-car salesman Will Emmons. There had been some internal discussion about whether to include the two men, neither of whom has the resources or organizational support of Shannon or Mulvaney-Stanak. The more candidates onstage, the less viewers can accurately assess those who stand a chance of winning. But they made a compelling case for their inclusion, and I’m glad we allowed them. This election will be decided by ranked-choice voting, which means people can select up to four candidates in order of their preference. Without getting into the details, which are complicated, suffice it to say unexpected things can happen. For example: If enough voters selected Haessly as their No. 2 choice, he could end up the victor. That’s one reason why, in a ranked-choice election, everyone tends to act politely in public events like the one we organized, which was more of a facilitated question-and-answer session than a true debate. In their efforts to be vote-worthy, candidates will keep their gloves on, which makes it harder to discern the differences between them. No blood was spilled in this four-way matchup, but thanks to Haessly and Emmons, there were some lively moments. Specifically, the latter kept referring to Burlington as a “war zone.” No one with a real shot at running the Queen City would have dared describe it that way. In the last mayoral election, Emmons got 27 votes. People applauded for their candidates, and, at least among those in the balcony, Mulvaney-Stanak appeared to have the edge over Shannon. But spectators were respectful and engaged — rapt, even — throughout. While I’d like to chalk it up to increasing civility, the behavior of the audience was more likely an indication of the importance of this race, and this moment, for the city we love. When I first came to Vermont, in 1978, to attend Middlebury College, Burlington was considered a tough town. By the time I moved here in 1983, things were looking up. Like so many young people before and after me, I found it to be the perfect place to
TOWN MEETING DAY
Paula Routly P.S. You can watch the mayoral debate at sevendaysvt.com/mayoral-debate-2024. To support our journalism and community events, look for the “Give Now” button at the top of sevendaysvt.com. Or send a check with your address and contact info to: SEVEN DAYS, C/O SUPER READERS P.O. BOX 1164 BURLINGTON, VT 05402-1164
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SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024
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news
MORE INSIDE
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT VOTING PAGE 18
TOWN MEETING DAY
HOW TO RENT IN AN ECLIPSE PAGE 19
LAWMAKERS DUMP PAY RAISES PAGE 20
PHOTOS: COURTESY OF ZOË BRODSKY
EDUCATION
Selectboard Member Accidentally Served an Extra Year B Y RA C H E L H E LLMA N rhellman@sevendaysvt.com
Peter Briggs
Emma Cornett
Fly Girls
A Franklin County nonprofit is drawing young women into aviation careers B Y A L ISON NOVAK • alison@sevendaysvt.com
O
nly two of the 35 hangars at the Franklin County State Airport in Swanton have bright pink doors. One belongs to Beth White, an educator, breast cancer survivor and pilot. The other is home to Habitat for Aviation, the nonprofit that White launched in 2022 to train the next generation of airplane mechanics and pilots, with a focus on getting young women into the maledominated field. During a visit to the otherwise beige airport on Super Bowl Sunday, it was clear that White’s program is taking off. In her personal hangar, half a dozen young women — some wearing hand-dyed overalls in the same bubblegum hue as the doors — clustered around workbenches. One group assembled a tail piece of a RANS S-21 Outbound, a two-seat aircraft that they have been building for the past three months. Other students bent sheet metal that would ultimately wrap around the plane’s elevator, a small component that controls the plane’s pitch, or up-anddown movement. 14
SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024
Beth White (left) and Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman
White, in her own pair of pink overalls and a Rosie the Riveter-style headband, surveyed the scene with pride. Giving girls hands-on experience building a real, functional plane, with professional, mostly female mechanics as guides, might just be “the secret sauce” in drawing them into the growing field of aviation, White said. And it’s the type
of technical training that prepares young people for well-paying careers in the trades, something that state officials have championed in recent years. Currently, only 2.6 percent of American airplane mechanics and 4.6 percent of pilots are women, according to a 2022 report from the Women in Aviation Advisory Board, which Congress established in 2018 to address the underrepresentation. Barriers, the report notes, include gender stereotypes, few female role models in aviation and a lack of awareness about career paths. White, 46, of Milton, didn’t get interested in aviation until later in life. She grew up in Chittenden County in a family that embraced the trades. Her father worked as a tool and die maker at the Blodgett Oven factory, then started his own construction company. White has been an educator for 20 years and now serves as director of New England Initiatives at Big Picture Learning, a network of alternative high schools, including one in South Burlington, where FLY GIRLS
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No one in the Town of Addison, population 1,337, noticed that Peter Briggs was serving an extra year on its selectboard — not even Briggs himself. That is, until the board convened in late January. While planning for Town Meeting Day, its members noticed something strange: Only one selectboard seat was up for election. The five-person board — made up of three three-year positions and two two-year positions — should’ve had two open seats. Members soon realized that Briggs, elected in March 2021 for a two-year term, was serving a third year. “Everybody in town missed it,” Briggs said. “Including myself.” The problem was traced back to 2021, when the then-town clerk incorrectly recorded when Briggs’ two-year term would start: Instead of 2021, the clerk wrote 2022, said Roger Waterman, chair of the selectboard. Shortly afterward, Cheri Waterman — Roger’s wife — took over the position of town clerk. In the 2022 and 2023 reports, she made the same mistake, indicating Briggs’ term was to expire in 2024 rather than 2023. Briggs, who has served since 2015, said he didn’t realize that he was supposed to be up for reelection in 2023. He blames the pandemic: In 2021, the town did not require candidates to collect signatures to get on the ballot. “When you have a perfect storm of things that happen, sometimes you get unexpected results,” Roger Waterman said of the oversight. Briggs attended the board’s monthly meetings after his term expired in March 2023. He discussed issues and voted as a member. Waterman said that as soon as he realized the mistake, he reached out to the Vermont League of Cities & Towns. The league told him to hold an election for a one-year selectboard position. That’s to finish the term that voters should have filled last year — which will put the board back on its proper electoral calendar. Waterman also looked back at the selectboard’s decisions over the past year to see whether Briggs had swayed any close votes. According to Waterman, he did not. ➆
Budgets, Bees and Bonds
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own Meeting Day ballots will be shorter in some Vermont communities this year, thanks to unexpected spikes in school taxes. State lawmakers have given towns permission to postpone school budget votes until school boards have a chance to reconsider, and perhaps reduce, spending to hold down tax increases. In communities that go this route, residents will vote twice, deciding town-specific matters on March 5, then voting on their school budgets a few weeks later. Nevertheless, the March 5 elections will settle a range of issues. In dozens of towns, residents will consider repairs to bridges and roads damaged in last July’s flood. In Sutton and Andover, they’ll vote on regulating short-term rentals. In Rutland, the question is whether to continue adding fluoride to city water. Seven Days pored over more than 200 town meeting agendas; seven pending decisions, detailed below, stood out.
BRIDGE BOND
Anyone who has walked or biked between Winooski and Burlington has had to deal with the narrow sidewalks on the busy 96-year-old bridge connecting the two cities. On Town Meeting Day, Winooski residents will decide whether to approve a $4.6 million bond to pay the city’s share of replacing the deteriorating structure. The bridge lacks traffic shoulders and has a six-foot sidewalk on both sides. In 2019, the Winooski and Burlington city councils approved a preliminary design of a new bridge with two-foot shoulders and 12-foot shared-use paths on either side, separated from the auto lanes by traffic barriers. “The bridge is getting to the end of its useful design life,” Jon Rauscher,
Winooski’s public works director, said of the span, which was constructed after the 1927 flood that destroyed 1,200 bridges across Vermont. Not everyone loves the design. Some cyclists say the proposed bike lanes should be wider. Some modest design changes are still possible, Rauscher said. The federal government will pay 80 percent of the estimated $60 million to $80 million project. State government will contribute 10 percent of the cost, while Winooski and Burlington will each pay 5 percent. Winooski’s share is anticipated to cost $4.6 million. Construction would begin in 2027, and in order to make use of the federal funding, the work must be finished by 2031. The bond would raise the tax rate for Winooski residents up to 4 percent starting in 2028.
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SMALL TOWN, BIG ISSUE
After hours of public debate, the Burlington City Council declined to allow a ballot item that would have let city voters weigh in on a pro-Palestine resolution. But residents in Newfane, population 1,645, are set to vote on a similar measure. “We feel like we’re complicit in genocide,” said Dan DeWalt, a leader of Southern Vermont for Palestine, which spearheaded efforts to get a cease-fire resolution on Newfane’s ballot. In recent months, DeWalt and his allies have coordinated protests in Brattleboro and weekly vigils in other towns. The Windham County town has a history of passing leftleaning resolutions. Voters have called for the impeachment of then-president George W. Bush and the closure of the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station. BUDGETS, BEES AND BONDS
1-855-DRY-TIME
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news CRIME
Ukrainian Man Pleads Guilty to UVM Medical Center Cyberattack B Y R AC H E L H E L L M AN rhellman@sevendaysvt.com
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students learn through independent projects and internships. In 2018, White decided to become a pilot after reading an autobiography by Beryl Markham, an English aviator who made the first solo flight from Europe to North America. That was in 1936, long before GPS and air-traffic control. Six months later, serendipity struck. White had stayed in touch with her former middle school math teacher, Charlie Wilson. When he died, his widow offered White his Cessna 150 and hangar at Franklin County State Airport in exchange for helping put a roof on her barn. White named the twoseater Charlie in her teacher’s honor. “I got this hangar, and it totally changed my life,” White said. Another life-altering occurrence came in 2021, when White was diagnosed with breast cancer. After chemotherapy, radiation and a double mastectomy, she emerged from treatment with a renewed sense of purpose. With her parents, she purchased a 9,600-square-foot warehouse at the Franklin County airport. In October 2022, she established Habitat for Aviation as a nonprofit. White is excited for the organization’s future. In addition to the all-women build on Sundays, she plans to start a new, genderinclusive airplane build on Saturdays. She’s also aiming to strengthen partnerships with local career and technical centers and to introduce programs in elementary and middle schools. She hopes that the Habitat for Aviation model can be replicated far beyond Vermont. To help pay for operating costs, the fledgling organization has received about 90 private donations, plus grants from foundations and businesses, including the Vermont Community Foundation and Green Mountain Power. Habitat also relies on a committed group of volunteers and is looking for more. White has launched an ambitious $10 million capital campaign to transform the warehouse into a state-of-the-art hangar and education space and add a taxi lane that connects it to the airport’s runway. She hopes to eventually build another hangar where young people can work on and learn about Beta Technologies’ electric aircraft. Beta has partnered with White to offer events such as Young Eagles Days, which offer youths a chance to fly in small planes, and also hosted a Girls in Aviation celebration at the company’s new maintenance hangar in South Burlington. Katie Clark, wife of Beta founder Kyle Clark, is on the nonprofit’s board. “The work that Habitat for Aviation is doing to empower young people, particularly young women who are interested in aviation, is so important for the future of
Airplane mechanic Jane Thomson working with young women
ALISON NOVAK
A Ukrainian man pleaded guilty last week for his role in a 2020 cyberattack against the University of Vermont Medical Center that downed computer systems, disrupted patient care and cost tens of millions of dollars. Vyacheslav Igorevich Penchukov, 38, pleaded guilty in federal court in Nebraska to wire fraud and a violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Penchukov led two prolific groups that infected thousands of computers with malicious software, according to authorities. Before his arrest in Switzerland in 2022, he was a fugitive on the FBI’s most wanted list for nearly a decade. He was extradited to the U.S. last year. Federal authorities say he was linked to attacks that went on for years. Some victims paid up to $1 million to free their systems. In fall 2020, the attack on the Burlington hospital crippled its servers and disrupted patient care. Attackers encrypted hospital files and loaded malware onto more than 5,000 computers. Employees had to revert to paper-based systems to do their jobs. Hundreds who couldn’t work were sent home. IT experts, including a Vermont National Guard team, spent weeks wiping devices one at a time. Once it was back online, the hospital revealed it had been the victim of a ransomware attack, in which hackers demand payment to release systems. Some cancer patients’ treatment was disrupted for weeks. In court documents, the Justice Department said the attack cost the hospital more than $30 million. Prosecutors said the attack created a “risk of death or serious bodily injury to patients.” Penchukov faces up to 20 years on both offenses and will be sentenced on May 9, prosecutors said. Penchukov’s case “should serve as a clear warning,” prosecutor Nicole M. Argentieri said in a press release. “The Justice Department will never stop in its pursuit of cybercriminals.” ➆
Fly Girls « P.14
THE WORK THAT HABITAT FOR AVIATION IS DOING … IS SO IMPORTANT FOR THE FUTURE OF THIS INDUSTRY. K AT I E C L A R K
his industry,” Katie Clark wrote in a statement to Seven Days. “Beth White has been a mentor and an inspiration to me and my three daughters (and my son!) and we’re incredibly lucky that she and Habitat for Aviation exist here in Vermont.” For now, the airplane build is under way in White’s smaller, cozier hangar, which is decorated with White’s own bold multimedia artwork that depicts female trailblazers in aviation. They include Bessie Coleman, the first Black woman in the U.S. to hold a pilot’s license, and U.S. Air Force service pilots of World War II, who transported planes from manufacturers to air bases — and taught men how to fly. When the plane is complete, likely later this year, the group plans to fly it to national air shows to raise awareness about the gender gap and encourage more women to pursue careers in aviation. Emma Cornett, 16, one of the young women bending sheet metal that Sunday, doesn’t need any convincing. She already knows she wants to be an airplane mechanic and an aerobatic pilot, doing stunts such as flying upside down. A sophomore at Champlain Valley Union High School, Cornett comes to the airport several days a week to work with Habitat for Aviation and intern for 80-year-old George Coy, a former state legislator who
used to oversee operations at the airport. Now Coy rents out and maintains a small fleet of planes. Cornett’s dad was a fighter pilot who flew with the Vermont Air National Guard’s Green Mountain Boys. Many of the men on her mom’s side are auto mechanics, Cornett said, but she was hesitant to go into the field because of how male-dominated it is. Learning alongside other young women is “really empowering,” Cornett said. Another bonus: Her school is giving her academic credit for the work. She and the other young women are also earning scholarship money from the Harbor Freight Fellows Initiative, a national program that supports apprenticeships for youths who want to work in the trades. At 22, Zoë Brosky is one of the older members of the program. She also has aviation in her blood: Her grandfather flew for Delta, and her dad was a pilot who would often rent planes at the Franklin County airport for fun. After graduating from college last year with an accounting degree, Brosky realized it wasn’t her true calling. Now Brosky is working several parttime jobs while learning how to build and fly planes. She hopes to have a career as a commercial or cargo pilot. Like Cornett, Brosky once felt as though aviation “didn’t seem like a place
for me,” she said. But “being in this environment is not intimidating … Everyone is willing to help.” One challenge is finding professional female mechanics to serve as mentors. Just 10 women hold airplane mechanic licenses in Vermont, according to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. Two of them, Bianca Marrier and Jane Thomson, volunteer with Habitat for Aviation. Marrier has worked for Beta for the past four years. But it wasn’t easy landing at the high-profile local startup. She felt isolated as the only woman in Burlington Technical Center’s aviation program, from which she graduated in 2007. Even today, only one of its 19 students is female. Marrier got pregnant soon after graduation and put her career aspirations on hold, then went back to school and earned her airplane mechanic license in 2011. Still, she said it was hard to find work in the field, which she chalked up to being a woman. She almost gave up — selling her tools and studying to become a property manager — before she got a job at Beta. Marrier’s daughter, Laila, is in ninth grade at Milton High School. She helps build the plane every Sunday alongside her mom — who she calls “an icon” — and hopes to become an airplane mechanic herself one day. Marrier said bringing women together to learn technical skills in a judgmentfree environment is a solid approach. Her daughter has watched her struggle, Marrier said, but “I’m hoping with something like this, we can turn it around.” There are plenty of young women who are interested in the industry. High school junior Miranda Gallagher, was 11 when she took her first flight at the Franklin County State Airport — and was instantly hooked. Now a core member of the Sunday builds, Gallagher started flight training before she learned to drive and meticulously records her training hours in a logbook. Last school year, she completed an internship with Beta. She plans to attend Vermont State University to earn an associate’s degree in aviation maintenance technology. She’s also considering additional training at Purdue University’s School of Aviation and Transportation Technology. When her schooling is done, Gallagher said, she’d like to return to Vermont — as long as there’s a job for her and she can afford to live here. The state’s population is aging, she noted, and Vermont will need lots of skilled young people to fill jobs in the coming years. She’s hoping to be part of the next generation of Vermont’s aviation workforce. ➆
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news TOWN MEETING DAY
Time to Vote Already?
Vermont picks mayors, councils and presidential candidates on March 5 BY CATHY RESME R • cathy@sevendaysvt.com
E
ven if you’re not plugged into politics, you’re probably aware that 2024 is a big election year. In Vermont, the action starts on the first Tuesday of March. If you’ve never voted here, or never voted at all, here are a few things you need to know.
Do you have to be a member of the Democratic or Republican party to vote in the presidential primary? No. Vermont has what’s called an “open” primary. When you vote, you can choose either a Democratic or Republican ballot, regardless of your political affiliation (or lack thereof ). Six Republicans and six Democrats met the criteria for appearing on the Vermont ballot; the deadline to file was in December 2023. Even though Vivek Ramaswamy, Ron DeSantis and Chris Christie have since dropped out of the presidential race, they’re still listed on the Republican slate, along with Ryan Binkley and the top two candidates still in the race as of press time: Nikki Haley and former president Donald Trump. The 2024 Dems include President Joe Biden and five challengers: Mark Stewart Greenstein, Jason Michael Palmer, Dean Phillips, Cenk Uygur and Marianne Williamson. Williamson, too, has ended her candidacy. If you want to vote for a major-party presidential candidate younger than 75, this might be your last chance this year! Fun fact: If you’re a 17-year-old who will turn 18 by the general election on November 5, you’re allowed to vote in Vermont’s presidential primary. 18
SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024
VERMONT IS ONE OF 15 STATES HOLDING PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES ON MARCH 5,
© VITALYH | DREAMSTIME
What gets decided in the March election? Local issues, mostly. March 5 is Town Meeting Day. Residents of many rural Vermont towns gather in person on this state holiday to debate and ratify town and school budgets and other issues. This is also when municipalities elect mayors, city councilors, or members of the selectboard, school board and other regional boards. Residents of larger cities such as Burlington, South Burlington and Winooski don’t meet en masse but simply go to the polls. Also: Vermont is one of 15 states holding presidential primaries on March 5, aka Super Tuesday.
For a more detailed description of how ranked-choice voting works, see the City of Burlington’s website: burlingtonvt.gov/ ct/elections/rankedchoice.
AKA SUPER TUESDAY.
How do I register to vote? Any U.S. citizen age 18 or older who resides in Vermont is eligible to vote — yes, even convicted felons or people in prison. In Burlington, Montpelier and Winooski, legal permanent residents who are not citizens can vote in local elections — but not presidential primaries. Out-of-state college students who consider Vermont their primary residence can vote here, too. You can register online at olvr.vermont. gov; by calling 1-800-439-VOTE; by visiting your city or town clerk’s office; by filling out a voter registration form before Town Meeting Day; or at the polls if you’re a procrastinator. Check to see if you’re already on the state’s voter checklist by entering your name and birth date at olvr.vermont.gov. Will I get my ballot in the mail? It depends on where you live. The City of Burlington, for example, is sending all Queen City voters a local ballot but not presidential primary ballots. Burlington residents who want to vote in the primary have to request a ballot from the city clerk or show up in person to vote, either at the polls on March 5 or beforehand at city hall. You can vote in person at your town clerk’s office during business hours between now and the last business day before the election; early voting is allowed in Vermont for any reason. To find out how your community handles March ballots, check with your municipal clerk. Why does my Burlington ballot have grids on it with multiple options? Because Burlington voters asked for them: In 2021, Queen City voters approved using ranked-choice voting for city council elections, and in 2023 they green-lit an
expansion to other races, as well. In 2024, Vermont’s largest city will elect the mayor, city council, school board, ward clerks and inspectors of election using ranked-choice voting. This method allows voters to express more than one preference on their ballot. Instead of simply choosing one candidate, they can rank candidates second, third, fourth, etc. Once the polls close, the first-place votes are tallied. If a single candidate gets more than half of the first-place votes, that person wins the election. If no one gets 50 percent plus one, the lowest-scoring candidate is dropped from the race and their voters’ second choices are tallied in a process known as an “instant runoff.” The process repeats until there are two candidates left; whoever has the most votes, wins. The City of Burlington experimented with this method, also called instantrunoff voting, in the 2006 and 2009 mayoral elections before ending the practice. Lately it’s been gaining in popularity around the country. According to advocacy group FairVote, ranked-choice voting is now in use in 50 American jurisdictions, including in 45 cities, three counties and two states: Alaska and Maine. Proponents say ranked-choice voting reduces negative campaigning because there’s an advantage to being someone’s No. 2 choice. Opponents of ranked-choice voting say the process is complicated and confusing and can therefore disenfranchise voters. If you’re voting in Burlington, the most important thing to remember is that you can’t vote for one candidate more than once. If you do that, your first vote will count, but your second- and third-place votes won’t, because they’re duplicates.
I don’t live in Burlington. Where can I find more information about what’s on my ballot? Your city or town clerk can tell you. Often this information is posted on the municipal website. Where can I find out more about the candidates and the issues at stake? Seven Days reports on some races, especially those in Burlington, where the newspaper is based. This week’s cover story is about the city’s hotly contested mayor’s race (page 26). You can find all of our election-related coverage at sevendaysvt.com/news. Your community newspaper will likely have candidate interviews and articles about local issues and races — for example, the Other Paper in South Burlington, the Stowe Reporter and the Addison County Independent. You’ll also find nonpartisan coverage on your public access cable channel or its website. In most of Chittenden County, that’s Town Meeting TV, available on Channel 17 and at cctv.org. It airs footage of municipal meetings and candidate forums. The station partnered with Seven Days on the Mayoral Matchup on February 7 at Burlington City Hall; the debate featured all four candidates vying to be Burlington’s next mayor. Where do I vote? Check your city clerk’s website. Your polling place may have changed since the last election. When’s the next time I can vote in a statewide election? Tuesday, August 13. That’s primary day for all Vermont legislators and statewide officers, such as governor, lieutenant governor, auditor, secretary of state and treasurer. Voters will also decide which major-party candidates will compete in the November 5 election for the two congressional seats whose terms expire this year — the ones currently occupied by Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vt.) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). Early voting begins at the end of June. ➆
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BUSINESS
Group Offers Tips for Renting Your Home During the Eclipse
EUREKA!
B Y A N N E WAL L AC E AL L E N • anne@sevendaysvt.com
The solar eclipse will darken the Vermont skies for only a few minutes, but Julie Marks, the founder and executive director of the Vermont Short-Term Rental Alliance, sees the potential for long-term dividends in the once-in-a-lifetime event. Marks held a webinar on February 12 with suggestions for Vermonters who are thinking of renting space in their homes during the April 8 astronomical event. Those stays, she hopes, will make a lasting impression on visitors who might not otherwise have considered a trip to Julie Marks
the Green Mountain State. She hopes to help people get the hosting part right. “We want to ensure guests have a good experience and don’t get turned away from the entire industry of short-term rentals because they showed up in a place that wasn’t used to hosting them,” Marks said. The solar eclipse is a call to action for hospitality businesses, which normally suffer a slump during mud season. Although it’s unclear whether there will be sunny skies for eclipse viewing, many visitors have already booked hotel rooms and stays in short-term rentals. As of last week, 80 percent of shortterm rentals in northern and central Vermont were booked for the eclipse, according to Marks. Last year, only 10 to 15 percent of short-term rentals were booked during the same period, she said. During foliage season, by contrast, 95 to 98 percent of the rentals are generally booked. Burlington-area hotel rooms are in short supply, and those that remain available are going for as much as $1,000 a night, especially the ones in northern and northeastern Vermont that will experience the “path of totality,” where the moon completely blocks the sun. Many business owners see Vermont’s spot on the path as a tempting
opportunity. In her webinar, Marks, who operates two vacation rentals at her home in Jericho and ski condos in Bolton and Stowe, told would-be hosts that it’s a good idea to supply guests with information about eclipse-related events, as well as the best places to be when totality begins, around 3:26 p.m. Supplying NASA-approved eclipse glasses for safe viewing is also a plus. The shades are in high demand: The state purchased 130,000 pairs to give to towns, and they’ve all been snapped up, according to Vermont Tourism Commissioner Heather Pelham. Marks advised property owners to check their homeowners’ insurance coverage and pay attention to hazards that could cause slips, trips and falls — the No. 1 reason for claims or lawsuits. Working fire extinguishers and hardwired smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are essential, and it’s illegal to operate a security camera or other recording device inside a rental unit, although external ones are allowed, Marks said. Hosts should create some house rules for pets, kids, firearms, trash disposal and smoking. And they need to supply clear directions about their properties, especially quirky ones. The Vermont Department of Health, Department of Taxes and Division of Fire Safety have rules of their own for people who want to short-term rent, although not all apply to people who only plan a weekend-long foray into the market. Marks recommended using a rental platform, such as Airbnb or Vrbo, that handles payment and insurance details. There’s also the locally owned stayclass. com, which offers 100 Vermont vacation rental listings. Site owner Palmer Lintz said nearly every property was booked for April 8. Most of the interest was in places on Lake Champlain or in the Northeast Kingdom. Lintz, of Middletown Springs, has yet to hear from many people who want to list on his site and are just getting into the short-term rental market. “Maybe they’re going to wait until the last minute,” he said. The First Unitarian Universalist Society of Burlington is trying to cash in. About 30 members of the 400-strong congregation are renting rooms in their homes as a fundraiser. “It’s a stretch to open your home to a stranger. I think our congregants would not have said, ‘Yes, let’s do this to make money for myself,’” Rev. Karen Johnston said in an interview. “But if it’s about making money for the congregation we love, we’ll do this.” ➆ This story is part of our Vermont 2024 Solar Eclipse Guide. Find it online at sevendaysvt.com/eclipse.
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news STATEHOUSE
Vermont Lawmakers Drop Bid to Give Themselves Raises B Y K E VI N M C C AL L U M kevin@sevendaysvt.com
Vermont lawmakers have shelved a plan to increase their own salaries by about 42 percent as they struggle to address substantial statewide property tax increases. The legislature passed a bill last year that would have doubled their salaries over four years and made them eligible for state health care benefits, but Gov. Phil Scott vetoed it. Senators returned this year with a more modest proposal that got only tepid support in the House. Property taxes are projected to rise an average of 20 percent due to sharply higher school spending and new pupil-weighting formulas unless school districts trim their budgets or lawmakers find other solutions. “What I heard was, ‘We’re raising property taxes over 20 percent. How can we then also justify increasing our pay?’” Sen. Alison Clarkson (D-Windsor) told Seven Days last Thursday. Initially, S.224 would have increased lawmakers’ meager salaries next year by about 74 percent. Most lawmakers make just over $15,000 plus expenses for a typical 18-week session between January and mid-May. Leaders’ pay was set to go up 66 percent; compensation for committee chairs, who have larger workloads, would have gone up 106 percent. The bill would not have given lawmakers state health coverage. That didn’t fly with Senate leadership, so the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Ruth Hardy (D-Addison) pared it back. But the House shot down a subsequent version even before it got out of the Senate Government Operations Committee, which Hardy chairs. Sen. Becca White (D-Windsor), who works part time as a cashier to augment her legislative pay, said House members told her the pay bump of about $6,000 wasn’t worth the political blowback. She worries that without better salaries and benefits, young people will remain unable to afford to serve, perpetuating the problem of the General Assembly not reflecting the population it represents. Some legislators maintain that boosting compensation and benefits would be the best way foster a younger, more diverse legislature. ➆
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SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024
Budgets, Bees and Bonds
pollinator pathways — flower-filled avenues for bees — on its land.
This time, volunteers gathered more than 90 signatures, surpassing the 75 needed to put the Palestine resolution to a town-wide vote. The proposed item calls for a cease-fire in the Middle East conflict and for Vermont’s congressional representatives to promote an end to arms sales to Israel. Earlier this month, Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vt.) all voted against additional military aid for Israel. While proponents don’t expect to influence international action, they feel compelled to voice their opposition to the United States’ involvement. “If we’re paying for weapons, we are responsible,” said Johanna Gardner, a Newfane resident who helped get the resolution on the ballot.
MAKING THE GRADE
« P.15
THE BUZZ
Greensboro voters are dealing with a dilemma closer to home. Residents will be asked to declare the Northeast Kingdom town a “pollinator-friendly community” where townspeople avoid using insecticides that can harm bees. An identical measure in 2019 in Cabot inspired the item. The Greensboro Conservation Commission has been focusing on pollinator health, an important issue for growers in rural Orleans County. “ We w a n t t o encourage everyone in town to make sure that we have a vibrant environment and to be good stewards of the land,” commission chair Chris Steel said. Steel hopes the resolution can help set the tone for both local and state-level change regarding the use of neonicotinoids, insecticides that kill bees over time. The issue is already on the radar of state lawmakers, who are considering a bill that would prohibit planting neonicotinoidtreated seeds and the use of neonicotinoid spray. The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Robin ChesnutTangerman (D-Middletown Springs), said he’s “delighted” by Greensboro’s initiative. “It really reflects what I’ve been hearing from everyday Vermonters regarding this bill,” he said. Steel is optimistic that Greensboro voters will approve the resolution. The protection of bees has the support of Jasper Hill Farm, the nationally known Greensboro cheesemaking operation, which in recent years has planted
When it snows, students at Woodstock Union High School & Middle School sometimes have to evacuate its gym as the roof groans overhead, according to Ben Ford, a Woodstock representative to the Mountain Views Supervisory Union school board. And when it’s too hot, classes in certain parts of the school are canceled due to a failing cooling system, Ford said. Built in 1957, the school was ranked second worst when the state recently assessed schools in the Green Mountains. “We’ve got quite a few people who live in our district who send their kids to other schools,” Ford said. “No wonder. We’ve got this awful building.” The Mountain Views Supervisory Union has been planning for a new school for years. A $99 million bond vote would finance it. Voters in Barnard, Killington, Pomfret, Reading, Woodstock, Bridgewater and Plymouth will decide whether to write the check. Ford, who is also the building committee chair, argues that it’s a good deal. The price per square foot is below the state’s standard for the past three years, he said: “It’s a real bargain for our communities and a real high-quality product.” Still, the timing of the vote won’t help its chances. Residents statewide face double-digit school tax increases due to increased spending, inflation and changes in the state aid formula. Property taxes in some towns in the supervisory union are forecasted to increase by up to 30 percent. The building project alone could drive a tax hike of up to 16 percent in future years. The most ideal financing plan assumes that student enrollment will increase in the next decade, which would reduce the school’s cost per pupil. Some residents are skeptical, however, since enrollment has been declining. “The problem with the
entirety of the proposal is nothing is based in fact,” one man wrote on Facebook. “It is all convenient hyperbole that is contrary to what real data is telling us about projected attendance, actual cost and real tax implications.” What if the bond fails? Said Ford: “It’s absolutely not the end of this.”
PLEASE, MR. POSTMAN
For almost 20 years Berlin residents have appealed to the United States Postal Service to open a post office in their town of 2,849. Without one, important packages often end up at wrong locations. “It makes it very confusing for everyone,” said Ture Nelson, interim town administrator for Berlin. This Town Meeting Day, Berlin is again set to collectively ask for a post office. “Sadly, [residents] are kind of worn down at this point,” Nelson said. “We’ve been trying for this for over 20 years without any success.” There’s a reason to hope, though. In February, in response to flooding that closed Montpelier’s post office months before, the postal service opened a temporary location — inside the Berlin mall. Berlin residents hope that temporary establishment becomes permanent. “This has become a really good opportunity to bring this up again,” Nelson said.
HANGING UP THE SPURS
Say “constable,” and visions of old royal courts might come to mind — not rural Vermont. And yet a number of small towns are still electing or appointing constables. The position of constable was established in the Vermont Constitution, and until about a decade ago constables had authority to enforce the law within the boundaries of their towns — even if they had no law enforcement training. Today, a constable who acts as a police officer is required to undergo training, but as more towns contract with state police and sheriff ’s departments, the role is becoming obsolete. In both Johnson and Windham, voters will consider whether to “prohibit the town constable from exercising any law enforcement authority.” Currently, nothing explicitly prevents Johnson’s constables from
ILLUSTRATIONS: DREAMSTIME
taking it upon themselves to enforce the law, assuming they have formal law enforcement certification. The town’s current constable, Dean Locke, is not certified and only enforces town regulations surrounding animal control, solid waste and dilapidated buildings. In the 1990s, when Johnson started contracting with the Lamoille County Sheriff ’s Department, the selectboard removed law enforcement from the description of the constable’s position. But the town didn’t explicitly forbid a constable from acting as an officer of the law. Selectboard member Duncan Hastings wants to proactively prohibit the constable from acting as a cop. Hastings served as town administrator in Georgia from 1991 to 2001 and remembers an elected constable who decided to behave like a police officer. “He bought a car, a high-powered firearm, and was on his own doing speed patrols and burglary investigations,” Hastings said with a chuckle. “The very next year, the town voted to rescind the constable’s law enforcement abilities. We were lucky we didn’t get sued.”
Other Vermont towns have been rethinking constables. According to the Vermont League of Cities & Towns, 10 municipalities voted last year to eliminate the position, and three switched from elected to appointed constables.
SEATS TO FILL
A new era awaits the five-member South Burlington City Council. Three incumbents are retiring, including chair Helen Riehle and Councilor Meaghan Emery. Emery has served seven two-year terms and is the longest-tenured council member in the city’s history. Together,
the pair have nearly three decades of experience. “It’s hard to leave, but at the same time, I feel that the city really has a pretty clear path forward,” said Riehle, who played an outsize role in developing the city’s comprehensive plan and the emerging South Burlington City Center. Emery, meanwhile, said she was too busy as an associate professor of French at the University of Vermont to continue in her city role. During her public service, she pushed for a noise-abatement program to help residents affected by the Vermont Air National Guard’s F-35 jets. “I was really torn about not running,” Emery told Seven Days. “But I’m in a time in my professional life when I need to give my energy to further those goals.” Councilor Tyler Barnes, who was elected to a two-year term last March, announced last fall that he would be stepping down to take a job out of state. Six candidates are vying for the three open positions. Elizabeth Fitzgerald, a former school board member, is unopposed in the race for the remaining year of Barnes’ term. Julian Keenan, a member of the city’s Natural Resources & Conservation Committee, is seeking Emery’s two-year seat, as are Mike Scanlan, a former American diplomat, and Lydia Diamond, a social justice advocate who has served on the school board. Meanwhile, Laurie Smith, a member of the planning commission, is running for Riehle’s threeyear seat against Linda Bailey, who has served on the Natural Resources & Conservation Committee alongside Keenan. Riehle acknowledged the challenges ahead for the new city council. “It does leave the council with not nearly as much of a historical perspective,” Riehle said. “But it allows the city to reaffirm what our vision and pathway forward will be.” ➆ Rachel Hellman covers Vermont’s small towns for Seven Days. She is a corps member of Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms. Find out more at reportforamerica.org.
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FEED back « ZONING ISN’T THE PROBLEM
The increasing number of homeless citizens is a tragic failure [“Shelterless: Burlington Doesn’t Have Enough Emergency Beds, and People Are Getting Turned Away This Winter,” January 31]. It’s also a sly justification — along with high rents, a tight housing market and Act 47 — for a power play to erase the protections against unregulated development that zoning provides. Of course, we all want good-quality housing for everyone. But Burlington’s zoning is not to blame for the housing crisis. The University of Vermont may bear some blame; some investors may bear some blame. Not the zoning. Nevertheless, the Neighborhood Code amendment scapegoats current zoning as the problem and celebrates itself as the solution. Just as the mayor and Burlington City Council railroaded the zoning amendments that led to “the Pit,” they are rushing to virtuously pass zoning changes even more dangerously flawed. Neighborhood Code is an end run around environmentally responsible development and respect for neighborhoods it claims are “the soul of our community.” More duplexes, more triplexes and fourplexes, more condo villages and cottages, too. Absolutely! We have them and can use more. If zoning is really preventing us from building these on lots where they fit and belong, let’s fix it. There are sound and creative ways to add housing and increase density while improving blighted neighborhoods and preserving healthy ones. Neighborhood Code instead chooses extreme density everywhere. It chooses more blight, and here’s why: It allows the development of 10 units in two structures — a sixplex and a fourplex — on every “residential medium” neighborhood lot indiscriminately — large or small. It allows two fourplexes on every “residential low” neighborhood lot. Way too much. Michael Long
BURLINGTON
LEAVE SCHOOLS ALONE
[Re “Teachers’ Union Raises ‘Significant Concerns’ About Dyslexia Screening Bill,” February 2]: It’s always a wellintentioned instinct, when it comes to light that students are struggling, to throw some legislation at the issue. It’s natural to want to help, to try to cause change that might do ... something. But when it comes to education, I would propose something simple to our legislators: Don’t. Until you have worked within a school and seen firsthand what 22
SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024
FILE: DARIA BISHOP
P.7
An encampment on Battery Street in Burlington
Institute. Her desire to make an impact where she lives extends far beyond whatever personal gain she might earn. We need people of vision to step into the breach and push us to be better, whether they’ve been here as Indigenous stewards of this land for 10,000 years, as immigrants with one or seven generations in Vermont, or came here last week. I’d encourage the writer of the “carpetbagger candidate” letter to visit Esther’s campaign page and learn more. You can, too! Wayne Maceyka
the situation is and how things are, please stop interfering. There is a very, very simple reason that the reading levels of students are going down and that reading disorders are going undetected: Teachers are overworked, schools are understaffed, and both have too many expectations placed upon them to have the time or energy to pick up on the very subtle signals that a student is struggling with reading. Students hide their struggles to avoid calling attention to them, not wanting to be seen as stupid or lesser than those around them. They don’t want to be singled out or talked down to, and many refuse to ask for help. No test or law will correct that. We need to find ways to properly staff schools and reduce classroom size and teacher workload before we consider adding more demands to what teachers already are tasked with. Teachers have extensive, continual training that they must undertake for their licensing. We should trust in them, trust in their training and stop backseat driving our schools. Fran Bellin
ESSEX
A VOTE FOR CHARLESTIN
In a letter Seven Days published referring to Esther Charlestin’s run for governor of Vermont, the term “carpetbagger” was used incorrectly [Feedback: “‘Carpetbagger’ Candidate,” January 24]. A cursory look at the definition of carpetbagger implies someone seeking office that may provide personal advantage. Considering Charlestin’s experience with racism here in Vermont, considering the racism and threats directed at former state representative Kiah Morris, as well as Vermont’s checkered past and present with racism — if anything, Charlestin’s run for office is putting her at risk. This. Is. Hard. I’ve had the privilege of getting to know Esther over the past year or so as we shared time and space in the Snelling Center for Government’s Vermont Leadership
value during a period when property values have soared to unprecedented levels. A town’s CLA is potentially decided from a relatively small number of arms-length transactions. This calls into question how the CLA is used and if it needs to be tempered or replaced completely as it errs on the high side when sale prices are moving rapidly (up), as they are today. School officials still need to budget responsibly, but the state needs to evaluate its current tax determination model, as it is one of a kind in the U.S.
HINESBURG
John Zimmer
WESTMORE
ONE FOR THE BOOKS
There’s more “that’s so Vermont.” [True 802: “Recirculated Favor,” January 24] mentions seven feet of water in the lowest level of Montpelier’s Kellogg-Hubbard Library during the July 2023 flood. During the 1927 flood, the water level in the Kellogg-Hubbard Library was eight feet deeper. That meant water was four or five feet deep on the main library floor. The 1927 flood depth is documented by a marker on the end of the set of shelving closest to the circulation desk. The Kellogg-Hubbard Library in 1927 was helping its sister library even while sustaining its own serious flood damage. Way to go for both libraries, caring for each other through both floods. Thomas Weiss
MONTPELIER
COMPLICATED EQUATION
[Re “With Large Tax Hikes Looming on Town Meeting Day, School Districts Ask the State for Help,” January 31]: Your article concerning large homestead education tax hikes omits any mention of the third component of the tax formula. This item, called the property yield (published by the legislature each year), is the middle element of the triumvirate (the two bookends to the formula being the equalized pupil counts and the common level of appraisal for each town) in calculating this rate. If a school region’s local per-pupil cost is higher than the published property yield, then one can expect higher taxes. The property yield combined with the CLA adjustment produces a highly volatile result when considering how much these two rates are changing in today’s environment, producing 20-plus percent education tax increases for more than a few towns in the ’24 and ’25 tax years. Not changing this formula promises another ugly year in 2026. The CLA is punitive, adjusting all properties in a town to today’s market
Zimmer is the Westmore town treasurer.
WWJD?
[Re “Judge Rules Parish Can Demolish Burlington Cathedral,” February 6, online]: The recent judicial decision to allow a demolition of the 20 Pine Street cathedral presents a huge opportunity: Imagine what that site next to the Downtown Transit Center could become. In a recent community forum on public safety, a Green Mountain Transit worker mentioned the needs that are not being met by folks who take shelter in or near the station hub. It seems like the neighboring lot could be used as a place where people could be provided with basic needs: a place where people could take a shower, get a haircut or a warm meal, and have access to other services. This is possible — and is already happening in other cities. For example, I used to work at the Low Income Housing Institute in Seattle. LIHI, an affordable housing developer, builds long-term housing, tiny house villages and urban rest stops, the last of which are “hygiene centers in Seattle’s Downtown and Ballard neighborhoods that provide free restrooms, showers, and laundry facilities to homeless men, women, and children within a clean, safe and dignified environment.” (Patrons also receive free toiletries and can wear a pair of overalls until their clothes are laundered.) King Street Laundry already offers free laundry and community engagement with local partners. Burlington could take this one step further by creating urban rest stops and partnering with organizations like Feeding Chittenden, Food Not Bombs, overdose prevention centers (evidencebased and shown to reduce overdoserelated deaths), and mobile treatment teams (with medical staff, social workers, etc. to provide disease management). Emily O’Hara
BURLINGTON
PAULA ROUTLY
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SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024
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lifelines
OBITUARIES, VOWS, CELEBRATIONS
OBITUARIES Carol Mazuzan
of her beloved husband in 2016, Carol moved to the home of her daughter Kiersten (Treybal) in Underhill, Vt. Nestled under Mount Mansfield and surrounded by natural beauty, Carol’s life was full — full of love, laughter, music, and unwavering care and support from Kiersten, John, Natalie and Ben. Carol was able to share in joyous milestones and watch her grandchildren grow into amazing young adults. As one friend thoughtfully observed, “They made it possible for Carol to live her very best life.” Carol loved having visitors, who were immediately drawn in by her charming wit and storytelling. She would fondly share memories of Broadway shows and fun trips taken with Dr. Mazuzan, and she enjoyed recounting Burlington’s rich history and family connections. On any given day,
Carol could be found devouring books, playing card games or belting out show tunes. Visitors were always welcome in the Treybal home, including Carol’s dear friends, who regularly came to play bridge, as well as members of the Mazuzan family, who would fill the house on long weekends and holidays. Carol is survived by her daughter, Kiersten Treybal, and her husband, John, of Underhill, Vt.; her stepchildren, John Mazuzan (Nina), Mark Mazuzan (Vanessa), Christopher Mazuzan, Stephanie Mazuzan and Ellen Petty (Raymond); her grandchildren Natalie, Ben, Alex, Zachary, Madeleine, Georgia, Kirk, Scott, Alicia, Rebekah and Forrest; and her great-grandchildren, Lukas, Livy, Charlie, Henry, Colby and Lucy. She also leaves her sister Mary McMaster, niece Catherine Paya and nephew Jeff St. Peter (Yoko). Carol is predeceased by her parents, Anna and Edward; husband, Dr. John Mazuzan; granddaughter Brittany; daughter-in-law Ellen; brother-in-law Jim McMaster; and nephew-inlaw Jim Paya. The family would like to thank all the friends and nurses who visited and cared for Carol. A celebration of Carol’s life will follow later in the year.
and neighborhood playmates were plentiful and always up for outside sports and games. The Thabaults’ backyard was considered sacred ground. Dave’s love for and knowledge about sports — especially baseball — never faded. So much was taken from Dave after he was diagnosed with schizophrenia in his early teens, but not his humor or his devotion to friends, his enjoyment of the activities he could do or his dignity.
We have so much gratitude for the many years of support Howard Center provided to Dave and for the compassionate care provided by the staff at the University of Vermont Medical Center at the end of his life. A graveside service will be held this spring at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Swanton. Arrangements are in the care of LaVigne Funeral and Cremation Service. To send online condolences to his family, please visit vtfuneralhomes.com.
DECEMBER 20, 1942JANUARY 15, 2024 UNDERHILL, VT.
On January 15, 2024, Carol A. Mazuzan, 81, of Underhill, Vt., passed away peacefully at home among her loving family. Carol was born in Burlington, Vt., on December 20, 1942, to Anna O’Sullivan and Edward Lynch. She attended Catholic schools in Burlington, graduating from Rice Memorial High School in 1960, and then went on to Jeanne Mance School of Nursing, graduating in 1963. She worked as a nurse for many years and then attended Trinity College, where she received a business degree, after which she became director of medical records at Fletcher Allen Health Care, retiring in 1998. While working at the hospital, she met Dr. John Mazuzan, and they eventually married in 1993. Together they shared their love for theater, travel and family gatherings. In 2003, Carol’s life was suddenly altered by a spinal cord injury. In the face of this adversity, Carol’s warrior spirit, upbeat nature and keen sense of humor were inspiring to all. As a former colleague reflected, “She was someone to admire.” Following the passing
David Anthony Kell JUNE 2, 1963FEBRUARY 12, 2024 BURLINGTON, VT.
David Anthony Kell passed away on Monday, February 12, 2024, following a short illness. He was born in Winooski, Vt., on June 2, 1963, the son of Lucille (Campono) and Roderick Kell. Dave’s childhood in 1960s Winooski was special; he was well loved by his parents and siblings,
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SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024
Gregory B. Peters
NOVEMBER 22, 1945FEBRUARY 10, 2024 SHELBURNE, VT. It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Gregory B. Peters of Shelburne, Vt., who lived every day with intention and dedication to family and wanting to make a difference. He departed on February 10, 2024, after several years of multiple health challenges, at home, surrounded by his devoted wife and children. Greg was born on Thanksgiving Day, November 22, 1945, in Boston, Mass., to Ruth and Philip Peters. He grew up in Wellesley, Mass., with his older brother, Philip, and younger brother, Jeffrey, enjoying close-knit family celebrations that included cousins, aunts and uncles, who all lived nearby. Greg’s maternal grandmother lived and traveled with his family for her last 15 years, adding more love and family values to the mix. They built a modest mountain ski home in Jackson, N.H., in 1956, which became the family sanctuary and gathering space for family and friends and was where many memories were made, including Greg’s marriage to Diane Parker (also from Wellesley) on the deck he built overlooking Mount Washington, on a fall day in 1977. Greg graduated from Wellesley High School and, in 1967, from Harvard University, where, in addition to studying European history, he excelled in Alpine ski racing and baseball. From 1967 to 1969, Greg served as a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army in Germany. Returning to the States, he earned his MBA in 1972 from the Harvard Graduate School of Business. He worked in New York City and in Europe before being lured to Vermont to take on marketing for Rossignol Skis. In Shelburne, he and Diane put down roots, started a family and joined a community of treasured lifelong friends. He moved briefly to North Andover,
Mass., where he gained more treasured friends, to work for Investments Orange Nassau, a Boston-based venture capital firm. In 1986, he returned to Vermont to start his own venture capital firm, North Atlantic Capital, with business partner David Coit from Portland, Maine. Together they built a venture capital management company raising funds and providing capital to growth-oriented, privately owned companies, principally in the Northeast. Their early risks and determination resulted in some of today’s most successful Vermont brands, including Westminster Cracker, Earth’s Best Baby Food and Casella Waste Systems. Not one to sit still, Greg dedicated his second career to making a difference in Vermont health care reform. He chaired the Public Oversight Commission for the State of Vermont, served on the early Green Mountain Care Board and contributed to the Vermont Blueprint for Health initiative. Besides chocolate, Greg’s passion was sports. A participant, competitor, coach, spectator and TV fan, he loved baseball, tennis, skiing, golf, paddle, football and basketball. He always showed up and was never the guy who canceled! He played golf in windy rain, skied on ice and begged the tennis courts to stay open in inclement weather. His favorite pastime was enjoying sports with his family: coaching Shelburne Little League, teaching his children to ski and supporting them on the race hill at Mount Mansfield Ski Club.
In addition to helping move the only community paddle tennis court from behind the old Sirloin Saloon to the Burlington Tennis Club, he tried to make a difference by lending his guidance and perspective to the boards of the Burlington Tennis Club and the Burlington Country Club. Greg’s quiet, fair advice and leadership were sought by community boards and educational campaigns, including United Way of Chittenden County, Burlington Rotary Club (of which he was a past president), Shelburne Farms, Vermont Public Radio, Middlebury College and Harvard Business School. His entrepreneurial spirit was awakened when Bread & Butter Farm literally became his neighbor. He gave them his financial support as well as his patronage. Greg was constantly active, fun, and very present for his family and friends, sharing his quiet strength, integrity and love. He was a kind, true gentleman known for his endearing hugs. In his later years, he found great joy in being a part of his granddaughters’ everyday lives. He is survived by his devoted wife of 46 years, Diane Parker Peters; their children, Andy Peters and Faith Peters James (John); their grandchildren, Addison and Hadleigh; his older brother, Philip Peters (Tamie); his sister-in-law Cici Peters; and many loving nieces and nephews dear to his heart. He was predeceased by his parents, Ruth and Phil; his younger brother, Jeffrey; and Andy’s partner, Lester Gribetz. A celebration of life for Gregory Peters will be held on May 10, 2024, 11 a.m., at Charlotte Congregational Church in Vermont. A reception will follow. Friends and family from near and far are invited to join in honoring his memory. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made to Shelburne Farms or Bread & Butter Farm in Shelburne in memory of Gregory B. Peters.
Lucinda Hamlet
west to Bozeman, Mont., and enrolled at Montana State University. After two years, she transferred to the University of Colorado, where she fell in
love with a man from Boston, Stanton Hamlet. After graduation, the couple married and moved to Lexington, Mass., for a few years before finally settling in Vermont. Cindy and Stan raised their three children on a farm in Underhill, where they collected goats, sheep, horses, pigs, chickens, ducks, geese, rabbits, cats and dogs. For many years, Cindy taught kindergarten at Orchard School in South Burlington, where she was adored by her students and coworkers. Cindy maintained deep and lasting friendships wherever she went. She served on the Underhill Library Board and participated in hiking
groups, ski groups, bridge groups and book clubs in both Burlington and Underhill. Cindy’s favorite activities took place outdoors — she loved to hike, bike, snowshoe and ski. In her later years, she would walk the trails daily near her Harvey Road home, with walking sticks and her beloved dog, Josie. Cindy leaves behind her three children: Russ and his wife, Meg Hamlet, of Bainbridge Island, Wash.; Penny and her husband, Peter Serrurier, of Portland, Ore.; and Sandy and her husband, Fred Barber, of Cambridge, Vt. Cindy had four beloved grandsons: Alex
Serrurier, Nathaniel Serrurier, Curren Hamlet and Ethan Barber. Cindy also leaves behind her two siblings, Carol Sherman Knapp of Damariscotta, Maine, and Chick Sherman of Watertown, N.Y. Cindy’s husband of nearly 50 years died in 2010. Cindy’s children are grateful to the University of Vermont Hospice and the incredible community of Underhill, where Cindy leaves behind so many wonderful neighbors and friends. There will be no services, but please consider a gift in honor of Cindy to the Underhill Historical Society or the Vermont Land Trust.
School in 1945. Christine was very active in music, playing in the high school band and a member of the chorus and glee club.
At 10 years old, Christine began her career as a devoted church organist, playing mainly for Catholic churches in and around the Burlington area, as well as many other denominations. She retired as the organist of St. Mark’s Church in 2022, at the age of 94. Christine also worked at the telephone company in Burlington as a switchboard operator and later at Chittenden Bank, retiring from there at the age of 62, in 1989. Christine and her predeceased brother, Charles A. Auer, partnered together, successfully running the Auer Family
Boathouse at the mouth of the Winooski River in Burlington, Vt. Christine leaves her beloved husband of 74 years, Kenneth A. Hebert Sr.; her three children, daughter Kathleen Hebert of Worcester, Mass., daughter Karen A. Fay and her husband, Patrick Fay, of Jericho, Vt., and son Kenneth A. Hebert Jr. and his wife, Kate Hebert, of Holyoke, Mass.; grandson Nicholaus Fay and his wife, Emmi Fay, of Hinesburg, Vt.; granddaughter Rebecca Chalifoux and her husband, Timothy Chalifoux, of Hinesburg, Vt.; grandson Bennett Fay and his wife, Melissa Fay, of Colchester, Vt.;
grandson Thomas Hebert; granddaughter Erin Hebert of Worcester, Mass.; three greatgrandchildren, Devon Fay, Yvette and Ellery Chalifoux; and many nieces and nephews. Christine was extremely well loved, and everyone who has ever met her will surely miss her. A mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on March 6, 2024, 10 a.m., at St. Mark’s Church in Burlington. Interment will follow immediately at New Mount Calvary Cemetery in Burlington. Arrangements are in the care of Ready Funeral & Cremation Services. To send online condolences, please visit readyfuneral.com.
OCTOBER 10, 1938FEBRUARY 6, 2024 UNDERHILL, VT.
Lucinda “Cindy” Sherman Hamlet passed away peacefully on February 6, 2024, after a courageous 14-year battle with Parkinson’s disease. Cindy was born in Watertown, N.Y., to Virginia and Nathaniel Sherman. Cindy and her siblings were raised on a farm outside Watertown, which engendered Cindy’s lifelong love of all creatures, big and small. After high school, hoping to meet the cowboy of her dreams, Cindy ventured
Christine Elizabeth Auer Hebert MAY 24, 1927FEBRUARY 16, 2024 BURLINGTON, VT.
Christine Elizabeth Auer Hebert, 96, died peacefully on February 16, 2024, at the University of Vermont Medical Center, surrounded by her beloved family, after a severe fall at her home on February 14. Christine was born on May 24, 1927, the daughter of predeceased Charles K. Auer Sr. and Maria Eda Benoit Auer of Burlington, Vt. She graduated from Cathedral High
Roland “Ron” Moorby
JULY 12, 1943FEBRUARY 3, 2024 SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. Ron served in the Vermont Army National Guard and was a wellknown member of the band the Vistas in the ’60s, recording several records and beginning a lifelong love of music. He worked for many years at Seward’s restaurant in Burlington as a chef and manager. He continued to work in the restaurant business until retirement. Ron was predeceased by his parents, Arthur and Eleanor Moorby, and his brothers, Doug and Craig. He leaves behind his loving and devoted wife, Diane (Brosseau); his sisters, Debbie Titus and her husband, Doug, of Ferrisburgh, Vt., and Bonnie Deforge and her husband, Gary, of South Burlington, Vt.; and many nieces and nephews. The family would like to thank Gerald and Pam Brosseau for their loving support during Ron’s final weeks. Ron was much loved and will be well missed by all.
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25
Key to the
Queen City In Burlington’s mayoral contest, Joan Shannon and Emma Mulvaney-Stanak are mostly focused on one issue: public safety BY C O UR TNE Y L AMD IN • courtney@sevendaysvt.com
T
here’s a startling perception circulating in Burlington that’s proving hard to shake: that public disorder has made the city’s downtown unsafe for visitors and residents alike. Whether or not tthat hat fear is justified, it’s no surprise that public safety dominates residents’ concerns as they prepare to pick the Queen City’s first new mayor in 12 years. On March 5, voters will elect one of four candidates. The front-runners are Joan Shannon, a real estate agent, Democrat and 20-year city councilor; and Emma MulvaneyStanak, a former labor activist, second-term state legislator and stalwart of the Progressive Party. Two less-known independents, Will Emmons and Chris Haessly, are also on the ballot. (See sidebar on page 30.) The winner will succeed Democrat Miro Weinberger, whose tenure began by addressing Burlington’s fiscal problems but who will end it amid widespread frustration over the city’s triple crises of housing, drug addiction and crime. The election also marks the city’s return to ranked-choice voting for mayor, a system that allows voters to indicate their second, third and fourth choices. If at first no one wins an absolute majority, those secondary selections count. Nonetheless, it’s widely expected that either Shannon or Mulvaney-Stanak will be elected and become the city’s first-ever woman mayor. The contest pits an established yet polarizing city councilor against a younger, idealistic lawmaker whose Progressive Party some blame for the city’s woes. Both say they’re running for mayor because they want to help the city they love become a safer place. The winner has her work cut out for her. Since the pandemic began in 2020, Burlington has watched a set of urban problems explode into public view. Drug use has become common in city parks, with people hooked on a more dangerous supply. Homelessness has ballooned, and many more people are sleeping on the streets. Downtown businesses report an increase in petty theft, and once-rare reports of gunfire in the night have increased. All this at a time when city police are stretched too thin to answer every call. The fixation on public safety has completely overshadowed discussions of city spending, property taxes and climate policy that are typical of Burlington elections. 26
SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024
While the two leading candidates offer different philosophical approaches to the city’s problems, neither can offer a quick solution. For each, there are unanswered questions about the cost and feasibility of the steps they say they would take. Given the concerns about public safety, Shannon, 59, entered the race with the benefit of a clear record of supporting law enforcement, including her opposition to a Progressive-led vote in 2020 to diminish the size of the police force through attrition. She’s been endorsed by the police union, a signal for many that she can be trusted to clean up the city. But her record on the problems that underlie public safety, such as the housing shortage, is less clear. And Shannon’s critics say her messaging is alarmist, not inspiring. “It’s easy to rally around fear,” said Mieko Ozeki, a Mulvaney-Stanak supporter. “With Emma, she’s saying, ‘Let’s not dwell in the negative narrative, and let’s work on solutions.’”
The fixation on public safety has completely overshadowed discussions of city spending, property taxes and climate policy that are typical of Burlington elections. Mulvaney-Stanak, 43, had no vote on the city’s public safety issues, but she acknowledges that being a Progressive could harm her at the polls. She, like Shannon, has called for hiring more police, but she’s put more emphasis on addressing the problems that lead to crime and homelessness. Her supporters say the city needs this balanced approach. Her critics, though, contend that a Progressive can’t be trusted to turn the city around.
“It’s going to be hard for Emma to convince the average voter that she’s really going to be the one that can rebuild the police force and get us back on track,” said former council president Jane Knodell, a Progressive working for Shannon’s campaign. Each woman has a short window to convince voters her approach to addressing the city’s problems is best. In this election, it’s a safer Burlington or bust.
SETTING THE TONE
KEY TO THE QUEEN CITY
ILLUSTRATIONS: MARC NADEL
On a brisk Saturday morning in January, a clutch of Shannon supporters huddled around a table at Zero Gravity on Pine Street as a fire warmed the room. A couple of youngsters, whose parents came to meet the candidate, played pool as the adults talked politics. It was the day’s second and final stop in Shannon’s Java With Joan series, informal coffee hours she has held at cafés across the city. At this spot in the South End, where Shannon has served as a city councilor for two decades, she was in her element, talking to friends and neighbors about solutions to the city’s problems. She had an eager audience, including Andy Vota, who coauthored a widely circulated petition that urges Burlington officials to take stronger action on the public safety crisis. Sitting at the head of the table, Shannon listened intently as the discussion shifted from stolen bicycles to retail theft, interjecting with quick asides or to clear up confusion. At one point, she excitedly introduced Malik Mines, a Democrat running for the Ward 3 city council seat, who stopped by in search of the signatures he needed to get on the ballot. As Mines described the crime he’d witnessed as a former retail manager downtown, Shannon’s husband, Ken Grillo, took cellphone photos that were later posted to her campaign Instagram account. The conversation was what Shannon would call an “All Hands on Deck” moment. The saying — Shannon’s campaign slogan — is meant as a call for collaborative problem solving. But it also aptly conveys a central theme of Shannon’s campaign: Burlington is in troubled waters, and she can right the ship. “I have the courage to lead, even when it’s hard,” Shannon had said in an earlier interview. “I have stood up to very strong political winds, and I’ve done what I felt was right.” Shannon grew up in Westchester County, N.Y., and came to Burlington in 1985 to teach sailing. She loved the city so much that she stayed, delaying her college education at Franklin & Marshall in Pennsylvania. In winter 1986, then-mayor Bernie Sanders knocked on her door during a neighborhood canvass. Shannon, a government major, realized there was something different about Burlington politics: It was up close and personal. Shannon didn’t run for office until 2002 and had to be convinced to do it. She was a new mom to daughter Julia, running a women’s swimwear business and couldn’t see elected office fitting in with her schedule. When friends offered to help with childcare, she took the plunge. Shannon defeated a Progressive incumbent and has handily fended off challengers to her South District seat ever since. Shannon is unapologetic about her views, often saying that even if people disagree with her, they’ll know where she stands on an issue. And on public safety, her messaging has been consistent: She didn’t support “defunding” the police, and her priority is hiring more cops. This stance has won her the endorsement of the police and firefighter unions. She’s also been endorsed by the Burlington Electric Department employee union and AFSCME Local 1343, which represents about 300 city employees — a blow to Mulvaney-Stanak, a former labor organizer whose wife, Megan Moir, works for the city as its water resources division director.
Shannon describes her platform as a blend of “accountability and care,” calling for both more aggressive law enforcement and more robust drug treatment. Asked in debates about public drug use, Shannon defaults to the same response: Parks are Burlington’s “community living room,” and the city shouldn’t tolerate drug use in the “house.” People who break the rules should be arrested, she says. They may not be jailed — that’s outside the mayor’s purview, Shannon acknowledges — but authorities should at least “interrupt their day.” “I have great compassion for people who are suffering in our community,” she said. “I want to get them help, but you cannot make other people in our community unsafe.” Shannon believes that stricter enforcement depends on adding more cops to a force that now stands at 68 officers, far fewer than the 90 who were on staff before the council’s 2020 vote. The roster cap was previously 105 and is now 87. Rebuilding the ranks will take time, she acknowledges, but she says she’d enter office with a new tone, one that is less tolerant of disorder than Weinberger’s. “Part of it is setting an intention that says we’re not going to look away when we have open drug use and open drug dealing,” she said. “I don’t think Miro has a really different policy, but I don’t know that the police have felt really empowered to act. And I think that that’s the difference.” She’d use the same approach to crack down on homeless encampments in city parks. Shannon says she’d have authorities intervene sooner, before camps are established, to send the message that sleeping outside isn’t allowed in Burlington. She’d like to hire more park rangers to enforce the ban but acknowledges that she doesn’t know how she’d pay for them. As it is, the city is asking for a 3-cent public safety tax increase on the March ballot, money that would be used to plug some of a $9 million budget gap. It’ll be up to the next mayor to figure out how to close it. Shannon thinks the state needs to open more homeless shelters, and not necessarily in Burlington. Two of the city’s shelter sites — the pods on Elmwood Avenue and a winter shelter on South Winooski Avenue — are temporary and will be redeveloped. They’re funded with state and federal dollars, and the latter are drying up. The city could open others if the state paid for them, Shannon said, “but we cannot be the only community providing shelter.” Back at Zero Gravity, Shannon supporters lingered to talk after the candidate had left. South End resident Tom Simon said he’s voting for Shannon because her refusal to cut the police, despite strong political pressure, showed she has guts. His wife, Burlington police commissioner Carolyn Hanson, agreed, saying that all of Burlington’s social problems “have tentacles in that vote.” “That’s why I support Joan,” she said. “There’s a difference in being a politician and a leader, and Joan knows how to lead.”
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LUKE AWTRY
Key to the Queen City « P.27
RESETTING PRIORITIES
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Emma Mulvaney-Stanak talking with supporters at a house party
I have great compassion for people who are suffering … but you cannot make other people in our community unsafe.
COURTNEY LAMDIN
Mulvaney-Stanak was late for dinner. She’d been invited to Burlington Co-housing East Village, a tight-knit neighborhood near the University of Vermont Medical Center, but she’d gotten tied up at the Statehouse. She and her colleagues in the House had just approved a bill that would allow overdose prevention centers — also known as safe injection sites — in Vermont. If the measure became law, a site could open in Burlington. Mulvaney-Stanak stood, professor-like, at the front of the village’s common room as residents young and old tucked into mismatched bowls of blueberry-apple crisp. After a 15-minute stump speech about the housing crunch, property taxes and the drug crisis, she opened things up for questions. Mulvaney-Stanak became more at ease as the conversation went on, describing her family’s challenge of affording childcare and making jokes about parenting a demanding 4-year-old. Much of the Q&A session focused on public safety, allowing the candidate to muse on the complexity of Burlington’s problems and how police alone can’t solve them. “People want and deserve long-term solutions,” Mulvaney-Stanak had told Seven Days in an earlier interview. “Not just easy, quick fixes [that] won’t actually fix the problems.” Mulvaney-Stanak’s Progressive ideals formed early in life, as a child raised by peace activist parents in Barre City. Along with twin sibling Llu, a young MulvaneyStanak was carted to polling places and anti-war protests. The political bug bit. She worked jobs at the Vermont Livable Wage Campaign and Vermont-NEA and served on the Burlington City Council from 2009 to 2012. In 2020, running as a Progressive/ Democrat, she defeated a four-term incumbent in her House district primary. In the general election, she became the first-ever Prog to represent a slice of the New North End. Mulvaney-Stanak lives with her wife and two young kids in the other part of her district, the Old North End, and runs a leadership coaching and consulting business. As a queer mom, Mulvaney-Stanak is relatable to a segment of Burlington that isn’t widely represented in city politics. On social media, she gives insight into both her professional and personal lives, equally likely to post about her legislative work as she is to offer a selfie showing off the outfits she bought at a thrift store. In Montpelier, Mulvaney-Stanak has introduced bills to improve workers’
Joan Shannon talking with voters at Zero Gravity
compensation, support equal pay and address unemployment. Last year, she and fellow Progressives voted to uphold Gov. Phil Scott’s veto of the state budget because it didn’t fully fund the state’s motel housing program for homeless people. The reduction in that program, plus the housing shortage and wages that haven’t kept up with inflation, MulvaneyStanak says, have resulted in more people
J O A N S HA N N O N
sleeping outside in Burlington — as many as 300 people compared to fewer than 50 a year ago. She recognizes that the increase, combined with a visible drug crisis, makes many Burlingtonians feel unsafe. Mulvaney-Stanak thinks the city’s current response is too fragmented. Police and social workers work out of one department, park rangers another. The city’s homelessness expert is based in the Community & Economic Development
Office. Mulvaney-Stanak says one of her first acts would be to appoint a special assistant for community safety, who would convene those workers, plus members of Howard Center’s Street Outreach Team, to come up with a cohesive response to the drug crisis, homelessness and crime. She also proposes forming a “community brigade” of volunteers that would pick up trash and cover graffiti.
Mulvaney-Stanak said. “Addiction is a medical condition, and I think we really have to see it that way.” Mulvaney-Stanak relies in part on the hope that she could convince state government to help fund low-barrier shelters and expanded mental health treatment. She also thinks the city could redirect some money in the budget to hire more firefighters and expand the department’s overdose team, which responds to calls about unresponsive people. To raise more revenue for these programs, Mulvaney-Stanak has proposed
In one now-deleted post, Shannon was depicted as a cartoon Godzilla, blowing flames on high-rise buildings. Another, headlined “Joan Shannon Contributes to Burlington’s Housing Crisis,” noted that she supports a landlord’s ability to evict tenants without cause. A third, of a mock ballot, urges voters to pick “literally anyone else.” This isn’t the first time Shannon has drawn the visible ire of some critics. In 2020, demonstrators staged a die-in on her lawn to protest her votes on policing and racial justice. The same year, activists “phone-
looking at the city tax code, including possibly taxing commercial properties at a higher rate. “We have to get real about what our priorities are,” she said. East Village resident Jen Lazar is among those who support MulvaneyStanak’s broad approach to public safety. She likes that the candidate hasn’t been entrenched in city politics for years. “The way that we’re working together is not working at all,” she said. “When I think about having Emma as a mayor, I start to get excited.”
bombed” the councilor during a meeting because she opposed a police oversight board that would have had the power to discipline officers. The council ultimately approved the proposal, but Weinberger vetoed it. In 2021, after Shannon voiced support for closing the sprawling Sears Lane homeless encampment, her detractors wore T-shirts emblazoned with “Fxck Jxxn Shxnnxn” to council meetings. After 20 years in office, Shannon has a long record that gives ammunition to her critics. They say her consistent support for police has raised questions about her willingness to hold officers accountable. Pointing to her votes on housing, they charge that Shannon isn’t serious about building more of it. As a real estate agent, Shannon has said she understands Burlington’s urgent need for more homes. But she has not
LUKE AWTRY
On homeless encampments, MulvaneyStanak would be more permissive than her opponent; unless there were serious public safety concerns, she would avoid breaking them up if the residents had nowhere else to go. She would also consider opening a sanctioned campsite for people in the short term. Unlike Shannon, Mulvaney-Stanak doesn’t think people should be arrested for using drugs in public. Instead, she’d try to deter the behavior by stationing more cops downtown, a strategy she said would also deter retail theft. Like Shannon, she wants
Joan Shannon talking to voters at Butter Bar & Kitchen
to revive “community policing,” where cops are assigned to beats to build trust with residents. She, too, recognizes that it will take time to hire more police. She thinks the current 87-officer roster cap is sufficient but noted that the number came from a 2021 consultant’s report, which could use some updating. Mulvaney-Stanak says an overdose prevention center, where people could use drugs under supervision and be revived from possible overdoses, would help address the public drug-use problem while also connecting people to treatment programs and reducing needle litter. She’d aim to open one within a year. (Shannon has also said she supports opening an overdose prevention center in the city.) “We need to come up with solutions to help these folks who are deeply suffering,”
RUNNING WITH A RECORD
In late January, an unnamed person created an Instagram account called lets_talk_abt_joan. Whoever runs it is no fan of the longtime city councilor.
supported every proposal for residential development. In 2001, for example, she was quoted in the Burlington Free Press voicing concerns about the aesthetics of taller buildings after a developer proposed building an apartment complex on South Winooski Avenue. In 2015, she opposed a rezoning effort to allow housing in certain parts of the South End. “We need to reserve some areas in our city for jobs,” Shannon said, according to Free Press coverage of the 2015 proposal. “Housing tends to take up all other uses when it’s allowed.” She’s staked similar positions more recently, too. A year ago, Shannon was the only councilor to vote against eliminating a city requirement that housing developers include parking in their projects. These so-called “parking minimums” reduce developable land and make construction more expensive, proponents say. Last winter, Shannon voted in favor of a renewed effort to allow housing in parts of the South End — after successfully advocating to reduce the maximum allowable building heights. Neighbors had complained that taller buildings would block views from Calahan Park. “This is why I’m really worried about a Shannon administration,” said Jak Tiano, a member of pro-housing group Vermonters for People-Oriented Places. “I don’t think she has the vision ... to mitigate the housing crisis that we face.” Shannon doesn’t put much stock in such criticism, however, noting that she was slammed for supporting taller towers at the downtown CityPlace Burlington development. The project is under construction with 10-story towers — shorter than the 14-story buildings that Shannon supported. As for the South End rezoning, Shannon said developers can construct buildings with a broader footprint but a lower profile, and containing just as many units as an eight-story tower. “I didn’t advocate for fewer units,” she said. “I advocated for less height.” Shannon’s housing plan is largely focused on homeownership, which she says keeps costs more stable than the volatile rental market. To increase the housing stock, Shannon would work with local banks to adopt lending practices that encourage condo development. Specifically, she would make it easier to convert apartments into condos, a practice the city currently discourages by levying hefty fines on developers who do it. To keep renters from being displaced, Shannon says she’d create a program to help them afford down payments on the converted units. KEY TO THE QUEEN CITY SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024
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Her housing plan also calls for holding problem landlords accountable by potentially seizing their properties if they don’t address crime or code violations. Shannon’s critics note that she is not only a landlord herself but has received thousands of dollars in campaign donations from a number of major landlords and commercial property owners. The implication is that she is out of touch with lower-income people. That’s one reason Phil Merrick, cofounder of August First bakery and a longtime Democrat, said he’s supporting Mulvaney-Stanak. He thinks she’ll represent everyone, regardless of their wealth. “‘All Hands on Deck,’ her nautical theme — it’s like, who owns boats?” Merrick said of Shannon. “That is her message: ‘I represent those people.’” Outgoing Councilor Ali Dieng (I-Ward 7) is concerned by Shannon’s police union endorsement. He put it sharply: “They will own her.” Dieng, who has endorsed MulvaneyStanak, says Shannon’s refusal to support previous police reform proposals could alienate younger, more progressive voters. Shannon, like all council Democrats, opposed the 2020 effort to create a new police oversight board with the power to discipline officers. When a nearly identical measure got on the ballot in 2023, Shannon
used campaign funds to erect “Vote No” signs near police headquarters. Last month, she voted to delay a public vote on a new, watered-down oversight proposal. In an interview, she defended the decision. “Our lack of police officers at this point is more of a problem in this city than discipline,” Shannon said. Shannon’s supporters say her critics unfairly paint her as closed-minded and unyielding. Several who spoke to Seven Days praised the candidate for regularly soliciting input from constituents before big council votes. And on Tuesday, Shannon snagged an endorsement from a longtime colleague: Council President Karen Paul, who lost to Shannon in the Democratic mayoral primary. “Get to know her before you vilify her,” South End resident Kitty Bartlett said. “When you spend the time to get to know Joan, you tend to appreciate her.”
A SCARLET LETTER?
New North End residents Gabriela Sarriera and Liz McElhinney are solidly within Mulvaney- Stanak’s target demographic. The young, queer couple generally hold progressive ideals. McElhinney even attended Democratic socialist meetings when she was a student at UVM. Surprisingly, though, both women said they’re voting for Shannon. Sarriera said
In a ranked-choice contest, lesser-known candidates have a better chance of scoring votes than they would in a typical ballot system. This election, there are two independent candidates hoping that’ll work in their favor. Will Emmons, 41, is touting his public safety, education and infrastructure platform. Chris Haessly, 50, is focused on economic development and affordable housing. Haessly, who works remotely as a systems analyst at Albany Medical Center in New York, is a longtime renter and former school commissioner. He serves on the Church Street Marketplace Commission and the steering committee for the Wards 2 & 3 Neighborhood Planning Assembly. In 2021, he unsuccessfully sought the Progressive party nomination for a special Ward 3 city council election. Emmons, who sells used cars, has lived in Burlington since grade school and previously served as president of a Vermont union representing postal workers. He owned his own home on Blodgett Street until he could no longer afford the taxes and now lives in the New North End. 30
SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024
Emma Mulvaney-Stanak (left) with C D Mattison
the Democratic candidate would be “an adult in the room,” someone with practical solutions to the city’s problems. It helps, she added, that police and firefighters are supporting Shannon. McElhinney agreed. “Right now,” she said, “I’m wary about voting for a Progressive.” Those concerns aren’t uncommon. In the years since the 2020 vote to cut the size of the police force, followed by increases in crime, homelessness and general disorder, “Progressive” has become a dirty word to some in the city. As leader of the House Progressive caucus, Mulvaney-Stanak is inextricably
linked to the party. Her campaign website describes why she’s running with the party label, though she isn’t necessarily advertising the letter P by her name. One of her campaign brochures, for instance, doesn’t even mention her political party. Shannon clearly thinks the label is a liability. In a debate hosted by Seven Days earlier this month, Shannon explicitly blamed Progressives for “defunding” the police, which she said created some of Burlington’s challenges. The line earned her a robust round of applause. Mulvaney-Stanak won’t say how she would have voted on the police question
LUKE AWTRY
WILD CARDS
COURTNEY LAMDIN
Key to the Queen City « P.29
Will Emmons speaking at the mayoral debate
This isn’t Emmons’ first run for mayor. He was one of seven candidates in 2021, pulling in just 27 votes, or 0.19 percent of total votes cast. But Emmons is undeterred. He says he offers an alternative to the major-party candidates who will be beholden to donors. Emmons says he’s raised about $650 and is primarily self-funded. He’s created campaign literature stylized with a logo from the 1985 movie Back to the Future. Indeed, time travel is a central theme of Emmons’ campaign. He wants to bring Burlington back to the glory days. In debates, Emmons frequently laments the state of downtown, which he describes as a “war zone.” One of his goals, for which he’s already drafted a council resolution, is to “defund all vagrant housing initiatives,” including the Elmwood Avenue shelter pods. “I don’t think we’re gonna be able to solve the world’s homeless problem from Burlington, Vt.,” he said. He would raise the police department roster cap from 87 to 112 and shore up sidewalks and roads. Once downtown is cleaned up, Emmons said, more people will spend money at local businesses, generating tax revenue that will build up city coffers.
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in 2020. Instead, she’s said she makes decisions based on data and would have asked many questions, including about how long it would take for the city to hire unarmed responders in place of police. “The process would have looked different if I were there at that table,” she said. She noted that several Democrats voted in favor of the police cuts, though only Progressives have suffered the consequences. Democrats effectively won a majority in last year’s Town Meeting Day elections, and none of the six Progressives who voted for the police
Chris Haessly
Haessly is also focused on bringing more people downtown. On the campaign trail, he speaks passionately about starting a minor-league hockey team and creating a civic center, possibly at the shuttered Memorial Auditorium, to boost tax revenues. Mayor Miro
cuts will serve on the council after this coming election. Mulvaney-Stanak differs from some Progs in her outspoken support for hiring more police officers. On the trail, she’s made public safety personal, pointing out that a hostage situation at a local bar last month prevented her from picking up her daughter from school. But she also believes in the need for more police oversight. Last year, Mulvaney-Stanak said she voted for the controversial ballot item that would have created an independent board with the power to discipline officers. She seems wary of Police Chief Jon Murad, whose appointment to the job was initially denied by council Progressives. While Mulvaney-Stanak hasn’t expressly disavowed the chief, she hasn’t committed to reappointing him, as Shannon has. In an interview, MulvaneyStanak said she’s met with Murad and found him to be professional but “rigid” in his opinions. “Nobody knows all the answers,” Mulvaney-Stanak said. “Any leader who comes in with that kind of attitude is probably not going to be a team player that I will need to help lead the city forward.” To demonstrate her wide appeal, Mulvaney-Stanak hosted a Dems for Emma event at Queen City Brewery earlier this month. Nearly 70 people, including KEY TO THE QUEEN CITY
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Weinberger has already signed a letter of intent with local developers to consider redeveloping the parcel, but Haessly thinks the city should hold an open bidding process for any project there. On homelessness, Haessly says Burlington should focus on the root causes of the problem instead of “treating the symptoms.” As mayor, Haessly said, he’d lobby the state to open a new 100-bed mental health facility. He’s an advocate for universal basic income. And, like Shannon, he believes the city should promote homeownership, such as by passing an ordinance that prevents single-family homes from being converted into apartments. In the short term, Haessly says North Beach Campground should become a sanctioned homeless encampment when it’s not being used in the summer. Haessly has run a low-key campaign, relying on media coverage to build name recognition. His goal is to appeal to voters who feel alienated by the two major political parties. Progs and Dems have failed to work together, he said. “I feel like the wild-card team just qualified for the final playoff spot,” he said. “I’m just very grateful to be here.” ➆
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PHOTOS: LUKE AWTRY
Key to the Queen City « P.31 Chittenden County State’s Attorney Sarah George and former Democratic mayoral candidate C D Mattison, turned out to support her. Downtown resident Arshad Hasan, a political organizer and lifelong Dem, said Mulvaney-Stanak will get his vote. He described the candidate as thoughtful, attentive and someone who wouldn’t deepen Burlington’s political divide. “The letter next to her name is not nearly as important as the kind of leadership this city needs,” he said. Mulvaney-Stanak has made the same point on the campaign trail. She often talks up her experience at the Statehouse and how she reaches across the aisle, including in the House Commerce and Economic Development Committee, which is chaired by a Republican from the Northeast Kingdom. Knowing the policy makers will be vital in order for Burlington to access state funds for homeless shelters, drug treatment programs and other initiatives, she says. Ward 1 resident Sharyl Green, who organized the meeting at East Village, acknowledged that a Progressive candidate may struggle this election season. But she thinks Mulvaney-Stanak is using the right approach by meeting with as many voters as possible. “She knows that that is critical,” Green said. “Her getting out and talking to people, and people putting real questions in front of her, will go a long way.”
The candidates at a mayoral debate moderated by Seven Days
BACK TO BASICS
The last contest for Burlington mayor, in 2021, played out almost entirely online. A race during the height of the pandemic meant swapping door knocks for virtual meet and greets. Voters hoping to get face time with the candidates got, well, FaceTime. Three years later, it’s back to basics. Shannon and Mulvaney-Stanak have been busy canvassing neighborhoods and holding events. Mail-in ballots have arrived, and, as of Tuesday, voters have returned just 74 of nearly 24,000 that were sent out, according to the city clerk’s office. Last time around, Weinberger squeaked out a 129-vote victory by winning both the South End and New North End, Democratic strongholds with high voter turnout. Shannon seems to be banking on the same recipe for success. She’s hosted weekly coffee hours at the Bagel Café & Deli on North Avenue, just as Weinberger has since he first ran in 2012. She even sits in his spot: the first table on the right. Her campaign organized a family skating event at Leddy Arena and a lasagna 32
SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024
At the debate
dinner at the Elks Club, two New North End mainstays. Shannon has a comfortable lead in fundraising, having hauled in more than $132,000 as of February 4. That’s almost twice as much money as Mulvaney-Stanak has raised. Nearly a quarter of the 159 Burlington residents or property owners who donated to Shannon’s campaign hail from the New North End. In contrast, most of Mulvaney-Stanak’s 74 local donors hail from her home base in the Old North End, a Progressive stronghold. More than two dozen out-of-state voters gave to Mulvaney-Stanak; her campaign says most are college friends or people she
knows from her previous work as a labor organizer. Shannon has leaned heavily on social media, thanks to the Gen Z members of her team: daughter Julia and City Councilor Hannah King (D-Ward 8), her campaign manager. She’s also met with younger voters, including at a party at Manhattan Pizza & Pub downtown, a college student haunt and Shannon’s go-to bar. UVM alumnus Kevin Garrison Jr., 24, organized the gig, inviting some of his friends who lean Progressive. He was impressed with how Shannon answered their questions. “If you don’t like her ... she wants to hear why, and she still cares about your
perspective,” Garrison Jr. said. “I think that says a lot about her.” Mulvaney-Stanak has tried to drum up support in Dem-leaning areas, holding online and in-person meet and greets. True to Progressive form, the campaign has offered free childcare at each. Like Shannon, she’s also made time for fun. Last week, Councilor Melo Grant (P-Central District), a longtime radio DJ, spun records at a Mulvaney-Stanak happy hour at T. Ruggs Tavern in the Old North End — the same bar that had the hostage situation a month earlier. A drag party fundraiser at the Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge was Mulvaney-Stanak’s “one moment of queer joy” on the trail, she said. In this public safety-themed election, however, the candidates’ manner of getting out the vote may matter less than their messages. Shannon says voters want a candidate with a strong police platform. “I wouldn’t be running if I didn’t believe that,” she said. “If this is not what people want, then they have another option.” Clearly, she means Mulvaney-Stanak, who insists that Burlington needs a skilled leader who thinks beyond policing. “A campaign that has a tint of fear in it, or a campaign that’s around what is possible?” Mulvaney-Stanak said. “People are really resonating with what is possible.” For many voters, what actually is possible, at a time when the city faces unprecedented challenges, is an open question. They’re hoping one of the candidates has the answers. ➆
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SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024
33
1/30/24 9:09 AM
PHOTOS: DARIA BISHOP
BUSINESS
David Corey greeting Spider the dog
‘Mr. Helpful’
Catching up with David Corey, the “angel” of Burlington’s City Hardware B Y M E L I SSA PASANEN • pasanen@sevendaysvt.com
I
f Mister Rogers’ neighborhood had included a hardware store, David Corey could have been its clerk. In his customary outfit of pressed navy shirt, neat slacks and brown lace-up Oxfords, the Burlington native greets everyone who enters City Hardware at 156 College Street with a cheery, “Looking for something special?” Then Corey focuses on them with his big brown eyes and really listens to what they need. Sometimes he asks a few clarifying questions before he beelines to the correct aisle in the 4,000-squarefoot store. “Come with me,” he invites warmly, navigating past a colorful display of organic vegetable seed packets or a table of caulk tubes on sale for $1. “He always treats people with the same level of gravitas, kindness and attentiveness,” said Lola Wesson, a University of Vermont student who worked with Corey at City Hardware for a year and a half. If there were a David Corey fan club, Wesson might be its president, though she’d have some contenders. A recent thread on the online forum Reddit paid homage to the City Hardware sales associate. It started with an all-caps declaration: “HE IS AN ANGEL THAT WE SHOULD CHERISH AND PROTECT AT ALL COSTS.” 34
SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024
The post was upvoted 139 times, and more than a dozen fans detailed Corey’s generous hand with treats for their dogs and his consistently calm, kind and helpful demeanor. “David is one of those people who makes you step back and remember that there are still genuinely good people around,” wrote a Redditor with the username Lasanchey. “I don’t even need to go [to] the hardware store at the moment, but I might go to City Hardware just to bask in Dave’s presence,” Secure_Maintenance21 wrote. Brennan Gauthier, a City Hardware regular who lives a couple of blocks from the store, was among those who weighed in. In his post, Gauthier recalled playing “basketball” with Corey, tossing his crumpled store receipt between them and into the front-counter trash can. “He alley ooped it once,” Gauthier wrote. Gauthier elaborated over the phone about how much he appreciates not only Corey but the “heartfelt, positive” thread in a virtual community in which discourse tends toward the negative. City Hardware also represents a bright spot in a downtown that currently faces many challenges, including concerns over public safety, drug use and crime.
The welcoming atmosphere of the store embodied by the clerk “is like a little reprieve from everything going on,” Gauthier said. When Corey heard about the Reddit thread, he was tickled — though he didn’t know what Reddit was. He has a cellphone but doesn’t carry it. “I never tell my age,”
DAVID IS LIKE A BEAUTIFUL
SHINING STAR. NE S S Y AR BO UR
Corey said. “I wish I were younger,” he added wistfully, before divulging that he’s “a little younger” than the leading presidential candidates. Corey grew up in Burlington “smack in the middle” of five kids. He has lived in the same North Avenue house since he was 2 years old and attended South Burlington’s Rice Memorial High School “back when the nuns were there,” he said. Many locals know Corey’s white, slateroofed home for its summertime profusion of colorful flowers growing around a neat picket fence. He takes great pride in his gardens and lamented that many of his
downtown customers live in apartments. “You can change the whole look of your house with a garden,” he noted. Every spring, Corey buys dozens of SunPatiens, petunias and zinnias and plants them just before Memorial Day. “It used to be a one-day job,” he said. “Now I’m older, it’s a three-day job.” The former IBM accounting department employee was hired on the spot when he applied for his part-time position at City Hardware about six months after it opened in January 2019. “I wanted to do something, and I thought [the store] was small and cozy,” Corey said, adding that the short commute and extra income were added motivation. “I enjoy helping people out. I get away from my house. I get some exercise.” Corey also believes fervently in the store’s value. “Downtown needs this hardware store,” he said. The nearest hardware store is Curtis Lumber on Pine Street; before City Hardware opened, downtown had not had a hardware store since Hagar Hardware on Church Street closed in the 1990s. “It was a tool desert,” said Nessy Arbour, who has lived downtown since before the store opened. “I was so excited when City Hardware came in ... David is like a beautiful shining star there.” Burlington’s shopping scene has changed dramatically since the late 1960s, when Corey first worked in retail on Church Street at Magrams department store, JCPenney, and McAuliffe’s Books and Stationery — all long gone now. He was so good at it, he said, that employers poached him from each other. Corey thrives on helping people find what they need and making sure they’re not spending money on unnecessary things. “You’re there at a hardware store with a problem you need to solve, and he’s intent on helping you solve it with compassion and warmth,” said Ryan Bergmann, who bought a fixer-upper in Burlington with his wife right before the pandemic. “It’s not phony. It’s authentic.” Being a Leo, Corey said he was born for the job. Leos “are outgoing. They like people, and people are attracted to them,” he said. “I should have stayed in retail my whole life,” he reflected. Walt Tummons, who manages City Hardware and two other Ace Hardware locations in northern Vermont, said Corey is a model employee, “always decked out, his shirttails tucked in, every hair in place, neat as a pin.” His reliability was especially valuable during the pandemic, Tummons said: “He would show up and do anything you asked.” If a customer comes in to buy a can of paint, Tummons detailed, Corey “will ask if they need a paintbrush, not because he’s
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trying to sell them something else but to save them another trip to the store.” The manager chuckled as he described a few of his employee’s quirks: “He always calls me Walter, never Walt, and he always refers to himself in the third person. He says, ‘Walter, you’ve made David Corey the most popular man on Church Street again.’” It’s hard to tell if Corey is more popular with his human or canine customers. During a recent quiet weekday afternoon shift, Dillon, a small mixed-breed rescue, wagged his tail so hard upon seeing Corey that it looked like the dog might levitate. “Does he want a treat?” Corey inquired of Willow Stein, Dillon’s owner, who lives in Shelburne but works above the store and had popped downstairs to buy a multicolored disco ball light. “Isn’t that adorable?” Corey cooed as Dillon joyfully crunched down on a dog biscuit. “The dogs love coming in here,” Corey said. “They want to stay with David.” A few afternoons later, Corey was busy helping a series of customers. He spent several minutes searching through the drawers of screws for just the right one needed by a local handyman. Then he did the math to demonstrate that the man would be better off buying a box than 20 individual screws. When another customer inquired about an outdoor extension cord, Corey walked him to the aisle and asked what he was planning to power with it in order to recommend the best option. A young woman came in for a vacuum and hangers. Corey showed her a Hoover brand model and added, “There’s also this Bissell, which is enough for most apartments. It’s only $38 and converts to a handheld, too.” She settled on the smaller vacuum. After Corey pulled over a stepladder to reach the hangers from a high hook, he carried everything to the front counter.
As he pecked the order into the register, he double-checked, “That’s $38. Is that OK?” After more than 10 minutes of searching the aisles for items on another customer’s list, Corey looked almost sad that City Hardware lacked them. He offered several recommendations for other stores to check. Jonah Goldberg approached the register with materials he’d gathered to finish a bathroom tiling project. Goldberg said he lives close by and appreciates Corey’s know-how and the time he invests in each interaction. “He’s always been able to help me figure out the better product,” Goldberg said, recalling the clerk’s valuable advice on which ant traps would most effectively resolve an infestation. The following week, Holly Batchelder of Burlington dropped by seeking trisodium phosphate to clean kerosene heater soot from the walls of a condo. Corey acknowledged that he was unfamiliar with the product and asked a colleague to look it up on the inventory system — something he had previously admitted he has not mastered. In the meantime, he started brainstorming other options for Batchelder, including Spic and Span and Mr. Clean Magic Erasers. “Lestoil will do it, but it’s too smelly,” he said, wrinkling his nose. “He’s the most helpful man in the world,” Batchelder gushed. “He’s Mr. Helpful.” When the other clerk emerged from the rear of the store with a tub of trisodium phosphate, Corey asked Batchelder how she would use it. The next time someone comes in with that need, he’ll be ready to help. ➆
INFO City Hardware, 156 College St., Burlington, 651-8355
9/7/23 11:54 AM
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SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024
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5/12/21 2:51 PM
food+drink
A New Leaf
FIRST
BITE
Richmond’s relaunched Kitchen Table doubles down on comfort food B Y M E L I SSA PASANEN • pasanen@sevendaysvt.com
FOOD LOVER?
GET YOUR FILL ONLINE...
36
SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024
PHOTOS: DARIA BISHOP
G
iven how high many of us register on the stress-o-meter these days, the approach of the recently reborn Kitchen Table in Richmond seems sensible — comforting, in fact. Along with its dinner menu of classics such as poutine, mac and cheese, and grilled steak with fries, the restaurant in the historic checkered brick building stocks an entryway cooler with reheatable soups, casseroles, and other take-and-bake offerings. In January, the Kitchen Table started serving an elevated homestyle Sunday brunch, with Saturdays coming soon. That all adds up to more meals that can simultaneously feed your body and soothe your soul. The Kitchen Table’s new executive chef, Craig Anthony, 37, and his partner in life and business, pastry chef Sam La Croix, 31, may have taken the restaurant in a new direction, but they continue what is becoming a tradition at 1840 West Main Street — a kitchen led by a chef couple. They follow in the footsteps of chefs Lara and Steve Atkins, who founded and steered the elegant Kitchen Table Bistro through a 19-year run that ended in late 2021. The Atkinses subsequently sold the building and business to a group of silent partners, who then worked with married chefs Chelsea Morgan and Tom D’Angelo to open Vermont Fine. That restaurant closed last July after just nine months, with the chefs citing hiring challenges and burnout. For the restaurant’s next iteration, the ownership group decided to reclaim the Kitchen Table name. They hired a team, starting with general manager Adam True, 51. As True told Seven Days last summer, “bistro” was purposely cut from the name to emphasize that “the cuisine is going to be more homey and accessible.” True, Anthony and La Croix agreed that their
Above: Beer-braised boneless short rib, sweet potato purée and fried Brussels sprouts Below: Seasonal salad and house-baked rolls
goal is to create a destination for the Richmond community with S AM L A C R O IX an approachable, affordably priced menu of eat-in and take-home options. To make families feel more welcome, the Kitchen Table offers $10 kids’ meals, which include a drink and a scoop of housemade ice cream. During several visits over the past few months, I found the current version of the Kitchen Table to offer generally well-cooked,
THIS IS VERMONT
COMFORT FOOD.
A NEW LEAF
» P.38
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Tomgirl Kitchen
Burlington’s Tomgirl Kitchen Closed, Future Uncertain Burlington’s TOMGIRL KITCHEN closed its doors “until further notice” on February 12, the company announced in a social media post. Founder GABRIELLE KAMMERER told Seven Days that the future of the smoothie and juice bar in the SODA PLANT at 266 Pine Street is uncertain. Kammerer, the face of Tomgirl, started delivering juices around town via bicycle in 2012. A minority owner holding 41 percent of the business, she said she and her partners “have different visions for the brand.” Tomgirl had recently returned to selling juice in glass jars after a switch to plastic bottles, Kammerer said, and she was excited about Valentine’s Day specials. While the business’ website and social media describe the closure as temporary, a sign taped to the juice bar’s door says “Permantely [sic] closed.” “It was not my choice to close,” Kammerer said. “I was prepared to stay open and look for solutions, and I am going to remain a business partner if there’s a chance for the brand to become something I believe in.” In November 2018, the juice biz moved from its original
brick-and-mortar space on St. Paul Street to the Soda Plant café, where it served a rainbow of juices, smoothies, salads, and other plant-based food and drinks. Last summer, Tomgirl briefly operated a satellite location in Stowe. For now, Kammerer is focused on a new fortune-telling and intuitive counseling venture, Pretty Poison. She said she’s eager to incorporate astrology, crystals and energy work into “the subterranean version of Tomgirl,” using her business to facilitate conversations about how love, doubt, pressure and fear affect wellness. Eventually, Pretty Poison might get its own brick-andmortar spot with tea, chocolate and crystals. “I think it’s important for my community to know that I didn’t just get bored,” Kammerer said of Tomgirl’s abrupt closure. “I would have gone about it differently — more slowly — and I would have presented a plan to the team and the community with greater notice.” JONATHAN ABODEELY, one of Kammerer’s business partners, declined to comment on a reason for the closure or a timeline for reopening. ➆
CONNECT Follow us for the latest food gossip! On Instagram: Jordan Barry: @jordankbarry; Melissa Pasanen: @mpasanen.
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PHOTOS: DARIA BISHOP
IF YOU’RE CRAVING FAMILIAR DISHES PREPARED BY PROFESSIONALS,
THE RESTAURANT MAY BE YOUR NEW KITCHEN TABLE AWAY FROM YOUR KITCHEN TABLE.
Clockwise from above: Burger with house garlic pickles and hand-cut fries; a slice of Matilda chocolate cake; chefs Craig Anthony and Sam La Croix
A New Leaf « P.36 unfussy food in cozy quarters. It makes no claims of wowing with culinary creativity or opening new gustatory horizons. But if you’re craving familiar dishes prepared by professionals, the restaurant may be your new kitchen table away from your kitchen table. Among the highlights I enjoyed across a day’s worth of meals were a flaky buttermilk biscuit ($4 as a side), which a brunch companion declared so buttery it needed no butter; a takeout container of velvety, rich potato-cheddar-ale soup ($10), rewarmed at home for lunch; and a juicy burger elevated with house garlic pickles, a housebaked roll and crisp hand-cut fries ($18) that we ordered one evening at the bar. Then there was La Croix’s Matilda chocolate cake, which almost deserves its own meal designation. At $14, the towering wedge of puddingmoist cake with satiny Italian buttercream, all sheathed in dark chocolate ganache, begs to be shared or tempts diners to gluttony, evoking the cake scene in the Roald Dahl book for which it is named. But if you “can take a whole piece down” solo, we won’t judge — general manager True copped to doing just that. True also runs Chicken Charlie’s in 38
SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024
South Burlington, another restaurant owned by the Kitchen Table partnership. He got to know Anthony when the chef was moonlighting at the rôtisserie chicken spot on top of his job as assistant director of operations for Winooski’s Waterworks Food + Drink. Before Waterworks, Anthony worked for 13 years at Mirabelles Bakery, where he and La Croix met. A New England Culinary Institute grad, La Croix previously worked at Hen of the Wood in Burlington and, most recently, at Burlington Beer. All three are New England natives: True and La Croix grew up in Vermont and Anthony in New Hampshire. Their shared experience grounds the menu of familiar, uncomplicated fare, ranging from Caesar salad ($14); to a grilled rib eye with roasted garlic and herb butter, grilled asparagus, and choice of fries or sweet potato purée ($34); to take-and-bake mac and cheese ($20) or French Canadian tourtière ($35). “It’s homey,” La Croix said. “This is Vermont comfort food.” I ate my first meal at the new Kitchen Table last fall, about a month after it opened. We perched at the bar, which has been my favorite place to eat in every iteration of the restaurant over the past 20-plus years. My husband and I inhaled the burger,
plus a bowl of the crispy, sweet-tangy fried Brussels sprouts ($10), which I later learned are first fried and then sautéed with a maple-Dijon sauce and a little bacon before being laced with lemony aioli. We also shared the substantial seasonal salad ($14), laden with roasted sweet potato and fennel, Vermont goat cheese, and toasted pepitas and dressed with a well-balanced maple-cider vinaigrette. Paired with a Hill Farmstead Brewery
Edward ($8) and a raspberry-peach spritz ($12), it all made for a perfect bar supper. For our second dinner, in mid-November, we sat in the front dining room and ordered a multicourse meal, starting with a repeat order of that very good salad and a crock of caramelized French onion dip ($15). The evening began well with the delivery of two warm house-baked rolls, but it slid a little sideways from there. The dip arrived piping hot, fusing the best of the soup mix classic with
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food+drink the irresistible cheesy crown of French onion soup. But, disappointingly, the grilled baguette accompaniment promised by the menu had been replaced with soft, fresh slices, which did not complement the dip nearly as well. My husband enjoyed his beer-braised boneless short rib, presented with sweet potato purée and a side of the fried Brus-
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beef hash ($6 as a side) was finely diced and cooked crisp. Lacy-edged pancakes ($12) had extra loft from stiffly beaten egg whites folded into the batter. Every dish calling for eggs, including the perfectly creamy, soft scrambled eggs (part of the $12 “the Usual” combination), features NICK PARENT eggs from Richmond’s Farr Farms, a Owner/Broker couple of miles down the road. NMLS 92154
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sels sprouts ($32) — though, to my taste, the plate delivered an overabundance of soft, sweet and rich elements. My housemade pappardelle with Italian sausage, broccolini, and roasted garlic and sun-dried tomato sauce ($24) was a muddle of textures and flavors. The delicate, fresh pasta was too soft from overcooking; the broccolini, disconcertingly, was finely chopped into the sauce. The dish came garnished with unnecessary slices of toasted baguette. (Maybe that’s where our dip accompaniment had gone!) Dessert raised my mood again. A fluffy New York-style cheesecake ($12) was cradled in a homemade graham cracker crust, dolloped with apple butter, and sprinkled with candied pumpkin, sunflower and sesame seeds. Although that cheesecake is currently off the menu, I recently tasted and strongly recommend the sticky toffee pudding à la mode ($14) that has taken its place. The sweet, crusty-topped, soft-centered date cake is balanced beautifully by La Croix’s excellent espresso ice cream and a swirl of bittersweet coffee caramel. We returned a couple of weekends ago with friends for the new brunch offering, which starred those fine biscuits solo and under sausage gravy ($16 with two eggs and hash browns). Housemade corned
Our table also ordered the cheese grits special ($15), prompted by a departing diner who proclaimed them to be “Oh, God” good as we crossed paths in the entryway. They were rich with dairy, nutty with corn flavor and, thankfully, glutenfree for my friend, who has celiac disease. That almost made up for the fact that she couldn’t share the ethereally light raspberry cream brioche bun ($8), one of the brunch pastry specials. For those with dietary considerations, the menu is clearly labeled, and many dishes have vegan and gluten-free modifications. Because one cannot fully experience brunch without sampling the house Bloody, I ordered the Bloody Brunch ($14), which came loaded with bacon, celery, dilly beans and half a hard-boiled egg. It was almost a meal unto itself. Although we were stuffed, I was obliged to think ahead for work purposes. From the take-and-bake cooler, we selected the cheddar-ale soup and another container of rigatoni Bolognese ($22). Both provided satisfying hot meals over the next couple days, along with a hearty serving of comfort. ➆
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We are as much worthy of joy, power and pleasure as the next human. We are deserving and we don’t need permission or an invitation to exist and to step into our power. — ILHAN OMAR
POLITICIAN & ACTIVIST
INFO The Kitchen Table, 1840 W. Main St., Richmond, 434-8686, kitchentablevt.com 4T-sweeney022124.indd 1
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DINING ON A DIME
Not Meatloaf
Kimchiseburger with fries
Burger Night at Winooski’s Four Quarters Brewing is a soon-to-be smash B Y S A L LY POL L AK
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PHOTOS: DARIA BISHOP
I
f I’d been smarter — or at least quicker — I would’ve timed how long it took to get my Cheeseburger in Paradise on a recent Tuesday night at Four Quarters Brewing in Winooski. Then I would’ve clocked myself eating it, and I could say with certainty which was faster: cooking or eating. I can attest they were both high-speed events. I’d taken just a few sips of beer before a double cheeseburger with the works was placed before me at the bar. I’d also had time to leave my barstool and walk a few feet to squirt ketchup and mustard into little paper cups: I wanted to be ready for paradise, and I was. Eating was a rhythmic bite-after-biteafter-bite until the familiar combination of flavors and textures — soft hold (roll), tang (pickles), crunch (lettuce), glop (ketchup/ mustard), heft/grease (meat) — was gone. Between bites, I googled the song “Cheeseburger in Paradise” and was pleased to be reminded it was by Jimmy Buffet, not Meatloaf. I’m guessing the combined cooking-and-eating time for that cheeseburger was about 10 minutes. That translates to a dollar a minute for the $10 meal, a Tuesday night special at Four Quarters. The brewery offers a range of options, including a mushroom Swiss burger (I
Chef Charles Spock
Mushroom cheeseburger with sweet potato fries and a Stargazer beer
recommend it) and the Kimchiseburger with kimchi and a fried egg (a favorite of the chef ). The six burgers on the menu are officially called smashburgers. They’re flattened in a tortilla press and thus thin and a little crispy. The burger comes with a side: French fries, sweet potato fries, salad or chips. Four Quarters opened 10 years ago in a three-stool bar with a record player, a few blocks from where it now stands on Main Street. In those early years, founder Brian Eckert brewed about 400 barrels a year in the converted garage, listening to tracks from The Last Waltz. Last year, the brewery produced more than 3,000 barrels, according to Eckert. Beer production (and sales) help the kitchen keep food prices affordable, head chef Charles Spock said. The Winooski resident — whose experience includes Stone Corral brewery, Hatchet and the Big Spruce in Richmond, as well as Cork Restaurant & Natural Wine Shop in Stowe — joined Four Quarters in October. Spock leads a seven-person team in the kitchen, which opens daily at noon. Burger night hasn’t quite caught on, Spock said, noting that crowds at Taylor Swift and Harry Potter trivia nights far eclipsed the number of folks eating $10 smashburgers. “Strangely, it hasn’t been super popular,” Spock, 42, said. “If you went to Burger King, you would pay more than burger night at Four Quarters.” The brewery, decorated with a mural of a spacecraft traveling through a starry sky, is planning a number of events and promotions tied to its 10-year anniversary and the April 8 solar eclipse. These include a “new look [and] a new core beer,” Eckert said. Four Quarters reopened its original space at 150 West Canal Street last weekend and will welcome people there on Friday and Saturday nights through the spring and summer. The old-new brewery will serve cellared beers, cocktails, local wine and cheese plates. Ten years, Eckert said, “went by in a flash!” Just like my Cheeseburger in Paradise. ➆ Dining on a Dime is a series featuring wellmade, filling bites (something substantial enough to qualify as a small meal or better) for around $12 or less. Know of a tasty dish we should feature? Drop us a line: food@ sevendaysvt.com.
INFO Four Quarters Brewing, 70 Main St., Winooski, 391-9120, 4qbc.com
food+drink DRINK UP
Going Grey Drinking delightful London fog lattes at Burlington’s Great Harvest Bread ST ORY & P H O T O S B Y R ACH EL STEAR NS
On a frosty Saturday in January, heading into Burlington with my sister for some postholiday bargain hunting on the Church Street Marketplace, I hung a right into the Pine Street parking lot of Great Harvest Bread. It reminded me of a joke my mom used to make when we’d visit Dunkin’: “The car pulled in all by itself!” My car seems to have a more sophisticated palate than hers, though — a full espresso setup and the enticing aroma of freshly baked sourdough greeted us inside the bakery and café. It was late morning, and while my sister got a plain ole drip coffee ($2 to $2.75), I turned to my drink of choice for situations like this, when I’ve already had a cup (or two) but crave some liquid warmth: a London fog ($3.75). The concoction is fairly straightforward, Great Harvest co-owner Chris Brown explained. The process is just like making a regular latte, but instead of using espresso, the barista blends the steamed milk with “a strong shot of Earl Grey tea.” The tea’s trademark ingredient is bergamot essential oil, derived from a fragrant, medicinal Italian orange that brings that “refreshing, uplifting floral note,” Brown said. To ensure the distinctive flavor permeates the milk, Great Harvest steeps with two sachets instead of one. The café uses tea from Rishi Tea & Botanicals, a Milwaukee company that touts organic, direct-trade blends. Having more than a decade of experience in the coffee and tea industry, Brown is particular about his hot brewed beverages. He bought Great Harvest in 2018 with his wife, Joanne Casale, after working on coffee and other beverages at Keurig Green Mountain and launching new cold-brew coffee brands for companies in Philadelphia and New Orleans. The first change the couple made to the café, he said, was upping the ante in terms of coffee: For their beans, they selected Philly-based La Colombe Coffee roasters — a personal favorite of Brown’s Great Harvest Bread counter and a well-respected industry name — and then installed the espresso bar. Brown noted that his favorite way to enjoy a London fog is unsweetened and with a scone ($3.25) on the side, but some people sweeten it with vanilla or simple syrup. I’ve seen it elsewhere dressed up with maple, lavender or rose. The plain, unsweetened version lets the unique flavor of the Earl Grey shine, especially if you sit in the café to savor it, as I did on another recent occasion. Without the obstruction of a to-go lid, the scent hit my nose before the pure white foam reached my eagerly parted lips. The lightly sweet milk and the perfumy tea combined in a sublime sip, and a barely-there bitterness lingered. Pairing the London fog with a chewy sourdough cinnamon roll ($3.75) topped with gobs of cream cheese icing, I was glad I’d opted for the unsweetened version of the drink, but the decadence of the roll went nicely with the soft tannins in the tea. I couldn’t resist also sampling the oatmeal fruit bar ($3.75), with its colorful, caramelized peaches and berries, and was not disappointed: The oat clusters retained some crunch, and the sweet-tart balance was spot-on. When I had stopped in with my sister that Saturday, it was actually the bread that beckoned: I had a buy-one-loaf-get-one-half-off coupon. (Like I said, bargains!) I guess I’ve picked up my mom’s habit of never paying full price for anything, in addition to her jokes. Luckily, this time it led me to hefty loaves, sweet treats and a new latte spot. Cheers, Mom! ➆
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JUST A COUPLE OLD GUYS TUESDAYS > 7:00 P.M.
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INFO
Great Harvest Bread, 382 Pine St., Burlington, 660-2733, greatharvestburlington.com
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culture
Dean Doyle interviewing students at Bread & Butter Farm
PODCASTS
From the Mouths of Babes A new podcast features Vermonters’ perspectives on climate change — through the eyes of an infant B Y H ANNA H FEUER • hfeuer@sevendaysvt.com
B
“
aby Carl’s Happy Apocalypse” is a podcast about fighting climate change and social injustice, but with a twist: 56-year-old Doyle Dean interviews Vermonters while embodying the persona of a happy, inquisitive toddler named Baby Carl. Baby Carl’s questions are simple yet profound. “Why does it say moo?” he asked about a cow at Bread & Butter Farm in Shelburne during one episode. “We don’t have any snow, but it’s December!” Baby Carl told Matt Schlein, director of the Walden Project, an outdoor education program in Monkton, in another. “What’s up with that?” Carl’s childlike innocence and naïveté offer an accessible entry point for tackling serious topics, said Dean, a production manager at North Country Public Radio in Canton, N.Y. He cocreated the podcast with 42
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Bill Vitek, director of Middlebury College’s New Perennials Project, which aims to spread sustainable agricultural practices. For the podcast’s first five episodes, released throughout the second half 2023, Vitek and Dean road-tripped across
Vermont to capture audio of Baby Carl interviewing New Perennials’ community partners. In addition to Bread & Butter Farm, the duo visited two outdoor education programs — the Walden Project and the New Roots Project — run by the Willowell Foundation in Monkton, as well as Green Mountain Monastery in Greensboro. The podcast has about 500 downloads so far, according to Vitek. It’s available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and other services. The approximately 40-minute episodes feature witty repartee between Vitek and Baby Carl; Baby Carl’s interviews with Vermonters advocating for sustainability; and short, satirical songs. “Baby Carl’s just a little guy, but he asks big questions,” Dean/Baby Carl sings in the theme song. The show is intended for adults, but kids can enjoy it, too, Vitek said. No topic is too grown-up for Baby Carl: Conversations
segue from lighthearted banter to climate change, school shootings, political polarization and threats to American democracy. The toddler character “removes the ego” from conversations, he explained, and encourages his interviewees to be more vulnerable. “I did have a moment the very first day of interviews … when I realized, Oh, I’m about to go meet people as a baby,” Dean said. “So you kind of have to remind them, in the baby voice, ‘I’m going to talk to you now. And I might look like a big guy, but I’m not. I’m just a little guy.’” Baby Carl started as a joke between Dean and his kids. Dean would goof around and use a baby voice, the kind of high-pitched tone he might use to talk to a dog. Then Dean had an idea: What if he talked to people outside his family using that voice? He named the character Carl, he said, because he “couldn’t think of a more ridiculous name for a baby.” For some listeners, Carl’s shrill voice may be an acquired taste. “This isn’t for everyone, and that’s OK,” Dean said. In 2015, Dean turned the character into a YouTube series, “The Baby Carl Show.” For the video, Dean superimposed his lips on a vintage photograph of a real toddler, and the lips move as he talks. In one episode, he interviewed Vitek, who was his neighbor at the time in Potsdam, N.Y. The two had a rapport, and when Vitek moved to Middlebury to work on the New Perennials Project, he asked Baby Carl to create educational videos about perennial plants. Vitek shared the videos with colleagues, who advised him not to show them to the grant funder from the Rockefeller Family Fund, he said, because “it was a little too weird,” and he “might think you’re wasting his money.” Three years after making the videos, Vitek finally worked up the courage to show them to the grant funder. He loved them, Vitek said — and encouraged Vitek and Baby Carl to move ahead with a podcast. In the first episode, released last June, Vitek and Baby Carl talk about how the word “apocalypse” — a scary, doomsday word often used in the context of climate change — comes from the Greek term apokálypsis, meaning uncovering, disclosure or revelation. In subsequent episodes, Baby Carl asks his interviewees about their “happy apocalypse,” or a moment when they had a revelation about what gives their life purpose. Meghan Rigali, cofounder and director of the New Roots Project, told Baby Carl in Episode 2 that her happy apocalypse was being amazed as a child to find Brussels sprouts growing in nature and bringing some home to her mom. The unexpected FROM THE MOUTHS OF BABES
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SNOWLIGHTS
Saturday, FEB 24 | 5:30 - 8PM
MEDIA
Reuben Jackson, Poet, Jazz Scholar and Longtime Vermont Public DJ, Dies at 67
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B Y K E N P I C ARD • ken@sevendaysvt.com
Reuben Jackson, the longtime Vermont poet, jazz historian, music reviewer and educator whose smooth and authoritative voice distinguished him as a host of Vermont Public’s “Friday Night Jazz,” died last Friday morning. Jackson suffered a stroke on February 2, just hours after finishing a radio show in Washington, D.C. He was 67. A Georgia native, Jackson grew up in D.C. and spent two decades as curator of the Duke Ellington Collection at the Smithsonian Institution, which he once called “the job of a lifetime.” Jackson moved to Vermont for the first time in 1975 to attend Goddard College in Plainfield but moved back to D.C. in 1978. He returned to Vermont years later for a job teaching English at Burlington High School. In 2012, Jackson took over thenVermont Public Radio’s Friday night jazz program when its longtime host, George Thomas, retired. Jackson hosted “Friday Night Jazz” until 2018 before returning to the D.C. area to be closer to family and friends. Upon his return to the city, he worked as the archivist in the Felix E. Grant Jazz Archives at the University of the District of Columbia. He also cohosted “The Sound of Surprise,” a jazz program on WPFW 89.3 FM. Jackson was an accomplished poet and music critic who wrote for the Washington Post, JazzTimes, DownBeat and All About Jazz. His reviews were occasionally featured on NPR’s “All Things Considered.” His most recent poetry book was 2019’s Scattered Clouds. Many Vermonters will remember him for his soothing and resonant voice, which listeners frequently recognized when Jackson traveled around the state. “I would call him the ‘Velvet Fog’ because his voice was just so magical,” longtime friend and fellow DJ Craig Mitchell said. “His knowledge of the music was just mind-blowing.” Despite his confident on-air persona, Jackson was also an intensely shy and private man, a quality which, in addition to their mutual love of music, he and Mitchell shared and bonded over. Mitchell said he often tried to meet Jackson for coffee or dinner, only to have his friend cancel on him at the last minute. “He said, ‘Craig, I love you, but I just can’t do that. I’m way too introverted,’” Mitchell recalled. Molly Stone, artistic director at Catamount Arts in St. Johnsbury, first became friends with Jackson after he reached out to her via Facebook in 2021.
“From that moment forward, we began sending Facebook messages every day, all day,” she said. Stone described Jackson, whom she considered more like a family member, as “a very introverted people lover.” She noted that Jackson had strong opinions on grief, which he felt that our society rushes through in the relentless churn of the 24-hour news cycle. “Reuben was a self-proclaimed crier — ‘Crying while Black,’ he’d often quip,” she added. “His strength was his vulnerability, and I think we all felt ... psychologically safe in his Reuben Jackson presence.” Fellow music historian and DJ Joel Najman, who has hosted Vermont Public’s weekly “My Place” program since 1982, worked with Jackson for years at the station. Nevertheless, much of what Najman knew about Jackson he learned secondhand. “He was a very private person,” Najman said, “but I greatly admired his deep institutional knowledge of jazz.” Najman also has a deep respect for Jackson as a poet, calling him “a gentle giant who was very, very observant of the world around him.” This was particularly true regarding Jackson’s dedication to the cause of racial equity and social justice. In recent years, much of his poetry addressed the death of young Black men at the hands of police. As Jackson told Seven Days’ Eva Sollberger in a September 2017 “Stuck in Vermont” episode marking his five-year anniversary on “Friday Night Jazz,” having to constantly represent his race in Vermont eventually wore on him. Nevertheless, Jackson considered it a privilege to speak to listeners through radio, which he once described as an intimate medium and a conversation between strangers. As he told Sollberger in 2017, a Black woman once thanked him for his show by telling him that, for three hours each week, she felt like she wasn’t in Vermont anymore. “The kind of community that music can engender even by way of radio is powerful,” he said. As the self-described “geek emeritus” of Vermont’s jazz music scene, Jackson always appreciated his fans and the opportunity that radio gave him to share his love of music with others. “Do I love this?” he said to Sollberger with a whistle. “Boy, oh boy, I do!” Jackson is survived by his partner, Jenae Michelle, his extended family in Georgia and, as Jenae put it in a text message to Stone, his “wonderful group of chosen family.” ➆
Rejoice in winter's magic as art and light unite for a breathtaking celebration! Bask in a whimsical light display, live music with Mal Maiz, fire juggling, and dinner to eat fireside.
WHEN LIGHT BENDS In the Path of Totality
MAR 22 - 24
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culture
COURTESY OF WENDY CLINCH
Jon Clinch
Last Words
Book review: The General and Julia, Jon Clinch
BOOKS
BY AMY L IL LY • lilly@sevendaysvt.com
A
t the end of his life, a nearly penniless Ulysses S. Grant sat bundled in blankets in a loaned cabin in the Adirondack foothills, barely able to talk or eat due to metastatic throat cancer. His single aim was to finish his memoirs so he could leave his wife, Julia, and their children and grandchildren money to survive. He managed to pen the last sentence of The Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant five days before dying. S o u t h e r n Ve r m o n t author Jon Clinch structures his sixth novel, The General and Julia, around those last weeks of Grant’s life — those “Forty Days and Forty Nights,” as he titles the episodes that depict Grant ’s final struggle. Omnisciently narrated, the book intersperses these episodes with chapters illuminating moments in Grant’s life, showing him courting his future wife, decimating the Army of the Mississippi at Chattanooga, discussing where emancipated slaves might go during his presidency and losing his fortune in an early Ponzi scheme. The sympathetic portrait that unfolds is one already familiar to readers of Ron Chernow’s popular 2017 biography, Grant, and Grant’s own memoirs. (Clinch does
not name any sources.) The hero of the Civil War and two-term 18th president is, in Clinch’s telling, a brilliant battle strategist and devoted family man who is humble, generous and, when it comes to money, naïve. Clinch’s conceit is a useful one: Already in looking-back mode, Grant is on doctor-prescribed morphine and cocaine, drugs that “have the power to open doors in his mind.” They allow the general to
general’s headquarters at City Point, Va., on the Appomattox River. “The general and his wife are sleeping. She could slip out into the night with no one the wiser. This cabin seems to her a soap bubble in the wind, an egg in the ocean, some small and fragile thing afloat within a limitless and powerful one.” The book will keep Civil War and Grant buffs busy determining which parts of Clinch’s imagining are based in historical fact, but what makes it a pleasure to read for all is the author’s ability to create credible, specific and revealing scenes. When Alexander Stephens, vice president of the Confederacy, arrives at Grant’s cabin to talk peace, for example, the disdainful general watches the Southerner shed an enormous overcoat and observes, “The man has proven to be all shuck and no ear.” Clinch’s title implies that the book is equally about Julia, but Grant’s wife figures chiefly in the opening chapter, when the pair are beginning to fall in love, and at the end, when she encourages him to write his memoirs. In between, there are momentary glimpses of Julia’s vexing inability to condemn slavery, but Clinch gives more play to Grant’s evolving views on race. One such shift occurs when Grant’s
ALREADY IN LOOKING-BACK MODE, GRANT IS ON DOCTOR-PRESCRIBED DRUGS THAT
“HAVE THE POWER TO OPEN DOORS IN HIS MIND.”
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dream from the perspectives of other people — rather as novelists write from different viewpoints. One opiate-fueled trip has Grant empathetically imagining life as Julia’s longtime maid, Jule, one of 30 or so slaves owned by her father. (Paradoxically, Julia retained Jule while her husband fought against slavery; Jule eventually fled the family in 1864.) “She considers the fragile barrier between the inside of this cabin and the great world beyond it,” Jule thinks in Grant’s dream, which occurs at the
valet, Harrison Terrell, a former slave liberated by Emancipation, welcomes his son Robert, a professor, to the house. At first, Grant congratulates himself on making it possible for both Black men to rise above slavery. But as he interacts with Robert, who was educated at the Groton School and Harvard University, he is surprised to find in him a “refinement both innate and highly polished.” It dawns on him that Robert’s model in this is Grant’s valet. Clinch describes Grant’s reaction: “How has he overlooked it, or denied it outright, until now? These two men, born with deep resources untapped, born awaiting rescue by the rough barbarians of the U.S. Army. The world seems almost upside down for a moment.” In moments like these throughout the novel, Grant struggles with both his own unintentional racism and the sense that even a massive war hasn’t changed the nation — something that his rival, Confederate general Robert E. Lee, realizes in an early scene that Clinch imagines from Lee’s perspective. At the war’s close, Lee predicts, “the institution of slavery will live or die, at least in the law books — but the hearts of the nation will go on as they always have.”
Clinch specializes in imagining the lives of both real and fictional characters on his pages, from Huckleberry Finn’s father in Finn (2007) to 19th-century explorer Giovanni Battista Belzoni in Belzoni Dreams of Egypt (2014). Mark Twain, creator of Huck Finn, makes a key appearance in this novel, his wit and marketing acuity ably captured. Written in an episodic manner, The General and Julia lacks the forward momentum of, say, Paul Lynch’s Prophet Song — the 2023 Booker Prize winner, which is impossible to put down from first to last sentence — or, more relevantly, the drama of historical novelist Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall (2009). But Clinch’s narrative serves a different and rather crucial purpose: The author uses the protagonist’s journey toward a complex understanding of his role in the fate of Black Americans to demonstrate the ability to put oneself in another’s shoes. Empathy is what allows us to understand history — and to understand why Grant’s era lives on in American life, as relevant as ever. ➆
INFO The General and Julia by Jon Clinch, Atria Books, 259 pages. $26.99.
FROM THE GENERAL AND JULIA [1867] The slave population has been freed but is by no means free. Its individual members are bound by chains of economic servitude and cultural loathing, and every single government policy established to lift them up is either ignored or subverted outright. In county after Southern county, lone black men and boys, most of them guilty of little more than drawing breath, are terrorized and pursued and viciously murdered by gangs of the very same individuals who once were satisfied to own them body and soul. The killers gouge out their eyes and tear out their tongues and hack away their reproductive organs in fits of gleeful destruction. They hang them from cottonwoods and great live oaks like bled livestock, like tanned hides, like the spoils of some savage conquest. He reads the dispatches from Washington and shakes his head and sighs. Some days he concludes that the war was either a failure or something much worse: a sham, a charade, a cynical confidence game whose object was to weaken the powers of good and set hell’s every last demon free. He himself was surely taken in by the seductive optimism of its promises. He can remember believing that to settle the war would be to reunite the nation, as if peace itself had some power to command men’s hearts. As if slogging through the killing fields of Gettysburg or Antietam or Shiloh would somehow set an individual — set an entire nation, in fact — on a permanent course of unbending virtue. It was not to be. The conclusion rattles him, threatening to take away whatever self-built framework keeps him upright from one day to the next. He says so to Julia one night as he puts out the lamp. “What do you think might have happened,” he asks, his voice emerging from blackness as the flame chokes and dies, “if I had been less forgiving of Lee?”
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B Y RACHEL M U LLIS
Burlington’s ONE Arts Center isn’t your average afterschool program. Other than the size of the humans, the vibe is more makerspace than childcare facility. The scratch of scissors and rustling paper fills the air as elementary schoolage kids gamely trade Perler beads or compliment one another’s work. Some are lost in group arts projects while others fervently hot-glue details on their latest creations — think 3D paper dolls, cardboard houses, stuffed animals and DIY Pokémon cards. On a recent Wednesday afternoon, Waterway Stage teacher Lauren Larken Scuderi and the center’s director, Mikayla Messier, helped kids explore ways to incorporate watershed science into theater design and playwriting. On Thursday, attendees came home with sculptures made from random materials such as bottle caps and fabric scraps — an homage to the television series “Chopped,” where chefs get a basket of mystery ingredients. Regardless of the day or project, kids are encouraged to follow their creativity. Soon, people of all ages will be invited to do the same. On January 29, the center moved from cramped quarters on North Champlain Street to a more spacious base at 294 North Winooski Avenue, a longtime community hub previously home to arts nonprofit North End Studios. The move enables the center to add programs for middle schoolers, high schoolers and families, as well as public events. “We welcome the opportunity to bring art making to more of our community,” cofounder Becca McHale wrote in an email. The move marks a new phase for the organization, which got its start in 2012 when McHale and Margaret Coleman met over coffee and found they shared a desire to build local connections and community through art. By 2013, they had opened the original arts center and were offering afterschool programs. By 2021, they’d cofounded ONE Arts Inc., an arts education nonprofit that also operates two preschools, in Burlington and Colchester. This year’s move was made possible by $60,000 in grants from Vermont Afterschool and community donations solicited through a fundraising video starring several students. The new arts center is wheelchair accessible, has plenty of parking, and includes two bathrooms and 300 additional square feet of space. The amenities allow McHale and Coleman to expand services to as many as 26 children at a time — up from a maximum of 15 students at the former space — and to apply for an afterschool childcare program license from the State of Vermont. ONE Arts
COURTESY OF MIKAYLA MESSIER
Certified Precious Metal Dealer State of Vermont Dealers Cert# 0028
Students at ONE Arts Center
has informally provided full scholarships to students in need for years, but licensure will allow more students who qualify for childcare subsidies to participate. As for what the general public can expect, the team has introduced a new six-month program through a grant from Vermont Community Foundation to offer inclusive, all-needs family workshops such as weaving and printmaking. It will also be purchasing two adaptive looms, one to accommodate wheelchairs and the other for use by the center’s youngest artists. “People with children with differing needs or abilities can come, siblings can come, and we’re having art therapists collaborate with artists to design the workshops,” Coleman said. The center teams up with working artists whenever possible. Its staff includes local comic artist Ivan Klipstein and designer and maker Joanne Kalisz. Pievy Polyte’s vivid paintings of his native Haiti are currently displayed throughout the space, and the team plans to showcase new artists on a regular basis. Other possibilities include making the preschool available for childcare during adult art classes. Messier said the center is considering offering paintand-sip and draw-and-drink classes, if there’s enough interest. McHale added that while ONE Arts leadership has plenty of thoughts on future programming, the organization is just as open to ideas from the community. “We want people to know what we do,” she said. “But we’re also willing and eager to collaborate.” ➆
INFO Learn more at oneartscenter.com.
culture Dean Doyle, Baby Carl and Corie Pierce of Bread & Butter Farm
“Actors have a personal connection with dramatic texts, which is distinctive and different from the scholars.”
From the Mouths of Babes « P.42 discovery of food in the wild inspired her it easy to open up. She bought into the to dedicate her life to connecting people concept from the start, appreciating how with the earth. the perspective of a child could add In Episode 5, Green Mounlevity to the conversation. Dean tain Monastery’s Sister never broke character, she Gail Worcelo said her added, making it easier happy apocalypse for her to play along. happened when she “If I had been was 7 years old and asked those quessaw a group of nuns tions and had a Bill Vitek sitting in a circle. dialogue with two She thought, I’m grown men, that going to be like them would have been a when I grow up. “It completely different was like a lightning conversation,” Rigali bolt,” Worcelo told Baby said. “We could straddle Carl. “That was it, that line of talking and it directed my about serious issues,” whole life.” she added, without Dean said Baby being bogged down Carl’s interview in “existential angst.” style helps facilitate Vitek said he emotional conversahopes to continue tions; interviewees producing episodes, B ILL VITE K seem to have an featuring guests easier time answering intimate ques- beyond New Perennials’ partners. Some tions when the person asking them is dream interviewees for Baby Carl: pretending to be a baby. “It helps to have Middlebury College president Laurie innocence lead the way,” Vitek explained. Patton, Ripton environmentalist and Dean “was magical in these interviews author Bill McKibben, and U.S. Sen. at disarming people, because they really Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). bought into it that he was a baby.” “We can all maybe do something to In one poignant exchange during help that bad apocalypse by having a good Rigali’s episode, Baby Carl asked her how apocalypse,” Vitek tells Baby Carl in the she copes with climate change. first episode. “Do you cry?” Baby Carl asked. “My love helping!” Baby Carl responds, “Yes, I do,” Rigali responded. “I have mixing up his pronouns. ➆ wept from deep down inside of me, because I can’t not be affected.” INFO Rigali agreed that Baby Carl made Learn more at babycarl.buzzsprout.com.
IT HELPS TO HAVE INNOCENCE LEAD THE WAY.
—Sir Patrick Stewart,
Founding Director, Actors from the London Stage
A Mids Midsummer Night’s Dream SHAKESPEARE’S
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on screen The Color Purple ★★★★
R
The deal
In 1909 Georgia, 14-year-old Celie (Phylicia Pearl Mpasi) is pregnant for the second time with the child of her father (Deon Cole). When he whisks the baby away to adoptive parents, Celie’s only solace is her beloved sister, Nettie (Halle Bailey). Nettie catches the eye of an older man, the well-off farmer Mister (Colman Domingo), but the girls’ father persuades him to marry Celie instead. Celie embarks on a life of toil and abuse from her husband, whose unwanted advances force Nettie to flee, separating the sisters. Now an adult (played by Fantasia Barrino), Celie accepts her lot — until two strong women transform her life. Firebrand Sofia (Brooks), the bride of Mister’s grown son (Corey Hawkins), teaches Celie that it’s possible to say “Hell No!” to domestic violence in a rousing number. Shug Avery (Taraji P. Henson), the flirtatious blues singer whom Mister loves, brings joy and effervescent sensuality into Celie’s home, reawakening her long-dormant interest in love and sex. With these two women’s help, Celie takes tentative steps toward independence.
Will you like it?
The Color Purple is a modern fairy tale that turns the old patriarchal tropes on their heads while still affirming the power of fate and magic. Sisterly and maternal bonds overcome decades of separation, a love triangle is a means of empowerment (Celie falls in love with the woman 48
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COURTESY OF WARNER BROS.
eleased in theaters at Christmas, The Color Purple is not a new take on Steven Spielberg’s 1985 drama. Rather, Blitz Bazawule’s film is an adaptation of the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical also based on Alice Walker’s best-selling novel, with music and lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray and book by Marsha Norman. The grim premise of Walker’s book may seem like an odd fit for the holiday season, but foregrounding the film’s celebratory musical aspect might have helped it stay longer in theaters. (The official description doesn’t even mention its genre.) The Color Purple received one Oscar nomination: Danielle Brooks for supporting actress in a role that Oprah Winfrey made famous in 1985. It’s now streaming on Max, along with the Spielberg film and a making-of documentary, featuring producer Winfrey. Fantasia Barrino plays Alice Walker’s oppressed heroine in a joyous screen version of the Broadway musical.
who would normally be her rival), and Shug and Sofia play fairy godmothers, sprinkling stardust on this downtrodden Cinderella to unleash her inner beauty and confidence. By the end of the story, the evil, controlling male figures are either dead or repentant, leaving the women to preside over a found-family utopia. It may not be the most realistic tale, but it’s great material for a musical. Bazawule, a Ghanaian filmmaker and musician who directed the acclaimed indie The Burial of Kojo and codirected Black Is King with Beyoncé, makes a solid choice to embrace the inherent anti-naturalism of the format. Even outside the song-and-dance numbers, time and space yield to poetic logic: A mirror becomes a portal to the past (where Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor appears as Celie’s late mother), and seasons change in one long pan of the camera from window to window. While not all the songs are winners, the performances, staging and choreography give them the dizzy lift they need. Shug’s blues-joint number “Push Da Button” doesn’t spare a single innuendo. Watching Henson vamp in a glittery gown, we can see why Celie and everyone else is infatuated with Shug (though Shug’s own motivations aren’t so clear). For their big duet, “What About Love?,” Shug takes Celie to the movie
REVIEW house, where they step right into the action of a Busby Berkeley-style musical. Barrino has a great voice and an open face that makes you root for Celie. But the character’s passivity can be frustrating; in this version, she doesn’t evolve organically so much as she just finds really cool friends. In depicting Celie’s initial horror at Sofia, who refuses to resign herself to being degraded, the story pokes at a resonant theme: how women collaborate in their own oppression. But one tuneful lecture from Sofia makes Celie’s prejudices melt away. Domingo, a 2024 Oscar nominee for Rustin (see sidebar), gives such a slyly charismatic performance as Mister that he steals his scenes, making us perhaps a bit too eager to see this abuser redeemed. But Mister’s rascally attractiveness does help explain why Shug gives him the time of day. The Color Purple delivers on the oldschool Hollywood promise of an uplifting vacation from cruel realities without feeling Disneyfied. It doesn’t censor the story’s positive depiction of lesbian love or its indictment of racism, though the latter remains in the background until Sofia is jailed for refusing to defer to the white mayor’s wife. While Shug and Sofia are the flashier parts, Celie’s stubborn endurance has its
own power. When Barrino sings the showstopper “I’m Here,” we’re with her. MARGO T HARRI S O N margot@sevendaysvt.com
IF YOU LIKE THIS, TRY... “GREAT PERFORMANCES,” season 47,
episode 9: Much Ado About Nothing (2019; check pbs.org and your local library): Oscar-nominated Brooks played Tasha on “Orange Is the New Black” (2013-2019; Netflix, rentable) and applied her fiery wit to the role of Shakespeare’s sparring lover Beatrice in this Public Theater production, which transports the classic rom-com to Georgia in an election year. MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM (2020;
Netflix): If you liked watching Henson sing the blues in The Color Purple, check out Viola Davis’ powerhouse performance as the titular blues singer in this acclaimed adaptation of August Wilson’s play. RUSTIN (2023; Netflix): Domingo is
in the running for Best Actor for his performance as Bayard Rustin, a gay civil rights activist who helped organize the 1963 March on Washington.
MOVIE CLIPS
COURTESY OF CAROLE BETHUEL/IFC FILMS
NEW IN THEATERS DEMON SLAYER: KIMETSU NO YAIBA — TO THE HASHIRA TRAINING: Tanjiro attempts to level up in the movie series based on the popular dark fantasy anime. Haruo Sotozaki directed. (104 min, R. Essex, Majestic) DRIVE-AWAY DOLLS: Two friends (Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan) run straight into trouble when they encounter outlaws on a road trip in this action comedy directed by Ethan Coen. With Beanie Feldstein and Colman Domingo. (84 min, R. Capitol, Essex) ORDINARY ANGELS: In this fact-based drama, Hilary Swank plays a hairdresser who rallies a community around the cause of saving a child’s life. With Alan Ritchson and Amy Acker. Jon Gunn directed. (116 min, PG. Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Star)
CURRENTLY PLAYING AMERICAN FICTIONHHHH Jeffrey Wright plays a novelist who tries a daring hoax after his publisher tells him his books aren’t “Black enough” in this comedy-drama from Cord Jefferson. (117 min, R. Roxy; reviewed 1/17) ANYONE BUT YOUHH1/2 A fancy wedding gives two exes (Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell) an incentive to fake-date in this rom-com from Will Gluck (Easy A). (103 min, R. Essex, Majestic) ARGYLLEHH A mild-mannered novelist (Bryce Dallas Howard) is swept up in a spy plot in this action thriller from Matthew Vaughn, also starring Henry Cavill. (139 min, PG-13; Big Picture, Bijou, Essex, Majestic, Paramount, Star, Stowe, Welden) THE BEEKEEPERHH1/2 Jason Statham plays a former clandestine operative who goes on a vengeful rampage in this action thriller from David Ayer. (105 min, R. Majestic) BOB MARLEY: ONE LOVEHH Kingsley Ben-Adir plays the reggae icon in this biopic directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green (King Richard). With James Norton and Lashana Lynch. (104 min, PG-13. Big Picture, Bijou, Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Marquis, Roxy, Star, Stowe, Welden) THE BOY AND THE HERONHHHH1/2 Renowned animator Hayao Miyazaki brings us a fantasy with autobiographical elements about a boy seeking his mom in the otherworld. (124 min, PG-13. Roxy) THE BOYS IN THE BOATHH1/2 Director George Clooney follows the University of Washington rowing team on their unlikely path to Olympic gold during the Great Depression. (124 min, PG-13. Majestic) LISA FRANKENSTEINHH1/2 A teenage goth (Kathryn Newton) hopes to make an exhumed corpse into her dream boy in this horror-comedy scripted by Diablo Cody. (101 min, PG-13. Majestic, Roxy)
Benoît Magimel and Bonnie Chagneau-Ravoire in The Taste of Things
MADAME WEBH1/2 Sony’s Spider-Man Universe continues with this action flick in which Dakota Johnson plays a woman using her precognitive abilities to save others from a looming threat. With Sydney Sweeney and Isabela Merced. S.J. Clarkson directed. (117 min, PG-13. Bijou, Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Marquis, Paramount, Roxy, Star, Stowe, Welden) MEAN GIRLSHHH The Broadway musical based on the 2004 comedy film about a high schooler’s struggle with the popular clique comes to the screen, starring Angourie Rice and Renée Rapp. (112 min, PG-13. Majestic) MIGRATIONHHH A duck family meets many mishaps on its first-ever trip south in this animated family comedy. (92 min, PG. Essex, Majestic, Paramount, Welden) POOR THINGSHHHH1/2 In this Golden Globe winner, Emma Stone plays a clumsily resurrected Victorian woman who embarks on an odyssey of self-discovery. (141 min, R. Majestic, Roxy; reviewed 1/10) THE TASTE OF THINGSHHHH1/2 A chef and a gourmet (Juliette Binoche and Benoît Magimel) develop a passionate and contentious bond in this acclaimed period drama for foodies from director Anh Hung Tran (Norwegian Wood). (135 min, PG-13. Essex, Roxy, Savoy) WONKAHHH1/2 Timothée Chalamet plays the young Willy Wonka in this musical fantasy, directed by Paul King (Paddington). (116 min, PG. Capitol, Essex, Majestic)
.. •··········· .. •···········------··..... . .•···
THE ZONE OF INTERESTHHHHH Nominated for five Oscars, this drama from Jonathan Glazer chronicles the daily life of Auschwitz commandant Rudolf Höss (Christian Friedel) and his wife (Sandra Hüller). (105 min, PG-13; Playhouse, Roxy; reviewed 2/7)
OLDER FILMS AND SPECIAL SCREENINGS THE CHOSEN: SEASON 4: EPISODES 4-6 (Essex, except Mon & Tue) DUNE: PART ONE (Roxy) FINAL FANTASY VII: ADVENT CHILDREN COMPLETE (Essex, Wed 21 & Thu only) PHISH CONCERT LIVESTREAM (Roxy, Thu only) TROLLS BAND TOGETHER (Capitol) TURNING RED (Majestic) UNDERDOG (Savoy, Thu only)
OPEN THEATERS Catamount Arts’ theater is currently closed until further notice. (* = upcoming schedule for theater was not available at press time) BIG PICTURE THEATER: 48 Carroll Rd., Waitsfield, 496-8994, bigpicturetheater.info
*BIJOU CINEPLEX 4: 107 Portland St., Morrisville, 888-3293, bijou4.com *CAPITOL SHOWPLACE: 93 State St., Montpelier, 229-0343, fgbtheaters.com *CATAMOUNT ARTS: 115 Eastern Ave., St. Johnsbury, 748-2600, catamountarts.org ESSEX CINEMAS & T-REX THEATER: 21 Essex Way, Suite 300, Essex, 879-6543, essexcinemas.com MAJESTIC 10: 190 Boxwood St., Williston, 878-2010, majestic10.com MARQUIS THEATER: 65 Main St., Middlebury, 388-4841, middleburymarquis.com *MERRILL’S ROXY CINEMAS: 222 College St., Burlington, 864-3456, merrilltheatres.net *PARAMOUNT TWIN CINEMA: 241 N. Main St., Barre, 479-9621, fgbtheaters.com PLAYHOUSE MOVIE THEATRE: 11 S. Main St., Randolph, 728-4012, playhouseflicks.com SAVOY THEATER: 26 Main St., Montpelier, 229-0598, savoytheater.com STAR THEATRE: 17 Eastern Ave., St. Johnsbury, 748-9511, stjaytheatre.com *STOWE CINEMA 3PLEX: 454 Mountain Rd., Stowe, 253-4678, stowecinema.com *WELDEN THEATRE: 104 N. Main St., St. Albans, 527-7888, weldentheatre.com
I
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art Amorales frequently centers his work on language, communication and translation. In the case of “Black Cloud,” his winged insects seem like semaphores for the cycle of life and for transformation. Wall text proffers a more personal association, noting that Amorales relates the image of a butterfly migration to “saying goodbye to his grandmother.” If insect-dotted walls are initially startling, Ebony G. Patterson’s enormous installation sparks astonishment. Evocatively titled “…there is a rumble as the garden folds, rolls, shreds, devours…itself,” it is a sculptural collage within a 96-by-109by-15-inch wall-hung white box. The front-facing side is glass. Because of the dimensions and weight of the piece, a visitor’s first question is likely to be: How did you get this in here? (A crane was involved; doors were removed.) The assemblage in the box is a jumble of tropical flora and fauna that are presumably native to the Jamaican artist’s homeland. The pieces are cut from digital prints on watercolor paper of the artist’s own photographs; other shapes are made of construction paper. Plastic bugs perch on plants. Blue butterflies seem to flutter everywhere. Faces and hands appear in unexpected places. There is a lot to discover in this piece. The standing female figure at its center is impossible to miss. Wearing a red vinyl mini skirt, cropped red top and thigh-high gold lamé boots, she is turned away from the viewer, arms raised high as if in celebration. Floral-patterned paper replaces her head and midriff. Patterson’s multidimensional collage is extraordinary, yet the décollage is striking, too: Carefully torn bits of paper over the woman’s image suggest a taking-away, a lessening, even amid the natural bounty. This piece was included in a Breonna Taylor exhibition at the Speed Art Museum in Kentucky, though it does not specifically refer to the 26-year-old Black woman whom police fatally shot in her home in 2020. Wall text suggests that Patterson’s work extends an invitation “to grapple with uneasy questions beneath the layers and beyond the patterns.” Four mixed-media works by Paul Anthony Smith also seem freighted with meaning, but both his imagery and titles point the way to interpretation. Employing painting and picotage over inkjet prints, Smith’s “Dreams Deferred” series depicts lush greenery and glimpses of urban
REVIEW
"...there is a rumble as the garden folds, rolls, shreds, devours...itself" by Ebony G. Patterson
Natural Selections
At the Current, “In the Garden” turns over the fertile soil of artistic imagination B Y PA M EL A POL ST O N • ppolston@sevendaysvt.com
V
isitors might expect an exhibit titled “In the Garden” to be a visual harbinger of spring, filled with lush flora. The works on view at the Current in Stowe do feature flowers, greenery and garden-attendant creatures. But the show’s seven artists employ nature more as metaphor — “setting the stage for connection and cultivation,” as gallery text puts it. Noting that a walled garden is “a place for calm and 50
SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024
reflection,” the gallery itself is something of a container — perhaps an incubator — for complex ideas about identity, inclusion and exclusion, survival and mortality. A swarm of moths and butterflies greets gallerygoers at the door. But not to worry: They are cut from black paper and cling to the walls. The installation, titled “Black Cloud,” is the work of Mexican artist Carlos Amorales and is inspired by the epic annual migration of monarch
butterflies from Canada to Mexico. In fact, Amorales has constructed his delicate pieces in the shapes of 30 different species. A second swarm inhabits a corner of the adjacent gallery space, seemingly poised for takeoff. (At the Current, both iterations were installed by executive director and director of exhibitions Rachel Moore.) A multidisciplinary artist who has studied and exhibited internationally,
ART SHOWS
BURLINGTON VT
|
Thursday, March 7th Flynn Space 153 Main St. Burlington, VT
Jolivette Anderson -Douoning In Goldleana's Hand
"Black Cloud" installation by Carlos Amorales
HIS WINGED INSECTS SEEM LIKE SEMAPHORES FOR THE
CYCLE OF LIFE AND FOR TRANSFORMATION.
"Harpy" by Valerie Hammond
architecture as seen through a chain-link fence. The Jamaican-born, New York Citybased artist manifests issues of identity, diaspora, the meaning of home and barriers to belonging. Smith’s 40-by-50-inch “Dreams Deferred #35” places the viewer in close range of blurred chain links, through which a secondary fence is visible. Both enclose a garden space that beckons but is inaccessible. Incarceration comes to mind; so does the cultural exclusion of immigrants. Wall text explains that
Smith considers the painted photographs “a metaphor for the elusive American dream.” The two Vermont artists in the exhibition, Wylie Garcia and Cameron Davis, are represented by one painting each. For several years, Garcia has been filling canvases with flowers — specifically, abstracted blossoms that are untethered to earth. In multiple hues, some nearly phosphorescent, blossoms jostle together in the foreground, while more muted, ghostlier versions appear at the back. Garcia creates a sense of visual depth, as if these flowers might go on forever. More recently, she has introduced a portal-like space in her paintings, inspired by “the vantage point of the viewer from Thomas Moran’s [1895] painting ‘The Lotus Eaters.’” In the poetically named “Through a Space in the Garden Bough, I See Light Over the Horizon,” the viewer can indeed see a distant landscape, with no clues to what it portends. “Garcia’s use of floral imagery relates to a wild untending of pleasurable pursuits at the expense of uncertainty,” the text reads. “They are symbols for shifting ideas about identity, place keeping and cycles of life/death.” Davis’ 48-by-36-inch acrylic painting “Encounter II, from the Poetic Ecologies Series” is a deep dive into the meaning of nature itself. In fact, it shares qualities of an underwater scene: murky background, a tangle of vegetation, a diaphanous white magnolia blossom illuminated from above. Davis utilizes multiple mark-making techniques — tracing projections, drawing, embossed impressions of actual plants — in the creation of her intensely felt canvases. Hers is both a technical and spiritual interrogation of “the subjective nature of Nature.” NATURAL SELECTIONS
Marlon Fisher Still I Rise, The Educational Journey
Sarah Jerger Micro Art / Macro Joy
Ben Pease Creativity, Community, and a VHS Camcorder
Katherine Quittner The Magnetica
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Jenni Belotserkovsky Vermont Transplant: How Art Can Help Process Experience
Deena Frankel Breasts, Good God, Y'all, What Are They Good For?
Walter Medwid Arctic Wolves on Ellesmere Island: Up Close and Personal
Duane Peterson Burning Man, Why It Could Matter to You
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SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024
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art FEB. 21-28 Clockwise from top left: "Encounter II, from the Poetic Ecologies Series" by Cameron Davis; “Through a Space in the Garden Bough I See Light Over the Horizon” by Wylie Garcia; “Night Garden” by Mary Mattingly
CALL TO ARTISTS INTERNATIONAL WOMEN ARTISTS: The Art Dames Society seeks work by female-identifying artists of all skill levels, using any medium, for an upcoming online exhibit. No theme, no commission; cash prizes. Deadline: February 27. Online. $5 per image. Info, theartdamessociety@gmail.com. ‘PORTRAIT: SELF AND OTHERS’: For an upcoming exhibition, PhotoPlace Gallery in Middlebury seeks portraits, self- or otherwise, that explore a deeper vision of the subject and evoke an emotional response. Juried by Aline Smithson. Deadline: March 11. Online. $39 for the first five images, $6 each additional image. Info, photos@photoplacegallery.com.
Natural Selections « P.51 Mary Mattingly’s gardens are underwater. Her four giclée prints depict the photographed collages of floral landscapes that she made in a fish tank, cutting and pasting images together “to imagine plant evolution in the riparian zone,” the text reads. Her plant life is vivid against an inky background. Known primarily as an installation artist whose large-scale works are rooted in climate activism, New York City-based Mattingly chose the smaller, contained milieu of a fish tank to represent the “power of water, time and the life force of the riparian edge.” Her work aims to inspire in humans a caretaking relationship with nature. “In the Garden” presents 10 works in watercolor and graphite by Valerie Hammond, who lives in Coxsackie, N.Y. Flowers make an appearance in most of them. Hands are a recurring motif, as well. Human and botanical imagery merge in several pieces, suggesting transformative — perhaps aspirational — relationships with the natural world. The artist writes that she is interested in transitions from one state of being to another. The 60-by-39-inch “Harpy,” rendered in red pigment on dowel-hung silk, depicts a bird body with a human female head. In Hammond’s poignant version of the mythological creature, the woman is pensive and looking downward, perhaps contemplating her fantastical merger. The artist seems to consider dissolution altogether in a pair of exceedingly pale watercolors on paper. In “Realms 2 (Red and Blue Flowers),” penciled-in butterflies are scarcely visible. In “Realms 1 (Bat),” the titular animal hangs upside down from a plant ever-so-faintly outlined in blue. The
SEEKING 10-MINUTE PLAYS: The Vermont Playwrights Circle is looking for 10-minute plays written by Vermonters of any experience, gender or age for performance in August. This year’s theme is “Freedom & Unity.” Scripts are judged anonymously. Details at vtplays.com. Online, through April 1. Info, 229-0112.
ART EVENTS VISITING ARTIST TALK: JACQUELINE SURDELL: The artist and former VSC resident talks about her mixed-media work, which is inspired by her hometown of Chicago and the grit of the Midwest. Red Mill Gallery at Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, Wednesday, February 21, 8 p.m. Free. Info, 635-2727. ARTIST TALK: JOHN ANDERSON: The artist and architect discusses the large-scale artworks in his current exhibition, “What’s the Big Idea?” The Gallery at Mad River Valley Arts, Waitsfield, Thursday, February 22, 5 p.m. Free. Info, 496-6682. CURRENTLY SPEAKING: BIOPHILIC DESIGN: A lecture presented by Cushman Design Group designer Katelyn Hudson, in conjunction with current exhibition “In the Garden.” The Current, Stowe, Thursday, February 22, 5-6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 253-8358. FINE ART AND FINE DINING: Edgewater Gallery collage artist Betsy Silverman gives a talk and slide show, followed by dinner. Call 496-6350 for reservation. The Pitcher Inn, Warren, Thursday, February 22. Info, 989-7419. LITERARY INTERSECTIONS: The first installment of a new series that presents topical writing with textual, and sometimes visual, affinities with art currently on view; featuring Vermont poet Sarah Audsley and author Leslie Sainz. BCA Center, Burlington, Thursday, February 22, 6-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 865-7166.
bat’s eyes, however, are rather unsettlingly focused. Hammond eloquently straddles, as wall text suggests, “the indefinable boundary between presence and absence, material and immaterial, consciousness and the unconscious.” ➆
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INFO
SPRING EXHIBITIONS RECEPTION: An evening of art and conversation to celebrate “Derrick Adams: Sanctuary” and “David Plowden: Portraits of America.” Middlebury College Museum of Art, Thursday, February 22, 5 p.m. Free. Info, museum@ middlebury.edu.
“In the Garden,” on view through April 11 at the Current in Stowe. A related talk, “Currently Speaking: Biophilic Design,” is Thursday, February 22, 5 to 7 p.m. thecurrentnow.org
2024 MARCH ARTS MARATHON FUNDRAISER: A fundraiser for the Central Vermont Refugee Action Network in which more than 35 artists share near-daily updates as they paint, draw, write, sing, photograph and more. Sponsor an artist to receive updates in your inbox.
VISUAL ART IN SEVEN DAYS:
ART LISTINGS ARE WRITTEN BY PAMELA POLSTON. LISTINGS ARE RESTRICTED TO ART SHOWS IN TRULY PUBLIC PLACES.
= ONLINE EVENT OR EXHIBIT
FIND ALL ART SHOWS + EVENTS AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/ART
Money raised benefits asylum seekers and refugees with housing and other expenses. Online, February 23-March 2. Info, nicolamorris@mac.com. GRAND OPENING & ARTIST SHOWCASE: The new women-owned business launches with an event featuring artist Lindsey Centracchio, refreshments, a photo booth, piercings, and prints and jewelry for sale. The Prik, Burlington, Friday, February 23, 6-9 p.m. Free. Info, 540-0500. FAMILY ART SATURDAY: An art-making activity for all ages inspired by the work of “Here Now: Art and Migration” artist Lydia Nakashima Degarrod. BCA Center, Burlington, Saturday, February 24, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 865-7166. LIVE PAINTING WITH TOM WATERS: The Essexbased artist creates a painting in real time while visitors watch and learn about his process and materials. Bryan Fine Art Gallery, Stowe, Saturday, February 24, 1-4 p.m. Free. Info, 760-6474. ‘NEVER SPOKEN AGAIN’: A screening of video artworks accompanying the exhibition of the same name, featuring artists Laura Huertas Millan, Carlos Motta and François Boucher. Fleming Museum of Art, University of Vermont, Burlington, Saturday, February 24, 2-3 p.m. Free. Info, 656-0750.
OPENINGS + RECEPTIONS ‘ALTERNATIVE PROCESSES IN CONTEMPORARY PHOTOGRAPHY’: An exhibition by six local female artists working in vintage or unique photographic methods. Reception: Friday, February 23, 5-7 p.m. AVA Gallery and Art Center, Lebanon N.H., February 23-March 30. Info, 603-448-3117. ARTFUL ICE SHANTIES: An outdoor exhibition of shanties created by artists of all ages, presented by the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center. Awards ceremony: Saturday, February 24, 3 p.m., followed by all-ages outdoor dance party. Retreat Farm, Brattleboro, through February 25. Info, 257-0124. ‘CYCLES’: The fifth biennial exhibition of Inclusive Arts Vermont featuring the artwork of 25 Vermont artists with disabilities; on the fourth floor. The show will tour other venues around the state throughout 2024. Reception: Wednesday, February 21, 4-7 p.m. Davis Center, University of Vermont, Burlington, through March 31. Info, 556-3668. JOHN ANDERSON: “What’s the Big Idea?” experimental 2D and 3D works by the Vermont artist and architect. Artist talk: Thursday, February 22, 5 p.m. The Gallery at Mad River Valley Arts, Waitsfield, through February 29. Info, 496-6682. LOUISE HAMLIN & JUSTIN O’ROURKE: “Milkweed,” large-scale charcoal drawings, and “A Matter of Time,” iron-forged steel and drawings, respectively. Reception: Friday, February 23, 5-7 p.m. AVA Gallery and Art Center, Lebanon N.H., February 23-March 30. Info, 603-448-3117. MICHAEL MAHNKE: “Memory in Material,” new abstract paintings and installations by the Vermont artist and VTSU-Johnson adjunct professor. Closing reception: Friday, February 23, 4-6 p.m. Julian Scott Memorial Gallery, Vermont State University-Johnson, through February 23. Info, 635-1469.
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NANCY CALICCHIO: “Aldila,” paintings that express the vast expansiveness of the realm above. Reception: Sunday, February 25, 4-6 p.m. Next Stage Arts Project, Putney, February 25-May 12. Info, 451-0053. NICO ALLARD-KRAUSE: “(Un)familiar,” a solo exhibition of paintings by the SMC senior. Reception: Friday, February 23, 6 p.m. McCarthy Art Gallery, Saint Michael’s College, Colchester, through February 23. Info, bcollier@smcvt.edu. PIEVY POLYTE: “From Haiti to Vermont,” landscape and figurative paintings of the artist’s native nation; profits of art sales benefit farmers at coffee cooperative Peak Macaya as well as two Haitian schools. Reception: Thursday, February 22, 5-6:30 p.m. South Burlington Public Art Gallery, through March 13. Info, 802-846-4140. PRUE MERTON: Collages using hand-decorated paste papers. Reception: Friday, March 1, 5-7 p.m. with live music by Meadowlark. Long River Gallery, White River Junction, through April 30. Info, 295-4567. ➆
But wait, there’s more!
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additional art listings are on view at sevendaysvt.com/art. Find all the calls to artists, ongoing art shows and future events online.
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SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024
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music+nightlife
LUKE AWTRY
Seamus and Pat Brennan of Holy Smokes Studio
S UNDbites
impressive levels of production, often weaving stories from the song’s lyrics. Their video for former 99 NEIGHBORS member CONSWANK’s single “Mad Life,” for instance, shows the rapper moving between being onstage and in recovery. News and views on the local music + nightlife scene The video they made for conswank’s “Holes in My Denim” is even more BY CHRI S FARNSW ORT H poignant, shot inventively in a small scene. When Essex Junction native alcove in the rapper’s Burlington KAYHL COOPER, who had directed videos apartment. The almost claustrophobic for Vermont artists such as FRANCESCA There was a time when Gen Xers were set, covered in bolts of fabric, might BLANCHARD, the DEAD SHAKERS and the known as the “MTV generation.” As a remind viewers of MICHEL GONDRY (Be Kind ESSEX GREEN, departed for New York City card-carrying Xer, I’m relieved the tag Rewind, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless a few years ago, he left a gaping hole in didn’t stick any more than the “slacker” Mind), who also shot stunning videos for his wake. Many singles went without label that our loving baby boomer the WHITE STRIPES and RADIOHEAD. a video. Or worse, musicians made parents tried to drop on us, along with “We both followed the work of bigger videos on their cellphones that, while low credit scores and student loan debt. music video directors and realized that occasionally creative, The MTV association was no one was doing usually just looked understandable, though. Music videos anything like that like, well, shit. were a game changer for the industry in here,” Seamus said Nature abhors the ’80s, when it became the standard by phone from the a vacuum, and practice to shoot a promotional film to brothers’ studio eventually others accompany a single release. For those in Burlington’s stepped into that of us who grew up during the cable TV South End. “But we void. KELLY BUTTSexplosion, MTV was a hub for all things wanted them to be SPIRITO got behind cool. happening, so we the camera to shoot Yes, you had endless videos from pop just started filming stars on a loop. But MTV also introduced videos for artists them ourselves with such as NORTH AVE me to the PIXIES, PUBLIC ENEMY, BJÖRK, LOS our friends.” S E AMUS BR E NNAN JAX and TRIPPIE REDD, LOBOS, TALKING HEADS, TORI AMOS, GANG STARR They drew … you know, before the channel devolved bringing a ton of inspiration from energy and hype to the tracks. into endless episodes of idiotic shit such other DIY filmmakers such as COLE Then there are the HOLY SMOKES STUDIO as “Ridiculousness” and “Catfish: The BENNETT, whose blog (and eventual guys. Brothers PAT, 24, and SEAMUS TV Show.” multimedia company) Lyrical Lemonade BRENNAN, 22, formed a filmmaking duo While the days of music videos featured Chicago’s up-and-coming hipin 2022 and have been on a tear with shot with film-quality crews and sets hop acts. their high-quality, low-budget (or and massive budgets are largely over, “It sounds a little lame, but we both no-budget) videos, mostly for the local the music video as a concept is alive got into filmmaking from growing up hip-hop scene. The brothers achieve and well — especially in the 802 music watching a ton of YouTube,” Pat said.
Camera Obscura
WE’RE FRIENDS WITH MOST OF THE ARTISTS, AND THEY NEEDED VIDEOS,
SO WE JUST WANTED TO FILL THAT ROLE.
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SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024
“It felt possible to make those sorts of things.” Both brothers also attended filmmaking workshops at CCTV Channel 17’s public access summer camp before studying film at the University of Vermont. After graduation, they went out to Los Angeles, where they worked on sets as production assistants and in the art department. “We saw these big sets and the quality of the stuff getting shot, and we wanted to try to replicate that as best as we could when we came back to Vermont,” Pat said. “But on those kinds of sets, we wouldn’t have ever had any kind of creative control.” Shooting on their own, they can find the “creative fulfillment we do this for.” In a talent-rich and money-poor scene, it’s rare for Holy Smokes to have an actual budget to shoot their videos. Even when they do, it’s no guarantee of smooth sailing. “Well, conswank’s label gave us a budget to shoot his videos, but we had to front the whole thing,” Seamus explained. “And then the label ended up going bankrupt ... It was a terrible situation.” “We basically just thought we lost that money, but thankfully it came through, finally,” Pat added with a rueful laugh. After doing so much heavy lifting for the scene pro bono, the brothers are ready to move into more commercial work. They recently signed a contract to film content for Beta Technologies, the Burlington-based electric aerospace manufacturer. “We’ve done so much free work, we don’t really know how to charge people,” Pat admitted, as both brothers shared a guilty laugh. “The people at Beta saw what we were billing them and were like, ‘Guys, you can’t pay your rent like this. You have to charge more.’” Even as Holy Smokes moves into other realms of filmmaking, they have no intention of leaving music videos behind. According to Pat, they have four videos in the can waiting to be edited, including a new release from former Burlington indie-rock act FATHER FIGUER. “We get sent tracks every day,” Pat said. “People want a Holy Smokes video because of the quality, but we can’t achieve that quality without time. So it’s a balancing act.” “It’s definitely a passion project for us,” Seamus said. “We’re friends with most of the artists we work for, and they needed videos, so we just wanted to fill that role.” Be sure to check out their work on their YouTube channel and at holysmokes.studio.
GOT MUSIC NEWS? MUSIC@SEVENDAYSVT.COM
On the Beat
We lost a real one last week. REUBEN
JACKSON, a poet, jazz historian, music
CO U RTE SY O F AL AN S
QU
IR E
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critic and DJ, died at the age of 67. Vermonters know Jackson for hosting the Vermont Public show “Friday Night Jazz”; during his run there, his dulcet tones on the mic and encyclopedic knowledge of jazz made the program essential listening. Find a reported obituary ING on page 43 and read about all the ways Jackson touched Vermonters with his love of music; sharp wit; and gentle, shy soul. I never met Jackson in person — he was famously introverted, and he moved back to Washington, D.C., in 2018 — but we corresponded over the years I’ve sat in the music editor’s chair. Jackson kept an eye on his former home, whether to correct me gently when I botched a detail about a jazz artist or just to comment on things happening in the scene. “I may have left Vermont, but it’ll stay in my heart until I’m in an urn,” Jackson told me in an email a while back. I read it again this morning and
found myself smiling through a little tear. When I wrote a story on the fandom of rising star NOAH KAHAN, Jackson was a surprise source, as he had become a huge fan of the Strafford-born singersongwriter. “I don’t really care what genre a song is,” Jackson told me. “My parents played us everything from PETE SEEGER to RACHMANINOFF, you know. I just need to be moved and to believe it’s authentic.” Fare thee well, Reuben. Reuben Jackson
A new music series is coming to downtown Rutland’s Merchants Hall. A SOUND SPACE LIVE consists of four shows, running from February to May, that feature musicians from Vermont, the Upper Valley and beyond. The series was conceived by JOSH COTE of Aformal Audio and GEORGE NOSTRAND, who operates A Sound Space, a rehearsal space in Rutland. “I’ve tried many times to put on shows here in the Rutland area,” Nostrand wrote in an email. “People often underestimate what it takes to produce a high-quality production.”
Eye on the Scene Photographer Luke Awtry surveys local nightlife
SOUTH BURLINGTON ARTMIX 2O24, HIGHER GROUND BALLROOM, SOUTH BURLINGTON, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16: The SB ArtMix 2024, hosted by the South Burlington Friends of the Arts, went
down last week at Higher Ground. The charity focuses on students in the arts, but some local pros capped the night, including singer-songwriter TROY MILLETTE and indie-pop songstress ANDRIANA CHOBOT. When headliners DWIGHT + NICOLE came on, what I would call an extravaganza ensued, crowning the evening. But nestled in the middle of it all was a returning favorite, the South Burlington High School-born MS. LEE FAN CLUB. And they came to rock. The Ms. Lee Fan Club Fan Club came out, too, and guess who had the biggest crowd dancing up front? I used to wear a MINOR THREAT shirt in my mid-’90s high school bands, just like the Ms. Lee Fan Club bassist, but I didn’t mention it when I saw the group backstage. I mean, they even had their own photographer. Talk about intimidating.
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THUR 2.29
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No Showers On Vacation FRI 3.8
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Hudson Lee, Frequent
w/ O-Prime Delta, gonima With that in mind, Cote and Nostrand sought out sponsors, including the original owner of A Sound Space, JACOB PATORTI. When Patorti asked 8v-nectars022124 1 Nostrand if he thought such a project might pay off, Nostrand replied, “I don’t know, and I still don’t,” he recalled. “But Mark is the type of person willing to take a risk on something if it’s good for the community.” The series kicks off with a February 29 show by LUMINOUS CRUSH, followed by Wolcott singer-songwriters CHRISTINE MALCOLM and RUDY DAUTH on March 28, folk duo the STAPLETONS on April 25 and Americana act PEPPER AND SASSAFRAS on May 30. For more information, visit asoundspace.brownpapertickets.com.
Indie-folk singer AUDREY PEARL drops her latest single this week. The Burlington native wrote “A Time Like This” after witnessing the clear-cutting of a forest near her childhood home. “I was inspired to write this song about a future without trees, clean water or breathable air — and what childhood would look like in that future,” she said. The result is a haunting and tender folk ballad, with Pearl’s voice warm and up front in the mix as she sings, “It’s sinking in that you can’t be a kid at a time like this.” “A Time Like This” hits streaming services on Friday, February 23. ➆
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TURNmusic presents Bruce Sklar Jazz Quartet FRI., FEB. 23 THE PHOENIX, WATERBURY
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music+nightlife
CLUB DATES
Find the most up-to-date info on live music, DJs, comedy and more at sevendaysvt.com/music. If you’re a talent booker or artist planning live entertainment at a bar, nightclub, café, restaurant, brewery or coffee shop, send event details to music@sevendaysvt.com or submit the info using our form at sevendaysvt.com/postevent.
live music
Sticks & Stones (covers) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 9 p.m. Free.
WED.21
Tragedy: All-Metal Tribute to the Bee Gees & Beyond (tribute) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $18/$20.
Bent Nails House Band (blues, rock) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 8 p.m. Free. Bluegrass Night: Corner Junction (bluegrass) at Four Quarters Brewing, Winooski, 6:30 p.m. Free.
Tuned Up Concert Series: Waiting on Mongo (jam) at Stowe Cider, 9 p.m. $10.
Fresh Pressed Wednesday with Typhoid Mary, Dilemma, Faawn (indie) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 8:30 p.m. $5/$10. Jazz Night with Ray Vega (jazz) at Hotel Vermont, Burlington, 8:30 p.m. Free. Jazz Sessions (jazz) at the 126, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free. John Lackard Blues Duo (blues) at American Flatbread Burlington Hearth, 5:30 p.m. Free.
Sadurn, Greg Freeman (indie) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $15/$18. Wednesday Night Dead (Grateful Dead covers) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 7 p.m. $5. Willverine (electronic) at the Wallflower Collective, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. Free.
THU.22
Alex Kauffman (jazz) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free. David Lovald (acoustic) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 7 p.m. Free. Elijah Kraatz, Trio de Rumba (roots) at Hugo’s, Montpelier, 7:30 p.m. Free. Eric George (folk) at Stone’s Throw, Waterbury, 6 p.m. Free.
John Drew Peterson (folk) at Lawson’s Finest Liquids, Waitsfield, 5 p.m. Free.
Work Wife, Jules Olson, Rockin’ Worms, Vehicle (indie rock) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 8 p.m. $15/$18.
Leddy Moss, Frankie White (folk) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.
Bonji (singer-songwriter) at the Den at Harry’s Hardware, Cabot, 7 p.m. Free. Canyon Dreams (folk) at Jericho Café & Tavern, 7 p.m. Free. Earthworm, Super Blue, Armanodillo (folk) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 10:30 p.m. $10.
No Showers on Vacation (indie) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 8 p.m. $5.
SUN.25 & MON.26 // BILL FRISELL THREE [JAZZ]
Elizabeth Begins (singersongwriter) at 1st Republic Brewing, Essex, 6 p.m. Free.
Anit Life Hate Cult, Chartarum, Dreams of Extinction (metal) at Despacito, Burlington, 8 p.m. $5. Avi Salloway, Corey Wilhelm, Rob Morse (indie folk, rock) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 7 p.m. $8/$10.
fearless innovator who approaches jazz music like few others, whether with his ’90s band
Justice 3 (covers) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 9 p.m. Free.
Naked City or in collaboration with drummer and composer Paul Motian. His 2022 effort,
Left Eye Jump (blues) at Red Square, Burlington, 2 p.m. Free.
Bluegrass Night: The Tenderbellies (bluegrass) at Four Quarters Brewing, Winooski, 6:30 p.m. Free.
40 years. With a career as varied as it is esoteric, Frisell has garnered a reputation as a
Four, showed off a newly confessional side to his songwriting, with Pitchfork noting in its review that Frisell “reveals more of himself than ever before.” Frisell and his trio play South Burlington’s Higher Ground Ballroom on Sunday, February 25. On Monday, February 26, the Bill Frisell THREE sit down for a two-hour conversation in the Higher Ground Showcase Lounge.
Live Music Saturdays (live music series) at Dumb Luck Pub & Grill, Hinesburg, 7 p.m. Free. McMaple (covers) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 5 p.m. Free. Tuned Up Concert Series: Jimkata, Pattern (jam) at Stowe Cider, 7:30 p.m. $15.
GRG Trio (jam) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 9 p.m. Free.
Rachel Lindsay, Harpoons, Sunroom (indie) at Despacito, Burlington, 8 p.m. $5.
Des & Jim Gilmour (blues) at Blue Cat Bistro, Castleton, 6 p.m. Free.
Monachino, Jarrett, Stats (jazz) at Hugo’s, Montpelier, 7:30 p.m. Free.
Waiting on Mongo, Moondogs (funk, rock) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 8 p.m. $10.
Have a Heart Fundraiser with the Josh Panda Trio (benefit) at Butter Bar and Kitchen, Burlington, 6 p.m. $10 donation.
Smokey Newfield Project (folk) at Black Flannel Brewing & Distilling, Essex, 6 p.m. Free.
Mountain Dog (bluegrass) at Stone’s Throw, Richmond, 6 p.m. Free.
Warkrusher, Kartel, Schnectavoidz, Black Axe, Lungbuster (metal) at Despacito, Burlington, 7 p.m. $10.
Left Eye Jump (R&B) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 6 p.m. Free.
WED.28
Bent Nails House Band (blues, rock) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 8 p.m. Free.
and rock into his sound, BILL FRISELL is one of the most influential guitarists of the past
Vicious Fishes, Brunch, Benway (indie) at Monkey House, Winooski, 8 p.m. $5/$10.
Lazy Bird (jam) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free.
Talisk, Trials of Cato (folk) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 7 p.m. $20/$25.
The Joe Moore Band (blues, R&B) at Red Square, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.
Count It Off Incorporating everything from jazz and Americana to blues
Mitch & Devon (covers) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 5 p.m. Free.
Kuf Knotz & Christine Elise, Robscure (hip-hop, soul) at Light Club Lamp Shop, Burlington, 8:30 p.m. $10/$15.
St. Paul & the Broken Bones, Sugadaisy (soul, funk) at Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $35/$40.
Ballyho! (ska) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 7 p.m. $18/$22.
Dave Mitchell’s Blues Revue (blues) at Red Square, Burlington, 2 p.m. Free.
Jennings & McComber (folk) at Filling Station, Middlesex, 6 p.m. Free.
Open Mic (open mic) at Monkey House, Winooski, 7 p.m. Free.
Jester Jigs (rock) at Gusto’s, Barre, 9 p.m. Free.
Native Son, Dead Tooth, Dick Richard (punk) at Monkey House, Winooski, 7:30 p.m. $12/$15.
Frankie and the Fuse (rock) at Red Square, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.
Dobbs’ Dead (Grateful Dead tribute) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 9 p.m. $10/$20.
When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth (indie) at Despacito, Burlington, 8 p.m. $5.
Avi Salloway and Friends (folk) at Hugo’s, Montpelier, 7:30 p.m. Free.
Luxury Skin, Rangus, Dutch Experts (indie rock) at Monkey House, Winooski, 7:30 p.m. $10/$15.
Bluegrass Jam (bluegrass) at Taps Tavern, Poultney, 7 p.m. Free.
What? (indie) at Monopole, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 10 p.m. Free.
50 Cal (rock) at 14th Star Brewing, St. Albans, 6 p.m. Free.
Luis Betancourt (acoustic) at Two Heroes Brewery Public House, South Hero, 6 p.m. Free.
Big Easy Tuesdays with Jon McBride (jazz) at the 126, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.
Honky Tonk Tuesday with Tallgrass Getdown (country) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 9 p.m. $10.
SAT.24
Live Jazz (jazz) at Leunig’s Bistro & Café, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. Free.
TUE.27
FRI.23
Bob Gagnon (jazz) at Bleu Northeast Kitchen, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. Free. The Bresetts (acoustic) at Gusto’s, Barre, 6 p.m. Free. Champlain Daze (indie rock) at Light Club Lamp Shop, Burlington, 10 p.m. $7. CombustOmatics (covers) at Jericho Café & Tavern, 7 p.m. Free. Dan Blakeslee (singersongwriter) at Light Club Lamp Shop, Burlington, 8:30 p.m. $10.
Early Birdcode Jazz (jazz) at the Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free. Emma for Mayor Fest with Hammydown, Katy Hellman, Vinyl Ritchie (indie rock, DJ) at Light Club Lamp Shop, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free. Jerborn (acoustic) at 1st Republic Brewing, Essex, 6 p.m. Free. The Machine (Pink Floyd tribute) at Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington, 8 p.m. $25/$27. Mal Maïz (psychedelic, Latin) at Monkey House, Winooski, 8:30 p.m. $10/$15.
Mountain Dog (bluegrass) at Stone’s Throw, Richmond, 6 p.m. Free. Pluto Rising (dance) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 8 p.m. Free. Quadra (covers) at the Old Post, South Burlington, 8 p.m. Free. Rap Night Burlington (hip-hop) at Drink, Burlington, 9 p.m. $5. Sarah Bell (singer-songwriter) at Two Heroes Brewery Public House, South Hero, 6 p.m. Free. Scram! (jam) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 11:30 p.m. $10.
SUN.25
Bill Frisell THREE (jazz) at Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington, 7 p.m. $39/$45. Bluegrass Brunch (bluegrass) at the Skinny Pancake, Burlington, noon. Free. Sunday Brunch Tunes (singersongwriter) at Hotel Vermont, Burlington, 10 a.m.
Bruce Sklar (jazz) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free. Jazz Night with Ray Vega (jazz) at Hotel Vermont, Burlington, 8:30 p.m. Free. Jazz Sessions (jazz) at the 126, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free. Live Jazz (jazz) at Leunig’s Bistro & Café, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. Free. Mike Chapman (singer-songwriter) at Two Heroes Brewery Public House, South Hero, 6 p.m. Free. Tanner Usrey, JD Clayton (Americana) at Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $20/$22.50. Wednesday Night Dead (Grateful Dead covers) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 7 p.m. $5. Willverine (electronic) at the Wallflower Collective, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. Free.
djs WED.21
Local Dork (DJ) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free. DJS
SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024
» P.59 57
music+nightlife
REVIEW this ToadStool & Rico James, The Outskirts of Dreamland (SELF-RELEASED, DIGITAL)
On paper, the combination of these two artists makes good business sense. Rhode Island rapper ToadStool had a big year in 2023, delivering a slew of headturning projects and establishing himself as a regional force of nature. Vermonter Rico James has been on a similar arc, leveraging his years of local success into a growing profile on the larger East Coast scene. All that aside: If you love wordy, creative rap music over authentically dirty boom-bap beats, you are in luck. The Outskirts of Dreamland is a strong
Lance Mills, Green Mountain Saturday Night (SELF-RELEASED, DIGITAL)
Albert Einstein’s special theory of relativity states that the flow of time can change depending on one’s traveling speed. Fairlee singersongwriter Lance Mills may not be approaching the speed of light, but there’s no debating the quantum throwback he’s created in Green Mountain Saturday Night, his solo debut. Over 12 rambling, rollicking and swinging tracks, the former front man of the Screwtops takes a tour through the 20th-century American songbook. He channels rock, country, Americana, folk and blues into an album that sounds like one you might find combing through a yard sale or the dusty bins near the back of a thrift store.
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SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024
contribution to the subculture from two uncompromisingly unique genre purists. Rico James is in peak form here, delivering lushly melodic beats that also happen to bang without mercy. ToadStool has an admirably nimble flow, a laid-back but animated delivery and a real gift for stacking syllable patterns. No need for features, in other words. Opener “Broken Ceilings” makes that case immediately, delivering a playful, lyrical workout over breezy summer funk. Yet it’s also a dark, brooding lament, the manifesto of an artist sick of starving. That somber note carries into the title track. “I’ve never been grinding harder,” ToadStool humbly observes, but the nature of that grind is anything but ordinary. Between his dense spirals
“Hi-Way 5 Drive In Saturday Night” kicks off the record with a blast of rockabilly that shoots you straight back to the days of roller-skating waitresses, white-wall tires and greased hair. Mills leads his band through a Gene Vincentstyle rocker about having a bucket of beer and a pretty girl named Sue in the passenger seat of his T-Bird. “Lordy Lordy” keeps the chronological shift going, mixing in that other great American obsession: wrestling with JudeoChristian guilt in a sepiatoned struggle for the soul, waged with twanging guitars and a vicious fiddle. “Momma told me when I was a boy, one day I’d see / Whiskey and women going to be the death of me / Lordy Lordy going to save me from sin,” Mills sings. Green Mountain Saturday Night pulls off the impressive feat of not sounding like a tribute, as records re-creating the sounds of the past often do. When Mills engages in some proper maudlin,
of allusions and references and his machine-gun staccato cadence, his performance makes zero concessions to casual listeners. The feel changes up again on “You Know What You Know,” a slowmarching anthem with a double-time hook. ToadStool makes the most of the spacious pocket here, often pushing ahead of the tempo with his intricate bars. Doing that over a beat that could easily have been a Dipset mixtape single back in 2002 is hella weird, but I have to respect his conviction. Closing cut “One Long Bad Day” is perhaps the strongest single of the batch. A driving ’90s throwback built over a perfect horn loop and some skittering guitar chops, this song is a flawless victory. The hook manages to nail that Aesop Rock sweet spot of being simultaneously catchy and inscrutable. This is an EP that demands a sequel, if
Lance Mills
sad-sack country on “I Let Her Fall,” the authenticity comes not just from the weeping pedal steel guitar but from the soft, remorseful vocals he lays down. The album was recorded at the Underground studio and performance
Say you saw it in...
not a full LP — though we should temper our hopes, given that these are two busy dudes hustling their way through a thriving era for underground hip-hop. No matter what the future holds, The Outskirts of Dreamland is a crown jewel for both collaborators. It’s also a testament to how ephemeral even the best releases are in a postdigital era of constant content. If you enjoy this, I highly recommend seeking out ToadStool’s anarchic 2023 album Aye yoU!: Side A and the Rico James project Language of Spirits, a knockout producer compilation packed with underground legends. First, though, hit rewind and run this whole EP again. Even as a lifelong aficionado of wild-style lyricism, I missed a ton of great lines the first time around. The Outskirts of Dreamland is available at soundsofrico.bandcamp.com.
JUSTIN BOLAND
space in Randolph. Producer Vincent Freeman captures the retro sounds perfectly, keeping a balance between modern techniques and letting the throwback tones slip in at the right moments. Some of the songs get bogged down in nostalgia, such as “Benny’s Silvertone,” which leans a little too hard into Creedence Clearwater Revival cosplay. But even then, Mills drops lyrical Easter eggs that anyone living in the Green Mountains will pick up. Shout-outs to Fred Tuttle’s farm, covered bridges and old grist mills establish his bona fides. A few tracks on the album deviate from its theme, such as “Brushwood Road,” with its snarling, distorted guitars, and the organ-driven, echoladen “Ghost Shadow.” They don’t rock the boat so much as provide glimpses of Mills’ range. Green Mountain Saturday Night is a charming, rocking and skillfully created time machine. While you can’t cue it up on a jukebox anywhere, it’s streaming at lancemills.bandcamp.com.
CHRIS FARNSWORTH
sevendaysvt.com
djs
Music Bingo (music bingo) at 1st Republic Brewing, Essex, 6 p.m. Free.
CONTINUED FROM P.57
Trivia (trivia) at Highland Lodge, Greensboro, 7 p.m. Free.
THU.22
Trivia Night (trivia) at Four Quarters Brewing, Winooski, 6 p.m. Free.
DJ Chaston (DJ) at Red Square Blue Room, Burlington, 11 p.m. Free.
Trivia Night (trivia) at McGillicuddy’s Five Corners, Essex Junction, 6:30 p.m. Free.
DJ JP Black (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free.
Trivia Night (trivia) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. Free.
DJ Two Sev (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, 11 p.m. Free.
Trivia Thursday (trivia) at Spanked Puppy Pub, Colchester, 7 p.m. Free.
Vinyl Night with Ken (DJ) at Taps Tavern, Poultney, 6 p.m. Free.
FRI.23
FRI.23
DJ Badras & Nico (reggae, DJ) at 14th Star Brewing, St. Albans, 7:30 p.m. $10.
Karaoke (karaoke) at McKee’s Pub & Grill, Winooski, 9 p.m. Free. Karaoke Friday Night (karaoke) at Park Place Tavern & Grill, Essex Junction, 8 p.m. Free.
DJ Craig Mitchell (DJ) at Red Square Blue Room, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free.
Karaoke with DJ Big T (karaoke) at McKee’s Pub & Grill, Winooski, 9 p.m. Free.
DJ Kata (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free. DJ LaFountaine (DJ) at Gusto’s, Barre, 9 p.m. Free.
SUN.25
DJ Mildew (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.
Sunday Funday (games) at 1st Republic Brewing, Essex, noon. Free.
DJ Taka (DJ) at Light Club Lamp Shop, Burlington, 11 p.m. $10/$15.
Venetian Karaoke (karaoke) at the Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.
Emo Night (DJ) at Club Metronome, Burlington, 10 p.m. $5. What If Something Happened (DJ) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.
MON.26
A Conversation With the Bill Frisell THREE (speaker) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 6:30 p.m. $65/$75.
FRI.23 & SAT. 24 // MATT BRAUNGER [COMEDY]
SAT.24
Blanchface (DJ) at Manhattan Pizza & Pub, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free. Craig Mitchell, DJ Disco Phantom (DJ) at Light Club Lamp Shop, Burlington, 10 p.m. $10. Crypt, Topex, Ghost <3 (goth DJ) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 8 p.m. Free. DJ A-Ra$ (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, midnight. Free.
Laughing Matter With a résumé that includes stints on Fox’s
TUE.27
has been near the top of the game since hitting the scene in 2007. Possessing an affable,
WED.28
“MADtv” and in the comedy troupe Upright Citizens Brigade, comedian MATT BRAUNGER
relaxed style onstage, Braunger can tell long, comedic stories or toss out a barrage of fast and loose jokes. He does it all with a self-deprecating charm and occasional biting snark, as seen in his 2019 standup special, Finally Live in Portland. The Chicago-based comic
DJ Raul (DJ) at Red Square Blue Room, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.
swings through Burlington for a two-night, four-set stand at Vermont Comedy Club this
Matt Payne (DJ) at Red Square Blue Room, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free.
Friday and Saturday, February 23 and 24.
Molly Mood (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free. Saturday Selections with DillanwithaQ (DJ) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, noon. Free.
open mics & jams WED.21
SkiiTour, N2N, MTL (DJ) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 8:30 p.m. $20/$25.
Irish Sessions (Celtic, open mic) at Burlington St. John’s Club, 6:30 p.m. Free.
SUN.25
Jazz Jam with Nina Towne (jazz open mic) at Old Stagecoach Inn, Waterbury, 5 p.m. Free.
Mi Yard Reggae Night with DJ Big Dog (reggae and dancehall) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free.
TUE.27
The Vanguard - Jazz on Vinyl (DJ) at Paradiso Hi-Fi, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.
WED.28
Local Dork (DJ) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.
Lit Club (poetry open mic) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. Free. Open Mic (open mic) at Monopole, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 10 p.m. Free. Open Mic with Danny Lang (open mic) at Taps Tavern, Poultney, 7 p.m. Free. Real Love Records Open Mic (open mic) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.
THU.22
Old Time Jam (string band open mic) at Light Club Lamp Shop, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.
Open Stage Night (open mic) at Orlando’s Bar & Lounge, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.
SUN.25
Vermont Synth Society February Meetup (synth) at Community of Sound, Burlington, 4 p.m. Donations.
MON.26
Open Mic (open mic) at Despacito, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.
comedy WED.21
Improv Class Show (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. Free. Standup Comedy Open Mic (comedy open mic) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 8:30 p.m.
THU.22
Open Mic Night (open mic) at Drink, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.
Chicken Sketchatore (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7 p.m. $10.
WED.28
FRI.23
TUE.27
Irish Sessions (Celtic, open mic) at Burlington St. John’s Club, 6:30 p.m. Free.
Matt Braunger (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7 & 9 p.m. $25.
Open Mic (open mic) at Monopole, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 10 p.m. Free.
SAT.24
Open Mic with Danny Lang (open mic) at Taps Tavern, Poultney, 7 p.m. Free.
Matt Braunger (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7 & 9 p.m. $25.
SUN.25
$5 Improv Night (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7 p.m. $5.
Trivia (trivia) at McKee’s Pub & Grill, Winooski, 7 p.m. Free.
Free Stuff! (comedy) at Lincolns, Burlington, 9:30 p.m. Free. Kathy and Qathy in the Morning (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. $5. Standup Comedy Open Mic (comedy open mic) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 8:30 p.m. Whale Tales: An Evening of Comedic Storytelling (comedy) at Club Metronome, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.
trivia, karaoke, etc. WED.21
Karaoke Night (karaoke) at Drink, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free. Rock and Roll Bingo (bingo) at McKee’s Pub & Grill, Winooski, 7 p.m. Free. Trivia Night (trivia) at Stone Corral, Richmond, 7 p.m. Free. Venetian Trivia Night (trivia) at the Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.
THU.22
Karaoke & Open Mic (karaoke, open mic) at 14th Star Brewing, St. Albans, 6:30 p.m. Free. Karaoke Night (karaoke) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 7 p.m. Free.
Trivia with Craig Mitchell (trivia) at Monkey House, Winooski, 7 p.m. Free.
TUE.27
Karaoke Tuesdays (karaoke) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free. Karaoke with DJ Party Bear (karaoke) at Charlie-O’s World Famous, Montpelier, 9:30 p.m. Free. Karaoke with Motorcade (karaoke) at Manhattan Pizza & Pub, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free. Music Bingo (music bingo) at Stone Corral, Richmond, 7 p.m. Free. Taproom Trivia (trivia) at 14th Star Brewing, St. Albans, 6:30 p.m. Free. Trivia Night (trivia) at the Depot, St. Albans, 7 p.m. Free. Trivia Tuesday (trivia) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 7 p.m. Free. Tuesday Trivia (trivia) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.
WED.28
Karaoke Night (karaoke) at Drink, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free. Rock and Roll Bingo (bingo) at McKee’s Pub & Grill, Winooski, 7 p.m. Free. Trivia Night (trivia) at Stone Corral, Richmond, 7 p.m. Free. Venetian Trivia Night (trivia) at the Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free. ➆
SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024
59
calendar F E B R U A R Y film
WED.21 business
QUEEN CITY BUSINESS NETWORKING INTERNATIONAL GROUP: Savvy businesspeople make crucial contacts at a weekly chapter meeting. Burlington City Arts, 11:15 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 829-5066.
crafts
YARN CRAFTERS GROUP: A drop-in meetup welcomes knitters, crocheters, spinners, weavers and beyond. BYO snacks and drinks. Must Love Yarn, Shelburne, 5-7 p.m. Free. Info, 448-3780.
dance
DANCE THEATRE OF HARLEM: The multiethnic troupe performs a forward-thinking repertoire that uses the language of ballet to celebrate Black American culture. The Flynn, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $35-65. Info, 863-5966.
fairs & festivals
RUTLAND WINTERFEST: The 20th annual community congregation features the Great Bigfoot Chase, human foosball and a chili cook-off. Downtown Rutland, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Free; fee for some activities. Info, admin@ comealiveoutside.com.
2 1 - 2 8 ,
See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section. ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN FILM SERIES: ‘VANISH: DISAPPEARING ICONS OF A RURAL AMERICA’: Photographer Jim Westphalen travels across the country to document rural America’s disappearing structures in this moving documentary. Burlington City Hall Auditorium, 6-8 p.m. Free. Info, 865-7166. ‘FUNGI: THE WEB OF LIFE 3D’: Sparkling graphics take viewers on a journey into the weird, wide world of mushrooms, which we are only just beginning to understand. Northfield Savings Bank 3D Theater: A National Geographic Experience, ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 10:30 a.m., 12:30, 2:30 & 4:30 p.m. $3-5 plus regular admission, $14.50-18; admission free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848. ‘GREAT WHITE SHARK 3D’: Viewers learn the true story behind one of our most iconic — and misunderstood — predators. Northfield Savings Bank 3D Theater: A National Geographic Experience, ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, noon, 2 & 4 p.m. $3-5 plus regular
These community event listings are sponsored by the WaterWheel Foundation, a project of the Vermont band Phish.
LIST YOUR UPCOMING EVENT HERE FOR FREE! All submissions must be received by Thursday at noon for consideration in the following Wednesday’s newspaper. Find our convenient form and guidelines at sevendaysvt.com/postevent. Listings and spotlights are written by Emily Hamilton. Seven Days edits for space and style. Depending on cost and other factors, classes and workshops may be listed in either the calendar or the classes section. Class organizers may be asked to purchase a class listing. Learn more about highlighted listings in the Magnificent 7 on page 11.
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SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024
2 0 2 4
admission, $14.50-18; admission free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848. ‘OCEANS: OUR BLUE PLANET 3D’: Scientists dive into the planet’s least-explored habitat, from its sunny shallows to its alien depths. Northfield Savings Bank 3D Theater: A National Geographic Experience, ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 11:30 a.m., 1:30 & 3:30 p.m. $3-5 plus regular admission, $14.50-18; admission free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848.
language
BEGINNER IRISH LANGUAGE CLASS: Celtic-curious students learn to speak an Ghaeilge in a supportive group. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, noon-1 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403. ELL CLASSES: ENGLISH FOR BEGINNERS & INTERMEDIATE STUDENTS: Learners of all abilities practice written and spoken English with trained instructors. Presented by Fletcher Free Library. 6:30-8 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, bshatara@ burlingtonvt.gov. SPANISH CONVERSATION: Fluent and beginner speakers brush up on their español with a discussion led by a Spanish teacher. Presented by Dorothy Alling Memorial Library. 5-6 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, programs@damlvt.org.
‘TINY GIANTS 3D’: Through the power of special cameras, audiences are transported into the world of the teeniest animals on Earth. Northfield Savings Bank 3D Theater: A National Geographic Experience, ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 11 a.m., 1 & 3 p.m. $3-5 plus regular admission, $14.50-18; admission free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848.
outdoors
food & drink
ECOGATHERINGS: Sterling College hosts online learning sessions digging into big ideas such as joy, rage, climate change, mutual aid, food and art. See ce.sterlingcollege.edu for upcoming topics. 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, ecogather@ sterlingcollege.edu.
WHAT’S THAT WINE WEDNESDAYS: Aspiring sommeliers blind-taste four wines from Vermont and beyond. Shelburne Vineyard, noon-6 p.m. $15. Info, 985-8222.
games
GALE’S RETREAT OPEN HOUSE / FULL MOON CELEBRATION: Visitors learn about the Vermont Huts Association, explore nature at night and make friends around the fire. Birds of Vermont Museum, Huntington, 6-8 p.m. $5-15 suggested donation; preregister. Info, 434-2167.
seminars
PUZZLE SWAP: Participants bring completed puzzles in a ziplock bag with an image of the puzzle and swap for a new one. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 2:30-5 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.
YOUR PODCAST, YOUR WAY: Queen City citizens with something to say learn how to develop, record, conduct interviews for and distribute their own audio show. The Media Factory, Burlington, 6-8 p.m. Free; donations accepted; preregister. Info, 651-9692.
health & fitness
sports
CHAIR YOGA: Waterbury Public Library instructor Diana Whitney leads at-home participants in gentle stretches supported by seats. 10 a.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.
FIND MORE LOCAL EVENTS IN THIS ISSUE AND ONLINE: art Find visual art exhibits and events in the Art section and at sevendaysvt.com/art.
film See what’s playing at theaters in the On Screen section.
music + nightlife Find club dates at local venues in the Music + Nightlife section online at sevendaysvt.com/music.
= ONLINE EVENT
GREEN MOUNTAIN TABLE TENNIS CLUB: Ping-Pong players swing their paddles in singles and doubles matches. Rutland Area Christian School, 7-9 p.m. Free for first two sessions; $30 annual membership. Info, 247-5913. SMUGGS 55+ SKI CLUB: Seniors who love to ski, snowboard and snowshoe hit the slopes after coffee and pastries. Smugglers’ Notch Resort, Jeffersonville, 9 a.m.-noon. $30 for annual membership. Info, president@ smuggs55plus.com.
talks
ANDREW BUCHANAN: A historian argues for a longer view of World War II and its impacts, from early Nazi antisemitism through the mid-20th century. University of Vermont Alumni House, Burlington, 4-5:30 p.m. Free. Info, 656-3180. STEVEN DETTELBACH: The Dartmouth alum and director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives discusses gun violence and how to reverse troubling trends.
Filene Auditorium, Moore Hall, Dartmouth College, Hanover, N.H., 4:30-5:30 p.m. Free. Info, 603-646-1464.
p.m. Free; donations accepted; preregister. Info, 651-9692.
theater
‘GREAT WHITE SHARK 3D’: See WED.21.
FARMERS NIGHT: ‘60 YEARS OF BREAD & PUPPET’: Colorful beasts fill the chamber with the spirit of joyful resistance at this birthday party for Vermont’s favorite lefty puppet performance troupe. House Chamber, Vermont Statehouse, Montpelier, 7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 864-5741.
words
MY VERMONT EYES: ‘WE WEAR THE MASK’: Resident artist Jolivette Anderson-Douoning opens her studio for readings from her work. ADA accessible. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 6-7 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.
THU.22
2024 solar eclipse
ALL ABOUT THE 2024 ECLIPSE: Jack St. Louis, president of the Vermont Astronomical Society, illuminates everything Vermonters need to know to prepare to be in the path of totality. Richmond Free Library, 7-8 p.m. Free. Info, 244-7037.
crafts
KNIT FOR YOUR NEIGHBOR: All ages and abilities are invited to knit or crochet hats and scarves for the South Burlington Food Shelf. All materials are provided. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 2-5 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140. KNITTING GROUP: Knitters of all experience levels get together to spin yarns. Latham Library, Thetford, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 785-4361.
environment
ETHAN TAPPER & KATE LAMPTON: The Chittenden County forrester and the director of the Charlotte Land Trust discuss the status of the local wildlife habitat. Pierson Library, Shelburne, 6-7 p.m. Free. Info, 985-5124. LOVE THE LAKE: ELLEN MARSDEN: The wildlife biology professor gives an address titled “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly – A Perspective on Invasive Species.” Virtual option available. Lake Champlain Basin Program Office, Grand Isle, 6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 372-3213.
fairs & festivals
RUTLAND WINTERFEST: See WED.21.
film
See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section. ESSENTIALS OF CAMERA OPERATION: Aspiring photographers and cinematographers learn how to shoot like the pros. The Media Factory, Burlington, 6-8
‘FUNGI: THE WEB OF LIFE 3D’: See WED.21.
‘OCEANS: OUR BLUE PLANET 3D’: See WED.21. ‘TINY GIANTS 3D’: See WED.21.
food & drink
ARE YOU THIRSTY, NEIGHBOR?: A special discount cocktail menu sparks conversations and connections over cribbage and cards. Wild Hart Distillery and Tasting Room, Shelburne, 3-8 p.m. Free. Info, info@wildhartdistillery.com. FREE WINE TASTING: Themed wine tastings take oenophiles on an adventure through a region, grape variety, style of wine or producer’s offerings. Dedalus Wine Shop, Market & Wine Bar, Burlington, 4-7 p.m. Free. Info, 865-2368.
games
BOARD GAME NIGHT: Prohibitionstyle cocktails and handmade sodas fuel rounds of Battleship, Monopoly, Clue and Settlers of Catan. The Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 5-10 p.m. Free. Info, 881-0975. DUPLICATE BRIDGE: A lively group plays a classic, tricky game with an extra wrinkle. Waterbury Public Library, 12:30-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 244-7223. WEEKLY CHESS FOR FUN: Players of all ability levels face off and learn new strategies. United Community Church, St. Johnsbury, 5:30-9 p.m. Donations. Info, lafferty1949@ gmail.com.
language
ITALIAN CONVERSATION GROUP: Semi-fluent speakers practice their skills during a conversazione with others. Best for those who can speak at least basic sentences. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, noon-1 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.
music
LARRY HAMBERLIN: The professor emeritus of music discusses the upcoming Le Consort concert. Mahaney Arts Center, Middlebury College, 6:15-7 p.m. Free. Info, 443-6433. LE CONSORT: Violin, cello and harpsichord players take audiences on a baroque journey through Europe. Robison Concert Hall, Mahaney Arts Center, Middlebury College, 7:30-9:30 p.m. $5-25. Info, 443-6433.
tech
DICK MILLS: A retired engineer and software developer shares up-to-date information on ChatGPT and AI. ADA accessible. Presented by South Burlington Public Library. 10:30 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 846-4140.
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FAMILY PLAYSHOP: Kids from birth through age 5 learn and play at this school readiness program. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.
FAMILY FUN THROUGH FEB. 25 | FAMILY FUN
chittenden county
Check out these family-friendly events for parents, caregivers and kids of all ages. • Plan ahead at sevendaysvt.com/family-fun. • Post your event at sevendaysvt.com/postevent.
SATURDAY STORIES: Kiddos start the weekend off right with stories and songs. Ages 3 through 7. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 10-10:45 a.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.
mad river valley/ waterbury
WED.21
STARK MOUNTAIN STORYSKI: Little skiers follow the pages of Ten on the Sled by Kim Norman through the glade. Mad River Glen, Waitsfield, 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Free with lift ticket; preregister. Info, 583-3536.
burlington
FAM JAM: Vermont Folklife hosts a tuneful get-together for musicians of all ages and skill levels. BYO instruments. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 6:307:30 p.m. Free. Info, ytv@vtfolklife.org. TODDLER TIME: Librarians bring out books, rhymes and songs specially selected for young ones 12 through 24 months. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.
chittenden county
BABY SOCIAL TIME: Caregivers and infants from birth through age 1 gather in the Wiggle Room to explore board books and toys. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 10:30-11:15 a.m. Free. Info, 846-4140. CACHE IT IF YOU CAN: Kids ages 6 through 10 try storing food for the winter like birds and other creatures do. Ticket includes museum admission. Birds of Vermont Museum, Huntington, 10-11:30 a.m. $15-35. Info, 434-2167. PLAY TIME: Little ones build with blocks and read together. Ages 1 through 4. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 1010:45 a.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.
rutland/killington
MINI SHRED MADNESS: Grom skiers and riders 13 years old and under have fun as they slide to victory. Pico Mountain, Killington, 9 a.m.-noon. $20. Info, info@ picomountain.com.
The Sweet Life
upper valley
Through Sunday, February 25, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., at Billings Farm & Museum in Woodstock. Regular admission, $10-17; free for members and kids 3 and under. Info, 457-2355, billingsfarm.org.
mad river valley/ waterbury
age 5. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.
upper valley
MAGIC OF MAPLE: Families make candy and learn about sugaring in between $5 horse-drawn sleigh rides and other winter delights. See calendar highlight. Billings Farm & Museum, Woodstock, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Regular admission, $10-17; free for members and kids 3 and under. Info, 457-2355.
THU.22
chittenden county
MIDDLE SCHOOL MAKERS: COOKING: Students in grades 5 through 8 make delicious homemade dishes. ADA accessible. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 4-5:30 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140. PRESCHOOL MUSIC WITH LINDA BASSICK: The singer and storyteller extraordinaire leads little ones in indoor music and movement. Birth through
WINTER WILDLIFE CELEBRATION: Reindeer, birds and even woodland fairies are out, about and ready to be discovered during a day of exploration. Vermont Institute of Natural Science, Quechee, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Regular admission, $16-19; free for members and kids 3 and under. Info, 359-5000.
brattleboro/okemo valley
WINTER SUNSHINE SERIES: One-ofa-kind family puppet shows let the sunshine in at each of these weekly performances. Sandglass Theater, Putney, 11 a.m.-noon & 2-3 p.m. $8-12. Info, 387-4051.
MAGIC OF MAPLE
TINKER TIME: MIGHTY MARIONETTE: Crafty kids make an alligator puppet out of cardboard tubes and string. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 2:30-4 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.
TEEN HANGOUT: Middle and high schoolers make friends at a no-pressure meetup. Waterbury Public Library, 3-6 p.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.
MAGIC OF MAPLE: See WED.21.
Sweet-toothed Vermonters of all ages learn about one of the Green Mountain State’s most enduring agricultural traditions at Woodstock’s Magic of Maple celebration. Every day through February 25, visitors at the historic Billings Farm & Museum taste different varieties of syrup, learn about the local sugaring industry, snack on Sugar on Snow, watch sap run from tapped trees, and take in the museum’s collection of vintage mapleharvesting tools and photographs. Families also meet cows, listen to stories and, for an additional $5 fee, take a picturesque horse-drawn sleigh ride through the snow.
PRESCHOOL PLAYTIME: Pre-K patrons play and socialize after music time. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 878-4918. STORY TIME: Little ones from birth through age 5 learn from songs, crafts and picture books. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 10-10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 878-6956. TEEN BOOK DISCUSSION: Bookworms ages 13 through 18 dig into Laura Gao’s graphic memoir Messy Roots. ADA accessible. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 4-5 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140. TEEN COZY CAFE: Kids ages 13 through 18 settle in for snacks, warm drinks and crafts. ADA accessible. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 3:30-6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.
barre/montpelier
ROBIN’S NEST NATURE PLAYGROUP: Outdoor pursuits through fields and forests captivate little ones up to age 5 and their parents. North Branch Nature Center, Montpelier, 10 a.m.-noon. Free; donations accepted. Info, 229-6206.
stowe/smuggs
WEE ONES PLAY TIME: Caregivers bring kiddos 3 and younger to a new sensory learning experience each week. Morristown Centennial Library, Morrisville, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 888-3853.
mad river valley/ waterbury
PRESCHOOL STORY TIME: Games, activities, stories and songs engage 3through 5-year-olds. Waterbury Public Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.
upper valley
MAGIC OF MAPLE: See WED.21.
FRI.23
chittenden county
KIDS MOVIE IN THE AUDITORIUM: Little film buffs congregate in the auditorium for a screening of a family-friendly film. See southburlingtonlibrary.org for each week’s title. ADA accessible. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 3-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140. LEGO BUILDERS: Each week, children ages 8 and older build, explore, create
SUN.25
burlington and participate in challenges. Children ages 6 to 8 are welcome with an adult. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 3-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.
EARTH & SPACE-TACULAR FESTIVAL: See SAT.24, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
SWITCH: Patrons of all experience levels play on the library’s new Nintendo video game console. Grades 3 through 8. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 4-5 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.
MAGIC OF MAPLE: See WED.21.
upper valley
MON.26
burlington
EARTH & SPACE-TACULAR FESTIVAL: See SAT.24.
MAGIC OF MAPLE: See WED.21. STORY TIME: Preschoolers take part in tales, tunes and playtime. Latham Library, Thetford, 11 a.m. Free. Info, 785-4361.
STORIES WITH SHANNON: Bookworms ages 2 through 5 enjoy fun-filled reading time. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.
upper valley
SAT.24
burlington
upper valley
EARTH & SPACE-TACULAR FESTIVAL: Visitors fling mud, learn about animals and fly through the solar system during a week of Earth Day and out-of-thisworld activities. ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Regular admission, $14.50-18; free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848.
STORY TIME WITH BETH: A bookseller and librarian extraordinaire reads two picture books on a different theme each week. Norwich Bookstore, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 649-1114.
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SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024
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Photographer Jim Westphalen travels across the country to document rural America’s disappearing structures in this moving documentary. Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center, Stowe Mountain Resort, 7-9 p.m. $25. Info, 760-4634.
words
LEILA PHILIP: The award-winning science writer shares from Beaverland: How One Weird Rodent Made America. Norwich Bookstore, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 649-1114.
VOICES FROM UKRAINE FILM SERIES: ‘20 DAYS IN MARIUPOL’: The only international reporters remaining in a besieged Ukrainian city struggle to record the horrors of war in this 2022 documentary. ADA accessible. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, noon-4 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.
FRI.23
education
PROSPECTIVE STUDENT INFO SESSION: Prospective law students sit in on classes and connect with faculty. Vermont Law School, South Royalton, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 831-1000.
fairs & festivals
QUIET SNOWLIGHTS: A sensory-friendly edition of the annual winter festival features whimsical light displays and warm drinks. See calendar spotlight. Highland Center for the Arts, Greensboro, 5:30-8 p.m. $5. Info, 533-2000. RUTLAND WINTERFEST: See WED.21.
film
food & drink
CAPITAL CITY WINTER FARMERS MARKET: Root veggies, honey, maple syrup and more change hands at an off-season celebration of locally grown food. Barr Hill, Montpelier, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, nicole.zarrillo@caledoniaspirits. com.
FEB. 23 & 24 | FAIRS & FESTIVALS
games
For Cold Times’ Sake
CHESS CLUB: Players of all ages and abilities face off and learn new strategies. ADA accessible. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.
‘FUNGI: THE WEB OF LIFE 3D’: See WED.21.
The snowy grounds of Greensboro’s Highland Center for the Arts glow in every color of the rainbow at Snowlights, a whimsical, artful shindig that injects some light into a deep-winter weekend. Saturday attendees dance all evening to the groovy Latin strains of Mal Maïz, ooh and aah at the fire jugglers, and watch snow sculptors do their thing in real time. Friday evening features a sensory-friendly version, Quiet Snowlights: the same magical lights and warming drinks but with no loud sounds.
‘GREAT WHITE SHARK 3D’: See WED.21.
QUIET SNOWLIGHTS & SNOWLIGHTS
COMMUNITY YOGA CLASS: An all-levels session offers a weekly opportunity to relax the mind and rejuvenate the body. Wise Pines, Woodstock, 10-11 a.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, 432-3126.
‘OCEANS: OUR BLUE PLANET 3D’: See WED.21.
Friday, February 23, and Saturday, February 24, 5:30-8 p.m., at Highland Center for the Arts in Greensboro. $5-30. Info, 533-2000, highlandartsvt.org.
lgbtq
See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.
‘TINY GIANTS 3D’: See WED.21.
health & fitness
GUIDED MEDITATION ONLINE: Dorothy Alling Memorial Library invites attendees to relax on their lunch breaks and reconnect with their bodies. Noon-12:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, programs@ damlvt.org.
FOMO? Find even more local events in this newspaper and online:
art Find visual art exhibits and events in the Art section and at sevendaysvt.com/art.
film See what’s playing at theaters in the On Screen section.
music + nightlife Find club dates at local venues in the Music + Nightlife section online at sevendaysvt.com/ music. Learn more about highlighted listings in the Magnificent 7 on page 11.
= ONLINE EVENT 62
language
SOCIAL HOUR: The Alliance Française of the Lake Champlain Region hosts a rendez-vous over cocktails. Hilton Garden Inn Burlington Downtown, 5:30-7 p.m. Free. Info, bbrodie@aflcr.org.
lgbtq
RPG NIGHT: Members of the LGBTQ community gather weekly to play games such as Dungeons & Dragons and Everway. Rainbow Bridge Community Center, Barre, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Free. Info, 622-0692.
music
FRIDAY NIGHT PIANO: A performance of piano rolls from the from the 1900s through the present — and from ABBA to Led Zeppelin — entertains as audiences eat snacks around the firepit. Main Street Museum, White River Junction, 5-10 p.m. Free. Info, info@mainstreetmuseum.org. THE ROBERT CRAY BAND: The Blues Hall of Famer and his funky friends play beloved tunes from half a century of hits. Paramount Theatre, Rutland, 7:30 p.m. $4070. Info, 775-0903.
outdoors
TORCHLIGHT SNOWSHOE: Visitors trek around the flame-lit grounds, meeting park rangers and learning about local wildlife and history along the way. BYO
SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024
headlamp or flashlight. Billings Farm & Museum, Woodstock, 4:30-6:30 p.m. $5-12; free for members under 16 and kids under 4. Info, info@billingsfarm.org.
seminars
JOURNALISM COURSE: Veteran freelance reporter Carolyn Shapiro teaches attendees about media literacy and how the local news industry works. Presented by AARP Vermont. 10-11 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 866-227-7451.
theater
‘LONG LIVE LOVE’: The Essex Community Players premieres Don Zolidis’ romantic farce, in which estranged playwright spouses compete to control the ending of their play within a play. Essex Memorial Hall, 7:30-9:30 p.m. $14-18. Info, 871-5026. UVM LANE SERIES: ACTORS FROM THE LONDON STAGE: ‘A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM’: Using minimal props and only five actors, a storied theater troupe breaks down the bard’s beloved comedy. University of Vermont Recital Hall, Burlington, 7:30-9:30 p.m. $6.50-39.50. Info, 656-4455. ‘THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES’: Jeanne Beckwith directs a performance of Eve Ensler’s groundbreaking 1996 play about the joys and tribulations of having a hoo-ha. Lost Nation Theater,
Montpelier City Hall, 7-9 p.m. $2030. Info, 229-0492.
SAT.24 business
CASINO NIGHT: Roaring twenties attire is encouraged at this high-rolling poker night and fundraiser for the Central Vermont Chamber of Commerce. Barre Elks Lodge, 6-9 p.m. $30. Info, 229-5711.
dance
MONTHLY DJ SWING DANCE: Allstar DJs back a night of dancing with big-band bops. Bring clean shoes. North Star Community Hall, Burlington, beginners’ lesson, 7:30 p.m.; dance, 8-10:30 p.m. $5. Info, 864-8382.
fairs & festivals
THE BLACK EXPERIENCE: A Black History Month blowout features appearances by hip-hop artist Talib Kweli, vocal ensemble Sweet Honey in the Rock and psychologist Robert Livingston. See calendar spotlight. The Flynn, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, 863-5966. HAM-CON: The annual Vermont Ham Radio Convention brings together New England’s electronic hobbyists for a day of forums, flea markets and beyond. Hampton
Inn, Colchester, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. $12. Info, 879-6589. RUTLAND WINTERFEST: See WED.21. SNOWLIGHTS: Guests are captivated by colorful lights, fire jugglers, snow sculptors and the boogie-worthy beats of Latin dance band Mal Maïz. See calendar spotlight. Highland Center for the Arts, Greensboro, 5:30-8 p.m. $5-30. Info, 533-2000.
film
See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.
health & fitness
QUEEN OF HEARTS DRAG BALL: Guests come dressed in their Wonderland best to lose their heads over performances by Anita Cocktail, Rhedd Rhumm and others. Bellows Falls Moose Lodge, 9 p.m. $20. Info, bellowsfallspride@ gmail.com.
music
FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY FREE CONCERT SERIES: VA-ET-VIENT: The francophone fiddlers lead a warmhearted hour of music and sing-alongs. ADA accessible. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, noon-1 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.
‘GREAT WHITE SHARK 3D’: See WED.21.
THE PITT CREW: Rollicking renditions of 1960s and 1970s blues and soul classics ring out. Adamant Community Club, 7-9 p.m. $15. Info, 454-7103.
‘OCEANS: OUR BLUE PLANET 3D’: See WED.21.
seminars
‘FUNGI: THE WEB OF LIFE 3D’: See WED.21.
SCREWBALL SPEAKEASY CLUB PRESENTS: ‘THE LADY EVE’: A community space transforms into a Prohibition-era watering hole for a screening of this 1941 romantic comedy. Epsilon Spires, Brattleboro, 7-10 p.m. $15. Info, info@epsilonspires.org.
PJC RAD HISTORY SERIES: ROBERT SMALLS: Lefties learn about one of the first Black members of Congress and how he escaped slavery by capturing a Confederate ship. Peace & Justice Center, Burlington, 1-3 p.m. Free. Info, 863-2345.
STUDIO PRODUCTION TOUR: Members explore the TV studio and its cameras, microphones and lights. The Media Factory, Burlington, 1-3 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 651-9692.
theater
‘LONG LIVE LOVE’: See FRI.23.
‘TINY GIANTS 3D’: See WED.21.
UVM LANE SERIES: ACTORS FROM THE LONDON STAGE: ‘A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM’: See FRI.23.
‘VANISH: DISAPPEARING ICONS OF A RURAL AMERICA’:
‘THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES’: See FRI.23.
LIST YOUR EVENT FOR FREE AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POSTEVENT
SUN.25
‘FUNGI: THE WEB OF LIFE 3D’: See WED.21.
crafts
YARN CRAFTERS GROUP: See WED.21, 1-3 p.m.
fairs & festivals
RUTLAND WINTERFEST: See WED.21, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. WINTERVALE: Locals take part in wintry delights, from snowshoe adventures and wildlife tracking to maple-tapping demos and a chili cook-off. Intervale Center, Burlington, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Info, 660-0440.
film
See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.
‘GREAT WHITE SHARK 3D’: See WED.21.
gratitude at the forefront of their minds. Jenna’s House, Johnson, 10-11:15 a.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, mollyzapp@live.com.
‘OCEANS: OUR BLUE PLANET 3D’: See WED.21.
lgbtq
‘TINY GIANTS 3D’: See WED.21.
food & drink
BARRE’S BEST CHILI COOK-OFF: Central Vermont’s best stew rises to the top at this annual competition. Donations benefit the church. First Church in Barre, Universalist, 3-6 p.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, barreuu@ gmail.com.
health & fitness
KARUNA COMMUNITY MEDITATION: A YEAR TO LIVE (FULLY): Participants practice keeping joy, generosity and
CRAFT CLUB: Crafty queer folks work on their knitting, crocheting and sewing projects. Rainbow Bridge Community Center, Barre, 10 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 622-0692.
music
SWEET HONEY IN THE ROCK: The Grammy Award-winning a cappella ensemble pushes the limits of the human voice. The Flynn, Burlington, 1 p.m. $20-45. Info, 863-5966. WILL PATTON ENSEMBLE: The jazz mandolinist and his crew deliver high energy and good
vibes. Westford Common Hall, 4 p.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, 879-4028.
outdoors
WILDLIFE TRACKING CLUB: Naturalists teach trackers of all ages how to distinguish the snowy paw prints of coyotes, foxes, minks and more. North Branch Nature Center, Montpelier, 10-11:30 a.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, 229-6206.
sports
2ND ANNUAL SNOW GOLF: CHIP, DRIVE & PUTT FOR PRESERVATION: A fun afternoon of the Rudyard Kipling-invented winter sport supports the historic preservation work of the Landmark Trust. Scott Farm,
Dummerston, noon-3 p.m. $35. Info, 579-1853.
theater
‘LONG LIVE LOVE’: See FRI.23, 2-4 p.m.
MON.26 agriculture
dance
WEST AFRICAN DANCE AND DRUM CLASS: Participants learns songs, rhythms and moves from across the African diaspora. Ages 13 and up. Wilson Hall, McCullough Student Center, Middlebury College, 5-6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 443-3168.
film
COMMUNITY GARDEN SUCCESS STORIES FROM WOODSTOCK, VT: Locals learn about how gardens and food shelves are helping food insecure families in southern Vermont. Community Center in Jericho, 6-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 829-8168.
See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section. ‘FUNGI: THE WEB OF LIFE 3D’: See WED.21. ‘GREAT WHITE SHARK 3D’: See WED.21. ‘OCEANS: OUR BLUE PLANET 3D’: See WED.21. MON.26
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CARE YOU CAN
COUNT ON.
Ask about our Winter Incentives AND SECURE YOUR EXCLUSIVE RATE
Middlebury | 802-231-3645
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Independent, Assisted & Memory Care Living LCB Senior Living Communities: More than 25 Years of Excellence 23t-exploreComm(LCB)022125 1
SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024
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2/14/24 3:30 PM
LIST YOUR EVENT FOR FREE AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POSTEVENT
calendar MON.26
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crafts
REQUIRED VIEWING: Audiences don’t know which cult classic they’re about to watch at this monthly screening series. Spiral House Art Collective, Burlington, 7-9 p.m. Free. Info, colleengoodhue@gmail.com. ‘TINY GIANTS 3D’: See WED.21.
games
MONDAY NIGHT GAMES: Discounted wine by the glass fuels an evening of friendly competition featuring new and classic board games, card games, and cribbage. Shelburne Vineyard, 4-7 p.m. Free. Info, 985-8222.
language
ENGLISH CONVERSATION CIRCLE: Locals learning English as a second language gather in the Digital Lab to build vocabulary and make friends. ADA accessible. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, noon-1 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140. ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING CLUB: Adult speakers of all levels practice their conversation skills in a relaxed setting. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 11-11:45 a.m. Free. Info, 878-6955.
politics
LEGISLATIVE FORUM: State representatives discuss the upcoming session with their constituents. Virtual option available. ADA accessible. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 6-8 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.
words
VIRTUAL POETRY OPEN MIC: Wordsmiths read their work at an evening with local performance poet Bianca Amira Zanella. Presented by Phoenix Books. 7 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 855-8078.
TUE.27
community
CURRENT EVENTS DISCUSSION GROUP: Brownell Library holds a virtual roundtable for neighbors to pause and reflect on the news cycle. 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 878-6955.
Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 10:30 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 878-4918.
LEARN TO CROCHET AND KNIT: Novices of all ages pick up a new skill. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 5-6 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6955.
crafts
YARN CRAFTERS GROUP: See WED.21.
dance
film
SWING DANCING: Local Lindy hoppers and jitterbuggers convene at Vermont Swings’ weekly boogie-down. Bring clean shoes. North Star Community Hall, Burlington, beginner lessons, 6:30 p.m.; dance, 7:30-9 p.m. $5. Info, 864-8382.
See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section. ‘FUNGI: THE WEB OF LIFE 3D’: See WED.21. ‘GREAT WHITE SHARK 3D’: See WED.21. ‘OCEANS: OUR BLUE PLANET 3D’: See WED.21.
film
See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.
‘TINY GIANTS 3D’: See WED.21.
‘FUNGI: THE WEB OF LIFE 3D’: See WED.21.
FEB. 24 | FAIRS & FESTIVALS
‘GREAT WHITE SHARK 3D’: See WED.21. ‘OCEANS: OUR BLUE PLANET 3D’: See WED.21. ‘TINY GIANTS 3D’: See WED.21.
language
PAUSE-CAFÉ FRENCH CONVERSATION: Francophones and French-language learners meet pour parler la belle langue. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 5-6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 343-5493.
outdoors
EZ BREEZY GLOW RIDE: Groovy tunes motivate cyclists along a route through downtown and the Old North End. Costumes encouraged. Local Motion, Burlington, 6-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 861-2700, ext. 100.
Free Verse
THE BLACK EXPERIENCE
seminars
VHS VIRTUAL ROUNDTABLE: COLLECTIONS CONUNDRUMS: The Vermont Historical Society and the League of Local Historical Societies & Museums lead a lunchtime discussion of best practices for museum educators. Noon-1 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 828-1414.
donations accepted; preregister. Info, gin@mediafactory.org.
tech
RECORDING AUDIO: Attendees learn about how to capture the best possible sound. The Media Factory, Burlington, 6-8 p.m. Free;
words
2024 VIRTUAL WINTER BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP: The Rokeby Museum presents a book club discussion of Mr. and Mrs. Prince: How an Extraordinary Eighteenth-Century Family Moved out of Slavery and Into Legend by Gretchen Holbrook Gerzina. 6:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 877-3406. BURLINGTON LITERATURE GROUP: TONI MORRISON:
FAMILY chittenden county FUN
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burlington
EARTH & SPACE-TACULAR FESTIVAL: See SAT.24. SING-ALONG WITH LINDA BASSICK: Babies, toddlers and preschoolers sing,
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WHAT’S THAT WINE WEDNESDAYS: See WED.21.
The Black Experience, the Flynn’s annual Black History Month event, returns to the Queen City with another unmissable evening of culture and community. Legendary rapper and activist Talib Kweli headlines the proceedings, bringing to his phenomenal performance almost 30 years of experience working with Mos Def, Pharrell Williams and other titans of the genre. Also making an appearance is the storied, Grammywinning women’s a cappella ensemble Sweet Honey in the Rock, in advance of their full concert the next day. Dr. Robert Livingston, a social psychologist and author of The Conversation: How Seeking and Speaking the Truth About Racism Can Radically Transform Individuals and Organizations, gives the keynote address.
dance and wiggle along with Linda. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 1111:30 a.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.
MON.26
food & drink
Saturday, February 24, 6 p.m., at the Flynn in Burlington. Free; donations accepted. Info, 863-5966, flynnvt.org.
ECOGATHERINGS: See WED.21, 6-7:30 p.m.
PRESCHOOL STORY TIME: Little ones enjoy a cozy session of reading, rhyming and singing. Birth through age 5. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 878-4918. SCHOOL VACATION CRAFTYTOWN: From painting and printmaking to collage and sculpture, creative kids explore different projects and mediums. Ages 8 and up, or ages 6 and up with
SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024
Readers analyze two novels, Song of Solomon and Jazz, over seven weeks. 6:30-8 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, info@nereadersandwriters. com. POETRY GROUP: A supportive drop-in group welcomes those who would like to share and listen to poetry. ADA accessible. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 11 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 846-4140. TRISH O’KANE: An author and accidental ornithologist shares her new memoir Birding to Change the World. Phoenix Books,
an adult helper. ADA accessible. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 1-2 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140. TODDLER STAY AND PLAY: Unstructured play time delights little ones ages 1 to 3 and their adult caregivers. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 10:30-11:15 a.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.
WED.28
burlington
‘UNDERDOG’: A Vermont dairy farmer risks everything to pursue his dogsledding dreams in Alaska in this locally made 2021 documentary. Latchis Hotel & Theater, Brattleboro, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Free. Info, 540-6882.
EARTH & SPACE-TACULAR FESTIVAL: See SAT.24, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
CHAIR YOGA: See WED.21.
TIMOTHY LAHEY: A UVM Medical Center doctor answers questions about DoxyPeP and STI testing. Presented by Pride Center of Vermont. 4:30-5:30 p.m. Free. Info, 860-7812.
language
BEGINNER IRISH LANGUAGE CLASS: See WED.21. ELL CLASSES: ENGLISH FOR BEGINNERS & INTERMEDIATE STUDENTS: See WED.21.
Burlington, 7 p.m. $3; preregister. Info, 448-3350.
WED.28 business
QUEEN CITY BUSINESS NETWORKING INTERNATIONAL GROUP: See WED.21.
community
health & fitness
music
FARMERS NIGHT: A2VT: West African hip-hop beats from the Burlington band get feet moving. House Chamber, Vermont Statehouse, Montpelier, 7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 864-5741.
sports
GREEN MOUNTAIN TABLE TENNIS CLUB: See WED.21. SMUGGS 55+ SKI CLUB: See WED.21. ➆
CURRENT EVENTS: Neighbors have an informal discussion about what’s in the news. Dorothy
STEAM SPACE: Kids explore science, technology, engineering, art and math activities. Kindergarten through fifth grade. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403. TODDLER TIME: See WED.21.
chittenden county
BABY SOCIAL TIME: See WED.21. COMICS CLUB: Graphic novel and manga fans in third through fifth grades meet to discuss current reads and do fun activities together. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3-4 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.
PLAY TIME: See WED.21. SCHOOL VACATION CRAFTYTOWN: See TUE.27, 1-2:30 p.m.
mad river valley/ waterbury
LEGO CHALLENGE CLUB: Kids engage in a fun-filled hour of building, then leave their creations on display in the library all month long. Ages 9 through 11. Waterbury Public Library, 3-4 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 244-7036. K
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classes THE FOLLOWING CLASS LISTINGS ARE PAID ADVERTISEMENTS. ANNOUNCE YOUR CLASS FOR AS LITTLE AS $16.75/WEEK (INCLUDES SIX PHOTOS AND UNLIMITED DESCRIPTION ONLINE). SUBMIT YOUR CLASS AD AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POSTCLASS.
astrology YOUR ASTROLOGICAL MOON: Mother, Moods and Mystery: In this in-person three-part series, explore your natal moon to gain deeper understanding of your emotional development, needs, triggers, instincts and more. The ancient wisdom tradition of astrology offers fresh insights into your patterns, helping you develop self-acceptance and practical tools for better well-being. Wed., Mar. 20 & 27, & Apr. 3, 5:30-7 p.m. Cost: $75 for 3 classes, 1.5 hours each. Location: The Wellness Collective, 875 Roosevelt Hwy., Ste. 120, Colchester. Info: Jennie Date, 802-578-3735, hidden pathastrology@gmail.com, hiddenpathastrology.com.
Tue., Apr. 16, 6 p.m. Cost: $50-100. Location: Red Poppy Cakery, 1 Elm St., Waterbury Village Historic District. Info: 203-400-0700, sevendaystickets.com.
Share the story of your special friend. Your beloved pet was a part of the family. Explain how and why in a Seven Days pet memorial. Share your Seven Days Pet Memorials animal’s photo and SPONSORED BY a written remembrance in the Paws Fur-ever Loved section of the at Home newspaper and online. It’s an Mobile Veterinary Hospice & affordable way to acknowledge End of Life Care and celebrate the nonhuman companions in our lives.
Fur-ever
TO SUBMIT A PET MEMORIAL,
please visit sevendaysvt.com/ petmemorials or scan the QR code.
craft MEDIA FACTORY ORIENTATION: This is the gateway to checking out gear and using our facilities. We’ll take a virtual tour of the Media Factory, go over our policies and the cool stuff you can do here, and fill out paperwork to become a member the same day. Requirements: photo ID, and you must live, work or study in our service area. Sat., Mar. 2, 11 a.m. Location: Media Factory, 208 Flynn Ave., Suite 2K, Burlington. Info: 802-651-9692, bit.lybtvmediafactory.
CACHE IT IF YOU CAN: Which birds and mammals store food for the winter? What do they eat? Where do they hide it? We’ll all try a little caching ourselves! For ages 6-10; takes place outdoors. Price includes museum admission. Wed., Feb. 21, 10 a.m. Cost: $15-35. Location: Birds of Vermont Museum, 900 Sherman Hollow Rd., Huntington. Info: 802-434-2167, sevendaystickets. com.
language ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE SPRING CLASSES: Join us for online and in-person adult French classes this spring. Our 11-week session starts on March 18 and offers classes for participants at all levels. Please visit our website to read about all of our offerings or contact Micheline by email for more information. 11-week classes begin Mar. 18. Location: Alliance Française, online or in-person at 43 King St., Burlington. Info: Micheline, education@aflcr.org, aflcr.org.
business THE RETIREMENT DILEMMA: Come hear local experts on the complex topic of retirement financing. Turning retirement savings into a retirement lifestyle is a skill, and it’s easy enough to learn. Walk away with a deeper understanding of what you can do to secure your retirement plans and guarantee your needs are met! Wed., Feb. 21, 6 p.m. Location: The Board Room at the South Burlington Public Library, 180 Market St., So. Burlington. Info: erik@ckfinancialresources. com, sevendaystickets.com.
kids
BRUNCH CLASS FEATURING COOKING WITH STEPHANIE: Join Janina of Red Poppy Cakery and special guest Chef Stephanie from Cooking With Stephanie for a delicious experience. Learn how to make the perfect pie crust for a savory galette or rustic breakfast pie to pair with a French toast bread pudding that will make brunch for a crowd easy and delicious! This recipe can be vegetarian but not gluten-free or vegan. Please disclose allergies when registering. Sun., Apr. 14, 9 a.m. Cost: $100. Location: Red Poppy Cakery, 1 Elm St., Waterbury Village Historic District. Info: 203-400-0700, sevendaystickets. com.
MANDARIN CONVERSATION CIRCLE: Join the New Mandarin Conversation Circle meeting every first and third Tue. of each month, 11 a.m. to noon, in the Community Room at the South Burlington Public Library. Please join volunteers from the Vermont Chinese School to learn and improve your Mandarin and make new friends. 1st and 3rd Tue., 11 a.m.-noon. Location: South Burlington Library, 180 Market St. Info: 802307-6332, sevendaystickets.com.
culinary COOKBOOK BAKING WORKSHOP: ‘FLOUR’ BY JOANNE CHANG: We’ll tackle a handful of recipes from the book family style, sending everyone home with a full belly, something sweet to share and a copy of Flour by Joanne Chang. In order to have the books in time, registration closes early, so don’t wait too long to confirm your spot.
Find and purchase tickets for these and other classes at sevendaystickets.com.
= TICKETED CLASS
CLASS PHOTOS + MORE INFO ONLINE SEVENDAYSVT.COM/CLASSES 66
SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024
COURTESY OF KELLY SCHULZE/MOUNTAIN DOG PHOTOGRAPHY
housing »
APARTMENTS, CONDOS & HOMES
on the road »
CARS, TRUCKS, MOTORCYCLES
pro services »
CHILDCARE, HEALTH/ WELLNESS, PAINTING
buy this stuff »
APPLIANCES, KID STUFF, ELECTRONICS, FURNITURE
music »
Humane
Blade AGE/SEX: 5-year-old neutered male ARRIVAL DATE: January 24, 2024 SUMMARY: Blade loves attention and playtime, but he’s also comfortable enjoying his own company. He previously enjoyed having indoor/outdoor access to a fenced yard, so he doesn’t have a lot of experience walking on leash, but he is eager to learn. He exhibits strong prey drive toward small creatures, so he’s looking for a home without small animals like cats or chickens. Visit Blade at HSCC to learn more about him and see if he could be your new best friend!
of Chittenden County
DID YOU KNOW?
Training isn’t just for behavior challenges and tricks — it’s an important way to bond and communicate with your dog! HSCC recommends positive reinforcement-based training — teach dogs what you want them to do! Looking for training tips? Visit our website: hsccvt.org/resources.
Sponsored by:
DOGS/CATS/KIDS: Blade has experience living with another dog but
INSTRUCTION, CASTING, INSTRUMENTS FOR SALE
was fed separately due to resource guarding. He is looking for a home without cats or other small animals. He has lived with children before and may do well with dog-savvy children who respect his boundaries.
NO SCAMS, ALL LOCAL, POSTINGS DAILY
Visit the Humane Society of Chittenden County at 142 Kindness Court, South Burlington, Tuesday through Friday from 1 to 5 p.m. or Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 862-0135 or visit hsccvt.org for more info.
jobs »
Society
NEW STUFF ONLINE EVERY DAY! PLACE YOUR ADS 24-7 AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM. SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024
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on the road
CARS/TRUCKS 2010 GMC TERRAIN SLT 103,500 miles. Located in Colchester. No rust. AWD. Inspected. 6 cylinder. Please text or call 802-355-4099 for more details.
HOUSEMATES HOMESHARE IN THE NNE NNE Burlington home to share w/ professional in her 60s who enjoys animal rights & travel. $550/mo. + dog walking
SHARE STUNNING CALAIS HOME Share large, beautifully handcrafted home in Calais w/ couple seeking help w/ housecleaning, firewood stacking, gardening & cat sitting. $450/mo. Call 802863-5625 or visit homesharevermont. org for application. Interview, refs. & background checks req. EHO. LIVE-IN CAREGIVER My 86-years-young mother is looking for someone who is willing to share her spacious 2-BR, 2-BA apt. in Montpelier. Rent, utils. & weekly stipend incl. She requires assistance for showering & trips to the BA + some meal preparation. If you are interested in meeting my mother to further discuss this opportunity, please contact Gary at gary@vtconcretecutting .com.
CLASSIFIEDS KEY appt. appointment apt. apartment BA bathroom BR bedroom DR dining room DW dishwasher HDWD hardwood HW hot water LR living room NS no smoking OBO or best offer refs. references sec. dep. security deposit W/D washer & dryer
EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY
All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act of 1968 and similar Vermont statutes which make it illegal to advertise any preference, limitations, or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, handicap, presence of minor children in the family or receipt of public assistance, or an intention to make any such preference, limitation or a discrimination. The newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate, which is in violation of the law. Our
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OFFICE/ COMMERCIAL OFFICE/RETAIL SPACE AT MAIN STREET LANDING on Burlington’s waterfront. Beautiful, healthy, affordable spaces for your business. Visit mainstreetlanding.com & click on space avail. Melinda, 864-7999.
services
AUTO DONATE YOUR CAR TO CHARITY Running or not! Fast, free pickup. Maximum tax deduction. Support Patriotic Hearts. Your car donation helps veterans! 1-866-5599123. (AAN CAN)
CAREGIVING CAREGIVERS AVAIL.! Our skilled caregivers are here to help. We can provide the care you need in the comfort of your home. Give us a call at 802-923-3434 to learn more. You can also check out our website at greenmountaintotal care.net.
FINANCIAL/LEGAL $10K+ IN DEBT? Be debt-free in 24-48 mos. Pay a fraction of your debt. Call National Debt Relief at 844-9773935. (AAN CAN) DISABILITY BENEFITS You may qualify for disability benefi ts if you are between 52-63 years old & under a doctor’s care for a health condition that prevents you from working for a year or more. Call now!
readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. Any home seeker who feels he or she has encountered discrimination should contact: HUD Office of Fair Housing 10 Causeway St., Boston, MA 02222-1092 (617) 565-5309 — OR — Vermont Human Rights Commission 14-16 Baldwin St. Montpelier, VT 05633-0633 1-800-416-2010 hrc@vermont.gov
SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024
print deadline: Mondays at 3:30 p.m. post ads online 24/7 at: sevendaysvt.com/classifieds questions? classifieds@sevendaysvt.com 865-1020 x115
1-877-247-6750. (AAN CAN) FREE AUTO INSURANCE QUOTES For uninsured & insured drivers. Let us show you how much you can save! Call 855-569-1909. (AAN CAN)
HEALTH/ WELLNESS PROFESSIONAL THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE THERAPY Deep-tissue bodywork. Steamed towels/ hot packs. 30 years’ experience. Plainfield, Vt. Contact Peter Scott at 802-522-3053 or pscottmbs@gmail.com. Info: pscottmbs.com.
Have zip code of service location ready when you call! (AAN CAN)
Proud to be recognized in the top 2% of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices network agents nationwide.
buy this stuff
Let me assist you with your real estate needs.
Robbi Handy Holmes • 802-951-2128 robbihandyholmes@vtregroup.com Client focused Making it happen for you!
PSYCHIC COUNSELING 16t-robbihandyholmes022124.indd 1 Psychic counseling, channeling w/ Bernice Kelman, Underhill. 40+ years’ experience. Also energy healing, chakra balancing, Reiki, rebirthing, other lives, classes & more. 802-899-3542, kelman.b@juno.com.
Antiques, Collectibles & Electronics Phase 1 & Phase 2
HOME/GARDEN AGING ROOF? NEW HOMEOWNER? STORM DAMAGE? You need a local expert provider that proudly stands behind its work. Fast, free estimate. Financing avail. Call 1-888-292-8225. Have the zip code of the property ready when calling! (AAN CAN) BATH & SHOWER UPDATES In as little as 1 day! Affordable prices. No payments for 18 mo. Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Senior & military discounts avail. Call 1-866-370-2939. (AAN CAN) BEAUTIFY YOUR HOME Get energy-efficient windows. They will increase your home’s value & decrease your energy bills. Replace all or a few! Call 844-3352217 now to get your free, no-obligation quote. (AAN CAN)
OVER 1000 LOTS COMBINED! AUCTIONS CLOSE: PHASE 1: Monday, Feb. 27 @ 10AM PHASE 2: Wed., March 13 @ 10AM Preview: Mon., Feb. 26 from 11AM-1PM
40’x30’ Commercial Building and 2,703 SF Home on 5.3 Acres in Monkton (Bristol), VT
LIVE AUCTION: Tuesday, March 12 @ 11AM Register & Inspect from 10AM Open House: Thursday, Feb. 22 from 11AM-1PM 654 Bristol Road Monkton (Bristol), VT 05443
music
BANDS/ MUSICIANS VOICE TRAINING NEEDED I am a singer & songwriter, seeking training from a vocal coach to hone my skills. I want to start a band. Contact Arden Eckhart, ardy903@gmail.com.
MISCELLANEOUS INSTRUCTION DIRECTV SATELLITE TV Service starting at $74.99/mo.! Free install. 160+ channels avail. Call now to get the most sports & entertainment on TV. 877-310-2472. (AAN CAN)
PETS
GUITAR INSTRUCTION Berklee graduate w/ 30 years’ teaching experience offers lessons in guitar, music theory, music technology, ear training. Individualized, step-by-step approach. All ages, styles, levels. Rick Belford, 864-7195, rickbelford.com.
F1B GOLDENDOODLE PUPPIES Hypoallergenic, vet-checked, 2nd shot. 3 males. Contact Carla at 802-338-6263. GERMAN SHEPHERD PUPPIES 12-week-old AKC East German shepherd puppies looking for a home. 2 bicolor males, one sable male. Sweet & calm temperament, excellent dogs. Call or text for more info, 802-373-1636.
WANT TO BUY
THCAuction.com 800-634-SOLD
LOCKSMITH 24-7 reduction? New, energyWe are there when efficient windows may you need us for home 8v-hirchakbrothers022124 1 be the answer! Call for & car lockouts. We’ll a consultation & free get you back up & quote today. 1-877running quickly! Also, 248-9944. You will be key reproductions, asked for the zip code lock installs & repairs, of the property when vehicle fobs. Call us for connecting. (AAN CAN) your home, commercial & auto locksmith needs! PEST CONTROL 1-833-237-1233. (AAN Protect your home from CAN) pests safely & affordably. Roaches, bedbugs, NEED NEW WINDOWS? rodents, termites, Drafty rooms? Chipped spiders & other pests. or damaged frames? Locally owned & Need outside noise
TOP CASH FOR OLD GUITARS 1920-1980 Gibson, Martin, Fender, Gretsch, Epiphone, Guild, Mosrite, Rickenbacker, Prairie State, D’A ngelico & Stromberg + Gibson mandolins & banjos. Call 877-589-0747. (AAN CAN)
ANTIQUES/ COLLECTIBLES
ANTIQUES MARKET SUN., FEB. 25 Antiques market on Sun., Feb. 25, 8 a.m-1 p.m, at the Canadian Club, 414 E. Montpelier Rd., Rte. 14, Barre, Vt. Early buyers $5 (8 2/5/24 9:37 AM a.m.), general $2 (9 a.m.). Vendors offering antique, midcentury & vintage items in a flea market atmosphere. Info: Don Willis Antiques, 802-751-6138, montpelierantiques market.com.
131 Dorset Lane, Williston, VT
housing
3 days/week. Private BA. No additional pets. Call 802-863-5625 or visit homesharevermont. org for application. Interview, refs. & background checks req. EHO.
services: $12 (25 words) fsbos: $45 (2 weeks, 30 words, photo) jobs: michelle@sevendaysvt.com, 865-1020 x121
131 Dorset Lane, Williston, VT
CLASSIFIEDS
housing ads: $25 (25 words) legals: 52¢/word buy this stuff: free online
PORSCHE WANTED Old & rusty OK! Don’t ship to Germany; affordable. Call for keep in Vermont! service or an inspection I’ll buy anything & 2/16/24 2:14 PM today! 1-833-237-1199. restore. Parts, panels, (AAN CAN) engines, cars. Any year, 1950-1998. Contact WATER DAMAGE 802-391-0882. CLEANUP & RESTORATION A small amount of water can lead to major damage & mold growth in your home. Our trusted professionals do complete repairs to protect your family & your home’s value! Call 24-7: 1-888-290-2264.
➆
art
AUDITIONS/ CASTING FIDDLER ON THE ROOF AUDITIONS Feb. 25, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., at MACCenter, 44 Gypsy La., Bennington. Performances at MACCenter Apr. 2628. Info & sign-up for audition time at monumentcentervt.org. Email: monument centervt@gmail.com.
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Put your knowledge of Vermont news to the test.
See how fast you can solve this weekly 10-word puzzle.
DIFFICULTY THIS WEEK: ★★★
DIFFICULTY THIS WEEK: ★★★
Fill the grid using the numbers 1-6, only once in each row and column. The numbers in each heavily outlined “cage” must combine to produce the target number in the top corner, using the mathematical operation indicated. A one-box cage should be filled in with the target number in the top corner. A number can be repeated within a cage as long as it is not the same row or column.
Place a number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down and each 9-box square contains all of the numbers one to nine. The same numbers cannot be repeated in a row or column.
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RULING PARTY ANSWERS ON P. 70
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SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024
69
Legal Notices NOTICE OF SELF-STORAGE LIEN SALE CHIMNEY CORNERS SELF STORAGE 76 GONYEAU ROAD, MILTON VT 05403 Notice is hereby given that the contents of the self-storage units listed below will be sold at public auction by sealed bid. This sale is being held to collect unpaid storage unit occupancy fees, charges, and expenses of the sale. The entire contents of each self-storage unit listed below will be sold, with the proceeds to be distributed to Chimney Corners Self Storage for all accrued occupancy fees (rent charges), late payment fees, sale expenses, and all other expenses in relation to the unit and its sale. Contents of each unit may be viewed on February 28th, commencing at 10:00am. Sealed bids are to be submitted on the entire contents of each selfstorage unit. Bids will be opened one half hour after the last unit has been viewed on February 28th. The highest bidder on the storage unit must remove the entire contents of the unit within 48 hours after notification of their successful bid. Purchase must be made in cash and paid in advance of the removal of the contents of the unit. A $50 cash deposit shall be made and will be refunded if the unit is broom cleaned. Chimney Corners Self Storage reserves the right to accept or reject bids. The contents of the following tenant’s self-storage units will be included in this sale: James Brigham, Unit 609 REQUEST FOR BIDS FROM QUALIFIED SUBCONTRACTORS AND SUPPLIERS On behalf Champlain Housing Trust (CHT) and Evernorth (EN), Naylor & Breen Builders is requesting subcontractor and vender proposals from qualified firms for the Bay Ridge Apartments Rehabilitation project. Located in Shelburne,
PLACE AN AFFORDABLE NOTICE AT: SEVENDAYSVT.COM/LEGAL-NOTICES OR CALL 802-865-1020, EXT. 121.
Vermont, the Bay Ridge Apartments Rehabilitation project consists of the redesign of existing hotel buildings into 20 small apartments. Renovations include a full gut renovation, with new electrical, HVAC, insulation, new finishes, new sprinkler and fire alarm systems, kitchens and openings. Exterior work includes excavation and backfill for insulation of the foundation. Please note that these two buildings need to be priced separately. Schedule: Work anticipated to begin in April 2024, with a 9 month construction duration. This project is subject to Davis Bacon Wage rates, section 3 wage reporting and the Buy America, Build America Act. The project is NOT tax-exempt. The Construction Manager and all subcontractors shall comply with Section 3 requirements. Minority-owned, women-owned, locally owned and Section 3 businesses are strongly encouraged to respond. A walkthrough has been scheduled for Tuesday February 20th @ 9:30AM. Last day for questions is Friday February 23rd @ 4:00PM. Questions asked via telephone will not be considered. Bid submission deadline to Naylor & Breen Builders: Thursday February 29th @ 4:00PM Bids are to be mailed to Miles Krans at mkrans@ naylorbreen.com TOWN OF ESSEX ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT PUBLIC HEARING MARCH 7, 2024 - 6:00 PM Join in person at 81 Main Street Conference Room or Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85378709951?pwd=U WRTQnU0Nllod1FZVUU3b2pXWXlsQT09 Join via conference call (audio only): (305) 224 1968, Meeting ID: 853 7870 9951, Passcode 708118 Public Wifi is available at the Essex Municipal Offices, libraries, and hotspot listed here: https://publicservice.vermont.gov/content/ public-wifi-hotspots-vermont UNSPECIFIED USE: Lori Ann Grzywna K/N/A Lori A. Burritt: Proposal to operate a Short-Term Rental
located at 88 Old Colchester Road in the Medium Density Residential (R2) Zone. Tax Map 6, Parcel 4. NOTICE CITY OF BURLINGTON FULL BOARD OF ABATEMENT OF TAXES The Full Board of Abatement of Taxes of the City of Burlington will meet in Contois Auditorium and via ZOOM: https://zoom.us/j/99756965793 on Monday, February 26, 2024* to hear and act upon the request for abatement of taxes and/or penalties from: Vermont House Condo Association 120 King Street 049-3-042-000 Vermont House Condo Association 131 Main Street 049-3-095-007 *The City Council Meeting usually begins at 7:00 p.m. The Full Board of Abatement of Taxes Meeting is part of this agenda, no set start time. WARNING CHAMPLAIN VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT ANNUAL MEETING MARCH 4, 2024 AND MARCH 5, 2024 The legal voters of the Champlain Valley School District, are hereby notified and warned to meet at the Champlain Valley Union High School Room 160 in the Town of Hinesburg at five o’clock (5:00pm) in the evening on March 4, 2024, to transact any of the following business not involving voting by Australian ballot, and to conduct an informational hearing with respect to Articles of business to be considered by Australian ballot on March 5, 2024. Virtual Zoom participation details: https://cvsdvtorg.zoom.us/j/82796942094 Meeting ID: 827 9694 2094 Passcode: cvsd11. Zoom Meeting phone participation: 1-646-876-9923 Passcode: 049722 ARTICLE I: To elect a moderator, clerk and treasurer. ARTICLE II: To hear and act upon the reports of the school district officers. ARTICLE III: Shall the voters of the Champlain Valley School District authorize the Board of School
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Directors to borrow money by issuance of bonds or notes not in excess of anticipated revenues for the next fiscal year? ARTICLE IV: Shall the voters of the Champlain Valley School District authorize the Board of School Directors to provide a mailed notice of availability of the Annual Report to residents in lieu of distributing the Annual Report? ARTICLE V: To establish the date of the Champlain Valley School District Annual Meeting of Monday, March 3, 2025 at 5pm at CVU High School and recessed and opened back up at Australian ballot voting on Town Meeting Day. ARTICLE VI: To transact any other business proper to come before the meeting. BALLOT QUESTIONS The legal voters of the Champlain Valley School District, are hereby notified and warned to meet at their respective polling places on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, at seven o’clock in the forenoon (7:00am), at which time the polls will open, and seven o’clock in the afternoon (7:00pm), at which time the polls will close, to vote by Australian ballot on the following articles of business: ARTICLE VII: Shall the voters of the Champlain Valley School District approve the expenditure by the Board of School Directors of the sum of One Hundred Five Million, Eight Hundred One Thousand, One Hundred Eighty Five Dollars ($105,801,185) which is the amount the Board of School Directors has determined to be necessary for the ensuing fiscal year commencing July 1, 2024? ARTICLE VIII: Shall general obligation bonds or notes of the Champlain Valley School District in an amount not to exceed Three Hundred Ninety-Five Thousand Dollars ($395,000), subject to reduction from the application of available state and federal grants-in-aid and reserves, be issued for the purpose of financing the cost of purchasing three (3) school buses, the aggregate cost of such purchases is estimated to cost Three Hundred Ninety-Five Thousand Dollars ($395,000)? ARTICLE IX: Shall the voters of the Champlain Valley School District authorize the Board of School Directors to allocate its current fund balance, without effect upon the District tax levy, of Three Million, Two Hundred Seventy-Five Thousand, Five Hundred Forty-Seven Dollars ($3,275,547) as revenue for future budgets? ARTICLE X: Shall general obligation bonds or notes of Champlain Valley School District in an amount not to exceed Three Million, Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($3,500,000), subject to reduction from the application of available state and federal grantsin-aid and reserves, be issued for the purpose of financing the cost of making certain public school building improvements, namely (1) Charlotte Central School building mechanical, electrical, paving and energy efficiency upgrades ($1,450,000), (2) Champlain Valley Union High School grounds and building repairs and replacements ($50,000), (3) Shelburne Community School building and grounds repairs, electrical and HVAC and upgrades ($1,900,000), (4) Williston Central School flooring ($50,000), and (5) Allen Brook School fire alarm system ($50,000), the aggregate cost of such improvements estimated to be Three Million, Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($3,500,000). State funds may not be available at the time these projects are otherwise eligible to receive state school construction aid. The District is responsible for all costs incurred in connection with any borrowing done in anticipation of the receipt of school construction aid. POLLING PLACES Charlotte Charlotte Town Hall Hinesburg Hinesburg Town Hall Shelburne Shelburne Town Center – Gymnasium Williston Williston Armory St. George St. George Town Hall Ballots shall be transported and delivered to the Champlain Valley Union High School in the Town of Hinesburg and there commingled and counted by members of the Boards of Civil Authority of several towns under the supervision of the District Clerk of the Champlain Valley School District. The legal voters of the Champlain Valley School District are further notified that voter qualification, registration and absentee/early voting relative to said annual meeting shall be as provided in Section 706u of Title 16, and Chapters 43, 51 and 55 of Title 17, Vermont Statutes Annotated. Adopted and approved at a duly noticed, called and
SEVENDAYSVT.COM/CLASSIFIEDS held meeting of the Board of School Directors of the Champlain Valley School District on January 23, 2024. Received for record and recorded in the records of the Champlain Valley School District on January 23, 2024. ATTEST: Lynne T. Jaunich, District Clerk; Angela M. Arsenault, Chairperson OPENINGS BURLINGTON CITY COMMISSIONS/BOARDS Chittenden Solid Waste District – alternate - Term Expires 5/31/24 One Opening Electric Light Commission - Term Expires 6/30/25 One Opening Fence Viewer - Term Expires 6/30/24 One Opening Vehicle for Hire Licensing Board - Term Expires 6/30/24 One Opening Vehicle for Hire Licensing Board - Term Expires 6/30/25 One Opening Applications may be submitted to the Clerk/ Treasurer’s Office, 149 Church Street, Burlington, VT 05401 Attn: Lori NO later than Wednesday, March 20, 2024, by 4:30 pm. If you have any questions, please contact Lori at (802) 865-7136 or via email lolberg@burlingtonvt.gov. City Council President Paul will plan for appointments to take place at the March 25, 2024 City Council Meeting/City Council With Mayor Presiding Meeting. WARNING OF THE 101ST ANNUAL WINOOSKI CITY MEETING The legal voters of Winooski are hereby warned and notified to meet at the Winooski School District Auditorium on March 4, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. to discuss Article Four & Article Five and Article Eight to conduct an informational hearing on the Australian Ballot questions. A public hearing will coincide with the informational meeting to discuss Article Six and Article Seven. The meeting to be adjourned and to reconvene at the Winooski Senior Center, 123 Barlow Street on Tuesday, March 5, 2024 to transact any business involving voting by Australian Ballot to begin at 7:00 o’clock in the morning and to close at 7:00 o’clock in the evening. The legal voters of the City of Winooski are further notified that voter qualification, registration, and absentee voting relative to said meeting shall be as provided in Title 17 V.S.A. Chapters 43, 51 and 55. In addition, Act No. M-6 (H.227) Article One To elect a (1) Mayor for a term of three (3) years. Article Two To elect (2) City Councilors for a term of two (2) years each. Article Three To elect (1) Champlain Water District Commissioner for a three (3) year term Article Four- City Budget Shall the voters of the City of Winooski approve the budget for the Fiscal Year 2025 in the amount of Ten Million Nine Hundred Eighty-One Thousand Eighty-Six dollars and Seven cents ($10,981,086.07). The amount to be raised from property taxes is Eight Million Three Hundred Nine Thousand Five Hundred Forty-Six dollars and Thirty-Five cents ($8,309,546.35). Article Five Shall the City Council be authorized to apply for and accept funds from sources other than property taxation, and to expend the same for the benefit of the City in addition to sums for which budget appropriation has been made? (Approval of this article will not impact property taxes.) Article Six - Bond Vote Shall the voters approve the use of up to $515,000 of the unexpended proceeds of the City’s 2020 Capital Improvement Bond (Hickok Street Water Line and Reconstruction Project) to finance construction of improvements for capital improvements for the City’s public infrastructure, including improvements to City streets, traffic control and landscape elements, sidewalk, and road improvements, including costs of planning, design, construction, and reconstruction?
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Article Seven - Bond Vote Shall the bonds or notes or other indebtedness of the City of Winooski in a principal amount not to exceed Four Million Six Hundred Thousand Dollars ($4,600,000), be issued for the purpose of the planning, design and construction of improvements for the City, known as the Burlington-Winooski Bridge Project, consisting of planning, design, construction and relocation or reconstruction of the bridge across the Winooski River between the City and the City of Burlington, including environmental remediation and improvements for traffic, bike path and pedestrian use, traffic control and related park improvements, and for a term not to exceed 30 years, with the understanding that if the City secures funds from other sources for the Burlington-Winooski Bridge Project, it could issue such bonds or notes to pay for improvements for the two Rail Bridges? Article Eight - Champlain Water District Shall Three Million Two Hundred Thousand dollars ($3,200,000.00) of unexpended infrastructure bond proceeds authorized at the September 13, 2022, special meeting of the Champlain Water District be expended for the implementation of a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (‘SCADA”) upgrade, the cost thereof estimated to be Three Million Two Hundred Thousand dollars ($3,200,000.00)? Dated at Winooski, Vermont this 22 of January 2024 Mayor Kristine Lott Deputy Mayor Thomas Renner Councilor Bryn Oakleaf Councilor Aurora Hurd Councilor Charles Dodge THE CONTENTS OF STORAGE UNITS: Will be sold on or about the 2nd of March 2024 at 10:00 am to satisfy debt. Any person claiming a right to the goods may pay the amount claimed due and reasonable expenses before the sale, in which case the sale may not occur. Unit #, Name, Description 99 Michael Whitney Household Goods 47 James Savard Household Goods 42 Jennifer Burnor Household Goods 16 Serina Shows Household Goods Location: Milton MiniStorage, 3-11 Chrisemily Lane, Milton, VT Questions: Leslie 802-893-7952 WARNING TOWN OF JERICHO, VERMONT BOND VOTE AT ANNUAL TOWN MEETING MARCH, 5, 2024 The legal voters of Jericho, Vermont are hereby notified and warned to meet on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, to vote on the following article by Australian Ballot at the Mount Mansfield Union High School in said town of Jericho. Polls for voting by Australian ballot will be open on Tuesday, March 5th, 2024, at the Mount Mansfield Union High School from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., at which time the polls will close. ARTICLE XIII Shall general obligation bonds or notes of the Town of Jericho in an amount not to exceed Four Million, One Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents ($4,150,000.00) be issued under Chapter 53 of Title 24, Vermont Statutes Annotated, payable from the Town’s general fund, derived from the taxation of real property for a period not to exceed thirty years, and subject to reduction by available grants-in-aid or other funding sources, be issued to finance the cost of constructing certain improvements to the Town Maintenance Facility (the Project)? Dated this 29th day of January 2024 at Jericho Vermont. JERICHO SELECT BOARD Catherine McMains Joseph Flynn Erik Johnson The legal voters of the Town of Jericho are further notified that a public informational meeting will be held on Monday, February 26th, 2024 at the Jericho Town Hall at 6pm, to discuss the bond issue proposition and explain the proposed Project and
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the financing thereof. Zoom link will be available on the Jericho Town Website, JerichoVT.org OFFICIAL WARNING ANNUAL TOWN MEETING MARCH 5, 2024 RICHMOND, VERMONT The legal voters of the Town of Richmond Vermont and the legal voters of the Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District residing in Richmond are hereby notified and warned to meet at Camels Hump Middle School, in said Town, on Tuesday, March 5, 2024 at 9 AM to transact the following articles:
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and making capital improvements to the Town Center building to address conditions affecting user health and safety concerns (i.e., deteriorating windows, electrical and HVAC systems, emergency egress deficiencies, and the absence of a sprinkler system) and to bring the building into compliance with flood-related zoning regulations, and to issue notes or other debt instruments in an amount not to exceed Nine Million, Eight Hundred Forty-One Thousand, Six Hundred Three and 00/100 Dollars ($9,841,603.00) and for a term not to exceed thirty (30) years (the “Project”), subject to reduction by grants in aid and other state and federal funds then available to the Town for this purpose? (To be voted by Australian ballot)
The voters are further warned to meet at Camels Hump Middle School, in said Town, on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, where the polls will be open at 7:00 am in the forenoon and close at 7:00 pm in the afternoon to vote the following by Australian ballot:
Article 13. Shall the Town of Richmond vote to approve funding the Conservation Reserve Fund by adding one cent to the municipal tax rate in the 2024-2025 fiscal year? (To be voted by Australian ballot)
Town Officers and MMUUSD School Directors
Advisory Article 14. Shall the Town of Richmond investigate developing housing on the Town owned property of Browns Ct.?
Article 1. To elect school and town officers for terms posted on ballot. (To be voted by Australian ballot) Article 2. To hear and accept reports of the Town Officers. Article 3. Shall the voters of the Town of Richmond approve a budget of $4,819,779.00 to meet the expenses and liabilities of the Town of Richmond in Fiscal Year 2025? Article 4. Shall the voters of Richmond vote to appropriate $500.00 to Vermont Family Network to provide support to Richmond families with children with special needs, such amount being reasonably necessary for the support thereof? Article 5. Shall the voters of Richmond vote to appropriate $3,500.00 to Age Well to provide support and guidance to town residents aged 60 years and older, such amount being reasonably necessary for the support thereof? Article 6. Shall the voters of Richmond vote to appropriate $375.00 to VT Center for Independent Living for providing services to enhance the lives of town residents with disabilities, such amount being reasonably necessary for the support thereof? Article 7. Shall the voters of Richmond vote to appropriate $1,000.00 to The Committee on Temporary Shelter to provide emergency shelter, services, and housing for town residents who are homeless or marginally housed, such amount being reasonably necessary for the support thereof? Article 8. Shall the voters of Richmond vote to appropriate $3,000.00 to Our Community Cares Camp to provide enrichment and food services to children, internship opportunities for youth, job training, and development for young adults for town residents, such amount being reasonably necessary for the support thereof? Article 9. Shall the voters of Richmond vote to appropriate $1,500.00 to Steps to End Domestic Violence for assisting town residents who have been affected physically, sexually, emotionally, or economically by domestic abuse in the transition to a safe, independent life, such amount being reasonably necessary for the support thereof? Article 10. Shall the voters of Richmond vote to appropriate $5,000.00 to Turning Point Center of Chittenden County to provide to town residents an inclusive compassionate community supporting those on multiple paths to recovery through peer-driven services in a safe, substance-free environment, such amount being reasonably necessary for the support thereof? Article 11 Shall the voters of Richmond vote to appropriate $1,885.00 to HOPE Works for their work to end all forms of sexual violence to town residents, such amount being reasonably necessary for the support thereof? Article 12. Shall the voters authorize renovating
Article 15. To transact any other Town business that may come legally before this meeting. Richmond Select Board Jay Furr, Chairperson Bard Hill David Sander, Vice Chair Jeffrey Forward Lisa Miller Received for record this day of January 2024. Linda M. Parent, CVC, Town Clerk SPECIAL NOTES Requests for early voter absentee ballots will be accepted in the Town Clerk’s Office until NOON on March 1, 2024 Richmond Select Board: The legal voters of the Town of Richmond are warned and notified that an informational meeting will be held at Richmond Town Center in the Town of Richmond on Monday, February 26, 2024 commencing at 7:00 PM for the purpose of explaining the 2024-2025 proposed budget and Australian ballot items. This meeting may also be attended online or by phone: Join Zoom Meeting Online: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87155105423?pwd=W U81V1g1eXZVaTR3U2gvaVVndXJpUT09 Join by Phone: +1 929 205 6099 Meeting ID: 871 5510 5423 Passcode: 025372 TOWN OF COLCHESTER SELECTBOARD PUBLIC HEARING Pursuant to Title 24 VSA, Chapter 117, the Colchester Selectboard will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, March 12, 2024 at 6:35 P.M. at the Colchester Town Offices, 781 Blakely Road, for the purpose of considering amendments to the Colchester Development Regulations. The proposed amendments are as follows: a. Modify temporary uses and structures exempt from review [§2.07-E]; b. Modify requirements for accessory buildings and add section for exempt accessory structures [§2.09-A]; c. Align requirements for accessory dwelling units with state statute [§2.09-B(1)]; d. Define permitting thresholds and requirements for heights of fences, modify exemptions, and update definition [§2.10, Article 12]; e. Modify Sign Regulations [§2.18]; f. Update GD3/FBC Street Tables to accommodate required additional floor bonus for affordable housing development per S.100, and add definitions [§4.03 Tables 2, 3, and 4 and Article 12]; g. Amend and restructure regulations pertaining to Congregate Housing density bonus [§9.07-D, Article 12]; h. Add new section on Temporary Certificates of Occupancy, include and relocate allowance for a temporary certificate of occupancy under Article 10 to this section [§10.01-C, §11.04-B]; i. Amend RV parking requirements [§10.01-J]; j. Decrease parking requirements for Duplex and Multi-Unit Dwellings per S.100 [§10.01-O, Table 10-2];
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Legal Notices [CONTINUED] k. Remove duplicative section for landscaping screening & buffering requirements [§10.04-B]; l. Add “Emergency Shelter” as a Use and add definition [Article 12 and Table A-1]; m. Allow use 2.172, Large Equipment Sales” as a conditional use in the GD2 zoning district [Table A-1]; n. Change single unit and duplex residential use from Conditional use to Permitted use in the LS1 zoning district [Table A-1] o. Modify Frontage Requirements to remove dwelling unit ratio and reduce frontage requirements for each District [Table A-2]; p. Amend definition of ‘Inn” [Article 12]; q. Minor amendments for clarity and consistency: i. Modify sections and definitions throughout to change references from “Single-Family Dwelling” to “Single-Unit Dwelling,” “Two-Family Dwelling” to “Duplex,” and “Multi-Family Dwelling” to “Multi-Unit Dwelling.” Delete definitions of “Family” and “Household.” [throughout] ii. Clarify language regarding structure exempt from setback requirements [§2.05-G] iii. Update title referencing “Fire Prevention Ordinance” [§2.16] iv. Update language referencing “Sign Ordinance” [§10.13] v. Clarify language allowing extensions of Zoning Permit approvals [§11.05-A] vi. Remove Swimming Pools as an Accessory Use [Article 12] These are a summary of the proposed changes. Copies of the adopted and proposed regulations can be found at the Town Offices at 781 Blakely Road and may also be reviewed online at https:// bit.ly/3uKyMWq. To participate in the hearing, you may 1) attend in person or 2) send written comment to the Colchester Selectboard via USPS at the address herein or via email to Cathyann LaRose, clarose@colchestervt.gov. COLCHESTER SELECTBOARD Publication date February 21, 2024
PLACE AN AFFORDABLE NOTICE AT: SEVENDAYSVT.COM/LEGAL-NOTICES OR CALL 802-865-1020, EXT. 142.
The terms of the sale are final payment in full by cash or credit card. items will be sold in “as is condition” with no warranties expressed or implied. Any person claiming the rights to these goods must pay the amount necessary to satisfy the storage cost list above. Please contact Jennifer at 802-655-6683 between the hours of 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. PUBLIC HEARING COLCHESTER DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD Pursuant to Title 24 VSA, Chapter 117, the Development Review Board will hold a public hearing on March 13, 2024 at 7:00pm to hear the following requests under the Development Regulations. Meeting is open to the public and will be held at 781 Blakely Road. a) FP-24-05: MANOR ESTATES HOMEOWNERS ASSOC. & 261 JEN BARRY LANE LLC: Final Plat application to amend a previously approved 9-lot Planned Unit Development. Proposed amendment is to merge Lots 7 and 8, and reduce the number of permitted dwelling units from 7 to 6. No additional construction is proposed. Subject property is located at 812 Holy Cross Road, Account #47-001002-0000000. b) FP-24-06: ALLEN BROOK DEVELOPMENT, INC.: Final Plat application to amend a previously approved 4-lot, 24-unit Planned Unit Development. Proposed amendments are to reduce impact to a Mesic Pine-Oak Sandplain Forest and specifically include: 1) consolidate the proposed stormwater system; 2) relocate the sidewalk; 3) relocate and consolidate the proposed in-ground wastewater systems; 4) reduce the total number of dwelling units from 24 to 23, to be made up of 13 singleunit dwelling and 10 duplex dwellings. Subject property is located at 203 Belwood Ave, Account #48-037002-0000000 and 0 Caleb Court, Account #50-046032-0000000. February 21, 2024 NOTICE OF FINDING OF NO SIGNFICANT IMPACT AND NOTICE OF INTENT TO REQUEST RELEASE OF FUNDS
PUBLIC SALE
February 21, 2024
Take notice that on the 22nd day of March 2024 Vermont Moving & Storage, Inc. will hold a public sale of the following goods: Household goods and personal belongs owned stored for Morgan Bayko $500.00
City of Burlington Community & Economic Development Office (CEDO) 149 Church Street, Room 32 Burlington, Vermont 05401 802-865-7144
These notices shall satisfy two separate but related procedural requirements for activities to be undertaken by the City of Burlington. REQUEST FOR RELEASE OF FUNDS On or about March 8, 2024 the City of Burlington will submit a request to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the release of HOME Investment Partnerships Program funds under Title II of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act of 1990 (HOME), as amended, to undertake an affordable housing project known as Cambrian Rise. The project is located at 100 Cambrian Way, Burlington, Vermont and will provide affordable housing in Building H as part of a larger housing development and will include parking, landscaping, sidewalks, and utility connections. Building H will include two distinct, but connected sections, one for 40 rental apartments and the other for 30 affordable owner-occupied condominiums. Required mitigation measures include: 1) A passive radon mitigation system will be installed in the buildings and post-construction radon tests for all buildings will be performed to ensure levels are below the EPA’s threshold of 4.0 picocuries/liter. If levels exceed this threshold, a radon mitigation system will be activated and additional testing will take place to ensure compliance is achieved; and 2) all applicable, local, state and federal permits and approvals shall be obtained, all conditions shall be followed, and all permits shall be closed out upon completion. The estimated total cost of the project is approximately $42,500,000 including the following from the City of Burlington: approximately $1,500,000 in HOME funds. The project anticipates using approximately ten Project Based Section 8 vouchers through the Burlington Housing Authority. Other Federal funding sources may include various funds provided by and through the State of Vermont. A separate combined notice will be completed for such funds by the State of Vermont. FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT The City of Burlington has determined that the project will have no significant impact on the human environment. Therefore, an Environmental Impact Statement under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) is not required. An Environmental Review Record (ERR) that documents the environmental determinations for this project is online at www.burlingtonvt.gov/ CEDO. Additional project information is contained in the Environmental Review Record (ERR) on file at 149 Church Street, 3rd Floor, Burlington, Vermont
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and may be examined or copied weekdays 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. PUBLIC COMMENTS Any individual, group, or agency may submit written comments on the ERR to the CEDO office, located on the third floor of 149 Church Street, Burlington, Vermont, via email to ccurtis@ burlingtonvt.gov, or via phone at 802-865-7144. All comments received by 5:00 p.m. on March 7, 2024 will be considered by the City of Burlington prior to authorizing submission of a request for release of funds. Comments should specify which Notice they are addressing. ENVIRONMENTAL CERTIFICATION The City of Burlington certifies to HUD that Miro Weinberger in his capacity as Mayor of Burlington consents to accept the jurisdiction of the Federal Courts if an action is brought to enforce responsibilities in relation to the environmental review process and that these responsibilities have been satisfied. HUD’s approval of the certification satisfies its responsibilities under NEPA and related laws and authorities and allows the City of Burlington to use Program funds. OBJECTIONS TO RELEASE OF FUNDS HUD will accept objections to its release of funds and the City of Burlington’s certification for a period of fi fteen days following the anticipated submission date or its actual receipt of the request (whichever is later) only if they are on one of the following bases: (a) the certification was not executed by the Certifying Officer of the City of Burlington; (b) the city of Burlington has omitted a step or failed to make a decision or finding required by HUD regulations at 24 CFR part 58; (c) the grant recipient or other participants in the development process have committed funds, incurred costs or undertaken activities not authorized by 24 CFR Part 58 before approval of a release of funds by HUD; or (d) another Federal agency acting pursuant to 40 CFR Part 1504 has submitted a written finding that the project is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of environmental quality. Objections must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the required procedures (24 CFR Part 58, Sec. 58.76) and shall be addressed to Director Robert D. Shumeyko at 10 Causeway Street, 3rd Floor, Boston, MA 02222. Potential objectors should contact HUD to verify the actual last day of the objection period. Miro Weinberger, Mayor of Burlington
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SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024
1/11/22 2:20 PM
73 FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024
ATTENTION RECRUITERS: POST YOUR JOBS AT: PRINT DEADLINE: FOR RATES & INFO:
JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POST-A-JOB NOON ON MONDAYS (INCLUDING HOLIDAYS) MICHELLE BROWN, 802-865-1020 X121, MICHELLE@SEVENDAYSVT.COM
YOUR TRUSTED LOCAL SOURCE. JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM PRODUCTION MAKERS
Love working with youth, we have open positions that pay up to 25.00 per hour! Scan the QR code to view job descriptions & apply.
Executive Director The Center for Northern Woodlands Education (northernwoodlands. org), a trusted voice for forest stewardship in the Northeast, is seeking the right person to succeed our current executive director, who will step down later this year. Located in Lyme, New Hampshire, the nonprofit publishes the popular quarterly magazine Northern Woodlands, now in its 30th year, as well as a weekly ecology newspaper series and special publications. For more information, please see the full job posting at northernwoodlands.org/ about/jobs.
Conant Metal & Light is hiring production makers with room to grow into leadership. You must be a creative problem-solver, team player, good with your hands & capable of mastering a broad array of processes. Please visit: conantmetalandlight.com/employment for more information or send a resume detailing your interest, experience, and skills to mel@conantmetalandlight.com.
Custodians The Facilities Department at Saint Michael’s College is inviting applications for full-time Custodians for a few different shifts, the days and hours of which can be viewed through the link to apply below. These positions support the department in maintaining a comfortable, safe, and efficient environment by providing timely responses to issues and ensuring all campus buildings are cleaned and maintained. Responsibilities include but are not limited to all around general cleaning of various surfaces to include walls, floors, furniture (hard & soft), kitchens cabinets and appliances, windows, light fixtures, etc.; cleaning/maintaining/servicing restrooms, shower rooms and locker rooms; and floor cleaning/maintaining of different surfaces using different methods and equipment. For a complete job description, benefits information, and to apply online, please visit: bit.ly/SMCF24FTC.
New GRAD RN program helps ensure success! Kick-start your nursing career at Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital (NVRH) with our innovative Nurse Residency Program. Designed for passionate new grads, the program offers wrap-a-round support for long-term career excellence. Beginning in summer 2024, full-time positions will be available in departments such as Med Surg, Emergency and more. Applicants need a Vermont or multi-state RN licenses, BLS certification, and to be a graduate of an accredited nursing program. Program pillars include Leadership, Patient Outcomes, and Professional Roles. New grads are provided daily support and collaborative guidance. Join NVRH for competitive compensation, benefits, and a supportive environment where patients, community and employees thrive. St. Johnsbury, Vermont.
Apply now at www.nvrh.org/careers.
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Transfer Credit Specialist (Remote) champlain.edu/careers Scan code for more information.
Executive Director Lead a bold expansion of this 37-year-old organization’s impact and reach to use the power of land conservation— in both traditional and new ways— to enhance the quality of life for everyone with a connection to the Stowe area. Stowe Land Trust’s (SLT’s) board of directors seeks candidates with passion for the organization’s mission and capable of: • Advancing SLT’s vision; • Managing organizational financial health and stability; • Leading long-range planning and goal setting; and • Collaboratively executing on SLT’s strategic goals — with staff and board members. Visit Stowe Land Trust’s website for more information. Applicants will be considered on a rolling basis for interviews starting in late winter.
See stowelandtrust.org for details. Equal Opportunity Employer.
YOUR JOBS AT JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM FOR FAST RESULTS, OR ATTENTION RECRUITERS: POST CONTACT MICHELLE BROWN: MICHELLE@SEVENDAYSVT.COM
74 FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024
Energy Navigator Program Manager Help your neighbors implement climate and energy solutions.
JOB FAIR AT RHINO FOODS Saturday, 2/24 • 10 am – 1 pm 179 Queen City Park Road Burlington, VT
Associate Campus Operations Directors
The nonprofit Climate Economy Action Center of Addison County (CEAC) needs you as Program Manager for its new Residential Energy Navigator Program. The Program Manager will play a vital role in providing an independent, trusted, and local resource connecting Addison County people to the opportunities available to bring electric heat pumps and other weatherization and energy efficiency improvements into their homes to create a low carbon future.
Seeking two Associate Campus Operations Directors at two different VTSU locations (Lyndon/ Johnson & Castleton) Minimum Qualifications: • BS in engineering, facilities management or similar field. +5-7 years of relevant technical supervisory experience in facilities, construction management, or combination of comparable knowledge/ experience.
Immediate opening. Please submit applications by email to energynavigator.ceac@gmail.com. Applications should include a cover letter, resume, three references, and several work samples. More details are available at: tinyurl.com/2uwank6n.
*Hiring Production and Sanitation Team Members
• Technical knowledge/skills relevant to physical plant management.
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• Leadership & interpersonal skills.
MULTIPLE POSITIONS OPEN!
• OSHA knowledge. • Planning & personnel management.
Are you our next Guest Services Representative? Buyer? Produce Associate?
• Experience working in a collective bargaining environment. • Experience in energy conservation desirable.
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Wedding & Event Sales Consultant The Event Consultant plans and coordinates events by analyzing customer needs, suggesting solutions, and working with customers to create their ideal event. The Event Consultant handles customers’ inquiries promptly and efficiently in a fast-paced team oriented environment. The successful candidate must close sales and provide excellent customer service.
Apply: vermontstate.edu/ about/careers. Or email humanresources@ vermontstate.edu.
STAFF CURATED BENEFITS Apply online at healthylivingmarket.com/careers
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Essential Duties and Responsibilities: • Establish relationships with clients/Nurture existing client relationship. • Create event proposals. Create visuals for the client • Finalize the sale • Perform administrative responsibilities • Work with team members Company Benefits: • PTO, Health, Dental and Vision Insurance • Short Term Disability, Long Term Disability, Life Insurance • 401k Profit Sharing Plan with company match A full job description is available on our website: vttent.com. Send resume, cover letter & salary requirements to: jobs@vttent.com. No phone calls, please.
Data and GIS Analyst The City of South Burlington is looking for an innovative, strategic, and dynamic team member to be our next Data and GIS Analyst. Perform office and field work related to the gathering, input, updating, and development of City’s data resources to inform operational and policy decision making. The Analyst works across departments and leads efforts to build and maintain strategic systems and structures to allow for open government and to inform decision making aligned to our community goals. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Bachelor’s degree in a related field, plus a minimum of three years’ experience with creating, managing, analyzing, and visualizing data in a geographic information system, equivalency considered. APPLY NOW: Review of applications will begin February 26, 2024. To apply, learn more about the position and see a complete job description please complete an application through southburlingtonvt.gov/jobopportunities.
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• HR Generalist (Human Resources) • Staff Nurse (RN, LPN), Licensed Nursing Assistants (LNA) (Health Services)
Great jobs in management and direct support serving Vermonters with intellectual disabilities.
• General Manager, Floor Managers, Healthcare Hospitality Assistants, Servers, Dining Operations Coordinator, Cooks, & Dishwashers (Dining Services)
Visit ccs-vt.org/current-openings and apply today.
• Housekeepers (Environmental Services) At Wake Robin, we are committed to your professional development and career growth, making your experience with us not only rewarding but also a significant step in your career. Wake Robin offers competitive benefits & believes in supporting a livable wage for all Vermonters.
To apply, send cover letter, resume, & 3 refs to Heidi Sulis, hsulis@opendoormidd.org.
Now is your chance to make money and have fun doing it! Our top-rated radio stations are looking for our next great Marketing Consultant. WOKO, WIZN, KOOL105, The Buzz and WJOY have an opening for the right person to sell radio and digital platforms to businesses in our community. We only ask that you deliver the best customer service possible, and promise to work hard to achieve results for your clients. We have a 401k program, generous health benefits and a flexible working environment. Send resume and at least three references to General Manager, Dan Dubonnet at ddubonnet@hallradio.net. Hall Communications is an E.O.E.
Town Treasurer/ Grant Administrator The Town of Waitsfield is looking for an organized and motivated candidate to serve as its Town Treasurer / Grant Administrator. The position is responsible for keeping all of the Town’s funds, keeping a record of taxes voted, billed, and collected; collecting other funds receivable by the Town, and paying orders drawn on Town accounts. Additionally, the job includes grant administration tasks including assistance preparing grant applications, reviewing grant agreements, and managing awarded grants. The position also serves as the Assistant Town Clerk and the Water Clerk for the Town’s water system. A detailed job description can be found below. A bachelor’s degree in accounting, public administration, business administration, finance, or equivalent subjects is preferred. Qualified candidates should have at least three years of experience in the areas of accounting, governmental budgeting, municipal operations, and/or finance in either the public or private sector (including experience managing payroll, employee benefits, and accounts payable and receivable). A combination of the above qualifications may be acceptable. The position is full time, 5-days / 40 hours a week and eligible for employee benefits. There is flexibility in scheduling for the right candidate. The salary range for this position is $67,000 to $72,000 annually, depending on experience.
Get Connected to an Amazing Agency! Howard Center is Hiring an Information Technology Manager The IT Manager is a leader and contributor in planning, developing, and maintaining a strong and stable technical infrastructure/desktop and mobile platforms that grows and meets the evolving needs of the Agency. Requirements: • Experience in direct supervision and management of multidisciplinary IT staff • Experience leading team and cross departmental projects related to IT implementations • Network, system or DBA administration skills • People management and communication skills
Priority will be given to applications received by 5:00pm on Monday March 4th, 2024. To apply, send a cover letter, resume, and three references via email to townadmin@gmavt.net.
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The Town of Waitsfield is an equal opportunity provider and employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, religion, gender, or familial status.
Structure: • Full Time • Starting at $86,685 • We offer a competitive salary commensurate to experience •
Marketing Consultant
Visit wakerobin.com/contact-us/employment and apply today to join a team & caring community where your work truly makes a difference in the lives of others!
Verm
Details: opendoormidd.org/ about-us/jobs.
75 FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024
Are you passionate about making a difference? Wake Robin is seeking enthusiastic individuals in all departments to join our vibrant community! We are currently HIRING:
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Our free health clinic is hiring an RN (28-32 hours/ week) for case management, patient care, and weekly clinic administration. Seeking a candidate with excellent nursing, communication, critical thinking, attention to detail, computer skills, and ability to work with volunteers. We serve special populations: Latin American and Caribbean agricultural workers comprise half our patient caseload. Spanish highly desired. $31$38/hr plus $7,000-$8,000 benefits purse. ODC offers a collaborative work environment.
JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM
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Registered Nurse Case Manager/ Clinic Coordinator
NEW JOBS POSTED DAILY!
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76 FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024
Publishing Assistant Goddard College, a leader in non-traditional education, has the following full-time, benefit eligible and part-time position openings:
ACCESSIBILITY SUPPORT COORDINATOR REGISTRAR To view position descriptions and application instructions, please visit our website: goddard.edu/about-goddard/employment-opportunities/
Prospect Press seeks a Publishing Assistant. We are a small company located in Burlington, Vermont, which publishes college textbooks for courses in Information Systems.
Development Assistant
Responsibilities will include tracking the progress of manuscripts through the development process, soliciting reviews, liaising with production contractors, entering textbooks into our distributors’ systems, helping maintain our customer database, and helping promote our textbooks at professional conferences. A central responsibility of this position will be to assemble and maintain a cloudbased tracking procedure to coordinate development, production, and promotion of our growing product line.
Lake Champlain Maritime Museum seeks part-time, in person Development Assistant. Integral member of fundraising team, responsible for data entry/reporting and support for mailings/special events. 20 hours/week, $22/hour.
The ideal candidate will have a year of office work experience; interests in publishing, higher education, and Information Systems; excellent communication skills; a positive learning attitude; and be highly organized, detail conscious, and a team player. College degree required. This is an in-person position. Salary is $19.50 per hour for a 35-hour work week. To apply, send an excellent cover letter and resume to: Andy.Golub@ProspectPressVT.com.
See lcmm.org/careers for full position description and application instructions.
Part-time Market Manager The Stowe Farmers’ Market is looking for a year-round, part-time market manager who is selfmotivated and loves local food.
Community Bankers
Responsibilities include on-site outdoor presence at the market as well as remote computer work during non-market hours. Our ideal candidate is organized, communicates well and can work independently while also providing leadership to the market community.
BUILDERS | MAKERS | DOERS® There is no better time to join NSB’s team! Northfield Savings Bank, founded in 1867, is the largest LOCAL BANK in Vermont. We are committed to providing a welcoming work environment for all. Consider joining our team as a Community Banker at our Waitsfield, Taft Corners, or Richmond location!
For a full job description go to Stowefarmersmarket.com.
Relevant Skills: • Customer Service, Cash Handling (we’ll train you!) • Even better… if you have prior banking experience, we encourage you to apply! • If you are 18 or older and have a high school diploma, general education (GED) degree, or equivalent, consider joining NSB!
Email cover letter and resume to greenseedherbals@pshift.com by March 1st, 2024
LOOKING FOR A COOLER OPPORTUNITY?
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Opportunity for Growth NSB has training opportunities to engage employees and assist with professional development within our company. The average years of service for an NSB employee is 9! If you’re looking for a career in an environment that promotes growth, join our team!
2/19/24 4:57 PM
What NSB Can Offer You: • Competitive compensation based on experience. • Well-rounded benefits package, Profit-Sharing opportunity. • Excellent 401(k) matching retirement program. • Commitment to professional development. • Opportunities to volunteer and support our communities. Work-Life balance! Please send an NSB Application & your resume in confidence to: Careers@nsbvt.com. E.O.E. / Member FDIC
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PRESIDENT
The Vermont Chamber of Commerce is seeking a visionary and strategic executive as President to lead the organization into the future. Reporting to the Board of Directors, the President will embrace the organization’s mission to advance Vermont’s economy. Trusted by the businesses that make living, working, and thriving in Vermont possible, we prioritize collaboration and uphold the core values that define our state, incorporating diversity, equity and inclusion principles. As the preeminent not-for-profit business organization, we advocate, build community, and provide resources for businesses statewide. Managing a $2 million budget and a dedicated team of 13 employees, the President will set the non-partisan tone of the organization, evaluate and enhance programs, and ensure financial viability. Key responsibilities include advocating for a businessfocused legislative agenda, cultivating relationships with government officials and stakeholders, and expanding the Chamber’s network. The ideal candidate brings 5+ years of experience in association management, legislative affairs, or a related field, along with proven expertise in organizational growth and non-profit leadership. For a detailed description of the position, qualifications, or to apply, visit: vtchamber.com/executive-hiring. Please note that all inquiries/applications will be held in strict confidence.
77 FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024
Join our
PUBLIC DISPATCH SAFETY TEAM
PUBLIC SAFETY
Full-time opportunities available. Starting pay of $20 an hour.
CERT OPEN POSITIONS: POSITIONS: Public Safety Officer To learn more about the positions or apply online. www.smcvt.edu/jobs 5h-StMichaelsCollegePUBLICsafety022124 1
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Experienced Farmer/Gardener Full-time Lecturer or Senior Lecturer in Secondary Education UVM, College of Education & Social Services, Department of Education, is seeking a 9-month, full-time lecturer or senior lecturer in Secondary Education. For more information and to apply visit: uvmjobs.com/ postings/70523
Legal Assistant Burlington law firm seeks full-time assistant to provide general office support to attorneys and paralegals. Responsibilities include: answering and directing calls, opening incoming mail and preparing outgoing mail, conducting initial client intakes, compiling social media updates and entering data in firm-management software. We offer competitive pay, a positive work environment & growth potential. Please submit cover letter & resume to nbenson@mblawoffice.com.
TOWN ADMINISTRATOR
Needed to help feed hungry neighbors
Little Village Acres is a social venture of the founder of the Vermont Coffee Company. Our mission is to grow and process nutritious food: We cultivate our own land in Middlebury and serve as a processing facility for produce gleaned and donated from local farms. We donate 100% of the food we grow and 100% of the food we process to the hungry, the homebound, and the homeless in our community.
The Town of Waitsfield is looking for a Town Administrator. In this highly responsible role, you will supervise and coordinate overall town operations, supporting the five-member Selectboard in executing its duties. Overall tasks include managing day-to-day affairs, acting as the principal liaison between the Selectboard and other town entities, and overseeing diverse responsibilities such as budgeting, human resources, and long-range planning. The Town of Waitsfield has a population of 1,844 and is located in the heart of the Mad River Valley in Washington County. A detailed job description can be found at waitsfieldvt.us.
As we plan for the 2024 growing season, we are searching for a part-time, seasonal farmer/gardener who can help us manage the crops needed by our local food shelves. We will have regular volunteer helpers during the growing season and many more for harvest.
The ideal candidate should possess demonstrated management, leadership, and team-building skills; experience working effectively with the general public and local, state, and federal officials; strong business and financial management skills; and excellent oral and written communication skills. The position entails a minimum of forty hours per week under normal office conditions. The role requires some flexibility, including time outside normal hours for meeting attendance.
We need someone with experience growing crops and processing food, and who can appreciate and supervise our volunteers. Can you help? Compensation is open for discussion.
Bachelor’s or Master’s degree preferred, with a course of study in public or business administration, political science or equivalent subjects. Three years of experience in local government planning or administration, or equivalent experience in business or government preferred. A combination of the above qualifications may be acceptable as determined by the Selectboard. The salary range for this position is between $75,000 to $80,000 depending on experience in addition to a competitive benefits package.
Please email farmer@littlevillageacres.com for details.
e Village Acres l t t i L Food for Hope TM
Priority will be given to applications received by 5:00pm on Monday, March 4, 2024. To apply, send a cover letter, resume, and three references via email to townadmin@gmavt.net.
2840 Case Street P.O. Box 616 Middlebury, Vermont 05753
Apply now and be a vital part of our community’s future.
farmer@littlevillageacres.com
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78 FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024
Buyer
Program Coordinator | Director of Membership & Development The Lake Champlain Chamber is dedicated to creating economic opportunities in our region. We are looking to add two members to our team who can help us do that. Director of Membership & Development: You’ll work closely with a dynamic team serving our business community, developing and executing fundraising strategies, and playing a role in the organization’s strategic leadership. Your work will directly benefit programs like Leadership Champlain, Burlington Young Professionals, and LaunchVT and grow our ability to create economic opportunities for Vermonters. Learn more and apply here: lccvermont.org/job/ director-of-membership-development. Program Coordinator: This role works closely with other team members, assisting with programs and initiatives such as Leadership Champlain, Burlington Young Professionals, Hello Burlington and more. Learn more and apply here: lccvermont.org/job/program-coordinator-2. LCC offers competitive salaries and benefits; a collaborative and supportive work environment, opportunities for professional development and growth, and the opportunity to make a significant impact on our community. The Lake Champlain Chamber is an E.O.E. that welcomes diversity in the workplace. We strongly encourage all qualified persons to apply.
We are looking for a buyer to join our team! The buyer will work with our buying team to source local goods and produce for our farm market and kitchen. Position involves weekly ordering, recordkeeping, frequent communication with vendors, staff, and customers, and daily tasks on the store floor. Must be comfortable interacting with the public. Knowledge of buying and the retail cycle preferred. 24+ hrs/week + one weekend day. Full job details: therootsfarmmarket.com/ job-openings.
WE ARE HIRING! Account Director See job descriptions at PlaceVT.com resumes and links to: jobs@PlaceVt.com
WHERE YOU AND 2v-PlaceCreative022124 1 YOUR WORK MATTER...
GOT A CASE OF THE
SEASON AL S TATE TRAIL CREW LEADER – BARRE
The State Trail Crew Leader prepares for and leads a 4-6-person trail crew on recreation and trail projects on Vermont State Lands. The Crew Leader is responsible for the safety and supervision of the team and is accountable for the quality and completeness of work projects. The Crew Leader will plan the logistics involved in the completion of each project, including but not limited to organizing proper tools, procuring materials, and arranging crew accommodations while working on projects. For more information, contact Walter Opuszynski at walter.opuszynski@vermont.gov. Department: Forests Parks & Recreation. Location: Barre. Status: Full Time, Temporary. Job ID #49231. Application Deadline: Open Until Filled.
P U B L I C H E A LT H I N S P E C T O R I / I I / I I I - S P R I N G F I E L D
T H E University of Vermont M E D I C A L C E N T E R
H EUniversity EE NN TE Vermont M Universityofof Vermont T HT E MEEDDI ICCAAL LCC TR ER Phlebotomy Apprenticeship Training Program PhlebotomyApprenticeship Apprenticeship Training Phlebotomy TrainingProgram Program You can invest in your career! Our training program is a paid, You can invest in your career! Our training program is a paid, paid
The Vermont Department of Health has an exciting opportunity to be on the front lines of protecting public health in Vermont, conducting inspections for food safety and environmental health conditions at regulated facilities to ensure compliance with Vermont’s food and lodging establishment regulations. The inspection area is southeastern Vermont with a duty station in Springfield or Brattleboro. For more information, contact Elisabeth Wirsing at elisabeth.wirsing@vermont.gov. Department: Vermont Department of Health. Location: Springfield. Status: Full Time. Job ID #48481 for level I, 48447 for level II, 48480 for level III. Application Deadline: February 21, 2024.
You can invest in yourcareer! career!Our Our training training program isisa a paid Youopportunity can invest your paid, toinbecome a phlebotomist withprogram no experience necessary, a opportunity to become a phlebotomist with no experience necessary, necessary. a opportunity todiploma becomeoraGED phlebotomist no experience a high school is required. with Selected students willnecessary, be high school diploma oror GED is is required. Selected students will bebe A high school diploma GED required. Selected students will provided textbooks, receive mentoring from program staff, high schoolwith diploma or GED is required. Selected students will and be provided with textbooks, receive mentoring from program staff, and prepared to textbooks, take the Phlebotomy Certification Exam! The application provided with receive mentoring from program staff, and prepare tototake prepared takethe thePhlebotomy PhlebotomyCertification CertificationExam! Exam!The Theapplication application deadline for thethe Spring 2024 program is Wednesday, February 28th. prepared to take Phlebotomy Certification Exam! The application deadline for the Spring 2024 program is Wednesday, February 28th. deadline for theemployment Spring 2024on program Guaranteed day oneisofWednesday, the training February 28th.
P U B L I C H E A LT H N U T R I T I O N I S T I I I ( S U P E R V I S O R ) – B A R R E
Guaranteed employment on day one of the training Great pay and full benefits
PUBLIC GUARDIAN – BURLINGTON
Guaranteed employment on day one of the training Great pay and full benefits A $2,000 sign on bonus
Great pay and benefits A $2,000 signfull on bonus sign-on bonus
External candidates are eligible for a one-time sign on bonus paid over 3 installments. Amounts reflect External candidates are eligible a one-time sign on bonus over 33 installments. sign-on bonus paid paid overby installments. Amounts reflect gross pay, prior to applicable taxfor withholdings and deductions require law. CurrentAmounts Universityreflect of Vermont gross pay, applicable tax withholdings and deductions deductions require by Current prior to applicable tax withholdings and required bylaw. law.apply. CurrentUniversity Universityof ofVermont Health Network employees are excluded and additional terms and conditions External candidates are eligible for a one-time sign on bonus paid over 3 installments. Amounts reflect Health Network are excluded and additional terms andterms conditions apply. apply. Vermont Healthemployees Network employees are excluded and additional and conditions
A $2,000 sign on bonus
gross pay, prior to applicable tax withholdings and deductions require by law. Current University of Vermont Health Network employees are excluded and additional terms and conditions apply.
Apply now at www.iaahitec.org/phlebotomy Apply now at www.iaahitec.org/phlebotomy
Apply now at www.iaahitec.org/phlebotomy
SUNDAY SCARIES?
Find a job that makes it easier to sleep at night.
The Vermont Department of Health has an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic and experienced Nutritionist who wants to make a difference in the health of communities in Washington County. This position will oversee local implementation of the supplemental nutrition program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) as well as, supervise the WIC team. We are seeking a well-organized and energetic Nutritionist with great communication skills to complete our public health team. For more information, contact Joan Marie Misek at Marie.Misek@vermont.gov. Department: Health. Location: Barre. Status: Full Time. Job ID #48651. Application Deadline: March 6, 2024. The Office of Public Guardian is seeking an independent, energetic and organized person to protect and monitor the legal and human rights of individuals under court-ordered guardianship. This position covers a caseload of individuals with developmental disabilities or age-related cognitive impairments in Chittenden, Addison & Franklin counties who require assistance & judgment for decision making in several life domains. We offer a flexible work environment with the opportunity to telework. For more information, contact Francesca Creta-Merrill at francesca. cretamerrill@vermont.gov. Department: Disabilities Aging & Independent Living. Location: Burlington. Status: Full Time. Job ID #49441. Application Deadline: February 28, 2024.
Browse 100+ new job postings each week from trusted, local employers.
CHIEF AUDITOR – BARRE
The UVM Medical Center will not discriminate against apprenticeship applicants or apprentices The UVM CenterRELIGION, will not discriminate applicants or apprentices based onMedical RACE, COLOR, NATIONALagainst ORIGIN,apprenticeship SEX (INCLUDING PREGNANCY AND GENDER based on RACE, COLOR, RELIGION,GENETIC NATIONAL ORIGIN, SEX OR (INCLUDING GENDER IDENTITY), SEXUAL ORIENTATION, INFORMATION, BECAUSEPREGNANCY THEY ARE ANAND INDIVIDUAL SEXUAL OR ORIENTATION, GENETIC IDENTITY), WITH A DISABILITY A PERSON 40 YEARS INFORMATION, OLD OR OLDER.OR BECAUSE THEY ARE AN INDIVIDUAL WITH A DISABILITY OR A PERSON 40 YEARS OLD OR OLDER. The THe UVMUVM Medical Center willwill not discriminate applicants apprentices Medical Center take affirmative against action toapprenticeship provide equal opportunity in or apprenticeship based RACE, COLOR, RELIGION, NATIONAL ORIGIN, SEX (INCLUDING AND GENDER THe UVM Medical Center will take take affirmative affirmative action to provide provide equal opportunity in of apprenticeship and will operate the apprenticeship program action as required under Title 29 of PREGNANCY the Code Federal Theon UVM Medical Center will to equal opportunity in apprenticeship IDENTITY), GENETIC INFORMATION, OR BECAUSE THEY ARE INDIVIDUAL and willSEXUAL operate the program as required under Title 29 of the Code ofAN Federal Regulations, partORIENTATION, 30.apprenticeship Regulations, partOR 30.A PERSON 40 YEARS OLD OR OLDER. WITH A DISABILITY
THe UVM Medical Center will take affirmative action to provide equal opportunity in apprenticeship and will operate the apprenticeship program as required under Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations, part 30. 6t-VTHiTec013124.indd 1
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As the Audit Chief, you will have the exciting opportunity to perform complex and comprehensive post-award audits to ensure compliance with state and federal requirements. The Audit Chief will train and lead a team of audit specialists to oversee and strengthen internal controls, direct and support internal and external audits, ensure compliance of the contract terms of professional consultants, and review and approve indirect cost charges from professional consultants under contract. For more information, contact Maureen Parker at maureen.parker@vermont. gov. Department: Transportation. Location: Barre. Status: Full Time. Job ID #49098. Application Deadline: March 3, 2024.
Learn more at :
careers.vermont.gov
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The State of Vermont is an Equal Opportunity Employer
Follow @SevenDaysJobs on Twitter for the latest job opportunities
See who’s hiring at jobs.sevendaysvt.com
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79 FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024
Dental Office Manager Family dental practice looking for an office manager to join our team. The ideal candidate would have a minimum of five years dental/medical front desk experience including: excellent communication skills, computer proficiency, accounts receivable and insurance knowledge. Training of candidate with similar proficiencies in a different field a possibility. Send resumes to: lavoiedental@ lavoiedental.com.
Full-Time Dispatch Switchboard Operator The Public Safety/Fire & Rescue Departments at Saint Michael’s College are inviting applications for a Full-Time Dispatch Switchboard Operator to dispatch radio calls and operate the College switchboard. The successful candidate will be responsible for answering all incoming calls and directing calls to the appropriate party quickly, accurately, and professionally. This role receives all emergency calls for SMC campus and the surrounding community and dispatches emergency personnel accordingly. Dispatch, switchboard, and emergency services experience desirable, but we will provide training for a motivated and dependable person with demonstrated aptitude. This position will work 40 hours a week in 8-hour shifts, with a focus on evening shifts, but with the flexibility to work regular hours, as well as weekend and holiday times. The rate of pay is $19.00 per hour. For job description, benefits and to apply, please visit: bit.ly/SMCJ24FTD.
COPLEY IS HIRING!
Be our next Infection Prevention RN HARK is an award winning communications studio where passion, and imagination come together to help today’s innovative organizations tell their stories.
Digital Marketer + This is a FT hybrid position
As a member of Copley Hospital’s Quality team, you will coordinate the Hospital’s infection prevention and control program and play a key role in keeping patients and staff healthy and safe.
+ Manage and execute all aspects of digital
Master Plumber Silver Maple Construction has recently launched a new mechanical division that focuses on providing excellent customer service and specializes in the execution of complex and innovative residential HVAC and plumbing systems. To help us achieve our goals, we are currently seeking a skilled and experienced Master Plumber to become part of our team. At Silver Maple, we strongly believe in offering equal growth opportunities to all of our employees and providing them with inspiring work while maintaining a flexible and manageable work schedule, which is unlike what many other companies in this field offer. Total Rewards:
• Competitive Weekly Pay (based on experience) • Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision Plans • 401k Retirement Plan + Company Match • 15 days Paid Time Off, 7 Paid Holidays • Commuter + Mileage Reimbursement • Life, Disability And Accident Insurance • Paid Parental Leave And MORE! To learn more, please visit silvermapleconstruction.com, email hr@ silvermapleconstruction.com, or call our office at (802) 989-7677.
In addition, you will support Employee Health & Wellness initiatives!
campaigns, including email marketing, social media advertising, search engine optimization, and pay-per-click advertising
+ Create and manage content for digital
channels, including blog posts, social media posts, and email newsletters
+ 2-3 years experience with google analytics and looker
For more information, visit copleyvt.org/careers or call J.T. Vize, Recruiter, at 802-888-8329
Veteran Housing Service Coordinator- Northern VT Region
Learn More>>www.hark.bz/careers
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
2v-Hark022124 1
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Make a difference through sustainable agriculture, trail building, water quality, forest health, and carpentry projects.
$70.00/hour
Paid positions starting in March and May include:
Work 8-16 hours per week at the Northlands Job Corps Center in Vergennes, VT. Hours flexible but no evenings or weekend work available. You choose amount of hours per week. Remote work a possibility.
Day Crew Leader
Food & Farm Crew Leader
Co-lead a crew where Members get to work
Co-lead a crew – up to 8 Members – in vegetable production and harvest, raising chickens, and cooking in the commercial kitchen. Location: Richmond.
MUST be licensed in VT. Please call Dan W. Hauben ASAP at 888-552-1660.
opportunities
in their own community. Locations: Burlington, Rutland, Vergennes, Woodstock. Projects include trail and water quality work.
Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) at the University of Vermont is looking for a Veteran Housing Service Coordinator (VHSC). The VHSC will provide case management and housing navigation services to Veterans in northern Vermont and Clinton County, NY using the Housing First model and utilize Motivational Interviewing, Harm Reduction and Trauma Informed Care to help Veterans and their families improve their quality of life and increase connection to stable permanent housing opportunities. This position plays a critical role by guiding low-income Veteran families through the housing stability process, connecting them to resources and providing direct assistance as needed, with the goal of stabilizing housing for Veteran families who are literally homeless and those who are in danger of losing their homes. Applicants apply through the UVM Jobs website: uvmjobs.com. Posting Number: S4706PO.
Find these
The University of Vermont is an Equal Opportunity/ Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any category legally protected by federal or state law.
& 17 more at vycc.org
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80 FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024
Executive Director
Custodial Supervisor VTSU Lyndon Campus
You’re in good hands with...
HOPE Works, Vermont’s oldest and largest 501c3 nonprofit serving survivors of sexual violence in Chittenden County, VT, is seeking an experienced, dynamic Executive Director to lead a small, dedicated group of staff and volunteers.
Basic Function: To supervise VTSU-Lyndon custodial & housekeeping services. Minimum Qualifications: • High school education, +5-7 years of relevant work experience, including 3 years of supervisory experience, or a combination of education and experience. • Strong knowledge & skills related to commercial/institutional or custodial/housekeeping operations. • Ability to coordinate activities of supporting conferences & events with on-going supervision of custodial work. • Some familiarity with setting up audio-visual equipment. • Good basic reading, writing, math, administrative & supervisory skills. • Physical ability to perform all job duties. • Ability to work cooperatively & professionally with others & exhibit good interpersonal skills to resolve issues in a professional manner. Apply at vermontstate.edu/about/careers or email humanresources@vermontstate.edu.
The Executive Director is responsible for the internal operations of H.O.P.E. Works, while serving as the primary contact and spokesperson. The ideal candidate must have experience with budget development and management, knowledge of grant administration, and familiarity with financial statements. They must demonstrate experience with managing staff and volunteers, as well as developing relationships with community partners and the public. Understanding of sexual violence issues is required. A Master’s degree and/ or equivalent experience is necessary. Knowledge of strategic planning and non-profit experience is helpful. Please see our website Internships and Employment — HOPE Works (hopeworksvt.org) for the full job description.
“Seven Days sales rep Michelle Brown is amazing! She’s extremely responsive, and I always feel so taken care of.” CAROLYN ZELLER Intervale Center, Burlington
This position is a 32 hr/wk salaried exempt position. Starting salary range is $75k-82k annual salary with full health, dental, and vision insurance. HOPE Works offers generous paid time off, flexible hybrid work environment, as well as paid respite leave and ongoing professional development opportunities. Interested candidates should submit a resume and cover letter to HOPE Works Board of Directors at board@hopeworksvt.org. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.
Get a quote when posting online. Contact Michelle Brown at 865-1020, ext. 121, michelle@sevendaysvt.com.
People with diverse lived experiences encouraged to apply. H.O.P.E. Works is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM
DIRECTOR OF ADVOCACY SERVICES
3v-MichelleCampagin.indd 1
The Clarina Howard Nichols Center is seeking a full time/salaried Director of Advocacy Services, to oversee the delivery of high quality, trauma informed advocacy and case management services for survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
CNC Operators and Quality Inspectors 1st & 2nd shift Launch a rewarding career in complex machining for the aviation, space, military, and biomedical industries. We will train you!
Preferred qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in human services or related field, prior domestic/sexual violence advocacy experience, 3+ years of supervisory experience, strong problem-solving and limit-setting skills, ability to work independently and as part of a team, commitment to upholding confidentiality, and experience with data collection and documenting work.
A great working environment and generous benefits, including: Medical and dental insurance • Life insurance • 401K + match • Profit sharing • Generous PTO & paid holidays • Small tool purchase plan
Competitive pay and benefits, including $60,000 annual salary, health insurance, paid time off, and a flexible schedule. Clarina is committed to ensuring diversity among our staff and encourages applicants from marginalized communities and survivors of gender-based violence to apply.
Learn more & apply >
To apply, send cover letter and resume to Becky Gonyea via email to bgonyea@clarina.org or mail to Clarina Howard Nichols Center PO Box 517 Morrisville, VT 05661.
Williston, Vermont | Mineville, New York
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Responsibilities: · Supervise a team of six advocates across three locations · Supervise afterhours advocates providing remote hotline coverage · Build/maintain positive relationships with community partners and represent the organization at community meetings · Lead program/organizational improvement efforts · Ensure compliance with program policies and best practices · Oversee program budgets, compile data, and complete reports · Ensure maintenance of the shelter facility · Participate in an on-call rotation with other staff
2/12/24 1:01 PM
8/26/21 4:21 PM
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fun stuff HARRY BLISS
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SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024
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FREE WILL ASTROLOGY BY ROB BREZSNY REAL FEBRUARY 22-28 signs. I hope you will call on it with aplomb in the coming weeks. You may be amazed at the courage it arouses in you.
PISCES (FEB. 19-MAR. 20)
Unlike the Pope’s decrees, my proclamations are not infallible. As opposed to Nostradamus and many modern soothsayers, I never imagine I have the power to definitely decipher what’s ahead. One of my main mottoes is “The future is undecided. Our destinies are always mutable.” Please keep these caveats in mind whenever you commune with my horoscopes. Furthermore, consider adopting my approach as you navigate through the world — especially in the coming weeks, when your course will be extra responsive to your creative acts of willpower. Decide right now what you want the next chapter of your life story to be about. You can make it what you want.
ARIES (Mar. 21-Apr. 19): Aries filmmaker
Akira Kurosawa was one of the greats. In his 30 films, he crafted a reputation as a masterful storyteller. A key moment in his development as an emotionally intelligent artist came when he was 13 years old. His older brother Heigo took him to view the aftermath of the Great Kanto earthquake. Akira wanted to avert his gaze from the devastation, but Heigo compelled him to look. Why? He wished for Akira to learn to deal with fear by facing it directly. I think you Aries people are more skilled at this challenging exercise than all the other
TAURUS (Apr. 20-May 20): “When a mountain doesn’t listen, say a prayer to the sea,” Taurus painter Cy Twombly said. “If God doesn’t respond, direct your entreaties to Goddess,” I tell my Taurus friend Audrey. “If your mind doesn’t provide you with useful solutions, make an appeal to your heart instead,” my Taurus mentor advises me. This counsel should be useful for you in the coming weeks, Taurus. It’s time to be diligent, relentless, ingenious and indefatigable in going after what you want. Keep asking until you find a source that will provide it. GEMINI (May 21-Jun. 20): Gemini philoso-
pher Ralph Waldo Emerson offered advice that’s perfect for you right now. He said, “Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us, or we find it not.” Here’s what I will add. First, you very much need to commune with extra doses of beauty in the coming weeks. Doing so will expedite your healing and further your education — two activities that are especially important. Second, one way to accomplish your assignment is to put yourself in the presence of all the beautiful people, places and things you can find. Third, be imaginative as you cultivate beauty within yourself. How? That’s your homework.
CANCER (Jun. 21-Jul. 22): I bet that sometime soon you will dream of flying through the sky on a magic carpet. In fact, this may be a recurring dream for you in the coming months. By June, you may have soared along on a floating rug more than 10 times. Why? What’s this all about? I suspect it’s one aspect of a project that life is encouraging you to undertake. It’s an invitation to indulge in more flights of the imagination; to open your soul to mysterious potencies; to give your fantasy life permission to be wilder and freer. You know that old platitude “Shit happens”? You’re ready to experiment with a variation on that: “Magic happens.” LEO (Jul. 23-Aug. 22): On February 22, ancient Romans celebrated the holiday of Ca-
ristia. It was a time for reconciliation. People strove to heal estrangements and settle long-standing disagreements. Apologies were offered, and truces were negotiated. In alignment with current astrological omens, Leo, I recommend you revive this tradition. Now is an excellent time to embark on a crusade to unify, harmonize, restore, mend and assuage. I dare you to put a higher priority on love than on ego!
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sep. 22): My poet friend Jafna likes to say that only two types of love are available to us: too little and too much. We are either deprived of the precise amount and quality of the love we want, or else we have to deal with an excess of love that doesn’t match the kind we want. But I predict that this will at most be a mild problem for you in the coming weeks — and perhaps not a problem at all. You will have a knack for giving and receiving just the right amount of love, neither too little nor too much. And the love flowing toward you and from you will be gracefully appropriate. LIBRA (Sep. 23-Oct. 22): If the devil card comes up for me in a divinatory tarot reading, I don’t get worried or scared that something bad might happen. On the contrary, I interpret it favorably. It means that an interesting problem or riddle has arrived or will soon arrive in my life — and that this twist can potentially make me wiser, kinder and wilder. The appearance of the devil card suggests that I need to be challenged so as to grow a new capacity or understanding. It’s a good omen, telling me that life is conspiring to give me what I need to outgrow my limitations and ignorance. Now apply these principles, Libra, as you respond to the devil card I just drew for you. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): A taproot is
a thick, central and primary root from which a plant’s many roots branch out laterally. Typically, a taproot grows downward and is pretty straight. It may extend to a depth greater than the height of the plant sprouting aboveground. Now let’s imagine that we humans have metaphorical taproots. They connect us with our sources of inner nourishment. They are lifelines to secret or hidden treasures we may be only partly conscious of. Let’s further imagine that in the coming
months, Scorpio, your taproot will flourish, burgeon and spread deeper to draw in new nutrients. Got all that? Now I invite you to infuse this beautiful vision with an outpouring of love for yourself and for the wondrous vitality you will be absorbing.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Behav-
ioral ecologist Professor Dan Charbonneau has observed the habits of ants, bees and other social insects. He says that a lot of the time, many of them just lounge around doing nothing. In fact, most animals do the same. The creatures of the natural world are just not very busy. Psychologist Dr. Sandi Mann urges us to learn from their lassitude. “We’ve created a society where we fear boredom, and we’re afraid of doing nothing,” she says. But that addiction to frenzy may limit our inclination to daydream, which in turn inhibits our creativity. I bring these facts to your attention, Sagittarius, because I suspect you’re in a phase when lolling around doing nothing much will be extra healthy for you. Liberate and nurture your daydreams, please!
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): “Education is
an admirable thing,” Oscar Wilde wrote, “but it is well to remember that nothing worth knowing can be taught.” As I ponder your future in the coming weeks, I vociferously disagree with him. I am sure you can learn many things worth knowing from teachers of all kinds. It’s true that some of the lessons may be accidental or unofficial — and not delivered by traditional teachers. But that won’t diminish their value. I invite you to act as if you will, in effect, be enrolled in school 24-7 until the equinox.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): The planets
Mars and Venus are both cruising through Aquarius. Do they signify that synchronicities will weave magic into your destiny? Yes! Here are a few possibilities I foresee: 1) smoldering flirtations that finally ignite; 2) arguments assuaged by lovemaking; 3) mix-ups about the interplay between love and lust, or else wonderful synergies between love and lust; 4) lots of labyrinthine love talk, romantic sparring and intricate exchange about the nature of desire; 5) adventures in the sexual frontiers; 6) opportunities to cultivate interesting new varieties of intimacy.
CHECK OUT ROB BREZSNY’S EXPANDED WEEKLY AUDIO HOROSCOPES & DAILY TEXT MESSAGE HOROSCOPES: REALASTROLOGY.COM OR 1-877-873-4888.
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SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024
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LOOKING FOR MY FOREVER I just want one good female to be my partner and my female half for keeps. I am not on here for short, endless, random, trivial messages that go nowhere. Am I asking too much? Do I not deserve love like everyone else? Unloved, 49, seeking: W, l
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WANT TO RESPOND?
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HONEST, EASYGOING, STRAIGHTFORWARD Vermonter retired from dairy farming, looking for a friend to share lunch, to get to know each other — what likes and dislikes we have in common, and what type of relationship we are looking for together. retired70, 76, seeking: M INTEGRITY FIRST I live a very positive life, and I’m truly happy with where I am. I’m here, hoping to find someone to add to my happiness. I am a mother to two teenage boys in high school, a business professional, a very independent woman and love my family/friends who surround my life. Integrity, 41, seeking: M, l THIS COULD BE GREAT, RIGHT? Calm, peaceful woman hoping to connect with a kind, smart, liberal, dog-loving guy. I work in a medical practice and also have a small business and live in northern New York. I am a widow but so ready for a great second chapter! Julie2085, 66, seeking: M, l CURIOUS, ADVENTUROUS SEEKER Let’s get all bundled up, put on our snowshoes and head for the road less traveled by! Yes, it’s 5 below zero! Yes, the wind may find a way to sneak under our neck gaiters, seeking the warmth of our well-protected hearts! What an incredible gift to share this experience that so few will ever know. Let’s get started! seabreezes, 72, seeking: M, l NO-DRAMA RIVER LOVER Seeking conversations, hikes and walks, sharing a meal. Compatibility with where we each are in life. Hanging out with friends, watching a movie, just talking. Love learning about science, metaphysics, new music but also appreciate dad jokes to send to my grandkids, watching podcasts and reading mystery books. What are you serious about, and what makes you laugh? greentara, 65, seeking: M, l LOYAL, DEPENDABLE, DIFFERENT, LOVING I am a mature, single woman of color who is open-minded, real and comfortable in my uniqueness. I am looking for white mature man for companionship and friendship. I value peace, joy and am not interested in any drama. Mami8, 40, seeking: M OLD FIDDLES MAKE SWEET TUNES Independent and creative. Looking for someone to hang out with on the weekend. More of a temperate weather person — considering a move in a few years where it’s warm in the winter. If we ever get some snow, would love to find a good sledding hill. summerchild, 63, seeking: M, l MUST LOVE DOGS I’ve been unattached for several years but feel this is the time to start looking. I’m getting ready to retire, and I will have more time to devote to a relationship. I love to travel and would love a companion for these adventures. Bunique316, 69, seeking: M, l
SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024
INDEPENDENT, HONEST, OUTDOORSY, FUNNY, CREATIVE I am an active person who values honesty, integrity and positivity and enjoys all that life has to offer. I enjoy music of all types, especially live music. I am looking for a positive, drama-free gent who enjoys and appreciates life and is interested in travel, arts and culture and is kind to the environment, people and animals. Bella2024, 66, seeking: M, l SOUND MIND AND SOUND BODY This international type prioritizes friendship because it’s more easily achieved than romance, and because some of the most rewarding romances emerge unexpectedly when people get to know each other in a relaxed manner, over time. I’m drawn to cerebral, ethical people with a sense of humor who want to share athletics, a love of nature, culture and/or thoughtful, spirited debate. Mireya, 63, seeking: M, l CLASSY, WARM, INTELLIGENT, NICE-LOOKING LADY Seeking a warm, intelligent, active, health-conscious, reasonably attractive man (70 to 80) with whom to share my beautiful home on the lake. Of course, dating relationship and love must come first! AnnieL, 75, seeking: M, l KIND, GARDENER, CURIOUS, CREATIVE, ACTIVE I love the Vermont outdoors. Spend my time with family and friends, gardening, creating, cross-country skiing, swimming, kayaking, walking my dogs, playing tennis and molding clay. I live intentionally and have a healthy, active lifestyle. I am hoping to share experiences with new friends and have good conversations. Lovesdogs, 66, seeking: M, l SINCERE, ACTIVE AND EASYGOING I lead a healthy lifestyle and enjoy staying fit. Exercise, being in nature, dancing, meditation and cooking all bring me joy. My friends say I’m thoughtful, a good listener and very expressive. I appreciate a sense of humor and a good laugh. I believe that open communication is key to a successful relationship. Ontheroad, 65, seeking: M
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GENDERQUEER PEOPLE seeking... LET ME WRITE YOUR STORY Truly just here to explore everyone else. Dating weirds me out, and sex is so intimidating, so just let me be your friend. I promise I’m actually kinda cool. orion_nebula, 28, seeking: M, W, TM, TW, Q, NC, NBP, l
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i SPY
If you’ve been spied, go online to contact your admirer!
dating.sevendaysvt.com
BUMBLESTUMBLE We were doing really well, I thought, but I had a family emergency and you ended our chat. You have my number and my name. Please reach out, and we can keep growing? When: Monday, February 12, 2024. Where: Bumble. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915952 KIND WORDS WITH NICK Nick and your adorable pooch: Thank you for your kind conversation while walking up the hill at the waterfront. I hope to see you at the plunge next year! When: Saturday, February 10, 2024. Where: Burlington waterfront (I was asking for directions). You: Man. Me: Woman. #915951 BLONDE AT SB DUNKIN’ We exchanged glances multiple times, both of us waiting for our coffees. You: blonde, jacket, black yoga pants, Sorels, sunglasses. Me: brown hair, jeans, blue jacket. Can I buy your coffee next time over conversation? When: Friday, February 9, 2024. Where: Dunkin’, Shelburne Rd., South Burlington. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915950 LOOKING FOR LOVE Trying to reach user “Kate.” Thought it could be here in the iSpy. Any chance you would like to get a coffee? I am a bit south of your age range, though. When: Sunday, February 11, 2024. Where: iSpy. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915948 SHAW’S, VERGENNES, ROASTED CHICKEN Attractive blonde at checkout. We discussed the convenience of buying a roasted chicken. The teller chimed in with a soup suggestion. Let’s make soup together. When: Saturday, February 3, 2024. Where: Shaw’s, Vergennes. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915944
THE LAMP SHOP IN BURLINGTON I was browsing, and you offered to help me a couple of times. You were confused because I didn’t seem very interested in the lamps, until I told you I was with a friend who was shopping. I liked your look and your confident energy. I’m intrigued. When: Saturday, February 3, 2024. Where: the Lamp Shop, Burlington. You: Woman. Me: Woman. #915946 NICE GUY AT ECLECTIC VT I enjoyed our brief encounter at checkout. That Texas/Vermont connection is real. Wish I could have met your senior dog. They are the best. Maybe next time. When: Saturday, February 3, 2024. Where: Eclectic VT, Church St. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915945
BLACK FLANNEL BAR, SATURDAY 2/3 6 to 7ish. I was at the corner of the bar with a friend. You were directly across from me wearing a black knit hat. Caught your eye a few times; something about you caught my interest. Care to chat? When: Saturday, February 3, 2024. Where: Black Flannel. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915941 CRYING AT COMEDY WOLF You were onstage at Comedy Wolf this week talking about crying in public. I’m the one who guessed your sign after the show, then forgot to leave you my number before running away into the night. Funny, pretty and a water sign? What a dream! Get in touch if you want to cry in public together sometime. When: Thursday, February 1, 2024. Where: Radio Bean. You: Nonbinary person. Me: Nonbinary person. #915940 DEB, LONG AGO, DAVID, 1999 I miss you, Deb. This is David from 25 years ago. We had many nice times but fell apart, and now we are older. Wiser? Love to see you again. I lived in Berkshire, and you in Montpelier. Shall we share some words? Perhaps even a kiss? When: Saturday, February 2, 2019. Where: Montpelier and Berkshire. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915939
HAPPY BORN DAY! The happiest born day to my love. I look at you and see all the possibilities of our future together. The laughs and inside jokes. The way you look at my stupid face with so much love and compassion. So grab your flannel panties and let’s explore this journey called life together. In my heart and thoughts always. When: Saturday, February 10, 2024. Where: Calais. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915943
YOU ALWAYS MAKE MY DAY To the dark- aired customer service associate whose kindness always makes my day better: You smiled so warmly when you told me how you appreciated what I said; dare I hope that may have been more than courtesy? I’m respectful enough to accept whatever you wish, and you’re intriguing enough that I’m fine with whatever that is. When: Thursday, February 1, 2024. Where: City Market. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915938
FRIENDLY KENNEDY DRIVE INTERACTION WAVE You and I were waiting at a traffic light at the intersection of Kennedy Drive and Route 116 around 3. You were in a silver GMC pickup truck, and I was in a white SUV Acura. You gave me a friendly wave, and it made my day. Reach out if you would like to meet for a coffee/drink! When: Saturday, February 3, 2024. Where: Kennedy Dr., South Burlington. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915942
SUSHI AND SOMERSAULTS To the elegant woman in stripes having sushi with a friend: I couldn’t help but overhear you tell the story of your gymnastic reawakening, and it reminded me of a septuagenarian gymnast I knew who designed her home around a set of rings, upon which she could be found swinging every night. So, you go, girl! When: Tuesday, January 30, 2024. Where: Sakura Sushi & Kitchen. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915937
Ask REVEREND
Irreverent counsel on life’s conundrums
Dear Reverend,
I have a friend who uses the word “literally” all the time — literally. Every conversation, be it a text message, on the phone or in person, she says it multiple times. It really grates on my nerves, and I don’t know how to make her stop. Help!
Ward Smith (MAN, 32)
Dear Ward Smith,
CITY MARKET I was at a cooler in a tan jacket. You walked by toward the wine section, maybe on your phone. Didn’t see much except your eyes. When: Monday, January 29, 2024. Where: City Market, Flynn Ave. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915936
ADAM, MY ONE TRUE LOVE Once upon a time, you were Charming. You had a smile so fantastic it could have ended wars. I loved how you moved and felt. Life has destroyed me, but I’ll hold love in my heart for you until there are no more days. Your son told me he wanted me to be his mom. Nothing would’ve made me happier. When: Thursday, March 12, 2020 (guessing at the date). Where: S. Union St., Burlington. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915932
45 YEARS AGO At the mall with my sisters. You with your girlfriend. After what seemed like forever, you yelled “ED.” I believe I yelled back. You were a distance away at this point. Though we did not meet, I have had the privilege of hearing you call out my name. I responded, and dreams of you through years keep me going. TY. When: Monday, July 1, 2019. Where: at the mall. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915935
BAREFOOT ADAM Remember when we held hands at that coffee shop and you spoke about the love you had for me? I was so happy yet confused; my brain had shut off. I drove to you in a great time of need, and you yelled at me. What gives? Do you ever check your adam...@gmail? Please say to me, “As you wish.” When: Monday, March 16, 2020 (guessing at the date). Where: Burlington, Williston and Colchester. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915931
MATURE BLOND EMPLOYEE, LOWE’S, ESSEX You’re a mature blonde, wear a blue Lowe’s vest, usually have your hair in a ponytail. Have seen you multiple times during my visits to Lowe’s. I get the impression you’d be interested in meeting. Let me know! When: Friday, January 26, 2024. Where: Lowe’s, Essex. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915934
HOMETOWN HOTTIE AT THE CO-OP To the hottie in the buffalo plaid jacket and wide-brimmed hat: Thank you for flashing a glimpse of your winning smile. The co-op didn’t have what I needed, but seeing you made my day. When: Monday, January 15, 2024. Where: coop. You: Woman. Me: Woman. #915930
PEOPLE EVERYWHERE Please give ear to my words. If you love someone deeply, don’t let petty or juvenile things come between you both. Be gentle, kind and brave. Listen well. Be supportive and nurturing. Be strong and vulnerable and fight for one another. True love is too rare and valuable to treat as though it’s disposable. Broken hearts are not easily mended. When: Wednesday, January 24, 2024. Where: everywhere I go. You: Group. Me: Woman. #915933 GLOUCESTER GAL IN GORGEOUS GETUP While visiting Montpelier, you perused the racks at the Getup and tried on a delightful secondhand coat — several times. “This one’s too tight, though,” you said, but I thought you looked smashing. Coat or no coat, I was smitten with your style, and I hope that our paths cross again someday, because pondering your form was anything but ponderous. When: Sunday, January 14, 2024. Where: Montpelier. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915928
I feel your pain. The misuse and overuse of words are two big pet peeves of mine. Maybe it has something to do with my coming of age in the era of Valley girl- and preppy-speak, when “awesome” and “totally” were bandied about willy-nilly. My skin crawls when someone pronounces “voluptuous” with an M. And when someone punctuates every other word with “like,” I can’t help but keep a running tally and find it hard to focus on anything else. But I digress. Merriam-Webster has two definitions for the word “literally,” one being “in a literal sense or manner” and the other “in effect: virtually — used in an exaggerated way to emphasize a statement or description that is not literally true or possible.” English is a weird language. As a matter of fact, an FAQ on merriam-webster.com has this to say: “The ‘in effect; virtually’ meaning of literally is not
DOLLAR TREE, ST. J You were in line. I was after you. Wow, you were gorgeous. You kept turning around. I was getting to wonder, She might be interested. Wow, she has it all. 5’6, dark hair and curvy. Sure would like to get to know you better. When: Friday, January 12, 2024. Where: Dollar Tree, St. Johnsbury. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915929 SEEKING PROJECT MANAGER We were in line. You were talking to your friend and another lady you met about how you are a project manager. I didn’t want to interrupt, but I wanted to speak with you more about your job, how you got into it, the systems you use, etc. Drop a line if you would like to chat. TY! When: Sunday, December 17, 2023. Where: Marshalls, Williston. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915927
new. It has been in regular use since the 18th century and may be found in the writings of some of the most highly regarded writers of the 19th and early 20th centuries, including Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, Charlotte Brontë, and James Joyce.” So, even though you find your friend’s overuse of the word to be annoying, it’s not exactly incorrect. You need to decide if bringing up the issue is worth possibly hurting your pal’s feelings. If she’s a really close friend who can take some goodnatured ribbing, you could broach the subject with humor. Something like: “You literally say ‘literally’ all the time, and it’s literally making me lose my mind.” Just pointing it out casually could make her aware of this verbal crutch. However, if she has a thin skin and might be offended, you literally ought to try harder to Zen it out and let it go. Good luck and God bless,
The Reverend
What’s your problem? Send it to asktherev@sevendaysvt.com. SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 21-28, 2024
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I’m a lifelong good-looking senior Vermonter. BA at Saint Michael’s College. Had a 750 Honda for 10 years to explore Arizona and Vermont. Live with my cat. Regular gardening indoor and out. Seeking a companion who is caring and honest for love and sexual experiences. #L1725 56-y/o single, sincere gentleman looking for one female partner for fun/ experiences in St. J. Healthy, fit, humorous, not bad looking. Honest, tolerant, respectful. Open mind/heart. Just a tad lonely, and that is a good thing for us. #L1727
I’m a 67-y/o woman seeking a 55- to 76-y/o man. I am looking for a man to enjoy inside and outside — one who finds time to be a companion, is not a couch potato, and enjoys the outdoors, traveling, golf, fishing, etc. Leave your cell number. #L1733
I’m an 80-y/o woman seeking a man for friendship and companionship. I don’t look my age. Love to fish and play card and board games. Have never done much traveling. #L1731
Let’s do some things — coffee at Black Cap Coffee, dinner, the Green Mountain Film Festival, live music at Hugo’s or Bent Nails Bistro. Woman, early 70s, seeking man of similar age to explore common interests. #L1732
I’m a 62-y/o female who wants a male companion to have fun with, maybe go for some drinks or smoke a bowl. Young in spirit, but I’m not into the romantic part of relationships anymore. Simply looking for a goofy friend to take me out on the town. #L1730
I am a 25-y/o male forager, tinkerer and dumpster diver seeking like-minded empathetic woman of a similar age. #L1729
Kind, loving and sincere 72y/o woman looking for a male companion/friend to spend time with and get to know. #L1726
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I’m a man, 34, seeking a woman, 20s to 30s. Make something out of me. I am full of potential. I work and was born in Vermont. Looking for a partner in life. #L1724 I’m 47, seeking a male. I’m 5’6, 206 pounds, looking for someone to marry me and who is very wealthy. Please respond ASAP. #L1728 SWF, mid-60s, slender. Loves: wildlife safety, non-predator pets, honest ones, kept-real dynamics and excellence with style. Hates: Psychos and phonies, tech-obsesseds and scams. ISO of well-established guy, 60s to 70s — rather saintly. Also, hates old buildings — I like new! #L1722
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Reply to these messages with real, honest-to-goodness letters. DETAILS BELOW. I am a 25-y/o female looking for a sugar-daddy male (50 to 70). Not for a sexual relationship; more of a companionship. #L1723 I’m a 73-y/o woman seeking a male age 68 to 78. Would like to spend my birthday with a friend. I am trying to pare down my things. Lots of antiques and family treasures. And I’m still working — need a break — midFebruary. I like sports — football, etc. Reading and movies. Please write me with your thoughts and phone number. #L1720 I am a 35-y/o M, thirsty for love. I am looking for a good-hearted woman who will accept that I am her ADAM. I promise to give you my best. You will never be disappointed. #L1721 I’m a 72-y/o male who would love to sensually experience a mature woman in her 70s or 80s. Phone number, please. #L1719 I’m a single female, 47, 5’6, red hair, blue eyes, 206 pounds, looking for the one who will marry me and is very well off financially wealthy to fulfill my dreams with. #L1716
I’m a 65-y/o male seeking a 55- to 65-y/o female. I am a hardworking man, loving and kind. I enjoy gardening (vegetables and flowers), snuggling by a campfire/ camping, cooking, hunting and fishing. Seeking a woman who is honest and caring. Someone to spend time with and see where it goes. #L1717 For 55-y/o M wannabe geek: I’m your huckleberry. Intense discussions and companionship are my game. Say when. My fave character. Demure, not exactly; yes, down to earth. You said intense — I’m your girl! I’m 55 also. Hope to hear back. #L1715 I’m a male, early 60s, seeking a female, 21 to 50ish. Married in nonsexual relationship. Seeking sex — safe, discreet, disease-free. I’m told I’m goodlooking and don’t look my age. Passionate about performing oral. Looking for goomah in Chittenden County. No computer. I have never strayed before. #L1714
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