Seven Days, March 20, 2024

Vermont

TAX THE RICH?

A group of wealthy Vermonters is asking lawmakers to raise taxes on people making more than $500,000 annually.

A letter created by Fair Share for Vermont, a campaign that is seeking to create a 3 percent tax surcharge on earnings over $500,000, includes 23 signers. Among them are Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield of Ben & Jerry’s; David Blittersdorf, who started the renewable energy company NRG Systems; and Duane Peterson, who cofounded the solar company SunCommon.

“We are willing to pay additional taxes to raise revenue for fundamental government services,” says the letter, distributed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Vermont. “We recognize that through public investment, we can improve the quality of life for all people.”

Fair Share for Vermont, which is based at the Public Assets Institute in Montpelier, launched a campaign in November calling for the 3 percent surcharge with backing from groups including Vermont Conservation Voters and the Vermont-NEA, the state’s teachers’ union.

In January, Rep. Emilie Kornheiser (D-Brattleboro), chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, introduced one bill adding the 3 percent surcharge and another that would tax the unrealized capital gains of people with assets of more than $10 million. e cam-

emoji that ECLIPSING EDUCATION

Several Vermont school districts in the eclipse’s path of totality have decided to close on April 8. Avoiding the tra c!

SNUFFED OUT

The Vermont House passed a bill to ban the sale of flavored vapes and tobacco, including mentholated cigarettes. Kool.

GAME ON

paign said then that the two taxes would raise more than $100 million annually.

e capital gains proposal has since been sidelined.

e bill levying a 3 percent surcharge has been tabled, too, but Kornheiser said that proposal will be added to another tax bill this week. For the measure to become law this year, Kornheiser has a deadline of Friday to complete committee work on the bill and get it onto the House floor for a vote.

Opponents warn that the tax would push wealthy Vermonters to leave the state. But Kornheiser said she’s heard from people who want to see it pass, too. “I think I have the support of the committee, and I think I have the support of the [Democratic] caucus, as well,” Kornheiser said on Tuesday.

Asked why some wealthy Vermonters would call for higher taxes instead of donating their money, Peterson said charitable giving doesn’t support basic human needs such as food, housing and health.

“Societal needs are better identified by elected representatives than left to the whims of philanthropists,” Peterson texted. “Some Vermonters have huge wealth. Contributing more won’t change their lifestyles but can really strengthen society.”

Read Anne Wallace Allen’s full story at sevendaysvt.com.

The UVM men’s basketball team won its conference and is scheduled to play Duke on Friday, March 22, in the NCAA tournament. Cat attack!

HEAR ME NOW?

Vermont is bringing in satellite trucks and cell towers on wheels — known as “cows” — to boost phone service during the eclipse, WCAX-TV reported.

That’s how many hours U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is proposing for the standard American workweek — with no loss in pay.

TOPFIVE

MOST POPULAR ITEMS ON SEVENDAYSVT.COM

1. “State to Open Temporary Homeless Shelter in Downtown Burlington” by Courtney Lamdin. In anticipation of the end of the cold-weather motel program, four shelters were set up statewide.

2. “Approaching ree Decades, Shelburne’s Dutch Mill Diner Gets a Refresh” by Melissa Pasanen. Behind the windmill is an eatery serving up poached eggs on hash and meatloaf.

3. “Pro-Palestinian Groups, Musicians Urge Higher Ground to Cancel Matisyahu Show” by Chris Farnsworth. e groups objected to the Jewish artist’s Zionist stance.

4. “Burlington Council Advances South End, Memorial Auditorium Plans” by Courtney Lamdin. Separate development possibilities are emerging in Burlington.

5. “Activists Protest Outside Matisyahu Show at Higher Ground” by Chris Farnsworth. e show went on, despite a peaceful pro-Palestine protest on the sidewalk.

@jaycatvt

e time at the tone is F-35pm #btv

FARM TO TABLING

e owner of a Burlington cannabis shop is hosting a weed “farmers market” featuring growers and producers who will be on hand to speak with customers about their products.

consumers, requiring that all products are sold in one of the dozens of licensed stores statewide. Decatur’s “cultivator showcase” is intended “to build a connection between farmers and the people actually using and purchasing their products,” he said, “and a way to support farmers and not make retailers wall off a whole part of the market.”

“It’ll be the same as any other dispensary purchase,” Decatur said. “ e only differences will be special inventory being sold under special terms.”

Joshua Decatur of Heybud Dispensary says other stores have hosted “vendor days” where producers pitch their products. But he claims his event, on Sunday, March 24, will be the state’s first full-fledged cannabis market, with multiple producers, food and even non-cannabis items.

At the Burlington event, which runs 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., producers will set up tables inside a gallery space in the Karma Bird House building at 47 Maple Street. Customers — 21 and over — can speak with them and browse available products. Actual orders will be filled at the Heybud dispensary, a tiny shop in the building.

Decatur said he hopes to hold such events monthly. He’s also talked to other local retailers that will carry “farmers market picks” as a way to highlight the products featured at the events. Decatur likened it to Vermont’s craft beer industry, in which some breweries will collaborate with others or feature partner beers on tap.

He said he’s already heard from other cannabis shops that want to replicate his market idea.

Vermont prohibits cannabis farmers and producers from selling directly to

Producers will pull in 70 percent of the sales price, while 30 percent will pay for taxes and event operating costs, Decatur said.

“It’d be a way to make it more of a community feel in the industry, instead of an overly competitive, almost aggressive culture that exists right now,” Decatur said. “And I think people will find that it’s good for everybody.”

SASHA GOLDSTEIN

LUKE EASTMAN

Vermont Statehouse

ANNE WALLACE ALLEN

DIALED IN.

publisher & editor-in-chief

Paula Routly

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NEWS & POLITICS

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stAff writers Derek Brouwer, Colin Flanders, Rachel Hellman, Courtney Lamdin, Kevin McCallum, Alison Novak, Anne Wallace Allen

ARTS & CULTURE

coeditors Dan Bolles, Carolyn Fox

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consulting editor Chelsea Edgar

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‘NOT ALL BAD’

by just finding the magnifying glass. You get the point.

I will stay a reader regardless of your actions. I read the paper most every week. All the sections are very informative and lively. Most often I laugh and/or am moved by the reporting. I like the feel and use of the paper paper. Need it to start the woodstove on the chilly days.

Dave Calvi CASTLETON

HOMES FOR ALL

Seven Days has the data to show us that what we see happening is happening: Vermont is aging fast. What is less visible is how this story [“Getting On,” March 6] is closely linked to two others: the housing crisis and flooding due to climate change.

Seven Days’ yearlong series “This Old State” is admirable in helping to break down some of the dynamics involved with an aging population. However, Colin Flanders’ series debut [“Getting On,” March 6] fails to incorporate some of the positive sociological developments an aging population may suggest. This may include longer average life spans and longer life expectancies for Vermonters, which could be tied into higherquality education, health care, and air and water standards compared to other states. The story only casually mentions that our northern New England neighbors, Maine and New Hampshire, are the only states with a higher average age than Vermont, but surely this is not a coincidence. I hope part of the series will explore why residents in our half of the New England region live longer than anywhere else in the country.

The story’s tone suggests that Vermont is somehow considered undesirable, when in fact the demand among those wishing they could relocate here — and not just to the Burlington area — has probably never been higher. I hope Kevin Chu isn’t losing too much sleep over trying to recruit flatlanders. Anyone who’s been in a coffee shop, supermarket or diner since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic knows that they want in.

Finally, let’s not forget some of the virtues that older residents bring. Many possess traits of grace, kindness and wisdom that younger generations not only may lack but also may stand to benefit in learning from.

There are many dynamics to an aging population, and they’re not all bad.

Jared Pendak BRADFORD

LARGER TYPE, PLEASE

[Re “Getting On,” March 6]: We the aging population, including moi, wish and/or demand reworking the quiz and puzzle page layout. I would suggest and hope you increase the font size of the crossword clues. I am challenged enough most days

Housing advocates claim that we need 30,000 to 40,000 new homes to “solve” the housing crisis. Homes account for onethird of Vermont’s carbon emissions. In addition to thermal carbon emissions, building materials and construction waste have a large “embedded” carbon footprint not often quantified — but significant. New construction requires a young blue-collar workforce to build and maintain these structures. We have an aging and declining workforce and overall population. This doesn’t add up.

In Montpelier, besides old people, I see a lot of empty buildings: Empty state buildings, college campuses, second homes, seasonal rental properties, aging empty nesters rattling around in oversize homes and empty flood-zone buildings.

Can we incentivize aging people to give up their oversize houses, go into community housing in town and free up a lot of homes for young families? Convert empty office spaces and abandoned campuses into affordable housing for young people?

I can hear the old people, still in power and afraid of change, saying “Over my dead body.” I am 67, and you can make me an offer.

Chris Pratt

EAST MONTPELIER

[Re “Burlington Considers Zoning Changes to Encourage More Home Building,” March 6]. Con or confusion? The mayor, city councilors and planning department of our city don’t seem to understand that more housing does not

produce more affordable housing. Or maybe they just don’t want to understand it, since they have such a vested interest in construction at any cost.

Increasing lot coverage decreases green space. Absolutely. Burlington’s attraction is that it is not New York City. But soon we’ll have less green space than New York City does. And if you think that losing green space is OK, that there is so much of it just beyond the city’s boundaries, take another look at what has happened to those beautiful farmlands out there.

And consider the impact: two-, three- and four-story buildings without elevators, not accessible to two-thirds or three-quarters of potential tenants with disabilities, nor to grandparents who might want to visit their grandchildren.

The mayor wants to see this happen on his watch. But in a few weeks, he will be gone, and we should give Emma Mulvaney-Stanak, our new mayor, who was elected to bring change to municipal government in our city, a clean slate to work with and a chance to change the narrative. Let’s start moving toward our real goal: affordable housing for everyone. It is urgently necessary, and it is possible.

Louis Mannie Lionni BURLINGTON

I CAN HEAR THE WHISTLE BLOW

Where does a 400-pound gorilla sleep?

Answer: “Anywhere it wants to!” That’s an old joke, but it’s no joke for us senior citizens who live near the Winooski train crossing. It’s one thing to be woken up at 9 a.m., but at 2 and 3 a.m.?!

On my answering machine is a message from Rep. Daisy Berbeco (D-Winooski),

Adventure Camp Fun ��

• Co-ed day camp for kids that have completed 2nd grade through age 13

• Kids spend time outdoors exploring the beautiful Rock Point property in BTV!

• Campers hike, swim, garden, kayak, paddleboard, play games, do arts and crafts, STEM projects, more!

Register at gbymca.org/ programs/adventure-camp

who says, in short, that she “would like to help, but this is a federally regulated situation.” The electric power plant is in Burlington and has as its fuel: tons of wood chips.

Tom MacDonald WINOOSKI

POSTAL REALITY CHECK

[Re “Postal Service Plans to Route Vermont Mail Through Connecticut,” February 9]: I noticed in Stephen Doherty’s statement about the change in mail sorting from Vermont to Connecticut that mail would be sent to Connecticut, back to Vermont and then probably be delivered the next day. As a resident of Springfield, Mass., and a former postal clerk, I can tell you that our mail cancellation and sorting went to Hartford at least 15 years ago, and it is never delivered overnight. It always takes two days. Oh, and by the way, we’re only 25 miles or so from the Hartford facility.

Michael Caron SPRINGFIELD, MA

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MARCH 22 & 23, 7PM - BURLINGTON

TUES. MARCH 26 - ST. ALBANS, The Welden Theater

THURS. MARCH 28 - ST. JOHNSBURY, Athenaeum

FRI. MARCH 29 - ST. JOHNSBURY, Athenaeum

SAT. MARCH 30 - MIDDLEBURY, Town Hall Theater

SUN. MARCH 31 - BRATTLEBORO, Latchis Theater

THURS. APRIL 4 - GREENSBORO, Highland Arts Cntr

FRI. APRIL 5 - MORRISVILLE, Centennial Library

SAT. APRIL 6 - RUTLAND, Rutland Free Library

SUN. APRIL 7 - RANDOLPH, Playhouse Theater

THUR. APRIL 11 - MONTPELIER, Savoy Theater

FRI. APRIL 12 - MONTPELIER, Savoy Theater

NEWS+POLITICS 14

Dignifying the Dead

Rep. Anne Donahue is determined to find out where patients of Vermont’s old psychiatric hospital are buried

Unilever to Spin O

Ben & Jerry’s

Marching Orders

Another round of motel evictions sparks confusion, frustration and a rush to erect temporary shelters

Kranichfeld Appointed

Franklin County State’s

Attorney

Pro-Palestinian Activists

Protest Outside Matisyahu Show at Higher Ground

Baird Farm’s next generation embraces Maple Open House Weekend Mediterranean Magic

FEATURES 26

Made in the Shade

A retired Burlington doctor designed a sundial that only tells time during a solar eclipse

ARTS+CULTURE 42

Double or Nothing

Book review: e Princess of Las Vegas, Chris Bohjalian

Istanbul Kebab House’s meze platter transports Burlington diners to Turkey

Everyday People

Planned Burlington History & Culture Center would focus on the regular folks who built the city Modern Love

A new film explores Vermont’s unsung modernist buildings

Moving Parts

A group exhibition at BCA Center explores the meanings of migration

BURLINGTON’S PREMIER CANNABIS DISPENSARY BURLINGTON’S PREMIER CANNABIS DISPENSARY

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MUST SEE, MUST DO THIS WEEK

COMPILED BY EMILY HAMILTON

FRIDAY 22 & SATURDAY 23

Love on Tapas

THURSDAY 21 & FRIDAY 22

NEED FOR SWEDE

Burlington’s Foam Brewers hosts the latest Adventure Dinner pop-up dining experience: a Spanish Tapas & Paella Party. e fingerlickin’-good menu, including Manchego, jamón, empanadas, octopus, scallops, Basque cheesecake and an extra-saffron-y paella, delights drop-in diners.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 64

FRIDAY 22, SATURDAY 23 & TUESDAY 26

Cash Strapped

Vermont producer Bess O’Brien kicks off a statewide tour of her newest film, Just Getting By, at the Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center Film House in Burlington and Welden eatre in St. Albans. e new documentary takes an incisive, necessary look at the lives of Vermonters struggling with food and housing insecurity.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 64

SUNDAY 24

Read Local

blends Hall eater. e electrifying fiddler and her band, steeped in traditions as varied as jazz, one-of-a-kind act.

Lena Jonsson Trio traditional Swedish folk music with star sensibilities at Cabot’s Willey Memorial Hall and Middlebury’s Town

SATURDAY 23

Sing a Different Tune

Lovers of literature and independent media flock to Zig Zag Lit Mag’s Issue.16 Release Party at Swift House Inn in Middlebury. Readings, discussions with the latest edition’s featured artists and plenty of networking opportunities delight the Green Mountain State literati.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 66

SATURDAY 23

Come Wine With Me

e first inaugural Dedalus Wine Down at Dedalus Wine Shop, Market & Bakery in Stowe promises a paradise for any oenophile ready to help springclean the wine cellar. Tickets include a tasting at every table, as well as gooey Jasper Hill raclette and an abundance of other charcuterie.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 66

Lost Nation eater starts off sugaring season with an especially sweet show at Montpelier City Hall called the Maple Moon Benefit Cabaret. Locals including Dan Bruce, Taryn Noelle and the Montpelier Junior/Senior High Show Choir stage everything from music to puppetry to aerial arts in a fabulous phantasmagoria.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 66

Submit your upcoming events at sevendaysvt. com/postevent

ONGOING

Flash Flood

e latest exhibit at the Vermont Statehouse Gallery in Montpelier is “Recovery,” featuring the photographs of Elliot Burg and Shannon Alexander. eir black-and-white images capture the aftermath of last summer’s flood in Barre and the Capital City, from sunken basements to neighbors helping each other haul mud.

SEE GALLERY LISTING AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/ART

SEVEN DAYS MARCH 20-27,

BROWSE THE FULL CALENDAR, ART SHOWS, AND MUSIC+NIGHTLIFE LISTINGS AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM.

Listen Up

I had to drive to St. Albans to find out that I’ve lost some hearing in my left ear. After a scary bout of vertigo in December, my physician at the Community Health Centers of Burlington recommended that I consult an otorhinolaryngologist, aka ear, nose and throat specialist, aka ENT. It would have taken many months to see one in the University of Vermont Health Network, so I asked about other options. But that’s another story…

Three months later and 20 miles north, I found plenty of parking and thorough, unrushed care at Northwestern Medical Center. The good news: I don’t have Ménière’s disease, an inner-ear problem that can cause dizziness. The bad news: I’ve lost some low tones.

One thing I heard all too well — on the highway to St. Albans and back — was the spring fundraising drive on Vermont Public. I don’t begrudge our colleagues the right to ask listeners to support their work, despite their enviable financial situation: The late Vermont Public Radio inherited a substantial nest egg from Vermont Public Television when the two nonprofit entities merged; in 2017, VPT sold a broadcast license for $56 million.

in the U.S., willfully ignore its other media partners in the state, many of which are print newspapers doing the hard work of reporting micro-local news?

IT’S TRUE THAT PRINT OUTLETS ARE DISAPPEARING NATIONWIDE … BUT A BUNCH OF US ARE STILL KICKING — AND BEING BURIED ALIVE DOES NOT FEEL GOOD.

I asked Vermont Public a version of that question, and interim CEO Brendan Kinney responded with an email expressing gratitude for Seven Days and noting that I’d likely heard a nationally produced segment on air that morning. He also sent a written statement: “We all feel the stakes when it comes to the challenges faced by local media. Every news outlet in Vermont is working to solve these common problems, and the solutions will take care, creativity, and resources. Vermont is fortunate to have a more vibrant local news ecosystem than many places, with Seven Days as an essential part. We are proud to be frequent partners and collaborators with Seven Days, and know that Vermonters benefit when we work together.”

We’re grateful for Vermont Public, too — but we’d sure appreciate a change in the way its on-air fundraising characterizes print media.

What I object to is their problematic pitch, which I’ve heard many times over the past few years: Newspapers are dead, so you should support public radio journalism. It’s true that print outlets are disappearing nationwide, and the Burlington Free Press is a shadow of its former self. But a bunch of us are still kicking — and being buried alive does not feel good.

I didn’t listen to the entire four-day campaign, and I heard from a coworker that Vermont Public reporter Liam Elder-Connors gave on-air shouts-out to Seven Days and the Valley News. But what about the Stowe Reporter, the Addison County Independent, the White River Valley Herald and the Barton Chronicle? These are media outlets that really need support. Plus, Vermont Public relies on their local, on-the-ground reporting to guide its coverage; in some cases, the station even puts their reporters and editors on the air. Seven Days looks to those papers for leads and background information, too.

We have collaborated with Vermont Public on at least two ambitious projects: one, with ElderConnors, about notorious Chittenden County landlords Rick and Mark Bove; another, about the problems in Vermont’s eldercare facilities. The latter multimedia effort won an Edward R. Murrow Award for investigative journalism from the Radio Television Digital News Association.

I wonder: Is this a national fundraising approach that has proven effective in other markets? Why else would Vermont Public, which enjoys some of the highest per-capita giving of any public radio station

Seven Days searches high and low to find stories that are crucial to Vermont. For instance, staff writer Kevin McCallum traveled to New York City to deliver this week’s cover story on safe-injection sites — one of the harm-reduction strategies state legislators are considering to manage the opioid crisis. Both of Burlington’s major-party mayoral candidates were in favor of setting one up in the Queen City. Gov. Phil Scott does not believe such services belong in Vermont.

To help readers understand this polarizing Statehouse debate, Kevin found OnPoint NYC in East Harlem, talked his way in and saw for himself how a “supervised injection facility” operates in a community.

If I have to shout it from the rooftops, hear this: Shoe leather and newsprint still go a long way.

Paula Routly

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Dignifying the Dead

Rep. Anne Donahue is determined to find out where patients of Vermont’s old psychiatric hospital are buried BY

ANNE WALLACE ALLEN

• anne@sevendaysvt.com

Vermont has largely forgotten the patients who died at the former state psychiatric hospital in Waterbury. But Anne Donahue cannot.

The Republican state representative from Northfield, newly retired from her job as an editor for a mental health advocacy group, has made it her goal to identify the final resting place of individuals who died at the Vermont State Hospital in Waterbury around the turn of the 20th century.

To this end, Donahue has pored over state archives, hiked the overgrown hills of the former hospital farm in search of a long-neglected burying ground, and helped genealogists in Vermont and elsewhere trace family members who lived at the hospital generations ago.

Donahue has dispatched Statehouse colleagues who live in far-flung towns to search cemetery records for details that could help. In January she introduced legislation calling for the state to inventory unmarked burial grounds at state institutions.

She’s pieced together information from patient logs, local histories,

turn-of-the-century Burlington Free Press articles and former hospital employees. Her goal is to find out what happened to the bodies of more than 800 patients who died between 1891 and 1913. The latter date reflects when the law changed and towns became responsible for burying their residents who died in state institutions.

THEY ARE PART OF A MARGINALIZED, FORGOTTEN PEOPLE

REP. ANNE DONAHUE

“It’s a fascinating search — a treasure hunt,” she said. “Once I get my teeth into something, I rarely want to let go.”

Donahue’s search is both personal and professional. A lawyer by training, she was sidelined by major depression from 1994 to 2001. She went on to work as the longtime editor of Counterpoint, the free newspaper of the Vermont Psychiatric Survivors advocacy group.

Unilever to Spin Off

Ben & Jerry’s

BY ANNE WALLACE ALLEN anne@sevendaysvt.com

London-based Unilever is spinning off its ice cream business, including the South Burlington-based Ben & Jerry’s.

The company announced on Tuesday that ice cream will become a “standalone, world-leading” enterprise but offered few other details of what lies ahead for that $8 billion portion of its business which, along with Ben & Jerry’s, includes the ice cream companies Wall’s and Magnum.

The company, which employs 128,000 people worldwide, said on Tuesday that it will eliminate 7,500 office jobs. VTDigger.org reported that Ben & Jerry’s confirmed it is cutting seven positions at its headquarters. Asked on Tuesday whether layoffs were imminent at Seventh Generation, a Burlington company also owned by Unilever, a spokesperson referred questions to Unilever’s press office, which did not immediately respond.

She’s long stood up for people with mental illness. After undergoing electroconvulsive therapy several times in the 1990s, Donahue worked to regulate mental health treatment in Vermont. She also led e orts to pass Vermont’s mental health parity law, which requires insurers to provide the same degree of care for substance-abuse and mental health disorders as they do for other maladies. Nowadays, she works to promote community-based mental health support systems as an alternative to institutional facilities.

The ultimate goal of her historical research is to bring patients’ names and stories to life on memorials and historical displays. She wants descendants of these patients, as well as visitors to what is now the Perry Hill recreation area, to know that these Vermonters lived and died at the Waterbury institution.

“They are part of a marginalized, forgotten people,” Donahue said. “At the

“Ice Cream has a very different operating model, and as a result the Board has decided that the separation of Ice Cream best serves the future growth of both Ice Cream and Unilever,” Unilever said in a statement.

Ben & Jerry’s spokesperson Sean Greenwood did not return messages on Tuesday.

Founded in 1978, Ben & Jerry’s is an influential institution that last year employed 650 people in Vermont and the Netherlands. Its Waterbury visitors center has drawn as many as 350,000 tourists annually in recent years, making it one of Vermont’s most popular attractions.

Ben & Jerry’s made headlines when it became a wholly owned subsidiary of Unilever in 2000 for $326 million. It retained its independent board and continued to take progressive positions on social issues such as racial justice, campaign finance reform and gun control.

Ben & Jerry’s makes ice cream at its factories in Waterbury, St. Albans and the Netherlands, as well as at an independently owned factory in Israel. It sells its premium ice cream in dozens of countries. ➆

Rep. Anne Donahue

Marching Orders

Another round of motel evictions sparks confusion, frustration and a rush to erect temporary shelters

BY DEREK BROUWER & COLIN FLANDERS

Vermont officials’ attempt to wind down part of the state’s emergency motel program last week left hundreds of people looking for new housing, sent social workers scrambling to help and led the Vermont National Guard to set up temporary shelters that went largely unused.

The March 15 end date for some in the program had been established months earlier, but lawmakers blamed Gov. Phil Scott’s administration for bungling the evictions. The situation prompted complaints from local officials, who said they were not included in the planning, and housing advocates, who decried the hasty plan as a cruel and unnecessary injustice. It amounted to the state kicking people out of housing — while simultaneously rushing to erect slapdash shelter accommodations that brought to mind the state’s recent emergency flood-response efforts.

HOW THIS HAS PLAYED OUT IS REALLY SHOCKING AND SHAMEFUL.

LINDSEY OWEN

State leaders have struggled to reduce homelessness and curb the costs of providing temporary housing. Little progress has been made since both spiked at the beginning of the pandemic four years ago, though the state recently reduced the rate it pays private motels, from $132 to $80 per night.

“How this has played out is really shocking and shameful,” said Lindsey Owen, executive director of Disability Rights Vermont, a nonprofit advocacy group.

Last summer, some 800 people lost their pandemic-era motel vouchers. But about 2,500 people were still in the motels until last week, when about 500 more — mostly single people under the age of 65 — lost their temporary housing. They had been using vouchers available to homeless people as part of a wintertime program that offered motel stays nightly through March 15. Single-night

vouchers will be available through April 15 when the temperature dips below 20 degrees or snow is forecast.

Legislators had passed a bill earlier this month that would have kept many of the seasonal participants in motels through June 30, when the larger program is scheduled to end, if they had certain health conditions or a disability.

But last week, the Department for Children and Families, which administers the vouchers, imposed a requirement that motel residents get a health care provider to confirm they are eligible to stay. Those forms were not distributed until hours before the deadline. Still, about 70 disability waivers were processed by move-out day. That number had reached 114 by Monday afternoon, according to DCF Commissioner Chris Winters.

Owen, of Disability Rights Vermont, said the medical sign-off requirement, rolled out on such short notice, put an unreasonable burden on motel residents. “I can’t even get in to my own doctor in seven days,” she said.

The department has not issued formal guidelines to health care providers, but Winters acknowledged that the state has been discouraging them from signing the forms for patients without a serious health condition just to preserve their housing. The department plans to review waiver forms and will follow up if certain providers have signed an especially high number, Winters said.

“We just want to make sure they’re taking that responsibility really seriously and understand the implications if they stretch that,” Winters said.

The legislature allocated enough funds in the Budget Adjustment Act to cover about 1,500 motel rooms each night through June, Winters said, and there’s already some competition for slots among families and elderly guests.

Vermont Legal Aid and several homelessness organizations asked a judge to halt the evictions, arguing that they ran afoul of recent legislation by not giving residents time to prove their eligibility. The state, the plaintiffs contended, was

COURTS

Kranichfeld

Appointed Franklin County State’s Attorney

BY DEREK BROUWER derek@sevendaysvt.com

Bram Kranichfeld will remain state’s attorney for Franklin County as the permanent successor to John Lavoie, who resigned last year during an impeachment probe, Gov. Phil Scott announced on Tuesday.

Kranichfeld — a veteran prosecutor, former Burlington city councilor and Episcopal priest — has been working as interim state’s attorney since September. Scott has now named him to the permanent post, which is up for reelection in 2027.

The office was thrust into turmoil when employees complained that former state’s attorney Lavoie frequently used sexist and crass language in the office. The Department of State’s Attorneys and Sheriffs investigated the claims and published them when Lavoie refused to step down. Lawmakers then launched an impeachment inquiry. Lavoie eventually resigned.

Before his appointment, Kranichfeld worked in the Chittenden County State’s Attorney’s Office and in the Vermont Attorney General’s Office. He ran unsuccessfully to be the Democratic nominee for Burlington mayor in 2011. After Scott passed him over for an appointment as Chittenden County state’s attorney, Kranichfeld pursued a master of divinity degree at the Montréal Diocesan Theological College.

He was the priest-in-charge at All Saints Episcopal Church in South Burlington and St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Vergennes when Scott tapped him for the interim position in Franklin County.

Among the cases on the state’s attorney’s plate is a pending second-degree murder charge against Mbyayenge “Robbie” Mafuta, a young man with schizophrenia who is accused of killing his cellmate, Jeffrey Hall, at Northwest State Correctional Facility in St. Albans. Mafuta was arraigned last August, hours before Lavoie resigned his post. ➆

Dignifying the Dead «

time, it was, ‘They were psych patients, so we can ditch them somewhere.’”

The Vermont State Hospital was built in the 1890s as the Vermont Hospital for the Insane. It became home not only to people with mental health disorders but also poor people. At its peak, in the 1950s, the hospital housed 1,300 people. Patients farmed and produced furniture and other goods.

In 2012, damage from Tropical Storm Irene prompted the state to move the last of its mental health patients to a new psychiatric hospital in Berlin. The state demolished some buildings and restored others, and the 400-acre property became a state office complex.

Donahue had heard in passing that patients were buried in unmarked graves in a cemetery on the former hospital farm. Worried that site would be forgotten, she set out in 2013 to find it. Her first step was a visit to historian Herbert Hunt, who had cowritten a book about the hospital called Empty Beds in the 1960s and was living in a nursing home in Northfield. Hunt told Donahue he had a list of 12 people who were buried at the cemetery from 1891 through 1913. She soon encountered other people with hospital connections who knew of more.

She tracked down notes, spreadsheets and narratives about individual patients — some handwritten — created by hospital staff. And she followed Hunt’s instructions to visit the cemetery. They took her through a culvert under Interstate 89, a few hundred feet along a road and 50 feet into the woods up a small knoll.

Unable to find the spot, Donahue wandered at length in the trees. She returned with a measuring tape and eventually located an overgrown section of former field with a large granite marker, installed in 1991, that identifies the final resting place of “twenty or so residents of the hospital.”

Donahue concluded that she might never know exactly how many people were buried on the grounds. Busy with other work, she put the matter aside.

Last summer, after retiring, she resumed the pursuit. She spent days in the state archives, which yielded a newly available record with the names of around 1,000 patients who had died at the hospital. She also returned to the cemetery with workers from the Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation, who helped her spruce up the onceremote knoll, now adjacent to a busy new trail system on Waterbury’s Perry Hill. It wasn’t clear where in the field the graves were, and bicycle tires had worn a rutted shortcut through the knoll. To

her dismay, four cornerstones had been moved to another spot.

Donahue asked the governor’s office for $8,000 to pay for fencing. “They said, ‘We can find that somewhere,’” she said.

The state archaeologist, Jess Robinson, agreed to help find the graves.

“Anne has done a lot of very good archival research on her own,” he said, but added that it’s not clear exactly where the bodies are buried on the knoll or how many there are. He is planning to do some digging to confirm that people are actually interred there.

“We’re 75 percent certain this is the location,” he said. “Before we memorialize it, we’d like to be certain.”

After Donahue’s legislation was introduced in January, elderly former employees of various institutions sent her information about other burial grounds, including one under the parking lot of the 19th-century Windsor prison, now senior housing that still has jail cells in the basement.

Adam Kersch, lead researcher for Vermont’s newly created Truth and

Reconciliation Commission, got in touch with Donahue, too. His job is to find the stories of people who have experienced discrimination at the hands of the State of Vermont, and patients of the former state hospital fit that description, he said. Kersch’s research shows that people were committed, often against

HOW WE TOOK CARE OF OUR MENTALLY ILL AT THE TIME WAS HORRIBLE.

TOM GIFFIN

their will, for things such as masturbation, adultery, heavy drinking and menopause.

“The ideas of what was considered insanity are different from the ones we have today,” he said. “People would get institutionalized for arbitrary reasons.”

Bram Kranichfeld

COURTESY OF GREG MERHAR

A marker at the site of the Vermont State Hospital Cemetery in Waterbury

Kersch said he has enjoyed following Donahue’s search.

“Almost every time I talk with her, she has an update on something new she has found, whether it’s finding records that people haven’t looked at before or looking at records in a new way,” he said. “It’s a really dynamic situation, and I feel lucky to get to see how it plays out.”

In February the state Division for Historic Preservation vowed to research the Waterbury and Windsor burial sites. Donahue withdrew her bill, because that was its goal.

In her hours spent reading old newspaper clippings, Donahue has stumbled upon many personal stories. From a former Vergennes newspaper called the Enterprise and Vermonter , she learned of a teacher named Fred Sharp who was killed by a falling tree in 1912 while he was a hospital patient working on its farm.

“Sharp taught in a number of towns in the state but showed a tendency toward kleptomania, as well as other

signs of being irrational, so he did not stay in a place long,” the article said.

Donahue has worked for years with Tom Giffin, the president of the Vermont Old Cemetery Association, who deploys hundreds of volunteers to spruce up neglected cemeteries. In 2022, his group worked on the spot at Lakeview Cemetery in Burlington that held the gravestones of children who lived at the Home for Destitute Children — one of the entities that eventually became Howard Center — in the late 1800s.

Giffin, a lifetime resident of Rutland, has done research similar to Donahue’s at many cemeteries, including the ones connected to Rutland’s poor farm — a place that housed poor people and sometimes society’s other outcasts — and its former prison, known as the House of Correction. Like Donahue, he enjoys glimpsing the characters who peopled Vermont generations ago, including horse thieves, bootleggers and immigrants from China.

“There were African Americans, people with dementia, unwed mothers, poor people who they took for taxes; it’s well documented,” he said of the poor farm. The association and the City of Rutland have put up kiosks describing who is buried there — critical information, Giffin said, that gives modern-day residents a glimpse of the lives that came before theirs.

“We have a very short memory,” Giffin said. “How we took care of our mentally ill at the time was horrible. If you have a marker and there are names on it, it gives a human face to things.”

Although Donahue’s legislation has stirred others’ interest in the Windsor burial site, she’s focused on Waterbury, where she’s digging deep into hospital records to learn about the lives of individual patients, such as a man who hanged himself from a tree and was buried at the foot of that tree.

Some documents claim bodies are buried elsewhere on the state hospital grounds, and Donahue would like to find out if that’s true and, if so, where.

Most of the people who died at the hospital were buried by family members in their hometowns or family plots, Donahue said. She’s seeking the people who lacked those connections. Her list is down to 32 recorded patient deaths with no burial details. With whole years of hospital records missing — some of them lost in Tropical Storm Irene — Donahue is keenly aware that she’ll probably never really know how many patients died or where they all ended up.

“My goal,” she said, “is to come as close as possible to finding out.” ➆

JEB WALLACE-BRODEUR

Marching Orders

“manufacturing a crisis and causing an inhumane, traumatic displacement that does not need to occur.” A Chittenden County judge declined to immediately intervene and instead scheduled a hearing for Thursday, March 21.

In the meantime, the Scott administration called upon the Vermont National Guard to help convert buildings in Burlington, Rutland, Berlin and Brattleboro into crude sleeping quarters for those getting the boot from the motels. Scott officials said the temporary shelters, which would stay open for no more than a week, would allow homeless people a chance to look for another place to stay or complete the paperwork that would allow them to return to a motel room.

No one showed up to sleep at the 100-cot shelter in Brattleboro, located in a defunct Vermont Yankee office building, during the first four nights. Only one person used the Berlin site. The numbers were highest at the recently vacated state office building on Cherry Street in downtown Burlington.

The lack of turnout at mass shelters was a sign of poor planning, not a lack of need for emergency housing, advocates said. Cots were arranged in open rooms, affording no privacy. Guests could not bring most personal belongings to the shelters, nor could they shower at them. Some of the shelters were difficult to access without a car. And there was uncertainty about how long they’d stay open. In an interview on Monday, Winters said he still wasn’t sure whether they’d close on Thursday, March 21, or the following day.

If the state’s goal was to make sure the shelters were “as minimally utilized as possible,” said Frank Knaack, executive director of the Housing & Homeless Alliance of Vermont, “they couldn’t have set them up in a better way.”

Winters acknowledged that there’s “plenty of blame to go around” for how the past week played out. He said legislators’ frequent, last-minute changes to the motel program deadlines and eligibility rules have made preparations especially difficult. Lawmakers passed the Budget Adjustment Act on March 1, and Winters’ department issued notices to clients about the eligibility changes included in the bill on March 13.  Rep. Theresa Wood (D-Waterbury), the House Human Services Committee chair, called the 12-day delay in notifying motel residents about eligibility “totally unacceptable.” In a statement, she said the situation reflected the Scott administration’s desire to “unhouse” people in the seasonal program.

Ideally, Winters said, lawmakers would have adjusted the $50 million-plus annual program earlier — or maybe not at all.

“We keep thinking this is going to end, and then it doesn’t end, and then the eligibility shifts, and then there’s a new form to use,” Winters said. “All of those things make it really challenging to plan ahead.”

Winters considered the emergency shelters a stopgap measure in light of the short notice his department managed to give residents. But the Scott administration has been talking for months about setting up mass congregate shelters in place of the more expensive motel program.

IT’S REALLY HARD TO TELL WHERE PEOPLE WENT, WHAT OPTIONS THEY MIGHT HAVE.

DCF COMMISSIONER

CHRIS WINTERS

“It was also kind of an experiment,” Winters said of this week’s operation, to see whether the temporary shelters are “something that we should do or could be doing” when it comes time for another round of motel evictions.

Scott notified host communities about the mass emergency shelters days before they opened, setting off criticism. Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger had asked the state last year to fund a new shelter at the Cherry Street state office building, but officials had declined. The mayor criticized the sudden, temporary change of course, made without

any coordination with local officials or social service providers.

Weinberger toured the site last Friday, then asked the state to tweak its plan, including by providing secure storage for guests’ weapons, rather than prohibiting them. He also asked officials to adjust the hours of operation to mesh with local services and avoid overlap with students’ morning commute to the nearby Burlington High School. The state declined to make those changes, Weinberger’s office said.

Last Friday night, a uniformed member of the National Guard and a sheriff’s deputy stood at the Burlington building’s entrance while other workers sat idly inside, waiting for would-be guests. Only three people showed up over the course of the night, according to the state. Two others slept at the Rutland shelter, meaning just five people used the four shelters on the first night.

“We’re really not sure why” so few people used the state-run shelters, Winters said. “It’s really hard to tell where people went, what options they might have,” he added. “I just hope the best for them.”

At Harbor Place, a hotel site in Shelburne operated by Champlain Housing Trust, 10 people had been staying under the winter program. Four had their stays extended, community relations director Chris Donnelly said. Of the six guests who left, two planned to pay for rooms at another motel for a few nights, two planned to couch-surf, and two “will be camping in the woods,” Donnelly said. None mentioned using the state-run shelters, he added.

The Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity bought dozens of tents and sleeping bags to hand out, homeless outreach services coordinator Adam Hall said. Only a few people came to the

nonprofit’s Community Resource Center on Monday to request a tent, he said.

The state-funded center, located in Burlington’s Old North End next to the local food shelf, saw higher-than-usual foot traffic, but Hall has yet to see a rush of newly desperate people. He’s not surprised — it took a week or two after the summer evictions for the full impacts to become evident.

The resource center counted 193 unsheltered people in February and 75 who were homeless but staying in motels. He expects many of those 75 to lose their shelter in the weeks and months ahead. How quickly, nobody knows. People living in the motels have become accustomed to a perpetual uncertainty about when they might be evicted. Even move-out deadlines have become harder to take seriously.

“It keeps pushing that stress forward,” Hall said. “To live in that space all the time, it’s really damaging to people’s mental health.”

The Burlington shelter had 30 people stay over on Monday night. The city-run, state-funded winter warming shelter on South Winooski Avenue had closed for the season on Monday morning. It had been serving about 30 people nightly.

Many who’d been staying there migrated to Cherry Street, where more than 20 people were already lined up in a freezing drizzle for the 7 p.m. opening. One man, who declined to give his name, said he’d been staying at the South Winooski Avenue site for the past few nights. Newly homeless, he was looking for a way to avoid tenting. He asked a Seven Days reporter which day the Cherry Street shelter would be shutting down; he needed to plan for it.

No one, not even the officials running the shelter, could answer his question. ➆

People lining up to get into Burlington’s temporary shelter on Monday night

Pro-Palestinian Activists Protest Outside Matisyahu Show at Higher Ground

BY CHRIS FARNSWORTH • farnsworth@sevendaysvt.com

Dozens of pro-Palestinian activists lined the sidewalk by the entrance to Higher Ground in South Burlington last Thursday night in protest of a performance by reggae artist Matisyahu. The 44-year-old Jewish American singer of hits like “King Without a Crown” has come under fire for his comments on the war in Gaza and support of the Israeli government, including playing for Israel Defense Forces soldiers in January.

Holding signs reading “Matisyahu supports genocide” and “Make Higher Ground apartheid free,” the protesters waved at passing cars while holding Palestinian flags.

Sophie Cassel, a clinical and community herbalist from Richmond, was there representing the local chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace, an anti-Zionist

who are so quick to choose a side and pay no attention to the history and complexity of Israel and Palestine.”

“I don’t go out and make big political statements. It’s not my cup of tea,” the Pennsylvania native said. “So I performed for the [Israel Defense Forces] soldiers. Does that make me racist, because I support the country of Israel?”

Matisyahu is performing around the U.S. as part of a 34-stop “Hold the Fire” tour. Three previous shows — in Santa Fe, N.M.; Tucson, Ariz.; and Chicago — were canceled after local outcry.

The war in Gaza has become a flash point in the U.S., from college campuses and city council meetings to sporting events and concerts. It’s also sparked debate about free speech. In October, the University of Vermont cited “security concerns” when it canceled a planned on-campus talk by Palestinian author and activist Mohammed El-Kurd. And the Burlington City Council heard hours of public comment before voting in January against putting an “anti-apartheid” resolution about Israel on the Town Meeting Day ballot.

organization. Cassel, who is Jewish, said she felt the need to protest Matisyahu’s performance because of his views and his propensity to label critics as antisemitic.

“He’s pushed this notion that only people who hate Israel and Jewish people stand with Palestine,” Cassel said. “That is simply not true. Matisyahu says he wants peace, but his peace is rooted in the continued dispossession of an entire population.”

Cassel insisted that the protesters weren’t there to antagonize Matisyahu’s fans, Higher Ground or its employees but to respond directly to the singer’s Zionist views.

“We’d be here if it was Taylor Swift and she was the one supporting genocide,” Cassel said.

About 100 local musicians and organizations such as Cassel’s and the Vermont Coalition for Palestinian Liberation signed a letter last week calling for the show to be canceled, but the concert went on as planned. Fans of the singer lined up outside the venue, away from the protesters on the sidewalk.

Higher Ground declined to comment, other than to confirm that the show would go on. In an interview with Seven Days on March 13, Matisyahu blasted the protesters as “the most idiotic people,

Matisyahu, born Matthew Paul Miller, told Newsweek in January that he “would like to see any terrorist, Hamas, or person who believes Israel has no right to exist or the Jews have no right to it, I would like Israel to destroy those people ... I would like to see the destruction of evil.”

He’s also been vocal about ensuring the safe return of Israeli hostages taken by Hamas.

Matisyahu maintains that his positions have been misconstrued by those protesting his shows.

“It’s completely ludicrous,” he said. “My music is peaceful; my fans are peaceful. So why are these people creating possibly violent situations outside of my concerts and screaming ‘From the river to the sea,’ which any Jew knows means the elimination of the Jewish people?”

Matisyahu, who lived in Burlington for a brief time when he was 17 years old, was sad to see a city he considered special become hostile to him.

“I love Burlington,” he said. “My time there was the beginning of Matisyahu. It’s where I discovered music and used to rap on the street for quarters. Now I’m not excited to come because people are calling me a genocidal maniac. But I love Israel. I love being a Jew, and I love Judaism. That’s under attack right now. So be it. I’m a part of that.” ➆

LUKE AWTRY

Protesters outside Higher Ground

FEEDback

CLOSER LOOK

I really loved the article about Mark Breen [“Eye on This Guy,” March 13]. After hearing his voice for 20 years or more, I felt like he was a close friend, but I always wondered what he looked like and what his background was. Now I know.

Good to “see” Steve Maleski, too. Sorry to hear that he soon will retire.

Keep up the good work.

Hank Kaestner SHELBURNE

SOLVE ‘SOCIETAL’ PROBLEM

[Re “Crime in Mind: Morristown and Other Small Towns Are Convening to Address Rising Crime in Rural Vermont,” February 14]: The United States already has the highest number of prisoners of any country worldwide, so “get tougher on crime” hasn’t worked out too well.

feelings of sadness or hopelessness. Towns could invest in painting bike lanes, etc.

We have a problem — a societal problem. We need to try new things, and we need to do it soon.

Richard Marble FARMINGTON, ME

VOICE IN THE WILDERNESS

[Re “Wild Bill: Long at Odds With Vermont’s Fish and Wildlife Board, Activists Would Like to Strip Its Powers,” February 28]: For over a year, I’ve been attending Fish and Wildlife Board meetings and commenting on pertinent wildlife issues such as wolf recolonization, hunting bear sows with cubs and trapping best management practices. At the recent February board meeting, I finally responded to feelings of disenfranchisement by stating that in over a year of commenting at board meetings, not once has the representative for my county taken time to respond to any of my comments. I know when I’m being ignored.

What else do we look at? Federal Bureau of Investigation statistics from over the years. From 1960 to 1969, Vermont had 192 robberies. From 2000 to 2019, Vermont had 891 — 4.5 times more robberies in the same time period, but the population only increased 0.5 percent.

What changed? More drugs, less manufacturing and consolidation of schools are what I come up with.

Most will blame drugs, but let’s look at school consolidation. In the 1960s, we had small, local schools. Kids played with neighbor kids. In consolidated schools, kids hang with kids like themselves. Local schools could live stream experts and save on busing.

Back in the 1960s, every kid had a bike and rode everywhere. Now roads have become the domain of automobiles. Exercise has a large effect on kids. When you exercise, your body produces endorphins, which alleviate pain, lower stress and create a sense of well-being. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data show that among adolescents ages 12 to 17 today, 36.7 percent have persistent

JEWS AGAINST MATISYAHU

Thank you for Chris Farnsworth’s thorough coverage of the recent Matisyahu show at Higher Ground and the protests surrounding it [“Activists Protest Outside Matisyahu Show at Higher Ground,” March 14, online; “Pro-Palestinian Groups, Musicians Urge Higher Ground to Cancel Matisyahu Show,” March 14, online].

bombing Palestine is ethically acceptable, General Dynamics in Williston actively facilitates it. Yes, the company’s Ordnance and Tactical Systems division “empower[s] the U.S. military and its allies” by manufacturing arms and happens to have a plant in our very own Williston, Vt.

During a break, we finally spoke and agreed it was time for a conversation. No Vermonter should have to wait for a year to be heard by their representative. I appreciate the care and stewardship of wildlife that the current board has achieved, but there are far more stakeholders in wildlife than there were when the board was created and when hunters, trappers and anglers funded the recovery of many species.

The current board’s focus is furbearers and game animals, but other threatened native species of plants and animals also deserve our attention, especially as we mitigate the impacts of climate change.

As a lifelong advocate for wildlife, sometimes as a bowhunter, still as an angler and always as an Indigenous person, I’ve always wanted to be seen as an ally of my state’s wildlife agency. Unfortunately, now when I speak critically of some wildlife policies, I am treated like an enemy. I’m guardedly optimistic that with a new board, we can learn to work together for the betterment of all species.

Rod Coronado ORANGE

Coronado is director of the nonprofit Vermont Wildlife Patrol.

Chris did an exceptional job of letting the spokesperson for Jewish Voice for Peace explain the reasons for the demonstration. You wouldn’t know from much local news coverage that there are hundreds of Jews in Vermont demanding an immediate and permanent halt to Israel’s genocidal attack on Palestinians.

Matisyahu’s full-throated support for the Israel Defense Forces and Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right government makes all Jews everywhere less safe. Higher Ground should have canceled the show, but, failing that, I was glad to see dozens of my fellow Jewish Vermonters calling them out for their implicit support of the continued slaughter in Gaza.

Andrew Simon BURLINGTON

WRONG TARGET

[Re “Activists Protest Outside Matisyahu Show at Higher Ground,” March 14, online; “Pro-Palestinian Groups, Musicians Urge Higher Ground to Cancel Matisyahu Show,” March 14, online]: I understand the temptation to divest from individuals — to remove support for or deny a platform to individuals who hold problematic opinions. That tactic has been around for decades, the most common example being college campuses canceling speaker visits after student pushback.

But this focus on Matisyahu totally overlooks a bigger problem more worthy of protest: While Matisyahu may believe that

Isn’t that more morally egregious than a middle-aged Jewish man holding an opinion? The pen may be mightier than the sword, but MK-80s are mightier than song lyrics. Let’s redirect protesters’ labor toward shutting down a death machine. Material harm is more worthy of outrage, in my eyes.

Mikhala Kaseweter WILLISTON

MAYOR IS A FULL-TIME JOB

[Re “Mulvaney-Stanak Weighing When to Resign Statehouse Seat,” March 15, online]: Burlington voters are victims of a con. Only after the election did mayor-elect Emma Mulvaney-Stanak disclose her true intention to work simultaneously as a state representative. The state job is demanding and requires the mayor to be out of town a lot, business hours and evenings. That’s on top of running a consulting business.

Already Mulvaney-Stanak missed an evening campaign event in favor of something in Montpelier. Burlington should come first. This is a fraud against the voters and against the city. The voters thought we were choosing a full-time mayor. The city is paying over $100,000 a year for full-time work. You can’t phone it in while commuting to Montpelier.

Burlington is in a world of hurt and needs a full-time mayor on the job on day one. To put things right, the new mayor must resign from the legislature immediately. This isn’t a complex decision. The day job has priority.

Samuel Press BURLINGTON

Protesters outside Higher Ground

LUKE

Chuck’s Bikes in Morrisville

FILE: KEVIN GODDARD

lifelines

OBITUARIES

Elizabeth Ruane

OCTOBER 28, 1959FEBRUARY 23, 2024

SHELBURNE, VT.

Elizabeth Arnold Ruane, known as Lili, passed away on Friday, February 23, 2024, following a fierce battle with pancreatic cancer. She passed peacefully at her home, surrounded by family, in Shelburne, Vt., where she resided since 1994.

Lili was born on October 28, 1959, in New York, N.Y., to Elizabeth “Libba” A. Ruane (neé Greiner) and William “Bill” J. Ruane. She attended the Chapin School and Choate Rosemary Hall. She matriculated to the University of Vermont, where she studied art history and met many of her dearest friends. In 1979 she transferred to the San Francisco Art Institute, where she

George C. Singer

JUNE 23, 1927MARCH 9, 2024 BURLINGTON, VT.

George Chapman Singer, 96, of Burlington, Vt., died on March 9, 2024, after a short illness.

Born on June 23, 1927,

George grew up in Yonkers, N.Y., the son of Virginia Chapman and Albert H. Singer. A 1944 graduate of Scarborough School in Scarborough, N.Y., George met his future wife, Gloria, in the ninth grade. After graduation, he accepted an appointment to Kings Point Merchant Marine Academy. He served as a midshipman in the U.S. Merchant Marine.

After the war, George earned a BA in English at Dartmouth College, graduating magna cum laude.

On June 16, 1950, George

OBITUARIES, VOWS, CELEBRATIONS

deepened her commitment to painting and the arts and received her bachelor and master of fine arts degrees. In 1986 she met Michael Briggs Barrett in Killington, during a ski weekend. ey were married at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, with celebrations at the Plaza Hotel in New York City in September 1988. Immediately following their wedding,

and Gloria were married in Zion’s Episcopal Church in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., and soon settled in Philadelphia, where George earned an MBA at e Wharton School.

George began his business career as a registered representative on the New York Stock Exchange for Shields & Company, while he and Gloria began their family. Over time they moved north, eventually moving to Burlington, Vt., in

Lili and Michael moved to Hinesburg, Vt., where they started their family with the birth of Julie Ruane Barrett in June 1989. eir brood of blond daughters grew with the births of Lucy Briggs Barrett (1990), Kelsey Elizabeth Barrett (1992) and Sophie Leanna Barrett (1994). While their marriage ended, their friendship continued and grew over the

1971, where George managed W.E. Hutton & Company’s office. In 1976, he opened a regional office for Dean Witter (now Morgan Stanley). He retired in 1993.

George learned to ski at Dartmouth and soon taught Gloria this new sport. As his family grew, so did their love for skiing. George first skied at Mad River Glen in 1960, and soon it became his family’s skiing home. George skied until he was 86 years old and enjoyed taking his grandchildren down his favorite trails.

Books were an enduring passion for George. His fascination with rare books began when he was a teenager, and he enjoyed collecting throughout his life. Over many years, George amassed a significant collection of Adirondack books and prints. After retirement, George and Gloria started a small business, e Ashley

years. Michael later walked Lili down the aisle for her marriage to Winthrop “Win” H. Smith Jr. In 2009 Lili reconnected with Win while in line at the Burlington airport. ey had met previously at her father’s farm in Connecticut when she was just 6 years old. ey were bonded by their intertwined life paths and love for the outdoors and skiing. Lili and Win wed at Sugarbush Resort in Warren, Vt., in August 2011. eir families instantly became a large, loving clan. Lili’s great joy in life was raising her four daughters and encouraging them to follow their passions. She taught them the values of kindness and gratitude and how to shine in their individuality. Lili’s home in Shelburne was a gathering place for friends and family of all ages and was always full of love, laughter, art, wine and music.

Book Company, which specialized in forgeries and private-press books. George was a longtime member of the Grolier Club of New York City, where he served as the organization’s representative to the Fellowship of American Bibliophilic Societies. A lifelong runner, George started jogging in the early 1960s, long before it was popular. He ran and rode his bike into his early nineties. Starting in 1963, George climbed the Adirondack 46 over the course of 38 years, summiting his last peak with his grandson Christopher.

After George’s first visit to Lake George in 1941, he spent time “at the lake” every year of his life. Together with his father and Gloria, George established a family camp on Lake George’s Heart Bay that has brought together five generations of his family.

George was always up for

Lili was a talented artist, specializing in large-format oil paintings. She also explored her creativity through sculpture, stained glass and jewelry design. Her love for the arts was matched only by her dedication to her spirituality, which she deepened over the years as a student of Naam Yoga and various other practices. She was a metaphysical practitioner of harmonium, a Reiki master and a yoga teacher.

Lili was a generous philanthropist. Her support of the arts, environmental causes, education, mental health treatment, reproductive justice and her local community (specifically Burlington City Arts, Shelburne Farms and the Vermont Women’s Fund) will ensure that her legacy lives on for generations.

Lili was known by all who knew her as the embodiment of love and light.

fun and a little mischief — and narrowly got away with a few of his escapades. As a teenager and young man, George was known to waterski at night and once sailed the length of Lake George in a borrowed Star overloaded with “provisions.” George entertained his children and grandchildren by occasionally swallowing a fly or spider!

For decades, George was an active supporter of Lake George and the Ticonderoga community. He served on the boards of the Lake George Association, the Lake George Land Conservancy and Fort Ticonderoga’s National Council Advisory. George was deeply committed to the revitalization of Ticonderoga, and he believed in the life-changing power of education. To that end, George established a scholarship fund for area high school graduates to continue their education in skilled trades.

Lili is survived by her loving husband, Win Smith; her beloved daughters, Julie Bromage, Lucy Barrett, Kelsey Barrett and Sophie Barrett; her sister, Paige Ruane; her stepchildren, Heather Winklemann, Christina DiSabato, Winthrop H. Smith III and Cameron Smith; her grandchildren, Oona Bromage, Chloe Bromage and August Doherty; her stepgrandchildren, Jack DiSabato, Madyn DiSabato, Cole DiSabato, Vivian Winklemann, Henry Winklemann, Winthrop H. Smith IV, Tilly Smith, Teddy Smith and Kaleena Smith; her dear friend Lara Rabideau; and her dog, Zoe.

A celebration of Lili’s life will take place on May 11, 2024, 3 p.m., in the Breeding Barn at Shelburne Farms, Shelburne, Vt. Please RSVP: eventcreate.com/e/liliruane.

All who knew and loved Lili are invited to join.

George was predeceased by his wife, Gloria, and is survived by his children, Lauren (Peter Waite), Robert and Margaret (Michael Huffman). He leaves nine grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

ere will be a celebration at Lake George this summer to gather George’s family and friends. A small service is planned for April 4, 3 p.m., at All Saints Church in South Burlington.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Lake George Land Conservancy/ George C. Singer Education Fund, Ticonderoga

Revitalization Alliance/George C. Singer Skilled Career Scholarship Endowment Fund or Fort Ticonderoga/ Education Programs Fund. e family invites you to view further information and share your memories by visiting awrfh.com.

lifelines

OBITUARIES

Nancy Looby

JUNE 7, 1935-MARCH 8, 2024

BURLINGTON, VT.

Nancy Looby, née Godfrey, passed away peacefully on March 8, 2024, in Burlington, Vt., after a brief illness. Nancy was born in St. Albans, Vt., on June 7, 1935, the daughter of the late Arthur and Evelyn (Lambert) Godfrey.

Nancy grew up in Swanton, Vt., surrounded by loving relatives. Nancy especially enjoyed her time with her grandparents Clifton and Florence Lambert, grandmother Alma Godfrey, and cousin Ted Lapier, who was like a brother. Nancy graduated from Swanton High School and Vermont Junior College. She worked briefly as a medical secretary before meeting the love of her life, Clement Looby.

ree short months after meeting, Clem proposed to Nancy, and on September 15, 1956, they married in Swanton. Clem and Nancy’s marriage was an inspiration to many.

OBITUARIES, VOWS, CELEBRATIONS

Ann Kucharski Cenci

College of Vermont with a double major in elementary education and psychology. She tutored many students in reading and writing. Nancy loved all types of books but especially mysteries and cookbooks. Even toward the end of her life, she read constantly and found an interest in World War II history books and anything about Winston Churchill. She even took an interest in medical textbooks. Whenever her children were ill, she would read to us, no matter our age. It was always comforting to hear her share the books from her childhood.

Most important to Nancy were her family and a welcoming home. She loved her children deeply and became involved in what they did.

ey loved each other deeply, and their love extended outward to their children, grandchildren, sons-in-law, daughter-in-law, extended family and friends. ey opened their house to numerous people for dinner or a stay.

Nancy loved to feed people and always had a meal, with more than enough left over, for anyone in her home. Every night, Clem and Nancy would sit down before dinner, have a cocktail and “visit.” It was not unusual for friends to stop by to join them. To this day, we smile when we talk about how they would “sit and visit.”

Nancy read voraciously. Typically, she could be found reading more than one book at the same time. She passed down her love of reading to her children and grandchildren. She worked as a children’s librarian at the library during summers and as a substitute librarian during the school year. Nancy’s love of books and instilling her love of reading in others led her to return to college; she graduated with honors from Trinity

Nancy was a Cub Scout troop leader, Girl Scout leader, homeroom mother, Sunday school teacher and softball coach, among the many roles she played. She cheered her children from the sidelines and attended every event in which we were involved. When she had grandchildren, she loved each of them so very much. Nancy also loved animals, especially cats and her beloved dog, Harris. Nancy and Clem supported the Humane Society throughout their lives.

Nancy will be missed by many. She is survived by her children, Lorraine (Michael) Cunningham, eodore (Winnie) Looby, and Andrea (Jay) Amicangelo; grandchildren, Aaron, Kate and Sean Cunningham; Charlotte, Russell, Josephine and Desmond Looby; and Wesley Amicangelo; and her beloved cat, Gracie. What gives us comfort is that Nancy and Clem are reunited, talking about their day, as they sit and visit for eternity.

A graveside service and celebration of life will be scheduled this summer. Nancy hated cold weather and dark colors. She would love everyone to gather, eat, wear bright colorful clothes, and, of course, sit and visit. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Humane Society of Chittenden County, 142 Kindness Ct., South Burlington, VT (hsccvt.org) or your favorite animal shelter.

APRIL 15, 1942MARCH 14, 2024 SOUTH BURLINGTON, VT. Ann Cenci, 81, of the Residence at Quarry Hill, passed away peacefully on the evening of March 14, 2024, after a period of declining health. Born on April 15, 1942, in Exeter, N.H., she was the daughter of the late Edward and Kathryn Kucharski of Portland, Maine. She graduated from St. Joseph’s Academy, St. Joseph’s College and the University of Maine.

On September 18, 1966, Ann married Eugene (Gene) Cenci in Portland, Maine, and later that year they moved to Burlington, Vt., where they resided and raised their children for many years, until 2023.

She is survived by her husband of 58 years, Gene; her son, Geno, and his wife, Tammy, of Groveland, Mass.; two granddaughters, Emily and Rachel

Vincent James Hampson Jr.

NOVEMBER 17, 1952MARCH 13, 2024 COLCHESTER, VT.

Vincent James Hampson Jr., 71, of Colchester, Vt., passed away peacefully on March 13, 2024, at the McClure Miller Respite House in Colchester.

Vince was born in Trenton, N.J., on November 17, 1952, to Mary (Crane) and Vincent J. Hampson Sr. His family moved to Burlington, Vt., in 1961, where he attended Christ the King Catholic School and graduated from Burlington High School in 1973.

Vince lived to hunt and fish. He loved the outdoors and was a prolific gardener with a fantastic vegetable crop, from which he gave generously to his friends and family. He had a heart of gold and a genuine love of people, which is why he enjoyed working at the St. John’s Club. He was also employed by Digital Corporation and drove a truck for Green Mountain Messenger.

Sail Beyond Cancer

Vermont brought great joy to Vince’s life as he struggled

Cenci; daughter, Lisa Cenci Sherman, and her husband, Christopher, of South Burlington; and grand-dog Higgins.

A mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Friday, March 22, 10:30 a.m., at Christ the King Church in Burlington. ere are no calling hours.

Ann’s family would like to thank her physicians, Dr. Maura Barry, Dr. Rebecca Joyce, and the numerous nurses and caregivers at the University of Vermont Cancer Center, Home Instead, the Residences

relentlessly with his health. As he described his sailing experiences, “It’s the silence ... that moment when the engine goes off. It’s magical.” In 2023, Sail Beyond Cancer Vermont initiated a new award, the Wind, Water & Sail Award, to be bestowed annually in honor of “the kindness, generosity and courage shown by Vincent Hampson” and two other sailors.

Vince is survived by his three siblings, Frances Hampson Stearns of Willowbrook, Ill.; Patrick Hampson (Kathy) of Sandown, N.H.; and Mary Hampson (David Mona) of South Burlington, Vt. He leaves behind nieces and nephews Ethan J.

at Quarry Hill and Bayada Hospice Care.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in her name to the Stern Center for Language and Learning, 83 Talcott Rd., Williston, VT 05495. Ann was deeply passionate about and dedicated to the organization. Her volunteer time there reflected her strong belief in their mission and the impact of their work.

Arrangements are in the care of the Ready Funeral & Cremation Services. To send online condolences, please visit readyfuneral.com.

Stearns (Haley) of Sierra Madre, Calif.; Brenna Stearns Gildner (Dutch) of La Grange, Ill.; Caitlyn Hampson of Danville, N.H.; and Dr. Patrick Hampson of Manchester, N.H.; greatnieces and -nephews Gray, Molly, eo and Faye; and many close and loving cousins. Vince had many devoted friends to whom his family is forever grateful, including the Furlani family, the Mona family and Napoleon Ploufe.

A funeral mass is planned for Wednesday, May 8, 11 a.m., at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church in Colchester, celebrated by Father omas Mattison. A celebration of life will follow at the St. John’s Club, 9 Central Ave., Burlington. Vince will be buried with his parents at Resurrection Park in South Burlington.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to be made to Sail Beyond Cancer Vermont at 150 Dorset St., Ste. 245-234, South Burlington, VT 05403, or at vermont@sailbeyondcancer. org., or through Venmo @sailbeyondcancervt. Please visit awrfh.com to share your memories and condolences.

John R. Hughes

JUNE 7, 1949MARCH 17, 2024

SOUTH BURLINGTON, VT.

John R. Hughes passed away on March 17, 2024, at the Arbors in Shelburne, Vt., at the age of 74. He was born in Jackson, Miss., on June 7, 1949. He grew up with his parents, Michael and Edith Hughes, and his two brothers, Giles and Paul. He graduated from Millsaps College in 1971 and then earned his medical degree from the University of Mississippi Medical School in 1975. He completed residency in psychiatry there and at the University of Pittsburgh and held an NIH postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Minnesota, where he became an assistant professor.

It was in Minnesota where John met and married his wife, Sally Kruse Hughes. In 1985, John and Sally moved to Vermont, where he became a professor at the University of Vermont. During his 35-year tenure at UVM, he established an international reputation for his research on nicotine and tobacco control, earning numerous awards for his scholarly contributions. In 2005, the journal Tobacco Control identified John as the most-cited primary

Louise McCarren

MARCH 14, 1947FEBRUARY 16, 2024 CHARLOTTE, VT.

Louise was born in San Mateo, Calif., in 1947, not long after the end of World War II. Her ancestors on both sides came from long lines of early California settlers. Her father was a bomber pilot in the Pacific during WWII, once bailing out over China toward the end of the war. As a child, she enjoyed skiing and waterskiing near their Lake Tahoe family cabin, which her father built in the 1950s.

She attended Notre Dame High School in Belmont, Calif., graduating from UC Berkeley in 1969. This was an interesting time, as her brothers were serving in Vietnam, and the counterculture revolution was unfolding in the Bay Area. She graduated from UCLA law school in 1972,

investigator in tobacco control research. Throughout his career and beyond, he mentored psychology graduate students and took great pride in their accomplishments. He volunteered his expertise to numerous state and national health organizations, served as president of the Association for the Treatment of Tobacco Use and Dependence, was cofounder and president of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco, and was editor of the journal Annals of Behavioral Medicine. He was a frequent presenter, a sought-after consultant and a valued colleague.

Throughout his life, John enjoyed engagement with the natural world. He was an avid hiker and bicyclist. He and Sally took advantage of his many international speaking engagements to

where she reportedly drove a motorcycle around Los Angeles.

In 1973 she moved with her first husband to Vermont, where they had a son, Patrick McCarren. She began practicing law in Vermont as a legal aid lawyer and public defender at a time when there were few female lawyers, and she was considered a trailblazer in that regard. In 1977 she published a helpful guidebook, A Non-lawyers’

take an extra week to explore the nearest mountain ranges. John and Sally could be found every weekend and vacation day pursuing outdoor adventures, from backpacking to white-water canoeing to cross-country skiing.

Some of John’s greatest joys were derived from being a father to his two daughters, Sara and Kelsey, and grandfather to his five grandchildren. It was then that his goofy side came out, and he was always making the kids laugh.

John is survived by his wife, Sally; daughter Sara Poplack, her husband, Aaron, and their two children, Lucy and Jake, of San Jose, Calif.; daughter Kelsey Sheahan, her husband, Corey, and their three children, Keegan, Lyle and Fiona, of South Burlington, Vt.; brother Giles Hughes and his wife, Leslie; and brother Paul Hughes of Albuquerque, N.M. A memorial gathering will be held this summer to allow all family and loved ones to attend.

John’s goal in life was to give back, and he contributed generously to various charitable causes, with more to follow after death. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you please consider making a contribution in his memory to a charity of your choosing.

Guide to Getting a Divorce in Vermont

She met her second husband, Edwin Amidon, in the late 1970s, outside a courtroom where he was an acting judge. She was taken by his sense of adventure, and they soon began white-water canoeing together as early members of the Vermont Canoe Cruisers Club. They welcomed her second child, William Amidon, in 1979.

Louise’s career took her into regulatory economics, eventually becoming chairman of the Vermont Public Service Board under governor Richard Snelling in 1981. She briefly became involved in Vermont politics, unsuccessfully running for lieutenant governor in the Republican primary in 1990. During the 1990s, she began consulting for utilities, eventually becoming CEO of NYNEX (later Verizon) Vermont in the late 1990s. By the mid-2000s, she became chief executive

Sarah Dopp

NOVEMBER 21, 1946MARCH 7, 2024

SOUTH BURLINGTON, VT.

Sarah Leigh Dopp, of Cheese Factory Road, South Burlington, Vt., left us, gently and suddenly, on March 7, 2024. She was born in Burlington to Leroy J. Dopp Jr. and Katharine (Eckley) Dopp on November 21, 1946.

Sarah attended South Burlington schools and graduated from the University of Vermont in 1968. She worked as a medical technologist at Mary Fletcher Hospital for 50 years. A work exchange program, in her early years there, led her to the United Kingdom, where she renewed her fascination with all things historical. She returned to UVM, where she received her MA in English.

Sarah tirelessly gave herself to her friends and the many organizations that were close to her heart. She was the founder and president of the South Burlington Land Trust. As a conservation champion, she donated 40 acres of her own land in the southeast quadrant to be protected forever. She was also the volunteer leader of the Champlain Valley Conservation Partnership. Sarah was a longtime CSA member of the Intervale Community Farm and a devoted supporter of

of the Western Electric Coordinating Council, which helps to manage the western U.S. power grid. Through the years, she was known as a strong leader who could cut to the chase and connected with employees at all levels of an organization. For example, she was famous for eating lunch in the cafeteria at Verizon and once served lunch while the employees were on the picket line. Over the years, she served on numerous nonprofit and corporate boards, including ISO-New England, Vermont Law School, Campaign for Vermont, National Life and as chair of the Fletcher Allen Hospital (now University of Vermont Medical Center) Board.

Louise was an avid athlete and adventurer who was rarely idle. During the ’80s and ’90s, she was a triathlete and once competed in the Hawaii Ironman. She shared a passion for wilderness canoeing with her husband,

her neighbors at Bread & Butter Farm.

Sarah served as president of both the Chittenden County Historical Society and the Vermont Historical Society, where she was currently a trustee on their board. Sarah was a member of the First Baptist Church of Burlington for 63 years and served as the church moderator and historian, among myriad other roles.

Sarah was a regular volunteer at Meals on Wheels and Age Well Vermont, and she loved UVM women’s basketball. She never hesitated to take on any task, always with grace and cheer. She lived out her faith in all that she did. Sarah was a great supporter of the arts. She served as president and supporter of the Craftsbury Chamber Players and donated her field to them during COVID-19, where they

Ed, and they worked together to launch many multi-week canoe expeditions to the Canadian Arctic, on rivers such as the Coppermine, Kazan, Hood, Burnside and Noatak. She also enjoyed gardening and was known for gifting huge bouquets of flowers to everyone and anyone. In her later years, she played tennis and women’s hockey and greatly valued being a part of those communities.

Louise returned to Charlotte full time around 2013 and became involved in the life of the town. She was a frequent volunteer at the Charlotte Food Shelf and the Charlotte Senior Center and served on the selectboard for several years. She enjoyed being able to spend time with her sons and her two granddaughters, Pippa and Marley Amidon, who brought her a great deal of joy. Her final show of strength was as a steadfast caregiver to her

could perform outside with ease and joy. She sponsored the Katharine Dopp Organ Recital each year at First Baptist and supported the preservation and use of historic organs around Vermont.

Sentiment of place and the land — past and present — was so very important to Sarah Dopp. She kept records and documents of local history for all of us to learn from and value. Her love of the land, history and agriculture in Vermont, as well as her love of music and her great faith, were always within her, and she was proud to share it all. Sarah loved reading outside in the sunshine, especially in spring, with snowdrops and daffodils in bloom.

Sarah is survived by her first cousins, Sue Ellen Dopp, Douglas Dopp, Christopher Chase and Katrina Gorsky; and by countless friends.

All are welcome to attend a memorial service on Friday, April 12, 2024, 10 a.m., at the First Baptist Church of Burlington, 81 St. Paul St. Those who would like to view the service remotely can receive a Zoom link by emailing welcome@ fbcburlingtonvt.com. In lieu of flowers, please consider a gift to the First Baptist Church Memorial Fund or the Vermont Historical Society.

husband, Ed, until his passing in late December 2023.

Louise lived a vibrant and generous life, touching the lives of countless people with her generosity. She was constantly focused on what she could do for others and provided assistance to countless friends and strangers over her life.

Louise is survived by her sons, Patrick McCarren and William Amidon; her granddaughters, Pippa and Marley Amidon; her stepdaughters, Jane and Martha Amidon; her brothers, Michael and Tony Moroney; and her sister, Mollie Moroney. She will be dearly missed by many.

A celebration of life will be held for Louise and her husband, Edwin, on Saturday, April 6, 11 a.m., at the Charlotte Congregational Church. All are welcome. Donations in memory of Louise can be made to the Charlotte Food Shelf or the Adirondack Land Trust.

Safe Haven’ ‘

Vermont is considering controversial overdose-prevention sites. Seven Days went to New York City to see one.

BY KEVIN MCCALLUM • kevin@sevendaysvt.com

Greg Gordon never shoots up alone anymore.

He knows the heroin he buys on the street in East Harlem is deadlier than ever, often mixed with fentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid, and xylazine, an animal tranquilizer. So when he wants to get high, as he does almost daily, Gordon goes somewhere he can use drugs among people he trusts to save him if he overdoses.

That place is an old four-story red-brick building on East 126th Street, between a cramped bodega and a litter-strewn parking lot ringed with razor wire.

And those people are the staff at OnPoint NYC, a nonprofit that since 2021 has operated the only two approved overdose-prevention centers in the United

States, both in New York City. Gordon can bring his drugs to inject or smoke there while a trained staff member looks on, ready to intervene if he overdoses.

On an early afternoon this month, the 52-yearold former contractor rolled his wheelchair up to a cubicle and injected opioids. Then he retired to a private room to smoke crack cocaine.

When he was finished, he packed up his drug kit, pulled a neck warmer up over his gray beard and prepared to head back out into the streets. If it weren’t for OnPoint NYC, he said, that’s where he’d be using, risking overdose, robbery or worse.

“This is like a safe haven,” Gordon said in a soft, languid voice that showed signs of the drugs’

effects. “I know they’re not going to let anything bad happen to me.”

Seven Days spent an afternoon at OnPoint’s East Harlem location on March 7 as Vermont officials considered whether the strategy could work for the rural state. The drug epidemic has killed nearly 1,000 people in Vermont since 2019 and has made many residents feel their communities are less safe. Lawmakers in Montpelier appear likely to pass a bill in the next few weeks authorizing a pilot program with two overdose-prevention centers.

The proposal comes during an ongoing national debate about sites such as OnPoint’s. Do they save lives and open the door to recovery for people

Jason Beltre in the supervised consumption room at OnPoint NYC in East Harlem

addicted to drugs who are ready to quit? Or does their inherent permissiveness send the wrong message about drug use and create new public safety dangers?

Rhode Island and Minnesota have adopted plans to open overdose-prevention centers, sometimes called safe-injection sites. In December, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health endorsed the approach as “an evidence-based, lifesaving tool” that is “feasible and necessary” in light of fatal overdoses.

Other states are becoming more dubious about a lenient approach to drug misuse. Three years ago, Oregon became the first state to decriminalize possession of small amounts of hard drugs. After a spike in overdose deaths and a rise in street crime, legislators there recently voted to recriminalize drug possession.

The idea of safe-injection sites in Vermont has gained traction as overdose deaths soared from 50 in 2012 to 244 in 2022.

Both leading candidates in Burlington’s recent mayoral race supported locating an overdose-prevention site in the city. City Councilor Joan Shannon (D-South District), often identified as the law-and-order candidate, was

initially skeptical of the approach but said that after learning more, she came to endorse it. The winner, Rep. Emma Mulvaney-Stanak (P/D-Burlington), has long backed the idea and is a sponsor of the overdose-prevention legislation that passed the Vermont House in January.

“I want Burlington to be one of the first places in Vermont that will get an OPC,”

study the feasibility of such sites. In his veto letter, Scott said it seemed “counterintuitive to divert resources from proven harm-reduction strategies to plan injection sites without clear data on the effectiveness of this approach.” Much of the data available about such sites were from large cities and therefore “not applicable to the vast majority of Vermont,” he wrote.

This is like a safe haven.

Health Commissioner Mark Levine told Seven Days that while such sites can be part of a broader effort that includes education, prevention and treatment, he, too, has major reservations.

“This may not be the best strategy for Vermont in terms of getting the best bang for the buck,” he said on Tuesday.

Such sharply divergent views on how to address a crisis that is killing more than 200 Vermonters per year have made overdose-prevention sites one of the most politically divisive issues this legislative session. Following an emotional debate, on January 11 the House took up a bill, H.72, that would allow the sites. It passed by a decisive 96-35 vote.

The measure is now under consideration in the Senate. Advocates for overdose-prevention centers hope both chambers will be able to muster the twothirds majority needed in the case of a gubernatorial veto.

Vermont, they say, needs places like OnPoint NYC.

A QUESTION OF SAFETY

The streetscape outside OnPoint NYC can be jarring. Urban poverty and homelessness are on full display.

the mayor-elect told Seven Days last week. She’s even considering keeping her seat in the House after she is sworn in as mayor on April 1 in case her vote is needed to legalize the sites.

But support is far from unanimous. Among the opponents: Republican Gov. Phil Scott. He vetoed an opioid-response bill in 2022 because it proposed merely to

The people hanging around outside the center when Seven Days visited included a young man wearing a camouflage bandana over his face asking passersby if they needed anything, an apparent offer to sell drugs. An older man with a faded scorpion tattoo on his neck limped out of the center in a daze. A woman cursed a man holding a roll of toilet paper as he cleared his nose into the gutter.

“There have been shootings on that block for as long as I can remember,” said Gretchen Buchenholz, founder and executive director of the Association to Benefit Children, which runs a daycare across the street from OnPoint. Cops used to stake

GREG GORDON

Glass pipes with copper filters and wood pushers that are used to smoke crack cocaine

Greg Gordon outside OnPoint NYC in East Harlem, where he uses drugs safely

‘SAFE HAVEN’

‘Safe Haven’ «

P.27 Sam Rivera, executive director of OnPoint NYC, in his office

out the bodega from the second-story bathrooms of the daycare building, she said. A needle-exchange program operated on the block for years.

When OnPoint opened in 2021, neighbors worried the center would draw more people with addictions, she said. But such concerns have largely faded.

“Our experience has been that they have been very good neighbors,” Buchenholz said.

She cited a sharp drop in the number of used syringes on the street, close collaboration with the center on issues that arise and a new responsiveness of police to neighbors’ concerns.

Still, not everyone is comfortable. Michael Castellano and his wife, Amanda, walked past OnPoint’s building after picking up their 4-year-old son, Davy, from the daycare center. They have sympathy for people addicted to drugs but don’t think the facility should be so close to a place that serves children.

“Even if the people on the inside have good intentions, there are people on the outside who have bad intentions,” Michael said. Arguments break out. Profanities fly. The young parents said they just don’t feel safe.

“I saw a guy whip his dick out and start peeing on a car not even 30 feet from the door,” Amanda recalled. On Davy’s second week of classes, a shooting put the school on lockdown, she said. The Castellanos are planning to find another preschool for their son next year.

Inside OnPoint, however, staff members greet people warmly. They dispense syringes and other supplies to help people use drugs safely, inside or outside the center. The supplies are free to any adult who wants them, no questions asked.

More than a dozen clients, a mix of men and women, sat in a common room socializing, watching a gladiator movie and eating snacks. Others slumped over in their chairs or rested their heads against a wall, mouths agape. A stream of people flowed in and out of the room as new clients checked in and others left.

OnPoint also offers meals, laundry, a medical clinic, acupuncture and counseling services. The goal is to communicate clearly to clients that OnPoint is there to help — not to judge them, Sam Rivera, the group’s executive director, told Seven Days

“We’re not trying to sell them something,” Rivera said. “What we’re doing is loving them, and then when they are here, they start to look at other opportunities for themselves.”

Greg Gordon, the client Seven Days met, could use some of that love. The former electrical contractor said he got

This is a health intervention that is keeping a lot of people alive.

SAM RIVERA

hooked on opioids around 2020, when his work dried up at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Then last year, he was robbed by a group of teenagers who pushed him off a subway platform onto the tracks in front of an oncoming train, he said, and he lost part of his left leg.

The experience haunts him. It deepened his addiction and left him, quite literally, a broken man. The memories of that day and the reality of what his life has become since, he said, are so painful that drugs are the only way he knows of to escape them.

“I’m trying to do the impossible,” Gordon said. “I want to forget about something I can’t forget about.”

At OnPoint, he counts on doing that without risking death. Since the organization’s two sites opened, more than 4,800 people have used illicit drugs in them about 130,000 times. No one has died, though there have been some close calls. Staff have administered oxygen or the overdose-reversal drug

naloxone 1,450 times, which the center counts as lives saved.

“This is a health intervention that is keeping a lot of people alive,” Rivera said.

Treating people as human beings with medical conditions instead of as criminals is key to reversing the nation’s overdose fatalities, he said. Providing social services and a safe space can build the kind of trust that is in short supply among those who live in fear of robbery, arrest, incarceration or worse, he said.

When those with addictions are ready to choose a new path, OnPoint staff will be

the people they most trust to help. In fact, staff never bring up treatment unless the client does first — which happens often, Rivera said.

“Folks who use are hearing about treatment all the time. Everybody’s shoving it down their throats everywhere they go,” he said. So OnPoint focuses on helping people use drugs safely. That means providing clean needles, pipes and other paraphernalia, often referred to as harmreduction supplies.

The staff also watch over people while they use. That happens in a room that

Clean needles and other drug-consumption supplies

PHOTOS: JOSÉ A. ALVARADO JR.

symptoms — and immediately feel the need to use again.

“With the microdose, we’re really able to stop the overdose from happening and they can continue on their journey,” Beltre said.

Such trips happen more frequently than they did before the rise of fentanyl. The cheap but deadly synthetic opioid is far more powerful and addictive than heroin but also wears off more quickly, so users shoot up more often. Some people use the site more than once a day. As Rivera sees it: That increases the number of opportunities for them to ask for help.

There is a secondary reason for the mirrors: People can take a good hard look at themselves. “Part of starting to shift your life is when you start to literally see yourself,” Rivera said.

ROAD TRIPPING

While not all of OnPoint’s neighbors are happy to have an overdose-prevention center nearby, studies of these New York facilities and unsanctioned centers in the United States have found that they are not magnets for crime.

resembles a tiny, bare-bones ER. What amounts to a nurses’ station is located in the center of the room, and eight mirrored cubicles line the walls. A separate smoking room similar to a sauna vents the drug fumes outdoors. A banner declares, “This Site Saves Lives” in both English and Spanish.

The mirrors let staff see if someone is starting to show signs of an overdose, such as slumping shoulders, according to Jason Beltre, a director at OnPoint. The main danger of an overdose is that it will suppress breathing and reduce the flow of oxygen to the brain, he said.

When caught early, most overdoses can be treated by stimulating parts of a person’s body, administering oxygen or both. Beltre gestured to a man in a black cap in one of the cubicles who had just injected opioids and was slumping over. A staffer talked to him soothingly and pinched his shoulders. The client later received oxygen, meaning he’ll be counted as someone saved.

Staff members only use naloxone in severe cases. Since they are closely monitoring the client’s drug use and vital signs, they can begin by administering just one milligram of the medication, a quarter of the dose typically used on someone found unresponsive.

The smaller doses are both gentler and preferable, because a full dose can block the effects of opioids so completely that some users experience withdrawal

One 2023 paper, coauthored by former Burlington police chief Brandon del Pozo, now an assistant professor at Brown University, showed there had been no significant increase in violent or property crime around the OnPoint Centers in East Harlem and Washington Heights, nor an increase in 911 calls.

In fact, the study documented an 83 percent drop in low-level drug arrests near the buildings and a 75 percent drop in the broader neighborhood. Researchers suggested that may be because police intentionally avoid arrests that might deter people from using the centers.

Nevertheless, aware that concerns about crime were likely to dog the debate about H.72, three Vermont lawmakers hit the road in December to see OnPoint for themselves.

Rep. Tristan Roberts (D-Halifax), Rep. Michelle Bos-Lun (D-Westminster) and Sen. Tanya Vyhovsky (P/D-ChittendenCentral) drove to New Haven, Conn., and rode a Metro-North train to the bustling 125th Street station in Manhattan.

Roberts was unsure what he thought about overdose-prevention centers before the trip. Would they enable people to continue using drugs, or would they help funnel people into treatment programs?

“What I saw at OnPoint was a center that really meets people where they are at,” Roberts said. “People were coming in the door and getting the services they needed while being treated with dignity.”

Temple Bravo, a frequent client of OnPoint NYC, organizing his drug paraphernalia and personal items

A syringe filled with naloxone, used to reverse overdoses

‘Safe Haven’ « P.29

He was particularly impressed with the on-site holistic care center, where people can get acupuncture or a massage as an alternative means of managing stress.

While he’s not sure such a center could work in a town like Halifax, a rural community of 800 people in southern Vermont, OnPoint struck that delicate balance between helping people continue to use safely while making alternatives available when they’re ready to stop, Roberts said.

Vyhovsky, a clinical social worker, said she didn’t need convincing that overdoseprevention centers work, but the trip reinforced her faith in them.

“Globally, this is not a new thing,” she said, referring to the more than 200 overdose-prevention centers around the world. “We have decades and decades of evidence that it saves lives.”

Before senators vote on the bill, Vyhovsky said, she’s hoping to organize another trip to New York so they can see firsthand how the facilities operate. Rivera said if requested, he’d be happy to come to Vermont and talk to lawmakers in person.

A WRENCHING DEBATE

Vermont’s proposed overdose-prevention sites, as envisioned in H.72, would be smaller variations of the OnPoint model. To serve rural Vermont, one of the two pilot sites could be mobile, such as a van that would visit communities on a fixed schedule.

The bill would direct the Department of Health to adopt operational guidelines by April 1, 2025, and to issue grants to organizations that meet those guidelines.

To pay for the $2.3 million pilot program, the bill would raise the fees paid by prescription drug manufacturers on products they sell in Vermont from 1.75 percent to 2.25 percent.

Vermont has already received $13.1 million from massive national legal settlements with opioid makers such as Purdue Pharma and expects to receive multimillion payments for years to come. An advisory committee recommended using some of those proceeds to fund the pilot. To the dismay of advocates, Levine, the health commissioner, overruled the committee, saying H.72’s funding stream was preferable.

Levine told Seven Days he respects advocates’ position but doesn’t see such sites as a “panacea” because too few communities would benefit from them.

Burlington is the only municipality he knows of whose leaders have called for one, he said. And the idea of a mobile site to serve other communities “defies logic” because users would not have regular access. Investing in existing treatment and harm-reduction programs would likely benefit more people overall, he said.

The legislation would require site operators to report the number of people who participate in the program, demographic information, the number of times overdoses are reversed, and how often emergency services or police are called. The health department would also be required to hire a researcher to study the sites’ impact on crime, syringe litter and fatal overdoses, as well as whether they’re helping more people get treatment.

H.72 triggered intense debate on the House floor that underscored the sharp partisan divide. Many Republicans, taking a cue from Gov. Scott, suggested that allowing people to use illegal drugs might

reduce the harm to them but increase it for the community. Democrats and Progressives, meanwhile, shared emotional stories of friends, neighbors and loved ones lost to drugs.

Rep. Kate Logan (P/D-Burlington) dedicated her vote to her younger sister, Maggie, who fatally overdosed in 2006 after relapsing. Maggie suffered from mental health issues and opioid-use disorder, conditions that both carried significant stigma in her religious household growing up, Logan said.

While her sister needed lots of support she didn’t get, in the end she died because she used alone, Logan told Seven Days And she used alone because she was ashamed, she added.

On the House floor, she told her colleagues, “My parents lost one of their daughters. My children lost their aunt. And I lost my only sister. We will show those who suffer from a substance-use disorder that our community will not abandon them.”

But Rep. Brian Smith (R-Derby) wondered if the bill would allow a “heroin addict” to claim he was just going to a

Rep. Kate Logan holding a photo of her sister, Maggie

center to get out of a drug possession charge. He said the bill was “aiding and abetting and enabling” drug users.

Rep. Art Peterson (R-Clarendon) asked whether lawmakers would bear legal or moral responsibility if someone used drugs at a site in Vermont, drove away and crashed into a carload of kids. He posed a similar hypothetical about someone who, after using at a center, walks down the street and “smashes the

apparent drug-related deaths are still unconfirmed. That’s approaching the all-time annual high of 244 deaths, set in 2022. Levine said the lack of a sharp increase last year could reflect that deaths have “plateaued.”

Vermont’s overdose rate per 100,000 people rose to 38 in 2022 — one of the nation’s highest.

The spike in people using — and overdosing — has taxed first responders. The Burlington Police Department answered 39 overdose calls a month last year, up from an average of six between 2015 and 2017. The Burlington Fire Department responded to 211 medical calls per month in 2023, a 13 percent increase over the prior year, driven largely by overdoses. In October, the department began dispatching a special overdose-response team in a van instead of a fully staffed fire engine.

Overdose-prevention sites aren’t the only idea under consideration. Some Vermont lawmakers are keen to toughen the state’s drug laws. A bill under consideration in the Senate, S.58, would increase penalties for the sale and distribution of drugs that contain fentanyl, particularly when someone dies.

We will show those who suffer from a substance-use disorder that our community will not abandon them.

face of your mother, your child, your grandchild, your wife.”

“You’re not going to get rid of a bad habit by feeding a bad habit,” he declared.

Other lawmakers peppered supporters with questions about the legality of the proposal, impacts on neighborhoods and operational details.

Rep. Joe Parsons (R-Newbury) said lawmakers had “no idea how this building is going to be run” and to pretend otherwise is “farcical.”

The Senate Health and Welfare Committee begins taking testimony on the bill this week. The measure is expected to pass, but all eyes are on whether it will garner the two-thirds support needed to override a gubernatorial veto. (Advocates expect to have the House votes to override if needed.)

While Scott remains opposed, several factors suggest the case for such sites has gotten stronger since his 2022 veto. Vermont overdose deaths remain at record levels, with 214 confirmed fatalities from January through November 2023, according to preliminary health department data. Twelve additional

Rep. Dane Whitman (D-Bennington) was initially skeptical of overdoseprevention sites. But as a member of the state’s Opioid Settlement Advisory Committee, he was swayed by the testimony he read and heard about them.

“The more I heard of peer-reviewed research on the successes of sites across the world, I became convinced they achieve their intended purpose, which is to prevent overdoses and lead people to treatment and recovery,” he said.

During the pandemic, Vermont followed the science about the transmission of COVID-19, and that saved lives, he said. Scott gave frequent press briefings with his health commissioner, Dr. Levine, at his side. The state also has followed other evidence-based, harm-reduction public health policies, such as drug testing and naloxone distribution.

Whitman said he’s disappointed the same evidence-based approach doesn’t seem to be guiding policy now.

“For whatever reason, overdoseprevention centers seemed to incite a different level of scrutiny,” he said. “It touches a nerve.” ➆

“Locals look to Seven Days Jobs for serious professional positions. Copies of the paper appear everywhere, every week, for free, and so they reach a wide audience.

Other platforms bombard you with follow-up emails and alerts and notices that are unhelpful with an already overflowing email box. I get the sense Michelle Brown knows we have better things to do than design and organize ads, so she makes it all happen.

We would absolutely recommend Seven Days to another business looking to hire. e process is efficient and cost-effective, the paper has a solid reputation for its journalism, excellent layout, and, best of all, we get results – even before the print edition comes out. e best applicants for the positions we advertised came from Seven Days. We are in our last round of interviews, and I’m confident we will land two great employees.”

SUSAN ALEXANDER Manager, Lamoille Regional Solid Waste Management District, Morrisville

Made in the Shade

A retired Burlington doctor designed a sundial that only tells time during a solar eclipse

STORY & PHOTOS BY KEN PICARD • ken@sevendaysvt.com

For thousands of years, humans measured the passage of time using nothing but the shadows cast by the sun, a remarkable achievement that combined astronomy with precise mathematical calculations. When Bill Gottesman set out to design a sundial that only works on the rare occasions when the sun is eclipsed by the moon, the idea sounded like the setup for a joke: What’s next, a sundial that only works in the shade?

Actually, the 66-year-old retired Burlington physician and sundial enthusiast has invented exactly that: a sundial that tells time during solar eclipses. Lest anyone think that Gottesman is just trying to capi-

THE INTERESTING THING ABOUT SUNDIALS, FOR SOMETHING THAT’S SO OLD, YOU’D THINK IT’S ALL BEEN DONE BEFORE. IT HASN’T.

BILL GOTTESMAN

talize on Vermont’s totality fever ahead of the solar eclipse on April 8, rest assured that he’s not selling his eclipse sundials. Anyone can visit his website, enter their city and state — or longitude and latitude, if their location isn’t included in the website’s database — and download Gottesman’s design for free. The only hitch: The sundial works best if you’re not in the eclipse’s path of totality, which will include most of Vermont. The path of totality in our region stretches from Montréal in the north to Middlebury and Barre in the south.

is story is part of our 2024 Vermont Solar Eclipse Guide, sponsored by the Vermont Department of Tourism. Find it online at sevendaysvt. com/eclipse and get more information to plan your eclipse adventures at vermontvacation.com/solar-eclipse.

Scarsdale, N.Y., native came across a book on sundials. Though the mathematics seemed over his head at the time, “it just drew me in,” he recalled.

Gottesman went on to become a family physician in Burlington. But after 11 years of practicing medicine, he burned out and left the profession without knowing what he wanted to do next.

So, why the pivot to sundials?

“I’m fascinated by all things mechanical,” he said. “I love to build things, and sundials are a real challenge.”

In fact, he has a player piano in his house that he’s been rebuilding for more than a year. In 2018, he also built a telescope that sat outside the ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain until it was vandalized and had to be removed.

Gottesman first thought up the idea for the eclipse sundial in the lead-up to the 2017 solar eclipse, which

he watched from St. Louis, where he was attending the annual conference of the North American Sundial Society. Gottesman then partnered with Dan Axtell, an old high school friend and computer programmer living in Putney. While Gottesman did the mathematical calculations, Axtell figured how to make the sundial accessible and downloadable online, and thus, the eclipse sundial was born. The pair has since updated the website with new calculations to tell the time during the upcoming solar eclipse.

Gottesman also loves math and collects slide rules. In his fifties, he enrolled in a course at the University of Vermont to learn spherical trigonometry, “just for the fun of it.” Combining his love of tinkering with crunching numbers, Gottesman started building sundials — first as a hobby, then as a business, called Precision Sundials. The biz, now on hiatus, mostly served wealthier clients who could a ord to spend several thousand dollars on a backyard sundial.

“I don’t know that I ever made more than I put into it,” he said.

Gottesman became captivated by sundials while he was an undergraduate at Dartmouth College. While studying in Baker-Berry Library in 1977, the

During a reporter’s visit to his home in Burlington’s Hill Section on a sunny, near-cloudless day, Gottesman proudly showed o his collection of indoor and outdoor sundials with childlike enthusiasm, including several sundials that he designed and patented himself. They include one, dubbed the Renaissance, that sits in his front yard. It’s composed of a large bronze helix mounted on a white granite base. When the sun reflects o the

Above: Gottesman with a glass sundial designed by Daniel Wenger, a physics professor from California Left: A sundial alarm clock

Made in the Shade

sundial’s polished glass surface, it casts a sharp black line onto the helix, which, when properly adjusted for the month and date, tells the time to the minute.

“The interesting thing about sundials, for something that’s so old, you’d think it’s all been done before. It hasn’t,” Gottesman said. “There’s new stuff all the time.”

Indeed, Gottesman is continuing a long Vermont tradition of designing and building unusual sundials. James Hartness of Springfield, who served as Vermont’s governor from 1921 to 1923, was an inventor who patented several designs of telescopes, lathes and sundials. Many of his creations are on display at the Hartness-Porter Museum of Amateur Telescope Making in Springfield. Russell Porter, an artist, engineer, amateur astronomer and polar explorer who also lived in Springfield in the late 19th and early 20th century, was himself an avid sundial designer and builder.

Gottesman’s sundial collection also includes an intriguing modern one designed by Daniel Scharstein, a computer science professor at Middlebury College. Scharstein’s sundial is completely passive, with no batteries or moving parts. Nevertheless, it’s able to tell the time digitally, using two closely spaced parallel masks that display different numbers that change as the sun’s angle shifts in the sky.

Another piece in Gottesman’s collection resembles a Rube Goldberg machine but is actually a sundial alarm clock. Built in the 1990s, it’s based on an 18th-century French design that used sunlight to set off a cannon every day at noon — assuming, of course, the sun was shining — to let the townspeople know the time of day. Gottesman’s modern version, made of plumbing fixtures, uses a magnifying glass to light the fuse of a firecracker to go off at a set time. A rude awakening, indeed.

I LOVE TO BUILD THINGS, AND SUNDIALS ARE A REAL CHALLENGE.

BILL GOTTESMAN

For all the apparent simplicity of sundials, Gottesman noted that reading them accurately requires some basic knowledge of the Earth’s position relative to the sun, one’s precise geographic location, and the month and date.

“Actually, the sun is not a very good timekeeper,” he said. Because the Earth’s elliptical orbit is not uniform, he explained, the sun’s angle doesn’t change at a uniform rate. Hence, the figure-eight symbol found on many old globes and sundials, known as an analemma, which displays the changing

position of the sun in the sky from a fixed point on Earth.

(“Is this too much?” Gottesman asked with a smile.)

So where will Burlington’s biggest sundial enthusiast view next month’s solar eclipse? Gottesman confessed that he’ll be watching in Dallas rather than Vermont.

“A 64 percent chance of clear sky,” he said, citing theskylive.com, a website used by amateur astronomers and other skygazers. Based on historical weather data, the site lists the top seven places in North America for viewing the totality, four of which are in Texas. By comparison, the chances of sun in Burlington that day are only 44 percent.

Talk about throwing shade. ➆

INFO

Learn more at eclipsesundial.com.

Bill Gottesman with his patented Renaissance sundial

A printout of the eclipse sundial for Burlington. To use, the sun’s image would be projected onto the dial using a pinhole card.

with host Jane Lindholm

Call before you dig

Do you have spring planting or digging projects?

If you plan to do any type of digging on your property, you or your contractor must contact Dig Safe™ at 811 at least 48 hours prior to digging.

Dig Safe will notify member utilities, who will locate buried facilities they own and ensure they are clearly marked. If you plan to work within 18 inches of the marked lines, please make sure it is dug by hand.

How to Detect a Gas Leak

Smell: Natural gas is normally odorless. VGS adds an odorant similar to the smell of rotten eggs, so it can be easily recognized.

Sight: You may see a white cloud, mist, fog, bubbles in standing water, or blowing dust. You may also see vegetation that appears to be dead or dying.

Sound: It may result in an unusual noise that replicates the sound of roaring, hissing, or whistling.

Move immediately to a safe location. Call VGS at 800-639-8081 or call 911 with the exact location. Do not smoke or operate electrical switches or appliances. These items may produce a spark that might result in a dangerous condition. Do not assume someone else will report the condition.

Be safe

Scan the QR Code or visit vgsvt.com/be-safe for more safety information.

VERMONT RAIL SYSTEM

Vermont Railway • Green Mountain Railroad • Clarendon & Pittsford Railroad

Washington County Railroad & WACR Conn River Division

Weed Control Program Newspaper Advertisement

The Vermont Rail System has applied to the Secretary of Agriculture for a permit to apply herbicides to its tracks for control of weed growth in the ballast.

• Vermont Railway operates between Bennington and Burlington. (In the towns of Burlington, S. Burlington, Shelburne, Charlotte, Ferrisburgh, Vergennes, New Haven, Middlebury, Salisbury, Leicester, Brandon, Pittsford, Rutland Town, Rutland City, Clarendon, Wallingford, Danby, Mt. Tabor, Dorset, Manchester, Sunderland, Arlington, Shaftsbury, Bennington )

• Green Mountain Railroad operates between Bellows Falls and Rutland City. (In the towns of Rockingham/Bellows Falls, Chester, Cavendish, Ludlow, Mt. Holly, East Wallingford, Shrewsbury, Rutland Town, Rutland City)

• Clarendon & Pittsford Railroad operates between Rutland and Whitehall, NY, and Pittsford Town. (In the towns of Pittsford, Rutland Town, West Rutland, Ira, Castleton, Fair Haven)

• Washington County Railroad operates between Montpelier and Barre. (In the towns of Montpelier, Barre City, Barre Town, S. Barre, Berlin)

• WACR Conn River Division operates between White River Junction to Newport, Vermont. (In the towns of White River, Hartford, Wilder, Norwich, Thetford, Fairlee, Bradford, Newbury, Wells River, Newport, Coventry, Orleans, Barton, Sutton, West Burke, Lyndonville, St. Johnsbury, Passumpsic, Barnet, Ryegate.)

The tracks in these locations will be treated utilizing “hi-rail” equipped trucks with nozzles aimed downward from fixed booms or swivel booms to spray the roadbed beneath or adjacent to the tracks. Beginning on or near May 1st, 2024, our applicator will be using a mix of Aquaneat, Roundup Custom or Roundup Pro Concentrate (Glyphosate) or, Semera WDG or Payload (Flumioxazin) Method 240 SL or Milestone (Aminocyclopyrachlor or Aminopyralid), Oust XP Or Oust Extra (Metsulfuron, Sulfometuron Methyl ) or Polaris AC Complete with an anti-drift additive for control of weeds and grass. Beginning on or about July 1st, 2024 Brush may be treated with Polars AC complete (Imazapyr) Escort XP or Patriot (Metsulfuron methyl) Method 240 SL (Aminocyclopyrachlor) and other areas close to streams and standing water which were not sprayed on the first application, may be spot treated with Aquaneat, Roundup Custom or Roundup Pro Concentrate (Glyphosate) Diquat Dibromide with an anti-drift additive.

Residents abutting Vermont Rail System right-of-way should protect private water supplies or other sensitive areas. It is the responsibility of the resident to notify us of the existence of a private water supply located near our property.

• Notification from residents along the Vermont Railway, Clarendon & Pittsford Railroad, Green Mountain Railroad, Washington County Conn River Division and the Washington County Railroad Barre to Montpelier, should be made before April 26th, 2024 to: Rick T. Boucher, Chief Engineer M.O.W. Vermont Railway, Inc., 118 Post Street Rutland, VT 05701, or by telephone at (802) 775-4356, Monday through Friday between 7:30 am and 4:30 pm.

Questions or comments should be addressed to: Vermont Department of Agriculture 116 State Street, Montpelier, VT 05602-2901, or by telephone at (802) 828-5667.

Rolling Boil

Baird Farm’s next generation embraces Maple Open House Weekend

BY JORDAN BARRY • jbarry@sevendaysvt.com

What do Bigfoot, a bubbling cauldron and three-plus politicians tapping a single tree have in common? No joke — though it’s tempting — they’re all signs of Spring Maple Open House Weekend at Baird Farm.

The 560-acre, fourth-generation family farm tucked in the foothills of the Green Mountains in North Chittenden is a favorite stop during the annual maple-season celebration, which invites visitors to more than 90 locations around the state. Baird Farm is so popular, in fact, that the cops showed up last year because too many cars were blocking the road. The Baird family didn’t count the cars, but they do know they served more than 900 rosemary wa es.

On Saturday, March 23, and Sunday,

March 24, the Bairds will once again open their sugarhouse and fire up the evaporator, o ering the free wa es, syrup samples, tours through the sugar bush and other maple-filled fun.

The scene has grown since Bob and Bonnie Baird began hosting visitors on Maple Open House Weekend — sometime around when the statewide event started in 2001, Bob estimated. Their first year, about 10 people showed up, and none of them stayed very long. It was only 15 degrees outside, he said.

The next year, they had 50 people. The year after that, a couple hundred. That one was cold, too, and then-governor Jim Douglas was in attendance. Bob had washed out the pump on his new filter press, which is used prior to bottling. As he began drawing

o 30 gallons of finished syrup, he realized he’d forgotten to drain it.

“It was frozen solid, and there were 100 people watching, including the governor,” Bob said.

After another chaotic year when they had to evacuate the sugarhouse because the reverse-osmosis system started screeching, Bob and Bonnie decided they’d had enough.

“I always hated Open House,” Bob said with a chuckle.

But now the organic-certified maple operation is run by Bob and Bonnie’s daughter Jenna and her partner, Jacob Powsner, both 33. Bringing folks to the farm is a big part of the younger couple’s plans for the family business; in 2018, they started hosting the event again.

They’ll trade Bigfoot costumes for a giant,

slightly demonic squirrel mascot this year — because “squirrels are the Lex Luthor of the sugar bush,” Jacob said, noting how they chew on tubing. But Maple Open House Weekend will still be a great chance to get a sweet taste of what they’re up to.

Maple syrup has been produced on the farm since before Bob’s grandparents bought it in 1918. Until 1996, though, the farm was primarily a dairy. It grew from 13 cows and selling butter door-to-door in Rutland to selling milk to Boston, which Bob’s father did after taking over in the late 1940s. In 1979, Bob and Bonnie purchased the farm. Their herd reached 60 milkers, eventually supplying milk to Agri-Mark Family Dairy Farms, the co-op that has since merged with Cabot Creamery Cooperative.

Bob and Bonnie sold their herd twice: first so that they could leave the farm and take a vacation with their two daughters, and then for good in 1996. Since then, maple has been the farm’s main crop, though they continued to raise dairy heifers until 2013. (Bob also worked for the Vermont Land Trust for 11 years, and Bonnie is a talented landscape artist.)

Jacob Powsner and Jenna Baird in the sugarhouse

CREDIT

SIDEdishes

SERVING UP FOOD NEWS

BY MELISSA PASANEN

Istanbul Kebab House Family to Open Store on Burlington’s Church Street

The OKTAY family, which owns ISTANBUL KEBAB HOUSE on Burlington’s Church Street, will launch a second business nearby in May. The Oktays plan to open a shop selling Turkish spices, wines and specialty foods, along with carpets and handcrafted gifts, at 99 Church Street, former home of the Sox Market.

The shop will be called LITTLE ISTANBUL, like a similar store the family opened in 2018 in White River Junction, where they also own TUCKERBOX Seven Days recently reported that the Oktays are working to open a second White River Junction restaurant called CAPPADOCIA CAFÉ this spring.

The three restaurants are owned by brothers and Turkish natives VURAL and HASAN OKTAY and Vural’s wife, JACKIE. Vural and Jackie own the original Little Istanbul in White River Junction and will co-own the Burlington shop with Hasan’s wife, NIHAL OKTAY, who plans to immigrate to Vermont from Turkey this spring with their two sons.

Jackie called the decision to open a second Little Istanbul “an immigration story and a business story.”

Nihal studied the import-export business in college in Turkey, she

continued, and worked in the field before taking time off to raise her kids. “She has the expertise,” Jackie said. “We can’t do it without her.”

From a business perspective, Jackie said, the family’s store and restaurant in White River Junction complement each other. Customers who enjoy Turkish dishes at Tuckerbox can go to the shop and buy spices and other ingredients, such as pomegranate molasses, Lebanese tahini and Turkish olive oil, to re-create those recipes at home.

In Burlington, the family expects a similar relationship to develop between Istanbul Kebab House (see page 40) and Little Istanbul. An anchor of the new store will be “a beautiful spice counter, bigger than in White River Junction,” Jackie said. Customers will be able to buy freshly imported spices, such as Turkish-grown Aleppo pepper, sumac, Marash and Urfa biber peppers, plus traditional blends, such as baharat and köfte seasoning, in any quantity. ➆

@jordankbarry; Melissa Pasanen: @mpasanen.

Little Istanbul in White River Junction

FILE: SARAH PRIESTAP

Spices at Little Istanbul

FILE: PAMELA POLSTON

FILE: SARAH PRIESTAP

Rolling Boil « P.36

For Bob’s grandparents in the 1920s and ’30s, 100 gallons of maple syrup was a good year. In 1973, when Bob rebuilt a sugarhouse on the site of the original one out in the woods, 500 gallons was the benchmark.

These days, 14,478 taps span a 237-acre sugar bush over several ridgelines. The Bairds aim for 7,200 gallons of syrup per year — half a gallon per tap. The main sugarhouse, originally a woodshed, has been expanded four times and now includes a retail shop.

Bob had planned to stick to wholesale, supplying drums of syrup to Butternut Mountain Farm in Morrisville and “selling the whole crop with one phone call,” he said. Instead, Jenna and Jacob have focused their efforts on building a robust retail business, both on the farm and online.

After graduating from college — Jenna from the University of Vermont and Jacob from New York’s Bard College — the couple worked on organic farms in Oregon and California. They returned to Vermont to help during sugaring season in 2015.

“It was a transition point,” Jacob said. “Not only did Bonnie and Bob not want to do Maple Open House, they didn’t want to retail syrup at all.”

Jenna and Jacob took over the retail side for a trial year, then slowly started buying into pieces of the business while also working off the farm. Now, they’re both at the farm full time and embarking on an official lease-to-own transition plan.

The tidy retail shop is stocked floor to ceiling with jugs of syrup. There are tiny 100-milliliter bottles of amber rich (the most popular grade) as well as gallons of everything from golden delicate to very dark strong. Additional shelves boast gift boxes; maple- and pancake-adjacent products from other local producers; grass-fed beef from Hamilton Cattle, whose herd grazes 60 acres of Baird Farm in the warmer months; a very tasty maple ketchup; and a line of infused syrups, made with sumac, mint, birch bark and spruce tips foraged or grown on the farm.

This summer, Jenna will sell cut flowers at the shop, too — just one of the side hustles that she and Jacob count under the “diversification” section of their business plan. They’ve planted Christmas trees, though they’re not yet big enough to cut. Every year, Jenna grows giant pumpkins — 992 pounds is her record.

The pumpkins are mostly for fun, she said, but they’ve proven to be a useful way to get visitors to sign up for the farm’s email list, along with its free, hourlong tours (available daily by appointment).

In early March, Jenna and Jacob walked

this reporter down to one of the farm’s three pump houses. The morning’s temperature was still below freezing, but sap had started to run from the small trees on the sunny side of the mountain. Bob soon joined, riding over a hill on a four-wheeler while Jacob hummed the William Tell Overture.

When Bob and Bonnie quit dairying, they took the vacuum pump that milked the cows and hooked it up to the trees. Last summer, the family upgraded and reburied a mile of the underground tubing, which will allow them to get a better vacuum from the sugar bush’s main hill and eventually increase the number of taps.

“It was a muddy project, given how wet it was,” Jenna said.

The underground lines mean less maintenance and wind damage, but the team still spends between 20 and 40 hours walking every foot of tubing on the farm after each storm.

To give themselves a buffer after that project — and because they just wanted to get it done, Jenna said — they began tapping a week earlier than normal, on January 4, and finished on January 22. They boiled on the 29th — the first time they’ve ever made syrup in January. By March 9, they had produced over half their target crop for the year.

“I don’t want to jinx ourselves,” Jenna said, noting that Bob had predicted a “banner year” in 2023 — the only time he’d ever made a prediction — and the end of that season was a struggle. She’s already seen ramps growing in the woods — an earlier-than-usual sign of spring.

“We could be anywhere from a C- to an A+,” Jacob said of the season. “Tentatively, it feels good. But you never know until it’s all over.”

Back in the sugarhouse, the couple showed off a shiny new Steam-Away box on the back of the evaporator, funded by the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers’ Association Certification Program, which helps

Jacob Powsner leading a tour on Spring Maple Open House Weekend 2023

Volunteers prepping rosemary waffles

PHOTOS

COURTESY OF SIMEON

IT’S A JAR FULL OF SUGAR THAT TASTES DELICIOUS. I WOULD SUGAR ALL YEAR ROUND IF WE COULD.

JACOB POWSNER

producers upgrade equipment to meet modern food safety standards. The SteamAway, which preheats sap, arrived a few days before they began boiling.

“Classic sugaring industry,” Jacob said with a laugh.

Sitting on a still-warm drum of finished syrup as sap poured into big storage tanks nearby, Jenna ran through her checklist for Open House Weekend. She’s already accumulating plates, forks and volunteers, and they’ll be sure to save sap to boil. In the bottling room, Wesley Davis was bottling fresh syrup. A couple of days before, they’ll prep 30 or 40 gallons of rosemary waffle batter, making extra Bisquick-style dry batches in five-gallon containers. On the day of the event, they’ll add Animal Farm Creamery buttermilk.

Volunteers from Rutland-based Come Alive Outside will oversee the cauldron, boiling syrup over an open fire and toasting maple sugar-coated marshmallows. Red Clover Ale, a small three-barrel brewery in Brandon, will pour its Sapsucker maple stout, brewed with a gallon of Baird Farm’s darkest, richest syrup, for on-site consumption. (Four-packs will also be available at the brewery.)

Red Clover has used Baird Farm’s syrup

for five or six batches of the stout, which it sometimes serves in glasses rimmed with the farm’s maple sugar.

Pete Brooks, one of the brewery’s cofounders, is looking forward to being part of the Open House Weekend festivities.

“Jenna and Jacob are just awesome people, and any time they ask us for something, we say yes,” Brooks said. “It’s nice having other young, energetic business owners in the area.”

Jenna and Jacob are optimistic about the future of “Maple World” — their playful name for the industry — despite the crop volatility and risk of climate-related disruptions. They may be tapping earlier and walking the lines more often, but maple has a lot of good things going for it. “I mean, it’s a jar full of sugar that tastes delicious,” Jacob said. “I would sugar all year round if we could.”

“And if all else fails,” Jenna said, “we’ll start farming squirrels.” ➆ INFO

FILE: CALEB KENNA

Mediterranean Magic

Istanbul Kebab House’s meze platter transports Burlington diners to Turkey

BY MELISSA PASANEN • pasanen@sevendaysvt.com

Hat tip to the charmingly opinionated Trader Joe’s cashier who, when she learned I was a food writer, shouted out her favorite local restaurant: Istanbul Kebab House. The spot on Burlington’s lower Church Street had been on my list to revisit, but the steady flow of new eateries often trumps old standbys.

Prompted by my TJ’s encounter, I shuffled my list and texted a friend to see if she could meet me for lunch.

Istanbul Kebab House tends to be a summertime destination for me, largely because of its third-story terrace — the city’s only rooftop dining. There, on a beautiful evening, I might graze on well-seasoned, tender shish kebabs of swordfish, chicken or lamb (from $13.99 at lunch and $18.99 at dinner) or the juicy, grilled lamb patties called köfte ($14.99/$20.99). On a few cool-season visits, I’ve appreciated steaming earthenware casseroles (from $21.99) of fish or lamb baked with vegetables.

The restaurant is owned by brothers and Turkish natives Vural and Hasan Oktay and Vural’s wife, Jackie. It opened in Essex Junction in 2012 before relocating to Church Street in January 2015. In White River Junction, the Oktays also own Tuckerbox and Little Istanbul, a shop selling spices and other goods; they will open another restaurant there, Cappadocia Café, this spring. The family is also planning a second Little Istanbul in Burlington (see page 37).

For my most recent visit to Istanbul Kebab House, I decided to home in on a dish that epitomizes what makes the restaurant a tried-and-true favorite. To help winnow the choices, I texted a local food professional, another fervent fan, for his menu picks.

e meze platter was among a few he called “amazing.” And it’s true: No matter what else I order, I can never resist the housemade dips served with piping hot, freshly baked lavash bread. ey include excellent housemade hummus and baba ghanoush, plus haydari — a strained yogurt mixed with garlic and dill — and ezme, a fruity salsa made with tomato, onion, bell pepper, herbs, garlic, Turkish olive oil and a jolt of tart pomegranate molasses. Rounding out the plate are grape leaves stuffed with rice, currants and herbs.

e platter comes in two sizes, priced at $14.99 and $19.99. e smaller portion easily serves two as an appetizer or makes for a solo meal with an order of zucchini fritters ($11.99) or crisp phyllo cheese cigars ($8.99).

During my recent lunch, I savored each distinct offering as I ferried it into my mouth on pieces torn from the oven-puffed, sesame-speckled bread. Flavors of sundrenched eggplant and peppers and warm sparks of chile and citrus transported me to the Mediterranean — or, more realistically, to a Burlington rooftop terrace in August.

After the lunch rush, Hasan, who runs the Burlington restaurant, filled me in on a few details. e thick, creamy yogurt for the haydari is made in-house. e nutty, lemony hummus, he said, starts with dried Turkish chickpeas, and the smoky, fluffy baba ghanoush features cooked eggplant imported from Turkey. e latter has a pleasant pickley kick, thanks to marinated roasted red peppers.

As far as lists go, Turkey is on my travel bucket list, though that trip is not imminent. In the meantime, there’s Istanbul Kebab House. ➆

“One Dish” is a series that samples a single menu item — new, classic or fleeting — at a Vermont restaurant or other food venue. Know of a great plate we should feature? Drop us a line: food@sevendaysvt.com.

INFO

Istanbul Kebab House, 175 Church St., Burlington, 857-5091, istanbulkebabhousevt.com

Meze platter

Co-owner Hasan Oktay

Istanbul Kebab House

PHOTOS:

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culture

Las Vegas is an escape. Carefully curated artificial environments, bottomless bu ets, free-flowing booze, pulsating lights, deepfreeze air conditioning, plush suites and nonstop entertainment converge in a distracting, disembodying free-for-all. It’s one of North America’s best places to lose yourself. The tricky part is making sure there’s still some of you left after you’ve obliterated your senses.

Prolific Weybridge novelist Chris Bohjalian’s new book, The Princess of Las Vegas , plops readers down just off the bustling Strip, at the Buckingham Palace casino. Though it’s “the sort of place where room service came on chipped plates and the wallpaper in the corridor corners was peeling and stained from decades-old water damage,” the casino nonetheless exudes a comfortable charm.

The BP might be nowhere near as chic as nearby hot spots the Bellagio and the Mirage Las Vegas, but it still boasts one of Sin City’s top cabaret acts: “Diana, Candle in the Darkness,” a musical tribute to the late Princess of Wales.

Its star, Vermont expat Crissy Dowling, looks uncannily like the woman she impersonates, and she’s spent years perfecting her Diana. She fancies herself as good as actresses Naomi Watts, Emma Corrin and Kristen Stewart when they portrayed the “people’s princess” — maybe better.

After years of performing five nights per week, Crissy speaks (and thinks) with an early-aughts-Madonna British a ectation, frequently dropping UK slang such as “snog,” “needn’t,” “chap,” “proper chu ed” and “mere prattle.” When she signs autographs, she uses Diana’s name.

Baby boomers flock to the BP for royal nostalgia. Between stories and remembrances of Diana’s life, Crissy sings UK pop classics from Petula Clark and Dusty Springfield. She spends her days high on pills and weed, sipping gin and diet tonics by the BP’s pool in her private cabana, which she acquired in her contract in lieu of housekeeping services for her casino residence. (Priorities!)

But the veneer starts to peel o Crissy’s dreamlike existence when casino co-owner Richie Morley winds up dead. Police call it suicide, but Richie’s brother and business partner, Artie, insists it was murder.

Further disruption arrives when Crissy’s estranged sister, social worker Betsy, relocates from Vermont to Vegas with her

BOOKS

Double or Nothing

Book review: e Princess of Las Vegas, Chris Bohjalian

BY JORDAN ADAMS

newly adopted 13-year-old foster daughter, Marisa. Betsy has been hired by her new boyfriend’s cryptocurrency startup, Futurium, which recently added a Vegasbased crypto mine to its global operations. Crissy is only a year and change older than Betsy, and people have always mistaken them for twins. But they’ve led very di erent lives. Crissy has her Vegas glamour, while Betsy spends her days trying to reconcile families and make sure

struggling teens don’t slip through the cracks. (In a story governed by soap opera logic, the only unrealistic thing is that Betsy can a ord a two-bedroom apartment in Burlington’s Ward 8.)

A wall of ice has grown between the sisters since the death of their mother, which, from Crissy’s point of view, was Betsy’s fault. Crissy even goes so far as to say that Betsy “killed” her, though Betsy views it di erently. What actually

happened? And what other decadesold traumas shaped their embattled relationship?

Betsy barely understands cryptocurrency, but she’s no idiot. When some things about Futurium don’t add up, she begins to wonder whether her boyfriend’s business partners can be trusted. Sure, Nevada is an open-carry state. But why do tech bros need pistols concealed in their waistbands at humdrum business meetings?

Crissy has also found herself in some trouble. She can’t shake the feeling that her new American paramour with the Russian name, Yevgeny Orlov, might be a spy. Plus, her recent a air with a Nevada senator, John Aldred, is about to land her in a tricky situation with his opponent, a far-right wack job reminiscent of Marjorie Taylor Greene. She’s connected to some suspicious characters sni ng around the BP.

Betsy’s good faith is strained as she’s drawn further into Futurium’s secrets. Crissy tries to stay Valium-calm as bodies pile up near and far. The fact that the siblings are nearly identical is not lost on the people hoping to manipulate them.

The women find themselves embroiled in a twisting double helix of a mystery, with each holding information that reveals vital connections between their situations. Though withholding relevant knowledge is often illogical in these kinds of stories, we slowly understand the baggage that keeps their lips zipped as they attempt to rebuild trust.

In crisp, concise prose, Bohjalian sets his story in the uncomfortably recent past. Memories of real-world events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the January 6 insurrection and the Route 91 Harvest country music festival mass shooting reverberate in his characters’ thoughts.

The author varies his perspectives in alternating chapters. Crissy is our ostensible protagonist, her narration delivered in forthright first person; Betsy’s sections are set back at a distant third person. Crissy all but tells us she is an unreliable narrator, wondering, “Aren’t all narrators unreliable? Who in bloody hell remembers anything…?” She also insists, “I don’t want to talk about my childhood.” It’s only through Betsy’s memories that we get a glimpse of a pivotal, life-changing event in Crissy’s formative years.

There’s also a cryptic third perspective wedged among the others — but it’s not

Chris Bohjalian

COURTESY OF VICTORIA

BLEWER

FROM THE PRINCESS OF LAS VEGAS

Artie leaned forward, his elbows on his knees and his hands clasped in what could been mistaken for prayer. I considered remarking on how ominous this all felt to me, but Artie had just lost his brother and whatever fretfulness and disquiet marked his soul likely dwarfed mine. So, I showed uncharacteristic restraint. Instead I asked how he was doing, given Richie’s death. And instantly everything changed.

“My brother didn’t kill himself,” he said, and he let that settle.

Eddie was nodding.

“You think he was murdered?” I asked. It sure as hell didn’t sound like it could have been an accident.

“I don’t think it. I know it.”

“Did the police tell you something?”

“ e police told me nothing. ey don’t believe me. ey claim they have no evidence it was anything but a suicide.”

Eddie was sipping a club soda. Mary had asked if I’d wanted anything when I arrived, but I had passed. Now my mouth was dry. “Are you suggesting they’re inept or there’s a coverup?”

“First of all, I would have known if he was so depressed he was ready to shoot himself. He wasn’t.”

immediately clear whose out-of-context dialogue is providing vital additional context.

Bohjalian shines an empathetic spotlight on the people who come to see tribute acts such as Crissy’s.

Though maybe not the hippest clientele, her fans are utterly sincere. People don’t attend this show to mock a dead celebrity. They hang on Crissy’s every authentically accented word, weeping through standing ovations and filling her dressing room with flowers and Diana memorabilia.

In an overview of Vegas’ tribute scene, Crissy recalls seeing a Karen Carpenter impersonator sing “We’ve Only Just Begun,” entrancing older married couples in the audience with the popular wedding song.

“Each note catapulted them back to the day they were married,” she reminisces.

People come to such performances to relive memories and feel things they’d long forgotten.

But Crissy doesn’t think much about her life before Diana. The gift of memory is only for her audience. Instead, she steps into someone else to forget her own past. Connecting with her sister might be her only chance at redemption.

The Princess of Las Vegas is two stories. One is a willies-inducing murder mystery that links a casino with a nascent cryptocurrency. The other is about the folly of keeping secrets and holding grudges. Both are tight, captivating tales that balance and support each other as they unfold. ➆

e Princess of Las Vegas by Chris Bohjalian, Doubleday, 400 pages. $29.

Everyday People

Planned Burlington History & Culture Center would focus on the regular folks who built the city

BY KEN PICARD • ken@sevendaysvt.com

Vermont’s largest city has a long and storied history, from its service as a garrison for several thousand U.S. soldiers during the War of 1812 to its timber port (once the third largest in the country) to its role as the birthplace of Phish and Ben & Jerry’s. Currently, though, there’s no museum or visitor center where residents and tourists can learn about Burlington’s colorful past.

Four local women intend to change that. With backgrounds in bringing local history alive and launching public spaces, they’ve formed a nonprofit to create a Burlington History & Culture Center. Rather than focusing on the wealthy and powerful people typically celebrated in museums, history books and school curricula, they want to highlight the Indigenous people, immigrants and laborers who built the Queen City with their own hands.

For seven years, Rosenberg and Elise Guyette, a local historian, author and educator, ran two citywide walking tours: Burlington Edible History and More Than a Market. After the pandemic put those tours out of business, the pair decided to start a local history center, an idea that, they said, Burlingtonians have been discussing since the 1970s.

In 2022, Rosenberg and Guyette invited Burlington entrepreneur and activist Melinda Moulton to join their efforts. Moulton had just stepped down as CEO of Main Street Landing, a waterfront office building and event space.

The details of the proposed center — whom it will feature, which stories it will tell, where it will be located — remain nebulous for now. That’s by design. Instead of dictating their own vision of Burlington’s historical and cultural roots, the organizers plan to spend the coming months meeting with residents, community groups and historians to answer those questions.

“I am most excited that we don’t have a closed view of how the center is going to look, how it’s going to feel, what it’s going to sound like and what it’s going to smell like,” said Gail Rosenberg, a Burlington writer, fundraiser and communications specialist.

Because the walking tours told the stories of local immigrants through their food businesses and culinary traditions, the organizers want their proposed history and culture center to include a kitchen and a performance space for music, theater, art and dance.

“This won’t be your typical museum full of stuffy old things to look at. This is someplace that we hope can really grow into a community center,” said the fourth project organizer, Lisa Evans, a board member of the Chittenden County Historical Society and former executive director of the Saint Albans Museum. “And what brings people together more than music and food?”

All four women expressed their

Top: McKenzie’s meat packaging business, started by an Irish family on George Street in 1909, initially delivered goods by wagon but eventually moved to automobiles. Middle: The Fayette sisters, members of a large Lebanese neighborhood on Maple Street, standing in front of the family home, now the offices of Freeman French Freeman. Bottom: A parade float advertising Gelineau’s Pastry Shop on North Street, one of several Burlington bakeries owned by French Canadians.

COURTESY OF ELISE A. GUYETTE

commitment to making the center as inclusive as possible of traditionally marginalized groups. To that end, they plan to choose a location along a public bus route. They want every design feature of the center, from the architecture to the exhibits, to be accessible to people with disabilities.

the early 20th century to the current fight over who can claim authentic Abenaki heritage. This year, the women plan to visit the Odanak First Nation tribe in Québec and Vermont’s Abenaki tribes to learn more about the latter topic.

The center would tell the histories of people with disabilities, too. Rosenberg recounted the story of Anne Connelly, a blind woman who, in the 1920s, became the first person in Vermont to use a seeing-eye dog. Connelly walked every day from her apartment to her job in Burlington City Hall.

“That’s the reason we study history — so we can learn what’s worked in the past, what’s gone wrong in the past and how we can do better,” Guyette said. “If you don’t have controversy, it’s going to be pretty boring.”

In the coming months, Rosenberg, Guyette, Moulton and Evans plan to meet with other advocacy groups, including those working with recent immigrants, people living in poverty and members of the LGBTQ community. They see the project as fortuitously timed to generate renewed community pride, given the many problems plaguing Burlington as well as the recent historic election of Emma Mulvaney-Stanak as the city’s first female mayor.

Guyette emphasized that the center wouldn’t shy away from controversial topics, which might range from Burlington’s role in the eugenics movement in

The project has nearly reached its firstyear fundraising goal of $40,000, much of it through a three-year, $10,000 annual grant from Vermont Humanities, which will cover the cost of a website, logo design and public listening tour. But Moulton, who envisions creating something on a scale comparable to the ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, estimated that the final price tag will run into the millions.

“Right now, it’s just the four of us,” Moulton added. “But there’s no doubt in my mind that this will happen.” ➆

INFO

To learn more or donate to the Burlington History & Culture Center project, visit the Chittenden County Historical Society at cchsvt.org or email info@ burlingtonhistoryandculturecenter.org.

Abial Anthony and George Williams, Vermont-born African Americans who lived on Elmwood Avenue, were popular barbers in Burlington from the 1870s to the 1920s.

Gail Rosenberg and Elise Guyette

culture

Midcentury modernism is not the first architectural style that comes to mind when you think of Vermont. But the state’s modern structures, dating from the 1930s through 1970s, feature surprisingly often in the new film New England Modernism: Revolutionary Architecture in the 20th Century. And they look stunning.

A project of Jake Gorst and Tracey Rennie Gorst of production company Mainspring Narrative, the film will receive its New England premiere on Wednesday, March 20, at Burlington’s City Hall Auditorium and Brattleboro’s 118 Elliot, as part of the free Architecture + Design Film Series.

Vermont state architectural historian Devin Colman, who contributed key research to the film, will introduce the Burlington screening. Producer and director Gorst, of Litchfield, Conn.; associate producer Susan Leigh Babcock, of Middlebury; and Colman will lead a Q&A afterward. Following the Brattleboro screening, Mara Williams, curator emerita of the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center, will guide a discussion.

New England Modernism tells the story of the modern movement’s genesis in New England and the experiments it left behind. Gorst, who has made films about émigré architect Albert Frey and modernism in Palm Springs, Calif., developed an interest in modern architecture as a child while accompanying his grandfather, modern architect Andrew Geller, on site visits.

Modern Love

A new film explores Vermont’s unsung modernist buildings

BY AMY LILLY • lilly@sevendaysvt.com

The Gorsts interviewed more than 20 experts for the film, including the sons of modern architects Edward Durell Stone and Eliot Noyes. The film features the work of both.

Vermont architect David Sellers and his ex-wife, Candy Barr, tell the story of the state’s modernism offshoot, the design-build movement. Sellers, 85, is still practicing; during filming, Gorst and his cinematographer stayed in Sellers’ Home Run House in Warren.

By phone, Gorst admitted that covering all of New England’s modernist structures was daunting. The project began in 2018 and was planned as a five-part series until the pandemic forced a restructuring.

ties from one side. Its architect, Ashok Bhavnani, would later design the acoustically renowned, brutalist Merkin Hall in New York City.

The Peyton residence “is kind of an important structure that nobody knows about,” Gorst said. “It feels like a new discovery, almost.”

THE THING ABOUT MODERNISM IN NEW ENGLAND IS THAT IT’S NOT VISIBLE FROM THE STREET, NECESSARILY.

JAKE GORST

Even then, Gorst said, “I had to trim the movie down considerably.” Yet, in addition to modern icons, he managed to include numerous lesser-known structures.

Some of the Vermont ones are a revelation. The 1958 Peyton residence in East Dorset looks like a couple of bow

During the New Deal era, Civilian Conservation Corps projects in New England tended to be in a rustic, vernacular style. Vermont boasts one of the only modernist CCC structures, the Crystal Lake Bath House in Barton, designed by David Fried in 1939.

With such projects, Gorst complicates the standard narrative that modernism arrived in the U.S. in the 1930s with European architects escaping Nazism. “We’re going a little against the grain in this film in saying that modernism did not reach New England with the European modernists; it was already here,” he said.

New England Modernism comprehensively captures an era while “countering that notion of

New England as a staid bastion of colonial tradition,” as Colman put it by phone. And the film brings attention to an architectural movement that many don’t know about.

“The thing about modernism in New England is that it’s not visible from the street, necessarily,” Gorst said. “You’ve got long driveways going up into the woods, and there’s an amazing house up there, and no one knows it’s there.” Many of the houses, he added, are occupied by aging original owners who can’t maintain them, and younger generations unfamiliar with the style see them as teardowns.

For that reason, Gorst used what he described as “loving” camerawork to capture the architecture.

“This is not a dry architecture film; it’s a very emotional architecture film,” he said. “We wanted to reach people’s hearts with it. The whole idea behind it was to help people who do not know the history and don’t necessarily understand modernism to fall in love with it and thereby preserve it.”

INFO

New England Modernism: Revolutionary Architecture in the 20th Century, Wednesday, March 20, 6:30 p.m., at Burlington City Hall Auditorium and 118 Elliot in Brattleboro. Free. Learn about a virtual viewing option at adfilmseries.org.

Peyton House in East Dorset, designed by Ashok Bhavnani in 1958

on screen

Feud: Capote vs. the Swans ★★★★

Truman Capote would have killed on social media. The novelist, journalist and man-about-town understood branding as well as any current celebrity. Capote, who died in 1984, could drop a sick burn on a talk show with aplomb that today’s comedians would envy.

And he understood the art of the beef — or, as they called it back then, the feud. That’s the subject of this eight-episode FX limited series (streaming on Hulu and Fubo), the follow-up to 2017’s “Feud: Bette and Joan.”

Largely directed by indie pioneer Gus Van Sant, “Feud: Capote vs. the Swans” is based on Laurence Leamer’s book Capote’s Woman . Among a slew of star turns, it features the final performance of Treat Williams, who died last June from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident in Dorset. He plays Bill Paley, famous in his day for building the CBS network — and, by this account, for his philandering.

The deal

In 1966, Capote (Tom Hollander) signed a contract for an unwritten novel called Answered Prayers. Its subject would be New York’s high society, of which he had been a fixture since the ’50s as the confidant of such socialites as Babe Paley (Naomi Watts), Slim Keith (Diane Lane), C.Z. Guest (Chloë Sevigny) and Lee Radziwill (Calista Flockhart). Impeccably coi ed and coutured and eager for the gossip that Capote could provide like no one else, they are the “Swans” of the title.

But Answered Prayers would never be the great American novel that Capote envisioned — or even a finished one. The same year he signed the contract, his true crime tale In Cold Blood turned him into a household name, and celebrities flocked to his Black and White Ball at the Plaza Hotel.

Increasingly less a creator than a personality, Capote would spend the rest of his life battling writer’s block and alcoholism. When excerpts from Answered Prayers appeared in Esquire in 1975, they sparked the outrage of the Swans, whose secrets he had aired in a thinly disguised account. And thus a fashionable feud began.

Will you like it?

Showrunner and playwright Jon Robin Baitz doesn’t attempt to give “Feud: Capote vs. the Swans” a standard dramatic arc.

REVIEW

Instead, he depicts Capote’s last decade as a merry-go-round of slow self-destruction: bickering with friends and making up, going sober and relapsing, romancing the wrong men and running back to his longsu ering ex (Joe Mantello). The repetition is frustrating, but it feels real.

The first episode tells us almost everything we need to know about the 1975 “feud,” establishing Paley’s emotional dependence on Capote and her acute sense of betrayal after he publishes his account of a florid instance of her husband’s infidelity. After that, the show’s narrative leaps around in time and perspective, sometimes taking poetic license to imagine tantalizing might-have-beens.

For instance, the black-and-white third episode pretends to be fly-on-the-wall footage of the Black and White Ball shot by documentarians Albert and David Maysles, of Gimme Shelter fame. (In real life, they made a short film about Capote, but not the ball.) And the fifth episode depicts a leisurely all-day hang-out during which James Baldwin (Chris Chalk), back from his usual haunts in France, tries to inspire Capote to kindle his inner artistic flame and skewer the rich with his long-delayed book. These novelistic embellishments feel very Capote, and Baitz’s dialogue is sharp

and funny enough to keep us from minding that the show consists largely of welldressed people sniping at one another. We may not even mind that most of the Swans (who also include Demi Moore as Ann Woodward and Molly Ringwald as Joanne Carson) remain one-note characters. Only in the case of Lane’s iron-jawed, merciless Keith do we regret the lack of deeper exploration.

For all the gleeful campiness, “Capote vs. the Swans” gets serious when it focuses on the friendship of Paley and Capote, depicted here as the feud’s true casualty. Watts gives a subtle yet seismic performance as a woman who painstakingly constructs a social persona only to realize that nothing can withstand the tide of mortality. And Hollander does more than reproduce the familiar Capote quirks: He shows us the ambivalence of an artist who is inexorably drawn toward powerful women yet resents his role as their designated sassy gay friend, their court jester.

“Capote vs. the Swans” has its low points. When Jessica Lange shows up to haunt Capote as his mother’s phantom, it sometimes plays like a Tennessee Williams parody. But at its best, the show evokes a painful sense of evanescence and wasted potential. The era when Capote was a

reigning arbiter of cool is long gone. He might have been much more, but his talent for dominating the discourse makes him relevant to this day.

MARGOT HARRISON margot@sevendaysvt.com

IF YOU LIKE THIS, TRY...

“FEUD: BETTE AND JOAN” (eight episodes, 2017; Fubo, Hulu, rentable): The Emmy-winning first season of “Feud” chronicles the acrimony between aging divas Bette Davis (Susan Sarandon) and Joan Crawford (Lange).

CAPOTE (2005; Pluto TV, Tubi, rentable): You’ll want to compare Hollander’s Capote with Philip Seymour Hoffman’s Oscar-winning turn in this absorbing drama about the ethically murky reporting of In Cold Blood. And don’t forget Toby Jones’ Capote in Infamous (2006; Kanopy, rentable), featuring Sigourney Weaver as Babe Paley.

THE CAPOTE TAPES (2019; Hulu, rentable): See and hear many of the real people portrayed on the show in this documentary stuffed with archival testimonies to Capote’s colorful behavior.

Naomi Watts shines as fragile diva Babe Paley in a dishy series about Truman Capote and his socialite frenemies.

NEW IN THEATERS

THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MAGICAL NEGROES: In this comedy satirizing an all-too-familiar trope, a young man (Justice Smith) joins a secret society of Black people whose mission is solving white people’s problems. Kobi Libii directed. (104 min, PG-13. Roxy)

GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE: A new generation of ghostbusters joins the old one to fight an evil force that threatens Earth with a new ice age. With Mckenna Grace, Annie Potts, Carrie Coon and Bill Murray. Gil Kenan directed. (115 min, PG-13. Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Marquis, Paramount, Roxy, Star, Welden)

IMMACULATE: A nun (Sydney Sweeney) finds that not all is as heavenly as it appears in a rural Italian convent in this horror flick from director Michael Mohan (The Voyeurs). (89 min, R. Essex, Majestic)

LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL: In 1977, a live TV interview with a parapsychologist goes very wrong in this found-footage horror film from Cameron and Colin Cairnes, starring David Dastmalchian and Laura Gordon. (93 min, R. Majestic, Roxy)

CURRENTLY PLAYING

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. Majestic)

ARTHUR THE KINGHH1/2 A stray dog inspires an athlete (Mark Wahlberg) to fight the odds in an endurance race. Simon Cellan Jones directed the adventure film based on Mikael Lindnord’s memoir. (90 min, PG-13. Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Star)

BOB MARLEY: ONE LOVEHH Kingsley Ben-Adir plays the reggae icon in this biopic. (104 min, PG-13. Majestic)

CABRINIHH1/2 This biopic follows immigrant Catholic missionary Francesca Cabrini (Cristiana Dell’Anna) as she tries to relieve poverty in early 20th-century New York. (145 min, PG-13. Bijou, Essex, Majestic)

DUNE: PART TWOHHH1/2 The saga of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) and the spice planet Arrakis continues in Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of Frank Herbert’s pioneering sci-fi series. (166 min, PG-13. Big Picture, Bijou, Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Playhouse, Roxy, Star, Stowe, Welden; reviewed 3/6)

IMAGINARYH1/2 What if you returned to your childhood home to find your imaginary friend still there — and angry? Jeff Wadlow directed this horror flick, starring DeWanda Wise and Taegen Burns. (104 min, PG-13. Majestic)

KNOX GOES AWAYHH1/2 Michael Keaton directed and stars in this thriller about a hit man with dementia who has one chance to redeem himself. With Al Pacino and Marcia Gay Harden. (114 min, R. Essex)

KUNG FU PANDA 4HHH As he levels up to become a spiritual leader, Po (voice of Jack Black) must train his warrior successor in this animated adventure. With Awkwafina and Viola Davis. (94 min, PG. Bijou, Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Marquis, Paramount, Star, Stowe, Welden)

LOVE LIES BLEEDINGHHHH Kristen Stewart and Katy O’Brian play a gym manager and a bodybuilder who fall in love, but criminal entanglements threaten their dreams. Anna Baryshnikov also stars. Rose Glass (Saint Maud) directed. (104 min, R. Roxy, Savoy)

MIGRATIONHHH A duck family meets many mishaps on its first-ever trip south in this animated family comedy. (92 min, PG. Majestic)

ONE LIFEHHH1/2 Anthony Hopkins plays Sir Nicholas Winton in this biopic about how he rescued 600 Jewish children from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia. (110 min, PG. Capitol, Majestic, Roxy)

ORDINARY ANGELSHHH 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. Big Picture)

WONKAHHH1/2 Timothée Chalamet plays the young Willy Wonka in this musical fantasy, directed by Paul King (Paddington). (116 min, PG. Majestic)

OLDER FILMS AND SPECIAL SCREENINGS

THE BOY AND THE HERON (Roxy)

END OF EVANGELION (Essex, Wed 20 only)

LUCA (Essex)

METROPOLITAN OPERA: ROMEO ET JULIETTE (Essex, Sat only)

OPPENHEIMER (Majestic)

RAD REMASTERED (Essex, 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

Note: These capsule descriptions are not intended as reviews. Star ratings come from Metacritic unless we reviewed the film (noted at the end of the description). Find reviews written by Seven Days critic Margot Harrison at sevendaysvt.com/ onscreen-reviews.

Moving Parts

A group exhibition at BCA Center explores the meanings of migration

BY PAMELA POLSTON • ppolston@sevendaysvt.com

In the piping-hot cauldron of global issues, immigration consistently bubbles to the top. There is nothing easy about it, from the conditions that force people to leave their homes to the dangers on their journey to the often-unwelcoming reception in another land. And then there’s the politics: The very word “border” is an election-season cudgel.

It is not uncommon for artwork to evoke a sense of place, but in a current exhibition at the BCA Center in Burlington, place is considered in terms of fleeing it, finding it, or how that movement impacts everything and everyone. In “Here Now: Art and Migration,” seven national and international artists explore concepts of “borders, movement and migration across local urban centers and global geographies,” according to gallery text.

The artists were selected by cocurators Sarah Rogers, visiting assistant professor of the history of art and architecture at Middlebury College, and Heather Ferrell, BCA’s curator and director of exhibitions. The mediums are varied — installations, wall-hung 2D pieces, video and sculpture.

Despite the show’s weighty theme, the works are not as didactic as one might expect. Upon entering the Church Street gallery, visitors are greeted with what appears to be a bounty of blossoms suspended from the ceiling. In fact, it’s an installation titled “Scattered Seeds of the Cotton Bolls,” by Lydia Nakashima Degarrod.

The California-based artist and ethnographer has Japanese and Chilean lineage; her artist statement references family members who fled Japan during World War II, threats of deportation and internment, and losses of loved ones in the bombing of Hiroshima. Paradoxically, that traumatic history is conveyed quite subtly in the work’s materiality: mulberry and yerba buena fibers, embroidery, and photographic transfers on the 74 handmade flowers. Painted in reds and blues, the paper petals are attached with twine made to resemble barbed wire.

The cotton boll itself, the artist writes,

“symbolizes the first wave of Japanese immigrants who worked the cotton plantations in Peru.” (Some later moved on to Chile.) Nakashima Degarrod’s family story is filled with transcultural upheaval and adaptation. It’s a testament to her spirit that she channels the legacy with such grace.

In contrast, three other installations in the gallery’s front room boldly compete for a viewer’s attention.

On one side is a pair of large-scale wall hangings constructed from yarn, willow, buckskin, beads, and artificial sinew and turf. Artist Teresa Baker is an enrolled member of North Dakota’s Three A liated Tribes and resides in Los Angeles. The intriguing shapes and color relationships within her mixed-media forms draw

REVIEW

"Scattered Seeds of the Cotton Bolls" by Lydia Nakashima Degarrod

"Trans---fer" by Verónica Gaona

it might represent freedom of movement as much as a lifestyle.

“Migrant Metropolis (To know and to dream at the same time series)” consists of Ford F-150 body parts and photographs printed on aluminum sheets, arranged on the wall and the floor. The eight components suggest not only a truck but a culture deconstructed.

from her Mandan/Hidatsa culture, and the carpet-like material obliquely suggests landscape. Yet a viewer needn’t understand Baker’s references to appreciate her works; they can be seen as unique contemporary abstractions.

At BCA, the 95-by-31-inch “Transplanted” is both mysterious and suggestive; a tall, narrow piece with a totem quality and almost-sur oard shape. Its surface is divided horizontally into three parts, each covered with a different shade of artificial turf and further adorned with yarn and other materials. Baker’s “Low Pitched,” at roughly 78 by 93.5 inches, is such an unusual shape that it calls to mind an absurdly gerrymandered congressional district. But this artist’s interest in land and culture has spiritual, not political, roots, and the visceral quality of her work reflects that bond.

Gaona’s stark 88-by-120-by-24-inch installation “Trans---fer” looks to be simply black tire tracks running horizontally across the white wall with a bald truck tire standing upright in front of them. But the label identifies the ingenious details: rubber dust and Ford F-150 window glass dust embedded in acrylic paint. The painstaking gesture is invisible to viewers — much like assimilated cultures.

Two video artists included in “Here Now” address freedom of movement, or lack thereof, in very di erent ways. In his fi ve-minute singlechannel work “I Can See You,” Iraqi artist Sajjad Abbas captures an act of resistance in Baghdad against a repressive government that surveils its citizens. Brazilianborn, Vermont-based Paula Higa considers the complexities of human mobility through choreography in her 12-minute dance film “The Migrant Body.”

On the opposite side of the room, two installations by Verónica Gaona employ vehicular components to address transnational communities that routinely cross the U.S.-Mexico border. As gallery text explains, the Houston-based artist “utilizes the aesthetics and materials of trokiando subculture — including truck panels, chrome plates and bald tires.” Trokiando refers to the customized-truck scene, though in Gaona’s work

Born in Puerto Rico and now living in Chicago, Edra Soto examines “notions of displacement and belonging within colonial histories,” according to gallery text. She does so in part through the language, and legacy, of architecture and design.

In the BCA’s back room, two 92.5-by-57inch, double-layered sintra boards titled “Graft I” and “Graft V” hang side by side. Covered with flowershaped cutouts, they resemble the screens that provide both ventilation and visual protection in vernacular Puerto Rican architecture. As wall text explains, the

From top: “Low Pitched” and “Transplanted" by Teresa Baker

floral motif was originally imported from Africa during the slave trade. Thus, the term “graft” assumes a multifaceted meaning.

Soto’s panels present a literal opportunity to look deeper: Tiny viewfinders are embedded at the center of the petals. Visitors should not miss the opportunity to peek at what lies within. The artist employs a similar combination of cutout designs and viewfinders on a pair of smaller works, also from her “Graft” series. This benign cultural voyeurism contrasts with the dire implications of surveillance in Abbas’ video.

Matthew Schrader, an assistant professor of studio art at Middlebury College, illustrates another type of migration — one resulting in transformation of the physical landscape. His installation titled “M. Obultra 3” consists of framed woodcuts, photographs, painted wood objects, transparencies, Ailanthus altissima seed pods and a long vitrine table. The collection seems like it might be more at home in a botanical museum, but its presence in this exhibit has purpose.

The Ailanthus altissima — also known as the tree of heaven and the less elegant stinking sumac — is native to parts of China and Taiwan. The plant grows at an alarming rate, and its aggressive root system can damage just about anything in the built environment. When it spreads, it is known to bring invasive insects along for the ride — and the destruction. Though Schrader’s installation focuses on a hostile takeover in the plant world, it might be seen as a metaphor for the consequences of human displacement, as well.

Regardless of species, migration means constant change, often faster than the pace of adaptation. If 21st-century existence can seem aligned with the Everything Everywhere All at Once metaverse, this exhibition’s artists seem to say, “We are here now. Deal with it.” ➆

INFO

“Here Now: Art and Migration” is on view through May 11 at BCA Center in Burlington. burlingtoncityarts.com

CALL TO ARTISTS

‘A SENSE OF PLACE’: PhotoPlace Gallery in Middlebury seeks submissions for an upcoming exhibition juried by Paula Tognarelli. Deadline: April 15; prints due May 24. Online. $39 for first five images; $6 for each additional image. Info, 989-7556.

BTV SUMMER MARKET: Burlington City Arts seeks local artists, makers and food vendors for the outdoor marketplace in City Hall Park, June 1 to September 28. Insurance and health license for food vendors are required. Deadline: March 25 at noon. Online. Info, btvmkt@burlingtonvt.gov.

‘LIVING IN A PEARL: THE SURREALIST’S

DREAM’: Seeking 2D, ready-to-hang work by Vermont artists for an upcoming exhibition. The aim is to highlight an opalescent color palette. Email submissions to dama.astuta.designs@ gmail.com. Deadline: March 29. The Other Half, Burlington. Free. Info, 371-7158, dama.astuta. designs@gmail.com.

‘TOTALITY’ VENDORS: Artists are invited to a pop-up eclipse event on April 8, noon to 5 p.m., at Hula in Burlington. Vendors should plan to sell eclipse/lunar-related items and provide their own booth or tent setup. Details and application at seaba.com. Deadline: March 22 at noon. Online. Info, 859-9222.

‘UNBOUND VOL. VII’: Artistree Gallery in South Pomfret seeks artists in Vermont and New Hampshire for an upcoming annual exhibition of work using the book as material or format. Details and application at artistreevt. org. Deadline: May 31. Online. Info, 457-3500.

OPENINGS + RECEPTIONS

BOB KERN & EVA LEWIS: “Pictures of Paradise,” nature photographs by the Honolulu-based artist; and two 3D model sharks made by the South Burlington High School student, respectively. South Burlington Public Library Art Wall, through March 31. Info, 846-4140.

FRITZ GROSS: Colorful canvases of a world filled with curiosities and laughter. Reception: Saturday, March 23, 3-5 p.m. The Tunbridge General Store Gallery, March 22-May 12. Info, 889-3525.

‘LIVING WITH SCULPTURE: PRESENCE AND POWER IN EUROPE, 1400-1750’: An exhibition of objects drawn from the permanent collection that contributes to understanding the role of sculpture in everyday life, historically and today. Hood Museum, Dartmouth College, Hanover, N.H., March 23-22. Info, 603-646-2808.

MARY KOHN: “Moments,” a solo exhibit of work based on a photograph of the artist’s grandparents, as part of her senior capstone project. Reception: Wednesday, March 27, 6 p.m. McCarthy Art Gallery, Saint Michael’s College, Colchester, March 26-30. Info, bcollier@smcvt.edu.

MICHAEL LYNCH: “Insomneon,” a solo art exhibit inspired by graffiti as part of a senior capstone project. Reception: Thursday, March 21, 6 p.m. McCarthy Art Gallery, Saint Michael’s College, Colchester, through March 23. Info, bcollier@smcvt.edu.

NATIONAL AUDUBON PHOTOGRAPHY SHOW: An exhibit of the winning large-format photographs of the 2022 contest, hosted by the Rutland County Audubon Society . Reception: Friday, March 22, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Vermont State University-Castleton Bank Gallery, Rutland, March 22-April 27. Info, 468-1266.

‘VISIONS OF TOTALITY’: An exhibition of artworks by 32 area artists in celebration of the April solar eclipse. Reception: Saturday, March 23, 5-7 p.m. Highland Center for the Arts, Greensboro, March 23-April 21. Info, 533-2000.

ART EVENTS

OPEN STUDIO: A guided meditation, an hour of art making in any modality or genre, and a share-andwitness process. No experience required. Many materials available. Expressive Arts Burlington, Thursday, March 21, 12:30-2:30 p.m. Donations accepted. Info, 343-8172.

PAINT AND SIP WITH JESSE SNYDER: Learn how to create one of the Vermont artist’s classic designs. Limited seats available. The Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, Thursday, March 21, 7-9 p.m. $30. Info, 881-0975.

ARTIST TALK: ALEXANDRA BOTTINELLI: The sculptor and painter discusses her work in a current exhibit. The Front, Montpelier, Friday, March 22, 5 p.m. Free. Info, alexbottinelli@gmail.com.

ARTIST TALK: LOUISE HAMLIN: The artist and Dartmouth College professor of studio art discusses her charcoal drawings in a current exhibition. AVA Gallery and Art Center, Lebanon, N.H., Friday, March 22, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 603-448-3117.

FAMILY ART SATURDAY: An art-making activity for all ages inspired by the work of a current exhibiting artist. BCA Center, Burlington, Saturday, March 23, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 865-7166.

FIGURE DRAWING WEBINARS: The Shelburne Museum presents Session 3: Value, which explores how light interacts with the body to create highlights and shadows, and techniques to demonstrate this. Register at shelburnemuseum.org. Online, Tuesday, March 26, noon-1 p.m. Free. Info, education@shelburne museum.org.

TALK: CLAIRE GRACE: A presentation about Judy Chicago’s 1960s and ’70s series of aeriform works called “Atmospheres,” which propelled colored smoke into the air, as well as her recent return to pyrotechnical mediums. Mahaney Arts Center, Middlebury College, Tuesday, March 26, 4:30-6 p.m. Free. Info, 443-5764. ➆

Moving Parts « P.51

From top: Still from single-channel video "I Can See You" by Sajjad Abbas; “M. Obultra 3” (detail) by Matthew Schrader

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PAULA

music+nightlife S UNDbites

News and views on the local music + nightlife scene

BY CHRIS FARNSWORTH

Feeling It All: Phil Cohen Opens Up on His New Album

PHIL COHEN has some hot takes. As the Westford-born singer-songwriter idly toyed with his chopsticks, moving the bok choy around on his plate of dim sum at a Burlington restaurant, he took on a look of intense concentration beneath his baseball cap and glasses.

“I don’t think too many people would agree, but I think Springsteen’s first record is his best,” Cohen stated of BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN’s debut, Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J. “I know he made some incredible records after, but it’s such a cathartic record — he’s feeling everything so hard.

“Same with DAVID BOWIE and Hunky Dory,” he continued. “He’s not cosmic Bowie yet; he’s raw. And sometimes that’s my favorite zone of songwriting. Just bare it all, man.”

Cohen knows a thing or two about baring it all. His new LP, I Put the Day Away, which drops this Friday, March 22, on Bandcamp and Spotify, is a confessional blast of indie rock, ennui and lyrical bombs. Though it’s technically Cohen’s fifth release since he started writing music as a 15-year-old Vermont high schooler, he considers the new album his “second adult record,”

following 2014’s Before I Go

While not a concept record per se, I Put the Day Away is su used with Cohen’s multilayered existential dread. From lost loves to a love-hate relationship with alcohol to a lifelong fear of death, Cohen airs it all out on the LP. It also serves as a goodbye of sorts to New York City, where he spent seven years before returning to Vermont in 2017.

That wasn’t his intention when he left Vermont. “I had this plan where I’d combine being a travel nurse and a musician and just be a total nomad,” said Cohen, who now works as a nurse at the University of Vermont Medical Center. “But it turned out I wasn’t as much of a free spirit as I thought.”

of the city’s best musicians, many of whom he would ask to play on his new album, including CRICKET BLUE’s LAURA HEABERLIN, DWIGHT + NICOLE drummer EZRA OKLAN, guitarist XANDER NAYLOR, and GOOSE drummer COTTER ELLIS.

Before he could make a new record, though, he’d have to deal with those pesky demons. No stranger to anxiety, Cohen was still surprised to find himself experiencing a newfound case of imposter syndrome.

downtime to keep writing the songs that would make up I Put the Day Away

“The album started to have this vague feeling of grief, of leaving New York and trying to get rid of the past version of myself,” Cohen explained. “There was some self-loathing and drinking, a cosmic swirl of schmutz.”

The result of all that schmutz is one of the strongest local albums of the year so far. While Cohen’s earlier work was Americana-adjacent, I Put the Day Away has a much more aggressive push while remaining melodic. On “Monday Best,” he dives into Yankee Hotel Foxtrot-era WILCO territory, with fiddles and horns blending seamlessly for a folk-meetsexperimental-rock feel. “Monterey Bay” is all over the spectrum, with hints of Celtic folk and waves of synth coloring a tune about familial trauma and working in wine country.

“It’s an honest record, and that’s a little scary for me,” Cohen admitted. “I used to sort of hide behind vagueness on my younger records. This one is very much about me.”

To underline how personal the record is, he’s shot an accompanying video for every track. Six of those videos are already on YouTube, including “Sugar Fire” and “Blue Hill.”

Cohen’s also looking into a limited vinyl release, something his past imposter syndrome moments wouldn’t have allowed. “I didn’t think I was good enough to have a record,” he said. “Now, it’s just a question of money. But I think we’re there, and it would be awesome to hold that record in my hands — like climbing a mountain.”

“I’d actually thought I’d put all that stu behind me,” Cohen said. “I’ve released so much music and played so many shows for so many strangers, I didn’t understand how I could still feel like that. But I fucking did, so...”

What scares Cohen isn’t baring his soul so much as baring it to an audience of no one.

“Rubbing up against that part of humanity where you put your art out to be judged gives me a very, very specific kind of anxiety,” Cohen said. “I’m a quiet perfectionist, so I’m scared to try this hard at something and still be met with a tepid response. That absolutely terrifies me sometimes.”

Cohen wondered for a long time whether he would still make music if there were no audience.

In Burlington, Cohen found a vibrant music scene he hadn’t been expecting. Having left Vermont as a relatively young songwriter, he’d never had the chance to immerse himself in the local music community, he recalled. Everything felt new and exciting, like a clean slate on which to relaunch his music career.

He hooked up with Future Fields producer and saxophonist DAN ROME and started helping out at the downtown Burlington studio. There he met some

He details those feelings on the advance single “Pinchgut Town,” an angular and vibrant indie-rock jam. “I was the golden son, / now I’m just the lonely one,” Cohen sings. “I am the mouth the hand couldn’t feed / I am the man the world didn’t need.”

Before Cohen could get his new Vermont career in gear, the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Instead of assembling a backing band and playing shows, Cohen was stuck at home. He used that

“I love making art,” he said. “It’s just about how much I can bear to push that art, you know? But I know now that I can’t live without making music. It doesn’t really matter if people are buying my music or coming to my shows — I’m going to write music either way.”

Cohen laughed a little as he put down his chopsticks.

“I mean ... I don’t need people to be listening,” he said with a sheepish grin. “But it would be nice.”

Phil Cohen

188

On the Beat

FOREST STATION drop a single on Friday, March 22. “Yellow Aspens” is the debut song from the bluegrass band, which formed in 2023 after guitarist ELI MARTELL-CRAWFORD and mandolinist ALEX SKOWRON moved to Vermont from Bozeman, Mont., and joined forces with banjo player THOMAS BRYCE.

The tune, a rolling and rollicking tribute to the gorgeous trees, is from the band’s forthcoming debut LP, Earth Tones, which hits streaming platforms on Friday, April 5. That same day, to celebrate the release, Forest Station open up for Nashville folk act SICARD HOLLOW at Nectar’s in Burlington. Check out foreststationbluegrass.com for more information.

After a loooooong hiatus, Vermont punks the RIVER CITY REBELS are back. The band formed in White River Junction in 1997 and went on to become one of the state’s most successful rock bands of the late 20th century. The River City Rebels

signed with Victory Records, and the NEW YORK DOLLS’ SYLVAIN SYLVAIN produced their 2004 album, Hate to Be Loved Their last recording, 2014’s Headed to Hell, came out on Screaming Crow Records before the band went on ice.

Eye on the Scene

Last week’s nightlife highlights from photographer Luke Awtry

HOWLERMANO PHOTOGRAPHY TINTYPE PORTRAITS, CLUB METRONOME, BURLINGTON, SATURDAY, MARCH 16: I develop my own black-and-white film. But nothing I’ve done as a photographer compares with the authenticity of the tintype portraits created by ex-Burlingtonian and former hardcore singer JEFF HOWLETT of HOWLERMANO PHOTOGRAPHY. First, he coats a metal plate with an emulsion and bathes it in liquid silver nitrate. While his subjects sit, Howlett loads the wet plate into the large-format camera and, just as the plate is exposed, fires 4,000 watts of flashbulbs — and man, that heat is intense. Howlett runs back into his makeshift darkroom to develop the plate and finalizes the process by sealing it in a varnish lacquer and baking it. I got to witness this firsthand at a private event on Saturday at Club Metronome in Burlington (happy 60th to club cofounder ANNE ROTHWELL!), and I’m already looking at my old four-by-fives and wondering if I have time for a new hobby...

A decade later, the band is back with Pop Culture Baby, a four-song EP produced by DAVE MINEHAN of the REPLACEMENTS and released last month. Aside from founding member DAN “BOPPER” O’DAY, the quintet is made up of fresh faces ready to carry on the River City Rebels name. With a 25th anniversary show at the Main Street Museum in White River Junction on June 1, it’s shaping up to be a big 2024 for one of Vermont’s most storied punk bands. ➆

LiveAtNectars.com

High Break

THURS 3.21, 3.28

No Showers On Vacation

FRI 3.22

All Night Boogie Band w/ Baby Fern & The Plants

SAT 3.23

Blackwater w/ The Hive

TUE 3.26

Grateful Tuesdays

FRI 3.29

The Edd

& Moondogs

SAT 3.30

Knights of the Brown Table Tribute to Ween

FRI 3.29

Grippo Funk Band

FRI 4.5

Natalie Cressman & Ian Faquini

THUR 4.11

LTJ Bukem

FULL MELT THURSDAY

Prosper, Kanganade, Tricky Pat

6.

7.

Emo Night FRI 3.22 w/ Malcolm Miller 8v-nectars032024

Now hear this!

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Eye on This Guy: As the Solar Eclipse Approaches, Vermont Astronomer and Meteorologist Mark Breen Is Having His Moment in the Sun 25 MINS.

Getting On: An Aging Population Is Transforming Vermont’s Schools, Workplaces and Communities 28 MINS.

On a Whirlwind Tour of Vermont Comedy, Here’s What Worked — and What Didn’t 8 MINS.

The Fight for Decker Towers: Drug Users and Homeless People Have Overrun a LowIncome High-Rise. Residents Are Gearing Up to Evict Them 31 MINS.

Noah’s Arc: Noah Kahan Is Vermont’s Biggest Cultural Export in Years. How the Hell Did That Happen? 25 MINS.

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WHILE YOU WORK

ON THE ROAD

LUKE AWTRY

WITH A BUDDY

CLUB DATES

live music

WED.20

Adirondack Jazz Orchestra (jazz) at Olive Ridley’s, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 7 p.m. Free.

Blue Fox Trio (rock, blues) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 8 p.m.

Free.

High Break Beats (surf, hip-hop) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 9 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.

Luis Betancourt (singer-songwriter) at Two Heroes Brewery Public House, South Hero, 6 p.m.

Free.

Paper Lady, Vega, Young Laidy (indie rock) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 9 p.m. $10/$15.

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.21

Andriana Chobot (indie pop) at Stone’s Throw, Waterbury, 6 p.m. Free.

Brett Hughes (country) at the Filling Station, White River Junction, 6 p.m. Free.

Electronic Emulsion (electronic) at Despacito, Burlington, 8 p.m. $10.

The Fabulous Wrecks (rock, bluegrass) at Black Flannel Brewing & Distilling, Essex, 6 p.m. Free.

Frankie & the Fuse (rock) at Red Square, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

The Gallison Hill Band (rock) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 9 p.m. Free.

Jesse Agan (covers) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 6 p.m. Free.

Kim Gordon, Heavy Blanket (indie rock) at Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $30/$35.

Matt the Gnat & the Gators (jazz) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

No Showers on Vacation (jam) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 8 p.m. $5/$10.

Parker Shper Trio (jazz) at the Phoenix, Waterbury, 7:30 p.m. $15-30.

PET Project (folk) at 1st Republic Brewing, Essex, 6 p.m. Free.

Timothy Quigley & Friends (jazz) at Hugo’s, Montpelier, 7:30 p.m. Free.

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.

Power Trio

Three of Burlington’s best acts team up for a night of indie pop and R&B. Singer-songwriter WILL KEEPER (pictured) pens slick bedroom pop with a hint of experimental music for good measure. His latest effort, 2022’s Glass Doll, received critical praise for its mix of vibrant indie pop and weighty lyrical themes. Keeper is joined by TIP/ TOE, whose 2023 album Hot Girls Don’t Trust the Government, a neon-lit blast of EDM, made the Seven Days list for best albums of the year. Rounding out the bill are Burlington queer indie outfit FAWN. The three acts take over Foam Brewers on the Burlington waterfront on Saturday, March 23.

Void Bringer, Nailed Shut MA, Cooked, Split in Half (hardcore) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 7 p.m. $12/$15.

FRI.22

AliT (singer-songwriter) at Stone’s Throw, Richmond, 6 p.m. Free.

All Night Boogie Band, Baby Fern & the Plants (blues) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 8 p.m. $10.

Beans (jam) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 11:30 p.m. $10.

Bent Nails House Band (blues, rock) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 9 p.m. Free.

Dave Mitchell’s Blues Revue (blues) at Red Square, Burlington, 2 p.m. Free.

Dirty Looks (rock) at the Old Post, South Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

Duncan MacLeod (jazz) at Bleu Northeast Kitchen, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. Free.

Duncan MacLeod Trio (jazz, blues) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 5 p.m. Free.

Early Birdcode (jazz) at the Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

Geeked Out, Short Changed, the Path, Keepsake (metal) at Monopole, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 10 p.m. Free.

Greg Baumen (singer-songwriter) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 7 p.m. Free.

Jaded Ravins (Americana) at Whammy Bar, Calais, 7 p.m. Free.

JD Tolstoi (electronic) at Taps Tavern, Poultney, 6 p.m. Free.

Joe Adler & Brady Winslow (folk) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 7 p.m. $10.

John Lackard Blues Band (blues) at American Legion Post 3, Montpelier, 6 p.m. Free.

Justin LaPoint (singersongwriter) at Hotel Vermont, Burlington, 4 p.m. Free.

Kirkland the Band (covers) at 1st Republic Brewing, Essex, 6 p.m. Free.

Krishna Guthrie (folk) at Blue Cat Bistro, Castleton, 6 p.m. Free.

Lloyd Tyler Band (covers) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 9 p.m. Free.

Mingko, No Fun Haus, Remi Russin (indie) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 8 p.m. $10/$15.

Nate Michaud (acoustic) at Gusto’s, Barre, 6 p.m. Free.

Nico Suave & the Mothership: A Tribute to Led Zeppelin (tribute) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 7 p.m. $10.

Nikki and the Barn Boys, Morrissey Boulevard, the Stripers (indie rock) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $20/$23.

Rap Night Burlington (hip-hop) at Drink, Burlington, 9 p.m. $5.

Ray’s Used Cars (Americana) at 14th Star Brewing, St. Albans, 6 p.m. Free.

The Red Newts, the Babes of Butcher Holler (country, blues) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 8 p.m. $5.

Ryan Osswald Quartet (jazz) at Hugo’s, Montpelier, 7:30 p.m. Free.

Sarah Bell (singer-songwriter) at Two Heroes Brewery Public House, South Hero, 6 p.m. Free.

Sarah Mitchell (singer-songwriter) at Olive Ridley’s, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 6 p.m. Free.

Steve Ellis (jazz) at Bleu Northeast Kitchen, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. Free.

Tom Caswell Blues Band (blues) at Jericho Café & Tavern, 7:30 p.m. Free.

Tricky Pat & Friends (drum and bass) at the Other Half, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free.

SAT.23

Alpaca Gnomes (jam) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 8 p.m. $10/$15. Blackwater, the Hive (indie rock) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 8 p.m. $8.

Danny & the Parts (Americana) at Red Square, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

Diamond Special (covers) at Gusto’s, Barre, 9 p.m. Free.

Left Eye Jump (blues) at Red Square, Burlington, 2 p.m. Free.

Live Music Saturdays (live music series) at Dumb Luck Pub & Grill, Hinesburg, 7 p.m. Free.

Mean Waltons (folk) at Taps Tavern, Poultney, 6 p.m. Free.

Metamorph, DJ Dagon, DJ

Goat (goth) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 8 p.m. Free.

Mild Maniacs, Rose Asteroid (indie rock) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 9 p.m. $10.

Minced Oats (folk) at Whammy Bar, Calais, 7 p.m. Free.

Moon Hooch, Honeycomb (dance, jazz) at Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington, 8 p.m. $20/$25.

NASTEELUVZYOU, Ron Stoppable (hip-hop) at the Other Half, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

No More Blue Tomorrows (indie rock) at Olive Ridley’s, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 9 p.m. Free.

Patti Casey and Colin McCaffrey (jazz) at Hugo’s, Montpelier, 7:30 p.m. $5.

PET Project (folk) at Jericho Café & Tavern, 7:30 p.m. Free.

Rabbitfoot, Zoie Party (indie) at Light Club Lamp Shop, Burlington, 9 p.m. $5/$8.

Ryan Osswald Quartet, TZQ (jazz) at Monkey House, Winooski, 7:30 p.m. $5/$10.

Ryan Sweezey and the Midnight Walkers (pop) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 9 p.m. Free. Suburban Samurai, Better Things, Vallory Falls (punk, rock) at the Underground, Randolph, 7:30 p.m. $12.

Tongue Depressor & Austin Larkin, E. Jason Gibbs (experimental, folk) at the Phoenix, Waterbury, 7:30 p.m. $15-$30.

Tuned Up Concert Series: Lazy Bird (jam) at Stowe Cider, 9 p.m. $5.

Uncle Jimmy (Americana) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 5 p.m. Free.

Will Keeper, Fawn, tip/toe (indie) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

SUN.24

Bluegrass Brunch (bluegrass) at the Skinny Pancake, Burlington, noon. Free.

Jeff Rosenstock, Sidney Gish, Gladie (singer-songwriter) at Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington, 7 p.m. $25/$29.

Sunday Brunch Tunes (singersongwriter) at Hotel Vermont, Burlington, 10 a.m.

MON.25

Chappell Roan (pop) at Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $33/$35. Sold out.

TUE.26

Big Easy Tuesdays with Jon McBride (jazz) at the 126, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free. Bluegrass Jam (bluegrass) at Taps Tavern, Poultney, 7 p.m. Free.

Bob Recupero (singer-songwriter) at Lawson’s Finest Liquids, Waitsfield, 5 p.m. Free.

Dobbs’ Dead (Grateful Dead tribute) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 9 p.m. $10/$20.

Honky Tonk Tuesday with the Hogtones (country) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 9 p.m. $10.

SUNY Plattsburgh Jazz

Ensemble (jazz) at Olive Ridley’s, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 7 p.m. Free.

WED.27

High Break Beats (surf, hip-hop) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 9 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.

John Lackard Blues Duo (blues) at American Flatbread Burlington Hearth, 5:30 p.m. Free.

Live Jazz (jazz) at Leunig’s Bistro & Café, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Troy Millette (singer-songwriter) at Two Heroes Brewery Public House, South Hero, 6 p.m. Free.

SAT.23 // WILL KEEPER, FAWN, TIP/TOE [INDIE]

MON.25

Bike Open Mic (open mic) at Community of Sound, Burlington, 6 p.m. Donation.

Open Mic (open mic) at Despacito, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

TUE.26

Music Open Mic (open mic) at Monkey House, Winooski, 7 p.m. Free.

Open Mic Night (open mic) at Drink, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

WED.27

Howl Story Slam (spoken word) at Olive Ridley’s, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 7 p.m. Free.

Irish Sessions (Celtic, open mic) at Burlington St. John’s Club, 6:30 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.

comedy

WED.20

Laugh Local VT Comedy Open Mic (comedy) at the Den, Williamstown, 7 p.m. Free.

March Madness (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7 p.m. $5.

Standup Comedy Open Mic (comedy open mic) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 8:30 p.m.

THU.21

Comedy Wolf (comedy) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $10. Live Standup Comedy (comedy) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 7 p.m. Free.

March Madness: Semifinals (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 8:30 p.m. $5.

Sam Jay (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7 p.m. $25.

FRI.22

And That’s Why We Drink (comedy podcast) at Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington, 7 p.m. $39.50/$44.50.

Sam Jay (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7 & 9 p.m. $25.

SAT.23

F Words: Funny Females (comedy) at Artistree Community Arts Center, South Pomfret, 7 p.m. $25.

Sam Jay (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7 & 9 p.m. $25.

SUN.24

$5 Improv Night (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7 p.m. $5.

TUE.26

Free Stuff! (comedy) at Lincolns, Burlington, 9:30 p.m. Free.

WED.27

March Madness: Finals (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7 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.20

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.

Trivia Night (trivia) at the Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

Wednesday Team Trivia (trivia) at Einstein’s Tap House, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free.

THU.21

Karaoke (karaoke) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free.

Karaoke Night (karaoke) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 7 p.m. Free.

Karaoke with Matt Mero (karaoke) at Olive Ridley’s, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 8 p.m. Free.

Trivia (trivia) at Highland Lodge, Greensboro, 7 p.m. Free.

Trivia Night (trivia) at Four Quarters Brewing, Winooski, 6 p.m. Free.

Trivia Night (trivia) at McGillicuddy’s Five Corners, Essex Junction, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Trivia Night (trivia) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Trivia Thursday (trivia) at Spanked Puppy Pub, Colchester, 7 p.m. Free.

FRI.22

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.

Karoke with DJ Big T (karaoke) at McKee’s Pub & Grill, Winooski, 9 p.m. Free.

SAT.23

Green Mountain Cabaret (drag) at the Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 8 p.m. $15.

Trivioke with Shacklett (trivia, karaoke) at Monopole, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 10 p.m. Free.

SUN.24

Karaoke (karaoke) at the Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

Sunday Funday (games) at 1st Republic Brewing, Essex, noon. Free.

MON.25

Trivia (trivia) at McKee’s Pub & Grill, Winooski, 7 p.m. Free.

Trivia with Craig Mitchell (trivia) at Monkey House, Winooski, 7 p.m. Free.

TUE.26

Godfather Karaoke (karaoke) at the Other Half, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free.

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.27

Karaoke Night (karaoke) at Drink, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free. Rock and Roll

REVIEW this music+nightlife

Kim Gordon, The Collective (MATADOR,

CASSETTE, CD, DIGITAL, VINYL)

Long considered one of indie rock’s defining figures, Kim Gordon continues defying convention and further solidifies her legacy with her second solo recording, The Collective

A darkened, chaotic batch of compositions, the album is a jarring critique of a world Gordon views as confusedly addicted to consumption and skewed by dysfunctional masculinity. Its 11 songs are disjointed but together intensify and further the evolution of sounds that can be traced to her earliest leading efforts as a founding vocalist, bassist and guitarist for Sonic Youth, the renowned experimental postpunk band with a lasting influence on modern rock music.

so many look to cure with screen time. The recording lets loose, leveraging mechanical friction, start-and-stop oscillation, and daunting percussion to mount an artful attack on male toxicity, American pack mentality, and the endless pursuit of fame and wealth.

Teaming up again with Justin Raisen, who produced her 2019 solo premiere, No Home Record, Gordon wields remarkable vision as she continues exploring rarely charted sonic terrain in a project that blends the industrial, hiphop and dub genres.

On the opener, “BYE BYE,” Gordon maintains her well-known dismal tone. With lyrics aimed to provoke, tracks such as “Trophies,” “It’s Dark Inside” and “Shelf Warmer” make for a bold endeavor even in these strange times.

Kim Gordon

Sonic Youth member Thurston Moore announced their separation after 27 years of marriage. During the divorce, Gordon later shared, she was diagnosed with and successfully treated for breast cancer.

groove out of the frightful funk of “I Don’t Miss My Mind” and the clang of “The Believers.” On the expansive “Psychedelic Orgasm,” the accomplished noise trailblazer reminds listeners that she has no bounds.

The record closes with “Dream Dollar,” a pulsation featuring Gordon at her most sarcastic as she eschews a presumed path to success that runs counter to her punk roots. “Cement the brand / Get in the room,” sneers the native of Rochester, N.Y., who grew up in and recently returned to Los Angeles.

The Collective’s obscure album cover depicts the out-of-focus shadow of hands holding a smartphone in pink light, evoking the contemporary disconnection

Licorice Finn, Uncomfortably Gray

(SELF-RELEASED, DIGITAL)

I have to say I’m a bit hazy on what counts as a supergroup these days. Traveling Wilburys and the Highwaymen qualify, to be sure. But I recently heard someone refer to Wings as a supergroup just because Denny Laine was in the Moody Blues for a few years, and now I have my doubts about the label.

Was Temple of the Dog, for example, really a supergroup if one of its supposed tributaries (Pearl Jam) wasn’t a household name at the time and another (Mother Love Bone) never really became one? And does a band qualify if it ends up being way bigger than the sum of its parts, inflating the stature of

Gordon has accomplished more in her career than most musicians could imagine and endured the unthinkable along the way. Her experience informs the new record and colors its potent cynicism. In 2011, Gordon and fellow

those individual parts after the fact? How many geniuses are there really in boygenius?

At the risk of further diluting the term, I’m tempted to call the ensemble behind Licorice Finn’s debut record a Vermont supergroup of sorts. Helmed by lyricist and singer Glenn Evans, aka Licorice Finn himself, Uncomfortably Gray features an impressive lineup of Vermont musicians. Most notably, industry heavyweight Bow Thayer is credited with the record’s musical arrangements and plays guitar, bass and banjo throughout.

Evans and Thayer are joined by violinist Jakob Breitbach of the Americana duo Beecharmer, multi-brass instrumentalist Glendon Ingalls of Onion River Jazz Band fame, Thayer’s longtime

In the grinding automation of “I’m a Man,” she assumes the perspective of a fool admitting his own faults, fumbling with excuses across a defensive, feeble monologue before settling for mediocrity: “It’s not my fault. I’m a man ... It’s good enough for Nancy.”

The Collective’s tracks are decidedly incongruous, but Gordon demonstrates expertise in crafting the unexpected

drummer, Je Berlin, and many others. Coming from disparate corners of the Green Mountain State music scene, the group still forms a tight unit. It expertly navigates an eclectic mix of songs that, while firmly steeped in the folk-rock tradition, bear the mark of wide-ranging influences.

The grunge-inflected Americana of opener “Ice Cream Dream” gives way seamlessly to the lighthearted bopping of “Imperfect Grace” and “Your Smile Sets Me Free.” Driven by vamping guitars and a pulsing horn section, the latter song delves slightly into jam territory while nicely maintaining the album’s overall folksy feel.

That grooving sensibility, however, transitions almost jarringly to the melancholy title track, a ballad in which Evans croons over a swelling string arrangement. “Uncomfortably Gray” showcases Evans’ lyrics at their best, at once eerie and tender as they flirt with a kind of surrealism. “If I could rewind

A multifaceted visual artist who draws, paints, writes and composes for stage performance, Gordon doesn’t consider herself a musician in the traditional sense. Still, she’s an icon to grunge bands and the underground feminist punk scene — a hero to creative people far and wide. At 70, she serves up what may be her most compelling, albeit most ominous, work to date.

Gordon performs on Thursday, March 21, at the Higher Ground Ballroom in South Burlington. The Collective is available on all streaming platforms and can be purchased on Gordon’s website, kimaltheagordon.com.

CASEY RYAN VOCK

time / I’d make yesterday Groundhog Day / if it meant I’d see you smile / rather than go away,” he sings.

While the band remains taut and energetic across the broad array of songs, one wonders if Evans himself feels more suited to certain styles than others. His grungy baritone at times seems out of step with the band — for example, on the aforementioned “Your Smile Sets Me Free” or the gospel-inflected “Twisting All the Rainbows.”

Evans and the group feel most in sync on the mellow, folksier tunes, which seem to represent the album’s true north and make up its high points. Of these, none is higher than closer “Abel Mountain,” a mellow, banjo-driven romp in which Evans, the strings and the backup singers all seem to swell and recede together in a perfect union.

Uncomfortably Gray is available at licoricefinn.bandcamp.com and on all major streaming platforms.

HABIB SABET

calendar

MARCH 20-27, 2024

WED.20

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.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.

ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN

FILM SERIES: ‘NEW

ENGLAND MODERNISM:

REVOLUTIONARY

ARCHITECTURE IN THE 20TH

CENTURY’: Vermont state architectural historian Devin Colman introduces this documentary about the influential figures of a provocative design movement. Live stream available. Burlington City Hall Auditorium, 6-8 p.m. Free. Info, 865-7166.

‘COMMON GROUND’: A discussion with local healthy soil

advocates follows a screening of an award-winning documentary about regenerative agriculture. Savoy Theater, Montpelier, 6-9 p.m. $10-15. Info, t@vtgardens.org.

‘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 admission, $14.50-18; admission free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848.

‘LA FORZA DEL DESTINO’: The Metropolitan Opera’s first staging of Verdi’s epic drama in nearly 30 years broadcasts live. Star Theatre of St. Johnsbury, 11 a.m. $16-25. Info, 748-2600.

‘OCEANS: OUR BLUE PLANET 3D’: Scientists dive into the

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.

supportive group. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, noon-1 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

theater

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.

‘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.

food & drink

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

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.

health & fitness

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.

language

BEGINNER IRISH LANGUAGE

CLASS: Celtic-curious students learn to speak an Ghaeilge in a

ELL CLASSES: ENGLISH FOR BEGINNERS AND 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.

INTERMEDIATE IRISH LANGUAGE CONVERSATION AND MUSIC: Speakers with some experience increase their fluency through conversation and song. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 10:30 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 863-3403.

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.

music

NXT CURATOR SERIES:

CHRISTOPHER SILVER: A scholar of Jewish history uncovers the musical connections between North African Jews and Muslims via his one-of-a-kind collection of early 20th century records. Next Stage Arts Project, Putney, 7 p.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, 387-0102.

seminars

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. 6-7:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, ecogather@ sterlingcollege.edu.

sports

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.

‘BREAKFALLS’: Vermont Stage premieres local playwright Gina Stevensen’s play about the romance, friendship and conflict that blooms in a Burlington dojo. Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $24-64. Info, 862-1497.

‘THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG’: A play within a play goes horribly awry in this award-winning comedy, presented by Northern Stage. Barrette Center for the Arts, White River Junction, 7:30 p.m. $19-69. Info, 296-7000.

words

REBECCA SERLE: The best-selling author discusses her newest novel, Expiration Dates, with prolific blockbuster penner Jodi Picoult. Ticket includes a book. Norwich Congregational Church, 7 p.m. $32; preregister. Info, 649-1114.

ROWAN RICARDO PHILLIPS: The award-winning poet and author of When Blackness Rhymes With Blackness and Living Weapon reads from his work. Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, 8-9 p.m. Free. Info, 635-2727.

TRISH O’KANE: An author and accidental ornithologist shares her new memoir, Birding to Change the World. Pierson Library, Shelburne, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 985-5124.

THU.21

2024 solar eclipse

OBSCURA BTV PUBLIC INFO

SESSION: Event planners and city leaders share key information about the upcoming eclipse in the Queen City. Live stream available. Burlington City Hall Auditorium, 6-8 p.m. Free. Info, eclipse@ burlingtonvt.org.

activism

HOW (AND WHY) TO BUILD GREAT BIKE

PARKING: A Local Motion info session discusses why spots to stow your cycle are so important. 6-7 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 861-2700.

business

ADDISON COUNTY BIZ BUZZ: Local female business owners meet and chat over coffee. Minifactory, Bristol, 9-10 a.m. Free. Info, info@vtwomenprepeurs.com.

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.

dance

‘SUBJECT TO CHANGE’: A meditative dance performance draws on themes of climate change and social instability. Q&A with the artists follows. The Current, Stowe, 5-6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 253-8358.

environment

SPRING SPEAKER SERIES:

HANNAH O’BRIEN: An environmentalist discusses life on a Lake Champlain houseboat. Virtual option available. Community Sailing Center, Burlington, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 864-2499.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.

FILMING IN THE STUDIO: Aspiring television DPs practice setting up and filming an interview show. The Media Factory, Burlington, 6-8 p.m. Free; donations accepted; preregister. Info, 651-9692.

‘FUNGI: THE WEB OF LIFE 3D’: See WED.20.

‘GREAT WHITE SHARK 3D’: See WED.20.

‘OCEANS: OUR BLUE PLANET 3D’: See WED.20.

‘TINY GIANTS 3D’: See WED.20.

food & drink

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 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.

FIND

music + nightlife Find club dates at local

Learn more about highlighted listings in the Magnificent 7 on page 11. = ONLINE EVENT

talks

RICK WINSTON: The author of Red Scare in the Green Mountains: Vermont in the McCarthy Era digs into how this state handled the anti-communist hysteria of the 1950s. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 6-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

TURKEY TALES: STORIES FROM

THE FIELD — A LISTENING

PARTY: Recorded interviews from Vermont Folklife tell the oral history of the successful reintroduction of the eastern wild turkey into the Green Mountain State. Burlington Beer, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 388-4967.

HIRING2DAYVT VIRTUAL

JOB FAIR: Job seekers get a chance to meet with employers from around the state, thanks to the Vermont Department of Labor. 11 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 828-4000.

HOME PROFESSIONALS

COMMUNITY MEETUP: Interior designers, furniture builders, Realtors and other local home industry pros connect over refreshments and giveaways. Joy of Home, South Burlington, 5-7 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 488-9037.

crafts

KNIT FOR YOUR NEIGHBOR: All ages and abilities are invited to

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.

holidays

BUILD A CUSTOM EASTER BASKET: Crafty people leave the kids at home and build their dream baskets while shopping for chocolate bunnies and sipping cocktail samples from Barr Hill. Lake Champlain Chocolates Flagship Store, Pine St., Burlington, 5-7 p.m. Free. Info, 864-1807.

FAMI LY FU N

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.

WED.20

burlington

FAM JAM: Vermont Folklife hosts a tuneful get-together for musicians of all ages and skill levels. BYO instruments. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 6:30-7 p.m. Free. Info, ytv@vtfolklife.org.

STEAM SPACE: Kids in kindergarten through fifth grade explore science, technology, engineering, art and math activities. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

TEEN CRAFTERNOON: Crafts take over the Teen Space, from origami to watercolors and beyond. Ages 11 through 18. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 3:304:30 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

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

BABYTIME: Caregivers and infants from birth through age 1 gather to explore board books and toys. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

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.

READ TO A DOG!: Kids of all ages sign up for a 10-minute time slot to tell stories to Emma the therapy pup. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Free; preregister; limited space. Info, 846-4140.

TINKER TIME: COLORING FUN: Crafty kids decorate bookmarks with watercolors, markers or pencils. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 2:30-4 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

barre/montpelier

FARMERS NIGHT: APPLIED CARTOONING: Cartoon character costumes are encouraged at this family-friendly presentation on educational comics from the Center for Cartoon Studies. House Chamber, Vermont Statehouse, Montpelier, 7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 828-0749.

mad river valley/ waterbury

TEEN HANGOUT: Middle and high schoolers make friends at a no-pressure meetup. Waterbury Public Library, 3-6 p.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

THU.21

burlington

GROW PRESCHOOL YOGA: Colleen from Grow Prenatal and Family Yoga leads little ones in songs, movement and other fun activities. Ages 2 through 5. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

LITERACY AT THE LAUNDROMAT: Becca and Julie from Fletcher Free Library read stories to little ones and hand out library cards. Free laundry for participants. King Street Laundry, Burlington, 3-4 p.m. Free; limited space. Info, 863-3403.

chittenden county

KIDS BOOK CLUB FOR K-2: Little bookworms and their caregivers learn to love reading together through sharing, crafts and writing activities. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 4-5 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 846-4140.

PRESCHOOL MUSIC WITH LINDA

BASSICK: The singer and storyteller extraordinaire leads little ones in indoor music and movement. Birth through age 5. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

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.

Next Generation

The whole village that it takes to raise a kid is invited to the Grand Friends Gala, an intergenerational dance party to raise funds for the Vermont Children’s Museum, currently a traveling “museum without walls” in Addison County. Little ones and their parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, neighbors and caregivers are welcome at this foot-shaking shindig for kids from one to 92. Guests of all ages enjoy live jazz, taking silly group shots in the photo booth, drawing at the creativity station and applying glittery temporary tattoos.

GRAND FRIENDS GALA

Saturday, March 23, 4 p.m., at Town Hall Theater in Middlebury. $15-50; preregister. Info, 382-9222, townhalltheater.org.

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.

middlebury area

‘THE ADDAMS FAMILY’: Everyone’s favorite bloodcurdling brood faces the ultimate fright: Wednesday’s nice, normal boyfriend and his parents. Parental guidance suggested. Mount Abraham Union High School, Bristol, 7 p.m. $12-15. Info, 377-3335.

FRI.22

chittenden county

LEGO BUILDERS: Each week, children ages 8 and older build, explore, create 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.

TEEN: DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: Local wizards and warlocks ages 12 and up play a collaborative game of magic and

monsters. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 5-6 p.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

middlebury area

‘THE ADDAMS FAMILY’: See THU.21.

upper valley

STORY TIME: Preschoolers take part in tales, tunes and playtime. Latham Library, Thetford, 11 a.m. Free. Info, 785-4361.

SAT.23

burlington

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.

PLANETARIUM LADY: ECLIPSE!: Kids ages 6 and up step inside a sky theater to learn all about what happens when the moon passes in front of the sun. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Free; preregister; limited space. Info, 863-3403.

STORIES WITH GEOFF: Little patrons of the library’s new location enjoy a morning of stories and songs. Fletcher Free Library New North End Branch, Burlington, 11:15-11:45 a.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

WEE ENGINEER: Little ones ages 3 through 5 learn problem-solving skills at this hands-on STEAM series. Fletcher Free Library New North End Branch, Burlington, 10:30-11:15 a.m. Free; preregister; limited space. Info, 863-3403.

chittenden county

MOSAIC: Little artists summon their inner ancient Romans to create a masterpiece out of tiles. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3-4 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

SATURDAY STORIES: Kiddos start the weekend off right with stories and songs. Ages 3 through 7. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 10-10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

SUGAR ON SNOW PARTY: Guests of all ages tap trees, collect sap, taste candy and explore a bird-friendly sugar bush. Audubon Vermont Sugarhouse, Huntington, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. Info, 434-3068.

middlebury area

‘THE ADDAMS FAMILY’: See THU.21, 2 & 7 p.m.

GRAND FRIENDS GALA: A fundraiser gala for Vermont Children’s Museum welcomes little ones and their grandparents to dress their best for dancing, music and kid-friendly nosh. See calendar spotlight. Town Hall Theater, Middlebury, 4 p.m. $15-50; preregister. Info, 382-9222.

northeast kingdom

VERMONT CHESS STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS: Quick thinkers in grades K through 12 vie for their opponents’ king in a meeting of the minds. Craftsbury Academy, Craftsbury Common, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. $20; preregister. Info, polly.s.allen@gmail.com.

calendar

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.

WATERBURY IN-PERSON SOCIAL

HOUR: The Alliance Française of the Lake Champlain Region hosts a rendez-vous over drinks. Blackback Pub, Waterbury, 6-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, info@aflcr.org.

music

BRADFORD BRINGALONG

SINGALONGS: Locals bring their friends and their voices to a joyful community jam. Bradford Academy, 5:45 p.m. Free. Info, jennifer@dandjmusic.com.

LENA JONSSON TRIO: The fiddler and her band blend traditional Swedish folk music with rock star sensibilities. Willey Memorial Hall, Cabot, 7-9 p.m. $22-25. Info, 793-3016.

theater

‘BREAKFALLS’: See WED.20.

‘HATCHFORD HOTEL: A NEW

VERMONT MUSICAL’: A homebody B&B owner accidentally transforms into a chicken and gets falsely accused of murder in this workshop performance. Off Center for the Dramatic Arts, Burlington, 8 p.m. $12. Info, 999-7038.

‘THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG’: See WED.20, 2 & 7:30 p.m. words

BOOK DISCUSSION: South Burlington Energy Committee cohosts a conversation about Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson. ADA accessible. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 6:30-8 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

FOMO?

INQUISITIVE READERS BOOK

CLUB: Bookworms dig into a new horizon-expanding tome each month. St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, 6-7 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, henningsmh@ yahoo.com.

WRITING CRAFT TALK: ROWAN

RICARDO PHILLIPS: The award-winning author talks shop with listeners interested in the art of writing. Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, 10-11 a.m. Free; preregister; limited space. Info, writing@vermontstudiocenter. org.

FRI.22

2024 solar eclipse

‘WHEN LIGHT BENDS’: Musical meditations on science and magic by Media Art Xploration tell the story of Albert Einstein’s journey toward his theory of relativity. Highland Center for the Arts, Greensboro, 7-8:30 p.m. $5-20. Info, 533-2000.

dance

film

See

‘LA NUIT’: A black-tie gala featuring swanky cocktails, a silent auction and live music by A House on Fire raises funds for the Flynn’s education and community programs. The Flynn, Burlington, 7 p.m. $150; preregister. Info, 863-5966.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.

‘ELEVATOR TO THE GALLOWS’: A murderer gets trapped in the lift after killing his lover’s husband in this bloody 1958 thriller. The Screening Room @ VTIFF, Main

Inside Kraut

Foodies celebrate all things fizzy and foamy at the inaugural Ferment Fest. Local vendors sell and offer samples of their lip-smackingly sour wares, including beer, mead, cheese, dosas, coffee, salumi, wine, ginger beer, kimchi, sourdough bread and chocolate. Attendees learn more about the art and science of fermentation from makers of indigo dye; exchange sourdough starters, kombucha SCOBYs, vinegar mothers and kefir grains at a community swap; and enjoy the tangy tunes of the Boxcar Breakdown while getting a ferment-themed flash tattoo from Privateyez Studio.

FERMENT FEST 2024

Saturday, March 23, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., at the Soda Plant in Burlington. Free. Info, 503-0344, pitchforkpickle.com.

Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington, 7-8:30 p.m. $5. Info, 660-2600.

‘FUNGI: THE WEB OF LIFE 3D’: See WED.20.

‘GREAT WHITE SHARK 3D’: See WED.20.

‘JUST GETTING BY’: A new documentary takes an incisive look at the lives of Vermonters struggling with food and housing insecurity. Film House, Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington, 7-10 p.m. $15. Info, bobrien@pshift.com.

‘OCEANS: OUR BLUE PLANET 3D’: See WED.20.

‘TINY GIANTS 3D’: See WED.20.

food & drink

ADVENTURE DINNER: SPANISH

TAPAS & PAELLA PARTY: A finger-licking menu including Manchego, jamón, octopus and Basque cheesecake delights

drop-in diners. Foam Brewers, Burlington, 5-10 p.m. Cost of food and drink. Info, 248-224-7539.

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.

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

DAMN TALL BUILDINGS: The newgrass trio infuses their tunes with

demonstrations and delicious treats. See vermontmaple.org for all participating locations and events. See calendar spotlight. Various locations statewide. Free. Info, 777-2667.

business

CAREER EMPOWERMENT DAY:

Job seekers get free professional outfits and lessons on résumé writing, interviewing, budgeting and taxes. O’Brien Community Center, Winooski, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Info, 860-1417, ext. 112.

crafts

U-32 SPRING CRAFT FAIR: Sales of handmade goods, family activities, a raffle and a silent auction benefit the upcoming eighthgrade trip to Washington, D.C. U-32 High School, Montpelier, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Info, 229-0321.

dance

CONTRA DANCE: Adina Gordon calls the steps and Atlantic Crossing play the tunes at this all-levels party. Bring clean, softsoled shoes. Shelburne Town Hall, 6:45-10 p.m. $5-12. Info, info@ queencitycontras.com.

education

COLLEGE & CAREER PATHWAYS:

swing, ragtime, jazz and clever lyricism. University of Vermont Recital Hall, Burlington, 7:30-9:30 p.m. $6.50-39.50. Info, 656-4455.

FRIDAY NIGHT PIANO: A performance of piano rolls 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.

LENA JONSSON TRIO: See THU.21. Town Hall Theater, Middlebury, 7:30 p.m. $22. Info, 382-9222.

MAT KEARNEY: The chart-topping songwriter unleashes his Nashville charm and captivating melodies. Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center, Stowe Mountain Resort, 7-9:30 p.m. $40-125. Info, boxoffice@sprucepeakarts.org.

theater

‘BREAKFALLS’: See WED.20.

‘CABIN FEVER FOLLIES’: Winter blues be gone! A cabaret-style variety show lifts spirits with singing, dancing, comedy and more. BYOB. Valley Players Theater, Waitsfield, 7:30 p.m. $15. Info, 583-1674.

‘HATCHFORD HOTEL: A NEW VERMONT MUSICAL’: See THU.21.

‘THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG’: See WED.20.

SAT.23

2024 solar eclipse

‘WHEN LIGHT BENDS’: See FRI.22.

agriculture

MAPLE OPEN HOUSE WEEKEND: Visitors are in for a sweet weekend packed with tours,

High school students and their parents learn about all the postgrad options available to them during an afternoon of workshops and networking. Livak Ballroom, Dudley H. Davis Center, University of Vermont, Burlington, 1-5 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 877-961-4369.

etc.

OPEN HOUSE: Guests watch demonstrations, chat with researchers, and browse used and new books. Vermont Genealogy Library, Essex Junction, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. Info, 871-5647.

fairs & festivals

2024 BURLINGTON AQUARIUM

FISH, CORAL FRAG AND REPTILE

EXPO: Visitors and vendors connect over locally bred species, DIY demonstrations and equipment for sale at this annual Tropical Fish Club of Burlington affair. Delta Hotels Burlington, South Burlington, noon-3 p.m. Free. Info, dbanks@together.net.

FERMENT FEST 2024: Locals indulge in all kinds of funky food and drink during a day of panels, live bluegrass, SCOBY and starter swaps, and a vendor fair. See calendar spotlight. The Soda Plant, Burlington, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Info, 503-0344.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.

‘FUNGI: THE WEB OF LIFE 3D’: See WED.20.

‘GREAT WHITE SHARK 3D’: See WED.20.

‘JUST GETTING BY’: See FRI.22.

‘OCEANS: OUR BLUE PLANET 3D’: See WED.20.

code or visiting our website.

calendar

SAT.23 « P.64

‘SEVEN SAMURAI’: A crew of warriors defends a village from bandits in this iconic 1954 Japanese action flick. The Screening Room @ VTIFF, Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington, 3-6:45 p.m. $5. Info, 660-2600.

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.

‘TINY GIANTS 3D’: See WED.20.

food & drink

ADVENTURE DINNER: SPANISH TAPAS & PAELLA PARTY: See FRI.22.

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.

COOKBOOK SAMPLES PARTY:

Guests and members sample dishes from the Milton Artists’ Guild’s new recipe book. Milton Artists’ Guild Art Center & Gallery, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Info, 891-2014.

THE DEDALUS WINE DOWN:

Oenophiles start spring cleaning their wine cellar at a shindig replete with tastings, raclette and DJ-spun grooves. Dedalus Wine Shop, Market & Bakery, Stowe, 1-4 p.m. $35. Info, 829-9372.

DRIVE-THRU LASAGNA DINNER

FUNDRAISER: Pickup meals of meat and veggie pasta bakes, breadsticks, salad, and fudge support Machia Wilderness Camp. Faith United Methodist Church, South Burlington, 5-5:35 p.m. $15 suggested donation; preregister. Info, events@faithsbvt.org.

WOODBURY PIE BREAKFAST: Neighbors catch up over sweet and savory desserts. A silent auction in support of the Woodbury Community Library is the cherry on top. Woodbury Elementary

School, 8-11 a.m. $4-8. Info, 472-5710.

games

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.

health & fitness

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.

language

CONVERSATION SPANISH

GROUP: Spanish speakers of all levels meet up over a café to make friends and practice their vocab. Specs Cafe, Winooski, 10:30-11:30 a.m. $10. Info, rakmaigualida@gmail.com.

music

THE EVANS/ASBELL DUO: Two veteran bluesmen play jazz from the 1940s and 1950s. ADA accessible. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, noon-1 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

FACULTY RECITAL: CELEBRATING

THE SCHOOL OF THE ARTS: Dance and music faculty stage a percussion recital with choreography and imagery courtesy of fellow professors. University of Vermont Recital Hall, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 656-3040.

outdoors

SKI WITH A NATURALIST: Crosscountry skiers and snowshoers of all ages and skill levels learn about the trees and creatures they’ve been whizzing past. Blueberry Lake Cross Country Center, Warren, 9 a.m.-noon. Free; preregister. Info, 496-9127.

seminars

PJC RAD HISTORY SERIES: EMMA GOLDMAN: Lefties learn about a pioneering feminist and anarchist and her influential writings. Peace

FAMI LY FU N

SAT.23 « P.63

SUN.24

burlington

CROCHETING 101: Teens learn fiber arts over five weeks. Ages 11 through 18. All materials provided. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, noon-1 p.m. Free; preregister; limited space. Info, 863-3403.

OZ FAMILY PURIM CELEBRATION:

Community members celebrate the Jewish holiday with magic, costume contests, games, face painting and hamantaschen. Bring a vegetarian,

& Justice Center, Burlington, 1-3 p.m. Free. Info, 863-2345.

sports

MAPLE RUN 5K: The whole fam runs a race through school grounds and a sugar bush to celebrate the start of spring. Prizes, snacks and sugarhouse tours follow. Rock Point School, Burlington, 9:30-11 a.m. $5-15. Info, 863-1104.

theater

‘BREAKFALLS’: See WED.20, 2 & 7:30 p.m.

‘CABIN FEVER FOLLIES’: See FRI.22.

‘HATCHFORD HOTEL: A NEW VERMONT MUSICAL’: See THU.21, 2 & 8 p.m.

MAPLE MOON BENEFIT CABARET: Local luminaries show off everything that Lost Nation Theater has to offer in a fabulous phantasmagoria of music, dance, puppetry and aerial arts. Lost Nation Theater, Montpelier City

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.

sesame- and tree nut-free potluck dish. Ohavi Zedek Synagogue, Burlington, 10:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m. $5-18 suggested donation. Info, 864-0218, ext. 801.

chittenden county

2024 HOLI FESTIVAL: A vibrant celebration of the Hindu holiday ushers in springtime. Winooski School District, noon-3 p.m. Free. Info, 655-0485.

SUGAR ON SNOW PARTY: See SAT.23.

mad river valley/ waterbury

EASTER SUGAR COOKIE DECORATING

FEATURING LAURA’S COOKIES: Kids ages 7 and up use royal icing to make delicious art. Red Poppy Cakery, Waterbury, 2-4 p.m. $65. Info, 203-400-0700.

Hall, 7 p.m. Donations accepted. Info, 229-0492.

‘THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG’: See WED.20, 2 & 7:30 p.m.

words

THE POETRY EXPERIENCE:

Local wordsmith Rajnii Eddins hosts a supportive writing and sharing circle for poets of all ages. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 1-3 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

SUN.24

2024 solar eclipse

DISAPPEARING SUN: Staff members from the Burlington office of the National Weather Service give a timely presentation on the science of eclipses and answer everyone’s questions about the upcoming celestial event. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 1-3 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

‘WHEN LIGHT BENDS’: See FRI.22, 2-3:30 p.m.

agriculture

MAPLE OPEN HOUSE WEEKEND: See SAT.23.

community

HUMAN CONNECTION CIRCLE: Neighbors share stories from their lives and forge deep connections. Pickering Room, Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 3-4:30 p.m. Free; preregister; limited space. Info, humanconnectioncircle@ gmail.com.

crafts

YARN CRAFTERS GROUP: See WED.20, 1-3 p.m.

dance

PEKING ACROBATS: Astonishing displays of gravity-defying feats entertain audience members of all ages. The Flynn, Burlington, 7 p.m. $19-49. Info, 863-5966.

MON.25

burlington

PRESCHOOL STORY TIME: 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

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.

TUE.26

burlington

SING-ALONG WITH LINDA BASSICK: Babies, toddlers and preschoolers sing,

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.

‘FUNGI: THE WEB OF LIFE 3D’: See WED.20.

‘GREAT WHITE SHARK 3D’: See WED.20.

‘OCEANS: OUR BLUE PLANET 3D’: See WED.20.

‘TINY GIANTS 3D’: See WED.20.

health & fitness

HEALING AND HOPE THROUGH MEDITATION: Buddhist teachings and mindful moments help participants explore how to live meaningfully. Fletcher Room, Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 12:30-2 p.m. Free. Info, 540-2544.

KARUNA COMMUNITY

MEDITATION: A YEAR TO LIVE (FULLY): Participants practice keeping joy, generosity and gratitude at the forefront of their minds. Jenna’s House, Johnson, 10-11:15 a.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, mollyzapp@live.com.

holidays

PURIM PARTY: Party people of all ages dress up, hear a section of the megillah and nosh on pizza and hamantaschen. Beth Jacob Synagogue, Montpelier, 5-7 p.m. Free; donations accepted; preregister. Info, programming@ bethjacobvt.org.

lgbtq

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

JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH: ST. JOHN PASSION: The Burlington Baroque Festival Singers make their concert debut alongside Ensemble L’Harmonie des Saisons. College Street Congregational Church, Burlington, 4 p.m. $40-60; free for students and kids. Info, info@ burlingtonbaroque.org.

dance and wiggle along with Linda. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 1111:30 a.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

chittenden county

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.

TODDLERTIME: Miss Alexa delights infants and toddlers ages 1 to 3 and their adult caregivers with interactive stories, songs, rhymes and more. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

WED.27

burlington

STEAM SPACE: See WED.20.

WESTFORD CONCERT SERIES: THE DALE & DARCY TRIO: Three acoustic musicians bring Irishinflected energy to keep the Saint Paddy’s Day mood going. Westford Common Hall, 4 p.m. Donations. Info, 363-0930.

tech

BASICS FOR BEGINNERS: INTRO TO EMAIL AND DRIVE: Novices learn how to set up an email account, manage their inbox, add contacts, send photos and use the basic functions of Google Drive while staying safe online. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, noon-1:30 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

theater

‘BREAKFALLS’: See WED.20, 2 p.m.

‘THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG’: See WED.20, 5 p.m.

words

ZIG ZAG LIT MAG ISSUE.16

RELEASE PARTY: Hot off the press, the latest issue of the Addison County arts and literature magazine debuts with a celebratory shindig. Swift House Inn, Middlebury, 2-4 p.m. Free. Info, info@zigzaglitmag.org.

MON.25

2024 solar eclipse

HOW TO SAFELY VIEW THE

TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE: Vermont Astronomical Society experts hand out eclipse glasses and explain how they work. Waterbury Public Library, 6-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

HYMNS TO THE SUN: Greensboro singer and folklorist Maria Schumann leads a volunteer choir in ancient Lithuanian song and dance in preparation for an eclipse performance on April 8. Highland Center for the Arts, Greensboro, 6-7:30 p.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, 533-2000.

TEEN CRAFTERNOON: See WED.20.

TODDLER TIME: See WED.20.

chittenden county

BABYTIME: See WED.20.

COMICS CLUB: Graphic novel and manga fans in third through sixth 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.20.

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

dance

INTRODUCTORY CONTACT

IMPROVISATION WORKSHOP:

Dance artist Dr. Hye-Won Hwang teaches movers of all levels. Dance Theatre, Mahaney Arts Center, Middlebury College, 4:306 p.m. Free. Info, 443-2808.

MOVEMENT MATTERS SERIES:

DANCE TRAMP’S TERRESTRIALS: University of Vermont professor Paul Besaw features three original works about the beauty of Earth. Dance Theatre, Mahaney Arts Center, Middlebury College, 7:30-9 p.m. Free. Info, 443-2808.

WEST AFRICAN DANCE AND DRUM CLASS: Participants learn 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.

environment

GENETIC DIVERSITY AND ASH SEED

PRESERVATION: USDA Horticulturist Jeffrey Carstens virtually presents on the importance of seed diversity and ash preservation. Noon-1 p.m. Free. Info, savannah_spannaus@ partner.nps.gov.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.

‘FUNGI: THE WEB OF LIFE 3D’: See WED.20.

‘GREAT WHITE SHARK 3D’: See WED.20.

‘OCEANS: OUR BLUE PLANET 3D’: See WED.20.

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.20.

food & drink

WPP COMMUNITY DINNER: Local chef Harmony Edosomwan of Harmony’s Kitchen cooks a delicious Afro-fusion soul food meal for pickup or eating in. O’Brien Community Center, Winooski, 4-5:30 p.m. Free; preregister; limited space. Info, 655-4565.

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.

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.

seminars

VERMONT

HOMEOWNERSHIP 101: KEY STRATEGIES FOR FIRSTTIME BUYERS: Lender Justin Mead of CMG Home Loans and Julie Danaher of Ridgeline Real Estate host a virtual first-time homebuyer webinar. 6 p.m. Free. Info, julie@ridgelinerealestate. com.

words

POEMCITY 2024: The beloved local festival of words, hosted by Kellogg-Hubbard Library, fills National Poetry Month with readings, workshops and talks. See kellogghubbard.org for full schedule. Various Montpelier

locations, 6-7 p.m. Free; some activities require preregistration. Info, 223-3338.

TUE.26 activism

NO NEW PRISONS: REIMAGINING COMMUNITIES THROUGH COLLECTIVE ORGANIZING: Advocates with the FreeHer Campaign discuss their work toward abolishing incarceration and closing women’s prisons. Lafayette Hall, University of Vermont, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free. Info, willmillersocialjustice@ gmail.com.

TUE.26 » P.68

calendar

TUE.26

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.

dance

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.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.

‘FUNGI: THE WEB OF LIFE 3D’: See WED.20.

‘GREAT WHITE SHARK 3D’: See WED.20.

‘JUST GETTING BY’: See FRI.22. Welden Theatre, St. Albans, 7 p.m.

‘OCEANS: OUR BLUE PLANET 3D’: See WED.20.

‘TINY GIANTS 3D’: See WED.20.

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.

music

SING & SWING: BRIA SKONBERG

AND BENNY BENACK III: Two virtuoso musicians use trumpet chops and vocal charm to revisit jazz and popular music from such legendary pairings as Judy Garland and Bing Crosby, and Dean Martin and Peggy Lee. Fuller Hall, St. Johnsbury Academy, 7-9 p.m. $16-56; free for students. Info, 748-2600.

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.

seminars

VHS VIRTUAL ROUNDTABLE: ADMIN 101: Virtual attendees share tips and tricks and learn about best practices in running a nonprofit, from bylaws to reporting to addressing challenges and opportunities. Hosted by the Vermont Historical Society and the League of Local Historical Societies & Museums. Noon-1 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 828-1414.

talks

REBECCA RUPP: In a talk titled “Soup to Nuts: An Eccentric History of Food,” the author and food science blogger answers such questions as why the Irish eat corned beef and cabbage on Saint Patrick’s Day, who invented

lemonade, and what the heck are sugarplums. Fairlee Town Hall Auditorium, 7-9 p.m. Free. Info, contact@fairleearts.org.

tech

RECORDING AUDIO: Attendees learn how to capture the best possible sound while shooting in the field. The Media Factory, Burlington, 6-8 p.m. Free; donations accepted; preregister. Info, gin@mediafactory.org.

words

2024 VIRTUAL WINTER BOOK DISCUSSION

GROUP: The Rokeby Museum presents a book club discussion of Wake: The Hidden History of Women-Led Slave Revolts by Rebecca Hall. 6:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 877-3406.

BURLINGTON LITERATURE

GROUP: TONI MORRISON: Readers analyze two novels, Song of Solomon and Jazz, over seven weeks. 6:30-8 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, info@nereaders andwriters.com.

CHRISTIAN MCEWEN: A veteran author launches her latest undertaking, In Praise of Listening: On Creativity and Slowing Down. Norwich Bookstore, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 649-1114.

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

Sugar Rush

Spring has sprung, and so too has the Green Mountain State’s famous liquid gold. During the annual statewide Maple Open House Weekend, sugar makers across the state open their doors to visitors interested in the tapping, making and tasting of all things sweet and sticky. Find free rosemary waffles and maple beer at North Chittenden’s Baird Farm; boiling and tapping demonstrations at Silloway Maple in Randolph Center; exploratory treks through the sugar bush at Shelburne Farms; and maple flights and cookie decorating at Cold Hollow Cider Mill in Waterbury Center. See vermontmaple.org for all participating locations.

MAPLE OPEN HOUSE WEEKEND

Saturday, March 23, and Sunday, March 24, at various locations statewide. Free. Info, 777-2667, vermontmaple.org.

Hall, 11 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 846-4140.

TURNING PAGES WITH MARY: Radio host Mary Cenci leads an indepth discussion of The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride. Phoenix Books, Essex, 5:30 p.m. Free. Info, 872-7111.

WED.27

business

QUEEN CITY BUSINESS

NETWORKING INTERNATIONAL

GROUP: See WED.20.

community

CURRENT EVENTS: Neighbors have an informal discussion about what’s in the news. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 10:30 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 878-4918.

HOWARD CENTER SPRING 2024

COMMUNITY EDUCATION SERIES: Dr. Simha Ravven, Howard Center chief medical officer, offers perspectives on mental health treatment and services. Virtual options available. Dealer.com, Burlington, 6:30-8 p.m. Free. Info, 488-6912.

the folk scene share tunes from Canada and New England. House Chamber, Vermont Statehouse, Montpelier, 7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 828-0749.

seminars

ECOGATHERINGS: See WED.20, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

HEAT PUMP WORKSHOP: Experts discuss the cost and comfort impacts of heat pumps with Shelburne residents. Shelburne Town Offices, 6-8 p.m. Free. Info, scec@shelburnevt.org.

sports

GREEN MOUNTAIN TABLE

TENNIS CLUB: See WED.20.

SMUGGS 55+ SKI CLUB: See WED.20.

theater

‘BREAKFALLS’: See WED.20.

‘THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG’: See WED.20.

DANCE NATION: A group of preteen competitive dancers plot to take over the world in this play about growing up. Royall Tyler Theatre, University of Vermont, Burlington, 7:30-9:15 p.m. $22-25. Info, theatreanddance@uvm.edu.

words

ANN DAVILA CARDINAL: An award-winning novelist reads her work. Norwich University, Northfield, 4-5 p.m. Free. Info, fcox@norwich.edu.

VIRTUAL POETRY OPEN

crafts

YARN CRAFTERS GROUP: See WED.20.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.

‘FUNGI: THE WEB OF LIFE 3D’: See WED.20.

‘GREAT WHITE SHARK 3D’: See WED.20.

‘OCEANS: OUR BLUE PLANET 3D’: See WED.20.

‘TINY GIANTS 3D’: See WED.20.

food & drink

WHAT’S THAT WINE

WEDNESDAYS: See WED.20.

health & fitness

CHAIR YOGA: See WED.20.

language

BEGINNER IRISH LANGUAGE CLASS: See WED.20.

ELL CLASSES: ENGLISH FOR BEGINNERS AND INTERMEDIATE

STUDENTS: See WED.20.

INTERMEDIATE IRISH LANGUAGE CONVERSATION AND MUSIC: See WED.20.

music

FARMERS NIGHT: AN EVENING OF TRADITIONAL MUSIC WITH BECKY TRACY AND KEITH

MURPHY: Local luminaries of

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. ➆

FOMO?

Find even more

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.

©

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. e 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. Location: e Wellness Collective, 875 Roosevelt Hwy., Ste. 120, Colchester. Info: 802578-3735, hiddenpathastrology@ gmail.com.

culinary

EASTER SUGAR COOKIE

DECORATING: is class is the perfect introduction to decorating cookies with royal icing! You will learn the basics of cookie decorating, including obtaining the correct icing consistency and outlining and flooding cookies. Decorate and take home four cookies and a goodie bag of recipes and treats. Please disclose all allergies when you register. Sun., Mar. 24, 2-4 p.m.

Cost: $65. Location: Red Poppy Cakery, Waterbury Village Historic District. Info: 203-400-0700, sevendaystickets.com.

FOCACCIA ART WORKSHOP:

Join our workshop to craft focaccia bread art with diverse toppings. Take home your 8-inch masterpiece and the recipe! Kids need adult supervision. Tickets accommodate extra attendees without kits. e recipe suits vegan/vegetarian diets but contains gluten. Alert us to allergies during

registration; note, our facility isn’t allergen-free. u., Apr. 25, 6-7:30 p.m. Cost: $15-80. Location: Red Poppy Cakery, Waterbury Village Historic District. Info: 203-4000700, sevendaystickets.com.

GET YOUR SPARKLE ON!:

Champagne. Prosecco. Cava. Cremant. Lambrusco. It gets confusing! Well, Lil is going to pop some bottles and give you the facts as you taste your way through the world of sparkling wines! is is going to be a fun night! Tue., Apr. 2, 6:30-9 p.m. Cost: $40. Location: Standing Stone Wines, 33 Main St., Winooski. Info: 802-540-7160, sevendaystickets.com.

fitness

FIRST STRIDES VERMONT: Women beginning or returning to running and/or walking are invited to join us in this 12-week

program based on mentoring, peer support and lifestyle habits. Every Wed. starting May 1, 5:45 p.m. Cost: $45/12-week program. Location: Williston Village Community Park, 250 Library La. Info: Kasie Enman, 802-2380820, firststridesvermont@gmail. com, firststridesvermont.com.

language

ADULT LIVE SPANISH E-CLASSES: Join us for adult Spanish classes this spring, using Zoom online video conferencing. is is our 18th year! Learn from a native speaker via small group classes or individual instruction. You’ll always be participating and speaking. Classes from beginning to advanced. Note: Classes fill up fast. Group classes begin week of Apr. 1; private instruction avail. anytime. Location: Online. Info: 802-585-1025, spanishparavos@ gmail.com, spanishwaterbury center.com.

MANDARIN CONVERSATION

CIRCLE: Join volunteers from the Vermont Chinese School at the New Mandarin Conversation Circle meeting to learn and improve your Mandarin and make new friends. 1st and 3rd Tue. of each month, 11 a.m.-noon. Cost: Free. Location: Community Room, South Burlington Library, 180 Market St. Info: 802-307-6332, vtchineseschool@gmail.com, sevendaystickets.com.

martial arts

membership rates for adults, youths & families. Location: Aikido of Champlain Valley, 257 Pine St., Burlington. Info: Benjamin Pincus, 802-951-8900, bpincus@burlingtonaikido.org, burlingtonaikido.org.

meditation

AIKIDO: THE WAY OF HARMONY: Cultivate core power, aerobic fitness and resiliency. e dynamic, circular movements emphasize throws, joint locks and the development of internal energy. Inclusive training and a safe space for all. Friendlier than Cobra Kai: Visitors are always welcome! Adult basic classes 5 days/week. Membership rates incl. unlimited classes. Contact us for info about

TRUST IN SELF AND OTHER: Join workshop/retreat “Trust in the Other, Within and Without: Buddhism, Psychotherapy, and the Path of Compassion and Ease” with Polly Young Eisendrath and Mark Unno, PhD. Apr. 4, 5 & 6. Cost: $200. Location: Burlington Friends Meeting, 173 N. Prospect St., Burlington. Info: 802-2336377, jeanne.plo@gmail.com.

And on the seventh day, we do not rest. Instead we bring you...

well-being

FACING CHANGE: LIFE’S TRANSITIONS AND TRANSFORMATIONS: During Living with Loss: A Gathering for the Grieving, we will explore how ritual, connection and community help us through times of loss. is gathering is an opportunity for those who have experienced loss to find connection through meditation, ritual and community sharing. At Living with Loss, we recognize the universality of loss even as we seek to honor the uniqueness of each participant’s experience of loss. Wed., May 15, 4-5:15 p.m. Cost: $5-25. Location: Online. Info: 802-825-8141, sevendaystickets.com.

LIVING WITH LOSS: A

GATHERING FOR THE GRIEVING: Facing Change is a small-group experience focusing on embracing the transformative power of change. Together, we offer support and care for each other, share tools for navigating life’s changes, practice meditation and ritual, and grow in our ability to approach change with curiosity rather than anxiety. Wed., May 1, 4-5:15 p.m. Cost: $5-25. Location: Online. Info: 802-825-8141, sevendaystickets.com.

SUBSCRIBE

I’M STILL AVAILABLE!

Ribsy

AGE/SEX: 2-year-old male

ARRIVAL DATE: January 5, 2024

SUMMARY: Ribsy is a single piggie looking for his next family! He is a social pig who will make sure to remind you when it’s dinner time. Ribsy has lived with other pigs in the past and does well; however, he prefers to be the leader of the pack! If you have a confident pig at home who is looking for a buddy, come meet Ribsy at HSCC!

DOGS/CATS/KIDS: Ribsy has no known experience with dogs or cats. Ribsy has lived with children and done well with them.

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.

DID YOU KNOW?

March is National Adopt a Guinea Pig Month! Guinea pigs are fun and unique companion animals. Though guinea pigs can be purchased from some pet stores, adopting a pig from HSCC ensures your new pig has been checked by a veterinarian and comes with expert advice from our adoption counselors!

Sponsored by:

CLASSIFIEDS

AVAIL.

Roomy 3-BR, now

$2,200/mo. Redone 1-BR avail. now, $1,000/mo.

SHARE HOME & OUTINGS

Shelburne: Retired educator in her 70s interested in chorus, church activities & mahjongg seeks housemate to share occasional outings & cat-sit on occasion. $650/ mo. Private BA. Call 802-863-5625 or visit homesharevermont. org for application. Interview, refs. & background checks req. EHO.

HOMESHARE CLOSE TO I-89

MOUNTAIN

Enosburg: Rural home w/ lovely mountain views, shared w/ woman in her 80s who enjoys crafting & “Jeopardy.” Share companionship & cook a few meals/week. Occasional daytime availability to provide transportation. No rent; $100/mo. toward utils. Private BA, sitting room, kitchenette. Call 802-863-5625 or visit homesharevermont.org for application. Interview, refs. & background checks req. EHO.

Richmond: Active retired couple who enjoy travel & the outdoors seek a responsible housemate to lend a hand on occasional house projects (like interior painting!). Beautiful location, 10 mins. to I-89. A dog would be considered! Call 802-863-5625 or visit homesharevermont. org for application. Interview, refs. & background checks req. EHO.

BEAUTIFUL HOME IN CALAIS

Calais: Share a large, beautifully handcrafted home w/ a

housing ads: $25 (25 words)

legals: 52¢/word buy this stuff: free online

couple seeking help w/ housecleaning, firewood stacking, gardening & cat sitting when they are away. $450/mo. Call 802-863-5625 or visit homesharevermont. org for application. Interview, refs. & background checks req. EHO.

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.

on the road

BOATS

2012 CHAPARRAL BOWRIDER

Model 204 Xtreme, 20.6 foot, w/ 5.7L Mercruiser Bravo III 260 HP I/O engine. Beautiful red & white coloring & upholstery. Email jscully555@aol.com.

ser vices

AUTO

DONATE YOUR CAR TO CHARITY

Running or not! Fast, free pickup. Maximum tax deduction. Support Patriotic Hearts. Your car donation helps

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

services: $12 (25 words)

fsbos: $45 (2 weeks, 30 words, photo)

jobs: michelle@sevendaysvt.com, 865-1020 x121

veterans! 1-866-5599123. (AAN CAN)

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! 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

PSYCHIC COUNSELING

Psychic counseling, channeling w/ Bernice Kelman, Underhill. 40+ years’ experience. Also energy healing, chakra balancing, Reiki, rebirthing, other lives, classes & more. Info, 802-8993542, kelman.b@ juno.com.

HOME/GARDEN

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-effi cient windows. ey will increase your home’s value & decrease your energy bills. Replace all or a few! Call 844-335-2217

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

print deadline: Mondays at 3:30 p.m. post ads online 24/7 at: sevendaysvt.com/classifieds questions? classifieds@sevendaysvt.com 865-1020 x115

WANT MORE PUZZLES?

Try these online news games from Seven Days at sevendaysvt.com/games.

NEW ON FRIDAYS:

Put your knowledge of Vermont news to the test.

CALCOKU

BY JOSH REYNOLDS

DIFFICULTY THIS WEEK: ★★★

Fill the grid using the numbers 1-6, only once in each row and column. e 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.

SUDOKU

BY JOSH REYNOLDS

DIFFICULTY THIS WEEK: ★★★

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. e same numbers cannot be repeated in a row or column.

ANSWERS ON P.74 ★

HOO, BOY!

See how fast you can solve this weekly 10-word puzzle.

NEW EVERY DAY:

Guess today’s 5-letter word. Hint: It’s in the news!

ser vices [CONTINUED]

NEED NEW WINDOWS?

Drafty rooms? Chipped or damaged frames?

Need outside noise reduction? New, energyeffi cient windows may be the answer! Call for a consultation & free quote today. 1-877248-9944. You will be asked for the zip code of the property when connecting. (AAN CAN)

WATER DAMAGE 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. Have zip code of service location ready when you call! (AAN CAN)

AGING ROOF? NEW HOMEOWNER? STORM DAMAGE?

You need a local expert provider that proudly stands behind their work. Fast, free estimate. Financing available. Call 1-888292-8225 Have zip code of property ready when calling! (AAN CAN) buy this stuff

160+ channels avail. Call now to get the most sports & entertainment on TV. 877-310-2472. (AAN CAN)

PETS

FRENCH BULLDOG PUP

Beautiful 4-mo.-old black & tan male pup. Sweet & energetic. $1,200. Call 802-454-8091 or email midheaven@charter. net.

ANTIQUES/ COLLECTIBLES

ANTIQUES MARKET

SUN., MAR. 24

Last one until fall!

MISCELLANEOUS

DIRECTV SATELLITE TV Service starting at $74.99/mo.! Free install.

Canadian Club, 414 E. Montpelier Rd., Rte. 14, Barre, Vt. Sun., Mar. 24, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Early buyers $5 (8 a.m.); general $2 (9 a.m.). Vendors offering antique, midcentury & vintage items in a fl ea market atmosphere. Call Don Willis

Antiques for info at 802-751-6138 or visit

montpelieran tiques market.com.

music

INSTRUCTION

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.

Legal Notices

PROPOSED STATE RULES

By law, public notice of proposed rules must be given by publication in newspapers of record. e purpose of these notices is to give the public a chance to respond to the proposals. e public notices for administrative rules are now also available online at https://secure.vermont.gov/ SOS/rules/ . e law requires an agency to hold a public hearing on a proposed rule, if requested to do so in writing by 25 persons or an association having at least 25 members.

To make special arrangements for individuals with disabilities or special needs please call or write the contact person listed below as soon as possible. To obtain further information concerning any scheduled hearing(s), obtain copies of proposed rule(s) or submit comments regarding proposed rule(s), please call or write the contact person listed below. You may also submit comments in writing to the Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules, State House, Montpelier, Vermont 05602 (802-828-2231).

Aboveground Storage Tank Rules.

Vermont Proposed Rule: 24P012 AGENCY: Agency of Natural Resources, Environmental Conservation CONCISE SUMMARY: is rule is required by 10 V.S.A. section 1929a(c). e existing rule sets tank design and installation standards, tank inspection requirements, and protocols for reporting and managing noncompliant tanks. e proposed amended rule includes additional requirements for new tank system installations, adds phased in installation requirements for existing tank system, and proposes a new yellow tag provision for addressing noncompliant tanks by allowing limited fuel deliveries to noncompliant tanks that do not pose an immediate threat to the environment. Although continued operation of noncompliant tanks is potentially problematic, an immediate prohibition of further deliveries of fuel oil (i.e., red tagging) is a major concern, as existing rules jeopardize the health and safety of Vermont residents that rely on oil heat. Additionally, the proposed amended rules provide additional rule applicability clarifi cations and new technical

defi nitions and modify the tank inspection interval from 3 to 4 years.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Anna Bourakovsky, Agency of Natural Resources, Department of Environmental Conservation, 1 National Life Drive, Davis 1, Montpelier VT 056203704 Tel: 802-477-2981 Email: anna.bourakovsky@ vermont.gov URL: https://dec.vermont.gov/ waste-management/storage-tanks.

FOR COPIES: Matthew Chapman, Agency of Natural Resources, Department of Environmental Conservation, 1 National Life Drive, Davis 1, Montpelier VT 05620-3704

Tel: 802-249-4393 Email: matt.chapman@ vermont.gov.

NOTICE TO VENDORS

Notice is hereby given that HPS will receive sealed Request for Proposals on the items listed below for the 2024-2025 school year, with four possible one year extensions.

For Broadline Distribution of Food and Nonfood Supplies

School Food Purchasing Program – Commercial & Commodity Products

Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, Wisconsin, North/South Carolina, Massachusetts, District of Columbia, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, Delaware, Maine, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Vermont, Rhode Island, New York, Iowa, Missouri, Alabama, and Texas States.

Proposals will be received at the HPS offi ce until the hour of 5:00 p.m. E.S.T., on April 8, 2024. All proposals will be opened and read aloud at 4:00 p.m., E.S.T. on April 22, 2024, in the HPS offi ce. Proposals will be awarded on or before June 10, 2024 at the May 2024 School Food Purchasing Advisory Committee meetings.

Specifi cations and Request for Proposal forms may be obtained from the HPS offi ce, 3275 N. M-37 Hwy., P.O. Box 247, Middleville, MI 49333, phone number (269) 795-3308. All proposals shall be on authorized forms. E-mail your requests to Tori Mascho, tmascho@hpsgpo.com

HPS reserves the right to reject any or all proposals in part or in whole, and to waive any informalities.

ACT 250 NOTICE APPLICATION 4C0325-5 AND HEARING 10 V.S.A. §§ 6001 - 6111

Application 4C0325-5 from Rhino Foods, Inc., Zoo Holdings, LLC, and Zoo Too, LLC, 179 Queen City Park Road, Burlington, VT 05401 was received on February 13, 2024, and deemed complete on March 12, 2024. e project is generally described as the merging of two existing lots into one, and the development of an approximately 65,000 square foot addition to the existing Rhino Foods facility including associated access, parking, utility, and stormwater modifi cations. e project is located at 179 Queen City Park Road in Burlington, Vermont.

A public hearing is scheduled for April 23, 2024, at 9:00 AM at Rhino Foods, located at 179 Queen City Park Rd. Burlington, VT. A site visit will be held before the hearing at 8:30 AM at the site. Please arrive at Rhino Foods and park in the parking lot on site. e Commission will gather near the main entrance to the facility prior to the site visit and

Show and tell. View and post up to 6 photos per ad online.

then will move inside to conduct the hearing.

Signage and direction will be provided on site by the Applicant to those who arrive after the site visit, for the hearing only. This application can be viewed on the public Act 250 Database online (https://anrweb.vt.gov/ANR/Act250/Details. aspx?Num=4C0325-5). To request party status, fill out the Party Status Petition Form on the Board’s website: https://nrb.vermont.gov/documents/party-statuspetition-form, and email it to the District 4 Office at: NRB.Act250Essex@vermont.gov.

If you have a disability for which you need accommodation in order to participate in this process (including participating in the public hearing), please notify us as soon as possible, in order to allow us as much time as possible to accommodate your needs. For more information, contact Kaitlin Hayes, District Coordinator before the hearing date at the address or telephone number below.

Dated March 12, 2024

By: /s/ Kaitlin Hayes

Kaitlin Hayes

District Coordinator 111 West Street Essex Junction, VT 05452 (802) 622-4084 kaitlin.hayes@vermont.gov

TOWN OF COLCHESTER SELECTBOARD

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Pursuant to Title 24 Appendix VSA, Chapter 113, Sec. 105(a)(b), the Colchester Selectboard will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, April 9, 2024 at 6:35 p.m. at the Colchester Town Offices at 781 Blakely Road, Colchester, Vermont in the third floor Outer Bay Conference Room. Residents are welcome to attend in person or, or alternatively, send a note to TownManager@colchestervt.gov with “Citizens to be Heard - Chapter 6½ fees” in the Subject and their name. As with in-person Citizens to be Heard, we ask that you SHARE YOUR ADDRESS. The email will be shared with the entire Selectboard prior to the meeting and included in the information packet at the next meeting.

A summary of the proposed amendments to Chapter Six and a Half (6 ½) of the Colchester Code of Ordinance: Fees for Permits and Licenses Generally is as follows: 1) Amend fee schedule as per table 6a, enumerated and 2) update Sec. 6 ½-4 to detail policy and procedures for annual fee increases.

A complete set of the changes with related memorandum is available at: https://bit.ly/49LdLdA

If you have questions regarding these amendments, please contact Planning and Zoning Director Cathyann LaRose at 802.264.5602. For publication no later than March 20, 2024 (15 days prior to Public Hearing)

NOTICE OF APPLICATION TO BROWNFIELDS

REUSE AND ENVIRONMENTAL LIABILITY

LIMITATION ACT PROGRAM

Please take notice that 453 Pine Enterprises whose mailing address is PO Box 790, Burlington, VT 05402, is applying to the Vermont Brownfields Reuse and Environmental Liability Limitation Program (10 V.S.A. §6641 et seq.) in connection with the redevelopment of property known as 453 Pine Street in the City of Burlington. A copy of the application, which contains a preliminary environmental assessment and a description of the proposed redevelopment project is available for public review at the City of Burlington Clerk’s Office and at the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation offices in Montpelier. Comments concerning the application and/or the above referenced documents may be directed to Graham Bradley at (802) 622-4129 or at grahame. bradley@vermont.gov. Comments may also be submitted by mail to the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, Waste Management Division, 1 National Life Drive – Davis 1, Montpelier, VT 05620; attention: Graham Bradley.

ACT 250 NOTICE

MINOR APPLICATION 4C0436-37A

10 V.S.A. §§ 6001 - 6111

Application 4C0436-37A from State of Vermont, Attn: Kathryn Wrigley, 111 West St, Essex

Junction, VT 05452 and State of Vermont, Attn: Danielle Fitzko, 1 National Life Drive, Davis 2, Montpelier, VT 05620 was received on February 26, 2024 and deemed complete on March 11, 2024. The project is generally described as the installation of a 6 ft x 12 ft woodshed at the Bryant Camp property, to be located directly adjacent to the existing woodshed. The project is located North of US Rte. 2 in Bolton, Vermont. This application can be viewed online by visiting the Act 250 Database: (https://anrweb.vt.gov/ANR/Act250/Details. aspxNum=4C0436-37A).

No hearing will be held and a permit will be issued unless, on or before April 12, 2024, a party notifies the District 4 Commission in writing of an issue requiring a hearing, or the Commission sets the matter for a hearing on its own motion. Any person as defined in 10 V.S.A. § 6085(c)(1) may request a hearing. Any hearing request must be in writing, must state the criteria or subcriteria at issue, why a hearing is required, and what additional evidence will be presented at the hearing. Any hearing request by an adjoining property owner or other person eligible for party status under 10 V.S.A. § 6085(c)(1)(E) must include a petition for party status under the Act 250 Rules. To request party status and a hearing, fill out the Party Status Petition Form on the Board’s website: https://nrb. vermont.gov/documents/party-status-petitionform, and email it to the District 4 Office at: NRB. Act250Essex@vermont.gov. Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law may not be prepared unless the Commission holds a public hearing.

For more information contact Kaitlin Hayes at the address or telephone number below.

Dated this March 13, 2024.

By: /s/ Kaitlin Hayes

Kaitlin Hayes District Coordinator 111 West Street

Essex Junction, VT 05452 (802) 622-4084 kaitlin.hayes@vermont.gov

STATE OF VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT

PROBATE DIVISION CHITTENDEN UNIT

DOCKET NO.: 24-PR-01098

In re ESTATE of Elaine Spargo

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

To the creditors of: Elaine Spargo, late of Shelburne, Vermont.

I have been appointed to administer this estate. All creditors having claims against the decedent or the estate must present their claims in writing within four (4) months of the date of the first publication of this notice. The claim must be presented to me at the address listed below with a copy sent to the Court. The claim may be barred forever if it is not presented within the four (4) month period.

Dated: March 13, 2024

Signature of Fiduciary: /s/ Susan Houle

Executor/Administrator: Susan Houle, c/o Brian Creech, Esq., 346 Shelburne Rd., Suite 603, Burlington, VT 05402 phone: 802-863-9603

email: bcreech@dkzlegal.com

Name of Publication: Seven Days

Publication Date: 03/20/2024

Name of Probate Court: State of VermontChittenden Probate Division

Address of Probate Court: 175 Main Street , Burlington, VT 05401

PUBLIC NOTICE

VERMONT STATE HOUSING AUTHORITY

SECTION 8 HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM

Beginning April 1, 2024 at 8 am, Vermont State Housing Authority (VSHA) will be opening its waiting list for the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program to receive applications from families qualifying for VSHA’s Disaster and Move-up Preference, as defined below. We continue to accept applications for the Project-Based Voucher (PBV) program.

Disaster Preference: This preference is available to Vermont families displaced from their Vermont home, due to fire, flood, natural disaster, or condemnation by a local, state, or federal agency. Move-up Preference: This preference is available to families who are currently receiving

Open 24/7/365.

Post & browse ads at your convenience.

rental assistance through a time limited program administered by VSHA and in compliance:

• VSHA Continuum of Care Program- Rapid-Rehousing

• VSHA Family Unification Program for Youth in Transition (FUP-Y)

• VSHA Foster Youth to Independence (FYI)

• VSHA Continuum of Care Program- Shelter + Care Information on how to apply on-line or request a paper application can be found by visiting VSHA’s website at Applications for Section 8 AssistanceVermont State Housing Authority (vsha.org) Applications can also be obtained at our office located at One Prospect Street, Montpelier, VT between the hours of 8:00 am – 4:00 pm. Monday – Friday, or by contacting affordablehousing.com at 888-406-4003

This Notice is being provided in accordance with VSHA’s Administrative Plan for the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program, which mandates the Authority to provide public notice when opening its waiting list. For Additional information call: 802-828-3295 (voice); 800-798-3118 (TTY); 800-820-5119 (messages)

PUBLIC HEARING COLCHESTER DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD

Pursuant to Title 24 VSA, Chapter 117, the Development Review Board will hold a public hearing on April 10, 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-24-07: JM ROWLEY CORPORATION: Final Plat Application for a major Planned Unit Development to re-develop a lot presently occupied by three multi-unit dwellings and a childcare facility. Proposal is to 1) remove the 23 dwelling units in the existing three multi-unit dwellings, and 2) construct 12 dwelling units in 6 duplexes fronting on Grandview Road, retain the existing childcare facility, and construct supporting infrastructure including new water lines, sewer lines, stormwater infrastructure and road improvements. Proposed dwelling units to be served by municipal water and a community in-ground wastewater system. Subject property is located at 5877 Roosevelt Highway, Account #14-026000-0000000.

b) CU-24-02: INTUITIVE PROPERTIES LLC:

Conditional Use Application to establish Use 2.172

Large Equipment Sales with Associates Repair and Use 2.620 Equipment Rental on a property located in the General Development Two (GD2) District. Property is already developed and no site modifications are requested at this time. Subject property is located at 429 Troy Ave, Account #21-002030-0000000.

March 20, 2024

TOWN OF HUNTINGTON NOTICE OF DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD ZOOM MEETING*

Applications Under Review for April 16, 2024 – 7pm

The Huntington Development Review Board (DRB) will meet via Zoom to conduct the following business, pursuant to the Huntington Land Use

Regulations:

Subdivision

John Miles and Samantha Slayton seek approval for a two-lot subdivision of a 59-acre lot. Project is located in the Neighborhood District (1-acre zoning) and Rural Residential District (5-acre zoning) on Shaker Mountain Road. Tax Map ID# 08-019.100

Conditional Use Review

Michael and Jennifer Warren seek approval for an Outdoor Recreational Structure and Home Based Business on a 5 acre lot. Project is located in the Rural Residential District (5-acre zoning) on Economou Road. Tax Map ID# 04-003.100

The project information is available on the town website www.huntingtonvt.org. Participation in a hearing is required to appeal a decision of the DRB. Application materials may be viewed the week before the meeting.

-Yves Gonnet, DRB Staff, March 18, 2024

*Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/828530 92094?pwd=K2pFMU9MMkpQcDQrMVVSakF xWXUzUT09 Meeting ID: 828 5309 2094 Passcode: 328992 / Questions: 802-434-3557.

Extra! Extra!

There’s no limit to ad length online.

FLYNN CENTER – REQUEST FOR HVAC

REPLACEMENT

The Flynn Center for the Performing Arts, Ltd. is seeking proposals related to HVAC replacement on its main campus. Proposal documents can be obtained by visiting the Vermont Business Registry and Bid System at https://www. vermontbusinessregistry.com/Default.aspx. The proposal submission deadline is April 12, 2024 at 7:30 a.m. Mandatory site visit at 149 Main Street at 9:30 a.m. on March 28, 2024. Questions on bidding procedures can be directed to cchase@ceseng. com.

VERMONT TRAFFIC COMMITTEE

SPECIAL MEETING NOTICE

The Vermont Traffic Committee will convene a special meeting on March 27, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. at 2178 Airport Rd, Building A, Barre, VT, in Conference Room 135 to ratify actions taken during the 2023 Traffic Committee meetings and adopt a resolution regarding future meetings. Agenda and link to hearing at https://vtrans.vermont.gov/operations/ OSB/traffic-operations/vermont-traffic-committee

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

The Town of Underhill is considering making application to the State of Vermont for an Implementation Grant under the Vermont Community Development Program. An in-person and remote option public hearing will be held on Friday, April 5, 2024 at: 6:00 PM at the Underhill Town Hall, 12 Pleasant Valley Road, Underhill, VT to obtain the views of citizens on community development, to furnish information concerning the amount of funds available and the range of community development activities that may be undertaken under this program, the impact to any historic and archaeological resources that may be affected by the proposed project, and to give affected citizens the opportunity to examine the proposed statement of projected use of these funds. The proposal is to apply for $500,000 in VCDP Funds which will be used to accomplish the following activities: Build a road and establish the infrastructure to create a group of affordable homes; any remaining funds will be applied to the home construction.

Copies of the proposed application and link to the hearing website are available at www.underhillvt. gov Should you require a printed copy of the proposed application or any special accommodations, please contact Brad Holden at 802-899-4434 ext. 7 or bholden@underhillvt.gov to ensure appropriate accommodations are made. For the hearing impaired please call (TTY) # 1-800-253-0191.

Legislative Body for the Town of Underhill (Selectboard)

Copy submitted by: Brad Holden, Town Administrator.

NOTICE OF APPLICATION TO BROWNFIELDS

REUSE AND ENVIRONMENTAL LIABILITY LIMITATION ACT PROGRAM

Please take notice that 69 North Willard Street, LLC, 69 Hungerford Terrace, LLC and 72 North Willard Street, LLC, all at a mailing address of 218 Overlake Drive in Colchester VT 05446, are applying to the Vermont Brownfields Reuse and Environmental Liability Limitation Program (10 V.S.A. §6641 et seq.) in connection with the redevelopment of property known as 20 and 25 Bacon Street in the City of South Burlington, Vermont. A copy of the application, which contains a preliminary environmental assessment and a description of the proposed redevelopment project is available for public review at the City of South Burlington’s Clerk’s Office and at the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation offices in Montpelier. Comments concerning the application and/or the above referenced documents may be directed to Lynda Provencher at (802)249-5562 or at lynda. provencher@vermont.gov. Comments may also be submitted by mail to the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, Waste Management Division, 1 National Life Drive – Davis 1, Montpelier, VT 05620; attention: Lynda Provencher.

Support Groups

A CIRCLE OF PARENTS FOR MOTHERS

OF COLOR

Please join our parent-led online support group designed to share our questions, concerns & struggles, as well as our resources & successes!

Contribute to our discussion of the unique but shared experience of parenting. We will be meeting weekly on Wed., 10-11 a.m. For more info or to register, please contact Heather at hniquette@pcavt.org, 802-498-0607, pcavt.org/family-support-programs.

A CIRCLE OF PARENTS FOR SINGLE

MOTHERS

Please join our parent-led online support group designed to share our questions, concerns & struggles, as well as our resources & successes!

Contribute to our discussion of the unique but shared experience of parenting. We will be meeting weekly on Fri., 10-11 a.m. For more info or to register, please contact Heather at hniquette@ pcavt.org, 802-498-0607, pcavt.org/ family-support-programs.

A CIRCLE OF PARENTS W/ LGBTQ+ CHILDREN

Please join our parent-led online support group designed to share our questions, concerns & struggles, as well as our resources & successes!

Contribute to our discussion of the unique but shared experience of parenting. We will be meeting weekly on Mon., 10-11 a.m. For more info or to register, please contact Heather at hniquette@ pcavt.org, 802-498-0607, pcavt.org/ family-support-programs.

AL-ANON

For families & friends of alcoholics. Phone meetings, electronic meetings (Zoom) & an Al-Anon blog are avail. online at the Al-Anon website. For meeting info, go to vermontalanon alateen.org or call 866-972-5266.

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS

Do you have a drinking problem? AA meeting sites are now open, & online meetings are also avail. Call our hotline at 802-864-1212 or check for in-person or online meetings at burlingtonaa.org.

ALL-ARTISTS SUPPORT GROUP

Are you a frustrated artist? Have you longed for a space to “play” & work? Let’s get together & see what we can do about this! Text anytime or call 802-777-6100.

ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION SUPPORT GROUPS

Support groups meet to provide assistance & info on Alzheimer’s disease & related dementias. They emphasize shared experiences, emotional support & coping techniques in care for a person living w/ Alzheimer’s or a related dementia. Meetings are free & open to the public. Families, caregivers & friends may attend. Please call in advance to confirm the date & time. The Williston Caregiver Support Group meets in person on the 2nd Tue. of every mo., 5-6:30 p.m., at the Dorothy Alling Memorial Library in Williston; this meeting also has a virtual option at the same time; contact support group facilitators Molly at dugan@ cathedralsquare.org or Mindy at moondog@burlingtontelecom.net.

The Middlebury Support Group for Individuals w/ Early Stage Dementia meets the 4th Tue. of each mo., 3 p.m., at the Residence at Otter Creek, 350 Lodge Rd., Middlebury; contact Daniel Hamilton, dhamilton@residence ottercreek.com or 802-989-0097. The Shelburne Support Group for Individuals

w/ Early Stage Dementia meets the 1st Mon. of every mo., 2-3 p.m., at the Residence at Shelburne Bay, 185 Pine Haven Shores, Shelburne; contact support group facilitator Lydia Raymond, lraymond@residenceshelburnebay. com. The Telephone Support Group meets the 2nd Tue. of each mo., 4-5:30 p.m. Prereg. is req. (to receive dial-in codes for toll-free call). Please dial the Alzheimer’s Association’s 24-7 Helpline, 800-272-3900, for more info. For questions or additional support group listings, call 800-272-3900.

AMPUTEE SUPPORT GROUP

VT Active Amputees is a new support group open to all amputees for connection, community & support. The group meets on the 1st Wed. of the mo. in S. Burlington, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Let’s get together & be active: running, pickleball & ultimate Frisbee. Email vtactiveamputees@gmail.com or call Sue at 802-582-6750 for more info & location.

ARE YOU HAVING PROBLEMS W/ DEBT?

Do you spend more than you earn? Get help at Debtor’s Anonymous & Business Debtor’s Anonymous. Wed., 6:30-7:30 p.m., Methodist Church in the Rainbow Room at Buell & S. Winooski, Burlington. Contact Jennifer, 917-568-6390.

BABY BUMPS SUPPORT GROUP FOR MOTHERS & PREGNANT WOMEN

Pregnancy can be a wonderful time of your life. But it can also be a time of stress often compounded by hormonal swings. If you are a pregnant woman, or have recently given birth & feel you need some help w/ managing emotional bumps in the road that can come w/ motherhood, please come to this free support group led by an experienced pediatric registered nurse. Held on the 2nd & 4th Tue. of every mo., 5:30-6:30 p.m. at the Birthing Center, Northwestern Medical Center, St. Albans. Info: Rhonda Desrochers, Franklin County Home Health Agency, 527-7531.

BETTER BREATHERS CLUB

American Lung Association support group for people w/ breathing issues, their loved ones or caregivers. Meets on the 1st Mon. of every mo., 11 a.m.-noon at the Godnick Center, 1 Deer St., Rutland. For more info, call 802-776-5508.

BRAIN INJURY SUPPORT GROUP

Vermont Center for Independent Living offers virtual monthly meetings, held on the 3rd Wed. of every mo., 1-2:30 p.m. The support group will offer valuable resources & info about brain injury. It will be a place to share experiences in a safe, secure & confidential environment. To join, email Linda Meleady at lindam@vcil.org & ask to be put on the TBI mailing list. Info: 800-639-1522.

BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR DRAGON BOAT TEAM

Looking for a fun way to do something active & health-giving? Want to connect w/ other breast cancer survivors? Come join Dragonheart Vermont. We are a breast cancer survivor & supporter dragon boat team who paddle together in Burlington. Please contact us at info@drgonheartvermont.org for info.

BURLINGTON MEN’S PEER GROUP

Tue. nights, 7-9 p.m. in Burlington. Free of charge, 30 years running. Call Neils 802-877-3742 or email neils@ myfairpoint.net.

PROSTATE CANCER SUPPORT GROUP

The Champlain Valley Prostate Cancer Support Group meets online on the 2nd

Tue. of the mo., 6-7:30 p.m., via Zoom. Whether you are newly diagnosed, dealing w/ a reoccurrence, or trying to manage the side effects of treatment, you are welcome here! More info: Andy Hatch, group leader, ahatch63@gmail. com.

CENTRAL VERMONT CELIAC SUPPORT GROUP

Last Thu. of every mo., 7:30 p.m. in Montpelier. Please contact Lisa Masé for location: lisa@harmonizecookery.com.

CEREBRAL PALSY GUIDANCE

Cerebral Palsy Guidance is a very comprehensive informational website broadly covering the topic of cerebral palsy & associated medical conditions. Its mission is to provide the best possible info to parents of children living w/ the complex condition of cerebral palsy. Visit cerebralpalsyguidance.com/ cerebral-palsy.

CODEPENDENTS ANONYMOUS

CoDA is a 12-step fellowship for people whose common purpose is to develop healthy & fulfilling relationships. By actively working the program of Codependents Anonymous, we can realize a new joy, acceptance & serenity in our lives. Meets Sun. at noon at the Turning Point Center, 179 S. Winooski Ave., Suite 301, Burlington. Info: Tom, 238-3587, coda.org.

THE COMPASSIONATE FRIENDS SUPPORT GROUP

The Compassionate Friends international support group for parents, siblings & families grieving the loss of a child meets every 4th Tue. of the mo., 7-9 p.m., at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, 2 Cherry St., Burlington. Call/email Alan at 802-233-0544, alanday88@ gmail.com, or Claire at 802-448-3569.

DECLUTTERERS’ SUPPORT GROUP

Are you ready to make improvements but find it overwhelming? Maybe 2 or 3 of us can get together to help each other simplify. Info: 989-3234, 425-3612.

DISCOVER THE POWER OF CHOICE!

We welcome anyone, including family & friends, affected by any kind of substance or activity addiction. This is an abstinence-oriented program based on the science of addiction treatment & recovery. Meets are online Sun. at 5 p.m. at the link: meetings.smartrecovery. org/meetings/1868. Face-to-face meetings are 1st & 3rd Sun. at 3 p.m. at the Turning Point of Chittenden County. Meetings for family & friends are online on Mon. at 7 p.m. at the link: meetings/ smartrecovery.org/meetings/6337. Contact volunteer facilitator Bert at 802-399-8754 w/ questions. You can learn more at smartrecovery.org.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SUPPORT

Steps to End Domestic Violence offers a weekly drop-in support group for female-identified survivors of intimate partner violence, including individuals who are experiencing or have been affected by domestic violence. The support group offers a safe, confidential place for survivors to connect w/ others, to heal & to recover. In support group, participants talk through their experiences & hear stories from others who have experienced abuse in their relationships. Support group is also a resource for those who are unsure of their next step, even if it involves remaining in their current relationship. Tue., 6:30-8 p.m. Childcare is provided. Info: 658-1996.

FAMILY & FRIENDS OF THOSE EXPERIENCING MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS

This support group is a dedicated meeting for family, friends & community members who are supporting a loved one through a mental health crisis. Mental health crisis might include extreme states, psychosis, depression, anxiety & other types of distress. The group is a confidential space where family & friends can discuss shared experiences & receive support in an environment free of judgment & stigma w/ a trained facilitator. Wed., 7-8:30 p.m. Downtown Burlington. Info: Jess Horner, LICSW, 866-218-8586.

FAMILY RESTORED: SUPPORT GROUP FOR FRIENDS & FAMILIES OF ADDICTS & ALCOHOLICS

Wed., 6:30-8 p.m., Holy Family/St. Lawrence Parish, 4 Prospect St., Essex Jct. For info, please visit thefamily restored.org or contact Lindsay Duford at 781-960-3965 or 12lindsaymarie@ gmail.com.

FCA FAMILY SUPPORT GROUP

Families Coping w/ Addiction (FCA) is an open community peer support group for adults (18+) struggling w/ the drug or alcohol addiction of a loved one. FCA is not 12-step-based but provides a forum for those living the family experience, in which to develop personal coping skills & to draw strength from one another. Our group meets every Wed., 5:30-6:30 p.m., live in person in the conference room at the Turning Point Center of Chittenden County (179 S. Winooski Ave., Burlington), &/or via our parallel Zoom session to accommodate those who cannot attend in person. The Zoom link can be found on the Turning Point Center website (turningpointcentervt. org) using the “Family Support” tab (click on “What We Offer”). Any questions, please send by email to thdaub1@gmail. com.

FIERCELY FLAT VT

A breast cancer support group for those who’ve had mastectomies. We are a casual online meeting group found on Facebook at Fiercely Flat VT. Info: stacy.m.burnett@gmail.com.

FOOD ADDICTS IN RECOVERY ANONYMOUS (FA)

Are you having trouble controlling the way you eat? FA is a free 12-step recovery program for anyone suffering from food obsession, overeating, under-eating or bulimia. Local meetings are held twice a week: Mon., 4-5:30 p.m., at the Unitarian Universalist Church, Norwich, Vt.; & Wed., 6:30-8 p.m., at Hanover Friends Meeting House, Hanover, N.H. For more info & a list of additional meetings throughout the U.S. & the world, call 603-630-1495 or visit foodaddicts.org.

G.R.A.S.P. (GRIEF RECOVERY AFTER A SUBSTANCE PASSING)

Are you a family member who has lost a loved one to addiction? Find support, peer-led support group. Meets once a mo. on Mon. in Burlington. Please call for date & location. RSVP to mkeasler3@ gmail.com or call 310-3301 (message says Optimum Health, but this is a private number).

GRIEF & LOSS SUPPORT GROUP

Sharing your sadness, finding your joy. Please join us as we learn more about our own grief & explore the things that can help us to heal. There is great power in sharing our experiences w/ others who know the pain of the loss of a loved one & healing is possible through the sharing. BAYADA Hospice’s

local bereavement support coordinator will facilitate our weekly group through discussion & activities. Everyone from the community is welcome. 1st & last Wed. of every mo. at 4 p.m. via Zoom. To register, please contact bereavement program coordinator Max Crystal, mcrystal@bayada.com or 802-448-1610.

GRIEF SUPPORT GROUPS

Meet every 2nd Mon., 6-7:30 p.m., & every 3rd Wed. from 10-11:30 a.m., at Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice in Berlin. The group is open to the public & free of charge. More info:

Diana Moore, 224-2241.

GRIEVING A LOSS SUPPORT GROUP

A retired psychotherapist & an experienced life coach host a free meeting for those grieving the loss of a loved one. The group meets upstairs at All Souls Interfaith Gathering in Shelburne. There is no fee for attending, but donations are gladly accepted. Meetings are held twice a mo., the 1st & 3rd Sat. of every mo. from 10-11:30 a.m. If you are interested in attending, please register at allsoulsinterfaith. org. More information about the group leader at pamblairbooks.com.

HEARING VOICES SUPPORT GROUP

This Hearing Voices Group seeks to find understanding of voice-hearing experiences as real lived experiences that may happen to anyone at any time. We choose to share experiences, support & empathy. We validate anyone’s experience & stories about their experience as their own, as being an honest & accurate representation of their experience, & as being acceptable exactly as they are. Tue., 2-3 p.m. Pathways Vermont Community Center, 279 N. Winooski Ave., Burlington. Info: 802-777-8602, abby@pathways vermont.org.

HELLENBACH CANCER SUPPORT

People living w/ cancer & their caretakers convene for support. Call to verify meeting place. Info, 388-6107.

INTERSTITIAL CYSTITIS/PAINFUL BLADDER SUPPORT GROUP

Interstitial cystitis (IC) & painful bladder syndrome can result in recurring pelvic pain, pressure or discomfort in the bladder/pelvic region & urinary frequency/ urgency. These are often misdiagnosed & mistreated as a chronic bladder infection. If you have been diagnosed or have these symptoms, you are not alone. For Vermont-based support group, email bladderpainvt@gmail.com or call 899-4151 for more info.

INTUITIVE EATING SUPPORT GROUP

Free weekly peer-led support group for anyone struggling w/ eating &/or body image. The only requirement is a desire to make peace w/ food & your body. Meeting format is: a short reading from Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole & Elyse Resch, 4th edition, followed by open sharing & discussion. Come find community through sharing struggles, experience, strength & hope. Located at the Pickering Room, Fletcher Free Library, Sun. 1-2:30 p.m. Contact 202-553-8953 w/ any questions.

KINDRED CONNECTIONS PROGRAM OFFERED FOR CHITTENDEN COUNTY CANCER SURVIVORS

The Kindred Connections program provides peer support for all those touched by cancer. Cancer patients, as well as caregivers, are provided w/ a mentor who has been through the cancer experience & knows what it’s like to go through it. In addition to sensitive listening, Kindred Connections provides

practical help such as rides to doctors’ offices & meal deliveries. The program has people who have experienced a wide variety of cancers. For further info, please contact info@vcsn.net.

KINSHIP CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP

A support group for grandparents who are raising their grandchildren. Led by a trained representative & facilitator. Meets on the 2nd Tue. of every mo., 6:30-7:45 p.m., at Milton Public Library. Free. For more info, call 802-893-4644, email library@miltonvt.gov or visit facebook.com/events/ 561452568022928.

LAUGHTER YOGA

Spontaneous, genuine laughter & gentle breathing for physical & emotional benefit. No yoga mat needed! This group is held every Mon., 2-3 p.m., at Pathways Vermont Community Center, 279 North Winooski Ave., Burlington. Contact Chris Nial for any questions: chrisn@ pathwaysvermont.org.

LGBTQ SURVIVORS OF VIOLENCE

The SafeSpace Anti-Violence Program at Pride Center of Vermont offers peer-led support groups for survivors of relationship, dating, emotional &/or hate-violence. These groups give survivors a safe & supportive environment to tell their stories, share info, & offer & receive support. Support groups also provide survivors an opportunity to gain info on how to better cope w/ feelings & experiences that surface because of the trauma they have experienced. Please call SafeSpace at 863-0003 if you are interested in joining.

LGBTQ VETERANS

Share the struggles & celebrate the joys of being a service member & LGBTQIA+ in this peer-led discussion group. Meetings are at the Rainbow Bridge Community Center in Barre on the 2nd & 4th Tue. of each mo. Visit rbccvt.org for more info.

LIVING THROUGH LOSS

Gifford Medical Center is announcing the restart of its grief support group, Living Through Loss. The program is sponsored by the Gifford Volunteer Chaplaincy Program & will meet weekly on Fri., 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., in Gifford’s Chun Chapel. Meetings will be facilitated by the Rev. Timothy Eberhardt, spiritual care coordinator, & Emily Pizzale MSW, LICSW, a Gifford social worker. Anyone who has experienced a significant loss over the last year or so is warmly invited to attend & should enter through the hospital’s main entrance wearing a mask on the way to the chapel. Meetings will be based on the belief that, while each of us is on a unique journey in life, we all need a safe place to pause, to tell our stories &, especially as we grieve, to receive the support & strength we need to continue along the way.

MARIJUANA ANONYMOUS

Do you have a problem w/ marijuana?

MA is a free 12-step program where addicts help other addicts get & stay clean. Ongoing Wed., 7 p.m., at Turning Point Center, 179 S. Winooski, Suite 301, Burlington. Info: 861-3150.

MYELOMA SUPPORT GROUP

Area myeloma survivors, families & caregivers have come together to form

Say you saw it in...

a Multiple Myeloma Support Group. We provide emotional support, resources about treatment options, coping strategies & a support network by participating in the group experience w/ people who have been through similar situations. 3rd Tue. of every mo., 5-6 p.m., at the New Hope Lodge on East Ave. in Burlington. Info: Kay Cromie, 655-9136, kgcromey@aol.com.

NAMI CONNECTION PEER SUPPORT GROUP MEETINGS

Weekly virtual meetings. If you have questions about a group in your area, please contact the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Vermont, program@ namivt.org or 800-639-6480. Connection groups are peer recovery support group programs for adults living w/ mental health challenges.

NAMI FAMILY SUPPORT GROUP

Weekly virtual & in-person meetings. ASL interpreters avail. upon request. Family Support Group meetings are for family & friends of individuals living w/ mental illness. If you have questions about a group in your area, please contact the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Vermont, info@namivt.org or 800-639-6480.

NARCONON SUNCOAST DRUG & ALCOHOL REHABILITATION & EDUCATION

Narconon reminds families that overdoses due to an elephant tranquilizer known as Carfentanil have been on the rise in nearly every community nationwide. Carfentanil is a synthetic opioid painkiller 100 times more powerful than fentanyl & 1,000 times stronger than heroin. A tiny grain of it is enough to be fatal. To learn more about carfentanil abuse & how to help your loved one, visit narconon-suncoast.org/drug-abuse/ parents-get-help.html. Addiction screenings: Narconon can help you take steps to overcome addiction in your family. Call today for a no-cost screening or referral: 1-877-841-5509.

NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS

is a group of recovering addicts who live without the use of drugs. It costs nothing to join. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop using. Held in Burlington, Barre & St. Johnsbury. Info, 862-4516 or cvana.org.

NARCANON BURLINGTON GROUP

Group meets every Mon. at 7 p.m., at the Turning Point Center, 179 S. Winooski Ave., Suite 301, Burlington. The only requirement for membership is that there be a problem of addiction in a relative or friend. Info: Amanda H., 338-8106.

NEW (& EXPECTING) MAMAS & PAPAS!

EVERY PRIMARY CAREGIVER TO A BABY!

The Children’s Room invites you to join our weekly drop-in support group. Come unwind & discuss your experiences & questions around infant care & development, self-care & postpartum healing, & community resources for families w/ babies. Tea & snacks provided. Thu., 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Bring your babies! (Newborn through crawling stage.) Located in Thatcher Brook Primary School, 47 Stowe St., childrensroom online.org. Contact childrensroom@ wwsu.org or 244-5605.

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NORTHWEST VERMONT CANCER

PRAYER & SUPPORT NETWORK

A meeting of cancer patients, survivors & family members intended to comfort & support those who are currently suffering from the disease. 2nd Thu. of every mo., 6-7:30 p.m., St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 11 Church St., St. Albans. Info: stpaulum@myfairpoint. net. 2nd Wed. of every mo., 6-7:30 p.m., Winooski United Methodist Church, 24 W. Allen St., Winooski. Info: hovermann4@comcast.net.

OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS (OA)

A 12-step program for people who identify as overeaters, compulsive eaters, food addicts, anorexics, bulimics, etc. No matter what your problem w/ food, we have a solution! All are welcome, meetings are open, & there are no dues or fees. See oavermont.org/meeting-list for the current meeting list, meeting format & more; or call 802-863-2655 anytime!

PONDERING GENDER & SEXUALITY

Pondering Gender & Sexuality is a twicemonthly facilitated mutual support group for folks of any identity (whether fully formed or a work in progress) who want to engage in meaningful conversations about gender, sexuality & sexual orientation, &/or the coming-out process. Discussions can range from the personal to the philosophical & beyond as we work together to create a compassionate, safe & courageous space to explore our experiences. The group will be held on the 2nd Sun. & 4th Tue. of every mo., 1-2:30 p.m., either virtually or at Pride Center of Vermont. Email pgs@pridecentervt.org for more info or w/ questions!

POTATO INTOLERANCE SUPPORT GROUP

Anyone coping w/ potato intolerance & interested in joining a support group, contact Jerry Fox, 48 Saybrook Rd., Essex Junction, VT 05452.

QUEER CARE GROUP

This support group is for adult family members & caregivers of queer &/or questioning youth. It is held on the 2nd Mon. of every mo., 6:30-8 p.m., at Outright Vermont, 241 N. Winooski Ave. This group is for adults only. For more info, email info@outrightvt.org.

READY TO BE TOBACCO-FREE GROUPS

Join a free 4-5-week group workshop facilitated by our coaches, who are certified in tobacco treatment. We meet in a friendly, relaxed & virtual atmosphere. You may qualify for a free limited supply of nicotine replacement therapy. Info: call 802-847-7333 or email quittobaccoclass@uvmhealth.org to get signed up, or visit myhealthyvt.org to learn more about upcoming workshops!

RECOVERING FROM RELIGION

Meets on the 2nd Tue. of every mo., 6-8 p.m., at Brownell Public Library, 6 Lincoln St., Essex Junction, unless there’s inclement weather or the date falls on a holiday. Attendees can remain anonymous if they so choose & are not required to tell their story if they do not wish to, but everyone will be welcome to do so. The primary focus of a Recovering From Religion support group is to provide ongoing & personal support to individuals as they let go of their religious beliefs. This transitional period is an ongoing process that can result in a range of emotions, as well as a ripple effect of consequences throughout an individual’s life. As such, the support meetings are safe & anonymous places to express these doubts, fears &

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experiences without biased feedback or proselytizing. We are here to help each other through this journey. Free.

REFUGE RECOVERY MEETING

Burlington Refuge Recovery is a Buddhist-oriented, nontheistic addiction recovery group that meets every Tue. at 6:45 p.m. at Turning Point Center, located at 179 S. Winooski Ave. in Burlington.

SCLERODERMA FOUNDATION NEW

ENGLAND Support group meeting held on the 4th Tue. of every mo., 6:30-8:30 p.m., Williston Police Station. Info, Blythe Leonard, 878-0732.

SEX & LOVE ADDICTS ANONYMOUS

12-step recovery group. Do you have a problem w/ sex or relationships? We can help. Info: Shawn, 660-2645. Visit slaafws.org or saa-recovery.org for meetings near you.

SEX ADDICTS ANONYMOUS, MONTPELIER

Do you have a problem w/ compulsive sexual behavior? A 12-step program has helped us. SAA Montpelier meets twice weekly at 6 p.m.: Mon. virtual meeting, details at saatalk.info; Thu. face-toface at Bethany Church, Montpelier. Details at saa-recovery.org. Contact saa.vtrecovery@gmail.com or call 802-322-3701.

SEXUAL VIOLENCE SUPPORT

HOPE Works offers free support groups to women, men & teens who are survivors of sexual violence. Groups are avail. for survivors at any stage of the healing process. Intake for all support groups is ongoing. If you are interested in learning more or would like to schedule an intake to become a group member, please call our office at 864-0555, ext. 19, or email our victim advocate at advocate@sover.net.

SOCIAL ANXIETY SUPPORT GROUPS

For screened adults ages 28-40. Therapist-led sessions. For more info, contact diane@ldtayeby.com.

STUTTERING SUPPORT GROUPS

If you’re a person who stutters, you are not alone! Adults, teens & school-age kids who stutter, & their families are welcome to join 1 of our 3 free National Stuttering Association (NSA) stuttering support groups at UVM (join by Zoom or in person). Adults: 5:30-6:30 p.m., 1st & 3rd Tue. monthly; teens (ages 13-17): 5:30-6:30 p.m., 2nd Thu. monthly; school-age children (ages 8-12) & parents (meeting separately): 4:15-5:15 p.m., 2nd Thu. monthly. Pomeroy Hall (489 Main St., UVM campus). Info: nsachapters.org/burlington, burlingtonstutters@gmail.com, 656-0250. Go, Team Stuttering!

SUICIDE SURVIVORS SUPPORT GROUP

For those who have lost a friend or loved one through suicide. 6:30-8 p.m., on the 3rd Tue. of every mo. Maple Leaf Clinic, 167 N. Main St., Wallingford. Info: 446-3577.

SUICIDE HOTLINES IN VT

Brattleboro, 257-7989; Montpelier (Washington County Mental Health Emergency Services), 229-0591; Randolph (Clara Martin Center Emergency Service), 800-639-6360.

SUPPORT GROUP FOR WOMEN

who have experienced intimate partner abuse, facilitated by Circle (Washington Co. only). Please call 877-543-9498 for more info.

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SURVIVORS OF SUICIDE

If you have lost someone to suicide & wish to have a safe place to talk, share & spend a little time w/ others who have had a similar experience, join us on the 3rd Thu. of every mo., 7-9 p.m., at the Faith Lighthouse Church, Route 105, Newport (105 Alderbrook). Please call before attending. Info: Mary Butler, 744-6284.

SURVIVORS OF SUICIDE:

S. BURLINGTON

This group is for people experiencing the impact of the loss of a loved one to suicide. 1st Wed. of each mo., 6-7:30 p.m., at the Comfort Inn & Suites, 3 Dorset St., S. Burlington. Info: Bob Purvee at 802-922-4283 or ripurvee1@ yahoo.com, or Aya Kuki at 802-881-3606 or ayakokuki@gmail.com

TOPS

Take Off Pounds Sensibly chapter meeting. Hedding United Methodist Church, Washington St., Barre. Wed., 5:15-6:15 p.m. For info, call David at 371-8929.

TRANS & GENDER-NONCONFORMING SUPPORT GROUP

As trans & GNC people in the world, we experience many things that are unique to our identities. For that reason, the Transgender Program hosts a support group for our community on the 1st & 3rd Wed. of every mo., 6:30-8 p.m., either virtually or at Pride Center of Vermont. The Trans & GNC Support group is for Vermonters at all stages of their gender journey to come together to socialize, discuss issues that are coming up in their lives & build community. We welcome anyone whose identity falls under the trans, GNC, intersex & nonbinary umbrellas, & folks questioning their gender identity. Email safespace@pridecentervt.org w/ any questions, comments or accessibility concerns.

TRANSGENDER FAMILY SUPPORT

We are people w/ adult loved ones who are transgender or gender nonconforming. We meet to support each other & to learn more about issues & concerns. Our sessions are supportive, informal & confidential. Meetings are held at 5:30 p.m., the 2nd Thu. of each mo., via Zoom. Not sure if you’re ready for a meeting? We also offer 1-on-1 support. For more info, email rex@pridecentervt.org or call 802-318-4746.

TRANS PARENT SUPPORT GROUP

We will be in community w/ parents of trans kids of all ages & supporting each other w/ storytelling, listening, learning & love. If we want to protect our trans kids, our first line of defense is uplifting their parents & guardians! This is a peer-support group & will be facilitated by Alison & Shawna. 4th Tue. of every month, 5:30-7:30 p.m at Rainbow Bridge Community Center. Contact 802-6220692 or info@rainbowbridgevt.org

WOMEN’S CANCER SUPPORT GROUP

FAHC. Led by Deb Clark, RN. Every 1st & 3rd Tue., 5-6:30 p.m. Call Kathy McBeth, 847-5715.

YOUNG ADULT SUPPORT GROUP

A support group for young adults to build community & access peer support. This group meets weekly on Thu., 3-4 p.m., at Pathways Vermont Community Center, 279 North Winooski Ave., Burlington. Contact Chris Nial for any questions: chrisn@pathwaysvermont. org.

Are you looking for an innovative, dynamic, and collaborative place to work?

Join us at Lake Champlain Waldorf School to deliver a holistic and developmental approach to education.

Open Positions:

• Upper School Teacher

• Mixed-Age Kindergarten Lead Teacher

• Kindergarten Assistant

• Spanish Teacher (part-time)

www.lakechamplainwaldorfschool.org

aid, and will become licensed as a Security Guard with the State of Vermont. Paid training, signing bonuses, and hourly rates starting at $20 an hour.

Apply online: bit.ly/ChocThunderJobs

JOIN OUR TEAM!

Shared Living Provider

Looking for a skilled Shared Living Provider to assist an energetic, well-traveled young man gain independence. Collaborate as part of a team to establish the perfect living setup. Offering a generous annual stipend of $66,000. The role involves assisting a young man with developmental disabilities in acquiring skills for independent living and enhancing his ability to cope with Anxiety. He has a variety of interests; he takes pleasure in discussing historical topics, listening to jazz and classical music, and savoring Mexican cuisine. He loves spending time in the kitchen and thrives in a calm and predictable setting, making someone with a relaxed and easygoing demeanor an excellent fit. The ideal candidate should be patient and affirming. Trauma-informed preferred, but training can be provided. For more information contact me at (802) 373-8862.

howardcenter.org • 802-488-6500

RESOURCE PLANNER III

Burlington Electric Department, the City of Burlington’s 100% renewably powered electric utility, is seeking a Resource Planner III to join in its Policy and Planning Team, which is responsible for rate design, distributed energy resource management, wholesale markets, renewability, and regulatory & legislative matters. This senior-level position focuses on the design of innovative electric rates to support BED’s Net Zero Energy vision, including the use of state-of-the-art technology to manage loads and distributed resources. This position will be the principal investigator in implementing a prestigious Grid Resiliency & Innovation Partnerships grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (the first such award in Vermont) related to controlling thermal energy loads in residential and commercial buildings.

Licensed Clinical Social Worker $70.00/hour

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. MUST be licensed in VT. Please call Dan W. Hauben ASAP at 888-552-1660

Community Relations ASSISTANT MANAGER

Hunger Mountain Co-op is seeking to hire a Community Relations Assistant Manager. Our ideal candidate will be talented in providing excellent customer service, oversight in member services, outreach, and marketing communications. Our co-op offers competitive pay and benefits and the opportunity to join an outstanding management team.

Hunger Mountain Co-op is for everyone. Diversity, inclusion, and a culture where everybody can contribute matters to us. We aim to create an environment for all bodies. The Co-op does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, ancestry, place of birth, age, crime victim status, physical or mental condition. Please request accommodations if you need them. Apply online: hungermountain.coop

Our ideal candidate will have a bachelor’s degree in engineering, economics, math, or related field plus at least 2 college- or graduate-level courses beyond the bachelor’s degree; 5 years of experience in an equivalent position at an electric utility; and experience with distributed energy resources. This position has potential for some remote work flexibility. The City of Burlington is an equal opportunity employer, and we encourage applicants who like to think innovatively toward climate goals and who can contribute to our growing diversity.

Apply online: governmentjobs.com/careers/burlingtonvt

2v-LakeChamplainWaldorfSchool031324

Trivia Hosts

Seeking responsible, engaging, quick witted and charismatic individuals to host weekly trivia night programs and other events!

We’ll provide everything needed to run a successful trivia night, including proper training. Hosting is a great way to earn some fun money, entertain a crowd, and become a “local celebrity.”

We are looking for hosts in the following areas:

Barre/Montpelier

St Albans

Colchester/Essex/Williston

Compensation: This is a part time position. Competitive pay with opportunity to host additional accounts.

To apply, please email resume to:  info@pubgeeks.com.

PSYCHOTHERAPIST

The Vermont Center for Anxiety Care (VCAC), a private psychotherapy practice on the Burlington waterfront, has an opening for a psychotherapist (licensed or post-masters or post-doctoral degree). Specialties in family therapy, adolescents, children or parenting are welcome as well as disordered eating and addictions. Opportunities for group therapy. Clinical supervision towards licensure provided as needed. VCAC is a collaborative group with holistic approach and multiple specialties. Visit vtcenterforanxietycare.com

Send resume and cover letter describing professional interests and goals to Paul Foxman, Ph.D., 86 Lake Street, Burlington, VT 05401 or email: paulfoxman@aol.com.

MIDDLE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL

South Burlington School District is seeking a dynamic educational leader to fill the role of Principal for Fredrick H. Tuttle Middle School beginning with the 2024-25 school year. The position will provide leadership and oversight in dayto-day student management and work with the school community to meet the needs of all learners through challenging academic and behavioral standards, community and parental partnerships, and shared purpose.

The position is an active member of the District’s Administrative team and will serve in a leadership role in our commitment to academic excellence and student well-being. The ideal candidate will have a Master’s degree in school administration, three or more years of administrative or educational leadership experience with a Valid Vermont Educators’ License with appropriate level endorsement and Administrator certificate. Expertise in education support systems, building-based management, supervision, and evaluation is preferred. To apply: SchoolSpring.com, reference Job ID # 4564321, or sbschools.net/ page/employment-opportunities. If you have questions, contact Elissa Galvez, HR Employment Specialist at (802) 652-7247 or egalvez@sbschools.net

Immigration Paralegal

Busy Burlington Law Firm seeks a full-time Immigration Paralegal. Applicants shall have 1-5 years’ experience in immigration law including preparing and submitting immigration applications using dedicated immigration software. The Paralegal will also provide litigation support. Candidates will be professional and service-oriented, with strong computer, communication, and organizational skills. This is an in-person position. We offer a competitive salary commensurate with experience, benefits package and a family friendly work environment.

Please submit your cover letter and résumé to Deborah Sabourin, Business Manager, MSK Attorneys at dsabourin@mskvt.com

TEAM

We think that people make a place. Our team members are true individuals: the kind of people whose faces light up when they talk about their passions, who are excited to share what they love about Vermont with anyone that steps through our doors.

Hotel Vermont and Juniper Bar & Restaurant are looking for a few more warm and engaging professionals to join our team! For job opportunities and applications, please visit westporthospitality.com/careers.

Office Manager

The UVM Department of Residential Life is seeking a 12-month Office Manager (Office/Program Support Generalist) to provide exceptional customer service to all our residents and visitors at the Marsh/Austin/ Tupper (MAT) residential complex. Devise staffing structures and office procedures to implement Department policies and procedures for the University residence hall complex in the areas of keys, mail, information resources, vending services, equipment loans, and hall damage. Collaborate with Residence Education and Learning Community teams housed in MAT and other departmental staff as needed. Supervise and mentor student staff. During summer months, support summer academic housing in the MAT residential complex. Coordinate summer academic housing and support enrollment management by serving as housing liaison for summer academics. Apply online: uvmjobs.com/postings/71166

GENERAL MANAGER

Hunger Mountain Co-op in Montpelier, VT is seeking a General Manager to lead its ongoing efforts to provide healthy food to its customers, support the development of local agriculture, provide great customer service and make the co-op a great place to work.

Candidates should have a strong retail operations background, demonstrated team management ability, excellent communication skills, and successful record of creating positive work environment. Leadership experience in cooperatives, community development, marketing, membership development, the food industry, and local agriculture desirable.

For full job description and to apply, please visit: apply.workable.com/gallagher-flynnandcompany/j/6BB29DFE07.

4t-HotelVT032024

Goddard College, a leader in non-traditional education, has the following full-time, bene t eligible and part-time position openings:

REGISTRAR

STAFF ACCOUNTANT

To view position descriptions and application instructions, please visit our website: goddard.edu/about-goddard/employment-opportunities/

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.

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 o cials and stakeholders, and expanding the Chamber’s network. The ideal candidate brings 5+ years of experience in association management, legislative a airs, 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.

Sta Nurse II/III

Sta RN II/III is an integral part of the Addiction Treatment Center (ATC) at The University of Vermont Medical Center.

Qualifications:

• Current RN licensure or compact licensure recognized by the State of Vermont is required.

• Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing or enrolled in Bachelor’s program with 5 years to complete.

• 3 years of relevant RN experience with demonstrated competencies specific to a clinical area.

To apply: uvmhealthnetworkcareers.org/ r0062527_sevendays

Roots Daycare is Hiring!

VIP’s onsite daycare is hiring Lead Teachers as well as full and part-time Center Assistants. We offer competitive pay and exceptional benefits!  Positions range from $18-$21.50/hour depending on qualifications and offer affordable health insurance, company-funded health savings and retirement accounts, employee ownership, numerous onsite amenities (health clinic, fitness centers and café), paid vacation, holiday/floating holiday time off, and so much more!

We are conveniently located in Colchester, VT. If you love working with children, apply at public.vtinfo.com/careers or contact us at careers@vtinfo.com to learn more about joining our team!

Packaging & Warehouse Supervisor

The Packaging & Warehouse Supervisor is responsible for overseeing the packaging and warehouse operations at Stowe Cider, as well as active participation in the day-to-day responsibilities of the team.

We are an E.O.E. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.

Benefits:

• PTO

• Health Insurance

• ST/LT Disability, Life, and Accident Insurance

Please apply at: careers@stowecider.com.

Program Manager

environmental degradation. To fulfill this vision, we are actively seeking qualified applicants who share our commitment to environmental stewardship, experiential pedagogy, interdisciplinary education, and community enrichment.

Office & Medication Administrator

True North is actively hiring for an Office and Medication Administrator who can assist in day-to-day office administrative tasks, organize & pack student medications, and effectively communicate and collaborate with parents, doctors, and various True North departments. The ideal candidate is an organized, flexible team player with a warm and friendly personality. This is an in-person, Monday through Friday 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. position. Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits offered.

Benefits include health, dental, vision, accident insurance, an employee assistance program, SIMPLE IRA, access to an employee wellness fund, and the opportunity for student loan payment reimbursement.

Please apply at: truenorthevolution.com/careers.

True North is seeking a Program Manager to join our team. The ideal candidate is an adaptable team player, with a positive attitude and leadership skills who is willing to work both indoors and outdoors. The Program Manager will be working closely with all departments at True North to help facilitate daily programming for the students, coordinate and execute schedules, supervise and train guides (direct care staff), and support the therapeutic goals for students. Candidates must be willing to work weekends and occasional evenings.

Operations Support

True North Evolution is seeking a full-time, year-round Operations Support person. The ideal candidate is an adaptable team player with a positive attitude who is willing to work both indoors and outdoors performing a variety of tasks associated with the logistics of running our program. Tasks include food packing and rationing, gear outfitting, transportation, and facilities maintenance. Candidates must be willing to work weekends and occasional evenings. A clean and valid driver’s license is required.

Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits offered. Benefits include health, dental, vision and accident insurance, an employee assistance program, a Wellness Fund, student loan repayment reimbursement, and a SIMPLE IRA.

Please apply at: truenorthevolution.com/careers

Do you have fundraising experience and a desire to help make post-secondary education and training more accessible?

SEEKING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE CURTIS FUND

The Curtis Fund is looking for an executive director to increase outreach, develop strong partnerships, explore new program options, lead fundraising efforts, and work closely with the board. The ideal candidate for this position will have knowledge of post-secondary education and an aptitude for building relationships.

If this sounds like a good fit for you, visit VERMONTCF.ORG/CAREERS for a complete job description and instructions for applying.

FINANCE MANAGER

Hunger Mountain Co-op is seeking to hire a skilled Finance Manager. Our ideal candidate will manage the Co-op’s finances and accounting in accordance with GAAP, oversee the preparation of business plans and budgets, and manage, analyze, and protect the assets of the Co-op.

Hunger Mountain Co-op is for everyone. Diversity, inclusion, and a culture where everybody can contribute matters to us. We aim to create an environment for all bodies. The Co-op does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, ancestry, place of birth, age, crime victim status, physical or mental condition. Please request accommodations if you need them. Please visit: recruiting.paylocity.com/ Recruiting/Jobs/Details/2240922.

JOIN OUR RADIOLOGY TEAM

We are currently seeking: X-Ray Technologists

CT Technologists

MRI Technologists

• Full-time, benefits eligible, positions with generous shift differentials

• Day and night shifts available. Clinic-only roles for X-Ray available (no nights, weekends, or holidays).

For more info visit copleyvt.org/careers or call J.T. Vize at 802-888-8329

HIGH SCHOOL ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

South Burlington School District is seeking a dynamic educational leader to fill the role of Assistant Principal for the high school beginning with the 2024-25 school year. The position will assist in day-to-day student management and work with the school community to meet the needs of all learners through challenging academic and behavioral standards, community and parental partnerships, and shared purpose. The position is an active member of the District’s Administrative team and will serve in a leadership role in our commitment to academic excellence and student well-being. The ideal candidate will have a Master’s degree in school administration, three or more years of administrative or educational leadership experience with a Valid Vermont Educators’ License with appropriate level endorsement and Administrator certificate. Expertise in student services, special education, supervision, and evaluation is preferred. To apply, visit SchoolSpring.com, reference Job ID #: 4486416, or visit sbschools.net/ page/employment-opportunities. If you have questions, contact Elissa Galvez, HR Employment Specialist at (802) 652-7247 or egalvez@sbschools.net

Chief Financial Officer

Join PCC in improving the lives of children and pediatricians nationwide. PCC is a leader in the pediatric software industry with a mission to remove obstacles that keep pediatricians from practicing medicine. As a benefit corporation, PCC is a values-driven, pragmatically irreverent company that prioritizes humanity over profit while promoting independence and knowledge sharing. PCCers solve meaningful problems with an obsessive commitment to customer service and quality of experience, all while having fun.

The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is responsible for all financial aspects of PCC’s business, and is a team member of the leadership group called Some Executive Committee (SEC). This role requires benefit corporation-related accounting and tax knowledge. The CFO must have the ability to explain budgets and coach on financial matters, including acting as an advisor for PCC’s leadership and will participate in strategic decision making for the company.

The ideal candidate is a thoughtful and empathetic leader with exceptional communication skills and discernment. They must have a demonstrated history and knowledge of accounting, taxes, business planning, and strategic thinking. This calm realist knows when to take risks and when to reevaluate. They can think critically about opportunities, advise on financial consequences, and make educated decisions that are in line with PCC’s values and sustainable financial practices.

To learn more about PCC, this role and how to apply, please visit pcc.com/careers. Position is open until filled.

No phone calls, please. AA/EOE

Program Assistant

The Vermont Historical Society seeks a part-time Program Assistant based in Montpelier. The position assists the education team in presenting school programs and with daily operations at the Vermont History Museum.

Saturday work required. Bachelor’s degree and experience in education, history, museums, or related field preferred. Up to 28 hours/week. Pay starts at $18.37/hr. Full job description and details at vermonthistory.org/ career-opportunities

Send a cover letter and resume to eileen.corcoran@vermonthistory.org.

Finance & Operations Coordinator

OHAVIZEDEK.ORG ABOUT US > JOBS Preschool Teacher

Facilities Manager

Full Time

AV Support

AV Assistant

Part Time

Apply online: ohavizedek. org/about-ohavi-zedeksynagogue/jobs

Caregiver Wanted

Adult male looking for a caregiver/PCA to start in early May. 20 hours per week. Wage 22.00 time span 4-6 weeks. Longterm employment a possibility. Must pass background check.

Experience preferred.

Write a bit about past experience. I will use this as a filter of sorts. I will not respond to inquiries about compensation or hours, they are stated and firm. Email zcartist@yahoo.com

Full-time, Salary, Benefits Eligible

The Associate Production Manager provides direct support to the Flynn’s diverse variety of productions, shows, and events. The Flynn values all staff to provide a positive and professional experience for coworkers, tours, and patrons.

Visit our website for a detailed job description: flynnvt.org/About-Us/Employment-and-InternshipOpportunities

Email materials to: HResources@flynnvt.org

No phone calls, please. E.O.E.

JOB TRAINING. WELL DONE.

Join the Community Kitchen Academy!

Community Kitchen Academy (CKA) is a 9-week job training program featuring: Hands on learning, national ServSafe certification, job placement support and meaningful connections to community. Plus... the tuition is FREE and weekly stipends are provided for income eligible students!

At CKA you’ll learn from professional chefs in modern commercial kitchens and graduate with the skills and knowledge to build a career in food service, food systems and other related fields. Throughout the 9-week course, you’ll develop and apply new skills by preparing food that would otherwise be wasted. The food you cook is then distributed through food shelves and meal sites throughout the community. CKA is a program of the Vermont Foodbank, operated in partnership with Capstone Community Action in Barre and Feeding Chittenden in Burlington. Next sessions start April 15th in Burlington & July 29th in Barre. APPLY: vtfoodbank.org/cka

Karmê Chöling is hiring for several sta positions at our Buddhist meditation center. Our core sta form the heart of our community and are inspired to work and live in a setting that encourages mindfulness and compassion.

We are seeking team members in the following roles as we prepare for the summer season:

Director of Guest Services

Garden Manager

Garden Assistant

Kitchen Assistant

While core sta are encouraged to live at Karmê Chöling, commuting is an option for most positions. For more information and to apply: karmecholing.org

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:

• Security Officer (Environmental Services)

• HR Generalist (Human Resources)

• Staff Nurse (RN, LPN), Licensed Nursing Assistants (LNA) (Health Services)

• General Manager, Floor Managers, Healthcare Hospitality Assistants, Servers, Dining Operations Coordinator, Cooks, & Dishwashers ( Dining Services)

• 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.

Outreach Counselor (VSGU)

VSAC is searching for an Outreach Counselor with our GEAR UP program. In this role, you’ll have an opportunity to help students explore their future possibilities and help them create a plan to get there. This position will work with middle and high school students and their families in the Rutland area to provide education, career, and financial aid information and counseling to support postsecondary education goals and aid students through the transition from high school to postsecondary education.

Qualifications include a combination of education and experience, including a master’s degree in counseling, education, or a related field or an equivalent combination of administrative or management experience and other education.

Applicants must have a valid driver’s license verified by a Motor Vehicle Record Report, inspected/registered/insured motor vehicle for business use, provide their own workspace & internet access, and complete a criminal background check. Driving a motor vehicle is required as a regular part of this position.

This is a full-time, in-person position (45 weeks per year, 7 weeks off in the summer) that will work with students at Fair Haven Middle and High Schools in Fair Haven, VT. The target start date is May 2024.

Apply ONLY on-line at vsac.org/careers.

NEW FRAMEWORKS IS HIRING

We are a busy, fun, egalitarian-yet-structured, creative, kind, and mission-driven group of people working together towards the goal of developing ecological and social climate justice and regeneration practices in the building and design trades. If you've been looking for a way to use your skills to advance climate change response through the built environment; design and construction with natural, local, and plant-based materials; and be an integral part of an equitable, intersectional feminist workplace with a strong team culture, we welcome you!

People of color, trans and gender-nonconforming people, people from poor and working-class backgrounds, queer people, and women are encouraged to apply. New Frameworks is currently hiring for the following positions:

• ECO PRODUCT SALES & ACCOUNT MANAGER

$26 - $35/hour (Total compensation package of $45,084 - $75,544)

• OFFICE & SALES ASSISTANT

$20 - $24/hour (Total compensation package of $35,100 - $52,664)

• CARPENTER

$26 - $30 hour (Total compensation package of $55,900 - $65,144)

Our company is a language justice organization, with both English and Spanish being used as core languages, so being interested in becoming functionally bilingual is a requirement, and coming with language skills in each language is a plus. Our team is committed to social justice and mutual respect between all people, and a similar commitment is sought in the right people to fill these positions. Check out our detailed job postings at newframeworks.com. To apply for any of the above positions, please provide a resume, letter of interest, and 3 references to: info@newframeworks.com

Alarm Dispatcher

Family owned established

Alarm Monitoring Company in Stowe is hiring full time (40 hours) year round staff for 2nd shift (4PM-12AM)

Weekends included. We offer competitive salary and great benefits. Candidates must have basic computer skills, good customer service and a reliable vehicle. We provide paid daytime software training for approximately 4 weeks prior to salaried shift work.

Send resume & letter of interest to acct@hsmc-ul.com

Family Support Programs COORDINATOR

Prevent Child Abuse Vermont is seeking a Family Support Programs Coordinator to cover Bennington, Rutland, Windham, and Windsor counties. Successful candidates will organize, oversee and facilitate online parent education and support groups. Groups may move to in person meetings. The position may involve travel around the region. Duties include recruitment, training and supervision of volunteers and outreach and collaboration with community partners. Knowledge of child development and child abuse, love of parent education/support and experience with online facilitation are all a plus. Reliable transportation required. Minimum of Bachelor’s degree in human services, social work, education or related field required. This is a grant funded temporary position with the possibility of becoming permanent. PCAVT does not discriminate in the delivery of services or benefits based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity. E.O.E. Please email cover letter, resume, and 3 references, along with the employment application to pcavt@pcavt.org

Or mail to: Prevent Child Abuse Vermont- Search, PO Box 829, Montpelier, VT 05601-0829

For application visit: pcavt.org/jobs-and-internships

Are you a dynamic administrative maestro looking for your next role at a mission-driven organization?

SEEKING AN EXECUTIVE COORDINATOR

The Vermont Community Foundation is seeking an experienced Executive Coordinator to provide support to the leadership team, CEO, and board of directors. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in an executive administration role, exceptional organization and communication skills, and experience managing relationships with a board of directors.

If this sounds like a good fit for you, visit VERMONTCF.ORG/CAREERS for a complete job description and instructions for applying.

HIGHWAY ROAD FOREMAN

The Town of Jericho is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Road Foreman to manage a six-person Highway Department. Jericho (pop. 5,005) is a rural bedroom community in close proximity to Burlington with 61 miles of town highways.

This “working” foreman position requires experience with personnel management, all aspects of highway and bridge construction and maintenance, employee and contractor oversight, equipment operation and maintenance, job safety, mechanical ability, record keeping and communication skills, budget development, and any other tasks assigned by the Town Administrator. The position is full-time and requires a flexible schedule which will include nights, weekends, and holidays. This position is hourly and starting wage is dependent on qualifications commensurate with experience. An excellent benefits package is also offered. You can find the application and job description on our website at www.jerichovt.org at the top of the page under current job opportunities.

To apply, please email a confidential cover letter, resume, and three references to pcarrier@jerichovt.gov with Jericho Road Foreman Search in the subject line or send to: Paula Carrier, Personnel Assistant P.O. Box 39, Jericho, VT 05465

Application materials will be accepted until the position is filled.

Great Jobs in Baking—Bread

or Pastry

Recipe:

Combine the following in a beautiful, naturally lit baking space in Middlesex:

• One large bunch of dedicated, hardworking and fun people

• A ton (or more) of organic flour

• Pounds and pounds of great butter and chocolate

Toss together with:

Free co ee, Food discounts

Great pay, Monthly massage

Benefits (including, but not limited to, health care and retirement plan)

Yield: A great career in baking with advancement opportunities.

Note: If using butter and chocolate, you will need to start very early in the morning. If you eliminate the butter and chocolate, you may need to work into the evening making long-fermented bread.

ATTENTION RECRUITERS:

For full job descriptions and to apply, please visit: www.redhenbaking.com/about/jobs

POST YOUR JOBS AT: SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POSTMYJOB

PRINT DEADLINE: NOON ON MONDAYS (INCLUDING HOLIDAYS) FOR RATES & INFO: MICHELLE BROWN, 802-865-1020 X121, MICHELLE@SEVENDAYSVT.COM

WHERE

PUBLIC HEALTH NUTRITIONIST III – SUPERVISOR – BARRE

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: April 10, 2024.

PUBLIC HEALTH SPECIALIST - EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS – SPRINGFIELD

The role of the Emergency Preparedness Public Health Specialist is to promote health and increase local capacity to effectively respond to public health emergency events in the Springfield District (parts of Windsor and Windham counties). The person selected for this position will work with internal and external partners to create strong local emergency preparedness and response systems to protect and promote public health. For more information, contact Mike Russel at Michael.Russel@vermont.gov. Department: Health. Location: Springfield. Status: Full Time, Limited Service. Job ID #49291. Application Deadline: April 3, 2024.

Executive Director

Champlain Community Services (CCS), a Specialized Service Agency located in Colchester, VT, is seeking an experienced and dynamic Executive Director to lead our organization into the future. The ideal candidate will oversee operations, set strategic direction, and build strong relationships with community partners. CCS’s mission is to provide essential supports to people with intellectual disabilities and autism, building a community where everyone participates and everyone belongs. The Executive Director provides both internal and external leadership, manages a talented, experienced and committed staff and builds, engages and reports to an engaged and dynamic board of directors.

The ideal candidate will have proven experience in management and leadership, effectiveness with non-profit budgets and fiscal management, familiarity with the Vermont State System of Care Plan, an understanding of nonprofit legal and regulatory compliance, proficiency in Medicaid regulations, ability to represent the agency’s interests at both the State and local levels, and an appreciation of the unique history of Developmental Disabilities System in Vermont.

3/15/24 11:38 AM

Compensation is commensurate with experience and will be negotiated with our Board of Directors. We offer a competitive total compensation package, including health and dental benefits, Simple IRA plan with a match, and opportunities for professional development.

CCS is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity, equity and inclusion and encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply. Join us in making a difference in the lives of individuals and families in need of developmental services. Be part of a dedicated team working towards a healthier community.

To learn more about CCS go to ccs-vt.org.

How to Apply: Interested candidates are invited to submit their resume and a cover letter outlining their qualifications, experience, and commitment to advocacy for issues affecting people receiving services through this human services organization.

Please submit letters of interest and resume by April 5, 2024 to Zoltan Sachs, Board President at zoltan@ sachsweb.com

Since 1971, WISE has supported survivors of gender-based violence in the Upper Valley. We encourage and cultivate a dynamic environment that requires us to be an adaptive, flexible, and innovative team. We are growing and expanding our programming.

PROGRAM ADVOCATE

Advocates are responsible for providing sophisticated, well-coordinated advocacy for victims of genderbased violence, their family, friends, and communities. Advocates build and maintain relationships with survivors, community organizations and institutions to best meet the needs of people who have experienced domestic and/or sexual violence, trafficking and stalking.

YOUTH VIOLENCE PREVENTION EDUCATOR

The Youth Violence Prevention Educator works with students, educators, and parents in 10 school districts to provide effective prevention education, student leadership to end violence, and youth advocacy for survivors.

Salary range for both positions is $43,000 - $45,000. Other benefits include generous vacation time, 100% employee health premium coverage, and retirement fund contributions. To apply, email a cover letter and resume to kate@wiseuv.org or apply directly on our website: wiseuv.org/how-to-join/careers

5h-VTDeptHumanResources032024 1

Field Operations Manager

Join Country Walkers and VBT Bicycling Vacations; an award winning, Vermont based, active travel company and be part of our high performing, international team. We offer deluxe, small-group bicycling and hiking tours. Positively impacting people’s lives through active travel experiences is what we’re all about! We’re looking for an energetic, solutions-driven Field Operations Manager.

This position is responsible for the tour guide and equipment management of a select group of domestic and international tours. Primary tasks include hiring, training, scheduling, coaching and management of guides and regional point persons along with the technical components of a tour destination. This includes bikes, trip kit inventory, contracting local bike mechanics, contracting storage units, assigning bikes, as well as facilitating logistics and various administrative tasks.

Qualifications include:

Experience managing staff or operations

Basic bike technical skills

Some after-hours availability for on-tour emergencies

Clean driving record; willingness to become DOT Certified Ability to travel internationally

Send Resumes to: nvoth@vbt.com

Warehouse Technician

Job Code DXY2

POSITION SUMMARY:

Technicians work in a warehouse environment.

PRINCIPLE RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Load and unload drums, totes, and containers of hazardous & non-hazardous waste materials from trucks.

• Sample contents of drums, totes, and containers.

• Consolidate drum contents into larger containers for processing.

• Operate Forklift under company safety standards, forklift license not required, company provided training.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Ability to use heavy and light equipment, such as forklift, and pallet-jack.

• Skilled using hand and shop tools, and instruments.

• Demonstrates accuracy, thoroughness and attention to detail.

• Must be able to prioritize, stay focused and handle multiple, diverse responsibilities.

• Valid driver’s license may be required for some positions. Apply online: jobs.republicservices.com/us/en

Union Organizer

The Vermont State Employees’ Association Seeks Experienced Union Organizer

Join Vermont’s most dynamic independent statewide union. VSEA is a democratic and increasingly activist union, where 18 dedicated union staff work hand in hand with more than 6,000 members across Vermont to confront and combat workplace and contract injustice. The important and meaningful work is conducted in one of the nation’s most politically progressive states, and the workload is manageable. VSEA’s headquarters is located in beautiful Montpelier, Vermont.

AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY INCLUDE:

Leadership Development:

Identify existing leaders within VSEA and build relationships with those members through the work of building the union; Identify and recruit members to fill leadership roles within the structure of VSEA; Educate members on ways in which they can talk to their colleagues about: the union, effective strategies for identifying issues, and using direct action to make workplace improvements

Support VSEA’s Broader Organizational Goals and Activities:

Facilitate turnout to events, trainings and meetings; Support key legislative, political, and community or workplace actions as outlined by the VSEA Strategic Plan

Identify Issues with Members and Move a Plan of Action:

Meet with members to discuss current issues that are of importance; Work to develop and execute a clear work plan around the issues

Increase Union Membership:

Demonstrate success in signing up non-members and new employees as VSEA members while engaging union activists and leaders in the recruitment process

Communication with Members:

Have a regular and frequent presence in worksites, holding face-to-face conversations with VSEA leaders, activists, and rank-and-file members; Provide the VSEA Communications Department with regular updates on internal and external organizing efforts; Update VSEA bulletin boards in worksites by providing activists and leaders with updated materials as often as possible.

VSEA seeks to interview dynamic candidates with a track record of commitment to the labor movement and preferably two (2) years of experience as a union or political organizer. Any applicant must have reliable transportation as daily instate travel is expected.

Interested and qualified candidates are encouraged to submit their resume, salary requirements, and a cover letter detailing their labor or political experience to vsea@vsea.org. Exceptional candidates will be scheduled for an interview.

SEEKING DYNAMIC EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

The Executive Director provides visionary leadership to guide Vermont Adult Learning, a nonprofit organization with a $5+ million budget and a staff of approximately 80, through a rapidly changing and uncertain environment.

Responsibilities: The ED oversees the organization’s administration, programs, and strategic plan with a statewide reach. Other key duties include fundraising, marketing, community outreach, and advocacy.

Requires: Bachelor’s degree with five or more years of transparent and high-integrity nonprofit management experience. Proven leadership, coaching, relationship management experience, and fiscal management skills. Concrete, demonstrable commitment to social justice and equity.

For full job description go to vtadultlearning.org/about-us/#careers

This position is a remote-from-home position with occasional travel to meet with staff across the state. May require some weekend and evening hours. Preference will be given to someone with a demonstrable connection to Vermont.

Send resume, cover letter and salary requirements to: tfarrell@vtadultlearning.org

HEAD LIBRARIAN / DIRECTOR

We are lookiong for someone who will plan, manage, and direct the operations, programs, services, and personnel of the Highgate Library and Community Center. This person will manage employees and volunteers, manage library collections, and maintain responsibility of administrative work. A successful candidate will have knowledge of grant funding opportunities and have a history of successful grant writing.

Duties would include, but not be limited to, directing operations of library programs, providing support to the Trustees, working with Trustees to set short and long-term goals for the library and working towards their execution, overseeing personnel administration, and advocating on behalf of the library and community center.

The candidate must be an effective manager, have strong communication skills and excellent interpersonal skills, and be knowledgeable of the workings of libraries. Should possess a Certificate of Public Librarianship or a degree in Library Sciences or be willing to work towards accreditation. Prefer 5 years of library experience, with at least 2 years in a supervisory capacity. Shall have excellent public speaking, written, and oral communication skills. Will recognize the tremendous opportunity underway in Highgate and work to build partnerships and market the operations of the library and community center, while being responsive to community needs.

Pay is commensurate with qualifications and/or formal experience.

Please submit resume, cover letter, and references. Cover letter should include interest in the position, relevant qualifications, and experience. Please submit by Thursday, March 28 to: Highgate Town Offices, PO Box 189, Highgate VT 05459 c/o Rebecca Manning or via email to slaroche@highgatevt.org

• Search for jobs

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fun stuff

“Whatever you do, please don’t tell me what you ‘highly recommend’!”

JEN SORENSEN

HARRY BLISS

KRISTEN SHULL

JULIANNA BRAZILL

ARIES

(MAR. 21-APR. 19)

I suspect you will soon have far more beginner’s luck than you ever thought possible. For best results — to generate even more wildly abundant torrents of good luck — you could adopt what Zen Buddhists called “beginner’s mind.” That means gazing upon everyone and everything as if encountering it for the first time. Here are other qualities I expect to be flowing freely through you in the coming weeks: spontaneity, curiosity, innocence, candor and unpredictability. To the degree that you cultivate these states, you will invite even more beginner’s luck into your life.

TAURUS (Apr. 20-May 20): Taurus artist Salvador Dalí was prone to exaggerate for dramatic effect. We should remember that as we read his quote: “Mistakes are almost always of a sacred nature. Never try to correct them. On the contrary: Rationalize them; understand them thoroughly.” While that eccentric advice may not always be 100 percent accurate or useful, I think it will be true and helpful for you in the coming weeks. Have maximum fun making sacred mistakes,

Taurus! Learn all you can from them. Use them to improve your life.

GEMINI (May 21-Jun. 20): The professional fun advisers here at Free Will Astrology International Headquarters have concluded that your Party Hardy Potential Rating for the coming weeks is 9.8 (out of 10). In fact, this may be the Party Hardy Phase of the Year for you. You could gather the benefits of maximum revelry and conviviality with minimal side effects. Here’s a meditation to get you in the right mood: Imagine mixing business and pleasure with such panache that they blend into a gleeful, fruitful synergy.

CANCER (Jun. 21-Jul. 22): Cancerian author and psychotherapist Virginia Satir (19161988) was renowned as the “Mother of Family Therapy.” Her research led her to conclude, “We need four hugs a day for survival. We need eight hugs a day for maintenance. We need 12 hugs a day for growth.” That 12-hug recommendation seems daunting to achieve, but I hope you will strive for it in the coming weeks. You are in a phase when maximum growth is possible — and pushing to the frontiers of hugging will help you activate the full potential. (PS: Don’t force anyone to hug you. Make sure it’s consensual.)

LEO (Jul. 23-Aug. 22): Have you been genuinely amazed anytime recently? Have you done something truly amazing? If not, it’s time to play catch-up. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, you need and deserve exciting adventures that boggle your soul in all the best ways. You should be wandering out on the frontiers and tracking down provocative mysteries. You could grow even smarter than you already are if you expose yourself to challenges that will amaze you and inspire you to be amazing.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sep. 22): I invite you to perform a magic spell that will help prepare you for the rich, slippery soul work you have ahead of you. I’ll offer a suggestion, but feel free to compose your own ritual. First, go outside where it’s raining or misting, or find a waterfall. Stand with your legs apart and arms spread out as you turn your face up toward the falling moisture. As you drink it in, tell

yourself you will be extra fluid and flowing in the coming weeks. Promise yourself you will stimulate and treasure succulent feelings. You will cultivate the sensation that everything you need is streaming in your direction.

LIBRA (Sep. 23-Oct. 22): You are gliding into the climax of your reeducation about togetherness, intimacy and collaboration. The lessons you’ve been learning have deepened your reservoir of wisdom about the nature of love. And in the coming weeks, even further teachings will arrive; even more openings and invitations will be available. You will be offered the chance to earn what could in effect be a master’s degree in relationships. It’ll be challenging work but rewarding and interesting. Do as best as you can. Don’t demand perfection from yourself or anyone else.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Now is not a favorable phase to gamble on unknown entities. Nor should you allow seemingly well-meaning people to transgress your boundaries. Another big no: Don’t heed the advice of fearmongers or nagging scolds, whether they’re inside or outside your head. On the other hand, dear Scorpio, the coming weeks will be an excellent time for the following actions: 1) Phase out attachments to alliances and love interests that have exhausted their possibilities. 2) Seek the necessary resources to transform or outgrow a frustrating fact about your life. 3) Name truths that other people seem intent on ignoring and avoiding. 4) Conjure simple, small, slow, practical magic to make simple, small, slow, practical progress.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Falling in love is fun! It’s also exciting, enriching, inspiring, transformative, world-shaking and educational. Wouldn’t it be fabulous if we could keep falling in love anew three or four times a year for as long as we live? We might always be our best selves, showing our most creative and generous sides, continually expanding our power to express our soulful intelligence. Alas, it’s not practical or realistic to always be falling in love with another new person. Here’s a possible alternative: What if we enlarged our understanding of what we could fall in love with? Maybe we would become perpetually infatuated with brilliant teachings, magical

places, high adventures, and great art and music. The coming weeks will be an excellent time for you to cultivate this skill.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): I’m perplexed by spiritual teachers who fanatically preach the doctrine that we should BE HERE NOW as much as possible. Living with full enjoyment in the present moment is a valuable practice, but dismissing or demeaning the past is shortsighted. Our lives are forged from our histories. We should revere the stories we are made of, visit them regularly and keep learning from them. Keep this in mind, Capricorn. It’s an excellent time to heal your memories and to be healed by them. Cultivate deep gratitude for your past as you give the old days all your love. Enjoy this quote from novelist Gregory Maguire: “Memory is part of the present. It builds us up inside; it knits our bones to our muscles and keeps our heart pumping. It is memory that reminds our bodies to work, and memory that reminds our spirits to work, too: it keeps us who we are.”

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Controversial author William S. Burroughs was a rough, tough troublemaker. But he had some wisdom that will soon be extra useful for you. He said love is the best natural painkiller available. I bring this to your attention not because I believe you will experience more pain than the rest of us in the coming months. Rather, I am predicting you will have extra power to alleviate your pain — especially when you raise your capacity to give and receive love.

PISCES (Feb. 19-Mar. 20): The planet Saturn entered Pisces in March 2023 and won’t depart for good until February 2026. Is that a bad thing or good thing for you Pisceans? Some astrologers might say you are in a challenging time when you must make cutbacks and take on increased responsibility. I have a different perspective. I believe this is a phase when you can get closer than ever before to knowing exactly what you want and how to accomplish what you want. In my view, you are being called to shed secondary wishes that distract you from your life’s central goals. I see this period as a homecoming — your invitation to glide into robust alignment with your soul’s code.

Burlington's downtown was once separated from the Hill Section by a massive ravine with a stream running through it. In the 1850s, a train ran through the gully, then a sewer was built into the gulch and the area was filled in. As part of its Great Streets Main Street project, the Department of Public Works has been bypassing the approximately 150-year-old ravine sewer and rerouting its flow. Eva digs into the mythic history of the ravine.

supported by:

Eva Sollberger’s

SHY, GENTLE, HONEST, CAUTIOUS

I am a single male, 40 y/o, and I live in Springfield. Looking for a long-term relationship with the potential of marriage. Moonbeam32, 40, seeking: W, l

ADVENTUROUS SPIRIT CELEBRATING GENEROUS CURVES

WOMEN seeking...

A FRESH START

I’m smart, work hard and want someone who can help me play hard. I’m not looking to meet “soon,” nor do I want an instant relationship (I just got out of one), but I am open to it if the right person comes along. I feel like I just woke up from a long nap — entertain me! Freshstart, 57 seeking: M, l

CREATIVE WOMAN SEEKS

MALE COUNTERPART

I want a guy who was raised by a liberated mother. I am creative, witty, talented, graceful and devilish. Someone once said I think out of both sides of my brain — organized and artistic. I once auditioned for and was selected to sing backup for the Shirelles. People think I’m fun to be with. Maybe you will, too. San2Lus 74, seeking: M, l

HARDWORKING, INDEPENDENT TEACHER, GARDENER

Recently divorced after 25 years.

Looking to rediscover fun! I am a hardworking, independent and very active person. Big gardener. Like to be outside, hanging with friends and family. Enjoy going out for dinner/drinks/ dancing or hanging out at home. Pretty easygoing. La, 54, seeking: M, l

JOT IN THE SUNSHINE

Happy lady leading a life of joy and adventure. Looking for a femme to join me in the fun, on the mountain and in the sleeping bag. Let’s go! LolaLife 37, seeking: W, TW, NC

BIODYNAMIC, SAGACIOUS ARTIST

Desire meaningful conversation, companionship, laughter and love. I am family- and community-minded with philanthropic tendencies; broadly studied in history, art, science and spirituality; well traveled and influenced by world cultures. I lead a conscientious, healthy lifestyle and keep a clean home, hands and heart. Retired, actively pursuing my passions and enjoying my grandchildren. Are you similarly inclined? Eruditee 60, seeking: M, l

INTROVERTED EXTROVERT TO DANCE

Are you a grown-up and still curious, playful, inquisitive, ever learning? I thrive outdoors in every season and relish reflective company, solitude and togetherness, sharing ideas and inspiration, and desires to love in a way that we feel free. I see that many of us here wonder how to describe themselves. Aren’t we all more than we can say? esmeflying, 60 seeking: M, l

STARTING A NEW CHAPTER

I’m going to college. I love reading and writing fiction. I love horror, movies and AHS. No chick flicks. I love playing pool, live music and dance. Can’t work but can play. I have love and kindness to offer the right person. I’m loyal, brave and supportive. I’m adventurous, definitely curious in all areas of life. Get to know me! salingersunrise, 42, seeking: M, W, Q, NC, NBP, Cp, l

NATURE GIRL

New to the area and looking for friends and dates for the first time in my life. I feel weird even doing this (does everyone say that?). I’m in my 50s but slim and fit and honestly look younger than I am. Prefer slim, tall men but honestly don’t care much as long as you’re open-minded, fun and a good conversationalist. Highmeadows 58 seeking: M, W, NC

A MUSIC LOVER

I am 80 y/o and like music. I used to sing in church. I am a Christian. I am very easy to get to know and want to find companionship as well as a friend to spend time with. Also like to travel at times, but not all the time. Hope to meet you. Jessica 80 seeking: M, l

WHAT’S BEHIND DOOR NO. 1?

lNBP

Cp

I am a nature-loving, creative soul with a spiritual side who is a trusting, fun-loving, very healthy, energetic, welltraveled, loving soul. I am looking for a kindhearted, handsome “I can do it” guy, who is educated, trusting, innovative, creative/handy, with a fun-loving side who can laugh at himself, with freedom to travel and take time to hike and camp. FairyFunny 62, seeking: M

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, QUIET, SILLY, CONTENT

I’m looking to enhance my life, not complete it. Curiosity about others, kindness and generosity are essential. It’s important to me that a partner be able to share thoughts and emotions kindly, have a sharp intellect and a ready sense of humor. (PS: If Trump is for you, you’re not for me, but I wish you well.) Elaine, 59 seeking: M, l

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 70, seeking: M, l

MEN seeking...

FIT, EMOTIONALLY AVAILABLE, DEEP CONVERSATIONALIST

Seeking an intellectually aware woman with a tender heart who enjoys both serious and goofy conversations and who values emotional and physical intimacy in a LTR with a man who has far less body hair than many on the dating sites! I’m a light hiker, travel, enjoy going out, do light yoga and pickleball. Into personal growth and moderate outdoor activities.

SometimesPoetVT 56, seeking: W, l

CHARMING AND HUMBLE

I am an open-minded man. I think it is important to practice loving kindness and authenticity in relationships. I enjoy watching comedies, documentaries, true crime and music videos. I am a funny guy. Almost as funny as Brad Pitt. I am looking for a compatible woman. Are you (dear reader) compatible? sunshinelollipopsandrainbows, 54 seeking: W

Adventurous spirit seeking to embrace the full spectrum of connection and pleasure. Open to singles and couples, women, nonbinary, and genderqueer individuals who share a zest for exploration and mutual enjoyment. I’m drawn to generous curves and particularly adore very large breasts. Let’s celebrate our desires with openness and enthusiastic consent and dive into exhilarating experiences that delight us both. turnipdabeet, 41, seeking: W, Q, NC, NBP, Cp, l

FINDING PEACE IN VERMONT

Oh, boy. I love summer. March to the end of November I find the most appealing, though hiking and hockey do help me cope with winter. But there is nothing better than a meal off the grill, IMHO. I am not a fan of TV. I like to be busy. We live but once. So let’s live! Exploring_Vermont, 60 seeking: W, l

LIFE IS POETRY

I like to believe my heart is in the right place. I work on being aware and open-minded, considerate and a good listener. I’m artsy and eclectic. Music, art and literature are the simple things that make me happy. I’m looking for someone to share life with and write our own poetry. Someone who is kind and self-aware.

DogberryTouchstone 60, seeking: W, l

LOVING, LOYAL, CARING

I’m a kind, loving, caring, honest man who will open a door for you in public and spank you in private. I like physical touch, holding hands, walking arm in arm, hand on your thigh, snuggling, caressing and kissing. For now, I’m looking for a woman who would like to have casual sex with the possibility of a growing relationship. Ahhmtns, 61 seeking: W, Cp, l

CHILL, LOVING DUDE FROM IOWA

Hello! I recently moved back to Vermont and brought my little tea company with me. I am a kindhearted little dude hoping to meet a sweet-hearted woman I can learn, grow and explore with. I am both gentle and excitable but mostly pour my excitement into my creative endeavors and exploring the great outdoors. JungleJim, 41, seeking: W, l

SINGLE AND LOOKING

I’m 70 and live alone in Burlington. I’m looking for a woman to come to my apartment and have a little bedroom fun. kenny65 72, seeking: W, l

HELLO, BEAUTIFUL

If you are looking for perfect, well, sorry to say, but that isn’t me. If you want someone who is loving, caring, happy, funny, down-to-earth, fun-loving, who will adore you and cherish you, is openminded, loyal, trustworthy, that would be me! nhpoohdot 55, seeking: W, l

YOU, ME, ROMANTIC CANDLELIGHT DINNER?

Hi. Newly divorced guy just looking to meet someone to get to know, have fun with and more. I am a romantic at heart, passionate and have an offbeat sense of humor, but I can be somewhat shy at first. I enjoy cooking, gardening, reading and antiquing. Not a partier. I’d rather spend an evening with that special someone. Maybe you? attaboydavey 54, seeking: M, W, TW, l

HELLO FROM SOUTH BURLINGTON

I am a human services worker and a college graduate. Have traveled to 47 states. I am definitely an outdoors person and also like to attend a wide variety of events. I recently ended a 23-year relationship and am ready to move on. Looking for a sincere woman, preferably in Chittenden County, for dating and a long-term relationship. kevinvermont 63, seeking: W, l

ADVENTURE IS OUT THERE, LOVE

I’m housebroken, thoughtful, adventurous, kind. I love being helpful and doing my part to take care of Mother Earth! I’m learning to sailboat in my driveway and working on my flight classes. SouthHero, 38 seeking: W

ENJOY TIME WITH FRIENDS

I like to try new things, but I also keep the things that have worked well for me in the past the same. I enjoy dinner out with my friends, and I enjoy watching a movie with my dog. I enjoy hockey and football and target shooting. I love to cook. natedog1961, 63, seeking: W

EASYGOING GUY

Hi. Just looking to see what is out there. I love animals and love my family. I enjoy watching movies and chilling at home. During the summer, I love to be outside. I have lived in Vermont my whole life. Would love to find a relationship with someone. Jman85, 36, seeking: W

TRANS WOMEN seeking...

FABULOUSLY FUTCH

Tall, smart trans woman looking for my people. I live in Middlebury. Any background in punk or politics is a plus — let’s make some noise! sashamarx, 54, seeking: M, W, TM, TW, Q, NC, NBP, Cp, l

ARE YOU EXPERIENCED?

I hope to find someone who wants to get out into the world and share experiences in food, music, indoor activities, riding bikes or kayaking, and travel. I like to get dressed up, but I can dress down, too. Looking for companionship and a kind, gentle heart. Love is a wonderful thing. Luv2BaGurl 64, seeking: M, l

GENDERQUEER PEOPLE seeki

BABY BUTCH SEEKS GUIDANCE

(Not sexual or romantic.) If you’re queer, an activist or anything of the like, I would love to connect! I’m a genderweird (truly) babydyke butch, and I desperately want to learn from older queers. As much research as I’ve done on gay history, I always want to learn more and connect. If there are any other butches out there, please reach out! antweed, 18, seeking: TM, TW, Q, NC, NBP, l

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

COUPLES seeking...

LOVERS OF LIFE

We are a 40s couple, M/F, looking for adventurous encounters with openminded, respectful M/F or couples. Looking to enjoy sexy encounters, FWBs, short term or long term. sunshines 43 seeking: M, W, Q, Cp

PAULA ON MATCH

If you’ve been spied, go online to contact your admirer!

dating.sevendaysvt.com

UPSTAIRS NEIGHBOR

To the petite college girl who lives above

me: I wouldn’t mind if you wanted to come downstairs to say hi. I’m sure we’d click. If things get heated, we can call the fire department and they’ll be here in seconds flat. When: Sunday, March 17, 2024. Where: Burlington.

You: Woman. Me: Man. #915966

WILD SATURDAY NIGHT, ESSEX HANNAFORD

6:45 p.m. You: orange jacket, brown hair, shopping with a single grocery bag, sporting the only mustache I’ve ever found attractive in my life. Me: purple jacket, messy ponytail, shopping with my mom. We made eye contact in the produce section, and I smiled at you by the Mexican food. You looked like a deer in headlights. When: Saturday, March 9, 2024. Where: Hannaford, Essex.

You: Man. Me: Woman. #915965

RICHMOND, SATURDAY MORNING, JOGGING HELLO

Just before 11 a.m. Me: M, tall, graying hair, glasses. You: F, petite, black hair in a bun, jogging up Bridge Street as I walked from home to the post office. en you turned left by the dentist. We’ve waved hello before as you’ve jogged by. Wondering if you’d like to talk sometime over coffee/ tea/whatever? When: Saturday, March 9, 2024. Where: Richmond village. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915964

THREE IS BETTER THAN TWO

e secretary of state’s website says only three people in the entire state voted “Ceasefire” in the primary. Just so happens I’m one and I work with the second person. Who’s our third? Kind and curious to meet a like-minded voter! Free Palestine! When: Tuesday, March 5, 2024. Where: somewhere in a Green Mountain State polling center. You: Group. Me: Woman. #915962

VIOLET VEST VOTER

I was waiting in line to vote, you were on your way out, and our eyes locked for much more than a mere moment. Buy a lady lunch at Leunig’s? When: Tuesday, March 5, 2024. Where: Ward 3 polls.

You: Man. Me: Trans woman. #915963

NEWSBOY CAP CUTIE!

I first saw you in line at Trials of Cato and Talisk. Was a bop, eh? You looked at me several times and had the cutest cap. Just wanted to inform you that you look like some 1920s dreamboat. Sigh! When: Saturday, January 27, 2024. Where: Higher Ground. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915961

RE: LOOKING FOR A COMPANION

at’s what I’m talking about! Glad you found someone who respects you. Dating is hard. As the folks from America said, “Don’t give up until you drink from the silver cup.” When: Saturday, March 2, 2024. Where: Seven Days I Spy.

You: Woman. Me: Man. #915960

LOVE YOU

I feel like I’m getting onto a boat for a long journey, but all I want is to go back to the shore to live with you. I believe firmly that my heart, mind and soul always were and still are with you. When:

ursday, February 29, 2024. Where: life. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915958

CONDUCTOR BUMBLE

Hi, Conductor Bumble! anks for a nice ride to NYC — or maybe you got off in Albany with the “crew changes.” Your smile and overall pleasant demeanor made the trip more delightful. Just stay out of the maple-flavored “goodies.”

When: Saturday, February 24, 2024. Where: Amtrak, Ethan Allen Line. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915956

REVEREND Ask

When I was a teenager, I was at a party where some people had a Ouija board. ey were asking it questions like if they were going to get married. For some reason, I asked how old I would be when I died. e answer was spelled out as “sixty four.” At the time, that seemed like a very far-off age. I didn’t think about it all that much, but it stayed in the back of my mind. Now that I’m 63, it’s got me really scared. Am I being ridiculous?

Seen your ad on Match. St. Albans, early 60s, woman. Like your photo, nicelooking gal. Wanted to write and say hi, but your ad was gone. Miss seeing you. Looking for long-term friendship. Are you coming back to Match? We could chat or have a date. I sent you a like. Your secret admirer. When: ursday, January 25, 2024. Where: Match.com. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915957

SAW YOU AT TRADER JOE’S

We crossed paths by the vegetables, where we made eye contact. You had glasses, as did I, and you were wearing a black coat. I was in blue. Instead of approaching you, I froze after the smile exchange. Would love to get a chance to meet you again. When: Friday, February 23, 2024. Where: Trader Joe’s. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915955

RE: FRIENDLY KENNEDY DR. WAVE

I’m glad that I could make your day, and yes, I would love to meet you for a coffee or drink — just name the place! When: Saturday, February 3, 2024. Where: Kennedy Dr. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915954

FAT-BIKE FLIRT

Erica, it was fun meeting you on Perry Hill. I was so giddy when the groomer passed us above S’mores. e best part of my day was talking to you while I caught my breath. May I join you on your next ride? When: Sunday, February 18, 2024. Where: Waterbury. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915953

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

FRIDAY AT DUNKIN’

8:30 a.m. We exchanged glances multiple times at the Shelburne Road Dunkin’, both of us waiting for our drinks. You: blonde, jacket, black yoga pants, Sorels, sunglasses. Me: brown hair, jeans, blue jacket. Can I buy you coffee next time over conversation? When: Friday, February 9, 2024. Where: Dunkin’. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915949

De N vous Nate,

KIND WORDS WITH NICK

Nick and your adorable pooch: ank 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

LOOKING FOR LOVE

Trying to reach user “Kate.” ought it could be here in the I Spy. 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: I Spy. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915948

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. at Texas/Vermont connection is real. Wish I could have met your senior dog. ey are the best. Maybe next time. When: Saturday, February 3, 2024. Where: Eclectic VT, Church St. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915945

SHAW’S, VERGENNES, ROASTED CHICKEN

Attractive blonde at checkout. We discussed the convenience of buying a roasted chicken. e 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

HAPPY BORN DAY!

e happiest born day to my love. I look at you and see all the possibilities of our future together. e laughs and inside jokes. e 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

ere aren’t too many things that I’ve said I will never try, but giving birth, cocaine and Ouija boards are on the short list. It’s not that I believe Ouija boards can open up a portal to hell or cause a demon to possess your soul. It’s because I know that whatever it “says” can really mess with your head if you let it. Your case in point.

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

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: ursday, February 1, 2024. Where: Radio Bean. You: Nonbinary person. Me: Nonbinary person. #915940

DEB, LONG AGO, DAVID, 1999

I miss you, Deb. is 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

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: ursday, February 1, 2024. Where: City Market. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915938

one, and the next thing you know, her head is spinning and priests are flying out the window. Concern about demonic possession ran rampant, and the Satanic panic of the 1980s added fuel to the fire.

ere’s a long history of so-called “spirit” or “talking” boards, but the one you encountered was likely the version made by Parker Brothers, the company responsible for games like Risk and Monopoly. e Ouija board actually outsold Monopoly — no small feat — in 1967 during the Vietnam War. It seems that trying to contact spirits is quite popular during wartime. Go figure.

e Ouija board’s bad rap started in 1973, when one played a part in the wildly popular movie e Exorcist. Long story short: A little girl gets in touch with an entity named Captain Howdy while using

e game has been around for more than 130 years, with tens of millions of boards sold. If Ouija could actually foretell a person’s death date — or anything else at all, really — you’d think there would be at least one solidly documented case. But there isn’t. All we have are spooky stories told at slumber parties and in fictional horror movies.

I don’t think you have anything to be worried about, but I understand that the fear you feel is real. Why not conquer it by planning a big, blowout birthday party?

Good luck and God bless,

What’s your problem?

Send it to asktherev@sevendaysvt.com.

Very active, elderly gent who lives alone seeks a lady with similar interests to share his lovely home. Splendid views, huge deck, paved highway, free TV and Wi-Fi. I enjoy four-wheeling, snowmobiling, antiques, classic cars, parades, long rides, eating out often, plants, flowers and community involvement. Seeking a woman who enjoys the same. #L1738 NEK prince, 74, seeks princess. I’m very attentive, sweet and good-looking, seeking the same in a woman, 60 to 74. Writer a plus. Don’t need a maid; want a partner to love and be loved by. Nice home on romantic property. No Trumpers. #L1737

Fun, adventurous GM, early 60s, looking for a buddy to please. Would like it to be on a regular basis. Let’s meet up. Call/text. #L1736

Not a romantic/sexual request! Young, handsome woman seeking butch mentor (25 to 45) for guidance in self-expression, strength and intersocietal relations. #L1735

I’m a woman, 80 y/o, seeking a man, 70 to 80 y/o. I want friendship as well as a companion. Also like the outdoors in the summer. Swimming, boating and just reading at home. Like going out to eat once in a while. #L1734

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PUBLISH YOUR MESSAGE ON THIS PAGE!

1 Submit your FREE message at sevendaysvt.com/loveletters or use the handy form at right.

2

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We’ll publish as many messages as we can in the Love Letters section above.

Interested readers will send you letters in the mail. No internet required!

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

Let’s do some things — coffee at Black Cap Coffee, dinner, the Green Mountain Film Festival, music at Hugo’s or Bent Nails Bistro. Woman, early 70s, seeking man of similar age to explore common interests. #L1732

Kind, loving and sincere 72y/o woman looking for a male companion/friend to spend time with and get to know. #L1726

I am a 25-y/o male forager, tinkerer and dumpster diver seeking like-minded empathetic woman of a similar age. #L1729

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’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 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

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

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

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 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

Required confidential info:

NAME

I’m a

AGE + GENDER (OPTIONAL) seeking a

AGE + GENDER (OPTIONAL)

ADDRESS

ADDRESS (MORE)

CITY/STATE

Facing Change:

Life’s Transitions and Transformations

WED., MAR. 20

ONLINE

e Dilemma of Retirement Income

WED., MAR. 20

SOUTH BURLINGTON LIBRARY

Eco-resiliency Gathering: Creative Tension

WED., MAR. 20

ONLINE

Comedy for a Cause

THU., MAR. 21

TWIGGS AMERICAN GASTROPUB, ST. ALBANS

SOLD OUT

Parker Shper with Morgan Moore and Tommy Crane

THU., MAR. 21

THE PHOENIX, WATERBURY

“ e Basics”

Cake Decorating Class

FRI., MAR. 22

RED POPPY CAKERY, WATERBURY

Capital City Winter Farmers Market

SAT., MAR. 23

CALEDONIA SPIRITS, MONTPELIER

Tongue Depressor with Austin Larkin + E. Jason Gibbs

SAT., MAR. 23

THE PHOENIX, WATERBURY

Mega March Birthday Bash

SOLD OUT

with Suburban Samurai, Better ings and Vallory Falls

SAT., MAR. 23

THE UNDERGROUND - LISTENING ROOM, RANDOLPH

Easter Sugar Cookie Decorating Featuring Laura’s Cookies

SUN., MAR. 24

RED POPPY CAKERY, WATERBURY

Elizabeth Reid Solo Viola Concert Featuring Women Composers

SUN., MAR. 24

THE PHOENIX, WATERBURY

Claire Dickson

Performing Her Album ‘Beholder’

THU., MAR. 28

THE PHOENIX, WATERBURY

Chodus / Phrogs with Wicked Louder and Time Life Magazines

FRI., MAR. 29

THE UNDERGROUND - LISTENING ROOM, RANDOLPH

Dwight Ritcher & Ted Perry... an Evening Together

FRI., MAR. 29

THE PHOENIX, WATERBURY

March

Bird Monitoring Walk

SAT., MAR. 30

BIRDS OF VERMONT MUSEUM, HUNTINGTON

Road to Uplift:

An Evening with Long Arm Rex

SAT., MAR. 30

LISTENING ROOM, BRADFORD

Bon Voyage, Mellow Yellow!

SAT., MAR. 30

STANDING STONE WINES, WINOOSKI

Just Action

with Richard Rothstein & Leah Rothstein

MON., APR. 1

Mandarin Conversation Circle

TUE., APR. 2

SOUTH BURLINGTON LIBRARY

Get Your Sparkle On!

TUE., APR. 2

STANDING STONE WINES, WINOOSKI

MAIN STREET LANDING PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, BURLINGTON