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WEEK IN REVIEW

FEBRUARY 4-11, 2026

HE SAID YES!

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CROWD CONTROL

That’s how many school districts Vermont would have per a consolidation proposal in the House of Representatives. That’s down from the current 119.

Last week, Middlebury’s Susie McGovern charmed Seven Days readers by proposing to her longtime boyfriend, Darin Gates, on the cover of our Love & Marriage Issue. e stunt captivated Vermonters on social media and even inspired its own Reddit thread. We received numerous emails inquiring about the result.

Well, wonder no more: Darin said yes.

e morning the issue hit newsstands, Susie snagged several copies while Darin was at work. Her plan was to surprise him when he got home. She spent the day cutting confetti and making origami hearts, which she scattered on a table alongside copies of the paper, photos, candles and ﬂowers.

When Darin arrived home, Susie didn’t say a word. But Darin did: “Yes.”

“ e plan was just to surprise him with the paper,” Susie recalled in a Monday interview. “I didn’t even plan on verbally asking, so the paper was quite literally, like, the entire proposal. And it was just perfect.”

“I was dumbfounded,” Darin added. Incredibly, despite working at Hannaford in Middlebury, he’d gone the entire day without seeing the paper or catching wind about it from friends or coworkers.

Susie, 29, and Darin, 27, are both from Indiana and started dating in 2019. e couple moved to Vermont two years ago. “We like the environment here,” said Susie, who works remotely for the Hoosier Environmental Council.

Many of the couple’s friends and family are in Indiana and were delighted from afar by their unusual proposal. Local reaction has been similarly heartwarming, they said, if somewhat more subtle.

“It’s been cool seeing [the paper] in the stands,” Susie said. “Nobody has said anything to me in particular, but there’s a few places that I go often, and I feel like I’m getting bigger smiles from the people who work there.”

e couple said they plan to get married at a courthouse this month or next, followed by a wedding party in a year or so, though they’ll likely eschew a ceremony. “We’re a little nontraditional,” Darin said. Just take the couple’s temporary paper-heart engagement rings, which Susie made — a nod to the Taylor Swift song “Paper Rings.”

Asked what she loves most about her ﬁancé, Susie described Darin as a “very thoughtful and sweet individual.”

“Susie’s very caring,” Darin said of his ﬁancée. “She’s always able to surprise me in different ways.”

DAN BOLLES

Thirteen protesters were detained by police and accused of trespassing at an ICE facility in Williston. They said they were there to stand against the Trump administration.

PODIUM POWER

Two former UVM skiers medaled at the Olympic Games on Tuesday: Ben Ogden scored a silver in crosscountry racing and Paula Moltzan won bronze in a team downhill event.

FALSE ALARM

A bomb squad responded to the South Burlington Post O ce last week after a package started leaking. Luckily, it was just a can of “dog repellent” that broke open.

ALL TERRAIN

The state has given the green light for new backcountry ski glades on Camel’s Hump, Vermont Public reported. A good winter to explore the area!

TOPFIVE

TOWN

CRIER

LOCALLY SOURCED NEWS

Bill Would Raise Fast Food Pay to $20 an Hour in 2027

Vermont lawmakers have introduced a bill that would increase the minimum wage for fast food workers to $20 an hour, the Community News Service reported. But the higher wage would only apply to employees who work at restaurant chains with more than 60 locations nationwide. ose at smaller establishments would only qualify for Vermont’s existing minimum wage of $14.42 an hour.

VERSHIRE HOME NAMED AMERICA’S ‘UGLIEST’

Sometimes it pays to be the ugliest duckling — $150,000, to be precise. at’s the value of the makeover that Vermonters Brooklyn and Dylan won last week on HGTV’s “Ugliest House in America.” Over six weeks, the couple’s aesthetically assaulting, circus-themed eyesore in Vershire, dubbed the “Mishmosh Hodgepodge” on the show, transformed into a functional and stylish mountaintop dream house.

“I’m so happy and so excited not to have to do this all by ourselves,” Dylan told the camera with a huge smile.

“I peed a little bit,” Brooklyn admitted, after host Retta and designer Alison Victoria dropped the big news, along with

a stream of confetti. (HGTV did not provide the couple’s last names.)

As the host and couple toured the rehabbed house, the designer explained her overhaul, including more subdued colors and a new patio. After dumping the orange and blue entryway for something, well, tasteful, Victoria moved on to the “party bathroom,” which she converted into a reﬁned powder bath, “with one mirror instead of 100.”

In the living room, gone are the art-project bird railings, sunken ﬂoors and hemorrhoid-inducing concrete seating, replaced with a single-level ﬂoor plan that allows actual furniture. e kitchen stayed put, but designer Victoria added new cabi-

netry, appliances and a disco ball-themed cooking hood.

e thatched-roof tiki hut ceilings in the main bedroom and bath were swapped out for real ceilings and walls, decorative stained-glass windows, and a walk-in closet with a private outdoor deck and new hot tub. e main bath got a fresh vanity, tub and standing shower. Not all of the heretofore hideousness ended up in a dumpster. e monkey-themed kitchen cabinets were repurposed into hallway mirrors.

Not to quibble, but there was one questionable design decision: all-white furniture in a house with three young boys? Is this a preview for the next HGTV spin-off, “America’s Worst Stains?” KEN PICARD

COMPILED BY SASHA GOLDSTEIN & MATTHEW ROY

Above: Susie McGovern and Darin Gates. Left: Susie’s and Darin’s paper engagement rings

Renovated exterior of the “Mishmosh Hodgepodge” house in Vershire

BRAS FOR EVERYDAY OR OCCASIONS

SITTING PRETTY.

Paula Routly

Cathy Resmer

Don Eggert, Colby Roberts

NEWS & POLITICS

Matthew Roy

Sasha Goldstein

Ken Ellingwood, Candace Page

Hannah Bassett, Colin Flanders, Kevin McCallum, Alison Novak, Lucy Tompkins

ARTS & CULTURE

Dan Bolles, Carolyn Fox

Ask the Vet

With Dr. Allison Cowan, Burlington Emergency & Veterinary Specialists

De Dr. C an, My standard poodle is celebrating his 8th birthday next month. How do I keep his brain healthy as we head into the senior pet stage of his life?

Thank y , Stephanie G.

Chelsea Edgar, Margot Harrison, Pamela Polston

Jen Rose Smith

Alice Dodge

Chris Farnsworth

Rebecca Driscoll

Jordan Barry, Mary Ann Lickteig, Melissa Pasanen, Ken Picard

Alice Dodge, Angela Simpson

Martie Majoros, Elizabeth M. Seyler

IN PRAISE OF HCR

I was surprised to read that Maine historian Heather Cox Richardson is a new “source” for editor Paula Routly [From the Publisher: “‘Don’t Watch If This Will Upset You,’” January 28]. HCR is a national treasure and has been my No. 1 news source since 2019. I highly recommend following her daily Letters From an American on Substack for factual and concise reporting.

DIGITAL & VIDEO

Eva Sollberger

Susan Johnston LYNDON

Je Baron DESIGN

Don Eggert

SHARPS EYE

Rev. Diane Sullivan

As a veterinary neurologist, I often discuss cognitive health with pet owners. Maintaining brain health in aging pets requires a proactive approach, just as we would for ourselves.

To support your aging pet’s brain health, I recommend implementing the following strategies:

MENTAL STIMULATION - Keep their mind active with puzzle toys, new tricks, and varied routines. Even older pets can learn new things, and this mental exercise helps maintain neural pathways.

PHYSICAL EXERCISE - Regular, appropriate physical activity supports brain health through increased blood ﬂow and oxygen delivery. Adjust exercise to your pet’s abilities as they age.

NUTRITIONAL SUPPORT - Diets rich in antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, and medium-chain triglycerides can support cognitive function. Consider veterinary-approved senior formulas with brain-supporting nutrients.

REGULAR VETERINARY CHECK-UPS - Many underlying medical conditions can affect brain health. Regular monitoring can catch issues early.

SOCIAL INTERACTION - Continued bonding and interaction with family members helps maintain cognitive function

John James

Je Baron SALES & MARKETING

Colby Roberts

Robyn Birgisson

Michelle Brown, Logan Pintka, Kaitlin Montgomery

Julia Maguire ADMINISTRATION

Marcy Stabile

Matt Weiner

Andy Watts

Gillian English

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Jordan Adams, Justin Boland, Alex Brown, Erik Esckilsen, Anne Galloway, Steve Goldstein, Amy Lilly, Bryan Parmelee, Suzanne Podhaizer, Samantha Randlett, Jim Schley, Carolyn Shapiro, Xenia Turner, Casey Ryan Vock CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS

Luke Awtry, Daria Bishop, Sean Metcalf, Tim Newcomb, Jeb Wallace-Brodeur FOUNDERS

Pamela Polston, Paula Routly

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[Re “Scott Unveils 14-Point Public Safety Plan for Burlington,” October 23, 2025]: On January 23, Howard Center announced a June closing of its Safe Recovery Program on Clarke Street in Burlington.

The same day, Vermont Department of Health spokesperson Kyle Casteel stated: “The Health Department will continue working internally and with communitybased service providers to ensure the community served by Howard Center Safe Recovery has uninterrupted access to the programs on which they rely.”

Not so fast, Mr. Spokesperson. Before a new center is authorized to distribute free syringes to drug addicts, let’s ensure some commonsense reforms are in place. First, no free needles unless a user returns an equal number of used needles. Second, no free needles unless a person commits to and then participates in a state-certiﬁed treatment/recovery program. Third, until the Howard’s program ends in June, all funding for its Safe Recovery Program must be withheld until it demands a returned syringe for every clean one given away.

Why such stringency? By its own records, Howard annually distributes some 944,000 needles, up fourfold in recent years. Of these, about 517,000 get returned to its center. That’s 427,00 needles missing in action. Most end up discarded throughout the city. Or possibly, as NBC4 in Columbus, Ohio, recently reported about a similar program, “for sale on the black market, where the going rate is as high as $3 each.”

If just half of Burlington’s unreturned needles ended up in an illegal channel or sold on eBay, fraudsters would be making a cool $600,000 or so annually o the misery of others.

Jack Scully COLCHESTER

‘A GIFT TO OUR COMMUNITY’

Thank you for your coverage of the unfair treatment of Jeanne Hulsen by the Burlington School District for the past five years [“Settling the Score: An Equal-Pay Lawsuit Against the Burlington School District Ends in a Nearly $500,000 Award,” January 28]. Jeanne is a trailblazer in so many ways: She pursued these unfair practices in a courageous, brave, disciplined and professional manner. It was a long, tedious battle, but Jeanne’s determination to set the record straight is beyond admirable. She is a gift to our community. I’m sad that the Burlington School District did not see it that way.

Annmarie Plant SOUTH BURLINGTON

‘SHE IS NOT ALONE’

[Re “Settling the Score: An Equal-Pay Lawsuit Against the Burlington School District Ends in a Nearly $500,000 Award,” January 28]: I have so much admiration for Jeanne Hulsen’s bravery and persistence in challenging years of discriminatory treatment by the Burlington School District. And how ironic

view of dawn breaking over Lake Fairlee was unforgettable for all save the father of the bride. That gentleman, smiling benignly through his personal Alzheimer’s fog, was seemingly unaware that he was several hundred feet in the air.

James R. Hughes BURLINGTON

ALL PAY FOR PRIVATE SCHOOL

[Re “Proposed Vermont Budget Could Lead to a 6 Percent Tax Hike,” January 20, online]: In the past 30 years, Vermont has created a public school system in which a small minority of towns representing 18 percent of the population get to choose to have their private-school education publicly funded. The majority of Vermonters — 82 percent — do not.

But the majority does support the minority’s private-school education, increasingly at the expense of its public schools’ operational capacity.

that she was paid so much less than her male peers, as well as the far less experienced man hired in her place, at the same time BSD was celebrating the equal-pay activism of the girls’ varsity soccer team.

She is not alone: I have heard too many stories of middle-aged women forced out of their jobs after decades of good service. It’s a horribly unjust and humiliating experience. Hulsen’s $295,000 settlement to cover lost wages and benefits (plus additional funds to cover her legal fees), while significant, doesn’t really compensate for the impact 22 years of unequal pay would have on a woman’s retirement savings and Social Security income. The fight for pay equity continues.

Celia Cuddy BURLINGTON

‘I DO’ REMEMBER

I enjoyed your article on “Altar Alternatives” [February 4]. I once officiated at Vermont Institute of Natural Science for the marriage of a medical student. Her guests, my wife and several raptors were in attendance. My wife later described how an owl, perched on the forearm of an attendant, intently watched me intone the ceremonial words. When it came to “You may now kiss the bride,” my wife would later swear that the owl swiveled its head 180 degrees and demurely looked away.

On another occasion, Post Mills’ beloved late hot-air balloon meister, Brian Boland, took me and a bridal couple up for a hurried airborne wedding; we were racing an incoming morning storm. The

This needs to be part of the education debate happening now. Excluding it poses an economic threat to Vermont taxpayers.

For example, research on “school choice” programs has shown that while voucher students perform no better than their peers who remain in public schools, these programs reduce funding for public schools. Indiana’s voucher programs alone cost the state’s public schools $115 million in 2014-15.

A 2021 economic analysis estimated that the expansion of school choice programs would result in a $66.5 billion to $203 billion cost to taxpayers annually.

Some might say that’s a problem for bigger states and that the cost to Vermonters is a drop in the bucket.

But consider St. Johnsbury Academy’s 2024 tax filing, indicating a total revenue of $38,416,850 in 2023. Its 2025 school report reflects that 43 percent of its revenues are from public tax dollars — that’s $16.5 million of public education funds.

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Jeanne Hulsen

SQUARE ALLEY,

NEWS+POLITICS 14

Democrats’ Dilemma

With no prominent candidates yet taking on Gov. Scott, the window to ﬁnd a strong challenger is closing Vermont to Pursue SNAP ‘Junk Food Ban’

Badge of Dishonor

e arrest of yet another Vermont sheriff — and his decision to stay on the job — is prompting lawmakers to consider greater oversight

Federal Judge Releases Somali Cabdriver

The Vermont Guard Is Deploying — Likely to the Middle East

One Battle After Another In a new book, a local historian chronicles the dashed effort to erase Confederate names from military bases

Reading the Signs eater review: e World Is Not Silent, Northern Stage

Three Vermont High Schools Host Traveling Exhibit About Anne Frank and the Holocaust Bound Together Friends of the Fletcher Free Library volunteers Mark and Robin Twery

books and each other

Whim Boutique to Reopen in Former Church Street Space

Formal Undress ree abstract painters reconstruct the female body with “Sensual Turns” in Waterbury

Come to the Light: Illuminated Art Aims to Attract Shoppers to Downtown Burlington Best of Both Worlds

Pianist, composer and ICU nurse Ted Perry combines his two lives for a cancer fundraiser

Mark and Robin Twery have been married for almost 50 years. e retired Burlington residents have volunteered for the Friends of the Fletcher Free Library for more than a decade, and they are familiar faces at book sales. Seven Days Eva Sollberger visited the couple in their book-ﬁlled basement domain.

Find a new job in the classiﬁeds section on page 74 and online at jobs.sevendaysvt.com.

MAGNIFICENT

MUST SEE, MUST DO THIS WEEK BY REBECCA DRISCOLL

THURSDAY 12

GREEK COMEDY

Comedian, actor and writer Stavros Halkias stop at the Flynn Main Stage in Burlington during his nationwide “Dreamboat Tour.” e deliciously irreverent standup — recently on-screen as the unfortunate cop in Yorgos Lanthimos’ sci-ﬁ mind-bender knee-slapping laughter with his astute crowd work, keen cultural observations and kooky charm.

makes a pit

FRIDAY 13

Heating Up

e New York Times hails Venezuelan artist Nella as a vocalist “who can convey ﬂamenco tension even in a near-whisper.” e Lane Series draws listeners to the University of Vermont Recital Hall in Burlington for a taste of the singer’s intoxicating stage presence and expressive, folkloric delivery — a sound that earned her a Latin Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 2019.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 62

SATURDAY 14

Local Motion

Looking for something a little different this Valentine’s Day? e Junction Dance Festival’s Midwinter Motion showcase at Briggs Opera House in White River Junction might just be the thing! Highlights include Vermont’s long-running breakdancing crew the Rhythm Riderz, Montpelier company BDB Dance and rising New Hampshire choreographer Liz Westbrook.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 63

Bugonia — elicits

SEE CLUB LISTING ON PAGE 59

WEDNESDAY 18

Pop Prowess

Canadian artist, actress and indie-music star Elisapie sings iconic hits in Inuktitut — her native tongue — at Hopkins Center for the Arts in Hanover, N.H. Born and raised in a small village in Nunavik, the singer-songwriter performs deeply personal reimaginings of classic tunes by the Rolling Stones, Fleetwood Mac and other pop-culture heavyweights in striking acts of reclamation.

SATURDAY 14 & SUNDAY 15

Fly Like an Eagle

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s a ... person? Snow sports enthusiasts schuss to Brattleboro for high-ﬂying feats at the 104th annual Harris Hill Ski Jump. e nation’s most gifted junior jumpers — and pros from across the pond — convene to launch 300 feet in the air from an Olympic-size ramp. Safe on the ground, spectators enjoy music, a bonﬁre and tasty treats.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 64

STARTS SUNDAY 15

Savor the Scene

Montpelier’s Restaurant Week whets palates across the Capital City with toothsome specials, limited-time offerings and prix ﬁxe menus. Residents and visitors alike ﬁnd much to sip, slurp and savor at participating eateries, cafés and bars, including crowd favorites the Mad Taco, Positive Pie and Sarducci’s.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 65

ONGOING

Best in Show

Catamount Arts Center’s annual Arts Connect Juried Exhibition in St. Johnsbury celebrates the dynamic works of 70 artists from across the region — both established and emerging. Diverse perspectives, mediums, subjects and styles coalesce in an impressive display offering something for aesthetes of all stripes.

SEE GALLERY LISTING AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/ART

Armchair Olympics

I eagerly anticipated this year’s Winter Olympics — and not just because I knew it would spell the end of January and four o’clock sunsets. Frankly, the event is a welcome distraction from the terrible news breaking daily around the country and the world.

A confession, though, that might jeopardize my Vermont bona ﬁdes: I prefer the Summer Games to the winter ones.

Growing up in Maryland, I swam, did gymnastics, biked, ran, and played soccer and softball — I still have the patches from the Presidential Physical Fitness Test to prove I mastered the broad jump and the ﬂexed-arm hang.

Snow and ice sports are a di erent story. When I was 17, I took a slow train from Washington, D.C., to Montréal because I wanted to learn how to ski. A friend from summer camp who was attending McGill University took me north of the city to the Mont Saint-Sauveur ski area and promptly abandoned me on the bunny slope. Because I had been trained as a ballet dancer, he reasoned, I should be able to ski.

Leg strength was not the problem. I wore his too-big jeans, held up with a makeshift rope belt, and spent the afternoon going straight up and down the hill; I never learned to stop or turn. By the end of the day, my clothes were soaking wet, and I was cold and frustrated.

THE OLYMPICS ARE A WELCOME DISTRACTION FROM THE TERRIBLE NEWS BREAKING DAILY AROUND THE COUNTRY AND THE WORLD.

Later that evening, back at the rustic house McGill owns in the Laurentians, another dude o ered to take me cross-country skiing for the ﬁrst time. Much better.

I have since loved the sport, even though I’m not very good at it. I wish I could be in a place with snow that lasts long enough to get out every day — for, like, a month — so I could build endurance and improve my technique.

Instead, the first time out each winter is the opposite of riding a bicycle — it feels like my first time on skis, 48 years ago. I struggle to find my balance, and soreness ensues in body parts I didn’t know I had. It takes me a day or two to recover, and by the time my hip flexors are functional again, the ski tracks close to my house have been ruined by dogs, walkers and snowshoers.

Getting on real snow at a proper ski area takes time and organization. Also, better cars than the ones my partner, Tim, and I currently have. On Christmas Day, we ventured to Camel’s Hump Nordic Ski Area in Huntington in his Prius and barely made it up the hill into the parking lot — only to ﬁnd we had a ﬂat tire. It was already 3 p.m., so we bailed.

A week later we took my Ford Focus to ski in Greensboro and made it as far as ... Hardwick. Our Toyota

RAV4-owning friends had to shuttle us the rest of the way to Highland Lodge.

The latest dump of snow has been a delight, in large part because the cold temps have kept it around. I’ve happily skied at Ethan Allen Homestead twice in the past week.

But what I’m doing on the snow bears no resemblance to the moves of an Olympian like Vermont Nordic skier Ben Ogden, who won a silver medal on Tuesday in Italy.

And events such as skeleton and ski jumping, for which competitors risk life and limb at high speeds? I’m in awe but also mystiﬁed; it’s hard to relate. I think it’s easier to appreciate such remarkable athletic achievements if you have some inkling of what it takes.

Nonetheless, I can’t stop watching.

Paula Routly

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Cross-country skiing between the Ethan Allen Homestead and the Burlington Intervale

POLITICS

FOR NOW, I’M CONTINUING TO LISTEN AND REFLECT — BUT MY FOCUS IS ON DOING THE JOB VERMONTERS ELECTED ME TO DO.

TREASURER MIKE PIECIAK

Democrats’ Dilemma

With no prominent candidates yet taking on Gov. Scott, the window to ﬁnd a strong challenger is closing

BY KEVIN MCCALLUM •

kevin@sevendaysvt.com

Three Democrats have come forward to challenge Republican Lt. Gov. John Rodgers in November.

The number who have stepped up so far to take on Gov. Phil Scott? Zero.

Nine months before the general election, concern is growing within the Democratic and Progressive parties that no prominent candidates are poised to challenge Scott should he, as expected, seek a sixth term.

There is still plenty of time for someone to join the race. To get on the ballot for the

August 11 primary, a major-party candidate has until May 28 to ﬁle the paperwork for their candidacy. But the later a challenger announces, the harder it will be to overcome the Republican governor’s high approval rating and fundraising prowess.

Just last week, Scott was named the most popular governor in the nation for the 14th straight quarter, with an approval rating of 74 percent, according to polling ﬁrm Morning Consult.

“Phil Scott is just a very tough candidate to beat,” Senate President Pro Tempore

HEALTH

Vermont to Pursue SNAP ‘Junk Food Ban’

BY COLIN FLANDERS colin@sevendaysvt.com

Gov. Phil Scott’s administration may soon ban people from using food stamps to purchase products that the state deems unhealthy.

e governor has directed the Agency of Human Services to seek a federal waiver that would allow it to exclude a list of yet-to-be-determined foods and drinks from the state’s version of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as 3SquaresVT.

Such bans have become a key piece of the Trump administration’s Make America Healthy Again campaign, led by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. He and other proponents of the so-called “junk food” bans argue that federal dollars should not be spent on products such as soda, candy, and other items associated with obesity and chronic diseases.

Phil Baruth (D/P-Chittenden-Central) said. “If he announces again, I don’t think it would be surprising to see the marquee candidates wait two more years.”

Many Democrats are frustrated that credible candidates appear unwilling to take on the governor and that rumored second-tier candidates have yet to make up their minds.

“The clock is freakin’ ticking,” one Democratic insider said.

State Treasurer Mike Pieciak, widely viewed as the most formidable potential opponent to Scott, is shying away from running, though he says he has not made a ﬁnal decision.

“For now, I’m continuing to listen and reﬂect — but my focus is on doing the job Vermonters elected me to do,” he told Seven Days in a prepared statement.

Pieciak’s ambivalence has been particularly disappointing to many Democrats because last year he gave every indication that he was serious about running. He raised money, hired campaign sta , expanded his presence on social media and at times criticized Scott.

Eighteen states have received waivers in the past year, ﬁve of which debuted their new restrictions on January 1. e list of items banned in those states widely varies, ranging from fruit snacks and Twix candy bars to soda and Gatorade.

Vermont is among roughly a dozen other states now considering the idea, according to the National Grocers Association.

e state is planning to host public meetings on the proposal this spring before submitting an application, which could take up to six months to be approved, according to Miranda Gray, deputy commissioner of the Vermont Agency of Human Services’ Economic Services Division, which oversees 3SquaresVT.

“We’re at the beginning stages and are going to explore what might make sense for Vermont,” Gray said.

But anti-hunger advocates are already raising concerns. ey say the bans limit choices for low-income people without enough evidence to show that they will successfully lead to better health outcomes.

“What Vermonters actually need is stability and autonomy and greater ﬁnancial access to healthy foods, not restrictions that suggest that they can’t be trusted to feed their own families or make their own decisions,” said Ivy Enoch, policy and advocacy director at Hunger Free Vermont. ➆

Badge of Dishonor

The arrest of yet another Vermont sheriff — and his decision to stay on the job — is prompting lawmakers to consider greater oversight

BY COLIN FLANDERS • colin@sevendaysvt.com

The recent arrest of Windsor County Sheriff Ryan Palmer on charges of sexual misconduct has led lawmakers to once again confront questions about oversight of Vermont’s 14 elected sheriffs.

Prosecutors say Palmer paid women to watch him masturbate — and, in one case, have sex with him — then threatened them and encouraged them to lie to state police investigators.

He pleaded not guilty last month to a slate of crimes that carry a potential punishment of up to 27 years in prison. A judge released him on conditions that he turn over his guns and avoid contacting the accusers in his case.

The allegations led state regulators last week to take the rare step of summarily suspending Palmer’s law enforcement certification while his criminal case plays out. The move effectively confines the sheriff to administrative duties and prevents him from acting as a law enforcement official.

But neither that nor finger-wagging from fellow elected officials — including Gov. Phil Scott, who has called on Palmer to resign — will be enough to compel the sheriff to give up power entirely. That’s because sheriffs are largely walled off from external oversight, allowing them to maintain their own little fiefdoms.

Sheriffs are not required to be certified law enforcement officers, which prevents regulators from forcing them off the job in the same way they could a beat cop accused of serious crimes. And unlike police chiefs, who report to mayors, town managers or local governing boards, sheriffs are elected by the voters in their county. They can be removed only through impeachment proceedings in the Vermont legislature, a time-consuming process that legislative leaders are reluctant to pursue.

A constitutional amendment debated during the 2023-24 legislative biennium would have given lawmakers more

authority over sheriffs and other countyelected officials. But opposition from sheriffs scuttled the proposal. Because amendments can only be proposed every four years, the matter can’t be raised again until 2027.

Lawmakers say they will dust off the proposal next session in light of Palmer’s case.

“It just feels like this really horrible déjà vu, where we again have an elected law enforcement officer using his position

LAW ENFORCEMENT

of power to intimidate and harass and abuse women who are his constituents and the people he’s supposed to protect,” Sen. Ruth Hardy (D-Addison), a cosponsor of the 2023 proposal, said.

Palmer did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

A state police investigation that began as a probe into potential financial mismanagement at the Windsor County Sheriff’s Department led detectives to three women who accused the sheriff of repeatedly targeting them with sexual advances. One described how Palmer began stalking her after she broke off contact, driving by her rural home and showing up outside her workplace.

Palmer told reporters after his arraignment on January 28 that he has delegated daily oversight of his department to a subordinate but would remain sheriff while he fights the charges.

“There’s a lot more to this story,” he said.

Claude Weyant, the captain whom Palmer has left in charge in his absence, told Seven Days last week that the sheriff has checked in with him several times since his arrest. Palmer recently visited the office to address his staff.

“He just encouraged us to move forward,” Weyant said.

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For example, when Scott voluntarily turned over data about food stamp recipients to the federal government in July, Pieciak warned that “capitulating” to the administration of President Donald Trump would not protect Vermonters. Scott argued that the feds had a right to the data because it’s part of a federal program, but a judge later ruled otherwise.

Pieciak has also been vocal about issues typically outside of the state treasurer’s lane, releasing statements after federal immigration agents killed protesters in Minneapolis and the recent detainment in Vermont of Ugandan asylum seeker Steven Tendo.

Hopes of a Pieciak run dimmed substantially, however, when his campaign consultant, Natalie Silver, took a job in January to help Maura Sullivan run for Congress in New Hampshire.

“I’ve heard from hundreds of Vermonters who want me to run for governor, and I’m humbled by their support and confidence,” Pieciak said in the statement. “I’ve taken those conversations very seriously and continue to give this decision a great deal of thought and consideration.”

He’s faced “significant personal challenges for my family” in the past 12 months that “weigh very heavily” on his decision, he said.

In an interview, Pieciak said the loss of his mother to cancer in May and his father’s cancer diagnosis around the same time took a personal toll. In October, he commissioned a poll that confirmed Scott would be very difficult to beat, he said.

Pieciak intends to run for reelection as treasurer and said he remains invested in finding ways to help Vermonters who are struggling economically. His office has established the Vermont Saves retirement program, helped people wipe out millions in medical debt and invested a record $125 million in housing, he noted.

Pieciak is not the only one hesitant to have a go at Scott.

Prominent Democratic statewide officeholders Attorney General Charity Clark and Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas are both expected to seek reelection to their current jobs. Auditor Doug Hoffer is not seeking reelection.

Former Burlington mayor Miro Weinberger, a Democrat who left office in 2024 after 12 years, has no plans to challenge Scott. Weinberger is now executive chair of the advocacy group Let’s Build Homes.

Former governor Howard Dean, who toyed with the idea of coming out of retirement to take on Scott in 2024, said he is “not on the short list.”

And former lieutenant governor David Zuckerman, who lost badly to Scott in 2020 and his LG job to Rodgers in 2024, says he’s not ready to endure another gubernatorial drubbing.

“It is unfortunate that the candidate who has best positioned himself to run is not stepping up,” Zuckerman said, referring to Pieciak. “I already have.”

So, party leaders have been scrambling to find someone willing to be their standard-bearer. They’d prefer someone who can win but really just hope someone can do better than the last two candidates.

That’s not a very high bar.

In 2022 Scott defeated homeless advocate Brenda Siegel by 47 points, winning 71 percent of the vote to Siegel’s 24 percent. His opponent in 2024, political neophyte Esther Charlestin, barely laid a glove on the governor, who cruised to a fifth term

chief of staff and director of intergovernmental affairs for governor Peter Shumlin, is seriously considering a run, according to insiders.

She headed Let’s Grow Kids, the statewide initiative to expand access to affordable childcare, an effort widely viewed as a success. The Montpelier resident is also chair of the board for the University of Vermont Medical Center.

She declined to comment.

Also considering a run is Amanda Janoo. The South Strafford native and current Burlington resident is cofounder of the Wellbeing Economy Alliance of Vermont, a coalition of social and economic justice groups.

“If I’m going to do this, I really want to do this properly so that this campaign feels like a really formidable, competitive race and can really help to advance meaningful change in our state,” Janoo said.

The narrative that Scott is unbeatable is fraying, Janoo said, as it becomes clearer that he has no plan to help struggling Vermonters beyond an unpopular school consolidation effort.

“Our health care system is collapsing, our communities are being hollowed out because the only people who can afford to buy houses are investors and rich New Yorkers, and meanwhile, our country is being run by a bunch of sociopaths that seem hell-bent on creating some kind of crypto-AI-military dictatorship,” Janoo said.

Siegel said it’s disappointing that no one has stepped forward, especially at a time when people across the nation are putting their lives on the line to fight for their rights.

IF YOU’RE NOT WILLING TO HAVE THE COURAGE TO RUN FOR GOVERNOR NOW BECAUSE YOU MIGHT LOSE, THAT IS NOT

LEADERSHIP.

BRENDA SIEGEL

with 73 percent of the vote to Charlestin’s 22 percent.

The two remaining potential candidates most frequently mentioned are women with significant public policy experience but little in elected office.

Alyson “Aly” Richards, a former deputy

“There’s plenty of people who could run for governor right now and who aren’t even willing to take the shot,” Siegel said. “If you’re not willing to have the courage to run for governor now because you might lose, that is not leadership.”

A political campaign is not just about winning, Siegel said; it’s about advancing important ideas that help make people’s lives better. She argued that Scott’s past opponents have used their campaigns to move the needle on major public policy, despite their losses.

Siegel credited Christine Hallquist, who took on Scott in 2018, with bringing attention to the need for internet connectivity in rural Vermont. Zuckerman helped advance environmental justice, she said, while Siegel herself pressed for solutions to the opioid crisis.

“If we don’t have a strong leader at the top of the ticket,” she said, “then we aren’t going to have the tools that we need to create the necessary changes and protection that Vermonters need right now.”

Aly Richards (right) from Let’s Grow Kids at the Statehouse

Amanda Janoo

The Vermont Guard Is Redeploying — Likely to the Middle East

BY KEVIN MCCALLUM • kevin@sevendaysvt.com

Many of the members of the Vermont Air National Guard who headed to Puerto Rico less than two months ago to support the U.S. attack on Venezuela have since been redeployed — possibly to the Middle East as part of President Donald Trump’s campaign to pressure Iran.

The 158th Fighter Wing was initially mobilized in mid-December to reposition its F-35 fighter jets from South Burlington to the Roosevelt Roads Naval Station in Puerto Rico. The move was part of the buildup of U.S. forces referred to as Operation Southern Spear, which involved attacks on alleged drug smugglers in the Caribbean and the January 3 strike on Venezuela that included the capture of President Nicolás Maduro.

With those operations winding down, many of the men and women in the Vermont Guard have since been reassigned to the Middle East, possibly to an air base in Jordan in preparation for action against Iran, according to media accounts, publicly available flight data and a family member of a Vermont guardsman.

According to a January 29 story in the War Zone, Vermont Guard F-35s departed Puerto Rico and landed in Portugal as part of a likely move to the Middle East. Publicly available data show numerous transport aircraft flights from both the Roosevelt Roads Naval Station and Vermont headed across the Atlantic over the last week and half, supporting that assessment.

Reports on websites the War Zone and the Aviationist suggest that Vermont F-35s and their support aircraft are participating in what Trump has declared is a “massive armada” heading toward Iran.

The War Zone reported that F-35s from the Vermont Guard were spotted landing at Lajes Field in the Azores, a refueling spot for military aircraft in the North Atlantic.

In January, multiple flight tracking sites reported that refueling aircraft were “dragging,” or accompanying, six Vermont Guard F-35A fighters from Puerto Rico. Multiple flights were also logged on February 5 and 6 by the massive C-17

transport aircraft from Puerto Rico to Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, one of the largest bases in the region that allows U.S. operations.

Flights included a C-17 heading from Vermont to Jordan on February 2 and 12 C-17 flights from Puerto Rico to Jordan or “related destinations” between February 2 and 6.

Lt. Col. Meghan Smith, a Guard spokesperson, said last Friday that she had no information to share about any redeployment.

One family member of a Vermont Guard member deployed to Puerto Rico expressed frustration about how little information they were receiving. After reading news and social media reports of the F-35 redeployments, the person believed Vermont Guard members are in Jordan.

“We know they moved, but we are not allowed to know where, and contact is way more difficult with our loved ones,” said the family member.

Seven Days is granting the person anonymity to discuss deployment details that have not yet been made public.

Even Vermont’s federal delegation was unaware of the redeployment.

U.S. Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.), both of whom opposed the Venezuela military action, told reporters last Friday that they hadn’t heard anything about the shift of Vermonters to the Middle East.

During a press conference that focused mostly on $100 million in federal funds headed for the state, they reiterated their support for the Guard and condemned Trump’s use of military force.

“What the president is doing is absolutely abusing his authority as an executive to use military action without consulting with Congress,” Welch said.

Sanders said all Americans know “that it is Congress that determines whether or not this country goes to war,” not the president.

“We are going to do our best with the War Powers Resolution Act to try to control this president from getting us into unnecessary wars,” he said. ➆

•

IMMIGRATION

Federal Judge Releases Somali Cabdriver

STORY & PHOTO BY LUCY TOMPKINS

lucy@sevendaysvt.com

Hussien Noor Hussien, a Somali cab driver detained by federal immigration agents on New Year’s Day, walked out of the federal courthouse in downtown Burlington on February 4 with his arms raised and tears running down his cheeks. He’d just been released on bail, unexpectedly, by U.S. District Court Judge Geoffrey Crawford.

Fifty or so people had packed onto the courtroom’s wooden benches for the hearing, then hugged each other when Crawford announced his decision. Hussien’s wife, Runbila Aden, wiped tears from her eyes.

The judge said there was “no case at all” to support detaining Hussien any longer and highlighted the national climate, including the “extraordinary circumstances of roundups and detentions of thousands around the U.S.” and the “debasement of certain groups, like the Somali community,” that surrounded Hussien’s detention.

When the hearing was over, Hussien walked into the courtroom’s gallery, still in his green prison uniform, where friends and relatives hugged him tightly. He changed his clothes in a courtroom bathroom and then walked out into the sunshine, where dozens of supporters exploded into cheers.

He addressed the crowd in Somali and a friend translated his words.

“I have been hearing your stories and demonstrations and received the letters you sent to me in jail,” Hussien said. “I don’t have words for it — all I know is Vermont is my home. I’m not going anywhere.”

Hussien has lived in Vermont for 13 years and runs his own company, Freedom Cab. After coming to the U.S. as a refugee in 2004, he eventually settled in Burlington with his wife and their five children, all of whom are U.S. citizens.

In 2019, he was convicted of three federal crimes related to immigration fraud for using a relative’s name in his naturalization proceedings and passport application. Hussien had been in deportation proceedings since, though he’d met conditions of release for years — until he was detained unexpectedly on January 1 while sitting in his cab outside of the Burlington airport. ➆

Badge of Dishonor « P.15

Palmer is only the latest sheriff in Vermont to refuse to step down in the face of criminal charges.

In April 2022, news broke that Vermont State Police were investigating a disturbance at the home of then-Addison County sheriff Peter Newton. A few days later, Newton posted a video to YouTube in which he described struggles with anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. He revealed that he had made a plan to kill himself during his first year in office.

One of Newton’s deputies subsequently wrote to state officials that there could be “dire and tragic consequences for the community” if the sheriff wasn’t immediately removed from office, Vermont Public reported at the time. But state officials determined that there was nothing they could do.

Newton was arrested two months later and charged with physically and sexually abusing a woman. He stepped away from some of his duties but refused to resign. He remained in office until his term expired in January 2023. Last year, he was sentenced to two years of probation after pleading guilty to lewd and lascivious conduct and simple assault.

The same month Newton left office, Franklin County swore in its newest sheriff: the embattled John Grismore, who won election despite being caught on video twice kicking a detained man.

Prosecutors charged Grismore with simple assault a few weeks before the November 2022 election, and Vermont lawmakers briefly considered impeaching him. But the sheriff was defiant, refusing to step down despite a chorus of calls for his resignation, including from the Vermont Sheriffs’ Association.

His resistance paid off: The criminal charge was dropped after two mistrials. The impeachment inquiry was scrapped, and he remains in office.

Other sheriffs have been accused of inadequately serving their constituents. In response to inquiries from VTDigger in 2022, Chad Schmidt acknowledged that he had been living in Tennessee for a third of the previous two years while still serving as Bennington County’s sheriff. And shortly before stepping down in 2023, Caledonia County sheriff Dean Shatney doled out $400,000 worth of bonuses to himself and his staff.

The scandals were fresh on lawmakers’ minds when they entered the 2024 legislative session vowing to make sheriffs more accountable.

Proposal 1 would have tweaked the Vermont Constitution so that the legislature could set qualifications for elected county officials. The bill did not specify

exactly what the qualifications would be, but lawmakers who worked on the proposal said one easy fix would be to require sheriffs to hold an active law enforcement certification.

That would have effectively given the Vermont Criminal Justice Council, which oversees the certification process, the ability to quickly expel a bad-acting sheriff.

But the Vermont Sheriffs’ Association staunchly opposed the proposal, arguing that there was no way to know what

ANY REASONABLE PERSON WOULD SAY WE NEED SOME ABILITY TO REIN IN ROGUE SHERIFFS, AND WE DON’T.

SENATE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE

PHIL BARUTH

qualifications a future legislature might impose, which could leave the door open for a sheriff to be removed from office for political reasons, without due process. And Democratic leaders in the Senate scrapped the idea after determining that they didn’t have 20 votes to pass the proposal, despite holding a supermajority.

Reflecting on the outcome this week, Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Baruth (D/P-Chittenden-Central) said he tried his “level human best” to drum up support for the measure. “What prevented it was a relatively small group of Democrats who were very influenced by their local sheriffs to vote against it,” he said.

Baruth said he believes the Senate Government Operations Committee should take up the proposal first thing next year.

“There are fine upstanding sheriffs in our state, and they do yeoman’s work,” he

said. “But there are just too many of them that are completely disregarding not only the law but just general morality.”

“Any reasonable person would say we need some ability to rein in rogue sheriffs, and we don’t,” he added.

The proposal would likely need support from Republicans, who currently hold 13 of the 30 Senate seats.

Senate Minority Leader Scott Beck (R-Caledonia) told Seven Days that the party’s support of any sheriff oversight bills would ultimately depend on the specific proposal. But he agreed that the topic should be a priority next session.

“Obviously there’s something systematically wrong, and we need to take a close look at it,” he said.

The sheriffs’ association, which has come under new leadership since 2024, would not say whether it will support Proposal 1 now that yet another one of its members has been arrested. Orleans County Sheriff Jennifer Harlow, the association’s president, said the power to impeach already gives lawmakers some oversight of sheriffs.

“We look forward to having fruitful discussions with lawmakers,” Harlow said.

Even if lawmakers had managed to previously pass Proposal 1, it wouldn’t have been in place in time to address Palmer’s situation. Constitutional amendments must be approved by lawmakers in two successive bienniums before heading to voters.

“Still, the fact that it didn’t move a couple of years ago just means that it’s further delayed,” said Hardy, the Addison senator. Now, the earliest that Vermont could pass an amendment is 2030.

Palmer’s criminal case will almost certainly be resolved before then. He’s also up for reelection this November. Should he run again, he could lose his job the oldfashioned way: at the ballot box. ➆

Hussien Noor Hussien

Ryan Palmer

POOL

PHOTO:

GLENN RUSSELL/VTDIGGER

lifelines

OBITUARIES

Jane C. Floyd

MARCH 31, 1952-JANUARY 25, 2026 SHELBURNE, VT.

Jane C. Floyd, 73, of Shelburne, Vt., passed away on Sunday, January 25, 2026, at the Miller McClure Respite House.

She was born in St. Albans, Vt., on March 31, 1952, to Glenn W. and Mary R. (Metz) Calder. She grew up in Richford, Vt., and then in 1965 her family moved to South Burlington, where she graduated from South Burlington High School in 1970 and went on to graduate from Lyndon State College in 1974.

OBITUARIES, VOWS, CELEBRATIONS

worked for Vermont Transit Lines.

She met the love of her life, Henry Floyd, at the bus station. Henry was a Greyhound bus driver who drove the Boston to Burlington route. ey were married on June 9, 2013, in Williston, Vt., and settled in Randolph, Mass.

Jane worked in several occupations in Vermont and then in 1981 moved to New Jersey, where she was an executive assistant at Lucent Technologies. Jane was in the New Jersey Army National Guard for several years. In 2006 she returned to Vermont and

Stephen Gottschalk Lewis

SEPTEMBER 22, 1961FEBRUARY 6, 2026

COLCHESTER, VT.

Stephen Gottschalk Lewis was born, according to legend, on the bridge that crosses the Titicus River in upstate New York on September 22, 1961; his grandfather was driving “like a bat out of hell,” while in the back seat, his mother’s head was cradled in the arms of her motherin-law. Steve always cherished his extended family, as well as the beauty and freedom of water.

Jane transferred to Greyhound of Boston in their maintenance division. Tragically, Henry died unexpectedly on May 30, 2016. Jane continued to work for Greyhound until she retired in 2021 and then moved to Shelburne to be near family. roughout her life Jane had many cats, whom she loved as if they were her children.

In addition to Henry, Jane was predeceased by her parents; her sister Mary A. Calder; and her niece, Rebecca Calder Benes. She is survived by her sister Carolyn C. Vadeboncoeur of Tennessee and her daughter Ariel (Brian) Vadeboncoeur and

or family without his voice softening and his eyes shining.

Steve worked as a registered nurse, where he rotated between rehabilitation, psychiatric, community mental health and long-term care facilities. His patients were touched by his soft, gentle demeanor; aided by his exquisite skills and judgment; and moved by his advocacy for them.

Raised in East Aurora, N.Y., he was devoted to his church youth group, crosscountry team and a wide variety of friends. He graduated early and moved to Boston, via San Francisco, where he and his then-wife, Julia, started a family. He adored his daughter, Gemma, and his son, Skylar, and never in his whole life spoke their names to friends

Although a passionate nurse, Steve always believed in a healthy work-life balance, often choosing part-time employment in order to explore his interests in sailing, gardening, tennis, swimming, piano and painting.

After the death of his father, Steve reconnected with the church and was a longtime member of his local Baptist community, often teaching Sunday school. After his mother’s death, he grew committed to preserving the family home in Nova Scotia.

Steve was a man of great dreams, and the property there was an important part of the tapestry he envisioned for

her daughter Sophia Channell; her brother, James W. Calder (Ginger), of Shelburne, Vt., and their daughter, Amanda Calder, and son, Daniel Calder; son in-law, Joshua Benes, and their grandsons, Luke and Zachary Benes; and her sister Barbara Bailey Brown (Rufus) of Alaska and her daughters, Roslynn, Shauna and Whitney Bailey, and Whitney’s son, DeShaun Bailey, of New Hampshire. Jane also leaves two stepdaughters, Tara Harris Floyd and LaTasha Floyd, and their families, of Massachusetts.

Memorial donations may be sent to the University of Vermont Home Health & Hospice, 1110 Prim Rd., Colchester, VT 05446 or to the First Baptist Church, 81 St. Paul St., Burlington, VT 05401.

A memorial service will be held on February 21, 2026, 2 p.m., at First Baptist Church in Burlington. A reception will be held downstairs following the service. She will be buried with Henry at Oaklawn Cemetery, Roslindale, Mass., at the convenience of the family.

Friends may visit corbinandpalmer. com to extend condolences to the family.

his retirement. However, his long-term cardiac issues grew worse just as that dream was coming into reality. On February 6, 2026, after many hours and extended surgery, Steve entered the rest we all will know. e family remains grateful for the surgeons, nurses and staff who worked countless hours to try to save him. eir labors are not forgotten.

Steve leaves behind his partner of many years, Nora, whose love and support were his greatest joy. Also remaining are his two children, Gemma and partner Jerry, and Skylar; his three brothers, Dan, Ben and Tim; his grandchildren, Olivia, Jensen, Noah, Jerry Jr., Estelle and Solomon; his cousins, Stephen, Richard, Alison and Rebecca; and his aunt, Heidi; as well as countless friends. His gentle, quirky, adventurous spirit and constant loving kindness will be greatly missed.

ink of Steve when you donate to a cause or pass things on to those in need. And wherever you travel, stop at a used bookstore to bring something home.

A service and celebration of Steve’s life will be held on April 11, 2026, 2 p.m., at First Baptist Church of Burlington, Vt.

Marilee Conrad Kemsley

JUNE 3, 1954JANUARY 23, 2026 GRAND ISLE, VT.

Marilee Conrad Kemsley, 72, went home on January 23, 2026, surrounded by love. She is survived by her loving husband of 38 years, Michael; their daughter, Mae Lin Kemsley Kirn, and her husband, Spencer; and her grandson, Graham.

Marilee also had many siblings: Sally Conrad Clinard; Christine Conrad; Judith Conrad; Katy Conrad Mills and her spouse, Danny Mills; Bill Conrad and his wife, Kathy; Pete Conrad and his wife, Beth; and her sisterin-law, Carol Conrad; her special longtime friend, Tess Mcredmond; and many more nieces and nephews.

Marilee was predeceased by her parents, Len and Dale (Hart) Conrad, and brothers Steve Conrad, Mike Conrad and Joe Conrad.

Marilee was born in Wisconsin and grew up in Nashville, Tenn. She graduated from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. When she graduated from U.T., she moved to San Francisco in the ’80s, where she met her husband, Michael. rough the ups and downs of life, they moved to Vermont in

IN MEMORIAM

Jared Cilley II

1931-2025

In memory of Jared Cilley II. October 7, 1931-February 5, 2025 Gone, but not forgotten. As he requested, no services were held. His obituary can be found at awrichfuneralhomes.com.

the early ’90s, where she wrote a novel and worked as a writer and historian. She loved nature, especially trees. Marilee and Michael renovated and lived on an old farm where she frequently wrote and raised their daughter, Mae. Later, they built a house in Grand Isle on Lake Champlain, where she enjoyed retirement.

It’s said she had a bit of a stubborn streak, which only a select few witnessed. She loved adventure and discovery. She was courageous, intelligent and beautiful to the very end. She is already greatly missed by her family and all who had the honor of knowing her.

A celebration of life will be held by the family at a later date.

Please share memories, stories and photos of Marilee at champlaincremation.com.

Richard Eric “GMan” Olson

AUGUST 10, 1937-JANUARY 27, 2026 WAITSFIELD, VT.

On a quintessential snowy night up on his beloved Scrag Mountain, GMan took his final breath in the arms of his family. For three years he fought off the effects of his acute myeloid leukemia diagnosis. The oncology team at the University of Vermont, led by Dr. Adrianzen, Anne Berkowitz and Jaime Gessner, went above and beyond to provide him with the care and compassion he needed to manage his disease. The team of nurses at Central Vermont Medical Center, all coordinated by Cailyn Baroffio in the front office, provided him with their warmth and humor every week for his blood draws and transfusions. He never got his Bud Light, but you gave him so much more. Our hearts are filled with gratitude for all the care you provided not only for GMan but for his family as well. Truly angels on earth.

John Roger Floyd

1952-2026

SOUTH BURLINGTON, VT.

“The reason that I don’t regret dying is that I have had a really good time.”

John Roger Floyd, 73, of South Burlington, Vt., wishes he had written that line himself, though he credits Studs Terkel for the quote. In truth, John did have a very good time — and a great life — rich with love, creativity, community and curiosity.

The greatest joy of his life was falling in love with his wife of nearly 48 years, Kathy (Lally) Floyd, whom he met while they were students at SUNY Potsdam. They married in April 1978 and were blessed with two children, Kate and Patrick, and later three grandchildren; being a “Papa” was one of John’s favorite roles. He delighted in family travel across the country; treasured summers at his sister Meg’s cabin in Belgrade

In the final accounting of his life, GMan had many chapters. He entered this world in Chicago, Ill., on August 10, 1937, to his parents, Graham and Edna Olson, older brother, Gus, and later to come younger brother, John. From the beginning it was apparent he would put his full energy and compassion into everything he chose to do. He excelled in football at Taft High School and Knox College. He could have pursued professional football but chose to further his education with a master’s degree at the Institute of Paper Chemistry in Appleton, Wis. It was here he met Linda, his love and life partner for 65 years. As newlyweds, they went on to honor a two-year commitment to the Army, where he rose to captain and commanded an artillery battalion. Their first son, Peter, joined the family there in Tacoma, Wash. He then went back to the Institute of Paper Chemistry to pursue a PhD. It was there their daughter, Kristin, joined the family. After graduation he accepted a job with Champion Papers and worked in Ohio, North Carolina, Alabama and Texas, eventually leading Champion as their CEO in Stamford, Conn. During this journey, their son Michael was born in North Carolina. There is a pattern that emerges in everything he chose to do in life. He always rose to the top. No one was more humble or thankful. He had a special quality of listening and respecting others. He led by example and hard work, and he had a natural ability to bring out the best in others. His goal was not to stand out, but to be supportive, show up, work hard and walk alongside.

However successful he was in his career, his heart was always with his family, Peter (Nancy), Kristin, Mike (Stephanie) and his beloved grandchildren, Kate, Makenzie, Marley, Grant and Audrey. Once again, he shared his energy and love not only for his family but for every person

Lakes, Maine; and later enjoyed European adventures with Kathy. He also loved exploring the outdoors as a skier, hiker and kayaker. He believed in welcoming serendipitous moments and said one should “let yourself be open to surprise.”

Taught woodworking by his father, Roger, an amateur cabinetmaker, John discovered a lifelong passion for craftsmanship. That passion led him to making signs after moving with Kathy to Fort Collins, Colo., and eventually to Vermont, where he established Design Signs in Burlington’s South End. What began as a one-person operation grew into a respected business known for thoughtful design and quality, made possible by dedicated employees Jim Narsh and Phil Seeley. John hoped his work made “a positive contribution to the built environment that will outlast me.”

Born in Peterborough, N.H., John was the son of Reverend Roger Floyd and Ellen Floyd. A preacher’s kid at heart, he was a

who entered his world. He encouraged, coached and provided over 20 young men and women with their college educations. Watching them fulfill their potential was one of his greatest joys.

He was particularly fond of the special times he spent in Wisconsin at a Green Bay Packers game or with his brothers, John, Gus and their families. Sailing on the waters of Great Lakes or on their Grand Banks’ trawlers was a day well spent.

He and Linda chose Scrag Mountain in Waitsfield, Vt., as their final chapter. It was here they would find their second family in the Gavetts, Mumfords and Geigers. Nothing gave him more joy than to be out on his tractor blowing snow or down in the sugarhouse boiling with friends.

The essence of GMan can best be expressed by a quote from Willie Nelson which echoes the first law of thermodynamics — energy cannot be created or destroyed, only converted from one form to the other.

Death is not the end of anything ... I believe we are all just energy that becomes matter. When the matter is gone, the energy still exists. You can’t destroy it. It never dies.

In honor of his life, for all those who encountered his energy and love, keep it going. Pay it forward.

The family wants to honor and thank all of the anonymous donors that rolled up their sleeves and gave blood and platelets so he could remain in our lives for another day.

devoted member of First Congregational Church in Burlington, where he wore many hats over the years, from deacon to president to head of the Search Committee for several beloved ministers whom he helped welcome into the church, as well as volunteering for the Ronald McDonald House. In his final year battling prostate cancer, he participated in a life-affirming support group hosted by Rev. Elissa Johnk, who has guided him so beautifully through trying times.

Eternal thanks go out to the amazing staff at the University of Vermont Medical Center’s Oncology and Hematology Department, especially Dr. Steven Ades, and to the McClure Miller Respite House for their compassionate care.

John is survived by his wife, Kathy; sister, Margaret (Floyd) McCann; children, Kate (Floyd) Proto (Paul) and Patrick Floyd (Lily Landes); beloved grandchildren, Xavier, Violet and Ramona; and many cherished nieces and nephews.

A celebration of John’s life will be held in warmer weather. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to UVM Home Health & Hospice (select McClure Miller Respite House) or the UVM Cancer Treatment Center Fund.

Ross Edward Raymond

NOVEMBER 12, 1952-JANUARY 2, 2026

FERRISBURGH, VT.

Ross Edward Raymond, 73, of Ferrisburgh, Vt., passed away peacefully on January 2, 2026, surrounded by the family he loved deeply.

Ross was born on November 12, 1952, in Ilion, N.Y., to Edward Raymond and Pauline LaVoie. He was a beloved brother to Paula and Mike Raymond and spent his early years in upstate New York, where he developed the quiet determination, curiosity and problem-solving spirit that would define his life.

Soft-spoken, with a playful sense of humor and a warm, unmistakable smile, he was above all else a devoted husband, father and grandfather. He was a kind, genuine and steady presence, a man who listened more than he spoke, whose love showed not in grand gestures but in unwavering dependability. His children and wife knew without question that if they needed anything, he would find a way. Anything broken could be fixed. Any challenge could be worked through. He was the kind of man who showed up, every single time.

Ross served in the U.S. Navy before returning home to New York, where he met the love of his life, Doris. Their lives together brought them to Vergennes, Vt., where they built their family home and raised their four children: Scot, Jessica, Keri and Brian. They were married for 44 years, and family stood at the very center of everything they valued.

Ross’s love for his family extended naturally to his grandchildren, each of whom held a special place in his heart. He poured his creativity and care into everything he did for them, most memorably the intricate, handcrafted toys he built for each child. Intentionally detailed, beautiful pieces, each was finished with a carefully chosen wind-up sound box so that music and wonder were always part of the gift. Thoughtful, meticulous, generous and quietly extraordinary, these creations were a reflection of Ross at his core.

A man of many talents, Ross had a love for solving problems and working with his hands. He brought that same care and ingenuity to his passions, from mechanics to music. Known to many as “Blues Man Ross,” he was a self-taught harmonica player who played for the pure joy of it. He also took great pride in restoring a 1938 Harley-Davidson, a project that reflected his patience, craftsmanship and respect for attention to detail. Ross carried that same dedication and work ethic throughout his career, spending 30 years at IBM followed by another 17 years at BioTek.

Incredibly stoic in nature, he endured far more than many ever knew, yet continued to show up for his family with courage and quiet resolve. Through it all, he taught those he loved that life is defined not by hardship but by the small, meaningful moments. That while every journey has an end, in the end, it is the journey that truly matters.

Ross is survived by his wife, Doris; his children, Scot, Jessica, Keri and Brian; his sister, Paula, and brother, Mike; and his cherished grandchildren, Jenna, Ben, Olivia, Coen, Walker and Sully. His legacy lives on in the lives he touched, the things he built … and fixed, the music he played, and the love that defined him ’til the very end.

Harold “Hal” Bingham Bauerle

NOVEMBER 13, 1980FEBRUARY 4, 2026

WINOOSKI, VT.

Harold “Hal” Bingham Bauerle, age 45, died unexpectedly and too young on February 4, 2026, at his home in Winooski, Vt. Born in Hartford, Conn., on November 13, 1980, Hal was the cherished son of Graham and Annette Bauerle. He was always bright and adventurous, and people crossed the street to say what a beautiful baby he was.

Hal and his two younger siblings spent their earliest years near the Atlantic Ocean in Newburyport, Mass. en they migrated north to a farm in Cambridge, Vt. ere, they sledded on the

hills, built tree houses in the woods, waded in the stream, rode bikes on dirt roads and helped raise animals. e menagerie included dogs and cats and goats, of course, but also chickens and ducks, horses and bunnies, and the occasional ox. It was always a battle to see who would get to name the next baby goat kid, but when

Hal, Gray and Lizzie were together, hilarity frequently ensued.

After completing Lamoille Union High School, Hal attended Bishop’s University in Sherbrooke, Québec. Pursuing his deep interest in the human condition, he graduated with a double major in psychology and sociology. Hal later received an MA in psychology from the University of Vermont.

Working in community mental health, Hal supported many clients through the rough patches in their lives, kindly, compassionately and with a sense of humor. Hal spent the majority of his career in various roles at the Howard Center, ﬁrst as a residential counselor at Lakeview, then in supervisory roles, and most recently as a crisis clinician at First Call. Hal was also a crisis clinician at Lamoille County Mental

Grace Brunelle

FEBRUARY 12, 1955-FEBRUARY 6, 2026

JERICHO, VT.

Health Services. Hal took tremendous pride in his work with the AFSCME union. He was treasured by his Howard Center colleagues and respected by his community collaborators.

It was through the Howard Center that Hal met his delightful colleague Patricia “Patti” Cilwik, with whom he fell in love. ey married on June 14, 2014, aﬂoat Lake Champlain aboard the Northern Lights. For 10 years, Hal and Patti lived happily at Fort Ethan Allen, sharing adventures, trips, interests and cats. ey parted ways amicably in 2024.

An incredibly imaginative and creative individual, Game Master Hal developed engaging and wellresearched role-playing scenarios. His props, mapmaking skills and accent work in support of his games are unforgettable. Hal was

Grace Brunelle passed away after a long illness on February 6, 2026, surrounded by her loving family. She was predeceased by her beloved parents, Alfred and Mary Key, and by her sister Marie Key. She is survived by her loving husband, Robert Waldo Brunelle Jr.; daughter, Sarah Galle; twin sister, Bernadette, and husband James Marshall; brother, Alfred Key, and wife Raylene Potter; sister Catherine and husband David Pontbriand; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Grace will forever be so loved and deeply cherished.

Grace was born on February 12, 1955, in Waco, Texas, to Alfred and Mary and spent her early childhood in Bay Shore, Long Island. When she was 11, her family moved to Winooski, Vt., and in 1973 she graduated from Rice Memorial High School. She went on to graduate from Champlain College as a dental assistant. Later, she became the assistant manager of the Old Mill Kitchen Company. In 1983, she married her second husband, Robert. ey enjoyed 42 years of wedded bliss.

also an enthusiastic member of the Society for Creative Anachronism, a medieval study and reenactment organization. He delighted in hand-crafting authentic costumes in natural ﬁbers.

Hal’s myriad interests included camping, canoeing, bushcraft, sewing and especially cats. He was a witty conversationalist and a wonderful writer; his haikus were memorable.

Hal will be missed terribly and remembered with great love and affection by his family and many friends.

Hal leaves his ex-wife and dear friend, Patricia Cilwik of Colchester, Vt; mother, Annette Bauerle of Cambridge, Vt; brother, Graham Bauerle, his wife, Brighid, and their children, Annette, Michael and Eileen, of Chicago; and sister, Elizabeth Bauerle, her husband, Nicholas Arensmann,

quilting, creating art books, digital art, cooking, knitting and watercolor painting. All these she mastered and gave as a gift to us.

Whether it was learning to play the dulcimer or speak Hebrew or weave ﬁbers into a work of art, it was always a creation of love. Our time together as a family, sampling her handiwork, created deep memories and deeply enriched our lives. Grace valued her faith, family and friends above all.

Although she endured many illnesses and years of poor health, Grace managed to maintain an optimistic attitude and a childlike sense of curiosity. She had a very deep Christian faith and led many to the Lord. Grace was very outgoing and made friends easily wherever she went.

e family wishes to thank the University of Vermont Medical Center Medical ICU team for their incredible care and compassion toward Grace.

In lieu of ﬂowers, the family would appreciate donations to the Facial Pain Association (formerly the Trigeminal Neuralgia Association) at endthepain.org.

and their daughters, Eleanor and Josephine, of Cambridge, Vt. He is also survived by his beloved cat, Inky. Hal was predeceased by his father, Graham Williamson Bauerle. Instead of flowers, Hal would be pleased if you made a donation to the Humane Society of Chittenden County (hsccvt.org/honormemorial-gifts), the North Country Animal League (ncal.com/get-involved/ donate) or the Howard Center (howardcenter.org/ donate/).

We will celebrate his life on February 20, 2026, 1 to 3 p.m., at the A.W. Rich Funeral Home, 57 Main St., Essex Junction, VT. Please join us to share your memories of this unique and wonderful person. Please visit awrfh.com to share your memories and condolences.

Elaine Maheux

JANUARY 27, 1938FEBRUARY 10, 2026 ESSEX, VT

Grace was brilliant! She quickly mastered many different and difﬁcult processes to bring to life what she held in her imagination. Her skills included stained glass, card making, ﬁber arts,

Visiting hours will be held on Saturday, February 14, 2026, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., with a memorial service starting at 1 p.m., at LaVigne Funeral & Cremation Services, 132 Main St., Winooski, VT. Burial will follow at St. Francis Xavier Cemetery. To send condolences to her family, please visit vtfuneralhomes.com.

Elaine Maheux passed away on February 10, 2026, surrounded by her loving family. Services will be held on Saturday, February 14, 2026, 1 p.m., in the Minor Funeral Home, 237 Route 7, Milton, VT. For a full obituary, please visit minorfh.com.

Mary Just Skinner

JULY 7, 1946JANUARY 9, 2026 MIDDLESEX, VT.

Mary Just Skinner, 79, unexpectedly passed away in her sleep from natural causes on January 9, 2026. She had been visiting her children and grandchildren in the Bay Area in California. Mary remained herself right up to the end and enjoyed spending time with her family over the holidays, attending her grandchildren’s performances and helping with pickups after school.

Mary was born in South Bend, Ind., and raised in Oak Park, Ill., just outside of Chicago. Her parents, Theodor Just and Mary McGarry Just, were both academics. Her father was the chief curator of the botany department at the Field Museum in Chicago, and her mother taught biology at Saint Mary’s College in Indiana and then geology at Rosary College (now Dominican University) in Illinois. Mary was the second of three daughters.

After graduating from high school, Mary moved to New York City to attend Barnard College and Columbia Law School. At Columbia, Mary met and fell in love with fellow law student Scott Skinner. They married in New York City in 1970 and spent the next 48 years together, until Scott’s death in 2018.

From New York, Mary and Scott first moved to Guilford, Vt., and then Montpelier before settling in Middlesex in 1977. Their two sons grew up there. Over the years, they raised various types of chickens and beef cattle (including Scottish Highlands and Belted Galloways) and even some pigs in their earliest years in Middlesex.

After working at a legal aid organization in New York, Mary spent several years as an attorney at

Vermont Legal Aid. As just the 47th woman sworn in as a lawyer in Vermont, Mary was part of a pioneering generation of women practicing law in the state.

In the mid-1970s, Mary represented a pregnant U.S. Marine who had been wrongly discharged. They initially lost the case in federal district court but appealed to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. Mary and her cocounsel received advice and assistance on the case from Ruth Bader Ginsburg, then the director of the ACLU’s Women’s Rights Project. In Crawford v. Cushman, the Second Circuit held that a Marine Corps regulation that required the discharge of a woman for pregnancy was unconstitutional. Mary saw RBG years later after a speaking appearance, and she still remembered all the facts of the case!

In 1974, Mary represented a group of low-income Vermonters in what was known as the “purchased power” case. They prevailed at the Vermont Supreme Court, which meant utilities could not automatically increase rates without the approval of the Public Service Board (now the Public Utility Commission). Mary opened her own private law practice in Montpelier in the late 1970s and focused primarily on family law, real estate and probate.

In addition to her legal career, Mary was also a force in Vermont’s political world. She was elected

to the Vermont State Senate in 1978 at the age of 32, becoming a role model for younger women interested in serving in the legislature. She represented Washington County in the Senate for 14 years and served as the chair of several key Senate committees, including the powerful Finance and Judiciary committees. Mary was a fierce advocate for legislation aimed at uplifting the state’s most vulnerable residents, protecting the environment, improving fairness in education finance and keeping costs down for all Vermonters.

Mary later served on the Middlesex Select Board for 24 years. At the time of her death, Mary was a member of the Vermont Human Services Board, the Washington Electric Cooperative Board and the Central Vermont committee for UVM’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI).

The emphasis that Mary and Scott both placed on working to serve the public interest in their careers influenced their sons to pursue their chosen professions of legal aid immigration attorney and public school teacher, respectively.

Mary was a voracious reader and an active participant in her book group in central Vermont. She also loved the theater and attended many plays in New York and Vermont throughout her life. Mary maintained a lifelong interest in art and liked visiting art museums and collecting affordable art from lesser-known artists. She had a particular passion for folk art; the more colorful, the better.

Being a skilled bargain hunter was a point of pride for Mary. She also loved to read the newspaper in hard copy form, particularly the New York Times and the Times Argus. An ideal fall Sunday for her would be relaxing with family, reading the newspaper and watching a Patriots game.

Though she had not been particularly drawn to athletics as a child, Mary turned herself into what she termed a “middleaged jock” as an adult in Vermont. She biked and hiked extensively in New England and beyond, and for many years she walked several miles each morning. Mary completed challenging treks in the Himalayas and proudly summited Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania at the age of 59.

Mary was predeceased by her parents; her husband, Scott; and her sister Jane. She is survived by her sons, Justin and Wilson; her daughters-in-law, Bronwyn and Angela; and her grandchildren, Noah Grace, Cosmo Theodor and Bryn; as well as her nephew, Matthew, and her sister Anne.

Known as “Ami” to her grandchildren, Mary was a loving and devoted grandparent who was very involved in their lives, starting with the arrival of Noah Grace 12 years ago.

Over the course of her life in Illinois, New York and Vermont, Mary made many good friends. The night before she died, she enjoyed catching up with her high school friends via Zoom. She had upcoming plans to see friends whom she knew from New York and Vermont. Her loss was a shock to her family and friends, but Mary lived life to the fullest and maintained her independence, curiosity and vibrant personality throughout. There will be no funeral or calling hours, but there will be a celebration of Mary’s life on Saturday, June 20, 2026, 2 p.m., at the Old Labor Hall in Barre. Memorial contributions in lieu of flowers can be made to the Barre Historical Society or the Vermont ACLU. Condolence notes can be sent to the Skinner family at PO Box 412, Montpelier, VT 05601. Mary’s ashes will be interred in Middlesex at a small family gathering later this year.

Jeanne Pauline Deslauriers

NOVEMBER 2, 1942FEBRUARY 5, 2026

BURLINGTON, VT.

Jeanne Pauline Deslauriers, 83, passed away on February 5, 2026, in Burlington.

She was born in Greensboro, Vt., and attended Sacred Heart High School in Newport, Vt., and obtained her nursing diploma in 1963 from Sherbrooke General Hospital in Canada. She later earned her BSPA in health care administration from St. Joseph’s College in Windham, Maine. Jeanne worked several years in the critical care units in California, Florida and Vermont, both as a staff nurse and head nurse.

Jeanne retired from Liberty Mutual Insurance Company in 1998 as a medical case manager in Florida.

After retirement she was employed by Vocational Rehabilitation Services of Vermont as a medical case manager for several years.

Jeanne is survived by her sister Gisle Thibeault and several nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her parents, Achille and Florida Carrier Deslauriers; brothers Gaston, Marcel,

Melinda Ely

JANUARY 9, 1956JANUARY 29, 2026 MADISONVILLE, KY.

Melinda Ely, 70, of Madisonville, Ky., passed away on Thursday, January 29, 2026, at her residence.

Melinda was born on January 9, 1956, in Burlington, Vt., to the late Paul Machia and Marlene Cota Densmore.

Mrs. Ely worked at Brighton Cornerstone Healthcare, where she was famous for loving the patients. She took joy in every activity they held for the residents and would often surprise them by wearing crazy outfits.

Melinda was an “adventurer.”

She loved wandering with her family, often not knowing the destination beforehand. She had a love for gardening and anything involving butterflies.

She is survived by her husband of over 30 years, Joe Ely; daughter, Amy (Jeremiah) Jeffers of Newburgh, Ind.; sons, Matthew (Sarah) Moultroup of Richmond, Vt., and Adam

Gilles, Jean Louis, Reverend Victor and Andre Deslauriers; and her sisters Hermine Boudreau, Lorette Mase, Sister Lillian Deslauriers and Sister Agathe Delauriers.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on February 14, 2026, 10 a.m., at St. John Vianney’s Church, 160 Hinesburg Rd., South Burlington, VT. Interment will be in the spring in St. Michaels Cemetery in Greensboro Bend, Vt.

In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests a donation may be made to a charity of one’s choice.

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

Moultroup of West Chazy, N.Y.; brothers, Jeff Machia, Bill Machia and Rodney Hyden; and grandchildren, Abby Weston, Robby Weston, Iris Moultroup, Ethan Moultroup, Ginny Moultroup and Hank Moultroup. Services for the family are provided by BarnettStrother Funeral Home and Crematory in Madisonville. All are welcome to join at the Community Church of Huntington Annex in Huntington, Vt. A live stream of the service in memory of Melinda Ely will be on February 14, 2026, 2 p.m. There will be refreshments.

lifelines

OBITUARIES

Carol Gibson Warnock

JUNE 2, 1951JANUARY 8, 2026 LINCOLN, VT.

“I want to go soon and live away by the pond where I shall hear only the wind whispering among the reeds. It will be success if I shall have left myself behind.”

— Henry David oreau

Early in the morning of January 8, 2026, in the loving presence of her husband and two children, Carol succeeded and went to live away by the pond. Having traveled on a difﬁcult and lengthy journey through dementia, Carol was ﬁnally free…

Born to John B. Gibson and Bette June Sweet Gibson in Rochester, N.Y., Carol grew up in nearby Webster, N.Y., the oldest of three children. She is survived by her brother, John Gibson (wife Carolyn Gibson), of Franklin, N.C., and was predeceased by her sister, Brehm Lee Neel (husband Tony Neel), in 2021, also of Franklin, N.C.

Carol gave birth to a beautiful boy, Todd, in July 1970 while living and working in Rochester and less than a year later met the love of her life, Jimmy Warnock, who was visiting Rochester with his Brown University roommate, Jon Merritt, during spring break 1971. One evening, Jon and Jimmy slid into the back seat of a friend’s car en route to a concert with Boz Scaggs and It’s a Beautiful Day (think “White Bird”). Carol, in the front seat, turned to introduce herself to Jon’s friend in the leather fringe jacket (think Roger Daltrey, the jacket, that is), and well, that was that … Jimmy was as taken by the dark-haired beauty as she was by him. He was 21, and she was 19. Carol subsequently moved

OBITUARIES, VOWS, CELEBRATIONS

to California, and she and Jimmy were faithful pen pals (think pre-digital days) while he ﬁnished school, traveled out West with Jon and good friend Bobby Stetzenmeyer, and then settled in Vermont. ey reunited at a friend’s wedding in December 1972 in Rochester, and Carol and Todd returned to Vermont with Jimmy to begin their life together there.

In August 1975, they were joined by their daughter, Erin, who was born at home in Shoreham, Vt. Two years later, they moved to the beautiful mountain town of Lincoln, nestled on the west side of the Green Mountains, and began salvaging building materials for a home of their own design. By 1981, Carol and Jimmy ﬁnished building their home with the able assistance of dear buddies John McClain and Danny DiNolo, with numerous other friends contributing their talents and energy as well. e early years in Lincoln saw the growth of a lifelong community of friends and families, with countless potluck gatherings, volleyball games, pond swimming and an ever-growing number of children. For Todd and Erin, growing up in a community of hippies in the ’70s and ’80s created a tightly knit group of friends and families.

Todd: Having Carol for a mother created an opportunity for me to have a level of

freedom and adventure in the woods, with animals, and in streams that would shape me as a man. I did not know until later in life that Mom always knew where I was, even when I believed I was alone in the woods, half a mile from the house. Add to that the experiences of living in a cave in Arizona, on a commune in Bridport, Vt., surrounded by people I still see and know today, 50 years later, as important people in my life … all because of Mom, who carried me across the country and back as a passenger on her adventures. She was a ﬁerce advocate for my sister Erin and me, always protecting us at any cost.

Erin: She mothered with absolute love while instilling conﬁdence and patience. She encouraged us to be brave, and taught me to say “Nobody is the boss of me,” which perhaps she regretted in my teen years. She would smile at strangers as she passed them on the street, in a small but effective way that signaled in her presence everyone felt seen. Our childhoods were magical and free. e path through the woods that connected our house and our dear friends, the Danforths, was well traveled by all. To say that she will be missed is a massive understatement, but she is now everywhere.

Erin’s home birth in 1975 had both inspired Carol and sensitized her to the lack of midwives available to support families wishing for a home birth. Carol began training shortly after Erin’s birth with Dr. urmond Knight, who had helped to create Vermont’s ﬁrst “birthing room” at Gifford Memorial Hospital in Randolph. In 1976 Carol partnered with Melissa Deas, who had also trained with urmond, and together they formed Birthrites Midwifery in Bristol, a partnership that lasted for 23 years. Carol

continued to practice as Mount Ellen Midwifery until her retirement in 2015, and while we don’t have an exact count, we estimate that Carol assisted in roughly 2,000 births. Her skilled and caring work had a positive impact on her clients that resulted in many strong and lasting friendships.

Until 2001 there was no licensing for lay midwives in Vermont, so Carol did a three-month internship in May 1987 at a birthing clinic (Casa de Nacimiento) in El Paso, Texas, in order to earn a lay midwife license there. A number of years later, in the late ’90s, she worked on a statewide committee that eventually led to the Vermont General Assembly passing legislation (1999, No. 133) in 2000, effective January 1, 2001, to create a licensing structure for midwives. is law deﬁned the “Licensed Midwife” (LM) as someone meeting the requirements of the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM).

In 1993 Carol was selected to participate in the Russian Birth Project, which placed her in a hospital in St. Petersburg, Russia, for three months to support Russian doctors and nurses in learning more progressive and natural approaches to childbirth.

e experience was a challenge that Carol’s adventurous side fully embraced, and she formed close friendships with several Russians that she worked with. rough all of these work-related travels, committee work and ongoing responsibilities as a practicing midwife, Carol’s humility, calm demeanor and reassuring smile won over all who had the good fortune to work with her.

In the early ’80s, as Carol and Melissa were partnering at Birthrites, Carol was also serving as an early director of the Addison County Battered

Women’s Project, which was later to become Addison County Women in Crisis. e project was organized for the purpose of “promoting the social welfare of Addison County by reducing the incidence of domestic violence, and primarily, the incidence of abuse against women.” Carol’s courage and ﬁerce advocacy for abused women were put to the test many times when she appeared in court in support of domestic violence victims seeking restraining orders.

When Carol wasn’t busy “catching” babies (“I don’t deliver babies,” Carol often said, “the mother does”) and later during retirement, she could be found in the garden, swimming in the pond, walking in the woods looking for abandoned birds’ nests, and perhaps, at day’s end, on the porch with a gin and tonic. She especially enjoyed being with her children and their partners: Todd (partner Julie Almeter) and grandchildren Kosmo and Namid (and their mother, Ainaka Luna); and Erin (husband Garrett Heyns) and grandchildren Scout and Jude. With a smile framed by her bangs and signature braids, she was always a patient presence in their lives, curious and endlessly interested in what they were up to. Carol’s curiosity also extended to her passion for world travel, and over the years she and Jimmy made it to every continent except Antarctica. She delighted in exploring and learning about different cultures and always saw the basic humanity and beauty in each country she visited.

But none of the above information even begins to tell the real story of who Carol was, with her at times goofy sense of humor and penchant for collecting all manner of unusual objects. She was wildly inventive in decorating our home with vibrant colors

to counter the long, monochromatic winters and in displaying unusual artifacts gathered from her many world travels. Who else would pack the skull and horns of a kob (African antelope) in their checked bag returning from Africa and then calmly clear customs at Kennedy in New York City with a friendly smile and kind word with which to greet the customs ofﬁcer, who smiled back and promptly waved her through? Intrepid and compassionate, it was impossible for Carol to walk city streets without stopping to check in with homeless souls, engage them in conversation and leave them with some money to lighten their load just a bit.

An annual Christmas Eve party held at our home with our family and dearest friends included a lively and often competitive game of Yankee swap, where early on it was discovered that Carol on occasion spirited away a desirable gift in the hope it might elude scrutiny — her local infamy forever to live on in various stories.

A special shout-out with deep gratitude to the remarkable staff of Eastview at Middlebury and GardenSong. When it was no longer possible to care for Carol at home, she spent the last 11 months of her life in a loving and compassionate community that never lost sight of Carol’s essential personhood. All who knew and loved Carol can take comfort in knowing that in her own inimitable way she truly did make this world a better place for so many others. A celebration of Carol’s life will be held on Saturday, June 27, 2026, at Kingsland Bay State Park on beautiful Lake Champlain. Further information and opportunities to post remembrances, stories and photos can be found at loveforcarol. com.

Robert J. Johnson, MD

AUGUST 7, 1939FEBRUARY 2, 2026

SHELBURNE, VT.

After a meaningful and productive life filled with the love of his family and the respect of his colleagues, Robert J. Johnson, MD passed away on February 2, 2026. To his many friends and family, he was known as Bob or Johns.

The son of Virginia (Carney) and Robert Johnson II, Bob was born on August 7, 1939, in Iowa Falls, Iowa. He attended Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and received his medical degree from the University of Iowa in 1964. He completed his surgical internship at Philadelphia General Hospital and later returned to the University of Iowa for orthopedic residency training. After serving as chief of orthopaedics and hospital services during a tour of duty in the United States Air Force at Loring Air Force Base in Maine, he arrived in Vermont in 1971. He first accepted an appointment as assistant professor of orthopaedic surgery in the University of Vermont College of Medicine and was promoted to professor in 1980. Additional training along the way included a fellowship in sports medicine from 1978 to 1979 at Karolinska Hospital in Stockholm, Sweden. Bob was named the McClure Professor of Musculoskeletal Research in August 1994 and held this title until 2005, when he retired from the University of Vermont Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation as professor emeritus.

Research was a passion and a key driving force behind Bob’s professional career. His investigation of knee biomechanics and injuries paved the way for improved clinical outcomes, and in that capacity he was an ambassador for the scientific approach to advancing sports medicine. His life’s work led him to publish hundreds of articles, papers, abstracts and book chapters. He also received significant research funding from multiple sources, including the National Institutes of Health.

Throughout his career, a primary focus of Bob’s research was the field of ski safety. After seeing patients and performing surgery on

weekdays in Burlington, Vt., his winter weekends were spent 45 minutes away at Sugarbush Ski Area, where he conducted a groundbreaking 49-year study on the cause and analysis of ski injuries. Bob ran the medical clinic while a team of engineers assessed patients’ ski equipment. Research findings from this collaboration led ski and binding manufacturers to improve their designs and changed standard practices in how ski shop technicians set and inspect equipment to prevent injuries.

Bob’s focus on scientific study also led to his involvement with numerous organizations in which he enjoyed the camaraderie of like-minded professionals and true friends. He was a founding member of the Herodicus Society, a premier forum for sports medicine research exchange. In 1987 he served as that organization’s president. In the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), he was president from 1993 to 1994 and was honored to serve as Godfather for the Traveling Fellows in 1996 and to be chosen as Mr. Sports Medicine in 2002. A highlight of his career was receiving an AAOS Kappa Delta Award in 1994 for outstanding, high-impact research. The International Society of Ski Safety was another of Bob’s professional organizations. He was not only a founding member but also served as president from 1989 to 1997. He became an honorary lifetime member in 2005.

While focused on a robust professional career, Bob cultivated friendships and professional relationships that were meaningful. Letters received upon his 2005 retirement as a surgeon underscored the impact he had on the early careers of a vast array of professionals treating patients with orthopaedic-related injuries.

It is no wonder; teaching was a passion. In these same letters, colleagues described him as honest, humble, hardworking and possessing a strong sense of scientific integrity. He also truly cared about others and found fun amid hard work, which led not only to long-term professional partnerships but also to lifelong friendships the world over.

Bob’s favorite things in life extended beyond his role as an orthopaedic surgeon and researcher. He could often be found at his wood pile, using an ax and wedge to split wood that he then meticulously stacked for use in his family’s woodstove. He cherished his collection of Native American artifacts and loved astronomy. He was a huge fan of college football, especially his beloved Iowa Hawkeyes. In recent years, with the rise of Caitlin Clark, he also enthusiastically followed Iowa women’s basketball. Bob loved to travel for research presentations but also for leisure. With his wife, Shirley, he went on birding trips to the far corners of the world, including Papua New Guinea, South Africa and the Galapagos Islands.

Most importantly, Bob was a loving, fun and present husband and father. He was married to Shirley (Siefken) for 62 years and was a proud dad to daughters Jennifer Muse (Jay) of Pittsburgh and Tamara Wehrman (Jed) of Lyman, Maine. In addition to these immediate family members, he is survived by his five grandchildren, Anna, Henry and Thomas Muse; and Elsie and George Wehrman. Other family members include Burak Buyukfirat, his Turkish adoptive son through the American Field Service exchange program, as well as his brother, Bill Johnson (Jan) of Altus, Okla.

A celebration of Bob’s life is planned for a future date. In lieu of flowers, the family gratefully acknowledges donations given in his memory. These gifts will be used to support Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Research, a program Bob started in 1971, within the Department of Orthopaedics at the Larner College of Medicine, University of Vermont. Donations can be made in the name of Dr. Robert J. Johnson and sent to the UVM Foundation, 411 Main St., Burlington, VT 05401.

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SEATS of POWER

Denise Watso took a seat at the back of the small meeting room and steeled herself for the press conference about to begin. Hosted in mid-December by the Vermont Commission on Native American Affairs, the event would unveil the American Abenaki Curriculum, a new educational package about the histories of Vermont’s four state-recognized tribes — told, notably, through the perspective of those tribes themselves.

Watso, a citizen of the Abenaki Nation of Odanak, knew that version of history would differ sharply from her own. She does not consider the Vermont-recognized tribes to be legitimate descendants of Abenaki people, a view shared by leaders of Odanak First Nation and Wôlinak First Nation, the two Western Abenaki nations recognized by Canada and based in what is now Québec.

The scene felt familiar. More than a decade ago, when the four Vermontbased groups sought state recognition as Abenaki tribes, Watso traveled from her home in New York State to sit in crowded Statehouse committee rooms and listened as lawmakers took testimony. Like most Odanak and Wôlinak people, she was barred from testifying during Senate hearings in 2011 because she didn’t live in Vermont. Former senator Vince Illuzzi set and enforced that policy as chair of the Senate committee handling the issue.

Watso and leaders of the First Nations have long argued that Illuzzi’s restriction excluded their voices and denied the legislature key information that could have informed its decision. Lawmakers ultimately voted by wide margins to grant state recognition to all four Vermont groups: the Elnu Abenaki and the Nulhegan Band of the Coosuk Abenaki Nation in 2011, and the Abenaki Nation of Missisquoi and the Koasek Traditional Band of the Koas Abenaki Nation in 2012. But many of the crucial choices that shaped those outcomes had already been made in committee rooms away from the vaulted ceilings and ornate chambers of the House and Senate.

In the Vermont Statehouse, legislative committee chairs hold sway over the bills that shape public policy

BY HANNAH BASSETT • hbassett@sevendaysvt.com

In Vermont’s state legislature, much of the real power comes into play in small, cramped committee rooms where legislators gather around conference tables and observers squeeze shoulder to shoulder on hard benches. It’s wielded by committee chairs, the lawmakers who decide how time is spent on bills and whose voices are heard. Chairs set weekly agendas, choose which bills to take up and which to leave untouched, and manage the flow of testimony, electing who gets invited to speak, when debate is cut short and when a vote is called. They juggle agencies, advocates, legislative attorneys and their own colleagues, often under tight time constraints and with little staff support. Taken together, the procedural choices they make can shape a bill long before it

Denise Watso ERICA

Dan Coutu, chair of the Vermont Commission on Native American Affairs, speaking during a press conference in Montpelier

reaches the floor — and determine not only which policies move forward but also whose perspectives become part of Vermont’s official record and whose never do.

For Watso and others who say they were shut out of the state’s tribal recognition process, such decisions reverberate years later.

At the December press conference, Watso listened as commissioners unveiled the new curriculum. Though the education materials took three years to develop, commissioners said, the project stemmed from testimony during the state recognition hearings. The history now designed to be taught to Vermont students had been cast, at least in part, in the committee room where a single chair decided which voices counted.

“It has caused irreparable harm to the historical context, and to our legacy, to replace us with false identities,” Watso said.

LESSONS IN LEADERSHIP

The first year of every legislative biennium begins the same way in Montpelier: Committee chairs are appointed. In the House, the speaker makes the picks, while in the Senate, the task falls to the three-member Committee on Committees, composed of the lieutenant governor, president pro tempore and one rank-andfile senator.

These selections are more than routine. They signal which lawmakers will exert real influence as the legislature grapples with Vermont’s biggest challenges: housing affordability, the escalating cost of

The outsized influence of committee chairs has been on clear display during the current struggle to reshape Vermont’s education system.

health care, and how Vermont schools are organized, governed and paid for.

The outsized influence of committee chairs has been on clear display during the current struggle to reshape Vermont’s education system, work that began last year

and remains contentious and unresolved.

The House and Senate education committee chairs have played central roles in guiding the debate, in markedly different ways.

In the House, Speaker Jill Krowinski (D-Burlington) last year reappointed Rep.

Peter Conlon (D-Cornwall) to lead the Education Committee. The decision came as no surprise. Conlon was the incumbent and has a long record of working closely with public-school advocates generally aligned with the Democratic majority.

The Committee on Committees chose Sen. Seth Bongartz (D-Bennington) to lead the Senate Education Committee. This decision quickly drew notice. Bongartz had no experience on the committee and is a vocal proponent of private schools that get public funds to educate many Vermont students. Bongartz held particularly close ties with his alma mater, Burr & Burton Academy, where he served as the board chair for 15 years.

Conlon’s House Education Committee regularly heard from public-school advocacy groups such as the Vermont Principals’ Association, the Vermont Superintendents Association and the Vermont School Boards Association — organizations so influential in Montpelier that they are commonly referred to simply as “the Vs.”

Largely absent from the House witness seat, however, was the Vermont Independent Schools Association, which is the primary advocacy group for academies and independent schools. The association testified only briefly, to address a single narrow point. Email records obtained by Seven Days show the group’s lobbyist, Oliver Olsen, contacted the committee multiple times seeking to testify but was not scheduled.

Unlike his House counterpart, Bongartz welcomed testimony from the Vermont Independent Schools Association on several occasions and was quick to put forward a proposal of his own.

While the education reform bill was still with the House in early spring, Bongartz unveiled an alternative school redistricting map he later referred to as “the Senate plan.” The map made clear that independent schools would be able to maintain their unique position within the public school system, even amid potential consolidation. Bongartz said the map was

The “Ways and Means” project details the inner workings of the Vermont legislature and explores how well it represents the interests of citizens. The yearlong series is funded by Vermont philanthropists through the nonprofits GroundTruth Project and Journalism Funding Partners.

Speaker Jill Krowinski, who appoints House committee chairs

Rep. Peter Conlon (right) speaking with Rep. Emily Long

intended as a counterproposal to Gov. Phil Scott’s plan for much larger school districts, but public-school advocates argued that it was crafted primarily to preserve school choice.

“We are not interested in gerrymandering to preserve vouchers,” Darren Allen, a spokesperson for Vermont-NEA, told Vermont Public at the time.

By the end of the session, after a flurry of tense negotiations centering around how to integrate private schools within a redesigned public education system, the legislature passed the bill. Leadership heralded it as a bipartisan success. For Conlon and Bongartz, the final product reflected a negotiated middle ground between their visions for Vermont’s schools. Independent schools would face new limits on the public dollars they could receive — an outcome long championed by Conlon in the House committee — but those caps stopped short of their maximum reach, due in large part to Bongartz’s advocacy.

Many of the most difficult decisions, however, such as how to define new school district maps, were pushed down the road. Those problems are now back before the House and Senate education committees, with increasing pressure from the administration to provide solutions before legislators adjourn this spring.

Gov. Phil Scott warned lawmakers during his State of the State address that he would not sign the state budget if they failed to deliver comprehensive education reform as laid out in last year’s law.

“The real work begins today because now, we have to follow through,” Scott said.

It’s now on Conlon and Bongartz to make that happen.

THIS CHAIR IS JUST RIGHT

There is no archetype for an effective legislative committee chair. Over the decades, Statehouse leaders have tapped lawmakers from across a wide range of professions and personalities to fill the role.

Sen. Ginny Lyons (D-ChittendenSoutheast), who was elected by the Senate to serve as the Committee on Committees’ rank-and-file member this session, said the process is all about balance. The group considers a range of factors — weighing regional representation, political affiliation, subject-matter expertise, seniority

and leadership ability. The process typically leaves the majority party holding most chair positions and in control of committees, prioritizing issues.

These leaders need certain qualities, Lyons added, regardless of committee.

All chairs should be able to collaborate and maintain their colleagues’ trust while managing agendas, debates and witnesses.

Speaker Krowinski said it’s important for committee chairs to share her vision for the legislature’s top priorities, which this biennium she defined as education transformation, housing, health care and the budget. Chairs must align legislation with those goals, she said, and know when to defer a bill to a task force for further study if it is not ready to be advanced.

“There is a constant tension, sometimes good, sometimes not, between committee chairs and their boss who put them in those spots,” Ellis said.

In the 1980s and ’90s, longtime Democratic House speaker Ralph Wright would not tolerate defiance: Members who crossed the speaker were reassigned or sidelined to less influential committees, Ellis said.

Dustups are not limited to members from different parties. Republican Walter Freed was elected House speaker in 2001, the year after the legislature passed the nation’s first civil unions law, which Freed opposed. The speaker promptly stripped fellow Republican representative Tom Little, a key proponent of civil unions, of his position as chair of the powerful House Judiciary Committee.

“It was pretty clear that he was not inclined to reappoint me,” Little said. “If we had not had a civil union bill the prior year, I think I probably would have stayed on as chair.”

More recently, Ellis recalled, when Rep. Tom Stevens (D-Waterbury) became chair of the House Committee on General and Housing in 2019, then-speaker Mitzi Johnson took a lighter touch than her predecessors. Stevens initially pushed for relatively aggressive tax-and-spend policies on affordable housing, but he moderated his approach after Johnson was said to have intervened behind the scenes, Ellis said.

Stevens said that, because Johnson did not have extensive housing policy experience, he would intentionally put forward bold policies as chair, knowing there would have to be compromises and concessions as a bill advanced. He also noted that the tenor around housing reform shifted because of COVID-19 and the influx of pandemic-relief funds.

Ashe said that, during his tenure as pro tem, from 2017 to 2021, each chair did their best, but a few pushed the boundaries.

Deputy state auditor Tim Ashe, a former state senator who served two terms as the Senate president pro tem, contrasted the styles of the late Senate Judiciary chair Dick Sears, known for his gruff and commanding ways, with the calm and methodical approach of former House Ways and Means chair Janet Ancel. Both chairs distinguished themselves as effective committee leaders, Ashe said.

In short, “There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to being a chair,” he said.

The House speaker and the Senate president typically meet weekly with chairs to ensure committees stay on course and to discuss priorities. But that doesn’t guarantee alignment, according to Kevin Ellis, a former Statehouse lobbyist with the firm KSE Partners.

Chairs sometimes needed to be reminded that they couldn’t run their committee without input from other members, he recalled.

Still, Ellis said it’s a relatively new phenomenon for speakers and chairs to sort out their differences gracefully.

“These things are usually addressed slowly and quietly,” Ellis said. “It’s much more polite than it used to be.”

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES…

Memorable moments in the House and Senate almost always play out on the chamber floors. But that’s not where people should be looking if they want to see the real decisions being made, according to Mike Fisher. He’s Vermont’s health care advocate and represented

Sen. Seth Bongartz leading a Senate Education Committee hearing

Sen. Ginny Lyons speaking on the floor of the Senate

PHOTOS: JEB WALLACE-BRODEUR

Lincoln as a state representative from 2001 to 2015.

“What happens on the floor doesn’t matter,” Fisher said. “It happens in committees.”

Fisher said lobbyists quickly learn that committee chairs are the ones with real influence over a bill, guiding it en route to the floor. That’s influenced his approach to advocacy in the Statehouse.

“If I can, I’m going to work from the head of the table down,” he said.

The chair drives the process: lining up witnesses, coordinating bill revisions with legislative counsel and scheduling committee votes. They decide who can speak — committee members only when recognized, witnesses pending

the committee’s time on a bill Lyons introduced containing an assortment of health care provisions even though it did not appear to have the votes necessary to advance.

“None of us support it except for you,” Hardy said to Lyons. “And it’s really just, frankly, torturing the rest of the committee.”

“Thank you for expressing your opinion,” Lyons responded. “So, we’re going to continue.”

Hardy tried and failed to force a vote on the bill, then briefly left the room before returning to press Lyons again.

“Why are you continuing to make changes to a bill that is not going to pass?” Hardy asked.

“Because I can,” Lyons replied. The bill was never voted out of committee.

Lyons said the exchange was unusual and does not reflect the health committee’s typical back-and-forth. Hardy declined to be interviewed for this story.

Ultimately, to get a bill across the finish line, chairs must ensure that all perspectives are heard during committee meetings, according to John Brabant, who was a lobbyist for Vermonters for a Clean Environment until he retired earlier this month.

approval. Chairs said they often spend nearly as much time on administrative work as on policy. It’s the less glamorous side of the position, they said, but controlling the weekly agenda enables chairs to ensure that their pet issues are considered.

Last year, Lyons, who chairs the Senate Health and Welfare Committee, rolled out a new framework for health care reform that drew close scrutiny from experts, committee members and stakeholders. She set agendas that kept the committee focused on statewide health care delivery and reference-based hospital pricing, a system tying payments to Medicare rates.

The effort was “Herculean,” Lyons said, requiring her to build consensus, write policy and carefully select expert witnesses to maximize the committee’s limited hours. The bill passed at the end of the session and is considered one of the two most consequential health care reforms of 2025.

But Lyons’ approach to steering the committee on issues she personally championed has not always gone over so well.

In March 2024, during the crossover period when a committee must vote out most bills to keep them alive, VTDigger reported a tense exchange between Lyons and Sen. Ruth Hardy (D-Addison). Hardy questioned why Lyons was spending

House and Senate rules require that anyone who sponsors a bill or requests to testify be allowed to speak. In practice, though, chairs are rarely held accountable for sidestepping the policy, Brabant said.

“Lobbyists are afraid to go and rat on committee chairs because they’re afraid that then they’ll have a diminished effect for their organizations going forward,” Brabant said.

Last year, Brabant wanted to speak in support of a bill to ban fertilizing land with sewage sludge because it’s contaminated with PFAS. When the bill reached the House Environment Committee, Brabant said, despite his request, the chair, Rep. Amy Sheldon (D-Middlebury), did not allow him to testify. Brabant appealed to the speaker’s office, and within days he was invited to address the committee. Brabant said it was possible the timing of his testimony soon after the meeting was coincidental, but this year he felt the chair welcomed more perspectives to the table.

Lyons said the legislature’s part-time schedule makes time constraints real, forcing chairs to schedule testimony and discussions carefully. Senate chairs, in particular, can only convene their committees for a few hours each day

MIKE FISHER

because senators split their time between two standing committees. (House chairs, in contrast, are able to meet with their members both morning and afternoon as long as the full House is not in session.) The limitations of the Senate schedule mean that if an interested party does not reach out early, they may simply miss their chance.

“Sometimes we have to say, ‘You’re too late. You’ll have to go to the House,’” Lyons said, adding that in those instances people can still submit comments in writing.

Time constraints are why Illuzzi, the former chair during the Abenaki recognition process, said he felt it necessary to limit testimony to Vermont residents. People who lived outside the state were allowed to submit written material for the record. Illuzzi said it was not the first time he’d implemented the policy for a bill before the Senate Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs Committee.

“We only meet for three hours a day and only have so much time to take direct testimony,” Illuzzi told Seven Days in 2011. Ashe, who served as the committee’s vice chair at the time, said in a recent interview that he could not recall if or why Illuzzi chose to hear in-person testimony only from Vermonters.

At one point, though, Illuzzi appeared poised to come around. In January 2011, when his committee was considering recognition for the Elnu Abenaki Tribe and the Nulhegan Abenaki Tribe, Illuzzi emailed legislative counsel to say the committee would take more time to hear from witnesses before voting.

“We are obligated to give everyone, including opponents, the opportunity to testify,” Illuzzi wrote.

Following a recommendation from an Abenaki advocate, Illuzzi cleared Watso, her cousin Jacques Watso and Skip Bernier of Newport to testify.

Denise Watso was thrilled to learn the group would be allowed to address the committee.

“All we wanted to do was to be heard, and then the facts and the evidence would speak for themselves,” Watso said.

But a week later, Illuzzi rescinded the invitation, according to Watso. The Watsos never appeared to speak. Bernier and his grandson, Tim de la Bruere, both residents of Newport, were the only two Odanak or Wôlinak Abenakis to testify in either the Senate or House. Illuzzi said recently that he did not recall the SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY

exchange with Watso but that if he had to run a committee considering Abenaki state recognition again, he would do it the same way.

Watso said she and other Abenaki citizens provided written comments but did not testify before the House committee, either, even though it did not prohibit out-of-state residents. That wasn’t for lack of will, she said, but because it felt as though “the system was stacked against us.”

“Why must they attempt to silence our voices, and deny us our aboriginal, civil, and human rights?” Watso wrote in her blog documenting the hearings at the time. “Why can’t they look us in the eyes and hear our voices as we speak in defense of the truth of Abenaki history and the need for justice and respect?”

Watso suggested in a recent interview that Illuzzi’s decisions as chair, including the policy to hear testimony only from Vermont residents, were key in securing state recognition of groups she does not consider to be Abenaki and amounted to malfeasance.

“It felt like he put up a stockade fence around Vermont to keep Indigenous people out of Vermont,” Watso said.

Illuzzi rejected any idea that he had unilateral control over the committee — or the ultimate fate of the legislation.

“I played a big role, but we persuaded the vast majority of the House and Senate, and the governor signed it,” he said. “It wasn’t a hard lift. I didn’t jam it through.”

ALL TOGETHER NOW

Rep. Alice Emmons (D-Springfield) has seen generations of chairs operate in the Statehouse since 1983. The longesttenured member of the state legislature, she has led the House Committee on Corrections and Institutions for more than 15 years.

That experience has led her to different conclusions about legislative committees and who controls them.

“It’s natural for a new chair to think they’ll get their way once they take the helm,” Emmons said. “But most realize within a few weeks that you’re usually the last person to get what you want.”

That doesn’t mean chairs can’t steer issues, she added, but their first duty is balancing the voices and perspectives at the table. The most effective chairs, Emmons argued, are still able to regularly achieve unanimous committee votes. This session, she reports a high success rate on her committee.

Rep. Alyssa Black (D-Essex), chair of the House Health Care Committee, has made consensus her top priority. Black aims for every bill that her panel votes out to have unanimous support, calling for additional testimony or delaying votes when necessary to ensure every member feels fully informed.

Black said she works closely with her vice chair, Rep. Francis McFaun (R-Barre Town), and ranking member, Rep. Daisy Berbeco (D-Winooski). She provides

members a list of all bills, lets them rank priorities and structures the week around the group’s top choices, ensuring each member sees at least one priority advance.

The coordination and collaboration are time-consuming, Black said, but it means that when it’s time to vote on a bill, everybody is comfortable with the group’s decision.

The approach seems to have worked. Every bill to pass out of the House Health Care committee last year has since been signed into law except for one, which Black anticipates will pass this year.

Close coordination with Black’s Senate counterparts, including Lyons, the Senate health chair, helped. The two committees have held several joint hearings throughout the session, which Black and Lyons see as an effective way to save committee time. They also agree that clear communication and transparency about their priorities help ensure the two panels stay on track.

“If the House Health Care Committee wanted to move on something that the Senate chair wasn’t going to touch, that would be a waste of our time,” Black said.

Rep. Michael Marcotte (R-Newport) leads the House Committee on Commerce and Economic Development and is one of only two Republicans among the 15 House committee chairs this session. He said close coordination with his vice chair, Rep. Edye Graning (D-Jericho), has been instrumental to their committee’s success. Marcotte and Graning work together to set

« P.29

Rep. Mike Marcotte speaking with Rep. Edye Graning

the committee’s agenda each week, with a standing invitation for other members to participate.

Despite working under a Democratic speaker, Marcotte said he has never felt as if he’s had to put any of his policy priorities aside because of the party differences.

“People don’t realize that we really do work together here,” Marcotte said. “We’re not Washington.”

The two House committees with Republican chairs this session — Commerce and Transportation — concern themselves with relatively nonpartisan issue areas, Marcotte noted, making it unlikely for political differences to pose problems.

You can mold your committee the way you’d like it to run.

REP. MICHAEL MARCOTTE

The same is largely true in the Senate, where Republicans lead three of the chamber’s 13 committees — Agriculture, Government Operations and Transportation — all of which tend to generate less ideological friction. In each of those committees, Marcotte added, Democrats hold a majority of the seats.

“If anything comes up, it could get squashed pretty easily,” Marcotte said.

This session, more than half of Marcotte’s committee members were serving their first terms. In some ways, Marcotte said, that makes the job easier, as members are still developing a sense of their roles.

“You can mold your committee the way you’d like it to run,” he said.

Marcotte said he has tried to establish an informal, collaborative and respectful tone to put both colleagues and witnesses at ease. He aims to create the feel of kitchen-table conversations, even when tackling difficult topics.

But as much as he’s enjoyed the process, the position has taken a toll and at times limited the attention he can devote to advocating for his constituents.

“Sometimes I just wake up and wish I didn’t have the responsibilities of being a chair,” Marcotte said.

After 22 years in the House, including eight as a chair, Marcotte has decided this will be his final term. Retirement, he said, will allow him to spend more time with his wife — and will offer him relief from the constant pressures of leading a committee.

“I worry about losing that institutional knowledge, but the place will survive without me,” Marcotte said. “It always does.”

BARRED AGAIN

After members of the Vermont Commission on Native American Affairs wrapped up the presentation portion of their December press conference and turned to questions from the audience, Denise Watso rose to speak.

“I’m here on behalf of the Abenaki Nation of Odanak,” Watso announced. “I’m here as an observer and a witness to this event today.”

Watso objected to the curriculum’s portrayal of history and vowed to discuss it further with Odanak leaders. She was particularly troubled by the commission’s portrayal of the hearings and testimony that had originally shaped Vermont’s approach to Indigenous education.

Her remarks, however, did not last long. Organizers declared the press conference was over and there would be no more questions or comments, then summoned security guards. Watso was escorted from the room, while several leaders and supporters of the state-recognized tribes continued to address attendees.

She briefly regrouped in the lobby with the few allies who had also been in attendance. Watso needed to head back to her home outside Schenectady, N.Y. It could be frustrating to stay engaged in Vermont’s affairs, she said, but she was doing what she could. In a few weeks, the legislature would reconvene, and there would be at least a couple pieces of legislation related to state recognition that she’d be following.

Among them is a bill introduced last year by Rep. Troy Headrick (I-Burlington) calling for a task force to revisit the state’s previous tribal recognition decisions and to guide a truth and reconciliation process.

It is precisely the kind of measure Watso urges the legislature to embrace. In her view, and that of Abenaki leaders, it would be a necessary step to correct the record and give historically excluded people a voice.

The bill remains in the House Committee on General and Housing. This January, its chair, Rep. Marc Mihaly (D-East Calais), met with his vice chair and ranking member to prioritize legislation before presenting the list to the broader committee for consideration. The state recognition bill did not make the cut. ➆

Disclosure: Tim Ashe is the domestic partner of Seven Days publisher Paula Routly.

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One Battle After Another

In a new book, a local historian chronicles the dashed effort to erase Confederate names from military bases

BY STEVE GOLDSTEIN • sgoldstein@sevendaysvt.com

What’s in a name? For the U.S. military, a lot. In 2020, Congress created the Naming Commission. Its purpose: to rename nine of the most prominent Army bases and monuments that honored men who took up arms with the ill-fated Confederate States of America — places such as Fort Bragg in North Carolina and Fort Lee in Virginia. Connor Williams, a historian teaching at Middlebury College, was drafted to be lead historian on the project by his mentor and commission vice chair, Ty Seidule, himself an Army veteran and West Point professor emeritus.

WE CURRENTLY LIVE IN A SYSTEM WHERE, AS SOME PEOPLE HAVE SAID, IT’S “LAWFUL BUT AWFUL.”

CONNOR WILLIAMS

The commission delivered its recommendations to Congress in 2022, and the following year the Department of Defense was directed to put the name changes into effect. But in 2025, President Donald Trump bypassed the law and announced that the bases would revert back to their original names. As Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described it last June, the move was “important for morale.”

A new book, coauthored by Williams and Seidule, chronicles the Naming Commission’s efforts and the Americans whom it had chosen to honor. A Promise Delivered: Ten American Heroes and the Battle to Rename Our Nation’s Military Bases was published on Veterans Day in November. Documentary filmmaker Ken Burns called it “a timely and inspiring history ... How fortunate that Seidule and Williams have helped restore full value to the real actions that define heroism, sacrifice, virtue, and honor.”

Williams, 40, lives across Lake Champlain in Westport, N.Y. He frequents the Adirondack Mountains and is the local historian for Great Camp Sagamore, a Gilded Age

HISTORY

relic once owned by the Vanderbilt family. He teaches in both the history and Black Studies departments at Middlebury and is completing a new book on the Confederacy.

In an interview with Seven Days , Williams discussed how the Naming Commission gathered information and completed its task, even as forces were building to undo its work.

Was it a difficult decision to join the Naming Commission?

As a historian, it’s very clear to me that this work was overdue and incredibly important to having our national commemorations match our national

history. There was a moment of rational questioning: Do I want to make myself part of this and potentially a target for online criticism? The nature of the work was far more important, I thought, than my own personal inbox.

How many names in total were vetted by the commission?

At one point, we had 33,000 recommendations. Many were duplicates, so when we counted the unique names we had about 3,500 different candidates from our military history. We narrowed that down to 500, then to about 90, and then to 10 finalists.

What groups contributed recommendations?

We had senators, congressmen, people who ran the deli down the block — all these different folks giving advice to us. Also reenactors from the African American 54th Massachusetts regiment, the one memorialized in the film Glory We thought it was our job to listen to all of them.

How did the practice of naming these installations evolve?

At different points in our nation’s history, the Army has named things different ways. Sometimes it’s been the regional commander who just says, “We’re putting up a fort in 1842 in the Iowa territory. Let’s call it ‘The Fort.’” Around the time of the First World War, the Army had established a set of guidelines that the installations should be named for Civil War generals or prominent figures in the war. These figures, the guidelines said, were to be “not unpopular in the vicinity of the camp.” Also, the names should be short. Fort Hood in Texas was a good choice because “Hood” could be stenciled easily on the crates of supplies.

Why did the naming result in so much honor for the Confederacy?

During the Civil War era itself, the nation is very much anti-Confederate and aghast that such a minority is waging this horrific war against the vast majority. Postwar, one way to forget is by making it an all-white reunion: White Northerners and white Southerners get together at places like Gettysburg, 50 years after the battle, and they shake hands and focus on mutual valor. Naming rights are extended as an olive branch to the losers. Many Union veterans bitterly called this “Reconciliast gush.”

You had nine bases to name, so why did you choose 10 individuals?

We realized this was a chance to not just show off military heroism but also some of the practices that have always made the military powerful, such as teamwork. So

A PROMISE DELIVERED

FORT BARFOOT (PREVIOUSLY FORT PICKETT)

e hills and landscape around Blackstone, Virginia, have a way of taking a visitor back in time. Situated about an hour’s drive southwest of Richmond and an hour’s drive southeast of Appomattox, some of the vistas and rolling farm country feel like remnants from a bygone era. Few places in Virginia surpass the region in evoking the kinds of agriculture and country living that once dominated the state.

In 1941, army engineers found another use for the area: it had enough ready land and resources to train multiple divisions at once. So they established a camp, springing up 1,400 buildings in a little under a year—many of them iconic white, rectangular, bunks-all-in-a-row barracks. Some of these still remain at the camp, a tribute to the generation of soldiers who trained there. And training soldiers remains the fort’s purpose to this day. Owned by the army but operated by the Virginia National Guard, the installation has a very small complement of permanent soldiers and civilian workers. But it hosts units from all different services, all of which use the terrain and ranges to practice for all sorts of styles and scenarios of war.

It was originally named Camp Pickett, honoring Confederate general George Pickett, who had grown up on a slave-labor plantation about an hour away by car. Unless entirely swept away by false, romantic visions of the Civil War, soldiers training there could never feel proud of that namesake.

Pickett’s main claim to fame then— and now—was having his name attached to the most disastrous charge of the Civil War, on the last day of Gettysburg. His division suffered more than 50 percent casualties during their two-mile-long assault across open ﬁelds. ey gained no ground of relevance whatsoever

we named Fort Lee for two path-breaking Black Army o cers, Arthur J. Gregg and Charity Adams. We just saw, in all these cases, it was really important to speak to the mosaic of military service — not be deﬁned by a lone soldier with a riﬂe doing heroic things, nor by a general giving orders.

What requirements were there to determine whether somebody was eligible to be a potential name?

There was no rigid rule where you had to tick every box, but candidates should tick many of them. Generally speaking, that meant being from the area where the post

“high-water mark” about a meaningless mile farther than if they had just stayed in the woods they’d started from. Stripped of revisionist romanticism, “Pickett’s Charge” remains one of the greatest failures of the entire war. It is the last thing soldiers training for battle should emulate.

e rest of Pickett’s war record fares no better. In 1864, he ordered the execution of twenty-two US prisoners of war and threatened to hang ten more for every Confederate prisoner the United States executed. He was also chronically absent from his division, frequently leaving his men to court (and eventually marry) a teenager half his age. Indeed, most of the flattering letters, actions, and stories about Pickett have proven to be complete fictions, written by his young widow during her fifty-six years following his death.

From A Promise Delivered: Ten American Heroes and the Battle to Rename Our Nation’s Military Bases by Ty Seidule and Connor Williams. © 2026 by the authors and reprinted by permission of St. Martin’s Publishing Group.

Another was Mary Edwards Walker. The only female surgeon hired by the U.S. Army in the Civil War and the ﬁrst and only woman to receive the Medal of Honor. Born in Oswego in central New York in the early 19th century, she was also a tireless advocate for women’s rights.

And, finally, Charity Adams Earley. With no military training, but encouraged by the dean of her master’s degree program, she entered the first-ever female class at O cer Candidate School and was the first African American o cer in the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps. During World War II, she was the commanding officer of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion.

Has President Trump acted on his threat to revert to Confederate names? With the stroke of two orders from Defense Secretary Hegseth and a speech by Trump in June, all nine installations have adopted their former Confederate names. They did this with the exact mechanism that the Naming Commission had evaluated and found faulty: Find other soldiers who were not Confederates and name the posts after them. Trump and Hegseth enlisted some historians to ﬁnd soldiers with the same spelling, so they found a B-R-A-G-G, for example, and named it for him. And so they found a Hood, a Pickett, a Benning and so on, and they’ve re-renamed them for those people instead. I’ve described this deception as choosing surnames over service.

Do you feel like your work was wasted?

was, living now in that area, training there for some period or if the post somehow had played a big role in their lives.

You cited three outstanding candidates, the ﬁrst being William Henry Johnson.

He was the ﬁrst hero of the American e ort in the Great War, as World War I was called. But he was an African American man who, by design of the federal government, was put into a segregated unit, the Harlem Hellﬁghters. By his own desire to serve and prove his patriotism, he did incredibly brave things at the front.

I am aware that we currently live in a system where, as some people have said, it’s “lawful but awful.” The commander in chief and the secretary of defense are able to say what the bases are named after, and, ultimately, while I think that their wisdom is wanting, they won an election, and they get to do whatever they want. We listened to everyone who wanted to be heard. We deliberated. We met with these communities. They just got a list of people with the same last names and slapped them on. ➆

The interview was edited for clarity and length.

INFO

A Promise Delivered: Ten American Heroes and the Battle to Rename Our Nation’s Military Bases by Ty Seidule and Connor Williams, St. Martin’s Press, 368 pages. $29.

Connor Williams will speak on ursday, February 26, 7 p.m., at Snowfort Books in Westport, N.Y.

and simply pushed the Confederate

To Pumpkin Man, You charmed and impressed me with your ability to grow award-winning pumpkins as big as elephants. I will always be grateful to the giant pumpkin for bringing us together.

— From your CC and Picasso

Joe, 5 years in Burlington and off to a new adventure. I’m so proud of us, and l love you!

— Erin

Mieks, Minnow! I love you more than dots, patchers and twin snakes could ever say.

— Cheeks

Green Bean, They say love isn’t black and white...unless you put it in the newspaper! Happy Love Day to my best friend, and other half ❤

— Squash

Luke, 10 loving years today — from the Sahale Arm of the North Cascades to the swells of Fort Pierce. I’d take you anywhere, and back again.

— Sabes

Pauli,

Remember the golden yellow turtleneck?

Signing my yearbook under my name? Kinga Burger? Marathons? Max the cat? The worlds at day’s end pushing two strollers? Coaching soccer?

Travel hockey? Holidays? Carrying the stroller up metro stairs? I do.

— Love you way too much, Wife

*my middle school sweetheart, It’s always been you!

— Your poodle princess

Thanks to all the readers who shared their Valentine’s greetings for this annual tradition. If you missed out this year, be sure to tell your sweetie how you feel — in person! Tag us @sevendaysvt

Sausage, New house. New chapter. Same crazy love. So lucky you’re my best friend. AG ❤

— Lady

Melanie,

So much love to the loveliest person. And Jacob, too.

— Meg

Fernan,

Distance can’t dim the love we share, although you’re far away, in my heart, you’re here.

— Jeremy

Idea Guy,

On the verge of retirement, 21 years in, I can’t wait to spend mine with the most fun guy alive. Keep those beautiful ideas coming.

— Fiona

Care Partners, Your patience, love, and resilience light the way through uncertain days. You are a beautiful example of love that remembers, even when memories fade.

— Vermont Alzheimer’s Association

Mine purple pierogi, I love you so much. I feel so lucky to have you in my life and to be a part of yours. You make me so incredibly happy, and you make me feel so amazingly loved. I am so excited for so many more smiles, snacks, and sleeps (likely in that order).

— Your magic-cat

Thor, Roses are red, Violets are blue, Happy Valentines Day To my sweet boo!

— Sif

WJH,

Without David Zaslav’s horrible business decisions we never would have gotten together. The declining quality of the movie industry is a small price to pay for having you in my life.

— KPM

Tyler,

HOOONEY,

Approaching 10 years of love and admiration! So original, so gutsy, so smart, so sexy. What a lucky guy I am.

— JimBlue

Flowers on the hillside blooming crazy; Crickets talking back and forth in rhyme; Blue river running slow and lazy; I could stay with you forever and never realize the time; Almost 20 years. To my partner, my love, my friend. Here’s to the next 20 ❤

Rick Moulton,

On Valentine’s Day in 1987 we married on the meadow after 16 years living together and two kids. It has been 55 years since I fell in love with you and I love you more now than ever before. Love does grow over time, and Our Love is timeless.

— With Love, Melinda

My Love Melinda, I knew you were the love of my life the night I met you in 1970. Vibrating together for 55 years you have created a melody that soothes my soul because our magical song keeps us dancing to the beat of our love.

— Eternal Love, Rick

Francie, F is for friendly & fun, R is for romantic & resilient, A is for adorable & athletic, N is for nurturing & nice, C is for compassionate & cute, I is for Intelligent & inspiring, and E is elegant & energetic!

I love you, Francie! ❤

— XOXO Tommy

To Cathie, It was the ’70s and I saw you in Grad School at UB. Just one look, that’s all it took and now here we are 50-plus years later. I love you as much now as I did then and so proud of our life together. Amazing we made it to retirement. The years fly by.

— From “Me” Israel

My Precious Manon, Thank you for being the Center of My Universe.

— Guns, Guitars, Guns, Guitars Boy

Ale, Happy Valentine’s Day! It’s amazing that we have met each other and become so close to each other. I’m excited to see everything this year holds for us, I love you and all the time we spend together!

— Ian ❤

Clark Shark, Your hug is home. Hold my flipper!

— Bumble

My darling Bear, Happy Valentine’s Day to a very decent human being. I am so lucky to have you in my life. Love you lots!

— Your special Frog

Dr J, You are the sexiest person. So smart, funny, handsome and charismatic. Your gambling skills are unmatched. Can’t wait to see you on your e-bike. Happy Valentine’s Day. XOXO

— Your secret admirer

My Mailman,

My lover, you always deliver exactly what I need. I love you endlessly. I will always ‘ship’ us priority, you left a ‘forever stamp’ on my heart. You’re a ‘ﬁrst class’ guy with your right hand drive, and I’ll always be your left side passenger.

— Your Darling Postal Customer

Life, Since the early days of locking in over “ah so desu ka” and the most awkward Chinese philosophy group project ever, we’ve known our connection was a powerful one ... 3 decades in now, I still choose you every day & don’t plan to stop.

— Your valentine, Melanie (ily!)

Lexi, You’re the best! You’re a Valentine to all the dogs in Burlington. And me, too.

— Your not-so-secret-admirer

Dodge Ball Crew,

My lifelong friends: fun, games and matching yellow T-shirts for 36 years!!! Who knew moles would mellow with age? Life is better together. Our friendship is among the greatest treasures of my life, you are my ride or dies. See ya at the Boardroom!

— Me

Melissa Hadder,

Geothermal mist, we aligned by frequency not face. Optimism and terrible math: love minus 8,000 miles. A partner in capers, scars as postcards. You should have done a background check. Our journey grows us both. Two blossoming souls, one soil.

— Global Dance Floor Diplomat

Scott Scotty Scott Scott, How did the years ﬂy by? Through your good humor constantly making me laugh, music to raise the vibration, and our shared commitment to grow together. I love you! Happy Valentine’s Day! — Bee and Begin Again

George Street, MontyP Neighborhood, I’ve never been luckier in my life than to join our neighborhood! I’m so grateful for our little community on Wilson & George Streets! All the

dogs, the growing number of children, the long-timers and the new friends. May our ties continue to grow!

— Cate and Oliver

Ellyn Drysdale,

Hey my beautiful and wonderful girlfriend, you’re so amazing I just had to put it in print I love you!

— Sam ❤

Dear Sam,

Being your mom is the best adventure of my life.

I LOVE YOU! SO! MUCH!!

— Mama Donkey

Squash, You make us laugh every day and just make life better. I’m so lucky to have you as my Valentine and get to watch you be an amazing dad.

— Butternut

My King of the Hill, Oh my Joseph, Joey, Joe I love you more than you’ll ever know From college mischief To 3 kids in tow Ups, downs, and heaps of trouble Every year my love doubles When it comes to desire, you are my heart’s I like your jokes — but not your farts

— Your True Fine Love

D, Sweetness — I go to bed at night looking forward to our slow mornings together. It still gives me joy to just BE. You’re my light and my love and life is better with you in it. Love you and like you tons.

— K

AK,

You know … we should be something more than just dinner-and-a-movie buddies — really … c’mon … It would be fun. Honest. — ami de Maigret

Julia Fears, Happy ﬁrst Valentine’s Day! I’m eternally grateful that I met you this summer and became so close to you this fall. I hope this day and weekend is everything you imagined. I love you. Mwah!

— Ethan :)

My Valentine,

Has anyone told you that you’re the greatest today? Here’s to us — until our hands are wrinkled and our smile lines run deep. You’re always gonna be someone that I want. I love you, to the moon and back.

— Yours, Always.

To Kitt,

As this world continues to fall into madness, there is only one thing that seems to make sense. Loving you will never be a mistake or foolish decision. So despite all of my ﬂaws, I am going to give you all of my heart in spite of my soul.

— From Parker

Cara,

How auspicious we met at dance. Now, against all odds, your dog doesn’t cry when I come over, and we ﬁgured out sleep. So much feels possible in your arms... even my badly chapped hands may one day be supple with your careful attention. To more...

— KB XOXO

Tom Lapham, I love the kind way you are in the world, a ready friend to all. I love your spirit of adventure and how you always ﬁnd the best hike wherever you go. I love how you wake up singing. There’s no one else I want to watch Colbert with more than you!

— Your Happy Partner, Karen

Mom (Nina A. Witham), I love you to the moon and back. Thank you for being a bad @$$ mama! Love, hugs, and kisses.

— Jazzy-Bones Boucher

George,

Thank you for being my rock during my 2-year cancer battle, laughing at my jokes, making me feel pretty even when I was bald. Thank you for teaching me to play golf, sharing the epic trip to South Africa and being a super dog daddie to Sully. — Love You, Annie

My Beautiful Sambucapucaduca, I would write this myself if I could — and I’d probably use fewer words! Always remember that I appreciated how kind and thoughtful you were to me — I was THE sensitive parent! I love you to the moon and back again! And times inﬁnity plus one!!

— Dad

BTV Maintenance and Recycling, Thank you all for keeping us safe through the years, keeping our towns clean, taking time to teach us how to sort and recycle — and thank you for making the community better!

— Grateful

Husband,

We’ve put sharks in a boat, swam in weird water, moved 1,600 miles, buried a beloved dog in the rain, missed a train in India, and brought a beautiful Fig to fruition. Here’s to a lifetime of asking each other “what’s for dinner?”

— Love love love, Wife

Hammie,

Roses are red. Violets are blue. I can’t believe I’ve spent almost 5 years with you! I cherish the person you are, and the pair we’ve become. Grateful to be here with you.

— Édesem

Dear Sweet Prince, I miss you EVERY day. Even small, mundane things we did together were wonderful! Splitting wood, shoveling snow, going to Duck Donuts, getting you twine at IKEA, losing at Trivial Pursuit — even when I cheated, etc.!

I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU!

— Soozie (The Big Donkey)

The Front Porch Forum Team,

Thank you all for keeping the community connected! I hope you all get LOTS of donations this year — you deserve it!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

— A Grateful Reader

My Purrfect Mom, Thanks for taking such great care of me — 4 meals a day when I was younger, great dental care even when it was tough on both of us, getting a robo-litter box big enough for me, etc.! I’d write more but it’s hard without opposable thumbs!

LOVE YOU MOM!

— Oliver

Two kids, couple cats and, bam, we’re seven years knotted, Time ﬂies when you’re having fun, living with roots potted. You’re a stinker and a gift with your candles and your sneaky smile, You might not always know it, but we love you a country mile. — “Worst roomies ever”

The VT-CAN Team,

For nearly two decades, your compassion, skill, and relentless work have provided over 52,000 affordable spay/neuter surgeries, changing the lives of Vermont animals and the people who love them. Thank you for showing up, year after year.

— Grateful Rescuers Across Vermont

Bug,

So grateful for 27+ mostly drama-free years, for long walks with the dogs, Sunday night house meetings, cutthroat competitions, hot saunas, cold plunges, lots and lots of plants. Without structure, life is nothing. Wise words, indeed.

— Aimo

Matt,

You make my heart happy!!!

I love you more than popcorn, bacon and the Oscars combined. So glad and grateful we are on this adventure together.

Thank you for being my forever favorite!

— Shannon

Lyra, Ross, Catie, & Anna, Enrich, run, train and play, your love makes us happy every day! Your talent and skill deﬁes belief, We are SO grateful for Maple Leaf! XO

— C, K, & T

BestMan4U, Happy Valentine’s Day to the BestMan4Me! 9,711,360 minutes and counting since ﬁrst contact. I love you more than ever. ❤

— Wednesday Girl

Ben,

Happy Valentine’s Day to the love of my life. Thank you for building such a sweet existence with me, Rosie, Button and Delphy. We all love you very much.

— Heather

Kyle, my love: true love in the perch ten sweet years to eleven long arms are heaven

— Your soul mate, Karen

Lori,

Valentine,

Your bright eyes and toothless grin arrest us daily. Thank you for letting us wash your face and put on socks despite them not being your favorite activities. We can agree to disagree. You are our joy.

— Mama, Dada, Por Por, Gung Gung

— A Grateful Reader

My favorite color is you ‚ I, am thinking it’s a sign That the freckles in our eyes are mirror images and when we kiss, they’re perfectly aligned. You’re my wife and my best friend! Be my Valentine, too!

— Lani

FEEDback

Considering that we have 45 private schools approved to receive public education dollars, this is no drop in the bucket.

Without an honest conversation about school choice, I’m afraid that Vermont might need a bigger bucket.

Jessica DeCarolis GROTON

FOOD STAMP SCAM

[Re “Vermont to Pursue ‘Junk Food Ban’ for Users of Food Stamps,” February 5]:

I think this is a stupid idea. People will just trade the food stamps for pennies on the dollar, like they did in the ’80s to buy their soda and other banned items. At what cost? They’ll trade 50 bucks’ worth of their food stamps for 25 bucks, if they’re lucky, and still get their soda and other items. Think, people.

John Barbera SHARON

PRESERVE OPEN SPACE

[Re “Public Accommodations? Amid a Housing Crisis, Vermont Explores Making State Property Available for Home Building,” January 21]: I would like to encourage all Burlingtonians to push back hard against any attempt by our city’s administrators to take our irreplaceable and finite park land for development.

As Burlington continues to grow, our public open space will become more critical than ever for our mental and physical well-being, quality of life, and buffering against changes in climate. For most of us, housing in Burlington is charming but cramped, and our public open spaces are the backyards for “the rest of us.”

To quote Burlington’s own planBTV, the city’s principal guide to land use: “As this plan and many related plans detail, [natural areas, parks and open space] provide incredibly valuable natural, recreational, and economic resources for the city and much of our region. The

A CONTRACTOR’S VIEW

[Re “All Wet? Gov. Phil Scott Wants to Relax Wetlands Regs to Spur Housing Construction. Critics Say the Change Would Endanger the Environment — and Homes,” January 28]: The rewrite of Vermont wetlands regulations is long overdue, and I applaud Gov. Phil Scott for taking this initial step. As they currently exist, the rules, and the administration of the rules, are time-consuming, costly, ambiguous and have the greatest impact on those who can least afford it. Wetlands rule-related project delays, consulting fees and state application fees are an inconvenience to big developers, but they are a barrier to entry for the average Vermonter and are stifling the creation of affordable housing.

I have been designing septic systems in the Northeast Kingdom for over 15 years, and it is clear that the main impediment to permitting single-family homes and ADUs is the wetlands permitting process. Using the Vermont Significant Wetlands Inventory maps to identify wetlands addresses the uncertainty, ambiguity and high costs associated with wetlands identification and can be done year-round. (Field delineations are only allowed May through September).

Some wetlands will be lost, but no more than are already being lost. Home builders are currently on the honor system when it comes to notifying the Agency of Natural Resources/Wetlands Program about their project. Many homes are being built with no wetlands oversight, and that would probably not change. I would anticipate more compliance if the new rule were adopted. Septic designers could simply overlay the VSWI maps on their site plans to prove compliance with the wetlands rules. No four- to five-figure consulting fees, no six- to 18-month project delays, and can be done year-round.

Patrick Larsen

EAST HARDWICK

long-term maintenance and stewardship of these areas is a high priority, as are strategies that will preserve the integrity and improve the function of these resources. As development pressures across the city increase, there will be more and more pressure to develop increasingly marginal sites.”

Burlington’s administration seems to be ignoring this plan and more closely following the playbook of the Trump administration, which has prioritized selling off public land for development.

Partnering to develop city-owned

QUESTION BUILDERS

[Re “All Wet?” January 28]: Remember the adage “To a hammer, everything is a nail.” John Dillon’s marvelous but unsettling article about endangered wetlands made me think of something similar: Namely, “To a developer, anywhere is buildable.” Today, it’s a wetland; tomorrow, a steep hillside. Last month, a forest; 50 years ago, a mountainside. And the beat goes interminably on and on and on.

The late writer and part-time Greensboro resident Wallace Stegner often wrote about the boomers and buccaneers who plundered the West. Here in Vermont, we have our own boomers and buccaneers, and they not only now have bulldozers and backhoes, but some have titles, too: mayor, governor, senator. Their motto seems to be “If you can’t beat the law, be the law.”

Anyone with a deep background in Vermont history knows that sweetheart deals and shady deeds have often been incubated under the golden dome, where today’s Build, Build, Build Brigade seems comfortably at home.

I’m looking for someone courageous to punch back, perhaps someone similar to the state railroad commissioner who fought the railroad cartel that once ruled Vermont. He wrote, “My anathema on the scoundrel railroaders, whom I loathe with all my soul … A gallows-car should be attached to every train, and a director hanged at each trip.”

That’s decidedly not civil speech, but heck, they named a national park after that guy, George Perkins Marsh, who some call the father of the environmental movement. I wonder what Marsh might say after reading Dillon’s article.

Bruce S. Post ESSEX

parking lots and abandoned buildings is a great idea. Just stay away from our open space. Once it’s gone, it’s gone.

Colby Crehan BURLINGTON

DRIVING SCHOOL

[Re “Officials Bring Back Yield Signs at One-Lane Burlington Bridge,” January 30, online]: I’m a little confused why people whose job is to plan parking lots and traffic patterns don’t have more common sense. The installation of stop signs at both ends of

the Queen City Park Road bridge is a great example of municipal idiocy. The only hope that the stop signs would work was if people figured out how to use “the convoy system,” in which batches of two or three cars at a time go across the bridge. It’s the most efficient way to clear the traffic on both ends, but for some reason, the people who use the bridge never got the memo. Timid drivers wait endlessly for the guy at the other end to go first, even when it’s obviously their turn. The result was lines of cars stretching all the way to Rhino Foods at rush hour. Maybe what Vermont drivers need is a weeklong driving school in Boston to get the idea. (Hold the hate mail. It’s a joke.)

Thomas Powell SOUTH BURLINGTON

OPPOSE ISRAELI APARTHEID

[Re “Burlington City Council Adds Tax Hike to the Ballot, Rejects ‘ApartheidFree’ Pledge,” January 27]: I am disappointed by Seven Days’ biased article about the Burlington vote on apartheid-free communities. It devoted most of its ink to the opinions of the council president, who undemocratically tried to block the will of voters for the third year in a row.

As our government is hunting down and even killing migrants and protesters, the Apartheid-Free Community’s pledge to “oppose racism, bigotry, discrimination, and oppression” could not be timelier. Vermonters not only want to stop sending our federal tax dollars to support genocide against Palestinians, we also want to end the use of Israeli-made spyware for repression here, such as the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement contract with Paragon Solutions. We are appalled that technology from Israeli company Elbit Systems is used in surveillance towers on our borders and that new towers are appearing along the Canada-Vermont border. And we are concerned about General Dynamics’ facility in Williston building components for Elbit’s Iron Fist project in Israel.

We also want to end “the deadly exchange” program in which U.S. law enforcement learns lethal tactics from the Israeli military, such as those that killed George Floyd and are still used against our communities today. The violent tactics Israeli apartheid developed to repress Palestinians are being turned on us.

One cannot oppose fascism and authoritarianism — and support migrants and protesters — while also supporting Israeli apartheid. Nor can one claim to defend democracy while denying our right to vote on the issue.

Jill Clark-Gollub BURLINGTON

Burlington’s South End in 2021

Slice of Life

La Di Da brings a New York-style pizza joint to Burlington’s Old North End

Most kids love pizza, but few remain so steadfastly devoted that they make a career out of it. Then there’s Celine Eid, the chef-owner of Burlington’s recently launched La Di Da Pizza. “I’ve always been obsessed with pizza,” Eid said.

Eid, who is now in her thirties, said she encountered her ﬁrst pizza stone at a friend’s house when she was 5 or 6 years old. Immediately, she begged her mom for one of her own. “I didn’t know you could make pizza in your own home. My world was blown,” she said.

That delight infuses the small neighborhood pizzeria Eid opened last September at 294 North Winooski Avenue, in the restaurant space vacated by Despacito. The shop is a dream realized for Eid, a University of Vermont grad who spent many of her

FOOD LOVER?

formative years in New York City consuming its legendary slices and tirelessly trying to re-create them at home.

The counter-service La Di Da is casual and friendly, with delicious pies and enough whimsy to cure the winter doldrums. When my husband and I walked in the Archibald Street entrance on a frigid Sunday evening, reggaeton was bumping from hidden speakers, and the room was empty but for a few cooks stretching dough and ladling sauce in the open kitchen. We stepped right up to the register, knowing it wasn’t likely to be slow for long.

As my husband read the chalkboard menu and tried to decide, I took in the no-nonsense atmosphere: fluorescent lights, serviceable tables and chairs, stacked bags of ﬂour in a supply room o to the side. Yet a wall of children’s artwork on paper plates, a Valentine’s tree, a disco ball, and a small case of sprinkle-adorned cupcakes and cookies topped with edible glitter made me smile as I bobbed to the beats.

We were tempted by so many of the o erings that we chose four slices ($3.50 to $5.50) of four di erent pies: a regular cheese with tomato sauce and a chimichurri for me; pepperoni and a Hot Mama special — Calabrian chile, roasted mushrooms, caramelized onions, ricotta and chile oil — for him; plus a cupcake for later ($4.50). They came out of the kitchen in just a few minutes, and each slice was so big it needed its own plate. Full pies, which sprawl 18 inches or larger, run $26 to $36. Eid often posts photos on Instagram of them busting out of their boxes. They include a “not boring” white pie ($34) with fresh mozzarella, fresh garlic, caramelized onions, ricotta and basil oil; a no-frills tomato pie; and the Hot Mama ($36).

Each of our choices threw the textural party you want from a hefty slice of pizza — crispy, chewy and gooey all at once. We appreciated the extra dimension that a halo of Parmesan (standard on all pies) lent to the crust: The smooth shreds brought savoriness to the airy, toothsome edge. The chimichurri slice was a standout, with juicy mushrooms and a punch of garlic and herbs. Dollops of ricotta piped on after baking created a creamy-cool contrast. Like the New York slice shops it’s

STORY RACHEL STEARNS | PHOTOS BEAR CIERI

A selection of slices at La Di Da Pizza

Celine Eid and Mo AlDoukhi putting the ﬁnishing touches on a half-baked pie

SIDEdishes

SERVING UP FOOD NEWS

Thai in the Alley Opens in Downtown Burlington

The restaurant nestled at the back of an alley just off the Church Street Marketplace is open once again. It’s still Thai, but a new owner and chef team have shifted the menu — and the vibe.

THAI IN THE ALLEY opened on January 30 at 36 Thorsen Way, replacing BKK in the Alley, which closed in the fall. While BKK was known for its cocktails and hookah bar, the new restaurant will have “more focus on food,” owner SUNTARIN “BOOM” HENSON told Seven Days

Chef TOKYO ASISSARA’s menu features appetizers, curries, soups, noodles and other entrées from all regions of his native Thailand, he said, both traditional and creative. One of Asissara’s unique offerings is pad Thai tom yum, which melds fragrant herbs and spices found in tom yum soup — such as lemongrass, makrut lime leaves and chile — with classic pad Thai noodles.

Asissara has been studying herbs’ effects on dietary health, he said. Fresh ingredients deliver what he calls “extreme flavor,” especially in elements such as tamarind sauce, which the restaurant offers with various proteins, including chicken wings.

Henson, 40, and Asissara, 42, became friends “a long time ago” while working

as restaurant servers in Hanover, N.H., Henson said. Asissara has been cooking since he was 8 years old and used to run a Thai pop-up at Waterbury’s BLACKBACK PUB

Henson, who came to Vermont from northeastern Thailand in 2011, has owned STOWE THAI CUISINE at 504 Mountain Road since December 2024; she’s also a full-time registered nurse.

“I love [Stowe]. It’s just charming,” Henson said. “But it’s seasonal.

Montpelier Restaurant Week

FEBRUARY 15–22, 2026

Celebrate Montpelier’s culinary scene! Downtown Montpelier cafes, eateries, and restaurants offer deals, specials, prix fixe menus & more!

Restaurant Challenge

Massaman curry and Thai iced coffee

modeled after, La Di Da has a menu of pure carbs — not a salad in sight. So far, the only departures Eid has made from pizza are garlic knots and the sparkling desserts, which she makes herself. Just like her pizza, the chocolate chip cookie ($4.25) strikes the perfect balance of crispy and chewy. The candy-bar cupcake both looks and tastes like the product of a trained pastry chef, demonstrating that Eid’s culinary talents extend to more than just ’za.

Whole pies can be ordered ahead online, but slice availability depends on what’s recently been fired. Eid relies largely on her own preferences to shape the menu and adds specials when she has the bandwidth. Unique ingredients on her main pies — such as caramelized onions, hot honey, and a gorgonzola-and-fig jam combo — keep things interesting, while the regular cheese is sure to please a purist. Eid herself is vegetarian and has found that customers generally don’t miss the meat, but she recently added real pepperoni as a concession to the carnivorous.

Eid often sports a good amount of flour on the Dickies coveralls she wears as a uniform. She appears to be living out her childhood aspirations.

As parents do, Eid’s mom gave in to her pleas for a pizza stone and got her one as a holiday gift. It was not a passing phase.

“All through high school I was making pizza, trying to perfect it, even in the middle of the night,” Eid said. She wrote her college application essay on pizza and landed at UVM, where she studied nutrition and dietetics.

After graduating, Eid moved back to the Big Apple and taught middle school science. In her off-hours, she continued tinkering with her recipes and started a pizza pop-up at a local bar in 2023. “It was the best part of my week. It was awesome,” Eid said, noting that she felt like her pizza was a small but joyful part of people’s lives. “Someone came to the pop-up after they gave birth,” she recalled.

After 10 years in New York City, Eid realized that many college friends had stayed in Vermont, so she moved back and carved out a spot in a familiar neighborhood. “I lived in the Old North End when I was in school and loved it. I’m happy to have found a storefront here,” she said.

Earlier this winter, Eid navigated staff shortages due to college breaks, but now she has found her rhythm. “People in the building were asking us to open on Mondays, and I’m always for opening more often,” Eid said. She added Monday service as of January and extended hours until 10

p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, so La Di Da is now open every day but Tuesday.

As my husband and I dug into our slices, a steady stream of people wandered in. One couple came with rolled yoga mats in tow. Another pair drank beers at the counter while waiting on takeout. A caterer talked biz with the pizza makers while a lone diner at a table pulled out a knitting project. All were bundled against the winter cold in big coats, boots and hats. I imagined viewing the tableau from outside a fogged window,

ALL THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL I WAS MAKING PIZZA, TRYING TO PERFECT IT.

CELINE EID

the “slices” sign welcoming people in from the slushy sidewalk for a few minutes of light and music, a slice of nourishment and of human connection.

A friend joined the knitter, and the two caught up over a Gemini pie ($36). The spicy staple of La Di Da’s menu, topped with sauce, mozzarella, broccolini, vegan Italian sausage and hot honey, impressed them, they said. “It’s very good, very different,” reported Dorsey Hogg of Colchester. “The crust is crispy. The cheese is nice. The sauce is tangy.” Kate Belluche of Burlington added that she appreciated the unique and generous ring of Parmesan on the crust. Overall, she said, “It’s a great pizza experience. I hope they exist forever.” I do, too. Happily, given Eid’s lifelong devotion to pizza, it seems likely she’ll stick around for a while. ➆

INFO

La Di Da Pizza, 294 N. Winooski Ave. #112C, Burlington, 540-8333, ladidapizza.com

The counter at La Di Da Pizza

Celine Eid

Slice of Life « P.38

Pies at La Di Da Pizza

Burlington is the big city, and this is a great location.”

Thai in the Alley serves lunch and dinner, with online ordering available for takeout and delivery. The restaurant will o er Thai-style cocktails once its liquor license is approved. Learn more at thaiinthealleyvt.com.

JORDAN BARRY

Poorhouse Pies to Expand to Cambridge and Add a Café

Four years after buying POORHOUSE PIES and moving it to Underhill’s main thoroughfare, SUZANNE TOMLINSON will add a second location in Cambridge across from BOYDEN FARM. The new Poorhouse, at 286 Old Route 15, will have a large production kitchen to meet demand for pie and for the business’ full-service catering arm, Tomlinson said. A counter-service café there will serve baked goods, specialty sandwiches for breakfast and lunch, and espresso, plus a selection of pies, quiches and daily doughnuts.

build out a full catering kitchen and cozy café space. “It will be something between a co ee shop and a pie shop,” she said.

before leaving in May. His business partner in the new co ee shop is DANTE SEGUINO, who named the café for his family’s roots in Naples, Italy, and that city’s inﬂuence on espresso culture, Thornton said.

Tomlinson hopes to open the new café by the end of March. Poorhouse’s Underhill pie shop at 419 Vermont Route 15 will remain the same.

Tomlinson, 52, bought the small home-based bakery — which was known for its charming, backyard self-serve pie shed — from founding chefs Jamie and Paula Eisenberg in late 2021. She moved it to a new bakery space and gradually expanded the menu to include savory pies, quiches and pocket pies, as well as bringing back occasional doughnuts and building a catering operation.

“We have exploded,” Tomlinson said. “We were out of room.”

Poorhouse Pies bought the 4,500-square-foot Cambridge building that was most recently Taste of Texas BBQ. Tomlinson is working with her husband, contractor Jon LeBlanc, to

Tomlinson recently hired executive chef CHRIS LATAILLE, most recently of Bleu Northeast Kitchen in Burlington; and banquet chef MIKE SCHAKE, who held that position at Stowe’s TOPNOTCH RESORT. (Bleu closed on December 31, and a new restaurant is in development for the space.)

The Cambridge Poorhouse Pies will also have a liquor license. Tomlinson plans to host pop-ups such as weekly tapas and wine tastings with master sommelier DAVID KECK of STELLA14 WINES, which grows grapes at Boyden Farm across the street.

MELISSA PASANEN

Café Napoli to Open on Cherry Street in Burlington

Longtime Burlington barista COLE

THORNTON will return to pulling espresso shots downtown with the springtime opening of CAFÉ NAPOLI at 163 Cherry Street. Thornton worked for a decade at the Cosmic Grind at 104 Church Street

The Cosmic Grind has been mostly closed since Thornton left, though owner IAN SENESAC told Seven Days he hopes to reopen this spring.

Thornton, 27, said he and Seguino have been working to remodel and outﬁt the cozy Cherry Street space that was most recently cannabis dispensary Lucky You, since moved to College Street. Before that, it had a seven-year run as

Lucky Next Door, sister business to the shuttered Penny Cluse Café.

Café Napoli will feature beans from local roasters, such as Montgomery’s BIG JAY ROASTING, and housemade syrups for its seasonal drink menu, Thornton said. Specialty teas and pastries from area bakers will be on o er, and Thornton said he hopes to use Lucky Next Door’s old beer keg system to serve iced co ee on draft.

The barista is looking forward to stepping behind the new La Marzocco espresso machine, he added. “I loved the community and what I did,” Thornton said.

Above: Doughnuts at Poorhouse Pies; left: Suzanne Tomlinson and Jon LeBlanc

Cole ornton of Café Napoli

On Valentine’s Day, things will get steamy at Stone Corral Brewery. As revelers huddle around outdoor ﬁrepits, pu s of malty mist will rise from their mugs — the result of a centuries-old tradition known as bierstacheln, or “beer poking,” in which brewers plunge red-hot metal rods into cold beers.

Bierstacheln (pronounced beer-shtahll) isn’t just a Valentine’s Day thing; in fact, the timing is really only an excuse to double down on the “poking” jokes. Over the past year, Stone Corral has carved out a hot niche in Vermont’s beer scene, drawing crowds eager to poke a doppelbock, schwarzbier or blackberry sour even in subfreezing temperatures. It’s a novel event, and one that’s turned into an almost-monthly winter block party at the Richmond brewpub.

DRINK UP

Stone Corral doesn’t charge an admission fee on poking days, just the cost of beer. Attendees order inside at the bar and are handed their full mugs to carry out to the ﬁrepits in the parking lot. Before the poke, drinkers are encouraged to take a few sips — both to taste the unadulterated brew for comparison’s sake and to make sure the beer doesn’t overﬂow when the head foams and rises from the heat of the poker.

For safety reasons, brewers Ryan McKeon and Brett Seymour do all the poking. The events are family friendly, and the brewers will happily poke a housemade root beer for kids.

McKeon and Seymour are pretty sure nobody was poking soda pop several hundred years ago in Germany, when bierstacheln originated. As the story goes, rather than drink frigid beer straight from the cellar in winter, blacksmiths stirred it with hot metal spikes to warm it up.

Hop Culture, an online beer-industry magazine, supports that theory, citing a blog post by Brauerei Weihenstephan in Bavaria — the oldest brewery in the world. Bierstacheln is gaining popularity in the U.S., Grace Lee-Weitz wrote, though it’s still relatively unknown.

“You ask any German and they go, ‘I’ve never heard of that,’” McKeon said with a laugh. He ﬁrst encountered beer poking on Instagram, from a brewery in the American West.

Poking doesn’t really warm the beer beyond the head, Seymour said. But the sudden injection of heat reduces carbonation and transforms the ﬂavor.

Poking the Beer

“It tastes so caramelized and lovely after the poke,” said Ruth Miller, a Richmond resident who’s attended all the bierstacheln events at Stone Corral.

A member of the Green Mountain Mashers homebrew club since 1998, Miller said she usually chooses a beer that has a lot of residual sugar left after fermentation, such as the Procrastinator doppelbock. Poking doesn’t just make a “wildly crazy foam,” she said, it also burns o some of the “big, malty lager’s” alcohol — a bonus when you’re trying to drink less boozy beers, as she is.

“It lets me enjoy it with a little more gusto,” Miller said.

But Miller’s always open to a recommendation from McKeon and Seymour, who spend the several hours of each event around the ﬁre answering questions and helping attendees ﬁnd beers they’ll love.

[THE BEER] TASTES SO CARAMELIZED AND LOVELY AFTER THE POKE.

RUTH MILLER

BY JORDAN BARRY • jbarry@sevendaysvt.com

McKeon, 42, and Seymour, 41, are both Green Mountain Mashers alums. The friends started homebrewing while at Champlain College and got their industry start on the bottling line at Otter Creek Brewing 15 years ago. McKeon has been at Stone Corral for a decade; Seymour joined him two years ago after operating his own Collaborative Brewing in Waitsﬁeld. They brew roughly 800 barrels per year in their 15-barrel brewhouse.

Stone Corral’s focus on traditional styles works especially well for bierstacheln, McKeon said. They typically have just one IPA on draft, and they don’t recommend poking it. Rather than tasting like a toasted marshmallow, hoppy beers veer into vegetal or barnyardy flavors, Seymour said.

Before the ﬁrst event, he and McKeon tried poking all of the several dozen beers they brew, for science. They used branding irons, which Stone Corral already had on hand to stamp all the Western-themed brewery’s cherrywood tap handles. They knew the dark beers would taste good, but some of their favorites were a surprise, such as the Bramble blackberry sour.

“It was like berry pie,” Seymour said. These days, the duo brews special beers specifically for the events, including a smoked-cherry porter and a co ee-vanilla stout. And McKeon has upgraded

Brett Seymour and Ryan McKeon at Stone Corral Brewery

Beer poking in progress

food+drink

the pokers, as the branding irons were a little short.

“We wear gloves, [or] we wouldn’t have any hair left,” he joked.

They also didn’t have enough metal rods to keep up with the few hundred beers downed at each event, some of which are poked up to three times. So he cut some Queen City Steel rods down to size and dusted off his lathe to turn handles. Now they’ve got enough pokers to keep them hot for the duration of the event — and even into the evening beyond, as long as the coals are still glowing.

“It’s like late night around a campfire,” McKeon said. “You always get people that just kind of hang out.”

The events’ big turnout is a boon for the small brewery during a tough time in

the industry. It’s a chance to connect with their regulars, Seymour said, and draw new folks from Richmond and beyond.

“I see all these people that I hardly ever see otherwise,” Miller said. “It’s not just beer geeks. Everybody comes out for beer poking.”

If you have other — ahem — poking plans on Valentine’s Day, Stone Corral is planning bierstacheln events in March and April, too. ➆

INFO

Stone Corral Brewery, 83 Huntington Rd., Richmond, 434-5787, stonecorral.com.

The next beer poking event is Saturday, February 14, from 2 to 5 p.m. Follow @stonecorralbrewery on Instagram for future dates.

Ryan McKeon poking beer

Reading the Signs

eater review: e World Is Not Silent, Northern Stage

BY ALEX BROWN • alex@sevendaysvt.com

Parents and children spend their lives constructing a family language. When they want to reveal their feelings, they can argue, plead, criticize, tease, deﬂect or, best of all, let humor make the point. The World Is Not Silent immerses viewers in one family’s way of communicating — and needs six languages to do it. You’ll understand them all, thanks to theatrical techniques and a great deal of comedy. Three lovable characters tell the story of a father and son looking for a way to connect and discovering that language can link or divide.

The Northern Stage production is the regional premiere of a new play by Don X. Nguyen, ﬁrst performed in 2024, that includes some parallels to Nguyen’s own life. It’s a story of two generations of South Vietnamese men with two di erent approaches to cultural assimilation.

Dau, the father, brought his family as refugees to Lincoln, Neb., and found a Vietnamese community to join but wanted his young son to blend in with Americans. Don arrived as a preschooler and was pushed by his parents to speak perfect English;

he never learned Vietnamese. Linh, the granddaughter of a family friend from Saigon, understands multiple languages and understands people even better. When she reconnects with Don and Dau, she sees clearly what they both need.

Now retired and recently widowed, Dau is losing his hearing. Fortysomething Don leaves New York City to return to the family home. His dad doesn’t need care — Dau is smart, capable and so stubborn he might not call for help if he stepped in quicksand. No crisis has occurred, unless a father wearing his pajamas all day counts as one. Coming home to Nebraska makes it easier for Don to pursue his hobby of celestial photography without the light pollution of a city. But his real motivation is to rebuild his connection with his father.

That’s where the six languages come in. All the characters speak occasional Vietnamese, but English is the play’s primary language, o ered in three forms. Dau’s is halting and eccentric. Don’s is faultless. And Linh’s is newly acquired, with a solid base and limited vocabulary. Hearing them speak is truly hearing where they’ve come

from. The playwright has an ear for English varieties and uses it to reveal character.

The other two languages are lifelines. Dau will likely lose his hearing entirely in a year or two, so Don decides to learn sign language to keep communicating. His father had the same brilliant idea but logically has learned Vietnamese Sign Language, while Don has studied American Sign Language. Their bridges don’t connect. They’re now further apart, and neither will acknowledge the merits of the other’s approach.

Onstage, subtitle projections translate sign language and spoken Vietnamese. The 90-minute play speeds along without an intermission, and the story spans about a year, presented in brief episodes with some ﬂashbacks. But the characters are the focus, not the plot. Lives change in subtle ways or don’t change at all. The actors are the magic in this production.

Peter Trinh, as Dau, presents an ideal dad’s extremes: He is impossible and adorable. His maddening self-assurance comes with a grin and a track record, for he has steered his family well. Trinh’s comedic

intelligence shows in every exchange as he builds a laugh from a beat or a jolt from an expression. But Dau is more than jokes; the play’s most moving moment is his recollection of a fear he overcame in silence.

As Don, Paul Yen portrays a good guy teetering under the weight of sincerity. Don loves astrophotography and revels in the di culty of making successful pictures of light that’s traveled years to reach his telescope. The profundity of space ﬁlls him with awe, but his nervous commentary on his YouTube astrophotography channel doesn’t get past lame jokes. Yen captures a shy man struggling to stand toe to toe with his father, just to show his love.

Mai Lê originated the role of Linh in the play’s premiere in Houston. Linh is the play’s most self-assured character, yet an intensely restless one. She won’t settle easily for anything, including love, and prefers to search the world continent by continent to find what’s worthy in it. Linh is a bit of a trickster, and Lê is delightful when luring Don and Dau toward realizations that they’re too inflexible to find on their own.

The best way to watch this simple and heartwarming play is to consider it a TV series with characters whose situations were established long ago. Nguyen neglects to tell us why Don has an expensive hobby instead of a job, how Linh can a ord to travel so much and how many spare rooms Dau has to house everyone. Ignore such unexplained mysteries and focus on the comedic interplay.

If the script evolves, it might offer more clarity about time and place, especially when and how the family left Vietnam. Scenic designer Frank J. Oliva’s stunning set provides all the spaces Nguyen calls for, but the play’s action simply doesn’t need that many. Spatially clever as it is, the hyperrealistic set is too big for the story.

It would swallow the characters if they weren’t so appealing. The performers radiate charm and deliver personalities that say what they mean with expressions and timing as well as words. That’s the play’s seventh language: the kinds of looks that register, that connect, that create laughter. ➆

INFO

e World Is Not Silent, by Don X. Nguyen, directed by Rebecca Wear, produced by Northern Stage. rough February 22: Wednesdays through Saturdays, 7:30 p.m.; ursdays and Saturdays, 2 p.m.; and Sundays, 5 p.m., at Barrette Center for the Arts in White River Junction. $28-80. northernstage.org

From left: Paul Yen, Mai Lê and Peter Trinh in e World Is Not Silent

Bound Together

Friends of the Fletcher Free Library volunteers Mark and Robin Twery love books and each other

Mark and Robin Twery have been married for almost 50 years, and one of the things that binds them is a shared love of reading. The retired Burlington couple have volunteered for more than a decade at the Fletcher Free Library. The downtown library is a public building funded by taxpayer dollars, but it also depends on support from the nonproﬁt volunteer group Friends of the Fletcher Free Library.

I REALLY ENJOY SHARING BOOKS WITH OTHER FOLKS. MARK TWERY

in their basement domain at the library, which is brimming with books.

The Friends will hold a Valentine’s Day book sale this Saturday and Sunday, February 14 and 15, at the library. You just may meet the Twerys there.

Sollberger spoke with Seven Days about ﬁlming the episode.

What was it about the Twerys that caught your attention?

I have been volunteering for the Friends for about a year, which is how I met Mark and Robin. They taught me how to sort books for a sale, ﬁrst by category and then alphabetically. I was drawn to the Twerys and their mutual love of books and thought they’d make for a good video in the lead-up to Valentine’s Day.

How have the Twerys stayed together for so long?

Can you describe the Friends’ basement space at the Fletcher Free?

The room is packed with reading material of all shapes and sizes, and only the Twerys and their team of volunteers seem to understand how it’s organized. It is a peaceful place, and being surrounded by books is my idea of heaven.

Does the library accept book donations?

I asked the couple what brought them together, and they said food — Mark is an excellent chef, and Robin does the dishes. A sense of humor and shared interests keep them together. Robin and Mark both wear book-themed T-shirts on a regular basis. In the video, you can see Robin’s shirt, which reads: “A DAY WITHOUT A BOOK IS LIKE (just kidding, I have no idea).” That made me laugh out loud.

As part of the Friends group, the Twerys organize book sales, train volunteers and sell books online. Last year the nonproﬁt raised about $364,000 for the library’s programs, which promote literacy and build community.

In the latest episode of “Stuck in Vermont,” Seven Days senior multimedia producer Eva Sollberger visited the Twerys

The pair spend about 10 hours a week in the basement, sorting and selling books. “I really enjoy sharing books with other folks,” Mark said, “so this is a good way to do that.”

Here is a long answer to a short question: The original 1904 Carnegie section of the building, where the Friends space is located, is on the National Register of Historic Places. Last year an exterior historic preservation project began, and the windows needed to be removed and rehabilitated. Many of the books were moved so workers could access the area. The Friends stopped accepting donations during this period because there was no place to put more books. The basement window work is now done, and donations will be welcome again starting on February 18. ➆

Seven Days senior multimedia producer Eva Sollberger has been making her award-winning video series, “Stuck in Vermont,” since 2007. New episodes appear on the Seven Days website every other ursday and air the following night on the WCAX evening news. Sign up at sevendaysvt.com to receive an email alert each time a new one drops. And check these pages every other week for insights on the episodes.

760: Super Friends of the Fletcher Free Library

Whim Boutique to Reopen in Former Church Street Space

BY CAROLYN SHAPIRO

Whim, the Burlington women’s clothing boutique that folded into the now-closed Dear Lucy store last spring, is slated to reopen at its former Church Street location.

Ava Stanley, a store manager of Whim from 2018 to 2021, is resurrecting the business at 62 Church Street, the narrow space it occupied for about 18 years before merging with Dear Lucy at 50 Church Street. Stanley plans to launch the new Whim in April.

She is closing her current children’s clothing shop, Olive & Ollie, which she opened last May in another Church Street spot and moved to the old Whim space in December. Stanley, 27, who is about six months pregnant, said she has enjoyed a decent run with kids’ attire but decided a women’s shop is a better long-term business bet and much less complicated, with more straightforward sizing for a single gender.

Stanley said she believes downtown Burlington has plenty of room for more adult fashion: The past few years have seen the closures of shops such as Jess and Expressions, as well as the move of Monelle Vermont to Shelburne. “I just feel like there’s still so much to be had for women’s clothing on the street,” Stanley said.

Whim’s original owner, Melissa Desautels, combined the shop and its inventory under her Dear Lucy shoe boutique banner in a larger Church Street storefront last May. She shuttered the business altogether last month, citing a severe drop in sales and customer traffic since 2024, related to trends plaguing downtown Burlington. The perceptible proliferation of drug use and homelessness, an extensive period of parking-unfriendly

construction projects, and a politically driven decline in Canadian tourism have challenged Church Street retailers and restaurants.

“I still think there’s so much positive future for Church Street,” said Stanley, who lives in South Burlington. “I see people rallying all the time.”

Construction has wrapped up on Main Street and is nearing completion on the long-delayed Burlington Square project, Stanley noted, adding that her mother and sister have done well at Ladybug Creative, the paint-your-own pottery shop they own on College Street.

“I just think that there is a light at the end of the tunnel,” she continued. “We’re going to come out the other side.”

Stanley contacted Desautels as she was winding down Dear Lucy and expressed interest in bringing back Whim. Desautels agreed to turn over the Whim name, website, marketing materials and customer list. While declining to disclose the terms of the deal, Desautels wrote in a text that she hopes to use her long experience as a store owner to work as a consultant to other budding boutiques, with a “focus on helping small retailers strengthen the parts of their businesses that drive profitability.”

Whim specialized in U.S.-made clothing brands, including Z Supply, Nation Los Angeles, Cleobella and Gentle Fawn. Stanley said she intends to carry most of the same names, as well as a few new ones.

She is currently running a storewide sale at Olive & Ollie to make way for Whim inventory. ➆ INFO

Learn more at whimboutique.com.

COURTESY OF MELISSA DESAUTELS 6h-

on screen

If I Had Legs I’d Kick You ★★★★★

With the rise of women ﬁlmmakers in recent years, we’ve seen more movies take on a taboo subject: messy motherhood. While Lynne Ramsay’s Die My Love got more theatrical play last year, no one interested in daring cinema should miss writer-director’s Mary Bronstein’s If I Had Legs I’d Kick You , now streaming on HBO Max and YouTube Primetime. Rose Byrne won a Golden Globe Award and is up for an Oscar for her performance in the intense, borderline-surreal tragicomedy.

The deal

Linda (Byrne) never leaves crisis mode. Her husband, a ship’s captain, is away on an eight-week cruise. Her young daughter (Delaney Quinn) has a feeding disorder, a gastric tube, weight goals and a doctor (Bronstein) who scolds Linda for not staying on top of the situation. Then the ceiling falls in — literally. After their apartment becomes a disaster zone, mother and daughter move into a seaside motel. Now Linda’s days and nights are a succession of petty arguments — on the phone with a recalcitrant contractor; in person with a clerk (Ivy Wolk) who seems

determined not to sell her alcohol. When she seeks respite with her therapist (a wonderfully prickly Conan O’Brien), he begs her to stop emailing him about her dreams.

Did I mention that Linda is herself a therapist? With a deeply depressed patient (Danielle Macdonald) who is worried about harming her baby?

Will you like it?

When I was 7 or 8, my mother showed me a drawing in which she’d depicted my dad as a monk, my sister and me as screaming urchins, and herself as a serene Pollyanna managing it all. It was a little hyperbolic, maybe, but it was the truth of how she felt.

If I Had Legs I’d Kick You has a lot in common with that drawing: Everything in it is self-consciously heightened, conveying feeling more than fact. But Bronstein doesn’t spare the long-suffering mom from her satirical lens. In fact, she keeps Linda’s daughter o -screen until the very last shot, so the focus stays ﬁrmly on her protagonist.

And Linda is not serene or nice. She doesn’t smile or moderate her tone. When we meet her, she’s already so far past the point of giving a shit about anyone’s

expectations of femininity that she growls when the a able motel manager (A$AP Rocky) addresses her as “miss” or “ma’am.” When he calls her “crazy-pants,” she ﬁnally pays attention. He’s speaking her language now — the language of someone who leaves her sick daughter in a motel room every night so she can wander the grounds, smoke, drink, weep and try to piece back together the person she used to be.

Framed in unforgiving close-ups, Byrne incarnates Linda from ﬁrst shot to last so convincingly that you may feel like you know her (or have been her). While too many actors portray a mental breakdown with grand, ﬂailing gestures, Byrne instead puts us on the punishing wavelength of long-term stress, nailing the tone and posture of someone who’s always braced for the next calamity.

We may not approve of Linda’s coping methods, but we see why she feels like she’s drowning. Nearly every man she encounters shoves his responsibilities onto her or tries to control her in some way. Nearly every woman lectures her, turning well-intentioned bromides such as “It’s not your fault” into reproaches. No amount of love and patience has made Linda’s daughter well, and she’s run out of

the latter and is clearly anxious about her supply of the former.

Bronstein has described If I Had Legs I’d Kick You as inspired both by her own experience of caring for an ill child and by David Lynch’s Eraserhead. Viewers might also be reminded of the merciless pace of Uncut Gems — its codirector, Josh Safdie, coproduced this ﬁlm — and the depiction of an anxious person’s inner world in Ari Aster’s Beau Is Afraid

The Lynchian influence is clearest whenever Linda confronts the hole in her ceiling, and it becomes a ﬂeshy, pulsing void with its own light show and soundscape, sucking her in. Aside from the obvious womblike aspects, there’s an intriguing callback here to the imagery of Steven Spielberg’s Poltergeist, whose emotional core is a selﬂess mother dragging her child back from the Beyond. Linda knows her job is to rescue her daughter, and she’s determined to try. But who will rescue her?

Linda is one of those larger-than-life ﬁctional creations who captures the truths real people struggle to voice. When she wonders aloud if she was meant to be a mother, or promises to “do better” while patently knowing she can never be perfect, her despair resonates. If I Had Legs I’d Kick You isn’t an easy ﬁlm to watch, but it’s gripping and cathartic and shockingly funny — a horror movie about all the ways motherhood is both necessary and impossible.

MARGOT HARRISON margot@sevendaysvt.com

IF YOU LIKE THIS, TRY…

DIE MY LOVE (2025; MUBI, rentable): Jennifer Lawrence plays a writer suffering from postpartum depression in Ramsay’s visually stunning art-house drama.

NIGHTBITCH (2024; Disney+, Hulu): Amy Adams is a stay-at-home mom whose frustrations give her fangs in Marielle Heller’s dramedy, the only one of these movies with an upbeat ending.

SAINT OMER (2022; Disney+, Hulu, Kanopy, rentable): Less heralded than those two ﬁlms, but well worth watching, is Alice Diop’s courtroom drama about a pregnant writer attending the trial of a young Senegalese immigrant charged with infanticide.

Rose Byrne received an Oscar nomination for her performance as a struggling mom in Mary Bronstein’s surrealism-tinged drama.

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ARCOHHH1/2 A boy has the power of time travel in this Oscar-nominated animation. (88 min, PG. Partizanfilm)

AVATAR: FIRE AND ASHHHH Pandora faces a conflict between Na’vi tribes. (195 min, PG-13. Majestic)

BLUE MOONHHHH As Oklahoma! opens, Lorenz Hart (Ethan Hawke) drinks away his sorrows in Richard Linklater’s period drama. (100 min, R. Playhouse)

COME SEE ME IN THE GOOD LIGHTHHHH A state poet laureate faces a terminal diagnosis with their partner in Ryan White’s Oscar-nominated documentary. (104 min, TV-MA. Savoy)

DRACULAHH1/2 Luc Besson offers his take on the Bram Stoker tale, starring Caleb Landry Jones and Christoph Waltz. (129 min, R. Essex, Majestic)

HAMNETHHHH/2 A couple (Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley) grapple with loss in the adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s novel. (125 min, PG-13. Capitol, Majestic; reviewed 12/10)

THE HOUSEMAIDHHH1/2 A young woman’s dream job has a dark side in this thriller. (131 min, R. Majestic)

IRON LUNGHH1/2 A convict explores a blood ocean in this postapocalyptic horror film from Mark Fischbach. (127 min, R. Essex, Majestic, Star)

MARTY SUPREMEHHHH1/2 A young man (Timothée Chalamet) sets out to be a table tennis champion. (150 min, R. Majestic, Stowe; reviewed 1/7)

MELANIA 1/4H Brett Ratner directed this documentary about the First Lady. (104 min, PG. Majestic)

NO OTHER CHOICEHHHH1/2 A laid-off manager (Lee Byung-hun) would literally kill for another job in this dark satire. (139 min, R. Catamount; reviewed 1/14)

A PRIVATE LIFEHHH1/2 Jodie Foster plays a psychiatrist convinced her patient was murdered. (103 min, R. Partizanfilm)

SEND HELPHHH1/2 An employee and her boss are stranded on a desert island in Sam Raimi’s horror thriller. (113 min, R. Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Star, Stowe, Welden; reviewed 2/4)

SHELTERHH1/2 A hermit (Jason Statham) with a violent past is called back into action. (107 min, R. Majestic)

SOLO MIOHH1/2 Kevin James plays a jilted groom stranded in Rome in this rom-com. (100 min, PG. Big Picture, Bijou, Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Star, Welden)

SONG SUNG BLUEHHH Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson play a married Neil Diamond tribute band. (133 min, PG-13. Big Picture)

SOUND OF FALLINGHHHH1/2 The story of 20thcentury Germany unfolds through those of three women who inhabit the same farm decades apart. Mascha Schilinski directed. (155 min, NR. Savoy)

THE STRANGERS: CHAPTER 3H The reboot of the home invader horror series continues. (91 min, R. Essex, Majestic)

STRAY KIDS: THE DOMINATE EXPERIENCE: The K-pop group performs in Los Angeles in this concert doc. (146 min, NR. Majestic, Welden)

THE VOICE OF HIND RAJABHHHH This Oscarnominated docudrama tells the true story of efforts to save a 6-year-old Palestinian girl trapped in a car under fire in Gaza. (89 min, NR. Partizanfilm, Savoy)

ZOOTOPIA 2HHH1/2 Disney’s animated critters return. (108 min, PG. Capitol, Essex, Majestic)

OLDER FILMS AND SPECIAL SCREENINGS

ASK E. JEAN (Marquis, Wed 11 only)

DIVA (Partizanfilm, Wed 11 only)

HEAVEN (VTIFF, Sat only)

I CAN ONLY IMAGINE 2 (Essex, Sat only)

IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE (Savoy, Mon only)

PRETTY IN PINK 40TH ANNIVERSARY (Essex, Fri-Sun only)

THE PRINCESS BRIDE (VTIFF, Sat only)

SWEET HEARTS DANCE (Playhouse, Sun only)

THREE COLORS: BLUE (Catamount, Wed 11 only)

WERCKMEISTER HARMONIES (VTIFF, Fri only)

OPEN THEATERS

(* = 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

CITY CINEMA: 137 Waterfront Plaza, Newport, 334-2610, citycinemanewport.com

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.

PARAMOUNT TWIN CINEMA: 241 N. Main St., Barre, 479-9621, fgbtheaters.com

*PARTIZANFILM: 230 College St., Unit 13, Burlington, 276-4588, partizanfilm.org

PLAYHOUSE MOVIE THEATRE: 11 S. Main St., Randolph, 728-4012, playhouseflicks.com

SAVOY THEATER: 26 Main St., Montpelier, 229-0598, savoytheater.com

THE SCREENING ROOM @ VTIFF: 60 Lake St., Ste. 1C, Burlington, 660-2600, vtiff.org

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

See who’s hiring.

Dozens of trusted, local employers post their jobs in the weekly paper and online.

Formal Undress

ree abstract painters reconstruct the female body with “Sensual Turns” in Waterbury

BY ALICE DODGE • adodge@sevendaysvt.com

Last week, many eyes were on Chappell Roan’s red-carpet ensemble at the Grammy Awards: a topless, diaphanous burgundy gown, of a piece with her burgundy-dyed tresses and suspended from her nipple rings. Even more absurdly, Heidi Klum wore a naked-looking rigid latex reproduction of her body, as though she hadn’t yet been released from the mold.

While daring red-carpet looks aren’t new, something strange is going on with the way the female form is being articulated in this cultural moment. In a recent article, New York Times critic Vanessa Friedman declares this “fashion’s new age of reconstruction” — an era marked by exaggerated femininity. Bustles and corsets, she says, are layered over the popular cosmetic medical procedures and especially GLP-1 weightloss drugs that now allow us to alter not just our clothing but our actual bodies.

REVIEW

Elizabeth Powell, Jenny Kemp and Bonnie Morano seem to start with this conversation but push well beyond its boundaries in “Sensual Turns,” on view through March 13 at the Phoenix in Waterbury. All three painters work in abstraction, playing with formal aspects of composition, pattern and color; no ﬁgures are actually pictured. But Powell, who lives in Burlington and is also the show’s curator, nonetheless uses the opportunity to frame a dialogue about the body and how to construct it, absent its form.

Of the works on view, Powell’s are the most obviously concerned with the female body. With patterns and structures that look like they’re made from ribbons, lace and pearls, she references lingerie and the way it conﬁnes, shapes and reveals us. These materials read doubly as innards: bones, blood and the soft internal goo that actually holds us up.

Powell paints primarily in gouache, with teensy, careful strokes creating subtle, stepped color gradients. Because she works so consistently across the page, mapping the composition in graphite and applying a limited palette evenly with her tiny brushes, the works look digital unless seen in person.

That e ort is key to appreciating them; the paint on paper has a velvety texture in keeping with her sensual imagery. Delicate visual e ects also come through more clearly in person, especially in works such as “Gravitational Pull,” an ambitious 24-by-18-inch piece — larger than most in the show — that features a net of greenish pearls across a ﬁeld of blue-white tumorous globules. In addition to the turquoise, ribbonlike forms that weave through it, the slightest shadow of a pattern overlays the composition, as though it were covered in lightweight mesh or lace. The e ect adds

a dimension to the image, creating space and depth.

Powell’s command of light and shadow is particularly strong in a trio of jewellike 10-by-7-inch paintings. Shapes that aren’t quite hearts but recall them seem to glow in the all-red “Pulse”; bright turquoise catches the edges of dusky, lacelike forms in “Pull” and “Bind.” Navigating the darkness in these works, a viewer may not know if they’re looking at silk ribbons, wrought iron or viscera.

Morano’s paintings have an entirely different sensibility — there’s nothing

NAVIGATING THE DARKNESS IN THESE WORKS, A VIEWER MAY NOT KNOW IF THEY’RE LOOKING AT SILK RIBBONS, WROUGHT IRON OR VISCERA.

resembling illusionistic shading here — but share some of the same elements found in Powell’s works, primarily a bodily symmetry and structure. On her website, Morano, who lives in Brooklyn, mentions both the belly button and the spine as important to her compositions. Many of the works are reﬂected around a central axis, though, like the body, none is perfectly symmetrical, giving them dynamic personalities.

Morano’s color palette is unusual, from the muted purplish-beige hues of “I will give” to the vibrant blues, lemon yellow, rust orange and lime green of “First Form.” Each of her little worlds makes its own internal sense but feels a bit bonkers. She builds tension with contrasts in color and texture: Large, bold, swirling brushstrokes make up conﬁdent tactile forms, but she

“Hip” by Jenny Kemp

“Gravitational Pull” by Elizabeth Powell

also fills in sections with gloopier, more haphazard patterns. The seeming imperfections, especially within such an organized geometry, create a sense of vulnerability.

Kemp, who lives in Troy, N.Y., creates stylized, graphic paintings that bridge the distance between Powell’s and Morano’s. Using wide, curving lines separated by hair-thin ones, she creates neatly ordered, flat spaces. Yet works such as “Hip” nod toward the body. The symmetrical composition features lines suggestive of the bridge of a nose, the shape of a face or an hourglass waist; an expanse of fleshy pink tops a stack of ochre lines with a very subtle gradient, as though they were receding around a curve. In other works, such as “Hooked,” Kemp’s thin and thick lines are reminiscent of the sweeps and whorls on a head of hair.

In some of her paintings, Kemp invokes the feminine with color — not with Powell’s candy reds, but with a palette that somehow brings to mind a 1980s salon.

“Tandem” pairs shades of peach with aqua; “Drape,” a range from vermillion to puce that wouldn’t be out of place in a lipstick display. Her works provoke questions about gendered associations and expectations we might not even know we have.

Two axes run through “Sensual Turns,” uniting the works on display. For all their precision, each of the works is a tactile experience of the painter’s hand and material: You can see the brushstrokes, the degree to which they’re flat or raised in ridges, the way the paint sits on a surface. And each showcases a measure of extreme control but not restriction. No one’s getting squashed into a corset or judged for the shape of their ankles. Instead, these artists create madeto-measure looks with abstract sensuality. ➆

INFO

“Sensual Turns,” on view through March 13 at the Phoenix in Waterbury. thephoenixvt.com

WINTER COLLECTIVE

EDGEWATER GALLERY AT ADDISON WEST

ARTIST RECEPTION

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21ST | 3:00PM - 5:00PM Addison West - 5275 Main Street, Rt 100 Waitsfield, VT

“Heads Up” by Bonnie Morano

Come to the Light: Illuminated Art Aims to Attract Shoppers to Downtown Burlington

BY MAX HANDELMAN

Revelers who were bundled against the cold hurled cotton snowballs — not at each other but at a “Snow row” target. eir frosty breath and steam from mugs of hot chocolate misted the frigid air. Dancers clad in parkas and woolen hats vibed to music from DJ Amelia Devoid, while others sculpted mini snowmen and printed winter-themed graphic T-shirts under a canopy of light-adorned trees.

at was the scene on the Church Street Marketplace last Friday during the Snow Ball, an outdoor party hosted by Burlington City Arts and Love Burlington. e evening event, held in front of Homeport, was part of “Downtown Lights,” a collaboration of BCA and the Church Street Marketplace District Commission that kicked off in December and features lighting displays by local artists throughout the downtown corridor.

“We were looking for ways to light up the place in the evenings,” Homeport owner and commission chair Mark Bouchett said. “Anything that we could do to make the street feel alive — and especially in the winter, when it gets dark at 4 p.m.”

Bouchett explained that his store loses money every year from January through March — a trend at many downtown businesses, he said. e luminescent art installations are intended to entice shoppers by making the city feel warmer and more welcoming. “Downtown Lights” continues through February 23.

At the Snow Ball, a projection from Burlington design studio Vanish Works dazzled attendees. Illuminating the façade of the former CityPlace Burlington mall from 5 to 10 p.m. every night, “Dwell Time” is a roughly 30-minute video loop featuring works from several Vermont artists. More are added weekly during the “Downtown Lights” run.

Highlights include footage of Lydia Kern’s “Anthology,” a sculpture at City Hall

OPENINGS + RECEPTIONS

JIMMIE JAMES: “Stories Change,” an exhibition of abstract paintings made while the artist was living in Berlin, Germany. 571 Projects, Stowe, through May 9. Info, sophie@571projects.com.

‘MEMORY FIELDS’: An installation of objects from the permanent collection curated by Museum Anthropology students and exploring how memories and narratives intertwine to create an understanding of the past. Reception: Wednesday, February

Park that displays hundreds of resinpreserved ﬂowers collected by Burlington residents, and Lisa Jamhoury’s “Maquette: e Metaverse,” a digital contemporary dance of avatars ﬁghting for the spotlight.

e idea of “Dwell Time,” Vanish Works founder Alex Reeves said, is “to take in these local artists and see them in a new way.”

He designed the project with the Gruen effect in mind. at’s a psychological tool employed by retailers to enthrall shoppers so that they stay longer — and buy more. Reeves hopes his artistic application of the phenomenon causes downtown shoppers to linger, perhaps increasing foot trafﬁc at local businesses.

“People walking down Church Street will see these ambient projections and lose themselves in a good way, lose themselves in the art,” he said.

“Downtown Lights” began in December a couple of blocks south, where Vermont artist Stephen Rhoades’ “ e Obelisk” glowed in the heart of City Hall Park. e 16-foot-tall structure was one of the project’s ﬁrst installations and operated until the end of January, according to the artist.

Constructed by Rhoades and his team at Florentine Farms in Essex, the monument was outﬁtted in laser-cut mirrors, ornate geometric patterns and ancient script. By day, the mirrors refracted sunlight onto the park. At night, 10,000 multicolored LEDs generated “a spectral whimsy that seems to come from the great beyond,” according to a description on the Florentine Farms website.

Rhoades said he hopes the piece, and other art downtown, inspires residents to come together and embrace their creativity.

“It’s a tough time in the world right now,” he said, “and we need to make sure that everyone knows that we have a public space for people to gather.”

Bouchett said it’s difﬁcult to measure the impact of “Downtown Lights” on local commerce, but he hopes that Church Street, and Burlington, will continue to present similar projects in the future.

“ e long-term success of this marketplace is these kinds of things,” he said. “It ends up delighting you, and certainly with light, that’s one of the things Church Street is known for.” ➆

11, 5-7 p.m. Fleming Museum of Art, University of Vermont, Burlington, through May 16. Info, 656-0750.

‘PHOTO-SECESSION’: “Painterly Masterworks of Turn-of-the-Century Photography,” an exhibition following the dreamy, evocative works of early 20th-century pioneers in the medium. Reception: Wednesday, February 11, 5-7 p.m. Fleming Museum of Art, University of Vermont, Burlington, through April 18. Info, 656-0750.

‘LEGACY AND LIGHT: CELEBRATING BLACK HERITAGE AND EXCELLENCE’: An exhibition showcasing collaborative portraits made by more than 150 Burlington High School students in honor

GET YOUR ART SHOW LISTED HERE AND ONLINE!

of Black History Month. Reception: Sunday, February 15, 1-4 p.m. Burlington City Hall, through March 31. Info, 865-7000.

FINN CAMPMAN: “Home Land,” an exhibition of paintings rooted in place, memory and presence and afﬁrming our connection to the land we inhabit. Reception: Sunday, February 15, 3-5 p.m. Next Stage Arts, Putney, February 15-May 10. Info, 387-0102.

GLEN COBURN HUTCHESON AND MONICA

DIGIOVANNI: “Spirit and Spectrum,” a show of works by the Montpelier artists that explore the intersection of metaphysical experience and artistic expression. Reception: Tuesday, February 17, 3:30-

5:30 p.m. Vermont Statehouse Cafeteria, Montpelier, through February 27. Info, 279-5558.

SUSAN SMEREKA: “Re:shape,” a solo exhibition exploring memory, place and the body through reclaimed materials and layered processes, including monotype printmaking, collage and sewing. Curated by Maedeh Asgharpour. Reception: Wednesday, February 18, 5-7 p.m. South Burlington Public Art Gallery, February 12-March 26. Info, 846-4107.

JUNIOR ART & DESIGN MAJOR EXHIBITION: A presentation of artwork made by Art & Design students in the class of 2027 — Kayley Bell, Callie Boisvert, Chloe Brown, Dominic Douglass, Abbey

PUBLIC ART

“ e Obelisk” by Stephen Rhoades

“Dwell Time” by Vanish Works

Gyurko, Phoebe Hussey and Eden Milczanowski. Reception: ursday, February 19, 6-7 p.m. McCarthy Art Gallery, Saint Michael’s College, Colchester, February 16-20. Info, bcollier@smcvt.edu.

ART EVENTS

EXHIBITION TOUR: ‘REVOLUTION RECONSIDERED’: A tour with exhibition cocurator Elizabeth Rice Mattison of “Revolution Reconsidered: History, Myth, and Propaganda,” which explores how visual representations of the American Revolution became, and remain, potent carriers of national history and identity. Hood Museum, Dartmouth College, Hanover, N.H., Wednesday, February 11, 12:30-1:30 p.m. Free. Info, 603-646-9660.

ASSETS FOR ARTISTS: ‘ESSENTIALS OF DIGITAL MARKETING’: A Zoom workshop with multidisciplinary artist and communications consultant Francesca Olsen outlining the basics of digital marketing, branding, audience building, social media and website best practices for artists. Register at assetsforartists.org/workshops. Vermont Arts Council, Montpelier, Wednesday, February 11, 2-4 p.m. Free. Info, info@vermontartscouncil.org.

SPRING 2026 KICKOFF PARTY: An opportunity to explore the new exhibitions, including one curated by students and a deep dive into turn-of-the-century photography, and enjoy free refreshments and parking. Fleming Museum of Art, University of Vermont, Burlington, Wednesday, February 11, 5-7 p.m. Free. Info, 656-0750.

ARTIST TALK: EVA STURM-GROSS: A discussion of the artist’s solo exhibition, “Beasts of Eden,” which investigates medieval symbology from the Jewish diaspora. AVA Gallery and Art Center, Lebanon, N.H., ursday, February 12, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 603-448-3117.

LIFE DRAWING AND PAINTING: A drop-in event for artists working with the ﬁgure from a live model. T.W. Wood Museum, Montpelier, ursday, February 12, 7-9 p.m. Free; $15 suggested donation. Info, 222-0909.

‘STUDIO FEVER 2026’: An opportunity to paint on canvas-covered gallery walls; materials provided. Groups of 12 or more should reserve in advance. Artistree Community Arts Center, South Pomfret, Friday, February 13, to March 7. Free. Info, gallery@ artistreevt.org.

ARTIST TALK: DAMIAN STAMER: Lecture and lunch with the guest artist, who discusses his series “Angels & Ghosts.” His artistic approach combines traditional oil painting techniques with AI imagery. Lower Lobby, Mahaney Arts Center, Middlebury College, Friday, February 13, 12:45-2 p.m. Free. Info, fdrexel@middlebury.edu.

‘HEART OF BARRE’ RECEPTION: A celebration of the project, which documents stories of Barre residents’ resiliency in the face of ﬂooding, in its new permanent home at the library. Aldrich Public Library, Barre, Friday, February 13, 4-6 p.m. Free. Info, 476-7550.

LUNAR NEW YEAR CELEBRATION: THE YEAR OF THE HORSE: A drop-in program for all ages with art-making activities, refreshments, a curated reading nook and spotlight talks featuring horses in the exhibition “Nurturing Nationhood in US and Indigenous Art, 1790–1940.” Hood Museum, Dartmouth College, Hanover, N.H., Saturday, February 14, 1-4 p.m. Free. Info, 603-646-9660.

IN CONVERSATION: MARK TARMY AND LYNNE

WEINSTEIN: A public dialogue with Tarmy, the collector behind the works featured in “Icons in Hand,” and Weinstein, a photographer and former chair of the art department at the Putney School. Vermont Center for Photography, Brattleboro, Saturday, February 14, 5:30 p.m. Free. Info, 251-6051.

SOCIAL SUNDAY: An opportunity for children and caregivers to stop in and complete a 15- to 30-minute activity during the two-hour workshop. Milton Artists’ Guild Art Center & Gallery, Sunday, February 15, 1-3 p.m. Free. Info, 891-2014.

PORTRAIT DRAWING AND PAINTING: A drop-in event where artists can practice skills in any

medium. T.W. Wood Museum, Montpelier, Monday, February 16, 10 a.m.-noon. Free; $15 suggested donation. Info, 222-0909.

OPEN STUDIO: A guided meditation followed by an hour of art making in any medium and concluding with a share-and-witness process. Many art materials available. In person and online. Expressive Arts Burlington, Tuesday, February 17, 6:30-8:30 p.m. By donation. Info, 343-8172.

‘NATURE DRAWING FOR ALL’: One in a four-part virtual drawing series that explores the natural world through creative expression in a friendly and informative structure. Shelburne Museum, Wednesday, February 18, noon-1 p.m. Free; registration required. Info, 985-3346.

ARTIST TALK: NATALIE BAXTER: A presentation by the artist of her soft sculptures and quilted ﬁne art. Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, Wednesday, February 18, 8-9 p.m. Free. Info, 635-2727. ➆

CALLS TO ARTISTS

2026 ARTIST MEMBER SHOW: Accepting submissions of up to ﬁve works per artist for the annual show, which takes place from April 25 through June 13. Apply at tinyurl.com/2026artistshow. Stone Valley Arts, Poultney. Deadline: March 31. Free for members; membership renewal $50. Info, kristina.rupe@gmail.com.

2026 EKPHRASTIC COLLABORATION: Artists and writers are invited to submit works for this collaborative exhibition. After March 23 notiﬁcation, participants will be asked to respond to a different work in the exhibition through a second piece of art or writing by June 1. Details and application at stonevalleyarts.org. Stone Valley Arts, Poultney. Deadline: March 2. Info, kristina.rupe@gmail.com.

ARTISTS IN THE HOUSE 2026: Accepting submissions for the annual exhibition, a fundraiser with artwork for sale and proceeds split evenly between the artist and museum. is year’s edition is inspired by the upcoming exhibits “Uncovering Wallpaper Design” and “Timekeeping” and invites artists to explore themes of time and design. See henrysheldonmuseum.org for details.

Henry Sheldon Museum of Vermont History, Middlebury. Deadline: March 6. Free. Info, cmosier@henrysheldonmuseum.org.

CHRISTIAN ARTISTS AFTERNOON: Seeking creative participants — potters, painters, musicians, writers, poets, videographers, performing artists, ﬁber artists and others — for a March 28 event at which participants will share work, even if it is not overtly faith-based, and talk about their process and faith with each other and the public. Space limited; register by email. First Baptist Church of St. Albans. Deadline: February 20. Free. Info, fbc29congress@gmail. com.

‘COMMUNITY ART PROJECT: WHO WE ARE’: Artists are invited to submit proposals for a collaborative art piece that will be installed on the library grounds. e artist will lead its creation and facilitate a series of workshops designed to engage members of the community in the artistic process. Open to a professional local artist or team of artists who have demonstrated excellence in the visual arts and experience teaching art and facilitating workshops with a variety of age and ability levels. Info and application at carpentercarse.org. Carpenter-Carse Library, Hinesburg. Deadline: March 2. Free. Info, jill@ carpentercarse.org.

PECHA KUCHA: Seeking participants for the event, at which artists present 20 slides of their work, each displayed for 20 seconds, for a total of 6 minutes and 40 seconds per artist. AVA Gallery and Art Center, Lebanon, N.H. Deadline: March 16. $20. Info, 603-448-3117. And on the

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Best of Both Worlds

Pianist, composer and ICU nurse

Ted Perry combines his two lives for a cancer fundraiser

BY CHRIS FARNSWORTH • farnsworth@sevendaysvt.com

Fmusic+nightlife

or the vast majority of his dual careers as a musician and a nurse, Ted Perry did everything he could to keep the worlds separate.

An accomplished jazz pianist and composer with a master’s degree from the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester, Perry performed for years around western and upstate New York and New York City. In 2023, he left his job as an oncology nurse at the University of Rochester Medical Center to work in the Intensive Care Unit at the University of Vermont Medical Center, uprooting both his professional and musical lives.

“A lot of the people I work with at the hospital, there’s no division between work and life,” Perry said in a recent conversation. “For me, when I would clock out, I had this whole other life as a musician, but I didn’t let them overlap. It’s taken me a while to realize that I’m both things.”

Now he’s embracing the collision of his two worlds for a special fundraising concert he’s organized in partnership with the UVM Cancer Center on Friday, February 20, at the SEABA Center in Burlington. “Groove Is in the Heart” features local artists and friends of Perry’s, such as jazz trumpeter and

composer Ray Vega, indie-soul duo Dwight + Nicole, and guitarists Bob Wagner and Paul Asbell.

The idea for the concert emerged from Perry’s many conversations with his patients over the years. “It can be a ﬁght to maintain human connection in an environment that pushes you to run, act, move,” Perry said, referring to the fast pace of the ICU.

“But I like the interaction with patients. I like to talk music and life with them and hear their stories. And so many of their stories came back to how hard it is to talk about cancer and to a ord care.”

ﬁ nancial help: the Patient Support and Integrative Therapy funds. The ﬁrst helps patients with care costs not covered by insurance, such as transportation to the hospital, childcare and meal vouchers; integrative therapy addresses the recovery process, including massage therapy, Reiki and acupuncture, which help with the emotional stress of cancer treatment.

I HAD THIS WHOLE OTHER LIFE AS A MUSICIAN, BUT I DIDN’T LET THEM OVERLAP.

PERRY

It’s a cause near and dear to Perry’s heart: He’s a thyroid cancer survivor. “When I went through my struggle with cancer, I had a tight, supportive family network. But I see so many people without that net,” Perry said. “It’s constantly on my mind.”

Seeking to make a difference, he reached out last year to the cancer center’s executive director of philanthropy, Lindsay Longe. Together, the two identiﬁed the areas most in need of

to start the conversation, and he often uses it to break the ice with patients at the ICU.

“Things get pretty task-y in the ICU, so it can be hard to connect with people,” he said. “But I ﬁnd music is such a great connector. I’ll ask them what they’re listening to, and usually they just open right up. It’s a humanizing moment and so important, believe me.”

Considering Perry’s long reticence to talk about one job while at the other, his patients might be surprised to know that music is more than just a passion of his. He’s been composing, recording and gigging at night for decades and spent years in the New York City jazz scene. His recorded works include 2008’s New Ways Forward and Outlier in 2024, both of which showcase his deft touch on the keys and melodic dynamism. He’s a fascinating composer who fuses modern jazz with shades of primal blues and post-rock twists, paired with an international sensibility that draws from multiple cultures and inﬂuences. In other words, Perry is a hyper-educated musician good enough to be subtle with his gifts.

And those gifts have made him a coveted player. He’s performed with the likes of jazz saxophonist Ernie Watts and James Brown trombonist Fred Wesley. Most recently, he paired with Dwight + Nicole’s Dwight Ritcher. Yet until recently, few of Perry’s patients would have had any idea of his nightclub-playing alter ego.

“Ted is very in the know, both as a nurse and with his own cancer experience,” Longe said. “He’s seen firsthand what our patients need.”

Longe pointed out that both programs are entirely funded by philanthropy and that donation-based benefit events such as Perry’s are rare for the cancer center. That makes the concert something of an experiment for both parties.

Perry also hopes the concert will encourage people to talk with their family and friends about cancer, a subject that often feels taboo. He knows all too well how scarcely patients talk with people in their lives about being sick. He believes music is a great way

Perry said it’s always seemed easy, even prudent, to keep his music and nursing lives separate. After a long day on the ICU ﬂoor, playing music was the perfect balm, and he was reluctant to talk with other musicians about the things he was seeing at the hospital. But he’s found freedom in integrating the two parts of his life, particularly after the killing of fellow nurse Alex Pretti by Customs and Border Protection agents in Minneapolis in January.

“This debate of whether or not compassion is political has given me perspective,” he said. “There are forces out there working to separate us as humans. In a small way, this show is an intentional choice to try and bring us together and care for one another.”

The SEABA concert marks the beginning of a new period of Perry’s career, in which he is increasingly comfortable blurring the divide between his two worlds. “Why limit yourself to being one thing?” he said. ➆

INFO

“Groove Is in the Heart” at the SEABA Center in Burlington, Friday, February 20, 7:30 p.m., $25/$30. seaba.com

Ted Perry at the SEABA Center in Burlington

On the Beat

Calling all goths! While everyone else is out buying overpriced ﬂowers or booking last-minute dinner reservations for a certain Hallmark holiday, the “darkest dance party Vermont has ever seen” is here to blacken your heart. At least, that’s the intention of the folks behind Wicked Game, a “gothic promenade” happening — when else? — this Friday the 13th at the Stone Church in Brattleboro and Saturday, February 14 (Valentine’s Day proper), at the Higher Ground Showcase Lounge in South Burlington.

Hosted by the twisted minds at GREEN MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS and curated by NIGHT PROTOCOL’s MATTHEW BINGINOT, Wicked Game is a smorgasbord of dark delights, featuring music from Tennessee goth punks ACADEMY ORDER, along with Vermont acts Night Protocol, DUTCH EXPERTS, VETICA and CLOCK SERUM (Brattleboro only). The event also includes DJs, pole and burlesque dancers, a “Prom Court” complete with a costume contest, and Vermont vendors selling their gothic wares.

“The whole idea of this event is to go beyond music or performance and truly create an immersive and interactive experience,” Binginot wrote in an email. “To transform the space and construct an atmosphere that is dark, romantic, intriguing and mystical.”

Binginot plans to make the goth prom a recurring series and is already plotting a Halloween party. For tickets and more information, visit stonechurchvt.com and highergroundmusic.com.

New band alert! JAMES KOCHALKA is set to debut the SMALL POTATOES at Standing

Listening In

(Spotify mix of local jams)

1. “LET IT GO” by Famous Letter Writer

2. “CITY TALK” by Nate Zucker, english major

3. “LITTLE PILOT” by Blueberry Betty

4. “FLYING HOME” by Satyrdagg

5. “SURVEILLANCE CAPITALISM” by Starvation Wages

6. “INTO MY HEART” by Emma Cook

7. “COAXIAL FIBRILLATION COMEDOWN PT 2 #3” by WiseAcres

Barre Opera House February 14 7:30 PM

Celebration

com/playlist

Stone Wines in Winooski on Valentine’s Day. The group, a separate entity from his JAMES KOCHALKA SUPERSTAR brand, premieres under a veil of mystery: Kochalka won’t reveal the rest of the lineup until the night of the show.

“All members but one are Burlington musicians from bands famous enough to have international reputations and to have toured overseas,” Kochalka told me when I pressed him for details. “But part of the premise of this ﬁrst show is that we want people to try and guess, and then come to the show and ﬁnd out!”

music+nightlife

New Release Radar

Five recent or upcoming releases from Vermont artists

BY CHRIS FARNSWORTH

1. Greaseface, Brick & Mortar greaseface.bandcamp.com (January 23, post-punk)

2. WiseAcres, Ballast wiseacres.bandcamp.com (January 28, indie rock)

3. Emma Cook, Of the Morning ecookmusic.com (February 24, folk, pop)

4. Dwight + Nicole, Day or Night dwightandnicole.com (March 20, R&B, soul)

5. Carling & Will, Oh, Mongoose! carlingandwill.com (May 16, folk)

Kochalka said the band has 16 new songs, which he described as “emotional, funny, wistful, hilarious, joyful and political, by turns.”

One of the ﬂyers for the show features Kochalka with OASIS singer LIAM GALLAGHER, but I’m going to assume the British rock star is not in the Small Potatoes. I actually have no intel, but to avoid looking like a failure of a music editor, I’m going to say I heard a rumor that it’s PHISH backing up Kochalka — with LUIS GUZMÁN on backing vocals and RUSTY DEWEES rapping.

There aren’t many acts in the scene like Plattsburgh, N.Y.’s FAMOUS LETTER WRITER. Consisting of married couple

M.I. and RU DEVINE, the duo specializes in a vibrant blend of art rock, poetry and high-concept, borderlineacademic thought exercises, wrapped in tongue-in-cheek musical chaos. Famous Letter Writer released Dadamama (i) in December, the ﬁrst part of a concept

record and a follow-up to 2020’s excellent Warhola

A second installment is expected to drop this summer.

The band has released several videos to promote Dadamama (i); the most

recent, “Me, You, and Everyone We Know,” premiered in January. A moody, slow-burning track about family “moving on, growing up, getting older,” the video is available on YouTube.

Though they’ve left Vermont for New York City, ALL NIGHT BOOGIE BAND are still near and dear to the Green Mountain scene. The retro-loving band’s brand of classic rock, R&B, swing and good ol’ fashioned blues made it a favorite on the live circuit, with vocalist JESSICA LEONE’s powerhouse vocals leading the way.

The band’s third full-length record is due this summer. The ﬁrst advance single, “Keep On Rolling,” drops this week. A soulful number that starts o a cappella before erupting in a rock revival complete with a horn section, big slide guitar breaks, boogie-woogie piano and a rousing, sing-along chorus, the tune captures a band in ascendency. It hits major streaming services on Friday — check out allnightboogieband.com for more info.

The band celebrates the release with a show that same evening at the Higher Ground Showcase Lounge in South Burlington, opening for GRATEFUL DEAD tribute act DOBBS’ DEAD

CHRIS FARNSWORTH

Night Boogie Band

CLUB DATES

live music

WED.11

Compa, Cotter, & Chuck (jam) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 8:30 p.m. $10.

Cooie Sings (jazz, folk) at American Flatbread Burlington Hearth, 6 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.

Ken Clark Duo (folk) at Two Heroes Brewery & Public House, South Hero, 6 p.m. Free.

Paddy Reagan Trio (indie) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 6 p.m. $10.

THU.12

Bluegrass & BBQ (bluegrass) at Four Quarters Brewing, Winooski, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Juice (indie) at Pickle Barrel Nightclub, Killington, 8 p.m. $24.57.

Lincoln Sprague (piano) at Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 5 p.m. Free.

Oldie, Girls Night, Vallory Falls, Lunar Static (punk, rock) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 8 p.m. $10.

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

Sweet Tooth, Ides of Marge (indie rock) at Monkey House, Winooski, 7:30 p.m. $5.

Troy Millette & the Fire Below (Americana) at Black Flannel Brewing & Distilling, Essex, 6 p.m. Free.

FRI.13

Ave Sofia Trio (jazz) at Hugo’s, Montpelier, 7:30 p.m. Free.

Better Angels (covers) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 9 p.m. Free.

Birdhouse (folk) at the Whammy Bar, Calais, 7 p.m. Free.

Bloodroot Gap (bluegrass) at Four Quarters Brewing, Winooski, 7 p.m. Free.

Bob and Mona (folk) at Jericho Café & Tavern, 7 p.m. Free.

CombustOmatics (rock) at Two Heroes Brewery & Public House, South Hero, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Dead Man Strumming (Grateful Dead tribute) at River Roost Brewery, White River Junction, 5 p.m. Free.

Dobbs’ Dead, All Night Boogie Band (Grateful Dead tribute, blues) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 7 p.m. $19.94.

Holden Riley (acoustic) at Switchback Beer Garden & Smokehouse, Burlington, 5:30 p.m. Free.

Jamie Hughes (acoustic) at Gusto’s, Barre, 6 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.

Hot Prodigies

Some bands spend years hustling and grinding before having any kind of breakout moment. Not so for New York City indie-pop outfit MELT, who formed in 2017 while the members were still high school students. Their very first offering, “Sour Candy,” recorded after winning a local battle-of-the-bands contest, went almost immediately viral on social media. Despite Melt’s rapid rise, they didn’t drop their fulllength debut LP until 2024: If There’s a Heaven, cut with Big Thief producer Sam Evian, no less. Somewhere between Sabrina Carpenter’s glossy pop and the breezy soft rock of bands like Fleetwood Mac, Melt straddle genres with a soulful ease. The trio plays the Stone Church in Brattleboro on Saturday, February 14, with support from local singer-songwriter

MIMI FANG

Josh Panda (singer-songwriter) at Citizen Cider Press House Pub, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

The Lost Faculty (Americana) at Stowe Cider, 5 p.m. Free.

Lowell Thompson (singersongwriter) at Hotel Vermont, Burlington, 4 p.m. Free.

Mike Schwaner (rock) at Poultney Pub, 6 p.m. Free.

Never in Vegas (covers) at Pickle Barrel Nightclub, Killington, 8 p.m. $10.

Paul Webb (piano) at Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

Punch Drunk Love!: TVOD, Balaclava, the Bubs, Greaseface, Firstsex, POLKAROBICS (punk, rock) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 8 p.m. $18/$25.

Ragged Company, Pappy (Americana, folk) at Lawson’s Finest Liquids, Waitsfield, 6 p.m. Free.

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

The Remnants (blues, rock) at Charlie-O’s World Famous, Montpelier, 8 p.m. Free.

Seth Yacovone Band (rock, blues) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 8 p.m. $10.

Sibling Reverie (covers) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 5 p.m. Free.

Sondido Mal Maïz (psych, Latin) at the Alchemist, Stowe, 4 p.m. Free.

TURNmusic Presents Michael Chorney’s Freeway Clyde, Sadie Brightman (jazz) at the Phoenix, Waterbury, 7:30 p.m. $15-$30. Twen, Gymshorts (indie) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 8 p.m. $16/$20.

War Turtles, MomDad, Assorted Fruit, Leatherbound Books (punk) at Burlington Odd Fellows Hall, 7 p.m. $10.

Wicked Game: A Gothic Promenade (goth prom) at the Stone Church, Brattleboro, 7:30 p.m. $18.99/$26.

SAT.14

90 Proof (rock) at the Old Post, South Burlington, 8 p.m. Free. Ali T’s Valentine Show (singer-songwriter) at Shelburne Vineyard, 6 p.m. Free.

Andriana Chobot (indie pop) at the Mill, Westport, N.Y., 6 p.m. $20.

Après Ski: Barbacoa (surf rock) at Alfie’s Wild Ride, Stowe, 5 p.m. Free.

Blueberry Betty, Fowl (indie folk) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 11 p.m. $10.

Brother T and the Boys, Death Cult, Pharmaceutical, Dead Street Dreamers, Kennedy Park (hardcore) at Burlington Odd Fellows Hall, 6:30 p.m. $10.

Cooper (covers) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 5 p.m. Free.

english major, Hannah Roberts, Perry Donovan (singersongwriter) at Light Club Lamp Shop, Burlington, 5:30 p.m. $10.

Girls! Girls! Girls! (covers) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 8 p.m. Donation.

The High Breaks (surf rock) at the Alchemist, Stowe, 4 p.m. Free.

Hot Neon Magic (’80s tribute) at Monkey House, Winooski, 8 p.m. $10.

Evette DuVal (jazz) at Armory Grille and Bar, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

Love Hurts Country Duets (country) at the Den at Harry’s Hardware, Cabot, 6 p.m. Free.

Marcos Levy (folk) at Poultney Pub, 6 p.m. Free.

Melt, Mimi Fang (indie rock) at the Stone Church, Brattleboro, 7 p.m. $25/$31.

Myra Flynn: Still We Love Tour (soul, R&B) at Shelburne Vineyard, 8 p.m. $25.

Never in Vegas (covers) at Pickle Barrel Nightclub, Killington, 8 p.m. $10.

New Planets, Saru (indie rock) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 8 p.m. $15.

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

Red Hot Juba (jazz, swing) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 7 p.m. $10.

The Returnables (rock) at Gusto’s, Barre, 9 p.m. Free.

The Small Potatoes, DJ Colin Hagood (rock) at Standing Stone Wines, Winooski, 7 p.m. Free.

Spencer Lewis (singersongwriter) at Jericho Café & Tavern, 7 p.m. Free.

Tiny Heart Explosions (folk) at Hugo’s, Montpelier, 7:30 p.m. Free.

Toast & Jams: Mr. Chris (kids’ music) at Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington, 10 a.m. $9.01-$26.68.

Valentine’s Day Concert: Bob Wagner & Friends with Kat Wright and Jano Rix (roots, soul) at Jay Peak Resort, 7 p.m. $25/$35.

Valentine’s Night with Thea Wren (pop, soul) at Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 8 p.m. $10.

Wicked Game (goth prom) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $19.78.

The Zajac Brothers (rock) at the Bullwheel Bar, Jay, 4 p.m. Free. SUN.15

Bob Recupero (singer-songwriter) at Lawson’s Finest Liquids, Waitsfield, 3 p.m. Free.

Earthbound Spirits (rock, folk) at Stowe Cider, 4 p.m. Free.

Mamma Mania (ABBA tribute) at Pickle Barrel Nightclub, Killington, 8 p.m. $24.57.

Matt Saraca (singer-songwriter) at American Flatbread Burlington Hearth, 11:30 a.m. Free.

Paddy Reagan (indie) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 1 p.m. Free. Ryan Sweezey and the Midnight Walkers (indie pop) at the Bullwheel Bar, Jay, 4 p.m. Free. Seth Yacovone (acoustic) at the Alchemist, Stowe, 4 p.m. Free. The Seven Wonders (Fleetwood Mac tribute) at Stowe Cider, 7 p.m. $25.69.

Sunday Brunch Tunes (singersongwriter) at Hotel Vermont, Burlington, 10 a.m.

Wine & Jazz Sundays (jazz) at Shelburne Vineyard, 5 p.m. Free.

MON.16

Matt Dolliver & Friends (jam) at the Bullwheel Bar, Jay, 4 p.m. Free.

TUE.17

Big Easy Tuesdays with Jon McBride (jazz) at the 126, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free.

Bluegrass Jam (bluegrass) at Poultney Pub, 7 p.m. Free. Dead Is Alive with Dobbs’ Dead (Grateful Dead tribute) at Einstein’s Tap House, Burlington, 8 p.m. $15.

Honky Tonk Tuesday with Pony Hustle (country) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 9 p.m. $10.

Irish Night with RambleTree (Celtic) at Two Brothers Tavern, Middlebury, 7 p.m. Free. Lily Talmers, Same Weber, Cricket Blue (folk) at Light Club Lamp Shop, Burlington, 7 p.m. $10.

Sam Sheldon (singer-songwriter) at the Alchemist, Stowe, 4 p.m. Free.

Zuko and the Gang (folk) at the Bullwheel Bar, Jay, 4 p.m. Free.

WED.18

Brandon Taz Niederauer (blues, rock) at Pickle Barrel Nightclub, Killington, 8 p.m. $18.92. 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.

SAT.14 // MELT [INDIE ROCK]

COURTESY

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REVIEW this music+nightlife

Blueberry Betty, Blueberry Betty

(SELF-RELEASED, CD, DIGITAL)

Art and artists have a tendency toward escapism during dark times. The golden era of Hollywood musicals took place during the Great Depression. Surrealism and the works of Salvador Dalí and René Magritte were responses to the trauma of World War I. Aqua dropped “Barbie Girl” in 1997, a month after the Heaven’s Gate cult carried out a mass suicide in order to hitchhike on a comet. You get the picture.

Thus far, 2026 certainly qualiﬁes as “dark times” — unless you’re the sort of person who loves civil unrest, authoritarian governments and corporate power run amok. So aside from Lex Luthor, most of us are going through it, one way or another. While the requisite protest music has started to appear — oh, hello there, Mr. Springsteen — there just might be an equal need for some proper sunny vibes and well wishes to cope with a truly brutal news cycle. We can’t doomscroll all day, right?

The self-titled EP from Burlington indie-folk act Blueberry Betty has those felicific tones in spades. While the EP doesn’t seem in response to anything specific per se, such is the state of the world that a song such as “Peach” — with the line “I think that we’re going to be just fine” — does feel like a denial of the dark. Call it a stoned reverie, a naturalistic pull to chilling the fuck out, a safe space to be an empathetic miscreant … Blueberry Betty wants you to breathe deep, engage your vagus nerve and maybe eat something better for your health. Are you sleeping OK, babe? This is an album that’s checking in on you.

Blueberry Betty is the project of singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Ben Schnier. The Utica, N.Y., native and son of moe. guitarist Al Schnier has been around Burlington for about a decade, playing in multiple bands. Since 2022, he’s also served as

booking manager at Radio Bean, the de facto headquarters/third space for the Queen City music scene’s vibrant youth movement.

That latter connection permeates the EP. There are traces of Greg Freeman’s tremulous voice in the way Schnier sings on “Drove Down to the Country.” The psychedelic folk of Noah Kesey and tender, melodic grace of Lily Seabird emerge on “I’ve Got a Good Friend & His Name’s Marc.” These hints of other Burlington artists are not emulation or even necessarily direct inspiration; rather, this is the sound of music coming from a fertile, ﬂourishing garden.

Schnier recorded the EP with Chicago musician and producer Austin Koenigstein, aka Smushie. Together they create a tapestry of freak-folk creakiness, a strain of late-stage Americana with a kind of blownspeaker charm.

What keeps Blueberry Betty from coming across as hollow or disposable is the combination of whimsy and rootsy grit that Schnier sprinkles across his songs, like a post-bong hit Randy Newman on a cheaper piano. I mean that as a compliment.

Blueberry Betty drops on Thursday, February 12, at blueberrybetty. bandcamp.com and on major streaming services. To celebrate, Schnier and friends are playing a release show at — where else? — Radio Bean on Saturday, February 14.

CHRIS FARNSWORTH

live music

WED.18 CONTINUED FROM P.57

Nathan Byrne (singer-songwriter) at American Flatbread Burlington Hearth, 6 p.m. Free.

Quick Fission, Fescue, Skrom (rock, pop) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 8 p.m. $10.

djs

WED.11

DJ Chalango, DJ Tarzana Salsa Night (Latin, DJ) at Hugo’s, Montpelier, 7 p.m. Free.

e Mid Week Hump with DJs Fattie B and Craig Mitchell (DJ) at Monkey House, Winooski, 7 p.m. Free.

THU.12

DJ Lucas, Chaston (DJ) at Red Square Blue Room, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free.

DJ Two Sev, JP Black (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

Vinyl Night (DJ) at Poultney Pub, 6 p.m. Free.

FRI.13

DJ Stevie B (DJ) at Rí Rá Irish Pub & Whiskey Room, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free.

DJ Taka (DJ) at Light Club Lamp Shop, Burlington, 11 p.m. $10/$15.

DJ Two Rivers (DJ) at Gusto’s, Barre, 9 p.m. Free.

Friday Night at Specs (DJ) at Specs Cafe & Bar, Winooski, 7 p.m. Free.

Galentine’s Day DJ Dance Party at SEABA Center, Burlington, 7 p.m. $13.

It’s a 2000’s Party (DJ) at Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington, 9 p.m. $37.40.

SAT.14

Craig Mitchell (DJ) at Two Heroes Brewery & Public House, South Hero, 6:30 p.m. Free.

DJ Collin Hagood (DJ) at Mule Bar, Winooski, 1 p.m. Free.

DJ Lee J (DJ) at Light Club Lamp Shop, Burlington, 8 p.m. $10.

DJ NewCity (DJ) at Rí Rá Irish Pub & Whiskey Room, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free.

DJ Raul, DJ Chaston (DJ) at Red Square Blue Room, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free.

Emo Valentine’s (DJ) at Einstein’s Tap House, Burlington, 10 p.m. $10.

Love Island Casa Party with DJ Party Bear (DJ) at Charlie-O’s World Famous, Montpelier, 9 p.m. Free.

missandri (DJ) at Light Club Lamp Shop, Burlington, 11:59 p.m. $10.

Roost.World (DJ) at Afterthoughts, Waitsﬁeld, 8:30 p.m. Free.

TUE.17

Bashment Tuesday (DJ) at Akes’ Place, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

Tough Love

What do you get when you combine Friday the 13th with Valentine’s Day Eve? “Punch Drunk Love!,” a night of furious punk rock to celebrate the harder side of amour. The sprawling — and loud — bill is topped by Brooklyn’s TVOD, short for Television Overdose. The band is one of the leading lights of New York City’s virile post-punk scene whose live show is a raw and unpredictable dose of pure energy. The lineup includes fellow NYC post-punk outﬁts BALACLAVA and FIRSTSEX, as well as two of the Green Mountains’ most explosive rockers, the BUBS and GREASEFACE. Expect a high-octane show at Radio Bean in Burlington on Friday, February 13.

THU.12

Galentine’s Eve (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. $11.99.

Stavros Halkias (comedy) at the Flynn, Burlington, 8 p.m. $42.50-$63.50.

FRI.13

Boogie Bingo (bingo, DJ) at the Alchemist, Stowe, 5 p.m. Free.

Category is ... Queen of Hearts! (drag) at Light Club Lamp Shop, Burlington, 9 p.m. $10/$15.

Karaoke Friday Night (karaoke) at Park Place Tavern & Grill, Essex Junction, 8 p.m. Free.

FRI.13 // TVOD [PUNK, ROCK]

open mics & jams

WED.11

Open Mic (open mic) at Poultney Pub, 7 p.m. Free.

THU.12

Old Time Jam (open jam) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

Open Mic (open mic) at the Whammy Bar, Calais, 7 p.m. Free.

SUN.15

Olde Time Jam Session (open jam) at the Den at Harry’s Hardware, Cabot, noon. Free.

MON.16

Bluegrass Etc. Jam with Ben Kogan (bluegrass jam session) at Ottauquechee Yacht Club, Woodstock, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Monday Night Open Mic (open mic) at Pearl Street Pub, Essex Junction, 6 p.m. Free.

TUE.17

Doug’s Open Mic (open mic) at Two Heroes Brewery & Public House, South Hero, 6 p.m. Free.

WED.18

Jazz Jam with Nina Towne (jazz) at the Phoenix, Waterbury, 6 p.m. $10.

Open Mic (open mic) at Poultney Pub, 7 p.m. Free.

comedy

WED.11

$5 Improv Night (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. $5. Standup Open Mic (comedy open mic) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 8:30 p.m. Free.

Nate Craig (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 6:30 & 8:30 p.m. $25.

SAT.14

Good Clean Fun (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 4:30 p.m. $6/$12.

Matty Haverty (comedy) at Einstein’s Tap House, Burlington, 8 p.m. $5.

Nate Craig (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 6:30 & 8:30 p.m. $25.

Next Stop Comedy (comedy) at 14th Star Brewing, St. Albans, 7:30 p.m. $29.81.

TUE.17

All at Jazz Open Mic Comedy (comedy) at the 126, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

WED.18

Standup Open Mic (comedy open mic) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 8:30 p.m. Free.

trivia, karaoke, etc.

WED.11

Can’t Help Falling Love with WRUV Karaoke (karaoke) at Light Club Lamp Shop, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

Karaoke Friday Night (karaoke) at Park Place Tavern & Grill, Essex Junction, 8 p.m. Free.

Karaoke with Autumn (karaoke) at Monopole, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 9 p.m. Free.

Trivia (trivia) at Alﬁe’s Wild Ride, Stowe, 7 p.m. Free.

Trivia (trivia) at Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

Trivia (trivia) at Rí Rá Irish Pub & Whiskey Room, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

THU.12

Books & Music Adventure for Kids and Adults (kids) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Country Line Dancing (line dancing) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 7:30 p.m. Free.

Karaoke Friday Night (karaoke) at Park Place Tavern & Grill, Essex Junction, 8 p.m. Free.

Karaoke Night (karaoke) at Gusto’s, Barre, 8 p.m. Free.

Trivia (trivia) at Four Quarters Brewing, Winooski, 6 p.m. Free.

Trivia (trivia) at Einstein’s Tap House, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

Trivia Night (trivia) at 1st Republic Brewing, Essex, 6 p.m. Free.

Karaoke Night (karaoke) at the Tropic Brewing, Waterbury, noon. Free.

‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Viewing Party (watch party) at Einstein’s Tap House, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

SAT.14

Queeraoke with Goddess (karaoke) at Standing Stone Wines, Winooski, 9 p.m. Free.

SUN.15

Family-Friendly Karaoke (karaoke) at Old Soul Design Shop, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 5 p.m. Free.

Sunday Funday (games) at 1st Republic Brewing, Essex, noon. Free.

Sunday Night Trivia (trivia) at the Lazy Goat Tavern, Essex, 6 p.m. Free.

Trivia (trivia) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 5:30 p.m. Free. Venetian Karaoke (karaoke) at Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

MON.16

Retro Game Night (gaming) at the Den at Harry’s Hardware, Cabot, 6 p.m. Free.

Trivia Monday (trivia) at Black Flannel Brewing & Distilling, Essex, 6 p.m. Free.

Trivia Monday with Top Hat Entertainment (trivia) at McKee’s Original, Winooski, 7 p.m. Free. Trivia with Brain (trivia) at Charlie-O’s World Famous, Montpelier, 8 p.m. Free.

Trivia with Craig Mitchell (trivia) at Monkey House, Winooski, 7 p.m. Free.

TUE.17

Karaoke with DJ Party Bear (karaoke) at Charlie-O’s World Famous, Montpelier, 9:30 p.m. Free.

Taproom Trivia (trivia) at 14th Star Brewing, St. Albans, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Trivia Night (trivia) at Gusto’s, Barre, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Trivia Tuesday (trivia) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 7 p.m. Free.

WED.18

Karaoke Friday Night (karaoke) at Park Place Tavern & Grill, Essex Junction, 8 p.m. Free.

Karaoke with Autumn (karaoke) at Monopole, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 9 p.m. Free.

Trivia (trivia) at Alﬁe’s Wild Ride, Stowe, 7 p.m. Free.

Trivia (trivia) at Rí Rá Irish Pub & Whiskey Room, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free. ➆

calendar

FEBRUARY 11-18, 2026

WED.11

activism

‘BUILDING A FIREWALL FOR FREEDOM’: Vermont ACLU policy advocate Jordan Sauder informs citizens how to protect their civil rights and liberties. Maple Corner Community Center, Calais, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, 229-6861.

VERMONT WOMEN’S MENTOR TRAINING: Mercy Connections facilitates this five-week program for prospective mentors seeking to provide guidance, encouragement and support to women affected by the criminal justice system. 5:30-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 846-7164.

business

VERMONT WOMENPRENEURS BIZ BUZZ BURLINGTON: A monthly networking meetup provides a space for female business owners to connect over coffee and snacks. Deep City, Burlington, 9:45-11:15 a.m. $10; preregister. Info, info@ vtwomenpreneurs.com.

community

CULTURE & IDENTITY: AN INTERACTIVE COMMUNITY CONVERSATION: CrossCulture Connect hosts a guided dialogue focused on

communication and building understanding through real-world perspectives. 5 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, director@crossculturec.com.

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.

crafts

GREEN MOUNTAIN CHAPTER OF THE EMBROIDERERS’ GUILD OF AMERICA: Anyone with an interest in the needle arts can bring a project to this monthly meeting. Holy Family Parish Hall, Essex Junction, 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, gmc.vt.ega@gmail.com.

YARN & YAK: A weekly club for fiber fanatics of all skill levels makes knitting and crocheting more sociable. Milton Artists’ Guild Art Center & Gallery, 5-7 p.m. Free. Info, 999-0516.

YARN CRAFTERS GROUP: A drop-in meetup welcomes knitters, crocheters, spinners, weavers and other fiber artists. BYO snacks and drinks. Must Love Yarn, Shelburne, 5-7 p.m. Free. Info, 448-3780. etc.

BRAVE LITTLE STATE: Fans of the Vermont Public podcast enjoy a cozy midwinter hangout featuring trivia, a live

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 Rebecca Driscoll Seven Days edits for space and style. Depending on cost and other factors, classes and workshops may be listed in either the calendar or the classes section. Class organizers may be asked to purchase a class listing.

Learn more about highlighted listings in the Magnificent 7 on page 11.

Café, Middlebury, 7 p.m. $14-16. Info, info@middfilmfest.org.

food & drink

voting round and an opportunity to ask burning questions about the show. Whirligig Brewing, St. Johnsbury, 5:307:30 p.m. $10; preregister. Info, events@vermontpublic.org.

TOASTMASTERS OF GREATER BURLINGTON: Those looking to strengthen their speaking and leadership skills gain new tools. Virtual option available. Generator Makerspace, Burlington, 6-7:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 233-4157.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.

‘FROM EARTH TO EARTH: THE LOST ART OF DYING IN AMERICA’: This 2024 documentary short showcases the beauty and significance of natural burials, while exploring the contentious subject’s path to legalization in Vermont. A Q&A with Vermont Forest Cemetery founder Michelle Hogle Acciavatti follows. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 6-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

GREAT ART WEDNESDAY SERIES: ‘GOYA: VISIONS OF FLESH AND BLOOD’: David Bickerstaff’s 2015 documentary is a cinematic tour de force offering a look into the National Gallery’s exhibition, “Goya: The Portraits.” Anderson Studio at Town Hall Theater, Middlebury, 11 a.m. & 2:30 p.m. $15. Info, 382-9222.

MNFF SELECTS SERIES: ‘ASK E. JEAN’: Ivy Meeropol’s 2025 documentary explores the life of columnist E. Jean Carroll, from her early days as Miss Cheerleader USA to her rise as a trailblazing journalist. A virtual Q&A with screenwriter Ferne Pearlstein follows. Marquis Theatre & Southwest

COMMUNITY COOKING: Helping hands join up with the nonprofit’s staff and volunteers to make a yummy meal for distribution. Pathways Vermont, Burlington, 6-8 p.m. Free. Info, 777-8691.

CUPPA ON CAMPUS: Community members mingle over tea and coffee, swapping bright ideas for the future of the property. The Creative Campus at Goddard, Plainfield, 8-10 a.m. Free. Info, 821-0741.

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.

REAL TALK ABOUT SEX: ‘SEX IN AGING BODIES’: A monthly Zoom gathering facilitated by certified sexuality educator Sarah Goodrich allows for frank, respectful conversations about the topic. 7-8 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, sarah@ goodrichsex.com.

RECOVERY DHARMA: Folks struggling with addiction gather weekly for an evening of meditation, topical readings and open discussion in a supportive environment. First United Methodist Church, Burlington, 6-7 p.m. Free. Info, 825-1815.

holidays

SEEK THE LOVE SCAVENGER HUNT: Citizens stroll the city’s historic streets to find hidden objects in Valentine’s Day-themed window displays at participating businesses, then collect prizes. Downtown St. Albans. Free. Info, 524-1500.

language

ELL CLASSES: Fletcher Free Library invites learners of all abilities to practice written and spoken English with trained instructors. 6:30-8 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, bshatara@ burlingtonvt.gov.

lgbtq

FIND MORE LOCAL EVENTS IN THIS ISSUE AND ONLINE:

Find visual art exhibits and events in the Art section and at sevendaysvt.com/art.

See what’s playing in the On Screen section. music + nightlife

Find club dates at local venues in the Music + Nightlife section online at sevendaysvt.com/music.

= ONLINE EVENT

= GET TICKETS ON SEVENDAYSTICKETS.COM

pianist-in-residence and special musical guests explore rich, emotionally expansive works by Johannes Brahms. Morris Recital Hall, Hopkins Center for the Arts, Hanover, N.H., 7:30-9:30 p.m. $35-45. Info, 603-646-2422.

politics

LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS SPEAKER

SERIES: THOMAS TAI: An attorney illuminates how gerrymandering — the drawing of unfair electoral district boundaries — can influence political power and affect representation. Hosted by Kellogg-Hubbard Library. 7 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 229-4737.

sports

GREEN MOUNTAIN TABLE

TENNIS CLUB: Ping-Pong players block, chop and lob in singles and doubles matches. Rutland Area Christian School, 7-9 p.m. Free for first two sessions; $30 annual membership. Info, 247-5913.

TURNS FOR CHANGE: Snow sports enthusiasts head to the mountain for a communitybuilding day of recreation, inclusion and mental health advocacy. Partial proceeds benefit Washington County Mental Health Services. Bolton Valley Resort, 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Various prices. Info, kimberly.ead@ wcmhs.org.

talks

MICHELLE ARNOSKY

SHERBURNE: A local author explores slavery in northern New England and the people who risked everything to help others find freedom via the Underground Railroad. New Suns Community Center, Thetford, 6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 323-8203.

WINTER SPEAKER SERIES: CARRIE TIRADO

BRAMEN: In “American Niceness: From Plymouth Rock to Standing Rock,” a writer examines the many roles that amiability has played in the social and political landscapes of the U.S. Hosted by Vermont Humanities. 7-8:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 262-2626.

theater

QUEER WRITERS’ GROUP: LGBTQ authors meet monthly to discuss their work, write from prompts, and give each other advice and feedback. Rainbow Bridge Community Center, Barre, 5:30-7 p.m. Free. Info, 622-0692.

music

FARMERS NIGHT CONCERT SERIES: VERMONT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA & CHORUS: Andrew Crust directs the ensemble in riveting works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Claude Debussy, Randall Thompson and other luminaries for this year’s David M. Wilson Memorial Concert. House Chamber, Vermont Statehouse, Montpelier, 7:30-9 p.m. Free. Info, hello@ vso.org.

RECITAL SERIES: SALLY PINKAS & FRIENDS: The center’s

7-8 p.m. $3; preregister. Info, 448-3350.

THE HUMP DAY WRITING GROUP: Wordsmiths who delight in nonfiction convene for company, accountability and support in achieving their writing goals. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 2-4 p.m. Free. Info, nathaniel.eisen@gmail.com.

THU.12

agriculture

CHARLIE NARDOZZI: A gardening guru outlines tips and tricks for continuous vegetable growing while attendees chow down on chocolates. Stowe Free Library, 7-8 p.m. Free. Info, 253-6145.

business

‘REAL ESTATE CAREERS

101: WHAT IT TAKES TO GET STARTED (AND SUCCEED)’: An informative seminar hosted by Ridgeline Real Estate owner Blair Knowles pulls back the curtain on what it takes to build a career as a Realtor. Ridgeline Real Estate Co., Williston, 5:306:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, blair@ridgelinerealestate.com.

conferences

VIRTUAL ARCHAEOLOGY CONFERENCE: Lake Champlain Maritime Museum researchers dive into the many aspects of their work, such as conservation tools and resource management. 1-4 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 475-2022. crafts

KNIT FOR YOUR NEIGHBORS: All ages and abilities knit or crochet hats and scarves for the South Burlington Food Shelf. Materials provided. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 2-5 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140. KNITTING GROUP: Knitters of every experience level get together to spin yarns. Latham Library, Thetford, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 785-4361.

‘THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES’: Eve Ensler’s lusty and outrageous episodic play brings the laughs to benefit Planned Parenthood of Northern New England. Lost Nation Theater, Montpelier City Hall, 7-8:45 p.m. $5-44. Info, 229-0492.

‘THE WORLD IS NOT SILENT’: Northern Stage mounts Don Nguyen’s funny and poignant play exploring the profound ways in which language can both divide and unite us. Byrne Theater, Barrette Center for the Arts, White River Junction, 11 a.m. & 7:30 p.m. $10-80. Info, 296-7000.

words

BIANCA STONE: The Vermont poet laureate launches her latest collection, The Near and Distant World, featuring 51 stirring poems. Phoenix Books, Burlington,

WOODWORKING LAB: Visionaries create a project or learn a new skill with the help of mentors and access to makerspace tools and equipment. Patricia A. Hannaford Career Center, Middlebury, 5-8 p.m. $7.50. Info, 382-1012. environment

BTV CLEAN UP CREW: Good Samaritans dispose of needles, trash and other unwanted objects. BYO gloves encouraged. Top of Church St., Burlington, 7:30-10 a.m. Free. Info, 863-2345. ‘LESSONS FOR RIPARIAN BUFFERS: HOW OLD-GROWTH FORESTS AFFECT STREAMS’: Local experts Allaire Diamond and Bill Keeton discuss Vermont Land Trust’s approach to conserving and restoring forests next to streams and rivers. Noon-1:15 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 377-2725.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.

’BACKYARD WILDERNESS 3D’:

Cameras positioned in nests, underwater and along the forest floor capture a year’s worth of critters coming and going. Dealer.com 3D Theater, ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 11 a.m., 1 p.m. & 3 p.m. $3-5 plus regular admission, $17-23; free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848.

CLASSIC FILMS SERIES:

Cinephiles delight in weekly screenings of 1930s flicks newly in the public domain, including masterpieces All Quiet on the Western Front and Hell’s Angels

See stage33live.com for full schedule. Stage 33 Live, Bellows Falls, 6-8 p.m. $5. Info, 289-0148.

COME AS YOU ARE FILM SERIES:

‘THE CAMERAMAN’: Live piano accompaniment by Vermont composer Bob Merrill accentuates this silent film starring Buster Keaton as a hapless newsreel photog. Lebanon Opera House, N.H., 7 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 603-448-0400.

‘DINOSAURS OF ANTARCTICA

3D’: Join scientists on a journey through a surreal world of bugeyed giants and egg-laying mammals. Dealer.com 3D Theater, ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 10:30 a.m., 12:30, 2:30 & 4:30 p.m. $3-5 plus regular admission, $17-23; free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848.

INDIE LENS POP-UP SCREENING:

‘THE LIBRARIANS’: SOLD OUT.

Kim A. Snyder’s stirring 2025 documentary follows a courageous group of librarians who become unlikely defenders of democracy amid an unprecedented wave of book bans. A Q&A follows. Savoy Theater, Montpelier, 4:30 & 7 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

‘OCEAN PARADISE 3D’: Viewers travel to the far reaches of the Pacific Ocean for a glimpse into the pristine environments vital to our planet’s health. Dealer.com 3D Theater, ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, noon, 2 & 4 p.m. $3-5 plus regular admission, $17-23; free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848.

‘THE POWER OF WATER’: The 1993 documentary explores the history of hydropower in New England, followed by a discussion with film subject Bob King and naturalist Charlie Wanzer. North Branch Nature Center, Montpelier, 6:30-8 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 229-6206.

‘SEA MONSTERS 3D: A PREHISTORIC ADVENTURE’: Footage of paleontological digs from around the globe tells a compelling story of scientists working as detectives to answer questions about an ancient and mysterious ocean world. Dealer. com 3D Theater, ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 11:30 a.m., 1:30 & 3:30 p.m. $3-5 plus regular admission, $17-23; free for

members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848.

games

BRIDGE CLUB: A lively group plays a classic, tricky game in pairs. Waterbury Public Library, 12:30-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 522-3523.

CHESS FOR FUN: Players of all abilities select an opening gambit, go on the attack and protect their king in friendly competition. Cobleigh Public Library, Lyndonville, 5-8 p.m. Free. Info, lafferty1949@gmail.com.

DUPLICATE BRIDGE GAMES: Snacks and coffee fuel bouts of a classic card game. Burlington Bridge Club, Williston, 12:30 p.m. $6. Info, 872-5722.

FRIENDLY GAME OF BRIDGE: Strategic thinkers have a blast with the popular card game. Heineberg Senior Center, Burlington, 1-3 p.m. Free. Info, 233-4395.

PEER SUPPORT DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: Beginners wanted! Players get lost in the fantasy-filled tabletop role-playing game while focusing on teamwork, connection and community building. Morgan House, Burlington, 6-8 p.m. Free. Info, 777-6185.

SOLARPUNK BOOK CLUB & GAME NIGHT: Neighbors dream up a socially conscious, ecological future with readings and a short round of Solarpunk Futures. Peace & Justice Center, Burlington, 5-6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 863-2345.

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. Free; donations accepted. Info, lafferty1949@gmail.com.

health & fitness

COMMUNITY

MINDFULNESS: Volunteer coach Andrea Marion guides attendees in a weekly practice for stress reduction, followed by a discussion and Q&A. 5:30-6:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, andreamarion193@gmail.com.

KEEPING HOPE ALIVE: A FOURDAY MINDFULNESS COURSE: Inspired by the Plum Village tradition of Buddhist ethics, participants discover daily practices that cultivate deeper meaning in day-to-day life. Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Upper Valley, Norwich, 6-8 p.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, 703-727-5208.

SEATED TAI CHI: Adina guides at-home participants — including those with limited mobility or difficulty standing — through a sequence of slow, connected movements. Sponsored by the Dorothy Alling Memorial Library. 1 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 878-4918.

‘A SUSTAINABLE APPROACH TO EXERCISE IN MIDLIFE: SUPPORTING BONE DENSITY, ENERGY & LONG-TERM HEALTH’: Certified personal trainer Jenn Baudreau leads this interactive

The New Bohemians

You don’t have to speak Italian to appreciate 19th-century maestro Giacomo Puccini’s masterpiece La Bohème. It’s one of the most performed librettos worldwide, but Opera Vermont’s take on the timeless tale of young artists in belle époque Paris is not your typical production. This brand-new rendition at Highland Center for the Arts in Greensboro pairs Puccini’s musical paragon with artist Priscilla Heine’s live painting projected alongside the action onstage. The cross-disciplinary experience creates a multifaceted visual world that artistic director Joshua Collier says “expands the definition of what opera can be.”

‘LA BOHÈME’

Friday, February 13, and Saturday, February 14, 7-9 p.m., at Highland Center for the Arts in Greensboro. $12-40. Info, 533-2000, highlandartsvt.org.

workshop offering a thoughtful reframe on working out. Ladies Social Group, Essex Junction, 3:30-5 p.m. Free. Info, 503-0219.

holidays

SEEK THE LOVE SCAVENGER

HUNT: See WED.11.

SWEETS SWAP: Participants exchange at least two dozen

language

ITALIAN CONVERSATION GROUP: Parla Italiano? Language learners practice pronunciation and more at a friendly gathering. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, noon-1 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

music

ALLISON MANN & IRA FRIEDMAN: A musical duo serves up popular and lesser-known jazz standards with an emphasis on love songs. Haybarn Restaurant and Lounge, Plainfield, 6-8 p.m. Free. Info, eat@haybarnrestaurant.com.

talks

RED BENCH SPEAKER SERIES: ‘A STOWE FAMILY’S FILMMAKING HERITAGE DOCUMENTS THE EVOLUTION OF SNOW SPORTS’: An evening of storytelling, cinematography and photography ties together three generations of winter sports filmmakers in Vermont. Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum, Stowe, 6-8 p.m. $10; preregister. Info, 253-9911.

TORI CONSTANTINE: In “Running Home: A Vermonter’s Solo Speed Quest on the Long Trail,” a Waterbury resident shares photos and stories from her recent record-setting trek. Green Mountain Club Headquarters, Waterbury Center, 7-8 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 244-7037.

theater

‘MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS’: The world’s greatest detective searches for clues before the killer can strike again in Vermont Stage’s production based on the classic Agatha Christie whodunit. Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $39-59 sliding scale. Info, 862-1497.

‘THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES’: See WED.11.

‘THE WORLD IS NOT SILENT’: See WED.11, 2 & 7:30 p.m. words

BETSY VERECKEY: A Vermont author reads from her 2024 memoir, Moving to My Dog’s Hometown: Stories of Everything I Didn’t Know I Wanted, in conversation with fellow writer Joni B. Cole. The Norwich Bookstore, 7-8 p.m. Free. Info, 649-1114.

BRATTLEBORO LITERARY FESTIVAL COCKTAIL HOUR: Authors Ada Calhoun and Jessica Anthony take the virtual stage for an intriguing conversation. Hosted by the Brattleboro Literary Festival. 5-6 p.m. Free. Info, nicole.lamoreaux@ gmail.com.

goodies (with ingredients listed) to stock up for Valentine’s Day. Essex Free Library, 1-3 p.m. Free. Info, 879-0313.

DEVON JERSILD: A Weybridge author and psychologist celebrates the launch of her debut novel, Luminous Bodies, exploring the life and career of scientist Marie Curie. A reception follows. Town Hall Theater, Middlebury, 6:30 p.m. Free; preregister; cash bar. Info, 382-9222.

Artwork by Priscilla Heine

COURTESY

MORNING BOOK GROUP:

Readers swap thoughts on Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah’s 2023 dystopian novel, Chain-Gang AllStars. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

FRI.13

climate crisis

CURRENTLY SPEAKING SERIES:

BILL MCKIBBEN: In “Here Comes the Sun,” a renowned environmentalist and author gives a timely talk on the climate crisis, justice and the path forward. The Current, Stowe, 5-6 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 253-8358.

community

EDGEWORK: ‘ROLES FOR REWORLDING’: Lauren

Zitney and Nicole Civita share details about a framework developed to help communities make collective change and transformation possible. 1-3 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, hello@ otherwise.one.

crafts

FIBER ARTS FRIDAY: Knitters, crocheters, weavers and felters chat over passion projects at this weekly meetup. Waterbury Public Library, noon-2 p.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

environment

MALT MEET & MINGLE #2:

GEOLOGY OF THE TAM: Geologist Will Amidon digs into the many interesting features of the Trail Around Middlebury. Waybury Inn, East Middlebury, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, elladoylemalt@gmail.com.

‘RECYCLING PLASTIC FILMS AND OTHER HARD TO RECYCLE ITEMS’: Ridwell hosts an info-packed session for community members looking to make an impact. Unitarian Church of Montpelier, 10:30-11 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, joel.dashnaw@ gmail.com.

etc.

‘V! FOR VARIETY’: A sultry, playful showcase celebrates the art of the tease through burlesque, comedy and music. Ages 18 and up. The Opera House at Enosburg Falls, 8-10 p.m. $25. Info, 933-6171.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.

’BACKYARD WILDERNESS 3D’: See THU.12.

BANFF MOUNTAIN FILM FESTIVAL WORLD TOUR: SOLD OUT. Viewers explore the edge of what’s believable with captivating stories from the highest peaks and steepest slopes. Lebanon Opera House, N.H., 7 p.m. $26-32. Info, 603-448-0400.

‘DINOSAURS OF ANTARCTICA 3D’: See THU.12. ‘OCEAN PARADISE 3D’: See THU.12.

‘SEA MONSTERS 3D: A PREHISTORIC ADVENTURE’: See THU.12.

‘WERCKMEISTER HARMONIES’: Adapted from a novel by László Krasznahorkai, this 2000 psychological drama follows a naïve young man who witnesses an escalation of violence in his small hometown. The Screening Room @ VTIFF, Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington, 7 p.m. $6-12. Info, 660-2600.

games

DUPLICATE BRIDGE GAMES: See THU.12, 10 a.m.

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.

IN-PERSON MORNING

MEDITATION: Expert Zac Ispa-Landa helps participants gain tools to quiet their minds, slow down and reset. Outright Vermont, Burlington, 8-8:45 a.m. Free. Info, 825-1815.

MINDFULNESS MEDITATION: Community members gather for an informal session combining stimulating discussion, sharing and sitting in silence. Pathways Vermont, Burlington, 1:15-2:15 p.m. Free. Info, 777-8691.

holidays

‘CANCIONES DEL CORAZÓN’: Opera Company of Middlebury presents renowned vocalists Olga Perez Flora and Jamie Flora in a soul-stirring program of Latin American and Spanish songs nodding to Valentine’s Day. Partial proceeds benefit the Open Door Clinic. Anderson Studio at Town Hall Theater, Middlebury, 5-7 p.m. $85-700. Info, 382-9222.

GALENTINE’S DAY AT NCAL: A relaxed, feel-good evening celebrates female friendship and furry companions with snacks, wine and lots of tail wagging. North Country Animal League, Morristown, 5:30 p.m. $45. Info, 888-5065.

‘LAST DANCE WITH GYPSY

LAYNE’: The Berkshires’ beloved homegrown cabaret and burlesque troupe delivers a sizzling night of exuberant entertainment befitting Valentine’s Day. Bennington Theater, 7:30 p.m. $30-35. Info, 500-5500.

SEEK THE LOVE SCAVENGER HUNT: See WED.11.

lgbtq

HOT BUTTER VALENTINE: LGBTQIA+ party people let loose to danceable cuts spinning late into the night. Flynn Space, Burlington, 9 p.m. $10. Info, 863-5966.

Heart Strings

FEB. 14 | HOLIDAYS

styles and genres. The Brandon Inn, 7-8 p.m. Free. Info, 747-8300.

BILLY F GIBBS AND THE BFG BAND: Best known as a “sharp-dressed man” from rock outfit ZZ Top, the virtuosic guitar player gets listeners amped up with an electric mix of blues, gospel, country and Western traditions. Paramount Theatre, Rutland, 7:30 p.m. $45-125. Info, 775-0903.

COMMUNITY COFFEEHOUSE CONCERT SERIES: Legendary local musicians Bob Amos, Suzan Derby, Tim Berry and Tom Stamp play acoustic folk tunes in an intimate setting. St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church of St. Johnsbury, 7 p.m. $10-15 suggested donation. Info, 748-2600.

DARTMOUTH COLLEGE WIND

ENSEMBLE: Guest conductor Luis Manuel Sánchez and student artists from the National Autonomous University of Mexico take the stage with the school’s musicians for the world premiere of a commissioned symphony by preeminent composer Arturo Márquez. Spaulding Auditorium, Hopkins Center for the Arts, Dartmouth College, Hanover, N.H., 7:30-9:30 p.m. $20-40. Info, 603-646-2422.

DAVID FEURZEIG: In “Play Every Town,” the prolific classical pianist continues a statewide series of shows in protest of high-pollution worldwide concert tours. Peacham Congregational Church, 7-8:30 p.m. Free. Info, playeverytown@gmail.com.

ISIDORE STRING QUARTET: The winners of the 2022 Banff International String Quartet Competition perform the world premiere of composer Billy Childs’ Quartet No. 4, written expressly for the four-piece. Robison Concert Hall, Mahaney Arts Center, Middlebury College, 7:30-9:30 p.m. $5-30. Info, 443-6433.

LANE SERIES: NELLA: A Latin Grammy Award winner for Best New Artist delivers swoon-worthy songs with resonant lyrics. The University of Vermont Recital Hall, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $5-35. Info, 656-4455.

Grab your sweetheart or best bud and head to the Flynn Main Stage in Burlington, where the Vermont Symphony Orchestra’s sweeping program “Love Notes” marries modern American music with works from the Romantic era. Grammy Award-winning violinist Jennifer Koh (pictured) headlines the appropriately Valentine-y concert featuring pieces by iconic American composers Philip Glass and Frank Zappa, as well as dreamy works by 19th-century France’s Georges Bizet and Augusta Holmès. Thoughtful addons pour les amoureux include Lake Champlain Chocolates and a rose, a Champagne toast, or a postconcert wine-and-treat tasting.

VERMONT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Saturday, February 14, 3-5 p.m., at the Flynn Main Stage in Burlington. $8.35-62; add-ons, $15-40. Info, 863-5966, flynnvt.org.

RPG NIGHT: Members of the LGBTQ community get together weekly for role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons and Everway. Rainbow Bridge

Community Center, Barre, 5:308:30 p.m. Free. Info, 622-0692.

music

ANA GUIGUI: An acclaimed pianist and vocalist entertains listeners with a wide variety of

MYRA FLYNN: A Vermont singersongwriter brings powerhouse vocals and heartfelt storytelling to a romantic program titled “And Still, We Love.” Woodstock Town Hall Theatre, 7 p.m. $20-30. Info, 457-3981.

NOMFUSI: The internationally acclaimed South African singer blends traditional Xhosa tunes with soul and Afro-pop. Chandler Center for the Arts, Randolph, 7 p.m. $10-40 sliding scale; free for kids. Info, 728-9878.

outdoors

TORCHLIGHT SNOWSHOE: Outdoor enthusiasts snowshoe, ski or stroll along an illuminated loop while guides share fascinating facts about the land’s wildlife and history. Borrow, rent or bring equipment; headlamps recommended. Billings Farm & Museum, Woodstock, 4:30-6:30

p.m.

$5-12; free for kids 2 and under. Info, 457-2355.

sports

OLYMPICS WATCH PARTY:

Sports fans congregate for a live stream of this year’s events, including men’s free skating, curling, snowboarding and ice hockey. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, noon-5 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

talks

LARRY HAMBERLIN: A professor emeritus offers insight into the music of the Isidore String Quartet at this illuminating preconcert lecture. Mahaney Arts Center, Middlebury College, 6:157:15 p.m. Free. Info, 443-5697. SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE + ART LECTURE SERIES: YAEL

MELAMEDE: An in-depth conversation with the director follows a screening of the poignant 2024 documentary My Mother the Architect. Chaplin Hall Gallery, Northfield, 1 p.m. Free. Info, 485-2000.

theater

‘LA BOHÈME’: Opera Vermont raises the curtain on Giacomo Puccini’s timeless story of young artists in belle époque Paris. See calendar spotlight. Highland Center for the Arts, Greensboro, 7-9 p.m. $12-40. Info, 533-2000.

‘MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS’: See THU.12.

‘THE WORLD IS NOT SILENT’: See WED.11, 7:30 p.m.

words

FRIENDS OF THE RUTLAND FREE LIBRARY BOOK SALE: A broad selection of used, rare and antique titles goes on sale to benefit the library. Rutland Free Library, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free; cost of books. Info, 773-1860.

SAT.14

agriculture

NOFA-VT WINTER CONFERENCE: Featured speakers, workshops, panels and kids’ activities provide a valuable opportunity for

folks involved in the food system to share ideas, resources and skills. Saint Michael’s College, Colchester, 8 a.m.-6:30 p.m. $120-320 sliding scale; preregister. Info, 434-4122.

community

DEATH CAFÉ: Community members gain new perspective with an open-ended conversation about all things related to dying. Refreshments provided. KelloggHubbard Library, Montpelier, noon-1:30 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

(SHARE THE) LOVE FEST: A storytelling open mic honors love in all its many forms, from romantic to familial and platonic. Grange Hall Cultural Center, Waterbury Center, 7 p.m. $10. Info, 244-4168.

SISTERHOOD CAMPFIRE: Women and genderqueer folks gather in a safe and inclusive space to build community through journaling, storytelling, gentle music and stargazing. Leddy Park, Burlington, 7-9 p.m. Free. Info, sisterhoodcampfire@gmail.com.

dance

HEARTBEATS SILENT DISCO: Folks share good vibrations at this quiet community get-down. Ages 18 and up. Davis Studio, South Burlington, 6-8 p.m. $25. Info, 425-2700.

THE JUNCTION DANCE FESTIVAL:

‘MIDWINTER MOTION’: A showstopping showcase brings together local artists for a dynamic mix of modern, hip-hop and improvisational styles. Briggs Opera House, White River Junction, 7-8:30 p.m. $15. Info, 673-3555.

SATURDAY SWING DANCE: Folks jive and jitterbug the night away to jazz, big band and contemporary tunes played by Vermont Swings All-Star DJs. Bring clean shoes. North Star Community Hall, Burlington. Free lesson, 7 p.m.; music, 7:30-10 p.m. $5. Info, 864-8382.

etc.

WILLOWELL FOUNDATION

BOOGIE BENEFIT: Philanthropic merrymakers place bids at a silent auction featuring items from local businesses and artists,

then get down to live music by the Almendros. Proceeds benefit the org’s scholarship fund. Holley Hall, Bristol, 6-9 p.m. $10; free for kids. Info, 453-6195.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.

’BACKYARD WILDERNESS 3D’:

See THU.12.

‘DINOSAURS OF ANTARCTICA

3D’: See THU.12.

‘HEAVEN’: The late, great Diane Keaton’s 1987 documentary probes humanity’s evolving relationship with death and whatever comes after. The Screening Room @ VTIFF, Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington, 3 p.m. $6-12. Info, 660-2600.

‘OCEAN PARADISE 3D’: See THU.12.

‘THE PRINCESS BRIDE’:

“Inconceivable!” A young woman and her true love battle the evils of a mythical kingdom to be reunited in Rob Reiner’s 1987 fairy-tale film. The Screening Room @ VTIFF, Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington, 7 p.m. $6-12. Info, 660-2600.

‘SEA MONSTERS 3D: A PREHISTORIC ADVENTURE’: See THU.12.

WOODSTOCK VERMONT FILM SERIES: ‘GAUCHO, GAUCHO’: This 2024 documentary celebrates a close-knit community of cowboys and cowgirls who live beyond the boundaries of the modern world in the mountains of Argentina. Billings Farm & Museum, Woodstock, 3 p.m. $12-15. Info, 457-2355.

food & drink

APRÈS-SKI POP-UP: Skiers and riders indulge in the freshest shellfish from New England, brought right to the slopes by Island Creek Oysters. The Lodge at Spruce Peak, Stowe, noon-6 p.m. Cost of food and drink. Info, 760-4700.

BURLINGTON WINTER FARMERS MARKET: Dozens of vendors showcase their finest farm-fresh produce, meats, unique crafts

and baked goods. Burlington Beer Company, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 560-5904.

games

CHESS CLUB: All ages and abilities face off and learn new strategies. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

D&D & TTRPG GROUP: Fans of Dungeons & Dragons and other tabletop role-playing games embark on a new adventure with a rotating cast of game masters. Virtual option available. Waterbury Public Library, 1-5 p.m. Free. Info, judi@ waterburypubliclibrary.com.

health & fitness

GENTLE YOGA: Practitioners hit the mat for a slow-paced all-levels class focusing on breath work, stress reduction and mind-body awareness. BYO mat and props. Waterbury Public Library, 10:3011:45 a.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

RESET YOUR NERVOUS SYSTEM: Feeling heavy, stressed or mentally cluttered? Danra Kazenski guides participants in a high-vibrational vocal transmission that acts as a deep cleanse for energy fields. Waterbury Public Library, 11 a.m.-noon. Free; preregister. Info, judi@ waterburypubliclibrary.com.

holidays

CANDLELIGHT: ‘VALENTINE’S DAY SPECIAL’: Listeso String Quartet performs iconic romantic hits such as “Can You Feel the Love Tonight?” and “My Heart Will Go On.” First Unitarian Universalist Society of Burlington, 7 p.m. $37-47.50. Info, 862-5630.

‘HEARTBREAKERS’: A burlesque variety show spices up Valentine’s Day with sparkle, sass and sensational entertainment. Montpelier Performing Arts Hub, 8 p.m. $20-25. Info, 798-6717. ‘LAST DANCE WITH GYPSY LAYNE’: See FRI.13.

LOVE IN MOTION: A VALENTINE’S DAY TROLLEY EXPERIENCE: Couples cuddle up for a romantic ride across the Queen City, then get even cozier

with a three-course dinner and optional one-night stay at Delta Hotels Burlington. Burlington Trolley Tours, 5 & 8 p.m. $325-380. Info, hannington@ burlingtontrolley.com.

OFF-STAGE SERIES: BILL

CARMICHAEL WALSH & DAN LEVINE: Two Broadway veterans perform famous love songs at this unforgettable Valentine’s Day concert. Vergennes Grand Senior Living, 2 p.m. Free. Info, 877-6737.

POP-UP VALENTINE’S DAY FARMERS MARKET: Shoppers peruse 28 local vendors’ farm-fresh food, artisan wares, handmade jewelry and other giftable goodies. North Hero Community Hall, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Info, champlainislandsfarmersmkt@ gmail.com.

RAD FOLK SONGS: Fans of the genre feel the love at a Valentine’s Day-themed singalong. Peace & Justice Center, Burlington, 2 p.m. Free. Info, 863-2345.

SEEK THE LOVE SCAVENGER HUNT: See WED.11.

VALENTINE DINNER, DANCE & SILENT AUCTION: A catered meal from Keith’s Corner and live music by Magnetic Horse make for a memorable and romantic holiday. Auction proceeds benefit the host’s scholarship fund. American Legion Post 27, Middlebury, noon-10:30 p.m. $70 per couple. Info, 388-9311.

VALENTINE TEA: Locals bring their loved ones to a sweet sipand-snack sesh, complete with mini meat pies, finger sandwiches, scones, desserts, aromatic brews and live music by Kingdom Mountain Dulcimers. Proceeds benefit the church’s building fund. St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church of St. Johnsbury, noon-1:30 p.m. $25. Info, valentinetea@standrewsinvt.org.

VALENTINE’S DAY DATE NIGHT AT NCAL: Looking for something a little different? A wine tasting and paint-your-partner experience brings the laughs while puppies and kittens add to the loving vibes. North Country Animal League, Morristown, 5:30 p.m. $65-130. Info, 888-5065.

VERMONT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: In “Love Notes,” Andrew Crust conducts the ensemble — and special guest violinist Jennifer Koh — in an eclectic concert of American and Romantic music appropriate for the holiday. See calendar spotlight. Flynn Main Stage, Burlington, 3-5 p.m. $8.35-62; add-ons, $15-40. Info, 863-5966.

language

FRENCH CONVERSATION FOR

ALL: Native French speaker Romain Feuillette guides an informal discussion group for all ages and abilities. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free; preregister; limited space. Info, 878-4918.

lgbtq

LES BE VALENTINES QUEER ART

MARKET: A curated lineup of LGBTQ+ artists and makers features handmade goodies such as block-printed totes, hand-tufted

FOMO?

Find even more local events in this newspaper and online: art

Find visual art exhibits and events in the Art section and at sevendaysvt.com/art.

film

See what’s playing at theaters in the On Screen section.

music + nightlife

Find club dates at local venues in the Music + Nightlife section online at sevendaysvt.com/ music.

Learn more about highlighted listings in the Magnificent 7 on page 11. = ONLINE EVENT = GET TICKETS

Mark and Robin Twery have been married for almost 50 years. e retired Burlington residents have volunteered for the Friends of the Fletcher Free Library for more than a decade, and they are familiar faces at book sales. Seven Days’ Eva Sollberger visited the couple in their book-ﬁlled basement domain.

rugs, pendants and vintage tees. Spiral House Art Collective, Burlington, noon-4 p.m. Free. Info, spiralhousecollective@ gmail.com.

music

ANA GUIGUI: See FRI.13.

CELEBRATION SERIES: VÄSENDUO AND THE FRETLESS: A legendary Swedish duo joins forces with a genre-bending Canadian quartet for a night of virtuosic string music. Barre Opera House, 7:30 p.m. $27-39. Info, 536-1791.

CLINT BIERMAN’S GRUNGE

UNPLUGGED: The celebrated local multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and educator captains an acoustic concert à la the long-running MTV series. Town Hall Theater, Middlebury, 7:30 p.m. $25-50. Info, 382-9222.

DAMN TALL BUILDINGS: A “newgrass” trio infuses its tunes with swing, ragtime, jazz and clever lyricism. Burnham Hall, Lincoln, 7:30-10 p.m. $20-30 sliding scale. Info, 349-3364.

NOMFUSI: The internationally acclaimed South African singer blends traditional Xhosa tunes with soul and Afro-pop. Flynn Space, Burlington, 8 p.m. $27.75. Info, 863-5966.

SPRUCE PEAK UNPLUGGED:

PETE FRANCIS: A singersongwriter and founding member of the indie band Dispatch assumes the spotlight for an emotive and dynamic solo performance. Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center, Stowe Mountain Resort, 7 p.m. $42.4553.15. Info, 760-4634.

YOUNG TRADITION TOURING

GROUP: An auditioned ensemble of teenage musicians and singers performs a diverse program showcasing musical influences from Scandinavia, Québec and New England. North Star Community Hall, Burlington, 7 p.m. $20 suggested donation. Info, 388-4964.

outdoors

GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT

AT THE MUSEUM: Avian enthusiasts congregate to observe flying, feathered friends, then report their findings online. Birds of Vermont Museum, Huntington, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Regular admission, $4.50-9; free for members and kids under 3. Info, 434-2167.

WATERSHED SPECIES

ILLUSTRATION & SHORT TRAIL

HIKE: Artists of all ages and abilities learn tips and tricks for creating naturalist drawings of local flora and fauna, followed by a 0.7-mile trek. Green Mountain Club Headquarters, Waterbury Center, 10 a.m.-noon. Free; preregister. Info, 244-7037.

seminars

EDITING WITH DAVINCI

RESOLVE: Media buffs learn how to configure their workspace, import and organize files, and finetune to create a finished product. The Media Factory, Burlington,

1-3 p.m. Free; donations accepted; preregister. Info, 651-9692.

sports

HARRIS HILL SKI JUMP: Competitive skiers from around the world soar more than 300 feet off the only Olympic-grade ramp in New England. Harris Hill Ski Jump, Brattleboro, 9 a.m.3:30 p.m. $15-25; free for kids under 6. Info, 254-4565.

tech

CODING CLUB: Participants put on their thinking caps and get some hands-on experience with the BBC micro:bit — a pocket-size computer that makes learning fun and interactive. Haskell Free Library & Opera House, Derby Line, 1-2:30 p.m. Free. Info, 888-626-2060.

theater

‘LA BOHÈME’: See FRI.13.

‘MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS’: See THU.12, 2 & 7:30 p.m.

SELECTED SHORTS: ‘ENTANGLEMENTS’: Eminent actors perform spellbinding and timely stories centered on love. Morris Recital Hall, Hopkins Center for the Arts, Hanover, N.H., 4-5:30 & 7-8:30 p.m. $35. Info, 603-646-2422.

‘TIMOR MORTIS’: Emmy Award winner Gordon Clapp stars in this powerful staged reading based on the works of late U.S. poet laureate Donald Hall. A Q&A follows. Refreshments provided. Monument Arts & Cultural Center, Bennington, 2-4 p.m. $40. Info, 318-4444.

‘THE WORLD IS NOT SILENT’: See WED.11, 2 & 7:30 p.m.

words

FRIENDS BOOK SALE:

Bookworms flock to the library to hunt for like-new titles to take home. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Free; cost of books. Info, 863-3403.

FRIENDS OF THE RUTLAND FREE LIBRARY BOOK SALE: See FRI.13.

THE POETRY EXPERIENCE: Local wordsmith Rajnii Eddins hosts a supportive writing and sharing circle for poets of all ages.

Pickering Room, Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 1-3 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

WRITE NOW!: Wordsmiths of all experience levels hone their craft in a supportive and critique-free environment. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

SUN.15

agriculture

NOFA-VT WINTER CONFERENCE: See SAT.14, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.

community

REMEMBRANCE CEREMONY: Community members gather to honor lost loved ones. Virtual option available. First

FEB.

15 | THEATER

High Fliers

Ladies and gentlemen, children of all ages! Direct from Montréal, traveling troupe Cirque Kalabanté — founded in 2007 by African circus artist and former Cirque du Soleil member Yamoussa Bangoura — delivers an out-of-this-world spectacle of gravitydefying triumphs at the Lyndon Institute Auditorium. Inspired by life in Guinea, the show wows with eye-popping aerial feats, human pyramids and other mind-bending displays of agility, made even more impressive by striking scenery and colorful costumes. The contemporary sounds of live Afro-jazz, percussion and kora music accompany the unforgettable showcase that the Georgia Straight calls “a daredevil circus ... that will amaze the whole family.”

KCP PRESENTS: CIRQUE KALABANTÉ

Sunday, February, 15, 7 pm, at the Lyndon Institute Auditorium. $18-54; free for students accompanied by an adult. Info, 748-2600, catamountarts.org.

Unitarian Universalist Society of Burlington, 3-4 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, remember@ uvmhomehealth.org.

fairs & festivals

SNOW SNAKE GAMES & CELEBRATION OF WINTER: Koasek of the Upper Valley hosts an annual jubilee complete with roasted hot dogs, toasted marshmallows, seasonal activities and a little friendly competition. 35 Five Corners Rd., Thetford Center,

1-5 p.m. Free. Info, n.pero@aol. com.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.

’BACKYARD WILDERNESS 3D’: See THU.12.

‘DINOSAURS OF ANTARCTICA 3D’: See THU.12.

HOLLYWOOD, VT SERIES: ‘SWEET HEARTS DANCE’: Look

for a cameo by young Bernie Sanders in this 1988 dramedy starring Don Johnson and Susan Sarandon as a long-married couple witnessing their friends experience new love. A virtual discussion with Academy Awardwinning screenwriter Ernest Thompson follows. Playhouse Movie Theatre, Randolph, 6 p.m. $7-10. Info, 728-4012.

‘OCEAN PARADISE 3D’: See THU.12.

FOMO?

Find even more local events in this newspaper and online: art

Find visual art exhibits and events in the Art section and at sevendaysvt.com/art.

film

See what’s playing at theaters in the On Screen section.

music + nightlife

Find club dates at local venues in the Music + Nightlife section online at sevendaysvt.com/ music.

Learn more about highlighted listings in the Magnificent 7 on page 11.

= ONLINE EVENT

= GET TICKETS ON SEVENDAYSTICKETS.COM

‘THE PHILADELPHIA ELEVEN’:

Margo Guernsey’s compelling 2023 documentary tells the true story of 11 women who were ordained to the Episcopal priesthood in violation of the constitution and canons at the time. Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, Swanton, 2:30-4 p.m. Free. Info, 868-7185.

‘SEA MONSTERS 3D: A

PREHISTORIC ADVENTURE’: See THU.12.

WOODSTOCK VERMONT FILM

SERIES: ‘GAUCHO, GAUCHO’: See SAT.14.

food & drink

APRÈS-SKI POP-UP: See SAT.14.

HARDWICK COMMUNITY

WINTER MARKET: There’s something for everyone at this seasonal showcase of local growers, food producers, artisans and student makers, including a winter wellness area, live music and prepared lunch options. Hazen Union School, Hardwick, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, hardwickfarmersmarket@ gmail.com.

RESTAURANT WEEK:

Gastronomes flock to the Capital City for a foodie-driven celebration of local cafés, eateries and bars. See montpelieralive. com for full schedule. Downtown Montpelier. Various prices. Info, 262-6265.

games

DUPLICATE BRIDGE GAMES: See THU.12, 1 p.m.

GAME SHOW SUNDAYS:

Audience members watch and compete in live multimedia game shows, both past and present. Proceeds support Kevin Conger’s journey to the 2026 Special Olympics. Pierson Library, Shelburne, 2-3:30 p.m. By donation. Info, 316-7875.

health & fitness

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.

NEW LEAF SANGHA

MINDFULNESS PRACTICE: New and experienced meditators alike sit together in the Plum Village tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh. Hot Yoga Burlington, 6-7:45 p.m. Free. Info, newleafsangha@ gmail.com.

music

JUNCTION SONG CIRCLE:

Traditional songs in any language are welcome at this instrument-free community music group. Greater Hartford United Church of Christ, Hartford Village, 2-4 p.m. Free. Info, mail. grantcook13@gmail.com.

‘LOVE NOTES FOR LOW VOICES’: A recital of opera, popular songs and spirituals features school faculty members Erik Kroncke, Mary Jane Austin and Maire

Therese Carmack. The University of Vermont Recital Hall, Burlington, 3 p.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, 656-3040.

RIBBON SING FOR CONNECTION: Attendees vocalize songs connected by an idea while also connecting with singers from around the world through a live online loop. 4-5 p.m. Free. Info, patricia@ juneberrymusic.com.

WESTFORD MUSIC SERIES:

NAPOLITANO, LIPPOLD & HILL: A seasoned Vermont trio plays an eclectic mix of tunes spanning genres from old school to contemporary. Westford Common Hall, 4-5 p.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, 734-8177.

outdoors

LARAWAY ICE TOUR: Adventurers join the Green Mountain Club for a moderately paced hike to the lookout. Microspikes and snowshoes required. Call for start time. Codding Hollow Trailhead, Johnson. Free; preregister. Info, 899-9982.

sports

HARRIS HILL SKI JUMP: See SAT.14.

talks

MEG MOTT: A political theorist and civics educator dives deep into the Vermont Bill of Rights in “Can Vermonters Be Free Without Virtue?” Hosted by the Ethan Allen Homestead Museum. 2-3 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 864-4556.

TED SCHEU: In “Hiking the Tour du Mont Blanc,” a former teacher shares details about his adventures on the 105-mile trail spanning France, Italy and Switzerland. Champlain Valley Unitarian Universalist Society, Middlebury, 7-8 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 244-7037.

tech

DROP-IN TECH SUPPORT: Techsavvy library staff provide oneon-one guidance and support in 30-minute sessions. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 4-6 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

theater

KCP PRESENTS: CIRQUE KALABANTÉ: The Montréalbased troupe showcases the beauty and artistry of African culture in a dazzling spectacle of gravity-defying acrobatics backed by live Afro-jazz, percussion and kora. See calendar spotlight. Lyndon Institute Auditorium, 7-9 p.m. $18-54; free for students accompanied by an adult. Info, 748-2600.

MACO CUTTING EDGE SERIES: ‘SIMPLE SAGE’: Middlebury Acting Company mounts a staged reading of local playwright Kate Youngdahl-Stauss’ drama based on the curious true story of a house in Granville. A talk-back follows. Town Hall Theater, Middlebury, 4 p.m. $15. Info, 382-9222.

‘MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS’: See THU.12, 2 p.m. ‘TIMOR MORTIS’: See SAT.14. ‘THE WORLD IS NOT SILENT’: See WED.11, 5 p.m.

words

FRIENDS BOOK SALE: See SAT.14, noon-6 p.m.

MON.16

activism

PRIVATE TRUTH-TELLING SESSION: The Vermont Truth and Reconciliation Commission invites marginalized locals impacted by state systems — past or present — to share their stories remotely. Free; preregister. Info, vtrc@vermont. gov.

crafts

FUSE BEADS CLUB: Aspiring artisans bring ideas or borrow patterns to make beaded creations. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, 3:30-5 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

HAND-STITCHING GROUP: Embroiderers, cross-stitchers and other needlework aficionados chat over their latest projects. Waterbury Public Library, 6-8 p.m. Free. Info, northwaringa@gmail.com.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.

’BACKYARD WILDERNESS 3D’: See THU.12. ‘DINOSAURS OF ANTARCTICA 3D’: See THU.12.

‘OCEAN PARADISE 3D’: See THU.12.

‘SEA MONSTERS 3D: A PREHISTORIC ADVENTURE’: See THU.12.

food & drink

APRÈS-SKI POP-UP: See SAT.14. RESTAURANT WEEK: See SUN.15.

games

BURLINGTON ELKS BINGO: Players grab their daubers for a competitive night of card stamping for cash prizes. Burlington Elks Lodge, 6 p.m. Various prices. Info, 862-1342.

MAH JONGG MONDAYS: Tile traders gather for friendly bouts of the ancient game of skill, strategy and luck. St. Albans Free Library, 1-3 p.m. Free. Info, 524-1507.

language

GERMAN LANGUAGE LUNCH: Willkommen! Speakers of all experience levels brush up on conversational skills over bagged lunches. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, noon-1 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

lgbtq

BOARD GAME NIGHT: LGBTQ tabletop fans bring their own favorite games to the party.

Rainbow Bridge Community Center, Barre, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Free. Info, 622-0692.

music

ONION RIVER CHORUS

REHEARSAL: The non-auditioned community ensemble conducted by Richard Riley invites interested vocalists to join in spirited song. Bethany United Church of Christ, Montpelier, 7-9 p.m. Free. Info, 476-2541.

seminars

CLOTHING REPAIR WORKSHOP: Nadine Demers teaches locals how fix their ripped and torn fabrics with straightforward techniques. BYO article of clothing to mend. Deborah Rawson Memorial Library, Jericho, 6-7:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, ttjericho.vt@gmail.com.

theater

PLAYMAKERS SERIES: Theatergoers flock to an open forum-style showcase of new scripts and in-process works by Vermont playwrights. Off Center for the Dramatic Arts, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free. Info, theoffcenter@ gmail.com.

TUE.17

agriculture

VERMONT DAIRY PRODUCERS

CONFERENCE: Industry leaders present on a variety of topics including calf care, diets for boosting milk fat and other ag-related research. DoubleTree by Hilton, South Burlington, 8 a.m. $30-125; preregister. Info, lwalshwaterman@gmail.com.

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.

PEDAL PARABLES: Cyclists recount true stories about biking, from the everyday to the outright extreme. Old Spokes Home, Burlington, 6-8 p.m. $0-10 sliding scale. Info, 863-4475.

crafts

ALL HANDS TOGETHER COMMUNITY CRAFTING GROUP: Marshfield spinning maven Donna Hisson hosts a casual gathering for fiber fans of all abilities to work on old projects or start something new. Jaquith Public Library, Marshfield, 4:30-6 p.m. Free. Info, 426-3581.

environment

REGIONAL LISTENING SESSION:

The Vermont Conservation Plan invites Green Mountain residents to share their perspectives about Act 59 — an ambitious goal of conserving 50 percent of the state’s landscape by 2050. Unitarian Church of Montpelier, 4 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 661-8958.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.

’BACKYARD WILDERNESS 3D’: See THU.12.

‘DINOSAURS OF ANTARCTICA 3D’: See THU.12.

‘OCEAN PARADISE 3D’: See THU.12.

‘SEA MONSTERS 3D: A PREHISTORIC ADVENTURE’: See THU.12.

food & drink

RESTAURANT WEEK: See SUN.15.

games

BLOOD ON THE CLOCKTOWER:

Katharine Bodan leads players in a thrilling social deduction game of lies and logic, in which no one is ever truly ruled out. Waterbury Public Library, 6-8 p.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

health & fitness

COMMUNITY MEDITATION: All experience levels engage in the ancient Buddhist practice of clearing the mind to achieve a state of calm. First Unitarian Universalist Society of Burlington, 5:15-6 p.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, 862-5630.

TAI CHI: Practitioners get a feel for the Chinese martial art combining controlled breathing, meditation and slow, gentle movements. Ida Boch Park, Bradford, 10-11 a.m. Free. Info, 304-0836.

holidays

MARDI GRAS PARTY: Revelers tap into the spirit of the Big Easy with dancing, Cajun snacks, and live tunes by Yankee Chank and Mango Jam. Hotel Vermont, Burlington, 7-10 p.m. $15. Info, 233-5293.

language

ITALIAN LANGUAGE LUNCH: Speakers hone their skills in the Romance language over bagged lunches. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, noon-1 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338. PAUSE-CAFÉ FRENCH

CONVERSATION: Francophones and French-language learners meet pour parler la belle langue Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 5-7 p.m. Free. Info, 343-5493.

music

RECITAL SERIES: YMUSIC: Named for Generation Y, this American chamber music ensemble delivers high doses of innovative and collaborative spirit. Morris Recital Hall, Hopkins Center for the Arts, Hanover, N.H., 5-6 & 7:30-8:30 p.m. $35-45. Info, 603-646-2422.

sports

OPEN GYM BASKETBALL FOR DADS: Fathers and masc-identifying caregivers team up for a low-key pickup game. Mater Christi School,

Burlington, 7-9 p.m. Free. Info, 318-4231.

talks

HULA STORY SESSIONS: TINO

RUTANHIRA: The Vermont Professionals of Color executive director of business development shares details about his personal journey and building an organization of support for BIPOC. Hula, Burlington, 4 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 540-8153.

ICE BREAKER SPEAKER SERIES: MIGUEL FERNÁNDEZ: A Middlebury College professor blends scholarship with real-world adventure in “From Baja to Chile: Adventures in Maritime Discovery.” Virtual option available. Community Sailing Center, Burlington, 5:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 864-2499.

OSHER WHOLE HEALTH CONNECT SERIES: KATHERINE ELMER & WHITNEY SMITH: In “Moonwise: Reintegrating the Nurturing Power of the Feminine in Healthcare,” two University of Vermont practitioners shed light on the erased histories of women in medicine. Osher Center for Integrative Health, Burlington, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 656-7921.

tech

DROP-IN TECH SUPPORT: Library staff answer questions about devices of all kinds in face-to-face chats. Fletcher Free Library New North End Branch, Burlington, 12:30-2 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

TECH FREEBIES: SAVING MONEY WITH LIBRARY RESOURCES: Looking to cut costs? Connect with a digital specialist to explore the variety of free online services the library has to offer. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 1 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

words

BURLINGTON LITERATURE GROUP: Over the course of five weeks, bookworms analyze Gustave Flaubert’s Madame Bovary a landmark novel about a woman who escapes her provincial life through adultery. 6:30-8 p.m. Free. Info, info@nereadersand writers.com.

VIRTUAL WINTER BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP: Readers discuss The Message by Ta-Nehisi Coates, exploring the urgent need to untangle ourselves from the destructive myths that shape our world. 6-7 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 877-3406.

WRITING CIRCLE: Words pour out when participants explore creative expression in a low-pressure environment. Virtual option available. Pathways Vermont, Burlington, 4-5:30 p.m. Free. Info, 777-8691.

TUE.17 « P.65

WED.18

activism

COSA VOLUNTEER

INFORMATION SESSION:

Compassionate and committed neighbors learn more about the restorative program for those seeking positive change after incarceration. Greater Barre Community Justice Center, 3-4 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 272-7478.

business

‘REAL ESTATE CAREERS

101: WHAT IT TAKES TO GET STARTED (AND SUCCEED)’:

See THU.12. Noon-1 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 540-1366.

crafts

YARN & YAK: See WED.11. YARN CRAFTERS GROUP: See WED.11.

environment

WINTER WEBINAR: ‘WHO’S RESPONSIBLE FOR WASTE? RETHINKING

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.11

burlington

‘CHAMP: AMERICA’S LAKE MONSTER’: Curious minds dive into the science and history of Vermont’s most iconic legend at this family-friendly exhibit featuring interactive games, a design studio, multimedia displays, a 30-foot sculpture and photo ops. ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Regular admission, $1723; free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848.

DINOSAUR SAFARI EXHIBIT: Young explorers take an unforgettable journey through a hands-on prehistoric world where life-size animatronic dinosaurs come to life. ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Regular admission, $17-23; free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848.

LIBRARY LITTLES PLAYGROUP: A weekly program brings babies, toddlers and their caregivers together for songs, stories, play and community building in a nurturing environment. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 11-11:45 a.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

STEAM SPACE: Youngsters in grades K through 5 explore science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics activities. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

chittenden county

BABY TIME: Infants and their caregivers enjoy a slow, soothing story featuring songs, rhymes and lap play. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 846-4140. GAME ON!: Kids take turns collaborating with or competing against friends using Nintendo Switch on the big screen. Caregivers must be present to supervise children below fifth grade.

PRODUCTS & PACKAGING’:

Chittenden Solid Waste District director of public policy and communications Jen Holliday breaks down Vermont’s Extended Producer Responsibility landscape for local listeners. 6-6:45 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 872-8100. etc.

CHAMP MASTERS

TOASTMASTERS CLUB: Those looking to strengthen their speaking and leadership skills gain new tools. Virtual option available. Dealer.com, Burlington,

South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 5-6 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

HAFTY CRAFTY DAY: Kiddos ages 6 and up partake in a fun-filled hands-on art-making activity. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 1-2 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

MESS HALL: EARLY RELEASE

CRAFTERNOON: No school? No problem! Kiddos tap into their creative energy with a Snowflake Bentleyinspired paper lantern-making project. Community Center in Jericho, 1-3 p.m. Free. Info, riotcraftstudio@gmail.com.

PLAY TIME: Little ones ages birth to 5 build with giant blocks and read together. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 10-10:45 a.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

WHIMSICAL WEDNESDAYS: ‘HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON’: Mini movie buffs grab popcorn and fix their eyes on the 2025 fantasy adventure flick following the friendship between an inventive Viking and a clever creature named Toothless. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3:30-5:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

barre/montpelier

BABY & CAREGIVER MEETUP: Wiggly ones ages birth to 18 months play and explore in a calm, supportive setting while adults relax and connect on the sidelines. Jaquith Public Library, Marshfield, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 426-3581.

FAMILY CHESS CLUB: Players of all ages and abilities test their skills with instructor Robert and peers. KelloggHubbard Library, 2nd Floor, Children’s Library, Montpelier, 3:30-5 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

HOMESCHOOL BOOK GROUP: Kids ages 10 to 15 who learn at home bond over their favorite titles. KelloggHubbard Library, Montpelier, 1-2 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

mad river valley/ waterbury

‘EQUAL PARTNERS: IMPROVING GENDER EQUALITY AT HOME’: Author Kate Mangino encourages attendees to reflect on topics such as the societal expectations of men, division of labor and domestic roles at this info-packed seminar. Lawson’s Finest Liquids, Waitsfield, 6-7:30 p.m. By donation; preregister. Info, 318-4231.

6-7:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, cdmvt47@yahoo.com.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.

ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN FILM SERIES: ‘VAN GOGH: POETS & LOVERS’: This 2024 documentary examines the iconic artist’s pivotal years in the south of France, where he revolutionized his style. Virtual option available. Burlington City Hall Auditorium, 6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 865-7166.

upper valley

SENSORY STORY HOUR: WHEELS ON THE FARM: Young learners discover the shapes and colors of tractor and truck wheels through hands-on activities, including a wheelbarrow obstacle course. Billings Farm & Museum, Woodstock, 9:30-10:30 a.m. $10-12. Info, 457-2355.

THU.12 burlington

‘CHAMP: AMERICA’S LAKE MONSTER’: See WED.11.

BABY & ME CLASS: Parents and their infants ages birth to 1 explore massage, lullabies and gentle movements while discussing the struggles and joys of parenthood. Greater Burlington YMCA, 9:45-10:45 a.m. $10; free for members. Info, 862-9622.

BOOKS & MUSIC ADVENTURE: Linda Bassick, Kee Kee Buckley and Eric Troyer helm this family-friendly evening focusing on the power of story and song. Foam Brewers, Burlington, 6:30-8 p.m. Free. Info, 399-2511.

DINOSAUR SAFARI EXHIBIT: See WED.11.

chittenden

county

‘TELL US WHAT YOU WANT’: Library patrons in grades 6 through 12 convene to plan events and programs that reflect their interests. Refreshments provided. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 4-5 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

PRESCHOOL MUSIC WITH LINDA BASSICK: The singer and storyteller extraordinaire guides wee ones ages birth to 5 in indoor music and movement. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

PRESCHOOL PLAY TIME: Pre-K patrons play and socialize after music time. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

READ TO CHEWY THE THERAPY DOG: Tykes of all ages flock to the beloved pup for 15 minutes of stories and unconditional love. Essex Free Library, 4:30-5:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 879-0313.

STORY TIME: Little ones ages 2 to 5 learn from songs, crafts and picture books. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 10-10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

food & drink

COMMUNITY COOKING: See WED.11.

CUPPA ON CAMPUS: See WED.11.

RESTAURANT WEEK: See SUN.15. games

ADULTS PUZZLE SWAP: Participants leave completed puzzles (250-plus pieces only) in a ziplock bag with an image of the finished product, then find something new to take home. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 2:30-5 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

TODDLER TIME: Wiggly wee ones ages 1 and up love this lively, interactive storybook experience featuring songs, rhymes and finger plays. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 9:15-9:45 & 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

barre/montpelier

POKÉMON CLUB: I choose you, Pikachu! Elementary and teenage fans of the franchise — and beginners, too — trade cards and play games. KelloggHubbard Library, Montpelier, 3:30-5 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

STORY TIME: Kids and their caregivers meet for stories, songs and bubbles. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, 2nd Floor, Children’s Library, Montpelier, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

stowe/smuggs

WEE ONES PLAY TIME: Caregivers bring kiddos under 4 to a new sensory learning experience each week. Morristown Centennial Library, Morrisville, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 888-3853.

mad river valley/ waterbury

BUSY BEES PLAYGROUP: Blocks, toys, books and songs engage little ones 24 months and younger. Waterbury Public Library, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

upper valley

‘EQUAL PARTNERS: IMPROVING GENDER EQUALITY AT HOME’: See WED.11. Wilder Club & Library, 6-7:30 p.m.

northeast kingdom

ACORN CLUB STORY TIME: Youngsters 5 and under play, sing, hear stories and color. St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, 10:3011 a.m. Free. Info, 745-1391.

FRI.13

burlington

‘CHAMP: AMERICA’S LAKE MONSTER’: See WED.11.

‘EQUAL PARTNERS: IMPROVING GENDER EQUALITY AT HOME’: See WED.11. Phoenix Books, Burlington, 7-8:30 p.m.

‘RAISING BOYS & WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT’: Gender expert Kate

health & fitness

CHAIR YOGA: See WED.11. RECOVERY DHARMA: See WED.11. holidays

CHINESE NEW YEAR: Philanthropic foodies ring in the Year of the Horse with wine and traditional dishes. Proceeds benefit the Flynn. A Single Pebble, Burlington, 6 p.m. $150; preregister. Info, 863-5966. language

ELL CLASSES: See WED.11.

Mangino and staff from Dad Guild lead this town hall-style discussion about why young men and boys are struggling with isolation, addiction and mental health issues in unprecedented numbers. The Guild Hall, Burlington, 8:30-10 a.m. By donation; preregister. Info, 318-4231.

DADS & DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: New and experienced dad-venturers try their hand at the riveting tabletop role-playing game. Premade characters and extra dice available. The Guild Hall, Burlington, 7-9:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 318-4231.

DINOSAUR SAFARI EXHIBIT: See WED.11.

DROP-IN: An afterschool hangout space invites teens ages 13 to 19 to relax, connect, grab a snack or browse the nonprofit’s clothing closet. Outright Vermont, Burlington, 2:30 p.m. Free. Info, programs@outrightvt.org.

chittenden county

BOOKS & MUSIC ADVENTURE: See THU.12. Standing Stone Wines, Winooski, 6-8 p.m. Free. Info, standingstonewinesvt@gmail.com.

FRIDAY LEGO BUILDERS: Mini makers explore and create new worlds with stackable blocks. Recommended for ages 6 and up. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 3-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

barre/montpelier

BASEMENT TEEN CENTER: A drop-in hangout session welcomes kids ages 12 to 17 for lively games, arts and crafts, and snacks. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, 2-8 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

LEGO CLUB: Budding builders create geometric structures with snap-together blocks. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, 3:30-5 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

MEET TEDDY THE THERAPY DOG: Animal lovers pop by the library to make friends with a very good boy, learn about his therapy duties and see some of his astounding tricks. KelloggHubbard Library, 2nd Floor, Children’s Library, Montpelier, 3:30 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

STORY TIME & PLAYGROUP: Participants ages 5 and under enjoy themed science, art and nature activities. Jaquith Public Library, Marshfield, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 426-3581.

SPANISH CONVERSATION: Fluent and beginner speakers brush up on their vocabulario 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

ELISAPIE: In “Inuktitut,” a Canadian artist and indie-music star reimagines iconic pop and rock songs in her native tongue. Spaulding Auditorium, Hopkins Center for the Arts, Dartmouth

upper valley

STORY TIME: Preschoolers take part in tales, tunes and playtime. Latham Library, Thetford, 11 a.m. Free. Info, 785-4361.

northeast kingdom

PRESCHOOL STORY TIME: Youngsters and their caregivers delight in beautiful books, silly songs, creative crafts and unplugged play in the library’s cozy children’s room. Craftsbury Public Library, Craftsbury Common, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 586-9683.

SAT.14 burlington

‘CHAMP: AMERICA’S LAKE

MONSTER’: See WED.11.

DINOSAUR SAFARI EXHIBIT: See WED.11.

FAMILY PLAYSHOP: A range of themes and rotating activities promote school readiness and foster creativity. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

chittenden county

DAD GUILD’S TOAST & JAMS: Musician and early childhood educator Chris Dorman headlines a morning of live tunes, miniature golf, sourdough bread and locally made spreads. Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington, 10 a.m.-noon. By donation. Info, 318-4231.

FRENCH STORY TIME: Kids of all ages listen and learn to native speaker Romain Feuillette raconte une histoire. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 10:15-10:45 a.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

KIDS CHESS CLUB: Players ages 5 and up face off and discover new strategies. No formal instruction provided. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 846-4140.

KINGSTON’S AUTISM SWAGGER SQUAD VT: Neurodiverse children and their caregivers have fun, build community and support one another in a group

College, Hanover, N.H., 7:30-9:30 p.m. $35. Info, 603-646-2422.

FARMERS NIGHT CONCERT SERIES: VERMONT YOUTH

ORCHESTRA: An eclectic program of chamber music includes works by Antonio Vivaldi, Dmitri Shostakovich and Charles Ives. House Chamber, Vermont Statehouse, Montpelier, 7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 828-2228.

TUVERGEN: A mesmerizing concert transports listeners to the interconnected soundscapes of Mongolia, Tuva and Inner Mongolia. Alexander Twilight Theatre, Vermont State

University-Lyndon, 7 p.m. $10-25; free for VTSU community, families with children and students. Info, 748-2600.

seminars

AUDIO RECORDING 101: An informative evening examines the latest audio techniques and equipment, from microphones to boom poles. The Media Factory, Burlington, 6-8 p.m. Free; donations accepted; preregister. Info, 651-9692.

sports

GREEN MOUNTAIN TABLE

TENNIS CLUB: See WED.11.

talks

ARMCHAIR NATURALIST SERIES: DAVE ALLEN: A Middlebury College professor presents his research on the ecology of ticks and tick-borne diseases. New Haven Town Offices, 7-8 p.m. Free. Info, 363-4789.

theater

‘MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS’: See THU.12.

‘THE WORLD IS NOT SILENT’: See WED.11, 7:30 p.m.

words

THE HUMP DAY WRITING GROUP: See WED.11.

OPEN BOOK: Readers join the shop’s book buyer for a lively discussion about Samantha Hunt’s magical realist novel The Seas Phoenix Books, Essex, 6 p.m. Free. Info, 872-7111. ➆

setting. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 11 a.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

barre/montpelier

KIDS TRADE & PLAY: Neighbors swap or shop gently used clothing, shoes, books and toys. Capital City Grange, Berlin, 9:30-11:30 a.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, 337-8632.

VALENTINE’S DAY PARENTS’ NIGHT OUT: A themed movie night for kiddos ages 4 and up includes crafts, ageappropriate activity stations, games, pizza and supervised play, while the grown-ups hit the town for a romantic evening. Contemporary Dance & Fitness Studio, Montpelier, 6-9 p.m. $35; $20 per each additional child. Info, 646-400-5882.

upper valley

MAGIC OF MAPLE: Who could say no to sugar on snow?

Families embark on an arctic adventure celebrating this delightful gift from trees. Billings Farm & Museum, Woodstock, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Regular admission, $12-21; free for members and kids under 3. Info, 457-2355.

POKÉMON GO BIRDING:

Professor Oak needs your help! Participants of all ages use their smartphone cameras to capture critters frolicking around feeders and chattering in trees. Vermont Institute of Natural Science, Quechee, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Regular admission, $17-20; free for members and kids 3 and under. Info, 359-5000.

northeast kingdom

WEEE! DANCE PARTY:

Little ones and their caregivers express themselves through movement at this free-wheeling, DJ-driven bash. Highland Center for the Arts, Greensboro, 2-3 p.m. $5 suggested donation; preregister. Info, 533-2000.

brattleboro/okemo valley

‘THE BAFFO BOX SHOW’: Performed in a one-of-a-kind

suit-stage, this family-friendly show by Modern Times Theater delivers classic hand puppetry, Dadaist ventriloquism and comedy with impeccable timing. Sandglass Theater, Putney, 11 a.m.-noon & 2-3 p.m. $8-16 sliding scale. Info, 387-4051. outside vermont

HOPSTOP FAMILY

CELEBRATION: LUNAR NEW YEAR DRAGON DANCE: Families usher in the Year of the Horse with a spirited shindig featuring crafts, movement, tai chi and a lively parade. Top of the Hop, Hopkins Center for the Arts, Dartmouth College, Hanover N.H., 11 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 603-646-2422.

LUNAR NEW YEAR

CELEBRATION: A drop-in art-making program for all ages, an exhibition talk and a curated reading nook kick off the Year of the Horse. Refreshments provided. Hood Museum, Dartmouth College, Hanover, N.H., 1-3 p.m. Free. Info, 603-646-2808.

SUN.15 burlington

‘CHAMP: AMERICA’S LAKE MONSTER’: See WED.11.

DINOSAUR SAFARI EXHIBIT: See WED.11.

SUNDAY MORNING FAM JAMS: Early childhood educator and musician Alex Baron hosts an instrument-powered playgroup. The Guild Hall, Burlington, 9:3011 a.m. Free. Info, 318-4231.

TWEEN GROUP: A new program for queer and gender-creative youths ages 10 to 12 offers space to make new friends, join in fun activities and build community. Outright Vermont, Burlington, 2-4 p.m. Free. Info, 865-9677.

chittenden county

SOCIAL SUNDAYS: Families participate in fun and educational art activities with diverse mediums and themes. All supplies and instruction provided. Milton Artists’ Guild Art Center

& Gallery, 12:30-2:30 p.m. Free. Info, 891-2014.

mad river valley/ waterbury

BUNNY BALLET DANCE PARTY: Special guest Sanna Gibbons reads Nora Ericson’s The Bunny Ballet while leading little listeners in movements throughout the story. Bunny ears provided. Inklings Children’s Books, Waitsfield, 11 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 496-7280.

upper valley

MAGIC OF MAPLE: See SAT.14, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

MON.16

burlington

‘CHAMP: AMERICA’S LAKE MONSTER’: See WED.11.

DINOSAUR SAFARI EXHIBIT: See WED.11.

mad river valley/ waterbury

TODDLER TIME: Little kids ages 5 and under have a blast with songs, stories, rhymes and dancing. Waterbury Public Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

upper valley

MAGIC OF MAPLE: See SAT.14, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

STORY TIME WITH BETH: An engaging bookseller and librarian reads picture books on a different theme each week. The Norwich Bookstore, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 649-1114.

TUE.17

burlington

‘CHAMP: AMERICA’S LAKE MONSTER’: See WED.11.

BUILD IT BIG! RIGAMAJIG WORKSHOP: Budding engineers ages 7 to 12 work together to create towers, forts, vehicles and anything else they can dream up with the library’s building tool.

Fletcher Room, Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 863-3403.

DINOSAUR SAFARI EXHIBIT: See WED.11.

MINECRAFT MEETUP: Fans of the sandbox game from ages 7 to 12 gather with fellow enthusiasts to play on the library’s private server. Snacks provided. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 5-6:15 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

SING-ALONG WITH LINDA BASSICK: Babies, toddlers and preschoolers sing, dance and wiggle along with the local musician. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

chittenden county

MIDDLE GRADE BUTTON MAKING: Crafty kids in grades 4 to 8 draw or print any design they like, then make a custom pin to take home. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 5-6 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

STORY TIME: Youngsters from birth to 5 enjoy a session of reading, rhyming and singing. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

barre/montpelier

BASEMENT TEEN CENTER: See FRI.13, 2-6 p.m.

THE NEST: Good Beginnings of Central Vermont hosts a baby-friendly space where prenatal and postpartum families can connect. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

upper valley

MAGIC OF MAPLE: See SAT.14, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

northeast kingdom

LAPSIT STORY TIME: Babies 2 and under learn to love reading while singing and playing with their caregivers. Siblings welcome. St. Johnsbury

Athenaeum, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 745-1391.

PRESCHOOL STORY TIME: See FRI.13.

WED.18

DADS’ NIGHT IN: JACKBOX GAMES: Fathers log on for a virtual game night hosted by Dad Guild. 8:45-10 p.m. Free. Info, 318-4231.

burlington

‘CHAMP: AMERICA’S LAKE MONSTER’: See WED.11.

DINOSAUR SAFARI EXHIBIT: See WED.11.

LIBRARY LITTLES PLAYGROUP: See WED.11.

STEAM SPACE: See WED.11.

chittenden county

BABY TIME: See WED.11. GAME ON!: See WED.11.

KIDS PUZZLE SWAP: Participants leave completed puzzles (24 to 300 pieces only) in a ziplock bag with an image of the finished product, then find something new to take home. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 2-5 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

PEN PALS: CARDS & LETTER WRITING: There’s no mail like snail mail! Riot Craft Studio hosts an all-ages opportunity for kids to pen sweet notes for their loved ones. BYO postage. Jericho Town Library, 3-5 p.m. Free. Info, riotcraftstudio@gmail.com.

PLAY TIME: See WED.11.

barre/montpelier

BABY & CAREGIVER MEETUP: See WED.11.

FAMILY CHESS CLUB: See WED.11.

upper valley

MAGIC OF MAPLE: See SAT.14, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. K

THE FOLLOWING CLASS LISTINGS ARE PAID ADVERTISEMENTS. ANNOUNCE YOUR CLASS HERE FOR AS LITTLE AS $21.25/WEEK (INCLUDES SIX PHOTOS AND UNLIMITED DESCRIPTION ONLINE).

NEWSPAPER DEADLINE: MONDAYS AT 3 P.M. POST CLASS ADS AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POSTCLASS. GET HELP AT CLASSES@SEVENDAYSVT.COM.

arts & crafts

SATURDAY WORKSHOP

SERIES — ALYSSA

DELABRUERE STUDIO:

Saturday art workshops for adults at Alyssa DeLaBruere Studio at Camp Meade in Middlesex! Feb. 7: Exploring Pastel Landscapes; Feb. 14: Intro to Collage; Feb. 28: Intro to Watercolor — Skyscapes. Register at alyssadelabruere. com/middlesexclasses. Dates: Feb. 7, Feb. 14 & Feb. 28, 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Cost: $125/ workshop; materials incl. Location: Camp Meade, 961 Route 2, Middlesex. Info: 802-323-3355, alyssadelabruere@gmail.com, alyssadelabruere.com.

SAM WORKSHOP/HISTORIC

PAINT & SIP: Hosted by Saint Albans Museum and guided by Painting With Linda, this morning gathering is a great way to relax, try your hand and meet some new people in a cozy, creative environment. SAM Workshop features artists and crafters whose artistry has the power to bring people together to strengthen the local social fabric. e workshops are focused less on technical skills and more on creative ways to engage with the themes, stories and collective history at Saint Albans Museum. No experience is necessary. You must be 18-plus to register. All materials are provided. Space is limited. Date: Sat., Feb. 21, 10 a.m.-noon. Cost: Free. Location: Saint Albans

Museum, 9 Church St. Info: sevendaystickets.com.

DAVIS STUDIO ART CLASSES: Discover your happy place in one of our weekly classes. Making art boosts emotional well-being and brings joy to your life, especially when you connect with other art enthusiasts. Select the ongoing program that’s right for you. Now enrolling youths, teens and adults. Join and restore your faith in humanity. Info: 802-425-2700, info@davisstudiovt.com, davisstudiovt.com.

LOCAL FIBER VT SPRING

RETREAT: e weekend-long event will be based at the Norwich Inn. Participants choose from one of four ﬁber arts sessions for the weekend: Knitting, Spinning, Felting or

Dyeing. Retreat includes classes, all meals, local vendors, gift bags and more. Instructors for the weekend include Beth Brown-Reinsel (knitting), Jane Woodhouse (natural dyeing), Ellen Minard (hand-spinning) and Jan Stuart (wet felting). Dates: Mar. 27-29. Cost: $1,200; $995 early-bird price until Mar. 1. Participants also receive discounted room rate. Info: vermontfibershed@gmail. com, vermontfibershed.org/ local-fiber-vt-retreat.

food & drink

APRÈS-SKI COOKIE

DECORATING CLASS: Have you ever wanted to learn the art of cookie decorating? Join Laura’s Cookies in this twohour class, and Laura will show you step-by-step how to decorate ﬁve cookies using royal icing. Along the way you will learn tips and tricks to make sure you leave conﬁdent, regardless of your skill level. Recommended for ages 8 and up. You must have a ticket to attend the event. Date: Sat. Feb. 21, 3-5 p.m. Cost: $65. Location: Red Poppy Cakery, 1 Elm St., Waterbury. Info: laura@laurascookies.com, sevendaystickets.com.

THE ULTIMATE CHOCOLATE TASTING: Indulge your senses in the ultimate chocolate tasting at the Lake Champlain Chocolates ﬂagship store on Pine Street in Burlington. Join a chocolate expert for a fun and interactive experience. Explore how chocolate is made, discover what goes into crafting high-quality chocolate and learn how to taste chocolate like a pro. en put your skills to the test as you enjoy a ﬂight of chocolate confections. Are you ready for the ultimate chocolate experience? Get your tickets today! Dates: Feb. 14 or Feb. 15, 2 p.m. Cost: $16. Location: Lake Champlain Chocolates, 750 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 802-864-1808, info@

lakechamplainchocolates.com, lakechamplainchocolates.com/ chocolate-tastings.

healing arts

THE ART OF INTENTIONAL LIVING: A YAMAS WORKSHOP: Yoga is more than a workout — it’s a blueprint for life. Learn how to take that “yoga bliss” out of the studio and into the real world. Reserve your spot now. Date: Sun., Feb. 15, 2-4:30 p.m. Cost: $55, incl. community chat, journaling, take-home materials, tea & snacks. Location: Pillar Pilates Building, 25 Rossiter St., Brandon. Info: melanieredelyoga@gmail. com, melanieredel.com.

martial arts

AIKIDO: THE POWER OF HARMONY — NEW TUESDAY NOON CLASS: Beginners’ classes ﬁve days a week. Cultivate core power, aerobic ﬁtness and resiliency. e dynamic, circular movements emphasize throws,

joint locks and the development of internal energy. Join our community and ﬁnd resiliency, power and grace. Inclusive training, gender-neutral dressing room/ bathrooms and a safe space for all. Visitors are always welcome to watch a class! Vermont’s only intensive aikido programs. Location: Aikido of Champlain Valley, 257 Pine St., Burlington. Info: bpincus@burlingtonaikido. org, burlingtonaikido.org.

music

TAIKO TUESDAYS, DJEMBE

WEDNESDAYS!: Drum with Stuart Paton! New sessions each month. Community Taiko Ensemble Beginner’s Class, Mon., 5:30-7 p.m. Taiko on Tue.: Kids & Parents Taiko, 4-5:30

p.m.; Adult Intro Taiko, 5:30-7 p.m.; Accelerated Intro Taiko, 7-8:30 p.m. Djembe on Wed.: Intermediate Djembe, 5:30-7 p.m.; Beginner Djembe, 7-8:30 p.m. Drums provided. Cost: $92/4 weeks; 90-min. classes; $72 per person for Kids & Parents class. Location: Burlington Taiko, 208 Flynn Ave., Suite 3-G. Info: Stuart Paton, 802-448-0150, burlingtontaiko.org.

wellness

LEARNING THE LANGUAGE OF YES: FROM SHOULDS AND SCRIPTS TO SOUL-LED MIDLIFE WELLNESS FOR WOMEN: is workshop is not about fixing your life, hacking your habits, optimizing your health or adding one more thing to your to-do list. It is about slowing down long enough to hear what your body, your intuition and this midlife season of your life have been trying to tell you all along. Together, we’ll explore how midlife asks us to shift from living by inherited scripts to making choices rooted in truth, values and self-trust. is is experiential, reflective and supportive — no slides, no information overload and no fixing required. You won’t leave with a checklist: You’ll leave with a new, more healthy relationship — with yourself and with wellness as a midlife woman. Date: Fri., Feb. 27, 6 p.m. Cost: $57 early bird pricing; $77 after Feb. 14. Info: liza@simply-healthcoaching.com, sevendaystickets.com.

Buy & Sell »

ANTIQUES, FURNITURE, GARAGE SALES

Community »

ANNOUNCEMENTS, LOST & FOUND, SUPPORT GROUPS

Rentals & Real Estate »

APARTMENTS, HOMES, FOR SALE BY OWNER

Vehicles »

CARS, BIKES, BOATS, RVS

Services »

FINANCIAL, CHILDCARE, HOME & GARDEN

Musicians & Artists »

LESSONS, CASTING, REHEARSAL SPACE

Jobs » NO SCAMS, ALL LOCAL, POSTINGS DAILY

Chappell

AGE/SEX: 2-year-old spayed female

ARRIVAL DATE: January 20, 2026

SUMMARY: Chappell is a sensitive soul seeking a calm and patient home where she can blossom. This sweet girl is still learning how to feel safe and confident in a big, busy world. New people and unfamiliar environments can feel overwhelming for Chappell, but give her time and patience and she’ll be utterly devoted to you! At home, Chappell is calm, gentle and low-key — she enjoys lounging with her stuffies and peacefully sharing space. Could you be the special human Chappell’s waiting for?

DOGS/CATS/KIDS: Chappell is searching for a home as the only dog. She has no known experience with cats. Chappell would thrive in a home with older children, teenagers and adults.

Visit the Humane Society of Chittenden County at 142 Kindness Court, South Burlington, Tuesday-Wednesday 1-5 p.m., Thursday-Friday 1-6 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Call 862-0135 or visit hsccvt.org for more info.

DID YOU KNOW?

Dogs are creatures of habit and feel most comfortable when their schedule is predictable. You don’t need to change your schedule to fit their needs, but try to keep mealtime, exercise and bedtime as consistent as possible.

MISCELLANEOUS

ST. ALBANS, VT.

ESTATE SALE

Buy y & Se

HOME & GARDEN

FIREWOOD FOR SALE

Hardwood cut +/- 16 in., incl. black walnut, white ash & cherry. Can deliver within 20 miles of Georgia. Price per cord, 4 by 4 by 8 feet. $290. Info, 802-238-7658.

PREPARE FOR POWER OUTAGES

Prepare for power outages today w/ a Generac Home Standby Generator. Act now to receive a free 5-year warranty w/ qualifying purchase. Call 1-866381-0627 today to schedule a free quote. It’s not just a generator. It’s a power move. (AAN CAN)

Online estate sale through Feb. 18. Pickup Sat., Feb. 21, 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Sea-Doo & trailer, generator, pool table, Billy Blanks Tae Bo bag, primitive items, grow light, smoker, antique corn husker, workout weight set, crossbow, bows, dining table & chairs, gun cabinet, china buffet, matching couches & recliners, grandfather clock, snowshoes, leather clothing, vacuum cleaners, beds (full to king), ﬁ shing poles, lures, Craftsman toolboxes, toboggan, kayaks, chest freezer, Honda snowblower. Info, 802-238-9574, reedobrien@aol.com, estatesalesofvermont. com.

CLASSIFIEDS KEY

appt. appointment apt. apartment

BA bathroom BR bedroom DR dining room DW dishwasher HDWD hardwood HW hot water LR living room

NS no smoking

OBO

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

Communit y ommuni

VOLUNTEERS

LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS FOR OUR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION

Hi, everyone! We’re Aging in Place With Pets. Our unique nonproﬁ t organization is dedicated to helping older adults & other vulnerable populations throughout our greater Burlington community to take care of, & keep, their pets. Our kind, compassionate & nonjudgmental volunteers (who we refer to as “coaches”) provide participants in our Tuesday & ursday Program w/ social, emotional & physical support to help them & their pets stay together. Please email our founder & director, Dr. Blake Randell, if you’re interested in & avail. to become one of our coaches. Info, blake@ aginginplacewithpets. org, aginginplacewith pets.org.

MUSIC LESSONS

PIANO, VOICE, TROMBONE, SONGWRITING LESSONS

Awarded for lifetime achievement from Who’s Who in America, Scott omas Carter is avail. for lessons at Music & Arts on Wed. & Sun. Call 802-651-1013.

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

ent als

&

R R eal Estate

APARTMENTS & HOUSES FOR RENT

BURLINGTON HOUSING AUTHORITY LOW WAIT LIST

BHA has a low wait list for apts. w/ a subsidy in Burlington. Income limits do apply. Income up to $27,300 for a 1-person household; up to $31,200 for a 2-person household. 1-BR & efﬁ ciency apts. avail. now. Apply today by calling BHA at 802864-0538 or stop by 65 Main St. in Burlington. Affordable housing for all. Equal Housing Opportunity.

BURLINGTON HILL SECTION, SINGLE ROOM FOR RENT

Furnished 1-BR at 27 Latham Ct. Single furnished room w/ a shared BA. No cooking, NS & no pets. Sheets & towels provided. On the bus line. $200/ week or $867/mo. Call 802-862-2389.

HOMES FOR SALE

EXPERIENCE TRUE MOUNTAIN LIVING IN BOLTON VALLEY 4302 Bolton Valley Access Rd., Unit 383 & 385 in Bolton. Live the mountain lifestyle in this fully furnished, top-fl oor 1-BR/2-BA, 776-sq.ft. condo w/ full kitchen, Murphy bed & pull-out sofa, ready for you or renters on day 1. Steps to Bolton Valley’s lifts & trails for true ski-in/ski-out access. Enjoy 71 trails, extensive Nordic/backcountry networks, night skiing & a welcoming Alpine village set on 5,000+ acres w/ long, snowy seasons. Summer adds lift-served biking, hiking & disc golf. About 30 minutes to Burlington & close to Waterbury & Montpelier. Perfect base camp, getaway or investment — schedule a showing! $224,900. Info, 315-569-7688, sean@fl exrealtyvt.com, fl exrealty.com.

HOUSEMATES

S. BURLINGTON RENTFREE HOMESHARE CLOSE TO UVMMC Gentle 91-year-old who enjoys company &

music offering to share his home at no cost in exchange for sharing conversation, heating an evening meal, light help around the house & an overnight presence. A well-behaved pet would be considered! Small utils. share. Wi-Fi can be added at a housemate’s expense. Shared BA. Convenient to UVMMC & the bus line. Interview, refs. & background checks req. EHO. Call 802863-5625, email info@ homesharevermont.org or visit homeshare vermont.org for application.

HOUSING WANTED

WE BUY HOUSES

We buy houses for cash as-is! No repairs. No fuss. Any condition. Easy process: Call, get cash offer & get paid. Call today for your fair cash offer: 1-877-9391331. (AAN CAN)

WIRELESS HOME INTERNET

Connect to the best wireless home internet w/ EarthLink. Enjoy speeds from 5G & 4G LTE networks, no contracts, easy installation, & data plans up to 300 GB. Call 855-873-2215. (AAN CAN)

AFFORDABLE TV & INTERNET

If you are overpaying for your service, call now for a free quote & see how much you can save: 1-844-588-6579. (AAN CAN)

FINANCIAL & LEGAL

TIME-SHARE CANCELLATION EXPERTS

Legal Notices

PLACE AN AFFORDABLE NOTICE AT: SEVENDAYSVT.COM/LEGAL-NOTICES OR CALL 802-865-1020, EXT. 121.

WARNING CHAMPLAIN VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT ANNUAL MEETING

MARCH 2, 2026 AND MARCH 3, 2026

e legal voters of the Champlain Valley School District, are hereby notiﬁed and warned to meet at the Champlain Valley Union High School Library in the Town of Hinesburg at ﬁ ve o’clock (5:00pm) in the evening on March 2, 2026, to transact any of the following business not involving voting by Australian ballot, and to conduct an informational hearing with respect to Articles of business to be considered by Australian ballot on March 3, 2026.

Virtual Zoom participation details: https:// cvsdvt-org.zoom.us/j/88617104470 Meeting ID: 886 1710 4470 Passcode: cvsd11. Zoom Meeting phone participation: 1-312-626-6799 Passcode: 948811

ARTICLE I: To elect a moderator, clerk and treasurer. ARTICLE II: To hear and act upon the reports of the school district ofﬁcers.

ARTICLE III: Shall the voters of the Champlain Valley School District authorize the Board of School Directors to borrow money by issuance of bonds or notes not in excess of anticipated revenues for the next ﬁscal year?

Wesley Financial Group, LLC, time-share cancellation experts. Over $50 million in time-share debt & fees canceled in 2019. Get free informational package & learn how to get rid of your time-share! Free consultations. Over 450 positive reviews. Call 888-960-1781. (AAN CAN)

ARTICLE IV: Shall the voters of the Champlain Valley School District authorize the Board of School Directors to provide a mailed notice of availability of the Annual Report to residents in lieu of distributing the Annual Report?

CREATIVE

FINE ART CONSERVATION & FURNITURE RESTORATION

Seer ices

STOP OVERPAYING FOR AUTO INSURANCE

A recent survey says that most Americans are overpaying for their car insurance. Let us show you how much you can save. Call now for a no-obligation quote: 1-833-399-1539. (AAN CAN)

Offering the highest quality oil painting repair, cleaning, etc., as well as antique & contemporary furniture repair, reﬁ nishing & restoration. Quechee, Vt. Info, 802-295-1309, meetinghouse restoration@gmail.com, antiquesalchemist.com.

ELECTRONICS

AMERICA’S PREMIER MOBILE MEDICAL ALERT SYSTEM

MobileHelp, America’s premier mobile medical alert system. Whether you’re home or away. For safety & peace of mind. No long-term contracts. Free brochure. Call today! 1-877-667-4685. (AAN CAN)

All your entertainment. Nothing on your roof! Sign up for DIRECTV & get your 1st 3 mos. of Max, Paramount+, Showtime, Starz, MGM+ & Cinemax incl. Choice package, $84.99/mo. Some restrictions apply. Call 1-855-606-4520. (AAN CAN)

GET 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)

HEALTH & WELLNESS

CAREGIVING

Retired nurse doing light caregiving. NS, no heavy lifting. Part time, days & evenings. $20-25/hour. Contact Carly at 802-495-1954 or 802-891-1242 or email hopefulvt70@ gmail.com.

ARTICLE V: To establish the date of the Champlain Valley School District Annual Meeting of Monday, March 1, 2027 at 5pm at CVU High School and recessed and opened back up at Australian ballot voting on Town Meeting Day.

ARTICLE VI: To transact any other business proper to come before the meeting.

BALLOT QUESTIONS

e legal voters of the Champlain Valley School District, are hereby notiﬁed and warned to meet at their respective polling places on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, at seven o’clock in the forenoon (7:00am), at which time the polls will open, and seven o’clock in the afternoon (7:00pm), at which time the polls will close, to vote by Australian ballot on the following articles of business:

| 11AM-1PM

Using the enclosed math operations as a guide, fill the grid using the numbers 1 - 6 only once in

Complete the following puzzle by using the numbers 1-9 only once in each row, column and 3 x 3 box.

Show and tell. View and post up to 6 photos per ad online. Open 24/7/365. Post & browse ads at your convenience.

WANT MORE PUZZLES?

Try these online news games from Seven Days at sevendaysvt.com/games.

Put your knowledge of Vermont news to the test.

CALCOKU BY JOSH

REYNOLDS

DIFFICULTY THIS WEEK: HHH

Fill the grid using the numbers 1-6, only once in each row and column. The numbers in each heavily outlined “cage” must combine to produce the target number in the top corner, using the mathematical operation indicated. A one-box cage should be filled in with the target number in the top corner. A number can be repeated within a cage as long as it is not the same row or column.

SUDOKU BY JOSH REYNOLDS

DIFFICULTY THIS WEEK: HH

Place a number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down and each 9-box square contains all of the numbers one to nine. The same numbers cannot be repeated in a row or column.

See how fast you can solve this weekly 10-word puzzle.

[CONTINUED]

ARTICLE VII: Shall the voters of the Champlain Valley School District approve the school board to expend One Hundred Seven Million, Eight Hundred Sixty Thousand, Two Hundred Eight-Five Dollars ($107,860,285), which is the amount the school board has determined to be necessary for the ensuing fiscal year? The Champlain Valley School District estimates that this proposed budget, if approved, will result in per pupil education spending of Fifteen Thousand, Nine Hundred, Sixty-Two Dollars ($15,962), which is 2.7% higher than per pupil education spending for the current year.

ARTICLE VIII: Shall the voters of the Champlain Valley School District authorize the Board of School Directors to allocate its current fund balance, without effect upon the District tax levy, as follows: assign One Million Dollars ($1,000,000) of the school district’s current fund balance as revenue for the 2026 - 2027 operating budget, and assign the remaining balance, One Million, Six Hundred, Twelve Thousand, Four Hundred, Eighty-Nine Dollars ($1,612,489) as revenue for future budgets?

ARTICLE IX: Shall general obligation bonds or notes of the Champlain Valley School District in an amount not to exceed Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000), subject to reduction from the application of available state and federal grants-in-aid and reserves, be issued for the purpose of financing the cost of purchasing up to two (2) school buses and two (2) mini vans, the aggregate cost of such purchases is estimated to cost Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000)?

ARTICLE X: Shall general obligation bonds or notes of Champlain Valley School District in an amount not to exceed Thirteen Million Dollars ($13,000,000), subject to reduction from the application of available state and federal grants-in-aid and reserves, be issued for the purpose of financing the cost of the fiscal year 2027 capital improvement plan, namely (1) Charlotte Central School elevator, bathrooms, building envelope, (2) Champlain Valley Union High School roofing, HVAC, fire alarm system, (3) Hinesburg Community School roofing, HVAC, electrical (4) Williston Schools gym flooring, lighting, HVAC, the aggregate cost of such improvements estimated to be Thirteen Million Dollars ($13,000,000)? State funds may not be available at

the time these projects are otherwise eligible to receive state school construction aid. The District is responsible for all costs incurred in connection with any borrowing done in anticipation of the receipt of school construction aid.

POLLING PLACES

Charlotte Charlotte Town Hall

Hinesburg Hinesburg Town Hall

Shelburne Shelburne Town Center – Gymnasium

Williston Williston Armory

St. George St. George Town Hall

Ballots shall be transported and delivered to the Champlain Valley Union High School in the Town of Hinesburg and there commingled and counted by members of the Boards of Civil Authority of several towns under the supervision of the District Clerk of the Champlain Valley School District.

The legal voters of the Champlain Valley School District are further notified that voter qualification, registration and absentee/early voting relative to said annual meeting shall be as provided in Section 739 of Title 16, and Chapters 43, 51 and 55 of Title 17, Vermont Statutes Annotated.

Adopted and approved at a duly noticed, called and held meeting of the Board of School Directors of the Champlain Valley School District on January 20, 2026. Received for record and recorded in the records of the Champlain Valley School District on January 20, 2026.

ATTEST: Lynne T. Jaunich, District Clerk; Meghan E. Metzler, Chairperson

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BID TOWN OF COLCHESTER PARKS & RECREATION DEPARTMENT

80 DICK MAZZA DRIVE, COLCHESTER, VT 05446

Sealed BIDS for the Bayside Park Hard Court Construction Project, retrofitting and construction of new tennis, pickleball and basketball courts on the existing sites. Bid Documents may be purchased from BluePrints, Etc., 20 Farrell Street, Suite 101, South Burlington, Vermont 05403, 802-865-4503, www.blueprintsetc.com

Bids will be received by: Derek Mitchell, Assistant Parks Director, Town of Colchester Parks & Recreation Department, 80 Dick Mazza Drive, Colchester, VT 05446 until 1:00pm on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, and then at said office publicly opened and read aloud.

Each BID must be accompanied by a certified check payable to the OWNER for five percent (5%) of the total amount of the BID. A BID bond may be used in lieu of a certified check.

A Performance BOND and a Payment BOND each in an amount equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the contract price will be required. (40 CFR §31.36(h))

A non-mandatory pre-bid meeting for prospective bidders will be held at 9:00am on Wednesday, February 4th. Any bidder interested should come to the Bayside Activity Center, located at Bayside Park, 36 Blakely Road, Colchester, VT 05446. Questions regarding the Bid are due by end of day on February 18, 2026. All bidders must notify Greg Dixson, P.E., Krebs & Lansing Consulting Engineers of their intent to bid so they can be placed on a Bidders List to receive any issued addenda or other pertinent information. Please notify the Project Manager, Derek Mitchell, if email is not an acceptable method for receiving information and provide alternate means of contact.

WARNING OF THE 103RD ANNUAL WINOOSKI CITY MEETING

The legal voters of Winooski are hereby warned and notified to meet at the Winooski School District Auditorium on March 2,2026 at 6:00 p.m. to discuss Article Three, Article Four, Article Five, Article Six and Article Seven to conduct an informational meeting on the Australian Ballot questions. A public hearing will coincide with the informational meeting to discuss Article Five, Article Six and Article Seven.

The meeting to be adjourned and to reconvene at the Winooski Senior Center, 123 Barlow Street on Tuesday, March 3, 2026 to transact any business involving voting by Australian Ballot to begin at 7:00 a.m. in the morning and closing at 7:00 p.m.

The legal voters of the City of Winooski are further notified that voter qualification, registration and absentee voting relative to said meeting shall be as provided in Vermont Statutes Annotated Title 17 Chapters 43, 51 and 55, and Act No. M-6 (H.227)

Article One

To elect (1) Councilor for an one (1) year unexpired term expires in 2027

To elect (2) City Councilors for a term of two (2) years each.

Article Two

To elect (1) Mayor for an one (1) year unexpired term expires in 2027

Article Three

Shall the voters of the City of Winooski approve the budget for the Fiscal Year 2027 in the amount of Eleven Million Nine Hundred Eight Thousand FortyTwo Dollars and Fifty-Four Cents ($11,908,042.54).

The amount to be raised from property taxes is Nine Million Three Hundred Nineteen Thousand Sixty-Five Dollars and Seventy-Nine Cents ($9,319,065.79).

Article Four

Shall the City Council be authorized to apply for and accept funds from sources other than property taxation, and to expend the same for the benefit of the City in addition to sums for which budget appropriation has been made? (Approval of this article will not impact property taxes.)

Article Five

Shall general obligation bonds of the City of Winooski in a principal amount not to exceed Five Hundred Eighty Thousand Dollars ($580,000) be issued for the planning, design, construction, repair, replacement, and upgrade of the Cascade Parking Garage elevator and related capital improvements? A portion of the repayment is intended to come from parking fees, subject to any reduction for applicable state and federal grants-in-aid and any applicable general funds but backed by the full faith and credit of the City.

Article Six

Shall general obligation bonds of the City of Winooski in a principal amount not to exceed Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000) be issued for the planning, design, construction, and installation of a sidewalk on a portion of East Spring Street and related capital improvements, with the total amount of such general obligation bonds to be reduced by the receipt of state and federal grants-in-aid?

Article Seven

Shall general obligation bonds of the City of Winooski in a principal amount not to exceed Nine Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($950,000) be issued for the planning, design, construction, repair, replacement, and upgrades to City Hall and Police Department and related capital improvements, with the total amount of such general obligation bonds to be reduced by the receipt of state and federal grants-in-aid?

Dated at Winooski, Vermont this 26th day of January, 2026

Mayor Thomas Renner

Deputy Mayor Bryn Oakleaf

Councilor Aurora Hurd

Councilor Elsie Goodrich

Councilor Alison Turkos

INVITATION TO BID

Greenprint Partners, acting as Project Manager, seeks qualified contractors for Vermont Manufactured Housing Community (MHC) Stormwater Improvements for the location listed below. Federal Disadvantage Business Enterprise (DBE), Women-Owned, Veteran-Owned, MinorityOwned contractors and suppliers, and Small Businesses are strongly encouraged to submit a bid proposal.

Project Description: This project consists of stormwater improvements to meet the Vermont Stormwater Rules.

Location of the work is as follows:

Bid Opening Thursday, March 5, 2026

• Derby Mobile Home Park – 2477 Us Route 5, Derby, VT (Quest Number 10049412)

Schedule: Construction is scheduled to begin in Spring 2026 and be substantially completed by Fall 2026.

The construction work involves installing level spreaders, filter strips, road repair and grading.

This project is subject to Davis Bacon wage rates compliance and Build America Buy America provisions.

Any interested subcontractors and suppliers should visit the following website after February 3, 2026 for information on obtaining bidding documents: www. questcdn.com under Greenprint Partners or https:// www.greenprintpartners.com and click on Bidding opportunities.

For additional information, please send an email to the construction project manager: vyates@ greenprintpartners.com

TOWN OF JERICHO

The legal voters of Jericho, Vermont, are hereby notified and warned to meet on Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026, to vote for Town Officers and to transact any business for the Annual Town Meeting involving voting by Australian ballot. Polls for voting by Australian ballot will be open on Tuesday, March Yd, 2026, at the Mount Mansfield Union High School from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., at which time the polls will close to vote on the following articles:

ARTICLE I Shall the voters approve the proposed fiscal year ending 2027 budget of $4,375,573, including spending unanticipated funds such as State and Federal grants and gifts?

ARTICLE II Shall the voters appropriate $607,205 of the total $1,084,585 Underhill Jericho Fire Department budget, to the department, for the purpose of providing fire protection/suppression, emergency response services, and certified first response services in the community 24 hours a day, 7 days a week during FY2027?

ARTICLE III Shall the voters approve allocating $200,000 to the Jericho Town Library, to be paid in installments of $50,000 annually for the next four years, for the purpose of assisting with their renovation project?

ARTICLE IV Shall the Town collect its taxes by its Treasurer in accordance with 32 VSA Section 4791?

ARTICLE V Shall the Town collect its taxes in equal installments due in the Town Offices on September 15, 2026, and March 15, 2027, with postmarks acceptable?

ARTICLE VI Shall the Town authorize the Selectboard to borrow money for the temporary needs of the Town?

ARTICLE VII To elect a Moderator for a one-year term

ARTICLE VIII To elect a Town Clerk for a one-year term

ARTICLE IX To elect a Selectboard member for one year of an unexpired two-year term

ARTICLE X To elect a Selectboard member for a two-year term

ARTICLE XI To elect a Selectboard member for a three-year term

ARTICLE XII To elect a Cemetery Commissioner for a three-year term

ARTICLE XIII To elect a Cemetery Commissioner for a two-year term of an unexpired three-year term

ARTICLE XIV To elect a Jericho Underhill Library District Trustee for a four-year term.

ARTICLE XV To elect a Jericho Underhill Park District Trustee for a three-year term

ARTICLE XVI To elect Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District Board of Directors for a three-year term (2 positions)

JERICHO SELECTBOARD

Dated this _23rd_day ofJanuary, A.D., 2026

/s/ Erik Johnson

/s/ Peter Booth

/s/ Catherine McMains

/s/ Amy Kapitan

/s/ Laura Crain

Received for record this 27 day of January, A.D., 2026

Jessica R. Alexander Town Clerk

STATE OF VERMONT

SUPERIOR COURT PROBATE DIVISION

CHITTENDEN UNIT DOCKET NO.: 26-PR-00110

In re ESTATE of THOMAS R. BROGAN

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

To the creditors of: Thomas R Brogan, late of South Burlington

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: February 4, 2026

Signature of Fiduciary: /s/ Launa L. Slater

Executor/Administrator:

Michele Baldwin & Thomas W Brogan

Mailing Address:

c/o Launa L. Slater, Wiener & Slater, PLLC

110 Main Street, Suite 4F, Burlington, VT 05401

Phone Number: (802) 863-1836

Email: launa@wsvtlaw.com

Name of Publication: Seven Days

Publication Date: 02/11/2026

Name of Probate Court: Chittenden Probate Court

Address of Probate Court: 175 Main Street, Burlington, VT 05402-0511

PUBLIC HEARING WINOOSKI

• Attend at City Hall: 27 W Allen Street

• Attend online: https://us06web.zoom. us/j/84364849328

• Attend by phone: 1 646 558 8656

• Webinar ID: 843 6484 9328

Tuesday, February 17, 2026 at 6:00 PM Winooski City Hall

27 W. Allen Street, Winooski, VT 05404

The Winooski City Council will hold a Public Hearing on Tuesday, February 17, 2026 in the Claire Burke Council Chambers to consider the adoption of Chapter 28 Fees pursuant to Sections 19-401 & 19-402 (of the Charter of the City of Winooski). This Chapter of Ordinance shall be adopted/amended to the proposed changes:

• Update the “damaged residential water meter” fee to be charged at the actual cost to purchase the replacement meter.

• Clarify that new installations of large water meters (3/4 inch and larger) are charged at cost to purchase.

• Replace the prior- non-delinquent shut off/on fee with a single customer requested service shut off fee of $25.00.

• Rename the off/on (delinquent) fee category to delinquent service shut off for clarity and consistency.

• Add an after-hours service call fee of $50.00 per hour with a four hour minimum to reflect on call staffing and emergency response costs.

• Add monthly public parking contract fees subject to a 2% (percent) annual increase effective July 1, with FY2026 base rates of $101.40 per space per month for month-to month contracts and $96.58 per space for month for annual contracts.

• Remove duplicative language in the Clerk’s section without changing fees or policy intent.

Jenny Willingham, Winooski City Clerk

STATE OF VERMONT

SUPERIOR COURT CIVIL DIVISION

WASHINGTON UNIT CASE NO. 26-CV-00622

IN RE: ABANDONED MOBILE HOME OF JAMES SMITH JR. & SUSAN SMITH

NOTICE OF HEARING

A hearing on HARR, LLC’s Verified Complaint to declare as abandoned and uninhabitable the mobile home of James Smith Jr. and Susan Smith located at the Northfield Falls Mobile Home Park, Lot #14, 147 Falls Mobile Home Park in Northfield Falls, Vermont has been set for February 23rd, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. You may participate in the hearing either in person at the Vermont Superior Court, Washington Unit, Civil Division located at 65 State Street in Montpelier, Vermont or remotely via WEBEX video. The WEBEX Login Information is as follows:

App: Cisco Webex Meeting Website: https://vtcourts.webex.com Meeting Number: 2339 098 0087

Password: Civil1

If you do not have a computer or sufficient bandwidth, you may call (802) 636-1108 to appear by phone. (This is not a tollfree number). When prompted enter the meeting ID number listed above, followed by the pound symbol (#). You will be prompted to enter your attendee number (which you do not have). Instead, press pound (#). If you have technical difficulties, call the Court at (802) 828-2091.

Date: January 29, 2026 Judicial Assistant

VERIFIED COMPLAINT FOR ABANDONMENT

PURSUANT TO 10 V.S.A. § 6249(i) (Uninhabitable)

NOW COMES HARR, LLC (“HARR”), by and through its counsel Nadine L. Scibek, and hereby complains as follows:

1. HARR, a Vermont domestic limited liability company with a principal place of business in Berlin, County of Washington, State of Vermont, is the record owner of a mobile home park known as the Northfield Falls Mobile Home Park (the “Park”), located in the Town of Northfield Falls, Vermont.

2. James Smith and Susan Smith (the “Smiths”) are the record owners of a certain mobile home described as a 2006 14’ x 80’ mobile home, bearing Serial #007-017-193A-000-14 (the “Mobile Home”) located on Lot #14, Northfield Falls Mobile Home Park, 147 Falls Mobile Home Park in Northfield Falls, Vermont. See attached Bill of Sale.

3. The Smiths leased a lot in the Park for their mobile home from HARR pursuant to a written lease. The Smiths paid a security deposit in the amount of $345.00 to HARR. See attached Lease.

4. The Smiths are both deceased. James Smith’s date of death is April 7, 2025 and Susan Smith’s date of death is August 16, 2006. See attached Death Certificates.

5. No petition to open a probate estate has been filed for either Smith per the Washington County Probate Court.

6. The last known resident of the mobile home was James Smith. The mobile home has been abandoned and is unoccupied. The Mobile Home is in poor condition. James Smith’s brother Steve Smith indicated to HARR that no family member had any interest in the mobile home and that they had no intention of paying the lot rent or the bank payments on the Mobile Home.

7. The following security interests, mortgages, liens and encumbrances appear of record with respect to the mobile home:

a. Property taxes to the Town of Northfield are current according to the Town Clerk. See attached Tax Bill & email from Town Clerk.

b. UCC Financing Statement #06-199555 to Tammac Holdings Corporation, dated June 12, 2006 on record with the Vermont Secretary of State’s Office. See attached UCC Financing Statement.

8. Mobile home storage fees continue to accrue at the rate of $523.00 per month. Rent, storage fees and late charges due HARR as of January, 2026 total $5,263.00. Court costs and attorney’s fees from this action to date exceed $1,000.00. See attached Account History.

9. HARR sent written notice by certified mail to the Town of Northfield on December 18, 2025 of HARR’s intent to commence this abandonment action as required by statute. See attached.

10. The mobile home is uninhabitable. Randy Rouleau, duly authorized agent for HARR will testify under oath as to the poor and unlivable condition of this mobile home at the abandonment hearing. WHEREFORE, HARR respectfully requests that the Honorable Court enter an order as follows:

1. Declare that the mobile home has been abandoned;

2. Transfer the mobile home that is unfit for human habitation to Park owner HARR without a public auction so that it may be removed and disposed of accordingly.

3. Order pursuant to 10 V.S.A. § 6249(j) that the mobile home and any security deposit paid be conveyed to the Park Owner in “as is” condition, and free from all liens and other encumbrances of record.

DATED January 28, 2026.

HARR, LLC BY: Nadine L. Scibek Attorney for HARR, LLC

I declare that the above statement is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief. I understand that if the above statement is false, I will be subject to the penalty of perjury or other sanctions in the discretion of the Court.

January 28, 2026 BY: Randy Rouleau

Duly Authorized Agent for HARR, LLC

TOWN OF JERICHO

INFORMATION PUBLIC HEARING ON FY 27 BUDGET & TOWN MEETING WARNING

On Thursday, February 19, 2026, at 6:00 PM, the Town of Jericho Selectboard will hold a public hearing on the proposed FY 2027 Budget. The hearing will take place at the Jericho Town Hall, located at 67 VT Route 15, Jericho, Vermont. The public is encouraged to attend and participate in the review of the proposed budget. Copies of the budget are available at Town Hall or online at www.jerichovt. org. The Zoom link is below.

Topic: Jericho Selectboard Meeting Time: Feb 19, 2026 06:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8 9773860290?pwd=caVlEssCjQzFV02Y5raZqB70T JfJtm.1

Meeting ID: 897 7386 0290 Passcode: 298257

IN ACCORDANCE WITH VT TITLE 9 COMMERCE AND TRADE CHAPTER 098: STORAGE UNITS 3905.

Enforcement of Lien, Champlain Valley Self Storage,LLC shall host a private auction of the following units on or after February 28, 2026:

Contents: household goods

Location: 2211 Main St. Colchester, VT 05446

Amy Enos: #781

Michael Taylor: #744

Gregory Lamoureux: #505

Location: 78 Lincoln St Essex Jct. VT 05452

Stephen Thompson: #215

Stephanie Shuma: #238

Location: 485 Nokian Tyres Dr. Colchester, VT 05446

Jennifer Anderson: #2206

Auction pre-registration is required, email info@ champlainvalleyselfstorage.com to register. CVSS,llc reserves the right to reject any bid lower than the amount owed by the occupant or that is not commercially reasonable as defined by statute. Any person claiming a right to the goods may pay the amount claimed due and reasonable expenses before the sale, in which case the sale may not occur.

NORTHSTAR SELF STORAGE WILL BE HAVING A PUBLIC AND ONLINE SALE/AUCTION FOR THE FOLLOWING STORAGE UNITS ON FEBRUARY 26, 2026 AT 9:00 AM

Northstar Self Storage will be having a public and online sale/auction on February 26, 2026 at 9am EST at 205 Route 4A West, Castleton, VT 05735 (unit C21), 681 Rockingham Rd, Rockingham, VT 05151 (unit R51), 1124 Charlestown Rd, Springfield, VT 05156 (unit S23, S38), and online at www. storagetreasures.com at 9:00 am in accordance with VT Title 9 Commerce and Trade Chapter 098: Storage Units 3905. Enforcement of Lien Unit # Name Contents C21 Tara Dayton Household Goods R51 Juston Decker Household Goods S23 Amanda Duffy Household Goods S38 Martha Ouellette Household Goods

INVITATION TO BID

Greenprint Partners, acting as Project Manager, seeks qualified contractors for multiple Vermont Schools Green Infrastructure Stormwater Improvements for the locations listed below. Federal Disadvantage Business Enterprise (DBE), Women-Owned, Veteran-Owned, Minority-Owned contractors and suppliers, and Small Businesses are strongly encouraged to submit a bid proposal.

Project Description: The project consists of stormwater improvements at various schools to meet the Vermont Stormwater Rules.

Locations of the work are as follows:

Bid Opening Thursday, March 12, 2026 • Essex High School – 3 Educational Drive, Essex, VT • South Burlington High School – 550 Dorset Street, South Burlington, VT

Schedule: Construction is generally scheduled to begin in June 2026 and be substantially completed by the end of August 2026. However, some work may be required prior to June or after August. Please see particular project for more information.

The construction work involves installing various stormwater improvements, including, but not limited to, gravel wetland, underground storage facilities, disconnection areas, dry wells, storm sewers, paving, erosion control, and landscaping, depending on the location.

These projects are subject to Davis Bacon wage rates compliance and with Build America Buy America provisions.

Any interested subcontractors and suppliers should visit the following website after February 12, 2026, for information on obtaining bidding documents: www.questcdn.com under Greenprint Partners or https://www.greenprintpartners.com/resources and click on Bidding opportunities.

For additional information, please send an email to the construction project manager: hkillian@ greenprintpartners.com

BETA Technologies Is Hiring — Apply Today!

Come build electric airplanes with us in Vermont.

ATTENTION RECRUITERS:

POST YOUR JOBS AT: JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POST-A-JOB PRINT DEADLINE: NOON ON MONDAYS (INCLUDING HOLIDAYS) FOR RATES & INFO: MICHELLE BROWN, 802-865-1020 X121, MICHELLE@SEVENDAYSVT.COM

At BETA Technologies, we’re growing our hands-on team of technicians, manufacturers, and assemblers—and we’re looking for people who love working with their hands and building something that matters. Every role at BETA is mission-critical, and you’ll be surrounded by smart, supportive teammates who care deeply about the work and each other. We offer competitive pay, equity for full-time team members, free flight lessons, onsite lunches, access to a health clinic, and a truly people-first culture. Starting at $26 per hour plus equity. Join us as we shape the future of aviation. Learn more and apply at beta.team/careers

THE GRIND GOT YOU DOWN?

Join the Flynn & be part of a team striving to make the community better through the arts. All backgrounds encouraged to apply. This is a full-time, exempt, benefit eligible position.

DIRECTOR OF CREATIVE LEARNING

The Flynn is seeking a Director of Creative Learning to lead programs at the intersection of artistic practice, education, and community partnership. This senior role will shape Creative Learning as a core function of the organization— designing and stewarding workshops, classes, residencies, school partnerships, and camps that expand access and deepen engagement with the arts while centering community needs and creative participation.

For complete job description and to apply, please visit: flynnvt.org/About-Us/Employment-and-InternshipOpportunities No phone calls, please. E.O.E.

PERK UP!

Trusted, local employers are hiring in Seven Days newspaper and online. Browse 100+ new job postings each week.

See who’s hiring at jobs.sevendaysvt.com Follow us on Facebook /sevendaysjobs for the latest postings

Email résumés to work@jasperhillfarm.com or ﬁll out an application online at www.jasperhillfarm.com/employment

Transform lives, empower families, and find your purpose with Easterseals Vermont.

TEEN & TWEEN CENTER DIRECTOR

The Teen and Tween Center Director oversees daily operations of the Teen and Tween Center, ensuring a safe, inclusive, and enriching environment for students in grades 4-9. This role requires strong youth work skills, creativity, organization, attention to detail, and the ability to collaborate effectively with students, caregivers, and staff. The ideal candidate brings strong leadership and communication skills, a genuine passion for working with youth, and is comfortable working both independently and collaboratively with others.

$23–$27/hour, based on experience, paid bi-weekly by direct deposit. Option to enroll in Vermont Saves. 40 hours of sick time per year (per Vermont law for all employees). Vacation/personal time: 3 weeks (15 days) per year, prorated for part-time employees. 11 paid holidays. Location: 2 Lincoln Street, Essex Junction (Five Corners, on the bus line)

Please email your resume and cover letter to office@essexchips.org For more details & to view the full posting, please visit essexchips.org/jobs

CURRENTLY SEEKING:

Crane Operators

CDL Drivers for dump & trailer trucks

Laborers & Concrete workers

Iron Workers & Welders

Willing to train all construction trades. Pay is commensurate with experience, range $20-$30/hr to start. We offer per diems, competitive pay and benefits. Stop by our office or fill out an application online: ccsconstructors.com

Now HiringSEASONAL STAFF POSITIONS WITH KNOLL FARM

May 1 - October 11, 2026

Are you drawn to contributing to service, hospitality, and social change in a small-farm setting? We are hiring for multiple positions that contribute to supporting our community for the season. Our open positions include Retreat Chefs, Assistant Retreat Managers, and an Assistant Land Steward. We are seeking people who are passionate about hospitality in a mission-driven environment that centers diversity and caring for people and the land.

For more information and to apply, please visit: knollfarm.org/work-with-us

Farm Retail Manager

Full-Time, Year-Round

Cedar Circle Farm & Education Center seeks a collaborative, communityminded Farm Retail Manager to steward our farmstand, café, and other retail sales channels. This role is ideal for someone who loves produce, understands seasonal farming, and is motivated by connecting people to food grown with care-while also bringing a strong, thoughtful approach to retail sales.

The Farm Retail Manager is a full time year-round position. Benefits include: health insurance (premium 100% employer paid, 50% paid for minor dependents); paid personal, sick, and parental leave; a 403(b) retirement plan with a 5% employer safe harbor match; short-term disability insurance (100% employer paid), 20% discount at our farmstand; 50% off summer camps for dependents; and access to an employee assistance program. Pay is $23-27 per hour, depending on qualifications and experience.

To apply, please submit a resume, cover letter, and three professional references through our online application at: cedarcirclefarm.isolvedhire.com/jobs/1694171

NOW HIRING

LEAD CARDIOPULMONARY REHAB CLINICIAN

This position is PART-TIME, Mon/Wed/Fri—no weekends. Accepting applications from Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, Exercise Physiologists, Respiratory Therapists, and Physical Therapists Join our Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehab program!

For more information or to apply visit copleyvt.org/careers or contact Kaitlyn Shannon, Recruiter, at 802-888-8144 or kshannon@chsi.org.

FINANCIAL GRANTS MANAGER

OVERVIEW: The Center for Crime Victim Services is seeking a Financial Grants Manager for a full-time position in Waterbury, Vermont. The Center for Crime Victim Services provides leadership to ensure that justice is delivered to all victims and survivors of crime through the recognition of harm done and advocacy for their rights.

BASIC FUNCTION: Coordinate and carry out financial management of federal and State of Vermont grants disbursed to communitybased non-profit victim service organizations. Ensure grant awards are used correctly by reviewing financial reports, conducting on-site and desk reviews, providing technical assistance. Tracking compliance with federal and State of Vermont granting policies, rules and procedures. Financial administrative operations and technical work at a professional level. Strong knowledge of accounting practices, financial reporting, financial data systems, grant management, monitoring and closeout of major federal and state grant programs. Responsible for training and technical assistance to program administrators and other professional staff. Work is performed under the general supervision of the Director of Finance and Administration.

For full job description, please visit: ccvs.vermont.gov/about-us/ job-opportunities

Please include a cover letter with your interest in this position. This is not a State of Vermont position.

DAYS IS SEEKING AN

Are you a newshound with a knack for writing riveting stories? Can you turn a decent tip into a 4,000-word piece that sparks government action and reform?

Garden Center Assistant Manager

4t-Copley122425 1 12/12/25 5:11 PM

Drop us a line at Seven Days, a thriving news organization that punches above its weight and lands award-winning stories.

Are you a knowledgeable and passionate gardener? We are looking for a full time, potentially year-round team member to assist with managing our retail plant shop. We are a very busy and dynamic garden center and greenhouse grow operation looking for help with day to day operations that encompass all aspects of running a retail business: customer care, managing a POS system, plant care, merchandising, restocking and team coordination. Are you able to speak with expertise about gardening in our climate? Are you looking for a really fun workplace that is team driven and requires lots of independence, critical thinking and hustle? Are you physically fit and able to work on your feet 8 hours a day in all weather conditions? If so, please reach out. we would love to hear from you.

Details: Position would begin in early April. Pay is dependent on experience. One work day each weekend is required from mid-May through September. We offer a generous PTO benefit, SIMPLE retirement account with a match, and lots of employee perks such as paid lunch, many catered lunches, free plants, and the potential to thrive at work. Application instructions are on our website: 7dvt.pub/RedWagonAsstMgr

is is not an entry-level job. You should have at least two years of full-time experience that includes investigative reporting and long-form stories. You should be as comfortable ﬁling a 400-word breaking-news post for sevendaysvt.com as you are reporting out a magazinequality investigative story for the cover of our print edition. We expect clean copy, compelling writing, well-developed pitches, solid sourcing and competitive zeal.

e salary is $48-58K, depending on experience, and comes with health insurance and a 401K in a fun, stimulating environment.

To apply, send your résumé, three clips and a cover letter to newsjob@sevendaysvt.com

Seven Days is an E.O.E.

ATTENTION RECRUITERS:

Human Resources & Finance Manager

The Vermont Association of Conservation Districts (VACD) is seeking an experienced, knowledgeable, and hands-on manager to lead the organization’s human resources and finance functions and to provide Vermont’s 14 Natural Resources Conservation Districts with human resources support and guidance.

Starting salary range is $60k-70k, depending on qualifications and experience, with a competitive benefits package. This position is fully remote, with occasional in-person meetings throughout Vermont. Applications are due by March 6, 2026.

Visit VACD.org for the full job description & application details.

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Executive Director

BARRE OPERA HOUSE –

The dreams of over a century thrive on our stage. What we’re looking for: We seek an Executive Director with experience in theater management to grow our reputation as a premiere performing arts space. The right candidate should have knowledge of a wide range of music (rock, jazz, folk, and R&B) in order to continue providing excellent and popular performances. The candidate would be responsible for facility management and comfortable handling emergency situations. They will be eager to make the performing arts accessible to all who wish to share in this transformative experience. Our Executive Director will be one who enjoys people and is inspired by the values of community-based performing arts and the historical relevance of the space itself. Guided by our strategic plan, and in collaboration with our Board of Directors, they will use their love of our contemporary genre of performance and history to act as the public face of the institution and prepare the opera house for important work ahead.

The right candidate will have:

• At least 3 years of experience leading or in a senior management position in a performing arts facility of a similar size and scope.

• Experience working with a board of directors (not for profit preferred) and demonstrated experience managing a public-facing organization with an eye to leadership strategy, community relationship building, grant acquisition, and advancement.

We include the following total compensation package:

Annual salary ranges from $68,000 – $73,000 based on experience. $7,500 annually toward a medical plan

E.O.E. Please send a resume and cover letter to Chair@BarreOperaHouse.org

For a more comprehensive job description, visit barreoperahouse.org/employment-opportunities.html

Market Development Associate

Community Heart & Soul® is a national nonprofit organization whose namesake program engages residents and local leaders to shape the future of their communities. We’re looking for a talented market development professional to help expand our partnership base across the U.S.Basedin Shelburne, VT we seek candidates with strong business acumen who enjoy building relationships. This role works closelywith ourVP of Market Development to connectwith community foundations and local leaders across the countrywho want to bring the Heart & Soul process to their communities. Travel: About 30% nationally, mostly during spring andfall.

You might be a great fit if you:

· Have experience in building partnerships in business or nonprofit work.

· Communicate clearly and comfortably with a wide range of people

· Enjoy representing an organization and its mission

· Have experience with HubSpot as a CRM and Marketing tool

What we offer:

· Competitive salary, benefits and paid time off

· Support forlearning and professional growth

Salary range based on experience: $70,000 to $85,000. Apply online: communityheartandsoul.org/careers

OPERATIONS MANAGER

Help us create the operational foundation that will allow VCJR staff and programs to thrive. Lead operational systems development, support staff in day to day operations needs and steward operational readiness for growth.

Job Type: In person (Burlington, VT) with potential for hybrid. Anticipated compensation: $45,000-$55,000/year plus benefits.

Please request a full job description or submit a cover letter and resume to Tom Dalton at tom@vcjr.org.

SERVICE COORDINATOR

Provide case management and related services for people living with substance use disorders. Some driving required with mileage reimbursement provided.

Job Type: Full-time in person (Burlington, VT).

Anticipated starting salary: $43,000 - $45,000 per year, plus benefits for full-time 40 hour per week employment.

Please request a full job description or submit a cover letter and resume to Jess Kirby via email at jess@vcjr.org.

Vermonters for Criminal Justice Reform

NURSE EDUCATORS

Make real IMPACT. Teach. Mentor. Transform Nursing through Education at NVRH.

Make a meaningful impact at Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital (NVRH). We’re seeking an experienced and passionate Central Clinical Nurse Educator to support staff development, promote evidence‑based practice, and enhance patient outcomes across multiple clinical departments.

REQUIREMENTS: VT or Compact RN license; BLS (ACLS/PALS within 1 year); Master’s degree, or in progress or ability to complete within 2 years of hire; 3+ years recent acute care experience; strong mentoring and communication skills; evening availability.

PREFERRED: Curriculum development, simulation‑based learning, multi‑unit education, and experience with quality improvement and learning technologies.

Why NVRH? Competitive pay, loan repayment, tuition reimbursement, generous PTO, free gym membership, affordable insurance, 401(k) match, and a mission‑driven culture. Apply today at nvrh.org/careers

TOWN MANAGER

Northfield, Vermont

Northfield (pop. 5,900), home to Norwich University and a strong, diverse local economy, is seeking an experienced and collaborative Town Manager to lead a dedicated municipal team and guide the community through an important period of transition and growth.

“I feel more connected to the community doing this type of work, and we have a tight-knit team that works together to help each other, individuals in services, and our community.”

- Tyler Kronoff, Supported Employment Coordinator

EMPLOYMENT SPECIALIST

Be an Employment Specialist at an award-winning agency and help individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities find and maintain meaningful employment.

Benefit package includes 29 paid days off in the first year, comprehensive health insurance with up to $6,400 to go towards medical deductibles and copays, retirement match, tuition assistance and so much more.

And that’s on top of working at one of the “Best Places to Work in Vermont” for eight years in a row. Join our team today!

The Town has a general fund budget of $6.7 Million with an additional $8.25 Million in utility funds (electric, water, sewer). They employ 26 full time employees with another 41 part time employees. There are three unions. Departments include Police, Highway, Electric, Water & Sewer, EMS, Fire (volunteer), Economic Development, Planning & Zoning, Town Clerk, and Town Manager. Visit northfield-vt.gov for more information and full position brochure.

Key Priorities:

Rebuild and stabilize the Police Department

Strengthen leadership across departments

Advance housing and capital projects

Improve communication and community trust

Expand Town’s relationship with Norwich University

Modernize internal systems and operations

What We’re Looking For:

3–5+ years of proven managerial leadership, Municipal experience preferred

Strong financial management, HR, and labor relations skills

Clear communicator with sound judgment and a collaborative style

Bachelor’s or Master’s in public administration or related field (or equivalent experience) desired. Board will consider relevant experience.

Compensation:

Salary $120,000 to $140,000 commensurate with qualifications. Comprehensive benefits (medical, dental, VMERS retirement, paid leave, employer‑paid insurance).

How to Apply: Send applications to bfraser@vlct.org with subject line “Northfield” by March 6. First‑round remote interviews mid‑March; second‑round in‑person interviews expected March 25–April 3. Finalist will complete a full background check.

Questions: Bill Fraser, VLCT Management Consultant – bfraser@vlct.org, 802-522-5846

DEPUTY TOWN MANAGER

The Town of Colchester is seeking a Deputy Town Manager to provide day-to-day oversight of general operations and functions of the Town government, assist the Town Manager with special projects and assure the continuity of all services. In addition, the Deputy Town Manager will provide general management and business management; oversee budgeting, and coordinate public communications. The Town is engaged in long-range plans that balance economic development, respect the natural environment, community service, and physical improvements while being mindful of budgetary constraints and the impact on taxpayers.

The ideal candidate will be motivated, organized, with a desire to improve the operations of the Town government; should be an experienced municipal government professional with knowledge in general management, business management, budgeting, and have excellent communication skills. The ideal candidate will also have the ability to provide sound advice on business and policy matters to the Town Manager and Selectboard. Prior successful experience negotiating business and collective bargaining agreements is a plus. The successful candidate will be able to manage his/her own work while simultaneously leading others and overseeing tasks and projects.

Requirements: Bachelor’s Degree in relevant field or significant equivalent knowledge and experience, 10 years of progressively responsible management experience; excellent communication skills, written and public speaking; and strong interpersonal skills. Hiring range is $115,000 to $125,000 depending on qualifications and experience, plus a competitive benefit package.

Submit application, cover letter, resume, and references to Ruby Tetrick, Communications Coordinator, rtetrick@colchestervt.gov

The Town of Colchester is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

ATTENTION RECRUITERS:

Part-time Housekeeper

The Pitcher Inn in Warren Vermont is looking for an experienced housekeeper to join our team. Flexible schedule, $18 - $22 /hr based on experience, housing for a committed employee. Please respond to: info@pitcherinn.com.

Head of School

Pacem School is hiring a Head of School to work collaboratively with an amazing team of teachers and students. We are looking for an experienced, energetic educator to lead our creative, intellectually-inspiring learning community.

Full details and to apply: pacemschool.org/about/employment

Burlington Housing Authority (BHA)

Are you interested in a job that helps your community and makes a difference in people’s lives every day?

Consider joining Burlington Housing Authority (BHA) in Burlington, VT to continue BHA’s success in promoting innovative solutions that address housing instability challenges facing our diverse population of lowincome families and individuals.

We are currently hiring for the following position:

CO-RESIDENT MANAGER AT DECKER TOWER:

Position requires living on-site and being on-call outside of regular BHA business hours to respond to resident requests, site-based emergencies, light maintenance, cleaning of common areas, and other duties as assigned. In exchange for these duties, Resident Managers receive a free apartment with utilities included. Please note this is an unpaid, nonbenefited position.

For more info about these career opportunities please visit: burlingtonhousing.org

Interested in our career opportunity? Send a cover letter and resume to: humanresources@burlingtonhousing.org

Human Resources

65 Main St, Suite 101 Burlington, VT 05401 Burlington Housing Authority is an Equal Opportunity Employer

MICROBIOLOG Y PROGRAM CHIEF - COLCHES TER

The Vermont Department of Health is looking for our next Public Health Laboratory Microbiology Program Chief! The Microbiology Program Chief serves as the scientific and managerial lead of our microbiology program in our public health laboratory They provide high-level leadership to a 14-person team. They direct the work of this team to provide clinical testing, surveillance testing, and response to outbreaks or investigations that are of high importance to public health. Our ideal candidate is a collaborative strategic thinker and expert project manager; a leader who takes pride in their ability to recognize the strengths and abilities of others and can leverage the abilities of their team to tackle challenges. More than a technical expert, they apply their knowledge and training to rapidly evolving situations, can be decisive with incomplete or evolving information, and have the leadership and management experience needed to inspire their team to work together toward a common goal. For more information, contact Lynn Desautels at Lynn.Desautels@vermont.gov. Location: Colchester. Department: Health. Status: Full Time. Minimum Salary: $37.06. Maximum Salary: $58.45. Job ID #54356. Application Deadline: February 19, 2026.

FINANCIAL DIRECTOR

The Town of Richmond is seeking a skilled and motivated Financial Director to oversee and manage the Town’s financial operations across all departments, including Water Resources and the Library. This key leadership role works closely with the Town Manager and department heads to ensure accurate accounting, budgeting, payroll, tax administration, grants management, and financial reporting.

The ideal candidate brings strong accounting experience, excellent organizational skills, proficiency with Microsoft Office, and proficiency with or the ability to learn the NEMRC municipal finance software. This position offers meaningful work in local government, a collaborative environment, and the opportunity to make a real impact in the community.

If you’re detail‑oriented, enjoy problem‑solving, and want to help support Richmond’s financial health, we encourage you to apply.

Salary range $80,259 - $107,181.

See the full job description here: richmondvt.gov/departments/job-listings

Interested candidates should email their resume and cover letter to Town Manger Josh Arneson: jarneson@richmondvt.gov by Monday, March 2, 2026.

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ATTENTION RECRUITERS:

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

Join our dedicated team and make a meaningful impact on the lives of Vermonters! Northeast Kingdom Community Action (NEKCA) is a leading organization in the Northeast Kingdom addressing poverty through education, partnerships, and community organizing. We are seeking dynamic, passionate, experienced professionals for the following key positions:

DIRECTOR OF FINANCE

Full Time/Exempt | St. Johnsbury, VT

$100,000 - $115,000 Salary

Care Coordinator/ Case Management

The Director of Finance will work closely with the Senior Management Team to advance NEKCA’s strategic goals and actively promote the agency’s core values, mission, and vision. The ideal candidate is a strategic and analytical thinker with strong independent judgment. This Director oversees all financial operations, ensures regulatory and grant compliance, and guides financial strategy to support the agency’s mission and long-term sustainability. The Director must demonstrate the ability to work autonomously and possess a deep understanding of the comprehensive programs and grant requirements that fund our nonprofit agency. The Director supervises the fiscal team and collaborates closely with the Executive Director, Board of Directors, agency auditors, funder grant managers, and NEKCA’s leadership team.

DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT & COMMUNICATIONS

Full Time/Exempt | St. Johnsbury, VT

$70,000 - $78,000 Salary

The Director of Development & Communications leads NEKCA’s fundraising and communications strategies, with the goal of cultivating a strong community of supporters invested in funding and advocating for a Northeast Kingdom where all generations can grow, prosper, and thrive. This role plans and develops consistent, impactful touchpoints with external stakeholders throughout the year, building community trust and implementing marketing strategies that help meet agency fundraising goals—primarily charitable giving, but also program enrollment, anti-poverty advocacy, and more. This position has a strong focus on fundraising and is responsible for securing the resources necessary to advance NEKCA’s vision. The Director supervises the development team, serves as a member of the agency’s Senior Management Team, and oversees all strategies related to development and external communications.

View position descriptions & apply at: nekcavt.org/msm_mega_menu/work-at-nekca

NEKCA is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Provider.

Case Managers support older Vermonters in the community to stay as independent as possible in the environment of their choice by promoting health, rights, independence, and economic well-being.

This position is based in our Barre office, combined with in-home field visits. Staff are never asked to be on-call or work weekends.

Pay Range: $24-$26 per hour. Generous benefits including 401(k), health insurance, and paid time off.

For the full job description and to apply, please visit: cvcoa.org/employment

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DIRECTOR OF

FINANCE

MONTPELIER, THE CAPITAL CITY OF VERMONT, is seeking a Director of Finance. The Director of Finance reports to the City Manager and has primary responsibility for financial management and information technology for the City of Montpelier. This position directly supervises 5 employees, oversees financial services contracts, and has responsibility for the complete budget. The City of Montpelier employees 121.2 FTEs and has a general fund budget of $16.1M.

BA/BS in Finance, Public Administration, or related fields is required. MA preferred. Significant experience in key administrative position within a public/non-profit agency with responsibility for budget. Direct experience in municipal government is preferred. Familiarity with Vermont municipal regulations/policies a plus.

The annual salary is $113,360, commensurate with qualifications. This is an exempt, salaried position and includes benefits in accordance with the City’s Personnel Plan. The position is open until filled, with initial résumé review beginning February 20, 2026. Pracademic Partners, an executive search firm, is assisting the City with this recruitment.

Additional information about the position, including a direct application link to apply, is available at pracademicpartners. com/current-recruitments. Questions, nominations, or recommendations should be directed to Gary Evans at gary@pracademicpartners.com. The City of Montpelier is an equal opportunity employer. A full job description can be found at montpelier-vt.org/Financedirector.

Land Conservation Manager

Join our passionate wilderness team! Northeast Wilderness Trust seeks an experienced Land Conservation Manager to proactively research, manage, and close real estate transactions to advance our ambitious strategic conservation goals.

Visit newildernesstrust.org/about/employment to learn more.

Quality & Integrity Lead, YSWS

Every month, thousands of teenagers around the world ship real projects (games, websites, hardware, apps) through Hack Club’s You Ship, We Ship (YSWS) programs. Here’s what we need: Someone to QA the reviewers and ensure rigorous quality and integrity practices among programs (hackathons, online challenges, etc).

Salary: $55,000 - $70,000 based on experience.

Full description and apply: hiring.hackclub.com/38523

Patrol Sergeant

Town of Brandon

Salary Range $37.49 to $55 per hour

Part-Time Library Director

Town of Roxbury

Salary Range $18 to $23 per hour

Assistant Town Clerk/ Assistant Treasurer

Town of Hardwick

Salary Range $21 to $24 per hour

GO HIRE.

Job Recruiters:

• Post jobs using a form that includes key info about your company and open positions (location, application deadlines, video, images, etc.).

• Accept applications and manage the hiring process via our applicant tracking tool.

• Easily manage your open job listings from your recruiter dashboard.

Job Seekers:

• Search for jobs by keyword, location, category and job type.

• Set up job alert emails using custom search criteria.

• Save jobs to a custom list with your own notes on the positions.

• Apply for jobs directly through the site.

Get a quote when you post online or contact Michelle Brown: 865-1020, ext. 121, michelle@sevendaysvt.com.

fun stuff

“...

and tell Dad I’ve met a terriﬁc guy – short, covered in hair, but loyal as they come.”

HARRY BLISS

JULIANNA BRAZILL

fun stuff

KYLE BRAVO

JEN SORENSEN

AQUARIUS

(JAN. 20-FEB.18)

Poet Mary Oliver asked her readers, “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” This Valentine season, I propose a collaborative version of this prod: Ask those you care for to help you answer Oliver’s question, and offer to help them answer it for themselves. Now is an excellent time to act on the truth that vibrant intimacy involves the two of you inspiring each other to fulfill your highest callings. Do whatever it takes to make both of you braver and bolder as you learn more about who you are meant to be.

ARIES (Mar. 21-Apr. 19): “The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them,” wrote Ernest Hemingway. This Valentine season, I propose you experiment with his approach. Take a smart risk with people who have shown glimmers of reliability but whom you haven’t fully welcomed. Don’t indulge in reckless credulity, just courageous and discerning openness. Be vulnerable enough to discover what further connection might bloom if you lead with faith rather than suspicion. Your willingness to believe in someone’s better nature may help bring it forth.

TAURUS (Apr. 20-May 20): Taurus singer Barbra Streisand addressed her legendary perfectionism. She said truly interesting intimacy became available for her only after she showed her dear allies her full array of selves, not just her shiny, polished side. In alignment with astrological omens, I encourage you to experiment with the daring art of unfinished revela-

tion. Let the people you care for witness you in the midst of becoming. Share your uncertainties, your half-formed thoughts and your works in progress. Surprise! Your flaws may prove as endearing as your achievements.

GEMINI (May 21-Jun. 20): Author Anaïs Nin wrote, “Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.” I believe this understanding of camaraderie should be at the heart of most Geminis’ destinies. It’s your birthright and your potential superpower to seek connections with people who inspire you to think thoughts and feel feelings you would never summon by yourself. You have an uncanny knack for finding allies and colleagues who help you unveil and express more of your total self. Now is a good time to tap further into these blessings.

CANCER (Jun. 21-Jul. 22): Poet David Whyte said “heartbreak is unpreventable.” It’s “the natural outcome of caring for people and things over which we have no control.” But here’s the redemptive twist: Your capacity to feel heartbreak proves you have loved well. Your shaky aches are emblems of your courageous readiness to risk closeness and be deeply affected. So let’s celebrate your tender heart not despite its vulnerability but because of it. You should brandish your sensitivity as a superpower.

LEO (Jul. 23-Aug. 22): Choreographer Twyla Tharp said she fell in love with her husband partly because “he was the only person who didn’t seem impressed by me.” I will extrapolate from that to draw this conclusion: Our most valuable allies might show their most rigorous respect by seeing us clearly. This Valentine season, Leo, I invite you to test the hypothesis that being thoroughly known and understood is more crucial than being regularly praised and flattered. Enrich your connections with the perceptive souls who love you not for your highlight reel but for your raw, genuine self.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sep. 22): The famously kind and caring author Anne Lamott confessed, “I

thought such awful thoughts that I cannot even say them out loud because they would make Jesus want to drink gin straight out of the cat dish.” That’s a liberating insight. She revealed that even kind, caring people like her harbor messy internal chaos. This Valentine season, Virgo, I dare you to share a few of your less-than-noble thoughts with soulful characters whom you trust will love you no matter what. Let them see that your goodness coexists with your salty imperfections. Maybe you could even playfully highlight the rough and rugged parts of you for their entertainment value. What’s the goal? To deepen spirited togetherness.

LIBRA (Sep. 23-Oct. 22): How do we eagerly and daringly merge our fortunes with another person while maintaining our sovereign selfhood? How do we cultivate interesting togetherness without suppressing or diluting our idiosyncratic beauty? In some respects, this is a heroic experiment that seems almost impossible. In other respects, it’s the best work on the planet for anyone who’s brave enough to attempt it. Luckily for you Libras, this is potentially one of your superpowers. And now is an excellent time to take your efforts to the next level of heartful grittiness.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Here’s a quote by the character Carrie Bradshaw from the TV show “Sex and the City”: “The most exciting, challenging and significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself. And if you can find someone to love the you that you love, that’s fabulous.” I invite you to make this a prime meditation, Scorpio. To begin, get extra inspired by your own mysterious beauty: captivated by your own depths, fascinated by your mysterious contradictions and delighted by your urge for continual transformation. The next step is to identify allies and potential allies who appreciate the strange magnificence you treasure in yourself. Who devoutly wants you to fulfill your genuine, idiosyncratic soul’s code? Spend the coming weeks enriching your connections with these people.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): This Valentine season, I propose that you infuse

your intimate life with a fun dose of playful curiosity. Visualize your beloved allies, both current and potential, as unfolding mysteries rather than solved puzzles. Ask them provocative questions you’ve never thought to ask before. Wonder aloud about their simmering dreams and evolving philosophies. (Brezsny’s Togetherness Rule No. 1: When you think you’ve figured someone out completely, the relationship withers.) In fact, let’s make this one of your assignments for the next five months: Heighten and nurture your nosiness about the beautiful people you love. Treat each conversation as an expedition into unexplored territory. (Brezsny’s Togetherness Rule No. 2: A great way to stoke their passion for you and your passion for them is to believe there’s always more to discover about each other.)

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Ecologists studying symbiosis know that successful partnerships aren’t always between similar organisms. Some bonds link the fortunes of radically different creatures, like clownfish and sea anemones or oxpeckers and buffalo. Each supplies resources or protection the other lacks, often assuring they live more successfully together than they would on their own. This is useful information for you right now. At least one of the allies you need looks nothing like you. Their genius is orthogonal to yours, or they have skills you don’t. The blend may not be comfortable, but I bet it’s the precise intelligence you need to achieve what you can’t accomplish alone.

PISCES (Feb. 19-Mar. 20): Can you care for stressed people without making it your duty to rescue them? Can you offer support without being taken advantage of? I hope so, Pisces. Life is inviting you to be more skilled about expressing your love without compromising your own interests. How? First, offer affection without signing up for endless service. Second, don’t let your empathy blur into entanglement. Third, monitor your urge to care so it doesn’t weaken your sovereignty. Your gift for soothing others’ struggles evokes my deep respect, but it’s most effective when it’s subtle and relaxed. Give people room to carry out their own necessary work.

PARENT OF DOWN SYNDROME

DAUGHTER

I don’t want a relationship — they hold you back. I want a best friend I can sleep with, make love to, hustle with, travel with and live with. I want a partner in crime, a life partner. Someone I can laugh with and build with. Somebody I am not afraid to lose, because I know they’ll always be there. HighBornFrost, 54, seeking: W, l

Respond to these people online: dating.sevendaysvt.com

WOMEN seeking...

SCOTTISH LASSIE LOOKING FOR LAD

My name is Michele, and I am a mental health counselor. I enjoy walking, hiking, gardening and spending time with my dog, Winnie. I also like to read. I have a very dry sense of humor that can catch people by surprise, and I have learned to manage it over time. I do enjoy a partner with a quick wit. Chelbelle, 57, seeking: M, l

SEEKING JOYFULLY SOBER

BUTCH/MASC LESBIAN

I seek deep conversation that begins lightly. I live in the Adirondacks. I’m a writer, a hard worker, deeply engaged in my second career and volunteering. I love to be in new places. You are: confident, courageous, thoughtful, calm, compassionate, goofy, sensual, political. I just bought Andrea Gibson’s book You Better Be Lightning. Shall we meet for tea?

ADKpersephone, 58, seeking: W,TW, Q, l

NEW IN TOWN

Will be moving to the Rutland area this summer and would look forward to meeting people. I will not know any except for family. I’m 61, and 61 years in Massachusetts. Teddy, 61 seeking: W

OPEN TO SOMETHING NEW Patient, busy, loving human who would like to meet new friends to perhaps develop into something more in the community. Preference to play and adventure instead of substance use. I’m tired of games and excuses. I love chess, snuggles and any activity in water. Sunshine_inVT 46, seeking: M, l

WANT

TO RESPOND?

You read Seven Days, these people read Seven Days — you already have at least one thing in common!

All the action is online. Create an account or login to browse hundreds of singles with profiles including photos, habits, desires, views and more. It’s free to place your own profile online.

l See photos of this person online.

W = Women

M = Men

TW = Trans women

TM = Trans men

Q = Genderqueer people

NBP = Nonbinary people

NC = Gender nonconformists

Cp = Couples

Gp = Groups

SPONTANEOUS AND FUN

I would like someone to match my spontaneous personality! I’m a spontaneous, fun person. Spontaneous, as in, I could, on a dime, say, “Let’s get in the car and go!” Let’s go out to dinner. Let’s go dancing, bowling and so on. I enjoy dancing every weekend. Honesty and communication are important to me, as well as attraction. Aggie, 73, seeking: M, l

WANNA JUMP IN THE RIVER?

I love being outside year-round, wandering the forests and wondering at their whimsy and beauty. Balancing that out with cozy time inside, I love a good cup of tea, a book, and attempting/collecting random craft projects, usually made with nature or textiles. Building intentional community is something I am very dedicated to and consider very important, especially right now. ForestFairy, 32, seeking: M, W, TM, TW, Q, NC, NBP, l

POSITIVE, WELL-BALANCED MUSICIAN

I’m positive, bighearted, kind and helpful to others. Music is my passion, along with my pets and especially Friesian horses. Would love to see more of Vermont, as its mountains are breathtaking. Love to meet new people here. So far it’s been quite a whirlwind for me in Vermont. Ask me, and I’ll tell you why. Pianofairy, 73, seeking: M

MUST LOVE DOGS

I live on the New York side. My daughter went to UVM. I fell in love with Vermont. I hope to retire in five years. It would be wonderful to find a future partner in an area where I hope to move. Although I need to find a dog person: My favorite activity is hiking with my dog. ScaryLibrarian 60, seeking: M, l

HOPEFUL ROMANTIC

Warm, grounded and quietly adventurous.

I love nature, deep conversations, spiritual exploration and a good deadpan joke. I’m a hopeful romantic who values honesty, compassion, presence and intention. I’m happiest paddleboarding, hiking, wandering museums, traveling and discovering something new. Looking for a kind, emotionally aware, openhearted man romantic, grounded, curious, and ready to grow, explore and build something genuine. Grateful18 51, seeking: M, l

FAMILY FIRST, DOGS, GRANDKIDS

To be honest, I have no idea how to write about myself. I worked in the music industry out of Nashville most of my life. Life has thrown me some hard curves the last four years, and I need a redo. I love my dogs and would like someone to start something casual with and see where it leads. Jleemusic, 65, seeking: M, l

FUNNY, CONSIDERATE NATURE LOVER

I am looking for something that feels natural and effortless but keeps me coming back for more. I rarely take life seriously but also know when to be serious, if that tracks. I want happiness, peace and the company of someone who warms my soul! 98% content with my life, just missing my person. VTgirl06, 33, seeking: M, l

FIT, GROUNDED, NOT DONE DANCING

Finishing grad school in mental health and currently working as a wellness coach. I’m 5’7”, fit, grounded and fun-loving, with a good life, close family and supportive friends. I enjoy hiking, XC skiing, gravel rides, dancing, cooking simple whole-food meals, and meditation, yoga and Qi Gong. Seeking companionship for adventure, deep conversation and easy time together. soulshine1975, 50 seeking: M, l

SEEKING FUTURE CO-PARENT

29-y/o woman seeking a man in his 20s or 30s who wants to raise kids. I’m an aspiring therapist (in grad school), farm worker, off-grid cabin dweller. Interests include: aikido, hide tanning, ritual gatherings, sewing, reading. Looking for someone who values authenticity, clear communication and reliability. Spirituality and carpentry skills a plus. I live in southern Vermont but could move north. WildFox 29, seeking: M, TM, NBP, l

GREAT COFFEE DATE? MAYBE MORE?

I would like to meet a man for dating, possibly a partnership. I love to laugh; and my ideal person would be someone playful. I’m made happy by reading, socializing, hanging out at cafés or with dogs, walking, museum-ing, music, movies, No Kings! rallies, painting, gardening. Bonus points if you like to watch silent films or slow-paced, talky foreign ones. Pointer 69, seeking: M, l

FRIENDLY, CREATIVE AND FUN

Looking forward to more traveling. I like the outdoors but am not an athlete. Looking for a local, easygoing, likeminded guy who is in his 50s or 60s. Let’s enjoy playing cards with friends, dinners out, campfires, gardening, cooking together, a cruise, RVing (I don’t have an RV), cocktails on the porch (I do have a porch), road trips. ginger2468, 61, seeking: M, l

EXCITEMENT WANTED IN LIFE

I am looking for friendship and companionship. I also want to show my partner that I will love and cherish him for the rest of my life. Would like to do some traveling or just staying at home, reading or doing my knitting, crocheting or playing cards or Wii bowling. Also like boating and fishing. Just want to be happy. DebbieSmith 82, seeking: M, l

UNIQUE SOUL WITH HEIGHTENED SENSES

Looking for someone who’s grounded and complements my steelo. Let’s add love and light to each other’s world. Go on an adventure with Pacha, fill our bellies with local vibrations, soothe our souls with live music — what have you? kali_c 40 seeking: M, W, TM, TW, Q, NC, NBP, l

MEN seeking...

I’M A SHY PERSON

Hardworking, likes animals, raising chickens for eggs and meat, and maybe some bigger animals; I also run a sugaring business. Patch, 40, seeking: W, TM, TW, Q, NC, NBP, l

WIDOWER, 84, SEEKS ATHLETIC WIDOW

84-y/o recent widower seeks widow near my age for friendship, companionship and possible travel. My ideal would, like me, be thin, comfortable on a hearthealthy diet, mentally and physically fit, well educated, financially independent, like to garden, and still like to bicycle, hike, ski – both cross-country, Alpine and more. If so, please reach out to me. AthleticWidowerAt84, seeking: W, l

LAID-BACK, HAPPY

I’m looking to spend some time doing things that we like. Any adult time, sitting in sun, by the water or just together. AdultCompanion 59 seeking: W

LAID-BACK AND KIND

Proud dad of four wonderful adult kids. I lead with honesty, tenderness and emotional depth. I’m progressive in my values and guided by empathy for the world around us. For transparency, I’m currently separated and moving toward divorce. I’m hoping to meet someone warm, kind, and open to a meaningful, soulful connection rooted in shared values and mutual care. Hopeful42, 62, seeking: W, l

EDUCATED, OPEN-MINDED ARTS LOVER

Sensitive, unique, well-rounded guy looking to meet intelligent, insightful, interesting women to befriend and date. Vermonter forever but traveler, humanist, and lover of the outside and the arts; and kids, old people, food, the water and the mountains. You are comfortable being yourself, enjoy the good life and are looking for an interesting sidekick with whom to find your way. 3baldman 54, seeking: W, l

YOUNG WRITER

Writer with a soft spot for doomed love stories, marginalia and conversations that accidentally last until 2 a.m. I split my time between literature, chemistry labs and overthinking sentences until they finally tell the truth. I believe romance should be intense but intelligent and that wanting meaning isn’t the same thing as being naïve. mentalis 21, seeking: W, l

ONWARD AND UPWARD

I live a healthy life cooking nutritious food. Outdoor enthusiast, physically fit. I’m present, love to laugh; seeking same. Outwardbound, 69, seeking: W, l

DISABLED, FUNNY, LOVING

I’m a laid-back guy. I have a dark sense of humor, and I often joke about my disability and health issues. I’m also a bit nerdy: I love horror, science fiction, fantasy and history. I’m hoping to find a fellow homebody to share my time with. (I also have muscular dystrophy, and I’m bedbound, FYI). dystrophydude, 33, seeking: W, l

HUMORISTIC AND HYPERACTIVE LATINO

I like soccer (It’s called “football”), movies, being immature sometimes and Catan. I’m looking for some casual sex. Mine is six inches: I want to be honest. Jake3249, 18, seeking: W

BUSY FUN CARING

I’m looking for someone compatible to spend the rest of my time here on Earth with. Jammer 66, seeking: W

PEACEFUL

Life is good; just looking to find someone that will help make it even better. I have/had many interests: fusing glass, pottery, massage, fixing up houses. I also enjoy the outdoors: hiking, kayaking, concerts, exploring new places. I don’t take things to the extreme. I’m pretty laid-back. Also I’m financially and mentally stable; looking for the same. livnlife 56 seeking: W, l

CURIOUS

I recently decided to leave work, take a break, and see where my energy and interests take me. In the meantime, I would love to meet someone with similar interests who is open to wonder and is curious, interested in deeper meaningful conversations, as well as light banter and playfulness, travel, road trips here and abroad. better2b 69, seeking: W, l

HAPPIEST IN SNOW

I’d really like to meet someone with common interests. We’d have a wonderful time together. I live in the mountains and love it. Travel, though: New York City and London are very important to me. French school in Québec City several weeks each year. And a sailing partner! Overnights sailing to Basin Harbor! Why do it alone? My hope is for a friend, maybe a partner. Blakely408, 67, seeking: W, l

SINGING STRUMMING SAILOR

Widower, guitarist, singer and songwriter who still believes music is one of life’s great connectors. Educated, curious and happiest when there’s a good conversation, a shared laugh or a melody in the background. I’ve loved deeply, lost and learned how precious life is. I’m ready to share what’s ahead with someone who values warmth, laughter and a genuine partnership. SailWithMe 65, seeking: W, l

TRANS WOMEN seeking...

NERDY LADY SEEKING ESCAPADES Nerdy trans lady looking for movie buddies and activity partners, maybe something more depending on chemistry. A work in progress, still taking shape thanks to the wonders of modern medicine. Single parent of three, so must be understanding of other demands on my time. Mostly interested in women, trans or gendernonconforming folks. stardustvt, 53 seeking: W, TM, TW, Q, NC, NBP, Cp, Gp, l

ADVENTUROUS, WHIMSICAL AND SILLY Brand-new to Vermont living, from the West Coast! Looking for love in hopefully the right place. Always up for a good time and wanting to find someone who loves yacht rock, movies and going on the wackiest side quests. YachtRockGal, 28 seeking: M, W, TM, TW, NBP, l

COUPLES seeking...

CURIOUS COUPLE LOOKING FOR FUN

Honest, hardworking married couple who love passion and soft touches. Looking for woman to fulfill lustful fantasy of woman-on-woman playtime. CplSeeking, 41 seeking: W

ENJOYING FRIENDSHIP WITH OTHERS We are older, experienced, in love. Our search is for other experienced people, older or younger, who enjoy becoming friends. Benefits are lovely, but friends are nice also. We kiss well, but we need to converse before our lips touch. Men, women, couples, please introduce yourselves. DandNformen 70, seeking: M, W, TM, TW, Q, NC, NBP, Cp, Gp, l

SHELBURNE SUPERMARKET SHOPPING

FOR SALSA

On Super Bowl Sunday you wore a black winter hat and I, the blue ball cap. We passed each other in a few aisles and then I was “in your way” when you were choosing your salsa. Your friendly hello and great smile made my day. I made the mistake of walking away without getting your name. Coffee sometime? When: Sunday, February 8, 2026. Where: Shelburne supermarket. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916546

MANGO MAMA

It’s been three years, and you still cross my mind regularly. Curious what life would be like if we met each other now instead of then. Who knows?

Hope you are doing well and life is fulﬁlling. When: Monday, February 9, 2026. Where: In my memories. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916545

TRANS GIRL CASHIER AT KOHL’S

Saw you while working. I was waiting in line. I noticed that you were a trans woman and hoped your register opened next. I am a man and was buying designer underwear. I was fumbling with my debit card. Was hoping that maybe we could meet again over a coffee? When: Saturday, February 7, 2026. Where: Kohl’s. You: Trans woman. Me: Man. #916544

BLOND AT SALSA AT SWITCHBACK

Your blond hair and energy drew me in. We danced a few times, and the vibe was real! Was just about to get your number, but you disappeared with your friend (she had short hair). You had a nice knit top. I wore a peach-colored shirt and have a beard. Your ﬁrst name starts with Br. Let’s connect soon! When: Tuesday, February 3, 2026. Where: Switchback Brewery. You: Man. Me: Man. #916543

SNOW. DITCH. TWO BABIES.

You pulled over, asked if I needed a pull. I said no despite very much wanting one. Great hair, conﬁdent energy, baby in back seat. I was stuck in a ditch, also with a baby in the back seat, deeply regretting my AAA membership. I’m open to a do-over, no snow required. When: Saturday, February 7, 2026. Where: Center Road, Middlesex. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916542

YELLOW LAB — SPARKY

I stopped to pet your yellow Lab, Sparky. We shared antics of yellow Labs in doggie boots and complained of chapped lips this time of year. (I hope yours is healing up okay?) Both you and Sparky seemed really nice, and I think it would be fun to chat with you again (and see Sparky, too). When: ursday, February 5, 2026. Where: Montpelier. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916541

CUTE BLOND GIRL, CUTE BEAGLE

To the beautiful blond girl I ran into while you were walking your beagle (beagle’s name was Dilly): I had a wonderful time talking to you and wish I had had the conﬁdence to ask for your info. Truly, the most gorgeous and hilarious person I have ever met! Felt an instant connection and have been thinking about it since. When: Sunday, February 1, 2026. Where: S. Williams Street. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916539

KEEPING PACE

You: wicked running machine on the corner treadmill. Me: hufﬁng through the miles next to you. We exchanged a quick smile — you’ve got a great one. I noticed that we were keeping pace with each other. How about a run together — inside or out? When: Sunday, February 1, 2026. Where: Burlington YMCA. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916538

I recently started a job in a small ofﬁce where everything is pretty casual. Most of my coworkers eat lunch at their desks while working on computers. e problem is that I hate hearing people chew, slurp or smack their lips when they eat. It drives me nuts, and I can’t focus on what I’m doing. How do I handle this without making it a big deal?

LADYBUG COLLECTIVE

Dylan, you felt so familiar, like we had seen each other so many times before. I was busy with some work calls and didn’t want to disturb anyone. When I returned, you and your friends were having such a good conversations. You were pretty and funny. I left without asking for a way to connect again. Find me here? —C When: Tuesday, January 6, 2026. Where: Ladybug Collective. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916537

GUTTERSON FIELDHOUSE

You: woman, purple socks, boots with good traction. Me: man, I have you by a few, a bit scruffy with light blue coat. We shared a smile and it felt nice. Would love to share a walk or coffee; if it was just a smile, that was lovely. When: Friday, January 23, 2026. Where: UVM hockey game. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916536

SKI SHOP GAL

You came into the ski shop where I work on Fridays. You were with your dad and looking for a used pair of XC skis for him. You are in the area for the winter, staying at your grandmother’s place. I couldn’t stop thinking about your smile all day. I’m hoping you’ll visit again some Friday. When: Friday, January 23, 2026. Where: small ski shop. You: Woman. Me: Woman. #916535

CORTADO IN MIDDLEBURY

I don’t want to compromise your privacy, since you’re dealing with the public, but you looked out the window and said, “ e sun’s out, but it’s snowing.” I was glad it was crowded; it gave me more time to enjoy your lovely smile. And yes, as you said, I did have a wonderful day, indeed. When: ursday, January 22, 2026. Where: Middlebury. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916534

BEAUTIFUL MAN WITH BEAUTIFUL DOG

I spied you at River Cove Animal Hospital with your black dog. e vet tech called her Helen. You had a nurturing way with her that only real men do. You were clad in a gray sweatsuit with a Buc-ee’s beaver logo on it. I gazed at you longingly, dreaming of a day when you might explore my Buc-ee’s beaver. When: Friday, December 19, 2025. Where: Williston. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916531

De Mi O’Phonia,

I work with a guy who hates hearing people whistle, and I’m a dyed-in-the-wool whistler from way back. We’ve worked together so long that I don’t remember how it even came up, but it’s sort of an ofﬁce joke now: Everyone knows not to whistle when he’s around. I can understand how dealing with such an annoyance when you’re the newbie might feel daunting.

CHATTED AT TRADER JOE’S

We have spoken a few times at TJ’s, ﬁrst over the summer and most recently on MLK Day. We talked about riding bikes in Burlington and how you work at a brunch place. You’ve got me curious. I’d like to hear more. How about a snowy stroll? When: Monday, January 19, 2026. Where: Trader Joe’s. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916533

CHEF’S MARKET, RANDOLPH

While having a cup of soup, I saw you and a young man take a table and have lunch. We made eye contact several times, and then I left. If you read this and would like to meet, please reach out. When: Wednesday, January 14, 2026. Where: Chef’s Market, Randolph. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916532

GRIEVES

You try to kill me every time you mess up, because you don’t listen. e damage you’ve done may not be ﬁxable when your ﬁve-year time is up. Or is that the whole point? When: ursday, July 31, 2025. Where: Grieves. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916530

BIG SMILES ON PERU ST.

You were walking by as I brought in my recycling bin. We both had on ﬁtted blue puffy jackets; yours had orange, too. When we made eye contact, we both got big smiles. I hope to meet up and share more smiles! When: Wednesday, January 7, 2026. Where: Peru St. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916529

1 S. PROSPECT WAITING AREA

I noticed your mysterious eyes, high cheekbones and dark brown hair in the waiting area of the UVM phlebotomy lab. You wore a dark red ﬂeece vest and light shirt. I was the tall guy on the phone in a black puffy coat, salt-andpepper beard, winter hat. May I buy you a coffee? When: Monday, January 12, 2026. Where: 1 S. Prospect Street, UVM phlebotomy lab waiting area. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916528

BRITISH COLUMBIA NUMBER

Texted me in the afternoon, and it went to spam. I only just found it yesterday. Who are you, and why did you say I was getting? Why can you not speak to me to my face? When: Tuesday, December 16, 2025. Where: spam folder. You: Group. Me: Woman. #916525

WILLISTON FOLINO’S BENCHWARMERS

ey forgot to put yours in; they failed to tell me mine was ready. Your smile truly made my day, and it had been the kind of day that needed making. I hope you didn’t wait long for your pizza. If you ever need a smile, let me know. I owe you one. When: Friday, January 9, 2026. Where: Folino’s Pizza. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916527

I HOPE FOR YOU

You persisted, though I told you my heart was closed / but once you had my love, you let it languish / now you’ll take all I gave and give it to someone else / you lied and betrayed and you broke me / I hope for you the kind of heartbreak you left me with / because I will never love again. When: Tuesday, October 14, 2025. Where: for the last time. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916526

WE MADE EYE CONTACT VSF

You were the older brawny guy on the treadmill. I was also working out, right behind you. Truth be told, I was checking you out because those jeans looked very nice on you. After your workout, you looked at me, and you gave me this gesture like you were exhausted. You also smiled at me. I would like to get acquainted. When: Saturday, January 3, 2026. Where: Vermont Sport & Fitness, Rutland. You: Man. Me: Man. #916524

NEXT ROUND

So many near misses. He said it wouldn’t be easy. Since we never were, could we try to be this year? Too many have claimed to be who they’re not, causing more chaos and harm. I never went into the woods, and you never came to me. Marco Polo, never hide-andseek. When: ursday, December 31, 2026. Where: everyone else. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916523

THE OFFICIAL END

It’s time to face my fear. / I’ll never forget that early love you showed. / e look on your face where we ﬁrst met. / How you made me feel / you loathed my existence. / Nothing more than a body. / Life’s too short to stay in torture. / Please don’t try to pull me back. / You know I’d die for you a million times. When: Monday, October 13, 2025. Where: Cambridge. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916522

especially for noise sensitivity, like Loops (loopearplugs.com). ey’re designed to take the edge off background noises while still allowing you to hear.

e easiest way to combat the ambient mouth noises would be to block them out. Could you pop on some headphones or earbuds and listen to music when your coworkers start snacking? It’s easy to play that off as needing to concentrate, but it might not work if your job requires you to hear what’s going on around you.

Another tack: Start an ofﬁce initiative for everyone to take actual lunch breaks. Many people seem to think that working through lunch is productive, but the opposite is true. Staying glued to a screen all day reduces cognitive capacity, increases stress, and leads to more fatigue and errors. Besides, keyboards have all sorts of germs on them that you’re just smearing around on your food.

If that’s the case, investigate earplugs made

Lead by example, and see what happens. No one is going to be offended by the idea of taking a much-needed break.

Good luck and God bless,

I am a cross-dressing man, late 60s, youthful, very ﬁt, healthy, 150 lbs., 5’7”. Bottom, dress-up, femme cute! Want to meet other cross-dressers, trans people, men and men couples. Will text, exchange photos and bios if it is acceptable. #1913

I’m a 49-y/o man seeking a 32- to 50-y/o woman who enjoys connection, affection, playfulness and shared outdoor adventures. I’m tall, authentic, athletic. I enjoy nature, am willing to try new things, and value good conversation and laughter. Happy to build a meaningful connection with room to grow. #1912

25-year-old woman seeking a resourceful man/SD. Send me a letter for some underwear. No touching, but you can watch. #1911

I’m a 72-y/o male seeking a female, 30-60. Looking for times together. Lunch, dinner, heels a plus at times. I can be a good listener; caring, sensitive. Phone number, please. #L1910

BiWM seeks steady blow job. Single, bi, gay, Black, married, trans. Age no problem. My place and private. Phone number. I’m horny. Women, apply! Good head! #L1909

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MAIL TO: Seven Days Love Letters PO Box 1164, Burlington, VT 05402

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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.

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!

Single woman, 61. Wise, mindful. Seeking tight unit with man, friend, love. Country living, gardens, land to play on. Emotionally, intellectually engaged. Lasting chats. Appreciation for past experience. Please be kind, stable and well established. Phone number, please. #L1908

Retired, healthy, active, ﬁt, fun-loving queer male seeking female friend to share merry minge, happipenis and much, much more. #1907

65ish woman seeking 65ish man. Friendship/dating. Wholesome, good-natured fun, laughter and conversations. Cribbage, other games. Attend music shows and events, leisurely walks. Sightseeing, café outings. Sound good? Drop me a line. I’m in the NEK. Namasté. #1906

I’m a 29-y/o woman seeking a man in his 20s or 30s who wants to start a family. My interests: aikido, hide tanning, fermentation, creative mending. I value authenticity, emotional awareness and intentionality. I’m in southern Vermont but could relocate. #L1905

I’m a 68-y/o woman seeking a 60- to 70-y/o gent. Must enjoy comedy movies, occasional deep conversations, deep thinking and cats. Must be located in the Northeast Kingdom. #L1904

Int net-Free Dating!

Reply to these messages with real, honest-to-goodness le ers. DETAILS BELOW.

I’m a 31-y/o man, ﬁt, 6’1” tall, dark skin, looking for a woman between 45 and 70. I like to work out, do outdoor activities, cook and craft, and learn new skills. I have a lot to teach. I’m independent and respectful. #L1899

If you are a gentle and kind man and would enjoy written intercourse for play and fun with a lady wordsmith, write! I have snail mail only. No strings attached! #L1901

Imagine all the wonderful things you could have spent that $5 on. Hmm, yeah, inﬂation. Might as well see what I’m all about. No sales tax. Seeking Y/O/U. #L1898

I’m a 72-y/o SWF seeking a 60- to 70-y/o man. I live in Woodstock, Vt. I want a serious relationship with a man. Phone number, would meet in person. #L1891

Open-minded SWM, 60s, 170 lbs., 5’8”, seeks similar for friendship and more. Open-minded, intelligent, liberal, slim males into fun activities and exploring various types of fun. #L1894

Describe yourself and who you’re looking for in 40 words below: (OR, ATTACH A SEPARATE PIECE OF PAPER.)

I’m a

AGE + GENDER (OPTIONAL) seeking a

AGE + GENDER (OPTIONAL)

30-y/o lady ISO independent, slightly sarcastic, progressiveminded man. Someone who can entertain complex emotional and ethical thoughts. No boys necessary: Clean up your own mess. I’m a skier, thru-hiker and nature lover. #L1897

I am a 49-y/o woman seeking a 38- to 52-y/o man. I am ready to meet a life partner to grow a kind, conscious family with. Are you ﬁt, curious, ecologically and socially attuned? Let’s meet for tea, a pedal or hike. #L1896

I’m a 70-y/o male, 6’1”, 265 lbs., seeking a woman between 60 and 79 y/o who smokes cigarettes. I am looking for a long-term relationship. Drives, meals, cuddles, watching movies. #L1893

I’m a 65-y/o woman seeking a ﬁt, 45- to 70-y/o man. I am a woman with a lot of energy! Clean houses. Love the outdoors, swimming, rides and Maine. I’m 5’2”, 130 lbs. Love to laugh! #L1892

Required conﬁdential info:

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MAIL TO: SEVEN DAYS LOVE LETTERS • PO BOX 1164, BURLINGTON, VT 05402

OPTIONAL WEB FORM: SEVENDAYSVT.COM/LOVELETTERS HELP: 802-865-1020, EXT. 161, LOVELETTERS@SEVENDAYSVT.COM

THIS FORM IS FOR LOVE LETTERS ONLY. Messages for the Personals and I-Spy sections must be submitted online at dating.sevendaysvt.com.

Immigration, Employment, & Small Businesses: Protecting & Promoting Workplace Diversity in Uncertain Times

WED., FEB. 11 • HULA, BURLINGTON

RAR Deep Dive Series in Advanced Bicycle Care — for WTNB

WED., FEB. 11

OLD SPOKES HOME COMMUNITY WORKSHOP, BURLINGTON

Beef Wellington and Chocolate Pot De Creme Featuring Chef Jim McCarthy

WED., FEB. 11

RED POPPY CAKERY, WATERBURY

Books and Music Adventure

THU., FEB. 12

FOAM BREWERS, BURLINGTON

Vintage Piping Cake Decorating Class

FRI., FEB. 13

RED POPPY CAKERY, WATERBURY

Books and Music Adventure

FRI., FEB. 13

STANDING STONE WINES, WINOOSKI

TURNmusic Presents Michael Chorney's Freeway Clyde w/ Sadie Brightman

FRI., FEB. 13

THE PHOENIX GALLERY & MUSIC HALL, WATERBURY

Galentine's Day DJ Dance Party! Broosha, Melo Grant, Abby Shaw & Serena Kim

FRI., FEB. 13

THE SEABA CENTER, BURLINGTON

Barn Owl Needle Felting Workshop

SAT., FEB. 14

BIRDS OF VERMONT MUSEUM, HUNTINGTON

Declare Your Love – A Writing Workshop: Prose

SAT., FEB. 14

GRANGE HALL CULTURAL CENTER, WATERBURY

Declare Your Love – A Writing Workshop: Poetry

SAT., FEB. 14

GRANGE HALL CULTURAL CENTER, WATERBURY

SAT., FEB. 14

RICHMOND COMMUNITY KITCHEN

Date Night: Better-Than-Steakhouse Steak and Potatoes

(Share the) LOVE Fest: A Community Open Mic

SAT., FEB. 14

GRANGE HALL CULTURAL CENTER, WATERBURY

Heartbeats Silent Disco: Move. Create. Connect. Feel Alive.

SAT., FEB. 14

DAVIS STUDIO, SOUTH BURLINGTON

HeartBreakers: Burlesque Valentine's Variety Show

SAT., FEB. 14

MONTPELIER PERFORMING ARTS HUB

Hula Story Sessions: Vermont Professionals of Color

TUE., FEB. 17

HULA, BURLINGTON

NSP TheaterLab Performance Workshop: Scene Study

TUE., FEB. 17

GRANGE HALL CULTURAL CENTER, WATERBURY

Pedal Parables

TUE., FEB. 17

OLD SPOKES HOME, BURLINGTON

Hotel Vermont Mardi Gras Party

TUE., FEB. 17

HOTEL VERMONT, BURLINGTON

Book Club: Open Book

WED., FEB. 18

PHOENIX BOOKS, ESSEX