Issuu

the Wellness Issue PHYSICIAN,

DEAL THYSELF

Blue Cross urges Vermont patients to shop around

V ER MON T’S INDE P ENDE NT V O IC E JANUARY 14-21, 2026 VOL.31 NO.19 SEVENDAYSVT.COM

PAGE 14

QUIT QUITTING

Experts on sticking to fitness resolutions PAGE 26

FINE LINE

Ursa Major goes all in on “clean beauty” PAGE 28

ALIA CAN EAT

Beta Technologies’ free-lunch program PAGE 32

Do you suffer from Headaches? Eye Strain? Neck Pain? Dizziness? Dry Eye?

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WEEK IN REVIEW

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JANUARY 7-14, 2026

COMPILED BY SASHA GOLDSTEIN & MATTHEW ROY

TRUMP’S LAW

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has introduced legislation to ban presidents from naming buildings after themselves. It would also restore the name of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

MEASLES REMAINS A RISK IN POCKETS OF VERMONT It is the rare comeback story no one was rooting for: measles. The highly contagious disease was once deemed eliminated in the U.S. But plunging vaccination rates have left pockets of the country susceptible to outbreaks, and last year brought 2,144 confirmed cases — the most since 1992. Vermont has largely been spared, reporting only four cases over the past two years. That’s still twice the number of cases compared to the previous decade. And while the state boasts high vaccination rates, outbreaks could occur in communities with more limited coverage. Seven Days spoke to Laura Ann Nicolai, an epidemiologist at the state Department of Health, to learn more about Vermont’s vulnerability to measles. A key metric in assessing Vermont’s protection is the vaccination rate among school-age children, Nicolai said. Children must be vaccinated before entering childcare or kindergarten in Vermont, unless they receive an exemption. Only about 3 percent of the 80,000 K-12 students in Vermont claim religious exemptions, along with about 2 percent of children in childcare. Add in the small number of children exempt for medical reasons, and that leaves about 94 percent of children fully vaccinated as of last year, state data show. That’s higher than the national average, 92.5 percent, Nicolai said. “But rates a bit higher would be preferable.”

true802

COURTESY

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Painting by Chris Edmunds

GOOD LORD

State police are searching for the suspect who stole a baby Jesus and a lamb statue from a nativity scene in Marshfield. Thou shalt not!

Experts say 95 percent is needed to reach herd immunity and prevent community transmission. The statewide data only tell part of the story. Some schools and childcare facilities report much lower vaccination rates. At a few smaller independent schools, less than half of the student body is vaccinated. A full breakdown of school vaccination rates can be found on the health department’s website. Vermont’s childhood vaccination rates have held relatively steady in recent years, though health officials worry that growing vaccine skepticism nationwide may eventually lead to dips in coverage. Such concerns have only grown following last week’s news that the federal government has reduced the number of vaccines recommended for American children. While the measles vaccine remains on the slate, Nicolai worries that the shifting guidance is confusing for parents and could lead some to delay or forgo vaccinations. She encourages parents to continue vaccinating their children for measles, starting with a first dose after 12 months. For the general public, her advice is equally simple: Figure out whether you’re immune, and get vaccinated if you’re not. “Because we all are going to be at increased risk for encountering measles virus in the future,” she said. Read Colin Flanders’ full story at sevendaysvt.com.

POT HOLE

Burlington is facing a $16 million funding gap to reconnect Bank and Cherry streets. The new plan is to do the work in phases — meaning even more construction time.

3,982

That’s how many attempted scams Vermonters reported to the Attorney General’s Office last year — a 12 percent increase over 2024.

TOPFIVE

Online Now

A Vermont senior living facility offers an interactive simulation that recreates the experience of living with dementia

ARTS+CULTURE 38 Raised in Praise

Green Mountain Gospel Choir spreads good news and hope in Burlington

Circus Smirkus Dodges Bankruptcy but May Cancel 2026 Big Top Tour Whistle Blower

Meet Delia Robinson, a thirdgeneration whistle maker in Montpelier

Dear Lucy Announces Closure on Burlington’s Church Street Singer, Songwriter and Art Collector Bobby Gosh Dies at 89 Picture Perfect

New city curator Maedeh Asgharpour brings a show of illustration to South Burlington

The Sky’s the Limit Delia Robinson has spent her 80-year lifetime painting canvases SUPPORTED BY: and making whistles. A third-generation whistle maker, she learned how to sculpt them from her mother and has created thousands of whistles. Seven Days’ Eva Sollberger visited her eclectic home studio in Montpelier to get a musical tour.

Melanie Gulde reflects on starting the Divided Sky Residential Recovery Program with Phish’s Trey Anastasio

FOOD+ DRINK 32 Cleared for Lunch

At South Burlington’s Beta Technologies, the kitchen team happily accommodates a range of dietary needs

Batter Up

From Essex Junction, Chelsea Approved’s vegan, allergen-free baking mixes spread sweetness

COLUMNS 11 Magnificent 7 13 From the Publisher 33 Side Dishes 42 Movie Reviews 52 Album Review 77 Ask the Reverend

SECTIONS 22 Life Lines 32 Food + Drink 38 Culture 42 On Screen 44 Art 48 Music + Nightlife 54 Calendar 60 Classes 61 Classifieds + Puzzles 73 Fun Stuff 76 Personals

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“The prices are genuinely outrageous and the produce is awful.”

“I have worked for Hannaford a total of 8.5 years and they are an absolutely egregious company to work for.”

“We need owners who are from here who care about people.”

“Rotting vegetables still being sold. Bad meat. Insane prices.”

“Everyone I know hates Hannafords, but if we lose that we have no place to shop.”

“Ready to use? More like ready to toss.”

I’m a cashier at Hannaford. People are returning all kinds of meat and produce because it’s moldy or rotting.”

WE’RE TIRED OF THE LOW STANDARDS AT

Hannaford SOUNDS LIKE YOU ARE, TOO. “Terrible food, and terrible company.” “I refuse to shop at Hannaford, the quality is horrible. Meat is rancid, produce is rotten, they treat senior citizens like we are a bother.”

“I find the meat spoils very quickly. It’s very disconcerting when you pay so much money.”

We Deserve Better. These testimonies were submitted to the New England Consumer Alliance. We anonymized them to protect customer and employee privacy.

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 14-21, 2026

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LOOKING FORWARD

MAGNIFICENT MUST SEE, MUST DO THIS WEEK BY ANGE L A SI M P SON

WEDNESDAY 14

Wing Men Wishing you’d flown south for the winter? Birding Adventures With Chip & Sam Darmstadt, a presentation at the South Burlington Public Library Auditorium, might just inspire an avian expedition to a far-flung locale. Sharing stories of their own travels, the veteran father-and-son birders prepare listeners to take flight, from what to pack to unexpected challenges they might face. SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 54

THURSDAY 15-SUNDAY 18

Use Your Illusion “Magic” doesn’t begin to cover what’s in store at Wonders, a mesmerizing evening of storytelling and enchantment from world-renowned illusionist, mentalist and all-around mindblower Scott Silven, at the Hopkins Center for the Arts in Hanover, N.H. The showman draws audience members in, seemingly reading their minds and leaving them wondering: How did he do that? SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 54

ONGOING

WILDEST BEAMS Artist Chris Jeffrey brings a welcome burst of light to midwinter with “Textured Color,” an illuminating exhibit at Shelburne’s ATM Gallery. Go inside the darkened space (no bank card required) to see the explosive prism of color created on stucco-like surfaces by spotlights and glass optical filters — or view it after hours, brightening the surrounding parking lot.

FRIDAY 16

Moonlight Promenade Show winter who’s boss when you gear up for Torchlight Snowshoe, an outdoor adventure in the gloaming at Billings Farm & Museum in Woodstock. Snowshoe, ski or stroll along a lit path through the bucolic pastures, learning about the land’s history and seasonal wildlife from experts posted along the way. Then park yourself at the firepit for s’mores and cocoa as the moon rises. SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 56

SEE GALLERY LISTING AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/ART

SATURDAY 17

Weighty Words Vermont poet laureate Bianca Stone launches her new collection, The Near and Distant World, with a community cocktail hour, reading and discussion at Middlebury’s Town Hall Theater. The creative director of the nonprofit Ruth Stone House — the Goshen property of her late grandmother, a former state poet laureate — Stone explores life with introspection, intimacy and honesty. SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 57

WEDNESDAY 21

FILE: LUKE AWTRY

In Session The Vermont Statehouse — aka “the People’s House” — opens its doors for the first in this season’s longstanding Farmers Night Concert Series. Celebrated singer-songwriter and guitarist Bob Wagner, bassist Josh Weinstein, and drummer Dan Ryan welcome the community right into the House chamber for an aisle-crossing night of folk, rock, blues and soul under the golden dome. SEE “ON THE BEAT” ON PAGE 49

SATURDAY 17

Hot Fusion Led by the eponymous pianist and composer, the Zaccai Curtis Quintet heats up the Vermont Jazz Center in Brattleboro with a blend of energetic Latin jazz and harmonically complex bebop. Touring behind Curtis’ Cubop Lives!, winner of the 2025 Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Album, the ensemble explores and expands on the roots of AfroCuban music with a mix of new and classic works. SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 57

BROWSE THE FULL CALENDAR, ART SHOWS, SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 14-21, 2026

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 14-21, 2026

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You might have missed a poignant personal essay in the recent Double Issue of Seven Days. In “The Things He Left Behind,” writer Tim Brookes put into words why he fell for Burlington when he arrived from England half a century ago — and then, in 2025, made a decision he never could have imagined: to return to his homeland. Embedded in his love letter to the Queen City was a crucial clue. He wrote, “The fact is, I’m not leaving Burlington, Vt.: I’m leaving America. As a 72-year-old who has to pay for his own health insurance, disaster is only one significant medical event away.” I’ve known Brookes for 40 of the 50 years he spent writing and teaching on this side of the pond. We both worked for the Vanguard Press and the Burlington Free Press, and in the mid-’80s he was my editor at a short-lived publication called Burlington’s Entertainment Guide. He was a tough teacher, and I learned a lot from him. Years later my partner, Tim Ashe, developed his own relationship with Brookes, who was the go-to goalkeeper on his coed soccer team, the Lakeside Dachshunds. Brookes also showed up for pickup games and played other positions. Although he was 30 years older than most of his teammates, “He was good for a diving header every time we played,” Tim said. All of us at Seven Days will be forever indebted to Brookes for recommending Carolyn Fox, his former student at Champlain College, to be our full-time calendar writer. Seventeen years later, she is running the culture team with Dan Bolles and has become one of our most talented editors. In short, Brookes deserved a party, and Tim and I resolved to throw him one. After his piece was published, we set a date and invited a bunch of people from his various social circles for a gathering at our place on Friday, January 2. The Monday before, Brookes let us know he was really sick and unable to get out of bed. On New Year’s Eve, the day his supplemental health insurance was set to expire, he went to the ER. He was diagnosed with a respiratory infection, and the doctor prescribed an inhaler and some meds. But when Brookes went to pick them up at a nearby drugstore, which was supposed to be open until 7, it had closed early for the holiday. “So today for me they will have jumped in price,” Brookes wrote in an email on the first day of 2026 to cancel

the Wellness Issue

FILE: BEAR CIERI

Close Call

COURTESY

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Tim Brookes in 1974

Tim Brookes in 2021

the party. Without insurance, the out-of-pocket cost of the inhaler alone increased from $20 to $314. “These are the tiny happenstances that are going on all the time, and can doom people,” he wrote. “For me the dangers and expenses are bearable, but it’s alarming to realize how quickly for someone else they might become unbearable. This is, after all, one of the principal reasons I’m leaving.” Brookes had feared a last-minute, suddenly expensive illness. As it turned out, he got one that almost thwarted his carefully planned departure. He did manage to catch his plane out of Burlington International Airport on January 7 and emailed me the next day that he had arrived safely in Cambridge, “running on fumes.” The postscript to his essay is an unfortunate but fitting addition to this week’s Wellness Issue. No doubt Brookes will miss plenty of things about the U.S., where he has friends and children, but our broken health care system is decidedly not one of them.

BROOKES HAD FEARED A LAST-MINUTE, SUDDENLY EXPENSIVE ILLNESS.

AS IT TURNED OUT, HE GOT ONE.

Paula Routly If you like Seven Days and can help pay for it, become a Super Reader! Look for the “Donate” button at the top of sevendaysvt.com. Or send a check with your address and contact info to: SEVEN DAYS, C/O SUPER READERS P.O. BOX 1164 BURLINGTON, VT 05402-1164

For more information on making a financial contribution to Seven Days, please contact Gillian English: VOICEMAIL: 802-865-1020, EXT. 115 EMAIL: SUPERREADERS@SEVENDAYSVT.COM

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 14-21, 2026

news

MORE INSIDE

LEADERS PITCH RX PROGRAM PAGE 16

OUTAGE HITS KEY DCF SYSTEM

STATEHOUSE

PAGE 17

DIANA BOLTON

Lawmaker Proposes Establishing a UFO Panel B Y K E V I N MC C A LLUM kevin@sevendaysvt.com

Manage Your Care

To lower health costs, Vermont’s largest insurance company is urging patients to shop around B Y CO L I N FL A ND ER S • colin@sevendaysvt.com

uppose you’re eying a new fence quality,” reads a full-page ad that ran in to keep your neighbor’s Pomera- Seven Days and other Chittenden County nian from violating your perenni- newspapers this winter. als. What’s one of the first things The campaign provides tips on how to you’re likely to do? Search for the best deal. maximize savings, such as requestBut would you do the same for an MRI ing generic drugs and taking on that swollen knee? Probably not, advantage of low-cost even though the price of routine screenings and preventhe medical procedures can vary widely tive programs. It also depending on where you go. lays bare the significant Wellness Blue Cross Blue Shield of diff erence between what Issue Vermont says it’s time to fix this the University of Vermont disconnect. An advertising campaign Medical Center charges by the state’s largest insurer calls on compared with competitors Vermonters to become savvier consumers, in South Burlington, Rutland, Morrisville framing it as a personal responsibility amid and other Vermont locales. the state’s health care affordability crisis. The insurer says an MRI at the UVM “Each of us can help lower the cost Medical Center costs it about $6,520 on of our health care without sacrificing average. That same procedure runs about 14

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 14-21, 2026

$2,785 at Northwestern Medical Center in St. Albans and just shy of $1,800 at some small independent facilities, according to the insurer. Prices vary widely for other routine procedures, including colonoscopies. Blue Cross says it wants Vermonters to know how these prices have contributed to the state’s highest-in-the-nation health insurance premium rates, while also providing them information they can use to make more cost-conscious decisions. It has set up a website, vtaffordablecare.com, to promote the message. Blue Cross officials have tempered expectations for the campaign. Their goal is to raise awareness, and so they have not MANAGE YOUR CARE

» P.18

COURTESY

Rep. Troy Headrick

What’s that mysterious object flying over Vermont? If a legislator’s bill becomes law, a 10-member panel will investigate whenever something unidentified appears in the skies. Rep. Troy Headrick (I-Burlington) this week introduced the bill, which would set up the Vermont Airspace Safety and Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Task Force. The group would review reports of unexplained objects, including any that might exhibit “performance characteristics not consistent with currently understood technologies.” These include “instantaneous acceleration absent observable inertia or hypersonic velocity without a corresponding thermal signature or sonic boom,” according to the bill. The task force would make recommendations to manage risks to the public or Vermont airspace. Headrick said on Tuesday that he introduced the legislation on behalf of a constituent, lobbyist Maggie Lenz. He said he at times does so whether he supports the bill or not, because lawmakers should help constituents get issues they care about before lawmakers. He said he was not yet prepared to speak to or support the bill. Lenz, owner of Atlas Government Affairs, said she’s been fascinated by the issue, especially since a rash of reports in 2024 of objects over the skies of New Jersey. Most were drones or low-flying aircraft. Those reports — and the government’s inability to provide credible information about them — prompted Lenz to back the idea of a Vermont reporting and review system. “I’m certainly not saying that it’s aliens,” Lenz said on Tuesday. “But I do think just having the conversation here in Vermont will begin to allow for it to be taken a little bit more seriously.” The effort would mirror steps taken by the federal government to explore sightings of UFOs, more commonly referred to in the scientific communities as UAPs, or unidentified anomalous phenomena. ➆

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Health care is free and accessible at a new South Burlington clinic BY ALISON N OVAK • alison@sevendaysvt.com

Dr. Umair Malik talking with a patient

802-878-0320 • info@villageatautumnpond.com • villageatautumnpond.com 1/13/26 7:37 PM

DARIA BISHOP

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very Saturday morning, a steady emergency rooms with advanced, somestream of people enters a back times terminal, illnesses that could have door of the Islamic Society of been avoided if they had received timely, Vermont headquarters in South preventative health care. In addition to Burlington. They’re not coming to prac- producing unnecessary pain and suffertice their faith but to seek care at a new ing, such delays in treatment can create health clinic. financial and logistical complications. The state’s sole mosque, a low-slung “We are clogging the entire system brick building on the corner of Swift by delaying this care,” said Waheed, and Dorset streets, is not where who is also a professor at UVM’s you’d expect to find a thriving Robert Larner College of medical practice. What is Medicine. the even more unusual is the Offering free doctor’s way it operates: There are appointments at the mosque Wellness no insurance claims. No every Saturday will not solve Issue co-pays. No worries about the systemic problems that unexpected bills. All services plague health care, Waheed are free and available to the acknowledged. Still, it’s a meanbroader community, as well. ingful way to reduce barriers for The Free Access Health Clinic offi- those who are uninsured or can’t afford cially opened in April but was years in the the costs, even with insurance. making, said Dr. Waqar Waheed, one of its And, as the only clinic of its kind in the founding members and a neurologist at most populous county in Vermont — the the University of Vermont Medical Center. state with the highest health insurance The clinic was born out of the disheart- premiums in the country — it is meeting ening situation that doctors regularly see across the state: patients who show up to MEDICINE WITH A MISSION » P.16 4t-LakechampChoc011426 1

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 14-21, 2026

1/7/26 4:12 PM

news Officials Pitch Discount Drug Card Program STORY & PHOTO BY KEVIN MCCALLUM kevin@sevendaysvt.com

Treasurer Mike Pieciak Vermont Treasurer Mike Pieciak and legislative leaders are getting behind a bill that promises to lower prescription drug costs by using the power of bulk purchasing. The bill would allow Pieciak’s office to create a discount drug card program that would enable any Vermonter to save up to 80 percent on certain drugs. Testimony on the bill, H.577, is expected to begin this week. Pieciak said he’s already convinced that the program could deliver critical cost savings to Vermonters at a time when federal leadership on health care is flagging. The bill would allow Vermont to join an existing program called ArrayRx. The effort began in 2006 when Washington and Oregon collaborated to lower drug prices. Today, the states work with a pharmacy benefit management firm to help public entities use their collective buying power to lower drug costs. “This is government at its best,” Pieciak said at a Statehouse press conference on January 8. “Instead of each state going alone, states work together, giving us more power to reduce costs and deliver real savings to our residents.” Connecticut has joined the program, and participants are saving an average of $200 per month, Pieciak said. The savings are greatest on generic drugs. Savings on name-brand drugs run around 20 percent. In many cases, participants can use the program to purchase drugs that are not covered by their insurance policies. “For too long, Vermonters have been at the mercy of pharmaceutical companies, whose greed seems to know no bounds,” Pieciak said. House Speaker Jill Krowinski (D-Burlington) said the program is more important than ever given the loss of federal subsidies that threaten the health care coverage of thousands of Vermonters. While there’s no single fix for the health care “affordability crisis,” she said, “taking steps like this will lead to meaningful change for our state.” ➆

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 14-21, 2026

Medicine With a Mission « P.15

a critical need. Not only can patients find primary care doctors there, they can also schedule visits with a rotating roster of specialists, including dermatologists and cardiologists. “I tip my hat to them,” said former state senator Chris Pearson, board chair of Vermont Healthcare 911, a bipartisan advocacy group trying to reduce the state’s health care costs. But, Pearson said, “what’s heartbreaking ... is that we need it because the system is so broken.” So far, the response has been overwhelmingly positive, Waheed said, producing a steady increase in patients, some of whom come from hours away. They’re cared for by a team of nearly 50 volunteers — including doctors, a practice manager, medical assistants, triage nurses and frontdesk workers. The clinic has treated around 200 people since it opened last spring. As health care costs rise and federal Affordable Care Act subsidies have evaporated, Waheed and the clinic’s new president, family physician Dr. Umair Malik, are expecting an even busier second year. “We know there’s going to be a big struggle in 2026,” said Malik, who also owns a private practice, Blue Spruce Health, that operates under a model called direct primary care, which allows patients to pay a flat monthly fee instead of using insurance. The nonprofit clinic’s seven board members are trying to figure out how to meet the growing need while adequately serving its current patients, many of whom return for follow-up visits. The clinic doesn’t treat children or provide psychiatric care, a policy that is likely to continue due to various constraints. But the volunteers are considering ways to increase the clinic’s hours and find a bigger space. For now, they are making do with a modest section of the mosque that the Islamic Society provides free of charge. Patients, who can schedule appointments online or by phone, check in at a makeshift reception area. Off a narrow hallway, a small room bears all the trappings of a typical doctor’s office: an examination table, scale, eye chart and blood-pressure cuff. UVM Medical Center helped the clinic arrange malpractice insurance and set up its electronic medical records system. The hospital has also donated supplies such as surgical scalpels. One of those scalpels came in handy recently, Malik recalled during an interview last month. Though the clinic doesn’t typically see patients who need emergency care, a woman had come in for an appointment and mentioned that her son was waiting in the car and had a sore

Dr. Waqar Waheed examining a patient

DARIA BISHOP

HEALTH CARE

throat. Malik told her to bring him inside and, during an exam, saw that the teen had an abscess in the back of his mouth. Malik was able to open and drain it using a scalpel — a quick and easy procedure that likely would have cost several thousand dollars at the emergency room, he said. The clinic has also been a boon to Burlington resident Ana Saam, who sat in a folding chair in its small waiting area on a Saturday in December. Saam had lost her health insurance months before when the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention canceled a grant that funded her job working in health

WHEN YOU’VE GOT THE RIGHT MISSION AND THE RIGHT GOALS,

IT DRAWS PEOPLE IN. UMAIR MAL IK

equity and mental-health research. Now self-employed as a Spanish-language interpreter, Saam, who is diabetic, said going without insurance has caused major anxiety; even simple medical procedures required to keep her condition under control, such as blood work, are “super expensive” without it. The clinic provides Saam with free care and, with the help of donations, covers the cost of basic lab tests and helps her figure out the cheapest way to obtain prescription medication by using coupons and services such as GoodRx. Another patient, Tammy Paya, did have health insurance, through Medicaid. After a bilateral stroke in August impaired her vision, mobility and cognitive functioning, the Essex resident said she faced a seven-month wait to see a neurologist at the UVM Medical Center. Through her adult daughter, Samantha, who is a member of the mosque, Paya learned of

the free clinic and was able to get in for a neurology appointment with Waheed last fall. On this December day, she was there for a follow-up primary care visit. Mother and daughter both said they were impressed by Waheed’s thorough review of Paya’s medical history. He noticed that one of the medications she had been previously prescribed for headaches was likely exacerbating her COPD, a progressive lung condition, and immediately took her off it. Waheed also provided a clear explanation of why the stroke had happened and what lifestyle changes Paya could make to avoid another one. “I was so excited when I left here,” Paya said, sounding incredulous. “I finally got answers.” “Normally, she gets agitated if she doesn’t like a doctor,” Samantha said of her mom, but Waheed is “definitely ‘Tammy approved.’” It’s that kind of feedback that makes people eager to donate their time and expertise to the clinic, according to Malik. “When you’ve got the right mission and the right goals, it draws people in,” he said. That extends to volunteers such as Shaun Bennett, a data-entry operator by trade who checks in patients at the front desk a few times a month. “The idea of this was so beautiful ... I couldn’t say no,” Bennett said. “I haven’t volunteered for anything before, and this actually makes me feel fulfilled.” A banner on one side of Bennett’s desk is the first thing anyone sees when entering the clinic. Printed on a photograph of a person gazing at a fiery sunset is a quote by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) that reads, in part: “It is not utopian thinking to say that every man, woman and child should have access to health care as a right.” ➆

INFO For more info, visit freeaccessclinic.org.

FILE: TIM NEWCOMB

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The Vermont Department for Children and Families was unable to track children in its custody after an information technology failure crippled the department’s core data systems in December, raising questions about how the state protects some of its most vulnerable residents. The breakdown, triggered when a system was updated on December 15, resulted in a multiday outage of DCF’s central data system. During that time, caseworkers lacked access to information showing which children were in state care and where they were living. It also meant workers could not check whether adults seeking to work with children had histories of child abuse, according to Matthew Bernstein, who leads the Office of the Child, Youth and Family Advocate, which monitors DCF. The outage also temporarily halted DCF’s ability to generate reports tracking children who are missing or have run away, Bernstein said. DCF did not immediately respond to a request for comment. “If it’s more than an instant, that is hugely problematic,” Bernstein said. It was unclear whether the outage caused data loss that could affect the department’s ability to monitor children and outcomes, said Lauren Higbee, deputy advocate with the same office. The breakdown renews concerns about Vermont’s child welfare technology systems. DCF relies on some of the oldest child welfare data systems in the nation. The primary system, SSMIS, was developed in the 1980s and is used to assign cases and track adoptions, placements, and basic child and family information. A second system, FSDNet, built in the 1990s, handles investigations, case notes and child abuse reports but was never designed for full case management. That means staff rely heavily on paper files kept in district offices. The systems have been plagued with problems for more than a decade. In May 2016, a system outage forced DCF to lean on duplicative processes and paper

documentation for roughly a week while it addressed the IT failure. Bernstein applauded the work of the Agency of Digital Services and DCF staff to get the data systems repaired as quickly as possible, but he remained skeptical about their long-term functionality without greater intervention. In November, Aryka Radke, deputy commissioner of DCF’s Family Services Division, told legislators that the department’s aged systems are unable to track some of the division’s most critical information, such as serious physical injuries of children and the fingerprint records of foster parents. On Tuesday, several state legislators said they were not aware of DCF’s system outage. “If this is true, it’s deeply concerning,” Sen. Rob Plunkett (D-Bennington) said. Plunkett chairs the Joint Information Technology Oversight Committee. Higbee said the agency also did not seem to have notified other stakeholders, such as foster parents, about the outage. Children in state custody have little power to push for changes, and technology problems can persist for years without public pressure to fix them, Bernstein said. “This outage is just the tip of the iceberg for a whole deep, decades-long problem that just hasn’t been addressed,” Bernstein said. DCF is currently reviewing vendor proposals to develop a new child welfare information system that is estimated to cost between $30 million and $50 million and be completed in spring 2028, though agency officials have cautioned the timeline may shift. Bernstein urged DCF to make incremental changes to its existing data systems now rather than wait until a new system is developed to address longstanding issues. “We are sounding the alarm on these systemic issues because they need to be addressed right away,” Bernstein said. “Not in a couple years down the road, as is the current plan.” ➆

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conducted any analysis of what kind of savings may be possible, according to Andrew Garland, vice president of client relations and external affairs. Still, every person who decides to seek care at a cheaper alternative to the UVM Medical Center could have a small impact on future premium rate increases, Garland said. “We’re all a part of a pool, and the more responsibly we collectively use the resources that are available for that pool, you know, the better off we all are,” he said. The call to action comes as Blue Cross is attempting to crawl back from the brink of insolvency following years of major losses. The insurer has blamed its struggles on an unrelenting surge in the cost of claims, which it attributes largely to the care provided at Vermont hospitals. The state’s 14 nonprofit hospitals are spending 53 percent more today — $4.28 billion — than in 2019, and they charge commercial insurance companies more to cover these growing expenses. The UVM Medical Center now ranks among the more expensive hospitals in the country, according to a pair of independent analyses provided to state regulators. Hospitals say they must charge more than stand-alone centers because they have higher fixed costs, from running an around-the-clock emergency department to sustaining vital services that lose money, such as neonatal and psychiatric care. But the price tag for specific procedures depends on what they can convince insurance companies to pay. UVM Health has a lot of bargaining power because it controls so much of the local health care market, and it has not shied away from throwing its weight around. It has sought to stymie competition by opposing the creation of independent facilities, such as a protracted regulatory battle over a proposal to build a now-opened outpatient surgical center in Colchester. And the network has previously threatened to stop accepting Blue Cross insurance if the company refused to meet its rate demands, according to former Vermont Human Services secretary Mike Smith, who led a liaison group charged with independently vetting the UVM Medical Center’s fiscal year 2026 budget proposal. The group was commissioned as part of a settlement between the Green Mountain Care Board and UVM Health after the Burlington hospital took in far more in revenue than what regulators

had approved. Smith sat in on budget negotiations between the network and Blue Cross and observed what he called their “lingering animosity.” “BCBS-VT stated that in the past they have been reluctant to negotiate aggressively with the UVMHN over prices,” Smith wrote. Faced with the hospital’s threat to stop accepting Blue Cross insurance, the insurer has conceded to the network’s demands, according to Smith. “Not providing care to BCBS-VT patients would be a disastrous situation for the insurance company and it would be an equally disastrous situation for the UVMHN,” Smith wrote. But ultimately, “those most adversely impacted are

A BASIC MRI AT THE UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT MEDICAL CENTER COSTS

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Vermonters who are burdened with increased insurance rates.” The health network has disputed Smith’s characterization of past negotiations and, last week, declined comment on Blue Cross’ advertising campaign, saying in a statement that it supports patients seeking lower-cost providers. “We believe that hospitals and insurance companies have the responsibility to work together to bring costs down,” the statement reads. Researchers estimate that up to 40 percent of health care visits are “shoppable” ones that can be scheduled well ahead of time. And the federal government has taken steps over the past decade to make medical billing more transparent; many online tools make it easy to compare providers’ prices. Yet people still rarely shop around for medical services. One reason? They trust their doctors to know what’s best. A major study focused on more than 50,000 adults showed that people typically get their MRIs wherever their doctors recommend, regardless of the price. They are also more likely to get scanned in hospital settings if their doctors work for a hospital, as a large share of Vermont physicians do. The surveyed patients drove past, on average, six other facilities where they could have received the test more cheaply.

SERVICES PROVIDED

“The system is set up in a way to keep you in a particular lane: Your physician makes that referral, you sit back, and you wait for the letter to come in the mail,” Garland said. “It doesn’t even necessarily occur to you that there are other options.” Also: patients don’t always feel a strong motivation to seek out cheaper care due to the nature of health insurance. Say you’ve already hit your annual deductible, meaning your plan will pick up the tab for any further medical needs. You’re far less likely to care whether your MRI cost $2,000 or $6,000. But that $4,000 difference matters to the insurance company, which must take in enough through premium payments each year to cover the cost of claims. “We have to pay for all of that care,” Garland said. “So, if we can find ways to spend less on that care as a community, we all save.” People may be skeptical of cheaper options, even though research suggests there’s little correlation between price and quality when it comes to health care. Prospective patients are often confused when they learn that an MRI at Vermont OPEN Imaging in South Burlington costs thousands of dollars less than one at the UVM Medical Center, according to owner Todd Kummer. “A lot of times they’re like, ‘Well, what’s wrong with your service?’” Kummer said with a laugh. His typical reply: “Look online, look at our reviews. Everybody raves about their experiences. It’s the real deal.” Alex John, a retired gastroenterologist who recently opened a new diagnostic imaging center in Williston, hopes to benefit from the spotlight that Blue Cross is training on independent providers. Vermont Diagnostic Imaging will offer scans and ultrasounds at a fraction of the prices that UVM Medical Center charges and will be able to get people in quicker, too, John said. He’s hosting a ribboncutting on Friday, January 16, and hopes to begin filling up its schedule from there. “It’s an uphill battle, because people

are entrenched in their practices,” John said. “But I know it can be done if you provide quality service.” It’s not just independent practices that could benefit from more shopping around. State regulators have urged Northwestern Medical Center to more aggressively market its services, noting that many Franklin County patients seem to get routine care at the UVM Medical Center even though their local hospital offers much lower prices. The Blue Cross campaign could spur more competition between hospitals, something Vermont has historically lacked, said Owen Foster, chair of the Green Mountain Care Board. “We have health care regulation in part because we don’t have adequate competition,” Foster said, but regulation on its own is not enough. “Where we can use our levers to push and promote competition, we should.” Blue Cross officials say it is too soon to know whether the campaign is influencing patient decisions. Even if hundreds of people did choose to get their MRIs somewhere besides the UVM Medical Center this year, the hospital could try to simply raise prices next year to make up the lost revenue. Garland wasn’t worried about that prospect. The hospital appears to share the goal of making health care more affordable in Vermont, he said. Plus, state regulators would need to approve future price hikes — and Blue Cross would then need to agree to pay more. “And we’re not going to do that,” Garland said. ➆

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Thank you for your coverage of the exciting and ambitious efforts to revitalize “Memorial Block” in the heart of Burlington [“Burlington Councilors Get Glimpse of Memorial Block Redesign,” December 15, online]! Adding housing and reinvigorating our downtown are grand challenges, and I am glad there are equally grand plans in the works to address them. That said, I was a bit alarmed to read Councilor Gene Bergman’s comments regarding a perceived lack of vehicle parking at the site. Burlington is a delightfully walkable and bikeable community that recently made the choice to eliminate vehicle parking minimums in many parts of the city, precisely to free developers from the burden of being required to provide an arbitrary and excessive number of vehicle parking spaces. I’d encourage all decision makers involved with this project to remember that the goal here is housing people, not cars — if the project team can save $11 million and thousands of cubic yards of concrete (plus that concrete’s associated carbon impact) by eliminating two floors of the proposed parking garage, I say let them do it! Marty Gillies

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BURLINGTON

IN DEFENSE OF NEW PREZ

The quick-to-judge attitude in Daniel Cohen’s letter to the editor about University of Vermont president Marlene Tromp made me angry [Feedback: “Truth About Tromp,” January 7] for a number of reasons. First, all UVM presidents get housing as part of the employment agreement. Part of this perk is that the house is part private residence and part

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abandoned railroad beds to trails across the country. The history of the nationwide railsto-trails movement is the focus of the new PBS documentary From Rails to Trails. Local Motion and Vermont Public are sponsoring a public showing of the documentary on January 21 at Main Street Landing in Burlington. Check with Local Motion for details. I’m sorry to lose a bright light like Tim Brookes, but I understand his need to reluctantly leave us. I still think Burlington is a very special place to live.

The Cats Whisperer

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[Re Feedback: “Truth About Tromp,” January 7]: Unlike Daniel Cohen, I find Marlene Tromp’s extended family refreshing, hopeful and healthy. She is excited by Burlington and her challenge as president of the University of Vermont and grateful for the beautiful old campus home that is provided for the president and her family. It’s cruel and narrow-minded at best to judge who people love and care for. I’m happy to welcome this bright, openminded leader to Burlington and to her rightful home on campus. Does Cohen remember the years when the president’s residence sat empty and UVM paid a huge stipend for the president to live elsewhere — Colchester, I think? Lynn Vera

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lifelines

OBITUARIES, VOWS, CELEBRATIONS

OBITUARIES David Allen Crawford

Stephanie J. Mapes

David Allen Crawford, age 84, passed away peacefully on December 31, 2025, at an assisted living facility, surrounded by his loving family. David Allen Crawford was born on March 22, 1941, in Newark, N.J., to Bertha Crawford (Batchelder) and Walter Freeman Crawford. He spent his childhood in South Orange, N.J. He is an alumnus of Wilmington College (1964) and attended the Fels Institute of Government at the University of Pennsylvania. While attending Wilmington College, he met his first wife, Mary-Ruth. They married the day after graduation and shared 14 loving years, building a foundation of memories that remained an important part of his life story. In 1981, he met Marcia, and they married in 1989. Together they shared 44 cherished years filled with love, companionship and enduring care until his passing. David moved with his family to Middlebury, Vt., in 1967 to serve as the town manager. He performed this role with unwavering dedication and a deep sense of pride. Throughout his career, he embraced a wide range of management positions across Vermont and New Hampshire, from municipal government and school supervisory districts to the private sectors, including architecture, construction and real estate management. He was known not only for his hard work but also for his genuine warmth. David took great joy in building strong relationships, supporting his community and leaving a positive mark wherever he went. His life’s work reflected both his professional skill and his heartfelt commitment to the people and places he served. Beyond his work, David was known for his love of steam trains, fire trucks and camping, and he cherished spending quality time with his family. He will be remembered for his kindness and positivity. He had a steadfast belief in the inherent good of every person and the value to be found in every challenge. He is survived by his wife, Marcia (Myers); his former wife, Mary-Ruth (Kilpack); his children, Juliette C. Lombard and husband Andre, Carl K. Crawford and wife Kimberly (McNary), Kimberly C. Lucia, and Katherine C. Lucia; his stepson, Christian Junker, and his wife, Karen; his grandchildren, Nathan, William, Samuel, Felicity and Phoebe; his step-granddaughter, Isabel Junker; and his siblings, Charles K. Crawford and Diane C. Ludwick. Honoring David’s wishes, no visiting hours or funeral service will be held. A celebration of life will take place on Saturday, March 22, 2026, 2 to 4 p.m., at the Ridgewood Condominiums Clubhouse on Lexington Green in South Burlington, Vt.

With peace in her heart and her loved ones by her side, Stephanie Jill Mapes, age 65, peacefully put on her angel wings and sailed into her new life on January 6, 2026. She leaves her husband, Scott Michael Mapes; son, Scott Lennon Mapes, and his fiancé, Cosette Giroux; soonto-be in-laws, Jason and Siersha Giroux; sister, Diane Miller; her beloved guardian cat, Skunk; Lennon’s godparents, David and Diane Bahrenburg; many uncles, aunts, nieces and nephews; and a multitude of friends. The daughter of Benjamin and Dolores Miller, she grew up in Wilmington, Del., and learned to ski in middle school. Her ski club took trips to Stowe, and that’s how she discovered that she belonged in Vermont. While a student at University of Delaware, she was drawn to one class: Economics and the Law. This led her to Vermont Law School, where she met Scott. Eventually, she became the first female president at Paul, Frank + Collins, where she stayed for her entire 35-year career. She was very involved in her legal community, serving on the boards of the Vermont Captive Insurance

MARCH 22, 1941-DECEMBER 31, 2025 SOUTH BURLINGTON, VT.

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 14-21, 2026

JANUARY 3, 1961-JANUARY 6, 2026 BURLINGTON, VT.

Rita F. Burns

APRIL 7, 1931-JANUARY 2, 2026 ESSEX JUNCTION, VT. Rita F. Burns passed away at the McClure Miller Respite House on Friday, January 2, 2026. She was born in Colchester, Vt., on April 7, 1931, the daughter of the late Thomas and Grace Fleming. Rita graduated from Essex Junction High School on Prospect Street. (Prospect Street School was later renamed Thomas Fleming Elementary School in honor of Rita’s father.) Later, Rita worked at various businesses in Burlington, Vt., including Julian Goodrich Architect. Once her children started school, Rita embarked on

Association and the Champlain College Board of Trustees, as well as serving on the Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce board. Stephanie was involved with the Champlain College Cooperrider Center for Appreciative Inquiry. She introduced and educated her entire law firm on her appreciative inquiry approach — a positive, all-inclusive, nonhierarchical, collaborative style. At her retirement party, she declared she had entered “The Year of the Sloth,” which in her words was so wonderful: “Just hanging back in the trees. Out of the fray. Still in tune but watching from a distance. Moving ever so slowly and deliberately. Hiking. Swimming. Yoga. Biking. Sitting on the beach. Sitting on the porch or in the late afternoon breeze of nothing more than our own, beautiful backyard.” On October 1, 2024, Steph was diagnosed with HPV-inspired throat cancer. From that day forward, she said, “I am not going to let this illness define me. It is not going to become me, and I am not going to become it. It arrived as part of my path. To teach me and move me forward. But it needs to move on once it has served its purpose.” Stephanie led a rich life, and she leaves a profound impact on the world, captured in her words: “So many of us are asking today, how can we be happy and what can we do when so much is wrong

in the world. It is so overwhelming. Well, what you say to yourself, what you see and envision becomes reality. If you keep searching for wrong, you will find it. But remember, the opposite is also true. If you seek what is right, in your body, your organizations and the world, you will find that, too. It’s out there. Don’t deny yourself from seeing or finding it out of anger, bitterness or cynicism. Peace is every step. Each of us must become the flickering light that is needed to find our better future.” There are many people to thank, especially over the last few years and over all the years, but we give a special thank-you to our amazing community of witches, wizards and goddesses: Ché Schreiner, Nicole Smith, Piper Abbott, Emily Davidson, Montana Burns, Michelle Sabourin, Rick Kolodinsky, Diane Bahrenburg, Jill Badolato, Michael Lemnah, and the tremendous team at Vermont Wellness Medicine and Integrative Oncology (Dr. Fresh), the wonderful care team at the University of Vermont Oncology (Dr. Kahn), UVM Hospice and Dr. Haddad at Dana-Farber. At Stephanie’s request there will be no formal services at this time; she asked for a springtime memorial service. In the meantime, to honor Stephanie, please remember to laugh today, be kind and be peace. If you wish to make a contribution in Stephanie’s honor, please consider donating to the International Campaign for Tibet, the Flynn Theater, the Green Mountain Club or Vermont Public. When doing so, please note “Memorial donation for Stephanie J. Mapes.”

a new career. She started working at IBM in 1965 and retired in 1983. Rita met the love of her life, Kenneth E. Burns, the “boy next door,” at the ripe old age of 14! They courted for the next five years and were married in 1951. Rita and Ken had five children, Gary, David, Kathy, Jeffrey and Danny. Their summers included camping at many public and private campgrounds in Vermont. They loved to travel and visited such places as Washington, D.C., Tennessee, Missouri and Hawaii. After retiring, Rita and Ken spent their time between their camp on Lake Eden and escaping to Florida for the winter. Rita is survived by her daughter, Kathy

(Carolin), and her husband, John, of Colchester, as well as her son, Dan, and his wife, Suzanne, of Jericho. Rita leaves six grandchildren, Jennifer, Matthew, Andrea, Kristen, Zachary and Gary Jr. She leaves five great-grandchildren, Oliver, Wyatt, Dylan, Josephine and Damien. Rita was predeceased by her husband, Ken; her sons Gary, David and Jeffrey; and granddaughter Shannon. There will be no public visiting hours per Rita’s wishes. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, January 16, 11 a.m., at St. Pius X Church in Essex, Vt. Burial will be private and at the convenience of the family in the spring. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the McClure Miller Respite House, 3113 Roosevelt Hwy., Colchester, VT 05446. The family invites you to share your memories and online condolences by visiting awrfh.com.

OBITUARIES Maria Withey AUGUST 30, 1930JANUARY 12, 2026 MONTPELIER, VT.

Maria Withey of Montpelier, Vt., age 95, died peacefully at the McClure Miller Respite House on January 12, 2026. Maria was born in 1930 in Long Branch, N.J., to Rocco Foderaro and Rose Vonella Foderaro. She grew up on the New Jersey shore, attended Rumson High School, and graduated from Douglass College in New Brunswick, N.J., where she majored in social work and music. While at Douglass she met Rutgers student Robert Withey — her college sweetheart, her future husband and the love of her life. Bob and Maria married on the Rutgers-Douglass campus in 1952 and moved to Metuchen, N.J., where they started their life as a family. Maria embraced her life as “Mom.” She made cookies and bag lunches and spaghetti dinners, drove to school and games, put bandages on scraped knees, acted as Scout Mom and PTA Mom, and made friendships along the way that lasted throughout her lifetime. She recently described those early days as “pure joy.”

Ronald P. Barron

In 1972 Bob and Maria followed their dream and moved to Vermont. They lived in Shelburne for several years, moved to Montpelier and eventually settled in a century-old farmhouse in North Calais. During their 20 years there they completely restored the farmhouse

MARCH 2, 1948-JANUARY 9, 2026 ROCK HILL, S.C. Ronald P. Barron, 77, of Rock Hill, S.C., passed away peacefully on Friday, January 9, 2026, surrounded by his loving family, after a courageous battle with cancer. Ronald was born on March 2, 1948, and raised in Winooski, Vt., the eldest of six boys born to Reginald and Elda (Clavelle) Barron. Throughout his life, Ron worked in many fields and proudly owned and operated several businesses. His warm personality and genuine kindness allowed him to build countless friendships over the years. A devoted fan of the New York Yankees, Ron’s passion for his team was clear to anyone who visited the “Yankees shrine” in his home. Even we Red Sox fans had to respect that! Ron leaves behind many people who deeply loved him and whom he loved in return. He is survived by his devoted wife, Linda Bradford Barron, with whom he recently celebrated 19 wonderful years of marriage on December 8, 2025. He is also survived by his daughter, Laurie Barron, and

and property to create their haven. Maria’s artistry was evident throughout the house. Her hand-pieced quilts and cushions, the stenciled ceilings and walls, and the art pieces were all beautiful to see, and the gardens she created in the crumbling foundation of a ruined building made the outdoors as lovely as the indoors. After the house was finished and there were no more “projects,” Bob surprised Maria with the gift of a baby grand piano. She cherished that gift and loved playing for him and for her family. And if that didn’t keep her busy enough, she upgraded all of her “Mom” skills to “Grandma” skills, volunteered at the Statehouse, and opened an antique shop in their barn and operated it for years. In later life, Maria and Bob moved back to Montpelier, where Bob passed away in 2020. On her own for the first time in her life, Maria was able to live independently, continuing to cook for her family, play the piano and tend a few plants. She did complicated jigsaw puzzles and read voraciously. Arthritis had made quilting and sewing difficult, so she turned her talents to knitting and donated hundreds of hats,

her sons, Jack and Gabe, of Colchester, Vt.; his son Mike Barron, Rachelle Moss and their son, Max, also of Colchester; his son Matt Barron and his partner, Krista, of St. Albans, Vt.; and his dear friend and mother of his children, Judith Barron, of South Burlington, Vt. He will also be lovingly remembered by his stepson, Tony Miller, his wife, Amanda, and their son, Alex, of Rock Hill, S.C.; and by his stepdaughter, Tina Smith, her partner, Ivy, and their son, Irving, of Baltimore, Md. Ron is additionally survived by his brothers Tom Barron of South Burlington, Vt.; Kevin Barron and his wife, Lisa, of Milton, Vt.; and Brian Barron of Texas. He leaves behind several nieces and nephews and many close friends who will miss him dearly. He also leaves behind his loyal dog, Mickey, his constant buddy and best friend, who will miss him greatly. He was predeceased by his parents, his brothers Bernard and Michael, his in-laws Henry and Betty Bradford, and his beloved pets Sam, Frankie and Rudy, who were faithful companions through the years. Interment will take place in the spring.

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scarves and mittens to families and children throughout the area. She passed many weekend afternoons following the WNBA on television and was not shy about talking back to the screen when she didn’t agree with a coach or referee. Maria was predeceased by her husband, Bob Withey; her sister Phyllis Foderaro Tober; and her sister Carol Foderaro Ricciardelli. She is survived by her devoted and supportive children: son Bob Withey of South Burlington, Vt., and his wife, Brenda Ellwood Withey; daughter Kym Maynard of Duxbury, Vt.; and son Ted Withey of Montpelier, Vt. and his wife, Dagny Hoff. Maria and Bob believed that they had the two best grandchildren possible. They were a rock and a mainstay and proud loving presence to them for their entire lives. Their grandson, Master Sgt. Dylan Maynard, his wife, Jaclyn Maynard, and their children, Carter, Gianna, Jackson and Isaiah; and their granddaughter, Chelsea Frost-Tessier, her husband, Brandon Tessier, and their sons, Treyton and Zyris, will be left to honor and cherish their memories. A private family service will be held at a later date.

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IN MEMORIAM Andrew Musty 1969-2018

We miss Andrew every day. A prolific and eclectic artist, he was a painter, sculptor, photographer and carpenter. He studied furniture design at Savannah College of Art and Design. He was fascinated with repurposing diverse objects. A sensitive son and brother who loved family tradition, we honor him with this remembrance.

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OBITUARIES, VOWS, CELEBRATIONS

OBITUARIES Bobby Gosh

1962. He played piano and sang in popular Manhattan nightspots such as Kenny’s Steak Pub, Jimmy Weston’s and Billy Reid’s Little Club while studying orchestration at the Juilliard School of Music during the day. It was at Billy Reid’s where Bobby met the great lyricist Sammy Cahn, beginning a songwriting partnership that included “The Need of You,” recorded by Diahann Carroll. Sammy became a mentor and friend, providing Bobby with inspiration for years to come. He also introduced Bobby to Paul Anka. Bobby went on to tour the world for two years as his pianist, orchestra conductor and cowriter. During this time Gosh sang and played on the original piano-voice demo of Paul’s song, “My Way,” which was presented to Frank

Sinatra, and the rest became musical history. After returning to New York City, Bobby signed a recording contract with Polydor Records and released two albums in the early ’70s. He also recorded albums and singles for ABC, Capital Records, Paramount and RCA Records. His song “A Little Bit More” was recorded by Dr. Hook and became an international hit. It reached the Top 40, peaking at No. 11 and No. 2 in the UK. His songs were recorded by many artists of diverse genres like Lynn Anderson, Bobby Bare, Eydie Gormé & Steve Lawrence, Buddy Greco, Tommy James and the Shondells, Morgana King, and Trini Lopez and the Association, among others. Bobby also collaborated on several projects with his close friend, composerlyricist Carol Hall. His songs were featured in the movies Big, Mighty Aphrodite and Happily Ever After, a CBS movie of the week. He composed, produced and sang on over 200 national radio and TV commercials, including campaigns for Burger King, Pepsi-Cola and Post Honeycomb cereal, and performed on “The Tonight Show” and “The David Frost Show.” He was an opening act for Barbara Streisand’s “A Happening in Central Park,”

her free televised concert that aired on CBS. He also opened for Billy Joel at the Troubadour club in Los Angeles. Bobby and his family moved to Brookfield, Vt., in 1976. He continued to release albums and singles on his record label, ByGosh Music, from his home recording studio. He also recorded many projects for other artists, including author Bill Bryson’s audio book narration for his New York Times bestseller A Walk in The Woods and several tracks on world-renowned artist Björk’s Vespertine album. Bobby championed musicians and initiatives in his community. He wrote children’s songs for Disney-like animatronic entertainment shows around the world and employed local elementary and high school musical students, paying them union scale. One of these projects was “Welcome to Our World of Toys,” a song composed for FAO Schwarz that was featured in its toy stores nationwide. He donated studio time to emerging bands and solo artists to record demo tapes and mentored high school seniors who chose audio engineering as their senior project topic. He wanted musicians to

feel valued regardless of age or experience. He also organized, produced and performed in benefit concerts for Chandler Center for the Arts and the Brookfield Old Town Hall, featuring a variety of Vermont talent. Bobby was a proud member of SAGAFTRA and ASCAP. Bobby also pursued other passions in Vermont. He renovated an old gas station in Randolph to an antique shop that later morphed into a restaurant, using many furnishings from the shop. On weekends it became a disco. Bobby came from a long line of horticulturists and put his green thumb to work planting a small forest on his property after taking a tree science class at Vermont Technical College. Back in the day he was known for keeping poinsettias alive long after Christmas, transforming them from potted flowers to small bushes. Bobby was a freethinker and straight shooter. Idiosyncratic and kind, he was generous, honest and loyal with a dry sense of humor. A self-proclaimed “staunch atheist,” he enjoyed discussing his ideas on religion and the expansiveness of the universe. Bobby became an author in his later years and wrote Confessions of a

Marijuana Eater, a memoirin-essays on his life, beliefs and six-decade relationship with cannabis. This was followed by The Neo-Victorian Residence and Art Collection of Billi and Bobby Gosh, a colorful archive of the things they lovingly collected over the years. At the time of his death, Bobby was working on another essay collection of his ideas on belief systems and our changing society. He is survived by his wife, Billi; daughter, Kristina (Matthew Thomas); son, Erik (Martha); grandchildren, Max, Simon and Maeve; and granddog April. He is also survived by his sister-inlaw Laurie, niece, Patricia Scott (Seth); nephew Peter; nephew Douglas (Heather); cousin, Diane Pepple (John); niece-in-law Melissa; a greatniece; three great-nephews; six great-grandnephews; and two great-grandnieces. He was predeceased by his parents; brother, Frederick; sister-in-law, Elizabeth “Betsy”; nephew Michael (Melissa); niece-in-law Sarah (Peter); Samantha the Dog; grandcats, Luna and Miette; and granddog Dutch. A celebration of life will take place at a future date. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Bayada Hospice Fund at bayada.com/support.

Nazareth School and graduated from Burlington High School in 1961. Jerry was a United States Navy veteran and served aboard the USS

Enterprise CVA(N)-65, an aircraft carrier. He was so proud to be a plank owner and part of the original crew for the first nuclear-powered carrier and largest ship in the world when commissioned. After Jerry was honorably discharged, he began his 42-year career with Lane Press as a dedicated employee, retiring in 2005. Jerry married the love of his life, Rita A. Forcier, on May 29, 1965, at Christ the King Church. They built a beautiful and loving family together. His family was the pride and joy of his life. He leaves behind Rita and their daughters, Cheryl Mitchell

(Kevin, predeceased) and Shelly Corley (Tim); grandchildren, Ashley Ringuette (Nick, predeceased), Keegan Mitchell (Mariah), and Colton and Kylie Corley; and greatgrandchildren, Lily and Finley Ringuette and Lola Mitchell. He leaves behind many other dear family and friends. Jerry is also predeceased by his brother Rodney Snyder. Jerry was an avid golfer and fitness enthusiast, holding memberships at Cedar Knoll Country Club and the EDGE Sports & Fitness. He also enjoyed being a member of the Eagles Club and the USS Enterprise Association. Jerry had a heart of gold, and

his family and friends meant the world to him. He showed such pride and joy, always eager to spend time with his girls and their families. Jerry always had a way with his words, often writing or reciting a speech on his birthday or the holidays. He was kind and intelligent, always enjoying his daily crossword puzzle and word scramble. Jerry was a goofy comedian who often found himself caught up in some sort of mischief. Truly a big kid at heart. He was a beautiful historian, his basement a sanctuary, showing off his life through pictures and memorabilia. Though our hearts are

heavy, we hold every bit of his love, laughter and memory close. We only imagine that he went out singing, “Now, you won’t see no sad and teary eyes. When I get my wings and it’s my time to fly. Call my friends and tell ’em there’s a party, come on by. Now just roll me up and smoke me when I die.” — Willie Nelson. Details for a future celebration of life will be shared when available. Arrangements are in the care of LaVigne Funeral & Cremation Services. To send condolences to his family, please visit vtfuneralhomes. com.

MAY 31, 1936DECEMBER 31, 2025 BROOKFIELD, VT.

Pianist, singer and songwriter Bobby Gosh passed away peacefully on December 31, 2025, surrounded by his family at home. He was 89 years old. Born on May 31, 1936, in Stouchsburg, Pa., to immigrant father Hans and Margaret Gosch (née Zeller), Bobby saw hard times in his childhood, instilling the creativity, determination, discipline and individuality that would come to define him. Bobby began classical piano study at age 6 and by age 16 was on national tour as pianist for Kitty Callen, renowned singer of the time. He studied accounting at Albright College in Reading, Pa., while playing Reading nightspots like the Woodward Café at night and graduated in 1958. It was at Albright where he met the love of his life, Billi (née Williams). They married in 1959, and shortly after he was called to serve in the U.S. Army Reserves. Bobby spent much of this time playing piano for the brass at the officer’s club, as he told it. Bobby and Billi’s adventure really began when they moved to New York City in

Gerald “Jerry” Peter Snyder FEBRUARY 16, 1942JANUARY 7, 2026 BURLINGTON, VT.

Gerald “Jerry” Peter Snyder died suddenly on January 7, 2026, from a cardiac arrest. Jerry was determined to care for his home, always. A true do-it-yourself gentleman, who always had everything in order. Jerry was born in Burlington, Vt., on February 16, 1942, to Lester W. and Della M. (Lapointe) Snyder and grew up in the Old North End. He went to Ecole

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Good Fit

How a father of four young children set, and kept, his New Year’s fitness resolution — and how you can, too B Y M ARY A NN L I CKTE IG • maryann@sevendaysvt.com

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 14-21, 2026

the ness Well Issue

PHOTOS: DARIA BISHOP

eads of sweat dotted Jorge Pascual’s forehead as he reclined on a gym bench, smoothly lifting and lowering two 35-pound dumbbells. The seated chest press works pecs, triceps and shoulder muscles to build upperbody strength. Pascual finished 10 reps, then returned to the cable machine behind him for the last exercise of his workout: Pallof presses with a rotation. Six on each side, his trainer directed. Pascual did eight. “Good job, my man. That looked awesome,” trainer Cole Beliveau told him, punctuating his praise with a fist bump. But Pascual downplayed his accomplishment. The 44-year-old finance officer is less sculpted than some of the other people who were clanging weights in the cavernous fitness center. His sturdy physique draped in a loose T-shirt and baggy shorts is more likely to read “dad” than “fitness fanatic.” His training is “nothing special,” he had said when he arrived at the EDGE fitness center in South Burlington that morning. “I’m sure you’ll find a lot of people here that [are] equally as committed as I am, if not more.” But that December 23 workout was Pascual’s 107th of the year, seven more than he had set out to do. Keeping his 2025 New Year’s resolution puts the Richmond man in rare company. Of all Americans who make resolutions, just 1 percent manage to make them stick, according to a 2023 survey by Forbes Health/OnePoll. Thirty-one percent of Americans planned to make a resolution this year, a YouGov survey found, and if 2026 is anything like recent years, most resolutions — 48 percent in 2024 — involve physical fitness. We vow to run, swim, lift, spin and hit HIIT classes. But two weeks into the New Year, some of us have already broken our resolutions. More than half will likely be abandoned by the end of March. New Year’s resolutions are so notorious for crashing and burning that the second Friday in January — that came last week — has been dubbed “Quitter’s Day.” Keeping a resolution calls for modifying one’s behavior, and behavioral change, said nationally certified health and wellness coach Rebecca Schubert, “is so complicated.” Pascual unwittingly did several key things that set himself up for success. First, he tied his fitness goal to a deeply held value: He is a competitive squash player who wants to stay in the game. At 44, he said, “if I want to be active playing squash,

Jorge Pascual (right) and his trainer, Cole Beliveau, at the EDGE

a lot of negotiation with my wife” regarding the deposit and collection of children, he said. His wife, Rachel Pascual, works, too. Fourth, he hired a personal trainer, which made him accountable to someone. And finally, he tracked his progress. He recorded each workout in his planner, marking those Jorge Pascual’s 2025 goals in his journal he completed with a check mark and those he missed with an X. I have to do some sort of lifting routine Beliveau, director of personal training to make sure my knees are protected, my at the EDGE, told Pascual that he’s an joints are protected.” inspiration: “You set the goal. You made Secondly, he set a specific, relatively the goal happen.” What’s more, Pascual modest goal: 100 30-minute gym sessions did it despite tearing his meniscus during — roughly two a week. Then, he deter- a squash game last spring and undergoing mined where the workouts would fit into repair surgery in late September. his schedule, a sizable feat for the father Asked what advice he would give of four young kids who works as finance others who want to establish a fitness director at Northeastern Reproduc- routine, Pascual said: Just start. tive Medicine in Colchester and Maitri Beginning with the New Year is “a nice Healthcare in South Burlington. “It was gesture,” he said, “but if you don’t make it

happen in January or February … don’t be afraid of starting in the middle of March.” And, he continued, “if you fail in March, maybe you start again in May. But start. Don’t wait until next year.” Beliveau and other exercise experts offered additional tips. Frame exercise positively, suggested Connie Tompkins, associate professor of exercise science at the University of Vermont. Instead of saying “I have to exercise,” say “I get to exercise.” Appreciate having a body that can move. “I’m not sure I would even call it ‘exercise,’” wellness coach Schubert said, “because ‘exercise,’ for a lot of people, has a negative connotation.” It can feel punitive, like a chore. Call it “movement,” she suggested, and pick one you enjoy, whether running, swimming or tap dancing. Before committing, Schubert advised, assess your current routine and figure out where the time will come from. “It has to be realistic, and it has to fit into our life if we’re going to make it sustainable,” added the registered dietitian, who is the employee well-being program coordinator

for Green Mountain Higher Education Consortium. To cement an activity into a routine, trainer Beliveau suggests “habit stacking.” The term, introduced by James Clear in his 2018 book Atomic Habits, refers to building a new habit by attaching it to a current one: Before I stop for coffee on Mondays and Wednesdays, I will walk for 30 minutes on a treadmill. For those inevitable days when motivation lags, Beliveau says, prioritize action. “Just do it,” as the Nike tagline urges. “If you take the action to do it,” Beliveau said, “the motivation will then come.”

IF YOU FAIL IN MARCH, MAYBE

YOU START AGAIN IN MAY. J O R G E PA SCUA L

Think about your future self, he tells clients — you’ll thank yourself for moving now. Beliveau is a slim, ginger-haired 24-year-old whose rapid-fire speech is as invigorating as his pithy advice. “Choose your hard,” he says. “It could be hard right now to go work out,” he explained, “but the other version of your hard is getting, maybe, diagnosed with that chronic condition, or not being able to walk as much, or having digestive tract issues because you’re not doing the hard earlier in your life.” Buy fun workout clothes, advised Alison Maynard, who has exercised much of her adult life. “You have to be comfortable in what you’re wearing,” she said. Maynard, a 53-year-old administrator at the University of Vermont, hits the gym with a friend — an arrangement, she said, that makes it more difficult to back out and easier to find the will to push harder than she might otherwise. Schubert has advice on workout wear, too: She sleeps in hers. Schubert lifts weights for two hours each morning, five

days a week. “I sleep in my exercise clothes because I need to reduce any potential barrier that’s going to get in my way,” she said. Still, she and others say, remember that life happens: Cars break down; people get sick. “Being perfect is not the goal,” Beliveau said. “It’s being consistent.” He gives clients the ratio 80:20. Strive to keep healthy habits 80 percent of the time, he says. “And then 20 percent of the time, let loose a little bit. It’s totally OK. We’re humans; we’re meant to do that. And that’ll keep you on your goals a lot longer.” If 80:20 morphs into 20:80, or people stop working out altogether, they need to ask the right questions, Schubert advised. Don’t ask Why can’t I do this? “All that does is reinforce in their mind all of the reasons that they can’t,” she said. “Instead, if I wake up and I ask myself, How am I going to fit this walk in today?, my brain starts problem solving, and it starts finding ways for me to do that.” At the end of his December 23 workout, Pascual opened his calendar, asked to borrow a pen and added the number 107 to the words “gym session,” which topped his agenda for the day. Then he drew a line through the entry, added a check mark and clicked the pen. “That’s it,” he said. “That feels great.” Some may see Pascual’s meniscus tear as a failure of his weight training — after all, he embarked on the regimen specifically to avoid injury — but he remains positive. Exercising before and after the injury accelerated his recovery, he believes. “No doubt,” he said. On January 4, he played his first squash game post-surgery, “and I didn’t have any pain in my knee,” he said. He’s made five resolutions for 2026: Play in one squash tournament, ski 20 times with his kids, read 10 books related to professional or personal development, go on 50 dates with his wife, and get to the gym to lift weights 100 times. ➆

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In addition to her weekday weightlifting regimen, Rebecca Schubert takes her dog for a five-mile walk most days — longer on the weekends. “I think of myself as a person of integrity,” she said, “and that means doing it even when I don’t feel like it or no one’s looking.” Keeping a fitness resolution means adopting behavioral change. Schubert, a registered dietitian and nationally certified health and wellness coach, offered these tips: Assess your current situation: Too often we jump into change prematurely, without first taking stock of what resources we have, such as time, money and environment. Spend a week or so doing an inventory of your life situation and consider how you can make physical activity fit into your life. Get clear on your “why”: Many people say they want to be more active so they can have better health. That is not a strong enough motivator. Go deeper. What will better health allow you to do? How will better health impact your life? Answers to these questions will point you to what you value, and your values can help you persist. Prime your environment: The environment plays a significant role in our behavior. Look around your home and workplace. What can you do to set them up to push you toward your desired behavior and away from behavior you don’t want to engage in? If you struggle to get to the gym after work, change into your workout clothes before you leave the office. You’ll be more likely to drive to the gym instead of home. If you exercise in the morning, pack your gym bag the night before. To avoid sitting too much, remove

Rebecca Schubert

chairs where you don’t need them. Sitting will stop being the default. Start small: Author Timothy Ferriss talks about the “minimum effective dose,” the smallest dose that will produce a desired outcome. Instead of trying to go big and overwhelm yourself, go small. Consider what your minimum effective dose would be. Make it fun: Exercise doesn’t have to be a chore, boring, hard or painful. Instead of thinking of “exercise,” reframe it as joyful movement. Michelle Segar, who researches sustainable behavioral change, suggests that movement sticks when it feels good, not when it’s driven by obligation, guilt or weight loss. Be flexible: Consistency comes from flexibility, not rigidity. Consistency does not mean doing the same thing at the same time every day. Life is rarely without curveballs. Reflect on your success: Keep a log to track your progress. When you see yourself getting stronger, faster and fitter, your motivation and commitment will level up.

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Oliver Sweatman and Emily Doyle at their home in Stowe

the Wellness Issue

The Skin They’re In Waterbury’s Ursa Major went all in on “clean beauty” and straight talk to win customers S TO RY BY CA ROLYN SHAPIRO | PHOTOS B Y J EB WAL L AC E - BR O D E UR

mily Doyle is anti-“anti-aging.” The marketing mantra of the beauty industry suggests that people — particularly women — should do the impossible: stop time and return to the skin they had in their youth. Doyle, the 51-year-old cofounder of skin-care company Ursa Major, rejects that notion. Aging is inevitable, and she wants her customers to feel less stressed about it, to stop worrying about wrinkles and dark circles and sagging. “Anti-aging is bullshit,” Doyle said, her own skin smooth and luminous under tendrils of blond curls. “The beauty industry came up with it, and they tell women that they’re not supposed to age, which is fucked up, frankly. So we’re supposed to be like porcelain dolls that never age and always look flawless and perfect.” In the bright conference room of Ursa Major’s headquarters in Waterbury, she pointed to barely discernible creases around her eyes. “I earned these wrinkles. I earned my laugh lines.” That no-nonsense approach has fueled 15 years of growth for Ursa Major. The company started in 2010 with a modest selection of men’s shaving and grooming products, earning $5,000 the first year. It jumped into the nascent but growing 28

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 14-21, 2026

movement of “clean beauty” — emphasizing natural ingredients derived from plants, fewer chemical additives, and ethical and sustainable manufacturing practices — and has steadily climbed to about $30 million in revenue today, according to Doyle and her

WE WANTED TO FLIP THE BEAUTY INDUSTRY ON ITS HEAD AND HAVE IT BE NOT ABOUT THE WAY YOU LOOK BUT

THE WAY YOU FEEL. EMILY DOYL E

partner in business and life, Oliver Sweatman. Direct outreach to its core customers, mostly through social media, has bumped up Ursa Major’s sales momentum over the past four years. A recent report from Fortune Business Insights estimates that the global skin-care market raked in $122 billion in sales last year, about a quarter of an estimated $450 billion global beauty industry. In that crowded field, Ursa Major has carved a niche vying for consumers who care about the contents

and creation of the creams and cleansers they use on their skin. Today, the company’s founders describe their key customer as a “mindful explorer” or a “compassionate creative.” Women account for 90 percent of its new customers, and 40 percent of purchasers who try Ursa Major will order again within 12 months, said Sweatman, 54. “We wanted to flip the beauty industry on its head and have it be not about the way you look but the way you feel,” Doyle said, “and not about vanity but about wellness.” Following the “clean” ethos — embraced by popular brands such as Ilia, Nécessaire and fellow Vermont-founded Tata Harper, now owned by a Korean company — Ursa Major steers clear of synthetic fragrances, phthalates, parabens and other hormone disruptors, which research shows can harm human health but which still appear in many beauty products. Ursa Major is nonetheless known for its scents, using plant additives such as Douglas fir, damask rose, spearmint and bitter orange. Last year, the company took a big clean step with a packaging overhaul, bowing to customer requests to drop plastic for most of its containers in favor of glass and aluminum. Only a few plastic product caps remain. Ursa Major’s redesigned look spans a rainbow of colors — orange for its Brighten Up Vitamin

C Serum, deep indigo for Lunar Bloom Retinal Serum, sunny yellow for Mountain Glow Serum, and mint green for its body and hair products. Bill Davis, a longtime investor and current Ursa Major board member, encouraged the owners to update the visage of the products and hailed the vibrant new version as a game changer. “You’ve got to make it easy for the consumer,” said Davis, who has held marketing and leadership roles in Vermont companies including Cabot Creamery and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, later bought by Keurig. “The new packaging is going to serve us well.” For a company that touts itself as the antithesis of the traditional beauty business, Ursa Major’s ingredient lists resemble many others in skin care. Its Golden Hour Recovery Cream contains glycerin, seed oils and additional ingredients known for their hydrating benefits. Those same elements show up in hundreds of other facial moisturizers — those designated “clean” and not — sold online and on the shelves of retailers from Target to Sephora to Saks Fifth Avenue. In Lunar Bloom, Ursa Major uses retinal, a fast-acting synthetic derivative of vitamin A that’s known across the cosmetics cosmos as a wrinkle reducer and skin smoother. Like its competitors, Ursa Major touts its products’ luxurious textures and effective formulas. And it has price tags to match. A 1-ounce bottle of Lunar Bloom retails for $76; the Golden Hour cream is $54 for 1.57 ounces. Hoppin’ Fresh Body Wash costs $26 for 10 ounces. Fantastic Face Wash comes in three sizes, with the large 10.24-ounce pump bottle costing $46. What really sets Ursa Major apart is its messaging. Its motto is “Made for skin and spirit.” To Doyle and Sweatman, that means consumers should get off the buymore beauty treadmill, the 10-step nightly routines. No one needs so many products or the unrealistic promises that pressure them to purchase, they insisted. “It can get pretty crazy,” Sweatman said. “I mean, just hop on to TikTok and take a look.” “It’s the comparison culture and the needing more,” Doyle added. “It’s like a full-time job for women and even now younger girls doing this, which to me is really horrifying.” Ursa Major sells in about 400 stores across the country, mostly high-end grocers and boutiques, including Healthy Living markets in Williston and South Burlington. Credo Beauty, the “clean” e-commerce purveyor, carries Ursa Major, but beauty retail biggies Ulta and Sephora don’t — so far. “We were very strong proponents of having skin care and having the right skin care to provide to our local clients,” said Kate Carpenter, owner of home décor store Stowe Living, which has carried Ursa Major

Office manager Kate Ewald and Emily Doyle at the Ursa Major office in Waterbury

Doyle packing a box of Ursa Major products

from its earliest product line. The company was ahead of the trend, she said, appealing to customers with an outdoor lifestyle who want skin care that reflects their concerns about the environment — eye cream they can wear under their ski goggles or on a daylong hike up Camel’s Hump. “Now they’re matching the marketplace,” Carpenter said. “Ursa Major’s been doing this from day one. They are providing products that not only work for male and female. They’re providing products that work for the active skin, [creating] the most healthy components in the universe.” About 65 percent of Ursa Major’s sales are direct to consumers via its website, according to Sweatman. He said Amazon Marketplace garners the company about 25 percent of its sales. Ulta and Nordstrom marketplace pages also list Ursa Major and send shoppers to the Waterbury company’s website to make a purchase, instead of those retailers carrying the inventory themselves. Paid social media posts have become a major driver of Ursa Major’s business, especially since 2022, Sweatman said. In sponsored ads that pop up on Instagram and Facebook, Doyle serves as the face of the company, speaking frankly to the audience.

“I am not trying to stop aging, but I really want to look my best,” she says in a recent pitch for the “Glow Bundle” of three products. “This is the easiest way to just keep it simple but also keep it tight and effective.” Carpenter said the social media campaign is a smart marketing move for Ursa Major. “Look at the person who’s behind this company,” she said. “The person is a walking billboard,” with “flawless” skin. And the effort helps retailers sell the products, too, she added: “They’re driving the brand recognition.” Both Doyle and Sweatman have beauty industry bona fides. Doyle grew up in Milton, Mass., and studied nutritional biochemistry at the University of New Hampshire, thinking she’d encourage people to eat healthier. Instead, upon graduating, she ended up selling pharmaceuticals and excelling at it. She always loved fashion and beauty products. “My lipstick color was Sugared Grapefruit,” Doyle said of her youth at the Clinique cosmetics counter. So after five years on the road, she got a job at the hair-care producer Bumble and Bumble, starting in sales and working up to lead that department before the company was sold to cosmetics conglomerate Esteé Lauder. Sweatman was born in South Africa and moved with his family to London, then

Connecticut and ultimately Stowe when he was a teen. He graduated from the University of Vermont with a degree in history and moved to New York City to work for a big investment bank and learn about business. The summer before college, he had started one of his own: Oliver’s Exotic Wash & Wax, a car detailing service in Nantucket, Mass. In New York, he left private equity to stretch his entrepreneurial muscles, doing some consulting for a startup skin-care line. With a partner, he founded a men’s grooming business called Sharps, which sold in high-end stores including Barneys New York and Fred Segal. Sharps later added a lower-priced mass-market line for 900 Target stores. The Ursa Major founders met when Sweatman needed a new head of sales and a recruiter sent Doyle. After about six months of working together, “the sparks started to fly” between them, Doyle said. She left to join the U.S. office of Australian holistic skincare company Jurlique, but the two continued dating, living in different apartments in the same Manhattan building. Sharps unraveled, having overstretched with the Target line, Sweatman said: “It was a great example of a small business taking on too much.” He sold out to a partner and decamped to Vermont for the summer. “I’m hiking every day, and I’m reading Moby-Dick,” he said. He spent many nights at the now-closed Bee’s Knees bar and café in Morrisville. He wanted to start another company but stay in Vermont. Doyle hired a moving truck and arrived in a snowstorm in 2008. They embraced the farm-to-table concept and pondered starting a food business. They admired Lake Champlain Chocolates, Darn Tough and Seventh Generation. “We thought about socks, chocolate, spirits, beer,” Sweatman said. “Anything but beauty,” Doyle added. But beauty made sense. They were eating healthy and spending time outdoors. When they looked for “clean” skin care, they were underwhelmed by the brands they found in health food stores, such as Weleda and Dr. Hauschka, which lacked a certain appeal for a modern beauty shopper, Sweatman said. They figured that discerning consumers who spend money on top-quality olive oil and artisanal coffee would do the same for a “sophisticated and elegant” skin product without the “crunchy vibe,” he said. The name Ursa Major, referencing the big bear constellation in the northern sky, evoked a sense of aspiration to them, not to mention the big animals they saw in the Vermont woods. Today the couple live in Stowe and aren’t married. They have a daughter, Camilla, who is 8, and a beloved 10-year-old boxer, Lola. Ursa Major has grown from half a dozen employees in a small Burlington office to 32

today, moving its headquarters to an open second-floor space on Waterbury’s Stowe Street in 2018. It’s a certified B corporation, which designates a for-profit company that factors employee well-being and social and environmental impact into its decisions. Ursa Major has a six-member board of directors and several investors, most of them in Vermont. Since the pandemic, it has retained a largely remote workforce, with about half of Ursa Major’s employees now living out of state. Jenni Ewing, Ursa Major’s senior director of product development, works from Fort Collins, Colo., and tries to source most of the company’s ingredients from North American forests. “That’s our guiding light,” she said. Currently, Ewing is developing a balm for cold, dry weather to protect the face, hands and lips. She started with beeswax as a good “barrier” builder that she can ethically source. She added spruce to help with circulation. And she discovered a South American tree sap known for its red color and traditionally used in herbal tinctures to promote healing, she said. Once she develops the formula, partner labs will make samples that Ursa Major tests for texture and efficacy before choosing the ideal option. The process typically takes four to five months but can stretch past a year. The body wash, Ewing said, required many tries to blend the essential oils for fragrance into the surfactants, or cleaning agents. “We had a whale of a time trying to get that thing to not separate out over time, because we were not using synthetic stabilizers or solubilizers,” Ewing said. Ursa Major works with about six U.S. suppliers, including Winooski’s Twincraft Skincare, which at first made only the company’s bar soap but has since invested to expand its capability. Beauty industry powerhouse Autumn Harp, based in Essex Junction, was an early Ursa Major partner, as well. Sweatman and Doyle initially hoped to source and produce everything in Vermont, he said, but some manufacturers elsewhere specialize in particular categories of products or ingredients. The new Ursa Major packaging comes from China, the least expensive source, even with recent tariffs raising the components’ cost by almost 48 percent. The company hasn’t upped its prices, except for offering the face wash in a larger size. This year, Ursa Major is focused on marketing its newest products and boosting sales across its channels, Sweatman said. Doyle will keep telling Ursa Major customers that they’ll love the products — even if they don’t stop them from aging. ➆

INFO Learn more at ursamajorvt.com. SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 14-21, 2026

Into the Fog

A Vermont senior living facility offers an interactive simulation that re-creates the experience of living with dementia

the Wellness Issue

BY KE N P IC AR D • ken@sevendaysvt.com

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 14-21, 2026

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SARAH CRONIN

The author wearing simulation gear

COURTESY

was confused. The woman at the senior living home told me to listen for the music, but all I could hear was the hubbub of a loud room and many indistinct voices talking at once. She instructed me to find a People magazine in the handbag on the table in front of me, 105 North Main Street, Ste 204, Barre, VT 802-858-5657 • vidavt.com then turn to a specific page. (Did she say 43 or 45?) But I struggled to open the bag — my vision was blurry, and my fingers fumbled with the zipper. Untitled-1 1 8/5/25 3:53 PM I had barely started the first task when the woman grabbed my arm and gave me a second set of instructions, then a third. I couldn’t hear what she was saying, nor could I read her lips, because she was standing behind me. “What?” I shouted repeatedly, getting agitated. Meanwhile, the woman impatiently hiked my pants up from behind, then pushed me down in a chair without warning, seemingly annoyed by my ineptitude. My feet ached, and I was panting heavily. I felt frustrated and helpless. “We’re trying to lift up your pants because they’re falling down,” said Tanya Seeley, the woman giving me the instructions. “We’re telling you to hurry up because your daughter is coming to pick you up, and I have many other people to care for before I go to lunch.” Normally, Seeley isn’t this gruff and insensitive — quite the contrary. A 20-year veteran of eldercare, she runs a memory care wing, called Reflections, at the Residence at Quarry Hill, a South Burlington senior living community of about 110 residents. The five-minute simulation we had just gone through, called A Walk in Their Shoes, was designed to provide a realistic taste of what it’s like to have Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Dementia is not a single disease but a spectrum of symptoms that includes memory loss, difficulty thinking, and behavioral, speech and mobility impairments. It afflicts more than 7 million Americans, including 17,000 Vermonters, most of whom are over the age of 65. Although A Walk in Their Shoes was created as a training tool for professional caregivers, it is now also being used to help families and friends understand the ways in which they can add to — or ease — the struggles of dementia patients. There’s a Laser Treatments Neuromodulators • Peels Tattoo Removal • Hair Removal Treat Sunspots & Redness

growing need for such understanding as the baby boom generation moves into old age. Many of those boomers will stay in their own homes, dependent on the care of family members who lack formal training in cognitive impairments. A Walk in Their Shoes was created about a decade ago by Quarry Hill’s parent company, LCB Senior Living, of Norwood, Mass., to better prepare its own staff to work with residents with mild to severe cognitive impairments. Every employee of the company’s 41 facilities throughout New England undergoes the simulation as part of their training. Shortly after the simulation’s adoption, LCB recognized the benefits of offering the experience to other people in the community, including family caregivers, first responders and hospice care workers. Quarry Hill now offers A Walk in Their Shoes about once a month at local churches, synagogues, libraries and senior centers. When I first heard about the dementia simulation, I assumed it would involve a computer device such as a laptop, gaming console or virtual reality headset that would test my memory and cognitive acumen. In fact,

the exercise is remarkably low-tech but effective at re-creating the physical and emotional challenges of dementia. In a small, windowless room at Quarry Hill, Lydia Raymond, Quarry Hill’s executive director, outfitted me with a pair of green-and-black headphones, while Seeley gave me green gloves with rubber bands binding some of my fingers together. I was also asked to put on nose plugs and sunglasses and, oddly, sprinkle a handful of dried beans into each of my shoes. As Seeley explained later, each element simulates a specific physical or sensory impairment suffered by those who are elderly and in cognitive decline. The rubber-banded fingers mimicked arthritis and loss of dexterity, while the dried beans created the sensation of nerve pain in the feet. The glasses,

THE PERSON WITH DEMENTIA IS NOT GIVING YOU A HARD TIME.

THEY ARE HAVING A HARD TIME. TA N YA SEEL EY

modified to produce blurred and spotty vision, simulated cataracts or glaucoma. The nose plugs restricted my breathing, making it even harder to focus. And the headphones, which played loud and distracting noises, impaired my hearing and made the entire experience chaotic and disorienting. Even the green-and-black color scheme was a deliberate choice. As Seeley explained, green is the last color that people with severe dementia can see — black, the most threatening. The latter can be especially problematic, given that many first responders often wear black or dark uniforms. My reaction to the simulation — confusion, frustration, annoyance — was fairly typical, Seeley said. She’s had participants get furious at her because they couldn’t hear what she was saying or couldn’t complete the requested tasks as quickly as others. “I got nauseous and very claustrophobic,” Raymond recalled about her own experience with the simulation when she was hired in 2018. “The noise is a lot, too, while I was trying to figure out what to do,” said Kallie Holowaty, a caregiver at Quarry Hill who went through the simulation at the same time I did. Throughout the exercise, Raymond and Seeley deliberately behaved in ways that they never would toward residents

with actual dementia: They grabbed and spoke to me from behind; they didn’t make eye contact; they shouted and hurried me along to complete tasks even though it was obvious that I couldn’t understand their instructions. “For somebody with cognitive impairment,” Raymond said, “you have to take your time and slow down.” A Walk in Their Shoes does more than just simulate the visceral sensations of dementia. It also provides a deeper understanding of the many steps involved in performing even routine daily tasks, which can be extremely confusing for people with Alzheimer’s, the most common form of cognitive impairment. As Seeley explained, people with mid- to late-stage dementia might lose the ability to understand four out of every six words spoken in a sentence. If they’re told, “It’s time to brush your teeth,” they might start brushing their hair instead — or use their toothbrush to clean the sink. If they’re told that dinner is ready and it’s time to go to the dining room, they may reply “No!” — not because they’re being obstinate but because they don’t remember who will be there or are afraid of getting lost on the way there. “Remember, the person with dementia is not giving you a hard time,” Seeley added. “They are having a hard time.” The goal of the exercise isn’t just to simulate the effects of cognitive decline but to help caregivers understand what they can do to ease the person’s struggles rather than make them worse: Make eye contact, smile, speak to them face-to-face and provide slow, clear instructions using simple terms. Observing the simulation that day was Michaele Esposito, 89. She’s a longtime Quarry Hill resident whose late husband, Fred, had Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases and lived in the Reflections wing until he died in 2018. Esposito didn’t need to experience the simulation herself. She witnessed her husband’s struggles every day for more than nine years. What was it like for her to watch others go through it? “It was very real. It brought tears to my eyes,” she said. “In different ways, it was him!” While A Walk in Their Shoes can’t relieve dementia symptoms, it can help caregivers better appreciate the struggles of people with dementia, suggest strategies for helping them and, perhaps, increase patience for what they’re going through. ➆

INFO

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food+drink

From left: Beta corporate chef Tim Peters and kitchen team members Andrea Brien and Ian Hommel

the Wellness Issue

Cleared for Lunch At South Burlington’s Beta Technologies, the kitchen team happily accommodates a range of dietary needs STORY & PHOT O S BY ME L IS S A PAS ANE N • pasanen@sevendaysvt.com

very weekday starting around noon, about 400 employees at the Beta Technologies manufacturing facility in South Burlington migrate from their desks and the production floor lined with glossy white electric airplanes to an airy, plant-filled cafeteria. Long, communal tables fill with clusters of colleagues chatting over the free daily meal offered to workers at the fast-growing company, which raised more than $1 billion when it went public in November. On a mid-December Thursday, kitchen team members piled plates with Jericho Settlers Farm greens tossed with potatoes, winter squash, turnips, radishes, green beans and marinated tomatoes in a maplewhite balsamic vinaigrette. The generous mound of veggies is known in Beta lingo as a SOUS, for “salad of unusual size,” a play on the much less appetizing “rodent

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SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 14-21, 2026

Local greens for lunch salads at Beta Technologies

of unusual size” from The Princess Bride. SOUS is the cafeteria’s usual Thursday offering, served with a protein. That day, employees could choose chicken thighs in a mustardy barbecue sauce or Vermont Soy tofu roasted with sweet chile. Unlike buffet-style workplace cafeterias, Beta offers a single daily meal, with a vegan option if the dish contains animal products. All the food is prepared in a central kitchen in South Burlington and served at seven Beta sites in South Burlington and Williston. The weekly routine includes pasta Mondays, soup or chili on Wednesdays, and Friday pizza made with a 128-year-old sourdough starter — all served with salad. Despite the focused menu, corporate chef Tim Peters and his team of six happily accommodate several dozen special dietary requests each day, from preferences to sensitivities to life-threatening allergies to disease-related conditions. The lunch program’s charter is “to feed everyone well — healthy, fresh, no refined sugars — and as local as possible,” Peters, 51, said. “We’re a full-service restaurant that doesn’t charge. We are here to support everyone.” For an average plate cost of $5.45, Peters sources from many Vermont farms and food producers, even buying some meat and other homegrown ingredients raised by employees. “We repurpose what we can to keep the cost down and really do our best not to have any waste,” Peters said. On December 18, Beta network engineer Nicholas Pecora beamed in anticipation of tucking into his salad and roasted tofu. Pecora said he eats vegan for health reasons and is grateful that the kitchen is willing to accommodate his dietary choice. CLEARED FOR LUNCH

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Serving authentic Eastern Mediterranean dishes inspired by Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.

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BY JORDAN BARRY • jbarry@sevendaysvt.com

Falafel plate at Joy Bar and Restaurant

Joy Bar and Restaurant Opens in Waitsfield’s Mad River Green Shops Waitsfield’s Mad River Green Shops got a new spot for seasonal food and drink the week before Christmas. JOY BAR AND RESTAURANT now offers a casual, Mediterranean-inspired menu and classic cocktails for dinner and Sunday lunch — plus live music and other events — at 172 Mad River Green. It’s the first restaurant for owner EMMA DELPHIN, 40, who has worked in the industry for more than 20 years. She was bartending at STARK’S PUB at Mad River Glen when RYAN MCGUANE and LINDSAY JARVIS, who have owned the Mad River Green Shops plaza since last summer, asked if she might know anyone who wanted to take over the former Collaborative Brewing location. “I said, ‘Yeah, why don’t I give you my phone number?’” Delphin recalled with a laugh. The next day, she brought her husband — a carpenter — to see the space. The couple installed all new kitchen equipment and bumped out a few walls to revamp the former brewery, which had been vacant for several years. They extended the 12-seat bar and wrapped it in copper, Delphin said. The cozy restaurant’s total capacity is 49, including a standing drink rail. “The small businesses that are here are owned by lovely people, and they’re such neat little stores,” Delphin said of

the plaza. “It feels really nice to have landed here and be in the mix of all these established places.” Joy Bar and Restaurant takes a seasonal approach, Delphin said. Right now, she’s sourcing local and organic produce such as beets, squash, potatoes, watermelon radishes and carrots from Huntington’s BURNT ROCK FARM. Meats come from 5TH QUARTER, conveniently located on the other side of the shopping plaza. So far, popular items include a falafel plate made with chickpeas from VERMONT BEAN CRAFTERS and a slow-roasted chicken shawarma wrap served with tahini, labneh, tzatziki and pickled cabbage. Small plates such as fingerling potatoes with housemade lemon-mayonnaise sauce are meant for sharing. On the drinks side, almost all of the restaurant’s wines are organic or made using sustainable practices at small, family-owned vineyards, Delphin said. Cocktails such as Manhattans, Sazeracs and martinis — Delphin’s favorite — will shift seasonally along with the food menu. Mocktails feature local maple syrup and honey. Reservations are encouraged; make them by calling 496-4045. Takeout and expanded lunch hours are planned for the future. ➆

CONNECT Follow us for the latest food gossip! On Instagram: Jordan Barry: @jordankbarry; Melissa Pasanen: @mpasanen.

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food+drink Cleared for Lunch « P.32 The food “is better than I can make,” he said, “and I pride myself on being a good cook.” Behind the serving line, more than half a dozen special salads sat, carefully sequestered, on a stainless table. Peters, who joined Beta in April 2021 after a fiveyear stint as executive chef at Burlington’s Trattoria Delia, explained that each plate had been composed for a specific employee with a dietary restriction, ranging from a pea protein allergy to celiac disease. Among the average 650 or so daily lunch patrons, “there are about eight people we could put into anaphylaxis, which is slightly terrifying,” Peters said. Even in the case of that kind of risk, the kitchen staff is committed to doing whatever it can to adapt lunch so that everyone feels comfortable taking advantage of the benefit. “We serve one meal 40 different ways,” Peters said, without a hint of annoyance. Since its initial public offering, Beta has ramped up hiring and now employs around 1,000 people across several states and Québec. The chef meets every new hire and takes every dietary restriction very seriously. When employees introduce themselves, Peters said he cautions them, “I’m probably not gonna remember your name unless you have an allergy.” To keep the adaptation lists in check, the Beta kitchen eschews nuts completely, and the chef has reluctantly The daily lunch menu announcement on December 18, 2025

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 14-21, 2026

Ian Hommel plating lunch salads

given up Worcestershire sauce, one of his everybody’s allergy right away,’” Brine favorite seasonings, because it contains recalled. anchovies and there are too many finfish Brine’s job requires her to work at variallergies. ous Beta sites in Vermont, and each has “I read every ingredient list on every- an established procedure to ensure that thing and pop-quiz these guys all the her meal is prepared with as little chance time,” Peters said, nodding toward his of cross-contamination as possible. “It’s team members. a huge burden removed,” He emphaBrine said, noting that sizes the because she’s so focused importance on her job, worrying about what to eat each of paying day would be stressful. close attention through “If we didn’t have lunch, dark humor. I could see many days An incorrect of the week not eating answer might lunch.” elicit: “Congrats, The program manager TIM P E TE R S you’ve just killed said the Beta lunch three people.” program has also helped All that effort shows, said her eat healthier. “I don’t actually like Jennifer Brine, program manager salad that much,” she admitted. The first of Beta’s test team. Brine was diag- day she saw on the #beta_eats Slack channosed with celiac disease in 2012 nel that lunch was salad, “I was like, Oh, and has severe reactions to even the man,” she recalled. “And then I got the slightest gluten cross-contamination. salad, and it’s so delicious. I love it.” She When she was hired a year and a half knew she should eat more greens, Brine ago, she knew the company offered free said, “but I don’t know if that’s a choice I lunch but doubted she could risk eating would have made on my own.” it. But when she approached Peters, Not every employee has been simihis response was encouraging. “He was larly converted, but, based on demand, like, ‘Oh, I remember everybody’s face and most seem very satisfied with their free,

WE SERVE ONE MEAL 40 DIFFERENT WAYS.

Nicholas Pecora with his vegan lunch

healthy lunch — customized to their dietary needs upon request. A few still brown-bag it from home, and “some people prefer to go to Al’s,” Peters said, referring to South Burlington fast-food favorite Al’s French Frys. Whatever Beta employees choose to eat or to avoid, he said, “I’m not here to judge.” ➆

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food+drink

Chelsea Curtis

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 14-21, 2026

Batter Up

From Essex Junction, Chelsea Approved’s vegan, allergen-free baking mixes spread sweetness BY ME L IS S A PAS ANE N • pasanen@sevendaysvt.com

Chocolate chip cookies made with Chelsea Approved mix

work across the “Venn diagram” of things they could eat that were also “Chelsea Approved,” their first target was chocolate chip cookies, said Bouchard, 36. Nestlé Toll House cookies were a favorite baking — and eating — project of the sisters when they were kids.

Bouchard said their goal was to create recipes with results anyone would be happy to gobble up, not ones relegated to the “special diet” corner of the potluck table. When they cracked the code with their not-so-secret ingredient, buckwheat flour

COURTESY PHOTOS

n 2014, Chelsea Curtis of South Burlington headed off to school, excited to play center midfield for the women’s soccer team of what was then Johnson State College. Her dream was dashed by crippling fatigue, severe abdominal pain and other incapacitating gastrointestinal symptoms. After a battery of tests and many doctor visits, Curtis, now 29, received a diagnosis of Crohn’s, a chronic inflammatory bowel disease. Doctors recommended medication, but Curtis and her mother, a registered nurse, resolved instead to try controlling her symptoms through diet. The list of permissible foods was, in Curtis’ words, “incredibly restrictive.” In her family’s fridge, “Chelsea Approved” labels marked what was safe for her to eat. The approach worked for seven years, until Curtis started medication, which enabled her to relax her dietary rules a little. The experience inspired her to become a registered dietitian — and to partner on a business that would help people with restricted diets enjoy freshly baked treats without worrying that the small indulgence would make them sick. In January 2023, Curtis launched Chelsea Approved baking mixes with her older sister Emily Austin and Austin’s boyfriend, Adam Bouchard. Their product line is not only certified free of the top nine allergens, including gluten, but also vegan. (Austin and Bouchard are vegan for ethical reasons.) The trio, who all live in Essex Junction, built the recipes for comfortfood favorites such as chocolate chip cookies and banana bread from simple, whole ingredients. Chelsea Approved bagged mixes — which sell for about $7.99 to $9.99 and make roughly a dozen large cookies, one loaf of banana bread or an 8-by-8-inch pan of brownies — have taken off. After debuting with online sales and at some Vermont farmers markets, the business landed its first retail account, South Burlington’s Healthy Living market, in April 2023. Close to 1,000 bags a month on average now sell through about 110 stores in Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania. Curtis is intimately familiar with the stress of monitoring everything you put into your mouth, especially as a young adult. “It was really, really hard mentally,” she recalled. “Every social situation, every time there was food around, I had to think about it.” When her sister and Bouchard started experimenting with recipes that would

the Wellness Issue (which, despite its name, is not wheat), Curtis was thrilled. “It was so liberating to be able to have something to eat like I had grown up with,” she said. “To eat a chocolate chip cookie again was amazing.” Frozen chocolate chip cookie dough balls, sold only to food service customers by the 10-pound case, are the fastest-growing area for the company right now, Bouchard said. Introduced last year, they sell briskly to about 30 accounts — mostly in higher education, such as the University of Vermont — that bake them fresh on-site. For 2026, Chelsea Approved’s distributor has projected about triple the demand, or 60,000 frozen dough balls. Bouchard, who is currently Chelsea Approved’s only full-time employee, blends, forms and freezes the dough balls in West Meadow Farm Bakery’s certified gluten-free facility in Essex. He uses the cookie mix that is produced for the retail line by a certified allergen-free co-packer in New York’s Finger Lakes region. It is located near the buckwheat mill that supplies the company’s main ingredient. Bouchard said no certified allergen-free facility in Vermont matches the capacity the growing business needs. Curtis juggles her dietitian practice in Burlington with social media responsibilities for Chelsea Approved. She remains the face of the business, as well as its No. 1 fan — in moderation. While medicine now helps control her Crohn’s, she said, it is not guaranteed to work forever, and she remains vigilant about what she eats. “Learning how to deal with diet and lifestyle without medications was really important to me,” she said. When Curtis opens a bag of her favorite chocolate chip cookie mix, she bakes up a batch of 12, nibbles on one to start and freezes the rest. Like a squirrel storing nuts for winter, she pulls one out at a time to defrost on the counter, allowing herself a Chelsea Approved sweet indulgence with Chelsea-approved restraint. ➆

INFO Learn more at chelseaapproved.com.

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Raised in Praise Green Mountain Gospel Choir spreads good news and hope in Burlington B Y A M Y L I L LY • lilly@sevendaysvt.com

ermont ranks second in the nation for both the whitest population and the least religious one. This might seem the unlikeliest of places to hear Black gospel music — a tradition born of slavery, spirituals and the Pentecostal church. Yet gospel is here and has been for decades. The latest arrival is the Green Mountain Gospel Choir, Burlington’s first year-round community gospel choir. The 25 singers, led by cofounder Jonathan Ellwanger, gave their first concert during the city of Burlington’s 2025 Martin Luther King Jr. Day festivities. They’ll again perform in honor of the civil rights leader — in events this week for the NAACP in Rutland and the Champlain College community in Burlington — and will make their next public appearance at a spring concert. At a recent Tuesday-night rehearsal at the college, 13 choir members — white, Black and Asian — gathered around a conference table. The collective vibe was one of friendly, welcoming energy. Ellwanger, 60, a retired elementary school teacher and principal who is white, opened with a prayer, which he ended by punching a chord on his tabletop Yamaha keyboard. Then, armed only with copies of song lyrics, the choir launched into the joyful, rhythmic “Jesus 38

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 14-21, 2026

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Promised” and “Clap Your Hands,” with the director coaching each voice part by singing it in his malleable tenor. The keyboard sounded like a small organ, and the clapping was infectious. The Green Mountain Gospel Choir joins several other gospel groups in the area. There’s a small choir at the New Alpha Missionary Baptist Church, founded in 1989 and still Vermont’s only congregation worshipping in the Black Baptist tradition. From 1993 to 2021, it sponsored a well-attended annual Gospel Fest. Montpelier has had a community gospel choir since 1994. And the music department of the State University of New York at Plattsburgh has a notable gospel choir led by chemistry professor Dexter Criss. Ellwanger quickly identified all these groups when he and his Vermonter wife moved to Williston in 2021, shortly after his retirement from 30 years at a school in Oak Park, Ill. (He recently started working again as a behavior interventionist at Union Memorial School in Colchester.)

MUSIC Ellwanger’s experience as a gospel singer, director and pianist is extensive, and his faith runs deep. Nevertheless, his race raises the question that Arnold Thomas, a retired Black minister and host of “The Talk, Vermont” on Town Meeting TV, genially asked him during an interview in November: “What’s a white guy like you doing with a group like this?” Ellwanger first heard gospel music as an infant in Birmingham, Ala., where his Lutheran pastor father led a Black congregation. When he was 2, his father moved the family to Milwaukee to lead an inner-city congregation in a Black neighborhood. Ellwanger went on to study music and sing in a gospel choir at Northwestern University. As an educator in Oak Park, outside Chicago, he formed a gospel choir at his elementary school and led another at a nearby Black Lutheran church, where he served as music minister. Once in Vermont, Ellwanger joined the Plattsburgh State Gospel Choir, introduced himself to the New Alpha congregation — where he now leads the choir — and applied to become director of the Montpelier Community Gospel Choir. He narrowly lost the job to a Black minister candidate but in the meantime met Thomas, who sits on the Montpelier group’s board and was part of the search

committee. The two men soon founded the Green Mountain Gospel Choir. Thomas sings in the bass section. The Green Mountain Gospel Choir fills “the vacuum [that] happened when Gospel Fest dried up,” Ellwanger said by phone. That annual evening event, featuring two or three gospel choirs, was held at the Flynn theater in later years and packed the house more than once, according to New Alpha administrator Adline Robertson. New members of all stripes are welcome at Green Mountain, and Thomas noted that the group’s practice of learning the music by ear makes it accessible for all. “That’s how much African American music is taught, especially gospel,” he added. “And there are a lot of nuances you add to it as you sing, so no piece is ever the same; each director puts his unique twist. Jonathan is doing a magnificent job.” Even rhythm-challenged people, Thomas said, can “learn the rhythm, the cadence, pretty fast. The community is such a supportive, embracing one. It’s fun.” Plenty of members have no religious affiliation, but, Ellwanger pointed out, “gospel music is sacred music. You can’t get around that. I don’t need you to believe in God, but at the very least you need to believe that the person who wrote [the music] believes very deeply that these words are not just words.” “I’m not religious; I’m not even musical,” tenor Kris Daley, 63, of Burlington said with a laugh. She interprets the sacred aspect of the music as a call to “be in the moment.” Gospel’s universal message of hope through spirituality can be uplifting for anyone, she added, particularly “people who have gone through tragedy.” That makes it more than a cultural tradition that has influenced virtually all American music. “The word ‘gospel’ means good news,” and there’s no time that needs that optimism like the present, Ellwanger said. He hopes audiences will “find a promise of hope and empowerment. There are possibilities beyond what we see that are there for all of us, if we only just believe.” ➆

INFO Learn more about Green Mountain Gospel Choir and its upcoming events at sites.google. com/view/green-mountain-gospel-choir.

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Circus Smirkus executive and artistic director Rachel Schiffer told Seven Days last Wednesday that the organization has surpassed the $400,000 goal it set last fall for its “crisis fundraising” campaign, allowing it to avoid bankruptcy and continue operations — though it will do so without its traditional Big Top Tour this summer. The 39-year-old Greensboro nonprofit runs summer camps, sends circus artists into schools for teaching residencies and operates what is believed to be the only tented, traveling youth circus in the country. Each summer about 30 “troupers,” selected by audition for the Big Top Tour, rehearse in Greensboro for three weeks before caravanning around New England to perform for the next seven weeks. Performers in 2025 ranged from 12 to 18 years old. Circus administrators will pause the Big Top program altogether this year or choose one of two greatly scaled-down models — both of which involve pitching the tent in one place and leaving it there. The program will likely be shortened to eight weeks. Administrators expect to notify Smirkus families of their decision later this month and make the news public in February. A rigging accident during last summer’s Big Top Tour pushed the organization to the brink of bankruptcy and has prompted circus officials to reevaluate programming and protocols. An 18-year-old aerialist fell from the top of aerial silks during a performance in Wrentham, Mass., in July. He was not paralyzed, Schiffer said, adding: “My understanding is that he’s doing well.” While Circus Smirkus has not been sued or fined because of the accident, it canceled 11 shows in its wake. Lost ticket revenue, coupled with increased operating costs and high tariffs levied on an imported tent, created a funding gap and “a moment of real uncertainly around the future of Smirkus,” Schiffer and then-board president Kate Hayes wrote last fall in their appeal for support. The campaign, launched on September 16, was wrapped into the organization’s annual year-end appeal and brought in $546,000. “The Smirkus community is truly like no other,” Schiffer wrote in an email to supporters last week. “Your collective support has carried us through an incredibly challenging moment and allowed us to close the year on solid ground.” “Just as important,” Schiffer continued,

“this moment has reinforced our responsibility to do things differently going forward.” That work includes evaluating programming, operations, financial stewardship, community engagement and safety, she wrote. An independent task force will begin meeting this week to review Circus Smirkus’ rigging practices, Schiffer told Seven Days. The four industry experts will produce two rigging manuals, one to outline procedures for the camp and one for the Big Top program, to ensure the safety of aerialists. “And education around that,” Schiffer said, “will be consistent and across the board.” She declined to name the exact cause of the July accident. Summer camps, which typically serve about 400 children — and another 70 children and adults for family-and-friends weekends — will go on virtually unchanged this year. Registration opened in November, and sessions are starting to fill, Schiffer said. Circus artists typically visit around 15 schools for teaching residencies each year, a program Schiffer and board members would like to grow. The Big Top Tour will see the biggest changes. It has lost money in each of the past five years, Schiffer said, citing as factors rising costs, shifts in audience ticket-buying habits, weather and the uncertainties presented on the road. The first model under consideration for this summer plants the Big Top at Circus Smirkus’ Greensboro headquarters — with a possibility of performers traveling around Vermont for satellite shows. The second model involves an unnamed partner organization, which would host Circus Smirkus for weekend shows. Performers would then return to Greensboro for training and workshops the rest of the week. Schiffer calls this “a reimagining year.” “Whatever this coming year is, we plan to build on it in a meaningful way,” she said. In recent years, the Big Top Tour has included between 60 and 70 performances at 14 or 15 different sites around New England. “I don’t foresee getting back to that level,” Schiffer said. “I don’t know if that’s the best model moving forward, but I would like to hope that we’re able to reach outside of Vermont’s borders, to share Vermont with the rest of New England.” ➆

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erched on a steep hill in Montpelier, Delia Robinson’s cozy home studio is filled with dozens of whistles and vivid paintings. 1/13/26 11:13 AM Robinson moved to Vermont in the early 1980s and has spent her 80-year lifetime making art. A third-generation whistle maker, Robinson learned the craft from her mother, Mildred MacKenzie, when she was a teenager; she has since sculpted thousands of whistles out of clay. She fires the intricate creations — some based on folk ballads — in her basement kiln. Upstairs in her painting studio, she fills canvases with colorful stories, often inspired by dreams. Over the years, Robinson has shown her work extensively throughout the state, country and abroad. In the latest episode of “Stuck in Vermont,” Seven Days senior multimedia producer Eva Sollberger got a tour of Robinson’s eclectic home and heard a few whistles — and a folk ballad, too. Sollberger spoke with Seven Days about filming the episode.

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How did you meet Delia Robinson? I met Robinson back in 2007 when I made a video about “The Mail Art Show” at Studio Place Arts in Barre. Robinson and her former

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neighbor Gabrielle Dietzel put together an entire art show based on items they had mailed back and forth to each other — dog toys, children’s shoes, a French press lid. Robinson and I became friends on Facebook, and I have watched her adventures from afar over the past two decades. She continues to have art shows, and when she turned 80, I thought it might be a good time to reconnect. How was your visit? It was a frigid, icy day outside but warm and cozy inside Robinson’s treehouselike home. I could have easily spent days examining all of her décor and books. Robinson’s stairs are lined with her paintings, her bed is surrounded by a castle that was once a puppet theater backdrop, and her walls are covered in art. I was even treated to a cranky performance — a moving scroll with images accompanied by a ballad. What a dreamy place to spend time.

I was completely unprepared for the variety of Robinson’s whistles: What I thought were intricate sculptures were actually all whistles! And she proved it to me by playing them. The goldfinches outside at her bird feeder were the perfect companions for all the whistling inside. Did you get to see her make a whistle? Robinson transformed a clump of clay into a bird-shaped whistle during my visit. She was so deft with her hands that the bird was tweeting sweetly in about 10 minutes. She used her mother’s domestic tools: a knitting needle to make the sound hole, a spoon to make the wings and a hairpin to make the feathers. When did Robinson become a serious whistle maker? Robinson was an ICU and emergency room nurse for about 15 years, and she also raised a family. She didn’t really start producing whistles seriously until she was in her thirties, when she sold thousands at craft fairs and became a full-time artist. Robinson has taught many people the ancient art of whistle making over the years. As she put it, “I love obsolete things and old things, and whistles are definitely in that category.” 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 Thursday 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.

CAROLYN SHAPIRO

BUSINESS

Dear Lucy Announces Closure on Burlington’s Church Street B Y C ARO LY N S H AP I RO

Late last week, Dear Lucy owner Melissa Desautels sent a disheartening message to the customers on her email list: She would close her store by the end of the month, the conclusion of a two-year downward spiral in sales at the Burlington boutique. Desautels has been a fashion fixture downtown for 18 years. She first opened women’s clothing shop Whim in 2007 on lower Main Street and moved, about a year later, to 50 Church Street. In 2015, she took over shoe purveyor Dear Lucy, in the brick storefront at Cherry and Church streets, and saw annual sales at both stores grow steadily for eight years, she said. The years after the pandemic, 2022 and 2023, were the retailer’s best ever, she said. Then, in 2024, the business climate on Church Street took a turn, and the shops’ sales plummeted by 30 percent, Desautels said. Customer traffic on Church Street dwindled as Burlington grappled with the increasing prevalence of homelessness and

drug use on and around the downtown’s commercial corridor. Still, Desautels held out hope. Last April, she combined her two stores into one under the Dear Lucy banner, consolidating her operational costs and moving into a large Church Street space vacated by outdoor clothier Fjällräven. She thought sales would rebound over the summer, but the political climate — spurred by President Donald Trump’s disparaging remarks about Canada last spring — led to a noticeable decline in visits from our northern neighbors, Desautels said. By fall, the usual boost from University of Vermont parents shopping with their kids never materialized; Desautels believes they spent their money elsewhere, perhaps in Essex or Williston. Some of her customers even suggested that she move her business to those communities, but Desautels balked. “I always wanted to be on Church Street,” she said. “It’s beautiful. You’ve got locally owned shops and coffee shops. It’s just such a good mix.” Dear Lucy’s holiday season ended up worse than Desautels imagined, she said. The year finished with revenue down 44 percent, and the owner realized she had to stop the free fall. “Like so many independent retailers, the past few years have brought challenges that have reshaped what’s sustainable,” Desautels wrote in her January 8 email. “This decision was not made lightly, and it comes with

Dear Lucy storefront on Church Street in Burlington immense gratitude and pride for everything we built together here.” In May, she joined more than 100 downtown business owners who signed a letter to Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak, asking city officials to clean up drug paraphernalia and graffiti downtown and take other steps to try to stem the economic decline. The call to action generated blowback from residents who deemed the requests insensitive to those struggling with substance use and lack of housing and called for boycotts of the retailers behind the letter. “I just felt like Church Street isn’t the focus of the city,” Desautels said of the effort, adding that downtown businesses need more attention from city leaders as well as public messaging to encourage people to shop downtown. Dear Lucy is running a store-closing sale with up to 80 percent off regular prices until the end of the month, or as long as its

FILE: JEB WALLACE-BRODEUR

ARTS NEWS

Singer, Songwriter and Art Collector Bobby Gosh Dies at 89 B Y M A RY AN N L I C K T E I G maryann@sevendaysvt.com

Bobby Gosh, whose songs were recorded by a range of artists, whose jingles played on national TV commercials and whose Brookfield farmhouse became a sprawling, eclectic art-filled abode where dinner parties ended around the piano, died at his home on New Year’s Eve. He was 89. Billi Gosh, his wife of 66 years, cited liver and kidney failure as his cause of death. Born and raised in Pennsylvania, Bobby began taking classical piano lessons at age 6. At 16, he played piano on the national tour of singer Kitty Kallen, who then had two top-10 hits. He attended Albright College in Reading, Pa., on a scholarship. That’s when he met fellow student Billi Williams, who one night came to hear his trio play in a local club. Both were engaged to others at the time, said Billi, a longtime Democratic political activist, but Bobby persuaded her to sneak out of her dorm that night to go to an after-hours musicians’ club. “It worked out,” she told Seven Days on Monday. So did Bobby’s music career. He had studied accounting at Albright just in case, and he interviewed with IBM after graduation. The first question out of the interviewer’s mouth, he told Seven Days in 2011, was: “Why do you want to work at IBM?”

inventory lasts. In the days since her email, the shop, ironically, tallied record sales. Many customers showed up over the weekend in tears, Desautels said, telling her how much they value the store. “We try to keep coming to Church Street as much as possible,” said longtime customer Erin Langevin of Hinesburg. “We want to keep it alive.” She added that some of her neighbors have told her that they no longer feel comfortable shopping in downtown Burlington. Desautels said signs of improvement downtown have begun to emerge. The presence of the Vermont State Police and the attention of Gov. Phil Scott, who vowed in September to work with city leaders on public safety, could help prompt the return of shoppers. But it’ll take more effort and too much time to make a difference for Dear Lucy, she said. “I hope that I’m the lesson,” Desautels said. ➆

Bobby Gosh in 2011 Bobby stared at him blankly. “I went to Juilliard to study orchestration instead,” he recalled in 2011. “Never looked back.” He played piano and sang in Manhattan nightclubs after class at the New York City music school. At Billy Reed’s Little Club, he met acclaimed lyricist Sammy Cahn, and the two began writing songs together, including “The Need of You,” recorded by Diahann Carroll in 1967. Bobby toured the world for two years as Paul Anka’s pianist, orchestra conductor and cowriter. Anka wrote English lyrics for the French song that became Frank Sinatra’s

anthem “My Way.” When Sinatra listened to the demo, it was Bobby he heard singing and playing piano. Bobby’s songs have been recorded by artists across genres, including the Vogues, Tommy James and the Shondells, Engelbert Humperdinck, Bobby Bare, Sammy Kershaw, Ray Price, Buddy Greco, and duo Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gormé. His song “A Little Bit More” became a Top 40 hit for Dr. Hook. Bobby wrote music for movies, including the 1988 film Big and Woody Allen’s 1995 comedy Mighty Aphrodite. His jingles sold everything from Arby’s roast beef sandwiches

to Honey-Comb cereal, and his “Welcome to Our World of Toys” melody played in FAO Schwarz stores. A recording artist himself, Bobby opened for Barbra Streisand in New York City’s Central Park and for Billy Joel at the Troubadour in West Hollywood, Calif. Billi named none of those accomplishments when asked what her husband was proudest of. “Our home,” she said instead. The couple bought a 960-square-foot Brookfield farmhouse in 1971, moved there from Manhattan in 1976 and gradually added on. Now 9,000 square feet, the residence incorporates Victorian doors, windows and stained glass, and displays paintings, sculptures, antique oddities and rare books. Bobby was the primary collector and became well known for supporting visual artists by buying and promoting their work. The couple built an entire room to house large-scale works by Rhode Island artist Tom Deininger, who considers Bobby his greatest supporter. Deininger, whose work is now in museums and private collections around the world, was a fledging artist in the late 1990s when Bobby began buying his mosaics composed of detritus and found objects, arranged to look like landscapes, portraits and paintings. “He’s one of those people that you can point to and say, ‘That’s how I got to where I am today,’” Deininger said. Bobby did not buy art as an investment, he told Seven Days. “I wake up in the morning and feel good to just look at it,” he said in 2011. “Art is the soul of our house. If you took the art away, I’d feel like I was living in a cave.” ➆

INFO Learn more at bobbygosh.com. SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 14-21, 2026

on screen COURTESY OF NETFLIX

Train Dreams ★★★★★ No Other Choice ★★★★★

Felicity Jones and Joel Edgerton play a frontier couple in Clint Bentley’s luminous period drama.

hat happens when a man gets everything he wants but can’t keep it? While recent political and social media discourse has plenty to say about male grievance and dispossession, two acclaimed 2025 films offer more creative takes. Train Dreams, a lyrical period piece from Clint Bentley (Oscar nominee for writing last year’s Sing Sing), is streaming on Netflix. No Other Choice, a contemporary satire from the great Korean director Park Chan-wook (Oldboy, Decision to Leave), will have two Vermont International Film Foundation screenings on Friday, January 16, at Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center Film House in Burlington. On January 23, it begins a scheduled run at the Savoy Theater in Montpelier. Let’s start with the low-concept option. Based on Denis Johnson’s novella of the same name, Train Dreams is an oldfashioned character study of a seemingly unremarkable man living through the first half of the 20th century. Evocative voice-over narration (by Will Patton) introduces us to Robert Grainier (Golden Globe-nominated Joel Edgerton), who

REVIEW

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 14-21, 2026

arrives in rural Idaho as an orphan, origins unknown, and finds work in logging and construction on the bustling frontier. He lives aimlessly until he meets and marries Gladys (Felicity Jones), with whom he has a child and builds a riverside cabin. This home becomes Robert’s idyll, the place he dreams of during the months he spends away logging. He’s haunted by an incident he witnessed working on the railroad that underlines the injustice and precarity of life, casting a shadow over his own future. Train Dreams is a hard movie to talk up. If you’re thinking it sounds plotless and style-driven, you’re not entirely wrong. But the film is much more than just a showcase for Adolpho Veloso’s rich, pictorial cinematography (winner of the Critics Choice Award) or even for Edgerton’s underrated ability to infuse tough, grizzled men of few words with emotion. It takes great craftsmanship to tell the story of an ordinary life in a way that elevates it into a representative one, without falling prey to pretentiousness. Bentley displays that level of skill in this immersive, dreamlike work. Largely a series of pungent anecdotes showcasing great actors (including Kerry

Condon and William H. Macy), Train Dreams brings tears to our eyes because we can’t help seeing parallels to ourselves in Robert’s desires, fears, losses and moments of grace. While the story hinges on a nightmarish dispossession, it’s not primarily about revenge, rage or even stoic endurance (though Robert excels at the latter). It’s about living through, living on and watching scorched terrain gradually heal. Endurance doesn’t come so easily to Man-su (Lee Byung-hun), the white-collar family-man protagonist of No Other Choice. In the first scene, a backyard barbecue that shows off his aspirational lifestyle, Man-su makes the mistake of declaring, “I’ve got it all!” A cloud promptly covers the sun, foreshadowing the next scene, in which he’s laid off. When Man-su appeals to the American company that just bought the paper mill where he’s toiled most of his life, the rep tells him with a shrug, “No other choice.” Jobs are rare in Man-su’s dying industry. As the months of unemployment pile up, his practical wife, Miri (Son Ye-jin), gets part-time work and announces a draconian new budget, which includes selling the family home. Man-su resists these changes, fearing for both his marriage and

the future of his daughter (So Yul Choi), who needs expensive cello lessons for her mental health. Then Miri makes an offhand remark about wishing lightning would strike another paper-mill manager (Park Heesoon). Deciding he has “no other choice,” Man-su plots to murder this man — and two other potential rivals for the job. No Other Choice is a dark comedy to its core, with a deliberately hyperbolic style. Though the screenplay is clever, Park does much of his storytelling nonverbally, through sight gags, set design, action choreography and surreal visual effects. Everything we see on-screen is designed to complement the perfectly calibrated expressions on Lee’s face, as Man-su transforms from a clownish everyman into an incompetent yet determined criminal. The filmmaking is so busily inventive and entertaining that we may not immediately register the tension at the heart of No Other Choice. Rarely has a story felt so contemporary and so retro at the same time. Man-su’s plight couldn’t be more now: Automation has made him redundant to executives who tout their new “lights-off ” factory run by AI. Yet his desperate need to be head of the household, and his obsessive fear of his wife’s infidelity, feel like relics of a slightly bygone era — or perhaps of The Ax, the 1997 Donald E. Westlake novel on which the film is based. At least for U.S. viewers, Man-su is a more comically pathetic than sympathetic figure, given that his insistence on restoring his life to its exact former state comes with an attachment to the paper industry. “Pivoting,” every LinkedIn user’s favorite buzzword, isn’t on his radar. But that may be the point. Follow Park’s subtextual clues — including a weird fixation on plants — and you’ll soon suspect that No Other Choice isn’t actually about a man reclaiming what society owes him. It’s about the folly of believing we can own anything in this life, especially an idealized past. The film’s last scene is steeped in irony, and the end credits introduce another motif No Other Choice shares with Train Dreams: trees meeting the ax. Helpless witnesses to a century of overweening human ambition, these sylvan sentinels appear to get the last word. MARGO T HARRI S O N margot@sevendaysvt.com

NEW IN THEATERS 28 YEARS LATER: THE BONE TEMPLE: Residents of the quarantined UK continue to fight the Infected for their lives in this horror sequel directed by Nia DaCosta (Hedda). Jack O’Connell and Ralph Fiennes star. (109 min, R. Bijou, City Cinema, Essex, Majestic, Paramount, Welden)

THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SEARCH FOR SQUAREPANTSHHH1/2 A ghost pirate leads SpongeBob to the ocean’s depths in this animation. (96 min, PG. Majestic, Paramount, Welden) WICKED: FOR GOODHHH Outcast witch Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) flies high in the conclusion of the Broadway musical adaptation. (138 min, PG. Majestic)

CACTUS PEARS: A city dweller (Bhushaan Manoj) returns to his rural hometown and is romantically drawn to an old friend in this acclaimed drama from Rohan Kanawade. (112 min, NR. Partizanfilm)

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

CHARLIE THE WONDERDOG: Owen Wilson voices a dog who uses his new alien-endowed superpowers to battle an evil cat in this family animated adventure. (95 min, PG. City Cinema, Essex, Marquis)

OLDER FILMS AND SPECIAL SCREENINGS

THE CHORAL: A controversial choral director (Ralph Fiennes) must recruit teenage singers during World War I in this drama from Nicholas Hytner (The History Boys). (113 min, R. Capitol)

AGUIRRE, THE WRATH OF GOD (VTIFF, Sat only) THE BAD SEED (Catamount, Wed 21 only) HALLELUJAH THE HILLS (Partizanfilm, Wed 14 only)

RESURRECTION: Forbidden dreams transport us into past cinematic eras in this surreal sci-fi drama from Bi Gan (Long Day’s Journey Into Night), starring Jackson Yee. (160 min, NR. Partizanfilm)

THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING — EXTENDED EDIT (Essex, Fri & Sat only)

CURRENTLY PLAYING

THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS — EXTENDED EDIT (Essex, Sat & Sun only)

ANACONDAHH A group of midlife friends sets out to remake the 1997 giant-snake thriller of the same name in this action comedy. (100 min, PG-13. Majestic)

NEW YORK CONFIDENTIAL (Catamount, Wed 14 only)

AVATAR: FIRE AND ASHHHH Pandora faces a conflict between different Na’vi tribes as the sci-fi adventure saga continues. (195 min, PG-13. Big Picture, Bijou, Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Stowe) FATHER MOTHER SISTER BROTHERHHHH Three estranged families face their differences in this drama from Jim Jarmusch, starring Tom Waits, Adam Driver and Mayim Bialik. (110 min, R. Savoy) GREENLAND 2: MIGRATIONHH1/2 In the sequel to the 2020 disaster film, a family must trek across a frozen wasteland. Morena Baccarin and Gerard Butler star. (98 min, PG-13. Essex, Majestic, Paramount) HAMNETHHHH/2 William and Agnes Shakespeare (Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley) grapple with loss in the adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s novel. (125 min, PG-13. Capitol, Catamount, Majestic, Marquis; reviewed 12/10) THE HOUSEMAIDHHH1/2 A young woman’s dream job has a dark side in Paul Feig’s adaptation of Freida McFadden’s thriller. (131 min, R. Bijou, Capitol, City Cinema, Essex, Majestic, Star, Stowe, Welden) I WAS A STRANGER: A family’s misfortune in Syria causes a chain reaction in Brandt Andersen’s drama. (103 min, PG-13. Big Picture) IS THIS THING ON?HHH1/2 Sports and standup comedy help a troubled couple (Will Arnett and Laura Dern) navigate their midlife crises in this comedy-drama directed by Bradley Cooper. (124 min, R. Essex, Majestic, Savoy) MARTY SUPREMEHHHH1/2 In the 1950s, a young man (Timothée Chalamet) sets out to be a table tennis champion in Josh Safdie’s comedy-drama. (150 min, R. Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Partizanfilm, Star, Stowe; reviewed 1/7) THE PLAGUEHHHH An anxious 12-year-old boy struggles with hazing at a water polo camp in this psychological thriller. (98 min, R. Partizanfilm) PRIMATEHHH A pet chimpanzee ruins a tropical vacation in this horror flick from Johannes Roberts (47 Meters Down). (89 min, R. Essex, Majestic, Star) THE SECRET AGENTHHHH1/2 Kleber Mendonça Filho’s Golden Globe-winning Brazilian drama follows a young dad (Wagner Moura) fleeing political persecution in 1977. (161 min, R. Partizanfilm, Playhouse) SONG SUNG BLUEHHH Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson play a married Neil Diamond tribute band in this fact-based drama. (133 min, PG-13. Bijou, Majestic, Marquis)

THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING — EXTENDED EDIT (Essex, Sun & Mon only)

NO OTHER CHOICEHHHH1/2 (VTIFF, Fri only; reviewed 1/14)

FEBRUARY 27 TO MARCH 7, 2026

GASTRONOMY • FREE OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES • SHOWS STARTING FEBRUARY 20

MONTREALENLUMIERE.COM

ORWELL: 2 + 2 = 5 (Marquis, Wed 14 only) THE PIANO IN A FACTORY (Catamount, Sun only) SOUNDTRACK TO A COUP D’ETAT (Big Picture, Mon only) STATE AND MAIN (Partizanfilm, Wed 21 only) THE WAGES OF FEAR (VTIFF, Sat only)

OPEN THEATERS

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1/9/26 3:52 PM

(* = 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

Saturday, January 17– Monday, September 7

*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, 2290598, 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

DAILY LIVE ANIMAL DEMOS

*STOWE CINEMA 3PLEX: 454 Mountain Rd., Stowe, 253-4678, stowecinema.com WELDEN THEATRE: 104 N. Main St., St. Albans, 527-7888, weldentheatre.com SCAN ME

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SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 14-21, 2026

1/12/26 4:18 PM

art Picture Perfect

New city curator Maedeh Asgharpour brings a show of illustration to South Burlington COURTESY

B Y A L ICE D OD GE • adodge@sevendaysvt.com

The cover illustration for Island by Jason Chin

ALICE DODGE

“Somewhere on the Express Train (Hurry Up and Wait)” by Matt deForest Jenkins

“

hat is the use of a book,” my fictional namesake famously asked, “without pictures or conversations?” It’s still a fair question. While the world is now awash in images in a way it certainly wasn’t when Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland was published in the 1860s, illustrations have a unique capacity to capture our attention and imagination — and can provoke the important personal and political conversations once considered too unserious for print. Sparking public dialogue is one of the impulses behind “The World in Our Mind,” an exhibition of works by eight Vermont illustrators currently on view at the South Burlington Public Art Gallery. It’s the first show organized by Maedeh Asgharpour, South Burlington’s new city curator. Asgharpour, who was appointed by the city’s Public Art Committee in September, moved to Vermont last year when her 44

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 14-21, 2026

husband started a job at GlobalFoundries. She grew up in Iran, where she trained in graphic design and illustration before making an international leap to earn her master’s of fine art at the University of Texas at Dallas. Her new role, which is not salaried but includes a stipend, currently involves running the city’s art gallery and working closely with the committee on city art initiatives. “I enjoy every part of the process: working with artists, planning exhibitions and connecting with the public,” Asgharpour said. Outside of those duties, she plans to teach printmaking at BCA Studios in Burlington and focus on her own practice. Her portfolio includes everything from videos to ceramics to handmade books, but it’s clear she has a particular love of illustration. So for her first show in the space, Asgharpour said, she thought it would be a good idea “to start with what I know.”

The exhibition brings together established illustrators such as Caldecott Medal winner Jason Chin, who has written and illustrated numerous award-laden children’s books, with artists whose work is more often seen in galleries, such as Misoo Bang and Athena Petra Tasiopoulos. Mediums in the show include everything from encaustic to Risograph (a kind of Japanese photocopy popular among zine makers). If the mix seems eclectic, “What connects them is a shared interest in imagination and inner experiences,” Asgharpour said, “and how those invisible ideas take visual form.” Chin’s work seamlessly bridges that boundary between inner curiosity and the wonders of the real world. In the cover illustration for his 2012 book, Island, about the Galápagos, tortoises stretch their necks to survey a scene of birds and blooming cacti as a marine iguana watches a smoking volcano in the distance. In another

painting, a girl hovers over an underwater reef teeming with creatures. The sunken public library in the background tells us that she’s learning about the ocean from the book she’s holding. Given that the gallery is just outside South Burlington’s own public library, the message is clear: More than a few young visitors will undoubtedly be inspired to go choose their own book. Chin’s wife, Deirdre Gill, is also included in the show, presenting illustrations from her book Outside. It’s the simple story of a bored kid going outside to play in the snow, but her oil-on-paper paintings are luminous and soft, conveying the hush of a winter landscape. Even without the text of the story, we see a narrative progression as the main character’s snowy creations come to life in “Snowday” and grow into giant magical dragons in “Over the House” and “When the Dragon Comes.” Matt deForest Jenkins’ screen prints are less linear but no less narrative. The printmaker, a freelancer for Seven Days, presents scenes full of quirky details — people and creatures doing simultaneous stuff with Richard Scarry-like busyness. “Somewhere Between the Screens (Brain Rot)” gives us tubes, switches and tiny scientists running through a network of devices like hamsters in a Habitrail. “Somewhere on the Express Train (Hurry Up and Wait)” shows a subway snaking through a city: People play badminton on one rooftop and watch aliens from another; someone’s fishing between cars while a couple paddle their canoe atop

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ALICE DODGE

JANUARY 23 – FEBRUARY 7, 2026

“Symphony” by Maedeh Asgharpour

the train. His images she said — the loneliare inventive and fun ness and longing that to get lost in. can come from being Bang presents three displaced. In the two paintings in the show brightly colored paint— the earliest works ings displayed in the in her “Giant Asian library, migratory birds Girl” series, all from sit on wires, recalling MAE DEH ASGHARPOU R 2015. Where newer musical notation. In pieces in the series “Symphony,” a figure situate portraits of real people as giants bikes happily along the underside of the in all sorts of landscapes, these reimagine wires. In “Backpack!” the same figure has characters such as Sleeping Beauty and her back to us, a cat perched cozily on her Alice in Wonderland as Asian women, shoulder. The short poem on the label posing among collaged storybook pages. reads, “I took everything I have to take with Bang tells viewers in her artist’s me, / The sun was setting, / You did not fit statement that when making these early in my backpack!” works, “I realized I was still repeating Despite the subject, Asgharpour’s work stereotypes placed on Asian women. My is joyful and fun — a badly needed addition figures were large in scale but avoided to the grim conversations about migraeye contact, posed politely, and appeared tion that permeate our current zeitgeist. ornamental — reflecting the Western gaze Uprooted though they may be, her characI hoped to resist.” Maybe so, but by raising ters seem to find escape through imaginaa difficult conversation in an approach- tion. Viewing a show like this one — and able style, Bang’s giantesses still do a fine undoubtedly South Burlington Public Art job of subversion. Gallery exhibitions to come — we may That’s also true of the characters in perhaps all be so lucky. ➆ Asgharpour’s own paintings and prints. They aren’t part of the show, but some INFO are on view next door on the second floor “The World in Our Mind,” on view through of the library. Her work has to do with January 29 at the South Burlington Public Art the psychological effects of migration, Gallery. southburlingtonvt.gov

WHAT CONNECTS THEM IS A SHARED INTEREST IN IMAGINATION AND

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COURTESY

art JAN. 14-21 OPENINGS + RECEPTIONS

ARTIST TALK: ERIKA RANEE: A look at the artist’s creative process alongside a discussion of works in her solo show, “I Don’t Like to Draw,” currently on view. The talk follows a hands-on workshop; participants are welcome to attend one or both events. Brattleboro Museum & Art Center, Saturday, January 17, 5 p.m. Free. Info, 257-0124.

‘ARTS ALIVE’: An exhibition of works by more than 40 artists in the Howard Center Arts Collective. Union Station, Burlington, through March 6. Info, 488-6000.

DAVID GOODMAN AND PORTER FOX IN CONVERSATION: A discussion of winter alongside the exhibition “Zero Celsius” with the awardwinning journalist and author. Mad River Valley Arts Gallery, Waitsfield, Saturday, January 17, 5:30-7 p.m. Free. Info, 496-6682.

‘ICONS IN HAND: MASTERWORKS FROM A LOCAL COLLECTION’: An exhibition of museum-caliber black-and-white photographs by many of the field’s greats, including Ansel Adams, Diane Arbus, William Egleston, Walker Evans, Lee Friedlander and Dorothea Lange. Vermont Center for Photography, Brattleboro, through March 1.

CABARET AND SILENT ART AUCTION: The third annual incarnation of the fundraiser, which includes live music, refreshments and a silent art auction and supports the organization’s programming. Chaffee Art Center, Rutland, Saturday, January 17, 6 p.m. $25; $45 per couple; $120 table of 4. Info, 775-0356.

MITCHELL POSTER: “Bewitched and Bewildered,” a photographic memoir in two parts, the first on view in January, the second replacing it in February. Both tell stories about communities and their inhabitants. Vermont Center for Photography, Brattleboro, through March 1. Info, 251-6051. CALEB KENNA: “Our Working Lands,” aerial photographs of Vermont’s working landscapes alongside intimate portraiture of the people who steward the land. Billings Farm & Museum, Woodstock, through June 14. Free. Info, 802-457-2355. ‘WORK IN PROGRESS’: An exhibition of in-process paintings by Tina Olsen, Ellen Cone Maddrey, Gayle Robertson, John Loggia, Liza Cassidy and Mary Therese Wright. Open discussion with the artists: Thursday, January 15, 3-6 p.m. 118 Elliot, Brattleboro, through January 31. Info, 118elliot@ gmail.com. MARY MATTINGLY: “Water Writes the Garden,” photographs, sculptures and poetry addressing water’s role in shaping the landscape and telling its story. Reception: Thursday, January 15, 5-7 p.m. The Current, Stowe, January 15-April 10. Info, 253-8358. GIACOMO D’ORLANDO: “Symbiosis,” an exhibition of photographs exploring the profound relationship between humans and the sea and how climate change might affect it. Reception: Thursday, January 15, 5-7 p.m. The Current, Stowe, January 15-April 10. Info, 254-8358. ALL THE COLORS HUMANS HAVE NOT YET NAMED: A color-themed exhibition that aims to dispel the lingering weight of winter with works by more than 40 artists. Reception: Friday, January 16, 5-7 p.m. AVA Gallery and Art Center, Lebanon, N.H., through February 28. Info, 603-448-3117. EVA STURM-GROSS: “Beasts of Eden,” a solo exhibition drawing on medieval Jewish imagery and myth, as well as the artist’s childhood encounters with her natural surroundings in Hartland, Vt. Reception: Friday, January 16, 5-7 p.m. AVA Gallery and Art Center, Lebanon, N.H., January 16-February 14. Info, 603-448-3117. JUNI VAN DYKE: “These Beautiful Hands: A Tribute to Our Elders,” a show aiming to highlight the wisdom and grace that come with aging by focusing on subjects’ hands. Reception: Friday, January 16, 5-7 p.m. AVA Gallery and Art Center, Lebanon, N.H., January 16-February 14. Info, 603-448-3117. ‘NOOKS AND CRANNIES’: An exploration of small, hidden places, through works by 12 local artists. Reception: Saturday, January 17, 1-3 p.m. The Adamant Cooperative, January 15-February 15. Info, 223-5760. ‘FABULOUS FIBERS’: A show of textiles and fiber art by guild members. Reception: Saturday, January 17, 2-4 p.m. Northeast Kingdom Artisans Guild Backroom Gallery, St. Johnsbury, through February 18. Info, 748-0158. ‘MINI MASTERPIECE’ AUCTION: A fundraiser featuring small original artworks created by guild members. Reception: Saturday, January 17, 3-5 p.m. Milton Artists’ Guild Art Center & Gallery, January 17-24. Info, director@miltonartistsguild.org.

“Purple Haze”

EXHIBITION

It’s All Vibes Everything is alive. That’s one of Rick Harlow’s takeaways from many years spent visiting Indigenous people in Colombia. After a first trip to the rainforests of the Yucatán back in 1980, Harlow traveled many times to Central and South America, living with and learning traditional practices from people in several different isolated cultures. Back in the States, Harlow says in his artist statement, he started making pointillist paintings he saw as “manifestations of energy that I could feel in my nerve endings.” Standing over a canvas placed on the floor, he splatters droplets of paint in a multitude of colors, “letting gravity take over.” Eventually, he hand paints dots to tip the scales toward one color or another. The resulting paintings are electric but motionless expanses of dynamic, meditative color, each like a TV screen set to static. Looking at them, you might just turn on, tune in and drop out.

‘RICK HARLOW: PORTRAITS OF ENERGY’

On view through February 20 at the Putney School; putneyschool.org ‘ON PAPER’: Works by Elfriede Abbe, Barbara Ackerman, Tom Fels, Annie Ireland, Crystalle Lacouture and Carolyn Shattuck that explore paper as a substrate. Reception: Saturday, January 17, 3-5 p.m. Southern Vermont Arts Center, Manchester, January 18-March 8. Info, 362-1405.

Julian Scott Memorial Gallery, Vermont State University-Johnson, January 20-February 20. Info, 802-635-1469.

‘PAPER TRANSFORMED: ARTISTS EXPLORING COLORED PULP’: An exhibition curated by Michelle Samour of works in colored paper pulp by John Babcock, Shannon Brock, Joan Hall, Anne Q. McKeown, Michelle Samour, Peter Sowiski and Lynn Sures. Reception: Saturday, January 17, 3-5 p.m. Southern Vermont Arts Center, Manchester, January 18-March 29. Info, 362-1405.

EXHIBITION TOUR: ‘ANIMAL, VEGETABLE, MINERAL’: An exploration of the exhibition with curator Elizabeth Rice Mattison. Hood Museum, Dartmouth College, Hanover, N.H., Wednesday, January 14, 12:30-1:30 p.m. Free; space limited. No registration required. Info, 603-646-9660.

‘ZERO CELSIUS’: A show of artwork that explores the textures, tensions and transformations of winter, presented at the gallery and at Sugarbush Resort. Reception: Saturday, January 17, 5:30-7 p.m. The Gallery at Mad River Valley Arts, Waitsfield, through April 23. Info, 496-6682. ANNUAL INVITATIONAL GROUP ART SHOW: A celebration of Marshfield’s local art scene with works by artists who have previously shown at the library. Reception: Sunday, January 18, 2-4 p.m. Jaquith Public Library, Marshfield, January 18-April 15. Info, 426-3581. JAY HAYWOOD: “lmani: Faith,” an exhibit of fashion photography by the New York City clothing designer and MFA candidate. Closing reception and artist talk: Thursday, February 19, noon-2 p.m.

GET YOUR ART SHOW LISTED HERE AND ONLINE!

PROMOTING AN ART EXHIBIT? SUBMIT THE INFO AND IMAGES BY THURSDAY AT NOON AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POSTEVENT OR ART@SEVENDAYSVT.COM.

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 14-21, 2026

ART EVENTS

ARTIST TALK: JOHN KILLACKY AND JORDAN DOUGLAS: A discussion of the personal perspectives behind the artists’ work in the exhibition “Do We Say Goodbye? Grief, Loss and Mourning.” BCA Center, Burlington, Wednesday, January 14, 6 p.m. Free. Info, 865-7166. LIFE DRAWING AND PAINTING: A drop-in event for artists working with the figure from a live model. T.W. Wood Museum, Montpelier, Thursday, January 15, 7-9 p.m. Free; $15 suggested donation. Info, 222-0909. ‘FREE SELF-EXPRESSION’: An open forum in which the public is invited to celebrate community by sharing performance, music, reading, speaking, dancing, and take-home art and writing. Canal Street Art Gallery, Bellows Falls, Friday, January 16, 5-8 p.m. Free. Info, 289-0104.

VISUAL ART IN SEVEN DAYS:

ART LISTINGS ARE WRITTEN BY ALICE DODGE. LISTINGS ARE RESTRICTED TO ART SHOWS IN TRULY PUBLIC PLACES.

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, January 18, 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, January 19, 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, January 20, 6:30-8:30 p.m. By donation. Info, 343-8172. ➆

CALLS TO ARTISTS ‘ANALOG 4 EVA’: Accepting submissions for a group exhibition of Vermont analog photographers, curated by Benjamin Aleshire. Submit five to 10 images via email, with a brief description of yourself and your analog processes. Aleshire Gallery, Brandon. Deadline: February 25. Free. Info, aleshiregallery@gmail.com. CALL FOR SESSION PROPOSALS: Seeking proposals for conference programming on a “Hands-On” theme for the Vermont Creative Network’s 2026 Creative Sector Convening. Vermont Arts Council, Montpelier. Deadline: February 15. Free. Info, info@ vermontartscouncil.org. ‘HANDS-ON’ CREATIVE SECTOR CONVENING: Accepting applications from artists to design original art for Vermont Creative Network’s 2026 Creative Sector Convening, the theme of which is “Hands-On.” Art will be used for digital and print marketing materials. Apply via email. Vermont Arts Council, Montpelier. Deadline: January 31. Free. Info, info@ vermontartscouncil.org. ‘HELD TOGETHER’: An invitation to artists to submit up to six works for consideration for a juried group show exploring analog collage as an act of care, disruption and presence. The S.P.A.C.E. Gallery, Burlington. Deadline: January 27. $25 per artist if selected; $20 for members. Info, spacegalleryvt@gmail.com. OPEN CALL FOR VERMONT WEEK APPLICATIONS: Now accepting applications for Vermont Week, a weeklong, fully funded residency fellowship in May open to Vermont artists and writers. Vermont Studio Center, Johnson. Deadline: January 31. Free. Info, 635-2727. ➆

= ONLINE EVENT OR EXHIBIT

CALLING ALL ARTISTS & WRITERS JOIN US FOR

APPLY NOW THROUGH JANUARY 31 AT VERMONTSTUDIOCENTER.ORG

6h-VTstudiocenter011426 1

Job of theWeek 1/12/26 12:05 PM

LITIGATION PARALEGAL

McCormick, Fitzpatrick, Kasper & Burchard, P.C. Get the scoop from McCormick, Fitzpatrick, Kasper & Burchard business manager, Lorie L. Flynn.

What are some specific challenges of this position and why is it important? One specific challenge of this position is juggling multiple cases for multiple attorneys. It is very important for a paralegal to be organized and have excellent time-management skills. It is also important to understand the importance of each task and determine which tasks should be completed first. The position can be stressful at times, especially when multiple cases have time-sensitive deadlines, but with the right timemanagement skills, you can be successful.

Tell us something completely unique or interesting about McCormick, Fitzpatrick, Kasper & Burchard, P.C. I believe that one of the most interesting things about McCormick Fitzpatrick is that our attorneys practice several different areas of the law. Our practice areas include Litigation, Workers’ Compensation, Probate, Trust Law, Estate Planning and Mediations. Working for a firm that practices in several different areas of the law allows you to expand your knowledge of each area. I believe this job is rewarding because paralegals learn new things on almost a daily basis and continually develop professionally, which provides a sense of accomplishment. Working in different areas of the law throughout the day gives you the ability to continue to learn and test your personal skills, which is very rewarding when you look back at the end of the day and reflect on all you have accomplished. Apply for this great local job and many more: jobs.sevendaysvt.com

2v-JOTW011426.indd 1

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 14-21, 2026

1/13/26 2:30 PM

music+nightlife

The Sky’s the Limit

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 14-21, 2026

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE DIVIDED SKY FOUNDATION

Anastasio invited Gulde to a Phish show in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., in 2019. “I wasn’t a Phish fan when we met, and I didn’t really meet him in the capacity Trey Anastasio and Melanie Gulde of, you know, a ‘rock star’ or anything like that,” Gulde said. “At first, I actually avoided listening to the band because I wanted to know Trey as a person.” Gulde saw in Anastasio someone who cared deeply about giving back after his own ordeal. “Others might be surprised by how important this is to him, but it’s just who he is,” she said. Anastasio, who declined to speak to Seven Days for this story, has credited Gulde for helping him out of a dark period when addiction nearly cost him his band, if not his life. Phish briefly broke up in 2004, largely due to substance use among the bandmates. “It was so dark,” Anastasio recently told writer and podcast host AJ Daulerio on “The Small Bow Podcast.” “We were using hard drugs and smoking cocaine … It was so bad.” In an interview with People in 2024, Anastasio talked about the importance of meeting Gulde. “She saved my life,” he said. “She’s Melanie Gulde reflects on starting the Divided Sky Residential Recovery Program a badass, but she’s also very with Phish’s Trey Anastasio B Y CHRI S FAR NS W O R TH • farnsworth@sevendaysvt.com loving.” Once the two had hatched their plan for Divided Sky, the they wasted little time rey Anastasio’s life changed in Wellness 2006. The guitarist and singer purchasing property in of Vermont jam band Phish was Ludlow at the site of a former Issue cruising through Whitehall, weight-loss clinic. N.Y., around 3:30 a.m. on a cold DecemThey faced almost immediber morning when he was pulled over ate opposition from residents for erratic driving. The then-42-year-old concerned about an addiction treatmusician failed a field sobriety test and ment facility in their small town. After was found to be in possession of heroin, the pushback, plans to operate Divided as well as driving on a suspended license. Sky as a medical and clinical space were Facing a potential three-year prison dropped. Residents in Ludlow had voiced sentence, Anastasio pleaded guilty to concerns about having court-mandated patients at the facility who could require a reduced drug-possession charge and was ordered by a drug-treatment court to constant medical oversight, so the decicomplete 14 months of community service sion was made to transition to a retreatand undergo a treatment program. He style model with a community-oriented, was appointed a case manager, Melanie holistic focus. In other words, all guests at Gulde, who worked with him throughout Divided Sky check themselves in of their his sentence. own volition. “Our relationship when we first met “The medical model was our original was very different,” Gulde, 57, recalled. plan,” Gulde said. “But every time we’d The Divided Sky Residential Recovery Program retreat in Ludlow “The dynamic was that I was his case get approval, the residents would appeal manager in New York’s felony treatment it again. It was costing us so much time. court.” “In the end, I think we ended up in a In the years since the Phish front man lives and works as the program director the center, Gulde said the Divided Sky better place,” Gulde continued. “We’re completed his sentence, Anastasio and at the Divided Sky Residential Recovery facility is now flourishing and expand- not dealing with insurance. We don’t have Gulde became friends. The two talked Program. ing its services, including unveiling a to kick people out after 30 days or when often about how they might help others The retreat, which opened in Novem- new women’s scholarship fund. In a their insurance runs out. We can provide struggling with addiction. ber 2023 in the Okemo Valley, is a social media post celebrating the center’s extensions and scholarships because Anastasio has remained sober since nonclinical, 46-bed addiction recovery two-year anniversary, the organization we’re different and unique.” 2007 and served as a sponsor for others in center. It’s the crown jewel of Anastasio noted that “more than 4,000 people have Divided Sky isn’t cheap. A 30-day stay recovery. With Gulde, who is also sober, and Gulde’s Divided Sky Foundation, reached out, and hundreds of guests from runs $7,500 for the 12-step immersion he started to dream up ways to “give back a nonprofit they launched together in 37 states have begun their road to recov- program. A weeklong Recovery Recharge what was so freely given to us,” she said in 2020. After a few rough early years when ery with us.” a phone call from Ludlow, where she now local residents resisted the opening of The idea for Divided Sky came after THE SKY’S THE LIMIT » P.50

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COURTESY

Keep an eye on its shadow, but Groundhog Fest returns to Burlington at the end of the month. The three-day festival, now in its second year, has grown significantly since its inception, expanding to more than 40 acts, 10 venues and multiple genres. Taking place from Friday, January 30, to Sunday, February 1, Groundhog Fest boasts a strong contingent of touring musicians, such as New York City posthardcore band SHOW ME THE BODY, Rhode Island dance-pop art-rockers BABYBABY_ EXPLORES and Toronto electro-punks SLASH NEED. Much like Winooski’s late,

Show Me the Body

lamented Waking Windows festival, Groundhog Fest mixes these acts from afar with a stacked lineup of some of the local scene’s best, including GREG FREEMAN, the WORMDOGS, ROBBER ROBBER, TWO SEV and DJ TAKA. Pulling together the sprawling, multigenre event was a supreme act of DIY love from ROOST.WORLD cofounder and BURLINGTON ELECTRONIC DEPARTMENT mastermind ZAQ SCHUSTER. The musician, producer, DJ and promoter has turned BED into a big part of the Queen City’s electronic dance music scene, booking underground raves and an exotic assortment of out-of-state talent rarely seen in local venues. A partnership with local venues and organizations such as Radio Bean, Foam Brewers, Burlington City Arts and Burlington City Hall Auditorium, the latest Groundhog Fest is Schuster’s biggest undertaking yet. “Shows like this don’t really happen here,” Schuster said by phone. “In order to book stuff like this, I can’t really concern myself with turning a profit. Breaking even is the goal. And some people might think that’s dumb — sometimes I do, to be honest — but these are shows I would want to go to, so I need to make them happen. It’s worth the work and the hustle.” Schuster is equally stoked ON THE BEAT

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Bill Charlap & Renee Rosnes, duo jazz piano . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Roomful of Teeth & Gabriel Kahane . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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JANUARY 14-21, 2026

12/13/25 4:45 PM

music+nightlife Five recent or upcoming releases from Vermont artists BY CHRIS FARNSWORTH

1. Bim Tyler, Between Rivers, bimtyler. bandcamp.com (November 20, folk) 2. Chodus, Car Crash Compilation, fachodusyo. bandcamp.com (October 8, alt-rock) 3. Coppermind and St. Silva, Loading Screen Music 2, stsilva. bandcamp.com (December 5, ambient) 4. Dave Keller, La Brea, davekeller.com (November 14, soul, roots) 5. Magic User, *FREE PILE, magicuservt. bandcamp.com (December 15, punk)

On the Beat « P.49 about the touring artists and the selection of homegrown talent booked for the fest. “I’ve wanted to get the Wormdogs on a bill for a while, so that was really satisfying,” Schuster said. With singersongwriters, DJs, indie-rock bands, and experimental and ambient artists, Groundhog Fest is a fascinating snapshot of the current Burlington scene. Schuster started assembling the lineup a year ago, and the past few months have been particularly grueling. After the fest, the artist is ready to shift focus back to Roost.World, who are dropping their first-ever full-length LP in February. “With all the Groundhog prep, we had to put the album to the side for a little bit,” Schuster said of the project with fellow Roost.World founder MIKE HARRIS. “We’ll be dropping some singles and videos towards the end of the month in anticipation. But until then, it’s all about the festival.” Tickets are on sale now at groundhog. world. One of my favorite long-running traditions in Vermont music — and I do mean long-running — is the Farmers Night Concert Series in the House chamber of the Vermont Statehouse. Dating back more than a century, the series runs this year from January 21 to April 8 and features a rich collection of Green Mountain talent every Wednesday,

The Sky’s the Limit « P.48 option costs $1,875, designed for alumni and individuals who have achieved sustained recovery. “The scholarship piece is really important,” Gulde acknowledged. “There’s a lot of people who don’t have the means to do a program like this, but we can meet them financially where they’re at.” Gulde worked for 17 years in the New York State court system, where her job was to assign treatment to drug offenders. But she said she often didn’t feel she was sending people to programs that would actually help — many prioritized medication over all else. Gulde believes Divided Sky stands apart for its beautiful surroundings, which allow for forest bathing and cold plunges in Buttermilk Falls; community-based programs with ethnomusicologists, who lead daily music-making and music therapy groups; and the nature of the treatment itself, a hybrid of daily therapy, 12-step program meetings, and a strict no-phones, no-laptops policy. While clients are encouraged to take charge of their progress and offer feedback on what works or doesn’t, Divided Sky 50

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 14-21, 2026

COURTESY

New Release Radar

Listening In (Spotify mix of local jams) 1. “ALBANY” by Lily Seabird 2. “1000WAYS2DIE” by rivan 3. “HARD LUCK” by COOKED, Fifth World 4. “LOUCHE — WILLVERINE REMIX” by Willverine, Freeway Clyde 5. “BARBIE’S PLASTIC ARMY” by Redadmiral 6. “HOW YA LIKE THAT” by High Summer 7. “GREEN MOUNTAIN HOME” by Spencer Lewis

Scan to listen sevendaysvt. com/playlist

Bob Wagner

with a notable exception during Town Meeting Day week in March. The series kicks off with singersongwriter and guitarist extraordinaire BOB WAGNER. Fresh from joining PHISH bassist MIKE GORDON’s solo band, as well as raising more than $500,000 for disaster relief with the Hug Your Farmer music series, Wagner brings along frequent collaborators JOSH WEINSTEIN on bass and DAN RYAN on drums for a proper powertrio performance.

meticulously structures each patient’s day, from morning meditation to group meetings and educational classes. “We don’t treat people; we empower them,” she said of Divided Sky. “We’re not fixing anyone; we’re helping them to understand their strengths. “We have to remind some people that they’re worthy of a better life, because with addiction comes a lot of shame,” she continued. “We teach people they don’t have to sit in that feeling anymore.” Anastasio touched on that stigma in his People interview: ME L ANIE GUL D E “Your loved one is a sick person trying to get well, not a bad person trying to get good,” he said. “I’ve seen people in dire situations come back from this. It’s never too late to have hope. Families can be saved.” Toward that end, Divided Sky is continuing to grow. In September, the foundation announced the new scholarship for women, a much-needed expansion, Gulde said. She pointed to research that shows women tend to

Other season highlights include folk-jazz combo ALLISON MANN and COLIN MCCAFFREY on January 28, the VERMONT YOUTH ORCHESTRA on February 18, Roma folk artist KRAATZ CARROMATO on March 18, and MOUNTAIN HOUSE DANCE COMPANY wrapping up the series on April 8. The shows are free and open to the public. Visit legislature.vermont.gov for more information. CHRIS FARNSWORTH

progress into addiction faster than men, a phenomenon known as the telescoping effect. “Women are also more likely to be a single parent, which means their options are less. She can’t leave work for a month to recover and have childcare for her kids,” Gulde pointed out. “Women tend to come in with more trauma than men, so treatment isn’t always the same.” She hopes the new scholarship will take away the financial burden and help more women get the help they need. “I feel really good about where we are and how it’s going,” she said. “We started slow, and I remember when we were struggling with some of the locals. I just kept saying over and over, ‘We just want to help people.’ “We’re doing that now,” she said, “and we’re doing it in such a unique way.” ➆

AT FIRST, I ACTUALLY AVOIDED LISTENING TO THE BAND

BECAUSE I WANTED TO KNOW TREY AS A PERSON.

INFO Learn more at dividedsky.org.

live music WED.14

COURTESY

CLUB DATES

Find the most up-to-date info on live music, DJs, comedy and more at sevendaysvt.com/music. If you’re a talent booker or artist planning live entertainment at a bar, nightclub, café, restaurant, brewery or coffee shop, send event details to music@sevendaysvt.com or submit the info using our form at sevendaysvt.com/postevent.

SUN.18 // SUNDAY NIGHT MASS [EDM]

Charlie Uffleman, Kiley Latham, Julia Randall (singer-songwriter) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 8 p.m. $10. Jazz Night with Ray Vega (jazz) at Hotel Vermont, Burlington, 8:30 p.m. Free. Jazz Sessions (jazz) at the 126, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free.

Bluegrass & BBQ (bluegrass) at Four Quarters Brewing, Winooski, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Noise Pollution (AC/DC tribute) at the Stone Church, Brattleboro, 7 p.m. $31/$36.

WED.21

Waves of Adrenaline (folk) at Standing Stone Wines, Winooski, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Ramblin’ Dan Stevens (singersongwriter) at the Den at Harry’s Hardware, Cabot, 7 p.m. Free.

SUN.18

COOKED, SOWING, Autoignition, Bruiserweight, Crisis Actor (hardcore) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 7 p.m. $10/$15.

FRI.16

Abby Jenne and Her Dark Advisors (rock) at Charlie-O’s World Famous, Montpelier, 8:30 p.m. Free.

Joe Agnello , Lara Cwass (rock, jazz) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 1 p.m. Free.

Take Me to Church When it launched in the late ’90s, Sunday Night

Mullett (’80s tribute) at Pickle Barrel Nightclub, Killington, 8 p.m. $24.57.

Dark Star Project (Grateful Dead tribute) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 7 p.m. $12.19. 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. Ondara, the Montvales (singer-songwriter) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 7 p.m. $26.42.

djs WED.14

DJ Chalango, DJ Tarzana Salsa Night (DJ) at Hugo’s, Montpelier, 7 p.m. Free. The Mid Week Hump with DJs Fattie B and Craig Mitchell (DJ) at Monkey House, Winooski, 7 p.m. Free.

THU.15

MC4D (EDM) at Pickle Barrel Nightclub, Killington, 8 p.m. $18.92. Vinyl Night (DJ) at Poultney Pub, 6 p.m. Free.

FRI.16

Mass quickly established itself as the spot to catch top-notch electronic dance music.

Ryan Sweezey (singersongwriter) at Lawson’s Finest Liquids, Waitsfield, 3 p.m. Free.

Holding court at Burlington’s late, legendary Club Metronome for decades, Sunday Night

Seth Yacovone (acoustic) at the Alchemist, Waterbury, 4 p.m. Free.

DJ Taka (DJ) at Light Club Lamp Shop, Burlington, 11 p.m. $10/$15.

Mass brought in internationally touring EDM acts and put them onstage with some of the

Sleeveless Tease (covers) at Stowe Cider, 3 p.m. Free.

Friday Night at Specs (DJ) at Specs Cafe & Bar, Winooski, 7 p.m. Free.

802 scene’s best DJs and producers. Now the much-loved series is relaunching at a new

Connor Young (jazz, folk) at Light Club Lamp Shop, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $10.

home and with a killer lineup: San Francisco’s DUBTRIBE SOUND SYSTEM and Turkish house

Escaper, Three Piece Meal (jam) at Stowe Cider, 8 p.m. $20.38.

Showcase Lounge in South Burlington on Sunday, January 18. They’re joined by Sunday

DJ and producer SEZER UYSAL headline the first Sunday Night Mass at the Higher Ground Night Mass’ resident DJs, D-LAV, JUSTIN R.E.M. and AQUA.

Good Trees River Band (rock) at Monopole, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 10 p.m. Free.

Madhouse (covers) at Pickle Barrel Nightclub, Killington, 8 p.m. $10.

Spencer Lewis (singersongwriter) at Jericho Café & Tavern, 7 p.m. Free.

Grace Palmer (singer-songwriter) at Hotel Vermont, Burlington, 4 p.m. Free.

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

Yabai!, the Leatherbound Books (indie) at Light Club Lamp Shop, Burlington, 9 p.m. $10.

Japhy Ryder, the E-Block (funk, jam) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 8 p.m. $18.39/$21.48.

Phantom Suns, Humdinger & the Bucksnort, Porttitor, Necroborne, Fall District (hard rock, metal, hardcore) at 1st Republic Brewing, Essex, 7 p.m. $10.

Josh Panda (singer-songwriter) at Citizen Cider Press House Pub, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

Ramblin’ Dan Stevens (blues) at the Clubhouse Grille, Jay, 5 p.m. Free.

Lazer Dad (’90s tribute) at the Alchemist, Waterbury, 4 p.m. Free.

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

HiFi (electronica) at Hugo’s, Montpelier, 7:30 p.m. Free.

Sam Sheldon (singer-songwriter) at the Alchemist, Waterbury, 4 p.m. Free.

The Shady Trees (funk, rock) at Afterthoughts, Waitsfield, 8 p.m. Free.

Jaded Ravins (Americana) at Charlie-O’s World Famous, Montpelier, 8 p.m. Free.

Gay4Disco (covers) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

The Miller Brothers (bluegrass) at the Clubhouse Grille, Jay Peak Resort, 5 p.m. Free.

Robbery, Model 97, Fall District, Funeral Season (punk) at Odd Fellows Lodge, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. $10.

The Faerie Godbrothers (Americana) at Black Flannel Brewing & Distilling, Essex, 6 p.m. Free.

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (solo) (indie) at the Stone Church, Brattleboro, 7 p.m. $37.

Owen Doherty, Maclan Roberts (singer-songwriter) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 7 p.m. $5.

Remember Baker (bluegrass) at Shelburne Vineyard, 6 p.m. Free.

Eric George (folk) at the Skinny Pancake, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

Carl Anton (singer-songwriter) at Poultney Pub, 6 p.m. Free.

Martin Decato (singersongwriter) at the Den at Harry’s Hardware, Cabot, 7 p.m. Free.

Ray Vega Quartet (Miles Davis tribute) at Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 8 p.m. $15.

THU.15

Brunch, MAD, Jensen Alley (indie rock) at Monkey House, Winooski, 8 p.m. $10.

Jackson and the Janks, the Red Newts (rock) at Monkey House, Winooski, 7:30 p.m. $10.

Phantom Airwave (funk, soul) at Charlie-O’s World Famous, Montpelier, 8:30 p.m. Free.

Lincoln Sprague (piano) at Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 5 p.m. Free.

April Patterson Clemens & Cobalt Tolbert, Beth Monroe, Dave Wrong & Melissa Anthony (indie, folk) at the Underground, Randolph, 7:30 p.m. $14.

Madhouse (covers) at Pickle Barrel Nightclub, Killington, 8 p.m. $10.

Seth Yacavone Band (blues, rock) at the Bullwheel Bar, Jay Peak Resort, 4 p.m. Free.

SAT.17

Ali T (singer-songwriter) at 1st Republic Brewing, Essex, 6 p.m. Free. Après Ski: Moonbird (covers) at Alfie’s Wild Ride, Stowe, 4 p.m. Free. Blake Matteson (singersongwriter at Switchback Beer Garden & Smokehouse, Burlington, 5:30 p.m. Free.

Sunday Brunch Tunes (singersongwriter) at Hotel Vermont, Burlington, 10 a.m. Wolfman Jack (Grateful Dead tribute) at the Stone Church, Brattleboro, 6 p.m. $18.99/$25.

TUE.20 CombustOmatics (rock) at Jericho Café & Tavern, 7 p.m. Free.

Big Easy Tuesdays with Jon McBride (jazz) at the 126, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free.

Drumstick Bossman (reggae) at Hugo’s, Montpelier, 7:30 p.m. Free.

Bluegrass Jam (bluegrass) at Poultney Pub, 7 p.m. Free.

Freight Train (covers) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

Dale and Darcy Band (folk, bluegrass) at Lawson’s Finest Liquids, Waitsfield, 5:30 p.m. Free.

Good Gravy (bluegrass) at the Bullwheel Bar, Jay Peak Resort, 4 p.m. Free. The High Breaks (surf rock) at the Alchemist, Waterbury, 4 p.m. Free. HISSSS, the Volcanos (indie, experimental) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 9 p.m. $10/$15. Izzy Jones, Ashna Hille (singer-songwriter) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 7 p.m. $10.

Dead Is Alive with Dobbs’ Dead (Grateful Dead tribute) at Einstein’s Tap House, Burlington, 8 p.m. $15. Honky Tonk Tuesday with Wild Leek River (country) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 9 p.m. $10. Irish Night With RambleTree (Celtic) at Two Brothers Tavern, Middlebury, 7 p.m. Free.

DJ CRE8 (DJ) at Rí Rá Irish Pub & Whiskey Room, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free.

SAT.17

DJ NewCity (DJ) at Rí Rá Irish Pub & Whiskey Room, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free. Matt Payne, DJ Raul (DJ) at Red Square Blue Room, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free. Roost.World (DJ) at Light Club Lamp Shop, Burlington, 11 p.m. $10/$15. Sparkomatik (EDM) at Monkey House, Winooski, 8 p.m. $10.

SUN.18

Sunday Night Mass with Dubtribe Sound System, Sezer Uysal (EDM) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $39.32.

TUE.20

Bashment Tuesday (DJ) at Akes’ Place, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

OPEN MICS & JAMS SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 14-21, 2026

» P.53 51

music+nightlife

REVIEW this

Haley Heynderickx & Max García Conover, What of Our Nature (FAT POSSUM RECORDS, CASSETTE, CD, DIGITAL, VINYL)

Recorded to tape in a Vermont barn over five days, What of Our Nature is the result of a yearlong exploration into the life and words of Woody Guthrie by Portland, Maine’s Max García Conover and Portland, Ore.’s Haley Heynderickx. Its 10 songs form a serious work that recounts and critiques the legacies of American colonialism, inequality and consumerism through loquacious, emotionally charged folk songs. The critically acclaimed singer-songwriters first collaborated on the 2018 EP Among Horses III, confirming that their folkie natures could — and should — meld. Their laissez-faire vocal stylings produce dark, intuitive harmonies, complemented by a precision in fingerpicking. While Heynderickx and García Conover have long shared aesthetic affinities, What of Our Nature reveals a deeper alignment of political values. Released in late November, the album laid bare the artists’ discontent with American consumerism just in time for holiday shopping sprees. On “Mr. Marketer,” Heynderickx coos somewhat clinically, “The market

is crowded / they’ve started to yell,” before narrowing her gaze: “The artist is selling sad nudes of herself / saying, ‘I hope that this helps’ / ‘I can’t seem to tell.’” It’s an ominous waltz in which Heynderickx plays a disillusioned follower in the arms of faceless admen. While Guthrie’s protest music confronts discrimination head-on, much of Heynderickx’s writing nods to its vestigial legacies. Consider “to each their dot,” a song that calls to mind the bubble sheet surveys sent by the U.S. Census Bureau to collect population data. In the chorus, Heynderickx recasts the album’s title as a soft indictment of hierarchical racial categories before acquiescing a response: “to each their color and to each their dot.” “Fluorescent Light,” however, sharpens its lyrical symbolism through a catchy melodic refrain, resulting in a hypnotic reverie of protest-adjacent pop. The album’s most commercial track, it also serves as the lead single. The second single, “Boars,” carries the taut propulsion of a driver eyeing an almost empty fuel gauge. Here García Conover channels Guthrie’s pointed approach to protest music, and on “Cowboying,” he depicts an American psyche both afflicted and pacified by greed. The two songwriters alternate tracks, producing an

album that feels more assembled than sculpted. Despite its unevenness, What of Our Nature earns its weight as a tool for political education. García Conover’s “Buffalo, 1981” and “Song for Alicia” recount moments of political suppression in stark detail, from Ronald Reagan’s dismantling of the PATCO strike to the imprisonment of Armed Forces of National Liberation member Alicia Rodríguez. “Now the same parade’s been happening,” he sings on the former track. “We could’ve made protected classes of the masses of the poor.” Throughout the album, a patchwork of politically attuned perspectives emerges — some of those views are rooted in recent history, while others are suffused with a sense of directionless unease blooming into full-on angst. Heynderickx and García Conover offer an atmospheric collection of protest songs steeped in present-day ennui — the feeling of being informed, disillusioned and present within a fractured society. While their songs don’t speak truth to power in quite the same way as Guthrie’s, Heynderickx and García Conover articulate what it feels like to be here now. Catch them at Higher Ground Ballroom in South Burlington on April 8. What of Our Nature is available on all streaming platforms. XENIA TURNER

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open mics & jams

SUN.18

Olde Time Jam Session (open jam) at the Den at Harry’s Hardware, Cabot, noon. 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 (trivia) at Rí Rá Irish Pub & Whiskey Room, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free. Trivia (trivia) at Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

TUE.20

Doug’s Open Mic (open mic) at Two Heroes Brewery & Public House, South Hero, 6 p.m. Free.

THU.15

Country Line Dancing (line dancing) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 7:30 p.m. Free.

Open Mic Tuesdays with Dan and Dan (open mic) at Jay Peak Resort, 5 p.m. Free.

FRI.16 // CONNOR YOUNG [JAZZ, FOLK]

Young at Heart Burlington composer, trumpeter and music educator CONNOR YOUNG has been a leading light in the Green Mountain jazz scene since graduating

from McGill University in Montréal in 2018. He released the relatively straightforward jazz

THU.15

following year. The sprawling, 33-track record saw Young mix indie folk with his jazz roots

record Flight of the Starlings in 2023 but took something of a detour with From Me to You the to dazzling effect. From Me to You Vol. 2 dropped in early January, establishing Young as a true auteur who played every note, as well as recorded, mixed and mastered the album. To celebrate the release, he plays Light Club Lamp Shop in Burlington on Friday, January 16. FRI.16

Bob Marley (comedy) at Paramount Theatre, Rutland, 7:30 p.m. $40/$45.

Chad Daniels (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 6:30 & 8:30 p.m. $30.

SAT.17

Andy Haynes (comedy) at the Mill, Westport, N.Y., 7 p.m. $30/$35.

Trivia with Craig Mitchell (trivia) at Monkey House, Winooski, 7 p.m. Free. 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.

Karaoke (karaoke) at Rí Rá Irish Pub & Whiskey Room, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free.

Trivia Tuesday (trivia) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 7 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.

FRI.16

Trivia with Brain (trivia) at Charlie-O’s World Famous, Montpelier, 8 p.m. Free.

TUE.20

Don Mahogany Third Thursday Trivia (trivia) at Butter Bar & Kitchen, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

$5 Improv Night (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Michael Blaustein (comedy) at Flynn Main Stage, Burlington, 7 p.m. $37-$100.50.

Retro Game Night (gaming) at the Den at Harry’s Hardware, Cabot, 6 p.m. Free.

Trivia (trivia) at Alfie’s Wild Ride, Stowe, 7 p.m. Free.

Monday Night Open Mic (open mic) at Pearl Street Pub, Essex Junction, 6 p.m. Free.

Live, Laugh, Lava: A Comedy Showcase (comedy) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 7 p.m. $5.

MON.19

Karaoke with Autumn (karaoke) at Monopole, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 9 p.m. Free.

Bluegrass Etc. Jam with Ben Kogan (bluegrass jam session) at Ottauquechee Yacht Club, Woodstock, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Chad Daniels (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. $30.

Venetian Karaoke (karaoke) at Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

WED.14

MON.19

WED.14

Trivia (trivia) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 5:30 p.m. Free.

trivia, karaoke, etc.

SpeakEazy Storytelling Open Mic (storytelling open mic) at Old Soul Design Shop, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 7 p.m. Free.

comedy

Sunday Funday (games) at 1st Republic Brewing, Essex, noon. Free.

All That Jazz Open Mic Comedy (comedy) at the 126, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

Open Mic (open mic) at Poultney Pub, 7 p.m. Free.

Family-Friendly Karaoke (karaoke) at Old Soul Design Shop, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 5 p.m. Free.

TUE.20

WED.14

WED.21

SUN.18

Chad Daniels (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 6:30 (SOLD OUT) & 8:30 p.m. $30.

COURTESY

CONTINUED FROM P.51

WED.21

Karaoke with Autumn (karaoke) at Monopole, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 9 p.m. Free.

Boogie Bingo (bingo, DJ) at the Alchemist, Waterbury, 5 p.m. Free.

Trivia (trivia) at Alfie’s Wild Ride, Stowe, 7 p.m. Free.

‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Viewing Party (watch party) at Einstein’s Tap House, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

Trivia (trivia) at Rí Rá Irish Pub & Whiskey Room, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free. ➆

Trivia with Taylor (trivia) at the Den at Harry’s Hardware, Cabot, 6 p.m. Free.

SAT.17

Queeraoke with Goddess (karaoke) at Standing Stone Wines, Winooski, 9 p.m. Free.

say you saw it in

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Heading North this Winter? Find our stories about Québec for Vermont travelers in print and at: sevendaysvt.com/quebec. SPONSORED BY:

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SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 14-21, 2026

9/16/25 8:14 AM

calendar J A N U A R Y

Library, Williston, 6 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 878-4918.

WED.14 activism

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

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

CRAFTER EVENING: COLLAGE AND SIP: Do crafternoons not work for your schedule? Get creative while enjoying a nonalcoholic beverage — after dark! Dorothy Alling Memorial

1 4 - 2 1 ,

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.

DOWNTOWN LIGHTS: The heart of the Queen City gets a glow-up with enchanting projections across local landmarks, an illuminated tower sculpture in City Hall Park and twinkling lights galore. Various Burlington locations, dusk. Free. Info, 865-7166. TOASTMASTERS OF GREATER BURLINGTON: Those looking to strengthen their speaking and leadership skills gain new tools. Virtual option available. Generator Makerspace,

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 are written by Rebecca Driscoll. Spotlights were written by Angela Simpson. 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.

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 14-21, 2026

2 0 2 6

Burlington, 6-7:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 233-4157.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the on screen section. NXT ROCKUMENTARY FILM SERIES: ‘NO DIRECTION HOME: BOB DYLAN’: Viewers take in part one of Martin Scorsese’s 2005 music documentary chronicling the famed folk singer’s unusual evolution. Next Stage Arts, Putney, 7 p.m. $8. Info, 387-0102.

food & drink

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 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: ‘WAYS TO MAXIMIZE PLEASURE’: 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.

language

ELL CLASSES: Fletcher Free Library invites learners of all abilities to

FIND MORE LOCAL EVENTS IN THIS ISSUE AND ONLINE: art Find visual art exhibits and events in the Art section and at sevendaysvt.com/art.

film See what’s playing 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

practice written and spoken English with trained instructors. 6:30-8 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, bshatara@burlingtonvt.gov.

lgbtq

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.

seminars

SUSTAINING THE RENT WORKSHOP: The Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity helps tenants financially prepare and access resources to meet their housing needs. Noon-1:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 660-3456.

sports

GREEN MOUNTAIN TABLE TENNIS CLUB: Ping-Pong players swing their paddles in singles and doubles matches. Rutland Area Christian School, 7-9 p.m. Free for first two sessions; $30 annual membership. Info, 247-5913.

talks

BIRDING ADVENTURES WITH CHIP & SAM DARMSTADT: Wellknown Vermont birders inspire with stories of their trips and share tips for those interested in traveling to observe avian species. South Burlington Public Library Auditorium, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 316-0549. WINTER ZOOM SERIES: JOHN RAGOSTA: In “Thomas Jefferson: A Leader,” a historian dives into the fraught legacy of one of America’s founding fathers. Hosted by Vermont Humanities. 7 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 262-2626.

words

ALEX ZAKARAS: A local author and University of Vermont professor discusses his radical new book, Freedom for All: What a Liberal Society Could Be. Phoenix Books, Burlington, 7 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.15 business

BOOTSTRAP LABS: ‘DEMOGRAPHIX’: BootstrapVT hosts a demographics-focused marketing and strategy boot camp designed for leaders and marketers who need to reach audiences across age groups. Hula, Burlington, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Free. Info, hello@bootstrapvt.com. HIRING2DAYVT VIRTUAL JOB FAIR: Time for a new gig? The Vermont Department of Labor offers a meet and greet

with employers from around the state. 11 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 828-4000.

climate crisis

CATCHING UP ON CLIMATE CHANGE: Meteorologist Roger Hill brings listeners up-to-date on the latest world surface conditions, temperature trends and the increasing possibility of future heat waves in our region. Jaquith Public Library, Marshfield, 6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 426-3581.

community

HOMESHARE VERMONT OPEN HOUSE: Homeowners who could benefit from some additional income drop by to meet staff, enjoy refreshments and find out about the benefits of homesharing. St. Johnsbury House Senior Living, 1-3 p.m. Free. Info, 847-529-1724.

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. 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.

etc.

DOWNTOWN LIGHTS: See WED.14. SCOTT SILVEN: ‘WONDERS’: Breathtaking illusions await at this New York Times critic’s pick, bursting with intrigue and imagination. Daryl Roth Studio Theater, Hanover N.H., 7:30-9 p.m. $35. Info, 603-646-2422.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the on screen section. ‘ANIMAL KINGDOM 3D’: Audience members are guided through an exploration of stunning animal worlds, from frozen snowy forests to the darkest depths of the ocean. Dealer.com 3D Theater, ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, noon, 2 & 4 p.m. $3-5 plus regular admission, $20-23; free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848. ‘GONE GUYS’: The eye-opening documentary spotlighting the struggles of young men draws on Richard V. Reeves’ 2022 nonfiction book, Of Boys and Men. A panel discussion follows. Highland Center for the Arts, Greensboro,

6 p.m. Free; donations accepted; preregister. Info, 533-2000. ‘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, 11 a.m., 1 & 3 p.m. $3-5 plus regular admission, $20-23; free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848. ‘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, 10:30 a.m., 12:30, 2:30 & 4:30 p.m. $3-5 plus regular admission, $20-23; free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848. ‘SPACE: THE NEW FRONTIER 3D’: Astrophiles witness history in the making — from launching rockets without fuel to building the Lunar Gateway — in this 2024 documentary narrated by Chris Pine. 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, $20-23; free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848. ‘SUMMER OF SOUL’: In his acclaimed filmmaking debut, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson documents the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, including performances by Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone and Mahalia Jackson. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 6-8 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

food & drink

SOUP & BREAD & BOOK SWAP: The bakery serves up winter comfort food and beverages while neighbors swap pre-loved books. Proceeds benefit Friends of the Fletcher Free Library. August First, Burlington, 3-7:30 p.m. Free; cost of food and drink. Info, 540-0060.

games

BRIDGE CLUB: A lively group plays a classic, tricky game in pairs. Waterbury Public Library, 12:304:30 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. WEEKLY CHESS FOR FUN: Players of all ability levels face off and learn new strategies. United Community Church,

LIST YOUR EVENT FOR FREE AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POSTEVENT

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. SEATED TAI CHI: Adina guides at-home participants — including those with limited mobility or difficulty standing — through a sequence of slow, connected movements designed to improve flexibility, range of motion and strength. 1 p.m. Sponsored by the Dorothy Alling Memorial Library. Free; register to receive Zoom link. Info, 878-4918.

language

ENGLISH CONVERSATION GROUP: Language learners make strides — and new friends — at a stress-free discussion circle. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

MANDARIN CONVERSATION CIRCLE: Volunteers from Vermont Chinese School help students learn or improve their fluency. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 11 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 846-4140. SPANISH CONVERSATION: ¿Hablas español? Conversationalists of all levels practice the romance language in a stress-free environment. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 4:30-5:30 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

talks

DAN BRAYTON: In “Ecodramaturgy and Reimagining Shakespeare for the 21st Century,” a professor of English and American literature

Powder Trip Struggling to meet your New Year’s resolution to reach 10,000 steps a day? Let Stowe skier Noah Dines inspire you. In 2024, he set the world record for the most uphill skiing in a calendar year: 3,590,097 vertical feet. That’s the equivalent of climbing Mount Everest more than 120 times, or an average of about 10,000 feet of elevation gain per day. At Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum in Stowe, Dines accepts its 2025 First Tracks Award, honoring Vermonters under age 35 who have enriched snow sports in the state. After a short film about his achievements, Dines joins ski journalist David Goodman in conversation — and hopefully shares what gets him off the couch.

‘JAY CRAVEN’S VERMONT CINEMA: HOW AND WHY?’: The acclaimed auteur shares stories from his five-decade career making place-based films in the unlikely setting of Vermont. Ferrisburgh Union Meeting Hall, 7 p.m. Free. Info, unionmeetinghall@gmail.com.

tech

‘AI MEETS NEURODIVERGENCE’: aiVermont hosts a thought-provoking conversation about how the technology could support neurodivergent users. Refreshments provided. Generator Makerspace, Burlington, 5:30 p.m. $15-20. Info, 540-0761. TECH THURSDAYS: SMARTPHONE SERIES: Participants learn how to get the most out of their iPhone and Android mobile devices. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 10:30 a.m.-noon. Free; preregister. Info, 865-7217.

words

HELEN WHYBROW: The Vermont author, editor and farmer shares her new book, The Salt Stones: Seasons of a Shepherd’s Life, detailing the challenges and rewards of farm life. Bixby Memorial Library, Vergennes, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 877-2211. MORNINGS, MUFFINS & MYSTERIES: Lit lovers link up to discuss the month’s twisty page-turner. St. Albans Free Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 524-1507. TORY HENWOOD HOEN: The author discusses her new novel, Before I Forget, an exploration of family and memory, in conversation with writer Adam White. The Norwich Bookstore, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 649-1114.

FAMILY FUN 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.14

burlington

JAN. 16 | TALKS

‘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

RED BENCH SPEAKER SERIES: FIRST TRACKS AWARD PRESENTATION: AN EVENING WITH NOAH DINES Friday, January 16, 6-8 p.m., at Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum in Stowe. $25; preregister. Info, 253-9911, vtssm.org.

Noah Dines

FRI.16 business

LEARNING FROM PRACTITIONERS: MERGERS: The Vermont Community Leadership Network hosts a virtual informational session on business mergers. Registration required. Noon. Free. Info, 223-6091.

dance

and collaborators features a cycle of seven performance works that explore the nature of dance in conversation with forms outside itself. AVA Gallery and Art Center, Lebanon N.H., 5-7 p.m. Free. Info, 603-448-3117.

etc.

DOWNTOWN LIGHTS: See WED.14. SCOTT SILVEN: ‘WONDERS’: See THU.15.

‘NOVEL FORMATS ON-SITE’: A new project by Rachel Bernsen

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, $2023; 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. MAGNATILE MASTERPIECES: Architects ages 3 and up build imaginative creations with magnetic toys. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 10-10:45 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. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 5-6 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140. 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: Film buffs ages 6 and up grab popcorn and watch a 2025 movie in which four kids are pulled into a popular world-building computer game. Brownell Library,

fairs & festivals

YANKEE SPORTSMAN’S CLASSIC: Hunting and fishing enthusiasts scope out three days of exhibitors, seminars, demos, talks, turkey calling competitions and kids’ activities. See calendar spotlight. Champlain Valley Exposition, Essex Junction, noon6 p.m. $5-13; free for kids under 3. Info, 238-7501.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the on screen section.

Essex Junction, 3:30 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 books. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, 1-2 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

FILE: CARTER CLARK

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.

talks with members of Australia’s One Step at a Time Like This theater company about connections between the Bard’s storytelling and the current climate moment. Mahaney Arts Center, Middlebury College, 4:30-5:45 p.m. Free. Info, 443-5601.

‘ANIMAL KINGDOM 3D’: See THU.15. ‘NO OTHER CHOICE’: Director Park Chan-wook crafts a fable about the cutthroat nature of contemporary work culture. Film House, Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington, 4 & 7 p.m. $6-12. Info, 660-2600. ‘OCEAN PARADISE 3D’: See THU.15. ‘SEA MONSTERS 3D: A PREHISTORIC ADVENTURE’: See THU.15. FRI.16

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THU.15

burlington

‘CHAMP: AMERICA’S LAKE MONSTER’: See WED.14. 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. DADS & KIDS: FLY-TYING WORKSHOP: An expert angler leads a workshop for fathers and their children that includes a hot dog dinner. The Guild Hall, Burlington, 5-7 p.m. Free. Info, 318-4231. GROW PRESCHOOL YOGA: Colleen from Grow Prenatal and Family Yoga leads kids ages 2 to 5 in songs, movement and other fun activities. Fletcher Free THU.15 SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 14-21, 2026

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calendar « P.55

‘SPACE: THE NEW FRONTIER 3D’: See THU.15.

food & drink

ADVENTURE DINNER COZY & CANDLELIT SERIES: RAMEN NIGHT: Wintertime beverages, twinkling lights and candles accentuate a comforting multicourse feast highlighting the umami Japanese noodle dish. Adventure Dinner Clubhouse, Colchester, 6-9 p.m. $75. Info, christine@adventuredinner.com.

games

DUPLICATE BRIDGE GAMES: See THU.15, 10 a.m. MAH-JONGG: It’s not just for old ladies! Tile traders of all experience levels gather for a rousing game. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 1-3 p.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

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.

lgbtq

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 styles and genres. The Brandon Inn, 7-8 p.m. Free. Info, 747-8300. ATHENAEUM MUSIC IN THE ART GALLERY CONCERT SERIES: The Northeast Kingdom’s Autumn Chamberlain combines singer-songwriter vibes with sweet pop tunes. St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, 1-2 p.m. Free. Info, 748-8291. COLIN MCCAFFREY’S WHAT NOT STRING BAND: The award-winning Vermont singer-songwriter helms an evening of country, bluegrass, swing and traditional fiddle tunes, all with an emphasis on spontaneity. Seven Stars Arts Center, Sharon, 7-9 p.m. $20-25. Info, 763-2334. NAHRE SOL: The classically trained composing pianist and

viral YouTube sensation plays diverse tunes from chamber music to ambient soundscapes, including original works. See calendar spotlight. Robison Concert Hall, Mahaney Arts Center, Middlebury College, 7:30 p.m. $5-30. Info, 443-3169.

COURTESY

FRI.16

JAN. 16 | MUSIC

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, 4:40-6:30 p.m. $7-12; $5 for members; free for kids 2 and under. Info, 457-2355.

talks

ARCHITECTURE + WELL BEING SERIES: AARON CAYER: An assistant professor of architecture from California State Polytechnic University discusses the impacts of built environments on health. Chaplin Hall Gallery, Northfield, 1 p.m. Free. Info, 485-2902. RED BENCH SPEAKER SERIES: FIRST TRACKS AWARD PRESENTATION: AN EVENING WITH NOAH DINES: The world record holder for the most human-powered vertical feet skied in a single calendar year is honored for his astonishing accomplishments before a screening of a short film about his journeys and a conversation with ski journalist David Goodman. See calendar spotlight. Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum, Stowe, 6 p.m. $25; preregister. Info, 253-9911.

tech

MORNING TECH HELP: Experts answer questions about phones, laptops, e-readers and other devices in one-on-one sessions. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 846-4140.

theater

A MORTAL THING: Lost Nation Theater and the Montpelier Performing Arts Hub present a playful sequel to William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Montpelier City Hall, 7 p.m. $15-50. Info, 798-6717.

SAT.17

community

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

BERLIN CONTRA DANCE: Dancers of all ages and abilities learn at a gathering that encourages joy, laughter and friendship. Bring clean, soft-soled shoes. See website for callers and bands. Capital

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 14-21, 2026

Nahre Sol

Key Change What would it sound like if Johann Sebastian Bach composed an iPhone ringtone? What if George Gershwin had written Nintendo’s Super Mario Bros. theme song? Classically trained pianist and composer Nahre Sol has amassed more than 800,000 YouTube subscribers and 75 million views answering those kinds of musical genre-blending questions, as well as making complex musical concepts accessible to everyone. Sol brings her playfully fresh take on chamber music to Middlebury College’s Mahaney Arts Center, where she’ll perform works both original and familiar, including jazz standard “Autumn Leaves” — in the style of several heavyweight classical composers, of course.

NAHRE SOL Friday, January 16, 7:30 p.m., at Robison Concert Hall, Mahaney Arts Center, in Middlebury. $5-30. Info, 443-6433, middlebury.edu. City Grange, Berlin, 8-11 p.m. $520 sliding scale. Info, 225-8921. DANCE PARTY: Bust a move as DJ Bob Thies spins chart-topping hits, danceable bops and pop anthems of the 1980s and ‘90s. Next Stage Arts, Putney, 7:30 p.m. $10-15. Info, 387-0102. ‘HIVE’: See FRI.16.

etc.

BURLINGTON CAT SHOW: Feline fanatics enjoy educational seminars and get up close and purr-sonal with fancy breeds. DoubleTree by Hilton, South Burlington, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. $1015; free for kids under 12. Info, alhz_cat@yahoo.com. DOWNTOWN LIGHTS: See WED.14. JAM SATURDAY OPEN HOUSES: Upper Valley creatives enjoy introductory presentations by area experts and media

workshop activities that reflect their interests. Junction Arts & Media, White River Junction, 10 a.m.-noon. Free; preregister. Info, 295-6688. RHINESTONE RODEO: Saddle up! A yee haw-filled country-and-western burlesque show features top-notch performances by homegrown entertainers. Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington, 8 p.m. $20-25. Info, 540-3018. SCOTT SILVEN: ‘WONDERS’: See THU.15, 2-3:30 & 7:30-9 p.m.

fairs & festivals

YANKEE SPORTSMAN’S CLASSIC: See FRI.16, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the on screen section.

‘AGUIRRE, THE WRATH OF GOD’: Searching for the golden city of El Dorado, Spanish conquistadors journey down the Amazon River — and into the heart of darkness — in Werner Herzog’s 1972 anti-colonialist jeremiad. The Screening Room @ VTIFF, Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington, 7 p.m. $6-12. Info, 660-2600. ‘ANIMAL KINGDOM 3D’: See THU.15. ‘LOST NATION’: History buffs watch local filmmaker Jay Craven’s Revolutionary War drama about Ethan Allen and Lucy Terry Prince, set in the early upstart Republic of Vermont. A Q&A with the filmmaker follows. Martha Jane Rich Theater, Thetford Academy, 7 p.m. Free. Info, thetfordvtwelcome@gmail.com. MOUNTAINFILM ON TOUR: Outdoor sports fans gear up for a documentary film festival

showcasing stories about worldclass athletes and social justice issues. Southern Vermont Arts Center, Manchester, 7-9:30 p.m. $20. Info, 362-1405. ‘OCEAN PARADISE 3D’: See THU.15. ‘SEA MONSTERS 3D: A PREHISTORIC ADVENTURE’: See THU.15. ‘SPACE: THE NEW FRONTIER 3D’: See THU.15. ‘THE WAGES OF FEAR’: Four men attempt to transport a load of nitroglycerin through the mountains of Morocco in this suspense-filled white-knuckle classic from 1953. The Screening Room @ VTIFF, Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington, 3 p.m. $6-12. Info, 660-2600. WOODSTOCK VERMONT FILM SERIES: ‘FAR OUT: LIFE ON & AFTER THE COMMUNE’: 1960s counterculture in rural America is illuminated in this award-winning 2024 documentary blending contemporary interviews with archival footage. Billings Farm & Museum, Woodstock, 3 p.m. $1215. Info, 457-2355.

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

LIST YOUR EVENT FOR FREE AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POSTEVENT

Library, 1-5 p.m. Free. Info, judi@ waterburypubliclibrary.com.

Youth Theatre, Brattleboro, 2 p.m. $20-25. Info, 413-325-7587.

holidays

words

BEARY MAGICAL LIGHTS TOUR: Festive music accentuates this glowing winter paradise, complete with special 3D glasses that transform illuminated displays into shimmering teddy bear shapes. Vermont Teddy Bear Factory, Shelburne, 3:30-6 p.m. $10. Info, 985-1319.

music

ANA GUIGUI: See FRI.16. DRAGONBOOT STRING QUARTET: Talented young musicians based at the Juilliard School in New York City play works by Ludwig van Beethoven, Israeli-American composer Shulamit Rhan and Czech artist Leoš Janáček. Waterbury Congregational Church, 3 p.m. $35; $5 for students. Info, 244-8354. SAP LINE: A trio brings youthful energy to the traditional music of New England, Maritime Canada, Appalachia, Scotland and Ireland through impeccable three-part harmony and joyful jigs and reels. York Street Meeting House, Lyndon, 7 p.m. $15-20. Info, 748-2600. ZACCAI CURTIS QUINTET: CUBOP LIVES!: The Grammy Award-winning pianist and his celebrated Latin jazz quintet blend Afro-Cuban rhythms with the harmonic language of bebop. Vermont Jazz Center, Brattleboro, 7:30 p.m. $25-60. Info, 254-9088, ext.1.

outdoors

MOUNT ELLEN: The Burlington section of the Green Mountain Club takes experienced hikers along the Jerusalem Trail to Long Trail South to Mount Ellen. Insulated waterproof hiking boots, snowshoes and traction aids are required. Preregister by Jan. 12. Email for start time and location. Free. Info, burlington@ sectionhiker.com.

sports

WINTER SWAP: Snow sports fans find new homes for gear that might otherwise sit in the garage or end up in a landfill. Skirack, Burlington, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Free. Info, 658-3313.

talks

HOME HEALTH & HOSPICE INFO PROGRAM: Hospice nurse Julie Foy-Pack outlines common myths and misconceptions about the service and provides guidance on who qualifies and what services are included. A Q&A follows. Milton Public Library, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 893-4644.

theater

A MORTAL THING: See FRI.16, 2 p.m. ‘SWAMPED’: In its Vermont premiere, Court Dorsey’s original play tackles cultural clashes from the red/blue divide to gender fluidity and explores personal relationships as a potential path to reconciliation. New England

BIANCA STONE: The Vermont poet laureate launches her new book, The Near and Distant World, with a community cocktail hour, readings and a discussion. Town Hall Theater, Middlebury, 7-8:30 p.m. $5-20 suggested donation. Info, 382-9222. ‘THE PACIFIST’ BOOK LAUNCH: Journalist Lyn Bixby celebrates the release of his thriller about standing up to power gone bad. Burke Mountain Club, East Burke, 4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 477-3131. 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. WRITERS’ WERTFREI: Authors both fledgling and published share their work in a nonjudgmental setting. Virtual option available. Waterbury Public Library, 10 a.m.-noon. Free; preregister. Info, judi@ waterburypubliclibrary.com.

SUN.18

community

DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. REMEMBRANCE: Elected officials, community leaders and students gather to remember the life and legacy of the civil rights leader. City Hall Auditorium, Burlington, 3-5 p.m. Free. Info, 233-2404. LIBRARY LOUNGE: Free coffee and tea, light refreshments, and time spent chatting with neighbors make for a cozy afternoon of community building. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 2-4 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

etc.

BURLINGTON CAT SHOW: See SAT.17. DOWNTOWN LIGHTS: See WED.14. SCOTT SILVEN: ‘WONDERS’: See THU.15, 2-3:30 p.m.

fairs & festivals

YANKEE SPORTSMAN’S CLASSIC: See FRI.16, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the on screen section. ‘ANIMAL KINGDOM 3D’: See THU.15. ‘JOIN OR DIE’: Viewers take in Pete and Rebecca Davis’ acclaimed 2023 documentary about declining social engagement and the fate of our democracy. Next Stage Arts, Putney, 2 p.m. $10. Info, 387-0102. ‘OCEAN PARADISE 3D’: See THU.15. ‘SEA MONSTERS 3D: A PREHISTORIC ADVENTURE’: See THU.15. ‘SPACE: THE NEW FRONTIER 3D’: See THU.15.

WOODSTOCK VERMONT FILM SERIES: ‘FAR OUT: LIFE ON & AFTER THE COMMUNE’: See SAT.17.

Burlington, 4 p.m. $45. Info, 864-0471.

food & drink

WINTER SWAP: See SAT.17, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

LIL’S SUNDAY SUPPER CLUB: Italian favorites — including pasta, meatballs and negronis — abound at this cozy winter dinner. Standing Stone Wines, Winooski, 6 p.m. $60. Info, 5407160.

games

DUPLICATE BRIDGE GAMES: See THU.15, 1 p.m. GAME SHOW SUNDAYS: Experience the thrill of 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.

sports talks

JACK KELLY: In “Thomas Paine at War: The Times That Tried Men’s Souls”, a historian sheds light on the American founding father and revolutionary. Hosted by the Ethan Allen Homestead Museum. 2-3 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 864-4556. KEVIN GRAFFAGNINO: The Vermont historian draws on his deep well of knowledge — and his 2024 biography of the subject — for a public talk titled “Ira Allen and the Green Mountain Frontier” during the annual meeting of the Fair Haven Historical Society. American Legion Post 49, Fair Haven, 2 p.m. Free. Info, 720-785-3099.

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.

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.

TECH SUNDAYS: LEARN GOOGLE EMAIL: Attendees learn how to optimize their use of Google Workspace. Fletcher Free Library New North End Branch, Burlington, 10-11:15 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 865-7217.

music

theater

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. LOW LILY: A Brattleboro band brings its signature soundscape of fiddle, folk, bluegrass and Americana to the stage. Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Upper Valley, Norwich, 4 p.m. $15. Info, 649-8828. MONTHLY DRUMMING CIRCLE: Facilitator Scott leads this interactive community offering that encourages connection and empowerment through shared vibration. No experience necessary; BYO drum if you have one. Journey Together VT, Richmond, 1-4 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 858-5576. SANCTUARY MUTTS: A guitarist, a concertina player and a dobro master walk into a winter farmers market to play traditional folk, Irish and old-time country music. Plainfield Town Hall Opera House, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Info, plainfield farmersmarket@gmail.com. STORY SONGS OF THE 70S WITH TOM DIMENNA: A folk-rock act featuring the Maine-based singer-songwriter plays music by three legendary songwriters of the vinyl era: Gordon Lightfoot, Cat Stevens and Harry Chapin. Cathedral Church of St. Paul,

‘SWAMPED’: See SAT.17.

MON.19 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.

etc.

DOWNTOWN LIGHTS: See WED.14.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the on screen section. ‘ANIMAL KINGDOM 3D’: See THU.15. ‘OCEAN PARADISE 3D’: See THU.15. ‘SEA MONSTERS 3D: A PREHISTORIC ADVENTURE’: See THU.15. ‘SPACE: THE NEW FRONTIER 3D’: See THU.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.

available. Mt. Mansfield Union High School, Jericho, 6 p.m. Free. Info, 899-9970, ext. 105.

crafts

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.

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.

holidays

etc.

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. CONVOCATION KEYNOTE ADDRESS: University of Vermont professor Bindu Panikkar explores what divides and unites us with “Tuning In to Our Communities: Improving Our Collective Sensibilities of Humility, Care and Relationality.” Dion Family Student Center, Saint Michael’s College, Colchester, 5-6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 654-2588.

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.

TUE.20

climate crisis

FOLLOW THE WATER: Learn more about the Winooski River watershed and potential solutions to the climate change challenges it faces. North Branch Nature Center, Montpelier, 6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 229-6206.

community

CENTRAL VERMONT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ANNUAL MEETING: Local leaders share ideas to shape the state’s future. Central Vermont Chamber of Commerce, Berlin, 5 p.m. Free. Info, 229-5711. 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.

DOWNTOWN LIGHTS: See WED.14.

film

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. TUE.20

» P.58

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

GRATEFUL GATHERINGS: Trained facilitators Lori York and Mary Wentworth lead deep conversations exploring topics such as embracing mystery, creating joy and navigating grief. Waterbury Public Library, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, judi@ waterburypubliclibrary.com.

Find club dates at local venues in the Music + Nightlife section online at sevendaysvt.com/ music.

JERICHO REIMAGINED BUDGET REVIEW MEETING: The town selectboard presents a proposed budget for community members to review. Virtual option

= ONLINE EVENT

Learn more about highlighted listings in the Magnificent 7 on page 11.

= GET TICKETS ON SEVENDAYSTICKETS.COM

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 14-21, 2026

calendar « P.57

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.

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.

seminars

FINDING HOUSING WORKSHOP: Attendees build an apartment-search tool kit with guidance from the Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity. Noon-1 p.m. Free. Info, 660-3456. JOURNALING FOR HEALING AND CONNECTION: Author Libby Hillhouse shares the story behind her book Dementish and invites participants to start their own writing practice. St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, 1:302:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 748-8291.

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

ONE STEP AT A TIME LIKE THIS: Visiting artists from Australia’s award-winning theater company discuss their international projects and creative processes. Mahaney Arts Center, Middlebury College, 4:30-6 p.m. Free. Info, 443-6433.

tech

DROP-IN TECH SUPPORT: Library staff answer questions about devices of all kinds in face-toface sessions. Fletcher Free Library New North End Branch, Burlington, 12:30-2 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

words

film. The Norwich Bookstore, 6 p.m. Free. Info, 649-1114. ROKEBY WINTER VIRTUAL BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP: Readers discuss Flee North: A Forgotten Hero and the Fight for Freedom in Slavery’s Borderland by Scott Shane, an engrossing history of the cocreator of the first branch of the Underground Railroad. Rokeby Museum, Ferrisburgh, 6 p.m. Free. Info, 877-3406.

JAN. 16-18 | OUTDOORS

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.

WED.21 activism

VERMONT WOMEN’S MENTOR TRAINING: See WED.14.

crafts

YARN & YAK: See WED.14. YARN CRAFTERS GROUP: See WED.14.

etc.

CHAMP MASTERS TOASTMASTERS CLUB: Those looking to strengthen their speaking and leadership skills gain new tools. Virtual option available. Dealer.com, Burlington, 6-7:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, cdmvt47@yahoo.com. DOWNTOWN LIGHTS: See WED.14.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the on screen section. ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN FILM SERIES: ‘THE PAVILION ON THE WATER’: A 2023 exploration of the Japanese-inspired work of Venetian architect Carlo Scarpa ruminates on the nature of beauty and the role of an artist. Burlington City Hall Auditorium, 6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 865-7166. ‘FROM RAILS TO TRAILS’: Edward Norton narrates this 2025 documentary about the struggle to convert thousands of miles of abandoned railroads into paths for cycling and walking. A Q&A follows. Virtual option available. Film House, Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington, 6 p.m. $10 suggested donation. Info, 540-3018.

BURLINGTON LITERATURE GROUP: Over the course of seven weeks, bookworms analyze Helen DeWitt’s The Last Samurai, named one of the New York Times’ “100 Best Books of the 21st Century.” 6:30-8 p.m. Free. Info, info@nereadersandwriters. com.

NXT ROCKUMENTARY FILM SERIES: ‘NO DIRECTION HOME: BOB DYLAN’: Viewers take in part two of Martin Scorsese’s 2005 music documentary chronicling the famed folk singer’s unusual evolution. Next Stage Arts, Putney, 7 p.m. $8. Info, 387-0102.

THE DEEP CUTS BOOK CLUB: Bookish types bond over Anita Loos’ classic satire Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, the inspiration for the iconic Marilyn Monroe

COMMUNITY COOKING: See WED.14.

COURTESY OF VERMONT FISH & WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT

TUE.20

food & drink

CUPPA ON CAMPUS: See WED.14.

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 14-21, 2026

Hunter Gathering Hunting and fishing fanatics follow the call of the wild to the Yankee Sportsman’s Classic at the Champlain Valley Exposition in Essex Junction. Browse and buy from more than 100 exhibitors in between demos and seminars on topics such as whitetail tracking, fly-fishing tips, whole deer processing and fishing Lake Champlain. Kids camp out at the trout pond, turkey shoot, reptile shows and inaugural turkey calling competition. (There’s one for adults, too!) Stop by the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department’s booths for your 2026 license, then head to the great outdoors.

award-winning Vermont writers share how their lives inspired their recent meditations on place and stewardship. Town Hall Theater, Middlebury, 6:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 382-9222. THE HUMP DAY WRITING GROUP: See WED.14. ➆

YANKEE SPORTSMAN’S CLASSIC

FOMO?

Friday, January 16, noon-6 p.m.; Saturday, January 17, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; and Sunday, January 18, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., at Champlain Valley Exposition in Essex Junction. $5-15; free for kids under 3. Info, info@yankeeclassic.net, yankeeclassic.net.

Find even more local events in this newspaper and online:

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.

health & fitness CHAIR YOGA: See WED.14.

language

ELL CLASSES: See WED.14. 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

FARMERS NIGHT CONCERT SERIES: BOB WAGNER & FRIENDS: Bassist Josh Weinstein and drummer Dan Ryan join the celebrated singer-songwriter and guitarist for a night of folk, rock, blues and soul under the golden dome. House Chamber, Vermont Statehouse, Montpelier, 7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 279-5558. RECITAL SERIES: JASON MORAN: A Grammy Award-nominated jazz pianist and composer blows listeners away with a solo performance that reimagines the work of the legendary Duke Ellington. Morris Recital Hall, Hopkins Center for the Arts, Hanover N.H.,

7-8 & 9-10 p.m. $50-60. Info, 603-646-2422.

sports

GREEN MOUNTAIN TABLE TENNIS CLUB: See WED.14.

talks

SMUGGS 55+ CLUB APRÈS SPEAKER SERIES: POPPY GALL: The Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum board co-chair sheds light on the state’s lost ski areas, from Hyde Park to Cambridge. Smugglers’ Notch Resort, Jeffersonville, 1-3 p.m. Free. Info, president@smuggs55plus.com.

words

HELEN WHYBROW & ETHAN TAPPER: In “Living on the Land, Words and Practice,” two

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

LIST YOUR EVENT FOR FREE AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POSTEVENT

THU.15

FAMILY FUN

« P.55

Library, Burlington, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 863-3403. FLYNNZONE FAMILY NIGHT: SONGWRITING FOR FAMILIES: Kids and families explore a way to express emotions and tell stories. The Flynn, Burlington, 5:30 & 6:20 p.m. Free. Info, 652-4500.

chittenden county

NEW YEAR, NEW SIGN!: Teens convene to refresh the Middle Grade Hang Out Space with a new sign. Supplies provided. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 4-5 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140. PERLER BEAD OPEN STUDIO: Crafty kids ages 7 and up mix, match and fuse beads to create their own designs or follow a pattern. Essex Free Library, 4:30-6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 879-0313. 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. 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. TODDLER TIME: Wiggly wee ones ages 1 and up love this lively, interactive storybook experience featuring songs, rhymes and finger plays with Miss Valerie. 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

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.16

burlington

‘CHAMP: AMERICA’S LAKE MONSTER’: See WED.14. 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

CHILDREN’S INTERNET SAFETY: A CLASS FOR ADULTS & CAREGIVERS: Professionals from Technology for Tomorrow lead this workshop exploring the issues that kids face in their day-to-day life with internet access. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 1-2:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 846-4140. 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. ‘A MINECRAFT MOVIE’: Four misfits are pulled through a mysterious portal into a bizarre cubic wonderland in this 2025 adventure epic starring Jack Black. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 3-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140. SPANISH STORY TIME: Hola, amigos! Toddlers and their caregivers listen to stories and learn some Spanish words. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

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. 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.

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.

upper valley

mad river valley/ waterbury

northeast kingdom

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.

STORY TIME: Preschoolers take part in tales, tunes and playtime. Latham Library, Thetford, 11 a.m. Free. Info, 785-4361.

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.17 DINOSAUR SAFARI: Curious kids and families 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, $20-23; free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848.

burlington

‘AI IN OUR WORK & LIVES’: A hands-on workshop led by some of Vermont’s leading researchers helps participants explore potential benefits and concerns about the technology. Recommended for kids ages 10 to 18 and their caregivers. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 1-2:15 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403. ‘CHAMP: AMERICA’S LAKE MONSTER’: See WED.14. DADS & KIDS: BOARD GAME DAY: Fathers and their children settle in for a morning of tabletop gaming fun. RSVP required. The Guild Hall, Burlington, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 318-4231. DADS’ NIGHT OUT: SOBER SATURDAY NIGHTS: Fathers get together for a casual, substance-free night of food and games. The Guild Hall, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 318-4231. 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

ART LAB DROP-IN: SEEDPOD EXPLORATION: All ages practice observational drawing with fountain pens using an object found in nature. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6955. 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, nliuzzi@southburlingtonvt.gov.

upper valley

NOCTURNAL EXPLORERS: Test your color vision, learn about different types of after-dark light and channel the skills of local wildlife by using your senses to navigate the night. Dress in warm layers; flashlight or headlamp recommended. Vermont Institute of Natural Science, Quechee, 5 p.m. $15; $12 for members. Info, 359-5000.

northeast kingdom

SCIENTIFIC SATURDAYS: Participants explore the wonders of the natural world, from the life cycle of plants to the mysteries of animal habitats. Haskell Free Library & Opera House, Derby Line, 1-2:30 p.m. Free. Info, 888-626-2060.

SUN.18

DINOSAUR SAFARI: See SAT.17.

burlington

‘CHAMP: AMERICA’S LAKE MONSTER’: See WED.14.

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS GROUP B: Tabletop role-players ages 9 to 14 practice their craft with Andrew, the library’s dungeon master. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 12:15-3:15 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 863-3403. SUNDAY MORNING FAM JAMS: Early childhood educator and musician Alex Baron hosts an instrument-powered playgroup. The Guild Hall, Burlington, 9:30-11 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.

MON.19

Burlington, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

chittenden county

ART LAB DROP-IN: SEEDPOD EXPLORATION: See SAT.17, 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m. 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.16, 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.

northeast kingdom

LAPSIT STORY TIME: Babies 2 and under learn to love reading, 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.16.

DINOSAUR SAFARI: See SAT.17.

burlington

‘CHAMP: AMERICA’S LAKE MONSTER’: See WED.14.

chittenden county

ART LAB DROP-IN: SEEDPOD EXPLORATION: See SAT.17, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.

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

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.

WED.21 DADS’ NIGHT IN: JACKBOX GAMES: Fathers log on for virtual game night. 8:45-10 p.m. Free. Info, 318-4231. DINOSAUR SAFARI: See SAT.17, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

burlington

‘CHAMP: AMERICA’S LAKE MONSTER’: See WED.14. ART EXPLORERS: Young creatives ages 5 to 14 learn about art history and self-expression at this homeschooler-friendly program from Davis Studio. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 1-2 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 863-3403. LIBRARY LITTLES PLAYGROUP: See WED.14. STEAM SPACE: See WED.14.

chittenden county

TUE.20

ART LAB DROP-IN: SEEDPOD EXPLORATION: See SAT.17, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.

DINOSAUR SAFARI: See SAT.17.

BABY TIME: See WED.14.

burlington

GAME ON!: See WED.14.

‘CHAMP: AMERICA’S LAKE MONSTER’: See WED.14. 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. 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,

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. PLAY TIME: See WED.14. WHIMSICAL WEDNESDAYS: Kids ages 6 and up build imaginative creations with KEVA blocks. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3-6 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

barre/montpelier

BABY & CAREGIVER MEETUP: See WED.14. FAMILY CHESS CLUB: See WED.14. K

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 14-21, 2026

MORE CLASS LISTINGS ONLINE AT: SEVENDAYSVT.COM/CLASSES

classes 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 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, davis studiovt.com. VISUAL JOURNALING FOR SELFREFLECTION: Participants will experiment with art materials, trying techniques and creating personal journal pages with the invitation for self-reflection. We will be using watercolor, collage and mark-making, and other art tools in a relaxed and welcoming setting at the North Hero House Event Barn. Discounted room rates available if you’d like to spend the night. Date: Jan. 17, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Cost: $115; all materials, lunch, coffee, tea & water, & morning snack incl. Location: North Hero House Inn & Restaurant, 3643 Route 2, North Hero. Info: Carol Egan, 802-8818596, sunjoy.carol@gmail.com. WOODWORKING CLASSES: HIGH WORK STOOL IN CHERRY AND ASH: Participants will learn design and joinery techniques that will get them started in chair making. Designed to accommodate beginning woodworkers, this class will also challenge those with experience. We will rough out parts with various machine tools and then spend a lot of time

shaping parts on the shaving horse using hand planes and spoke shaves. After two days, students will go home with a graceful yet sturdy high work stool in cherry and ash. Dates: Jan. 31 & Feb. 1, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Cost: $450, incl. materials. Location: Workshop of Timothy Clark, cabinetmaker & chairwright, 2111 Green St., Waltham. Info: 802-989-3204, tim@timothyclark.com, timothyclark.com. GREEN MOUNTAIN PHOTOGRAPHIC WORKSHOPS: FIVE-WEEK INTRO TO DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY CLASS: During this five-week intensive, smallgroup class, we’ll explore the fundamentals of digital photography with longtime professional photographer and educator Kurt

Budliger. We’ll delve into what makes an image good — or, dare I say, great. Most importantly we’ll learn practical skills and techniques for making better and more personally expressive and meaningful images regardless of whether we’re using a smartphone or a state-of-the-art professional-level DSLR camera. The class will feature five in-person sessions utilizing slideshow presentations, hands-on practice activities, and the sharing of and feedback on student work made during the week. Yes, there will be assignments ... but no grades. The only way to learn and improve as a photographer is by doing photography. Topics covered include how digital cameras work; smartphone versus compact versus digital SLR; what makes a photograph great; controlling exposure, ISO, shutter speed, aperture, histograms, exposure and compensation; reading and using light (types, quality and character) for more engaging images; photographic composition and design; the visual language of photography; sharpness and depth of field; better portraits; landscape and nature photography basics; and an introduction to post processing using Adobe Lightroom Classic. Dates: Saturdays, Jan. 17-Feb. 14, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Cost: $595. Location: Kurt Budliger Photography Gallery & Studio, 961 Route 2, Middlesex, on the green at Camp Meade. Info: 802-272-5328, info@kurtbudligerphotography. com, greenmtnphotoworkshops. com.

food & drink COOKING FOR THE CHINESE NEW YEAR: To celebrate the upcoming Lunar New Year, the Vermont Chinese School will be making jiaozi and sesame balls and hosting a cooking demonstration and sampling of nian gao. We will also have an opportunity to learn basic traditional paper cutting. The deadline for class registration is Jan. 17. Date: Sat., Jan. 24, 2-4:30 p.m. Cost: $40. Location: Brand Hall, Faith United Methodist Church, 899 Dorset St., S. Burlington. Info, sevendaystickets.com.

language AFLCR FRENCH LANGUAGE AND CULTURE CLASSES: We offer standard language classes for adult learners through the advanced-intermediate level plus a variety of specialty courses, including Francophone Literature, Québec French and Paris: Night and Day. Dates: Jan. 12-Feb. 27, mostly afternoons and evenings. Cost: $215 for seven 90-min. classes. Location: Alliance Française of the Lake Champlain Region, 43 King St., Burlington, or online. Info: 802-777-9365, education@aflcr.org, aflcr.org.

BEGINNER FRENCH.2 WINGSPAN SCHOOL AND STUDIO Parlez-vous français? You will now! Due to high demand, we’ve added another section of Beginner French. Allons-y for a fulfilling start to the year with engaging activities, new connections and a strong foundation in French. Learning a new language nourishes the brain and opens doors to other cultures. Wingspan’s encouraging, interactive classes are ideal for brand-new learners and those returning after years — or decades. Classes are held in our cozy Burlington South End school and art studio, welcoming diverse learning styles in a neuroinclusive, flexible environment. Instructor Madame Maggie, a Vermont-licensed French educator, brings decades of experience, with study and work in Paris and Cameroon. Private

IN A WELCOMING & INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT

REDUCES BACK PAIN BUILDS STRENGTH

BETTER SLEEP

HELPS REDUCE ANXIETY & STRESS

1 MARKET PL. #16, ESSEX JCT. @SOULSHINEVT

OVER 50 CLASSES TO CHOOSE FROM WEEKLY: BEGINNERS, GENTLE, RESTORATIVE, YIN, POWER AND INFERNO HOT PILATES

AIKIDO: THE POWER OF HARMONY — GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE: Beginners’ classes five days a week. Cultivate core power, aerobic fitness and resiliency. The 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.

Find and purchase tickets for these and other classes at sevendaystickets.com.

= TICKETED CLASS

MEMBERSHIPS STARTING AT $49/MONTH $49/M / ONTH !! /M TWO CONVENIENT LOCATIONS:

OOM (MIND) YUNG (BODY) DOE (HARMONY): Oom Yung Doe, the Grandmaster Iron Kim style, is “8 Complete Martial Arts Taught as One.” Essential training includes kong fu, tai chi, bagua chung, kong su (tae twon do), ship pal gae (18 weapons), kom do (samurai sword), udo (flexible way/ Korean-style jujitsu) and aikido/ hapkido. Benefits of training include stress release, improved balance, increased energy, better circulation, mental calmness, improved physical well-being and overall health, increased focus and self-discipline, and the confidence that you can go anywhere and do anything. Offering classes for children, juniors and adults, plus dedicated tai chi. Try it for free! Open 6 days/week. Location: 1127 North Ave. #25, Burlington. Info: Inst. Wade Prescott, 802495-6034, inst.wade@gmail. com, schools.oomyungdoe.com/ vermont.

Find, fix and feather with Nest Notes — an e-newsletter filled with home design, Vermont real estate tips and DIY decorating inspirations.

IMPROVED RANGE OF MOTION

100 CHURCH ST, 3RD FLOOR @SOULSHINEDOWNTOWN

martial arts

obsessed?

E XPERIENCE T HE B ENEFITS EXPERIENCE THE BENEFITS O F H EATED Y OGA OF HEATED YOGA

FLEXIBILITY

lessons available. For youths and adults. Dates: 6-week session starts Jan. 20, 5-6:30 p.m. Cost: $220. Location: Wingspan Studio & School, 4A Howard St., Burlington. Info: 802-233-7676, maggiestandley@gmail.com, wingspanstudioeduc.com.

Sponsored by:

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.

LESSONS, CASTING, REHEARSAL SPACE

Jobs »

NO SCAMS, ALL LOCAL, POSTINGS DAILY

NEW STUFF ONLINE EVERY DAY! PLACE YOUR ADS 24-7 AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/CLASSIFIEDS. SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 14-21, 2026

Post ads by Monday at 3 p.m. sevendaysvt.com/classifieds Need help? 802-865-1020, ext. 115 classifieds@sevendaysvt.com Info, 802-238-9574, reedobrien@aol.com.

Buy y & Sell e

HOME & GARDEN BERNINA Q16 LONGARM QUILTING MACHINE W/ ADJUSTABLE TABLE & ACCESSORIES The Bernina Q16 Longer Quilting Machine is a high-quality, computerized sewing machine designed specifically for quilting. Made in Switzerland by the renowned brand Bernina, this machine is perfect for quilting enthusiasts looking for precision & ease of use. The adjustable table allows for customized positioning, while the included accessories provide everything you need to create beautiful, intricate quilts w/ ease. Great condition, used very little. Please see photos & email w/ any questions prior to purchase. Stitch count reads 220886. $5,900.

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.

Community C ommunity mmuni y

ANNOUNCEMENTS WINTER RETREAT WEEKEND If you’ve been craving a pause, this is your invitation to slow down, breathe deeply & reconnect. Your nervous system will definitely thank you. Info, 802-858-5576, journeytogethervt@ gmail.com, journey togethervt.com/eventdetails-registration/ winter-retreat.

PARTICIPATE IN A SOUND & WELLBEING STUDY W/ THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA We are seeking participants for a research study exploring how listening to different sound frequencies may influence mood & stress. What you’ll do: Attend 4 in-person sessions in Montpelier, VT; listen to sound frequencies w/ headphones for 20 mins.; complete questionnaires before & after each session; participate in an online interview after each session, around 45 mins. each; receive a $50 stipend upon completing all sessions. Eligibility: age 18 or older; fluency in English; normal or corrected hearing; able to travel to Montpelier on Jan. 25, Feb. 1, Feb. 8, & Feb. 15. To learn more or sign up, contact Dr. Marina Weiler at zzs2jq@ uvahealth.org.

RELIGIOUS & SPIRITUAL CHURCH ELDER Religious & spiritual. Info, 802-417-6360, spirit@jesushn.life, churchatprison.com.

CLASSIFIEDS KEY appt. appointment apt. apartment BA bathroom BR bedroom DR dining room DW dishwasher HDWD hardwood HW hot water LR living room NS no smoking OBO or best offer refs. references sec. dep. security deposit W/D washer & dryer

EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act of 1968 and similar Vermont statutes which make it illegal to advertise any preference, limitations, or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, handicap, presence of minor children in the family or receipt of public assistance, or an intention to make any such preference, limitation or a discrimination. The newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate, which is in violation of the law. Our

Musicians M cians & Ar Artists ts

MUSIC LESSONS PIANO, VOICE, TROMBONE, COMPOSING LESSONS Awarded lifetime achievement from Who’s Who in America, Scott Carter teaches at Music & Arts on Wed. & Sun. Call 802-651-1013. GUITAR INSTRUCTION All styles/levels. Emphasis on building strong technique, thorough musicianship,

readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. Any home seeker who feels he or she has encountered discrimination should contact: HUD Office of Fair Housing 10 Causeway St., Boston, MA 02222-1092 (617) 565-5309 — OR — Vermont Human Rights Commission 14-16 Baldwin St. Montpelier, VT 05633-0633 1-800-416-2010 hrc@vermont.gov

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 14-21, 2026

Buy & Sell, Community, Musicians & Artists, Vehicles 1-week combo: $12 All print combos include 2-week combo: $22 30 days free online! 4-week combo: $42

developing personal style. Paul Asbell (Big Joe Burrell, Kilimanjaro, UVM & Middlebury College faculty, Seven Daysies winner). Info, 802-233-7731, pasbell@ paulasbell.com.

Rentals R e als & R al Est Real Estate Esta

APARTMENTS & HOUSES FOR RENT ESSEX JCT. STUDIO APT. 48 Cascade St. Furnished 320-sq.ft. 1-BR, 1-BA. Charming studio in great neighborhood. Freshly painted walls, large closet, separate entrance & separate driveway. Landlord pays heat, electricity, water, trash. Terrific location, near Global Foundries & IBM. Near the bus route, too. Well-kept property w/ many mature trees & Cascade Park w/ pickleball courts, baseball field & basketball court. There are open fields all around this location for nature walks. Also a short walk to 5 Corners & lots of restaurants there. Landlord lives on the other side of the party wall. Furnished. Responsible landlords. $1,450/mo. Info, 802-324-0930, boutinsconstruction@ comcast.net. 1-, 2- & 3-BR APTS. AVAIL. NOW 31 S. Willard St., Burlington. Unfurnished 1-BR, $900/mo. We pay cold water, haul trash & deal w/ driveway. 2-BR, $1,600/mo. Heated, off-street parking for 1 vehicle in driveway. We pay cold water; tenant pays other utils. Extraroomy 3-BR, $1,700/ mo. Heated. We pay cold water; tenants pay other utils. $1,700/mo. Call Joe at 802-318 8916. COZY 1-BR APT. FOR RENT IN WINOOSKI Unfurnished 1-BR, 1-BA in Winooski. HDWD. 2 enclosed porches, front & back. Fenced-in yard. NS. Private parking. Very clean. Cats OK. Pictures upon request. Showings by appt. only. Avail. now. $1,500/mo. Info, 802-355-4099, skyhorse205@yahoo. com. 2-BR/1-BA APT. FOR RENT 86 Lafountain St., Burlington. Unfurnished

700-sq.ft. 2-BR, 1-BA avail. for rent in the Old North End. Spacious BRs, large kitchen, lots of storage & full of natural light. 2 porches for plenty of outdoor enjoyment. Fantastic neighborhood w/ 1st-floor living. Close to the bus line. Heat, HW & gas incl. Street parking. NS. Pets negotiable. 1-year lease, 1st month’s rent & sec. dep. req. $1,800. Info, 802-318-6075, 86lafountainstreet@ gmail.com. BURLINGTON STUDIO APT. W/ DECK Unfurnished 350-sq.ft. 1-BR, 1-BA at 72B Ward St. in Burlington. Welcome to your cozy retreat in the heart of Burlington! This charming studio duplex offers the perfect blend of comfort & convenience, making it an ideal space for anyone looking to enjoy all that this vibrant city has to offer. W/ 350 sq.ft. of welldesigned living space, this studio features a nice kitchen equipped w/ a refrigerator, gas range, microwave & exhaust hood, perfect for whipping up your favorite meals; a clean & stylish BA for your daily routines; & a handy storage unit to keep your belongings organized & out of sight. This property is just a stone’s throw away from local shops, restaurants & parks, making it a prime spot for those who love to explore. Please note that while cats are not allowed, this pet-free environment ensures a peaceful living experience. $1,450. Info, 802-355-8897, boutinsconstruction@ comcast.net. BURLINGTON/ DOWNTOWN: Brand-new 1- & 2-BR apts. for rent at 131 Church St. Avail. now. Amenities: A/C, keyless entry, W/D in unit & more. Efficient & cozy. Rent starting at $2,200/mo. + utils. Call 802-391-9089. 1-, 2- & 3-BR BURLINGTON APTS. AVAIL. NOW, NO PETS, 1-YR. LEASE Unfurnished, 1-BR, 1-BA apt. on Hyde St., $995/ mo. Tenants pay all utils.; we pay cold water, haul the trash & take care of the driveway. Heated 2nd-floor 2-BR, $1,950/ mo. Tenants pay utils. Heated 2nd-floor 3-BR w/ laundry, $2,250. Call 802-318-8916 or email jcintl0369@gmail.com. NEWLY RENOVATED IN S. BURLINGTON Nice 2-BR upstairs apt., close to everything. W/D, 2 porches, shared backyard. $2,100/

mo. incl. utils. Lease & deposit. Info, 802-7346469, carpentier2iby@ gmail.com.

COMMERCIAL & OFFICE RENTALS COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE CHEF-OWNER/ OPERATING PARTNER — NEW RESTAURANT BUILD IN CHARLOTTE, VT Operator wanted — Charlotte, Vt. Seeking an experienced restaurant operator for a fully rebuilt historic tavern at 2760 Spear St., Charlotte. 120-seat destination opportunity (80-seat house + 40-seat barn under construction) serving a strong, year-round local market. Owner is a developer/builder & will assist w/ fit-up. Flexible lease or partnership structures avail. $18,000. Info: 802-999-2995, jonathantmaguire@ gmail.com.

Rentals & Real Estate 1-week combo: $25 2-week combo: $45 4-week combo: $85

2 Bed, 1 Bath Home on 0.11 Acres in Rutland, VT

LIVE AUCTION: Thurs., Jan. 22 @ 3PM OPEN HOUSE: Fri., Jan. 9 from 11AM-1PM

108 S. Main St., Rutland, VT 05701

Offered at auction is a 2-bedroom, 1-bath, two-story home with solar panels, set on 0.11± acres in the City of Rutland, Vermont. Built in 1900, the home features approximately 1,008 square feet of living space and offers excellent potential for investors, renovators, or owner-occupants seeking a project with long-term value. THCAuction.com  802-888-4662

HOMES FOR SALE HOUSEMATES

12v-hirchakbrothers011426 1

WAITSFIELD, VT., AFFORDABLE HOMEOWNERSHIP IN THE MAD RIVER VALLEY (FSBO) 4125 Main St., Unit 6, Waitsfield. I’m the current owner of a 932-sq. ft. 2-BR, 1-BA condo in downtown Waitsfield, Vt., & I’m selling it through Downstreet’s sharedequity homeownership program. This is a for sale by owner listing, w/ Downstreet supporting the affordability structure & buyer process. The condo is located in a historic former schoolhouse on Main St. & is walkable to cafés, shops, trails & community life. Home details: 930 sq.ft., bright & well laid-out, 2 BR, 1 full BA, inunit W/D & DW. Centrally located in the Mad River Valley. The price reflects Downstreet’s shared-equity model, which keeps the home affordable long-term. It’s ideal for someone looking to put down roots, not flip a property. This could be a great fit for people relocating to Vermont, remote workers, downsizers or anyone wanting an accessible path to ownership in a tight housing market. I’m happy to answer questions, share photos or connect interested buyers w/ Downstreet for eligibility details. $159,000. Info, 802793-7704, eloisereid@ gmail.com, downstreet. org/4125-main-street.

Services 1-week combo: $15 2-week combo: $25 4-week combo: $45

LIVE THE ISLAND LIFE! 1-BR, 1-BA in S. Hero. Active, outdoorsy mom w/ a 10-y/old kid offering a home to share in the beautiful Champlain Islands. Share a warm family atmosphere & some time w/ a funloving kid on occasion! 30 mins. from UVM. $650/ mo. A well-behaved pet would be considered. W/D, shared BA. Info, 802-863-5625, ric@ homesharevermont.org. See homesharevermont. org for info & application. Interview, refs. & background checks req. EHO. LOVELY HOUSEMATE IN S. BURLINGTON Attractive 1-BR, 1-BA townhome in S. Burlington to share w/ well-traveled senior woman who enjoys film, volunteering, exercise & educational events. Hoping to find a housemate to cook a couple of meals each week & enjoy dinner together! $650/ mo., all utils. incl. A small dog would be considered. Info, 802-863-5625, ric@ homesharevermont.org. Visit homesharevermont. org for info & application. Interview, refs. & background checks req. EHO.

VACATION RENTALS BAHAMAS VACATION IN BEAUTIFUL ELEUTHERA Tired of winter already? Eleuthera is a “fun in the sun” kind of place. Pink sand beaches on the Atlantic side & white powdery sand on the sea side. Friendly people,

tons of places to explore. Our historical (150+1/9/26 3:47 PM y/o) 3-BR, 2-BA house overlooks Governor’s Harbour, the “capital” of Eleuthera, w/ gorgeous sunsets from our porch. Book now for the best times! $200/night. Call for more details. Info, 802-733-8018, seagrace@charter.net.

Services rv es

HEALTH & WELLNESS INTEGRATIVE HEALTH & WELLNESS COACHING Kickstart 2026 w/ me as your board-certified wellness coach! We will connect over 3 mos. for 6 sessions. This package is flexible, virtual & clientdriven. Email me directly for a free consultation to get healthier & get glowing! Info, lucyb customerservice@gmail. com, lucysbodacious beauty.com.

HOME & GARDEN CONTRACTING/LABOR Books for 2026 are open. Handyman, contracting & labor avail. for all your home needs! Info, 802777-3086, 802ivlabor@ gmail.com.

LEGALS »

Calcoku SEVENDAYSVT.COM/CLASSIFIEDS »

Using the enclosed math operations as a guide, fill the grid using the numbers 1 - 6 only once in each row and column.

10+

12x

numbers 1-9 only once in each row, column and 3 x 3 box.

9 5 4 8

48x

313+

8 9 4

33÷

Difficulty - Medium

CALCOKU

DIFFICULTY THIS WEEK: HH

3 5 2

7 3 4

5 2 3 1 6 4 crossword 2

There’s no limit to ad length online.

WANT MORE PUZZLES? Try these online news games from Seven Days at sevendaysvt.com/games.

3 5

Put your knowledge of Vermont news to the test.

5 7 Difficulty: Hard

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.

Extra! Extra!

NEW ON FRIDAYS:

No. 927

SUDOKU

BY JOSH REYNOLDS

5 1 6 3

24x

Open 24/7/365.

Post & browse ads Complete the following puzzle by using the at your convenience. 6 photos per ad online.

11+

42-

Show and tell. Sudoku View and post up to

See how fast you can solve this weekly 10-word puzzle.

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 5 3 8 1 9 2 4 6 7 the numbers one to nine. The same numbers cannot 9 2be repeated 6 5 in4a row7 or column. 1 8 3

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7 4 ON 1 P.64 8 6 3 5 2 9 ANSWERS H3= MODERATE 8 9 2HH7= CHALLENGING 4 6 1 H5HH = HOO, BOY! 1 6 4 3 APT OMISSION 2 7 5 9 ANSWERS ON P. 64 » 8 5 7 6 4 9 2 7 6 1 3 4

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mini-sawit-white2024.indd 1

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 14-21, 2026

7/31/24 4:41 PM

Legal Notices PROPOSED STATE RULES By law, public notice of proposed rules must be given by publication in newspapers of record. The purpose of these notices is to give the public a chance to respond to the proposals. The public notices for administrative rules are now also available online at https://secure.vermont.gov/SOS/rules/ . The law requires an agency to hold a public hearing on a proposed rule, if requested to do so in writing by 25 persons or an association having at least 25 members. To make special arrangements for individuals with disabilities or special needs please call or write the contact person listed below as soon as possible. To obtain further information concerning any scheduled hearing(s), obtain copies of proposed rule(s) or submit comments regarding proposed rule(s), please call or write the contact person listed below. You may also submit comments in writing to the Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules, State House, Montpelier, Vermont 05602 (802-828-2231). _____ Unemployment Insurance Self-Employment Assistance Program. Vermont Proposed Rule: 25P049 AGENCY: Department of Labor CONCISE SUMMARY: This addition to the Employment Security Board Rules, implements provisions of § 1340a regarding Self-Employment Assistance Program that is paid through the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund. The rule adds procedure for application of benefits through the Employment Assistance Program, as well as what criteria will be considered by the Commissioner in determining eligibility and whether to approve the program. It contains definitions, outlines the application process, and criteria for approval as well as termination from the program. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Robert L. Depper III, General Counsel, Vermont Department of Labor, 5 Green Mountain Drive, P.O. Box 488, Montpelier, VT 05602 Tel: 802-522-8669 E-Mail:

PLACE AN AFFORDABLE NOTICE AT: SEVENDAYSVT.COM/LEGAL-NOTICES OR CALL 802-865-1020, EXT. 121.

robert.depper@vermont.gov URL: https://labor. vermont.gov. FOR COPIES: Jared Adler, Staff Attorney, Vermont Department of Labor, 5 Green Mountain Drive, P.O. Box 488, Montpelier, VT 05602 Tel: 802-863-7294 Email: jared.adler@vermont.gov.

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.

STATE OF VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT PROBATE DIVISION CHITTENDEN UNIT DOCKET NO.:25-PR-01226

Locations of the work are as follows:

In re ESTATE of Sergei Collins Ushakov (a.k.a. Sergei Vyacheslavovich Ushakov) NOTICE TO CREDITORS To the creditors of: Sergei Collins Ushakov (a.k.a. Sergei Vyacheslavovich Ushakov), late of Burlington, Vermont. I have been appointed to administer this estate. All creditors having claims against the decedent or the estate must present their claims in writing within four (4) months of the date of the first publication of this notice. The claim must be presented to me at the address listed below with a copy sent to the Court. The claim may be barred forever if it is not presented within the four (4) month period. Date: 01/06/2026 Signature of Fiduciary: /s/ Steven Ushakov Executor/Administrator: Steven Ushakov 195 Saratoga Avenue, Burlington, VT 05408 Phone number: 802-399-9616 Email: s.ushakov@yahoo.com

Bid Opening Thursday, February 5, 2026 • Founders Memorial/Essex Middle School – 60 Founders Road, Essex, VT • Williston Central School – 195 Central School Drive, Williston, VT • Essex Elementary School – 1 Bixby Hill Road, Essex, VT Schedule: Construction is generally scheduled to begin in June 2026 and be substantially completed by the end of August 2026. 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.

• All Changes are in Section 4. Location of Stop Signs. • Additions are bolded and underlined. Deletions are bolded with a strikethrough. • Stop signs will be installed at: • TH #01 (Huntington Road) eastbound at the INTERSECTION of TH #01 (Bridge Street) • TH #01 (Bridge Street) southbound at the INTERSECTION of TH #01 (Huntington Road) • Stop signs exist at the following locations. Wording has been changed in the Ordinance to achieve consistent description of stop sign locations: • TH #03 (Cochran Road) westbound at the INTERSECTION of onto TH #01 (Huntington Road) • TH #34 (Thompson Road) northbound onto at the INTERSECTION of TH #03 (Cochran Road) • TH #57 (Westall Drive) eastbound onto at the INTERSECTION of TH #56 (Southview Drive) • Stop signs exist at the following locations but they were not included in the Ordinance: • TH #56 (Southview Drive) northbound at the INTERSECTION of TH #59 (Joan Ave) • TH #61 (Greystone Dr.) northbound onto TH #03 (Cochran Road)

Name of Publication: Seven Days Publication Date: 01/14/2026 Name of Probate Court: Vermont Superior Court Address of Probate Court: 175 Main Street, Burlington, VT 05401

For additional information, please send an email to the construction project manager: hkillian@ greenprintpartners.com

INVITATION TO BID

TOWN OF RICHMOND SELECTBOARD AMENDMENTS TO TRAFFIC ORDINANCE

In accordance with 24 V.S.A. 1973 residents of the Town or Richmond have the legal right to petition to disapprove of an ordinance. A petition for a vote on the question of disapproving an ordinance or rule shall be signed by not less than five per cent of the qualified voters of the municipality, and presented to the legislative body or the clerk of the municipality within 44 days following the date of adoption of the ordinance or rule by the legislative body. Unless a petition is filed in accordance with 24 V.S.A. 1973, the ordinance or rule shall become effective 60 days after the date of its adoption.

At their meeting on January 5, 2026 the Richmond Selectboard voted to amend the traffic ordinance.

Interested persons with questions or comments may contact:

Greenprint Partners, acting as Project Manager, seeks qualified contractors for multiple Vermont Schools Green Infrastructure Stormwater Improvements for the locations listed below.

Josh Arneson, Richmond Town Manager (802) 434-5170, jarneson@richmondvt.gov, 203 Bridge St. PO Box 285 (mailing), Richmond, VT 05477

1 6 3 4 2

INVITATION TO BID ER UUSD invites all interested, qualified persons or firms to submit proposals for the construction of a “Snack Shack” at Enosburg Falls High School on Dickenson Street in Enosburg Falls, VT. RFP requests should be sent to: Vernon Boomhover (802) 8487661; [vernon.boomhover@fnesu.org]. Proposals will be due March 9, 2026, with a bidder walkthrough on January 19, 2026. CITY OF WINOOSKI PUBLIC HEARING JANUARY 20, 2026 AT 6:00 PM

3 8 1 42 6 5 448x 1 8 8 9 13+ 2 6 4 3 7 5 9 5 7 3 6÷ 9 2 7 1 3 4

5 9 2-7 3 1 32 8 24x 4 6

10+

3 4 1 5 6 2

5 1 6 2 3 4

2 3 4 1 5 6

9 2 4 6 7 4 7 1 8 3 63- 3 5 28+ 9 76x 4 6 1 5 5 8 9 7 2 1 6 8 3 4 3 9 3-2 4 1 8 1 3 5 6 Difficulty - Medium 2 5 7 9 8 12x

11+

Using the enclosed math operations as a guide, fill the grid using the numbers 1 - 6 only once in each row and column.

Calcoku

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 14-21, 2026

Summary of Changes to Traffic Ordinance

Any interested subcontractors and suppliers should visit the following website after January 9, 2026, for information on obtaining bidding documents: www. questcdn.com under Greenprint Partners or https:// www.greenprintpartners.com/resources and click on Bidding opportunities.

PUZZLE ANSWERS FROM P.63

Copies of the amended ordinance are available at the Town Clerk’s Office, 203 Bridge Street Richmond, or by calling 434-5170, and, at www.richmondvt.gov.

• 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 The Winooski City Council will hold a Public Hearing on January 20, 2026 at 6:00 in the Claire Burke Council Chambers. The Public Hearing will be to consider the proposed FY 27 budget. To view the FY27 Budget please visit winooskivt.gov/fy27 Jenny Willingham City Clerk NORTHSTAR SELF STORAGE WILL BE HAVING A PUBLIC AND ONLINE SALE/AUCTION FOR THE FOLLOWING STORAGE UNITS ON JANUARY 22, 2026 AT 9:00 AM Northstar Self Storage will be having a public and online sale/auction on January 22, 2026 at 9am EST at 205 Route 4A West, Castleton, VT 05735 (unit C142), 3466 Richville Rd, Manchester Center,

VT 05255 (unit 20), Springfield, VT 05156 (unit S107), 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 C142 Marissa Alexander 20 Lauren Rossics S107 Julie Spaulding

Contents Household Goods Household Goods Household Goods

STATE OF VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT PROBATE DIVISION CHITTENDEN UNIT DOCKET NO.:25-PR-07826 In re ESTATE of Patricia S. McDevitt NOTICE TO CREDITORS To the creditors of: Patricia S. McDevitt, late of South Burlington, Vermont I have been appointed to administer this estate. All creditors having claims against the decedent or the estate must present their claims in writing within four (4) months of the date of the first publication of this notice. The claim must be presented to me at the address listed below with a copy sent to the Court. The claim may be barred forever if it is not presented within the four (4) month period. Dated: 1/6/2026 Signature of Fiduciary: /s/ Donna L. McDevitt Executor/Administrator: Donna L. McDevitt c/o Hethba Fatnassi, Esq. Gravel & Shea PC PO Box 369, Burlington, VT 05402 Phone number: 802-658-0220 Email: hfatnassi@gravelshea.com Name of Publication: Seven Days Publication Date: 01/14/2026 Name of Probate Court: Vermont Superior Court, Chittenden Probate Division Address of Probate Court: 175 Main Street, Burlington, VT 05401 TOWN OF COLCHESTER PLANNING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING Pursuant to Title 24 VSA, Chapter 117, the Colchester Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, at 7:00 P.M. at the Colchester Town Offices, 781 Blakely Road, for the purpose of considering amendments to the Colchester Development Regulations. The proposed amendments, referred to as Supplement 49, are as follows: a. Definition of Medical Office [§12] b. Standards for temporary fencing [§2.10-C] c. Standards for food trucks/mobile food units [§10.16, §12] d. Automobile sales use [§12] e. Umbrella permits for multi-tenant commercial properties [§8.03-B, §8.05-G] f. Calculation of ADU size [§2.09-B, §12] g. Parking standards [§10.01-D, §12] h. Escrow account requirements [§8.05-K, §9.04-K, and §10.04-E(10)] i. Minor changes for purposes of clarity: i. Add definition of finished space [§12] This is a summary of the proposed changes. Copies of the adopted and proposed regulations can be reviewed at the Town Offices at 781 Blakely Road and online at http://www.colchestervt. gov. To participate in the hearing, you may 1) attend in person or 2) send written comment to the Colchester Planning Commission via USPS at the address herein or via email to Zachary Maia, zmaia@colchestervt.gov. COLCHESTER PLANNING COMMISSION Publication date January 14, 2026 STATE OF VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT FAMILY DIVISION CHITTENDEN UNIT DOCKET NO. 24-JV-01375 In Re: E.L. NOTICE OF HEARING TO: Andrew Lavallee, and any other male who may be the father of E.L., born on October 21, 2024 to Erika Hagen, you are hereby notified that a hearing to terminate your parental rights to E.L. will be held

on February 11, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. at the Vermont Superior Court, Chittenden Family Division, at 32 Cherry Street, Suite 200, Burlington, Vermont 05401. You are notified to appear in connection with this case. Failure to appear at this hearing may result in termination of your parental rights to E.L.. The State is represented by the Attorney General’s Office, HC North, 280 State Drive, Waterbury, VT 05671-2080. Electronically signed pursuant to V.R.E.F. 9(d) 01/09/2026 12:35:55 PM /s/ Laura C. Rowntree Laura C. Rowntree, Superior Court Judge Vermont Superior Court Filed 01/09/26 Chittenden Unit VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT ENVIRONMENTAL DIVISION GEORGIA DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS APPEAL CASE NO. ENV-25-00027 APPELLANT: KENNETH MINCK PRO-SE TOWN OF GEORGIA SP&F ATTORNEYS P.C. The appellant is appealing the passage of the zoning bylaw passed in 2025. The bylaw contains at least 3 revisions that are contrary to Vermont State Statutes 1. Shoreline setback is in contradiction with Statute 10VSA ¶1441 2. Deletion of development restriction on steep slopes, also a requirement State Statute 10VSA ¶1441 3. AR zone acreage was reduced to two (2)acres in contradiction with 24 VSA ¶4441(c), 24VSA ¶4043 B(6) and the Town Plan. TOWN OF ESSEX NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2027 BUDGET JANUARY 26, 2026, 6:35 PM The Selectboard of the Town of Essex, Vermont hereby gives notice that a public hearing on the 2026-2027 municipal budget for the Town of Essex will be held in person and online via Zoom: • Monday, January 26, 2026, 6:35 PM at the Town Offices at 81 Main St., Essex Junction and online or by telephone (dial (888) 788-0099 and enter meeting ID: 98785691140, passcode: 032060 The public is invited to attend and offer comments regarding the proposed budget. The proposed FY2027 budget of $17,189,166 shows an increase in expenditures of $823,203, or 5.03% more than the current budget. Complete details can be found at www.essexvt.gov/budget.

20, 2025 and deemed complete on December 15, 2025. The project is generally described as Requesting authorization for the renovation of the existing commercial units at 83 and 87 Holly Court to establish a Home Infusion Therapy cleaning, sterilization, and packaging space, while maintaining existing storage and office uses. Authorized work for this component includes interior tenant fit-up to accommodate the approved use and exterior modifications consisting of removal of a loading dock door, installation of new windows, construction of a pad for new air-handling units, installation of an emergency generator, and removal of three pine trees affecting rooftop solar output. Separately, this permit also authorizes the installation of an exterior roof-access stair assembly at the northwest corner of the 327 Holly Court building to support a roof repair project and future maintenance. The project is located at 83-87 Holly Court in Williston, Vermont. The application may be viewed on the Land Use Review Board’s website (https://act250.vermont.gov/) by clicking “Act 250 Database” and entering the project number “4C0907-4D.” No hearing will be held and a permit may be issued unless, on or before February 3, 2026, a party notifies the District 4 Commission in writing of an issue requiring a hearing, or the Commission sets the matter for a hearing on its own motion. Any person as defined in 10 V.S.A. § 6085(c) (1) may request a hearing. Any hearing request must be in writing, must state the criteria or sub-criteria at issue, why a hearing is required, and what additional evidence will be presented at the hearing. Any hearing request by an adjoining property owner or other person eligible for party status under 10 V.S.A. § 6085(c)(1)(E) must include a petition for party status under the Act 250 Rules. To request party status and a hearing, fill out the Party Status Petition Form on the Board’s website: https://act250.vermont.gov/documents/partystatuspetition-form, and email it to the District 4 Office at: Act250.Essex@vermont.gov. Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law may not be prepared unless the Commission holds a public hearing. For more information contact Nathaniel Bareham at the address or telephone number below. Dated this January 12, 2026. By: /s/ Nathaniel Bareham Nathaniel Bareham District Coordinator 111 West Street Essex Junction, VT 05452 802-798-9770 Nathaniel.Bareham@vermont.gov

Posted at: Essex Town Office, Essex Free Library, Essex Public Works, and Town Website.

IN ACCORDANCE WITH VT TITLE 9 COMMERCE AND TRADE CHAPTER 098: STORAGE UNITS 3905.

TOWN OF ESSEX NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING JANUARY 26, 2026 6:45 PM PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2027 – 2031 CAPITAL BUDGET AND FIVE-YEAR PLAN

Enforcement of Lien, Champlain Valley Self Storage, LLC shall host a private auction of the following units on or after January 31, 2026: Location: 2211 Main St. Colchester, VT 05452 Contents: household goods Tyler Wood: #658 Michelle Chandler: #571 Jake Nickerson: #716 Alyssa Bennett: #534 Zachary Cummings: #941 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.

The Town of Essex Selectboard hereby gives notice that a public hearing on the FY2027 - 2031 Capital Budget and Five-Year Plan will be held in person and online via Zoom: • Monday, January 26, 2026, 6:45 PM at the Town Offices at 81 Main St., Essex Junction and online or by telephone (dial (888) 788-0099 and enter meeting ID: 98785691140, passcode: 032060 The purpose of the public hearing is to solicit public comments on the proposed FY2027 Capital Budget and Five-Year Plan. The proposed FY2027 Capital Plan shows capital tax additions of $1,492,232, spending of $2,946,025, and an ending balance of $3,530,732. Complete details can be found at www.essexvt. gov/budget. Posted at: Essex Town Office, Essex Free Library, Essex Public Works, and Town Website. ACT 250 NOTICE MINOR APPLICATION 4C0907-4D 10 V.S.A. §§ 6000 - 6111 Application 4C0907-4D from University of Vermont Medical Center 1519 Shelburne Road, South Burlington, VT 05403 and University of Vermont Medical Center, Inc., 1519 Shelburne Road, South Burlington, VT 05403 was received on October

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE VIRTUAL/IN-PERSON PUBLIC HEARING The State of Vermont’s Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) will be holding a virtual/in-person public hearing to get input from Vermont residents before writing its U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Annual Action Plan for the program year 2026. The hearing will be held on Monday February 9, 2026, from 4:30 - 5:00 p.m. The in-person location will be at DHCD, 1 National Life Drive, Deane C. Davis Building, 6th floor, Montpelier. To participate electronically, go to:

meetup-join/19%3ameeting_MDliZGQ0MWI tZGVmNi00YTY2LTg4ZWQtZjhiNzViNjY3ND Ux%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%2 2%3a%2220b4933b-baad-433c-9c02-70ed cc7559c6%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%2232a1e 9c9-d209-4fe8-ab6d-5bb5b7a730a3%22%7d Meeting ID: 272 297 922 745 03 Passcode: gA3cY7t5 The purpose of the hearing is to listen to residents’ views about the state’s housing, economic development, homelessness, public facility and service, and non-housing community development needs, as well as ideas for grant activities the State should consider funding for the next program year (FY2026 July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027). The Department also seeks feedback on how the programs funded by HUD under past plans performed in meeting the State’s goals. The Plan outlines priorities for the use of approximately $11 million in federal funds provided to the State for the Community Development Block Grant, HOME Investment Partnership Program, and Emergency Solutions Grant program, and $3 million awarded to the State from the National Housing Trust Fund to develop housing that is affordable to extremely low- and very low- income households. The Plan also serves as Vermont’s application to HUD for these funds. The goals of the Plan are to provide decent affordable housing, assure a suitable living environment, and expand economic opportunity for Vermont’s citizens. Accommodations for persons with disabilities and interpreters to meet the needs of non-English speaking persons will be made available upon request. Requests for accommodations should be directed to Nathan Cleveland at (802) 585-5659 or emailed Nathan.cleveland@vermont.gov by 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, February 4, 2026. For the hearing impaired please call (TTY#) 1-800-253-0191. More information is available on the Department’s website at http://accd.vermont.gov/housing. TOWN OF UNDERHILL PLANNING COMMISSION A public hearing will be held on Thursday, February 5, 2026 at 6:10 p.m. at Underhill Town Hall, 12 Pleasant Valley Rd., Underhill VT to hear public comments regarding proposed changes to the town’s Land Use Regulations. Proposed changes address the following rules within the town’s zoning bylaw (Underhill Land Use Regulations): • Reduce minimum off-street parking requirements for residential units (Sec. 3.13, Table 3.1) • Revise definition of ‘interested persons’ who have standing to appeal a permit decision via petition (sec. 11.2) • Reduce minimum lot size in the town’s village districts to ½ acre (Tables 2.2.D, 2.3.D) • Reduce minimum lot frontage in the town’s village districts to 80 ft. (Tables 2.2.D, 2.3.D) • Delete requirement for conditional use review to change a residential use to a group home, and delete 1000 ft. setback requirement for such uses (sec. 4.10) • Delete required site plan review for permitting development on lots without road frontage on a town or private road (Sec. 3.7.E) • Delete requirement to provide building elevations and exterior design specs for homes in a Planned Unit Development (subdivision) application (Sec. 9.3.A.4) • Clarify & correct Diagram 3.1 defining ‘Top of Bank’ and ‘Top of Slope’ for minimum stream setback buffers (in Sec. 3.19) • Update all references to “Accepted Agricultural Practices” with “Required Agricultural Practices” (throughout) • Align noise levels in Sec. 3.14.B Performance Standards with noise levels as specified in the town’s adopted Nuisance Ordinance ...with related changes to Table 2.1 (zoning district standards) and Definitions (Chapter 11.2). Full text of the proposed changes may be found at: https://bit.ly/ULURs_2026_draft_amends. Comments on these draft changes may be made in person at the hearing, online (meeting link will be posted no later than 2.2.26 at: https://www. underhillvt.gov/calendar), or in writing via email to the Town Planner: pcadmin@underhillvt.gov.

https://teams.microsoft.com/l/ SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 14-21, 2026

66 JANUARY 14-21, 2026

ATTENTION RECRUITERS: POST YOUR JOBS AT: PRINT DEADLINE: FOR RATES & INFO:

JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POST-A-JOB NOON ON MONDAYS (INCLUDING HOLIDAYS) MICHELLE BROWN, 802-865-1020 X121, MICHELLE@SEVENDAYSVT.COM

YOUR TRUSTED LOCAL SOURCE. JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM

Retreat Chef The Retreat Chef is in charge of the all-important food program at Knoll Farm, providing three meals a day when programs are in session, as well as cooking for special events such as music nights and professional workshops. Healthy delicious food is at the very heart of people’s experience of the farm, so this position is very creative, important and deeply appreciated. Apply online: knollfarm.org/ work-with-us/retreat-chef

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IT/AV Technician The Clerk’s Office for the United States District Court is seeking a qualified individual with excellent analytical, organizational and interpersonal skills capable of functioning in a dynamic, teamoriented environment. The duty station is Burlington, Vermont. Full federal benefits apply.

Visit jobs.plattsburgh.edu & select “View Current Openings” SUNY Plattsburgh is an AA/EEO/ADA/VEVRAA committed to excellence through diversity and supporting an inclusive environment for all.

E.O.E.

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Front Office Coordinator We’re looking for a friendly, highly detail-oriented front office coordinator to help manage the daily operations of our busy chiropractic office. The ideal candidate will be the first point of contact for patients, providing exceptional service and support in a fast-paced medical office environment. This role requires strong communication skills, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple tasks efficiently. The position is initially designated as part-time/full time. Resume by email only please: vtsportsdoc@gmail.com.

Leading construction company is seeking Carpenters and Lead Carpenters in the Addison & Chittenden County area.

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Complete job description and formal application requirements are found in the oﬃcial Position Announcement available from any U.S. District Court oﬃce (Burlington and Rutland) or the court’s website. WWW.VTD.USCOURTS.GOV

Assistant Professor, Nursing (2 positions)

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We offer a rewarding work environment with comprehensive compensation packages ranging from $65,000/yr to $95,000/yr 9/22/25 1:53 PM based on experience. Benefits include paid holidays, 3+ weeks paid time off, 401k, employer healthcare contribution, profit sharing, bi-annual bonuses, and more.

AGRICULTURAL PROGRAM MANAGER

Scan the QR code below to text your contact info and The Agricultural Program Manager leads Vermont Housing & experience or email us at admin@smithmcclain.com. Conservation Board’s (VHCB) nationally recognized farmland conservation program, managing purchase of development rights Come build with us! initiatives, federal and state funding partnerships, and strategic land protection efforts. This role oversees the full project lifecycle, from application through closing, while championing environmental 4t-Smith&McClain020525.indd 4t-SmithMcClain110525 1 1 1/31/25 9:33 11/4/25 1:59 AM PM stewardship, farmland access for new farmers, and Vermont’s working landscape. The position supervises program staff, ensures Hourly Wage: $31.86 grant compliance, and represents VHCB with land trusts, agencies, and federal partners to advance conservation policy. Stowe Electric Department is looking for an VHCB is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and we strongly experienced Customer Service Representative. encourage candidates from diverse backgrounds to apply. This position plays a critical role in providing top-quality service to Stowe To learn more, visit vhcb.org/careers Electric customers. Reporting to the Business & Communications Manager, responsibilities include answering phones, greeting customers, taking To apply, send cover letter/resume by January 16 to: jobs@vhcb.org payments, managing accounts, and answering customer questions. The ideal candidate will possess strong communication skills, excellent attention to detail, the ability to multi-task, outstanding customer service skills, and a friendly demeanor.

Customer Service Representative

Outstanding Benefits Package Includes: Paid Time Off, Low-Cost Health Insurance, Employer-Provided Dental Insurance, $100k Life Insurance, 401(a) & 457(b) Retirement Plans, Summer Hours, Annual Health & Wellness Reimbursement, 12.5 Paid Holidays, Excellent Work Environment. For full description go to: stoweelectric.com/jobs. To apply, send resume to HR@stoweelectric.com.

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NEW JOBS POSTED DAILY! JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM

67 JANUARY 14-21, 2026

Executive Director Administrative Assistant/Scheduler In search of a dedicated and enthusiastic, fulltime Customer Service Representative/Scheduler to join our team. The ideal candidate will possess strong communication skills, a positive attitude and the ability to handle customer inquiries efficiently. This position will be the first point of contact for our clients and will handle inbound and outbound calls with professionalism and courtesy. Full benefit package, pay scale $25 - $30 per hour. Send resumes to:

jean.ferguson@ jaymechanical.com

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OUTREACH REPRESENTATIVE

Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) seeks a Vermonter to join his statebased Senate team as an Outreach Representative. This position serves as an extension of the Senator, acting as his eyes and ears throughout the state, meeting with people to understand their struggles and share the senator’s vision of making government work for working people. The position requires regular travel throughout Vermont to build trust and relationships with Vermonters who are too often ignored or taken for granted by those in power. That means meeting regularly with seniors, students, veterans, union workers, and the poor. A successful candidate will be equally at Salary range $108,000 - $120,000. ease meeting with a worker on a job site, organizing a youth event, or speaking at a press conference. The Office looks for individuals To apply, please email your resume and cover letter to who are excited to try new things and problem solve, are organized cvcoaedapplication@gmail.com by February 22, 2026. and communicative, thrive in an ever-changing environment, and have a deep understanding and love of Vermont. An ability to think strategically and act in a fast-paced environment is strongly preferred. The Senator’s office is an equal opportunity employer. The 4t-CVCOA011426.indd 1 office does not discriminate on the basis of an individual’s race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or uniformed service. The office is committed to inclusion and encourages all individuals from all backgrounds to apply. The starting salary is $70,000.

NOW HIRING

The Kelly Brush Foundation, a national non-profit founded in 2006, seeks an Administrative Coordinator to support our mission to inspire and empower people with spinal cord injuries to lead active, engaged lives. The role is based in Burlington and is an in-office role 3-4 days a week. Compensation is hourly to start with the potential for salary after 6 months. Essential Qualifications: • 3–5+ years in an administrative assistant, office manager, or operations support role. • Deep alignment with the KBF’s purpose and respect for the lived experiences of people with spinal cord injuries. To apply please send resume and cover letter to info@ kellybrushfoundation.org.

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LEAD CARDIOPULMONARY REHAB CLINICIAN

To apply, please send your resume, cover letter, and brief writing sample to outreachjob@sanders.senate.gov by January 20, 2026 and indicate OUTREACH REPRESENTATIVE in the subject line.

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Administrative Coordinator

Central Vermont Council on Aging (CVCOA) is seeking a seasoned executive who will partner with the board and staff and lead the organizational change process to build on past accomplishments and further expand the impact of providing critical services to older Vermonters in CVCOA’s service area. Reporting to the board of directors, the executive director will provide leadership to the organization and manage its day-to-day affairs. The executive director will also be responsible for working closely with the community, cultivating financial and other support, managing the programs and overseeing paid and volunteer staff.

1/6/26 10:38 AM

Join our Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehab program!

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

Staff Assistant

For more information or to apply visit copleyvt.org/careers or contact Kaitlyn Shannon, Recruiter, at 802-888-8144 or kshannon@chsi.org.

The office of U.S. Senator Peter Welch seeks a 4t-Copley122425 1 12/12/25 5:11 PM dependable, organized, friendly, and highly motivated individual with strong interpersonal and writing skills for an entry-level position in the Burlington office. Join the Flynn & be part of a team striving to make the community Duties include administrative tasks such as answering better through the arts. All backgrounds encouraged to apply. This is a phones, greeting visitors, processing mail, supervising full-time, exempt, benefit eligible position. interns, drafting constituent correspondence, casework support, and assisting with other projects. Applicants should have a strong desire to assist Vermonters with federal programs and agencies. This is an in-person, full-time position, 40 hours per week. The salary is 55K. The Flynn is looking for a strategic and relationship-driven

ANNUAL GIVING MANAGER

The office is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, national origin, disability, military status, age, marital status, or parental status. Email your cover letter and resume to hiring@welch.senate.gov by January 26.

Annual Giving Manager to develop and execute annual giving strategies that drive donor engagement, retention, and revenue growth while building meaningful donor relationships that advance our mission & sustain our impact. For more details, please visit: flynnvt.org/About-Us/ Employment-and-Internship-Opportunities. No phone calls, please. E.O.E.

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YOUR JOBS AT JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM FOR FAST RESULTS, OR ATTENTION RECRUITERS: POST CONTACT MICHELLE BROWN: MICHELLE@SEVENDAYSVT.COM

68 JANUARY 14-21, 2026

Care Coordinator/ Case Management 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.

Registered Nurse, Infusion Therapy Department Make a Real Difference in the Community!

Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital (NVRH) is seeking a compassionate Registered Nurse to join our dynamic Infusion Therapy Department in St. Johnsbury, VT. The Opportunity: Provide direct patient care in a rewarding role serving 15-20 patients daily. Administer IV therapies, coordinate care, and educate patients in our collaborative, patientcentered environment.

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.

WHAT YOU NEED: RN License (VT or compact state) BSN degree

2+ years RN experience Current BLS certification

Pay Range: $24-$26 per hour. Generous benefits including 401(k), health insurance, and paid time off.

Why NVRH? Student loan repayment Tuition reimbursement Competitive pay/comprehensive benefits

Free gym membership 401(k) with company match Serve 33,000+ community members

For the full job description and to apply, please visit: cvcoa.org/employment.

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Apply Now! nvrh.org/careers.

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WHERE YOU AND 10/27/252v-RootsFarmMarket010726.indd 4:51 PM 1 YOUR WORK MATTER...

When you work for the State of Vermont, you and your work matter. A career with the State puts you on a rich and rewarding professional path. You’ll find jobs in dozens of fields – not to mention an outstanding total compensation package.

E N E R G Y & U T I L I T I E S A N A LY S T – M O N T P E L I E R

Put your analytical skills to work to help develop and implement policies that decarbonize Vermont’s electric, transportation, and building energy sectors. The Public Service Department seeks candidates with Excel skills to do economic and environmental analysis, rate design, utility rate and siting cases, energy planning, regulatory compliance, testimony before the Public Utility Commission and legislature, and related initiatives. Three days per week in the Montpelier office required. For more information, contact Anne Margolis at anne.margolis@vermont.gov. Location: Montpelier. Department: Public Service. Status: Full Time. Minimum Salary: $34.96. Maximum Salary: $54.82. Job ID #53666. Application Deadline: January 19, 2026.

Rec & Parks Program Coordinator Town of Brattleboro Salary $24.78 per hour

Assistant Town Clerk/ Selectboard Administrator (Part-Time) Town of Calais Salary $24 per hour

Highway Equipment Operator Town of Berlin Salary Range $20 to $32 per hour

P U B L I C H E A LT H P O L I C Y A D V I S O R – W A T E R B U R Y

The Vermont Department of Health has an exciting opportunity to be a part of the leadership team that helps shape public health in Vermont. The successful candidate for the Public Health Policy Advisor will be responsible for policy and planning leadership at a senior professional level and work on a wide range of complex policy initiatives in the area of public health, health care, and environmental health as well as rule writing and rule promulgation. For more information, contact Sarah Gregorek at sarah.gregorek@vermont.gov. Location: Waterbury. Department: Health. Status: Full Time. Minimum Salary: $34.96. Maximum Salary: $54.82. Job ID #54033. Application Deadline: January 19, 2026.

INTERN AL AUDITOR – WATERBURY

Looking for a new challenge in your career as an auditor? If so, our Agency of Human Services may have a great role for you! We are currently seeking an Internal Auditor to contribute to the fulfillment of the Team’s mission in promoting efficient and effective operations across the Agency. An ideal candidate will be a “people person” coupled with strong skills in business process analytics, root cause and risk analysis. Location: Waterbury. Department: Human Services. Status: Full Time. Minimum Salary: $32.87. Maximum Salary: $51.52. Job ID #54100. Application Deadline: January 20, 2026.

Learn more at :

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Kitchen Manager

The Roots Farm Market is a farmerowned, local grocery and farm market with an in house kitchen. We are looking for a motivated, highly organized individual with an understanding of kitchen operations and menu prep to join our team. The ideal candidate will coordinate all of the workings of the kitchen, ensure that daily and weekly production goals are met, keep track of kitchen ordering and inventory, and serve as point person for kitchen staff shift coverage, feedback, and stocking needs reported by kitchen staff. Pay rate: ~$24/hour. Send resumes to: karin@therootsfarmmarket.com

The State of Vermont is an Equal Opportunity Employer

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Get a quote when posting online. Contact Michelle Brown at 865-1020, ext. 121, michelle@sevendaysvt.com.

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8/20/21 1:41 PM

NEW JOBS POSTED DAILY! JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM

HIRING IMMEDIATELY

Maintenance Technician

Polyurethane foam insulation applicator helper/general laborer. Director of Early Childhood Programs

69 JANUARY 14-21, 2026

• Offering a $1,000 hiring bonus • Full Time 40 Hours Pay Rate $27.00 Are you looking to learn new skills or to start a career? Are you looking to join a supportive team and a dynamic company? We are so sure you will love it at HallKeen Management that we are offering a $1,000 hiring bonus for the right candidate. All bonuses to be paid per company policy. Will entertain employees looking to relocate to Vermont.

Call 802-316-1374 Room for advancement for the right person.

We’re seeking a collaborative, Responsibilities of Maintenance Technician are quite diverse 10/29/19 12:12 PM 8/30/217spot.indd 5:25 PM 1 mission-driven leader to coordinate1t-SprayedOnSystems090121.indd 1 including but not limited to Apartment turnovers, grounds our Early Childhood licensure and keeping, various janitorial duties, painting, appliance, electrical, heating, plumbing and safety equipment repair and endorsement programs and support replacement and provide assistance at other company properties professional learning across when needed. The qualified candidate must have reliable Vermont. The Director oversees all transportation and have the ability to assist in carrying appliances ENGLISH LANGUAGE INSTRUCTOR aspects of program development and climb ladders as needed. and improvement to ensure The ELL Instructor will provide in-person English language high-quality, inclusive learning instruction, typically at beginner-to-intermediate level to adult Please e-mail resume to Diane Finnigan at opportunities for Vermont’s early students. Immediate need is for an instructor available to teach dfinnigan@hallkeen.com. childhood workforce. a once/weekly Beginners Level 1 class on Wednesday evening If you’re an educator at heart who is excited to work with higher education partners, contracted instructors, candidates seeking licensure, and their VT-HEC colleagues, we’d love to hear from you.

(5:30 – 7:00 PM) from late January through early June. Ideally able to also teach a twice/weekly late afternoon class on Mondays & 4t-HallKeenManagement121025.indd 1 Wednesdays to Level 2 Beginners. Working closely and with guidance from the ELL Team, the instructor will also review and improve course materials, understand participants’ needs, develop engaging lesson plans, and ensure the relevant learning resources are available.

To see the full job description and apply, use QR code:

Application materials must include a resume and letter of interest (Cover Letter) specifically addressing the desired qualifications. Submit to Alana Shaw ashaw@mercyconnections.org.

Phlebotomy

For more information, please visit: 7dvt.pub/3mi

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Apprenticeship Program

1/9/26 11:57 AM

INVEST IN YOURSELF

Deputy Director Of Communications & Legislative Affairs The Legislative support offices are currently hiring. The nonpartisan offices are an interesting, challenging, and exciting place to work. You will be part of a highly professional and collegial team that is proud of, and enthusiastic about, the mission of the state legislature. To apply, please go to 'Career Opportunities' at

legislature.vermont.gov.

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.

Our apprenticeship program is a paid opportunity to become a phlebotomist with no experience required.

APPLY NOW jobforward.org/ phlebotomy

You might be a great fit if you:

REGISTRATION DEADLINE Wednesday, January 21st, 2026

· 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

Questions? Call or Email 802-399-8243 lida.hope@jobforward.org

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.

12/5/25 10:48 AM

• Guaranteed paid employment on day one of training • Direct patient care • Team environment • Full Benefits • Dedicated support during the 5-week program • Paid Certified Phlebotomy Technician Exam

The University of Vermont Medical Center (“UVMMC”) will not discriminate against apprenticeship applicants or apprentices based upon their age (40 and older), ancestry, color, disability, gender identity, marital status, national origin, place of birth, race, religion, genetic information, sex, and sexual orientation. UVMMC will take affirmative action to provide equal opportunity in apprenticeship and will operate the apprenticeship program as required by Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations, part 30, Title 21 Vermont Statutes Annotated, Labor, Ch. 13, Labor, and the Vermont State EEO Plan.

YOUR JOBS AT JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM FOR FAST RESULTS, OR ATTENTION RECRUITERS: POST CONTACT MICHELLE BROWN: MICHELLE@SEVENDAYSVT.COM

70 JANUARY 14-21, 2026

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 low-income families and individuals. We are currently hiring for the following positions: Assistant Property Manager: Serves as a critical member of our property management team. This position is responsible for assisting the team of Property Managers in the day to day operations of BHA’s property portfolio. The Assistant Property Manager will assist with leasing apartments, move in and move outs, maintaining accurate tenant files and assist with tenant complaints, collection of rents, lease violations, property inspections, vacant unit checks, delivery of resident notices and certifications, and other duties related to property management. 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. Candidates must meet the physical requirements of the position

Building Maintenance & Custodian

Farm to School Educators 2 positions open in South Burlington ($21-$26 per hour)

Farm to School Manager 3 days per week:

Youth Coaches; Drop-In, Shelter & Supported Housing positions Full & Part time

7dvt.pub/c515d8

including moving in different positions to accomplish tasks, ascending or descending stairs, adjusting or moving objects up to 50 pounds, and repeating motions that may include the wrists, hands, and fingers. This position also works in outdoor weather conditions. For more info on our benefit package and these career opportunities please visit: burlingtonhousing.org Interested in our career opportunity? Send a cover letter & resume to: humanresources@ burlingtonhousing.org. Burlington Housing Authority Human Resources 65 Main Street, Suite 101 Burlington, VT 05401 BHA is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Respite Staff

Farm to School Educator 2 days per week:

Burlington & St Albans

To view full descriptions of both openings, visit:7dvt.pub/1gx

Scan QR code to apply.

7dvt.pub/5j3

Program Assistant For International NGO

PH International is seeking a highly organized, versatile, and proactive full-time Program Assistant to support our programs and operations. The position will be based out of our Waitsfield, Vermont office, on a hybrid schedule (Tuesdays & Thursdays in-office). The Program Assistant supports the efficient operation of the office and assists co-workers with communication, documentation, and logistics related to our international exchange programs. This role offers hands-on experience with international youth exchanges, from planning and logistics to communications and travel, making a real impact on participants and program operations. PH International (Project Harmony, Inc.) is an international non-profit with over 40 years of experience in creating strong global communities by fostering civic engagement and cross-cultural learning. PH pursues this mission by developing innovative programs for youth, professionals, and communities worldwide. PH is an equal opportunity employer. For full job description & application instructions, please visit: ph-int.org/about-us/vacancies. Application deadline: January 26, 2026

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Montessori-Inspired Early Ed Program Seeks Executive Director Craftsbury Saplings Community Children’s Center is seeking a creative, caring, and collaborative Executive Director to lead our mission-driven early childhood program. We are looking for someone who recognizes early childhood as a critical foundation for lifelong growth, values respect and belonging, and brings joy, curiosity, and optimism to their work. The Executive Director (ED) role is a full-time position, responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations, strategic direction, financial health, and organizational culture of the center. The ED is both the visionary and operational leader of Craftsbury Saplings. To apply, please visit craftsburysaplings.org/employment

NEW JOBS POSTED DAILY! JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM

71 JANUARY 14-21, 2026

Direct Support Professional Why not have a job you love? Provide direct 1:1 support to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to help them reach their goals and be an active member of their community. This is an excellent position for those starting in the human service field or looking to continue this type of work. Both full and part time positions available. Compensation is $20 per hour plus mileage with a benefit package that includes 29 paid days off in the first year, a comprehensive health insurance plan with affordable premium rates, up to $6,000 to go towards medical deductibles and copays, a retirement match, and so much more. And that’s on top of working at one of the “Best Places to Work in Vermont” for seven years running. Become a Direct Support Professional at an award-winning agency and make a career making a difference. Apply today at ccs-vt.org. 5h-ChamplainCommServices011426.indd 1

Bus Driver Cambridge Elementary School Principal Lamoille North Supervisory Union team is seeking a Principal to serve the Cambridge Elementary School in Lamoille County. For context, Lamoille North comprises elementary schools in Cambridge, Eden, Johnson, Hyde Park and Waterville/Belvidere, a middle and high school in Hyde Park, and the Green Mountain Technology and Career Center, all located in beautiful Lamoille County. Lamoille North Supervisory Union is seeking a Principal for our elementary school in Cambridge to serve approximately 300 students. We require dynamic leadership skills and a track record of excellence in creating and leading an exemplary educational environment focused on equity, access, inclusion and diversity. The Principal will lead all aspects of the school including instruction, administration and operations, supervision and evaluation of faculty and staff, business operations, and communication with all members of the school community.

1/12/26 10:06 AM

Litigation Paralegal (with Estate Planning & Probate Support) McCormick Fitzpatrick, Burlington's second oldest law firm, is seeking a skilled and detailoriented Litigation Paralegal to join our busy practice. This role is primarily focused on litigation support, with additional responsibilities assisting in estate planning and probate matters. The ideal candidate is organized, proactive, and comfortable managing multiple deadlines across practice areas. Key Responsibilities: Provide comprehensive support in litigation matters, including: • Managing case files, deadlines, and court calendars • Assisting with trial preparation, exhibits, and witness coordination

Qualifications: • Paralegal/Administrative experience preferred • Experience in litigation preferred, estate planning and probate experience a plus • High-level organization and time management skills. • Strong written and verbal communication skills • Familiarity with court filing systems and case management software preferred • Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment • High level of professionalism and attention to detail

Candidates must hold (or be eligible for) Vermont Educator’s License. Principal endorsement or eligible for Vermont Provisional endorsement.

• Drafting and responding to discovery requests and possible other responsive pleadings

Interested Applicants May Apply: SchoolSpring.com - Job ID: 5489172, or by submitting a cover letter, resume, proof of licensure, three letters of reference and two essay questions to hr@lnsd.org. Essay questions may be viewed on SchoolSpring.com – Job ID: 5489172.

Support estate planning and probate matters, including:

• Competitive compensation based on experience

• Reviewing, editing and organizing estate planning documents

For a complete job description please email hr@lnsd.org.

• Preparing probate filings and correspondence with courts and clients

• Benefits such as health insurance, retirement plan, PTO, flexible schedule, possible remote work, etc.

LNSU Provides a Generous Benefit Package: paid vacation, personal, medical, bereavement and holiday leave, health, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance, plus 403b and/or 457 deferred compensation retirement plans Please visit our school website to view additional job openings: lnsd.org LNSU is an Equal Opportunity Employer

• Assisting with trust & estate administration tasks • Communicate professionally with clients, courts, and opposing counsel • Maintain accurate records & ensure compliance with court rules and firm procedures 9t-McCormickFizpatrickKasper011426.indd 1

What We Offer:

• Collaborative and supportive work environment • Opportunity to gain experience across multiple practice areas To Apply: Please submit resume & brief cover letter to Krystn Perettine at kmp@mc-fitz.com and David Grebe at dag@mc-fitz.com. 1/9/26 12:22 PM

YOUR JOBS AT JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM FOR FAST RESULTS, OR ATTENTION RECRUITERS: POST CONTACT MICHELLE BROWN: MICHELLE@SEVENDAYSVT.COM

72 JANUARY 14-21, 2026

Visitor Center Ambassador (Per-Diem)

Williston & Georgia South I-89 Welcome Centers - $17.75/hour I-89 Welcome Centers are seeking per-diem employees with great customer service skills and a passion for Vermont tourism. Responsibilities include providing visitors with tourism information, as well as performing various custodial and physical tasks. The schedule is flexible, with shifts of varying length available seven days a week. Send resumes to: welcomecenters@vermont.org.

Program Support Specialist Pay: $20-$22/Hour. AWARE is seeking a compassionate and organized Program Support Specialist to provide advocacy, outreach, and administrative support. This position combines direct client services helping individuals and families affected by domestic violence, sexual violence and stalking along with community engagement and administrative support, to help sustain AWARE’s mission. If you’re passionate about making a difference and ready to take on a multifaceted role, we want to hear from you! To apply for this job email your details to aware@vtlink.net.

MEMBERSHIP COORDINATOR

Outreach Counselor Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC) is hiring a student Outreach Counselor in our Talent Search program in southeast Vermont (Windham and Windsor Counties). Do you enjoy working with middle and high school students? Are you energized by the enthusiasm of teenagers? As a VSAC Talent Search Outreach Counselor you’ll help students explore the possibilities their future can hold & help them create a plan to get there. This position supports students from middle school through high school graduation, along with their families, by providing education, career, and financial aid information and counseling to help them reach their postsecondary goals.

Vermont-NEA, the state’s largest union representing 16,000 school educators, is seeking a Membership Coordinator who is committed to advancing union advocacy and supporting the collective power of educators. In this role, you’ll coordinate membership operations, maintain database systems, and work directly with members and local leaders to ensure accurate enrollment and smooth processes. The ideal candidate will have strong administrative and technical skills, including proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and database management, as well as the ability to process financial transactions and produce accurate reports. This full-time position, based in Montpelier, offers a competitive salary range of $52,399–$88,065 and a comprehensive benefits package under a collectively bargained agreement. If you’re passionate about union work and public education, and have strong organizational and technical skills, visit vtnea.org/careers for the full job description and application instructions. Applications must be received by February 4, 2026, at 4:30 p.m.

Director of Finance The Director of Finance will work closely with the Senior Management team to meet NEKCA’s strategic goals and promote NEKCA’s Core Values, mission, and vision throughout the agency. The ideal candidate is a strategic and analytical thinker. This Director oversees financial operations, ensures compliance, and guides financial strategy to support the organization’s mission and sustainability. The Director of Finance must have the ability to think and act independently and needs to understand the comprehensive sets of programs and grant requirements that fund our nonprofit agency. The Director of Finance works closely with the Executive Director, Board of Directors, agency auditors, funder grant managers, and the agency leadership team.

Director of Development & Communications The Director of Development & Communications leads NEKCA’s fundraising and communications strategies with the goal of growing a strong community of supporters who are partners in funding and advocating for the Northeast Kingdom where all generations can grow, prosper, and thrive. This position plans and develops consistent and impactful touch points with external stakeholders throughout the year, building community trust and implementing marketing strategies that help meet agency fundraising goals, primarily charitable giving, but can include program enrollment, anti-poverty advocacy, and more.

Salary $46,000 - $48,000

Title Search/Real Estate Professional Sheehey Furlong & Behm P.C., Burlington, VT

Apply at: Visit VSAC.org/ Careers for full job description

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Sheehey Furlong & Behm, an established, growing law firm located near the Burlington waterfront, is accepting applications for a Title Search/Real Estate Professional. This unique position is for either an attorney or paralegal with demonstrated Vermont real estate experience to provide assistance and support in a busy medium-sized firm with a variety of residential and commercial real estate needs. The position will involve travelling to perform residential and commercial title searches at town clerk’s offices throughout Vermont (mileage reimbursed), preparing reports and opinions on title and drafting property descriptions, working with title insurers and title insurance policies and forms, and researching and analyzing state and municipal permit and compliance issues. The position will also involve drafting conveyance and closing documents, including but not limited to deeds, tax forms, and settlement statements. If the applicant is an attorney, the position may also involve contract negotiation and drafting, conducting closings, and working on other real estate related matters including commercial leasing and permitting.

This position has a strong focus on fundraising and is responsible for raising the resources that are needed to fund NEKCA’s vision. The Director supervises the development team, serves as a member of the organization’s senior management team, and oversees all strategy related to development and external communications.

The ideal candidate will have at least 2 years’ experience related to title searches/real estate, at least a Bachelor’s Degree, and be detail-oriented and organized with strong communication and writing skills. Candidates with a law degree but less experience will be considered, provided they have demonstrated skills and experience in conducting title searches. Salary will be commensurate with experience and education, and will include a generous benefits package.

Scan QR Code for full details and to apply:

Forward cover letter and resume to hiring@sheeheyvt.com, subject “Title Search/Real Estate Professional.”

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Excellent benefits, PTO, and 9 weeks off in summer

1/2/266t-SheeheyFurlongBehm010726.indd 3:56 PM 1

1/2/26 2:37 PM

12/12/25 11:59 AM

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GREAT SOURCE OF NEWS AND WELL WRITTEN.

I LOVE THE DETAILED IN-DEPTH ARTICLES AND THE LOCAL NEWS AND CULTURE PIECES. – Laura Rochat, Brookfield SUPER READER SINCE APRIL 2020

Welcome, new Super Readers! These wonderful people made their first donation to Seven Days this week:

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Here are some of the repeat and recurring Super Readers who sustain us all year: Mary Aloi Kenyon Bolton Carolyn Bronz Chess Brownell Richard & Gail A. Butz Christine Dunbar

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1/13/26 3:02 PM

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY BY ROB BREZSNY REAL JANUARY 15-21 and willing to experiment like a newcomer? That’s the high art of perpetual combustion, an Aries specialty.

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19)

Sandcastles are good reminders of how temporary everything is. We build them on the damp edge of the shore after the tide recedes, and then they crumble when the sea rolls back in a few hours later. Let’s make the sandcastle your power symbol for the months ahead. In doing so, I don’t mean to imply that your certainties will be demolished. Rather, it’s my way of urging you to enjoy and capitalize on the everchanging nature of all things. In fact, I believe that knack should be one of your specialties in the coming months. As the Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh told us, we should be grateful for impermanence, because it keeps every possibility alive.

ARIES (Mar. 21-Apr. 19): Japanese Zen master Hakuin (1686-1769) painted with astonishing vigor well into his eighties. When asked his secret, he said he treated each brushstroke as if it were his first. He approached the ink and paper with a beginner’s inspired innocence. I propose that you adopt a version of Hakuin’s practice. Dive into your familiar routines with virgin eyes. Allow your expertise to be influenced by surprise. As for the mastery you have earned, may I suggest you use it as a launching pad for enthusiastic amateurism? Being skilled is wonderful. Being skilled

TAURUS (Apr. 20-May 20): In 1971, NASA’s Apollo 15 mission delivered a new asset to the moon: the Lunar Roving Vehicle. This batterypowered “moon buggy” enabled astronauts to explore farther from their landing site than ever before. They gathered a record haul of rock and soil samples and a deeper understanding of the lunar surface. I think you Bulls would be wise to get your own equivalent of that moon buggy. The apt metaphor here is enhancing your ability to extend your reach and explore beyond the familiar. In the coming weeks, I hope you will seek access to tools, allies and freedoms that expand your range. Use them to push into new territory and scout around for intriguing valuables. GEMINI (May 21-Jun. 20): Are you ready to

unveil the half-hidden, half-beautiful truths you have been keeping tucked away? I think you are. You might shake, sweat and secondguess yourself right up until the pivotal moment arrives. But then, I predict, you will zone in on how best to carry out your sublime assignment. The perilous blessings or radiant burdens you’ve been hoarding like secret treasures will finally spill out of you in just the right ways.

CANCER (Jun. 21-Jul. 22): A hermit crab finds a new shell not because the old one was bad but because the creature grew. A similar urge stirs in you now: an instinct to relocate your sensitivity and tenderness into roomier housing. You don’t have to abandon your favorite people or situations. Just ripen and update your containers so your emotional intelligence can flourish even more. Maybe revise your work rhythms. Dream up new bedtime stories. Be braver in declaring your needs. Your ongoing transformations could be a bit bumpy, but mostly healing and cherished. Give them the spaciousness they require. LEO (Jul. 23-Aug. 22): Poet Jack Gilbert wrote, “We must risk delight. We can do without pleasure but not delight.” Here’s what I think he meant: Pleasure is easy to access, available in many transactions. But delight requires

courage. We must be undefended enough to be astonished and elated. Here’s the potential glitch for you Leos: You sometimes feel inclined to perform your joy; you make your happiness into entertainment for others to be inspired by. But true delight is riskier and more real. It comes when you forget to curate yourself because you’re too enchanted to remember you’re being watched. Your next assignment: Conjure up three moments of private delight that no one but you will see.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sep. 22): Many of you are renowned for your precision, but that’s just half the story. The more complete truth is that when you are most robust, you’re a connoisseur of refinement. Your careful edits can transmute muddles into medicines. Your subtle fixes may catalyze major corrections. Here’s my bold declaration: You are now at the height of your Virgo powers. I hope you wield them with utter flair and finesse. Make everything you touch better than it was before you touched it. LIBRA (Sep. 23-Oct. 22): Some astrologers work without ever glancing at the night sky. Their bond with the planets lives mostly through abstract ideas. To balance that approach, Daniel Giamario developed a more hands-on approach to astrology. In his retreats, students trek into wild country, far from city lights, and spend the dark hours watching the dance of the heavenly bodies. He teaches that cosmic energies can be sensed through our beautiful bodies as much as they can be understood by our fine minds. In the weeks ahead, I invite you to infuse all your explorations with that spirit. Learn through direct encounters, not just through concepts and recycled reports. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): English is my first language. I love how its wild, hybrid, restless qualities enable me to express myself. I never grow weary of exploring its limits and discovering new ways to use it with flair and care. But I am also very grateful that my horoscopes are translated into Italian, French, Japanese and Spanish. I am supremely blessed to have editors who turn my idiosyncratic prose into language that non-English speakers can enjoy. It’s one of the great gifts that life has given me. In the coming months, Scorpio, I will

be wishing and expecting a similar bonus for you: help and support in expanding your ability to reach further in your self-expression.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Your

intrepid spirit is most likely to find exciting adventures if it’s exquisitely prepared. While I love your daring spontaneity and experimental expansiveness, I hope that in the coming weeks, you will work hard to support them with good planning and rigorous foresight. Be imaginative and disciplined, wild and calculating, irrepressible and solidly responsible. If you heed my advice, you could break your previous records for making marvelous discoveries in the frontiers. PS: Treat wonder like a muscle. Flex it daily — with gratitude.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): During World War II, the U.S. faced a natural rubber shortage and funded research into synthetic substitutes. The effort was partly successful, but there were also failed experiments. Among these was a substance that later became a popular toy named Silly Putty. It sold millions of units and made its marketer wealthy. I suspect a metaphorically similar breakthrough is looming for you, Aquarius: an unplanned discovery that holds unforeseen value. You may soon have your own “Silly Putty moment” — an invention, idea or situation that is technically a detour from your original goal but still delivers a gift. So keep your curiosity loose and your judgment soft. Don’t dismiss the byproducts of your efforts. Some diversions may reveal themselves to be the magic you didn’t realize you needed.

PISCES (Feb. 19-Mar. 20): I suggest you try an “as-if” exercise, Pisces. Here’s what I propose: Enjoy a five-day period visualizing what your life would be like if you stopped saving yourself for a mythical future — including both the positive and negative aspects. Instead, envision yourself spending the coming months doing exactly what you yearn to do most, gleefully and intensely pursuing your sweetest dreams and prime mission. During this sabbatical, you will refrain from invoking excuses about why you can’t follow your bliss. You will assume that you are attuned with the heart of creation. You will act as if you are a joy specialist who adores your life.

CHECK OUT ROB BREZSNY’S EXPANDED WEEKLY AUDIO HOROSCOPES & DAILY TEXT MESSAGE HOROSCOPES: REALASTROLOGY.COM OR 1-877-873-4888

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WATCH HER LATEST VIDEO! Delia Robinson has spent her 80-year lifetime painting canvases and making whistles. A thirdgeneration whistle maker, she learned how to sculpt them from her mother and has created thousands of whistles. Seven Days’ Eva Sollberger visited her eclectic home studio in Montpelier to get a musical tour. SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 14-21, 2026

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I AM A STRIDENT SEEKER Looking for my mistress, my muse. DonQuixote, 70, seeking: W

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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. photos of l See 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

DANCING, CUDDLY, SEXY, FUN-LOVING I am kind, helpful, like people, enjoy my job; am not willing to leave my family, friends or my job. I have a good sense of humor and like to laugh. I don’t want someone who is a downer. T1lc_, 69, seeking: M WANT SOME COMPANIONSHIP? Kind and nice. Looking for one special friend to enjoy the fun: There is so much to do. Share life’s journey. I look and feel years younger. Somehow, I got to be 75. Amazing. Maybe because I split my fantastic adventures between Vermont and South Florida. Road trip! Let’s explore. We need not be perfect, just perfect for each other. Companion4U, 75, seeking: M TRUTHFUL, CURIOUS WANDERER SEEKING SAME! I’m a caring, thoughtful person who loves to laugh. I like intelligent, stimulating conversations; enjoy nature, travel and learning new things. Hoping to find a nice companion to explore the world. I have only been to Italy once and want to go back and sip ripasso! daylily, 64, seeking: M 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, l GREAT COFFEE DATE? MAYBE MORE? I would like to meet a man for dating, possibly a partnership. I wonder how you like to spend your time? 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, like-minded 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 THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD Eager to see if I can find a good man once again, now that I have been a widow for a few years. I am ever curious, active, attractive and well educated. I take good care of myself physically, emotionally and spiritually and am hoping for another chance at love. Intentional, 68, seeking: M, l

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 14-21, 2026

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, 81, seeking: M, l TRAVELING ENTHUSIAST I’m always seeking the next adventure — whether it’s a weekend hike or discovering a new coffee shop. I’ve been all over the world; take a guess at my favorite location? With travel comes great food. Food lover on a mission to find the best food in the city. Let’s hit up some food trucks together! First date: Where you taking me? VTCHICA31, 44, 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 EDUCATED WOMAN SEEKS MALE COMPANION I am independent with a strong sense of humor and compassion. I am attracted to men with high intelligence. Looking for friends or to start a relationship. Marietta, 50, seeking: M, l HANDYWOMAN SEEKS HUMOROUS WOODSMAN I enjoy outdoor activities, DIY and baking, evenings by a woodstove. Looking for responsible but humorous person for dating or more. Really would like a companion capable of serious talks and serious laughs. Always game for learning new things. Not afraid of getting muddy but clean up well. Onestepcloser, 54, seeking: M SEEKING SOMEONE GREAT I saw a post that people in Vermont use this website. Not sure if anyone is really out there, but it’s worth a shot. I’m an artist living and working near Norwich, Vt., looking for that inexplicable something with someone great. risomania, 31, seeking: M, TM, NC, NBP, l

MEN seeking... POLITICAL AND SOCIALLY ACTIVE I love the pleasure of nature-working, gardening, birding, walking and sitting. I have a large swimming pond, pick fruit, make good things to eat and share. Music is crucial to me, and I sing in many wonderful groups. I love sports and follow it avidly. I am very political and involved in liberal causes. lowbass, 85, 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

THOUGHTFUL, ACTIVE, VERMONTER BY CHOICE MWM, 77, BS/MS, average build, liberal. Skier and sailor. Open to other pastimes, active or otherwise. Daily coffee shop habit gets me out and engaging year round. History of volunteerism and civic engagement. Wife in memory care. Looking for age-appropriate companionship with an unknown destination. Live in rural central Vermont, an hour from Burlington; an easy drive. HSV2(G). Paprika2587, 77, seeking: W, l ALIVE AND WELL, LOVING LIFE Trying this for the first time. I am happy and in good shape in all ways: body, mind and spirit. Homesteading in the kingdom for 46 years now. Love to be outside, ski, swim, garden, hike, sit by the fire. Looking for a new woman to explore, love, grow friendship, homestead, discover. Let’s see how it feels! charlesinwoods, 65, seeking: W NATURE I value spirituality, kindness, respect, honesty, wisdom, humor. Reflections, 60, seeking: W, l ACTIVE, SENSITIVE MAN I am an active man who is comfortable in my own skin. Appreciate good conversation and women who value understanding, more so than judgement. I believe in second chances and living in the moment. Noonmark, 70, seeking: W, l GENUINE, OPTIMISTIC, GRATEFUL I’ve been blessed with an innate curiosity, a capacity for depth and a willingness to say yes first. I’m naturally self-sufficient. At the end of the day, what I most enjoy is good conversation with people I care about. I see most activities as an opportunity to laugh. Building community, both physically and spiritually, has always mattered to me. RiseatFirstLight, 71, seeking: W, l FISHING, HUNTING WORKAHOLIC WITH DOG Looking for someone to hang out with when there’s time. I also want a friend that wants to share fun times together without wanting to find their forever on the first date, or 10th for that matter. Clingy is not for me. Have fun, love the outdoors with my dog and love to ride my motorcycle. Kizar5150, 37, 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 NEW IN TOWN Hi — I’m into this and searching for someone to share music with, to spend time with and cook amazing meals together, and to have inside jokes with a lot of intimacy. Luis0, 30, seeking: W, l LET’S GO ON AN ADVENTURE I’m a 37-year-old guy who is just looking to go out and have fun. I like to ski, climb, kayak, ride motorcycles: anything to get out exploring. I’m just trying to make friends and have fun. I want to go see shows at the Flynn, check out a movie, have dinner. Let’s go have a coffee! ConfederacyOfDunces, 37, seeking: W, l

DECIDE, ACT, SUCCEED! I am a well-mannered, well-groomed retired gentleman seeking pleasant, ageappropriate NSA afternoon encounters in the Burlington area. People have described me as friendly, generous, upbeat and not unpleasant to look at. Photos upon request. Unable to host at the present time. Let’s meet for coffee and chat. JayDee, 76, seeking: M, l WORKS WAY TOO HARD Honest, caring and loyal! Love the outdoors. Camping, boating, bonfires, fishing, hunting, spending time at the beach, or just cuddling on the couch and watching a good movie. drew, 61, seeking: W, l SIMPLE LIFE I’m undergoing the next rediscovery phase of life. Working on a simpler existence. Always up for a beer at one of Vermont’s great breweries and exploring the natural splendor the world has to offer! My children are grown, live elsewhere and have babies of their own. I love road trips and time well spent with friends and family. LifeInMotion, 58, seeking: W, l PEOPLE TELL ME THEY LIKE ME... And that I am a lot of fun. Let’s talk, and you decide? Good-looking, fun, wellendowed/well-traveled/well-educated/ well-off former Brooklynite seeks fun, laughter, touch of sensitivity and sexuality, and sharing good food and good stories from someone I’ve never met before. I found a new home — literally and figuratively — here. Looking for companionship and sex with chemistry. I am sweet, honest, loyal, creative, kinda weird (crush on Drew Barrymore), open-minded, looking for similar. HappyhelpfullGuywithALOTofPHONES, 40, seeking: W, Cp, l

TRANS WOMEN seeking... 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 TRANS WOMAN LOOKING I am not your typical transgender woman as I’m a MAGA Republican, unvaccinated, goth, redneck, Christian metalhead. Call it a contradiction if you want — you simply don’t understand the complexity of who I unapologetically am. I am searching for the one forever woman with core values in common who is loyal and honest. TransRebecca, 32, seeking: W, l

GENDER NONCONFORMISTS

seeking...

FRIENDS AND A REAL PARTNER Never seen the other side, but want to. Married twice, 56 years total, miss it a lot. Want adventures and real closeness. Working on MFA with ’60s psychedelic art with a spiritual focus. Love to meet open-minded women, transwomen who haven’t had the package deal but are very feminine. Love “Star Trek” and Star Wars. Hard left in politics. jemd, 82, seeking: NC, 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

i SPY

If you’ve been spied, go online to contact your admirer!

dating.sevendaysvt.com

WILLISTON FOLINO’S BENCHWARMERS They 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

THE OFFICIAL END It’s time to face my fear. / I’ll never forget that early love you showed. / The 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

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

NYE — ECHO Saw you at ECHO NYE around 9:30. You were near the front left of the stage. I was near the back wearing a brown checked coat. We caught eyes, but I had to leave. If you’re single, it’d be great to find out more about you. When: Wednesday, December 31, 2025. Where: ECHO. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916521

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: Thursday, December 31, 2026. Where: everyone else. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916523

BOLTON VALLEY LONG SHOT It being the New Year and all, I figured I would take a long shot. On Labor Day 2025, I was trail running at Bolton Valley and met a fellow crazy person doing the same. We had a short conversation on the way down and in the parking lot. It would be great to reconnect. When: Monday, September 1, 2025. Where: Bolton Valley. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916520 FLY GIRL FLYING You were in a Subaru, with a trout plate: FLYGRL, driving north on 89. Sensible haircut. Eating carrot sticks or some other sensible snack. I saw my best possible future flash before my eyes, embodied by the scene in your car. Teach me your sensible ways and also maybe your fly-fishing tips and tricks? Kindly, an aspiring fly girl. When: Sunday, December 28, 2025. Where: 89 North (Waterbury to Burlington). You: Woman. Me: Woman. #916518

BTV NARROW CATCH! This is a long shot for sure, but it may be worth a shot! We both barely made the flight into BTV last night and were equally relieved. I had to catch my Uber, and you were working on yours. Hope you made it home safe. If you see this and remember, let me know! When: Sunday, December 28, 2025. Where: BTV Airport. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916517 SNAKE MOUNTAIN HIKER, TAKE TWO You: getting out of your car to hike with a friend and her dog. Me: finishing a hike with a friend. When: around noon. You said hello. I looked up, surprised, and said hi back. Your eyes made me want to ask you out right then, but I chickened out. Can we have a second chance? When: Saturday, December 27, 2025. Where: Snake Mountain. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916515 CANELÉS CO-OP ENCOUNTER We met at the co-op’s baked goods. I was charmed. You gracefully accepted the suggestion to try a canelé. I got tonguetied. Would you be interested in a coffee? I am glad to be a friend. When: Monday, December 22, 2025. Where: by the canelés. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916514 BACKWARDS WALKER AT THE YMCA I noticed you doing your own thing on the treadmill at the YMCA. Walking backwards and sideways. Very sweet. I was intrigued. We had a nice conversation. Your smile is delightful. You mentioned that I was fit. Wish I had returned the compliment. How about we continue the conversation over coffee or in the sauna or after an exercise class? When: Wednesday, December 17, 2025. Where: YMCA. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916513 KELLY, 58, SHELBURNE AREA? Someone showed me your profile. I’m wondering if you might be feeling adventurous? You’re super cute, and I’m super curious. When: Friday, January 2, 2026. Where: online. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916519 JERICHO COUNTRY STORE While we were ordering sandwiches at the Jericho Country store, I was taken by how kind, patient and considerate you were with the gentleman who was with you. I had driven to look at a camper. My daughter now lives in Jericho. Maybe we could have lunch. When: Friday, October 18, 2024. Where: Jericho Country Store. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916510

Ask REVEREND Dear Bree Dahl,

LONG TIME NO SEE It was early afternoon and I was leaving the store and you were heading in. We said, “long time no see!” and you wished me a Merry Christmas. I can’t remember where we first met or if you are married, but if this sounds familiar and you wish to follow up, let me know. When: Saturday, December 20, 2025. Where: Milton Hannaford. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916512 MOON CIRCLE BEAUTY Met you at a moon circle in the NEK. I was new to the space. You were clearly a regular. I admired your ink, your face and your long silver hair. We talked about astrology, herbalism and energy. You patiently listened to me vent. You were both whimsical and grounded. Thank you, kind stranger! I’m still intrigued. When: Saturday, October 4, 2025. Where: Rootstock Retreat. You: Woman. Me: Woman. #916511 LAUGHING AT MARIA BAMFORD You: cute, bald, and bearded. Me: also cute, hot pink blazer with my guy bestie. You were so familiar, and I couldn’t figure out why! You were clearly on a date, so I don’t want to overstep, but solve the mystery for me! Have our paths crossed before? When: Thursday, December 18, 2025. Where: 6pm Maria Bamford show at the comedy club. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916509 GORGEOUS MUSTACHE! The lights on Church were twinkling when I saw you. Do they twinkle? Sparkle? It doesn’t matter because you were — big brown eyes, curly hair, and a mustache few could pull off. Let’s take turns being sick. Let’s cherish each other’s idiosyncrasies as we grow old together. My heart twinkles, sparkles, goes up in flames for you. When: Wednesday, December 10, 2025. Where: Church and Bank. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916508

Irreverent counsel on life’s conundrums

Dear Reverend,

My sister recently got engaged and asked me to be in the wedding. I love her, and of course I said yes, but I’m worried about what she’s going to want me to wear. She’s a real girlie-girl, but I’m nonbinary and haven’t worn a dress since I was a kid. It’s her day, and I want her to be happy, so how do I handle this situation without causing any problems?

Bree Dahl

(NONBINARY, 28)

I’m assuming that your sister knows you well enough to have already been thinking about this. I doubt she’s going to ask you to wear a chartreuse chiffon gown with a hoop skirt. Luckily, those sorts of god-awful bridal party dresses are mostly a thing of the past anyway. You should broach the subject of attire sooner rather than later and get in on the ground floor of planning. Many modern brides set a color palette and let their attendants choose their own outfits, so raise that as an idea. It’s a great way to make sure everyone feels their best and can find something that fits their budget — that they might even wear more than once! I’d suggest going into the conversation with some specific examples of what you would be

BAREFOOT LOVER I saw you where it all started, realized my heart is still yours. To know you again is how I find closure, I am certain. Any other cure must be rarer than true love. Success is meaningless without someone you love to share it with. Send a message, walk with me or know I am here, loving you. My COLO. When: Monday, September 1, 2025. Where: our grounding place. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916506 MET ON MAPLE You were walking up Maple, crossing S. Union. I was heading down Maple. You had a pretty cool-looking pup (white with pale brindle patches). We both looked back after crossing paths, but the timing was off and I didn’t catch your eye. Would love to say hi over a dog walk sometime. When: Thursday, December 11, 2025. Where: Maple and S. Union. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916505 ‘RASP-BERRY BERET...’ The lady works in the City Market store, tends the self-check lane with grace and style, and returns a warm-enough smile to rekindle hope after long winters alone. If you’re interested enough to see if the lyrics go on for us, the neurounique woodcarver and sometime harmonica jammer would love to share drinks at the Archives. When: Tuesday, November 25, 2025. Where: City Market. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916502

HELPED ME FIND GINGERBREAD HOUSE To the handsome guy in Target around 4 or 5 p.m. who helped me locate the rest of the gingerbread houses, I would love to thank you with a drink or a coffee. You had a middle school-aged boy with you. Me: blond hair, green cardigan. When: Sunday, December 7, 2025. Where: Target in South Burlington. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916503



PREMIUM KINDNESS Me: woman, tallish, black coat, stood behind you at register, total eavesdropper. You: sat next to a veteran at the end of the bar. I admired that you listened with genuine interest, asking questions as he shared his story. You inquired about the increase of insurance premiums; you covered the next few months. Your kindness improved my outlook on humanity. Coffee/ lunch? When: Tuesday, December 16, 2025. Where: Wayside in Montpelier. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916507

BUSING FOR STRANGERS You: Whimsically stylish with your upturned hair and oversized sunglasses – having lunch with your daughter, perhaps. You’re confident, clearly not afraid to take the initiative, and you know your way around a pair of chopsticks. Me: Tomten lookalike popping in for my twice weekly bowl of don. When: Friday, December 5, 2025. Where: Sakura. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916501

comfortable wearing. If you aren’t all that sure about formal wear, hop online and search something like “nonbinary wedding party attire.” There are so many ways to be dressy other than wearing a dress. You should also consider what you’ll do if your sister is hell-bent on having everyone in her party wear a dress. Would that be a deal-breaker? Would you be willing to compromise and wear it for the ceremony and some photos, then change into something else for the reception? Hopefully, it won’t be an issue. The wedding may be your sister’s big day, but she’s asked you to be part of it. She should want you to be happy, too. Good luck and God bless,

The Reverend What’s your problem? Send it to asktherev@sevendaysvt.com. SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 14-21, 2026

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 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 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 Fireman seeking female friend with fire down below. Feed the fire — let’s burn. #L1902

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

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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 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 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

Internet-Free Dating!

Reply to these messages with real, honest-to-goodness letters. DETAILS BELOW. Very discreet bi guy loves the outdoors: camping, hiking, fishing, etc. Looking for other guys with similar interests to share fun times and have good times with. Hit me up! #L1890

Gracious, attentive, educated, humorous soul seeks a fit, tender and unassuming female counterpart (58 to 68) for woodland walks, shared meals and conversation. #L1885

Male looking for female, age 59 to 69. I am disabled but still get around on my own. Looking for someone to hang with, since I am all alone and hate it. My partner passed from cancer. #L1888

I’m a 43-y/o male seeking a woman, 30 to 50. Adventure seeker building an off-grid cabin in Newport. I’m 5’8”, redheaded, fit, living between western Mass. and Vt. I like to cook, bathe, hike, camp and travel. Seeking fit, fun-loving, cuddly companion for potential future. #L1880

I’m an 81-y/o woman seeking a male. I am a widow of five years. Looking for companionship. Love music, reading, knitting, crocheting and playing card games, etc. #L1887 I’m a 19-y/o male college student seeking a kind, curious, adventurous woman around my age. I enjoy meditating, being outside and long conversations. Looking for someone I can value and appreciate who can help me to value and appreciate life. #L1881

I’m a 44-y/o bi male seeking a male, female or bi couple for casual sex. I am clean, easygoing and anything goes. No judgment here. Let’s talk. Call/text. #L1877 I’m 65 y/o and gay. Male, seeking my partner/lover and best friend. Gregarious and funloving. Laughter and a sense of humor are the cornerstones of my life. As Jimmy Buffet says, “If we couldn’t laugh, we would all go insane!” #L1875

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RAR Bike Basics - for WTNB

Salt Season: A Nightlife Arts Spectacle

'Gone Guys' Film Screening & Discussion

January Bird Monitoring Walk

'The Basics' Cake Decorating Class

Cooking for the Chinese New Year

April Patterson Clemens & Cobalt Tolbert w/ Beth Monroe, Dave Wrong & Melissa Anthony

Bake, Move, and Bloom: Preparing for Labor and Postpartum

WED., JAN. 14 OLD SPOKES HOME, BURLINGTON

FRI., JAN. 23 CONTOIS AUDITORIUM, BURLINGTON

SAT., JAN. 24 BIRDS OF VERMONT MUSEUM, HUNTINGTON, VT

THU., JAN. 15 HIGHLAND CENTER FOR THE ARTS, GREENSBORO

THU., JAN. 15 RED POPPY CAKERY, WATERBURY

SAT., JAN. 24 FAITH UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, SOUTH BURLINGTON

FRI., JAN. 16 THE UNDERGROUND - LISTENING ROOM, RANDOLPH

SAT., JAN. 24 RED POPPY CAKERY, WATERBURY

TURNmusic presents Michael Prentky’s 'sad boy:ADD:apocalypse'

Rhinestone Rodeo

SAT., JAN. 17 MAIN STREET LANDING PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, BURLINGTON

SAT., JAN. 24 THE PHOENIX GALLERY & MUSIC HALL, WATERBURY

Hula Story Sessions: Spectrum Youth & Family Services

Low Lily

SUN., JAN. 18 UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CONGREGATION - UPPER VALLEY, NORWICH

THU., JAN. 29 HULA, BURLINGTON

Story Songs of the 70s With Tom DiMenna

NWSWD Repair Café

SUN., JAN. 18 CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF ST. PAUL, BURLINGTON

SAT., JAN. 31 SAINT ALBANS MUSEUM

Lil’s Sunday Supper Club!

SAM TALKS // Trash Talk with Ginger Nickerson

SUN., JAN. 18 STANDING STONE WINES, WINOOSKI

SAT., JAN. 31 SAINT ALBANS MUSEUM

'From Rails to Trails' Film Screening

Valentine's Day Cookie Decorating Class

WED., JAN. 21 MAIN STREET LANDING FILM HOUSE, BURLINGTON

Heloise & the Savoir Faire with DJ Cooley FRI., JAN. 23 STANDING STONE WINES, WINOOSKI

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Heartbeats Silent Disco: Move. Create. Connect. Feel Alive. THU., FEB. 5 DAVIS STUDIO, SOUTH BURLINGTON

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