Seven Days, June 18, 2025 by Seven Days

Beyond the Botanical Basics

DELIVERY

PLANT RENTALS

COMPILED BY SASHA GOLDSTEIN & MATTHEW ROY

WEEK IN REVIEW

JUNE 11-18, 2025

Two Advocates Face Deportation

Two well-known leaders of the advocacy group Migrant Justice are behind bars and face deportation proceedings after being detained by U.S. Border Patrol agents on Saturday in northern Vermont.

Jose Ignacio “Nacho” De La Cruz, 29, and his stepdaughter, Heidi Perez, 18, had just dropped off meals for workers at farms in the Richford area when they were pulled over on Route 105, according to Will Lambek, a spokesperson for Migrant Justice. ere’s a long tradition in Vermont’s migrant community of delivering meals to farmworkers, many of whom work long hours, lack transportation for grocery shopping or are worried about a potential run-in with federal immigration authorities.

De La Cruz, who was driving, called an emergency hotline set up for such situations, Lambek said, and stayed connected as he and Perez were questioned.

“He was calmly exercising his right to remain silent, requesting that border patrol explain the cause of the trafﬁc stop,” Lambek told Seven Days. “Within 10 minutes of the stop, they had broken his window and then forcibly arrested Nacho and Heidi.”

In a statement on Sunday, a U.S. Customs and Border Patrol spokesperson said agents conducted the stop “stemming from suspicious border activity near the United States/Canada border.”

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GOING NORTH

State Rep. Mari Cordes (D-Bristol) told VTDigger that she is resigning her seat and moving to Canada. Take us with?

AIR BALL

A disgruntled dad sued the Burlington Free Press, arguing that the paper’s failure to cover his son’s basketball games caused the boy distress. A judge tossed the suit.

“ e vehicle’s occupants refused to answer the agents’ questions, would not roll down the vehicle’s windows, and refused to comply with the agents’ lawful orders,” the statement said. “Agents were forced to break a window to remove both occupants at which point the subjects were taken into custody and brought to Richford Station.”

Agents learned “that both individuals were citizens of Mexico and had no legal immigration status in the United States,” the statement said. “Both individuals remain in custody pending removal proceedings.”

Lambek was skeptical, contending the stop was “purely based on racial proﬁling.”

“We believe the stop was unlawful,” he said. “ ere was no reasonable suspicion behind it.”

Other undocumented migrants have also been arrested in recent weeks in Vermont. In April, eight farmworkers at a dairy in Berkshire were detained; several were ultimately deported. Another 10 workers were taken into custody during an ICE construction site raid in Newport last month.

“It certainly has a tremendous and traumatizing impact on the community,” Lambek said. “People are terriﬁed about what’s happening right now, and, at the same time, people are overcoming that fear to speak out and defend their rights.”

Read Sasha Goldstein’s full story at sevendaysvt.com.

PAY SCALE

U.S. Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) teamed up with U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) to introduce a bill for a $15 minimum wage. A rare moment of bipartisanship.

WALKING TALL

A long-awaited pedestrian bridge over Interstate 89 in South Burlington has been put out to bid and construction is expected to begin in 2026.

That’s roughly Vermont’s share of a national legal settlement with Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family.

TOPFIVE

TOWNCRIER

LOCALLY SOURCED NEWS

A Life: Gene Cassidy ‘Was Always Willing to Help You Out’ Before he moved to the Upper Valley, Gene Cassidy was a journalist who molded the careers of many, Jim Kenyon writes in the Valley News. During his colorful life he also drove a cab, hosted a radio program, painted houses, worked in carpentry, manned the night desk of a hotel and stocked shelves at the White River Junction Co-op.

Read the full story at vnews.com

COUNTING CARBS

Members of the Greater Burlington YMCA have been ﬂexing more than their muscles. Earlier this month the org called on its customers to answer one of life’s great questions: What is the proper way to eat a bagel with cream cheese?

e debate started during Member Appreciation Week when the Y offered free bagels and cream cheese on “Wellness Wednesday.” One front desk staffer asked another which half of the bagel she eats ﬁrst, assuming that everyone eats them open-faced. But Hanalei Henderson told her colleague, a staffer named Mike, that she prefers them closed, like a sandwich.

“I was like, at’s insane. at’s crazy,” Mike recalled. Henderson told Seven Days that it had never occurred to her to eat bagels any other way. “And I stand by that, as the way I eat my bagels,” she said.

So, they took the question to the people. For the next week,

as members checked in at the front desk, they had the opportunity to pick up a pen and choose a side in the YMCA Bagel Preference Poll, which asked, “How do you eat your bagel with ONLY cream cheese?”

“Duh,” someone wrote in the “Open-Faced” column. “ is is the one way. (Unless on the street in Manhattan.)” Directly across, in the “Closed-Faced (like a sandwich)” column was this: “OPEN FACED SANDWICH IS NOT A SANDWICH.”

“More bagel time,” wrote a member arguing for open-faced.

“ is is gross,” someone countered in childlike scrawl.

e issue has divided families. “People are very passionate about their bagels,” said Henderson, 21, whose go-to is scallion cream cheese on roasted red pepper-Asiago. One person wrote that if the bagel is untoasted, they eat it as a sandwich but, if it’s toasted, they eat it openfaced. Another likes to spread the cream cheese, smoosh the bagel together, then open it.

When the poll closed last week, open-faced won, 75-39, and Henderson acknowledged her expanded world view: “So many people are eating their bagels as two pieces.”

“Maybe I’ll try it,” she said. “ ere were some good points, you know. e cream cheese can, like, squirt out the sides when you eat it as a sandwich.”

MARY ANN LICKTEIG

Heidi Perez and Jose Ignacio De La Cruz

FOOD FOR THOUGHT.

Paula Routly

Cathy Resmer

Don Eggert, Colby Roberts

NEWS & POLITICS

Matthew Roy

Sasha Goldstein

Ken Ellingwood, Candace Page

Hannah Bassett, Derek Brouwer, Colin Flanders, Courtney Lamdin, Kevin McCallum, Alison Novak

Sam Hartnett

ARTS & CULTURE

Dan Bolles, Carolyn Fox

A DIFFERENT VERDICT

Chelsea Edgar, Margot Harrison, Pamela Polston

Jen Rose Smith

Alice Dodge

Chris Farnsworth

Rebecca Driscoll

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

Alice Dodge, Angela Simpson

Katherine Isaacs, Martie Majoros

Madeleine Kaptein DIGITAL & VIDEO

Bryan Parmelee

I was in court watching the trial of David Krag v. University of Vermont Medical Center discussed in “A Question of Care” [June 11]. The jury’s decision was not surprising in today’s MAGA climate. First, science was disregarded and deemed unimportant. The intense expert from Yale University obviously didn’t have as much of an impact on the jury as the expert with ties to Big Pharma and a handsome smile.

Eva Sollberger

Je Baron

Don Eggert

Rev. Diane Sullivan

John James

Je Baron SALES & MARKETING

Colby Roberts

Robyn Birgisson

Michelle Brown, Logan Pintka, Kaitlin Montgomery

Carolann Whitesell ADMINISTRATION

Marcy Stabile

Matt Weiner

Andy Watts

Gillian English

Second, there was an overemphasis on “choice” over “care,” suggesting everyone has equal capacity to make choices and equal background conditions that a ect their choices. Those disabled by an addiction are seen as having made bad choices.

Anthony Cinquina

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

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

Luke Awtry, Daria Bishop, Bear Cieri, Owen Leavey, Tim Newcomb, Jeb Wallace-Brodeur, Don Whipple FOUNDERS

Pamela Polston, Paula Routly

CIRCULATION: 35,000

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SUBSCRIPTIONS 6-

Third, as with so many MAGA projects, there is little respect or care for the vulnerable. The stereotypes of drug addicts abounded in that courtroom where the defense attorney painted a picture not of a confused boy turned man, trying to stop over and over again and ﬁghting a brain disease, but instead an addict who did what addicts do: use, keep secrets and relapse.

In that Burlington courthouse, the jury was asked to forget the science of brain disease and picture the demeaned addict, not “a person with an addiction.”

Even before the trial began, David Krag’s attorney Mary Kehoe had to make an argument to be able to show a video of Peter Krag playing jazz with his dad nine days before his death. The attorney for UVM Medical Center thought it would be too inﬂuential. Attorney Kehoe thought it would counter assumptions about addicts. In these times, it obviously wasn’t enough.

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SYMPATHY FOR DR. KRAG

I am so sorry to hear about Dr. David Krag’s son [“A Question of Care,” June 11]. It is so sad that we live in a world where we put trust in others for help and don’t get it. I worked with Dr. Krag, and he is the most caring gentleman ever. He cared about people who needed help.

Patricia DePaul LONGS, SC

Sharon Lamb SHELBURNE

KITTY KILLS

[Re “Here, Kitty? Wildlife Advocates Want to Bring Catamounts Back to the Green Mountains,” June 4]: Regarding reintroducing mountain lions to Vermont, I urge you read The Beast in the Garden, a book by David Baron. He chronicles the reappearance of mountains lions on Colorado’s Front Range, especially around Boulder, where the deer population had exploded. Lions eat deer. It turns out they also eat household pets. Oh, and then they killed some humans.

Coloradans who live in the mountains have learned to be wary and know it’s not a good idea to go for a walk on the outskirts of town or in the woods at dusk. They keep their pets inside or erect very high fences — over 10 feet, as mountain lions can jump amazingly high. We Vermonters don’t have that experience

CORRECTIONS

Last week’s story “Supreme Court Says Burlington Can Regulate Short-Term Rentals” was based on a misinterpretation of the Vermont Supreme Court’s ruling. The headline and much of the original story have been rewritten. The new version is printed on page 20.

A subhead in last week’s news story “A Question of Care” reported erroneously that a Vermont surgeon had sued a colleague over his son’s death. In fact, Dr. David Krag’s suit named only the University of Vermont Medical Center as a defendant.

of living in mountain lion country, and the learning curve can be brutal. Mountain lions are apex predators, but humans and pets are not, so they are at risk.

Lyman Orton MANCHESTER

‘LEAVE

THEM ALONE’

[Re “Here, Kitty? Wildlife Advocates Want to Bring Catamounts Back to the Green Mountains,” June 4]: Leave them alone. They will come on their own.

David Stewart SOUTH BURLINGTON

‘WE

THE PEOPLE’

[Re “ICE Arrests 10 Migrant Workers in Newport Worksite Raid,” May 30, online]: Slavery is back in our country! The slavers in the current administration, and in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, are abducting people and sending them to slave countries like El Salvador, where they are separated from their families, tortured and brutalized, and worked to exhaustion and death. Just like the African slavers did 400 years ago, with an ironic, alchemical twist on The Art of the Deal: The African slavers sold their slaves; our contemporary slavers are giving their slaves to slave countries and paying for the privilege.

This dreadful, immoral turn of events must not persist. The slavers in politics and in the military should be in jail — at the very least.

In its first phase in the Americas, slavery seemed to be the private prerogative of large plantation owners. Now it’s the

policy and the action of the government — we the people — of the United States.

As long as we tolerate this genocidal abridgment of human rights, we — we, the people — are all complicit.

Mannie Lionni BURLINGTON

QUESTION FROM A 36-YEAR-OLD

[Re “Their Bread and Butter: A FatherSon Pair Have Doubled Down for Growth

Since Buying Stewart’s Bakery,” June 10]: I enjoyed reading about the father-son duo running Stewart’s Bakery together, but I was puzzled by the choice to include the ages of almost everyone mentioned in the piece.

We learn not only the ages of the father, 64, and son, 33, but also their spouses (59 and 33, respectively); their head baker (52); a manager at City Market (50); the owner of Papa Frank’s (65); and one of their employees (a spry 35, gamely applying egg wash to proofed buns).

The ages of their employees and business partners seemed unnecessary and interrupted the flow of the story enough for me to notice it. I’m curious to hear why the choice was made to include that detail for everyone and not just the subjects of the piece.

Pat LaClair FAIRFAX

Editor’s note: You’re right. We overdid it. There is no hard-and-fast rule on this — every publication does it differently — but the AP Stylebook advises: “Use when deemed relevant to the situation. If someone is quoted as saying, ‘I’m too old to get another job,’ the age is relevant. Generally, use ages for profiles, obituaries, significant career milestones and achievements unusual for the age.” FEEDBACK » P.24

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JOIN US AT THE TABLE

The Food Issue is a multicourse feast of stories about eating, drinking and farming in Vermont

You never know what you’re going to stumble upon when heading out to eat in Vermont. It might be farm-fresh fare sourced from nearby growers or, increasingly, cuisines from distant lands previously found in short, or no, supply close to home.

Given the state’s small population, there’s also a good chance of encountering someone you know at a neighboring table or barstool. That happened to me recently, with fortuitous results you can read in this week’s Food Issue. The multicourse feast of themed stories illustrates all of the above handily — and often deliciously.

Jordan Barry’s story about how mentors are supporting YOUNG VERMONT CHEFS proves the value of the state’s tight web of connections in seeding the next crop of restaurants (page 28). It inspired us to sample some newer entries to the restaurant scene: We tasted our way through SEVEN DINING DESTINATIONS BEYOND CHITTENDEN COUNTY, with menus that range from homestyle Peruvian in South Hero to creative vegan cuisine in Brattleboro (page 34).

Several spots on that tour serve locavore fare. We followed the farm-to-table trail, tagging along with JERICHO SETTLERS FARM to see how chefs have helped power the organic veggie operation to financial stability (page 42). That goal, plus the drive to keep suburban land in agricultural use, prompted the formation of South Burlington’s AGRIHOOD COLLECTIVE, a novel collaboration that will also create farmworker housing (page 20).

In another cool collab, a pair of Upper Valley sisters can tell you what to do with all that locally grown goodness — check out THE VERMONT FARM TO TABLE COOKBOOK, out next month

(page 50). Then head to Burlington’s CITY MARKET for ingredients; more than 50 years since the Onion River Co-op was established, the market faces a gauntlet of financial and managerial challenges (page 14). In a funny twist, a Seven Days intern happens to call its first warehouse home, on Archibald Street — read all about WHAT IT’S LIKE TO LIVE IN A FORMER GROCERY STORE (page 17). From co-ops to supermarkets, price hikes at grocery stores are hitting Vermonters hard. That makes free SUMMER MEAL PROGRAMS FOR KIDS even more critical (page 15).

Some of those meals will undoubtedly include bagels. It’s also likely that Vermont schoolkids have ideas regarding THE PROPER WAY TO EAT A BAGEL, the subject of a recent Greater Burlington YMCA poll (page 5). Meanwhile, the expert guests on the new KING ARTHUR BAKING PODCAST have educated opinions on the proper way to make a bagel (page 48). And our expert film and TV critic, Margot Harrison, has thoughts on the first three seasons of “THE BEAR” ahead of the hit FX series’ fourth season this month (page 56).

Speaking of experts, a chefsommelier and newly minted Vermonter shares her TIPS FOR PAIRING WINE AND CHEESE (page 46), which brings me back to a pairing I enjoyed at Putnam’s vine/yard in White River Junction recently, when I ran into former Seven Days food writer Corin Hirsch.

It turned out Corin had recently moved back to Vermont after a stint as a dining critic and drinks columnist for New York’s Newsday. Perhaps she would be interested in contributing to the Food Issue?

It’s a small world — and yes, of course.

MELISSA PASANEN

NEWS+POLITICS 14

Market Forces

After losing money for years, Burlington’s City Market faces more headwinds on the road to proﬁtability

Church Street Temporarily

Renamed ‘Canada Street’

A Million Meals

When school’s out, summer food programs provide free breakfast and lunch to kids

Education Reform

Bill Approved After Contentious Debate

Short-Term Rental Fight Will Continue in Environmental Court

Planting a Food Hub

In South Burlington, the Agrihood Collective, a cooperative effort to conserve farmland, will also create housing for workers

FEATURES 28

On the Line

How are Vermont’s cooks learning the trade? School or not, mentorship is the recipe.

Fresh Fare

From Brattleboro to South Hero, a new batch of restaurants and bars serves up a variety of food, drink and ambience

ARTS+CULTURE 48

Baking Dish

Tips, tricks and radical pizza comments ﬂavor King Arthur Baking’s new podcast

Home Cooking

Upper Valley sisters’ new cookbook features comfort food made solely with Vermont-grown ingredients

Comedic Play Control Top Skewers Pantyhose and the Patriarchy

Full Sail Ahead

Sailing around Juniper Island with Whistling Man Schooner

Partizanﬁlm Movie Theater

Coming to Burlington This Fall

‘ICON’-ography

Safe and Sound considers the sacred and starstruck

Masc Mandate: Larry Bowling in Montpelier

Spaced Out

From Putney to the Pyramids to Enosburg Falls, ﬂutist Margaux Simmons’ long musical career continues with Astral Underground

FOOD+DRINK 42

Long-Lived

Local

How Jericho Settlers Farm has adapted to build a viable farm-to-table business

Wine and Cheese, Please ree questions for chefsommelier Melissa L. Smith ahead of the Burlington Wine & Food festival

COLUMNS

Kitchen manager Cisco and our longtime employee Callum are dishing out fresh crispy house Helles beer battered fish and chips on Fridays. Just in time for your weekend cravings.

Come get your hands on the classic comfort you deserve!

COVER DESIGN JOHN JAMES • IMAGE JEB WALLACE-BRODEUR

Since 1996, Whistling Man Schooner has hosted thousands of tourists and locals on sailboat rides around Lake Champlain. Seven Days Eva Sollberger took a sunset cruise on the Friend Ship, a classic sailing sloop. It got good wind and sailed around Juniper Island.

MAGNIFICENT

MUST SEE, MUST DO THIS WEEK COMPILED BY REBECCA DRISCOLL

SATURDAY 21 & SUNDAY 22

THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT

World-class education organization the Caterpillar Lab takes over North Branch Nature Center in Montpelier for a weekend of metamorphosis and mimicry. e traveling exhibition beckons area entomophiles with a living museum, zoo, research laboratory and open-air displays in which guests witness wondrous moments of symbiosis, birth and even death.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 78

THURSDAY 19

What’s Growing On?

FRIDAY 20

Grass Roots

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 73

e Vermont International Film Foundation invites concerned culinarians to the Food and Country Screening & Climate Kitchen Conversation at Burlington’s Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center. Pioneering chef and writer Ruth Reichl digs deep into America’s precarious soil-toplate systems in the 2023 documentary. After the screening, Dr. Amy Trubek, director of the University of Vermont’s Climate Kitchen, leads a thoughtful discussion.

Shawn Colvin and Rodney Crowell bring a musical merging of their Americana and roots virtuosity to the Paramount eatre in Rutland. e concert showcases Colvin’s enduring legacy as a troubadour and storyteller, as well as Crowell’s proliﬁc songwriting chops, including hits made famous by the likes of Johnny Cash and Keith Urban.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 75

come to Willey Building Auditorium in Cabot for a tour de force performance of traditional tunes. Fierce ﬁddler Becky Tracy and adroit accordionist Rachel Bell initially joined forces with Québécois pianist Rachel Aucoin at a music camp jam sesh in 2017. e trio’s chemistry manifests in its spirited French balfolk songs, lively Celtic reels

Fried Chicken & Pickin’ series in Richmond opens with energetic, feel-good tunes by local bluegrass band the Town Hollers. A farmer-prepared meal of pasture-raised chicken brined in luscious buttermilk and coated in local, organic cornmeal makes life fun again for gluten-free folks, while vegetarians partake with a nutrientdense, protein-packed salad.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 74

SATURDAY 21

Taking It to the Streets

From canvas to concrete, the inaugural Barre Art Hang has something for aesthetes of all ages. e city’s downtown comes alive as local artists take over Main Street with a live exhibition of plein air painting, mural making, crafting demos and sidewalk chalk masterpieces. Barre Social Club boosts the spirit with convivial offerings ranging from a paint and sip to a roundtable panel discussion.

SEE ART EVENT LISTING ON PAGE 61

SATURDAY 21

Paving the Way

A Vermont Roadside Historic Marker Dedication pays homage to early American same-sex couple Charity Bryant and Sylvia Drake. e ceremony starts at Weybridge Hill Cemetery — site of the couple’s shared headstone — with remarks by U.S. Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vt.) and local LGBTQ+ leaders. A reception and pop-up exhibit of items from the Bryant-Drake collection at the Henry Sheldon Museum in Middlebury follow.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 76

Hickory horned devil caterpillar

the

Generous Helping

Writing about food has always been a big part of Seven Days

Among the stories in the 28-page inaugural issue, on September 6, 1995, was an elaborate evaluation of local pizzas. Three weeks later, the cover story documented the proliferation of Vermont’s gourmet markets. The author, James Beard Award winner Jim Dodge, wrote: “Every chef — like me — will tell you that the secret to good cooking is the qualify and freshness of the ingredients ... For those of us who live and shop here daily, the Burlington-Middlebury-Montpelier-Stowe area has become a trapezoidal treasure of special stores with special foods. Made-in-Vermont wholesomeness has met the ex-urbanite’s desire for diversity, and the result is excellent eating.”

Simply put, the 30-year history of Seven Days has tracked closely with that of the local food movement. As our readers’ appetites have grown for information about the state’s chefs, farmers and specialty food producers, the paper has served it up — course after course.

In 1996, we devoted an entire issue to Vermont food that included the state’s first-ever creemee map.

In short order, we were producing two Food Issues a year.

WHERE’S CHAMP? WHERE’S CHAMP? CHAMP?

Hint: He’s hiding somewhere in the pages of this issue of Seven Days!

Tell us where you ﬁnd him by Tuesday at noon and you could win a pair of tickets to a Vermont Lake Monsters baseball game at Centennial Field in Burlington.

In 2004, I started writing a monthly column called Edible Complex. That same year we launched a glossy, stand-alone annual dining guide, 7 Nights, that listed every eating establishment north of Route 4 — for free — back when that information didn’t exist online. On top of the weekly newspaper, the special publication took countless hours to compile and design.

After the third edition, we hired Suzanne Podhaizer as our first full-time food writer.

THE 30-YEAR HISTORY OF SEVEN DAYS HAS TRACKED CLOSELY WITH THAT OF THE LOCAL FOOD MOVEMENT.

In September 2006, culinary coverage became a regular section of the weekly paper, and we said goodbye to my column and the twice-yearly theme issues. Suzanne wrote a ton, but there was more to report than she could get to — so we brought on Alice Levitt as her editorial sous chef. They had very different tastes: Scholarly Suzanne is a foodie’s food writer, while Alice would eat anything — the more offal, the better.

Both were dishing it up in 2010, when Seven Days organized its first Vermont Restaurant Week. Our newspaper took on the promotion with zeal — but without compromising our journalistic integrity — and ran it every April for a decade until the pandemic put an end to both Restaurant Week and 7 Nights

The paper’s weekly food section, however, survived intact and hosted some of the biggest stories of the public health crisis. Since March 2020, Melissa Pasanen and Jordan Barry have scrambled to cover the food-sector impacts of restaurant closures, hunger, the Everyone Eats program, inflation, ingredient and worker shortages, unruly customers, supply-chain issues, climate change, and flooding. The duo breaks plenty of good news, too — including the continuous openings of new restaurants despite the industry’s challenges.

We’re fortunate to have two knowledgeable writers: Before joining Seven Days, Melissa wrote about food, drink and agriculture for the

Burlington Free Press and Vermont Life — as well as EatingWell, Saveur and Food Network. She’s written cookbooks and has a master’s in food systems from the University of Vermont. Jordan also has a master’s. Hers, from New York University, is in food studies. Their work has been recognized repeatedly with journalism awards and is some of the best read on our website.

Suzanne is still writing for us, too, as a freelancer; former food writer Corin Hirsch, newly returned to Vermont, also has a byline this week.

All of their coverage helps the entire Vermont food industry by educating and empowering readers to take action. Some restaurants are too ﬁnancially strapped right now to advertise, but, in my view, those that are doing well enough should consider supporting Seven Days’ weekly e orts. We’re the only media outlet in the state still providing consistent, unbiased food reporting and criticism.

“ PAULA AND THE TEAMWORK THAT HAS MAINTAINED SEVEN DAYS FOR MANY YEARS IS ONE OF THE BEST THINGS ABOUT LIVING HERE IN VERMONT.

IF ANYTHING IS IMPORTANT, OUR EXCELLENT FREE NEWSPAPER WITH QUALITY JOURNALISM IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS.” — Marjorie Kramer, Lowell

Robert Fuller gets it. The former owner of Leunig’s Bistro & Café came to Seven Days a few months ago to propose an ad campaign that features business owners on and around Burlington’s Church Street, many of whom are restaurateurs. Fuller is doing the interviews and photography himself. The small, eye-catching testimonials have run in every issue since early April.

“I’m just trying to push back against the negativity downtown by pointing out that there are many people who are quite happy to be doing business there. I’m one of them,” he wrote me in an email. “Church Street and downtown Burlington in general have been very good to me, and I feel like it is my responsibility to give something back.”

Almost half a century ago, Fuller and I worked together at Mister Up’s Restaurant in Middlebury, and he was good to all of us lowly waitsta . I’m not surprised the 78-year-old, who is paying for the ads with his own money and has no political agenda, calls his e ort the Burlington Better Vibe Coalition.

Better vibes? We’ll take a double order of that.

Paula Routly

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ese wonderful people made their ﬁrst donation to Seven Days this week:

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Here are some of the recurring donors who sustain us all year:

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Market Forces

After losing money for years, Burlington’s City Market faces more headwinds

In 2017, City Market cleaned up an old industrial lot in Burlington’s South End and built a state-of-the-art grocery store. The 30,000-square-foot building on Flynn Avenue boasts a spacious café, teaching kitchen and first-of-its-kind refrigeration system — a big upgrade from the co-op’s aging downtown store.

Though the $20 million project was a heavy lift for the member-owned co-op, its leaders were confident the debt would be repaid within five years. By 2023, they hoped, members would again share in the co-op’s profits through an annual patronage refund check.

That vision hasn’t come to pass. Sales at the co-op have stagnated since the pandemic, and the business is losing money each year — close to $470,000 last ﬁscal year even after $56 million in net

sales, the co-op’s annual report shows. Eight years after the South End store opened, there’s no proﬁt to share.

Managers say they hope City Market will find sure footing by 2028, but an unpredictable economy and challenging downtown climate pose threats to that plan.

“We’re probably cautiously optimistic,” City Market general manager John Tashiro said of the co-op’s future. “We’re focusing on the change we can make and the things we can control and just reminding ourselves there is hope.”

The co-op is an iconic institution in Burlington, with a 52-year history and 12,200 members, many of whom have shopped there for decades. While City Market customers are sometimes caricatured as crunchy types in search of goat’s milk and bulk granola, the co-op has a

ECONOMY

Church Street Temporarily Renamed ‘Canada Street’

BY COURTNEY LAMDIN courtney@sevendaysvt.com

Bienvenue aux Canadiens! at’s the message Burlington is sending to its northern neighbors this summer by temporarily changing the name of Church Street to “Canada Street” — or “Rue Canada,” for the French-speaking.

e symbolic gesture, which will run through Labor Day, is meant to foster goodwill with Canadians, many of whom have suspended travel plans to the U.S. amid rising political tensions between the two nations.

Burlington city councilors waved miniature Canadian ﬂags after they unanimously approved le changement de nom with a resolution at their meeting on Monday night. e measure allocates $3,000 to purchase bilingual signage, including street signs, Canadian ﬂags and other marketing materials.

“Symbolism is important. It shows that we care,” said Councilor Becca Brown McKnight (D-Ward 6), the resolution’s primary sponsor, who wore a T-shirt bearing a Canadian ﬂag to celebrate the vote. “It resonates beyond our borders, and it sends a clear message that, here in Burlington, we are about connection, not conﬂict.”

Ties with Canada run deep in Burlington and the rest of Vermont. As many as 750,000 Canadians visit the Green Mountain State every year, boosting the state economy by an estimated $150 million.

much broader audience. Its downtown store is the only grocery in the city’s center, making it a pit stop for workers grabbing a quick lunch, college students seeking craft brews and elderly residents taking advantage of the co-op’s 5 percent senior discount.

Of course, City Market, with its emphasis on organic and local products, isn’t for everyone. There’s a reason the store is often referred to as “City Markup.” Shoppers can ﬁnd Sweet Baby Ray’s barbecue sauce — ﬁ rst ingredient: corn syrup — alongside a sugar-free brand that costs twice as much for half the quantity.

A business with progressive values, City Market mostly runs on union labor, and co-op members elect its nine-member

But President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canadian goods — and threats to annex the nation as the “51st state” — have soured relations with Canada, which has struck back with tariffs of its own. Border crossings have dropped signiﬁcantly.

Councilor McKnight said the name change is a playful way of showing appreciation to Canadians. It’s also a dig at Trump’s own penchant for rebranding national landmarks, such as the Gulf of Mexico, which the president renamed the Gulf of America on the ﬁrst day of his second term.

“Some people may like it, some people may not like it, but they’re going to be talking about it,” McKnight said. “Church Street and Rue Canada will be on their minds, and that’s really the intention.”

e name change is effective immediately but will be marked with an ofﬁcial unveiling on the marketplace in the coming weeks. ➆

City Market in downtown Burlington

A Million Meals

When school’s out, summer food programs provide free breakfast and lunch to kids

BY ALISON NOVAK • alison@sevendaysvt.com

When Essex Westford schools let out for the summer, the work doesn’t stop for child nutrition director Scott Fay and his team. Just days later, they begin converting the kitchen at Essex High School into a de facto packaging facility.

A cadre of food service workers will spend their days assembling hundreds of meal kits filled with breakfast and lunch fixings such as muffins and fruit; tortilla chips, ground beef and shredded cheese for nachos; and bread and cold cuts to make sandwiches.

They’ll stack the boxes on palettes, load them into a 26-foot refrigerated truck, and deliver them to half a dozen or so communities in Chittenden and Washington counties. A mile down the road, at Albert D. Lawton Intermediate School, another group of staffers will make single-serve meals for kids to eat alfresco at Essex Junction’s Maple Street Park and Pool and local day camps.

In all, Essex Westford’s food service program delivered 200,000 free meals last summer, according to Fay. This year, he expects to provide even more.

Those meals represent just a portion of the food that schools and nonprofits

provide, free of charge, to keep Vermont children fed in the summer. The number of summer breakfasts and lunches distributed across the state has more than doubled since 2019, from roughly

Meal bags at Windham Northeast Supervisory Union

B URLIN G TON WATERB UR Y CENTER STOWE

board of directors, who monitor its financial performance. Members, who generally pay $15 a year until they have paid $200 for a full share in the store, can get a discount on their groceries by volunteering at local nonprofits. Over the past decade, the co-op has donated close to $2 million to local charities and nonprofits through Rally for Change, a program that lets shoppers round up their bill to the nearest dollar.

City Market started as a buyers’ club in 1971, setting up shop in a long and narrow building on Archibald Street that’s now an apartment complex. (See sidebar on page 17.) The club became a co-op in 1973 and in 2002 moved to its current location on South Winooski Avenue.

Expanding to the South End was an opportunity to grow. The new store has 15,000 square feet of retail space, compared to the downtown location’s 12,000, and about 40 more parking spaces. Total net sales jumped $6.2 million in the store’s first year, exceeding expectations. In the fiscal year 2018 annual report to members, leaders struck a positive tone.

“While success is about more than numbers, we like to start there,” Tashiro wrote, noting the boost in sales and member counts. “It was truly a cooperative effort for which we are all very grateful!”

Then came the pandemic. To comply with social distancing requirements, the co-op stationed workers at the door to limit the number of customers allowed inside. At the same time, the employees’ union negotiated hazard pay bonuses that both compensated them as frontline workers and cut into the co-op’s quickly shrinking bottom line.

City Market lost $760,000 in fiscal year 2021, the most in a 10-year span, as membership dropped below 12,000. Member counts have started to rebound to pre-pandemic levels, but the co-op

continues to operate in the red and draw on cash reserves to cover the deficit.

Construction has impeded sales at both City Market stores. In the South End, work on a portion of the long-awaited Champlain Parkway snarled traffic for more than a year starting in 2022, though, now complete, it has improved access to the store. Downtown, a massive rebuilding of Main Street is expected to last through late 2026.

The enduring drug crisis has posed other challenges for the downtown store in the form of brazen theft and repeated overdoses in the bathroom, which now requires a code to get in. Safety concerns forced the store to close its indoor café for a time earlier this year. On a recent Friday, a homeless person was passed out on a pile of blankets near the store’s entrance, unaware of the lunchtime customers who breezed by.

The co-op now employs five security managers, four more than when Tashiro was hired in 2015. Private companies, including Chocolate Thunder, provide backup as needed. Tashiro wouldn’t disclose how much the extra security has cost, but it’s likely significant. Hannaford, for instance, has spent thousands of dollars in recent years to station sheriff’s deputies at its supermarkets in Chittenden and Franklin counties.

“If the climate were a little bit different, I know we’d be spending a little bit less,” Tashiro said, “but safety has just been our highest priority.”

Even so, some shoppers have changed their habits.

“The last time I had lunch outside the downtown store with my oldest son, I saw a drug deal happening in front of us, in broad daylight,” Molly Bosley, a Bolton resident, told Seven Days outside the South End store last week. “Maybe I don’t feel like going back to that, you know?”

Cinephile and Burlington resident Paul Olsen, who was also at the South End store, said the closure of nearby Merrill’s

Roxy Cinemas means he’s less likely to pop into the downtown market.

“Also, I’m a Trader Joe’s guy,” Olsen said with a shrug. “It just seems a little bit more affordable.”

As with many businesses, labor costs continue to put pressure on City Market’s budget. The employee contract signed last fall awarded a $2 hourly base pay increase to 200 union members, one of the higher raises in recent years. In February, the

not only because it could have put him out of a job. Most of Lambert’s clients were homebound seniors without smartphones or internet access, he said.

Lambert worries that City Market is scaling back on programs that set it apart from its competitors. Besides the delivery service and patronage refunds, the co-op also stopped offering cooking and other classes when it eliminated the outreach and education manager position in February.

Those programs were “great ways to show a community that you are there to take care of people,” said Lambert, who resigned from his job this month.

MICHAEL HEALY

co-op eliminated six positions, four of them union jobs. Three of those workers found other jobs in the company, under a contract provision that gives them first dibs on vacant positions.

Tashiro said the move was a restructuring to “fit the business needs” and wasn’t driven by finances. But employees past and present interviewed by Seven Days don’t seem to share his view. Adam Ploof, who worked in City Market’s finance and IT departments for 18 years, said the cuts reflect the co-op’s management decisions.

“It’s not hard to draw a connection from poor budgeting to bad decisions around wages to having to lay people off,” said Ploof, who resigned last month. “There were objections on each of those steps that were ignored.”

Max Lambert, a former City Market grocery delivery driver, said he raised red flags when the co-op started using Instacart, a national delivery service, and

Tashiro says Instacart will attract more members, who are key to the co-op’s success. The service can deliver groceries to homes within an hour drive of the stores, compared to the in-house program’s 15-minute delivery radius. Customers who have trouble navigating the app can call a 24-hour hotline for help. As for the classes, City Market hopes to bring back a revamped program in August, he said.

City Market leaders say they don’t have a magic formula to climb back into the black, though boosting membership — and thereby sales — is a piece of it. In lieu of the patronage refund, the co-op is offering a 20 percent discount to members who spend $50 or more on designated days this year. Sales jumped 30 percent during May’s discount days. One member spent a whopping $1,600 to earn about $320 off their bill, according to Cheray MacFarland, the co-op’s director of community and marketing.

Increasing sales is likely to remain a challenge, particularly downtown, where the drug crisis persists and so does construction. Earlier this month, contractors blocked off the co-op’s South Union Street entrance so they could begin renovations on the former Greater Burlington YMCA, where an apartment complex is planned. The work will encroach on the

roadway for two years, though as of last week, customers could still exit onto South Union.

While City Market intends to more closely manage the cost of goods, President Donald Trump’s on-again, off-again trade wars could make it harder to control prices.

“We hope, ultimately, customers understand that we do the best we can with the information we have,” Tashiro said. “We might get criticized, but at least, hand on heart, we can say we really put in effort to understand, hear people out, do what we think is sustainable.”

Burlington resident Michael Healy, a consultant who works with food co-ops across the country, said the stores are held to higher standards than typical supermarkets because they’re rooted in a set of values. Co-ops are expected to give back to the community, pay livable wages and sell goods at reasonable prices, Healy said, all while surviving as a business. Healy, a City Market member, thinks his co-op is doing well, all things considered.

“Our board and manager have done a pretty good job of explaining, ‘Here’s what’s going on, and here’s where we are,’” Healy said. “I am an owner, along with 12,000 other people, of a business that is working really, really hard to navigate some troubled waters.”

Co-op Living. Walk-In Fridge Included.

BY SAM HARTNETT • hartnett@sevendaysvt.com

I live in a grocery store.

Burlington has its fair share of funky, subdivided apartments, but I’ll bet few other places boast wooden, 50-gallon bulk bins built into the living room. One of my roommates sleeps in a former walk-in

On a recent Friday afternoon, City Market’s struggles were not detectable amid the steady stream of customers at the South End store. Workers, both blueand white-collar, grabbed sandwiches from the deli while others refilled fivegallon jugs of the co-op’s ultrafiltered water. One 89-year-old member, who had ferried over from Essex, N.Y., was content with a bag of clementines.

Bosley, the Bolton mom, was preparing a picnic for herself and her younger son. Like many City Market shoppers, she remains loyal, despite the co-op’s challenges.

“I love all the options, all the choices. I always know there’s going to be really fresh, organic food,” Bosley said. “This is my happy place.” ➆

refrigerator; the other in a space that once served as a loading dock.

Onion River Co-op started in 1971 as a food-buying club whose members pooled money to purchase items in large quantities, some of which were hard to find in Vermont. The club then incorporated as a co-op in 1973 and opened its food distribution center – a warehouse – on Archibald Street. That’s where I have lived for the past year.

The place sits across from the historic Pate-King House, a former hotel that goes back a century. The co-op occupied the building where I live until 1990, when it moved to a larger space a few blocks away on North Winooski Avenue by means of a human chain of members who passed the contents to the new location by hand. In 2002, the store moved into the downtown space it inhabits today and took on the name City Market. A South End location opened in 2017.

My three-bedroom apartment still holds artifacts from its former life as a warehouse.

I use the bulk bins, coated in decades of white paint, to store coolers and blankets. Wooden shelves in the living room that once held the warehouse’s merchandise serve today as my wine rack. My roommate sleeps behind a 5-inch-thick refrigerator door that helpfully insulates her from the noise of my night-owl shenanigans. Our driveway still has concrete bollards at the end – left over from its days as a custom-built loading dock that accommodated rental trucks full of rolled oats and brown rice, staples of a sensibility. Our apartment, one of three in the building, makes no secret of its age. You can look up to see weathered, rough-cut rafters that seem to attract dust like a magnet. At your feet, the floor of mismatched planks is so uneven and gap-ridden that you’d swear it was assembled by pot-smoking hippies (which it was). Shoes are recommended to protect against protruding nailheads.

The Archibald Street place morphed from a warehouse and distribution center into a storefront slowly through the 1970s, as the co-op found itself with extra goods to sell. Sales were honor-based at first, in the style of a farmstand: Members left money in a bucket when they took their goods.

Old photos depict a bustling space crammed with produce coolers, racks of jars and self-serve buckets of who-knows-what. One black-and-white photo shows couples dancing in an open area as a band played in the corner. The co-op apparently was a food store and a scene.

“By the time we transitioned to a storefront, we were having tractor-trailer trucks back into this narrow little driveway,” Terry Bouricious, the co-op’s manager in the ’70s and ’80s, told me.

Larry Kupferman, who preceded Terry as store manager, recalled that the massive trucks knocked down my neighbor’s chimney, but only once. It was repaired and still stands there today.

After talking with Terry and Larry, I’m proud to live in a place, quirks and all, that is steeped in the story of people who came together to shake up something as basic as the way we buy food. ➆

Hi, I’m Victoria.

Church Street Tavern is a Burlington institution! Recently reopened under new management, we are family owned and operated.

A community pub and meeting place, we have great food, drinks and one of the best outdoor seating options on the Marketplace. A menu fave is our Tavern Burger!

We hope to see some new and old faces this summer! Our lovely and friendly staff is excited to dive into summer with all of you. So come and meet us at the tavern — where friends meet!

The produce department at Onion River Co-op’s Archibald Street warehouse, circa 1989

Sam Hartnett’s living room, present day

COURTESY

SAM HARTNETT

439,000 to more than 1 million. So successful is Vermont’s e ort that in 2023, the state ranked ﬁrst in the nation for summer meal program participation, according to the national nonproﬁt Food Research & Action Center. Though federal regulations specify that meal distribution sites must be located in high-poverty areas, anyone 18 and under, from any town, may participate.

School kitchens such as Fay’s weren’t always able to feed so many kids. But pandemic-era changes to the federally funded summer meals programs, which allowed more ﬂexibility and e ciency in meal delivery, have become permanent, allowing programs such as Essex Westford’s to expand their reach.

Before COVID-19 shut down schools, kids had to go to a designated site each summer day and eat there. That was di cult for working families and those without transportation access, according to Rosie Krueger, state director of child nutrition programs. Now, federal guidelines allow programs in rural areas — a classiﬁcation which applies to the vast majority of Vermont — to provide take-home meals or food boxes with the ingredients needed to make breakfasts and lunches for multiple days during the summer months.

The new guidelines have been a game changer for Vermont, according to Tim Morgan, child nutrition policy and training lead at Hunger Free Vermont. Fay’s Essex Westford program, for example, is now able to deliver weekly meal kits to towns such as Roxbury and Bolton that are too small or don’t have the sta to run their own programs.

Though other federal food benefits have been cut or threatened under the Trump administration, funding for summer meals remains intact, at least for this year. Programs are reimbursed by the feds at a set rate for each meal served — about $3 for breakfast and $5.40 for lunch — which accounts for both the cost of food and the labor to produce and distribute it. Last year, Vermont received $4.4 million in federal funds to reimburse meal programs, plus another $255,000 to support statelevel administrative expenses.

Windham Northeast Supervisory Union director of nutrition Melissa Bacon attributes Vermont’s success to its collaborative spirit.

Bacon’s summer meals program in southern Vermont is one of 52 that will begin operating this month. Each is designed to meet the needs of the communities they serve. Bacon’s team of a dozen full- and part-time employees, for example, will provide meals to summer camps and libraries, while also preparing

1,300 meal kits each week. Each contains a gallon of milk, seven days’ worth of ingredients, and recipe suggestions for breakfast and lunch. Every Wednesday afternoon from late June to mid-August, families can drive up to Bellows Falls Union High School and workers will load the bags into their trunks, an efficient distribution method that’s a holdover from the pandemic.

Windham Northeast is known for including locally grown food in school meals, and summer provides an even greater bounty. Meal kits contain corn,

ingredients, so it prepares kid-friendly meals such as macaroni and cheese, pulled pork sandwiches, and chicken Caesar wraps. The meals are available at several sites in Barre, including the municipal swimming pool, the Lower Graniteville Playground and low-income housing developments. The district also provides meals for town libraries in South Ryegate, Bradford, Wells River and Groton.

Because programs are reimbursed for each meal they serve, they have the ﬂexibility to add additional sites if needed, said Jen Hutchinson, Barre’s manager

Hartford School District students during the school year. A group of volunteers ﬁlls bags with ﬁve days’ worth of breakfasts and lunches and, once a week, hands them out at the White River School in White River Junction. When families have barriers that prevent them from getting to the distribution site, volunteers have even delivered meals right to their homes.

“We want to try to make it as equitable as possible,” said Emily Zanleoni, the coalition’s executive director.

The state also works hard to make sure people know about the program,

peppers, lettuce and carrots from area farms and Vermont-made Cabot cheese, Yalla hummus and Slice of Vermont pizza dough. Last summer, the district bought blueberries in bulk from Green Mountain Orchards in Putney.

During weekly distributions, Bacon said, families often tell her how helpful the food bags are in these tough economic times.

Whitney Patterson, a nurse at Bellows Falls Union High School and parent of two, said the program has been “amazing” for local families, including hers. Getting nutritious, fresh food such as kale, carrots, eggs, whole-wheat bread and presliced chicken breast every week is “a tremendous money saver,” Patterson said. And because the meals are easy to prepare, it enables her ﬁfth and seventh graders to be more independent when it comes to making their own breakfasts, lunches and snacks when school’s out.

In Barre, the meal program has been especially important for families hit hard by catastrophic flooding the past two summers. The e ort is run by the Barre Unified Union School District, which contracts with an outside food vendor, Genuine Foods. Federal rules don’t allow the vendor to o er meal kits with bulk

THE NUMBER OF SUMMER BREAKFASTS AND LUNCHES DISTRIBUTED ACROSS THE STATE HAS MORE THAN DOUBLED SINCE 2019.

of school nutrition. During the ﬂoods of 2023 and 2024, they were even able to help provide emergency meals to both kids and adults at the Barre Municipal Auditorium and the Health Center in Plainﬁeld.

Not every region in Vermont has a robust summer meal program. Rutland and the Northeast Kingdom are areas where it has been particularly hard to sta programs, according to Krueger, the state child nutrition director.

In some places, local nonproﬁts step up when school districts can’t. For the past eight summers, the Hartford Community Coalition, a small organization focused primarily on substance misuse and mental health, has distributed meals to kids in and around the New Hampshire border town. It contracts for single-serve meals made by the Abbey Group, the vendor that feeds

Krueger said. School districts are required to send information about summer meal sites to families in June. And 211, a community-resource hotline run by the United Ways of Vermont, can share pickup locations. The Agency of Education also prints out banners and yard signs to direct families to meal sites.

Free summer meals complement Vermont’s federally funded Summer Electronic Beneﬁt Transfer, or EBT, program, which provides thousands of low-income families with $120 per school-age child to help buy groceries during school break, Krueger said. If the money is used at a local farmer’s market, it is doubled through a state program called Crop Cash. The beneﬁt was provided to qualifying Vermonters earlier this month, Krueger said. Those who didn’t receive the funds but think they are eligible can apply on the State of Vermont’s website. When it comes to the meals program, Krueger said she encourages all families in Vermont to take advantage of it.

The more participation, the more federal money the state can bring in, Krueger said, “which allows the kids who really need it to access those summer meals.”

From top: Meal bags at Windham Northeast Supervisory Union; kids enjoying summer meals in Hartford

Education Reform Bill Approved After Contentious Debate

BY ALISON NOVAK & KEVIN MCCALLUM

Vermont lawmakers on Monday evening approved a sweeping education reform bill that will change the way the state’s schools are governed and funded, then sent it to Gov. Phil Scott to sign.

e bill calls for the creation of larger, consolidated school districts and a foundation formula in which the state, rather than local voters, decides how much money school districts receive. Both the governance and funding changes will go into effect three years from now.

In both the Senate and the House, opponents blasted the bill, H.454, during lengthy ﬂoor speeches. Still, the Senate advanced the bill on Monday afternoon, and, after debate, the House passed it in the evening. Scott, who had insisted that the legislature take decisive action this session, has indicated he plans to sign it.

One backer, Rep. Casey Toof (R-St. Albans Town), called the bill a “once-in-ageneration opportunity” to turn around an unsustainable education ﬁnancing system that has sent property tax rates soaring.

Dozens of lawmakers denounced the bill. Some said numerous constituents urged them to vote no. Others said they were worried about the impact that school district consolidation will have on rural communities.

“ ere is nothing equitable about putting a child on a bus for two hours a day so they can attend a school 30 miles from home,” Rep. Leanne Harple (D-Glover) said. “I don’t care how nice the gym is. I don’t care if the science lab sparkles with every modern jewel. If a child can’t be rooted in their community, if they spend more time on a bus than with their family, if they have no connection to their town, then that is not equity. at is exile.”

Supporters such as Rep. Peter Conlon (D-Cornwall) said the reforms will eliminate funding inequities that leave some kids with fewer courses, sports and clubs than peers in neighboring towns.

Still others, including Sen. Ruth Hardy (D-Addison) worried that lawmakers gave too much deference to independent schools in a conference committee of

House and Senate members that made ﬁnal changes. After months of negotiations and testimony, some of those changes were substantial.

“Almost everything that the conference committee talked about ... was about independent schools,” Hardy said.

Sen. Alison Clarkson (D-Windsor) told Seven Days it was a “bad look” for the conference committee to have two of three Senate members closely aligned with independent schools. In her remarks on the ﬂoor, Clarkson said she was disappointed that people’s trust in the Senate appears to have been eroded by the impression that independent schools were the committee’s top priority.

Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Baruth (D-Chittenden-Central) denied that the committee was too focused on independent schools. “Nothing could be further from the truth,” he said. He noted that the number of independent schools that would qualify for public funding would be cut in half under the bill.

Educators dressed in red — members of an advocacy group called Vermont School Workers United — lined the balcony of the Senate chamber during the ﬂoor session. Earlier in the day, they’d rallied at the Statehouse, listening to speeches from education leaders — including Caitlin MacLeod-Bluver, the Vermont Teacher of the Year; Winooski superintendent Wilmer Chavarria; and several legislators, all of whom expressed their dissatisfaction with the bill.

Passing it was one of the ﬁnal acts of the session. e House on Monday night also approved a bill that charges the Vermont Agency of Education with creating a model policy that prohibits students from using cellphones at school.

Scott gave a brief farewell address to lawmakers before they adjourned.

He praised them for making real progress on tax relief and housing construction through a $2 billion infrastructure bill. But he saved his deepest gratitude for lawmakers who worked on the education bill, saying the effort had required time and courage. ➆

Hello Friends,

Anne and I decided to make Vermont our home after graduating from UVM in the early ‘70s. We’ve been making and serving delicious foods ever since — especially chocolates!

For many, the journey to discovering our chocolates begins at the Church Street Marketplace. For us, it was great to have our daughter Ellen and son Eric experience the retail side of our business during their high school years. Having a retail store in downtown Burlington since 1996 has played a vital role in building our brand and connecting us with the community.

Like any business, Burlington and the Marketplace has had its share of challenges, its own ups and downs — periods of vacancies, construction, parking, and homelessness to name a few. But get here and you will find the charm and warmth of so many amazing restaurants and retailers. Friends and visitors say it’s one of the coolest shopping experiences in the country! So let’s embrace what we have and return to the Church Street Marketplace more often!

— Jim Lampman

Sen. Phil Baruth

Short-Term Rental Fight Will Continue in Environmental Court

BY COURTNEY LAMDIN courtney@sevendaysvt.com

A recent Vermont Supreme Court ruling has limited the ways in which a group of people who operate shortterm rentals in Burlington can pursue their fight against city rules.

The order effectively means the group must pursue its case in environmental court, which generally deals with permitting and zoning issues. The group sued the City of Burlington in civil court, which the high court ruled was not the proper venue.

Liam Murphy, an attorney for the 12 plaintiffs, said his clients are taking the environmental court route. But it’s unclear whether that court has jurisdiction. At issue is whether the plaintiffs, who rented their units before a city ordinance was passed in 2022, are exempt from the rules that severely limit how short-term rentals can operate.

“It could take some time to sort out this matter,” Murphy said.

The city defines short-term rentals as units that are leased for more than 14 days and fewer than 30 consecutive days in a 12-month period. Hosts must live on the same lot or in the same building as the unit, with few exceptions. Violators can be punished with $100 tickets.

The 12 plaintiffs collectively own more than 16 short-term rentals, mostly in Burlington’s Old North End. The primary plaintiff is Sam Gardner, an Airbnb host who sued the city under his business name, 32 Intervale.

The plaintiffs’ original lawsuit argued that the city had no legal right to regulate short-term rentals. They also said their rental units should be exempt from the city’s regulations because they predated the ordinance.

The city got the first count tossed and on the second argued that the civil court doesn’t decide zoning matters. A judge agreed that civil court wasn’t the proper venue. The case was dismissed last November.

The plaintiffs appealed to the Vermont Supreme Court, arguing that the lower court erred in throwing out their case. On June 6, the high court affirmed the civil court’s ruling.

“We are grateful for the most recent decision,” Burlington director of permitting and inspections Bill Ward said in a statement. ➆

Editor's note: This story is an updated, corrected version of an article that was published in last week's paper.

Planting a Food Hub

In South Burlington, the Agrihood Collective, a cooperative effort to conserve farmland, will also create housing for workers

BY ANNE GALLOWAY

Just a few miles from South Burlington’s busy commercial shopping district, what’s left of the farmland in the city limits has long been under unrelenting development pressure. One patch of farmland that could have succumbed drew the attention of a small group of local organic farmers, the City of South Burlington and a consortium of conservation organizations. Together, they were determined to save the 360-acre property.

Last month, nonprofit farming trust the Agrihood Collective, the city and the Vermont Land Trust did just that. The groups conserved the Auclair Farm in a complex transaction that involved five major funders, three parcels and two other farms.

The buyers will keep the fields, located on Cheesefactory and Hinesburg roads, open for farming and will restore wetland, forest and riverbank habitat. The city plans to develop several miles of public recreational trails.

About 13 acres near the Edgewood neighborhood housing development will be the home of a shared agricultural hub run by the Agrihood Collective. Those plans are five to 10 years in the future, depending on funding. The collective hopes eventually to build 48 to 60 units of farmworker housing, a commercial food processing and storage facility, a cooking school, and infrastructure for collectively owned equipment.

The land deal checked all of the boxes to qualify for the South Burlington Open Space/Conservation Fund, which is financed by a voter-approved penny on the property tax rate. City manager Jessie Baker said the Auclair property presented an opportunity to address the housing crisis and “honor the city’s agricultural tradition” while also aiding climaterelated goals for creating connected, walkable neighborhoods.

A third party, Dirt Capital Partners, an investment firm dedicated to regenerative farming, purchased the property in 2020 for $3.67 million and held it in conjunction with the Vermont Land Trust until the collective and conservation partners could secure financing. Of the total purchase price, about half a million dollars covered the agricultural value of the land. The remaining $3.17 million paid for a conservation easement that represents the fair market value had the property been offered for development.

The city put up $915,000; the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board and the U.S. Department of Agriculture invested about $1.9 million; and Dirt Capital forgave $362,500 of the debt.

Stacy Cibula, ag director at the housing and conservation board, said the property, a former dairy farm, is one of the last big farms to be conserved in Chittenden County. Over the past 30 years, the county has lost 35 percent of its arable land to

development. The Agrihood Collective farm is part of a larger conservation puzzle in the area that includes easements on private land, Brownell Mountain and Shelburne Pond. Cibula said the project also stood out because the collective represents the first time in Vermont that two or more farms have formed a nonprofit to share resources.

“Credit goes to the farmers for doing something no one else is doing in the state,” Cibula said.

Corie Pierce, an owner of nearby Bread & Butter Farm, saw “for sale” signs sprouting on the nearby Auclair property in 2017 and decided she had to try to save it from development. Pierce and her business partner, Brandon Bless, didn’t want to own it outright, but they needed more land for their cattle. They were already stretched thin by debt from their 2009 purchase of a 143-acre organic beef, pig and vegetable operation that straddles the Shelburne-South Burlington line on Leduc Farm Road.

“We knew we would never have this kind of proximity again,” Pierce said. “That 360 acres was right there, and we decided to go for it.”

Pierce couldn’t afford to buy the land, but she thought a group of farmers could swing it with support from conservation organizations. Owners of three other farms in South Burlington and Shelburne — Killeen Crossroads Farm, Common

Corie Pierce at Bread & Butter Farm in 2023

JAMES BUCK

Roots and Sisters of Anarchy Ice Cream at the Fisher Brothers Farm — began meeting to compare notes. It became clear that they were all under daunting financial pressure, in no small part because of the challenges of farming in Chittenden County, which has the highest land prices in the state.

As solo operators, each farm struggled to retain workers because of the county’s high housing costs. The owners also realized that each business was too undercapitalized to invest in equipment or infrastructure that could make their operations more financially sustainable.

Carol McQuillen, the founder of Common Roots, a food education and equity nonprofit that manages 22 acres of vegetable production for local schools and food banks, said it was clear that collaboration — not competition — could be their secret sauce. They looked at a collective model in Wisconsin and a national nonprofit, the Agrarian Trust, for inspiration. They invited Vermont Agriculture Secretary Anson Tebbetts to one of their meetings. He became a catalyst for the

collective concept, encouraging them to work together, McQuillen said.

Soon, they agreed that sharing land, equipment, worker housing and commercial food processing infrastructure could be mutually beneficial. “If we can’t sustain our workforce, it’s a failed experiment,”

STACY CIBULA

McQuillen said. They formed a nonprofit agricultural trust with a food education mission and the unique collective financial model.

The first order of business was to buy the land. Pierce didn’t have to do much arm-twisting to solicit interest from conservation funders. Bread & Butter Farm is a community-supported agriculture enterprise that offers educational programs for children and hosts a popular monthly Burger Night. It also helped that South Burlington’s planning department already had the Auclair Farm on its conservation wish list. The Vermont Land Trust had identified the property as a top

priority because of its prime agricultural soils, central location and intense development pressures, according to Britt Haselton, the trust’s conservation program director.

But even so, the cost was prohibitive, and the sellers could only wait so long. In

2020, Dirt Capital and the Vermont Land Trust acquired the property while the partners sought funding.

Since then, Common Roots and Sisters of Anarchy have dropped out of the collective because of shifting priorities.

McQuillen, of Common Roots, hopes to rejoin the group once she has established a year-round farm market, café and culinary teaching kitchen near the intersection of Allen Road East and Spear Street.

Killeen Crossroads Farm has been all in from the outset. Owners Breana Killeen, a nutritionist, chef, EatingWell alum, and senior editor at Food and Wine; and her husband, Kieran Killeen, a professor and

associate dean in the College of Education and Social Services at the University of Vermont, bought 20 acres near Bread & Butter in 2019. In 2020, they started to plan a wholesale vegetable operation for the restaurant market and a communitysupported agriculture program.

Today, the Killeens’ farm has two fulltime farmers, 1.5 acres of vegetables, 175 laying hens, 10 cows, and 1,000 turkeys, Cornish game hens and chickens. Breana’s mother, a retired pathologist, makes the jellies, jams and pickles sold at their farmstand. In addition to holding down fulltime jobs and running the farm, Keiran and Breana are raising 4-year-old twins.

Breana, whose father is Chinese, specializes in Asian veggies. Her dream is to found a cooking school, in part to take the angst out of preparing all those vegetables — such as shiso, mizuna and bok choy — that appear in the weekly mystery basket.

“People love CSAs until they are overwhelmed by CSAs and at midweek the fridge is still full of vegetables,” Breana said.

Still, she sees the Burlington area as the perfect market for the farm and cooking school. That’s because, she said, nutritious food is “not a fad here; it’s a way of life.” ➆

‘No Kings’ Protests Draw Thousands Across Vermont

BY SASHA GOLDSTEIN, SAM HARTNETT & ANTHONY CINQUINA

From the top of Mount Philo and the base of Mount Mansfield to every corner of Vermont, thousands of protesters gathered peacefully on Saturday to declare that the U.S. is not ruled by kings, despite President Donald Trump’s continued push to expand his power.

For a small state, Vermont boasted a mighty response, with more than 40 planned events on this national day of “No Kings” protests, which coincided with Flag Day and the birthdays of Trump (age: 79) and the U.S. Army (250). A costly — and controversial — military parade and celebration was held later on Saturday in downtown Washington, D.C.

In Vermont, blue skies and seasonal temperatures — a rarity this wet spring — likely boosted the turnout. The vibes were mostly positive, and the police presence was decidedly low-key. There were no reports of violence or arrests.

The rallies here started at 8:30 a.m., when about 50 people marched up Mount Philo in Charlotte armed with signs bearing messages such as “No Faux-King Way” and “Liberty & Justice for All.”

Meantime, a “flag relay” followed Route 7 on the western side of the state, starting just over the border in Massachusetts and continuing north to Swanton, with stops in dozens of towns and cities along the way. Thousands of protesters lined the roadway, waving signs and cheering as the convoy rolled through.

At a stop in Rutland, an organizer explained that the flag making the journey had flown over the U.S. Capitol in 2019 in honor of a World War II veteran from Richmond who’d stormed Utah Beach in Normandy, France, on D-Day — June 6, 1944. The organizers then led the crowd in a rendition of “My Country, ’Tis of Thee.”

Stowe on Saturday morning resembled peak foliage season as traffic slowed to a crawl and people crowded the sidewalks on both sides of Route 100 through the ski town’s picturesque main drag. Speakers decried the Trump administration as a steady stream of passing vehicles honked loudly in support. U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) also addressed the crowd.

By far, the state’s largest gathering was on the shores of Lake Champlain, where many thousands turned Burlington’s Waterfront Park into a scene resembling a summer carnival. Protesters waving signs, along with a large contingent carrying Palestinian flags, assembled in different sections of the city before marching down main thoroughfares and converging on the grassy green space.

There were games, music and food trucks to help people occupy the time as they waited to hear from speakers. One diversion encouraged people to “Thump-a-Trump” inflatable effigy using a baseball batshaped U.S. Constitution.

“I’m here to help raise awareness of the abuses to our country by the executive branch, Donald Trump, his cabinet of unqualified people and the entire Republican party who continues to do this man’s bidding,” Doug St. Amour of Huntington said. ➆

DOWNTOWN TOO EXPENSIVE

From [“Queen City Squeeze,” May 7; “Burlington Council Directs Mayor to Move Free Lunch Program,” May 20; “Amid Tensions, Burlington Mayor Wants Council to Reconsider Free Lunch Resolution,” May 27], I concluded that the business owners in downtown Burlington blame homeless people for a drop in customer traffic. Do they really think that removing homeless people will improve their businesses? I feel more unsafe with businesses raising their prices and closing toilets to noncustomers.

What really made me mad was forcing the soup kitchen to move away from the downtown garage. The soup kitchen fed many people during the COVID-19 pandemic and has continued to do so. People who come to the garage for lunch don’t have transportation, and moving the soup kitchen away from downtown could mean that they wouldn’t be able to make their way to the free lunch distribution. Moving people from here to there is not going to make the businesses flourish. We live in tough times; people are struggling to make ends meet and are not going to buy new expensive clothes or furniture when they can get it for cheap in secondhand stores. I recently wanted to buy a croissant at the kiosk on College Street. When I found out it was $4.60, I ran away, never to return there. What we really need are food stores and coffeehouses with affordable prices.

COTS SERVES MORE THAN LUNCH

[Re “Queen City Squeeze,” May 7; “Burlington Council Directs Mayor to Move Free Lunch Program,” May 20; “Amid Tensions, Burlington Mayor Wants Council to Reconsider Free Lunch Resolution,” May 27]: Missing from these articles is the work that COTS, one of Chittenden County’s largest providers of services to the unhoused, does and has been doing for 40 years. Anyone who isn’t aware may think the only place for our unhoused in Burlington to get lunch is in the parking garage downtown.

COTS Daystation, located at 95 North Avenue, is open every day serving a sit-down lunch at 12:30 p.m. An average of 75 people eat lunch daily. And COTS does more than just provide a hot meal. In addition to the warm welcome from our passionate staff, COTS provides a safe, warm or airconditioned location; a mailing address; and access to a phone, computer, laundry and shower. These meals are provided by community volunteers who donate their time to prepare meals in our kitchen, and more volunteers are always welcome.

It’s easy to blame homeless, impoverished, illegal immigrants and other marginal classes for city problems. It’s much harder to build shelters, soup kitchens and community places to help those in need.

About garages: We need to build more garages out of town. People can take buses to downtown, instead of having all those cars, noise and pollution in downtown Burlington.

Vesna Dye BURLINGTON

COTS is also a connection point for shelter and housing. COTS has two family shelters and an adult shelter. COTS Daystation also provides a space for service providers to engage with those who may be ready for engagement. You will find representatives from Turning Point Center of Chittenden County, Howard Center’s Street Outreach Team, University of Vermont Health Network, Pathways Vermont and the Office of Veterans Affairs at our Daystation.

COTS has been feeding, sheltering, housing, connecting and caring for our community members for many years. It is a small organization that provides many services beyond lunch. One of the best things about our Daystation is that while our unhoused community may stop in for lunch, they may leave with shelter and connection to services.

Julia Paradiso BURLINGTON

Paradiso is a board member of COTS.

lifelines

OBITUARIES

Jean Clarke Olson

1948-2025

MONTPELIER, VT.

Jean Olson, beloved wife, mother and friend, passed away from advanced ovarian cancer on June 6, 2025, three years after diagnosis. She felt fortunate to pass at home with her loving family and close friends by her side.

Born in 1948 to Marguerite and John Remington, Jean grew up in Vermont at a time and place that offered her a childhood full of opportunities. e ﬁrst few years were marked by tumult, as Jean and her sister were sent to live with family in New Hampshire while their mother spent two years recovering from tuberculosis in a sanitarium. e family was reunited in 1954 and moved to Woodstock, Vt., where her parents bought a 1791 farmhouse on Prosper Road. e local farmers cautioned them against buying a 100-acre property with no running water, electricity, central heating or indoor plumbing. But Marguerite had a vision for her family and home and carried it out. Her talent to realize the potential in the overlooked was a gift she passed on to her daughter. Jean would later harness this gift in service to her community throughout her life.

e ’50s and early ’60s were a magical time to be a child on a farm in Woodstock. Jean and her two sisters spent their days playing outdoors, riding, swimming, skiing and skating. One of Jean’s favorite memories included getting her library card at the Norman Williams Library by standing on a stool to sign the big book of members. Another favorite memory was of her mother lightly penciling the names of the piano keys on the old grand piano (a relic left in the farmhouse from the Civil War, as it was too large to move) so Jean could read and play. She subsequently took up the guitar, which led to a lifetime

OBITUARIES, VOWS, CELEBRATIONS

of playing music with others, including 20 years in a ﬂute trio and later singing with Bob Kinzel and Leigh Seddon, the Barn Band, into her last months.

Education was central to Jean’s life. Her parents encouraged her to go to college at a time when it was not expected for women. She attended Skidmore and then Johnson State College, where she graduated with a BA in music. In midlife Jean returned to education, earning her master’s degree in education from Norwich University at Vermont College and a doctorate in education from the University of Vermont.

Jean met her beloved husband, George Olson, at Johnson State, and they were married in July 1969. ey lived in Montpelier, Vt., for a year before George was drafted during the Vietnam War, which sent them to basic training in Baltimore and then to Vietnamese Language School in El Paso, Texas. Jean felt fortunate that George’s deployment orders were changed from Vietnam to Europe as the war was winding down. e couple left Texas for Dusseldorf, Germany, where Jean worked with the British Army in the transport unit for displaced persons from World War II. Her two main tasks were making tea and delivering mail around the compound twice a day. e initial interview consisted of two questions: Can you type? Yes. Can you make tea? No, I don’t drink tea and don’t like

tea. ey hired her regardless and then enjoyed plenty of jokes about the sad quality of her tea.

Upon release from military service, Jean and George settled back in Vermont. ey were blessed with two beautiful daughters — Emilia in 1979 and Sarah in 1981. One of the big family adventures was the year spent in the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus in 1990, when her daughters were just 9 and 11. George had a Fulbright to teach at a Turkish high school, and Jean taught English to Turkish college students. e family faced enormous challenges in Cyprus, and yet, when they were encouraged to return to Vermont as the Gulf War began, they agreed they had worked hard to build a life in an unknown place and decided to stay. ey ﬁnished the Fulbright year and also took the opportunity to travel to Egypt, Israel and Italy.

Jean was a treasured member of the Montpelier community. Over the years she volunteered with the Barre Opera House, OUR House, the Kellogg-Hubbard Library and the Montpelier Foundation and was elected to the Montpelier City Council and the Montpelier Senior Activity Center Advisory Council. She worked on the Enhanced 911 project and in retirement for the House Clerk’s Ofﬁce at the Statehouse. Her fundraising work allowed Woodbury College to relocate to a much larger location, currently the Community College of Vermont location in Montpelier.

Her 20 years of teaching elementary and adult learners while volunteering on local boards prepared Jean for the culmination of her professional life when she became executive director of the Governor’s Institutes of Vermont in 1994. In her 16 years at the helm, Jean transformed the organization from one on the brink of bankruptcy to a thriving institution. She moved the GIV ofﬁce into her home to control costs

and expanded the number of institutes through savvy fundraising. Jean believed in the transformative power of opportunity and loved to see more and more students attend the institutes each summer, which she described as “magic” while others viewed it as a testament to her dedication. Today, GIV offers summer programs to high school students ranging from the arts and science to civic engagement and international issues.

Montpelier has lost a visionary force, and Jean will be greatly missed, not only by family but by her treasured community. Resilience, optimism and a self-proclaimed “sturdiness” were just some of Jean’s faithful traits throughout her life. ese guideposts, along with her love for her family and dearest friends and a lifelong appreciation for her life in Vermont, sustained her to the end.

Jean and her family want to thank her caregivers, all of whom offered compassion alongside their professional expertise: Dr. Gamal and Georgia Eltabbakh; staff at Central Vermont Medical Center, especially Katie Hall; Dr. Rachel Gaidys; the hematology and radiation teams; and BAYADA hospice, especially nurse Kat Placek. Jean was predeceased by her parents and her younger sister Diane (Remington) Starr. She leaves behind her loving husband, George Olson; cherished daughters and their spouses, Emilia Olson (Jacob Rogen) and Sarah Olson (Josh Rudman); younger sister Mary Gulbrandsen (David Gulbrandsen); niece, Justina Starr (Kay, Zac, Aziza and Musa Kasanga); nephew, Isaac Starr (Megan Lizotte); and many other dear relatives and friends.

A memorial service will be held on Sunday, June 29, 2025, 1 p.m., at Vermont College Alumnx Hall, 45 College St., Montpelier, VT. Memorial contributions may be made to the Jean Olson Fund at the Governor’s Institutes of Vermont (giv.org).

Kim Landry

OCTOBER 18, 1976-JUNE 8, 2025 ESSEX JUNCTION, VT.

Kim Landry passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family and friends, on June 8, 2025, after a long, courageous battle with ALS, at the McClure Miller Respite House.

Born on October 18, 1976, and raised in Berlin, N.H., Kim graduated from Berlin High School before embarking on a life full of adventure and meaningful connections. In 1998, she moved to Vermont, where she found her chosen family and built a life rooted in love and community.

Kim’s career was dedicated to helping others, beginning with her work in early childhood education and continuing through her retirement from the TSA. Among her many accomplishments, one of her greatest achievements was working at Yellowstone National Park, where she cultivated her deep appreciation for nature and adventure. A true lover of water and animals, Kim found joy in kayaking, camping, hiking, biking and spending time outdoors, always seeking the beauty of nature. She had a ﬂair for adventure and an occasional love for wearing high heels. Most of all, Kim cherished the moments spent with her family and friends.

Kim was predeceased by her beloved grandparents, Laurier and Lorette Charest and Henry and Irene Landry; and her mother, Joan Charest.

She is survived by her father, Roger Landry, and stepmother, Cheryl; her brother, Steven Landry, and his wife, Mashell; her stepsisters, Karen Supry and Meagan Palazzolo; and her stepbrother, Shaun Roy.

Kim will be dearly missed by her nieces, Amanda and Peyton Landry-Hope Supry; nephews, Zachary Stephenson, Trevor eriault and Eric Palazzola; greatnephew baby, Mateo Sandoval; great-nieces, Summer and Tallulah Stephenson and Adelynn Palazzo; aunt Dorothy Lariviere and son Matt Lariviere; and many other aunts and cousins.

A special thanks to friends Jess Poquette, Brandy Allen and Michael Coulombe.

Her family would like to extend their deepest gratitude to the McClure Miller Respite House for their unwavering commitment and compassionate care during her ﬁnal days.

Kim’s positive spirit was infectious, and people lined up to be near her. Her spirit, kindness and adventurous heart will be deeply missed by all who knew her.

A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, July 12, 2025, 3 to 7 p.m., at the Barns at Lang Farm, 45 Upper Main St., Essex Junction, VT. Please note: A cash bar and light appetizers will be available following the service. Please note that overﬂow seating will be outdoors — kindly come prepared for inclement weather. Please visit awrfh.com to share your memories and condolences.

Suzanne Boomhover

FEBRUARY 24, 1965-JUNE 7, 2025

ST. ALBANS, VT.

Suzanne Ramsay Boomhover, the cherished wife of James Boomhover, passed away surrounded by love and her family on June 7, 2025, after a short battle with brain cancer. She lived through her brief diagnosis exactly as she had her previous 60 years: with compassion, empathy and selflessness. Her diagnosis wasn’t cause for self-pity; it was an opportunity to embrace those around her, to reassure them that

“things are going to be OK.” She lived with grace and humility; her purpose was to ensure others were comfortable and cared for, even if it meant sacrificing those very things for herself.

Born Suzanne Mary Ramsay on February 24, 1965, Suzanne grew up in Milton, Vt. Her father, Bruce Porter Ramsay, was a jack-of-alltrades. Bruce built their family home, tinkered on their cars and maintained the property. A tomboy at heart, Suzie embraced her chores helping him; she watched and listened to her father keenly as he taught her valuable lessons. Suzie was never afraid to get her hands dirty; in fact, she preferred them that way — it proved the day had been productive!

from her inner tube, rowing, skipping stones, or huddled around a campfire telling stories and giggling with her favorite people: her brother and sister, twins Heather and Douglas.

In 1984, Suzanne married her first husband, Brian DuPrat. They quickly started a family and over a period of five short years welcomed their children, Dustin, Brittany, Ryan and Adam, into their world of unconditional love. To be raised by Suzie was a gift; it was a daily lesson in what it meant to be loved, cherished and made to feel special. The importance of a work ethic was instilled through daily chores under the masquerade of spontaneous fun: working in the garden, mowing the lawn and even grocery shopping were an adventure when Mom was in charge! Exploring the woods picking berries, wandering the shore looking for sea glass and swimming in the lake helped instill a sense of wonder and appreciation for our breathtaking state and the outdoors.

adapted to accommodate their grandkids. Giggles and shouts of glee always reverberated when Gram was near, doing puzzles, playing games, sitting around campfires cooking s’mores or doing her absolute most favorite thing — teaching kids how to catch a fish.

People never felt more love than when Suzie was in their life. Her coworkers at BFA Fairfax, Waterville Elementary School and, most recently, Burlington Electric Department knew what it was like to be considered family by Suzie. With her passing, she’s left a hole that is immeasurable. Those whose lives she touched find solace and comfort in her memories, love and lessons. She lives on through anyone who spreads and teaches unconditional love, selflessness and compassion and isn’t afraid of pitching in and getting their hands dirty.

John Pennucci

JUNE 3, 1955-MAY 20, 2025

COLCHESTER, VT.

John Edward Pennucci of Colchester, Vt., died on Tuesday, May 20, 2025. John had been diagnosed with melanoma more than five years ago and had been treated at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Mass., since that time. Once his cancer had spread and was untreatable, he chose to utilize Vermont’s Act 39 and died surrounded by family and friends.

Suzie’s mother, Catherine Coon Ramsay, ensured that the little homestead, perched on the side of Cobble Hill, was one filled with love and warmth. Her childhood was filled with memories of her mother welcoming neighbors, cousins and friends to their home with open arms. Catherine refused to rest until she knew all the kids had been cared for and loved and their bellies were full. Her untiring, instinctive, selfless and gentle mothering was the model on which Suzanne built her life and her character.

Summers were spent on the shores of Lake Champlain at the family’s camp on Eagle Mountain Harbor. Though modest in size, it was nearly always bursting at the seams with aunts and uncles, cousins, and friends trying to escape the heat and humidity of Vermont summers. Suzie adored being behind the family boat, carving across the wake on a single water ski. She never loved being the center of attention, though, so more often than not, she could be found fishing

Suzie’s life and passion were her children. They all attended Bellows Free Academy in Fairfax, where, after years of volunteering in the classroom, she became a full-time employee. In 2007, after life led her and her first husband down different paths, it was there that she met her beloved James. Soon after, Suzie left her position in the planning room to work alongside Jim in facility and property management at the school. Jim’s three children, Kristin, Brooke-Ann and Taylor, were all quickly introduced to Suzie’s own brand of unwavering love. Terms like “blended family” or “stepchildren” had little bearing on Suzie; it didn’t matter who you were: If you were important to and cherished by someone whom Suzie loved, then you were, without question, a beloved and supported child of Suzie’s.

If Suzie’s passion in life was being a mother, her calling was to be a “Gram.” Over the course of 11 years, Suzie welcomed 16 incredible grandchildren into her world. She had the privilege of building unbreakable and unique bonds with each and every one of them. Her smile was never bigger and her eyes never sparkled brighter than when she was in the presence of her “grands.” Adventures she cherished with husband Jim, such as camping, going to hockey games and even vacations in Mexico, were quickly

Suzanne is survived by her beloved husband, James Boomhover, and dog, Tootsie; her mother, Catherine Coon Ramsay; her children, Dustin DuPrat (Kelly), Brittany Barrett (Brian), Ryan DeVinny (Megan), Adam DuPrat (Katie), Kristin Atherton (Jay), Brooke-Ann McDaniel (Evan) and Taylor Boomhover (Seth); her grandchildren, Harrison, Elizabeth and Cecile Barrett; Callen, Nora and Cade DuPrat; Hayden, Landyn, Amelia and Freya Atherton; Lennox and Mark-James McDaniel; and Khya, Fennigan, Ollivander and Poplyn Boomhover; her siblings, Heather Stagnone (Mark) and Douglas Ramsay; and her in-laws Vernon Boomhover (Jill) and John Boomhover (Debbie). She is also survived by multiple nieces and nephews, along with aunts and uncles.

Without a doubt, we know Suzie is dancing in heaven with her Daddy, Bruce, who predeceased her. She’s also being celebrated and welcomed by her grandparents; many aunts and uncles and cousins; and James’ parents, Robert and Jackie, along with their daughter Judy.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Suzie’s honor may be made to Vermont-based charity Never Give Up Ever (nevergiveupever.org), supporting children with chronic, terminal illness or facing life-altering injuries; or to REACH (reachhd.org), a nonprofit focused on research, education and advocacy for children with Hirschsprung’s disease.

A celebration of life will be held on June 20, 2025, 6 to 9 p.m., at the Elks Lodge located at 44 Gricebrook Rd. in St. Albans, VT.

Honored to be serving the family of Suzanne Boomhover is Casey McNally of the Heald Funeral Home, where messages of condolence are welcome at healdfuneralhome.com.

John was born in Akron, Ohio, on June 3, 1955. He earned BS degrees in mechanical engineering and horticulture at Washington State University, Pullman, Wash. He earned an MS in engineering from the University of California, Berkeley. John was employed at Hazelett Strip-Casting Corporation in Colchester for more than 40 years.

John’s interests were wide-ranging and his knowledge of random subjects encyclopedic. He was happy to explain the Second Law of Thermodynamics to nonscientists or to take his nieces fishing. He loved being outside, hiking, skiing, kayaking, camping. For many years, he volunteered with Audubon Vermont, tracking falcons’ nesting and survival rates. John was also a craftsman, building furniture and

IN MEMORIAM

Connie Marshall

1948-2019

hand-carved bowls. He had quite a few quirks, including growing redwood trees indoors and never putting enough sugar in his apple pies. He once tried to rename Bald Mountain and give it a unique name, to no avail.

John is survived by his partner of eight years, Andy Wasserman; his first wife, Kathy Pennucci; daughters Sarah and Amy Pennucci; brother Andrew Gilmore; sisters Annamarie and Barbara Pennucci; and nieces Gemma and Rose Pennucci. He is much missed by all.

The family is deeply grateful to Dr. Amalia Kane of the University of Vermont Medical Center, Dr. Megan Insco of DanaFarber Cancer Institute, and Vermont Hospice. In lieu of flowers, please go outside, plant a tree or bake a pie. Memorial donations can be made to Audubon Vermont: vt.audubon.org/donate.

To our dear Connie, We miss your alwaysspirited presence at special events and family get-togethers, but we also miss you on the ordinary mundane days. Thank goodness we will never forget your many “sayings” and idioms — making us laugh and keeping your memory alive in all of us. Our love always, Mary, Ron, Randy, Paola, Kate, Aaron, Nicolas, Alex, Natalie, Savannah and your cherished cat, Lucy Ann

NOn the Line

obody ever said the restaurant industry, with its long hours and low pay, is hard to get into. Mastering the skills of a chef and moving up through the ranks in the kitchen — that’s a di erent matter. An even dice or chi onade and a killer palate can only take a young cook so far without the guidance of a supportive teacher.

For decades, Vermonters found that support at the New England Culinary Institute in Montpelier. Founded in 1980, NECI had nearly 800 students at its peak, with a satellite campus in Essex and a restaurant on Church Street in Burlington. Its graduates lead dozens of kitchens around the state.

But NECI’s ﬁnal class of just ﬁve students graduated in April 2021, and the school closed. In its absence, where will the next generation of creative, professional Vermont chefs come from?

Some will still go to culinary school, heading out of state to Culinary Institute of America or Johnson & Wales University. For others, Vermont’s 14 high school culinary programs will provide basic skills to get them started. But for many, the answer will be found in Vermont restaurant kitchens, learning on the job. Restaurant kitchens, after all, are built for training and moving up. The hierarchy has been clearly outlined since Auguste Esco er codiﬁed his brigade de cuisine in 1903: Start as a dishwasher or a lowly apprentice with nothing but thyme, picking tiny leaves for hours a day. Then move up to chef de partie, responsible for a station on the line, whether grill,

How are Vermont’s cooks learning the trade? School or not, mentorship is the recipe.

BY JORDAN BARRY • jbarry@sevendaysvt.com

Top: Chef Hervé Mahé and sous chef Stefan Pellman preparing food at Bistro de Margot

Above: Roasted rack of lamb, chilled ratatouille and onion compote, and roasted ﬁngerling potatoes with rosemary sauce at Bistro de Margot

PHOTOS: DARIA BISHOP

pastry or the cold food of garde-manger. Leadership comes with the steps to sous chef and chef de cuisine.

“You’ve just got to keep learning,” said Hervé Mahé, 57, chef-owner of Bistro de Margot in Burlington.

What’s changed about that method, especially in recent years, is its tone. To attract and retain good staff, an executive chef — at the top of the hierarchy with eyes on everything and rarely a knife in hand — is likely to swap the traditional militaristic screaming for something that looks more like mentorship. Nurturing the next generation is both good business and the right thing to do.

Mahé should know: He’s French and trained in Escoffier’s French system. After graduating from the prestigious Ferrandi École Supérieure de Cuisine Française in Paris, he worked in several of that country’s Michelin-starred restaurants and hotel kitchens. Years and brigade ranks later, he was an instructor at NECI starting in 2006 and finally executive sous-chef of its Montpelier campus.

Mahé thinks a culinary school degree still has value, especially for the exposure it provides to the history, culture and business of restaurants. But his small team at Bistro de Margot — just three in the kitchen this spring, including him — represents the full range of education backgrounds.

His chef de cuisine, Stefan Pellman, came to the restaurant from British Columbia last November with a culinary degree and 20 years of experience. But Ian Michaels, a recent University of Vermont business school graduate, had only worked at sandwich spots before starting at Mahé’s fine-dining restaurant two years ago. Michaels learned how to butcher a duck and cook classic French dishes such as pan-seared veal sweetbreads and chocolate mousse working alongside Mahé.

“He came here super open-minded, passionate,” Mahé said of Michaels. “That’s what you need to have. If you’re not passionate in this line of work, it’s way harder.”

This summer, Mahé helped Michaels land an internship at La Meunière in Lyon, where he’ll work under Mahé’s old friend Olivier Canal. When Michaels comes back from France, the chef will encourage his protégé to find somewhere else to work.

“He has his Bistro de Margot experience, and that’s good experience,” Mahé said. “But now he needs to go learn from someone else.”

If, in a few years, Michaels wants to return, Mahé said he would welcome his

You’ve just got to keep

HERVÉ MAHÉ

learning.

call. Michaels might have picked up a thing or two to teach his mentor by then.

Mahé’s supportive adaptation of the French model is one of many ways mentorship looks in Vermont’s restaurant kitchens. Another example: Tyler Comeau and Henry Long became business partners with their former high school culinary teacher, Adam Monette. Education is central to their soon-toopen restaurant in St. Albans, and not just because that’s how they found each other.

In another high school program, at Middlebury’s Patricia A. Hannaford Career Center, mentoring includes helping high school students figure out if culinary school, or the restaurant industry in general, is right for them.

Nick Frank, Avery Buck and Micah Tavelli, three of Burlington’s highestprofile chefs, credit a good kitchen culture — where mentors work both above you and alongside you — for their respective culinary achievements. Even at the top of the brigade, they’re pushing each other to keep learning.

Student-Teacher Ratio

Next month, Monette, Comeau and Long will open Café Monette at 97 North Main Street in St. Albans. It’ll be a French

brasserie but done in a Vermont way, with a little bit of everything to suit their Franklin County community. Through windows into the kitchen and prep area, diners will be able to watch the chefs making marmalade and laminated pastries for brunch or breaking down primal cuts of meat and extruding pasta for dinner.

A couple of days after the gas was turned on in May, Monette, Comeau and Long were in the kitchen playing around with pâté and pickles and cooking a dish with potato purée and two sausage variations. They debated the results: a little lemon zest here; more salt on the pâté; double the garlic in the Toulouse-style sausage. The ramp sausage, they agreed, tasted like the filling of a soup dumpling.

“Just to be clear, we haven’t bought plates yet,” Monette said, stabbing a piece of sausage with a plastic fork. “These are my grandmother’s.”

As they were testing recipes, writing menus and letting Long tinker with the natural wine list, they were also figuring out how to build coaching into the foundation of the restaurant. If they can re-create their own teacher-student relationships, they’ll be off to a good start.

Monette, 39, left his 13-year teaching job at Northwest Career & Technical

Center in St. Albans at the end of this school year to jump full time into the restaurant that bears his name. All three men are culinary school grads: Monette and Comeau from NECI; Long from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y. But Comeau and Long, both 27, might not be in the industry at all if Monette hadn’t been their first cooking teacher, expecting them to live up to high standards from the start.

“He’d do line check: face, nails, hair, uniform,” Long recalled of classes at the technical center. “Like the military. For 15- and 16-year-old boys, that was the shit. We were super proud about everything.”

On top of that, Monette showed them everything a culinary career could be, beyond just cooking on the line: teaching, working in chocolate or food media, farming. For a couple of kids obsessed with “Iron Chef” — it was the early 2010s, after all — Monette nailed the mix of being a serious pro and a supportive mentor.

He maintained the same approach throughout his time at the technical school. He could inspire students to want to learn how to cook, but he couldn’t hold the knives for them.

On the Line «

“It’s not Ghost,” Monette said with a laugh, referring to famous hands-on pottery scene in the 1990 Patrick Swayze/ Demi Moore movie.

Not all of his students stuck with cooking or stayed in touch, but Long and Comeau did. Monette helped with Long’s Burlington-area catering biz, Good Grocery, when his former student needed an extra set of hands. And when Comeau got a call to compete on Food Network’s “Holiday Baking Championship” in 2021, he passed on his former teacher’s information instead.

“I told them I didn’t think I was ready, but I had the perfect guy,” Comeau said. He was right: Monette won.

Now, they’re stepping into first-time restaurant ownership together, as business partners. It was a conscious choice to do it in Franklin County, where all three are from, rather than Burlington. And if Café Monette is successful, it could be a boon for the dining scene in the northwest corner of the state, much as NECI in its heyday was for Montpelier.

“You’d see people in chef’s whites walking down the street and all these interactions around food and conviviality,” said Monette, who’s also a former NECI instructor. “Losing that, we lost a lot of momentum for food culture.”

Without NECI, Vermont would likely not have Café Provence in Brandon, Mirabelles Bakery in South Burlington or the Kitchen Table in Richmond — all founded by NECI instructors or attendees. It might have missed the robust farm-to-table movement, as the school played a role in founding the Vermont Fresh Network and championed chefs’ connections with local farms.

Monette feels an obligation to fill that gap by helping to train the next generation of Vermont cooks. Now leaders themselves, Comeau and Long have the same goal as they think about hiring and training their restaurant staff.

“Hopefully we’re as good as him one day,” Long said.

Monette quickly corrected him: “Better.”

Long said he’d like to create an official seal along the lines of Vermont Fresh Network’s Gold Barn distinction, which recognizes restaurants that meet strict local food purchasing guidelines. His seal would distinguish businesses that commit to hands-on staff training beyond the kitchen’s day-to-day tasks — or to start, an unofficial pledge restaurant leaders could sign.

He believes that would send a message to industry newcomers. Even after

culinary school, Comeau said, it’s often up to the individual to go out and find the right opportunities. He himself did a lot of cold-calling.

It worked out for him, with jobs at the now-closed Red Barn Kitchen in Charlotte and Fancy’s in Burlington, where he found additional mentors in the chef-owners of those businesses, Matt Jennings and Paul Trombly, respectively.

“You have to find these individuals that are highly skilled, that are willing to teach, that are going to foster a good environment,” Comeau said. “Then you have to spend time there. That’s the unglamorous part.”

“The glamorous part is that you’re not spending $280 a day plus interest to blanch stock, like you would at culinary school,” Long added wryly. “You might even get paid $15 per hour.”

In 2014, Seven Days reported that NECI’s tuition for a 24-month associate’s degree was $73,520; a 39-month bachelor’s degree program in culinary arts cost $113,560. None of the Café Monette partners think that degree is necessary in today’s restaurant world, with its cost-toopportunity ratio. You can learn a lot of the basics on YouTube, they said.

As with other trades, it’s more important to find a craftsman who’s spent years working “with their head and their hands,” Monette said.

The team is in the early stages of devising a formal training program through Académie Culinaire de France — the oldest professional chef organization in the world. Monette is a member of the

Assorted dishes and wines at Café Monette

OWEN LEAVEY

From left: Tyler Comeau, Henry Long and Adam Monette in the Café Monette kitchen

group, which offers the opportunity to pair young cooks with vetted mentors. So far, figuring out how to fund the idea is the most complicated part; it involves setting up a franchise of the program in Vermont that can accept donations, which would go toward paying a promising cook’s expenses for six months in a New York or Paris restaurant. The mentors, such as Monette and now Long and Comeau, are eager to share their knowledge.

— and those at 13 other tech ed centers around the state — can give aspiring high school-age cooks a supportive start before they face anything like that.

“It’s like job placement but with guardrails,” Jill Huizenga said. “I can’t fire you.”

Huizenga, 34, is wrapping up her second year in charge of the culinary arts program at Middlebury’s Patricia A. Hannaford Career Center. The yearlong course puts 11th and 12th graders to

Restaurants are really intense, and part of my job is to say, “Hey, maybe don’t do this as a career.” JILL HUIZENGA

“That’s my mandate,” Monette said. Café Monette needs to open first — permitting and final details have been slow going for the built-from-scratch restaurant. When the doors do open, the trio will have even more of Monette’s former students in the kitchen. They’ve already hired two.

100 Fingers

While Escoffier’s military-inspired brigade system has a long track record of training chefs, it has traditionally relied more on boot camp-like rigidity than encouragement. In many kitchens, “Yes, Chef,” is the expected reply to even the harshest criticism — that’s one thing the hit TV show “The Bear” gets right. Hands-on culinary arts programs such as the one Monette taught at Northwest Career & Technical Center

work running the Glass Onion Eatery, an on-campus restaurant and commercial catering kitchen.

“There’s plenty of space to make mistakes and learn, but the expectations are really high,” Huizenga said. “We are selling food to real people for real money.”

The academic year starts with ServSafe certification — a food safety program run by the National Restaurant Association — followed by a month and a half of learning how to handle knives and communicate safely in the kitchen. Once saying “behind” and “corner” are second nature — by late fall — the Glass Onion opens for business.

On a busy Thursday in May, this year’s batch of 10 culinary students showed off their skills by catering the

Call

Asher Bent and Jill Huizenga

school’s awards breakfast and prepping a dessert buffet. That weekend, they’d serve cheesecake bars, cupcakes, cookies, lemon bars and brownies to 65 attendees per night during intermission of the Addison Repertory Theatre’s final performances of the year.

Asher Bent, an 11th-grade student, donned a sharp gray suit and stepped confidently into the role of maître d’ when a reporter arrived. Bent’s tour of the large learning kitchen included stops at the dish corner, walk-in cooler, sandwich cooler, bake shop and the two big ovens.

“Somehow people trust us to use these,” he joked.

“It’s a lot of big, stainless steel, scary machines,” Huizenga explained, as Bent gestured to a smoker and a bread slicer to drive the point home.

Learning to navigate the physical dangers of a kitchen, obviously, is key. Huizenga was happy to report that the group started and ended the year with 100 fingers intact.

Several in this year’s group — including Bent — said they just wanted to learn to cook for themselves. As a result of learning what the food industry is like, not all of the students are planning to pursue culinary careers. When it came time for students find apprenticeships, Huizenga connected one to an electrician instead of a chef.

“Restaurants are really intense, and part of my job is to say, ‘Hey, maybe don’t do this as a career,’” she said. “I just want you to be a successful human in the world.”

Whatever the students do, they’ll have versatile, employable skills thanks to their kitchen training — problem solving, discipline and teamwork among them, curriculum director Gillian Zieger said.

“Jill’s greatest strength as a teacher is her ability to connect with students, motivate them and mentor them endlessly through all of this discovery,” Zieger continued. “And they need that.”

Gunnar Boe, an 11th grader, has been thinking about a cooking career since watching “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” and took the lead on the Glass Onion program’s “Savory” station during the second semester. Huizenga has helped Boe research culinary schools, including Paul Smith’s College in the Adirondacks.

Senior Dominic Jones will be there next year.

“I took this class because I didn’t want to live off microwave meals,” Jones said. “Now I’m going to college.”

Like kitchens in the real world, the Glass Onion kitchen needs its stationrunning chefs de partie. Last year, Carley Cook was one of the students who stepped into a leadership role, honing the softer skills of management with help from Huizenga —aka “Chef Jill” — at the same time she captained her Mount Abraham Union High School basketball team.

Europe. Back in Vermont, she was a prep cook at Little Miss Taco — now Preppi Meal Prep, based at Preppi Market and Eatery at Hula in Burlington. Preppi owner Clarina Cravins called Cook “an absolute rock star.”

“I wouldn’t have found that job if I hadn’t come here,” Cook said of the Hannaford Center.

It’s a path Huizenga knows well: She attended the Hannaford Center’s culinary program as a high school student, learning from longtime instructor Woody Danforth, who shaped the program into what it is today.

“I was definitely not college-bound,” Huizenga recalled.

But Danforth saw her potential. “He pushed me out of the nest,” Huizenga said, to the Culinary Institute of America. When Danforth retired two years ago, she took his place.

Collabs de Cuisine

There’s no sign of culinary school on the résumés of Burlington’s current crop of top chefs. For a group of friends who have graduated from young cooks to James Beard Award nominations, the path to executive chef was charted on the job.

Nick Frank, Avery Buck and Micah Tavelli no longer work together, but the formative years of their careers converged in 2016 at Hen of the Wood, Eric Warnstedt’s highly acclaimed Burlington fine-dining spot. These days, each man leads a local restaurant, but they’re still pushing each other — and figuring out how to continue the kitchen culture that got them where they are.

Frank’s first cooking jobs were for beer money while he was studying at Castleton University to be a teacher. He didn’t end up in the classroom, but that education degree has come in handy in his role as executive chef at Hen of the Wood.

“Ultimately, you’re still teaching,” Frank, 38, said. “That’s what the job is.”

Tavelli, 33, has a similar story. At 18, “I was getting myself into trouble,” he said. A dishwashing job helped straighten him out, and he soon went to college to become a high school English teacher. His grants ran out junior year, and he decided to drop out and cook instead of taking on student loans.

“I had to learn to delegate without being bossy,” Cook said with a laugh. Cook, 18, took a year off after high school. This fall she’ll join several program alums at Johnson & Wales University’s culinary school in Rhode Island, where she’ll study baking and pastry arts.

That gap year was all food. She spent the winter working on organic farms in

Tavelli came to Hen as a short-term stage — pronounced “stahj,” from the French word stagiaire. He didn’t immediately get a job after this unpaid internship, but he showed up at Hen’s door once a week for seven weeks until he did. He left for Dedalus in Burlington, then a James Beard-recognized stint at now-closed Paradiso Hi-Fi and his own pop-up biz, Into the Wolf’s Mouth. Now

Carley Cook decorating a cake in the Patricia A. Hannaford Career Center kitchen

Hannaford Career Center student Madison Selleck decorating her cow cake

Tavelli is head chef at Majestic, the small weeknight-only restaurant that opened late last year in the city’s South End.

Avery Buck also started as a dishwasher. When he was 14, his mom told him he needed to get a job. By 16, he was doing prep work during his dish shifts at Kevin’s Sports Pub & Restaurant in North Bennington. When Buck was 17, the chef left early one day, leaving him in charge of the line.

“It went terribly,” Buck said.

He applied to NECI, got in, got nervous and decided not to go. Instead, he worked at Manchester’s Silver Fork and eventually applied to NECI again — though Silver Fork chef-co-owner Mark French told him not to.

“He said I’d be fine on my own,” Buck recalled. “So far, I have been.”

Fine, indeed. Buck, now 32 and chef de cuisine at May Day in Burlington, was a finalist in this year’s James Beard Awards for Best Chef: Northeast. His food is both old school and unfussy — think patty melts and huge, shareable platters of steak frites — and simply elegant, especially when vegetables are involved.

During Tavelli’s fateful internship at Hen in 2016, Buck was working the grill station and Frank was on the pass — kitchen lingo for expediting food — soon to be promoted from junior sous to chef de cuisine.

“I was working garde-manger and remember putting a plate up,” Tavelli said. “I walked away and heard Avery go, ‘Chef, can we keep him?’”

That was a special time at Hen, Frank said. They worked under Jordan Ware,

who has since moved on to open Burlington hot spot Frankie’s with fellow Hen general manager Cindi Kozak. Alongside them were even more cooks now running restaurants around the state: Taylor Adams is now at the Tillerman in Bristol; John Rottinger works at Burlington Beer; Amanda Wildermuth is pastry chef at Honey Road and the Grey Jay.

“It was a perfect collision of a bunch of young, talented people working in the same place,”

Tavelli said. “But it’s also a testament to the culture at Hen. It’s not just one person holding you accountable.”

Frank would send a plate back from the pass if it wasn’t quite right, he continued. Ware would scrutinize his mise en place, or setup.

“As you get older, start taking ownership of businesses and grow, and families start, your focus becomes bigger,” he continued. “But you need to keep the people around you who are helping you grow.”

Buck, Frank and Tavelli are now the guys in charge. They haven’t formally worked together in at least five years, and their restaurants could be seen as competing with one another in Burlington’s small market.

Someone from grill or sauté would come down the line and be like, “Dude, your station’s disgusting. Clean up. Now.”

MICAH TAVELLI

“And someone from grill or sauté would come down the line and be like, ‘Dude, your station’s disgusting. Clean up. Now.’”

That level of professionalism is what maintains Hen’s reputation as one of the top restaurants in New England, not just for diners but also for eager young cooks.

In 2016, each young chef’s “focus was singular,” Frank said. “This plate, right now, today.”

good, it went on the menu. If it sucked, Tavelli said, they tried again until it was right.

Buck has seven cooks on staff at May Day. Frank has 20 at Hen. Tavelli works with just one in his relatively new role at Majestic.

For a Monday interview with all three chefs, Tavelli and Frank showed up wearing May Day merch.

The three help each other in other ways. Buck texted Frank about a recent stage he didn’t have a spot for at May Day, helping him get a job at Hen. Buck’s new sous chef previously worked for both Frank and Tavelli.

And they collaborate, cooking special dinners in Hen’s private Butcher Room — Buck cooked one the night he found out he’d made this year’s James Beard list — and for wildly popular pop-ups. The collabs are mostly for fun, they said, though they help introduce each other’s restaurants to new customer bases. The events push the chefs’ creativity, too. Often, they scrap existing menus and go all in on creating something new, such as Buffalo sweetbreads or mussels in hollandaise.

“We get to go back in time to when we were young and try to outdo each other,” Buck said.

Still, they’re on one another’s 4 a.m. phone call list.

“I’m not picking up for many people,” Frank said. “My wife, Jordan Ware and these two.”

All three have the skills to make it at restaurants in Chicago, New York or San Francisco.

But they’ve stuck around and made Vermont’s dining scene a more interesting place, where young cooks can learn the trade.

Tavelli thinks back to how Frank supported his creativity. If he and Buck came up with an idea for a dish, whether from a cookbook, Instagram or “pulling it out of our ass,” he said, Frank might say, “I have no idea how to do that. Let’s try.” If a small test batch was

For a Burgers & Bottles pop-up at Leo & Co. in late April, the three chefs and two others from that mid-2010s Hen crew — Leo & Co. executive chef Brian Woychowski and Trenton Silver, who’s since left the industry — seemingly drew half of Burlington out to the Essex Experience. They were slammed Next on the list is Coop Day, an annual July 3 hot dog fundraiser at May Day in honor of their late friend Adam Cooperstein, who died in 2022. They don’t have any other collabs scheduled but started brainstorming on the spot when asked: something fine dining, maybe a tasting menu, with all three in the kitchen. Local, seasonal ingredients; whole animal cooking; no waste — common themes in their respective approaches.

Their spitballing resulted in a solid and fitting idea: What if they reimagined the 2017 Hen of the Wood menu? Think mushroom toast, beef tenderloin, pastrami-cured hearts and other dishes they had some part in developing as young cooks. It could showcase Frank’s meat game, Tavelli’s skill with vegetables, Buck’s balance of high and low.

They could have planned the whole thing on the spot, but they had to get to work. Their staffs would be waiting, ready to test new ideas of their own.

Heading for the door, Frank quipped, “Mentorship never stops.” ➆

From left: Micah Tavelli, Avery Buck and Nick Frank at May Day

JORDAN BARRY

Fresh Fare

From Brattleboro to South Hero, a new batch of restaurants and bars serves up a variety of food, drink and ambience

BY SEVEN DAYS STAFF, CORIN HIRSCH & SUZANNE PODHAIZER

There’s far more to Vermont than its most populous county, but sometimes it takes a nudge of informative encouragement to inspire a road trip. And what better time to take one than summertime, when the green hills beckon, the roads are ice-free and light lingers into the evening? No matter which corner of the state you explore, there’s a good chance you’ll get hungry or thirsty en route. In service to those needs, we checked out seven recently opened eateries beyond Chittenden County and found much to relish, from homestyle Peruvian food in South Hero to innovative vegan cuisine in Brattleboro. Go forth and feast.

MELISSA PASANEN

Bienvenue to Morrisville

Goldﬁnch Gourmet Foods, 66 Morrisville Plaza, Morrisville, 888-1180, goldﬁnchgourmet.com

One doesn’t expect to discover a fine, French-inspired café in a Morrisville shopping plaza that’s also home to a Dollar Tree, a McDonald’s and an Ocean State Job Lot — unless you’re specifically seeking it out, as I was, based on the growing reputation of Goldfinch Gourmet Foods.

Chef David Davey, 41, and his wife, Sheena, 40, could have opened Goldﬁnch in more tourist-heavy Stowe just down the road. Instead, they chose a spot closer to their Wolcott home, o ering locals freshly made pastries, quiches, soups, sandwiches and housemade charcuterie, as well as imported and Vermontmade gourmet packaged goods.

“Morrisville is our hub. It’s where we do all our shopping,” said David, a graduate of the Atlantic Culinary Academy in Dover, N.H., who also trained at the prestigious École Ducasse in Paris. “We wanted this to be for the people who live here.”

professionals from the nearby industrial park. The white-haired couple at a table beside me weren’t from the area but had returned for a second visit — he for the pâté, she for the croissants.

At Goldfinch, which opened in December, diners simply scan the display cases to make their selections. I chose a slice of pâté en croute ($15), made from pork flavored with cognac and studded with dried cherries and pistachios and served with a side of lightly dressed greens. The hearty slab encased in a pastry crust had the dense consistency of salami with a subtle flavor.

A thinly sliced Vermont Salumi rosemary cotto ham sandwich ($12.50) with goat cheese, arugula and ﬁg spread

Longtime Lamoille County residents may remember the previous restaurant there: a dimly lit Chinese bu et. When the Daveys took over the lease in 2024 after four years vending at the Craftsbury Farmers Market, they tore out the carpeting, redid the entrance and repainted the entire room white, transforming the space into a bright and airy 40-seat café with locally grown ﬂowers on every table.

was a perfect balance of savory and sweet. The freshly baked baguette was warm and crusty but soft enough to bite though e ortlessly. I’m not a huge fan of goat cheese, but I loved this sandwich.

French pedigree notwithstanding, Goldﬁnch is distinctly unpretentious. Along with many European classics, it serves American-style biscuit breakfast sandwiches and BLTs on housebaked bread. During a recent lunch rush, two sixth graders interning from nearby Peoples Academy gingerly walked co ee drinks and sandwiches to a table of metalworkers. The dozen or so other diners were a mix of retirees, moms with toddlers, and young

An open-faced croissant tart cradling mixed berries and pastry cream ($5.25) crackled with each bite. It tasted authentically French without the typical American sugar overload.

I left with a cheddar jalapeño scone ($5) and a tiramisu supreme croissant ($6). Unlike many scones, this one was moist, not crumbly. And the circular, espresso-glazed and cocoa powderdusted croissant lived up to its superlative name. Each heavenly bite unleashed mouthfuls of rum-andmascarpone ﬁlling. That pastry alone would have made my hourlong drive from Burlington worth it.

KEN PICARD circuname.

Vermont Salumi rosemary cotto ham sandwich

Sheena and David Davey

Assorted pastries at Goldﬁnch Gourmet Foods

In Full Bloom

The Mad Rose, 42 Center St., Rutland, 772-7541, themadrosevt.wixsite.com/ themadrosevt

Bars with a drink dubbed Strawberry Fields Forever are a dime a dozen; a menu with a Strawberry Letter 23 cocktail deserves a second look. At the Mad Rose cocktail lounge and restaurant in Rutland, the tart-sweet blend of fresh berry purée, gin, Campari, sweet vermouth and lemon capped with a froth of egg white ($16) is named after the 1977 Brothers Johnson R&B hit — a version, it turns out, of a Shuggie Otis original.

That the song and its namesake beverage are both excellent is a good sign.

The Mad Rose’s owner, Brooke Lipman, is a 44-year-old Rutland native who returned home from the West Coast in 2011 and bought the well-loved dive bar Center Street Alley. More than a decade later, Lipman still owns the bar but felt the city was ready for something with a different ambience — “somewhere you can go and have dinner and an interesting cocktail, a whole experience,” she said.

Lipman engaged local cocktail consultant and spirits educator Nicholas Capanna to help build her drinks menu, which features housemade bitters, syrups and infused spirits. She designed an upscale lounge with couches, bottlegreen and gold wallpaper, and a speakeasy vibe. Lipman’s second spot, named for her teenage daughter, Madeline Rose, opened in late June 2023.

Capanna, 38, now works for the Mad Rose full time as bar manager. Lipman runs the kitchen, which offers a rotating selection of small plates, salads, hot sandwiches, housemade desserts and late-night nibbles.

A recent grazing menu of dishes paired well with a trio of creative cocktails, including a summery basil spritz ($14) made with housemade basilcello, and a noteworthy Pine Hill IPA ($7) from Rutland Beerworks. The list of spiritfree cocktails ($10 each) signaled the same attention to detail and balance as those made with alcohol.

Food highlights included crisply fried wedges of a layered potato pavé ($15), a sophisticated alternative to fries. They were served with aioli, though a side of the kitchen’s kicky chimichurri would make a great

THE MAD ROSE HAS A DEVOTED CADRE OF REGULARS, INCLUDING AT LEAST A DOZEN WHO SHOW UP FOR MONTHLY COCKTAIL CLASSES.

counterpoint to their richness. The requisite bar standard of fried Brussels sprouts ($15) was elevated by a welcome twist of pickled vegetables and a sweetspicy maple-Dijon glaze.

Lipman’s version of a bánh mì sandwich ($20) starred juicy, thinly sliced and pounded pork marinated in lemongrass, ginger, garlic and another dozen ingredients. Layered between chewy ciabatta with pickled veggies, cucumber, cilantro and chile-spiked aioli, and served with a sesame-dressed slaw, it made a satisfying meal. I was crushed to learn the housemade whipped cheesecake ($10) had sold out, but I more than made do with Lipman’s brown sugar-cinnamon ice cream ($5) and a molten-hearted flourless chocolate torte ($10).

According to Lipman, the Mad Rose has a devoted cadre of regulars, including at least a dozen who show up for monthly cocktail classes and another group who come to Wednesday trivia nights. When there’s a Paramount Theatre show a few doors down Center Street, the Mad Rose draws a crowd, but people are definitely still discovering the spot.

We were preparing to depart when a group of late-middle-aged women arrived and took in the scene. “Ooh, this is kind of fun,” one said as she and her friends headed toward a cozy back corner.

M.P.

Brooke Lipman and Nicholas Capanna

Prime rib egg rolls

Mama in the Kitchen

Muncha Picchu, 3 Ferry Rd., South Hero, 395-2033, Facebook

Diana Camizan moved from northwestern Peru to the U.S. 14 years ago and ﬁnished raising her ﬁve daughters in Plattsburgh, N.Y. She supported her family by working at a La Quinta hotel and Walmart, but all the while she dreamed of opening a Peruvian restaurant.

Eventually, when her youngest was fully ﬂedged, her girls said, “‘OK, Mama, it’s time for you,’” Camizan, 53, recalled.

Camizan still lives in Plattsburgh but decided to open Muncha Picchu last fall in South Hero, where she saw an opportunity. “We don’t have any Peruvian restaurants here,” she said while slicing

ripe plantains in the open kitchen of her small, no-frills takeout restaurant. “I wanted to make a place where people can try di erent ﬂavors.”

The restaurant owner charmingly introduces herself as Diana “like the princess,” though she pronounces it “Dee-anna.” She works mostly solo, explaining to customers her menu of Peruvian comfort-food classics (helpfully also pictured on the wall); juggling pots on the stove; squeezing limes to dress salads; and ﬁnishing dishes with ribbons of creamy, golden aji amarillo sauce in which the peppery heat is tamed by mayonnaise and milk. On Saturdays, when there is more tra c, Camizan o ers ceviche and other specials, such as tres leches cake and tamales made in-house with fresh sweet corn.

Her daughters lend a hand with the

shopping, and one helps make the sunny yellow, lightly sweet empanada dough, especially when Mama’s arthritis is acting up.

On a rainy Saturday, my husband and I ordered the bistec a lo pobre ($20.99): an abundant pile of sweet, soft fried plantains and thin slices of pleasantly chewy steak sautéed with red onion, served over white rice and topped with a pair of fried eggs and lashings of aji amarillo sauce. A spicier rocoto chile sauce came on the side.

I texted a photo of the dish to our older son, who lived in Peru for almost a year. “Looks legit!” he responded. We were equipped to judge only its homey deliciousness.

We also tried an example of Peru’s Chinese-inﬂuenced cuisine, the result of immigration dating back to the mid-19th century. The chaufa de pollo ($19.99) was a generous, very tasty mound of rice fried with soy, ginger, garlic and nuggets of tender, marinated chicken. It came with ﬂu y scrambled eggs and more aji amarillo sauce.

Together, the two dishes would have amply fed four after a couple of shared empanadas ($4.99 each). I especially liked the beef ﬁlling of ﬁnely ground meat studded with olives, raisins and bell pepper, plus a little mozzarella.

Fair warning to those traveling from Burlington or beyond: There is no indoor seating. Camizan was working on adding a couple of picnic tables on the spacious side lawn. Consider bringing your own chairs or a blanket — and hope for sun that shines the color of Muncha Picchu’s empanada dough.

M.P.

Rare Form

Oak & Iron, 21 Merchants Row, Randolph, 565-4009, oakironvt.com

If urban steak houses are often testosterone-driven opuses of tomahawk chops, heavy pours and bottomless expense accounts, what might their more bucolic counterpart be?

Maybe a 25-seat spot with a petite, copper-accented bar and a succinct menu. It might also have warm, handson owners who mingle with diners, as Katie Hanscom and Nate Aldrich do at Oak & Iron, the charming jewel box of a restaurant they opened on Randolph’s Merchants Row this spring.

Industry veterans Hanscom, 39, and Aldrich, 47, scoured central Vermont for years in search of the ideal spot, eventually settling into the narrow space that most recently held Tacocat Cantina. For a decade before that, it was the original location of Black Krim Tavern, whose spirit seems to linger — from the date-night vibes to the local ingredient sourcing.

Oak & Iron’s walls are painted a moody blue-gray, and hanging Edison bulbs give o sultry light. A giant acorn sculpture (the oak) anchors the wall art, and a chocolate-leather banquette stretches along one wall. The hush is occasionally punctuated by the sizzle and clang (the iron) from a tiny corner kitchen where a small team prepares a menu of about 15 dishes plus daily specials.

Working with cuts from Roma’s Butchery in South Royalton and the Royal Butcher in Braintree — as well as seafood such as swordﬁsh, wahoo and scallops delivered from Boston a few times per week — Oak & Iron o ers an eclectic oeuvre

Vesper cocktail

PHOTOS BY MELISSA PASANEN

Diana Camizan

A selection of dishes from Muncha Picchu

Delmonico-cut rib eye with smashed potatoes, peperonata and chimichurri

Fresh Fare « P.35

that combines classic steak house fare, French techniques and Korean ﬂavors.

Gochujang butter imbues a pot of mussels ($16) with Korea’s foundational ﬁery chile paste. For another starter, the kitchen slow-roasts local pork belly ($16) with fennel until it’s crispy

with pulverized almonds, and a splash of ponzu-hoisin reduction. Each bite is hot and cold, sour and sweet, crisp and tender.

One of two chops on Oak & Iron’s menu, the demure Delmonico-cut rib eye ($46) is served sliced from the bone, its edges crusted with salt. Mine came a perfect rosy medium-rare with a bright lift from basil-parsley chimichurri.

THE DEMURE DELMONICO-CUT RIB EYE IS SERVED SLICED FROM THE BONE, ITS EDGES CRUSTED WITH SALT.

on the outside, molten on the inside, and punctuated by tiny bursts of apple and caramelized onions. The sauce is a clever reduction of a rosemary-tinged whiskey sour.

For Oak & Iron’s imaginative vegetarian entrée ($24), jasmine rice is infused with the faintest hint of lavender for a plate that’s a riot of color and texture: chilled housemade apple-and-cabbage kimchi, crunchy broccolini showered

After briefly o ering lunch, the crew at Oak & Iron now focuses solely on evening service. The relaxed pace lets diners savor the menu from start to finish, from their first sips of local beer or a classic cocktail — maybe an icy, floral Vesper ($16) with a curl of lemon peel — to a sweet ending of tiramisu crème brûlée ($12). Oak & Iron conjures all of the indulgences of a steak house with none of the bluster and more heart.

CORIN HIRSCH

Lavender-infused rice with peppers, kimchi, broccolini and optional seared tuna

Play It, Sam

Sam’s Listening Bar, 397 Railroad St., St. Johnsbury, samslisteningbar.com

In January 2019, Sam St. Cyr was hosting her regularly scheduled musical bingo night at a Baltimore bar. As always, she played 15-second clips of songs, asking participants to identify the musical strains and mark off the titles or artists’ names on a bingo card. That evening, she recalled, was different: “It was wintertime and freezing cold outside — and Alex was the only one who came.”

It turned out to be the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Now married, St. Cyr, 31, and Alex Homan, 36, recently opened their own joint, Sam’s Listening Bar, in St. Johnsbury.

Down a flight of stairs in the space formerly occupied by Kingdom Taproom, the vibe is relaxed, the décor is whimsical — think framed portraits of Raggedy Ann and Andy next to a Monet poster — and so is the menu that accompanies a parade of vinyl and cassettes providing a wide-ranging soundtrack: from psychedelic rock to R&B to 1970s classics.

On a recent evening, the petite but frequently changing dinner selection included a saucy, tangy vegan jackfruit sandwich on a brioche bun with salt and vinegar chips on the side ($13). Its meaty counterpart was a 12-inch Italian hoagie stuffed with capicola, pepperoni and provolone and anointed with the requisite oil and vinegar ($15, $17 with kimchi). A seed-sprinkled side salad of lettuce, cucumbers, radishes and shallots from farms on St. Cyr and Homan’s commute cost just $6.

Since early June, the menu has shifted to include a smoked salmon bagel sandwich, and the barbecued jackfruit sandwich has been replaced by jackfruit chili. Past items have included a tofu bacon BLT and curried couscous salad.

The musically named cocktails and mocktails punched way above their price tags. The Twist & Shout ($13), made from Beefeater gin laced with olive oil, olive brine and lemon, perfectly balanced the saline and sour notes. A booze-free Baddie on the Floor ($15), concocted from nonalcoholic rum, pineapple, miso and honey, was a mature version of a tiki drink.

Throughout the night, St. Cyr and Homan could be seen grinning with customers, talking animatedly about upcoming events, such as a live duet of keyboards and “cosmic saxophone” and a Y2K dance party.

On one side of the space sat a pool table, balls scattered invitingly on the felt. Decks of cards lay on tables, and a disco ball hung from the ceiling. From the music and décor to the food and drink, everything about Sam’s says, “I dare you to try not to have fun!”

SUZANNE PODHAIZER

Sam St. Cyr and Alex Homan

Twist & Shout cocktail

PHOTOS

Bootleg Burgers

Peace Burger at Afterthoughts, 8 Route 17, Waitsfield, 261-7465, peaceburgervt.com

I generally don’t support swiping someone’s intellectual property. But when it comes to the big, bad burgers of the fast-food world, rip-offs — especially locally sourced ones — totally rule.

That’s the idea behind a pop-up turned bar-side burger joint at Afterthoughts in Waitsfield. At Peace Burger, instead of asking “Where’s the beef?” you might find yourself saying, “What a burger!” Owner Aaron Zurcher and his team serve a whopper of a smash burger, made with ground beef from nearby 5th Quarter. (Vegan and gluten-free options are available, too.)

Zurcher, 40, started Peace Burger in April 2024, launching at Camp Meade in Middlesex a week before becoming a fixture at the now-defunct Waterbury Farmers Market. He moved into Afterthoughts in January.

It all happened kind of quickly, Zurcher said. And it keeps happening: Peace Burger will head back to Camp Meade this summer, too, with a regular burger shack. For now, that location

will be open during concerts. If staffing allows, Zurcher hopes it will also be open four days a week for lunch and dinner.

“I’m not gonna save the world through hamburgers, but if I can make someone think about a hamburger they had when they were a kid, I’m happy,” the former creative director and snowboard instructor said.

If I wasn’t already hungry when I pulled up to Afterthoughts on a recent Saturday, the smell wafting up from Valley Meade cannabis dispensary below would have done the trick. (Ronald

McDonald and the Burger King wish they had this location.)

Herbaceous aroma aside, Peace Burger brings a family vibe to the longtime home of Gallagher’s Bar & Grill. Now, before Afterthoughts’ bar scene, live music or line dancing kicks off for the night, you’ll find folks chowing down on burgers, chicken sandwiches and house-smoked wings.

I ordered the Roundup ($14), with a double smash patty, bacon, American cheese, crispy onions, pickled jalapeños and barbecue sauce. It was drippy,

I’M NOT GONNA SAVE THE WORLD THROUGH HAMBURGERS.

crunchy and messy as can be, just like Carl Jr. would want.

My husband went more classic with the Mack ($12): a double patty with American cheese, lettuce, onion, pickle and burger sauce. The menu apologizes for the lack of middle bun: “sorry, clown man!” We didn’t miss it.

My 2-year-old son thought the fries ($4) were so good — tossed in a special secret seasoning and dipped heavily in house fry sauce — that I didn’t really get any. As he wolfed his fries, I chomped crispy, gooey fried cheese curds ($6), dipping more carefully in a chile-crisp barbecue sauce.

On the way home, I made the mistake of teaching him to say “Peace Burger.” He’s been asking for one since.

JORDAN BARRY

AARON ZURCHER

Peace Burger’s Roundup (left) and Mack smash burgers with fries and fried cheese curds

JORDAN BARRY

Vegan and Friendly

Vegan A.F., 105 Canal St., Brattleboro, 536-4789, veganaf-vt.com

At first, I was daunted by the name. Veganism already has a reputation for militancy, so what does that mean for an eatery that’s not just plant-centric, but Vegan A.F.?

The unassuming one-story restaurant’s weathered façade offered no reassurance, but the cozy interior was immediately welcoming. The 27-seat dining room is unpretentious, with cheery throw cushions, local art, what the owners call a “five-and-a-half-seat” bar (one seat is a bit tight), and a “heckler’s table” looking into the kitchen. Out back, there’s a patio for outdoor dining. As I sat down, a toddler drew on a neighboring table. No problem: All are coated with black chalkboard paint, creating a relaxed, family-friendly vibe.

Vegan A.F. is co-owned by longtime restaurant pros and chefs Nikki Peruzzi, 50, and Eva Gwinn, 53. Gwinn actually grew up in this kitchen, then Green Mountain Mama — her mom’s diner. When the building, most recently home of Mexican restaurant Three Stones, came on the market during the pandemic, the friends jumped at the chance to own it: All they needed was a concept.

Peruzzi was inspired by Burlington’s now-closed vegetarian restaurant Revolution Kitchen and thought something similar would suit Brattleboro. Though neither chef is vegan, Gwinn jumped on board right away, relishing the creative stretch. “She was like, ‘We’re going to be challenged all the time, so our food is going to be even better,’” Peruzzi said.

It turns out their official business name is “Vegan and Flex” — a decidedly nonmilitant “A.F.” — though everything on the menu is 100 percent vegan, from ramen and rice bowls to award-winning chili and Swedish meatballs.

I started with a single steaming-hot edamame potsticker ($1.50 each), which delivered an earthy, substantial flavor that paired well with tangy dipping sauce. The Buffalo cauliflower “wings” ($9.99) were delicious, a plate of bright orange, slightly sticky nubbins with a crunchy coating and subtly building heat. I couldn’t decide if the calming, creamy “blueish

cheese” sauce veered more toward blue cheese or ranch; either way, I had forgotten it was vegan.

A big bowl of tonkatsu ramen ($18.99) showed off the chefs’ skill at achieving a perfectly crispy exterior on the rich, meaty portabella katsu, which maintained its integrity even when it inevitably sank into the slightly cloudy, hearty broth. I couldn’t not order the Not Today, Seitan salad ($15.99), which paired a bright, mild housemade kimchi with greens, cucumber and unctuous chunks of seitan. The seitan amazingly resembled pork rib nuggets, seeming fatty in some places and very lightly charred.

A bubbly, not-too-sweet mango mocktail ($7) rounded out my meal, one of nine mocktails and three alcoholic “Pussytails” on the menu. (Peruzzi said there was no place for cocktails at the woman-owned establishment.) Dessert was a decadent, smooth, dark chocolate mousse ($9), topped with something that wasn’t whipped cream but was just as silky and indulgent. Like everything else, it was vegan — a flex, indeed.

ALICE DODGE

Nikki Peruzzi and Eva Gwinn

Job

Staff Psychologist e University of Vermont Medical Center

Get the scoop from Dr. Heather Finley, Licensed Psychologist-Doctorate

What are some speciﬁc challenges of this position?

As a psychologist at UVMMC, you can provide a mental health lens with which to understand the complexity of chronic pain. Our patients struggle with symptoms of depression, anxiety and a history of trauma. Sometimes, the trauma is related to previous procedures and interactions with medical providers that resulted in medical trauma and gaslighting. Because of that, we can be initially perceived as part of that establishment. Attention and sensitivity to these factors are critical to establishing trust and ensuring our patients are heard so we can meet them where they are. Focusing on the relationship & creating a healthy community of support is a foundation of the work and the success our patients experience.

What would you tell someone who is curious about working for the UVM Medical Center?

Our patients and team members alike know that when they arrive at UVMMC, they are in a special place with an innovative approach to reducing the suffering that comes with chronic pain. As chronic pain specialists, we don’t claim to know how to eliminate pain. Instead, we have developed an integrative program that is designed to help people with chronic pain experience less suffering and improve their quality of life. Our goal is to shift the balance of power back to the person so they can discover what strategies and resources help them do more of what matters, despite having chronic pain.

food+drink

“We’ve been able to have tomatoes until November and are working on pushing that out,” Alexander said.

BY MELISSA PASANEN • pasanen@sevendaysvt.com

Much has changed over the two decades since Christa Alexander and her husband, Mark Fasching, founded Jericho Settlers Farm on land around her childhood home on Barber Farm Road. Alexander grew up eating fresh vegetables from her parents’ extensive gardens. When she started cooking for herself after college, she recalled, “I was appalled by the quality of food in the grocery store.”

Twenty-three years after the couple established their farm, bags of its “awesome arugula” and “crazy good cucumbers” are stocked in independent grocery stores and featured on restaurant menus throughout Chittenden County and in Waterbury. Alexander, 51, and Fasching, 57, have built a solid business that grosses just more than $1 million annually — a ﬁgure they readily share at farming conferences, along with lessons learned.

Alexander’s driving force remains “feeding people good food in a way that takes care of the land and workers,” she said. But how the couple do that today looks very di erent from their farm’s origin as a diversiﬁed livestock, vegetable and ﬂower operation selling largely through farmers

FOOD LOVER?

Long-Lived Local

markets and community-supported agriculture shares. What they grow and how they grow it, who works on the farm, and their mix of customers have all evolved.

To survive and thrive, Alexander said,

“We have undiversiﬁed.”

Jericho Settlers now raises only organic vegetables and cultivates many of its crops under cover in 18 hoop houses — six of which can be heated — “to grow as much as we can as early as we can.” That cocoon of protection extends the harvest, too.

Jericho Settlers’ season-extension practices and responsiveness make things simpler for its restaurant customers, according to the Farmhouse Group’s purchasing director, Dean Thuma. Thuma now sources ingredients for the group’s ﬁve Chittenden County restaurants, but he started working with the farm more than a decade ago as chef at the Farmhouse Tap & Grill in Burlington.

The Farmhouse Group and Jericho Settlers “have grown in tandem,” Thuma said. “Their ability to keep up and scale with us helps make our business work. Their quality and consistency make it easy.”

Should he need to call at the last minute for an extra 100 pounds of tomatoes, Thuma said, “Christa makes it work every time.” Plus, he added, “The product they grow is stunning.”

On June 4, the Jericho Settlers crew had just harvested the year’s first fat heirloom tomatoes in shades of crimson, purple and marigold and moved on to picking cucumbers from trellised vines stretching eight feet toward the plastic roof. In another hoop house, filled with bushy, vibrant foliage speckled with fragrant white flowers, Alexander pulled a handful of new potatoes from the soil. The crop was almost ready to go on her weekly list for buyers.

In addition to their two acres of hoop houses, Alexander and Fasching farm roughly 20 acres in Richmond and Jericho. Both parcels border the Winooski River and have ﬂooded badly the past two summers.

“Thank goodness we weren’t starting out when it happened,” Alexander said.

“What saved our butt is the home farm,” her husband added.

Hoop house-grown new potatoes

Orian Rowe and Christa Alexander harvesting cucumbers at Jericho Settlers Farm

SIDEdishes

SERVING UP FOOD NEWS

Mesmer Kava Opens in Burlington

GWEN and RODERICK RUSSELL have launched what they believe is Vermont’s first bar serving kava beverages, made from the ground root of a South Pacific plant, Piper methysticum, that has purported mood-altering effects. MESMER KAVA opened in mid-May in Suite 109 at 47 Maple Street, the Burlington building known as Karma Bird House. It currently offers traditionally prepared kava and kava-based drinks in a cozy café space, Thursdays and Fridays from 3 to 8 p.m.

The name of the Russells’ business nods to Franz Anton Mesmer, an 18th-century German physician whose therapeutic approach is considered the forerunner of hypnosis. Roderick, 46, is a clinical and stage hypnotist with a hypnotherapy practice in which he helps people address mental and physical challenges, such as pain control and behavioral change.

“Mental health is how we got here,” Roderick said. “It comes from our experience enjoying kava. It induces a gentle, flow-like state.”

The couple were careful to note

that kava is not classified as a drug or intoxicant. “It can help smooth the rough edges of your life,” Roderick said. “It’s mood-altering, not mind-altering.”

The Russells currently use two house varieties of kava, from the island nations of Vanuatu and Tonga. They prepare traditional kava by submerging the ground root in a mesh bag in 80-degree water and kneading it to create an extraction with a bitter, earthy flavor that is consumed like tea.

To enhance palatability, the couple have developed a short list of kava drinks featuring additional ingredients, such as pineapple and ginger. They plan to add herbal teas. Gwen, 34, is a professional coffee taster whose family owns NU CHOCOLAT in Burlington, from which the Russells will likely source chocolate for a kava-infused hot chocolate.

Melissa Pasanen

CONNECT

Gwen and Roderick Russell of Mesmer Kava

The farm’s restaurant accounts were critical allies in the periods surrounding the floods. The Skinny Pancake group bought a preflood emergency harvest of parsley and turned it into pesto, which it sold back at cost to Jericho Settlers for its winter CSA. Many other restaurants changed menu items to feature fast-growing microgreens and pea shoots, which the farm planted after other crops were lost.

Jericho Settlers’ business has stabilized over the past five years to about 75 percent wholesale orders and 25 percent direct-to-consumer purchases through its farmstand and 150-member CSA. During their early years, Alexander and Fasching juggled several summer farmers markets. The last one they quit was Burlington’s — in 2015, to spend more time with their two kids.

A couple of years later, in their continued quest for work-life balance, the couple made another major decision. After struggling to establish a reliable, consistent labor force, in 2017 they hired their first employees from Jamaica through the federal H-2A visa program designed for seasonal agricultural jobs. Long a mainstay of Vermont’s orchard industry, H-2A workers have been increasingly employed by a broad range of farmers across the state — and the U.S.

Heads down in their busiest time of year, Alexander and Fasching don’t have much energy to dwell on the turbulence of federal policies under President Donald Trump, such as U.S. Department of Agriculture funding cuts. They are waiting to hear about their pending Natural Resources Conservation Service applications and frustrated by a hefty tariff they will likely need to pay on a piece of Spanish-built trellising equipment coming through Canada this summer.

So far, the seasonal agricultural worker program seems safe, despite migrant labor crackdowns and revocation of some international visas. That is a relief, Alexander said. Without their H-2A employees, Jericho Settlers would really be hamstrung. “If they mess with that program,” Alexander said, “no one in this country will eat.”

Jericho Settlers employs six men from Jamaica, most of whom return yearly from mid-March to mid-December. Orian Rowe and Roman Campbell were harvesting cucumbers with Alexander in early June. Both are in their fourth season at the farm.

Campbell said he has a yam and plantain farm at home but works in the U.S.

because “it’s a better opportunity.” Rowe said simply, “I come here to feed my family.”

Rowe runs the wash-and-pack facility, and Campbell has become the resident hoop house expert, Alexander said. While the farm has had some strong U.S.born employees, she said, they tended to

accounts, which deliver almost 20 percent of its income, she has noticed some trends. Sales to longtime Burlington customers — such as the original Farmhouse location, Hen of the Wood and Honey Road — have been fairly steady over the past three years, despite downtown’s well-publicized challenges. At the same time, farmto-table action in the suburbs is ramping up. The number of Jericho Settlers’ restaurant accounts in Essex, Williston and Richmond has doubled over that period, Alexander noted.

Burlington remains a valuable market, and Alexander said she appreciates that “in hard times, the restaurants are still true to their mission” of buying local. Her team’s deliveries through the ongoing construction gauntlet are “definitely more challenging,” she said.

THE PRODUCT THEY GROW IS STUNNING.

DEAN THUMA

By contrast, the suburban route Alexander handled on June 6 went smoothly. After helping to fill a Burlington-bound van with carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, basil, arugula and mesclun mix, she Tetris-ed a smaller load of boxes, bags and totes into her Kia hatchback for a delivery run through Williston, South Burlington and Essex.

Among Williston’s big-box stores, Alexander made the farm’s second delivery ever to the recently opened Farmhouse Tap & Grill at Finney Crossing, where Jericho Settlers’ heirloom tomatoes and cucumbers would later grace a salad with local feta and crispy quinoa. Tomatoes, cucumbers and zucchini went to the Farmhouse Group’s Guild Tavern in South Burlington for a similar salad and a grilled and fresh vegetable farmer’s plate served with edamame hummus.

At Essex’s Leo & Co. café and market, executive chef Brian Woychowski was busy prepping oyster mushrooms when Alexander arrived with bags of mesclun, baby bok choy, carrots, parsley and scallions, plus boxes of cucumbers, zucchini and heirloom tomatoes.

be young and move on after one or two seasons. The Jamaican crew consists of “skilled people who know the farm,” she said. “The business could not get profitable without that.”

Alexander spends hours poring over spreadsheets, analyzing costs and revenue streams. Within the farm’s 26 restaurant

Asked what he would make with the season’s first heirloom tomatoes, Woychowski said, “I’m just happy they’re here. I’ll be throwing them on everything.” ➆

INFO

Learn more at jerichosettlersfarm.com.

Salad featuring Jericho Settlers Farm tomatoes at Farmhouse Tap & Grill

Leo & Co.’s Brian Woychowski receiving a delivery from Christa Alexander

Wine and Cheese, Please

ree questions for chef-sommelier Melissa L. Smith ahead of the Burlington Wine & Food festival

BY MELISSA PASANEN • pasanen@sevendaysvt.com

Melissa L. Smith is a Culinary Institute of America grad and Court of Master Sommeliers-certiﬁed wine sommelier. She has worked as a ﬁne-dining chef around the world, from a Relais & Châteaux dude ranch in Montana to the former Four Seasons Chinzanso in Tokyo to the French Laundry in California’s Napa Valley. rough Enotrias, her wine appraisal and education business, Smith said she has evaluated the cellars of tech titans, venture capital mavens and world-renowned surgeons — none of whose names can she divulge.

As reported earlier this year by the New York Times, Smith, 45, and her husband, Monte Harhouri, decided to leave Smith’s native California for a life that’s more pastoral and less prone to natural disaster.

After a lengthy search, the couple landed on a four-acre property in Pittsford with a brick house dating back to 1832. ey plan to host farm-to-table events and wellness retreats there.

Can you share a traditional pairing and why it works?

Blue cheese and port. ere are subtle tannins in port that help to combat the creaminess of a blue cheese, but the pungency of a blue cheese matches the strength of the port — not only the ﬂavor but the alcohol as well. Inventorying people’s wine collections, [I’ve seen that] nobody actually drinks their ports and their dessert wines. So for me, it’s an extra excuse to open that bottle of port, not to just have it sitting in your wine cellar.

Burlington’s Shy Guy Gelato Is for Sale but Still Scooping

On Saturday, June 21, at 2:30 p.m., the newly minted Vermonter will cohost a wineand-cheese pairing seminar at the 14th annual Burlington Wine & Food festival with Zoe Brickley of Greensboro’s Jasper Hill Farm.

Seven Days asked Smith about traditional and unexpected wine and cheese pairings — and learned why not to drink wine with dessert.

Why do you believe wine and cheese make a natural pairing? e simplicity of the ingredients that go into them and the resulting complexity of those minimal ingredients. With wine, you’re essentially looking at grapes and yeast, and with cheese, you’re looking at dairy and bacteria — and [with both], just altering those two things with the environment or the aging vessel. All of that makes it so similar but also so complex and so difﬁcult to do a true pairing.

I’m the anti-wine-and-dessert person. It doesn’t make sense, more often than not, because you’re constantly competing with sweetness levels in order to make a proper pairing. e dessert can’t be sweeter than the wine, because that makes the wine taste bitter, and the wine can’t taste sweeter than the dessert or it washes out all of the ﬂavors of the dessert. It makes much more sense to pair a wine with cheese [for a ﬁnal course].

How about an unexpected pairing?

Zinfandel and [Jasper Hill Farm] Harbison, because it’s got that bacony ﬂavor since it’s wrapped in spruce bark. A chilled zinfandel and barbecue pair perfectly. Chilling a red wine might be kind of a surprising take on things, [but] wines that have minimal tannins and are fruit-forward are fantastic chilled. With a delicious aged Harbison with all that funk on it, it’s just a really fun pairing. ➆

This interview was edited for clarity and length.

INFO

Burlington Wine & Food, Saturday, June 21, 12:30-3:30 p.m. or 5-8 p.m., at Hula in Burlington. $80 in advance. burlingtonwineandfood.com

SHY GUY GELATO owner-operator PAUL SANSONE and co-owner TIM ELLIOTT have put the St. Paul Street Italian-style ice cream business on the market for $200,000. They emphasized that operations will continue as usual, including a busy summer catering schedule, until a new owner takes the reins of what has become a beloved Burlington institution.

“We’re committed to keeping it as is through the selling process and looking to ﬁnd an owner that can keep up the standards,” Elliott, 57, said.

“Somebody who wants to be an owner-operator and already loves the business, ideally,” added Sansone, 45.

The partners started Shy Guy in 2014 in the downtown apartment of Elliott, who is also a hands-on co-owner of Burlington’s ZABBY & ELF’S STONE SOUP Sansone, a career restaurant cook, learned to make gelato in Italy and then refined his recipes for flavors such as Black Forest cake, fior di latte and nectarine-rhubarb.

In 2016, Sansone launched a Church Street cart and opened a South End storefront on St. Paul Street, where he made fresh daily batches, as he and his team still do. Shy Guy moved downtown to 198 St. Paul Street in spring 2022.

After more than a decade, Sansone said, he feels the need to move on. “I’ve put more e ort and love into this business than anything I have in my entire life.” Especially during peak

Paul Sansone with the Shy Guy Gelato cart in 2018

Melissa L. Smith

Jasper Hill Withersbrook blue served with Eden Ice Cider

season, he noted, “I put the business over myself.”

Shy Guy has regulars who come in every day the store is open, Sansone said. “It’s the sweetest part and definitely not something I take for granted,” he added. “That’s why I really want whoever eventually takes over the business to love it as much as we do.”

M.P.

Shelburne’s Vermont Tortilla Sold

Local business owners LEYLAND PAPA and LINDSEY WEST have teamed up to buy VERMONT TORTILLA from founders APRIL and AZUR MOULAERT for an undisclosed price.

Papa and West don’t anticipate disruptions to the nearly 10-year-old brand, which sells organic, gluten-free tortillas made with corn sourced from

ADIRONDACK HAY & GRAINS in Essex, N.Y.

The corn is nixtamalized — an ancient process that involves boiling it with slaked lime — and ground into fresh masa at Vermont Tortilla’s Shelburne production facility, where it’s then turned into various tortilla products.

The new owners’ goal, Papa said, is to increase the “exposure and

food+drink

availability” of Vermont Tortilla’s products at local retailers. They’ll immediately ramp up production of ready-to-fry tortilla chips with restaurant customers in mind — though the chips also crisp up nicely in an air fryer for eating at home, West said.

Neither partner had heard of the tortilla biz until they learned it was for sale. Papa — who was the force behind the reopening of STONE’S THROW pizzeria in Charlotte last year and owns Trash Away, a Shelburne trash removal company — said he’s “always looking for opportunities.”

“We both have a bit of an entrepreneurial spirit,” said West, who works primarily in human resources but also operates a small event business and nanny agency. “We wanted something local that we could really sink our teeth into to create a nice working environment for local folks.”

Vermont Tortilla currently has three employees, one of whom is full time. That won’t change until the fall, West said, when the partners will move their production facility to a to-be-named spot elsewhere “in the Burlington area.”

“We’ll expand as the demand grows,” she added.

Jordan Barry

SATURDAY, JUNE 28, 10AM-4PM

Tortilla products

Baking Dish

BY MARY ANN LICKTEIG

What do Dolly Parton and Jennifer Garner know about baking?

We’ll find out, if King Arthur Baking podcast hosts Jessica Battilana and David Tamarkin get their way. The two celebrities are on the hosts’ piein-the-sky guest wish list. Their podcast, “Things Bakers Know,” debuted earlier this year and starts its second season in September.

It’s a succulent, spicy blend of baking history, tips and tricks, seasoned with downright fun stories — read on for one about biscuits and basketball — and the occasional inﬂammatory statement. “We think of pizza as needing cheese,” Tamarkin says in Episode 2. “It doesn’t. There, I’ve said it.”

The Norwich baking company began airing the podcast on April 28, and it rose to No. 14 on Apple’s top shows chart a week

later — after just two of the season’s ﬁve episodes had been released. The show has had nearly 156,000 episode downloads, and more than 24,000 people have subscribed on Apple and Spotify.

“The numbers told us this was worth continuing, and we were having a good time,” Battilana said.

In online reviews, listeners have called their work “blessedly apolitical” and “a delightful listen.” “Whoever had the idea to do this podcast deserves a double raise!” one wrote. Others want less host chatter and more time with guest experts and how-to advice.

Battilana, King Arthur’s sta editor, and Tamarkin, senior director of editorial and baking education, focus on one baked good during each 35-minute episode. Chocolate chip cookies, pizza, birthday cake, sourdough and biscuits have been the fare so far. Guests have included Cheryl

Day of the iconic, now-closed Back in the Day Bakery in Savannah, Ga.; Dan Richer, chef-owner of Razza Pizza Artigianale in Jersey City, N.J.; and King Arthur Baking School director Amber Eisler, who dished on sourdough.

Battilana and Tamarkin plan to call on more of their colleagues this fall. “People know the brand for the ﬂour they see in the grocery store, but I don’t think they totally understand how deep the bench is,” Battilana said. “We have amazing experts in chocolate. We have amazing experts in laminated pastries. We have bagel makers.”

Potential guests Garner and Parton fall into the notable-people-who-bake category. Garner stars in her Webby People’s Voice Award-winning “Pretend Cooking Show” on Instagram, “where she is often baking pretty elaborate stu ,” said Battilana, who has emailed the actor and

awaits a reply. “We know that she bakes with King Arthur ﬂour.”

Parton and her sister coauthored the 2024 cookbook Good Lookin’ Cookin’: A Year of Meals — A Lifetime of Family, Friends, and Food , and Duncan Hines features a Dolly Parton line of cake, cookie, biscuit and brownie mixes.

“We just have to get our proﬁle a little higher, and then I’m sure Dolly Parton will want to come on the show,” Battilana said.

King Arthur serves a loaded buffet of educational opportunities: on-site classes at baking schools in Vermont and Washington State, on-demand instruction online, recipes, videos, blog posts, and a hotline sta ed seven days a week. The podcast presents another avenue to o er information and to “slip into people’s daily life,” Battilana said.

With audiences scattered across digital platforms, “we really have to be everywhere,” Tamarkin said.

Neither he nor Battilana had hosted a talk show before this. Their comfortable banter belies the fact that they’ve been working together for only three years — and that they record miles apart, from their respective homes in Manhattan and Falmouth, Maine.

They attribute their rapport to their shared experiences. Nearly the same age — Tamarkin is 47; Battilana, 46 — they both are gay, longtime food writers, recipe developers and cookbook authors. Tamarkin worked for culinary website Epicurious as lead editor and digital director. His Instagram pledge to cook every meal he ate one January led to his ﬁrst cookbook, Cook90: The 30-Day Plan for Faster, Healthier, Happier Meals Before Epicurious, he was food editor and restaurant critic for Time Out Chicago and a producer for CBS Radio and “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.”

Battilana wrote Repertoire: All the Recipes You Need and coauthored nine other cookbooks, including the James Beard Award-nominated, No.1 New York

Jessica Battilana and David Tamarkin

Times bestseller The King Arthur Baking Company Big Book of Bread. She earned a Grand Diplôme from La Varenne cooking school in Burgundy, France, and has worked as a cheesemonger, private chef and elementary school lunch lady.

WE REALLY JUST WANT PEOPLE TO EXPERIENCE THE JOY OF BAKING.

DAVID

TAMARKIN

Battilana has wanted to do a podcast since joining the company three years ago, but she also wanted a cohost. She set her sights on Tamarkin after the two of them watched a demonstration at work one day and offered a running commentary à la Statler and Waldorf, the elderly Muppets who heckle from their theater box seats. “And I was like, ‘David, I know that you have a lot on your plate already, but I think that you should cohost this,” Battilana said, “because we have a pretty easy rapport.’”

They aren’t trying to teach baking. King Arthur has videos for that. Instead, Battilana and Tamarkin use the podcast to entertain and offer nuggets of information that relay the science behind baking and help people improve their

TICKETS at SMIRKUS.ORG

JUNE 28 & 29: GREENSBORO

JULY 2 & 3: WATERBURY

JULY 5 & 6: MIDDLEBURY

JULY 8 & 9: MANCHESTER

AUGUST 11 & 12: HANOVER, NH

AUGUST 14 & 15: MILTON

AUGUST 17: GREENSBORO

skills. When cutting biscuits, for example, press straight down. Twisting the cutter seals the biscuit’s edges and inhibits its rise.

In the same episode, producer Rossi Anastopoulo tells a story about her alma mater, the University of North Carolina, where biscuit chain Bojangles gives basketball fans two sausage biscuits for $1 when the Tar Heels score 100 points in a game. “So we might be beating a ... terrible team by 40 points — total snooze fest,” Anastopoulo says. “And then, as soon as the score gets into the 90s, you just hear people going, ‘We want biscuits.’” When someone hits “the biscuit basket,” she says, “the crowd goes wild.”

Whisked together, the stories, tips and banter inspire people to bake, Tamarkin said: “We really just want people to experience the joy of baking.” ➆

Learn more at kingarthurbaking.com/ podcast.

Fresh-baked baguettes from King Arthur Baking

culture Home Cooking

Upper Valley sisters’ new cookbook features comfort food made solely with Vermont-grown ingredients

BY RACHEL STEARNS

raspberry mousse? OK, you’ve got my attention.)

Separated into seasonal chapters, the book provides plenty of inspiration for turning homegrown garden produce or farmers market ﬁnds into satisfying meals. A home gardener herself, Jenna said she had been disappointed when other “local” cookbooks called for ingredients from far aﬁeld.

“I would ﬁnd a recipe that would use a bunch of zucchinis, but then it would also call for lemons or something else you can’t grow around here,” she said.

My all-time-favorite Vermont dining experiences run the gamut: fire-grilled paella at my state park wedding courtesy of the Hindquarter; spicy curried lentils scooped up with a piece of spongy, tangy injera at a class led by James Beardnominated chef Alganesh Michael; literally any flavor of velvety Shy Guy gelato in a signature extra-tall sugar cone. The influences span the globe, but having had them all in-state, I consider them solidly “Vermont food.”

To sisters Jenna and Nora Rice, however, nothing earns that title quite like simple, homemade meals composed entirely of Vermont-grown ingredients. Next month, the food photographer and chef, respectively, will publish a cookbook on the concept, making exceptions only for a handful of “essentials”: salt, pepper, olive oil and, oddly, gelatin, in one dessert recipe. Focusing on approachable recipes made with easily sourced ingredients, The Vermont Farm to Table Cookbook includes 60 original recipes for year-round, localas-it-gets cooking.

The Rice sisters grew up on a farm in Hartland, experiencing an idyllic, old-fashioned childhood complete with biking on dirt roads, swimming in ponds and eating candy from the general store.

In young adulthood, the sisters’ paths diverged: Nora, now 24, studied culinary arts in England and worked abroad before returning to Vermont and starting mobile catering company Roaming Roots Kitchen from nearby Windsor. Jenna, 27, built a food photography and marketing business, as well as a diversiﬁed homestead in Weathersﬁeld.

Flipping through an early copy of The Vermont Farm to Table Cookbook this spring, I admit I was skeptical. Absent were avocados, citrus and even wheat ﬂ our — not locally accessible enough, Jenna said. I missed these ingredients as well as the global inﬂ uences of current Vermont fare. Despite myself, I bookmarked several recipes that seemed straightforward, colorful and downright delicious. (Maple-bourbon crème brûlée? Grilled peaches with black

The Rice sisters’ liberal use of Vermont dairy — including feta and cheddar cheeses, butter, milk, and cream — make for comforting breakfasts, dinners and desserts. Hearty mains use the ample pasture-raised beef, pork and chicken the state has to o er. The book also includes tips on which crops provide unmatched heft and versatility in homegrown cooking, such as winter squash, potatoes, cabbage and dry beans.

Over the years, I’ve gone from a strict recipe-follower to a shameless substituter, and I confess I strayed from the script a bit. To the honey-butter radishes with whipped feta, I added tender white hakurei turnips that called to me at the farmers market. My local egg supplier is a colleague who raises duck eggs, so I used those in the crème brûlée. Since it was a month too early for local green beans, I used frozen ones from Trader Joe’s in the brown-butter green beans with crunchy maple seeds. All turned out delicious despite my tinkering: The sweetness in the savory dishes achieved a perfect balance; the rich custard was a delightfully mapley indulgence.

I’ll continue to cook with citrus and avocados, but the Rices prove that Vermontonly recipes are worth their salt. ➆

e Vermont Farm to Table Cookbook by Jenna and Nora Rice, Hatherleigh Press, 198 pages,

Jenna and Nora Rice

for comedy to bring people together at a particularly difficult political moment.

Comedic Play

Control Top

Skewers Pantyhose and the Patriarchy

BY MADELEINE KAPTEIN kaptein@sevendaysvt.com

Opening a closet full of clothes and proclaiming “I have nothing to wear” is a near-universal experience. So is laughing with friends over fun outfits in a dressing room until dread sets in: The pair of pants that was supposed to be “your size” doesn’t fit.

Essex Junction playwright Carole Vasta Folley’s Control Top, premiering June 20 through 28 at the South Burlington Public Library Auditorium, spotlights the humorously uncomfortable memories and complicated emotions of any woman who has ever gotten dressed.

The play, written and directed by Vasta Folley with support from Vermont Arts Council’s 2025 People’s Choice Creation Grant, features five unnamed female characters, clad in black, who spend their 90 minutes onstage in energetic, funny and sometimes somber dialogue about clothing and the patriarchy that (literally) shapes what they wear. The women’s wit and natural chemistry lead them from jokes about impossible pantyhose and ironic graphic T-shirts to honest conversations about capitalism, self-image, sexual assault and male-dominated social systems.

Vasta Folley, 64, who appears onstage as one of the characters, is an experienced playwright. Seven of her other works have been performed in Vermont, including The Sleepover — A Comedy of Marriage by Girls Nite Out Productions. She has been a finalist for the Vermont Writers’ Prize, the Writer’s Digest Writing Competition and the 2025 Women on Writing’s Creative Nonfiction competition.

The funny and heartbreaking stories in Control Top were drawn from hours of interviews Vasta Folley conducted with women, including her fellow actors. She discovered that they related over struggles with clothing and body image, she said, and she wanted to use her flair

“Being able to talk about this stuff is as hard as it is liberating. It’s both ... at a time when women are losing rights,” Vasta Folley said, referring to setbacks such as the overturning of Roe v. Wade and funding cuts to research on women’s health. “And while you’re there and laughing, you might feel something. You open a door into people when they laugh. So I use laughter to get into these deeper things.”

The other actors have been active in the Vermont theater scene for years and have contributed to the script since they started table reads in Vasta Folley’s kitchen in January. They bring a captivating camaraderie to the stage.

“There are points when we’re telling our own stories,” actor Kimberly Rockwood said. “So it’s incredibly intimate. [Carole has] been very collaborative about adjusting things so that we feel real and authentic.”

Fifteen percent of ticket sales will go toward the Safety Team, a South Burlington nonprofit that offers violence prevention and trauma recovery courses. Vasta Folley said she has taken classes there to manage her own trauma from sexual abuse and feels all women deserve to find the sense of safety to open up — just like the women in Control Top.

At its funniest, her play satirizes shape wear, jeggings and every type of bra imaginable, drawing on theatrical movement, lighting and even rhyming poetry to foreground women’s experiences and enliven the performance. At its heaviest, it reveals jarring statistics about the gender pay gap and sexual assault, educating the audience about the history of women’s clothing and its role in perpetuating the patriarchy.

The show prompts audiences to think about the power clothing still holds over women. How can they reclaim their garments — and, in turn, themselves? ➆

INFO

Control Top by Carole Vasta Folley, Friday, June 20, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, June 21, 2 and 7:30 p.m.; Thursday, June 26, and Friday, June 27, 7:30 p.m.; and Saturday, June 28, 2 and 7:30 p.m., at the South Burlington Public Library Auditorium. $18-20. control-top.com

Wednesdays & Fridays, 12:30pm

June 4 – August 22 City Hall Park

The Summer Concert Series is back for its 14th season of serving up a side of spectacular local music in downtown Burlington with lunchtime concerts in City Hall Park. burlingtoncityarts.org/events

The cast of Control Top

Full Sail Ahead

Sailing around Juniper Island with Whistling Man Schooner

Since 1996, Whistling Man Schooner has hosted thousands of tourists and locals on sailboat rides around Lake Champlain. The current owner, Capt. Cory Dalsimer, 27, is a University of Vermont graduate who started as a deckhand and earned a commercial

captain’s license. Many other crew members have become captains; promoting careers in the maritime industry is part of the company’s mission.

In the latest episode of “Stuck in Vermont,” Seven Days senior multimedia producer Eva Sollberger took a sunset cruise on the Friend Ship, a classic sailing sloop. Smoke from the Canadian wildﬁres muted the sunset, but it was still a memorable evening.

Sollberger spoke with Seven Days about ﬁlming the episode.

Sailing on Lake Champlain — tough shoot, huh?

Sometimes you just have to su er for your art! It has been raining a lot, so when there were a few sunny days in a row I got in touch with Dalsimer about hitching a ride on a cruise. I invited my sister, Seven Days consulting editor and ﬁlm critic Margot Harrison, to come along.

The Friend Ship holds 10 guests, but we were only joined by three people: a Burlington couple who were celebrating their anniversary and have made this sail an annual tradition, and a man visiting from Maryland. A group of four people were no-shows, which gave us more space to move around the boat.

Fun fact: If the weather is good, the sail goes on as planned, even if the other passengers don’t show up. Marriage proposals happen — but not on our cruise.

Who works for Whistling Man?

I met up with Dalsimer on dry land the day

before the cruise to hear his story. One year ago, he bought the business from Capt. Hannah “Diddy” Langsdale. Both began working for Whistling Man as deckhands and then earned their captain’s licenses, with support from the company. This is a common trajectory for employees, including the two people piloting our cruise, Capt. Amelia Koval, 23, and Capt. Bob “Bubba” Bristow, 67. About half of the 19 employees are women, including ﬁve captains. As Koval said, “I wouldn’t trade this o ce for anything.”

How much does it cost?

You can catch a ride on a two-hour cruise for $60 to $75 per person. Chartering an entire boat — the Friend Ship or the Wild Rose — will set you back between $350 and $750. While tourists are Whistling Man’s main guests, Dalsimer has been teaming up with local groups to create more options for Vermonters to get out on the water.

How was your sail?

We had really good wind, and it was exciting to sail around Juniper Island and catch a glimpse of the lighthouse. It was refreshing to get out of the city and see things from a new perspective. To quote Christopher Cross’ epic sailing song, “Just a dream and the wind to carry me / soon I will be free.” More of that this summer, please. ➆

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

743: Sunset Sail

Capt. Amelia Koval

Partizanfilm Movie Theater Coming to Burlington This Fall

BY MARY ANN LICKTEIG maryann@sevendaysvt.com

Movies are coming back to downtown Burlington.

They began talking about starting a theater last summer when Merrill Jarvis III announced that his six-screen Roxy might close. That building, at the intersection of South Winooski Avenue and College Street, is now for sale. Jarvis, whose family also owns Majestic 10 cinemas in Williston, said last summer that the terms of any sale would not allow a new owner to operate a movie theater.

Partizanfilm, a grassroots, memberrun nonprofit, plans to open a two-screen art-house cinema at 230 College Street this fall to offer first-run independent and foreign films seven days a week, along with occasional repertory fare. Vermont’s largest city has been without a commercial movie theater since Merrill’s Roxy Cinemas closed in November.

“I really didn’t want to live in a city without a movie theater,” Partizanfilm president Brett Yates said on Monday as he offered Seven Days a tour of the 2,000-square-foot space his nonprofit bought. It has been vacant since the Restock Shop closed nearly two and half years ago. Forthcoming renovations will create two intimate screening rooms — one with 19 seats, the other with 31 — along with a café and a small used-book store in the lobby.

The cinema is designed to be a cultural center to “enhance the city’s political and intellectual life,” said Yates, a 37-year-old freelance writer and ski lift operator.

Movies spark conversation and creativity, he said, adding, “My hope is that Partizanfilm will be a place where ideas are exchanged.”

Yates scooped popcorn and sold tickets at two art-house theaters when he was in his twenties. That, he believes, constitutes the only theater experience among the five founders, all of whom live in Burlington.

The others are Yates’ wife, Michelle Sagalchik, 31, a Burlington High School social studies teacher; Antonio Golán, 47, a lecturer in communications at the University of Vermont; Gretchen Schissel, 29, a UVM curricular program specialist; and Ali Hamedani, 43, a physical therapist.

None has run a business before, Yates said. “We’re all passionate about the project and learning as we go.”

Partizanfilm is next door to EyeCare of Vermont and abuts the Roxy. Its founders understand that financial burdens brought on by the pandemic, the 2023 writers’ and actors’ strikes, and the rise of at-home streaming have forced many movie theaters to close. They hope their concept will be more sustainable.

“I think the microcinema model can offer a way to keep movies alive in the age of streaming,” Yates said.

Partizanfilm will operate as a consumer cooperative. Annual membership, on sale now, costs $60 and provides a discount on movie tickets. Nonmember ticket prices will range from $7.50 for a weekday matinee to $12 for an evening show. Members will be eligible to serve on the cinema’s board of directors and can weigh in on operations at the organization’s annual meeting.

“We want the theater to belong to the people of Burlington,” Yates said.

The new theater plans to show the same type of films that are already screening blocks away at Main Street Landing. The Vermont International Film Foundation increased its offerings there after the Roxy closed. It presents films in its 34-seat Screening Room and the 220-seat Film House, though not daily. The foundation also presents two annual film festivals.

Executive director Steve MacQueen said he has shared resources with Yates, who, along with his wife, is a VTIFF member. “I’m really hoping we can work together and create a really dynamic cinema scene in Burlington,” MacQueen said.

Yates said he looks forward to working alongside VTIFF and believes Burlington can accommodate both film presenters. “The world is full of interesting movies,” he said. ➆

Learn more at partizanfilm.org.

MOVIE THEATERS

From left: Antonio Golán, Michelle Sagalchik and Brett Yates

JEFF BARON

on screen

The Bear ★★★★★

Ihave a confession to make about “The Bear.” Though the FX on Hulu drama series has been racking up Emmys and Golden Globe Awards since it premiered in 2022, I initially stopped watching after Episode 2 because of the yelling. The show’s fast-paced, superlatively crafted depiction of life in the kitchen of a Chicago sandwich joint triggered my stress response, big time.

And I haven’t even worked in a restaurant. The creator of “The Bear,” Christopher Storer, has a chef sister, Courtney, who serves as the series’ culinary consultant. Many food professionals ﬁnd the show “so accurate that it was triggering,” in the words of Genevieve Yam in Bon Appétit. Her fellow veterans of Michelin-starred restaurants, she wrote, “all agreed the show is a stark reminder of our trauma.”

REVIEW

So no, “The Bear” isn’t the frothy kind of food-centric entertainment. But I’m sure glad I gave it a second chance for the Food Issue. Season 4 premieres on June 25.

The deal

Season 1 throws us into the kitchen of the Original Beef of Chicagoland, the struggling sandwich shop that Carmy Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White) recently inherited after the suicide of his older brother, Mikey (Jon Bernthal). A talented chef who left Chicago for New York and Napa Valley, Carmy now finds himself dealing with rowdy regulars, crumbling equipment and a staff without formal culinary training.

While Carmy is burnt out on the industry, periodically ﬂashing back to the verbal abuse he endured in a celebrated kitchen, gifted young chef Sydney (Ayo Edebiri) still has stars in her eyes. She joined the Beef speciﬁcally to work with Carmy, hoping to elevate the neighborhood joint. But Sydney and Carmy’s efforts to transform the Beef put them on a collision course with Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), Mikey’s rage-prone best friend. And looming over the whole enterprise is Mikey’s creditor (Oliver Platt), a family friend who turns from avuncular to sinister on a dime.

Without spoiling the details, I can say that Season 2 finds Carmy and Sydney preparing to launch the fine-dining

restaurant of their dreams — the Bear. Season 3 starts in the wake of their soft opening. While the plates get prettier, the yelling never stops for good, because these people are damaged.

Will you like it?

Immersive scenes of kitchen chaos are the calling card of “The Bear.” But the show features just as many well-wrought quiet moments — sometimes whole episodes with very little dialogue. And its themes emerge from the counterpoint of noise and productive silence.

At its heart, “The Bear” is about the joy of making things. We see it in self-taught pastry chef Marcus (Lionel Boyce), often a still point in the commotion, as he tinkers and experiments and hones his skills at a farm-to-table restaurant in Copenhagen. We see it in Carmy’s rariﬁed creations and in the growing conﬁdence of line cook Tina (Liza Colón-Zayas) as she blossoms in culinary school.

Why do people stay in a profession that “doesn’t pay much, doesn’t amount to anything and doesn’t make a lot of sense,” as Carmy puts it? Ego and obsession may be involved, but so is the sheer gratiﬁcation of creating something that nourishes others. In one of the show’s best quiet scenes, Sydney prepares a simple omelette for Carmy’s sister, Natalie (Abby Elliott), who’s

pregnant and exhausted from managing the restaurant. We see the whole prep, then the satisﬁed smile on Natalie’s face.

As Thomas Keller of the French Laundry says in the Season 3 ﬁnale (which features a slew of real chefs commenting on their industry), “It’s all about nurturing.”

“The Bear” trusts its audience in a way that few shows do today. It trusts us to pick up on restaurant jargon and the complex web of family and neighborhood history from which the Berzattos emerged. (A running joke involves unrelated people calling each other “unc” or “cousin.”)

Creator Storer likewise trusts us enough not to “explain” the siblings’ dysfunction — why Mikey turned to drugs, Natalie frets and Carmy sabotages his own happiness — until we really know them as individuals. When we meet their mom (Jamie Lee Curtis) in a doozy of a Season 2 ﬂashback episode, all that yelling suddenly makes perfect sense.

Bingeing the show, I appreciated the ensemble’s talent more with each season.

“The Bear” features some of the best TV portraits of male insecurity in the forms of both Carmy and Richie, with the latter evolving from a loudmouth jerk into someone we root for. (Moss-Bachrach does magic with the role.) In Season 1, Sydney is the only female character explored in much depth, but that changes in subsequent

seasons. And the comic-relief characters are gifts that keep on giving. If you had the sense not to put off watching “The Bear,” you already know all this. If you’re like me, I suggest you start nibbling at the feast — and know that you may not be able to stop.

MARGOT HARRISON margot@sevendaysvt.com

IF YOU LIKE THIS, TRY…

THE TASTE OF THINGS (2023; AMC+, Hulu, Kanopy, rentable): For a more sedate but still loving portrayal of ﬁne cuisine, try this acclaimed French period drama with a nearly 40-minute opening sequence in which a chef (Juliette Binoche) prepares a meal for her aristocratic patron and lover.

“CARÊME” (2025; Apple TV+): is series chronicles the adventures of the “world’s ﬁrst celebrity chef,” who apparently combined his work as Napoleon’s pâtissier with espionage.

“CHEF’S TABLE” (seven seasons, 20152024; Netﬂix): Each episode of the award-winning documentary series focuses on one chef’s approach. is year’s “Legends” spin-off proﬁles Keller and other greats.

Jeremy Allen White plays a ﬁne-dining chef who returns to his humble family restaurant in the acclaimed series.

NEW IN THEATERS

28 YEARS LATER: The third installment of the horror series that began in 2002 with 28 Days Later focuses on an island community that has managed to survive the apocalyptic pandemic. Danny Boyle again directs; Jack O’Connell and Aaron Taylor-Johnson star. (115 min, R. Essex, Majestic, Paramount, Star, Sunset)

BRIDE HARD: The maid of honor (Rebel Wilson) is armed and ready to defend her BFF’s wedding from bad guys in this action comedy from Simon West (Con Air), with Anna Camp and Anna Chlumsky. (105 min, R. Capitol, Essex)

ELIO: An 11-year-old boy (voice of Yonas Kibreab) finds himself serving as Earth’s ambassador to aliens in this Pixar family animation, also starring Zoe Saldaña and Remy Edgerly. (99 min, PG. Bethel, Bijou, Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Marquis, Star, Sunset, Welden)

CURRENTLY PLAYING

THE AMATEURHH1/2 Rami Malek plays a CIA tech guy who becomes an action guy after terrorists kill his wife in this spy thriller. With Rachel Brosnahan. (123 min, PG-13. Bethel)

THE BALLAD OF WALLIS ISLANDHHHH A lottery winner hires his favorite folk musicians for a private performance in this comedy starring Tom Basden, Tim Key and Carey Mulligan. (99 min, PG-13. Catamount)

FINAL DESTINATION: BLOODLINESHHH1/2 A college student (Kaitlyn Santa Juana) learns her family was never supposed to exist in the return of the horror franchise. (110 min, R. Sunset; reviewed 5/21)

FROM THE WORLD OF JOHN WICK: BALLERINAHHH

In this action spin-off, a young woman (Ana de Armas) trains as an assassin to seek revenge. Len Wiseman (Underworld) directed. (125 min, R. Essex, Majestic, Stowe, Welden)

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGONHHH DreamWorks

Animation gets into the live-action-remake business with this new take on its 2010 hit about a Viking lad (Mason Thames) who makes an unexpected friend. (125 min, PG. Bijou, Capitol, City Cinema, Essex, Majestic, Marquis, Playhouse, Star, Stowe, Sunset, Welden)

JANE AUSTEN WRECKED MY LIFEHHH1/2 A single bookseller becomes a writer to improve her love life in this rom-com from Laura Piani, starring Camille Rutherford and Pablo Pauly. (98 min, R. Savoy)

KARATE KID: LEGENDSHH1/2 A young martial-arts prodigy (Ben Wang) struggles to adjust after a move to the U.S. in the sixth entry in the action franchise, also starring Jackie Chan. (94 min, PG-13. Sunset)

THE LIFE OF CHUCKHHH1/2 This adaptation of Stephen King’s genre-crossing novella from director Mike Flanagan (Doctor Sleep) follows the life of an ordinary guy in reverse chronological order. Tom Hiddleston and Jacob Tremblay star. (110 min, R. Essex, Majestic, Savoy)

LILO & STITCHHH1/2 In Disney’s (partially) live-action remake of its 2002 animation, a lonely girl (Maia Kealoha) makes friends with an alien who’s on the run. Dean Fleischer Camp directed. (108 min, PG. Bethel, Bijou, City Cinema, Essex, Majestic, Paramount, Star, Sunset)

MATERIALISTSHHH1/2 A matchmaker (Dakota Johnson) struggles to decide between two attractive men (Chris Evans and Pedro Pascal) in this rom-com from Celine Song (Past Lives). (116 min, R. Bijou, Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Stowe)

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE — THE FINAL RECKONINGHHH1/2 Tom Cruise returns in the eighth installment of the action franchise about spies and stunts, again directed by Christopher McQuarrie. (169 min, PG-13. Capitol, City Cinema, Essex, Majestic)

THE PHOENICIAN SCHEMEHHH Wes Anderson turns his pastiching energies on midcentury capers in this comedy about a tycoon (Benicio Del Toro) who wills his estate to his devout daughter (Mia Threapleton). (101 min, PG-13. Essex, Majestic, Savoy; reviewed 6/11)

SINNERSHHHH1/2 In this supernatural horror film set in 1932, twin brothers (Michael B. Jordan) return to their hometown to find unexpected evil. Ryan Coogler directed. (137 min, R. Sunset; reviewed 4/23)

THUNDERBOLTS*HHH1/2 In the latest Marvel Cinematic Universe entry, a team of anti-heroes band together on a perilous mission. (126 min, PG-13. Sunset)

OLDER FILMS AND SPECIAL SCREENINGS

BONE TOMAHAWK (Catamount, Fri only)

BOY MEETS GIRL (Catamount, Wed 18 only)

CRAFT & ROM COM (Savoy, Wed 18 only)

ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK (VTIFF, Sat only)

FOOD AND COUNTRY (VTIFF, Thu only)

JEFFREY (Catamount, Wed 25 only)

THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW (Savoy, Fri only)

THE SECRET WORLD OF ARRIETTY (Essex, Sun & Mon only)

THEY LIVE (VTIFF, Sat only)

WE ARE GUARDIANS (Marquis, Wed 18 only) WILL (VTIFF, Fri only)

OPEN THEATERS

(* = upcoming schedule for theater was not available at press time)

BETHEL DRIVE-IN: 36 Bethel Dr., Bethel, 728-3740, betheldrivein.com

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

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

*STOWE CINEMA 3PLEX: 454 Mountain Rd., Stowe, 253-4678, stowecinema.com

SUNSET DRIVE-IN: 155 Porters Point Rd., Colchester, 862-1800, sunsetdrivein.com

WELDEN THEATRE: 104 N. Main St., St. Albans, 527-7888, weldentheatre.com

We must understand that democracy is more than a system of political organization. It is a social system and a moral system as well; and we realize the full promise of American life only as we realize democracy in all these dimensions for all our citizens.

— JOHN F. KENNEDY

35TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

4T-sweeney061825.indd

The Ballad of Wallis Island

‘ICON’-ography

Safe and Sound considers the sacred and starstruck

BY PAMELA POLSTON • ppolston@sevendaysvt.com

The word “icon” has seen better days. Once the exclusive honoriﬁc of revered religious ﬁgures, it’s since been diluted in the shallows of popular culture. Just think of all the people we consider “stars,” be they actors or activists, drag queens or quarterbacks. You, too, can be an icon if you do something reasonably epic and crush it on socials. Even better if you die tragically young. Saintliness is not required. Still, we can agree that to be iconic is to be special in some way. In the current exhibition at Burlington’s Safe and Sound Gallery, titled simply “ICON,” 18 artists illustrate myriad interpretations of the theme. Most are refreshingly original; some are downright cryptic. Each is utterly di erent from the others,

which makes for an engaging visual smorgasbord.

Gallery owner Marin Horikawa conceived of and curated “ICON” and was pleasantly surprised at the response — especially because he had ﬂoated the idea “to artists about ﬁve years ago and got crickets,” he said at the reception. “This time I had almost too many.”

Horikawa personally invited the artists, who hail from cities around the U.S., the UK, France and the Netherlands. Just one — West Rupert-based Scott Lenhardt — is a Vermonter and has previously exhibited at Safe and Sound.

Two works play o the sacred and the starstruck notions of icon: Madonna and Child, a staple motif of art history; and 1950s actor James Dean, who died young and is a persistent symbol of youthful alienation.

The former contribution is “Milk Teeth,” a brushy, vivid oil painting by Michigan artist Melissa Beth Floyd. In the 36-inch-square portrait, a mother holds two flailing children who look too old to be nursing. And yes, they display their first set of teeth. All three figures are essentially nude — mom’s round breasts

are prominent in the image — and all three are screaming. Or maybe singing? Either way, the trio seems close to losing it. Mom holds one of the babes in her right arm while her left hand is raised, not in benediction but in an “enough already” gesture. Floyd addresses the “paradox of intimacy and detachment” in her artist

Clockwise from top left: “Milk Teeth” by Melissa Beth Floyd; “Smile” by Scott Lenhardt; “Hosoi invert” by Jérôme Romain

statement. “I kept coming back to the Madonna and Child, especially those exaggerated, slightly grotesque mannerist babies,” she writes. “I wanted to tap into that history while bringing it into a messier, more chaotic present — one that reﬂects the tangled experience of motherhood.”

the Dutch artist paints the contemporary iteration with rainbow mane and tail.

SAINTLINESS

IS NOT REQUIRED.

Jean-Robert Alcindor’s “Invisible Rebel” hangs on the opposite wall, and the French artist’s title is literal. The roughly 26-by-20-inch acrylic-onpaper painting depicts an ostensibly male torso and a head of hair. That is, the red jacket and white T-shirt have the volume of a body, but the wavy hair is suspended over … nothing. Actually, what is visible behind the nonexistent face is a ﬂat ﬁeld of green and an expanse of blue. A low building set in the distance lends the image a sense of depth.

Alcindor clearly references Dean in the 1955 film Rebel Without a Cause, but he leaves the identity open for younger viewers to fill in with their own heroes. For this viewer, the painting calls to mind paper dolls, which separate figures from their wardrobes, and the “empty man” paintings of Belgian surrealist René Magritte.

Rop Van Mierlo’s two paintings, both titled “Unicorn,” are rendered in blurry, vibratory watercolor on paper, but not as the snow-white equine of legend. Instead,

In his artist statement, Van Mierlo notes that Christ and the unicorn share certain characteristics: “purity, virginity and mystical power.” But now, “in the capitalist faith,” the former symbol of rarity is a ubiquitous commercial icon found on children’s clothing, stickers, mugs, lunch boxes and more. The majestic beast has become a cute plush toy.

We could read Van Mierlo’s soft-focus images as an attempt to reclaim the animal’s magical, illusory reputation. We could also see this sweet creature as a Pride ﬂag with hooves.

Scott Lenhardt, who is known both for his Burton snowboard graphics and realistic portraits, contributed a trippy acrylic-on-paper painting titled “Smile.” Without squinting a bit, it would be easy to miss the demented smiley face hovering over the cartoonish grim reaper and the kaleidoscopic background. But once you make out its subtle features, you can’t unsee it.

This 21-by-27-inch piece is equal parts gleeful and creepy. Lenhardt’s take is this: “The Reaper’s primary function is to guide souls to their ﬁnal destination. What an important and beautiful job!”

Christian Hosoi is a skateboarding

legend, a former pro and owner of an eponymous skateboard brand. Following a period of drug addiction and incarceration, Hosoi reclaimed himself as a devout Christian and family man. At Safe and Sound, Jérôme Romain’s oil painting “Hosoi invert” is based on a photo of him by noted skateboard photographer Mark Oblow.

The roughly 46-by-32-inch work is nearly photorealistic itself. A muscular, shirtless Hosoi is upside down in a hand plant, seen from a 45-degree angle overhead. Balanced on his right hand, the skater thrusts his deck upward with the left. It’s a brief moment of athletic strength and grace, and Romain’s eloquent description meets that moment. As Horikawa’s exhibition catalog puts it, “…he evokes a presence — the afterglow of a myth in motion.” It seems that the icon here is less the person than Hosoi “invoked as a symbol of risk, freedom and intensity.”

Travis Millard’s small mixed-media illustration “PIG” was created in 2018 but is, regrettably, just as relevant in the era of Trump 2.0. In the absurdist cartoon, the titular porker is clad in a black suit, white shirt and telltale long red tie. He struggles against nearly a dozen tiny women who have tied him to the ground and are feeding the tie into a meat grinder. The allusion to the Lilliputians of Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels is unmistakable.

According to the Los Angeles-based artist, “The icon in this image [is] the

women who fight for their rights and stand up against the pigs who work against them. Dim Donald was certainly top of mind when I made that but … there are many asshats who ﬁt the suit.” ’Nuf said.

Conceptually in sync is “I will always be searching for a quiet place to lay down and close my eyes,” by TWOTMA — the nom d’art of French artist Aimée Pedezert. That title is written in large capital letters under the head of a woman who is, well, lying down and closing her eyes. Using black China ink and acrylic on two pieces of fabric, TWOTMA drew thick, cartoony lines and exaggerated facial features: long, straight eyelashes, full lips, sideways Picasso-esque nose. At 40 by 38.5 inches, the piece is a startling, graphic, humorous contrast to more painterly or colorful works. But TWOTMA puts it down in black and white, and it’s a strong statement.

“[T]he voluntarily minimal line speaks for what is permanent in my work: the need to cut the noise and reduce the information,” she writes. “[M]y icon could be anyone, with no speciﬁc intention to sparkle, simply anyone trying to be at peace through daily life.”

In 2025, ﬁnding peace may be iconic enough. ➆

INFO

“ICON,” on view through August 1 at Safe and Sound Gallery in Burlington. safeandsound.gallery

From left: “I will always be searching for a quiet place to lay down and close my eyes” by TWOTMA; “PIG” by Travis Millard

Masc Mandate: Larry Bowling in Montpelier

BY ALICE DODGE • adodge@sevendaysvt.com

Toxic masculinity seems to be spreading through the air lately like clouds of pollen. Men who previously spent their time yelling for a living are now in charge of everything from national security to national parks. In art, feminists have pushed back against the male gaze for decades, but it still permeates social and traditional media.

Larry Bowling’s work manages to escape that overly macho context while maintaining a perspective that is tender and thoughtful, yet unmistakably masculine. In his solo show, on view through June 29 at J. Langdon in Montpelier, Bowling presents mixed-media oil paintings and a series of transparency collages in Lucite boxes.

Bowling, 70, is gay, and his identity informs themes of the male body as both idealized and fallible. Pieces such as “As in a Swoon” and “Homage to Michelangelo” feature nude models whose six-pack abs, defined by deep shadows, could indeed have been carved by the queer Renaissance master.

Conversely, age has softened figures in “The Embrace” and “Come Walk With Me,” an intimately sized transparency collage not much bigger than a Polaroid photo. The latter’s stacked images blur the body just slightly, lending it a sense of motion; more naturalistic, less dramatic lighting gives it an honest, vulnerable quality.

These works convey physicality in their making as well as their subjects. Rather than affixing his collages with glue, Bowling uses patinaed copper tacks to pin together piles of transparent sheets, creating a sense of accumulated history.

The paintings incorporate photographic images, too, often illuminated by loose drawing carved into thick oil paint as sgraffito — usually a bright line showing through a dark surface. Bowling carries the same kind of marks into the collages as twirling copper wires wrapped around the tacks, suspended over the surface.

Some of the paintings, such as “Narcissus,” feature images covered with thin sheets of mica, nailed into place. The brittle, glittery material adds a sense of

CALLS TO ARTISTS

BTV NEXT: OPEN CALL TO ARTISTS AND CREATIVES: A request for qualifications for artists and creative teams interested in submitting proposals for the design and fabrication of permanent architectural enhancements in one of three spaces within the airport’s expansion project. Ten finalists will be selected to advance to the proposal phase with a $1,000 honorarium to develop a detailed concept. Apply at burlingtoncityarts.awardsplatform.com.

Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport,

Clockwise from top left: “Book of Remembering”; “As in a Swoon”; “Come Walk With Me”

South Burlington. Deadline: July 14. Info, cstorrs@ burlingtoncityarts.org.

‘DREAMING — THE WAY I SEE IT’: An invitation to submit work for an October group show on the somnolent theme. Apply via email. The Satellite Gallery, Lyndonville. Deadline: September 22. $20 donation. Info, melmelts@yahoo.com.

REGISTER FOR FALL OPEN STUDIOS: Now accepting registrations to participate in the Vermont Craft Council’s annual event on October 4 and 5. Register online at vermontcrafts.com. Vermont Crafts Council, Montpelier. Deadline: July 10. $75-$145. Info, 279-9495.

time, nostalgia and memory to the works. Bowling’s poetic sensibility, loud and clear in his choice of materials, also comes through in a few portraits. Images of gay poets, philosophers and activists — Walt Whitman, Frank O’Hara, Jean Cocteau and Vaslav Nijinsky among them — populate this work as much as do more anonymous bodies.

One stand-alone piece, “Book of Remembering,” acts as a memorial altar to LGBTQ figures from the past. Bowling has mounted a book onto a painting, its open pages covered in dozens of overlapping photos. Some are easily identified: Harvey Milk, Marsha P. Johnson and prisoners marked with a pink triangle — which, though later reclaimed as a pride symbol, was first used by the Nazis to identify gay men and trans women.

Ribbons with names attached dangle from the book. Some are familiar, such as

OPENINGS + RECEPTIONS

JOE BOLGER: “Pastoral Impressions,” a solo show of works celebrating the beauty of rural life in Vermont and paying homage to American impressionist traditions. Edgewater Gallery at the Falls, Middlebury, through July 27. Info, 989-7419.

‘SUMMER AT THE COTTAGE’: An exhibit of summerthemed work by photographers, painters, crafters and writers. Reception: Friday, June 20, 5 p.m. Memphremagog Arts Collaborative, Newport, June 20-September 6. Info, 334-1966.

Alan Turing and Oscar Wilde, both charged criminally for their sexuality; others less so, such as “Juan Ramon Guerrero, 22” and “Christopher Joseph Sanfeliz, 24,” both of whom were killed in the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting. Still others are unnamed, such as “20698 Auschwitz.”

It’s a remarkable piece, one that calls to mind powerful visual responses to the AIDS epidemic by artists such as Felix GonzalezTorres and Robert Mapplethorpe. That work, like Bowling’s, creates empathy by reminding us that everyone inhabits a body — and we’re all equally vulnerable. ➆

INFO

“Works by Larry Bowling,” on view through June 29 at J. Langdon in Montpelier. jlangdonvermont.com and @larrybowlingart on Instagram

PATRICE APHRODITE HELMAR: “Marigold,” works by the Juneau, Alaska, photographer. Reception: Saturday, June 21, noon-3 p.m. Extra Special With Cheese, Burlington, June 20-July 26. Info, extraspecialwithcheese@gmail.com.

RUTLAND PRIDE EXHIBITION: Works by local members of the queer community, coinciding with the third annual Rutland Pride Festival. Reception: Saturday, June 21, noon-6 p.m. Vermont State University-Castleton Bank Gallery, Rutland, through July 12. Info, 468-1119.

‘CONVERGE: THREE VOICES, ONE SPACE’: A show of portraits by emerging artist Derek Huntington, landscapes by midcareer artist Donna Ciobanu,

and views of Vermont’s geology and waterways in traditional and mixed media by established artist Tom Merwin. Reception: Saturday, June 21, 2-4 p.m. Stone Valley Arts, Poultney, June 21-August 10. Info, stonevalleyartscenter@gmail.com.

BARBARA FLACK AND ORAH MOORE: “The Travelers,” an installation of large-scale photographic scenarios exploring Barre and the surrounding area. Exhibited in the second-floor gallery. Studio Place Arts, Barre, June 25-August 15. Info, 479-7069.

JULIANA CASSINO FECHTER: “Along for the Ride,” a series of oil paintings featuring horses, exhibited in the third-floor gallery. Studio Place Arts, Barre, June 25-August 15. Info, 479-7069.

‘SHARPEN YOUR PENCILS!’: An exhibition of drawings and assemblages that celebrate the humble pencil with works by more than 25 artists. Exhibited in the main-floor gallery. Studio Place Arts, Barre, June 25-August 15. Info, 479-7069.

‘BEING HERE NOW: A PHOTOGRAPHIC LOOK AT THE WORLD TODAY’: An exhibition exploring the complexities of our time through images of war, climate, the natural world and scientific exploration by Jon Brack, Odette England, Emmet Gowin, Cassandra Klos, James Nachtwey and April Surgent. Reception: Saturday, June 28, 3 p.m. BigTown Gallery, Rochester, June 20-September 14. Info, info@bigtownvermont.com.

‘EXPOSED 2025’: The 34th annual outdoor sculpture exhibition that transforms Stowe Village into an open-air gallery with public art installations sited across both public and private spaces and on the grounds of the Current. Opening Festival features complimentary live music, a food truck, ice cream, beverages and artist talks. Opening Festival: Saturday, July 12, 4-7 p.m. The Current, Stowe, June 19-October 18. Info, 253-8358.

‘IT OFTEN RHYMES’: An exhibition inspired by the quote, often attributed to Mark Twain, that “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it does often rhyme.” Robert Buck, Janie Cohen, Nicholas Galanin, Hank Willis Thomas, Ellen Rothenberg and For Freedoms question and reclaim national symbols and reflect on how art shapes democracy. Opening Festival: Saturday, July 12, 4-7 p.m. The Current, Stowe, June 19-October 18. Info, 253-8358.

ART EVENTS

ASSETS FOR ARTISTS WORKSHOPS: Free professional development workshops for artists. This season’s workshops are all online and include topics such as project management, quarterly taxes, website design and project portfolios. Register online at assetsforartists.org/ workshops. Vermont Arts Council, Montpelier, through July 31. Free. Info, info@ vermontartscouncil.org.

DRINK & DRAW: A drop-in event organized by the T.W. Wood Gallery; no experience necessary; drawing materials provided. Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, Wednesday, June 18, 5-7 p.m. Free; $10 suggested donation; cash bar. Info, 262-6035.

LIFE DRAWING AND PAINTING: A drop-in event for artists working with the figure from a live model. T.W. Wood Gallery, Montpelier, Thursday, June 19, 7-9 p.m. Free; $10 suggested donation. Info, 262-6035.

‘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, June 20, 5-8 p.m. Free. Info, 289-0104.

A BIRTHDAY PARTY FOR NYE FFARRABAS: A 93rd birthday celebration for the Fluxus artist, whose work is currently on view in the exhibition “Truth IS A Verb!” Activities include a whistle concert and an egg-balancing game. There will be birthday cake. Ffarrabas will also read from her poems and answer questions from visitors. Brattleboro Museum & Art Center, Saturday, June 21, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 257-0124.

JUNETEENTH COMMUNITY MURAL: An invitation to paint a community mural with Arts So Wonderful in honor of Juneteenth. Painting supplies provided. Thorsen Way, Burlington, Saturday, June 21, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Free. Info, adlcuesta1@gmail.com.

BARRE ART HANG: An artist takeover of Main Street in Barre, with plein-air painting, muraling, sidewalk chalk, arts and crafts demos, exhibitions, and a roundtable panel discussion. Downtown Barre, Saturday, June 21, 3-5 p.m. Free. Info, goslow@ slowpoke.exchange.

CURATORIAL TOUR: A tour of the galleries and commissioned art projects with curator Catherine Haskins. The Mill, Westport N.Y., Saturday, June 21, 4:30-5:30 p.m. Free. Info, catherine@themilladk. com.

ARTIST DEMO: GRETCHEN G. ALEXANDER: The artist paints in the gallery and invites visitors to drop in and talk with her about her process. Emile A. Gruppe Gallery, Jericho, Sunday, June 22, 1-3 p.m. Info, 899-3211.

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, June 22, 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 Gallery, Montpelier, Monday, June 23, 10 a.m.-noon. Free; $10 suggested donation. Info, 262-6035.

SUMMER WATERCOLOR SERIES: A class suitable for novice and experienced painters, taught by Pauline Nolte. Supplies provided for beginners. Waterbury Public Library, Tuesday, June 24, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, judi@ waterburypubliclibrary.com. ➆

Sunday, July 13

7:00 Durham County Poets

Monday, July 14

12:00 Mathis, Gaelle, & Marc

7:00 Caitlin Canty

8:30 Ray Vega’s Afro-Caribbean Jazz Ensemble

Tuesday, July 15

12:00 Faculty New Orleans jazz & swing

7:00 Ordinary Elephant

8:30 Honey & Soul

Wed., July 16

12:00 No Strings Marionettes

7:00 Ali McGuirk

Saturday, July 19

Thursday, July 17

12:00 Magician Tom Verner

7:00 Mathis Andersen Trio

8:30 Dobet Gnahore Friday, July 18

12:00 Juggler Jason Tardy

7:00 Buﬀalo Rose

8:30 Madaila

7:00 Vermont Jazz Ensemble Street Dance

LAKESIDE AT ECHO

Celebrate independence day with fun and curiosity! Tickets include full access to 3 ﬂoors of ECHO and to the best views of ﬁreworks over Lake Champlain on our outside decks! INDEPENDENCE DAY

Thursday, July 3rd

7-10 pm

TICKETS ON SALE NOW

music+nightlife Spaced Out

From Putney to the Pyramids to Enosburg Falls, ﬂutist Margaux Simmons’ long musical career continues with Astral Underground

BY CHRIS FARNSWORTH •

farnsworth@sevendaysvt.com

Surrounded by music gear in a cluttered basement, Margaux Simmons clutched her flute and narrowed her eyes, deep in thought. Something about the piece of music she had just played had intrigued her — and the other two musicians in her midst, John Notaro and Ben Maddox.

From his perch behind his drum kit, dark hair buried beneath a baseball cap, Notaro addressed the others: “Should we loop back to the ﬁrst section again?”

In reply, Maddox hit a chord on his synthesizer, issuing a distorted E minor that rang across the low-ceilinged room.

“Yeah, that seemed to be going where we want it to go,” Maddox said, scratching his dark beard. “Let’s run it back.”

The two men launched into a heavy groove, with Maddox laying out a pulsing bass line on the keys and Notaro springing into action on his kit. They quickly settled into a brooding, cosmic-jazz progression, setting the scene for Simmons.

She brought the flute to her lips and peeled o a cascade of notes, her fingers flying over the keys. Like a thousand fireflies suddenly lighting up a nighttime forest, Simmons’ flute fluttered above Notaro and Maddox’s ominous groove.

It was hardly the ﬁrst time Simmons had shone a light into the darkness — her career spans more than 50 years. But she might be the ﬁrst actual legend to play in the Cave of Legends, the rehearsal space below Maddox’s Flying Disc record store and café.

Simmons, 72, is best known as a founding member of the Pyramids, an inﬂuential if underappreciated pioneer of Afro-jazz fusion in the 1970s. Hers has been a long and winding journey, from growing up in rural Putney to studying under one of the masters of jazz to playing stages around the globe. Not to mention landing in, of all places, a record store basement in Enosburg Falls.

If that seems an improbable place for

her to embark on the latest leg of her musical career, her musical traveling companions are just as unlikely. Maddox and Notaro, both several decades younger than Simmons, are more commonly seen playing in local rock and metal outfits — Maddox with the Mountain Says No, Notaro with Mushroom Teeth. Together, the three form Astral Underground, a genrebending cosmic-jazz trio — or, as the band describes itself, “celestial jazz from the dark side of the Enosphere.”

where he shoots underwater footage and composes music to accompany it. He asked Simmons if she wanted to record some music for the series at the Cave of Legends. He also invited his friend Notaro. The three jammed, and there was an instant connection. They formed Astral Underground, releasing their self-titled debut record in 2022, followed by Sunsets Are Sacred in 2024.

While the latest album is jazz-adjacent, Maddox and Notaro add elements of electronica, indie rock, funk and even metal. The varied musical terrain allows Simmons to show o aspects of her playing not necessarily heard on the Pyramids records, where she’s often vying for space with six other musicians. Astral Underground is a launchpad for Simmons to ﬁll voluminous space with her ethereal, dexterous playing.

“Music is a very spiritual thing for me,” Simmons said. “Both the Pyramids and Astral Underground provide me with that connection, which I love so, so much. And it was a connection that I started to make back in college when I met Idris.”

That would be Idris Ackamoor, 74, a cofounder of the Pyramids. He still remembers when he met Simmons in 1971, not long after she started at Antioch College in Ohio.

MUSIC IS A VERY SPIRITUAL THING FOR ME.

Maddox recalled the fateful day in 2020 when Simmons came to see him at the Flying Disc.

“I was immediately blown away,” Maddox said. “How could a top-notch Afro-fusion jazz player just walk into my store like this?”

Simmons had done so on the advice of her partner, Jamy Lasell, with whom she had moved to town in 2019.

“One day, Jamy suggested that I should bring some of the Pyramids albums to the Flying Disc and see if they might sell some CDs,” Simmons said. “I was like, ‘Nobody knows about the Pyramids.’ But I went anyway, and that’s when I met Ben.”

Maddox, a longtime presence in the Vermont music scene, was working on a series of videos called “I See Fish People,”

“I met Margaux on her way to the music department with a ﬂute on her arm,” Ackamoor recalled from his home in San Francisco. “Here I am, 19 years old, and I see this beautiful sister.

I said to myself, ‘I need my Alice Coltrane.’ I wanted a partner that would inspire me.”

That she did. The two fell in love and married not long after graduation. But the roots of the Pyramids were planted while they were still at Antioch, studying under free-jazz pioneer and poet Cecil Taylor.

“Studying with Cecil was wild,” Ackamoor said. “He didn’t like to use musical notation or time signatures — he wanted you to play free. It taught us to open ourselves up, and it taught us to look to our ancestry and the music of Africa.”

Through a study-abroad program at Antioch, Ackamoor, Simmons and bassist Kimathi Asante spent the better part of a year traveling in 1972. They went ﬁrst to

MARGAUX SIMMONS

Margaux Simmons at Standing Stones Wines in Winooski

On the Beat

GRACE POTTER’s Grand Point North is coming back! The long-running music festival on Burlington’s waterfront will return Friday, September 12, through Sunday, September 14. After headlining

performances from Potter on Friday and Saturday, Connecticut-born jam band GOOSE will take over on Sunday. As in years past, Potter and her team have booked a slew of local support acts. The WET ONES!, BURLY GIRLIES, GRACE PALMER, HEADY BETTY and DUTCH EXPERTS make for an eclectic and heavily female lineup. More guest artists are expected to be announced in the lead-up to the festival. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit highergroundmusic.com.

A brand-new quarterly comedy series is set to debut this month at Higher Ground in South Burlington. Curated and hosted by local comedian MAGGIE MAXWELL, “The Lowdown at Higher Ground” features some of the best of Vermont’s robust comedy scene, as well as the occasional out-of-towner.

The series kicks o on Monday, June 30, with comics JULIA COLASANTI, MEREDITH GORDON, ROB HALE, LEVI SILVERSTEIN and ALEX ST. LOUIS. Check out highergroundmusic. com for the full lowdown.

The new releases keep pouring in! After a heavy dose of fresh music last week, we’ve got a new single and video from indie-rock outﬁt DARI BAY, the project

of ROBBER ROBBER drummer ZACK JAMES

“The Joke” is a fuzzed-out rocker, and the video, directed by WES STERRS, features James and his bandmates raging in a giant pet store, complete with gratuitous shots of betta ﬁsh and confused-looking hamsters. Stream it on YouTube now.

REI KIMURA, formerly of the Brattleboro indie-rock band MOXIE, has released her ﬁrst music as a solo artist. Showcasing her powerful voice, “The Mountains” is a soulful roots-rocker about the impending end of a love a air. It’s an interesting shift for Kimura, who seems to be pushing into pop and roots and going for a bigger sound. The single is now available on streaming services.

This Saturday, June 21, Vermont will participate in its 10th Make Music Day. A celebration of creativity that started as Fête de la Musique in France in 1982, the festival has since become an international phenomenon, with countries around the world bringing together musicians of every stripe for a day of events and concerts.

The local edition is handled by Big Heavy World in Burlington: The nonproﬁt arts organization is keeping a tally of every local musician playing that day at a club, school, church, porch, garden, living room, radio station or any other place imaginable. Musicians can still register at bigheavyworld.com/ makemusicvt to be part of the party. ➆

Listening

mix of local jams) 1. “CHUFFY PUFFERTON” by James Kochalka Superstar

“THE JOKE” by Dari Bay

“HIGH GHOUL HOP” by the Wet Ones!

“POP A WHEELIE” by Whammy

“DIRTY SHOES” by Neato

“LIVING” by Shore Rites

“HEAVY LOAD” by Reid Parsons

Grace Potter

Maggie Maxwell

Europe, where they met drummer Donald Robinson and formed the original Pyramids lineup. They toured the continent for six weeks. Jazz musician and beat poet Ted Joans was in the crowd for the band’s first show in Amsterdam. In a review that was printed on the back cover of their album King of Kings, released in 1974, he wrote: “Real free music to dig and be dug in return.”

OR ANYTHING REALLY, OTHER THAN THE THREE OF US JUST JAMMING AND MAKING THIS REALLY UNIQUE KIND OF SOUND. JOHN NOTARO

Next, the quartet went to Africa to study the musical cultures of Uganda, Morocco, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya and Egypt.

“It’s honestly hard to explain just how meaningful that trip was,” Simmons said. “No matter what country we were in, community came and found us. We weren’t playing in nightclubs or hotel lobbies; we were in neighborhoods and countrysides where authentic African music was being made.”

Simmons described herself as

“transformed” upon the group’s return to America. Energized, the Pyramids released several albums and played with big acts such as Weather Report before moving to Oakland, Calif., where Simmons and Ackamoor started a family.

“At that point, I was just a broke musician,” Ackamoor said. “I was in the trenches, trying to book gigs and just going

from pillar to post. But Margaux wanted to continue her education. She really thrived in that academic world.”

The two separated in 1977, and the Pyramids played their last show of that period at the Berkeley Jazz Festival, alongside Dexter Gordon and Al Jarreau.

Afterward, Simmons immersed herself in academia, earning her PhD in musical

composition at the University of California San Diego. She started teaching at Hampshire College in Amherst, Mass., in 1987, where she remained until retiring in 2007. Then she took a job as a curator at Wounded Knee: The Museum in South Dakota. The work deeply resonated with Simmons, who is of both African and Native American descent.

John Notaro, Margaux Simmons and Ben Maddox at Standing Stones Wines

Though she never stopped playing music, Simmons settled into the life of a scholar, her heady days as part of an avant-garde Afro-jazz outfit seemingly behind her. But deep down, she always felt she’d return to making music.

Around 2007, Ackamoor started getting offers for the Pyramids to regroup and tour in Europe, where their legacy was better remembered than in the U.S. Over the next few years, the Pyramids began releasing albums again — the most recent, Afro Futuristic Dreams, dropped in 2023.

“I was quite young when the Pyramids started — just 19,” Simmons said after the Astral Underground rehearsal in Maddox’s basement studio. “When I see pictures of myself from that time, I seem so demure, always looking at the floor. I’ve grown so much more confident in myself since then.”

A week after that rehearsal, Astral Underground played a gig at Standing

keys and guitar at the same time,” said Maddox, who had some previous experience playing jazz fusion in Mississippi with a band called Cookout.

And though Notaro plays guitar in his other bands, his drumming with Astral Underground is the glue that keeps everything together. At times his playing is experimental and full of subtle cymbal swells. At others, it’s frenetic and hardcharging, pushing the trio into an almost EDM-like vibe.

“I don’t really think about it as ‘jazz’ per se, or anything really — other than the three of us just jamming and making this really unique kind of sound,” Notaro said.

“I just love playing with those guys,” Simmons said. “Ben is so good at exploring sounds with whatever instrument he’s playing, and John is so expressive with all the percussive things he can do. The music seems to start off feeling foreboding and dark, but then we all just grow into the song and it develops these

Stone Wines in Winooski. As videos that Maddox shot were projected behind the three musicians, they gathered in a triangle — their own pyramid, as it were — and filled the bar with a massive, cosmic jam. Maddox switched between keyboards and guitar as Notaro dropped sophisticated and strangely propulsive beats. Glorying in the expanse of space, Simmons set about doing what she loves most: improvising melodic lines. Her flute cut through the jams like a laser light in a dark room.

If her bandmates felt any pressure trying to match Simmons’ playing or find the right style, they didn’t show it. Instead, the three seemed to meet in the middle stylistically, happily pulling each other in whatever direction the music dictated.

“I definitely had a big learning curve holding down the bass while playing

tentacles and becomes something really quite beautiful.”

Simmons is touring with the Pyramids this summer in addition to playing with Astral Underground — they’ll be at Lincoln Park in Enosburg Falls this Monday, June 23 — and working on that band’s third LP. The uniqueness of a resurgent music career in her seventies — and in rural Vermont, no less — is not lost on Simmons.

“Having all this music in my life again is a gift that’s truly saved me more than once,” Simmons said. “And the best part is, there’s more to come.” ➆

INFO

Astral Underground perform on Monday, June 23, 5:30 p.m., at Lincoln Park in Enosburg Falls. Free. astralunderground. bandcamp.com

WEDNESDAY, 6-9PM!!

Local Music Competition

SOUTH BURLINGTON, VT

SEMI-FINALS • CHEER ON YOUR FAVORITES!

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11 Hunaye Salvaged Title Blake Matteson No Speed Limit

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18

Michael Perry Shiny New Toyz Chelsea O’Brien

JUNE 11,18&25 PRESENTED BY

Finalists Compete to win Two Days of Recording with Ezra Oklan at VT MUSIC LAB, Essex, VT 6-9 PM

Andriana + The Bananas

WEDNESDAY • JUNE 25 • THE FINALS

The Pyramids

music+nightlife

CLUB DATES

live music

WED.18

The Bandit Queen of Sorrows, Olivia Lurrie, Danny LeFrancois (country, folk) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 6 p.m. $10.

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

The Graniteers, Violet Crimes, Model 97, We’re Here! To Kill! (punk, hardcore) at 1st Republic Brewing, Essex, 7 p.m. $10.

Irish Night with RambleTree (Celtic) at Two Brothers Tavern, Middlebury, 7 p.m. Free.

Jazz Night with Ray Vega (jazz) at Hotel Vermont, Burlington, 8:30 p.m. Free.

Jazz Sessions (jazz) at the 126, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free.

Keep for Cheap, Another Michael, Ratland (indie) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 8 p.m. $15/$18.

Lloyd Tyler Duo (Americana) at Vermont Cider Lab, Essex, 6 p.m. Free.

Wednesday Night Dead (Grateful Dead tribute) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 7 p.m. $10.

THU.19

Alex Stewart & Friends (jazz) at the 126, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free. Country Road (country, Americana) at the Den at Harry’s Hardware, Cabot, 7 p.m. Free. Dead/Not Dead (Grateful Dead tribute) at Black Flannel Brewing & Distilling, Essex, 6 p.m. Free.

Devon McGarry Band (Americana) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 6 p.m. Free.

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

Familiar Faces Funk Jam (funk, jazz) at the 126, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free.

Frankie & the Fuse (indie pop) at Red Square, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

Hip-Hop Showcase with Big Homie Wes, Samuel Guihan, Jsmugg, Boxguts, Roc that Don, NMG Cory? (hip-hop) at Old Soul Design Shop, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 8 p.m. Free.

Jason, Aaron Flinn (singersongwriter) at Two Heroes Brewery Public House, South Hero, 6 p.m. Free.

Max Wareham & the National Bluegrass Team (bluegrass) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 7 p.m. Free.

Mick Hargreaves (acoustic) at River Roost Brewery, White River Junction, 5:30 p.m. Free.

Queen Bonobo (folk, jazz) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

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

Sarah Klang (pop) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $26.42.

Mature Moshing

Originally known as Slush, Burlington’s

FIVE SECONDS EXPIRED were one of the most successful and hard-touring acts in the Green Mountain hardcore scene of the ’90s and early 2000s. They were a highly influential presence in the area, with a reputation for blisteringly heavy live sets and a slew of records. The band quietly reactivated this year and dropped a new compilation album called The Slush Years, collecting the band’s first two recordings. To celebrate the release, the original Five Seconds Expired lineup has reunited for a one-night-only (for now) show at the Higher Ground Showcase Lounge in South Burlington on Saturday, June 21. They’re joined by MERC, PHAZE GAWD and OUTNUMBERED

T Marie & Bayou Juju (Cajun) at Charlie-O’s World Famous, Montpelier, 8 p.m. Free.

Vermont Jazz Trio (jazz) at Hugo’s, Montpelier, 7:30 p.m. Free.

Wild Pink, Greg Mendez, Wojcicki (indie rock) at Stone Church, Chester, 7 p.m. $24.70/$30.81.

Windier, Joe Something, riverbed, Fowl (folk, rock) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 8 p.m. $10.

FRI.20

Bad Horsey (rock) at the Old Post, South Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

badMötorskooter (rock) at Old Soul Design Shop, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 8 p.m. Free.

A Beacon School, Wren Kitz (indie) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 8 p.m. $22.95.

The Bressetts (acoustic) at Gusto’s, Barre, 6 p.m. Free.

Bruce Sklar Jazz Group (jazz) at Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 8 p.m. $10.

The Buck Hollers (rock) at 1st Republic Brewing, Essex, 6 p.m. Free.

CombustOmatics (rock) at Jericho Café & Tavern, 6 p.m. Free.

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

The Devon McGarry Band (Americana) at Afterthoughts, Waitsfield, 8:30 p.m. Free.

Felicia Cruz (hip-hop) at CharlieO’s World Famous, Montpelier, 9:30 p.m. Free.

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

Jamie Snook (jazz, folk) at Poultney Pub, 6 p.m. Free.

King Me (rock) at Vermont Cider Lab, Essex, 6 p.m. Free.

Krishna Guthrie (folk) at Whammy Bar, Calais, 7 p.m. Free.

Mikaela Davis, Lily Seabird (indie) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 8 p.m. $23.92/$29.95.

Queer Takeover: Into the Disco-Verse (rock, drag) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

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

Sexmob (jazz, funk) at the Mill, Westport, N.Y., 7:30 p.m. $40.

Sibling Reverie (covers) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 5 p.m. Free.

Strange Synth Night (synth) at Standing Stone Wines, Winooski, 8 p.m. $10.

Suzanne Vega (folk) at Stone Church, Brattleboro, 7 p.m. SOLD OUT.

Tim Brick (country) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 9 p.m. Free.

Waves of Adrenaline (folk) at Two Heroes Brewery Public House, South Hero, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Wouldn’t It Be Nice? (Brian Wilson tribute) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

SAT.21

Abby and Ian (acoustic) at Whammy Bar, Calais, 7 p.m. Free. Bird Mountain String Band (bluegrass) at Poultney Pub, 6 p.m. Free.

Dogs in a Pile (jam) at Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington, 8:30 p.m. $32.06. Drumstick Bossman (reggae) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 9 p.m. Free.

Elizabeth Begins (singer-songwriter) at 1st Republic Brewing, Essex, 5 p.m. Free.

Five Seconds Expired, MERC, Phaze Gawd, Outnumbered (hardcore) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 8 p.m. $26.42.

High Summer (soul, R&B) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free. Jennings & McComber (folk) at the Den at Harry’s Hardware, Cabot, 7 p.m. Free.

The One-Night Stand: A SingleEvening Course in Bike-Care Baics

WED., JUN. 18 & WED., JUN. 25

OLD SPOKES HOME COMMUNITY WORKSHOP, BURLINGTON

Potted Pollinator Gardens

THU., JUN. 19

HORSFORD GARDENS AND NURSERY, CHARLOTTE

Forest Sit

THU., JUN. 19

BIRDS OF VERMONT MUSEUM, HUNTINGTON

Pollinator Week Talk

FRI., JUN. 20

HORSFORD GARDENS AND NURSERY, CHARLOTTE

Fried Chicken & Pickin'

FRI., JUN. 20

MAPLE WIND FARM, RICHMOND

'Control Top' — A New Play by Carole Vasta Folley

FRI. & SAT., JUN. 20-21 & JUN. 27-28

THE AUDITORIUM AT SOUTH BURLINGTON PUBLIC LIBRARY

Vermont Renaissance Faire

SAT., JUN. 21

CHAMPLAIN VALLEY EXPOSITION, ESSEX JUNCTION

Cake Pop Class

SAT., JUN. 21

RED POPPY CAKERY, WATERBURY

Bloom Lab Perfume Making

SAT., JUN. 21

OUTBOUND STOWE

Pink Pony Club

SAT., JUN. 21

WESTFORD COMMON HALL

SAT., JUN. 21

Mind Magic: A Summer Night of Laughter and Astonishment

OFF CENTER FOR THE DRAMATIC ARTS, BURLINGTON

Early Birders Morning Walk

SUN., JUN. 22

BIRDS OF VERMONT MUSEUM, HUNTINGTON

PechaKucha Night Burlington

THU., JUN. 26

2025 ChoreoLab Showcase

FRI., JUN. 27

THE BARN STUDIO, CORINTH

Mystery on the Red Carpet!

SAT., JUN. 28

BURLINGTON COUNTRY CLUB

June Bird Monitoring Walk

SAT., JUN. 28

BIRDS OF VERMONT MUSEUM, HUNTINGTON

MAIN STREET LANDING PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, BURLINGTON

2nd Annual Education + AI Summit 2025

SAT., JUN. 28

HULA, BURLINGTON

It's Not That Serious: A Workshop for Artists and Non-Artists Alike

SAT., JUN. 28

GREEN DOOR STUDIO, BURLINGTON

ChetFest

SAT., JUN. 28

2065 N RIDGE RD, RANDOLPH

Pianist and Composer Parker Shper Live Recording Nights

SUN., JUN. 29 & MON., JUN. 30

THE PHOENIX GALLERY & MUSIC HALL, WATERBURY

Jim Branca Trio (jazz) at Jericho Café & Tavern, 7 p.m. Free.

Junior Toots (Toots & the Maytals tribute) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 8 p.m. $31.33/$36.85.

Los Songoros (Cuban) at Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 8 p.m. $10.

Mad Mojo (rock) at 14th Star Brewing, St. Albans, 6 p.m. Free.

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

Spafford (jam) at Stone Church, Brattleboro, 7 p.m. $31.08/$43.01.

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

Suburban Samurai, Better Things, Dead Street Dreamers, Connor

Lin Frost (punk, hardcore) at 1st Republic Brewing, Essex, 8:30 p.m. $15.

Tournesol (jazz) at Shelburne Vineyard, 6 p.m. Free.

WD40 (covers) at Vermont Cider Lab, Essex, 6 p.m. Free.

SUN.22

Albert Cummings (blues) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 7:30 p.m.

$37.04.

Linda Bassick (acoustic) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 11 a.m. Free.

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

Reverend Horton Heat, Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas (rock) at Stone Church, Brattleboro, 5 p.m.

$43.01.

Strange Purple Jelly (jazz, funk) at Red Square, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

Sunday Brunch Tunes (singersongwriter) at Hotel Vermont, Burlington, 10 a.m.

TUE.24

Big Easy Tuesdays with Jon McBride (jazz) at the 126, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

Blue Northern (blues, rock) at Black Flannel Brewing & Distilling, Essex, 6 p.m. Free.

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

Honky Tonk Tuesday with Pony Hustle (country) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 9 p.m. $10. Isabel Pless, Andrew Montana (singer-songwriter) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 7 p.m. $15/$18.

Paul Asbell Book Launch (jazz) at Hugo’s, Montpelier, 5 p.m. Free.

Sammy B (rock) at Lawson’s Finest Liquids, Waitsfield, 5 p.m. Free.

WED.25

Alchemy, Robbery, Vallory Falls, Pure Intention, Whitewood Drive (punk, hardcore) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 8 p.m. $10.

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

David Karl Roberts (singersongwriter) at Two Heroes Brewery Public House, South Hero, 6 p.m. Free.

Jazz Night with Ray Vega (jazz) at Hotel Vermont, Burlington, 8:30 p.m. Free.

Jazz Sessions (jazz) at the 126, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free.

Murphy’s Law, the Take, Slob Drop (punk) at Stone Church, Chester, 6 p.m. $24.70/$30.81.

Wednesday Night Dead (Grateful Dead tribute) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 7 p.m. $10.

djs

WED.18

DJ Chalango, DJ Tarzana Salsa Night (DJ) at Hugo’s, Montpelier, 7 p.m. Free.

THU.19

DJ Chaston (DJ) at Red Square Blue Room, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free.

DJ JP Black (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

DJ Two Sev (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, 11 p.m. Free.

DJs Paul, Flat, Aidan (DJ) at Red Square Blue Room, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free.

Local Dork (DJ) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

Vinyl Night with Ken (DJ) at Poultney Pub, 6 p.m. Free.

FRI.20

Blanchface (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

DJ CRE8 (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

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

John’s Jukebox (DJ) at Gusto’s, Barre, 9 p.m. Free.

Ron Stoppable, DJ ATAK (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free.

SAT.21

DJ LaFountaine (DJ) at Gusto’s, Barre, 9 p.m. Free.

DJ Raul (DJ) at Red Square Blue Room, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

Matt Payne (DJ) at Red Square Blue Room, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free.

Molly Mood (DJ) at Red Square Blue Room, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

Pride Prom (DJ) at Alfie’s Wild Ride, Stowe, 8 p.m. Free.

Pride Prom with DJ CoCo (DJ) at Old Soul Design Shop, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 7 p.m. Free.

Sparkomatik (EDM) at Monkey House, Winooski, 9 p.m. $10.

WED.25

DJ Blaine (DJ) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 5 p.m. Free.

open mics & jams

WED.18

Open Mic (open mic) at Monopole, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 10 p.m. Free.

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

THU.19

Old Time Jam (open mic) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

Open Mic Night (open mic) at Parker Pie, West Glover, 6 p.m. Free.

Open Mic With Artie (open mic) at Whammy Bar, Calais, 7 p.m. Free.

SUN.22

Olde Time Jam Session (open jam) at the Den at Harry’s Hardware, Cabot, noon. Free.

WED.25

Open Mic (open mic) at Monopole, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 10 p.m. Free.

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

comedy

WED.18

$5 Improv Night (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7 p.m. $5.

Standup Open Mic (comedy open mic) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 8:30 p.m. Free.

THU.19

Michelle Buteau (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7:30 & 9:30 p.m. SOLD OUT.

FRI.20

Michelle Buteau (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7:30 & 9:30 p.m. SOLD OUT.

SAT.21

Michelle Buteau (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7:30 (SOLD OUT) & 9:30 p.m. $40.

Sex Cymbals

Lead by trumpet master Steven Bernstein, SEXMOB are an explosive instrumental outfit. The jazz quartet takes obscure songs from 1920s and ’30s, as well as from more contemporary and well-known acts such as the Beatles and Prince, and utterly transforms them. The process actually harks back to the early days of jazz, when familiar songs were disassembled and reworked from pop into avant-garde. The group travels to Westport, N.Y., for a performance at noted trumpet player Taylor Haskins’ art gallery and music venue, the Mill, on Friday, June 20.

Mind Magic: A Summer Night of Laughter and Astonishment (comedy, mind reading, theater) at Off Center for the Dramatic Arts, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $25.

TUE.24

Open Mic Comedy with Levi Silverstein (comedy open mic) at the 126, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

WED.25

$5 Improv Night (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7 p.m. $5.

Live, Laugh, Lava: A Comedy Showcase (comedy) at Light Club Lamp Shop, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. $5.

Standup Open Mic (comedy open mic) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 8:30 p.m. Free.

trivia, karaoke, etc.

WED.18

Karaoke Friday Night (karaoke) at Park Place Tavern & Grill, Essex Junction, 8 p.m. Free.

Pride Trivia (trivia) at Old Soul Design Shop, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 7 p.m. Free.

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

Trivia Night (trivia) at Two Heroes Brewery Public House, South Hero, 6 p.m. Free.

Trivia Night (trivia) at Parker Pie, West Glover, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Trivia Night (trivia) at Dumb Luck Pub & Grill, Winooski, 7 p.m. Free.

THU.19

Karaoke Friday Night (karaoke) at Park Place Tavern & Grill, Essex Junction, 8 p.m. Free.

Line Dancing and Two-Step Night (dance) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 6 p.m. Free.

Trivia (trivia) at Four Quarters Brewing, Winooski, 6 p.m. Free.

Trivia Nights at the Library (trivia) at Stowe Free Library, 5:30 p.m. Free.

Tuesday Trivia (trivia) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

FRI.20

Doctor Vu’s Burlesque Showcase (burlesque) at the Depot, St. Albans, 7 p.m. $15.

Karaoke Friday Night (karaoke) at Park Place Tavern & Grill, Essex Junction, 8 p.m. Free.

Late Night Queer Karaoke with Goddess (karaoke) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 11:30 p.m. Free.

SAT.21

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

Singles Mixer for Ages 24 to 54 (dating) at Queen City Brewery, Burlington, 6:30-9 p.m. $44.21.

SUN.22

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

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

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

MON.23

Trivia Monday (trivia) at Black Flannel Brewing & Distilling, Essex, 6 p.m. Free.

Trivia Monday with Top Hat Entertainment (trivia) at McKee’s Original, Winooski, 7 p.m. Free. Trivia with Brain (trivia) at CharlieO’s World Famous, Montpelier, 8 p.m. Free.

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

TUE.24

Karaoke with DJ Party Bear (karaoke) at Charlie-O’s World Famous, Montpelier, 9:30 p.m. Free.

Taproom Trivia (trivia) at 14th Star Brewing, St. Albans, 6:30 p.m. Free.

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

WED.25

Karaoke Friday Night (karaoke) at Park Place Tavern & Grill, Essex Junction, 8 p.m. Free.

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

Trivia Night (trivia) at Parker Pie, West Glover, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Trivia Night (trivia) at Dumb Luck Pub & Grill, Winooski, 7 p.m. Free. ➆

FRI.20 // SEXMOB [JAZZ, FUNK]

REVIEW this

Jack O’ the Clock, Portraits

(SELF-RELEASED, DIGITAL)

Listen, I know it’s a music writer cliché to claim a band defies easy categorization, but Brattleboro’s avant-folk, Americana-prog-fusion band Jack O’ the Clock are tailor-made to give shelfstacking record store clerks panic attacks. The band, which relocated from Oakland, Calif., to Vermont in 2019, has the ability to shift musical gears at a second’s notice, whether that means laying down atmospheric, pastoral folk or hookladen, sunny pop.

Jack O’ the Clock’s latest LP, Portraits, is a remix of sorts. Founding members and partners Damon Waitkus and Emily Packard originally recorded the songs in 2003. After unearthing the tracks and recording new vocals and a slew of overdubs by current band members, they’ve slapped a new coat of paint on the record. It’s Jack O’ the Clock’s most pop-leaning album, with a tongue-incheek breeziness that is rarely found in their other work.

Key Track:

“Nature Abhors a Vacuum” Why: An odd, lurching slice of dark Americana, the song features a playful, just-onthe-edge-of-sinister vocal from Waitkus. Where: jackotheclock. bandcamp.com and major streaming services

Every few months, the queue of Vermont albums awaiting review gets so long that music editor Chris Farnsworth has to do a mega-review week. Below are six new releases from artists around the Green Mountains, spanning genres from prog folk to free jazz to country. ➆

The Professors of Mystery, Unified

(SELF-RELEASED, DIGITAL, VINYL)

The Professors of Mystery are a Burlington project featuring musicians with disabilities alongside some of the scene’s more prolific players, such as Cam Gilmour and Jabe Ledoux. Fronted by trombonist, lyricist and vocalist Cosmo Duncan, the band has put out a number of records over the past six years since debuting in 2019 with Penguin Plunge. Unified is a new chapter for the group, which has expanded into a massive lineup of 18 members on everything from guitar to washboard to vibraphone to spoons. The 12-track album touches on elements of free-form jazz and experimental punk, with a side of ambient chaos for good measure. Produced by Jost Eckhardt at Community of Sound in Burlington, Unified is a true team effort, a record that pays tribute to the power of collaboration and the bonds forged in creating music.

Key Track: “Ice Road” Why: With dueling guitars, a tribal drumbeat and chaotic, warbling horns, the song transcends its wild nature and melds into a kind of avant-garde jazz freak-out. Where: theprofessorsofmystery. bandcamp.com

Joel Veena, Cardinal

(SELF-RELEASED, CD, DIGITAL)

Guilford musician Joel Veena, real name Joel Eisenkramer, is one of the leading North American proponents of the Indian slide guitar, a 20-stringed instrument also called the Mohan veena. Eisenkramer began traveling between Vermont and India in 2007 to perform and study Hindustani classical music under masters such as Ranjan Kumar and sarod player Alok Lahiri. His latest album, Cardinal, continues his fusion-imbued exploration of North Indian ragas, pairing electronic percussion with traditional Indian instruments such as the tabla and jori. Through it all, Eisenkramer’s evocative, searching style on the veena bridges the gap between traditional and contemporary sounds. It makes for a fascinating listen, as traditional Indian folk music blends with the Western sounds that Eisenkramer grew up listening to.

Key Track: “Resistance” Why: Eisenkramer lays out a sinuous melody on his Mohan veena that lands somewhere between a moody club tune and a traditional raga. Where: joelveena. bandcamp.com

GET YOUR MUSIC REVIEWED:

Champlain Cowboys, Champlain Cowboys

(SELF-RELEASED, DIGITAL)

Casey Dennis has been laying down the low end in Vermont bands for the better part of five decades. With Green Mountain acts such as Road Apple and the Stone Cold Roosters, the bassist has provided solid, melodic playing while demonstrating an ability to take up residence in the pocket and make it his own. With his latest project, Champlain Cowboys, Dennis steps into the spotlight for the first time on a six-track, self-titled country-rock debut.

The collection of originals is fresh and engaging enough to make listeners wonder why Dennis took so long to strike out on his own. He enlisted frequent collaborator and producer extraordinaire Colin McCaffrey to sing and produce the record, noting in the album’s liner notes that “Bringing a song to Colin is like taking an old T-shirt to the cleaners and getting back a three-piece linen suit.”

Key Track: “Pretending to Sleep” Why: McCaffrey’s voice perfectly captures the regret of meditating on lost love, over a gentle country ballad. Where: Major streaming services

Jenna Rice, Salt and Strawberries

(SELF-RELEASED, DIGITAL)

Southern Vermont singer-songwriter Jenna Rice didn’t start writing music until she built her own guitar and taught herself to play. That DIY approach informs her no-frills, emotionally confessional style of folk music, which contains elements of Americana and country.

On her latest offering, the five-song EP Salt and Strawberries, Rice continues her strong run of simple and sparse songwriting. Produced by Woodstock singersongwriter Jim Yeager, the EP gets a more expansive treatment than Rice’s previous work, such as 2019’s Bottle Collection. Electric guitar, fiddle, pedal steel and guest musicians such as Jakob Breitbach and Randy Roos all add color. While Rice doesn’t have the chops of a lifelong musician or the trained singing voice of some troubadours, her ability to weave an intriguing story with her songwriting is Salt and Strawberries’ secret weapon.

Key Track: “Jericho” Why: With a hint of Celtic swagger to the fiddle, the song expertly balances on the edge between a traditional ballad and a sultry country yarn. Where: Major streaming services

Alighted, Willow’s Apothecary

(WANDERING ASTRAY, DIGITAL)

Composer McLean Macionis crafted the three pieces on Willow’s Apothecary with inspiration from poet Arisa White’s Post Pardon: The Opera They began as part of an interdisciplinary performance — also titled Willow’s Apothecary — that was staged in early 2025 at Middlebury College, codirected by White and featuring the Dance Company of Middlebury.

Macionis previously worked as a TV composer, writing scores for “Top Chef,” “The Real Housewives” and “Paris in Love” during his years in Hollywood. Now a Vermont resident, he is half of the electronic duo NMND and operates his own record label, Garden Broom Recordings. Under his Alighted moniker, he delves into ambient and more experimental textures, crafting moody atmospheres and slow, gorgeous passages that pulse with intensity and melodic purpose.

Key Track: “Botanical Initiation” Why: The song’s drone-like wave of synths advances and recedes, over and over, in a sort of ouroboros of sonic circles.

Where: wanderingastray. bandcamp.com and major streaming services

calendar

JUNE 18-25, 2025

WED.18

business

QUEEN CITY BUSINESS NETWORKING

INTERNATIONAL GROUP:

Savvy businesspeople make crucial contacts at a weekly chapter meeting. BCA Center, Burlington, 11:15 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 829-5066.

community

WEEKLY PASSEGGIATA:

Locals take to the streets for a community-building stroll of the pedestrian promenade based on the Italian social ritual. Church Street Marketplace, Burlington, 5-8 p.m. Free. Info, churchstmarketplace@ gmail.com.

crafts

DYEING WITH MARIGOLDS:

Crafters learn how to use the vibrant yellow plant to create stunning natural pigments. Winooski Senior Center, 10 a.m.-noon. Free; preregister. Info, 355-9937.

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.

dance

BARN DANCE: Seasoned pros and beginners hit the dance floor for an evening of two-steppin’ feet and beats with Better in Boots. The Barn at Boyden Farm, Cambridge, 5:30-9 p.m. $15; free for kids 10 and under; cash bar. Info, 598-5509.

environment

BUTT LITTER CLEANUP: Helping hands come together to dispose of discarded cigarettes. Industrial Park Rd., St. Albans, 9-11 a.m. Free. Info, 524-1296.

etc.

THE BIRCHWOOD GARDEN OPENING: A new public garden named for its hundreds of white birches offers stunning views of the Green Mountains and colorful rhododendrons in full bloom. Proceeds benefit the Friends of the Montgomery Town Library. The Birchwood Garden, Montgomery Center, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. $7; free for kids 12 and under. Info, 603-497-8020.

BLOOD DRIVE: Participants part with life-sustaining pints at this American Red Cross donation event. Greater Burlington YMCA, 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 862-9622.

CHAMP MASTERS

TOASTMASTER CLUB: Those

These community event listings are sponsored by the WaterWheel Foundation, a project of the Vermont band Phish.

LIST YOUR UPCOMING EVENT HERE FOR FREE!

All submissions must be received by Thursday at noon for consideration in the following Wednesday’s newspaper. Find our convenient form and guidelines at sevendaysvt.com/postevent

Listings and spotlights are written by Rebecca Driscoll Seven Days edits for space and style. Depending on cost and other factors, classes and workshops may be listed in either the calendar or the classes section. Class organizers may be asked to purchase a class listing.

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

p.m. Free; preregister. Info, programs@damlvt.org.

lgbtq

‘BUILDING QUEER COMMUNITY

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, champmasterstm@gmail.com.

food & drink

BEE’S KNEES WEEK: Barr Hill Distillery encourages Vermont’s hospitality scene to shine a light on pollinator conservation with a weeklong, statewide offering of honey-driven signature cocktails and themed events. See calendar spotlight. Various locations statewide. Various prices. Info, 472-8000.

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.

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. CONNECTION SUPPORT GROUP: Trained volunteers living in recovery with a mental health condition facilitate this meeting for participants to share their own experiences and gain wisdom from peers. Windsor Public Library, 5:156:45 p.m. Free. Info, 876-7949, ext. 102.

language

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

ACROSS VERMONT’: Audience members enjoy a live recording of “Vermont Edition” hosted by Mikaela Lefrak, featuring organizers and small business owners in a discussion about how they foster community through LGBTQ-centered events. A mixer follows. Barre Social Club, 6-8 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, events@vermontpublic.org.

CREATIVE SESSIONS: QUEER & LGBTQ+ CREATORS GATHERING: Media makers gather to forge new connections and explore the organization’s resources, including video studios and professional gear. The Media Factory, Burlington, 6-8 p.m. Free; donations accepted; preregister. Info, 651-9692.

music

THE ALBANY SOUND: A Vermont band plays a rich combination of country, folk and rock originals, paired with renditions of rarities by John Prine, Bobby Charles and other noteworthy names. The Tillerman, Bristol, 5-8 p.m. Free; cash bar. Info, 643-2237.

BCA’S SUMMER CONCERT SERIES: BRETT HUGHES: A lauded local singer-songwriter and guitar guru plays feel-good bluegrass tunes in the park. Burlington City Hall Park, 12:301:30 p.m. Free. Info, 829-6305.

TAYLOR PARK SUMMER

CONCERT SERIES: Local bands take the stage weekly to perform dynamic grooves while listeners enjoy green grass, refreshments and an evening breeze. See downtownsaintalbans.com for lineup. Taylor Park, St. Albans, 5:30-8 p.m. Free. Info, 524-1500, ext. 263.

outdoors

CABOT CHEESE-E-BIKE TOUR: Cyclists roll through a pastoral 20-mile trail ride, then enjoy artisan eats, including Vermont’s award-wining cheddar. Lamoille Valley Bike Tours, Johnson, noon4 p.m. $120. Info, 730-0161.

québec

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

seminars

‘SOUND RECORDINGS AS PRIMARY SOURCES’: Educators of all stripes join up with Vermont Folklife and Local Learning for a one-day professional workshop about teaching with audio recordings and oral history interviews. St. Johnsbury School, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 999-9357.

sports

BIKE BUM RACE SERIES: Mountain bikers of all ages tackle the trails solo or in teams, then cool down at an athlete after-party. Killington Resort, 2-5 p.m. $20-200; preregister. Info, 800-734-9435.

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.

VERMONT LAKE MONSTERS GAME: Green Mountain State batters step up to the plate while sports fans of all ages root, root, root for the home team. Centennial Field, Burlington, 6:35 p.m. $7.50-19.50. Info, 655-4200.

theater

‘ALMOST HEAVEN: JOHN DENVER’S AMERICA’: Weston Theater Company brings the Rocky Mountain high to the Green Mountain State at this uplifting production chronicling the singer-songwriter’s life, legacy and timeless tunes. Weston Theater at Walker Farm, 2-4:30 & 7:30-10 p.m. $55-92. Info, 824-5288.

‘THE BAKE OFF’: Vermont Stage mounts an engaging exploration of the “ingredients” necessary to create a new play through a showcase of three short works paying homage to Thornton Wilder’s classic drama Our Town Ages 12 and up. Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $34-54 sliding scale. Info, 862-1497.

words

‘CLUE: ON STAGE’: Mystery and mischief await at Boddy Manor in this stage version of the 1985 cult-classic flick featuring murder, blackmail and one sinister dinner party. Sylvan Adams Theatre, Segal Centre for Performing Arts, Montréal, 1 & 7:30 p.m. $75-80. Info, 514-739-7944.

‘MAX AND AARON WRITE A MUSICAL’: Montréal playwright Trevor Barrette’s original musical-within-a-musical highlights the city’s unique tapestry, while also featuring queer narratives of love, collaboration and self-expression. Sylvan Adams Theatre, Segal Centre for Performing Arts, Montréal, 7:30 p.m. $20-40. Info, 514-739-7944.

enforcement and Burlington nonprofit Migrant Justice’s work. Jaquith Public Library, Marshfield, 6:30-8 p.m. Free. Info, 426-3581.

business

GROCERS PROJECT:

GROWING YOUR SALES & MARGIN SKILLS: Mighty Community Markets founder Jeanie Wells leads a three-part series exploring the current challenges felt by independent and cooperative food stores. Hosted by Small Bites and VT Farm to Plate. 3 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 922-7060.

GROW YOUR BUSINESS: Shelburne BNI hosts a weekly meeting for local professionals to exchange referrals and build meaningful connections. Connect Church, Shelburne, 8:30-10 a.m. Free. Info, 377-3422.

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.

community

COMMUNITY PARTNERS DESK: Neighbors connect with representatives from the Burlington Electric Department and receive answers to questions about its services. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 3-5 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

conferences

VERMONT FOREST INDUSTRY SUMMIT: Foresters convene for a full day of networking, keynote speeches and learning sessions that explore developments in products, land-use planning, management and recreation. See vsjf.org for full schedule. Bolton Valley Resort, 8 a.m.-5:15 p.m. Various prices; preregister. Info, 828-1260.

FOMO?

HELEN WHYBROW: The Vermont author, editor and farmer shares her new book, The Salt Stones: Seasons of a Shepherd’s Life, in conversation with avid reader Dawn Carey. The Norwich Bookstore, 7-8 p.m. Free. Info, 649-1114.

SILENT READING PARTY: Waterbury Public Library invites bookworms to engage their senses with a good book, a meadow of fragrant flowers and harp music played by Judi Byron. BYO chair or blanket. The von Trapp Family Lodge & Resort, Stowe, 5:30 p.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

THU.19

activism

RAPID RESPONSE TRAINING:

Concerned community members learn about immigration

Find even more local events in this newspaper and online: art

Find visual art exhibits and events in the Art section and at sevendaysvt.com/art.

film

See what’s playing at theaters in the On Screen section.

music + nightlife

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

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

= ONLINE EVENT

= GET TICKETS ON SEVENDAYSTICKETS.COM

crafts

CRAFT & SKILLSHARE NIGHT:

Guests bring their own supplies to get help with projects and soak up inspiration from experienced crafters, makers and menders. Light refreshments provided. Odd Fellows Lodge, Burlington, 6:308:30 p.m. Free. Info, 862-7300.

KNIT FOR YOUR NEIGHBOR: 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 all experience levels 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 tools and equipment in the makerspace. Patricia A. Hannaford Career Center, Middlebury, 5-8 p.m. $7.50. Info, 382-1012.

dance

QUAHOG DANCE THEATRE: Community members try out everything from ballet to Pilates in this group dedicated to movement and expression. Catamount Arts Center, St. Johnsbury, 1011:30 a.m. Free. Info, 748-2600.

etc.

THE BIRCHWOOD GARDEN OPENING: See WED.18, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

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, 11:30 a.m., 1:30 & 3:30 p.m. $3-5 plus

regular admission, $16.50-20; free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848.

‘ANTARCTICA 3D’: Never-beforeseen footage brings audience members to the farthest reaches of the coldest, driest, windiest continent on Earth. Dealer.com 3D Theater, ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, noon, 2 & 4 p.m. $3-5 plus regular admission, $16.50-20; free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848.

‘FOOD AND COUNTRY’ SCREENING & CLIMATE KITCHEN CONVERSATION: As part of the nationwide “Science On Screen” initiative, VTIFF presents Laura Gabbert’s 2023 documentary investigating American food systems. A discussion with University of Vermont researchers, students and communities follows. Film House, Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington, 7 p.m. $6-12. Info, 660-2600.

‘OCEAN PARADISE 3D’: Viewers are transported 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, 10:30 a.m., 12:30, 2:30 & 4:30 p.m. $3-5 plus regular admission, $16.50-20; free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848.

‘SPACE: THE NEW FRONTIER 3D’: Viewers 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 a.m., 1 & 3 p.m. $3-5 plus regular admission, $16.5020; free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848.

food & drink

BEE’S KNEES WEEK: See WED.18.

ST. ALBANS BAY FARMERS

MARKET: Local vendors’ art and crafts, live music, and a wide

FAMI LY FU N

Check out these family-friendly events for parents, caregivers and kids of all ages.

Plan ahead at sevendaysvt.com/family-fun

• Post your event at sevendaysvt.com/postevent.

WED.18

ZOOM HUMP DAY CHECK-IN:

Dad Guild staff member Marlon Fisher hosts a casual monthly drop-in for Vermont fathers to bring topics they’d like to unpack with other dads to the table. 8:45-10 p.m. Free. Info, 318-4231.

Queen Bee

Next Stage Arts’ Bandwagon Summer Series continues with Christine Ohlman & Rebel Montez at the Putney Inn Field. Front woman Ohlman — also known as the “Beehive Queen” and the indefatigable vocalist for the Saturday Night Live Band — kicks things up a notch with her electric stage presence, animalprint duds, Blues Brothers shades and signature blond bouffant. Add dynamo vocals backed by a legendary lineup of gifted instrumentalists, and you’ve got a soulful, fiery roots-rock concert for the ages. Toe-tapping listeners on the lawn also tap into their other senses with mouthwatering offerings from 802 Soul Kitchen and thirstquenching cocktails.

BANDWAGON SUMMER SERIES: CHRISTINE OHLMAN & REBEL MONTEZ

Saturday, June 21, 6 p.m., at the Putney Inn. $22-25; free for kids under 12. Info, 387-0102, nextstagearts.org.

array of eats spice up Thursday afternoons in the region. St. Albans Bay Park, 4:30-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 524-7589.

VERGENNES FARMERS MARKET: Locavores delight in handmade products, live music, hot food and a new beer tent. Vergennes City Park, 3-7 p.m. Free. Info, vergennesfm@gmail.com.

games

BLOOD ON THE CLOCKTOWER: Katharine Bodan leads players in a thrilling social deduction game

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, 5-6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

KIDS PUZZLE SWAP: Participants leave completed kids’ 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, 2:30-5 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

READ TO A DOG: Kids of all ages get a 10-minute time slot to tell stories to Emma the therapy pup. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall,

of lies and logic, in which no one is ever truly ruled out. Waterbury Public Library, 6-8 p.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

DUPLICATE BRIDGE GAMES: Snacks and coffee fuel bouts of a classic card game. Burlington Bridge Club, Williston, 12:30-4 p.m. $6. Info, 872-5722.

WEEKLY CHESS FOR FUN: Players of all ability levels face off and learn new strategies. United Community Church, St. Johnsbury, 5:30-9 p.m.

3:30-4:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, sbplkids@southburlingtonvt.gov.

SUMMER CRAFTYTOWN: Kiddos express their inner artist using mediums such as paint, print, collage and sculpture. Recommended for ages 6 and up. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 1-2 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

TEEN BOARD GAMES: Students in grades 6 and up learn to play games from the Middle Ages, the Roman Empire, and other historic periods and places. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 4:30-5:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

barre/montpelier

BABY & CAREGIVER MEETUP: Wiggly ones ages birth to 18 months play and explore in a calm, supportive setting while adults relax and connect on the sidelines. Jaquith Public Library, Marshfield, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 426-3581.

FAMILY CHESS CLUB: Players of all ages and abilities test their skills with

Free; donations accepted. Info, lafferty1949@gmail.com.

health & fitness

VON TRAPP SUMMER TRAIL SERIES: Athletes embark on a low-frills 5K race through the property’s stunning forests and soak up the area’s stellar views. The von Trapp Family Lodge & Resort, Stowe, 5:30-7 p.m. $5-10. Info, 253-5719.

instructor Robert and peers. KelloggHubbard Library, 2nd Floor, Children’s Library, Montpelier, 3:30-5 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

mad river valley/ waterbury

TEEN HANGOUT: Middle and high schoolers make friends at a no-pressure meetup. Waterbury Public Library, 3-6 p.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

northeast kingdom

ENCHANTED KINGDOM MINI

GOLF: Putters of all ages hit the artist-designed course for some lighthearted competition, whimsy and thrills. Highland Center for the Arts, Greensboro, noon-8 p.m. $4-5. Info, 533-2000.

brattleboro/okemo valley

‘DON’T LET THE PIGEON DRIVE THE BUS!’: Audience members of all ages

holidays

JUNETEENTH JUBILATION: Neighbors gather for an afternoon of community-building with holistic wellness activities, kids’ crafts, chair massages, tarot readings and an herbal tea-blending workshop. The Alchemist, 2-7 p.m. Free. Info, 253-6708.

SOUTH BURLINGTON

JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION: Live jazz by Jenni Johnson & the Junketeers sets the scene for

dive into high-energy hilarity at this fun-filled show based on the popular children’s book series. See westontheater.org for additional dates and locations. Weston Theater at Walker Farm, 4 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 824-5288.

THU.19

burlington

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.

chittenden county

FAMILY STORY TIME: Wiggly ones through age 5 and their caregivers love this lively, interactive storybook experience featuring songs, rhymes and

Christine Ohlman

COURTESY

community members to browse a bevy of BIPOC food vendors and nonprofit organizations. Veterans Memorial Park, South Burlington, 5:30-8 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4108.

language

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.

music

HALCYON CHORALE: A Northeast Kingdom ensemble presents a stirring program honoring the voices and visions of African American composers of the 20th and 21st centuries. Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium, St. Johnsbury, 5:30 p.m. $20 suggested donation. Info, 748-2372.

LITTLE RIVER SUMMER MUSIC

SERIES: Sixteen weeks of dynamic performers, local food vendors, craft cocktails, beer and mingling offer the perfect escape after a hot summer day. See bluebirdhotels.com for lineup.

Tälta Lodge Bluebird, Stowe, 5-8 p.m. $10-15. Info, 253-7525.

MUSIC IN THE VINEYARD SUMMER CONCERT SERIES:

NOBBY REED: A Vermont blues band gets toes a-tappin’ while local food trucks serve up tasty treats. Snow Farm Vineyard, South Hero, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Free. Info, 372-9463.

ON THE DOOR RADIO: A laid-back summer series features tantalizing food-truck fare and a rotating pair of local DJs backed by sunset cocktail vibes. Coal Collective, Burlington, 5-9 p.m. Free. Info, info@thepineryvt.com.

outdoors

E-BIKE & BREW TOUR: Pedal lovers cycle through scenic trails and drink in the views with stops at four local breweries. Lamoille Valley Bike Tours, Johnson, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. $85. Info, 730-0161.

FOREST SIT: Attendees quietly observe the sights and sounds of a mini meadow to restore their spirits and rest their minds. Birds of Vermont Museum, Huntington, 10 a.m. $5-15 sliding scale; preregister. Info, 434-2167.

québec

‘CLUE: ON STAGE’: See WED.18, 7:30 p.m.

‘MAX AND AARON WRITE A

MUSICAL’: See WED.18, 2 & 7:30 p.m.

seminars

ESSENTIALS OF CAMERA OPERATION: An informative evening examines the critical elements of photography and videography, covering topics from exposure to depth of field. The Media Factory, Burlington, 6-8 p.m. Free; donations accepted; preregister. Info, 651-9692.

sports

VERMONT LAKE MONSTERS GAME: See WED.18.

talks

ETHAN TAPPER: In “What Does It Mean to Love a Forest?,” a Bolton author draws from his work as a forester to discuss the importance of caring for ecosystems at this moment in history. Brookfield Old Town Hall, 7-8:30 p.m. Free. Info, abelisle2@ comcast.net.

theater

‘ALMOST HEAVEN: JOHN DENVER’S AMERICA’: See WED.18, 2-4:30 p.m.

‘THE BAKE OFF’: See WED.18. ‘ROMEO AND JULIET’: The Green Mountain Shakespeare Festival raises the curtain on William Shakespeare’s tragic tale of star-crossed lovers and feuding families. Haybarn Theatre, Goddard College, Plainfield, 7 p.m. $15. Info, 793-2092.

‘THE SOUND OF MUSIC’: The hills are alive with the songs you know and love when BarnArts mounts the beloved tale of a governess who captures the hearts of seven children and their widowed naval officer father. King Farm, Woodstock, 6-8:45 p.m. $12-25. Info, 234-1645.

‘TRAILBLAZING!’: The Dogteam Theatre Project presents a benefit showcase of four new works by emerging professionals Emma Dobson, César De María, Gerard Watkins and Sally Seitz. Mahaney Arts Center, Middlebury College, 7 p.m. $20 suggested donation. Info, courtneys@middlebury.edu.

words

JUNETEENTH & JUDEVINE

CELEBRATION: Author Toussaint St. Negritude and literary executor Nadine Budbill weave together poetry, community and conversation at an evening honoring the official end of slavery, as well as the newly revised edition of the late David Budbill’s Judevine: A Love Song for a Place and Its People. Galaxy Bookshop, Hardwick, 7-8:30 p.m. Free. Info, nadinebudbill@gmail.com.

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.

FRI.20 environment

POLLINATOR WEEK TALK: Budding botanists discuss the Charlotte Pollinator Pathway and ways to grow a biologically diverse garden. Horsford Gardens & Nursery, Charlotte, 9 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, info@ horsfordnursery.com. etc.

CEREMONIAL

GROUNDBREAKING: Guests gather to witness the first architectural moments of the Perry Center

JUN. 21 | HOLIDAYS

Let Freedom Ring

Burlington’s Juneteenth Celebration unites neighbors for a jubilant anniversary commemoration of the official end of slavery in the U.S. Queen City residents and visitors join community-driven activities ranging from casual family fun to live music to thoughtful opportunities for activism. Local service orgs share available resources at an informative fair; Freedom, Fades & Braids honors Black hair with free services by local stylists in City Hall Park; and Roll, Bounce, Rock and Skate encourages a more vibrant and inclusive skating scene. An adventure playground packed with games and activities highlights the unbridled joy at the heart of the holiday.

JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION

Saturday, June 21, 2-10 p.m., at various downtown Burlington locations. Free. Info, reib@burlingtonvt.gov, btvreib.com/juneteenth.

for Native American Art, a brandnew building devoted to the exhibition and stewardship of the museum’s collection. Shelburne Museum, noon. Free; preregister. Info, 985-0880.

DOWNTOWN BLOCK PARTIES: Neighbors flock to the park for live music, delectable food options, community-building and convivial activities. Rotary Park, Winooski, 5-8 p.m. Free. Info, info@downtownwinooski.org.

SOLSTICE CELEBRATION: Locals rejoice in the start of summer with an all-out bash featuring live bands, lawn games, crafts, specialty beers, barbecue sliders and other tasty treats. American Flatbread, Stowe, 4-10 p.m. Free. Info, 253-3092.

SUMMER SOLSTICE RITUAL: Attendees join in a participatory

pageant re-creating and reimagining ancient rituals that honor and bless the sun. Bread and Puppet Theater, Glover, 7 p.m. $15. Info, 525-3031.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.

‘ANIMAL KINGDOM 3D’: See THU.19.

‘ANTARCTICA 3D’: See THU.19.

‘OCEAN PARADISE 3D’: See THU.19.

‘SPACE: THE NEW FRONTIER 3D’: See THU.19.

‘WILL’: Jessie Maple’s raw, unflinching 1981 drama follows a former college basketball star through heroin addiction and recovery. The Screening

Room @ VTIFF, Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington, 7-8:30 p.m. $6-12. Info, 660-2600.

food & drink

BEE’S KNEES WEEK: See WED.18. FRIED CHICKEN & PICKIN’: A family-friendly dinner series puts smiles on faces with local food, live bluegrass bands and fun at the farm. BYO chair or blanket. Maple Wind Farm, Richmond, 5-7:30 p.m. $12.75-35; preregister. Info, hello@maplewindfarm. com.

RICHMOND FARMERS MARKET:

An open-air marketplace complete with live music connects cultivators and fresh-food browsers. Volunteers Green, Richmond, 3-6:30 p.m. Free; cost of goods. Info, rfmmanager@gmail.com.

SOUTH END GET DOWN: Local food trucks dish out mouthwatering meals and libations while live DJs and outdoor entertainment add to the ambience. Coal Collective, Burlington, 5-9 p.m. Free; cost of food and drink. Info, 363-9305.

games

DUPLICATE BRIDGE GAMES: See THU.19, 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

MAH-JONGG: 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

THE ARTHRITIS FOUNDATION

EXERCISE PROGRAM: Pauline Nolte leads participants in a low-impact, evidenced-based program that builds muscle, keeps joints flexible and helps folks stay fit. Waterbury Public Library, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 241-4840.

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.

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.

Harmony Edosomwan of Harmony’s Kitchen, a Juneteenth vendor

language

ENGLISH CONVERSATION

CIRCLE: Locals learning English as a second language gather in the Digital Lab to build vocabulary and make friends. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 11 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 846-4140.

ITALIAN CONVERSATION: Advanced and intermediate speakers practice their skills at a conversazione based on the “News in Slow Italian” podcast. Pickering Room, Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, noon-1:30 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

lgbtq

CELEBRATE PRIDE: Rounds of trivia hosted by Ben Rapson and a dance party featuring tunes spun by DJ Dagon make for a memorable night celebrating love and inclusivity. wit & grit., Randolph, 6-10 p.m. Free. Info, 728-6776.

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

BCA SUMMER CONCERT SERIES: JOANNE GARTON & LIAM MOORE: A Montpelier mother-son duo performs enlivening tunes from the contra dance scene, including Scottish, Irish and Cape Breton music. Burlington City Hall Park, 12:301:30 p.m. Free. Info, 829-6305.

CONCERTS IN THE COURTYARD: Music aficionados of all ages enjoy a weekly summer series featuring live outdoor performances by noteworthy talent. See benningtonmuseum.org for lineup. Bennington Museum, 5-7 p.m. Free. Info, 447-1571.

ELOISE & CO.: Fiddler Becky Tracy and accordionist Rachel Bell join forces with Québécois pianist Rachel Aucoin for an evening of spirited traditional folk tunes. Willey Building Auditorium, Cabot, 7-9 p.m. $1720. Info, 793-3016.

FRIDAY NIGHT MUSIC: New vinos, hopping live tunes, tasty food truck provisions and picnic blankets make for a relaxing evening at the vineyard. See lincolnpeakvineyard.com for lineup. Lincoln Peak Vineyard, New Haven, 6-8 p.m. Free. Info, 388-7368.

HALCYON CHORALE: See THU.19. York Street Meeting House, Lyndon, 7 p.m. $15-20. Info, 748-2600.

MISS MAYBELL & HER RAGTIME

ROMEOS: Vintage jazz and blues take center stage at this concert replete with snacks, a bonfire and community building. Main Street Museum, White River Junction, 8 p.m. $10 suggested donation. Info, 369-5722.

SHAWN COLVIN AND RODNEY CROWELL: Two of Americana’s most respected singer-songwriters team up for a one-of-a-kind performance to

remember. Paramount Theatre, Rutland, 7:30-9:30 p.m. $49-59. Info, 775-0903.

outdoors

CABOT CHEESE-E-BIKE TOUR: See WED.18.

E-BIKE & BREW TOUR: See THU.19.

sports

4 X 4 X 48: Teams, pairs and solo athletes celebrate the summer solstice by running four miles every four hours for 48 hours. Waterfront Park, Burlington, 4 p.m. Various prices; preregister. Info, 523-2330.

COMMUNITY PARTNERS

CLASSIC GOLF TOURNAMENT:

Local business owners and individuals hit the links to support area nonprofits. Champlain Country Club, Swanton, 9 a.m. Various prices; preregister. Info, kladdison@nmcinc.org.

VERMONT LAKE MONSTERS GAME: See WED.18.

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

‘ALMOST HEAVEN: JOHN DENVER’S AMERICA’: See WED.18, 7:30-10 p.m.

‘THE BAKE OFF’: See WED.18.

‘CONTROL TOP’: Viewers delight in Vermont playwright Carole Vasta Folley’s heartwarming story about five women reflecting on their life experiences through clothing. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 7:30 p.m. $18-20. Info, controltopvt@ gmail.com.

‘DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS’: Con artists battle it out on

FOMO?

Find even more local events in this newspaper and online: art

Find visual art exhibits and events in the Art section and at sevendaysvt.com/art.

film

See what’s playing at theaters in the On Screen section.

music + nightlife

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

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

= ONLINE EVENT

= GET TICKETS

the French Riviera in North Country Community Theatre’s rendition of this knee-slapping musical. Lebanon Opera House, N.H., 7:30 p.m. $18-28. Info, 603-448-0400.

‘OH YOU BEAST DESCENDANTS’: Audience members take in a brand-new, politically charged production of puppetry that evolves over the course of the summer. Bread and Puppet Theater, Glover, 7 p.m. $15. Info, 525-3031.

‘OLEANNA’: Engage With Productions presents its interpretation of David Mamet’s powerful and timely two-person play exploring the intersectional dynamics of gender, authority, control and education. Catamount Arts Center, St. Johnsbury, 7 p.m. $25. Info, 748-2600.

‘ROMEO AND JULIET’: See THU.19.

‘SALVAGE’: The Dorset Theatre Festival features Lena Kaminsky’s heartfelt new comedy about what can happen when we allow ourselves to be seen. Dorset Playhouse, 7:30 p.m. $57. Info, 867-2223.

‘THE SOUND OF MUSIC’: See THU.19.

‘TRAILBLAZING!’: See THU.19.

words

KEVIN RYAN: An author takes listeners around the country by bicycle with his new book, Across a Continent, Across a Life. The Norwich Bookstore, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 649-1114.

SAT.21

community

REPAIR CAFÉ: Volunteers

troubleshoot computers, bikes, furniture and whatever else comes through the door — and teach locals how to fix their things themselves. 12-22 North Street, Burlington, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Info, 540-2524.

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 City Grange, Berlin, 8-11 p.m. $5-20 sliding scale. Info, 225-8921.

environment

BUTT LITTER CLEANUP: Helping hands come together to dispose of discarded cigarettes. Alburgh Elementary School, 9-11 a.m. Free. Info, 524-1296.

PLASTIC POT TAKE BACK DAY:

Good Samaritans recycle their sorted, soil-free #2 and #5 containers of any size and color. Gardener’s Supply Company, Williston and Burlington, 10 a.m.2 p.m. Free. Info, 658-2433.

etc.

BLOOD DRIVE: See WED.18. St. Albans City Hall, 8:30 a.m.1 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 800-733-2767.

FUNDRAISER FOR BHOC: Live music by the Grift, local brews, food trucks, ice cream and dancing ﬁll up folks’ cups at this beneﬁt for the center. Blueberry Hill Outdoor Center, Goshen, 3-6 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 382-7693.

GRAND OPENING: A vintage wedding rental shop opens its showroom doors for betrothed folks to make their Pinterest board dreams a reality. Something Borrowed, Northﬁeld, 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Free. Info, 232-2062.

LEVELING UP PARTY: We all scream for ice cream! e beloved scoop shop invites neighbors to a playful, sun-soaked kickoff to summer at this grand reveal of its expanded production and retail space. lu•lu, Vergennes, 1-4 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 777-3933.

LONGEST DAY BENEFIT: Folks put on their dancing shoes and join up with the Central Vermont Council on Aging for singing, laughing, boogying and prizes. Proceeds beneﬁt CVCOA and the Alzheimer’s Association. Capital City Grange, Berlin, 3-5 p.m. $1225. Info, 479-0531.

NORTH POLE SPORTS CARDS & COLLECTIBLES SHOW: Collectors browse a wide array of vintage, rare and common cards, as well as action ﬁgures, records, comic books and other unique ﬁnds. Arrowhead Senior Citizen Center, Milton, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free; cost of cards and collectibles. Info, 782-4500.

RAFFLE FOR FOOD

EQUITY: Vermont nonproﬁt Common Roots hosts a fundraiser drawing to win a European bike tour. Noon-6 p.m. $25-100. Info, 652-0188.

REVOLUTIONARY WAR

REENACTMENT: A Colonial-era militia demos musket ﬁrings, open-ﬁre cooking and crafts. Ethan Allen Homestead Museum, Burlington, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. $7-15. Info, 865-4556.

STEPHEN JAY GOLDBERG

MEMORIAL CELEBRATION: ‘NO

BIG DEAL’: A dynamic mix of music, theater, readings and speakers pays homage to the late local jazz musician and playwright. First Unitarian Universalist Society of Burlington, 3 p.m. Free. Info, 862-5630.

fairs & festivals

VERMONT RENAISSANCE FAIRE:

Enthusiasts engage with more than 120 artisans and crafters while enjoying mead, live demos, jousting and medieval merriment. Champlain Valley

Exposition, Essex Junction, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. $5-30; free for kids under 6. Info, 778-9178.

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.

‘ANIMAL KINGDOM 3D’: See THU.19.

‘ANTARCTICA 3D’: See THU.19.

‘ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK’: Kurt Russell stars as merciless mercenary Snake Plissken in this 1981 dystopian sci-ﬁ ﬂick about the lawless isle of Manhattan. e Screening Room @ VTIFF, Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington, 3-4:40 p.m. $6-12. Info, 660-2600.

‘OCEAN PARADISE 3D’: See THU.19.

‘SPACE: THE NEW FRONTIER 3D’: See THU.19.

‘THEY LIVE’: John Carpenter’s 1988 horror B movie follows an unsuspecting man who discovers a pair of sunglasses capable of showing the world the way it truly is. e Screening Room @ VTIFF, Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington, 7 p.m. $6-12. Info, 660-2600.

food & drink

BEE’S KNEES WEEK: See WED.18.

NORTHWEST FARMERS MARKET: Locavores stock up on produce, preserves, baked goods, and arts and crafts. Taylor Park, St. Albans, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Info, 242-2729.

SOLSTICE ADVENTURE DINNER: Killeen Crossroads and neighboring Bread and Butter Farm bring the bounty for a multicourse ode to farm-fresh ingredients. Bread & Butter Farm, Shelburne, 6-9 p.m. $185. Info, sas@ adventuredinner.com.

games

CHESS CLUB: All ages and abilities face off and learn new strategies. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

D&D & TTRPG GROUP: Fans of Dungeons & Dragons and other tabletop role-playing games embark on a new adventure with a rotating cast of game masters. Virtual option available. Waterbury Public Library, 1-5 p.m. Free. Info, judi@ waterburypubliclibrary.com.

MAH-JONGG: Tile traders face off in the ancient Chinese game often compared to gin rummy and poker. Waterbury Public Library, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, judi@ waterburypubliclibrary.com.

holidays

EAST COAST INSPIRATIONAL

SINGERS: An ensemble commemorates Juneteenth with a high-spirited performance of gospel, R & B, jazz and blues tunes. Highland Center for the Arts, Greensboro, 7 p.m. $5-25. Info, 533-2000.

JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION: Neighbors gather for a celebration of Black history, joy and

THROUGH JUN. 22 | FOOD & DRINK

All the Buzz

Summer is upon us, and that means the emergence of insects — both beloved and bedeviling — in all their wriggly, winged forms. Montpelier’s Barr Hill distillery honors the ﬂying creatures that keep our ecosystems going with Bee’s Knees Week, its annual conservation initiative. Overlapping with National Pollinator Week, this year’s incarnation includes a cocktail-creation competition and a master class at the distillery, as well as spirited offerings across Vermont’s hospitality scene. Participating bars and restaurants swarm with honey-forward cocktails and education about why these teeny critters matter — a critical conversation as insect populations continue to decline across the globe.

BEE’S KNEES WEEK

Wednesday, June 18, through Sunday, June 22, at various locations statewide. Various prices. Info, 472-8000, beeskneesweek.com.

community, featuring local musicians, vendors and businesses. See calendar spotlight. Various downtown Burlington locations, 2-10 p.m. Free. Info, reib@ burlingtonvt.gov.

lgbtq

PINK PONY CLUB DANCE PARTY: Revelers celebrate Pride and dance the night away at an homage to femme-positive pop singer Chappell Roan. Westford Common Hall, 7-9:30 p.m. $10. Info, 227-2330.

RUTLAND COUNTY PRIDE

FESTIVAL: A “Juneteenth Strut” starting at the Rutland Free Library kicks off a celebratory day featuring speakers, musicians, wordsmiths, drag performances, tasty treats and activities. Various Rutland and Addison County locations, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. Info, director@rcpride.org.

VERMONT ROADSIDE HISTORIC

MARKER DEDICATION: Early American same-sex couple

Charity Bryant and Sylvia Drake are honored at a ceremony with U.S. Rep Becca Balint (D-Vt.) and LGBTQ+ leaders. A reception and

a pop-up exhibit at the Henry Sheldon Museum of Vermont History follow. Weybridge Hill Cemetery, 1-4 p.m. Free. Info, 388-2117.

music

BANDWAGON SUMMER SERIES: CHRISTINE OHLMAN & REBEL

MONTEZ: e “Beehive Queen” and longtime vocalist for the Saturday Night Live Band fronts ﬁery performances blending Americana and R & B. See calendar spotlight. e Putney Inn, 6 p.m. $22-25; free for kids under 12. Info, 387-0102.

DAVID FEURZEIG: In “Play Every Town,” the proliﬁc classical pianist continues a statewide series of shows in protest of high-pollution worldwide concert tours. Stone Valley Arts, Poultney, 7-9 p.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, 434-3819.

HOLLYWOOD NIGHTS: THE BOB

SEGER EXPERIENCE: A nine-piece band sets out to create the most authentic tribute to Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band this side of Katmandu. Paramount eatre,

Rutland, 7-9 p.m. $29-39. Info, 775-0903.

JUAN NIEVES & ORQUESTA

LEGADO: e Puerto Rican cuatro player leads his band in salsa classics and originals while attendees dance the night away. Artistree Community Arts Center, South Pomfret, free lesson, 5:45 p.m.; music, 7-9 p.m. $30; preregister for dance lesson. Info, 457-3500.

MAKE MUSIC DAY: e Villalobos Brothers headline an action-packed day of performances marking the annual global event. Various Randolph locations, 9 a.m.-11 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 728-9878.

MONTPELIER MAKE MUSIC DAY: Monteverdi Music School ﬁlls the city’s streets with a wide range of performances, from rockers to opera singers. Various Montpelier locations, 5-8 p.m. Free; preregister to perform. Info, 229-9000.

outdoors

CABOT CHEESE-E-BIKE TOUR: See WED.18.

E-BIKE & BREW TOUR: See THU.19.

québec

‘CLUE: ON STAGE’: See WED.18, 7:30 p.m.

‘MAX AND AARON WRITE A MUSICAL’: See WED.18, 2:30 & 7:30 p.m. sports

4 X 4 X 48: See FRI.20. GO SKATEBOARDING DAY

JAM: An afternoon packed with contests, prizes, live music and a cookout offers unmissable summer fun for skaters and viewers alike. Andy A_Dog Williams Skatepark, Burlington, 2-9 p.m. Free. Info, 864-0123.

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.

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

HOPE FOR TOMORROW: Rowers take to the water to raise awareness about teen suicide. Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, Vergennes, 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 475-2022.

VERMONT LAKE MONSTERS GAME: See WED.18.

talks

‘THE 6TH GENERATION: BLACK SOUTHERNER MEMORIES & MIGRATIONS’: Saint Michael’s College professor Dr. Jolivette Anderson and her daughter, singer-songwriter Nadja Douoning, present stories connecting the history of African Americans from the 1700s through today. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 11 a.m.noon. Free. Info, 846-4140.

theater

‘ALMOST HEAVEN: JOHN DENVER’S AMERICA’: See WED.18.

‘THE BAKE OFF’: See WED.18, 2 & 7:30 p.m.

‘CONTROL TOP’: See FRI.20, 2 & 7:30 p.m.

‘DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS’: See FRI.20.

‘OLEANNA’: See FRI.20.

‘ROMEO AND JULIET’: See THU.19.

‘SALVAGE’: See FRI.20.

‘THE SOUND OF MUSIC’: See THU.19.

‘TRAILBLAZING!’: See THU.19, 11 a.m. & 7 p.m.

words

WRITE NOW!: Lit lovers of all experience levels hone their craft in a supportive and critique-free environment. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, 10 a.m.noon. 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.22

agriculture

DAIRY CELEBRATION: Folks see spots as the working farm honors Vermont’s rich dairy heritage at a day of fresh food, craft beverages, live music, cow encounters and hands-on demonstrations. Billings Farm & Museum, Woodstock, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Regular admission, $12-19; free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 457-2355.

bazaars

STRANGE LITTLE MARKET: More than 25 local vendors sell vintage clothes and art out on the lawn. First Unitarian Universalist Society of Burlington, 3-7 p.m. Free. Info, stuart.sporko@ gmail.com.

crafts

YARN CRAFTERS GROUP: See WED.18, 1-3 p.m.

dance

MOVEMENT IMPROVISATION

LAB: Instructor Melisa Clark guides movers in a weekly practice encouraging play and exploration. Stone Valley Arts, Poultney, 10 a.m.-noon. $30 per session; $125 for 5 weeks. Info, stonevalleyartscenter@ gmail.com.

etc.

REVOLUTIONARY WAR

REENACTMENT: See SAT.21, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

fairs & festivals

VERMONT RENAISSANCE FAIRE: See SAT.21.

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.

‘ANIMAL KINGDOM 3D’: See THU.19.

‘ANTARCTICA 3D’: See THU.19. NXT FEAST & FILM SERIES: ‘EAT DRINK MAN WOMAN’: Foodies savor an evening of cinema and cuisine curated by James Beard Award winner Deborah Krasner, featuring Ang Lee’s 1994 culinary classic and a prix ﬁxe meal from Cai’s Dim Sum Catering. Next Stage Arts, Putney, 5 p.m. $8; $45 for ﬁlm and dinner. Info, 387-0102.

‘OCEAN PARADISE 3D’: See THU.19.

‘SPACE: THE NEW FRONTIER 3D’: See THU.19.

food & drink

BEE’S KNEES WEEK: See WED.18. WINOOSKI FARMERS MARKET: Area growers and bakers offer ethnic fare, assorted harvests and agricultural products against a backdrop of live music. Winooski Falls Way, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Info, info@ downtownwinooski.org.

games

DUPLICATE BRIDGE GAMES: See THU.19, 1-4:30 p.m.

health & ﬁtness

KARUNA COMMUNITY

MEDITATION: A YEAR TO LIVE

(FULLY): Participants practice keeping joy, generosity and gratitude at the forefront of their minds. Jenna’s House, Johnson, 10-11:15 a.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, mollyzapp@ live.com.

NEW LEAF SANGHA

MINDFULNESS PRACTICE: New and experienced meditators alike practice together in the Plum Village tradition of ich Nhat Hanh. Hot Yoga Burlington, 6-7:45 p.m. Free. Info, newleafsangha@gmail.com.

YOGA FOR GRIEF & HEALING: Empty Arms Vermont hosts a special class for individuals who have experienced pregnancy or infant loss. Kismet Place,

Williston, 7:30-8:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 232-2512.

lgbtq

BOARD GAME DAY: LGBTQ tabletop fans bring their own favorite games to the party. Rainbow Bridge Community Center, Barre, 1-6 p.m. Free. Info, 622-0692.

CRAFT CLUB: Creative queer folks work on their knitting, crocheting and sewing projects. Rainbow Bridge Community Center, Barre, 10 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 622-0692.

LGBTQ FIBER ARTS GROUP: A knitting, crocheting and weaving session welcomes all ages, gender identities, sexual orientations and skill levels. Presented by Pride Center of Vermont. Noon-1 p.m. Free. Info, laurie@ pridecentervt.org.

NEK PRIDEFEST: e Northeast Kingdom Rainbow Coalition hosts a parade down main street culminating in a party in the park with treats, vendors, all-ages activities and live music. Various Newport locations, noon-4 p.m. Free. Info, nekrainbowcoalition@ gmail.com.

music

BURLINGTON CONCERT BAND: Local music lovers bring lawn chairs and blankets to a weekly big-band blowout. Battery Park, Burlington, 7-8:45 p.m. Free. Info, burlingtonconcertbandvt@ gmail.com.

CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY OF LINCOLN CENTER: A lauded New York ensemble guides listeners on an unforgettable journey through musical masterworks. Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center, Stowe Mountain Resort, 3 p.m. $52.08-63.85. Info, 760-4634.

CONCERTS ON THE GREEN: Guests get cozy on the grass while local legends take the stage to perform feel-good toe-tappers. See campmeade. today for lineup. Camp Meade, Middlesex, 3-6 p.m. Free. Info, info@campmeade.today.

DANIEL LIN & ELI HECHT: Two Upper Valley composers and musical improvisers serenade shoppers with fabulous tunes ranging from classical to rock. e Norwich Bookstore, 1-2 p.m. Free. Info, 649-1114.

RIVER RHYTHMS SUMMER CONCERT SERIES: Good tunes and good times meet at this outdoor music series and beer garden. Juana’s Garden, Montpelier, 3-7 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 917-1009.

outdoors

EARLY BIRDERS MORNING

WALK: You know what they say: e early bird gets the worm! New and experienced avian admirers take a stroll to observe the area’s ﬂying, feathered friends. BYO binoculars. Birds of Vermont Museum, Huntington, 7-8:30 a.m. $5-15 sliding scale; preregister. Info, 434-2167.

4T-lakemonsters050725 1

FAMI LY FU N

finger plays. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

JUNETEENTH BRACELETS: Kiddos create jewelry to celebrate the national holiday commemorating the emancipation of enslaved people in the U.S. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 1-2:30 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

PRESCHOOL MUSIC WITH LINDA BASSICK: The singer and storyteller extraordinaire guides wee ones ages birth to 5 in indoor music and movement. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

PRESCHOOL PLAY TIME: Pre-K patrons play and socialize after music time. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

barre/montpelier

POKÉMON CLUB: I choose you, Pikachu! Elementary and teenage fans of the franchise — and beginners, too — trade cards and play games. Kellogg-Hubbard 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, Montpelier, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

stowe/smuggs

WEE ONES PLAY TIME: Caregivers bring kiddos under 4 to a new sensory learning experience each week. Morristown Centennial Library, Morrisville, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 888-3853.

mad river valley/ waterbury

BUSY BEES PLAYGROUP: Blocks, toys, books and songs engage little ones 24 months and younger. Waterbury Public Library, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

upper valley

FEAST & FIELD FAMILY NIGHT: CATE GREAT! & COLD CHOCOLATE: A double bill of family-friendly entertainment features an award-winning circus and street performer, followed by a genre-bending Boston band. Fable Farm, Barnard, 5:30-9 p.m. $5-25. Info, 234-1645.

northeast

kingdom

ACORN CLUB STORY TIME: Youngsters 5 and under play, sing, hear stories and color. St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, 10:1510:45 a.m. Free. Info, 745-1391.

ENCHANTED KINGDOM MINI GOLF: See WED.18.

brattleboro/okemo valley

‘DON’T LET THE PIGEON DRIVE THE BUS!’: See WED.18, 11 a.m. & 4 p.m.

FRI.20

chittenden county

‘ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS:

CHIPWRECKED’: Mike Mitchell’s 2011 animated family flick features the famed gang of beloved-but-mischievous rodents on a cruise ship trip. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 1-2:30 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

BIG BLUE TRUNK SUMMER READING KICKOFF: Bookworms of all ages enjoy a twirly-whirly ride, games and cotton candy to inspire a new season of reading. Richmond Free Library, 1-3 p.m. Free. Info, 434-3036.

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.

SPANISH STORY TIME: Mini amigos learn new words at a fun and educational morning. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

TEEN SUMMER DÉCOR DAY: Budding artists in grades 6 through 12 help decorate the library with splatter-painted panels. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 1:30-5:30 p.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.

‘RENT’: Acorn Youth Arts’ theater and film production program teaches audience members to measure their lives in love with a student-performed run of the iconic musical. Barre Opera House, 7-10 p.m. By donation. Info, 476-8188.

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.

upper valley

QUECHEE HOT AIR BALLOON

FESTIVAL: Adventure seekers get blown away by airborne carriers at this high-altitude happening complete with crafts, kids activities, tasty fare and an animal show. Quechee Green Park, 3-9:30 p.m. $5-25; free for kids 4 and under. Info, 295-7900.

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

northeast kingdom

ENCHANTED KINGDOM MINI GOLF: See WED.18.

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.

YOUTH BLOCK PARTY: Kids gather for sandwiches and a potluck, games, tie-dying, and feel-good tunes spun by DJ Will Miller. Catamount Arts Center, St. Johnsbury, 6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 748-2600.

SAT.21

burlington

SPLASH DANCE: Kiddos soak up sunshine and fun in the fountain while DJs spin family-friendly tracks. Burlington City Hall Park, 2:30-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, eindorato@burlingtoncityarts.org.

chittenden county

BANNED STORY TIME: Student-run nonprofit VSARN introduces children to books about diversity, equity and inclusion with fun activities, discussions and mentorship from high schoolers. Recommended for ages 2 and up with an adult caregiver. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 10-11 a.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

PARENTING BOOK CLUB: ‘THE ANXIOUS GENERATION’: Parents gather to chat about Jonathan Haidt’s 2024 book concerning the root causes of the mental illness epidemic among teens today. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

TAMARA ELLIS SMITH: An author entertains bookworms ages 5 to 8 with her new work, Bubble Town, followed by an art project and cookies. Hyperbole Books, Richmond, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Free. Info, 238-3211.

barre/montpelier

THE CATERPILLAR LAB: A traveling education organization brings its living museum, zoo, research lab, incubator and all-around nature party to the center. North Branch Nature Center, Montpelier, noon-5 p.m. $6-12; free for kids 2 and under; preregister. Info, 229-6206.

‘RENT’: See FRI.20, 2-5 & 7-10 p.m.

STRAWBERRY SOCIAL: A sweet start to summer features live music, a special dance performance, decadent shortcake, colorful crafts and lawn games. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

mad river valley/ waterbury

PROP MAKING WORKSHOP: Crafters of all ages create weather-themed pieces to carry or wear in the upcoming “Not Quite Independence Day” parade. Materials provided. Brookside Primary School, Waterbury, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Info, makerspherevt@gmail.com.

middlebury area

FOAL DAYS: Visitors take a guided tour of the historic facility and witness the magic of Morgan horses in their first months of life. University of Vermont Morgan Horse Farm, Weybridge, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. $8.50-10; free for kids 4 and under. Info, 388-2011.

champlain islands/ northwest

COMMUNITY BANQUET: The fun of summer camp comes to all ages at

an afternoon complete with arts and crafts, ax throwing, lawn games, and a cozy campfire. Proceeds benefit YWCA. YWCA Camp Hochelaga, South Hero, 3-8 p.m. $25. Info, 372-4510.

FAMILY FUN DAY: Families celebrate the coming of the new Alburgh Family Clubhouse with a day of music performances, storytelling and activities. Terry Tatro Park, Alburgh, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Info, 330-1385.

upper valley

FOREST FAIRY HUNTS: Fae-loving families furnish tiny houses with acorn caps and milkweed pods and hunt for winged wonders in the woods. Recommended for ages 4 and up. Vermont Institute of Natural Science, Quechee, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Regular admission, $17-20; free for members and kids 3 and under. Info, 359-5000.

QUECHEE HOT AIR BALLOON FESTIVAL: See FRI.20, 5:30 a.m.9:30 p.m.

northeast kingdom

ENCHANTED KINGDOM MINI GOLF: See WED.18.

SATURDAY STORY TIME: Tiny tots from birth to age 6 and their caregivers have fun with stories, songs, free play and crafts. St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 745-1391.

SUN.22

burlington

FAM JAMS: Musician and early childhood educator Alex Baron facilitates an interactive morning of music and casual play. The Guild Hall, Burlington, 9:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 318-4231.

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, 1-3 p.m. Free. Info, 891-2014.

barre/montpelier

THE CATERPILLAR LAB: See SAT.21.

‘RENT’: See FRI.20, 2-5 p.m. upper valley

QUECHEE HOT AIR BALLOON FESTIVAL: See FRI.20, 5:30 a.m.-7 p.m.

MON.23

chittenden county

NATURE PLAYGROUP: Budding nature lovers ages birth to 5 and their caregivers trek the trails with an experienced educator. Green Mountain Audubon Center, Huntington, 9:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 434-3068.

mad river valley/ waterbury

TODDLER TIME: Little ones 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: A bookseller and librarian extraordinaire reads picture books on a different theme each week. The Norwich Bookstore, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 649-1114.

TUE.24

‘KNOW YOUR RIGHTS FOR PARENTS & CAREGIVERS OF LGBTQ+ YOUTH’: Outright Vermont and the Vermont Human Rights Commission host a virtual info session about how citizens can protect their loved ones and communities from unlawful discrimination. 5-6:30 p.m. Free; preregister by Jun. 19. Info, amelia@outrightvt.org.

burlington

SING-ALONG WITH LINDA BASSICK: Babies, toddlers and preschoolers sing, dance and wiggle along with the local musician. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

chittenden county

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.20, 2-6 p.m.

northeast kingdom

LAPSIT STORY TIME: Babies 2 and under learn to love reading, singing and playing with their caregivers. Siblings welcome. St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, 10:15-10:45 a.m. Free. Info, 745-1391. PRESCHOOL STORY TIME: See FRI.20.

WED.25

chittenden county

BABY TIME: See WED.18.

BIG BLUE TRUNK SUMMER READING KICKOFF PARTY: See FRI.20. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 5-7 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

GAME ON!: See WED.18.

SUMMER CRAFTYTOWN: See WED.18.

barre/montpelier

BABY & CAREGIVER MEETUP: See WED.18.

FAMILY CHESS CLUB: See WED.18. SUMMER FUN NIGHT: The Marshfield Monarchs share interesting facts about 4-H clubs and present on current projects, followed by a visit with live goats, sheep, chickens and rabbits. Jaquith Public Library, Marshfield, 6:30-8 p.m. Free. Info, 426-3581.

northeast kingdom

ENCHANTED KINGDOM MINI GOLF: See WED.18.

FIRE DEPARTMENT STORY TIME: Kiddos ages birth to 6 cool off with a special tale at the library, followed by a fire truck tour. St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, 10-11 a.m. Free. Info, 745-1391. K

THU.19 « P.73

SUMMER SOLSTICE CEREMONY:

The Green Mountain Druid Order honors the light with drumming and flowers at a midsummer gathering. Burlington Earth Clock, Oakledge Park, 1:30 p.m. Free. Info, fearnessence@gmail.com.

québec

‘CLUE: ON STAGE’: See WED.18, 2 & 7:30 p.m.

‘MAX AND AARON WRITE A

MUSICAL’: See WED.18, 2 p.m.

sports

4 X 4 X 48: See FRI.20.

VERMONT LAKE MONSTERS GAME: See WED.18.

talks

SKYE MAKARIS: In “Health and Hygiene in the Continental Army,” the museum’s lead educator enlightens attendees about the daily grind of keeping 18th-century soldiers germ-free. Ethan Allen Homestead Museum, Burlington, 2-3 p.m. Free. Info, 865-4556.

theater

‘ALMOST HEAVEN: JOHN DENVER’S AMERICA’: See WED.18, 2-4:30 p.m.

‘THE BAKE OFF’: See WED.18, 2 p.m.

‘DIRTY LAUNDRY’: Middlebury Acting Company presents Mathilde Dratwa’s uproarious 2023 play exploring intimate relationships, grief and motherhood. Anderson Studio at Town

Hall Theater, Middlebury, 4 p.m.

$15. Info, 382-9222.

‘DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS’:

See FRI.20, 3 p.m.

‘ROMEO AND JULIET’: See THU.19, 2 p.m.

‘SALVAGE’: See FRI.20, 2 p.m.

‘THE SOUND OF MUSIC’: See THU.19, 4-6:45 p.m.

MON.23

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.

etc.

ETHAN ALLEN DAY: Vermonters get free admission to the museum in honor of this Green Mountain State holiday. Ethan Allen Homestead Museum, Burlington, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. Info, 865-4556.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.

‘ANIMAL KINGDOM 3D’: See THU.19.

‘ANTARCTICA 3D’: See THU.19. ‘OCEAN PARADISE 3D’: See THU.19.

‘SPACE: THE NEW FRONTIER 3D’: See THU.19.

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.

health & fitness

LAUGHTER YOGA: Spontaneous, joyful movement and breath promote physical and emotional health. Virtual option available. Pathways Vermont, Burlington, 1:15-2:15 p.m. Free. Info, 777-8691.

language

ITALIAN BOOK CLUB: Lovers of the language read and discuss Cristina Cassar Scalia’s Il Re Del Gelato. BYO copy. South Burlington Public Library & City

Hall, 10:15-11:15 a.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

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.

VICA SOCIAL: Language lovers link up with members of the Vermont Italian Cultural Association for a casual evening of community building and connection. Zero Gravity Beer Hall, Burlington, 5:30-7 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, vtitalianculturalassoc@ gmail.com.

Time to Take the Challenge!

This fun summer civics project for K-8 students is back — with a new set of 25 activities.

HERE’S HOW IT WORKS Participants do an activity and submit the evidence at goodcitizenvt.com. Each completed activity is an entry into drawings to win prizes including $50 gift cards to Phoenix Books, a Vermont State Parks 2026 vehicle pass and the grand prize — a trip to Washington, D.C. The deadline is Labor Day, September 1.

This year’s new activities include:

• Playing or singing a Woody Guthrie tune

• Designing a “Future Voter” sticker

• Recruiting blood donors

• Taking a quiz about AI-generated content

Students who complete all 25 activities will earn the title of “Distinguished Citizen” — and will be honored at the Statehouse. Submit activities as you go to win weekly prizes!

lgbtq

QTPOC SUPPORT GROUP: Pride Center of Vermont facilitates a safe space for trans and queer folks of color to connect, share experiences, process current events and brainstorm ideas. 6:30-8 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 863-0003.

music

BEN & JERRY’S CONCERTS ON THE GREEN: WAXAHATCHEE: Higher Ground presents the critically acclaimed indie music project formed by singer-songwriter Katie Crutchfield, featuring special guest Kevin Morby. Shelburne Museum, 7 p.m. $54-58; free for ages 12 and under. Info, 652-0777.

VERGENNES CITY BAND

SUMMER CONCERTS: Attendees get comfy on lawn chairs and blankets while local instrumentalists ages 12 to 90 perform rousing works. Vergennes City Park, 7-8 p.m. Free. Info, sodaniel27@gmail.com.

québec

‘CLUE: ON STAGE’: See WED.18, 7:30 p.m.

sports

BOB ALDRICH MEMORIAL GOLF

TOURNAMENT: Athletes tee off to raise funds for Burlington youth organization King Street Center. Burlington Country Club, 8:30 a.m. Various prices; preregister. Info, 862-6736.

words

READ LIKE A WRITER:

New England Readers & Writers hosts a virtual reading group for lit lovers to chat about short stories, both contemporary and classic. 6:30-8 p.m. Free. Info, 372-1132.

TUE.24 business

LAUNCHVT DEMO NIGHT: Fresh off a 12-week accelerator program, startup founders and their teams pitch to judges and audience members for the chance to win prizes. Hula, Burlington, 5-8 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 863-3489.

community

CURRENT EVENTS

DISCUSSION GROUP: Brownell Library holds a virtual roundtable for neighbors to pause and reflect on the news cycle. 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 878-6955.

crafts

ALL HANDS TOGETHER

dance

QUAHOG DANCE THEATRE: See THU.19.

SWING DANCE PRACTICE

SESSION: All ages and experience levels shake a leg in this friendly, casual environment designed for learning. Bring clean shoes. North Star Community Hall, Burlington, 8-9:30 p.m. $5. Info, 864-8382.

etc.

LANDLORD CONNECTIONS:

Addison County landlords and interested neighbors enjoy an informational evening with delectable food, networking and topical discussions. Middlebury Inn, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 660-3456.

TRADES MEETUP: Women, trans and nonbinary folks in construction and other trades gather to connect, share experiences and build community in a safe space. Yestermorrow Design/Build School, Waitsfield, 5-7 p.m. Free. Info, kate@buildhelm.com.

fairs & festivals

BIKE & GEAR REPAIR FAIR:

Throwaway culture, begone! Torn jackets, broken buckles and busted bikes find love and new life at this eco event focused on sustainability. Zero Gravity Beer Hall, Burlington, 4-8 p.m. Free. Info, 540-0761.

C.I.D.E.R. SENIOR RESOURCE FAIR: Champlain Islanders

Developing Essential Resources invites folks to meet with representatives from companies and nonprofits who provide services to elder citizens. South Hero Congregational Church, 1-3 p.m. Free. Info, 372-6425.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.

‘ANIMAL KINGDOM 3D’: See THU.19.

‘ANTARCTICA 3D’: See THU.19.

‘CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND’: Cosmic visitors come to Earth in Steven Spielberg’s 1977 sci-fi epic starring Richard Dreyfuss and François Truffaut. Film House, Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 864-7999.

‘DAZED AND CONFUSED’: Texas high school students kick off summer in style in Richard Linklater’s cult-classic set in 1976. Switchback Beer Garden & Smokehouse, Burlington, 6:45 p.m. Free. Info, 540-6965.

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.

games

BOARD GAMES FOR ADULTS: Locals ages 18 and up enjoy the library’s collection or bring their own to share with the group. Light refreshments provided. Essex Free Library, 6-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 879-0313.

DUPLICATE BRIDGE GAMES: See THU.19.

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.

QI GONG FOR VITALITY & PEACE: Librarian Judi Byron leads students in this ancient Chinese practice of mindful movement and breath. Wear comfortable clothing. Waterbury Public Library, 9:15 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, judi@ waterburypubliclibrary.com.

holidays

TRUTH & JUSTICE SERIES: ‘BEYOND CELEBRATION, TOWARD JUSTICE’: The Vermont Racial Justice Alliance hosts a dynamic celebration and community-driven dialogue reflecting on Juneteenth. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 5:30-7 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

language

FRENCH CONVERSATION GROUP: French-speakers and learners meet pour parler la belle langue Burlington Bay Market & Café, 5:30-8 p.m. Free. Info, 343-5493. 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.

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.

‘NEW NEIGHBORS: THE BEAVERS OF ALLEN BROOK’: Vermont Land Trust hosts an online screening and discussion of local documentarian Jim Heltz’ short film highlighting beavers and their role in the current climate crisis.

6-7:15 p.m. Free; donations accepted; preregister. Info, 262-3765.

‘OCEAN PARADISE 3D’: See THU.19.

‘SPACE: THE NEW FRONTIER 3D’: See THU.19.

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.

outdoors

EZ BREEZY BIKE RIDES: Cyclists don circa-2000 outfits and enjoy a fun-filled, casual group ride around Burlington. BYO bike. Local Motion, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free. Info, 861-2700.

québec

‘CLUE: ON STAGE’: See WED.18, 7:30 p.m.

talks

CHAMBER SYMPOSIUM: CIVIC DISCOURSE & JOURNALISM: Esteemed journalists, editors, educators and media professionals engage in a thoughtful discussion on the media’s impact on politics and public opinion. A Q&A follows. Stratton Mountain Resort, 10 a.m.-noon. Free; preregister. Info, 447-3311.

tech

AFTERNOON TECH HELP: Experts answer questions about phones, laptops, e-readers and other devices in one-on-one sessions. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 1-4 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 846-4140.

words

BURLINGTON LITERATURE GROUP:

Bookworms analyze Thomas Pynchon’s postmodern epic Gravity’s Rainbow over the course of 14 weeks. 6:30-8 p.m. Free. Info, info@nereadersandwriters.com.

JUNE BOOK CLUB: Library director Maegan Winters leads lit lovers in an engrossing discussion about TJ Klune’s The House in the Cerulean Sea. Royalton Memorial Library, South Royalton, 6:15-7:15 p.m. Free. Info, 763-7094.

READER’S ROUNDTABLE BOOK

CLUB: Avid readers gather to gab about Douglas Stuart’s novel Shuggie Bain — a heartbreaking look at a young boy’s life in public housing in 1980s Glasgow. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 12:30-1:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

ROBERTA HAROLD: A Montpelier author shares selections from her latest novel, Portrait of an Unseen Woman, in conversation with fellow writer Mary Hays. The Norwich Bookstore, 7-8 p.m. Free. Info, 649-1114.

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.25

agriculture

TRI-STATE DAIRY

EXCHANGE: NAVIGATING

THE FUTURE OF DAIRY: The University of Vermont hosts a monthly webinar series that focuses its lens on current industry research and programs. 11:30 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 656-7563.

business

QUEEN CITY BUSINESS NETWORKING INTERNATIONAL GROUP: See WED.18.

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.

‘JOIN OR DIE’ SCREENING & MIXER: Vermont Public hosts a screening of Pete and Rebecca Davis’ highly acclaimed 2023 documentary about declining social engagement, followed by a community-building social hour. Brookfield Old Town Hall, 6-8 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, abelisle2@ comcast.net.

WEEKLY PASSEGGIATA: See WED.18.

crafts

DYEING WITH MARIGOLDS: See WED.18.

YARN CRAFTERS GROUP: See WED.18.

environment

BUTT LITTER CLEANUP: Helping hands come together to dispose of discarded cigarettes. Swanton Village Park, 10 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 524-1296.

etc.

LANDLORD CONNECTIONS: Franklin and Grand Isle County landlords and interested neighbors enjoy an informational evening with delectable food, networking and topical discussions. The Depot, St. Albans, 5-7 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 660-3456.

MODULAR HOUSING OPEN

HOUSE: Curious minds get a behind-the-scenes tour of the latest prototype, meet the designer and learn about the company’s vision. Up End This Headquarters, Johnson, 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Free. Info, 307-2934.

NATIONAL CIVICS BEE: Student finalists compete in a dynamic competition, including quiz rounds and a live Q&A that showcases their knowledge of American democracy and governance. Barre Opera House, 4:30-6:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, igogarty@vtchamber.com.

food & drink

COMMUNITY COOKING: See WED.18.

health & fitness

CHAIR YOGA: See WED.18. language

PARLIAMO ITALIANO: The Vermont Italian Cultural Association hosts an evening for speakers — both beginner and native — to practice the language of love. Pearl Street Pizza, Barre, 5-7:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, vtitalianculturalassoc@ gmail.com.

music

BCA SUMMER CONCERT SERIES: ALEX2E: An alternative singer-songwriter and storyteller entertains listeners with engaging toe-tappers. Burlington City Hall Park, 12:30-1:30 p.m. Free. Info, 829-6305.

BEN & JERRY’S CONCERTS ON THE GREEN: PEACH PIT & BRISTON MARONEY: Listeners get swept away at an evening of wistful grooves, glassy guitars and sun-kissed melodies. Shelburne Museum, 6 p.m. $59.50-75; free for kids 12 and under. Info, 652-0777.

SCARLET ANNIE & THE INDIVIDUALS: An eclectic band brings to life a delicious mix of soul, rock and funk covers, as well as original songs. The Tillerman, Bristol, 5-8 p.m. Free; cash bar. Info, 643-2237.

TAYLOR PARK SUMMER CONCERT SERIES: See WED.18.

outdoors

CABOT CHEESE-E-BIKE TOUR: See WED.18.

québec

‘CLUE: ON STAGE’: See WED.18.

seminars

TV ON THE RADIO: BROADCASTING TO EVERYONE: Media mavens learn how to make music, stage a play and conduct interviews using the center’s tech support and facilities. The Media Factory, Burlington, 6-8 p.m. Free; donations accepted; preregister. Info, 651-9692.

sports

BIKE BUM RACE SERIES: See WED.18.

GREEN MOUNTAIN TABLE

TENNIS CLUB: See WED.18.

VERMONT LAKE MONSTERS GAME: See WED.18.

theater

‘SALVAGE’: See FRI.20, 2 & 7:30 p.m.

words

OPEN BOOK: Readers join up with the shop’s book buyer for a lively discussion about Annie Hartnett’s darkly comic novel The Road to Tender Hearts. Phoenix Books, Essex, 6 p.m. Free. Info, 872-7111.

SUE HALPERN: An acclaimed author shares her new novel, What We Leave Behind, in conversation with journalist Rob Gurwitt. The Norwich Bookstore, 7-8 p.m. Free. Info, 649-1114.

SUMMER SPEAKER SERIES:

MIMA TIPPER: A Vermont author shares memories of her childhood and discusses her timely and uplifting young adult novel, Kat’s Greek Summer. Worthen Library, South Hero, 6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 372-6209. ➆

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.

home & garden

POWER TOOLS

101 FOR WOMEN & FEMMES: Empower yourself with essential DIY skills and go from curious to conﬁdent in an immersive seven-hour session. Learn to safely operate drills, saws, sanders & more; build your own picture frame to bring home; and gain skills for various home projects. Limited to 10 participants. Kinda like shop class for grown-ups ... but way more fun! Materials provided; learn more and sign up on the website! Sat., Jun. 28, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Cost: $300, sliding scale avail. Location: Camp Meade, 961 Route 2, Middlesex, VT. Info: ali@ handymamdiy.com, handymamdiy.com.

9; 4-week classes. Drop-ins welcome. Taiko on Tue.: Kids & Parents Taiko, 4-5:30 p.m.; Adult Intro Taiko, 5:30-7 p.m.; Light Saber Taiko, 7-8:30 p.m. Drums & light sabers provided. Djembe on Wed.: Intermediate Djembe, 5:30-7 p.m.; Beginner Djembe, 7-8:30 p.m. Drums provided. $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.

sports &

POTTED POLLINATOR GARDENS: Celebrate Pollinator Week by making your own portable pollinator garden! Class includes education and creation, a terra-cotta pot and saucer set, and three greenhouse plants of your choosing. u., Jun. 19, 10 a.m. Cost: $60. Location: Horsford Gardens & Nursery, 2111 Greenbush Rd., Charlotte. Info: 802425-2811, sevendays tickets.com.

music

TAIKO TUESDAYS, DJEMBE

WEDNESDAYS!: Drum with Stuart Paton! Sessions begin Jun. 10 & Sep.

ONE-NIGHT STAND: BIKE CARE

BASICS: Having a basic understanding of your bike and knowing how to care for it is empowering! The One-Night Stand at Old Spokes Home will cause neither regret nor shame; instead, it will help you stay safer, keep your bike running longer, and give you confidence in either getting what you need at the bike shop or figuring out how to deal with it on your own. A collaboration between Old Spokes Home and RAR Champlain Valley, this class is reserved for folks who hold women/trans/nonbinary identities. Wed., Jun. 25, or Wed., Jul. 16, 6-8 p.m. Cost: $50. Location: Old Spokes Home Community Workshop, 664 Riverside Dr., Burlington. Info: 802-863-4475, sevendaystickets.com.

Buy & Sell »

ANTIQUES, FURNITURE, GARAGE SALES

Community »

ANNOUNCEMENTS, LOST & FOUND, SUPPORT GROUPS

Rentals &

Real Estate »

APARTMENTS, HOMES, FOR SALE BY OWNER

Vehicles »

CARS, BIKES, BOATS, RVS

Services »

FINANCIAL, CHILDCARE, HOME & GARDEN

Musicians & Artists »

LESSONS, CASTING, REHEARSAL SPACE

Jobs »

NO SCAMS, ALL LOCAL, POSTINGS DAILY

Marina

AGE/SEX: 3-year-old spayed female

ARRIVAL DATE: May 29, 2025

SUMMARY: With a gentle soul and a heart full of love, Marina is ready for a fresh start with her new best friend! Marina can be a little shy at ﬁrst, but once she trusts you, her whole world opens up. She becomes deeply devoted and just wants to be close, whether it’s snuggled under the covers with you or sharing a quiet moment together on the couch. Marina would thrive in a calm household where she can be your one and only furry friend. If you’re looking for a loyal copilot to share your life, visit Marina at HSCC and see if she could be the one for you!

DOGS/CATS/KIDS: Marina is seeking a home without other dogs or cats. She has no known history with children.

Visit the Humane Society of Chittenden County at 142 Kindness Court, South Burlington, Tuesday through Friday from 1 to 4 p.m. or Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. Call 862-0135 or visit hsccvt.org for more info.

DID YOU KNOW?

Dogs are creatures of habit and feel most comfortable when their schedule is predictable. You don’t need to change your schedule to ﬁt their needs, but try to keep mealtime, playtime and bedtime as consistent as possible.

SPORTING GOODS

(1666) Tools & Equipment

Auction Closes: Mon., June 30 @ 11AM

Buy y & Se

CROSSFIT AFFILIATE FOR SALE

HOME & GARDEN

MULTIPLE HOUSEHOLD ITEMS

Queen-size Serta hybrid mattress & pecan wood frame. Slat, easy to assemble, new. Can be delivered. Cash only, $800/OBO. Electric, stackable W/D. 2-yearold/great full-size drums. Lots of choices on dial. $650/OBO. Can be delivered. Frigidaire A/C wall unit. 1400 Btu, 220 volts. Runs great, sell at $300/OBO. Call 802-495-1954.

YURT FOR SALE, BUYER TO DISASSEMBLE & REMOVE

Our 10-year-old yurt in South Strafford is for sale — the perfect summer camp or studio, w/ potential to be a yearround ADU or rental property. $15,000. More

Droptine CrossFit is looking for a new owner(s)! Serious inquiries only, please. Note: We do not own the building. Info, droptinecrossﬁ t@ gmail.com, drop tinecrossﬁ t.com.

WANT TO BUY

ALL MOTORCYCLES WANTED

Buying years 1930s2000s. All makes & models, any condition. Cash paid. Call 315-569-8094 or email cyclerestoration@ aol.com.

TOP CASH PAID FOR OLD GUITARS

Preview: Mon., June 23 from 11AM-1PM 131 Dorset Lane, Williston, VT 05495

Over 125 lots in this online only auction featuring quality tools and equipment from trusted names like Greenworks, Greenlee, John Deere, and Massey Ferguson! Whether you’re a contractor, mechanic, farmer, or weekend warrior, this auction is packed with value.

Looking for 1920-1980 Gibson, Martin, Fender, Gretsch, Epiphone, Guild, Mosrite, Rickenbacker, Prairie State, D’Angelico & Stromberg guitars + Gibson mandolins & banjos. ese brands only! Call for a quote: 1-855-402-7208. (AAN CAN)

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

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 Buy & Sell, Community, Musicians & Artists, Vehicles

Margaret’s Way, Shelburne [corner of Champlain Road & Route 7]

Renovated studio and one bedroom apartments in Shelburne’s newest neighborhood!

ANNOUNCEMENTS

$5,000 REWARD To ﬁ nd Christopher Harper, North Burlington, Vt. Must know exact location. Hair color: brown/ gray. Eye color: blue. Height: 5’8. Age: 38. Last seen on Nov. 15, 2024. Contact Burlington Police at 802-658-2700.

PROPERTY FEATURES

Champlain Housing Trust’s Shared Equity Program enables buyers to purchase homes at a lower cost and with no down payment needed!

Rent includes: heat, hot water, electricity, trash and snow removal, air conditioning, Wi-Fi

AUDITIONS & CASTING

GIRLS NITE OUT PRODUCTIONS ANNOUNCES AUDITIONS!

Auditions for our 15th-year birthday production, “Paint Night” by Carrie Crim, Jun. 23 & 24 in Burlington. Looking for 6 women of diverse ages. All details are on our website. Come play! Info, 802-448-0086, info@girlsniteoutvt. com, girlsniteoutvt.com.

Laundry: free on-site

Parking: free on-site

Other features: community gardens, playground

Studio > $1,150– $1,341

1 bedroom apartment > $1,300–$1,441 For an application and additional information, visit us online at www.getahome.org/bayridgeapartments or call 802.862.6244.

3v-champlainhousing061825 1

APARTMENTS & HOUSES FOR RENT

$1,500 BURLINGTON

2-BR AVAIL. NOW, 3-BR SOON

Good-size 2nd-ﬂ oor 2-BR avail. now at 54 Spruce. $1,500. Heated; tenants pay utils. Unfurnished

3-BR, 1-BA avail. soon at 31 S. Willard St. $1,700. Heated, tenants pay utils. Extra storage in apt. For full details: 802-318-8916, jcintl0369@gmail.com.

BURLINGTON, NORTH AVE.

480 North Ave., Suite 3. Unfurnished 1-BR, 1-BA. 900 sq.ft. $1,100, all utils. incl. Tile ﬂ oors, shared free W/D, big closet, off-street parking, fresh paint. Pets possible. Avail Aug. 1. Landlord on premises. 1 of 3 apts. $1,100. Info: 802-862-7602, morton. bostock@gmail.com.

COMMERCIAL & OFFICE RENTALS

OFFICE SPACE AVAIL. AT CEDAR WOOD NATURAL HEALTH CENTER IN S. BURLINGTON

Are you a natural health practitioner looking for the perfect ofﬁ ce space? Also great ofﬁ ce space for anyone wanting to be in quiet, easygoing environment. We have 2 beautiful rooms avail. to rent in our thriving wellness center! Great location, ample parking. Welcoming, collaborative environment. Room 1: 10’ x 12’; Room 2: 10’ x

14’. Interested in joining us? Email Suzy at suzy@ cwnhc.com for details & to schedule a tour! $665. Info, 802-2389191, cedarwoodnatural healthcenter.com.

NOW LEASING AT MARIPOSA COLLECTIVE IN ESSEX JCT.

Are you a hairstylist, massage therapist, makeup artist, aesthetician, energy worker or holistic practitioner ready to grow your own business — but craving community along the way? Mariposa Collective is not your average salon. We’re a creative, wellness-forward space that blends beauty, healing & empowerment under 1 roof. ink precision color & intuitive cuts happening just down the hall from sound bowl meditations & energy clearing. Our vibe is grounded, mindful & always expanding. We’re currently looking to welcome another heart-led entrepreneur to join our community. You’d be leasing your own private space within Mariposa but w/ the support of a collaborative environment where we cross-refer, celebrate each other’s wins & believe deeply in the

Sudoku

CLASSIFIEDS » Show and tell. View and post up to 6 photos per ad online.

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

Complete the following puzzle by using the numbers 1-9 only once in each row, column and 3 x 3 box.

Open 24/7/365. Post & browse ads at your convenience. Extra! Extra! There’s no limit to ad length online.

WANT MORE PUZZLES?

Try these online news games from Seven Days at sevendaysvt.com/games.

NEW ON FRIDAYS:

Put your knowledge of Vermont news to the test.

CALCOKU BY

JOSH REYNOLDS

DIFFICULTY THIS WEEK: HHH

Fill the grid using the numbers 1-6, only once in each row and column. The numbers in each heavily outlined “cage” must combine to produce the target number in the top corner, using the mathematical operation indicated. A one-box cage should be filled in with the target number in the top corner. A number can be repeated within a cage as long as it is not the same row or column.

SUDOKU BY JOSH REYNOLDS

DIFFICULTY THIS WEEK: HHH

Place a number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down and each 9-box square contains all of the numbers one to nine. The same numbers cannot be repeated in a row or column.

ANSWERS ON P.86 H = MODERATE H H = CHALLENGING H H H = HOO, BOY!

ANSWERS ON P. 86 »

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

power of doing what you love. Who you are: passionate about your craft; already established or ready to step into independent business ownership; self-motivated but love being part of something bigger; kind, creative & aligned w/ a communityfocused mindset. $700. Info, 802-318-8926 mariposacollectives@ gmail.com; mariposa collectives.com.

year or more. Call now: 1-877-247-6750. (AAN CAN)

STOP OVERPAYING FOR AUTO INSURANCE

A recent survey says that most Americans are overpaying for their car insurance. Let us show you how much you can save. Call now for a no-obligation quote: 1-833-399-1539. (AAN CAN)

HOME & GARDEN

DO YOU NEED A PAINT JOB?

a consultation & free quote today: 1-877-2489944. (AAN CAN)

AGING ROOF? NEW HOMEOWNER? STORM DAMAGE?

You need a local expert provider that proudly stands behind its work. Fast, free estimate. Financing avail. Call 1-888-292-8225. (AAN CAN)

PEST CONTROL

MOVING & HAULING

MOVING

Legal Notices

NORTHSTAR SELF STORAGE WILL BE HAVING A PUBLIC AND ONLINE SALE/AUCTION FOR THE FOLLOWING STORAGE UNITS ON JUNE 26, 2025 AT 9:00 AM

Interior/exterior painting. Decades of experiences, free estimates. Book your job today! Info, 310-2666905, jessemcole6@ gmail.com.

Markoski’s has established a local reputation for being a team of friendly professionals who treat their customers like family. Based out of Chittenden County, we go across Vermont & out of state. Please inquire at markoskismoving.com.

Protect your home from pests safely & affordably. Roaches, bedbugs, rodents, termites, spiders & other pests. Locally owned & affordable. Call for a quote, service or an inspection today: 1-833-237-1199. (AAN CAN)

BEAUTIFUL BATH

promulgated by e Vermont Trafﬁ c Committee who has requested the notices be combined to facilitate a savings for the agency. When contacting the agency about these rules please note the title and rule number of the proposed rule(s) you are interested in.

Vehicles

ELECTRONICS

AFFORDABLE TV & INTERNET

If you are overpaying for your service, call now for a free quote & see how much you can save: 1-844-588-6579. (AAN CAN)

FINANCIAL & LEGAL

GET DISABILITY

BENEFITS

You may qualify for disability beneﬁ ts if you are between 52 & 63 years old & under a doctor’s care for a health condition that prevents you from working for a

PROTECT YOUR HOME

Home break-ins take less than 60 seconds. Don’t wait! Protect your family, your home, your assets now for as little as 70 cents a day! Call 1-833-881-2713.

DEREKCO LLC

DerekCo Carpentry & Excavating has all of your carpentry & excavating needs covered! Visit our website & contact us for a free estimate. Info, 802-310-4090, derek@ derekco.com, derekco. com.

NEED NEW WINDOWS? Drafty rooms? Chipped or damaged frames? Need outside noise reduction? New, energyefﬁ cient windows may be the answer! Call for

UPDATES

Beautiful bath updates in as little as 1 day! Superior quality bath & shower systems at affordable prices. Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Call now: 1-833-4232558. (AAN CAN)

24-7 LOCKSMITH

We are there when you need us for home & car lockouts. We’ll get you back up & running quickly! Also, key reproductions, lock installs & repairs, vehicle fobs. Call us for your home, commercial & auto locksmith needs: 1-833-237-1233. (AAN CAN)

Northstar Self Storage will be having a public and online sale/auction on June 26, 2025 at 9am EST at 205 Route 4A West, Castleton, VT 05735 (units C58, C138), and online at www.storagetreasures. com at 9:00 am in accordance with VT Title 9 Commerce and Trade Chapter 098: Storage Units 3905. Enforcement of Lien Unit # Name Contents

CARS & TRUCKS

2021 TESLA MODEL 3 LONG RANGE Silver, 23,500 miles. See bid process at richmondvt.gov/ ﬁleadmin/ﬁles/ general/departments/ bids-requests-for-proposals-notices/2025/ richmond_tesla.pdf. VIN: 5YJ3E1EB4MF035677. Serviced by Tesla in June 2025. Winter tires currently on; summer tires incl. Minimum bid is $23,000. e bidder assumes responsibility for the current condition of the Tesla as is. Info, 802-336-2092, dwardwell@richmondvt. gov, richmondvt.gov/ news/post/2021-teslamodel-3-long-range.

C58 Susan Chapman Household Goods

C138 Devin Bruno Household Goods

PROPOSED STATE RULES

By law, public notice of proposed rules must be given by publication in newspapers of record. e purpose of these notices is to give the public a chance to respond to the proposals. e public notices for administrative rules are now also available online at https://secure.vermont.gov/ SOS/rules/ . e law requires an agency to hold a public hearing on a proposed rule, if requested to do so in writing by 25 persons or an association having at least 25 members.

To make special arrangements for individuals with disabilities or special needs please call or write the contact person listed below as soon as possible.

To obtain further information concerning any scheduled hearing(s), obtain copies of proposed rule(s) or submit comments regarding proposed rule(s), please call or write the contact person listed below. You may also submit comments in writing to the Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules, State House, Montpelier, Vermont 05602 (802-828-2231).

NOTE: e three rules below have been

• Rules Relating to the Closure of State Highways. Vermont Proposed Rule: 25P018

• Rules for Establishing Temporary Speed Limits. Vermont Proposed Rule: 25P019

• Regulations Governing the Use of State Highways with Limited Access Facilities. Vermont Proposed Rule: 25P020

AGENCY: e Vermont Trafﬁ c Committee, Agency of Transportation

CONCISE SUMMARY: e Vermont Trafﬁ c Committee proposes to make updates to references, titles, statutes and other language within the three rules listed above which relate to the closure of portions of the State Highway system to protect health, safety and welfare of the public; establishing temporary speed limits for State Highways during construction or maintenance; and govering the use of State Highways with Limited Access facilities.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Ian Degutis, Agency of Transportation, Dill Building, 2178 Airport Rd, Berlin, VT 05641 Tel: 802-3718827 Fax: 802-479-2210 E-Mail: Ian.Degutis@ vermont.gov URL: https://vtrans.vermont. gov/operations/OSB/trafﬁ c-operations/ vermont-trafﬁ c-committee

FOR COPIES: Joshua Taylor, Agency of Transportation, Dill Building, 2178 Airport Rd, Berlin, VT 05641 Tel:802-498-4339 Fax: 802479-2210 E-mail: Joshua.E.Taylor@vermont.gov.

TOWN OF BOLTON – REQUEST FOR BIDS: ROAD RESURFACING PROJECT

e Town of Bolton is seeking sealed bids from qualifi ed contractors for resurfacing work on a one-mile section of the Bolton Valley Access Road, beginning at the intersection with US Route 2. e project includes reclaiming and fi ne grading the roadway, followed by machine paving with a 2.5” binder course and 1.5” wearing course, and associated surface preparations, striping, and traffi c control. All work must conform to the Vermont Agency of Transportation’s 2018 Standard Specifi cations. e contract will conclude no later than October 31, 2025. Bid documents are available from the Town Clerk’s Offi ce or at https://boltonvt.com. Site visits and questions must be submitted by 12:00 p.m. on Monday, June 16, 2025. Bids must be submitted in a sealed, clearly marked envelope labeled “Bolton Road Resurfacing 2025” and received by the Town no later than ursday, June 26, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. For project-related inquiries, contact Michael Cary or Bruce Putnam at (802) 793-8605; for bid process questions, contact Town Clerk Michael Webber at (802) 434-5075 or townclerk@ boltonvt.com.

STATE OF VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT PROBATE DIVISION CHITTENDEN UNIT DOCKET NO.: 24-PR-05540

In re ESTATE of Robert Nowak

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

To the creditors of: Robert Nowak, 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 ﬁ rst publication of this notice. e claim must be presented to me at the address listed below with a copy sent to the Court. e claim may be barred forever if it is not presented within the four (4) month period.

Dated: June 11, 2025

Signature of Fiduciary: /s/ Christine Winters

Executor/Administrator: Christine Winters

854 Point Rd., Marion, MA 02738

Phone: 508-961-7748

Email: cewfid2025@gmail.com

Name of Publication: Seven Days Publication Date: 06/18/2025

Name of Probate Court: State of VermontChittenden Probate Division

Address of Probate Court: 175 Main Street, Burlington, VT 05401

TOWN OF GRAND ISLE INVITATION TO BID

The Grand Isle Selectboard is now seeking bids for Energy Resiliency Upgrades to the Grand Isle Free Library and Grand Isle Fire Station

The full details and requirements are available at the Town Office during regular business hours as well as on the Town website: www.grandislevt.org.

Bids for consideration must be submitted by mail or in person no later than Friday, July 11 2025 by 3:00pm. Bids will be opened on Tuesday, July 15, 2025 at a joint Grand Isle Selectboard and Planning Commission meeting starting at 6:00 p.m. at the Town Office.

The mailing address is: P.O. Box 49, Grand Isle, VT 05458

The physical address is: 9 Hyde Road, Grand Isle, VT 05458.

Please email the Selectboard Administrator, Carrie San Angelo (SBAdministrator@grandislevt. gov) with any questions.

STATE OF VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT

PROBATE DIVISION CHITTENDEN UNIT

DOCKET NO.: 25-PR-01948

In re ESTATE of Robert Clairmont NOTICE TO CREDITORS

To the creditors of: Robert Clairmont, 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.

Dated: June 10, 2025

Signature of Fiduciary: /s/ Ann C. DesLauriers

Executor/Administrator: Ann C. DesLauriers

c/o Herbert J. Downing, Esq. 600 Blair Park Road, Suite 205 Williston, VT 05495

Phone: 802-878-3346

Email: hjd@essexvtlaw.com

Name of Publication: Seven Days

Publication Date: 06/18/2025

Name of Probate Court: Vermont Superior Court, Chittenden Unit, Probate Division

Address of Probate Court: 175 Main Street, Burlington, VT 05401

INVITATION TO

BID

Greenprint Partners, acting as Project Manager, seeks qualified contractors for Vermont Manufactured Housing Community (MHC) Stormwater Improvements for the location listed below. Federal Disadvantage Business Enterprise (DBE), Women-Owned, Veteran-Owned, MinorityOwned contractors and suppliers, and Small

Businesses are strongly encouraged to submit a bid proposal.

Project Description: The project consists of stormwater improvements to meet the Vermont Stormwater Rules.

Locations of the work are as follows:

Bid Opening July 15, 2025

• Shattuck Hill Mobile Home Park – 224 Shattuck Hill Road, Derby, VT

Schedule: Construction is scheduled to begin in August 2025 and be substantially completed by October 2025.

The construction work involves installing various stormwater improvements, including, but not limited to, an infiltration basin and forebay, conveyance swales, dry swales and associated storm sewer piping.

These projects are subject to Davis Bacon wage rates compliance and with Build America Buy America provisions.

Any interested subcontractors and suppliers should visit the following website after June 13, 2025, for information on obtaining bidding documents: www.questcdn.com under Greenprint Partners or https://www.greenprintpartners.com and click on Bidding opportunities.

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

STATE OF VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT PROBATE DIVISION CHITTENDEN UNIT DOCKET NO.: 25-PR-03120

In re ESTATE of Penny Lane

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

To the creditors of: Penny L. Lane, late of Williston, 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: June 6, 2025

Signature of Fiduciary:

/s/ Peter Tripp & Karen Philbrick

Executors: Peter Tripp & Karen Philbrick c/o Monte & Monte PO Box 686, Barre, VT 05641

Phone number: (802) 476-6671

Email: Mike@MonteAndMonte.Net

Name of Publication: Seven Days

Publication Date: 06/18/2025

Name of Probate Court: State of VermontChittenden Probate Division

Address of Probate Court: 175 Main Street, Burlington, VT 05401

PUBLIC HEARING

COLCHESTER DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD

Pursuant to Title 24 VSA, Chapter 117, the Development Review Board will hold a public hearing on July 9, 2025, at 7:00pm to hear the following requests under the Development Regulations. Meeting is open to the public and will be held at 781 Blakely Road.

a) CU-25-08 FRANK W. WHITCOMB

CONSTRUCTION CORP.: Conditional Use

Application in conjunction with SP-25-25 to specifically request a height waiver for two storage silos and the HMA plant stack to 98 ft pursuant to the requirements of §2.06-D of the Colchester Development Regulations. Subject

Vermont Bond Bank Nondiscrimination Statement

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov.

Vermont Bond Bank is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

property is located at 84 Whitcomb Street, Account #03-008003-0000000.

4t-VTBondBank061825.indd 1 6/16/25 1:43 PM

b) FP-26-01 DAVID & LYNETTE RABIDOUX – Final Plat Application to amend a previously approved Final Plat. Amendment is to modify the previously approved building envelope for Lot 2 of the subdivision to accommodate a proposed 14 ft x 29 ft building expansion. No change of use is proposed at this time. Subject property is located at 356 Thelma Drive, Account #12-022020-0000000.

c) CU-26-01 COLCHESTER TOWN SCHOOL DISTRICT: Conditional Use application in conjunction with Site Plan application SP-26-02 for demolition, renovation, and additions to an existing Elementary School (Use 5.110) in the Residential Three (R3) District. Subject property is located at 490 Porters Point Road, Account #42-099002-0000000.

June 18, 2025

STATE OF VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT PROBATE DIVISION CHITTENDEN UNIT

DOCKET NO.: 25-PR-03243

In re ESTATE of Peter E. Thomas

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

To the creditors of: Peter E. Thomas, late of Richmond , 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: June 9, 2025

Signature of Fiduciary: /s/ Norman C. Smith

Executor/Administrator: Norman C.Smith P.O. Box 24, Essex Junction, Vermont 05453 Phone number: 802-288-9088 Email: norman@normansmithlaw.com

Name of Publication: Seven Days Publication Date: 06/18/2025

Name of Probate Court: Chittenden Probate Court Address of Probate Court: 175 Main Street, Burlington, VT 05401

NOTICE OF SELF STORAGE LIEN SALE

BURLINGTON SELF STORAGE, LLC 1825 SHELBURNE ROAD SOUTH BURLINGTON, VT 05403

Notice is hereby given that the contents of the self storage units listed below will be sold at public auction by sealed bid.

Name of Occupant, Storage Unit#, unit size: Myrick, Unit #129, 10x20

Said sales will take place on Friday 06/27/25, beginning at 10:00am at Burlington Self Storage (BSS), 1825 Shelburne Road, South Burlington, VT 05403. Units will be opened for viewing immediately prior to auction. Sale shall be by sealed bid to the highest bidder. Contents of entire storage unit will be sold as one lot. The winning bid must remove all contents from the facility at no cost to BSS, on the day of auction. BSS, reserves the right to reject any bid lower that the amount owed by the occupant or that is not commercially reasonable as defined by statute.

Support Groups

A CIRCLE OF PARENTS SUPPORT GROUPS

Please join our professionally facilitated peer-led support groups designed to share our questions, concerns & struggles, as well as our resources & successes! Contribute to our discussion of the unique but shared experience of parenting. For more info or to register, please contact Heather at hniquette@ pcavt.org, 802-498-0607, pcavt.org/ family-support-programs.

AL-ANON

For families & friends of alcoholics. Phone meetings, electronic meetings (Zoom) & an Al-Anon blog are avail. online at the Al-Anon website. For meeting info, go to vermontalanonalateen.org or call 866-972-5266.

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS

If you want to drink, that’s your business. If you want to stop, that’s ours. Call the Vermont statewide anonymous hotline: 802-802-2288. Alcoholics Anonymous holds daily meetings all over Vermont, both in person & online. See burlingtonaa. org for meetings, news & events in Chittenden & Grand Isle counties. For meeting & events throughout Vermont, see aavt.org.

ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION SUPPORT GROUPS

Support groups meet to provide assistance & info on Alzheimer’s disease & related dementias. They emphasize shared experiences, emotional support & coping techniques in care for a person living w/ Alzheimer’s or a related dementia. Meetings are free & open to the public. Families, caregivers & friends may attend. Please call in advance to confirm the date & time.

The Williston caregiver support group meets in person on the 2nd & 4th Tue. of every mo., 5-6:30 p.m., at the Old Brick Church in Williston. Contact support group facilitators Molly at dugan@cathedralsquare.org or Mindy at moondog@burlingtontelecom.net.

The Middlebury support group for individuals w/ early stage dementia meets on the 4th Tue. of each mo., 3 p.m., at the Residence at Otter Creek, 350 Lodge Rd., Middlebury. Contact is Daniel Hamilton, dhamilton@ residenceottercreek.com or 802-9890097. The Shelburne support group for individuals w/ early stage dementia meets on the 1st Mon. of every mo., 2-3 p.m., at the Residence at Shelburne Bay, 185 Pine Haven Shores, Shelburne. Contact is support group facilitator Lydia Raymond, lraymond@ residenceshelburnebay.com. The telephone support group meets on the 2nd Tue. of each mo., 4-5:30 p.m. Preregistration is required (to receive dial-in codes for toll-free call). Please dial the Alzheimer’s Association’s 24/7 Helpline, 800-272-3900, for more info. For questions or additional support group listings, call 800-272-3900.

ANXIETY RELIEF GROUP

Anxiety Relief Group is a safe setting for relaxing & exploring your feelings w/ others through gentle socialization & self-expression, building up what makes you centered & strong. Wed., 4-5:30 p.m. Both in-person & Zoom options avail. In-person meetings are held at the Pathways Vermont Community Center at 279 N. Winooski Ave. in Burlington. Email us for

the Zoom link & more info: pvcc@ pathwaysvermont.org.

BRAIN INJURY SUPPORT GROUP

Vermont Center for Independent Living offers virtual monthly meetings, held on the 3rd Wed. of every mo., 1-2:30 p.m. The support group will offer valuable resources & info about brain injury. It will be a place to share experiences in a safe, secure & confidential environment. To join, email Linda Meleady at lindam@vcil. org & ask to be put on the TBI mailing list. Info: 800-639-1522.

BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR DRAGON BOAT TEAM

Looking for a fun way to do something active & health-giving? Want to connect w/ other breast cancer survivors? Come join Dragonheart Vermont. We are a breast cancer survivor & supporter dragon boat team who paddle together in Burlington. Please contact us at info@dragonheartvermont.org for info.

BURLINGTON MEN’S PEER GROUP

Tue. nights, 7-9 p.m., in Burlington. Free of charge, 30 years running. Call Neils: 802-877-3742.

CONVERSATIONS ABOUT SUICIDE

Conversations About Suicide is a judgment-free & open space to talk about personal experiences of suicidal ideation. The group is facilitated by peer support staff w/ lived experience of suicidality. Thu., 4-5 p.m., at Pathways Vermont Community Center, located at 279 N. Winooski Ave. in Burlington. Email us for more info: pvcc@pathwaysvermont.org.

DISABILITY SUPPORT GROUP

Our group is a space for mutual support, open to anybody who identifies as disabled, differently abled or having a disability. Whether your disability is visible, invisible, physical or cognitive, this group is for you! The group meets every Mon., 1:15-2:15 p.m., at 279 N. Winooski Ave. in Burlington & online on Zoom. Email us for the Zoom link & more info: pvcc@ pathwaysvermont.org.

FCA FAMILY SUPPORT GROUP

Families Coping with Addiction (FCA) is an open community peer support group for adults (18+) struggling w/ the drug or alcohol addiction of a loved one. FCA is not 12-step-based but provides a forum for those living the family experience, in which to develop personal coping skills & to draw strength from one another. Our group meets every Wed., 5:30-6:30 p.m., live in person in the conference room at the Turning Point Center of Chittenden County (179 S. Winooski Ave., Burlington), &/or via our parallel Zoom session to accommodate those who cannot attend in person. The Zoom link can be found on the Turning Point Center website (turningpointcentervt.org) using the “Family Support” tab (click on “What We Offer”). Any questions, please send by email to tdauben@aol.com.

FIERCELY FLAT VT

A breast cancer support group for those who’ve had mastectomies. We are a casual online meeting group found on Facebook at Fiercely Flat VT. Info: stacy.m.burnett@gmail.com.

CONTACT CLASSIFIEDS@SEVENDAYSVT.COM OR 802-865-1020 EXT. 115 TO UPDATE YOUR SUPPORT GROUP

FOOD ADDICTS IN RECOVERY ANONYMOUS (FA)

Are you having trouble controlling the way you eat? FA is a free 12-step recovery program for anyone suffering from food obsession, overeating, under-eating or bulimia. Local meetings are held on Mon., 4-5:30 p.m., via Zoom. For more info & a list of additional meetings throughout the U.S. & the world, call 603-630-1495 or visit foodaddicts.org.

FRESH START: A TOBACCO/VAPE QUIT WORKSHOP

Join a free 4- or 5-week group workshop facilitated by our coaches, who are certified in tobacco treatment. We meet in a friendly, relaxed & virtual atmosphere. You may qualify for a free limited supply of nicotine replacement therapy. Info: call 802847-7333 or email quittobaccoclass@ uvmhealth.org to get signed up, or visit myhealthyvt.org to learn more about upcoming workshops.

GRIEF SUPPORT GROUPS

Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice in Berlin offers 2 6-week support groups. Surviving the Loss meets on Mon., 4-5:30 p.m. There are 4 different 6-week offerings: Feb. 3, 10, 17, 21, Mar. 3, 10; May 5, 12, 19, Jun. 2, 9, 16; Sep. 15, 22, 29, Oct. 6, 13, 20; Nov. 17, 24, Dec. 1, 8, 15, 22. Spouse/Partner Loss meets on Wed., 10-11:30 a.m. There are 3 different 6-week offerings: Apr. 16, 23, 30, May 7, 14, 21; Aug. 6, 13, 20, 27, Sep. 3, 10; Nov. 12, 19, 26, Dec. 3, 10, 17. They also offer an 11-week Journaling Through Grief support group. Please call 802-224-2241 to preregister. For any questions, contact Diana Moore at 802-224-2241 or dmoore@cvhhh.org. Groups may meet in person or over Zoom.

GRIEVING A LOSS SUPPORT GROUP

A retired psychotherapist & an experienced life coach host a free meeting for those grieving the loss of a loved one. The group meets upstairs at All Souls Interfaith Gathering in Shelburne. There is no fee for attending but donations are gladly accepted. Meetings are held on the 1st & 3rd Sat. of every mo., 10-11:30 a.m. If you are interested in attending please register at allsoulsinterfaith.org. (More information about the group leader at pamblairbooks.com.)

HEARING VOICES SUPPORT GROUP

This Hearing Voices Group seeks to find understanding of voice-hearing experiences as real lived experiences that may happen to anyone at any time. We choose to share experiences, support & empathy. We validate anyone’s experience & stories about their experience as their own, as being an honest & accurate representation of their experience, & as being acceptable exactly as they are. Tue., 2:30-4 p.m. Pathways Vermont Community Center, 279 North Winooski Ave., Burlington. Email us for more information: pvcc@pathwaysvermont.org

INTERSTITIAL CYSTITIS/PAINFUL BLADDER SUPPORT GROUP

Interstitial cystitis (IC) & painful bladder syndrome can result in recurring pelvic pain, pressure or discomfort in the bladder/pelvic region & urinary frequency/urgency. These are often misdiagnosed & mistreated as a chronic bladder infection. If you have been diagnosed or have these symptoms, you are not alone. For

Vermont-based support group, email bladderpainvt@gmail.com or call 802-735-5735 for more info.

KINDRED CONNECTIONS PROGRAM OFFERED FOR CHITTENDEN COUNTY CANCER SURVIVORS

The Kindred Connections program provides peer support for all those touched by cancer. Cancer patients, as well as caregivers, are provided w/ a mentor who has been through the cancer experience & knows what it’s like to go through it. In addition to sensitive listening, Kindred Connections provides practical help such as rides to doctors’ offices & meal deliveries. The program has people who have experienced a wide variety of cancers. For further info, please contact info@vcsn.net.

LIVING THROUGH LOSS

Gifford Medical Center is announcing the restart of its grief support group, Living Through Loss. The program is sponsored by the Gifford Volunteer Chaplaincy Program & will meet weekly on Fri., 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., in Gifford’s Chun Chapel. Meetings will be facilitated by the Rev. Timothy Eberhardt, spiritual care coordinator, & Emily Pizzale MSW, LICSW, a Gifford social worker. Anyone who has experienced a significant loss over the past year or so is warmly invited to attend & should enter through the hospital’s main entrance wearing a mask on the way to the chapel. Meetings will be based on the belief that, while each of us is on a unique journey in life, we all need a safe place to pause, to tell our stories &, especially as we grieve, to receive the support & strength we need to continue along the way.

MARIJUANA ANONYMOUS

Are you questioning the role marijuana plays in your life? Check out Freed From Weed, a free Marijuana Anonymous 12-step group. Mon., 7 p.m., at First United Methodist Church (Red Door Church), 21 Buell St., Burlington. Contact: jointsession@ newenglandma.org.

MYELOMA SUPPORT GROUP

Area myeloma survivors, families & caregivers have come together to form a Multiple Myeloma Support Group. We provide emotional support, resources about treatment options, coping strategies & a support network by participating in the group experience w/ people who have been through similar situations. 3rd Tue. of every mo., 5-6 p.m., on Zoom. Info: Kay Cromie, 655-9136, kgcromey@aol.com.

NAMI SUPPORT GROUP MEETINGS

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Vermont offers several Connection Peer Support Groups & Family Support Groups that meet virtually &/or in person throughout the state. All groups are confidential, volunteer-led & 100% free. Find a group that suits your needs at namivt. org/support-groups.

NARCANON BURLINGTON GROUP

Group meets every Mon. at 7 p.m., at the Turning Point Center, 179 S. Winooski Ave., Suite 301, Burlington. The only requirement for membership is that there be a problem of addiction in a relative or friend. Info: Amanda H., 338-8106.

NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS Narcotics Anonymous is a group of recovering addicts who live without

the use of drugs. It costs nothing to join. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop using. Held in Burlington, St Albans, Morrisville, Barre & Stowe. Info, 833-436-6166 or cvana.org.

NEW (& EXPECTING) MAMAS & PAPAS & EVERY PRIMARY CAREGIVER TO A BABY

Drop-in play every day: The Children’s Room is open Mon.-Fri. for anyone w/children ages 0-6 to come & play. Check the TCR calendar for hours & school closure days. Caregiver & Baby Circle: Weekly drop-in on Mon., 11 a.m., at the Children’s Room. We are pleased to offer a weekly gathering for babies (0-18 mos.) & their caregivers, sponsored by Good Beginnings & hosted by the Children’s Room. Nature Explorations: Tue,, 10-11:30 a.m., at various trailheads in the area. Get outside for some fresh air & fun! Every week we go to a different trailhead or natural area to explore. Ages 0-6; carriers are helpful for little ones. Email childrensroom@huusd.org to sign up; enrollment is always open. Music & Movement: drop-in, Wed., 10:30-11:30 a.m., at the Children’s Room in Brookside Primary School. We begin by singing songs & moving together & allow time at the end to play w/ instruments, as well as time for adults & kids to socialize. Ages 0-6. Exploration & Art Fridays: drop-in, Fri., anytime from 9 a.m.-noon at the Children’s Room in Brookside Primary School. We’ll be engaging in different hands-on explorations & using various mediums every week — sometimes combined. Come to TCR to explore, play & create!

OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS (OA)

A 12-step program for people who identify as overeaters, compulsive eaters, food addicts, anorexics, bulimics, etc. No matter what your problem w/ food, we have a solution! All are welcome, meetings are open, & there are no dues or fees. See oavermont. org/meeting-list for the current meeting list, meeting format & more, or call 802-863-2655 anytime!

PARKINSON’S MUTUAL AID GROUP For individuals & caregivers dealing w/ the challenges of Parkinson’s, we meet to share resources & practical ideas for improving quality of life. This in-person group is free & open to the public. Every 2nd Tue. of the mo., 2-3 p.m., at the Old Meeting House, 1620 Center Rd., East Montpelier. Please contact admin@oldmeetinghouse.org or 229-9593.

PROSTATE CANCER SUPPORT GROUP

The Champlain Valley Prostate Cancer Support Group meets online on the 2nd Tue. of the mo., 6-7:30 p.m., via Zoom. Whether you are newly diagnosed, dealing w/ a reoccurrence or trying to manage the side effects of treatment, you are welcome here! More info: Andy Hatch, group leader, ahatch63@gmail.com.

RECOVERY DHARMA

Recovery Dharma uses Buddhist practices & principles to help people recover from all kinds of addictions & addictive behaviors. This peer led, non-theistic group offers opportunities to deepen understanding, explore personal inquiry & connect w/ others. We meet every Wed. from 6:30-7:30 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Burlington (the Red Door Church, 21 Buell Street). Enter through

the administrative office door (at far left when viewed from Buell St.) We also meet on Thu., 1-2 p.m., at the Turning Point Center, 179 N. Winooski Ave., Burlington. No meditation experience required; all are welcome. Email rd.burlington.vt@gmail.com for more information.

SMART RECOVERY

We welcome anyone, including family & friends, affected by any kind of substance or activity addiction. SMART Recovery is an abstinence-oriented program based on the science of addiction treatment & recovery.

Online: Sun., 5 p.m. Info: meetings. smartrecovery.org/meetings/1868.

Face-to-face: Thu., 1:15 p.m., & Fri., 5:30 p.m., at the Turning Point Center of Chittenden County. Family & Friends online, Mon., 7 p.m. Info: meetings. smartrecovery.org/meetings/6337. Volunteer facilitator, Bert: 399-8754. You can learn more at smartrecovery. org.

SEX & LOVE ADDICTS ANONYMOUS

12-step recovery group. Do you have a problem w/ sex or relationships? We can help. Info: Shawn, 660-2645. Visit slaafws.org or saa-recovery.org for meetings near you.

SEXUAL VIOLENCE SUPPORT

HOPE Works offers free support groups to women, men & teens who

are survivors of sexual violence. Groups are avail. for survivors at any stage of the healing process. Intake for all support groups is ongoing. If you are interested in learning more or would like to schedule an intake to become a group member, please call our office at 864-0555, ext. 19, or email our victim advocate at advocate@ sover.net. Visit hopeworksvt.com for more information.

STEPS SUPPORT GROUP

Steps offers a weekly support group w/ drop-in options for those who have experienced or who have been affected by domestic violence. Women’s Support Group meets virtually every Tue., 5-6:30 p.m. Gender Inclusive Support Group meets virtually every Thu., 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Both groups offer a safe, supportive & confidential place to connect w/ others, heal & recover. For more info, call us at 6581996 or email steps@stepsvt.org.

STUTTERING SUPPORT GROUPS

We offer 3 monthly National Stuttering Association (NSA) stuttering support groups for adults, teens & school-age children (7-12). Meetings take place monthly at UVM & by Zoom. Contact burlingtonstutters@gmail. com for more information.

SUICIDE HOTLINES IN VT

Brattleboro, 257-7989; Montpelier (Washington County Mental Health Emergency Services), 229-0591; Randolph (Clara Martin Center Emergency Service), 800-639-6360.

SUPPORT GROUP FOR WOMEN Group for women who have experienced intimate partner abuse. Facilitated by Circle (Washington Co. only). Please call 877-543-9498 for more info.

SURVIVORS OF SUICIDE: SOUTH BURLINGTON

This group is for people experiencing the impact of the loss of a loved one to suicide. 1st Wed. of each mo., 6-7:30 p.m., at the Comfort Inn & Suites, 3 Dorset St., S. Burlington. Info: Bob Purvee at 922-4283 or ripurvee1@ yahoo.com, or Aya Kuki at 881-3606 or ayakokuki@gmail.com

THE COMPASSIONATE FRIENDS SUPPORT GROUP

The Compassionate Friends international support group for parents, siblings & families grieving the loss of a child meets every 4th Tue. of the mo., 7-8:30 p.m., at St. John Vianney Catholic Church, 160 Hinesburg Rd, S. Burlington. Call/email Alan at 802-233-0544, alanday88@gmail. com, or Claire at 802-448-3569.

TRANS & GENDER-NONCONFORMING SUPPORT GROUP

As trans & GNC people in the world, we experience many things that are unique to our identities. For that reason, the Transgender Program hosts a support group for our community on the 1st & 3rd Wed. of every mo., 6:30-8 p.m., virtually & on the 2nd & 4th Wed. of every mo., 6:30-8 p.m. at Pride Center of Vermont. The Trans & GNC Support group is for Vermonters at all stages of their gender journey to come together to socialize, discuss issues that are coming up in their lives & build community. We welcome anyone whose identity falls under the trans, GNC, intersex & nonbinary umbrellas, & folks questioning their gender identity. Email safespace@ pridecentervt.org w/ any questions, comments or accessibility concerns.

TRANS PARENT GROUP

This support group is for adult family members & caregivers of queer &/or questioning youth. It is held on the 1st Mon. of every mo., 6-7:30 p.m., online, & on the 3rd Mon. of every mo., 6-7:30 p.m., at Outright Vermont, 241 N. Winooski Ave., Burlington. This group is for adults only. For more info, email info@outrightvt.org.

TRANSGUARDIANS SUPPORT GROUP

We will be in community w/ parents of trans kids of all ages & supporting each other w/ storytelling, listening, learning & love. If we want to protect our trans kids, our 1st line of defense is uplifting their parents & guardians! This is a peer-support group & will be facilitated by Alison & Shawna. 4th Tue. of every mo., 5:30-7:30 p.m., at Rainbow Bridge Community Center. Contact 622-0692 or info@ rainbowbridgevt.org. or go to rainbowbridgevt.org.

TRAUMA SUPPORT GROUP

Our group is a space for mutual support for everyone who is living w/ mental/emotional trauma. The group meets every Fri., 2:15-3:15 p.m., at 279 N. Winooski Ave. in Burlington & online on Zoom. Email us for the Zoom link & more info: pvcc@ pathwaysvermont.org.

WAREHOUSE ASSOCIATE

ATTENTION RECRUITERS:

POST YOUR JOBS AT: JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POST-A-JOB PRINT DEADLINE: NOON ON MONDAYS (INCLUDING HOLIDAYS) FOR RATES & INFO: MICHELLE BROWN, 802-865-1020 X121, MICHELLE@SEVENDAYSVT.COM

HOPE is looking for a new team member to assist in the warehouse at Marion’s Place, our resale store. Duties include assisting in moving furniture & other items, pickups and deliveries, and some general custodial tasks. The ideal candidate will have excellent communication skills, be able to work as part of a team, able to stand for periods of time and lift heavy items. Forklift experience and experience driving a box truck would be a plus. 25 – 29 hours a week. To apply, send resume and letter of interest to receptionist@hope-vt.org, with subject “warehouse associate.”

Veterinary Receptionist/ Patient Care Coordinator

Qi Veterinary Clinic

We’re looking for someone who is:

• Passionate

• A strong communicator in person, via email and phone

• Loves animals and the people who care for them

This is a full-time position consisting of four 10 hour shifts per week. Pay range is $20$25 and includes the following benefits:

• 40 hrs paid personal/sick time per year

• 80 hrs paid vacation time/year

• 52 hrs paid major Holidays/year

• $2,600 contribution towards healthcare premium per year

• Simple IRA with matching up to 3%

• Staff Lunches 2-3 times/week

Serious applicants must submit a cover letter telling us why you’re the right person for us, a resume and 3 references. One reference must be from a direct supervisor. Send resumes: therese@Qivet.com

Looking to be part of a tight-knit nursing leadership team that supports growth and collaboration?

• House Supervisor

Serve as a clinical resource to all departments across organization.

• OR Nurse Manager Lead dynamic team through upcoming Operating Room expansion.

• PACU Nurse Manager Manage pre- and post-op care for a variety of surgeries.

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

Songadeewin of Keewaydin seeks a highly qualified, detail- and systems-oriented administrative assistant to run the camp office full time this summer. Songadeewin of Keewaydin is a summer camp for girls on Lake Dunmore in Salisbury, Vermont which specializes in wilderness canoe tripping, with a capacity of roughly 200 campers and a staff of 75. Proficiency required in Microsoft & Google Suite as well as ability to learn our camp database and organizational systems. Dates include training: July 10 - August 21, 2025. Salary, if commuting $20/hour. Salary, if living on campus, $475/wk with room and board provided. 75% tuition benefit for children to attend a Keewaydin camp.

For more about Songadeewin & Keewaydin, visit keewaydin.org To apply or view a full job description, please email your resume to Annette Franklin: annette@keewaydin.org

JOB TRAINING. WELL DONE.

Community Kitchen Academy (CKA) is a 9-week job training program featuring: Hands on learning, national ServSafe certification, job placement support and meaningful connections to community. Plus... the tuition is FREE and weekly stipends are provided for income eligible students! At CKA you’ll learn from professional chefs in modern commercial kitchens and graduate with the skills and knowledge to build a career in food service, food systems and other related fields. Throughout the course, you’ll develop and apply new skills by preparing food that would otherwise be wasted. The food you cook is then shared with neighbors via community food shelves and meal sites. CKA is a program of the Vermont Foodbank, operated in partnership with Capstone Community Action in Barre.

Next session starts August 4 in Barre. Apply: vtfoodbank.org/cka

Hazardous Waste Facility Operator

Come do good work with a great team!

Full-time, $25.16 – 32.70/hr + generous benefits (paid leave, retirement plan with match, 100% medical/dental/vision for employee + family).

Location: Berlin, VT

See CVSWMD.org for details.

Sta Psychologists

$5,000 sign on bonus for eligible candidates

The University of Vermont Medical Center is seeking Sta Psychologists to join their Comprehensive Pain Program, Child Psychiatry, and Eating Disorder programs in Burlington.

Qualiﬁcations:

• Doctoral degree in clinical psychology.

• Licensed as a psychologist-doctorate in the State of Vermont.

• Minimum 3 years’ post-licensure experience in Clinical Psychology preferred

For more information and to apply, please visit uvmhealthnetworkcareers.org/sta psych_sevendays

The University of Vermont Medical Center is an equal opportunity employer.

EMS Captain-Paramedic, Crew Chief/Driver Paramedic, Crew Chief/Driver AEMT

Shelburne Rescue has open positions for EMS CaptainParamedic, Crew Chief/Driver Paramedic, and Crew Chief/ Driver AEMT! Full-time and parttime positions are available. Job descriptions and applications can be found on the HR page: shelburnevt. org/237/Human-Resources

Contact Adam Backus: abackus@ shelburnevt.org or Andrew Kehl: aKehl@shelburnevt.org for info.

Why not have a job you love?

Make a career making a difference with a job in human services at Champlain Community Services.

Benefit package includes 29 paid days off in the first year, comprehensive health insurance with premium as low as $30 per month, up to $6,400 to go towards medical deductibles and copays, retirement match, generous sign on bonus and so much more.

And that’s on top of working at one of the “Best Places to Work in Vermont” for seven years in a row.

Great jobs in management and direct support at an award-winning agency serving Vermonters with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

ccs-vt.org/current-openings

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL EDUCATION

Provide District leadership and assists the Executive Director of Educational Support Systems (EDoESS) in the development of an educational support system to meet the needs of all learners. Works collaboratively with the EDoESS, Executive Director for Learning (EDOL) and the Director for Equity (DOE) in the development of professional learning for all staff. Works with the EDoESS to ensure compliance with Special Education regulations (state and federal) and that all children with instructional support needs are identified and receive an appropriate educational program through the provision of District services.

Outpatient Psychotherapist

Riverside | Community Health Centers of Vermont

Education & Experience: Master’s degree in Special Education or related field. Classroom/special education teaching experience required. Three years of successful related professional practice & administrative/leadership experience required.

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Licenses and/or Certificates: Valid Vermont Educator License with Special Education endorsement and Director of Special Education endorsement, Valid Vermont Driver’s License.

We’re hiring and there’s never been a more exciting time to join our team!

State Policy Manager

Systems Change Manager

If you’re driven by purpose, energized by people, and committed to making a real difference in systems of care, we invite you to explore our current job openings. Join us in making a lasting difference.

Please submit your resume and cover letter: Cathy Aikman at cathy@vermontcarepartners.org Application deadline: June 30, 2025.

Other Skills and Abilities: Proficient in the use of a personal computer and related software including presentation, word processing, and spreadsheet experience. Effective organization, planning skills and demonstrated ability to manage multiple tasks are required. Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing, and to maintain effective working relationships with others is essential. Demonstrated knowledge and skill in the areas of: leadership, student assessment, instruction and delivery systems, teacher evaluation, and special education law, and finances are essential. Experienced in budget planning and monitoring preferred. Knowledge of English Language Learners and Homeless student procedures and protocols. Ability to perform duties with awareness of all district requirements and School Board policies as it relates to the job responsibilities is essential. Demonstrated ongoing commitment to workplace diversity, sustainability, and delivering exceptional customer service is essential. Apply online: schoolspring.com/jobdetail?jobId=5051816

We are seeking a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) or Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC) to provide outpatient psychotherapy services at our Riverside location. You’ll play a critical role in helping patients navigate life’s challenges by offering skilled assessment, diagnosis, and evidence-based treatment for mental health and substance use disorders. You’ll also connect patients to the broader support systems they need—like case management, transportation, and community resources.

WHAT YOU

BRING

• MSW from a CSWE-accredited program, CMHC degree from CACREP-accredited program, or PhD/PsyD

• Active Vermont LCSW or LCMHC licensure (Required)

• 3–5 years of clinical experience preferred (not required)

• CPR certification (Required)

WHY WORK AT CHC?

Because We Care—for You, Too.

We offer a competitive benefits package designed to support your well-being and your future:

Ready to make a lasting impact in the lives of Vermonters?

Apply now to join a team where your work truly matters.

JUNE 18-25, 2025

ATTENTION RECRUITERS:

"Sidekick" - Direct Support for young adults with disabilities

Join our team at the Yellow House community! At the Yellow House Community, we support a community of five Friends (residents) with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities to live their best lives. Days are full of fun and educational activities, including cooking, gardening, hiking, swimming, skiing, music, community outings, crafting, and much more! We are looking to hire two team players who are patient, reliable, and love to have FUN for the following roles:

1 DAYTIME SIDEKICK (7am - 3pm)

1 EVENING SIDEKICK (3pm - 9pm)

United States Probation Officer

U.S. Probation Officers work for the federal court, conduct bail and presentence investigations, and supervise individuals released to federal community supervision. The District of Vermont is currently hiring one officer. The minimum requirement is a bachelor's degree in an approved major. The position is hazardous duty law enforcement with a maximum age of 37 at appointment. Prior to appointment, applicants considered for this position will undergo a full background investigation, as well as undergo a medical examination and drug screening. Starting salary range is from $60,340 to $117,565 (CL 27 to CL 28), depending on qualifications. For further information and application instructions, please visit vtp.uscourts.gov/career-opportunities Deadline for complete applications is the close of business June 20, 2025. E.O.E.

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3 shift minimum required. Located in downtown Middlebury.

FULL or PART TIME ★ $19 - $23/HR. ★ HIGHER RATES FOR WEEKENDS PAID TIME OFF ★ RETIREMENT ★ WELLNESS BENEFIT HEALTH ALLOWANCE (FT) ★ FLEXIBLE SCHEDULING

To apply, visit: yellowhousecommunity.com or email Lis at lisyellowhouse@gmail.com to learn more! 4t-YellowHouseCommunity061125.indd

Communications & Marketing Specialist

The Communications & Marketing Specialist collaborates with the development and communications team on the implementation of all communications strategies, initiatives and products to significantly lift MC’s profile in the community and state. The ideal candidate has excellent writing skills that work across various channels, including digital, print, and social media, graphic design skills, experience with website content creation, and is comfortable with event and project management. They have a passion for our mission and a willingness to learn and grow as a part of a team.

Part-time, 16-20 hours per week, days and times TBD. Hourly rate: $25 an hour

Development Specialist

The Development Specialist collaborates with the development and communications team to help inspire support for Mercy Connections’ mission to cultivate and grow its active donor base, meet annual fundraising goals and help significantly lift MC’s profile in the community and state. This role is focused on data management, gift processing, managing mailings, prospect research, managing organizational grant calendars and portals, supporting our annual cycle of fundraising campaigns and events.

Full-time, Monday-Friday, 8:30am-4:30pm.

Hourly rate: $25 an hour

Full details: mercyconnections.org/employment

Application materials must include a resume and a letter of interest (Cover Letter) specifically addressing the desired qualifications and emailed to Alana Shaw, Finance and Operations Director at: ashaw@mercyconnections.org

Mercy Connections is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All members of the Mercy Connections community are valued as individuals.

Mental Health Clinicians

The University of Vermont Medical Center is seeking Mental Health Clinician Case Managers (LADC and/or MHC or SW) to join their team in Burlington.

Qualiﬁcations:

• Master’s degree minimum in a related ﬁeld

• Must hold current State of Vermont, Clinical Mental Health Counselor, Social Work License or Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor

• Valid LCMHC, LICSW or LADC license is required

For more information and to apply, please visit uvmhealthnetworkcareers.org/mhc_sevendays

The University of Vermont Medical Center is an equal opportunity employer.

Box Truck Driver

Are you a dependable driver who wants to do more than just deliver goods? COVER is seeking a reliable, safety-conscious Box Truck Driver to travel within a 30 minute radius of White River Junction for the timely and secure pick up of goods. Must have strong driving skills, customer service abilities, and attention to detail to ensure accurate pickups. This position is vital to our mission – helping collect the goods that fuel our store and support our home repair program. Part-time (2 to 3 days per week), ideally Wed & Thurs (some Tues). $18.00$20.50/hour. For details, visit bit.ly/BoxTruckJob

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.

HIRING IMMEDIATELY

Polyurethane foam insulation applicator helper/general laborer. Call 802-316-1374 Room for advancement

THE GRIND GOT YOU DOWN?

Trusted, local employers are hiring in Seven Days newspaper and online. Browse 100+ new job postings each week.

See who’s hiring at jobs.sevendaysvt.com Follow us on Facebook /sevendaysjobs for the latest postings PERK UP!

Office Manager

Red House is hiring an Office Manager. A fast-paced construction office is looking for someone to oversee data entry, accounts payable, payroll, and Human Resources. This is a fulltime position with flexible hours and generous benefits in a dogfriendly office. QuickBooks and QuickBooks Time experience is preferred. Human Resources background is a plus. Willing to train the right person. Please email resumes to: Chris@ redhousebuilding.com.

Laborer/ Light Equipment Operator

The City of St. Albans Public Works Department is now accepting applications for a Laborer/Light Equipment Operator. This job requires a valid VT driver’s license and a clean driving record. We are looking for a team player that will work with a dedicated, experienced crew. We have state of the art equipment; safety first work environment and o er an excellent benefit package; including clothing allowance, sick and vacation, paid holidays, health insurance and pension. This is typically a Monday thru Friday position but OT is available. Position will stay open until filled. Pay commensurate with experience. For job description and to apply, please visit stalbansvt.com/jobs. COSA is an equal opportunity employer.

Graduate Nurse Residency Program

Build your skills – with support.

Kickstart your nursing career with the support you need at our not-for-profit, rural critical access hospital. Apply for our Summer 2025 program on the Medical-Surgical Unit. Receive hands-on training with experienced preceptors, exposure to diverse patient populations, and education on essential nursing skills in a mentorship-driven atmosphere. Why NVRH? Collaborate with a dedicated team, gain valuable experience, and enjoy work-life balance in a welcoming rural community while making a meaningful impact on patients’ lives.

Requirements: Enthusiastic new graduates with a Bachelor’s or Associate’s Degree in Nursing and eligibility for a Vermont or multi-state Compact RN license. Benefits Include: Competitive compensation, student loan repayment, tuition reimbursement, paid time off, and more. About Us: Located in St. Johnsbury, Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital serves over 30,000 people in a picturesque, bustling community. Apply Now! nvrh.org/careers.

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SHARED LIVING PROVIDER

Seeking the right person to be a shared living provider for a wonderful young man who is in his mid-30's, who is primarily nonverbal and very communicative using an app on his iPad. His desire for this move is rooted in a goal to gain independence and expand his sense of belonging beyond his immediate family. The ideal home/apartment would be in the greater Montpelier area. We need someone who likes to take walks, swim and be outside, who loves to laugh, go bowling, dancing, and pizza, and bonus if you love all things Christmas!

Good communication skills and willingness to be out in the community with this young man is a must. Four nights weekly that will include two weekends monthly. Transitional schedule to start.

A focus on supporting greater independence in all activities of daily living and positive engagement in community activities as well as chill time is important to success. He has daytime staff support M, T, TH and F. 9-3. Come join his team!! Tax-free stipend and active support from Upper Valley Services, Moretown.

For an informational interview, contact Deb Reed: dreed@uvs-vt.org

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JUDICIAL ASSISTANTS

VERMONT STATE COURTS

Looking to enter the legal world and make a difference? $21.32 per hour, $22.07 after 7/13/25, permanent full-time positions in downtown Burlington. The Judicial branch of state government is rapidly expanding. We offer a competitive rate with top-notch health, dental, paid time off and pension. The successful candidate has 2 years general office experience, be a team player, good communicator, able to use technology, organized, and seeking a prestigious and professional atmosphere. EOE. For a more detailed description and how to apply see vermontjudiciary. exacthire.com/job/177307

Are you a passionate leader with a commitment to helping communities build stronger systems for climate and environmental resilience ?

Join our team as Program Officer for Climate & Environment!

We’re looking for someone eager to lead grantmaking programs and collaborative initiatives that help Vermont communities prepare for and thrive in the face of climate change.

Create positive change across Vermont. Visit vermontcf.org/careers to learn more.

or Sat 5pm-Sun 5pm, $300/day. Sun 5pm-Mon 8am, $250/partial day. Minimum required commitment is two consecutive 24-hr. shifts at least one weekend per month on average.

independent bottler of American whiskey, is seeking a Vermont-based Sales & Marketing Manager who is an excellent communicator and problem solver, and has an interest in getting to know all about whiskey. Reporting to Lost Lantern’s General Manager, this full-time role is based in Vergennes, VT, with occasional domestic travel.

See KieselsteinAutism Program.com/join-our-team for details.

The key responsibilities will include managing our social channels, overseeing content creation, designing promotional materials, promoting the Lost Lantern tasting room, building brand awareness with Vermont retailers and bars, and conducting tastings across Vermont.

An ideal candidate will have 1-3 years of experience in sales and/or marketing for a consumer packaged goods company.

Check out the full job description: lostlanternwhiskey.com. To apply, send your resume to careers@lostlanternwhiskey.com with your name and the job title in the subject.

Drop-Off Center Operator

CSWD is seeking a highly motivated individual to work at various busy Drop-Off Centers. Must enjoy interacting with the public, can operate a point-of-sale system (training provided) and be able to keep calm under pressure. Moderate to strenuous physical effort is required as is the ability to work outdoors year-round. Customer service experience a plus. Self-starters and those with a passion for recycling, composting, and waste reduction are strongly encouraged to apply.

Full-time position (Tues-Sat 7:45 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.) $20.28/hr and includes an excellent benefit package.

For more information on the position and CSWD, please visit cswd.net/about-cswd/job-openings. Submit application or resume to Amy Jewell: hr@cswd.net. This position is open until filled.

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FINISHER

ATTENTION RECRUITERS:

Finisher will be responsible for spraying a variety of projects : cabinetry, siding, trim, etc. along with using a variety of finish products. The job requires repetitive motion and ability to lift-up to 65lbs.

Candidates should be able to work independently, as well as be part of a team, and have a keen eye for detail. Must have a valid driver’s license.

Benefits package available. Pay based on experience/skill level. Email resume to info@addisonresidential.com

Foreman

New West Building Company is a high-end custom home builder based in Stowe, VT, and is seeking an experienced Foreman to lead day-to-day operations on job sites. The ideal candidate has a strong background in residential construction, is highly organized, and can e ectively manage crews and subcontractors. Salary range: $60K-90K DOE with competitive beneﬁts. For more information and to apply, please visit our website at newwestbc.com/careers

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Case Manager

The Lamoille Family Center seeks an energetic, organized, and flexible individual to provide full-time case management and crisis intervention services to 12- to 24-year-old youth and young adults. This position works as part of the Youth & Young Adult team, has significant contact with schools, social service partners and the Dept. of Children and Families. An understanding of Positive Youth Development approaches is desired.

This is a rare opportunity to be part of a dynamic, supportive, and team-oriented agency which is committed to collectively integrating its core values of Integrity, Respect, Compassion, Inclusivity, Collaboration and Positivity into its work. Vacation time, sick time, and single person health insurance benefits are included in this position.

Qualifications: A bachelor’s degree and 1 year work experience with vulnerable youth and their parents/guardians is required. Qualified candidates will have a solid understanding of positive youth development, social work, ability to organize & manage documentation, strong communication skills, and an ability to collaborate with multiple community partners. Candidates should have a knowledge of various youth focused systems of care. Travel throughout the Lamoille Valley, occasional crisis / after hours response, and some evening work required . Since travel throughout the Lamoille Valley is required, a valid Driver’s License and reliable, insured transportation are necessary.

Please send cover letter and resume to: Lamoille Family Center 480 Cady’s Falls Road Morrisville, VT 05661 or jhunsberger@lamoillefamilycenter.org

Qualifications: A bachelor’s degree and 1 year work experience with vulnerable youth and their parents/guardians is required. Qualified candidates will have a solid understanding of positive youth development, social work, ability to organize & manage documentation, strong communication skills, and an ability to collaborate with multiple community partners. Candidates should have a knowledge of various youth focused systems of care. Travel throughout the Lamoille Valley, occasional crisis / after hours response, and some evening work required. Since travel throughout the Lamoille Valley is required, a valid Driver’s License and reliable, insured transportation are necessary.

Please send cover letter and resume to: Lamoille Family Center

480 Cady’s Falls Road Morrisville, VT 05661 or jhunsberger@lamoillefamilycenter.org

FULFILLMENT TECHNICIAN, FT

Shelburne, VT

Qualiﬁcations:

• Process driven, attention to detail

• Able to lift up to 25lbs, team player

Job Summary:

The prospective candidate will be responsible for picking and packing orders. Other responsibilities may include but are not limited to cycle counting inventory, data entry, and other administrative tasks. Hours: Monday-Friday, 7:30 am to 4 pm.

Beneﬁts:

• Pay: $19.50 per hour (Hourly wage will be increased to $20.00 after probation period of 3 months)

• 401(k), Life insurance, Medical, Dental & Vision insurance

• Employee discount & monthly gratis product, Paid time o Send resume to amy@tataharper.com

“Seven Days sales rep Michelle Brown is amazing! She’s extremely responsive, and I always feel so taken care of. I can only imagine how many job connections she has facilitated for local companies in the 20 years she has been doing this.”

CAROLYN ZELLER, Intervale Center, Burlington

Community Engagement & Communications Program Specialist

The Orleans County Natural Resources Conservation District is seeking a Community Engagement and Communications Program Specialist to join their team. This position focuses on delivering a variety of communications, education, and outreach programming and services focused on OCNRCD’s program areas of soil and water quality. 30hr/ week position, based out of oﬃce in Newport in a hybrid, shared workspace. Bachelor’s degree is desired but not required with at least 2-3 years of related professional work experience. Review the full job description on their website; application due date July 14th, with later applications reviewed on a rolling basis. To apply please send your cover letter, resume and graphic samples and/or portfolios and a writing sample as one PDF to sarah. damsell@orleanscountynrcd.org.

CLIENT SYSTEM ADMINISTRATOR

This systems administration position is part of PCC’s Client Technical Services (CTS) team and focuses on maintaining our clients’ servers and network infrastructure. The position is integral to a dedicated, client-focused technical services team and requires technical expertise coupled with exceptional customer service & communication skills.

Job Responsibilities

• Troubleshoot and resolve client problems with PCCprovided hardware, operating systems, networks, and related products

• Coordinate, schedule, and perform server and other network hardware upgrades at client offices and/or remotely.

• Travel to client offices to install servers, networks, and perform necessary upgrades.

• Configure and ship physical servers and network hardware

• Provision and administer cloud-hosted servers on Google Cloud Platform and/or AWS

• Assist in administering warranty contracts on client hardware

• Perform preventative maintenance on client servers and networks

• Assist in receiving and shipping client hardware

• Provide friendly, professional technical support to PCC clients via phone, email, and support tickets.

• Support PCC Technical Specialists by handling escalated client tickets as needed.

• Assist clients in coordinating PCC and third-party vendor activities

• Advise clients in areas such as hardware selection, Internet and wide-area connectivity, remote office installations, and network planning

• Document work activities via help-desk support tickets and PCC’s Tuleap project management application

• Maintain effective technical documentation for our staff and our clients by adding and updating our Intranet Wiki

• Ensure the confidentiality of sensitive and protected information

Required Experience

• Experience as a systems administrator of mission-critical systems

• Experience supporting and maintaining business-class network equipment - firewalls, switches, wireless

• Solid understanding of TCP/IP networks and network services (DHCP, DNS, VLANs, etc)

• Desktop support experience and a good working knowledge of Windows and MacOS.

• A collaborative work style and the desire to be part of a team

• Positive, effective, written, and verbal communication with clients, coworkers, and leadership

• Appropriate sharing of knowledge and information

• Strong attention to detail

• Commitment to PCC’s mission and the mission of our clients

• Additional experience is a plus

• Administration of Linux servers, especially. Red Hat / CentOS / Rocky Linux

• Familiarity with Linux Bash, Perl, and/or Python scripting

• Experience with Proxmox virtualization and the ZFS filesystem

• Familiarity with Git version control

SOFTWARE QUALITY ASSURANCE (QA) ANALYST

We are seeking a detail-oriented and methodical QA Analyst to join our team. The ideal candidate will have a sharp eye for identifying issues, the ability to create comprehensive test scenarios and documentation, and a passion for learning. You will work closely with members of the Delivery Team, as well as the QA Community of Practice, to ensure our software is robust, reliable, and meets user expectations.

Key Responsibilities:

• Perform Delivery Team level software testing.

• Create and execute detailed, comprehensive, and wellstructured test scenarios.

• Identify, document, and track bugs using Tuleap.

• Work closely with Delivery Team members to identify testing requirements and resolve issues early in the Software Development Lifecycle.

• Help prepare for and participate in company-wide Alpha testing, Performance testing, and other testing initiatives.

• Collaborate with the Delivery Team, QA Community of Practice, and other Value Streams as appropriate in monitoring and testing bugs resulting from the various testing phases.

• Maintain and update regression test suites.

• Identify areas for improvement in our testing processes.

• Assist in maintaining a high standard of quality across all products.

• Participate and collaborate with the QA Community of Practice to create testing guidelines and strategize crossvalue stream quality initiatives.

Qualifications:

• Strong verbal and written communication skills.

• Excellent technical writing or other step-by-step documentation skills.

• Attention to detail and a passion for quality.

Nice to Have:

• Experience in software quality assurance.

• Understanding of software development life cycle (SDLC) and QA methodologies.

• Experience working in a medical office using charting and/or billing software.

Apply: https://www.pcc.com/careers/

Vermont Housing & Conser vation Board

LAOB Executive Assistant

Join our innovative and award-winning team!

The LAOB Executive Assistant role is an exciting opportunity to be a backbone support for work impacting housing opportunity and access in Vermont. This position will support all the staff, including the Co-Directors by holding the core administrative functions of the organization.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer

Candidates from diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply. We offer a comprehensive benefit package and an inclusive, supportive work environment.

For full job descriptions, salary information, and application instructions please visit vhcb.org/about-us/jobs

Director of Developmental Services

Community Associates at the Counseling Service of Addison County

Do you care deeply about Vermonters with intellectual disabilities? Are you passionate about inclusion and dignity?

CSAC is seeking a dynamic Director to lead our Developmental Service program. This role oversees a department of 100 staff providing residential, homebased, and community services to adults with intellectual disabilities and traumatic brain injuries. The Director ensures services meet community needs, staff receive the training and support they need, resources are managed efficiently, and all compliance requirements are met. As part of CSAC’s Management Team, the Director also contributes to strategic planning, advocacy, and overall administration.

The ideal candidate will have: a demonstrated history of collaborative leadership; a thorough understanding of the Vermont system of care; experience with managing a $13M+ department budget; excellent communication skills; and a Master’s Degree in a related field (preferred).

We offer competitive compensation and benefits package.

If you are ready to make a meaningful impact in Addison County - supporting families, and helping hundreds of individuals thrive, we want to hear from you.

To apply, visit csac-vt.org/careers/careers.html. Please include a cover letter. CSAC is an E.O.E.

Production Manager/Designer

Associate for Academic Budgets & Resources

Faith Development Assistant

Come work for a compassionate, justice-centered community! Do you love working with children, and keeping things organized behind the scenes? FUUSB is seeking someone to support our dynamic educational programs and coordinate childcare.

Pay: $23/hour, 20 hours/week 48 weeks/year

Flexible weekday schedule, and 3-4 Sunday mornings/monthly. Includes PTO, life insurance & employee assistance program. For more and to apply: uusociety. org/employment-opportunities

Small Town. Big Impact.

Delivery Driver CDL B

Chefs’ Warehouse

*Pay Rate $26 per hour* *Sign-On Bonus $500*

Position Summary: We are seeking a dependable, experienced CDL Delivery Driver to become a vital part of our delivery team. Physical strength and stamina, as well as a clean driving record, are needed. Delivery Drivers must be organized, efficient and professional at all times while ensuring deliveries are made accurately and on time.

What you’ll do:

• Ensure inventory stock matches delivery requirements.

• Follow set, scheduled route for daily deliveries.

• Read maps or set GPS to determine and track daily route.

• Ensure products are delivered in a timely manner.

North Country Primary Care is looking for a dedicated and compassionate Advanced Practice Provider (NP or PA) to join our close-knit team in beautiful northern Vermont. Here, you’ll do more than practice medicine—you’ll build lasting relationships, support whole-person wellness, and become a vital part of the community you serve.

• Load and organize product inventory from warehouse into your vehicle and unload products in and out of truck as needed throughout the day.

• Make sure inventory matches manifest (accompanying shipping document).

• Scan or write in confirmation of delivery upon arrival to recipient client.

• Collect signature and/or payments at delivery locales.

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This full-time position offers a mix of autonomy and collaboration in a supportive environment where your voice is valued, your work is appreciated, and your lifestyle is respected.

Gleaning Coordinator

HOPE is looking for a Gleaning Coordinator for the period of July 1 through December 31, to work an average of 24 - 30 hours a week. This person will be responsible for organizing trained volunteers to glean in local farm ﬁelds, picking up donated produce and delivering it to various sites around the county, and more. The ideal candidate will have experience with crops and ﬁeld practices, excellent communication and organizational skills, and be able to lift 50 pounds or more on a regular basis. Must also have valid driver’s license. Experience driving a truck with a trailer would be helpful.

To apply, send resume and letter of interest to receptionist@ hope-vt.org, with the subject “gleaning coordinator.”

If you’re passionate about rural health, primary care, and being part of something bigger than yourself, we’d love to meet you.

Apply today and discover what it means to thrive at North Country Primary Care.

Interested candidates may apply online and see all opportunities at: www.northcountryhospital.org/careers

Email: tcole@nchsi.org Equal Opportunity Employer

NNCCHH

• Deliver goods to specific locations determined by clients.

• Check in with warehouse on delivery progress as needed.

• Maintain and organize all delivery paperwork and deliver it to the proper personnel at the end of each shift.

• Report any accidents or vehicle issues encountered while en route, to supervisors.

• Always follow rules and regulations of the road.

• Follow all company and state enforced safety requirements for loading and unloading product.

About you:

• Possess a high school diploma or GED equivalent certification.

• Have a valid commercial driver’s license.

• Must pass a DOT physical.

• Proficient at driving and parking large vehicles.

• Physically fit and strong, able to lift 25 pounds comfortably.

• Experience using hand trucks, pallet jacks and forklifts a plus.

• Professional and pleasant disposition, able to give all clients a positive customer service experience.

• Candidate should be dependable, hardworking and an effective communicator.

• Excellent time-management and organizational skills required.

Online Application: jobs.dayforcehcm.com/en-US/tcw/ CANDIDATEPORTAL/jobs/61176

fun stuff

JEN SORENSEN

HARRY BLISS

TIM SNIFFEN

JULIANNA BRAZILL

PHIL JOHNSON

GEMINI

(MAY 21-JUN. 20)

In Finnish folklore, the Sampo is a magic artifact that generates unending wealth and good fortune. Here’s the catch: It can’t be hoarded. Its power only works when shared, passed around or made communal. I believe you are close to acquiring a less potent but still wonderful equivalent of a Sampo, Gemini. It may be an idea, a project or a way of living that radiates generosity and sustainable joy. But remember that it doesn’t thrive in isolation. It’s not a treasure to be stored up and saved for later. Share the wealth.

ARIES (Mar. 21-Apr. 19): Aries writer Joseph Campbell was a world-renowned mythologist. His theories about the classic hero archetype have inspired many writers and filmmakers, including Star Wars creator George Lucas. As a young man, Campbell crafted the blueprint for his influential work during a five-year period when he lived in a rustic shack and read books for nine hours a day. He was supremely

dedicated and focused. I recommend that you consider a similar foundation-building project, Aries. The coming months will be an excellent time for you to establish the groundwork for whatever it is you want to do for the rest of your long life.

TAURUS (Apr. 20-May 20): In Japan, komorebi refers to the dappled sunlight that streams through tree leaves. It names a subtle, ephemeral beauty that busy people might be oblivious to. Not you, I hope, Taurus! In the coming weeks, I invite you to draw on komorebi as an inspirational metaphor. Tune in to the soft illumination glimmering in the background. Be alert for flickers and flashes that reveal useful clues. Trust in the indirect path, the sideways glance, the half-remembered dream and the overheard conversation. Anything blatant and loud is probably not relevant to your interests. PS: Be keen to notice what’s not being said.

CANCER (Jun. 21-Jul. 22): Tides don’t ask for permission. They ebb and flow in accordance with an ancient gravitational intelligence that obeys its own elegant laws. Entire ecosystems rely on their steady cyclical rhythms. You, too, harbor tidal forces, Cancerian. They are partially synced up with the earth’s rivers, lakes and seas and are partially under the sway of your deep emotional power. It’s always crucial for you to be intimately aware of your tides’ flows and patterns but even more than usual right now. I hope you will trust their timing and harness their tremendous energy.

LEO (Jul. 23-Aug. 22): Some jewelers practice an ancient Korean art called keum-boo, in which they fuse pure gold to silver by heat and pressure. The result is gold that seems to bloom from within silver’s body, not just be juxtaposed on top of it. Let’s make this your metaphor for the coming weeks, Leo. I believe you will have the skill to blend two beautiful and valuable things into an asset that has the beauty and value of both — plus an extra added synergy of valuable beauty. The only problem that could possibly derail your unprecedented accomplishment might be your worry that you don’t have the power to do that. Expunge that worry, please.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sep. 22): Some Indigenous cultures keep track of time not by clocks but by natural events: “the moon when the salmon return,” “the season when shadows shorten,” “the return of the rain birds.” I encourage you to try that approach, Virgo. Your customary rigor will benefit from blending with an influx of more intuitive choices. You will be wise to explore the joys of organic timing. So just for now, I invite you to tune out the relentless ticktock. Listen instead for the hush before a threshold cracks open. Meditate on the ancient Greek concept of kairos: the prime moment to act or a potential turning point that’s ripe for activation.

LIBRA (Sep. 23-Oct. 22): Botanists speak of “serotiny,” a plant’s ability to delay seed release until the environment is just right. Some pine cones, for instance, only open after a fire. What part of you has been patiently waiting, Libra? What latent brilliance has not been ready to emerge until now? The coming weeks will offer catalytic conditions — perhaps heat, perhaps disruption, perhaps joy — that will be exactly what’s needed to unleash the fertile potency. Have faith that your seeds will draw on their own wild intelligence.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): One of your superpowers is your skill at detecting what’s unfolding beneath the surfaces. It’s almost like you have X-ray vision. Your ability to detect hidden agendas, buried secrets and underground growth is profound. But in the coming weeks, I urge you to redirect your attention. You will generate good fortune for yourself if you turn your gaze to what lies at the horizon and just beyond. Can you sense the possibilities percolating at the edges of your known world? Can you sync up your intuitions with the future’s promises? Educated guesses will be indistinguishable from true prophecies.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):

Sagittarius-born Wassily Kandinsky (18661944) got a degree in law and economics and began a career teaching those subjects at the university level. But at age 30, he had a conversion experience. It was triggered when he saw a thrilling exhibit of French impressionist painters and heard an enthralling opera by Richard Wagner. Soon he flung

himself into a study of art, embarking on an influential career that spanned decades. I am predicting that you will encounter inspirations of that caliber, Sagittarius. They may not motivate you as drastically as Kandinsky’s provocations, but they could revitalize your life forever.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): The ancient Egyptians revered the River Nile’s annual flooding, which brought both disruption and renewal. It washed away old plant matter and debris and deposited fertile silt that nourished new growth. In the coming weeks, Capricorn, I suspect you will experience a metaphorical flood: a surge of new ideas, opportunities and feelings that temporarily unsettle your routines. Rather than focusing on the inconvenience, I suggest you celebrate the richness this influx will bring. The flow will ultimately uplift you, even if it seems messy at first.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Medieval stonemasons worked not just in service to the immediate structures they made. They imagined eternity, laying foundation blocks in cathedrals they knew they would never live to see completed. I think you are being invited to do similar work: soulful construction whose fruits may not ripen for a while. A provocative conversation you have soon may echo for years. A good habit you instill could become a key inheritance for your older self. So think long, wide and slow, dear Aquarius. Not everything must produce visible worth this season. Your prime offerings may be seeds for the future. Attend to them with reverence.

PISCES (Feb. 19-Mar. 20): In the frigid parts of planet Earth, some glaciers sing. As they shift and crack and melt, they emit tones: groans, pulses, crackles and whooshes. I believe your soul will have a similar inclination in the coming weeks, Pisces: to express mysterious music as it shifts and thaws. Some old logjam or stuck place is breaking open within you, and that’s a very good thing. Don’t ignore or neglect this momentous offering. And don’t try to translate it into logical words too quickly. What story does your trembling tell? Let the deep, restless movements of your psyche resound.

Since 1996, Whistling Man Schooner Company has hosted thousands of tourists and locals on sailboat rides around Lake Champlain. Seven Days’ Eva Sollberger took a sunset cruise on the Friend Ship, a classic sailing sloop. It got good wind and sailed around Juniper Island.

WOMEN seeking...

NATURE-LOVING FRUGALIST

CREATIVE

I’ve been a homebody lately but really want to get back to nature. I love a man who can use his hands to create or fix. Will share photos with the right connection. I love creating, being in nature — just simple things. Trying to find the world’s last semihonest man to spend time with. I’m 5’4”, about 122 lbs., piercings: only two, I’m not a human pincushion. LOL. Sadie407, 47, seeking: M

MY DOG DOESN’T TALK MUCH

I might be spending some time in Vermont this summer, and it would be great getting to know you! Coffee? Lunch? Dinner or a walk? My dog loves to do all of those things with me, but unfortunately he’s not much of a conversationalist. I’m looking for friends to share conversation, meals, and the big and little things in life.

EnjoyNature, 72, seeking: M, l

IF YOU LIKE PIÑA COLADAS

Middle-aged, dog-loving woman with a badass job, sharp humor and no patience for small talk. You: stable, kind, weird in the best way. Let’s laugh over dinner, maybe escape town (separate rooms!) and see what happens — no pressure, no script, just two grown-ups figuring out if this could be something worth exploring. vtpinacoladagirl 49, seeking: M

WANT TO RESPOND?

You read Seven Days, these people read Seven Days — you already have at least one thing in common!

All the action is online. Create an account or login to browse hundreds of singles with profiles including photos, habits, desires, views and more. It’s free to place your own profile online.

l See photos of this person online.

W = Women

M = Men

TW = Trans women

TM = Trans men

Q = Genderqueer people

NBP = Nonbinary people

NC = Gender nonconformists

Cp = Couples

Gp = Groups

SEEKING AUTHENTIC CONNECTION

Charmingly active and young-for-myyears woman looking to share my life and experiences with an intelligent, romantic and genuine man. I’m passionate about social justice and progressive ideas. I’d love for you to join me for dancing, skiing, cooking, writing poems and exploring open-heartedness.

VTJewel 75 seeking: M, l

DO YOU LIKE INNER STILLNESS?

Looking for someone with a similar lifestyle, not a tagalong. Someone desiring relationship as a life journey. I observe some who want to use another as escape or rescue from having a relationship with themselves, to avoid loneliness, to fit in, or just because it’s what they’ve always done. If that’s you, it’s not me you’re looking for.

NotOutOfTheWoodsYet 61, seeking: M

FINDING JOY AND LOVE

Opening my life and heart to experiencing the joy and love that exists in between the spaces of this troubled world. Looking for a partner for traveling to amazing places, communing with the forest fairies and mycelium networks, and playing in the water. Young at heart, embraces the wonders of this life, has compassion for the difficulties facing our planet and its inhabitants. Halfpint 72, seeking: M, l

SMART FUNNY ROMANTIC

SEEKS SAME

Are you an optimist? Enjoy an active, engaged lifestyle? Downhill skier a plus. Romantic, fun-loving person seeking someone who loves music, traveling, hiking, biking, concerts and comedy. I’m living a full life, but if it can be enhanced with a partner, I’m up for that. If you think the cup is half empty, do not apply! apresski711, 68 seeking: M, l

DRAMA-FREE!

Mom of two. One grown, one at home. Vermonter, born and raised. Water is my happy place, especially the ocean. I work part time. Divorced 17 years, single most of that. Ready to try again. Could you be the one? poeticbabs 55, seeking: M, l

HIKING BOOTS AND FUN EARRINGS

I’m happiest when in the forest with snacks! I care about social and environmental justice and hope to leave my corner of the earth better than I found it. Outgoing introvert. I value solitude but am also fun at parties (especially if given enough caffeine). Looking for an outdoorsy guy with compassion and good sense of humor. Trailhobbit 30, seeking: M, l

WHY WE’RE HERE

Looking for friendship and joy. I’m a dog- and cat-loving, independent, outdoorsy and indoorsy central Vermonter. I’m a busy volunteer. I love to hike, read, write, think, make things and help out. I am most comfortable with people who are confident, independent, liberal and very kind. Let’s go have some amazing adventures while we still have our marbles!

FourSeasons 67 seeking: M, l

KIND, CUTE TRAVELING PUMPKIN

I am a kind person who cares deeply for those in my life. Family is very important to me. I love to cook. Take pride in taking care of my home. Love kayaking, camping. I want to find someone who loves to go on spontaneous adventures, stay up too late, get lost. I also love to travel, Netflix and chill. Rosebud47, 28, seeking: M, l

I’M OLD SCHOOL

It’s been almost three years now. I’m a hardworking woman looking for dinner and a movie and wonderful company. Lmhemond 59, seeking: M, l

MOUNTAIN GAL

Curious, crunchy, adventurous and independent. You can find me outdoors exploring the woods, wandering up streams, saying hey to all the plants and critters. I love to learn and care deeply about community. Looking for someone who is intelligent, goofy, resourceful, engaged in their community and actively pursuing their passions — be that through work or extracurriculars. spottedsalamander 29, seeking: M, l

OPEN TO MOST THINGS

I work a great deal because it is also my passion and purpose. I care about doing what is right even if it’s harder. I’m patient, to an extent, and can be coaxed into having fun. Cleeb4381 43, seeking: M

GLASS HALF FULL, WILLING TO SHARE

Kind, smart, intuitive, SWW, 63, with a wry sense of humor. Financially independent and resourceful, civic-minded, and involved in the community. Health conscious in body, mind and spirit. Work part time at a job I love and am ready for more. More travel, more play and deeper connection. Seeking meaningful relationship with vital, active, emotionally available and intellectually curious man. Is that you? Love2Read 63, seeking: M, l

EXPLORER

Creative, reflective, edgy, sarcastic, traveler, independent, generous, fair. titanbuff 77, seeking: M, l

MEN seeking...

TO ENJOY THE NEXT CHAPTER

I’m really interested in a relationship with you if you’re interested in traveling and/or day trips. Just sipping an adult beverage, and not getting stupid drunk, next to an open fire or just by the fireplace. Someone who wants a lot of passion, compassion and to be treated like the great lady that you are. Fac3102 66 seeking: W, l

DISCREET, NSA MAN FOR WOMAN Missing intimacy in a complicated situation. joeking1298 53, seeking: W

ADVENTURE IS MY LOVE LANGUAGE

I like hiking, visiting museums, reading, video games, but I’m undecided on long walks on the beach and piña coladas. I crack a lot of jokes; there are pieces everywhere. I can hold on to an apartment, a car, a job, but not a train of thought. If this sounds appealing, hit me up. TwitchyRabbit, 34 seeking: W, l

MUSICAL, ACTIVE AND PLAYFUL

I am in the process of a gentle divorce. I am retired, and I would love to find someone to sing or play music with as well as getting exercise outdoors. Please look at my profile online for more info. Comfyguy 64, seeking: W, l

LOOKING FOR EXCITEMENT

Just looking for excitement and a break from the everyday-to-day tasks. db0103, 40, seeking: W

I’M OFTEN CALLED MARK HELPIN

Full of energy, laughter, curiosity and the kind of spirit that says, “Why not?” I live for music, whether it’s getting lost in a live show, jamming on my guitar or psyching myself up for my first open mic. I love to dance, camp under the stars, soak in hot tubs, and have deep talks that lead to big laughs. MarkHalpin1965 59, seeking: W, Cp, Gp, l

FUN AND OPEN-MINDED

I’m looking for a sweet, submissive woman to spoil me and end up being spoiled through my loving and caring nature. I’m in pretty good shape. I love women who take care of themselves. Your reward is me showing you great affection. Summer of love? 8ohdude 54, seeking: W

LET’S SHARE LIFE’S ADVENTURE!

I have a lot of love and adventure in me to give! I am a caring and passionate person. I don’t ask for much! Life is full of adventure and I am yearning to share this adventure with someone special! Let’s have a chat and see where the adventure goes! Virtualpilot, 47, seeking: W, l

ARTSY AND FUNNY

Bald, funny (looking) and slightly musical dude seeks friendship, laughs, deep explorations of the arts and a perhaps slightly serious relationship. Adores the Earth and the outdoors, all animals domesticated and wild, and the mythical power of the universe. Owns some nice land and a small house. All shapes and sizes and hair and personalities and religions and lifestyles respected. baldmaneden 54, seeking: W, l

LOOKING FOR DISCREET NSA FUN

I am not looking for a relationship. I am looking to appreciate you and your beautiful body safely and discreetly. The truth is, I feel I have never been appreciated sexually, so I don’t have tons of experience, but I want to grow that experience. Photos only after initial contact. That_Thing 37, seeking: W

NATURE-LOVING RAMBLIN’ MAN

Buckle up! I’ve been living a very nontraditional life. I’ve been full-time RVing for the last 17 years. It’s been a wonderful lifestyle. I’m a huge lover of nature and have spent time in national parks, estates and ranches on both coasts. Really seeking a woman with passion for the things in life that really matter. Namaste! YoungPhilip 66, seeking: W, l

LAID-BACK AND LOVES TO LAUGH

I am an easygoing guy who loves being outdoors. Canoeing, hiking and snowshoeing are my favorite activities when not playing golf. People tell me that I am a great listener. GreenMountainZen 49, seeking: W, l

HARDWORKING, HONEST MAN

My name is Phil. I have been a heavy equipment technician for 31 years with the same employer. I like to fish, camp, ride motorcycles and be in nature. I am looking for friendship that has the potential for long term. Mechanicinvt, 53, seeking: W, l

KIND, CONSIDERATE, WOODSY MAN

Woodsy guy who enjoys nature and exploring life experiences. Life is way too short! Integrity, self-confidence, wit, passion about interests and humility are qualities admired and desired. Interested in casual dating and companionship without being cohabitation/marriagefocused. Possible LTR down the road. Drop me a line if you are interested and we can see where this goes.

Bullfrogscallingme, 47, seeking: W

TRANS WOMEN seeking...

TRANS WOMAN LOOKING FOR NEW EXPERIENCES

Hello, trans woman looking for new experiences, sexually and as friends. Open-minded, bisexual but like women, trans women and shemales more than men. Want to try things and see what I like with clean, nice people. If a relationship or besties, our views would matter; otherwise, just being civil and not discussing our differences would be the way to make FWB work out.

TransRebecca, 32 seeking: W, TW, l

RECENTLY RELOCATED, ADVENTUROUS, FREE SPIRIT

I’m a gorgeous, white, 100 percent passable trans lady who is 57 and could pass as 30 — yes, 30! I long for love, laughter and romance, along with loving nature. I want a man who’s all man, rugged, handsome, well built but prefers a woman like myself. It’s as simple as that. We meet, fall in love and live happily ever after. Sammijo 59, seeking: M, l

NONBINARY PEOPLE seeking...

SEEKING COMMUNITY WITH MULTIGENERATIONAL LESBIANS

Okay, here’s the deal. I’m trying to figure out how to build friendships with lesbians who are older than me. The dream: Lesbians of all experiences swapping stories, cracking jokes, maybe sipping beverages and learning from one another. Interested? Let’s do it! Does a group like this already exist somewhere in VT? Can I get in on it? LMK. ilovelesbians, 30, seeking: W, TM, TW, Q, NC, NBP, Cp, Gp

COUPLES seeking...

KNOTTEE COUPLE

Complicated couple looking for woman or couple for friends with benefits. We would like to boat and grab a beverage with like-minded couple or woman and see where it goes from there. knotteecpl, 66, seeking: W, Cp FUN COUPLE LOOKING FOR EXPLORATION

We are a secure couple who enjoy the outdoors, good wine, great food, playing with each other, exploring our boundaries and trying new things. We are 47 and 50, looking for a fun couple or bi man to play and explore with us. We are easygoing, and we’d love to meet you and see where our mutual adventures take us. vthappycouple, 52, seeking: M, Cp, Gp

EXPLORING THREESOMES AND FOURSOMES

We are older and wiser, discovered that our sexuality is amazingly hot! Our interest is another male for threesomes or a couple for threesomes or foursomes. We’d like to go slowly, massage you with a happy ending. She’d love to be massaged with a happy ending or a dozen. Are you interested in exploring sexuality with a hot older couple? DandNformen 68, seeking: M, W, TM, TW, Q, NC, NBP, Cp, Gp, l

been

CHAOS & KINDNESS REDHEAD

You were at the surgical waiting area with a Chaos & Kindness sweatshirt. I was waiting for your results. Relieved to know the surgery went fine and you are cancer-free. What a great birthday gift for me. Waiting for the 10 weeks to celebrate. I’ll take great care of you ’til then, and forever. When: Monday, June 16, 2025. Where: UVM Medical Center. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916349

CUTE GIRL ON THE BENCH

You and your friend sat on the bench next to me at the lake in Burlington. You had a nice smile and braids. At sunset, you mentioned Zach B., so we talked about him for a bit. After, I got up and walked away, but should’ve asked for your number. We shared glances as I walked away. A missed connection. When: Sunday, June 15, 2025. Where: Waterfront Park, Burlington. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916348

GREEN EYES AND GUMMY WORMS

To the green-eyed goddess on Camel’s Hump with the gummy worm stash and wild, curly hair to match your wit: Your calm felt like finding a secret place. Your dog had forest sage energy. I wish our meeting hadn’t been so fleeting, and if this floats back to you on the wind, maybe the trail isn’t done with us yet. When: Saturday, June 14, 2025. Where: Camel’s Hump. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916347

SWITCH GLITCH

It’s time to switch roles. / No more playing in the clouds / part of getting it right is / getting over your fear to start / You know how to reach me, / if you feel it didn’t work, / you should try again. / if you haven’t tried yet / you’re really missing out. When: Saturday, June 14, 2025. Where: the vehicle. You: Gender nonconformist. Me: Woman. #916346

INTERMEZZO

We happened to sit next to each other at a violin recital; the more we spoke, the more I was intrigued. When I saw you again at the Monteverdi Vespers you were busy with friends; I thought you didn’t see me. But then, just before the intermission ended, you turned around, found me and smiled. I’m ready when you are. When: Sunday, May 4, 2025. Where: Burlington. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916345

GAS STATION BADDIE

Your amazing body caught my eye when I first walked into the store. You were looking through the different aisles, and I let you pass through. We each gave the other a smirk, and exchanged words briefly. You looked amazing, and I couldn’t take my eyes off of you. P.S.: I think your glasses are sexy. When: Tuesday, June 10, 2025. Where: Maplefields in Plainfield. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916344

SOUL REBELS TRUCKER HAT

Your style reminded me of Ke$ha and you seem cool — wild and energetic like that, in a really good way. I was right behind you and we were vibing together and kinda dancing together for a bit — you even broke the ice a little. I was kicking myself all night that I didn’t make a move on you! When: Saturday, June 7, 2025. Where: waterfront, by the stage. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916343

JAKE: SOUL REBELS, BURLINGTON WATERFRONT

Jake! I cannot for the life of me remember where I know you from — do I have face blindness? Forgive me and please, help me solve this mystery. When: Saturday, June 7, 2025. Where: Burlington jazz fest. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916342

NECTAR’S DANCING

We had a moment during Dobbs’ Dead. I’m overly stimulated in that environment and failed to make any connection. I’ve been back in there every night since, LOL. I can’t stop thinking about you. When: Wednesday, June 4, 2025. Where: Nectar’s. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916341

FLORRY, SILVER FOX

You: oh-so-cute silver fox in snappy jumpsuit with a sparkling smile. Me: cute in a weird way, with a WB hat and a stain on my shirt. The show was good and the beer was cheap. Can I take you home in my SUV, tuck you into bed and maybe kiss you? When: Thursday, June 5, 2025. Where: Higher Ground. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916340

MAC’S QUICK STOP

Eleven o’clock-ish. I held the door open for you. We ended up at the deli at the same time. I should have said hello. If you’re single, I would enjoy talking to you. Hope to hear from you. When: Monday, June 2, 2025. Where: St. Albans. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916338

W.O.W.

You really don’t think that it’s over between us, do you? After 12 years, it’s still going strong — hot and steamy. You are blind if you can’t see the signs. When: Thursday, May 29, 2025. Where: serving at IBM. You: Woman. Me: Couple. #916337

BTV SHOWED UP!

I could have quit, but you kept cheering us on. The most positive words I’ve heard in a while. So many smiles, good vibes and treats to keep us going. Hoping we can continue the good time, BTV! When: Sunday, May 25, 2025. Where: Burlington. You: Group. Me: Woman. #916336

HALF-MARATHON BEAUTY

At mile six I yelled that you made it look easy. Saw you finish the half — fast! Later, you were celebrating with two friends at the finish line. I didn’t see any opportunity to say hello without intruding. You have blond hair, electric blue eyes, running shoes with a blue or green cushion. Care to go for a run? When: Sunday, May 25, 2025. Where: Burlington marathon. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916335

Dear In the Weeds,

Dear Reverend,

With mild weather bringing open windows and backyard time, I’m unfortunately getting to hear very loud arguments between my married neighbors and sometimes what sounds like smacking noises. This happens while I’m out weeding the garden and has also woken me up in the middle of the night. I’m worried about what’s going on over there, especially with young children in their house. It’s traumatizing for me, but I’m not sure what I should be doing about this disturbing warm-weather reveal.

PHILLY FAN

Philly fan, red Dodge. Timing has been off for both of us, but I can’t seem to get you out of my head. When: Saturday, May 31, 2025. Where: Wolcott. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916339

TRADER JOE’S PARKING LOT

You were a distinguished-looking man in a brown linen blazer. I was a tall woman wearing jeans, a navy puffy jacket and a baseball cap. You got into a black Range Rover. I was looking at you because I thought you were hot. You were looking at me, too, reason unknown. Care to connect? When: Thursday, May 22, 2025. Where: Trader Joe’s parking lot. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916334

TALL, SPARKLY EYES, GREAT LAUGH, CHURCH DATER

Rise on my toes to see eye to eye; tell my best jokes to tickle her laugh; worship her open, kind heart like a child in church seeing God for the first time. On our first dates we sat together, stood together, sang together. I miss the eternity I see in her soul when we share a pillow, as we giggle at everything and nothing. Yes. When: Sunday, May 11, 2025. Where: St. J. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916333

JEAN JACKET

You caught my eye near the “stage” area at Two Brothers in Middlebury. I wanted to introduce myself, but you seemed to be meeting friends and I was doing setup/ breakdown both times I saw you. I’d love to chat. When: Wednesday, May 21, 2025. Where: Two Brothers, Middlebury. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916332

WILDERADO CONCERT

Standing next to each other toward the end of the show, making eye contact. You told me you thought my hat was cute and were wearing a red shirt. I wish I returned the compliment! I was with my friends, but maybe we could grab a drink sometime. When: Thursday, May 22, 2025. Where: Higher Ground. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916331

TALKING FURNITURE MISHAPS, KARENS, WINE

What a nice surprise to have such an unexpected conversation on a dreary Monday on Williston Rd. I’d love to talk more, meet for drinks, hear more about you! When: Monday, May 19, 2025. Where: South Burlington. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916329

When I was growing up in the ’70s and ’80s, it wasn’t unusual to hear people in my neighborhood being loud in the summer. They could have been having a good time or yelling at their kids or dog, but everybody knew each other and knew that everyone was OK.

These days, it’s less likely that people know their neighbors, so I’m going to assume that’s the case here. Even if you are acquainted, approaching them about the situation might feel like an overstep. Whether you know them or not, confronting them in the heat of the moment is not wise because you could put yourself in harm’s way.

Some people think it’s a bad idea to get police involved in just about any situation, but if you believe someone is in danger, that’s what you should do. If you’re truly concerned about the safety of anyone in the house, don’t ponder taking action any longer. The next time it happens, call the police. If you’re worried about the neighbors knowing it was you who made the

HOT TRAIN CONDUCTOR

I was riding my bike with a root beer float in hand; you were a train conductor leaning out the window as detritus was being dumped. I noticed you and thought, No way. Why is he hot? You waved at me and smiled. Confirmed. I’d love to see the cockpit and if you’re funny we could check out the caboose. When: Wednesday, May 14, 2025. Where: train yard. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916328

SMILES ON THE PLANE

You couldn’t stop looking at me and smiling. You sat across the aisle to my right and one seat ahead. I didn’t know what to do with the attention from a cute girl. I wish I smiled back more. Me: green shirt. You: dark blue(?) tank top and gray sweats. Maybe we don’t need to sneak glances. When: Thursday, May 15, 2025. Where: in the airport/on the plane. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916327

CORVETTE GIRL PURPLE PINKISH RIDE

Last Sunday I was checking out the graffiti under the bridge and you rolled in driving a purple Corvette. Was your first ride of the year. You let me take a picture with the graffiti backdrop. You told me it was the first ride out, and how you came to own it. I kicked myself for not asking. When: Sunday, May 11, 2025. Where: Montpelier. You: Man. Me: Man. #916326

SHANNON ON THE LCRT

Hey! I’m glad to have made your acquaintance this afternoon in Jeffersonville, and to have said hi to Dweeb. I hope the unleashed dogs on the trail didn’t bother him. If you’re a regular on the rail trail, I hope to get to say hi to you again. When: Wednesday, May 14, 2025. Where: the rail trail in Jeffersonville. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916325

MAGYAR-BESZÉL? CSAJ SCOUT-BAN

I really dig hearing you speak Hungarian. Wanna get together some time and csevegjünk egyet? When: Wednesday, May 14, 2025. Where: Scout in NNE. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916323

I CAN’T GIVE YOU WHAT YOU WANT Most crushing words. “I can’t give you what you want.” So I settle. But it’s OK. I accept it. I wasn’t supposed to feel that way, but I did. When: Tuesday, April 22, 2025. Where: South Burlington. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916322

call, tell the police that you want to remain anonymous. Better yet, you could do something before the next incident happens by reaching out for advice from a local support agency such as Chittenden County’s Steps to End Domestic Violence (stepsvt.org or the 24-7 hotline at 802-658-1996). Its responders can guide you on how best to approach the endangered neighbor and connect them with safety planning and support.

You’re in a very uncomfortable situation, and I can understand being hesitant to get involved. But just imagine how you would feel if you did nothing and something really bad happened. Sometimes being a good neighbor means not minding your own business.

Good luck and God bless, The Reverend

What’s your problem? Send it to asktherev@sevendaysvt.com.

I’m a 74-y/o male looking for a mature woman in her 70s or 80s who would enjoy a sensual relationship. Phone number, please. #L1866

I’m a 68-y/o slender woman seeking a 62- to 73-y/o male. I’m a homeowner in a rural setting wanting companionship and a romantic partner to share my life and home. I work part time and enjoy many outdoor activities. #L1865

Retired male. Financially secure with stable housing and good transportation, healthy, active, and ﬁt. Seeking lively big game — female cat, lioness, tiger, black panther or cougar — for adventures in the jungle. #L1864

I’m a 68-y/o bi male seeking a 60- to 70-y/o man. Bi guy in NEK seeking like-minded guys for relaxing fun. Enjoy being nude, BJs, BBQs, drinks. Casual, easygoing, wanting to share being gay. #L1863

I’m an 81-y/o woman seeking companionship and romance. I am a widow of ﬁve years. I have one son (married). Love ﬁshing and travel. I’m good at cooking, knitting and sewing. #L1867

Beautiful woman looking for great guy, 60s-70s, to go away with. Maybe Greece or another new adventure together. Sincere gentlemen, sophisticated, intellectual and sweet only, please. Handsome a plus. #L1861

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I’m an older man seeking a trans woman and fun! I love makeup and drag queenies. I love beer and cars and piña coladas by the lake. #L1859

I’m a 40-y/o male seeking a kayaking, outdoorsy type for company and also to stay at home. I like to read, cuddle, walk, drive. Time together is important. I like a good cook, and I like to cook, by myself or together. #L1858

Woman of 28 seeking older woman of any presentation for our own proverbial Desert Hearts. Shy but good with words. Seeking acceptance, refuge and freedom, not explicitly “from” you, but with you. #L1857

M, 61, fit, tall, compassionate, mission-driven and W/E who loves music, sports, film and writing ISO confident, funloving sensual soul F, 45 to 65, for texting and banter in anticipation of intense mutual pleasure romps (weekend lunchtime lovers). Discrete, drama-free, HWP and D/DF. Please be same. #L1856

Emotionally and spiritually mature, attractive woman in mid-60s seeking smart, witty, tall, ﬁt, decent man. If you have a broken heart which makes you appreciate joy and peace even more, have friendships that span decades, or perhaps are widowed, please write. #L1854

Int net-Free Dating!

27-y/o female who is looking for something more serious/ long term. I am funny, smart, witty, communicative, loyal and empathic. I’m looking for those same things in a person. I love to try new coffee places, adventure around, be on the lake/reading by the water, 4/20 and play with my 5-year-old cat. All genders are welcome. #L1853

70-y/o divorced male looking for companionship and romance. If you’re not looking for a romantic relationship, don’t respond. Looking for a friendly female, age not important, but not a friend. Tired of numbers game, wanting to connect. Let’s chat and see! Phone number, please. #L1852

I’m a 40-y/o female seeking a male who is a conﬁdent, smart, funny, loyal, devoted, passionate and compassionate person. I love walks in nature, yoga, reading, writing, art museums, hiking, travel and sharing heart-to-heart energy. #L1851

Describe yourself and who you’re looking for in 40 words below: (OR, ATTACH A SEPARATE PIECE OF PAPER.)

I’m a

AGE + GENDER (OPTIONAL) seeking a

AGE + GENDER (OPTIONAL)

I’m a SWF in her mid-60s, N/S, N/DD looking for a very ﬁne gentleman who is true-blue nice and able and willing to work. Likes: tropics, exotics. Dislikes: Vermont and criminals. #L1850

I’m a 34-y/o man seeking a woman 19 or older. Avid journalist, songwriter, into poetry, sports, driving, hiking. In search of humor matching mine and a new attraction, that’s lasting, in a set of open arms. #L1845

Single woman, 60. Wise, mindful. Seeking tight unit with man, friend, love. Country living, gardens, land to play on. Emotionally, intellectually engaged. Lasting chats. Appreciation for past experience. Please be kind, stable and well established. Phone number, please. #L1849

I’m a SWF, 71 y/o, seeking a white or Black man. Long-term relationship. Cook. Warm, open, caring, friendly. I live in Woodstock. Phone calls. #L1844

Required conﬁdential info: NAME ADDRESS

(MORE)

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