Seven Days, November 26, 2025 by Seven Days

BY KEN PICARD,

COMPILED BY SASHA GOLDSTEIN & MATTHEW ROY

STATE EMPLOYEES ASK A JUDGE TO BLOCK RETURN-TO-OFFICE ORDER

e union that represents Vermont state employees is asking a judge to block Gov. Phil Scott’s return-to-ofﬁce policy before it takes effect on December 1.

e petition for an injunction ﬁled in Washington County Superior Court seeks to buy more time for the Vermont Labor Relations Board to determine whether Scott’s mandate runs afoul of the union’s collective bargaining agreement.

e policy, announced in August, will require state employees to work in the ofﬁce at least three days a week. It is expected to affect roughly 3,000 people, including some who were hired into fully remote jobs.

e Scott administration has said the new policy will bring more consistency, predictability and synergy to state government, while ensuring a visible presence to the public. e state recently expanded its physical footprint in Waterbury to accommodate more in-person workers, signing a ﬁve-year, $2.3 million lease for three privately owned ofﬁce spaces in the Pilgrim Park complex, VTDigger reported.

But the Vermont State Employees’ Association says the change will reduce efficiencies and deal a serious blow to morale, threatening to exacerbate turnover at a time when the state is already struggling to fill jobs. Employee satisfaction surveys show that workers appreciate the flexibility of being able to work from home, believing that

it improves their job performance and promotes a better work-life balance.

“Vermonters are going to pay millions of dollars more to get less,” union head Steve Howard said.

A hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, November 26.

COLIN FLANDERS

HEAD OF CLASS

Roslyn Fortin, a ﬁfth grader from Highgate Elementary School, was elected Vermont’s ﬁrst-ever Kid Governor. She’ll focus on homelessness during her oneyear term.

OUT OF BOUNDS

The reigning champion UVM men’s soccer team lost to Hofstra University in the NCAA tournament. That ended a 29-game unbeaten streak.

TOTAL PACKAGE

Lyndon Institute alumna Fátima Bosch was crowned Miss Universe last week as the representative from Mexico. ¡Felicidades!

WACKY WEATHER

More than half of Vermont is not experiencing drought — compared to four weeks ago, when more than half the state was in extreme drought. The pendulum swings…

That’s how many new-to-Vermont bee species researchers identiﬁed during a decade-long project.

TOPFIVE

TOWNCRIER

LOCALLY SOURCED NEWS

No Hunting Signs Cause Kerfufﬂe in Charlotte

A member of the Charlotte Trails Committee has resigned after he says a selectboard member yelled at him for placing “no hunting” signs around the 50-acre Burn’s Meadow, the Citizen reported. Jack Pilla says he got permission from the town administrator to put up the notices but was criticized by Lewis Mudge, who worried the signs opened the town to legal liability.

STOP AND OH, NO

Two new stop signs on both approaches to a one-lane bridge on Queen City Park Road are causing quite the commotion in a small neighborhood on the Burlington-South Burlington city line. ey replaced yield signs, which neighbors say were effective before Burlington ofﬁcials decided to tinker with things.

“People who use that bridge all the time know that it’s a taketurns thing, to the point where sometimes I’ll wag my ﬁnger at people because they’re just bumper riding the one in front of them to come through without waiting their turn,” said Lynn Vera, who’s lived in Queen City Park for 40 years.

e bridge spans train tracks and was used mostly by residents of the lakeside Queen City Park neighborhood, visitors to Red Rocks Park, and employees at nearby businesses: Edlund, Burton Snowboards, Rhino Foods and the Green Mountain Transit bus depot. But work on the Champlain Parkway prompted city ofﬁcials to close Pine Street where it connected

with Queen City Park Road, forcing some motorists to take the bridge — about 1,200 extra vehicles per day.

e yield signs sparked some confusion, according to city engineers, who decided that stop signs would work better. Neighbors turned out at a Public Works Commission meeting last week to voice their displeasure, but members voted to approve the change, which went into effect on November 20.

Resident Tom Piper said the problems were apparent during the ﬁrst rush-hour commute, when he estimated 40 cars were lined up waiting to cross the bridge.

“Now we have this insane situation that is more dangerous, more polluting, more time-consuming, with no beneﬁt,” Piper said. “And [it] likely will cause new accidents and road rage.”

Chapin Spencer, the public works director, acknowledged in an email to Seven Days that “it can take a while for trafﬁc to settle in once there has been a change.” He said city staff will continue to monitor the situation and make adjustments if need be. at could include returning to yield signs once the Champlain Parkway fully opens.

Piper sure hopes so.

“To get this neighborhood to agree on what color the sky is, it’s kind of a miracle,” he said. “And everybody agreed that the yield signs worked just ﬁne.”

SASHA GOLDSTEIN

MATT MIGNANELLI

LIGHT READING.

Paula Routly

Cathy Resmer

Don Eggert, Colby Roberts

NEWS & POLITICS

Matthew Roy

Ken Ellingwood, Candace Page

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

ARTS & CULTURE

Dan Bolles, Carolyn Fox

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

DIGITAL & VIDEO

Bryan Parmelee

Eva Sollberger

Je Baron DESIGN

Don Eggert

Rev. Diane Sullivan

John James

Je Baron SALES & MARKETING

Colby Roberts

Robyn Birgisson

Michelle Brown, Logan Pintka, Kaitlin Montgomery

Maguire ADMINISTRATION

Marcy Stabile

Andy Watts

Gillian English

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

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

CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS

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

FOUNDERS

Pamela Polston, Paula Routly

CIRCULATION: 35,000

Seven Days is published by Da Capo Publishing Inc. every Wednesday. It is distributed free of charge in greater Burlington, Middlebury, Montpelier, the Northeast Kingdom, Stowe, the Mad River Valley, Rutland, St. Albans, St. Johnsbury and White River Junction. Seven Days is printed at Quebecor Media Printing in Mirabel, Québec.

DELIVERY TECHNICIANS

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FOUR YEARS LATER

I did not know that Bruce Springsteen played at Memorial Auditorium in 1974 [True 802: “Glory Days,” November 19]. He also played at the University of Vermont’s Patrick Gym in fall 1978. Students, including myself, slept out in front of Patrick to ensure they got tickets. That show did sell out! It was great!

Scott Berkman

SHELBURNE

SPRINGSTEEN FOR $7

I did not see Bruce Springsteen play at Memorial Auditorium back in 1974 for $4.50 [True 802: “Glory Days,” November 19]. I did, however, see him and the E Street Band back in November 1978 at the University of Vermont’s Patrick Gymnasium — I believe for $7? The concert T-shirt no longer ﬁts, but the memory of that show still lingers.

Major concerts at that time were generally under $10. When I was a teenager, I had to work four to ﬁve hours at a minimum-wage job in order to a ord to see a rock-and-roll show at the old Spectrum in Philadelphia.

I plunked down $175 to see the Boss and the E Street Band in Albany, N.Y., in April 2024. Rock-and-roll shows are now a bit more out of reach for a younger generation working for minimum wage.

Jay Petrillo WILLISTON

PERSONALS SUCCESS STORY

Wonderful, as always [From the Publisher: “The Personals Touch,” November 19]! We also found each other over 10 years ago through your personal ads! Have been married now for six years, second time around for us both.

Lee Krohn CHARLOTTE

‘JOB WELL DONE’

Congratulations to the Redistricting Task Force for a job well done [“Redistricting Task Force Recommends Phased Approach to Ed Reform,” November 20, online]. Shame on the governor and the secretary of education for their lack of support, at least to date.

Catherine Brooks VERGENNES

‘I

LOVE WHAT I DO’

I appreciate [“Growing Gains: Vermont’s Bold Investment in Childcare Is Largely Paying O ,” November 19]. I have been in early childhood education for 26 years. I currently run my registered 4-STAR family home childcare in Monkton that I have been operating for 15 years. As my children’s sole teacher from birth through age 5, I build strong and trusting relationships with them and their families. I work over 50 hours a week because I love what I do, and I stay up on professional development and training, even going beyond what is required.

I applaud the investments Vermont has made to make childcare more accessible and a ordable. When I ﬁrst learned about the bill to professionalize early childhood educators, I was concerned because I, too, thought it would push many providers out of the ﬁeld. But I also wanted my fellow home educators and myself to have recognition and respect for our work.

Earlier this year I advocated to the legislature for a legacy license for existing family childcare home providers so that we can be recognized as professionals without having to earn additional degrees. I am proud to say that advocacy was successful and included an amendment to the bill passed by the Senate. I now support professionalization with this amendment, because it has all the pieces to both recognize and retain our current family home childcare educators.

Heather Armell MONKTON

REMEMBERING RALPH

I really enjoyed the great tribute to Ralph DesLauriers, written by Mary Ann Lickteig [Life Story: “Bolton Valley Founder Ralph DesLauriers Was ‘the Eternal Optimist,’” November 12.]

Almost as soon as our kids could walk, we had them on skis at Bolton Valley. We spent every weekend for many, many years skiing with other families and friends at the mountain. The school ski program was also instrumental in allowing kids the opportunity to learn to ski and enhanced their lives in many ways. Ralph always made sure the mountain was a ordable for young families who wanted to enjoy long winters spending time with their kids in the outdoors, even though it wasn’t always financially advantageous to him. His sacrifices allowed many generations of families to experience the benefits of skiing and riding at Bolton Valley. Our kids idolized his sons Adam, Evan and Rob, and we still have a large autographed poster of them on the wall in our attic. We had all we could do to keep them

out of the woods and thankfully never had the same conversation with the ski patrol that Ralph had.

Our family will always be very grateful to Ralph for his commitment to young people and families in Vermont and for allowing us the opportunity to have lifelong memories of skiing at Bolton Valley.

Dave Spaulding MONTPELIER

CELEBRATE AND MOURN

[Re “Sterling College to Close in 2026,” November 13, online]: We love Sterling College and everything it has accomplished over the years. One employee said to me, “All those years down the drain.” My response was, “Absolutely not!”

The lives of almost all students and their families, faculty, staff, board members, and members of the community were enriched by Sterling’s efforts and presence in the beautiful place that is Craftsbury Common in the Northeast Kingdom.

Let us celebrate — even while we mourn.

Jed and Perry Williamson HANOVER, N.H.

Jed Williamson is president emeritus of Sterling College. Perry Williamson served as director of development.

QUIT ‘FEARMONGERING’

This play and many other media are participating in the fearmongering about President Donald Trump [“Vermont Theaters Join National Resistance Movement,” November 14, online]. The

Americans who voted for him don’t grasp how his determined minimizing of government supports the perception of him as a dictator. Yes, he is being very forceful, but conservatives see all that energy being devoted to restoring more personal freedom for more people, including retaining more of our earned personal income. We see President Trump’s astonishing energy simply as what is required to overturn decades of unnecessary government interference in our lives. He’s a bull, but the U.S. government, U.S. media and U.S. education are a huge China shop of pretty far-left ideology, and maybe a determined bull like Trump is what is needed.

Bob Frenier

CHELSEA

CORRECTIONS

Last week’s article about local historian David Blow, titled “A Bard of Burlington,” contained three errors: Bob Blanchard is not the administrator of the Chittenden County Historical Society Facebook page. Lilian Baker Carlisle was doing research at the University of Vermont’s Special Collections when she met Blow; she was not employed there. And Tom Bassett was an archivist with the National Archives, not the United Nations.

The November 5 story headlined “Going for Broke” misidentified Break Room as the first and only rage room in Vermont. In fact, Smash It, now called Chaos, opened in Bennington in 2024.

4t-KCPpresents111225

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P WER

NEWS+POLITICS 14

Turf Wars

A proposal to install artiﬁcial grass on a CVU playing ﬁeld spurs worries about “forever chemicals”

Burlington City Councilors Announce Reelection Plans

Di erent School of Thought

A group tasked with redrawing school district maps has suggested an alternative scenario, rankling the Scott administration

Purchase Limit Proposal Riles Cannabis Industry

ARTS+CULTURE 36

Classical Christmas ’Tis the season for holiday concerts. Here are seven across the folk and classical spectrums.

New Podcast O ers Insider Takes on Politics, Culture and Creemees

Partizanﬁlm Movie Theater Opens Next Week in Burlington

What’s the ‘Coolest Thing’ in Vermont? Electric Airplane Alia From Beta Technologies

Common Ground

Curator Phong Bui honors art

Meyer Schapiro in Brattleboro

Big Heavy World to Close Headquarters in December

Lake Champlain’s waters receded, Law Island became accessible by foot. Seven Days’ Eva Sollberger explored the

GO GO CATS

MAGNIFICENT

MUST SEE, MUST DO THIS WEEK BY REBECCA DRISCOLL

Submit your upcoming events at sevendaysvt.com/postevent

FRIDAY 28

A World Apart

A dramatic reading of activist and playwright Crystal Zevon’s drama One Family in Gaza sparks introspection and empathy at Catamount Arts Center in St. Johnsbury. e original work encapsulates Zevon’s real-life correspondence with a young Palestinian father in the Gaza Strip and chronicles his family’s experience surviving in the critically war-torn region.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 58

SATURDAY 29

Dream Catchers

e renowned Albany Berkshire Ballet brings boundless joy with its rendition of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s magnum opus e Nutcracker at the Flynn Main Stage in Burlington. e annual holiday tradition boasts ﬁrst-rate dancers from around the country in the sparkling spectacle of Clara and her magical journey through the Land of Sweets.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 60

WEDNESDAY 3

PEANUTS GALLERY

For generations of listeners, nothing evokes the spirit of the season quite like Vince Guaraldi’s soundtrack to “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” e Middlebury Performing Arts Series invites folks to soak up that magic at the college’s Mahaney Arts Center when the acclaimed Isaiah J. ompson Trio performs “A Guaraldi Holiday,” inspired by the composer’s nostalgic works.

OPENS SATURDAY 29

Tiny Homes

More than 60 storefront windows reveal itty-bitty pops of cheer during the monthlong Brattleboro Festival of Miniatures. Tiny terrariums? Check. Model trains? Check. Doll houses replete with wee rugs, portraits and chandeliers? Check, check, check! Beyond the diminutive displays, visitors shop a pop-up artisan market, attend puppet shows and tea parties, and devour scaled-down treats at local restaurants.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 60

TUESDAY 2

Northern Attitude

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 65

ONGOING reads of Time

e iconic Japanese dress takes center stage at Fleming Museum of Art’s exhibit “Kimono: Garment, Canvas, and Artistic Muse” in Burlington. Works of textile, ceramic, glass and other mediums — made by contemporary artists such as Itchiku Kubota and Michael F. Rohde — delve into the history and culture of the wrap, highlighting its evolution from ancient traditions to modern-day wear.

SEE GALLERY LISTING AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/ART

Yankee magazine editor emeritus Mel Allen presents his new book, Here in New England: Unforgettable Stories of People, Places, and Memories at Connect Us All, at Shelburne Museum. Best known for capturing the unique sense of place found in Northern states, Allen digs into what he calls the “common humanity that has always been part of the New England landscape.”

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 64

ONGOING

Light Bright

On the hunt for a new holiday tradition? Look no further than the Vermont Institute of Natural Science’s annual exhibit A Forest of Lights in Quechee. Illuminated displays, including a sparkle dome, a ﬁery tower and a pavilion of dancing lights, deliver merriment and mirth to all ages. After exploring, visitors warm their mitts with hot chocolate and treats by a cozy campﬁre.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 58

“Fuji and Woodland Covered in Fog” kimono by Itchiku Kubota

COURTESY OF ZEPH COLOMBATTO

Gift From Above

Not everybody excels at gift giving, especially when the holidays are bearing down and every store is blasting The Nutcracker Suite Seven Days aims to make it easier — fun, even — with the publication of our annual Gift Guide, a lovingly curated, local collection of recommendations for everyone on your list. For me, it’s a welcome reminder. Like Scrooge, I’m usually hating on the holidays right up until I’m apprised of potential perfect presents, such as a teepee cat bed or an Edgar Allan Poe-inspired Vermont rap album. After reading this week’s 40-page insert, I’m all in.

The secret Santa behind this ambitious project is Seven Days ’ chief proofreader, Angela Simpson, an avid adherent of commerce with a conscience. When she came to work for us in 2022, her cover letter claimed that she could “hear” typos. That’s come in very handy, because her more-than-full-time job is to make sure that Seven Days is error-free.

fact-checks every story in the paper and online; scrutinizes the ads, including the legal notices, which often involve complicated formatting; edits the obituaries and composes the crucial sentence summing up the life of the deceased; and supervises and edits the calendar writer. Angela also writes the news quiz, the Notes on the Weekend and Wee-Mail newsletters, and the 5-by-5 news crossword.

BYLINES ARE RARE FOR ANGELA, WHO TOILS QUIETLY AND TIRELESSLY BEHIND THE SCENES TO MAKE EVERYTHING WORK AT SEVEN DAYS.

On top of that, Angela keeps an eye out all year round for local gifts we might want to showcase in our holiday shopping guide, by visiting Vermont shops, craft fairs and farmers markets. Then, starting in September, she solicits our staff for additional ideas, winnows the collection down to 70 selections and assigns reporters to write about them. Angela, who spent two decades working her way to the top of the marketing department at Bruegger’s Enterprises, edits the gift descriptions and makes sure we have a compelling image of every item. The result is an array of eclectic, charming and useful gifts to get shoppers on their way.

“You’ve probably heard that old adage about how chopping wood warms you twice — once when you chop it and once when you burn it,” Angela writes in her editor’s introduction to the guide. “I propose that shopping locally has the potential to toast three times: It ignites a bright spark in you when you find the ideal present, made or sold by a fellow Vermonter. Your pal feels cozy and cherished as they open that package. And it surely warms the cockles of a small-business owner’s heart to know you resisted the allure of the online-monolith-that-shall-not-be-named. The need to support our downtowns is, well, evergreen.”

Bylines are rare for Angela, who toils quietly and tirelessly behind the scenes to make everything work at Seven Days. And I mean everything: She proofreads and

One of our culture coeditors, Dan Bolles, accurately described her as a “Swiss Army knife.” Multitalented, indispensable and reliable, she improves almost everything we do. That includes showing up at Seven Days events, as well as her colleagues’ book launches and band gigs.

Crucially, Angela almost never says no. When I discovered she was a fan of Canadian mystery writer Louise Penny, I asked if she’d be willing to spend a day exploring the author’s hometown and write about it for our inaugural Québec Issue in June 2023. She agreed, on a very tight deadline, and filed a fabulous piece that improved the story mix.

Recognition is not what motivates her. “This is my dream job, literally: to be able to play with words all day,” Angela said.

Dan’s cohort, Carolyn Fox, called her former proofreading partner “everybody’s safety net.” She added: “I’m not one to call someone an angel, but in this case, I think it’s apt to say she is Seven Days’ Guardian Angela.” Hallelujah.

Paula Routly

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Angela Simpson

ENVIRONMENT

Turf Wars

A

proposal to install artiﬁcial grass on a CVU playing ﬁeld spurs worries about “forever chemicals”

BY KEVIN MCCALLUM kevin@sevendaysvt.com

Eli Lesser-Goldsmith strode across a soggy grass athletic field at Champlain Valley Union High School in Hinesburg this month searching for a muddy spot. It had rained the previous day, and Lesser-Goldsmith wanted to ﬁnd a particularly squishy patch of grass to highlight the problem he and his supporters hope to solve.

“We have some of the best sports teams in the state of Vermont,” Lesser-Goldsmith said as he bounced on the sodden sod. “We have a rich history of high levels of performance and championships, and yet we have a ﬁeld that on this day is unplayable.”

Lesser-Goldsmith, 48, a Charlotte resident, father of three young children, and co-owner and CEO of Healthy Living markets, is leading a drive to replace one of CVU’s grass ﬁelds. The synthetic version he favors would, he says, vastly increase the amount of time kids could play on it. When paired with bright lights for night games and new bleachers to give fans a

better view of the action, the $5.5 million project would create a true gathering space for the community, he said.

“The world needs connection right now, and sports is an incredible way to

THE WORLD NEEDS CONNECTION RIGHT NOW, AND SPORTS IS AN INCREDIBLE WAY TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER.

ELI LESSER-GOLDSMITH

bring people together,” he said. “It brings joy. It brings camaraderie. It brings cheering and happiness and endorphins and all sorts of great things human beings need.”

It also — in the case of artiﬁcial turf — brings controversy, and on a scale that Lesser-Goldsmith hadn’t anticipated. CVU

POLITICS

Burlington City Councilors Announce Reelection Plans

BY COURTNEY LAMDIN courtney@sevendaysvt.com

All but one of eight Burlington city councilors whose terms expire next year have announced plans to seek reelection on Town Meeting Day. With only two weeks until his party’s nominating caucus, Councilor Joe Kane (P-Ward 3) has yet to say whether he’s running again. Kane didn’t respond to interview requests, nor has he communicated with party ofﬁcials about his plans, according to Jane Stromberg, cochair of the Burlington Progressive Party.

Kane is one of eight councilors whose ward seat is up for election on Town Meeting Day in March. e four district seats, which comprise two wards apiece, will be up in 2027.

First elected in a three-way race in 2024, Kane formerly served on the council’s powerful Board of Finance. He’s a staunch advocate of the Free Palestine movement and supported an unsuccessful effort to place an “apartheid-free community” pledge on the Burlington ballot. But he is otherwise quiet on the council, rarely speaking up during meetings and often choosing to attend virtually.

voters have twice rejected bond issues to help pay for a new ﬁeld, but he ﬁgured he could overcome most opposition with his pledge to raise the entire cost privately.

It hasn’t quite panned out that way. A small but vocal group of residents has raised a raft of environmental, ﬁnancial, legal and health concerns about the project. Opponents also suspect it could run afoul of a new state law meant to eliminate the chemicals from a variety of consumer goods, which would derail the proposal.

Lesser-Goldsmith, a lifelong sports fan, is undeterred. He said he’s attended high school games on turf ﬁelds across Chittenden County. CVU’s high-quality sports programs merit better facilities, he said.

“I was like, Wow. The biggest high school in Vermont has one of the worst facilities in Vermont. I wonder why?” Lesser-Goldsmith said.

Meantime, all of Kane’s colleagues have decided to give it another go. ey include Council President Ben Traverse (D-Ward 5) and councilors Carter Neubieser (P-Ward 1), Gene Bergman (P-Ward 2), Sarah Carpenter (D-Ward 4), Becca Brown McKnight (D-Ward 6), Evan Litwin (D-Ward 7) and Marek Broderick (P-Ward 8).

Progressives will nominate their candidates at a caucus on December 10. e Democrats will caucus sometime in January, party chair Ryan Addario said.

If Kane does step down, his Ward 3 seat would become more vulnerable to a Dem takeover. Once encompassing a large portion of the Prog-friendly Old North End, the ward’s boundaries were redrawn to cover most of downtown. Kane won handily when the new wards went into effect, but his Democratic challenger didn’t qualify for the ballot and had to mount a write-in campaign. Democrats currently hold seven of 12 seats, giving them a majority on the council that sometimes acts as a foil to Progressive Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak. ➆

Proposed CVU athletic ﬁeld

e Burlington City Council chamber

Different School of Thought

A group tasked with redrawing school district maps has suggested an alternative scenario, rankling the Scott administration

BY ALISON NOVAK • alison@sevendaysvt.com

Atask force created to propose maps of larger, consolidated school districts as part of Vermont’s sweeping education reform law has instead suggested a different approach that it says is more likely to save money and improve the quality of schools.

The School District Redistricting Task Force recommends voluntary school district mergers rather than the forced ones proposed in Act 73. And it suggests forming regional cooperatives that would allow districts to share certain services to save money and improve quality. Longer term, the task force recommends creating regional high schools.

Such an approach, the task force wrote in a draft report released last week, represents a research-based model of reform “while respecting Vermont’s rural geography, community identity and limited statewide capacity for major structural change.” During the process, the report says, community members “expressed strong concerns about student wellbeing, loss of local control, transportation burdens, rural equity, and a process perceived as rushed or unclear.”

The report is expected to be finalized and submitted to the full legislature by December 1. But Gov. Phil Scott and Education Secretary Zoie Saunders are already pushing back on the plan, saying it doesn’t address the high cost of education in a timely way and ignores the mandates of Act 73.

Instead, the “proposal represents an entirely different policy direction” and does not include “any modeling of cost or clarity on how educational quality will be achieved,” Saunders wrote in email to Seven Days

Scott was even more blunt at a press conference earlier this month.

“They didn’t redraw the lines, and they were supposed to put forward three maps for consideration, and they failed,” he told reporters.

The disagreement is setting the stage for another high-stakes battle over the future of education during the coming legislative session. Lawmakers must decide whether they want to create new policy based on the task force’s recommendations, move forward with the large-scale consolidation endorsed by the Scott administration or do something in between. And they will face pressure from the governor and local communities over which path to choose.

THAT IT’S SHOCKING TO ME THAT ANYONE WOULD FOCUS ON THAT.

REP. EDYE GRANING

Created over the summer, the task force was made up of 11 people: six lawmakers and five members with publicschool experience. Between August and November, the group held eight meetings and four public hearings. By statute, it was required to create up to three maps of larger, consolidated school districts for the full legislature to consider.

But in the past several weeks, it became clear the task force was deviating from its charge. Rather than suggesting maps, the group proposes three ways to change how education is funded and governed.

CANNABIS

Purchase Limit

Proposal Riles Cannabis Industry

BY SASHA GOLDSTEIN sasha@sevendaysvt.com

Business owners in Vermont’s cannabis industry are smoking mad about a proposed regulation that would reduce the amount of THC-infused products customers could buy at a time.

Dispensary owners say the rule is confusing and would especially hurt rural, elderly and infirm customers who stock up during infrequent trips to the weed store. And they fear the limits could push some exasperated patrons to the illicit unregulated market.

The regs are set to go into effect on January 10, but the dispensary owners say they’ll need more time to update their sales software and train staff about the changes. They also complained that the proposal was drafted without any notice or input from people in the industry.

More than a dozen spoke out against the change during a November 19 meeting of the Vermont Cannabis Control Board, which regulates the industry.

“We’re all trying to build these really incredible businesses and make them destinations,” said Tito Bern, owner of Bern Gallery Smoke Shop & Cannabis in Burlington. “This basically makes it impossible. Who’s gonna drive all these hours just to buy so little? It’s just incredibly stifling.”

Vermont law already limits customers to one ounce of flower “or the equivalent in cannabis products” for each transaction. The one ounce would remain unchanged, but the board’s effort to define the equivalent amount of cannabis product led to the controversy.

Currently, the board has set the equivalent amount as 8,400 milligrams of THC, which is way too high, according to chair James Pepper. That would allow someone, for instance, to buy 1,680 beverages or edibles each containing 5 mg of THC.

The proposed policy would assign points to products and allow a customer to purchase 100 points at a time. That limit would equal 24 cans of a beverage with 5 mg of THC, five grams of solid concentrate or five half-gram vape cartridges.

The board, Pepper said, plans to consider the feedback and adjust the proposal. ➆

Turf Wars « P.14

CVU fields drain poorly after it rains, he said, so games are regularly canceled, and its soccer, lacrosse, Ultimate Frisbee and field hockey players must travel to other communities, including the turf fields at South Burlington and Burlington high schools, to compete.

Champlain Valley School District superintendent Adam Bunting, who supports Lesser-Goldsmith’s vision, noted that wet weather in the spring and late fall has always made it challenging to maintain grass athletic fields in Vermont. It’s been particularly difficult for CVU, largely because its fields are atop clay soils that don’t readily absorb rain. The field in question is only playable about 50 percent of the time in the fall, according to a district spokesperson.

“It’s hard not to talk about turf in that context,” Bunting said.

But in articles in local papers, letters to the editor and posts on community forums, critics have raised questions about the wisdom of replacing a mat of living grass with what amounts to a massive plastic carpet.

“The artificial turf idea is dangerous, and legally futile,” Jennifer Decker, a member of the Hinesburg Planning Commission, wrote in an opinion piece in the Shelburne News , noting that she was speaking only for herself. “Let us enjoy spectator sports while preserving democracy, human health and the ecosystem.”

Decker told Seven Days that she is concerned primarily because CVU is located not far from a town well, in a zone where activities that could contaminate town water supplies are restricted.

“I really want to protect my community from the devastating impacts of forever chemicals,” she said.

When the Hinesburg Conservation Commission got wind of LesserGoldsmith’s plan, it sent a letter to the Champlain Valley School District Board — which represents Williston, St. George, Shelburne and Charlotte as well Hinesburg — urging it to abandon the idea.

“It is widely known and well-documented that artificial turf contains PFAS, as well as microplastics and numerous other chemicals that are hazardous to human health and the environment,” the commissioners wrote.

PFAS refers to a class of thousands of synthetic chemicals that have been used in consumer goods since the 1950s, often as coatings. The chemical bonds between carbon and fluorine atoms in PFAS compounds are so strong that they don’t break down in the environment,

earning them the moniker “forever chemicals.”

A growing body of science links chemicals historically found in synthetic turf to environmental contamination and human health concerns.

The multibillion-dollar synthetic turf industry has experienced rapid growth in recent years as communities facing intense competition for sports fields have turned to turf to maximize playing time. That growth has stoked a national debate reflected in the dispute in Hinesburg.

State Rep. Phil Pouech (D-Hinesburg) said his town is particularly sensitive to PFAS contamination because a closed 38-acre landfill leached the “insidious” chemicals into surrounding wells. While the donors to the new field are clearly well intentioned, Pouech said, public sentiment doesn’t appear to be on their side.

“I think if there was a vote, it’d be an uphill battle to get it to pass,” Pouech said.

The proposal is unlikely to face a public referendum but will be decided by the school board. The Conservation Commission has argued for greater transparency as the board considers the project in the new year.

“We believe that all environmental, health, and financial liability risks must

be fully discussed at public meetings with the CVU community, Hinesburg residents and town officials,” the group wrote in its October 21 letter.

That’s exactly what Bunting says the school board plans to do, probably with a community forum this spring. Building fields that kids can use is important, he said, but the last thing he wants is to divide the community.

“It’s important to me that we walk through this process with respect on all sides and that everyone feels heard,” Bunting said. “That may be naïve, but I think it’s important.”

Lesser-Goldsmith said private fundraising efforts have been quietly under way for a couple of years. He declined to say how much he has raised to date or from whom. After finding “overwhelming” support among the donor and school communities, he assembled a project team that includes Wagner Hodgson Landscape Architecture, Engineering Ventures, ReArch Construction and FieldTurf.

In late October, he unveiled the plans in a press release that included glowing quotes from supporters, including Bunting, and detailed renderings of the proposed renovations.

They showed “Field B,” currently a grass field with a couple of movable soccer

Budtenders at Zenbarn Farms

Field B at CVU, which is often too wet for athletes to use

Eli Lesser-Goldsmith in 2018

goals, transformed into a modern arena with bright lights, new bleachers and the school’s Redhawks logo emblazoned on the center of the artificial turf.

Lesser-Goldsmith said his goal is to match the artificial turf fields at the half a dozen other Vermont high schools that have them.

“We’re not looking to be above and beyond,” he said. “We want a turf field because a turf field is the standard of other varsity high school sports facilities in Vermont.”

When it comes to PFAS, however, there are new standards that such fields

I THINK IF THERE WAS A VOTE, IT’D BE AN UPHILL BATTLE TO GET IT TO PASS.

REP. PHIL POUECH

will have to meet come January 1. In 2024, Vermont lawmakers banned the sale of certain products, including artificial turf, that contain PFAS. They did so after learning that PFAS contamination was not only a national problem but also a local one.

Beginning in 2017, hundreds of wells in the Bennington area were found to have been contaminated by the chemicals from a factory, ChemFab, that for years had baked Teflon coating onto fabrics. In 2019, the owner of the long-closed plant agreed to pay up to $25 million to connect affected homes to city water. PFAS-laced firefighting foam previously used by the Vermont Air National Guard has contaminated the groundwater around Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport.

The new law says companies shall not “manufacture, sell, offer for sale, distribute for sale, or distribute for use in this State artificial turf to which PFAS have been intentionally added in any amount.” It also applies when “PFAS have entered the product from the manufacturing or processing of that product, the addition of which is known or reasonably ascertainable by the manufacturer.”

This is where things get complicated. Lesser-Goldsmith asserted that Montréal-based FieldTurf’s faux-grass product is “PFAS-free” and will meet relevant environmental regulations. An official for FieldTurf told Seven Days that “almost no one can legitimately claim a product is “PFAS-free” but that its turf for the CVU field will conform with the new law.

It’s unclear how the company would be able to provide artificial turf with no PFAS when its own studies show trace amounts of the chemicals. In July, FieldTurf released the results of a study it claimed found “no detectable PFAS above state and EPA soil screening levels,” though the tests did detect two chemicals that are PFAS, at 0.28 parts per billion and 0.12 parts per billion.

Kyla Bennett, director of science policy for Public Employees for Environ mental Responsibility in Massachusetts, said the proposed CVU field should be held to Vermont’s tougher standard for PFAS contamination in water, not soil, and measured in parts per trillion, not billion. That would make the FieldTurf tests “pretty meaningless,” she said.

The fact that FieldTurf now uses some natural materials, such as cork, as fill is a step in the right direction, Bennett said. But because the blades of “grass” and field backing continue to be made out of plas tic, a host of environmental and health concerns remain.

“There are so many problems with this stuff; it’s just smoke and mirrors,” she said.

Bennett, who testified before Vermont lawmakers working on the PFAS bill, worries that the language in the law about “intentionally added” PFAS provides a “loophole for industry.” PFAS materials are often used as lubricants in the manufacturing process, and she worries that this language might allow companies wiggle room with regulators.

The regulator in this case is the state attorney general, who is empowered to go after companies that sell products that violate consumer protection laws. Attorney General Charity Clark said the law gives her office the power to investigate manufacturing processes and impose penalties if needed.

“I think [Act 131] provides the attorney general with the tools she needs to make sure that these products are safe here in Vermont,” Clark told Seven Days

The AG has wide discretion under the Consumer Protection Act to force manufacturers to remove unsafe products from the market. The office can request manufacturers covered by the law to certify that their products comply. If an investigation determines the manufacturer broke the law, fines and restitution are possible.

While his design team is still working out what permits and approvals the turf field would need, Lesser-Goldsmith said nothing he’s heard from opponents makes him doubt the project’s viability.

“My mantra throughout this has been, I’m going to keep going with this project until the universe tells me it can’t happen,” he said, “and I’ve never heard that once.” ➆

Different School of Thought

First, it calls for five regional partnerships known as Cooperative Education Service Areas. These would allow school districts and supervisory unions to share services such as special education and transportation to save money and improve quality.

Also called Boards of Cooperative Educational Services, or BOCES, a smallscale version of the model has already been successful in southeastern Vermont. Eight school districts and supervisory unions there have pooled money and resources to provide professional development to teachers and administrators, saving districts an average of 66 percent on those costs. The collaboration has also enabled them to hire for hard-to-fill special education roles and create a regional program for elementary school students with social-emotional challenges.

The task force has suggested that these arrangements could yield more immediate cost savings compared to more complicated school-district mergers.

The task force’s plan also calls for voluntary mergers of school districts and supervisory unions. Rather than slicing up the state into new districts using the “arbitrary size targets” of 4,000 to 8,000 students that are specified in Act 73, the task force envisions a more data- and community-driven merger process. It raises the concept of “incentives” for districts that merge but lacks specifics.

There is some precedent for this type of merger. A 2015 law, Act 46, also aimed to consolidate school districts. It offered more than $30 million in tax breaks and grants to those that merged voluntarily and compelled others to do so through State Board of Education directives. There has been no comprehensive evaluation of whether that law achieved the cost savings it promised.

Finally, the group suggests a long-term goal of developing regional high schools. These would offer all students advanced coursework, world languages, technical education, mental health services and extracurricular activities. That possibility would take years to implement since it would require major renovations to existing buildings or the construction of new ones. Without state funding for school construction, which has been on pause since 2007, it would be a hard goal to realize.

The task force’s report notes that the education system’s biggest cost drivers — health care, special education and facilities among them — would not be addressed by creating bigger school districts. And merging school districts could come with additional costs, said Rep. Edye Graning

THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT EDUCATION DOLLARS WILL GO FURTHER WITH NEW, LARGER SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

(D-Jericho), the task force cochair and school board chair of Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District.

Since teacher pay varies considerably from district to district, she said, mergers would likely mean “leveling up” lowerpaid educators’ salaries. That could cancel out savings from reducing the number of administrators. Nonvoluntary mergers could also lead to pricey litigation from resistant districts, she said.

“There are so many problems with forcing mergers that it’s shocking to me that anyone would focus on that,” she said.

Redistricting, though, was just one piece of the education-transformation plan that Saunders unveiled this past

Because each service area would have a governing board, executive director and staff, it would expand, rather than reduce, Vermont’s “administrative footprint.” And the model would “complicate the agency’s ability to ensure compliance and enforce quality,” Saunders wrote.

Yet champions of the approach say these voluntary collaborations have already resulted in measurable savings in southeastern Vermont and other rural states that use them.

“It strengthens local boards rather than replacing them, and preserves community-based schools while easing upward pressure on property taxes,” Margaret MacLean of the Rural School Community Alliance, a coalition of school boards, selectboards and community members from more than 100 Vermont towns, wrote in an op-ed sent to local media.

January. The administration called for consolidating Vermont’s 52 supervisory unions and 119 school districts into five regional school districts, starting in the 2027-28 school year. It also proposed a more straightforward funding mechanism, known as a foundation formula, that would give more power to the state and less to local taxpayers to determine how much money school districts receive.

The agency’s proposal for larger districts “was intentionally designed around three interconnected policy levers — quality, scale, and funding — meant to be implemented together,” Saunders wrote in an email to Seven Days.

Saunders noted that Act 73, the law prompting this educational overhaul, passed with bipartisan support and was “subject to rigorous statistical modeling that demonstrated cost savings.”

“There is no question that education dollars will go further with new, larger school districts,” Saunders continued.

But in public hearings across the state, written comments and surveys, the task force said it heard from more than 5,000 Vermonters who mostly voiced skepticism about the large-scale redistricting.

Public sentiment clearly hasn’t swayed the governor who, on November 14, said he believed members of the redistricting group “didn’t fulfill their obligation” because they did not draw new school district lines. Their actions suggested they were “OK with the ever-increasing property taxes and cost of education” and didn’t want to see change, Scott said.

Saunders, meanwhile, criticized the idea of Cooperative Education Service Areas, saying in a letter to the task force that they “add bureaucracy, cost and complexity to an already top-heavy system.”

Campaign for Vermont, an advocacy group, believes that the state could eventually save up to $334 million annually if school districts share services the way the task force has suggested. The organization’s executive director, Ben Kinsley, said he arrived at that number in part by looking at cost savings achieved in other states.

“Act 46 already proved that forced mergers produce lawsuits, resentment and little to no savings,” Kinsley wrote in a November 24 blog post. In it, he called the task force’s report “the first mature and well-researched education savings proposal Montpelier has seen in decades.”

At its final meeting last week, task force members suggested that its work, completed with community input over several months, represents Vermonters’ views better than the governor’s plan does.

“This task force has been an example of how we need to work together,” said Rep. Rebecca Holcombe (D-Norwich), who served as Vermont’s education secretary from 2014 to 2018. “We need to take our time. We need to do our due diligence. We need to check our assumptions. And we need to find ways to work together from all different corners of the state and all different parties.”

But given Scott and Saunders’ strong opposition, Graning, the task force co-chair, told Seven Days that she worries about what will happen when the General Assembly reconvenes in January. She said she hopes the governor will read the task force’s final report and that his administration will “work on doing the right thing and focus on data-driven decision-making.”

“I have very big concerns,” she said, “about what happens if ... the governor and the administration dig in and say, ‘We like our plan. We’re going to stick with that.’”

lifelines

OBITUARIES

Brian Jones

JULY 20, 1953NOVEMBER 18, 2025 WILLISTON, VT.

Brian Jones was a quintessential Vermont woodworker and an extraordinary man. He grew up in Binghamton, N.Y., but fell in love with the Burlington area as a young man while exploring New England looking for a place to settle, following a year spent traveling the country on his motorcycle. Brian always said that trip — and the people he met along the way — were where he “got his college education.”

When Brian met his future bride, Zoe Breiner, he said, “it was love at first sight.” He and Zoe shared over 40 wonderful years together, with shared interests from gardening, baseball (the Cardinals) and yoga to miniatures, music and motorcycle touring. They designed their “forever home” in Williston, Vt., where Brian custom-made every door, piece of trim, and cabinet in butternut, oak, ash, cherry and sapele mahogany.

Brian had a way of creating

OBITUARIES, VOWS, CELEBRATIONS

dreams for his life and then making them happen.

His love of wood and the challenge of creating furniture became his lifelong passion. Brian’s interest in design and his thirst to learn inspired him to start a custom woodworking business. He became known for curved work and attention to ﬁne details. His one-of-a-kind designs had a certain simplicity that allowed the wood grain to be the predominant feature. He bonded personally with quality craftsmen who became lasting friends and professionally joined with him to complete many challenging projects throughout the years.

Many days found Brian deeply immersed in his creative work, but he developed other loves as well. After being introduced to yoga, Bikram yoga became his lifeblood for 17 years. He then went on to join Second Circle studio, which he described as the most beautiful and loving yoga community he ever belonged to. Brian also loved music and was a regular at the Flynn and the Lane Series.

He traveled, ﬁrst after high school around the U.S. in a 1963 snub-nose Chevy van and then, on the invitation of his sister Marsha, through Baja California and Mexico on a six-month trip with $200 in his pocket. His solo trip on a 500 Suzuki motorcycle took him through California, Arizona, Colorado and Nevada, where he saw Bryce Canyon, Mesa Verde, Grand Canyon and Yosemite, and then cross-country to the Northeast. He had what he said was a trip of a lifetime. Years later, he continued to explore the U.S. and Canada on motorcycle touring vacations with Zoe and his cousin.

Zoe passed away in 2015, a loss that shook Brian’s world. He stayed close to members of Zoe’s family and his own family and friends, but he was clear that he wanted a companion to share life with. Brian and everyone who loved him will forever be grateful for the strong and beautiful relationship he found with his second love, Pam Otte. She and Brian grew together while sharing a lot of interests, including cooking, walking, kayaking and traveling. Most recently, he and Pam toured England and Ireland with his sister Cyndi and her husband, Steve.

Brian’s response to his ALS diagnosis several years ago made it clear who he was as a person. Despite his failing body, he continued to live life to the fullest. He and Pam entertained friends with his special home-cooked eggplant Parmesan dinners and Sunday morning brunches. ey spent time in nature, traveling, and with family and friends.

When Brian was diagnosed, Pam stepped up lovingly to care for him. Her invaluable help, day in and

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day out, enabled Brian to stay active and enjoy life through the years they spent together, right up to the end. Brian continued to enjoy long walks with Pam, ﬁrst with walking sticks and then a scooter. He meditated with his yoga circle and was the same generous and supportive person he had always been. Brian faced his illness with strength, grace, acceptance and gratitude for a life well lived.

Lou Gehrig, who was diagnosed with ALS at the height of his baseball career, said in his famous speech at Yankee Stadium, “For the past two weeks you have been reading about a bad break. Yet today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth.”

Before and after his diagnosis, Brian always said he was the luckiest man he knew.

In preparation for his death, Brian hosted a celebration of his life on October 4 at Cedar Knoll Country Club, where he had played golf for many years. Over 100 close family and friends attended: Pam, his ﬁve sisters and their spouses — Cyndi Jones and Steve Birnbaum, Peggy and

Garry Clark, Marsha Jones and Gary Scardina, Beth and Skeeter Wage, and eresa and Mario Lizzio — many members of the Breiner and Jones extended families, his loving yoga community, his golf buddies, and many other dear friends. All were deeply moved as Brian and others shared stories of his life.

Brian met his death with peaceful resolve and courage, passing away on November 18 surrounded by close family and friends at the age of 72, as part of the Death With Dignity program. He was loved by many, and he will be deeply missed. But his stories, his spirit, his love and the positive way he lived life will endure forever in the hearts of all who knew him.

Contributions in Brian’s memory can be made to UVM Health — Home Health & Hospice, 1110 Prim Rd., Colchester, VT 05446, or online; or to Planned Parenthood of Northern New England at plannedparenthood.org/ planned-parenthoodnorthern-new-england. Please visit awrfh.com to share your memories and condolences.

Post your obituary or in memoriam online and in print at sevendaysvt.com/lifelines Or contact us at lifelines@sevendaysvt.com or 865-1020 ext. 121.

lifelines

OBITUARIES

John Joseph “Jack” McCormack Jr.

JANUARY 20, 1938NOVEMBER 18, 2025 SOUTH BURLINGTON, VT.

John Joseph “Jack” McCormack Jr. passed away peacefully on November 18, 2025, after a prolonged illness.

Jack was born on January 20, 1938, in Boston to John J. McCormack and Winifred (Hunt) McCormack. He grew up in Brookline, Mass., in the neighborhood known as Whiskey Point and there attended St. Mary’s High School. Jack was an excellent student, earning a prestigious Ford Foundation scholarship to his alma mater Boston College, where he graduated in 1959 with a BS in chemistry, lettering in both varsity cross-country and track. Jack then went on to study at Yale University, earning a PhD in pharmacology in 1964.

OBITUARIES, VOWS, CELEBRATIONS

While a graduate student at Yale, Jack met the love of his life, Grace Mary McGraw, and they were married on June 30, 1962. In 1964 Jack, Grace and daughter Sheila moved to Australia, where daughter Mary was born. After a prestigious two-year U.S. Cancer Institute Fellowship at the National University in Canberra, where he performed research on a new class of cancer-ﬁghting drugs, Jack joined the faculty of the Pharmacology Department at the University of Vermont’s School of Medicine in 1966, and the family settled in the Burlington area, where daughter Kristina and son John Patrick were born.

Jack had a long, illustrious career at the University of Vermont spanning nearly five decades, teaching graduate and undergraduate courses, serving on numerous committees, advising PhD students, and leading the Retired Faculty Senate. He was most

Robert Stirewalt

JUNE 18, 1963-OCTOBER 5, 2025 COLCHESTER, VT.

Robert Stirewalt, of Colchester, Vt., passed away on October 5, 2025, at the age of 62.

e son of Bill and Dianne Stirewalt, Robert grew up in Hinesburg, Vt., where he attended Champlain Valley Union High School and the University of Vermont.

Robert was a proud graduate of Naval Aviation Ofﬁcer Candidate School in Pensacola, Fla., and later attended the Michigan State University graduate journalism program.

Robert was a creative man who loved journalism and writing, including telling imaginative bedtime stories to his daughter together with her mom as she grew up. With his talent and love for sports, Robert

passionate about his research for new cancer treatments and served for many years on the board of the Vermont chapter of the American Cancer Society.

As accomplished as Jack was professionally, he was just as devoted to his children, teaching his daughters to play baseball long before there were girls’ softball teams and coaching his son in hockey and soccer. Jack supported youth sports for many years, coaching BAHA hockey, Burlington Parks and Recreation soccer teams, and Burlington International Games teams, even after his children were grown.

Love of God, family and music was the foundation of Jack’s life. He was an active member of the University of Vermont Newman Center and the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception parish in Burlington, where he sang in the choir and served as cantor for many years. Jack shared his love of music as a tenor in a several choral groups, including the Vermont Choral Union, Syrinx musical group and Aurora Chamber Singers. Jack was also a longtime supporter of the Craftsbury Chamber Players and Vermont Mozart Festival. In his later years, Jack loved spending

began as a sportswriter and continued his career in public relations and health communications. Later in life, he enjoyed working at the Kwiniaska Golf Club, where he loved spending time outside on the green.

Robert’s interest in weight lifting and an active lifestyle led to many memories with those he loved, including hiking, biking, running, golﬁng and even homemade obstacle courses in the basement. At his best he was a man of humor, kindness and passion and was ﬁercely protective of those he loved. Quick-witted and strong in mind, body and spirit, he will be deeply missed.

Robert is survived by his daughter, Shea Stirewalt, who was his biggest pride and joy.

“I choose not to lose you and instead to gain an angel.”

time with his many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. His grandchildren have many fond memories of Jack going to their sporting events and bringing them to UVM hockey games. As the grandchildren grew up and started families of their own, Jack visited them as often as he could wherever they lived.

Jack is survived by his children, Sheila (Jeff), Mary, Kristina and John (Nina), and grandchildren, Jeffrey John, omas (Shauna) and Matthew Royer; Jasper (Justin) Gruel, Ryan and Jack Fitzgerald; Ciara (Gavin) Greenwalt; and Dylan Gumaer, Aiden and Abigail McCormack. Jack is also survived by his great-grandchildren: Adeleine, Charlotte and Lydia Gruel; and Olive Roisin Greenwalt. Jack is also survived by his sisters Marie McCardle, Irene McCormack and Barbara Manie; and his sisters-in-law Norma McCormack and Mary McGraw; as well as many cousins, nieces and nephews.

Jack was predeceased by his beloved wife, Grace; his brothers, Edward and omas McCormack; sisters Jean Mally and eresa McCormack; and brothers-in-law David (and wife Mary), James and Edward McGraw.

Jordan Kurker-Mraz

FEBRUARY 16, 1992-SEPTEMBER 21, 2025

TUCSON, ARIZ.

Jordan passed away on September 21, 2025, in Tucson, Ariz. He was born in Burlington, Vt., on February 16, 1992, where he lived until moving with his family to Tucson in 2003. Jordan graduated from Canyon del Oro High School in Tucson and then attended Denison University in Granville, Ohio.

Jordan worked in administration and sales at several established companies and in startups. He also worked regularly in hospitality, starting at age 14 in the kitchen of a gelato shop and most recently as a bartender.

For all his accomplishments and his contributions to both the University of Vermont and to the Burlington community, Jack will be remembered above all to those who knew him for his courtesy, kindness, quick wit and his unending love for his family.

In lieu of ﬂowers, donations made be made in Jack’s name to the American Cancer Society, online at donate.cancer.org or by mail to American Cancer Society, PO Box 6704, Hagerstown, MD 21741; or to Make-A-Wish Vermont & Northeast New York, online at wish.org/ vtny or by mail to Make-A-Wish Vermont & Northeast New York, 6655 Shelburne Rd., Suite 300, Shelburne, VT 05482.

Visiting hours were held on Sunday, November 23, 2025, at Ready Funeral Service, 261 Shelburne Rd., Burlington, VT 05401. A Mass of Christian Burial was held on Monday, November 24, 2025, at St. John Vianney Catholic Church, 160 Hinesburg Rd., South Burlington, VT 05403, followed by burial in Resurrection Park Cemetery.

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

empathy, offbeat humor and clever commentary will continue to make us smile and keep his spirit alive.

Jordan is survived by his mother, Michelle Mraz (Rob Backus) of Burlington; his father, Mitchell H. Kurker (Juanita) of Tucson; his brother; his grandmother, Frances Kurker, of Tucson; and many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.

From a young age, Jordan was kind, affectionate, funny and loyal. He enthusiastically afﬁrmed and celebrated his family and friends. His warmth, curiosity and quick wit served him well, both personally and professionally.

Jordan’s absence from our lives will be an ongoing sorrow, but memories of his universal

A memorial service in Burlington will be announced at a later date.

If you would like to make a contribution in Jordan’s memory, please consider your local library, center for the arts or agency for mental health services.

Read Jordan’s complete obituary here: obituaries. avenidascremation.com/jordan-mraz-kurker.

We are grateful to those who have expressed their sympathy and provided comfort and support since his passing. ank you.

(Photo taken by Jordan, April 2022. If you look closely at the signs, you will see a message that is helpful to those who are grieving him.)

Nancy Bohne

DECEMBER 23, 1939-NOVEMBER 20, 2025

ESSEX JUNCTION, VT.

Nancy Stuart Bohne passed away on November 20, 2025, at home, surrounded by her loving family. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and greatgrandmother. She shared a remarkable partnership with her husband, Paul Bohne III, as his life companion for 63 years of marriage and 67 years in love. All those who knew Nancy appreciated her sense of humor, her eternal optimism, her kindness and her unyielding devotion to her family. Her absence will be deeply felt by all who knew her.

Nancy was born on December 23, 1939, to Eleanor Hartman and James Cresswell (Cress) Stuart. She grew up on her family’s farm in Willingboro, N.J., and graduated from Burlington High School, where she met her future husband, Paul. Nancy spent 10 joyful years as both camper and counselor at Merrowvista, a summer camp in Center Tuftonboro, N.H., which sparked her lifelong love for New England.

Chamber of Commerce Tourist Bureau and as a member of the State Board of the Girl Scouts.

After selling the orchard in 1987, Nancy and Paul designed and built a home on an orchard lot on Apple Hill Road in Bennington. Nancy then returned to teaching for the next 15 years, focusing on sixth-grade education and developing innovative middle-level teaching methods, which she shared with fellow fifth- and sixth-grade teachers at Bennington Elementary. She became the teacher representative on the Board of the New England League of Middle Schools. She collaborated with her friend Carol Spencer and other colleagues to provide many workshops across New York and New England, enriching middle-level teaching practices. Upon her retirement in 2002, Nancy continued to support education by working for three years at the Vermont State Department of Education, assisting with teacher recertification.

Yola Carlough

MAY 5, 1945NOVEMBER 22, 2025 STOWE, VT.

She graduated from Cedar Crest College in Allentown, Pa., in 1962 with a major in elementary education. Nancy and Paul were married on August 12, 1962, at the Presbyterian Church in Beverly, N.J. That autumn, Nancy began teaching at Franklin Park while Paul completed his bachelor’s degree at Rutgers University. In the spring of 1965, they moved to Vermont with their daughter, Jill, where Nancy would reside for the remainder of her life.

In 1966, Nancy and Paul purchased Harwood Hill Orchard in Bennington, Vt., from Paul’s parents and operated it until 1987. Being an eternal optimist, she eagerly engaged her new challenge and played a vital role in the orchard’s daily operations, managing both the retail side and the bookkeeping, all while raising their two children, Jill and Paul IV. She was an active member of the Bennington community, serving as president of the local chapter of Junior Women, chair of the

Nancy is survived by her husband, Paul; her daughter, Jill Bohne Davis; son, Paul Werner Hans Bohne IV, and his wife, Cindy; four grandchildren: Madison and Whitney Bohne, Stuart Davis and his fiancé, Zoe Lucia, and Haley Davis Stearns and her husband, Joshua; two greatgrandchildren, Oliver and Silas Stearns; her sister Eleanor Gappo; and many nieces and nephews.

A memorial service for Nancy will be held on Saturday, December 13, 2025, 2 p.m., at the Second Congregational Church, 115 Hillside St., Bennington, VT. The service will be available via Zoom. To receive the link, contact Paul IV at paulwhb@gmail. com. Burial will be held privately at the convenience of the family at Park Lawn Cemetery in Bennington.

For those who would like to honor Nancy, contributions can be made to Champlain Housing Trust by visiting their website at getahome.org. Arrangements are in care of LaVigne Funeral Home, Winooski, Vt. To send condolences to her family, please visit vtfuneralhomes.com.

Yola Carlough of Stowe, Vt., died peacefully with family and friends by her side at the McClure Miller Respite House on Saturday, November 22, 2025. Fiercely independent and strong, she fought hard with her University of Vermont medical team to beat an advanced cancer but was, finally, able to let go. Yola was born on May 5, 1945, and grew up in New York, where she graduated from the Convent of the Sacred Heart and Manhattanville College in 1967. Yola worked as a child model at Harper’s Bazaar, in advertising, and owned and ran the Ten Acres Lodge in Stowe. A self-taught chef, she took on the executive chef role and garnered an impressive write-up in Gourmet magazine. Her greatest impact was as a pioneer in corporate social responsibility, at Ben & Jerry’s, Burt’s Bees and B-Lab, with a mission to elevate

Antonio “Gino” Todisco

JUNE 28, 1934NOVEMBER 20, 2025 BURLINGTON, VT.

Antonio “Gino” Todisco, 91, loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather (known to his family as “Nonno”), passed peacefully from this life on November 20, 2025. His loss is felt profoundly by all who knew and loved him.

The family wishes to extend their heartfelt gratitude to the staff and residents of Quarry Hill for their care,

ethical standards in business. She ended her career as a consultant in fair trade and sustainability.

Yola served on several nonprofit boards, including NC Conservation Network, the Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS), Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility (VBSR), Fossil Rim Wildlife Center in Texas and Up for Learning. She was a passionate pianist, linguist, host, chef, creative, traveler, skier and a vicious Scrabble competitor. Her wit and humor were sharp yet kind, weird yet

companionship and kindness shown to Gino. Their support and warmth meant so much to him and to his family.

poignant, but perhaps best described by her beloved sister, Monika, as “pee your pants funny.”

Yola is survived by her brother, Marek Pyka, his wife, Debby Gale, and their son and her nephew, Matthew; and her nephews Peter and Gregory Dillon, their wives, Diane Dillon and Samantha Skey, and five grandnieces and -nephews, effectively her grandchildren. She is also survived by more great friendships, across regions and generations, than can be counted. All who were touched by her warmth and energy felt special and connected. She was predeceased by her father, William Pyka; her mother, Aida Pyka; her niece, Amanda Gale-Pyka; her sister, Monika Dillon, and husband Brian Dillon; and her uncle, Stas Pyka. A celebration of her life will be held in the spring, near a body of water, as she sailed and could not be pinned down. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Up for Learning in Waterbury, Vt.

At this time, there will be no visiting hours. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, November 29, 2025, 11 a.m., at St. Mark’s Catholic Church on North Avenue in Burlington. A reception will follow at the Elks Lodge on North Avenue.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to a charity of one’s choice, in honor of Gino’s lifelong spirit of giving.

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

Star Power

Ripton writer and activist Bill McKibben has surprisingly sunny news for our gloomy times: e solar age has dawned.

BY KEN PICARD • ken@sevendaysvt.com

Fallen leaves crunched underfoot as Bill McKibben strode up a hill and into the woods that surround his Ripton home. As his dogs galloped ahead through stands of birch, maple, beech and red pine, Vermont’s most famous environmental writer and activist guided a reporter on a well-trodden path that seemed to o er signs of the state’s changing climate around each bend.

We crossed a branch of the Middlebury River, reduced to a trickle by this summer’s record drought. We followed a trail that McKibben cross-country skis in winter — on the dwindling number of days when there’s snow. And we passed a road that still bears scars from the devastating ﬂood of July 2023 that swept away several nearby homes.

“People tell themselves that Vermont is a refuge from the climate crisis,” he said. “There really is no such thing.”

McKibben is tall and lanky, with closely cropped gray hair and the jutting, angular features of a praying mantis. For more than three decades, the 64-year-old author, environmentalist and scholar-in-residence at Middlebury College has been the Paul Revere of the climate crisis, sounding the alarm not for invading British soldiers but for the Earth’s impending peril. The End of Nature, McKibben’s 1989 debut book and environmental call to arms, was the ﬁrst to explain global warming to a general audience.

“When I started writing about it, all the scientiﬁc reports that people had done on climate change could sit on the top of my desk,” he said. “Now, they would ﬁll an aircraft hangar.”

Since then, McKibben has written more than 20 books and countless essays and articles for such publications as the New Yorker, the Atlantic, Rolling Stone and the New York Times The End of Nature has been translated into two dozen languages and is still taught in college classes. Professors have written research papers on his

Our species, at what feels like a very dark moment, can take a giant leap into the light. Of the sun.

BILL MCKIBBEN

e ectiveness as a journalist and organizer, and in 2014 a California biologist named a newly discovered gnat after him. (McKibben, a perennial gadﬂy, was delighted.) A winner of the Gandhi Peace Award in 2013, he’s the rare eco-warrior famous enough to get an audience with the pope and be interviewed by late-night TV hosts David Letterman, Bill Maher and Stephen Colbert.

Being the world’s most prolific author on global warming has brought McKibben no joy over the years, given how little humans have done to address it. Most of his Cassandra-like warnings — including of rising sea levels and increasingly intense heat waves and ﬂoods — came to pass as seriously as he predicted and often considerably worse. As he put it, “I would have given anything just to be wrong.”

But something remarkable changed in the past few years, and it wasn’t just the weather. In August, the country’s foremost climate doomsayer and self-described “professional bummerouter” published a new book that o ers something totally unexpected: a bright ray of hope.

Here Comes the Sun: A Last Chance for the Climate and a Fresh Chance for Civilization chronicles how renewable energy finally reached a tipping point in the past five years. Now, McKibben said, “It’s become cheaper to produce power from the sun and the wind than from setting stu on fire.”

Solar has become the fastest-growing and most e cient means of powering the world’s economies, and the speed of its adoption worldwide is astounding even its staunchest proponents. No longer should we refer to it as “alternative” energy that, like Whole Foods Market, is healthy but pricey. Instead, he writes, renewables have become “the Costco of energy, inexpensive and available in bulk.”

McKibben doesn’t claim credit for sparking the solar revolution. But his journalism and grassroots organizing undoubtedly raised global awareness of the crisis and fueled a sense of urgency to address it. He is the rare writer who has successfully straddled the line between journalist and activist while remaining credible and respected.

“I’m sure he would be a happier person if he didn’t have to keep writing about this over and over again,” said author and journalist Sue Halpern, McKibben’s wife of 37 years. “When he started doing this work, no one else was doing it. Now, the New York Times has a climate desk, and

there are hundreds and hundreds of environmental journalists.”

In the mid-2000s, while some were proclaiming the death of the U.S. environmental movement, McKibben and a group of Middlebury College students cofounded 350.org, the ﬁrst, and now largest, global grassroots organization devoted exclusively to ﬁghting climate change. Through 350.org, McKibben has helped organize climate demonstrations in every country on Earth but North Korea.

And he continues to bring new people into the fold. In 2021, he founded Third Act, a nonproﬁt group that harnesses the skills, experience and resources of people 60 and older to ﬁght climate change and defend America’s faltering democracy — because, as he put it, “You can’t do climate work under authoritarianism.”

At a time when President Donald Trump continues to call climate change “a hoax” and advances a “Drill, baby, drill!” energy policy — for the ﬁrst time ever, the U.S. didn’t attend the annual United Nations climate change summit, at which there was no agreement on phasing out fossil fuels — Here Comes the Sun has the potential to shift the narrative around renewable energy as profoundly as The End of Nature did for global warming. In recent months, McKibben has been barnstorming the country giving talks about the book, and he shows no sign of slowing down. Indeed, its uplifting message seems to have ignited in him a renewed energy and passion.

“[O]ur liberation and our destruction are arriving at precisely the same time, o ering us a remarkable choice,” McKibben writes in the book’s introduction. “Our species, at what feels like a very dark moment, can take a giant leap into the light. Of the sun.”

THE SOLAR GOSPEL

More than 80 people gathered in the Champlain Valley Unitarian Universalist Society in Middlebury on a recent weekday evening to hear McKibben talk about his new book. As he took the stage, the former Methodist Sunday school teacher apologized for not being at his best

that night, as he had just spent 62 of the past 65 nights sleeping in hotel rooms on his book tour. Yet for the next 90 minutes, McKibben spoke eloquently and without notes, often drawing on his preternatural gift for quoting facts and figures from memory to maximum effect.

“Bill’s recitation of statistics of how much solar has been built will sometimes move people to tears,” said Jamie Henn, 41, McKibben’s longtime friend and 350.org cofounder. “People have no sense that we’re actually making progress.”

In fact, it was McKibben’s own astonishment at the rate of solar’s adoption that compelled him to write Here Comes the Sun late last year. As he told the Middlebury audience, the numbers are truly staggering: As of April, for the first time ever, fossil fuels were producing less than half of all electricity in the U.S. Thanks to renewables, California is now using 40 percent less natural gas to generate electricity than it did two years ago. When the sun goes down, the biggest sources of electricity for California’s energy grid are large solar- and wind-charged batteries that didn’t even exist three years ago.

And the U.S. is far from being the fastest adopter of solar, McKibben pointed out. Australia now produces so much energy from the sun that, beginning next year, the Australian government will give every citizen three hours of free electricity each afternoon, enabling them to schedule energy-sucking activities, such as drying clothes and charging electric cars, during those hours.

China is moving even faster. As of May, the Chinese were installing 3 gigawatts of solar panels per day — roughly the equivalent of building a large coal-fired power plant every eight hours. The result: In the past 18 months, China’s carbon dioxide emissions finally plateaued and have begun to decline, McKibben said, “which is the single best piece of good news I’ve heard in a long time.”

McKibben also noted that, notwithstanding Trump’s dismissiveness of renewable energy, the adoption of solar has finally leaped the political threshold. Recent polling data indicate that it’s hugely popular across ideological lines.

Utah became the first state in the country to legalize what’s known as balcony solar, which are photovoltaic panels that can be hung on porches and railings outside apartments and plugged directly into a wall outlet. (The Vermont legislature is expected to take up a similar bill in 2026.) In Europe, where balcony solar has exploded in popularity, thousands of apartment dwellers generate as much as a quarter of their electricity from it.

Bill McKibben

The biggest solar adopter in the U.S. isn’t California but Texas — not because of any concern over climate change, McKibben said, but because of its “sincere religious conviction” in the invisible hand of the free market. Simply put, solar is now cheaper and more reliable, especially in Southern states where the sun shines during much of the year.

“I know many people who have a Trump flag on their mailbox and solar panels on their roof, and it’s not because they’re worried about climate change,” McKibben said. “It’s because My home is my castle, and it’s a better castle if it has an independent power supply.”

Critics have largely praised Here Comes the Sun for its insights and hopeful message. Mark Hertsgaard at the Nation called it “an essential read for anyone who is interested in where the climate story is heading.”

James Dinneen at New Scientist cheered it as “stirring” and “visionary.” And MSNBC’s Chris Hayes called it “arguably the biggest story happening in the world right now and also the most hopeful.”

The book’s few negative reviews have come primarily from the ideological right. Author, researcher and political strategist Ted Nordhaus panned it in a New Atlantis piece titled “How Bill McKibben Lost The Plot.” His biggest objection seemed to be that the Middlebury scholar is “quintessentially an unreliable narrator” because he wears multiple hats as journalist, activist, “movement prophet [and] ecovisionary.”

“I don’t think the New Yorker would be publishing Bill,” Halpern retorted, “if they thought that his whole point was to be more of an activist than a purveyor of important information.”

CLOSE TO HOME

On the morning of our walk in the Ripton woods — McKibben’s preferred setting for conducting an interview — the New York Times had reported that the first six months of 2025 were the costliest in U.S. history in terms of climate-related natural disasters.

“That record will last until 2026,” he predicted. “Large sections of the nation’s second-largest city burned to the ground in January, and now it’s the 50th weirdest thing to happen in 2025.” Among the houses razed in this year’s California wildfires was McKibben’s childhood home in the hills of Altadena.

McKibben was born in Palo Alto, Calif., and grew up in Lexington, Mass., the last stop on Paul Revere’s midnight ride. There, he once held a summer job guiding tourists

The fossil fuel industry had so much money and so much power that losing the argument hardly mattered to them.

BILL MCKIBBEN

on the town’s historic green, site of the first skirmish of the Revolutionary War. When McKibben was about 10, his father, a journalist with Businessweek and later the Boston Globe, was arrested on the town green during an anti-Vietnam War protest led by a young John Kerry. By 13, McKibben was following in his father’s footsteps, writing for his local newspaper.

McKibben entered Harvard University in 1978, where he majored in government. The day the Harvard Crimson opened its doors to new students, McKibben was waiting on the steps outside the student daily to join the school newspaper’s staff. Throughout college he spent as many as 14 hours a day at the paper, eventually becoming editor of a staff that included now-famous journalists Nicholas Kristof and David Sanger.

A week after graduating from Harvard, McKibben went to work for the New Yorker, where he penned more than 400 byline-free articles for its “Talk of the Town” column. His first long piece for the magazine, published in March 1986, was titled “Apartment.” In it, McKibben traveled to the source of various objects in his modest New York City flat, including the electricity generated by a hydroelectric dam in Québec, oil drilled in Brazil and uranium mined in the Grand Canyon.

In those years, McKibben didn’t consider himself an environmentalist.

THE END OF NATURE — AND THE BEGINNING OF ACTIVISM

With his environmental reporting still fresh in mind, McKibben began reading as much as he could of the emerging science of climate change. In June 1988, National Aeronautics and Space Administration scientist James Hansen testified before Congress that the planet had become measurably hotter than at any point in recorded history. The greenhouse effect was now detectable, Hansen told lawmakers, and computer simulations could predict, with “a high degree of confidence,” that it would trigger extreme weather events.

“I think it struck me much harder than it otherwise would have,” McKibben recalled. Until that point, environmental disasters mostly seemed like isolated shortcomings in human systems. When cities became choked with smog, auto manufacturers were forced to install catalytic converters, and the smog disappeared. When hydrofluorocarbons carved a hole in the ozone layer, those chemicals were eventually replaced.

David Brower, the Sierra Club’s first executive director, was a hero to McKibben’s father, an avid hiker, because he had saved the Grand Canyon from being flooded for a hydroelectric dam. But until McKibben reported “Apartment,” he had never given much thought to his own ecological footprint.

“This will sound funny, but it taught me that the world was a physical place,” McKibben said. Having grown up in the suburbs, where all of humanity’s systems are hidden from view, “Apartment” helped him see the fragile and interconnected nature of the environment and his place in it.

In the early 1980s, McKibben began researching another previously unnoticed phenomenon of American urban life: homelessness. As part of his reporting, he spent time living on the streets of New York City and ran a homeless shelter out of a church basement.

Through his work on homelessness, McKibben met his wife, Halpern, in 1986. She was teaching at Columbia University and raising money in her spare time to fund a summer camp for homeless kids.

When William Shawn, the longtime New Yorker editor who had hired McKibben, was forced out of his job in 1987, McKibben quit the magazine in solidarity. The couple moved to the Adirondacks and married in 1988.

But global warming operated on a far bigger scale. McKibben remembers thinking how extraordinarily difficult it would be to solve a problem whose cause — the burning of fossil fuels — undergirded the entire world’s economy.

The End of Nature, with its clear, accessible tone, colorful metaphors and morally persuasive arguments, had as profound an impact on the environmental movement as did Rachel Carson’s 1962 book, Silent Spring, which revealed the harm caused by the use of the pesticide DDT during World War II. With its jet-black cover and an illustration of the Earth on fire, The End of Nature captured the public’s attention and inspired a new generation of activists.

Some of the book’s impact, McKibben suggested, was due to its fortuitous timing. Six months before the book’s release, the Exxon Valdez tanker ran aground, spilling millions of gallons of crude oil into Alaska’s Prince William Sound, devastating wildlife and highlighting America’s dependency on fossil fuels. And a record-breaking heat wave that summer, covering two-thirds of the U.S., offered a stark preview of a much hotter planet.

“Like most writers and academics, I was a very firm believer in the power of argument,” McKibben said. Throughout the 1990s, he kept giving speeches and writing books and articles, he said, believing “somewhat naïvely” that winning the argument about the need to cut carbon

Bill McKibben protesting at a Burlington gas station in 2016

P.23

emissions would be enough to move the needle.

“But the fight was actually not about data and reason and evidence,” he said. “The fight was about money and power. And the fossil fuel industry had so much money and so much power that losing the argument hardly mattered to them.”

McKibben realized that those who cared about climate change needed to assemble power of their own.

“Did I have any idea how to do that? Not really,” he said.

350’S A CROWD

A small auditorium in Middlebury College’s Franklin Environmental Center at Hillcrest was standing room only on a recent Thursday as students, faculty and alums crowded in for a colloquium on the state of climate education and activism in 2025. The discussion was part of a three-day campus event called

in 2001 as a scholar-in-residence in environmental studies, a position later funded by a $1 million grant from the Schumann Center for Media and Democracy, largely at the urging of the late journalist Bill Moyers, McKibben’s longtime collaborator and friend.

“Bill decided he wanted to move from just writing about the challenge [of climate change] to acting to confront it,” Moyers told Imogen Rose-Smith for a 2014 story in Institutional Investor.

At Middlebury, McKibben reunited with fellow Harvard ’82 alum Jonathan Isham, now professor of economics and director of environmental studies. Even then, Isham recalled, McKibben was “a bit of a North Star” in pressing the issue of climate change. Since then, he said, McKibben’s impact on the college has been “profound.”

“There’s no doubt that there are students who come here because of Bill,” he said.

“What Works Now?” celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Sunday Night Group, the weekly student meetups that led to the formation of 350.org. McKibben was clearly the star attraction, as students sat on the floor, leaned against windowsills and poked their heads through doorways just to listen.

“As you can see, anytime Bill speaks on campus, the crowds come out,” said Minna Brown, director of the Middlebury Climate Action Program.

During the discussion, McKibben urged the young people in the room not to minimize their role in the climate movement by calling themselves “student” activists. “You have as much right to a seat at the table as anyone,” he said.

McKibben didn’t call himself an activist when he first arrived at Middlebury

In January 2005, Isham taught a new class called “Building the New Climate Movement.” It was inspired by former governor Howard Dean’s presidential campaign the year before, with its meetups, blogs and decentralized leadership. Students researched grassroots movements, connected with community partners and organized a three-day conference at end of the winter term.

The conference got a write-up in the New York Times , in part, because two little-known environmentalists, Michael Shellenberger and Ted Nordhaus — the same Nordhaus who would later pan Here Comes the Sun — presented a 12,000word thesis called “The Death of Environmentalism.” In it, they cited climate

when under the influence of

Demonstrators marching up Main Street at the Stop Line 3 Rally in Burlington in 2021

activists’ largely unsuccessful efforts to regulate industrial and automobile emissions. Environmentalists, Nordhaus told the conference, “have spent the last 25 or 30 years telling people what they cannot aspire to ... That isn’t going to get you very far.”

The gauntlet had been thrown down. Beginning in late January 2005, a group of students in Isham’s class started meeting every Sunday night to organize climate action campaigns and demonstrations. (Twenty years later, the student group still meets on Sundays.) McKibben became the group’s informal adviser and source of inspiration.

“There’s no question that the Sunday Night Group put us in the center of the climate movement,” Isham said.

By 2006, the U.S. still had not ratified the Kyoto Protocol, a modest international pledge to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions to 5 percent below 1990 levels. Though McKibben wanted to do more to address the crisis, “There was no real climate movement to join,” he said.

So he started one. McKibben had recently returned from Bangladesh, where he had contracted dengue fever, a mosquito-borne disease that has become more common as the planet gets warmer and wetter. He made a full recovery but was struck by the injustice that thousands of Bangladeshis would not. People in that country, whose carbon emissions were so trivial as to be unmeasurable, were dying en masse from a disease that was being exacerbated by industrialized countries.

On Labor Day weekend 2006, McKibben and members of the Sunday Night Group organized a climate march, which loosely followed Route 7 north to Burlington. Seeking a poetic starting point, McKibben suggested that they begin at Robert Frost’s writing cabin in Ripton, a short walk from his own house.

“It was a really beautiful experience,” recalled Will Bates, 41, a 350.org cofounder and one of the original Sunday Night Group members, who made the five-day trek. Along the way, the marchers stopped at churches, museums and village greens; gave talks about climate change; listened to poetry and music; and camped overnight in yards and hayfields. Most days, they had 50 to 200 people joining them, with drivers honking and pedestrians waving in support.

By the time the pilgrimage reached Burlington, the march had grown to 1,000 people. When it arrived in Battery Park, the procession was met by every Vermont candidate for federal office, as there was an off-year election that November. All the

candidates, regardless of party affiliation, signed a pledge to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by 2050, which, at the time, was considered an ambitious goal.

When the Associated Press ran a story about it the following day, it described the 1,000-strong gathering as the largest demonstration against global warming ever held in the U.S.

climate actions around the country. Within months, they had 1,400 events scheduled in all 50 states. Their next goal was to take the movement global. Those efforts culminated in the formation of 350.org in 2008.

“It’s really a credit to Bill that he pushed us to think about doing something much larger than we ever would have thought possible,” said Henn, the 350.

There’s no doubt that there are students who come here because of Bill.

JONATHAN ISHAM

“ Good God! No wonder we’re not getting anywhere!” McKibben remembers thinking.

But as McKibben wrote in Seven Days on the 10th anniversary, the Vermont climate march “marked the end of my relatively quiet life as mostly a writer and the start of a hectic stint being mostly an activist.”

STEPPING IT UP

In 2007, several of the former Middlebury students involved in the Sunday Night Group moved to Burlington and started work on Step It Up, a campaign to organize similar

org cofounder who now runs Fossil Free Media, a climate-related campaign and communications firm.

Henn and others who’ve worked closely with McKibben over the years described his leadership style as visionary yet humble, a genius who is always willing to entertain other people’s ideas.

“One thing he’s never lost is an interesting combination of confidence but also humility,” Isham said. “He is a servantleader second to none.”

As an organizer, McKibben would liken a demonstration to a church potluck, where everyone brings to the table whatever “dish,” or skills, they’re good at, be it writing, fundraising or website

development. “It was all very Vermonty,” Bates said.

McKibben was the one who suggested the name 350.org. As he explained, Arabic numerals are universally recognized and require no translation. Also, the reference was instantly educational in that any mention of it in the press required an explanation: 350 parts per million represents what climate scientists consider the upper limit of atmospheric carbon dioxide for avoiding the worst impacts of climate change.

On October 24, 2009, 350.org held its first global day of action, two months ahead of an international climate summit in Copenhagen. In all, 5,200 rallies were held in 181 countries. CNN described it as “the most widespread day of political action in the planet’s history.”

McKibben remembers sitting in a borrowed office in lower Manhattan as photos of the rallies began streaming in online from every continent on Earth, sometimes at a rate of 30 per minute. Some of the “rallies” were tiny, including a sole Iraqi woman who held a sign at a military checkpoint, scuba divers underwater at a dying coral reef and climbers atop the highest peak in Antarctica. The images were immediately posted on the digital displays in Times Square.

Several of those photos now decorate McKibben’s living room. Aside from the birth of his daughter, Sophie, he said, “those were some of the most remarkable days of my life.”

Bill McKibben (second from right) participating in a panel discussion at the Franklin Environmental Center at Middlebury College

McKibben has never taken a paycheck for his work with 350.org or Third Act. And while his life definitely changed once he became an activist, it hasn’t always been for the better. In August 2016, he penned an op-ed in the New York Times about his “right-wing stalkers” — the Republican opposition research group America Rising Squared, members of which follow him around with cameras, trying to capture him in embarrassing moments.

The group has posted photos and videos online of McKibben getting off airplanes, riding in gasoline-powered cars and (gasp!) carrying plastic bags out of supermarkets on days when he had forgotten his reusable cloth ones. Someone even went through McKibben’s archive at Texas Tech University, where his papers are stored, digging up obscure quotes that were later posted out of context in an effort to discredit him or demonstrate hypocrisy.

McKibben has been unnerved and infuriated by these experiences, especially when his daughter reported that someone was taking photos of her, too. He even skipped a college mentor’s funeral so as not to cause a scene. But he considers such harassment the price he must pay for the cause.

“There’s comfort in the knowledge that the climate movement doesn’t depend on me,” he wrote in the op-ed. “For years now, I’ve been stepping back, mostly because I think the kind of movement we need is one that has thousands of leaders in thousands of places, connected like the solar panels on the roofs of an entire planet.”

A BOOK OF REVELATIONS

Ask McKibben whether he considers his career as an activist and journalist a success, and his answer reflects his signature humility, if not a touch of false modesty.

“I’ve written far more words about climate change than anybody else,” he said. “If that’s true, given the temperature of the Earth, then I’m the least successful writer that this planet has ever produced.”

Others beg to differ. Henn pointed to several successful environmental campaigns for which McKibben can claim credit. To date, the Keystone XL pipeline, which would move oil from the Alberta tar sands to Texas — and for which McKibben was arrested twice during protests — has yet to be built,

Given the temperature of the Earth, then I’m the least successful writer that this planet has ever produced.

BILL MCKIBBEN

in large part due to his writing and activism.

The carbon divestment movement that McKibben started made it harder for the fossil fuel industry, particularly coal companies, to raise financing for new infrastructure projects. (While few Americans have a coal mine or oil pipeline in their backyard, McKibben explained, most have some connection through their market investments, such

right now, it’s blowing strongly toward solar.

As he stood at the podium at the Unitarian Universalist Society in Middlebury, McKibben, who is best buds with 22-year-old Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, observed aloud that most in the audience were old enough to qualify for Social Security.

“I’ve heard a few too many people my age say, “Oh, it’s up to the next generation to solve this problem,’” he said. McKibben considers that attitude both impractical and immoral. Not only are seniors the country’s fastest-growing demographic, young people also lack the wealth, structural power and freedom to make the necessary changes. After all, getting arrested at a climate protest does little to help a twentysomething get their first real job.

“If you’ve reached the point where you have hair coming out your ears,” McKibben added, “then you also have structural power coming out of your ears.”

McKibben’s newfound optimism — yes, he uses the “o” word now, albeit sparingly — isn’t some new organizing tactic or the product of him becoming a grandfather 19 months ago. Said Anna Goldstein, Third Act advisory board member and part-time consultant: “Bill is realistic and hopeful, and he sees how organizing moves the needle.”

McKibben always tempers his upbeat assessments with clear-eyed realism that humanity can no longer escape the most devastating impacts of a hotter planet but only mitigate their severity.

When Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica in late October, he said, a hurricane hunter aircraft clocked wind gusts of 252 miles per hour, the fastest cyclone speed ever recorded on Earth. That same day, in central Vietnam, the city of Hue was deluged with five feet of rain in 24 hours. And Vermont’s early arrival of winter, cheered by skiers such as himself: That, too, he said, was due to the North Pole being 35 to 40 degrees warmer than normal that week.

as pensions and retirement funds.) And the significant incentives and investments in renewables contained in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, most gutted by the Trump administration, can be traced directly back to the efforts of 350.org.

On a more fundamental level, Henn said, McKibben seems to have an innate sense for which way the wind is blowing, even when it’s not obvious to others. And

“Which is why it’s strange to find myself in some ways more cheerful than I have been about our prospects in a long time,” he proclaimed from the church lectern. “We have to take full advantage of the fact that the good Lord hung a large ball of burning gas 93 million miles up in the sky. And it would be a sin to waste it.” ➆

INFO

350.org activists at the Great Barrier Reef

Climbers displaying a 350.org flag atop Antarctica’s highest peak

food+drink

Living It Up

Hitting a hometown bar on the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving is a holiday tradition that ranks up there with the turkey itself — and usually leads to sleeping well past the start of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade the next morning.

But hangovers are for the young, and my toddler deﬁnitely wakes me up before 8:30 a.m. So when I’m done brining turkey and rolling pie crust, I more often pop on a Kate Bush album and melt into the couch.

This year, Doma Bar could change my mind. The new cocktails-and-vinyl spot on Pine Street in Burlington has all the comfy couches and Kate Bush a girl could want, plus salty snacks and cocktails that easily beat a dive-bar Coors Light. If you’re one

FOOD LOVER?

of the high school friends I actually want to see, consider this an invitation.

Doma opened in the former Paradiso Hi-Fi space on November 7. The windowless lounge, tucked between La Reprise and the Makery, had sat empty since Paradiso’s “temporary pause” (permanent in hindsight) in late July 2024.

Sadie Williams, 35, has revived it. Previously a freelance marketer for the now-defunct Dedalus group — of which Paradiso was a sister business — Doma’s owner and GM knew the bar well, and she has retained its best features while upping the relaxation factor.

Right around when the bar closed, Williams moved back to Vermont after ﬁve years in Mexico City and a year and a half in Jersey City. Her father and business partner, Larry Williams, was an investor in Paradiso and retained its assets. She thought of reopening the bar right away.

“It was not the right time for me, but it stayed in the back of my head,” Williams said. “Part of it was frustration that [Paradiso] didn’t give everybody what they wanted. It could have been so many things.”

Paradiso was both a serious listening lounge and serious restaurant. Chef Micah Tavelli’s time there earned him a James Beard Award semiﬁnalist nod in 2024. But some found it too serious: One friend stopped frequenting it after getting shushed.

Doma, by contrast, is homey. The music is more of a soundtrack than the main focus. I brought two of my loudest friends on the bar’s opening weekend, and nobody told us to keep it down.

“When Sadie pitched this to me, she said, ‘I want this place to be like your coolest friend’s living room,’” said Emily Calhoon, the bar’s chef.

My coolest friends have the same penchant for vintage rugs and a record collection that’s almost as eclectic, though it can’t compare with the sheer volume of choices on Doma’s shelves. Williams still hasn’t ﬁnished cataloging the several hundred albums she inherited with the space, along with the high-ﬁdelity sound system and a pair of massive 1950s rewired speakers.

The disco ball spinning and sparkling

Bar manager Tatiana Bruno making a Poet’s Dream martini

Shrimp cocktail at Doma Bar in Burlington

Local Restaurants

Help Nonproﬁts Serve Free Thanksgiving Meals

For the fourth year in a row, the chefs of Burlington’s FARMHOUSE GROUP will spend this week in the kitchen cooking up a di erent menu from their normal fare: Thanksgiving for about 1,500. Their e orts will help a number of Burlington nonproﬁts and community groups (see list below) serve free meals to those in need on Wednesday and Thursday.

Since 2022, employees from the group — which owns the FARMHOUSE TAP & GRILL in Burlington and Williston, EL CORTIJO TAQUERIA in Burlington, PASCOLO RISTORANTE in Burlington, and GUILD TAVERN in South Burlington — have prepared turkey dinners for local nonproﬁts to serve or distribute, with the help of volunteers and donations from Farmhouse’s distributor partners.

“We have sensed an elevated need in the community this year, more than ever, and encourage everyone to pitch in in their own way,” Farmhouse Group owner JED DAVIS said.

Among the nonproﬁts that will distribute meals from the Farmhouse Group is FEEDING CHAMPLAIN VALLEY, which reopened its renovated 228 North Winooski Avenue facility in October. Culinary manager JUSTIN PFLANZER said the dinner his team will serve the day before Thanksgiving will also include 300 servings of green bean casserole donated by CITY MARKET

Other restaurants are pitching in, too. Burlington’s KING STREET LAUNDRY will serve a free takeout meal donated by WATERWORKS FOOD + DRINK in Winooski on Wednesday afternoon during free weekly laundry service for people experiencing homelessness. “We ﬁgured, people are here, let’s feed them,” said

Andrew Christiansen, who co-owns the laundry and is director of the nonproﬁt Vermont Community Wash and Learn.

For those who would like to contribute to neighbors in need, Feeding Champlain Valley is accepting donations of turkeys and Thanksgiving sides through Wednesday, November 26, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The following list of free meals in Burlington is based on one compiled by Maggie Piela-Fein, University of Vermont master’s of social work intern at the Fletcher Free Library.

FREE MEALS ON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 26

• FEEDING CHAMPLAIN VALLEY at 228 North Winooski Avenue will serve a sit-down meal from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

• FLETCHER FREE LIBRARY at 235 College Street will offer takeout meals from 1 to 6 p.m.

• FOOD NOT BOMBS will serve a meal at City Hall Park from 1 to 2 p.m.

• KING STREET LAUNDRY at 72 King Street will offer takeout meals to unhoused community members from 1 to 3 p.m.

• THE SALVATION ARMY at 64 Main Street will serve a sit-down meal with takeout available from 5 to 6 p.m.

• SPECTRUM YOUTH & FAMILY SERVICES will offer takeout meals at 177 Pearl Street from 5 to 6 p.m. for anyone ages 14 to 24.

FREE MEALS ON THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 27

• COTS at 95 North Avenue will serve a sit-down meal for adults 18 and older at 12:30 p.m.

• FLETCHER FREE LIBRARY at 235 College Street will offer takeout meals from noon to 4 p.m. and on Friday, November 28, starting at 10 a.m., while supplies last.

• FOOD NOT BOMBS will serve a meal at City Hall Park from 1 to 2 p.m.

• TURNING POINT CENTER at 179 South Winooski Avenue, Suite 301, will serve a sit-down meal for all in recovery at 1 p.m.

From left: Farmhouse Group chefs Christopher Cross, Dean uma and Kyle Wescott in 2022

overhead is all new — one of Williams’ small additions to the bar, which didn’t need many, she said. Designed by Viscaya Wagner and built by Silver Maple Construction in 2022, Doma’s calm, cool room has textural details, such as a wavy wall of flexible wood, and some of the best booths in Burlington.

Williams gave credit for the disco ball to talent buyer Quillan George, who books DJs for Doma. She’d asked him to assess and propose upgrades to the sound system, which had been quiet for more than a year, ranking his suggestions “good,” “better” or “best.”

“His ‘good’ was ‘one disco ball,’ and his ‘better’ was ‘two disco balls,’” Williams said with a laugh.

The furniture hasn’t changed much, either, with armchair and coffee table additions from Anjou VT. Custom pieces by local artist Wylie Garcia, new-old rugs and red gels over the lights complete the revamp while keeping the room recognizable.

“It is the same space, and it’s hard to break that connection,” Williams said. “But it is also a new business, and it has a different feel, and it has a different team. I want people to know it for what it is now.”

That all-femme leadership team includes chef Calhoon, 32, whom Williams met while Calhoon was running lunch service at Dedalus; and bar manager Tatiana Bruno, 43, who was previously GM at Misery Loves Co. and Hen of the Wood. Bruno returns to Burlington’s beverage scene after five years of working elsewhere in the state, including in managerial roles at Hill Farmstead Brewery and Barr Hill.

Both have created menus with elements that feel personal. Calhoon’s salty snacks have a Minnesotan flair — think fried cheese — and Bruno’s cocktails include flavors and ingredients that celebrate their Puerto Rican heritage.

The music reflects that personal touch, too. The team spins its own favorites on nights the bar isn’t hosting DJs. Bruno brought a Bad Bunny album from home and chose the West Side Story original soundtrack recording and the Pharcyde’s Labcabincalifornia back-to-back one day last week.

Blondie, Fleetwood Mac, David Bowie, Japanese-inspired jazz, Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons and Bob Marley have all made the cut so far.

“And we’ve been listening to a lot of Prince,” Calhoon said.

I don’t remember what was playing

when I arrived on the second night of Doma’s opening weekend. My group of four rolled in around 7:30 p.m. and ran into two additional friends right away. DJ Taka was setting up for a four-hour set; the night before had featured different DJs each hour.

We snagged a table for six and ordered at the bar. Back at our seats, one friend pointed out the decibel meter hanging in the middle of the bar. Red numbers flickered just under 80 dB — below the eight-hour-average permissible exposure limit where the Occupational Safety

and Health Administration requires employers to provide ear protection, he explained.

Volume meters are the sort of thing you start noticing in your late thirties and early forties, I guess. I mostly noticed that I could hear him share that bit of info. I’m sure the 15 Gen Zers squeezed in and around the booth behind us were talking about the same thing.

The room’s demographic was mixed. A few people danced, while a couple sat tucked behind a speaker in the bar’s quietest spot. Some were Paradiso regulars, some first-timers, Williams said, a typical pattern in Doma’s first month. The DJs have been a draw — Doma hosts one Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays — and the special $10 martini and housemade chips deal on Tuesdays is a steal. The bar is closed on Sundays and Mondays.

I snuck a sip of a friend’s Poet’s Dream ($15), Doma’s house martini, while Bruno made my drink. Based on a recipe from bar chain Death & Co.’s award-winning book Cocktail Codex: Fundamentals, Formulas, Evolutions , the gin martini gets an herbal aura from Bénédictine liqueur.

I’d ordered an equally herby — though less potent — lavender-cava apéritif. Bruno popped in two sprigs of lavender and said

From left: Sadie Williams, Tatiana Bruno and Emily Calhoon

Soft pretzel with a Doma Spritz

“Welcome Home” as they handed it across the bar, offering both a warm greeting and the name of the drink ($12).

That mindset extends to the incredibly thoughtful nonalcoholic section of the menu, where zero-proof options such as We Like the Juice ($12) feel as fancy as the similarly Tajín-rimmed house margarita, Drumz Plz ($18). My second drink of the night was the Doma Spritz ($13), which was as bubbly and complex as any boozy-bitter spritz but made with nonalcoholic Prosecco and an amaro-like NA liqueur.

Other early options included an easy-to-gulp daiquiri sweetened with maple syrup ($14); the Puerto Rico Libre ($12), with Puerto Rican rum, Coke and lime; and the Hott Tati ($12), a warm teatime drink with smoked ancho liqueur that’s sure to become a winter staple.

kitchen, her job is “to make salty snacks to make people want to drink,” she said. “We don’t want it to be a full restaurant again. The cocktails are the star.”

She started in the industry as a baker, learning skills that she puts to excellent use in a soft pretzel ($9) that everyone should try immediately. Calhoon also nailed the blue-cheese-stuffed Castelvetrano olives ($12); a punchy, less-ketchupy cocktail sauce for shrimp cocktail ($15); and, unsurprisingly for a Midwesterner, fried cheese curds ($10).

THE NEW COCKTAILS-AND-VINYL SPOT ON PINE STREET IN

BURLINGTON HAS ALL THE COMFY COUCHES AND KATE BUSH A GIRL COULD WANT.

“It’s nice to give people something that’s approachable but then a little bit different,” Bruno said. “That’s how you win people’s trust and keep them coming back. Eventually, you can give them crazy things, and it’ll all feel familiar.”

A couple of weeks in, Bruno is flexing more. New additions to their cocktail menu include a clarified pineapple daiquiri ($18) and the Daphnee ($22), an olive oil-washed sherry drink that I’m itching to try. The short, simple wine and beer list has no options from Vermont, a rare choice for the area.

While Calhoon works in a decked-out

“I feel like I’m insulting all of the Vermonters, but the best curds are from Wisconsin,” Calhoon said.

Housemade chips topped with coppa ham and pickled Basque piparra peppers ($13) follow the Spanish chips-with-stuff-onthem trend that hit the area at Wilder Wines and Vergennes’ 10 Green Street earlier this year. Doma’s pile is big enough to serve four.

I ended up passing my leftovers to folks I knew at the adjoining table, sharing just like I would at home.

As the night went on, the dancing crowd swelled around the armchairs in the middle of the room. Some other night, maybe Thanksgiving eve, I think I’ll join them. ➆

Stuffed olives

Starting in the late 1950s, Interstates 89 and 91 carved their way through Vermont, literally paving the way for an economic boom, population growth and a constant convoy of visitors. But progress carries costs, and a heart-wrenching story of an Ascutney farmer serves as a vivid example.

Romaine Tenney’s small dairy operation had the misfortune to lie in the way of I-91’s planned route. He had never lived anywhere else and had no intention of ever doing so. On September 12, 1964, the 64-year-old farmer let the cows out and lit a match to his barn. Tenney then entered his home, barricaded himself inside and set it on ﬁre.

Filmmaker Travis Van Alstyne grew up in Chester, not far from where the highway barreled through Tenney’s farm. He was a teen when he ﬁrst heard about the old Vermonter who chose to die rather than relinquish his way of life.

“His sense of place, love for his land and the sheer tragedy of the entire situation just captured me,” said Van Alstyne, now 44 and a South Burlington resident.

Van Alstyne earned a degree from Savannah College of Art and Design’s animation program. In 2024, after four years of work, supported in part by Vermont Public’s Made Here Fund, the ﬁlmmaker released an eight-minute animated short about Tenney titled “Love of the Land.”

In October, Van Alstyne won the Vermont Historical Society’s 2025 Richard O. Hathaway Award for his captivating, sparely written movie with pitch-perfect narration by Waterbury Center farmer-ﬁlmmaker George Woodard.

Seven Days chatted with

Tragic Tale

ree questions for Travis Van Alstyne about his ﬁlm, “Love of the Land,” and farmer Romaine Tenney

BY MELISSA PASANEN • pasanen@sevendaysvt.com

Van Alstyne about old-school Vermonters, the animation technique he used, and whether the life — and death — of one dairy farmer 60 years ago can shed light on continued challenges to agriculture today.

You grew up near Romaine Tenney’s farm but didn’t learn his story until high school. Did you know anyone like him?

A friend recounted his story, which he had heard from his parents. at’s how locals knew

and remembered Romaine. It wasn’t taught in school; instead it was passed down from person to person. At the time, Romaine’s story made a big impression on me, and it still does. I remember feeling a profound sadness for Romaine and his friends and family, wishing there could have been a different outcome.

As far as anyone who reminds me of Romaine, I’d have to say my grandfather. He was an old-school Vermonter with a strong work ethic. He always had a simple and

practical answer to things, an endearing stubbornness, and was known to say he had everything he needed within a 20-mile radius.

Why did you think animation was a good match for the story, and how did you pick the speciﬁc technique?

It just felt right to tell Romaine’s story in animation: a medium that is manual, slow and intense. I knew I had to use rotoscope animation — which involves drawing over the top of live-action video, frame by frame — to get the realistic look and feel that I wanted. My innate drawing style is much more cartoony, and I knew that the somberness of Romaine’s story needed to be respected. I chose to do the rotoscoping by hand using a digital stylus, which resulted in over 3,000 individual drawings. In a way, it imitates how Romaine lived his life: everything by hand with no shortcuts.

Much has been written — even songs — about Romaine Tenney. What did you think you could add?

It’s easy to see Romaine’s story as a protest and sum up his life that way. However, in doing the research, it became clear that he was a kind and gentle farmer who just wanted to live the life he loved. I thought it was time to really highlight his humanity. We have a lot to learn from Romaine’s story: what progress means, land use and the importance of mental health. ➆ is interview was edited for clarity and length.

INFO

Learn more, and watch the ﬁlm for free, at loveofthelandﬁlm.com.

Donwoori Korean to Move but Stay in Winooski

After less than a year of operating DONWOORI KOREAN at 65 Winooski Falls Way, co-owner SUMMER CAO said the restaurant will move in mid-December to the former location of Mandarin, at 22 Main Street near the Winooski rotary. Cao, 26, owns Donwoori Korean with her 22-year-old brother, KHOI. She said the larger, more visible space will “open a lot of doors” by doubling capacity to 65 seats and increasing kitchen space. The siblings plan to keep their original Winooski lease and open a new Asian restaurant there, potentially with a partner, in early 2026.

In early October, when Mandarin owner LAWRENCE FONG announced he would close his 7-year-old restaurant, he kept the identity of the new tenant of his building under wraps, saying only that it would serve Asian cuisine.

Cao worked for Fong at Mandarin after her 2022 arrival in Vermont and credits the experience with inspiring her to open her own restaurant. The young entrepreneur launched Donwoori Korean in the Williston Road spot now occupied by THINGZ FROM YAAD before moving it to her Winooski hometown in March.

At the new Main Street location, Cao said, she will reintroduce soups and stews o ered in her original South Burlington spot, such as kimchi tofu stew and spicy,

Travis Van Alstyne

Still from “Love of the Land”

COURTESY

PHOTOS

Khoi and Summer Cao

food+drink

hot pot-style “army” stew made with fish cake, Spam and American cheese. Donwoori will also add desserts, such as Earl Grey crème brûlée, and even a few Mandarin faves, such as its popular crab Rangoons, but with a different mango-sriracha sauce, Cao said.

Donwoori will continue to take reservations only for large groups but will launch an online wait list after the move.

Bent Nails Roadhouse to Open in Middlesex

The music venue and bar formerly known as Bent Nails Bistro has left Montpelier for 970 Route 2 in Middlesex, across from Camp Meade, as previously reported in Seven Days’ On the Beat column. Co-owner and head cook CHARIS CHURCHILL said she and her business partner, AARON INGHAM, hope to open next week as BENT NAILS ROADHOUSE

The venue will still offer entertainment such as weekly trivia, karaoke, comedy shows and some live music, but it will be more restaurant-oriented and “embrace the food,” said Churchill, 56.

Bent Nails’ menu will resemble the comfort-food roster she served in Montpelier but with more choices for lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch. “Everything’s made from scratch, from our red sauce to the Thousand Island dressing,” Churchill said. “It’s quality but not fine dining.”

Ingham’s sculptures made from car parts decorate the exterior and interior of the roughly 35-seat restaurant. The stage features a vintage car hood, and Ingham crafted the tables from road signs.

At those tables, customers will be able to snack on spinach-artichoke dip served in a bread bowl or kielbasa bites with sauerkraut, followed by

such entrées as gumbo, spaghetti and meatballs, and meatloaf with mushroom gravy. “We’re going to tackle the smash burger, too,” Churchill said.

The full bar will serve classics and house-created, car-themed cocktails, such as a Fernet-Branca and Campari combo called the Ferrari, plus hot toddies for Firepit Fridays.

Our House Bistro in Winooski for Sale; Appears Closed

Our House Bistro, which billed itself as the home of “twisted comfort food,” appears to have closed while awaiting a buyer. The 15-year-old Winooski restaurant at 36 Main Street was known for its creative macaroni and cheese choices, from Sugar Shack Mac with maple bacon, fried onion and maple bourbon to Polynesian Mac topped with coconut shrimp to Peanut Butter & Jelly (Thai-Style) Mac.

The restaurant was dark on the evening of Thursday, November 20, although no sign indicated a temporary or permanent closure, and neither the owners nor the listing agent for the business could be reached for confirmation. The Our House website is no longer in operation. The 45-seat restaurant is listed for sale by VT Commercial for $85,000, reduced from $100,000. ➆

Vermont Winter Farmers Markets

Burlington Farmers Market | 10:00 PM - 1:00

Capital City Farmers Market | 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Champlain

Bent Nails Roadhouse

Barbecue mac and cheese at Our House Bistro

culture

Classical Christmas

’Tis the season for holiday concerts. Here are seven across the folk and classical spectrums.

BY AMY LILLY • lilly@sevendaysvt.com

HOLIDAYS

Iseven o erings in the traditional folk and classical spheres, with a slight bias toward Burlington. (It’s Vermont’s most populous burg, after all.) You can attend an early evening concert for kids or a concert put on by kids. One stage will host three string musicians, another a whole orchestra. There’s a folk-music extravaganza, three excellent choir concerts, and Messiah s and Nutcracker s galore. Be sure to check the Seven Days events calendar for more concerts that weren’t yet announced at the time of this writing.

VSO Holiday Pops

Friday, December 5, 7:30 p.m., at Barre Opera House. $10-35. Saturday, December 6, 7:30 p.m., at the Flynn Main Stage in Burlington. $8.35-62. Sunday, December 7, 3 p.m., at Paramount eatre in Rutland. $10-45. vso.org

Burlington composer Michael Schachter has written for some of today’s preeminent musicians and singers, who have premiered his works at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Carnegie Hall and the Hollywood Bowl. Now, Schachter’s music is coming to Vermont theaters. The Vermont Symphony Orchestra will debut

Inspired by a Jewish folktale, “The First Snow of Chelm” features narration by local jazz musician Marty Fogel.

Plenty of familiar favorites are on the program, too, from the traditional Ukrainian “Carol of the Bells” to Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker Suite . In place of the VSO Chorus, which joins Pops every other year, audiences will hear ﬁve young voices from the Opera Company of Middlebury’s children’s chorus. They’ll sing a Vermontified version of “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” with lyrics such as “two Bernie mittens and a pint full of Ben & Jerry’s.”

Author M.T. Anderson will narrate excerpts of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol to music. And if that doesn’t get you in the mood, an audience sing-along and the sight of 50 musicians in Santa hats will.

Handel’s

Messiah

Vermont Philharmonic presents Handel’s Messiah, Friday, December 5, 7:30 p.m., at St. Augustine Church in Montpelier; and Sunday, December 7, 2 p.m., at Barre Opera House. $5-25. vermontphilharmonic.com

Burlington Baroque presents Handel’s Messiah, Saturday, December 13, 7:30

Messiah, Sunday, December 14, 4 p.m. (sold out) & 7:30 p.m., at the College Street Congregational Church in Burlington; and Sunday, December 21, 4 p.m., at Holy Angels Church in St. Albans. $10-80, free for kids under 18. vtchoralunion.org

Middlebury Sing, Sunday, December 21, 2 p.m., at the Congregational Church of Middlebury. Free; donations accepted. addisonarts.org

the Eastern Townships near Montréal. Its director, Eric Milnes, also founded Burlington Baroque and leads the Vermont Choral Union and the College Street Congregational Church choir. L’Harmonie concerts have routinely sold out since Milnes ﬁrst brought them south of the border three years ago.

For L’Harmonie’s Messiah concerts in Vermont, Milnes will include local choral singers. Members of the Vermont Choral Union join the professional group for two concerts in Burlington and one in St. Albans. And at the Haskell Opera House in Derby Line, which straddles the international border, 25 Canadian artists will join 25 Vermont ones in a powerfully symbolic Burlington Baroque performance of the oratorio.

It’s “a message of peace and love presented directly on the border, [where] both audiences can enter the venue without border crossing,” Milnes wrote by email.

Vermont Youth Orchestra Association: ‘OrchestraPalooza!’

Sunday, December 7, 4 p.m., at the Flynn. $21-24. vyo.org

The Vermont Youth Orchestra Association’s annual winter concert, “OrchestraPalooza!,” a tradition dating back to 2005, gets its name from a combination of the org’s three auditioned groups. The Vermont Youth Strings players are in elementary and early middle school; the Vermont Youth Philharmonia, which adds brass, winds and percussion to its strings, consists of middle and high schoolers; and members of the full Vermont Youth Orchestra are primarily in the upper grades. Collectively, they come from more than 60 schools around and beyond Vermont.

You can have your Messiah ways this season: as a sing-along (the Middlebury Sing, directed by Je Rehbach, is one of many); as a performance featuring local soloists (including Vermont Philharmonic’s with tenor Connor Trombly, a Burlington native and Opera Company of Middlebury Youth Opera alum); or with professional soloists from Québec.

The latter perform with L’Harmonie des saisons, a professional group of singers and musicians on period instruments from

The two older groups lobbied to play speciﬁc pieces this season, and they won. The philharmonia will perform excerpts from The Nutcracker Suite , while the orchestra will do two movements from Modest Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition . The string ensemble will tackle Nikolai RimskyKorsakov’s Capriccio Espagnol , among other challenges.

A concert highlight will be trumpet player Jonathan Kafumbe, a Middlebury

Windborne

Jonathan Kafumbeaa

New Podcast Offers Insider Takes on Politics, Culture and Creemees

BY KEN PICARD • ken@sevendaysvt.com

“There’s No ‘A’ in Creemee,” the newish podcast from Joanna Grossman and Andy Julow, sounds like it should be about the eccentricities of New England spelling. Instead, the two Vermont politicos spend an hour each week talking to politicians, nonprofit leaders and media personalities about, as the tagline suggests, “all things Vermont politics, culture and beyond.”

And yes, they usually carve out time for their guests to weigh in on Vermont’s signature frozen treat.

“Coming from Vermont, I never really thought about it: You win a Little League game, and you go out and get a creemee,” said Julow, 48, a Burlington native who lives in North Hero, in the podcast’s inaugural episode from May.

But Grossman, 49, a native New Yorker, admitted that even after years of living

in Burlington she can barely say the word “creemee” without giggling.

Misleading name notwithstanding,

“There’s No ‘A’ in Creemee” does an admirable job of examining national, state and local politics without getting mired in the weeds. In the six months since it launched, the podcast has tackled some meaty issues — climate change, immigration, youth homelessness, education finance reform — and interviewed political heavyweights such as former governor Howard Dean, Attorney General Charity Clark and Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas. Yet it never gets wonky enough to lose listeners who don’t regularly prowl the Statehouse halls.

“I love being in that building,” Grossman said. “It’s my catnip.”

Clearly, she and Julow know their way

around the legislature. In May 2024, Gov. Phil Scott appointed Julow, who ran his own software development firm for 12 years and chaired his local school board, as state senator representing the Grand Isle district. Julow replaced Dick Mazza, who resigned shortly before his death.

When Julow ran for reelection, he hired Grossman, a longtime Democratic operative who chairs the Chittenden County Democrats, to run his campaign. She has done digital organizing for national Democrats and had her own campaign services agency on Church Street for five years. Grossman’s other clients have included Ben Traverse, president of the Burlington City Council, and Chris Winters, who ran unsuccessfully for Vermont secretary of state in 2022.

Given the hosts’ Democratic pedigrees, “There’s No ‘A’ in Creemee” expectedly skews left, like Vermont politics. Nevertheless, the pair recently interviewed Kurt Wright, a centrist Republican politician and former radio cohost of “The Morning Drive,” WVMT’s popular talk show. During his interview, Wright offered words of advice to the podcasters, both of whom eschew the label “journalists.”

“You have to be yourself,” Wright said. “I think authenticity is important. I think it’s important in politics, too.”

Asked about his own creemee preferences, Wright said he “loves a good vanilla” with no sprinkles.

Thus far the discussions have been diverse, in-depth and often humorous. Attorney General Clark called the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act “a joke” that will disenfranchise millions of voters. Her go-to creemee order: a chocolate-and-vanilla swirl with chocolate sprinkles in a wafer cone.

State Sen. Becca White (D-Windsor) offered her take on Statehouse fashion, which, she said, runs the gamut from “Crocs and socks to Dior suits.”

“There’s not a lot of built-in role models for how to dress or how to present yourself as a 30-year-old woman state senator,” White bemoaned.

Worth a listen is Julow’s explanation to Grossman about what she should expect at town meeting; in Episode 1, the longtime political operative confessed that she had never attended one, as she usually works on someone’s campaign that day.

As Julow explained, the meeting’s moderator will typically lead with a monologue, which often includes a quote from Winston Churchill.

“There’s usually someone knitting,” he said, and invariably a community member will invoke the town’s fathers — without actually knowing who they were. Expect someone to say “When I was a kid…,” then gripe about the schools not teaching cursive writing anymore.

“And there will be lots of suggestions about salt and gravel,” he added.

In short, democracy in action. ➆

INFO

Find “There’s No ‘A’ in Creemee” on most major podcast

culture

Union High School senior, jazz specialist and budding composer, who will solo on a movement from a work of his choice, Johann Nepomuk Hummel’s 1803 Trumpet Concerto. All three groups — about 180 students — take the stage for the ﬁnale, “Sleigh Ride,” Leroy Anderson’s festive holiday standard.

Solaris Vocal Ensemble: ‘Holiday Cheer’

Saturday, December 20, 7:30 p.m., at Waterbury Congregational Church; and Sunday, December 21, 4 p.m., at College Street Congregational Church in Burlington. $25 or pay what you can ($10-15). solarisensemble.org

Claus Is Coming to Town,” “O Christmas Tree” and “Jingle Bell Rock.” Adults won’t want to miss out, either.

Songs for Midwinter With Kongero and Windborne Friday, December 12, 7:30 p.m., Lane Series at the University of Vermont Recital Hall in Burlington. Sold out. uvm.edu/laneseries

A bonanza of local talent will shine at the high-caliber “Holiday Cheer” concerts by Solaris Vocal Ensemble, a 30-member mixed choir led by Dawn Willis. The crossover string quartet Skylark — violinist (and guitarist) Ben Lively, violinist Jane Kittredge, violist Ana Ruesink, and cellist John Dunlop — will accompany some pieces and solo several more from their eclectic repertoire, ranging from Danish folk songs to holiday tunes.

Christmas « P.36 and “Ode to Joy” from Ludvig van cians, the three

classical favorites surrounded by candles and festive decorations. The seats have cup holders, and the bar will be open for parents.

“It’s not entirely classical-classical, but there’s enough going on” to get the little ones hooked, Fukuda noted. That The

time their meticulously tweaked arrangements perfectly to the visuals. That holds equally true for the nostalgic tunes — including songs from 1966’s “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” and Judy Garland’s “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” — and the Hanukkah melody “Maoz Tzur: Rock

The four female singers of the Swedish a cappella group Kongero sing Scandinavian folk repertoire. The four American singers of Windborne, two men and two women, specialize in English folk and traditional tunes. Put them together — as the University of Vermont Lane Series is doing — and you have an octet of gorgeous voices with electric harmonizing capabilities singing world music.

Eight local music educators will sing a special arrangement of “Jingle Bells,” among them Burlington High School choral director Myriam Bouti, Solaris’ conducting intern. Bouti will also lead a group of her students in a Nigerian Christmas song.

As a special treat for the trio’s third annual holiday concert, Helen Lyons, Vermont Public’s music manager and classical music host, will read “’Twas the Night Before Christmas.” Between stanzas, audiences will hear favorites such as “Santa

Solaris’ composer-in-residence, James Stewart, arranged one song and wrote another on the program. The former Vermont Public classical radio host, producer and scholar — who has a doctorate in composition, music theory and history — lost his job to federal cuts in July.

Champlain Trio

Or, in this case, holiday folk tunes. Windborne will likely draw from its 2024 debut holiday album and illustrated songbook, To Warm the Winter Hearth, which broke crowdfunding records for a folk album. Kongero, the more established group with ﬁve albums to their name, sing hauntingly harmonized songs that will be less familiar to Vermont audiences but just as festive. Lane Series director Natalie Neuert writes, “The songs, the voices, the blend — both Kongero and Windborne are just beautiful performers. They have that magical connection with an audience that is beyond just engagement or appreciation but something more intense and emotional.”

Stewart described his “Shine On: An Anthem for Solstice” as “a bit like a musical theater piece, with the kind of melody you can hum after one hearing.” Marne Lopez, Solaris’ accompanist, and choir member Patricia Norton will play the fourhands piano accompaniment.

“The solstice does not have a whole lot of songs to celebrate it,” Stewart noted. “This is about ﬁnding light to shine on ourselves in the midst of darkness.”

Saturday, December 13, 5 p.m., at the Double E Performance Center in Essex. $26.50; $10.60 for kids 12 and under. champlaintrio.com

How to get kids to enjoy classical music? Violinist Letitia Quante, cellist Emily Taubl and pianist Hiromi Fukuda have the answer. The trio will mount its one-off holiday concert on the stage of the largest movie theater at the Essex Experience, which also happens to hold one of Vermont’s best pianos. While vintage cartoons play on the giant screen, they’ll perform holiday and

The Tallis Scholars

Friday, December 12, 7 p.m., at Highland Center for the Arts, Greensboro. $42-45. highlandartsvt.org

The eminent Brit Peter Phillips, one of the world’s authorities on sacred vocal music of the Renaissance, founded and still directs the 52-year-old Tallis Scholars. Named for the 16th-century composer Thomas Tallis, the group of 10 to 12 singers has been hailed by the New York Times as “captivating” for its “superb blend and balance.” Through 80 concerts a year around the globe and a wealth of recordings, the Tallis Scholars have pretty much created the audience for 16th-century polyphony, though they’ve also branched out to perform contemporary choral composers such as Arvo Pärt.

The Tallis Scholars will come to Greensboro thanks to KCP Presents, the Northeast Kingdom series founded by Jay Craven that brings world-class acts to small towns. Having seen the musicians in Boston, Craven raved about their “ethereal delicacy and power that was transporting.” They’ll sing in the Highland, a round theater modeled loosely on Shakespeare’s Globe in London, which was built 14 years after Thomas Tallis died. ➆

Classical

Kongero

COURTESY OF LINDA RÓS GUÐNADOTTER

Partizanfilm Movie Theater Opens Next Week in Burlington

STORY &

PHOTO

BY MARY ANN LICKTEIG • maryann@sevendaysvt.com

Coming soon: a theater near you.

Independent art house Partizanfilm opens its two-screen microcinema next week, bringing daily movies back to Burlington for the first time in 13 months. The theater launches with a members-only party on Wednesday, December 3, then invites the public to an open house the following evening. Classic films will screen both nights: Peter Bogdanovich’s 1971 drama The Last Picture Show and the 1976 German feature Kings of the Road from Wim Wenders.

“It feels almost a little surreal that we’re at this point,” cofounder Antonio Golán said on Monday. “Finally? Already? I don’t know if it was a long time or a short time.”

“Finally and already,” cofounder Brett Yates replied.

Shortly after Merrill’s Roxy Cinemas closed last November, Golán, Yates and three others formed a nonprofit cooperative and began planning. They found space neighboring the shuttered Roxy, bought the commercial condominium at 230 College Street in May, and, with the help of professionals and volunteers, began remodeling. The 2,000-square-foot unit was previously home to a yoga studio and the Restock Shop. It now houses two theaters — one with 19 seats, the other with 31 — that will show first-run independent and foreign films along with occasional repertory fare.

“It did seem, on some level, kind of crazy — the idea that this space could really be a movie theater,” Yates said. “But … I feel like it works.”

A cherry-red wall lined with movie posters sets the scene. The front room serves as the lobby as well as a café and used bookstore open to everyone. Guests can linger at tables, on a couch or on stools lining the front window. Coffee, espresso, beer, wine, canned cocktails, kombucha and hot finger foods will be offered in addition to classic movie theater popcorn, sodas and candy.

Bringing the theater to fruition has been a grassroots effort. The founders are not businesspeople, noted Yates,

a freelance writer and ski lift operator. Golán is a lecturer at the University of Vermont. The other founders are Yates’ wife, Michelle Sagalchik, a Burlington High School social studies teacher; Gretchen Schissel, a program specialist in UVM’s College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences; and physical therapist Ali Hamedani.

“Grassroots cooperative project” may suggest folding chairs and a portable projector — as opposed to a real cinema, Yates said. “It is both things. It is a grassroots, volunteer-led, community-driven effort. And it is also an actual movie theater.”

It features actual movie theater seats — also cherry red — and Dolby Digital surround sound.

Partizanfilm will operate much like a co-op grocery store. So far, it has 383 members. Their $60 annual dues give them a say in how the theater is run as well as a discount on theater tickets, which range from $7.50 to $12 for nonmembers.

Founders swept leaves off the mat inside the front door on Monday, when the theater appeared ready to pop corn and sell tickets. Opening-week films include Henry Fonda for President, a 2024 documentary from Austrian filmmaker Alexander Horwath; David Freyne’s 2025 romantic comedy Eternity; and Angel’s Egg, a 1985 Japanese animated film that has been remastered and released this month in North America for the first time.

Soon to follow are Hong Sang-soo’s By the Stream; La Grazia, directed and cowritten by Paolo Sorrentino; and Marty Supreme, a new dramedy starring Timothée Chalamet.

After months of hard work, the collective’s celluloid dreams have become reality. On Sunday night, Yates took a break from testing projectors and sound equipment to sit in the theater with Sagalchik and watch an entire movie there for the first time. ➆

$2,950 (airfare

armandovilaseca@gmail.com Tyrone.shaw@vermontstate.edu

Gretchen Schissel, Brett Yates and Antonio Golán

Cannabis Dispensary

Check our social media for the best Holiday Specials in Morrisville.

10 Railroad St, Suite B, Morrisville 802-851-8735

Hours: Mon-Sat 10am-7pm • Sun 10am-5pm open christmas day!

Cannabis has not been analyzed or approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). For use by individuals 21 years of age and older or registered qualifying patient only. KEEP THIS PRODUCT AWAY FROM CHILDREN AND PETS. DO NOT USE IF PREGNANT OR BREASTFEEDING. Possession or use of cannabis may carry signi cant legal penalties in some jurisdictions and under federal law. It may not be transported outside of the state of Vermont. The e ects of edible cannabis may be delayed by two hours or more. Cannabis may be habit forming and can impair concentration, coordination, and judgment. Persons 25 years and younger may be more likely to experience harm to the developing brain. It is against the law to drive or operate machinery when under the in uence of this product. National Poison Control Center 1-800-222-1222.

MANUFACTURING

What’s the ‘Coolest Thing’ in Vermont? Electric Airplane

Alia From Beta Technologies

BY ALICE DODGE • adodge@sevendaysvt.com

Vermonters make plenty of cool things: ice cream, snowboards, hats. But the coolest? Hands down it’s Alia, Beta Technologies’ sleek, “Jetsons”-esque electric airplane. If the company’s recent $1 billion debut on the New York Stock Exchange didn’t convince you of that, look no further than Beta’s newest accolade: On November 19, Alia won the inaugural Coolest Thing Made in Vermont award from the Vermont Chamber of Commerce.

Chamber president Amy Spear said there were 60 nominations for the award, from which an independent panel of local manufacturers and business leaders chose the winners. There was no cash prize, but winners and finalists were recognized at the

like that of a classic 1966 Corvette Stingray, its innards are all new — and, with the exception of Australian electronics, completely manufactured in the U.S. The handmade car boasts a top speed of 175 miles per hour, propelled by an 800-horsepower engine. Building it for Vermont roads, cofounder Scott Roth said, has made the company “more crafty and savvy” than its competitors. “It’s a tough environment,” his colleague Josh Munson added. “It’s forced us to really optimize.”

The other finalist, WheelPad’s SuitePAD, is a wheelchair-accessible bedroom and bathroom suite that can be easily added to a home. Architect Joseph Cincotta started working on it after his godson was in an accident that left him paraplegic. In addition to being highly functional — including a track for a hoist — and light enough to haul with a large pickup truck, SuitePAD had to feel like “the coolest room in the house,” Cincotta said.

At the awards ceremony at Hotel Champlain, much of the buzz was for finalists for the competition’s Coolest Thing Made by a Career Technical Education (CTE) or Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) Program. The high schoolers on the Green Mountain Robotics team built a “Champ” robot that simulates

Newport manufacturer to help keep machinery clean and avoid downtime. And Raphaël Mitchell, a student at Middlebury’s Patricia A. Hannaford Career Center doing a 10th grade project, modified a Power Wheels toy into a functional mobility device for a toddler with cerebral palsy.

The winning project, also from the Hannaford center, is very cool and very basic: an 8-by-30-foot tiny house on wheels. Construction technology instructor Nick

Lt. Gov. John Rodgers, who presented the awards, extolled the value and necessity of Vermont high schoolers having access to technical education centers as a way of boosting Vermont manufacturing. But the best evidence of the programs’ effectiveness was given by Kyle Clark, founder and CEO of Beta Technologies, accepting the award for Alia.

“I’m a tech center grad,” he said, from the Center for Technology, Essex. “I went on to school, taking the skills from the tech

on screen

After the Hunt

These days, more and more highprofile dramas never show up in theaters. If you blinked, you missed the one-week run of After the Hunt at the Capitol Showplace, though it stars Julia Roberts and was directed by Oscar nominee Luca Guadagnino (Call Me by Your Name). In October, the Vermont International Film Festival brought Burlington a screening of Nia DaCosta’s Hedda, a gorgeous new take on Henrik Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler. But the ﬁlm had regular engagements in just 10 theaters nationwide. Granted, these are both dialogue-driven dramas about academic rivalry — not the easiest sells. But After the Hunt and Hedda also offer unusually juicy roles to their female leads, giving them a chance to be morally gray and complex while looking great doing it. That alone is sufficient reason to catch both ﬁlms streaming on Prime Video.

After the Hunt was partially a victim of terrible timing. The plot turns on a questionable accusation of sexual assault at Yale University. Michelle Goldberg spoke for many when she opined in the New York Times that the premise feels like “a silly anachronism” in the context of “today’s right-wing crackdown” on the campus left, and she’s not wrong.

But After the Hunt isn’t as shallow or smug as such takes might suggest. Far from a messagey drama preaching a “both sides” philosophy, it’s a character study of one deeply ﬂawed person: philosophy professor Alma Imho (Roberts), who’s up for tenure at the same time as her friend Hank (Andrew Garﬁeld).

Married to a therapist (Michael Stuhlbarg) who showers her with affection, Alma is privileged and imperturbable, her manner as glacial as her all-white ensembles. She’s an object of fascination to both the brash, ﬂirty Hank — who comes from a more modest background — and wealthy, secretly insecure PhD student Maggie (Ayo Edebiri).

When Maggie tells Alma that Hank has assaulted her, we suspect more is going on — not because Nora Garrett’s script suggests that women are inherently untrustworthy,

REVIEWS

but because these particular characters are, Hank included. Maggie presents her accusation like a test: Will Alma take her side or Hank’s? Will she embody the ethics she teaches, or is she a fraud? The viewer already knows the answer, because we watch Alma hide her chronic pain, hoard pills and kiss Hank in a dive bar. Roberts is creepily convincing as a woman terriﬁed someone will expose the messiness and self-hatred under her façade.

A chilly, visually impeccable ﬁlm with few likable characters, After the Hunt drags on longer than it needs to. But Guadagnino nails the academic atmosphere — the hushed voices, the unspoken disdain. If you approach the ﬁlm as an exploration of a deeply dysfunctional milieu rather than as a position statement, you may like it better than you expect.

Like After the Hunt , Hedda hinges on twisted psychological games, barbed dinner-party conversations, bravura female performances and costume design to die for. Where Roberts’ Alma is icy, however, Tessa Thompson’s Hedda is boiling over with energy and restless rage, so fearful of stagnation that she’s always spoiling for trouble. It’s a powerful diva turn that might remind you of Douglas Sirk, especially given the setting.

Director DaCosta ( Candyman , The Marvels) also wrote the screenplay, which translates the Norwegian playwright’s 1891 drama to 1950s England with some notable alterations. As in the original, general’s daughter Hedda is newly and already unhappily married to scholar George Tesman (Tom Bateman). The couple have gone way into debt on a sumptuous house they won’t be able to pay o unless Tesman snags a professorship. But his one rival for the position — who just happens to be Hedda’s old ﬂame — has reemerged from apparent disgrace to make a last stand.

In this version, Tesman’s rival and Hedda’s spurned lover is a woman: Eileen Lovborg, played by German powerhouse Nina Hoss (Phoenix, Tár) as a maverick lesbian intellectual battling both social prejudice and her own demons. The whole conflict plays out during a lavish party at the Tesmans’ new home, featuring electrifying live music, dancing, fireworks (literal and figurative) and far too many cocktails.

Eileen is newly sober, and Thea (Imogen Poots), her girlfriend and the coauthor of her brilliant new manuscript, hopes to keep her that way. But Thea’s mousy charms are no match for Hedda’s vamping — or her scheming. Hedda also has a penchant for shooting her dad’s old

pistols, and we all know the chestnut about Chekhov’s (or Ibsen’s) gun.

Like Alma in After the Hunt, Hedda is no role model, and she’s especially vicious to other women. DaCosta’s gender switch renders men marginal to the action; they serve mainly to remind us of the social hierarchies that rein in the female characters. While Hedda may seem like a force of nature, her cruelty stems from boredom and her boredom from powerlessness to shape her own destiny, a feminist subtext that comes across clearly in both versions.

DaCosta has adapted the source material with care, weaving in new characters and updated concerns while keeping the dialogue sharp and period-appropriate. There are moments when the reimagining feels strained, but the dynamic camera work and jazzy score smooth over them. Overall, this Hedda stands beautifully on its own, requiring no familiarity with the original.

Thompson deserves to be an Oscar frontrunner for her performance, which drips with the self-destructive glamour of icons such as Bette Davis. The women of Wicked may be getting all the attention this holiday weekend, but don’t write o these smaller dramas just because the industry has.

MARGOT HARRISON margot@sevendaysvt.com

Tessa ompson plays a new take on Henrik Ibsen’s heroine in Nia DaCosta’s gorgeous Hedda

COURTESY OF PRIME

NEW IN THEATERS

ETERNITY: Elizabeth Olsen plays a woman who must choose which of two men to spend the afterlife with in this rom-com from director David Freyne. With Miles Teller and Callum Turner. (112 min, PG-13. Majestic)

SENTIMENTAL VALUE: This drama from Joachim Trier (The Worst Person in the World) about sisters confronting their estranged father has big awards buzz. Renate Reinsve and Stellan Skarsgård star. (133 min, R. Savoy)

WAKE UP DEAD MAN: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY: Daniel Craig returns as detective Benoit Blanc for a new comic whodunit, directed by Rian Johnson; Josh O’Connor and Glenn Close lead the ensemble. (140 min, PG-13. Majestic, Savoy)

ZOOTOPIA 2: Disney’s allegorical animated critters return for another mystery starring the unlikely duo of a rabbit cop (voice of Ginnifer Goodwin) and a fox con (Jason Bateman). (108 min, PG. Bijou, Capitol, City Cinema, Essex, Majestic, Marquis, Paramount, Star, Welden)

CURRENTLY PLAYING

BUGONIAHHHH Conspiracy theorists (Jesse Plemons and Aidan Delbis) abduct a CEO (Emma Stone) who they believe is an alien in the latest dark satire from Yorgos Lanthimos (Poor Things). (118 min, R. Essex, Stowe; reviewed 11/5)

DIE MY LOVEHHH Jennifer Lawrence plays a writer and mother experiencing a mental breakdown in this drama from Lynne Ramsay, with Robert Pattinson and Sissy Spacek. (118 min, R. Catamount; reviewed 11/12)

NOW YOU SEE ME: NOW YOU DON’THH1/2 The crew of illusionist pranksters returns for a new heist. Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson and Dave Franco star. (112 min, PG-13. Bijou, Capitol, City Cinema, Essex, Majestic, Star, Stowe, Welden)

PREDATOR: BADLANDSHHH1/2 An outcast Predator (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) finds an unusual ally (Elle Fanning). Dan Trachtenberg (Prey) directed. (107 min, PG-13. Essex, Majestic)

RENTAL FAMILYHHH1/2 Brendan Fraser plays an American actor in Japan who gets a most unusual gig in this comedy-drama from writer-director Hikari. (103 min, PG-13. Capitol, Majestic)

THE RUNNING MANHHH Edgar Wright directs a new version of the Stephen King novel about a contestant (Glen Powell) fighting for his life in a futuristic game show. (133 min, R. Essex, Majestic, Paramount)

SISU: ROAD TO REVENGEHHHH In the sequel to the action hit from Finland, set in 1946, a former army commando (Jorma Tommila) will do anything to avenge his family. Jalmari Helander again directed. (88 min, R. Essex, Majestic)

WICKED: FOR GOODHHH Outcast witch Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) flies high in the conclusion of the Broadway musical adaptation, directed by Jon M. Chu and also starring Ariana Grande. (138 min, PG. Big Picture, Bijou, Capitol, City Cinema, Essex, Majestic, Marquis, Playhouse, Star, Stowe, Welden)

WISDOM OF HAPPINESS: The Dalai Lama discusses finding inner peace in our current hellscape in this documentary from Philip Delaquis and Barbara Miller. (90 min, NR. Savoy)

OLDER FILMS AND SPECIAL SCREENINGS

ANGELS WITH DIRTY FACES (Catamount, Wed 26 only)

A FACE IN THE CROWD (Catamount, Wed 3 only)

KOLN 75 (VTIFF, Sat only)

OPEN THEATERS

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

*BIG PICTURE THEATER: 48 Carroll Rd., Waitsfield, 496-8994, bigpicturetheater.info

BIJOU CINEPLEX 4: 107 Portland St., Morrisville, 888-3293, bijou4.com

CAPITOL SHOWPLACE: 93 State St., Montpelier, 229-0343, fgbtheaters.com

CATAMOUNT ARTS: 115 Eastern Ave., St. Johnsbury, 748-2600, catamountarts.org

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

*ESSEX CINEMAS & T-REX THEATER: 21 Essex Way, Suite 300, Essex, 879-6543, essexcinemas.com

MAJESTIC 10: 190 Boxwood St., Williston, 878-2010, majestic10.com

MARQUIS THEATER: 65 Main St., Middlebury, 388-4841, middleburymarquis.com.

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

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

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

Miles Teller and Elizabeth Olsen in Eternity

Common Ground

Curator Phong Bui honors art historian Meyer Schapiro in Brattleboro

BY ALICE DODGE • adodge@sevendaysvt.com

“Ijust don’t get it.” “It makes me feel dumb.” “I never understand art.” These are comments I hear pretty regularly, even from friends and colleagues who are well versed in culture, music and literature. Most of the time, modern art of the 20th century is where they start to lose the thread. Someone who really, truly understood that work, and the impulses behind it, was art historian Meyer Schapiro, the subject of “Singing in Unison, Part 13: Homage to Meyer Schapiro,” curated by

Phong Bui and on view through February 15 at the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center. Schapiro was born in Lithuania, then Russia, in 1904 and moved to New York City at age 3, where he grew up in a Brooklyn tenement. He started as a student at Columbia University in 1920 and essentially never left, later earning his doctorate and becoming a much-sought-after professor of art history there for most of the 20th century. Schapiro died in 1996, but 10 years before that, he and his wife, Lillian, met Phong Bui, then a 22-year-old art student from Vietnam.

Bui, who lives in New York City, went on to become one of today’s most inﬂuential curators. He cofounded the Brooklyn Rail in 2000 and is its publisher and artistic director; he also draws the arts publication’s signature portraits of its contributors. In 2022, Rail Curatorial Projects launched a series of exhibitions called “Singing in Unison,” of which the Brattleboro show is the latest, aimed at fostering dialogue and connection between di erent kinds of artists.

On a tour of the exhibition, Bui spoke lovingly of the Schapiros and their inﬂuence on him. “They adopted me like a Jewish grandson,” Bui said, introducing him to artists, poets and luminaries — such as Saul Bellow, Isaiah Berlin and Susan Sontag — in weekly visits and walks near their home in the West Village.

Schapiro was known for his ability to bring nonart ideas, such as principles of Euclidean geometry or psychoanalysis, into discussions of art history. Likewise, Bui described how he brought together di erent people, fostering the same kinds of interdisciplinary dialogue that made New York in the 1930s, ’40s and ’50s ripe for the

development of modern art. Bui described it as an “ideological community where writers, philosophers, poets, artists, academics worked together … There’s no division between labor and intellectual practice.”

Bui has mirrored that milieu with the works he’s selected for the exhibition, which are all by people Schapiro knew, wrote about or taught, spanning many decades of the 20th century and loosely grouped by theme. The Schapiros regularly visited southern Vermont in the summers, and several of the artists have connections to the state, including Wolf Kahn and Emily Mason, who settled in Brattleboro and for whom the museum’s main gallery is named, and Gandy Brodie, who lived in Townshend.

Bui successfully gives viewers a truly unusual sense of knowing someone through the people they find fascinating. There are works in this show by Art History 101 heavy hitters such as Philip Guston, Robert Motherwell and Arshile Gorky — though not Jackson Pollock or Willem de Kooning, who were also associated with Schapiro but whose canvases require prohibitively expensive art

“Stillness Is Volcanic” by Emily Mason, 1966

“Green Votive Lights” by Loren MacIver, 1946

insurance, according to museum director Danny Lichtenfeld.

But there are also paintings by first-rate outfielders — people who aren’t museum blockbusters but were just as important — such as Loran MacIver, the first woman in the Museum of Modern Art’s permanent collection; Mercedes Matter, who founded the New York Studio School; and Bob Thompson, a Black painter in the 1950s and ’60s working figuratively against the prevailing abstract expressionism.

from Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, Bui said. A painting of a barn brings Lillian’s voice into the show; a black-and-white photograph of the couple catches them mid-laugh.

In Bui’s wide-ranging discussion of the works, he emphasized Schapiro’s Marxism and his understanding of art as political. In a 1957 essay, Schapiro described abstract painting as being antithetical to direct communication: “The artist does not wish to create a work in which he transmits

The show contains more standout artworks than I can even begin to describe. A small but intense view of a blocky couple in depressed shades of gray reveals itself to be an early Mark Rothko. Kurt Seligmann’s “Manticore” is a sort of surrealist horror-movie version of a portrait. Larry Rivers’ 1957 “Double Nude” seems to dissolve into shapes and then back into women; the work’s style is echoed in Lucas Samaras’ weird Polaroids from the early ’70s. Color succumbs to frenetic, compressed space in Alfred Leslie’s wall-size “Kurtz Station” but asserts itself vigorously in Mason’s expansive “Stillness Is Volcanic.”

THERE’S A SENSE OF SEARCHING — OF CREATING ART AS A MEANS OF THINKING.

Bui has taken one wall of the exhibition directly from his own apartment. It’s a collection of Schapiro’s own artworks and items he gifted to Bui, along with a large, central mirror. In all these objects, there’s a sense of searching — of creating art as a means of thinking. Colorful graphic experiments sit alongside etchings of cathedrals and Mexican folk-art figurines, these last a gift to Schapiro

an already prepared and complete message to a relatively indifferent and impersonal receiver. The painter aims rather at such a quality of the whole that, unless you achieve the proper set of mind and feeling towards it, you will not experience anything of it at all.”

As Bui described in his talk, Schapiro believed that establishing empathy with others is an effective way to combat tyranny. As Schapiro writes, it is through an experience of art that “contemplativeness and communion with the work of another human being, the sensing of another’s perfected feeling and imagination, becomes possible.”

In other words: You don’t need to understand what modern art is saying. Just take the time to look, and to connect, and you’ll get it. ➆

INFO

“Singing in Unison, Part 13: Homage to Meyer Schapiro,” on view through February 15 at Brattleboro Museum & Art Center. brattleboromuseum.org

ti acres for a six-day, leave-no-trace event

ﬂ ticipant arts festival and the longestrunning regional burn in New England. We are an experienced and insured volunteer-run organization dedicated to running a safe, sustainable event. We are looking for a MA, VT, NH or ME site for our next event, to be held in July 2026.

“Untitled (Finger)” by Philip Guston, 1968

OPENINGS + RECEPTIONS

‘WHAT’S GOING ON!’: A group show bringing together recent works by 16 artists, including photographs, drawings, music, ceramics and paintings suitable for people curious about starting an art collection. Extra Special With Cheese, Burlington, through December 21. Info, extraspecialwithcheese@gmail.com.

JAMES SECOR: “Chocolate Sprinkle Carrot Cake,” a show of vibrant acrylic paintings on canvas imagining familiar spaces and objects, presented by Studio Place Arts. Pearl Street Pizza, Barre, through March 1. Info, 479-7069.

CHICO EASTRIDGE: “Video Stop II: Bad Video,” a pop-up VHS store and art installation where visitors can rent movies as in days of yore — VHS players also available for loan. Junction Arts & Media, White River Junction, December 1-January 30. Info, info@ uvjam.org.

BFA EXHIBIT: A show of works by graduating students Sophie Brown, Axel Coderre, Hannah Jenkins and Isabella Trombley. Reception and artist talks: Thursday, December 4, noon-2 p.m. Julian Scott Memorial Gallery, Vermont State UniversityJohnson, December 1-November 19. Info, 635-1469.

‘ANNUAL MEMBERS’ 10 BY 10 SHOW’: An open-call exhibition showcasing works 10 by 10 inches or smaller in all media by museum members. Reception: Friday, December 5, 5-7:30 p.m. T.W. Wood Museum, Montpelier, November 26-January 24. Info, 222-0909.

CARA ARMSTRONG: “Windows and Horizons: Light, Dwelling and Memory,” digital drawings that explore the relationship between neuroscience and architecture using drawing as a form of research. Reception: Friday, December 5, 5-7:30 p.m., with artist remarks at 6 p.m. T.W. Wood Museum, Montpelier, November 26-January 24. Info, 222-0909.

CALLS TO ARTISTS

ARTIST DEVELOPMENT GRANTS: Now accepting applications for the second and final round of grants for fiscal year 2026, which support artists at all stages of their careers pursuing activities that enhance mastery of craft or that increase the viability of an artist’s business. Funding may also support aspects of the creation of new work when the activity allows the grantee to accept a rare and important opportunity. The maximum grant award is $2,000. The grant is offered two times in the fiscal year. Applications are drawn randomly. Apply online at vermontartscouncil. org. Vermont Arts Council, Montpelier. Deadline: January 25. Info, 402-4602.

SEVENTH ANNUAL PHOTOGRAPHY

SHOOT-OUT: Accepting photographs on the theme of “It’s the Little Things” for the annual competition. Physical submissions — printed, mounted or ready to be hung on a wall — accepted January 7 to 10. Heavily manipulated or AI-generated images not allowed. Winner will present a solo exhibition in November. Axel’s Frame Shop & Gallery, Waterbury. Deadline: January 10. $20-per-print entry fee, maximum two entries. Info, 244-7801.

‘THE WORK OF PAPER’: An invitation to artists to submit works that explore paper as material or concept for this March show, which will be juried by Danny Volk, curator of modern and contemporary art at the Southern Vermont Arts Center in Manchester. Apply at edgewatergallery.com. Edgewater Gallery at the Falls, Middlebury. Deadline: January 15. Free. Info, 989-7419.

EXHIBITION

Reflected Glory

Most people would be terrified to juggle knives — or to paint them. Brent McCoy is at ease doing both. The comedian and circus performer spends much of his time on the road, at festivals or paragliding (as one does), but in winter months he’s home in the Northeast Kingdom making photorealistic paintings. Currently on view at Highland Center for the Arts, McCoy’s works are fun and bold, and they showcase a deep mastery of how to paint reflections. “Green Machine” explores every sleek contour of a KitchenAid mixer; bouquets of silverware flaunt reflections full of stripes; the rubbery squish of plastic safety goggles is palpable in a portrait of his partner. And for the traditionalists, landscapes of Hardwick’s rainy streets offer a looser style of reflection.

‘TRICKS OF THE LIGHT: PAINTING BY BRENT MCCOY’

On view through January 11 at Highland Center for the Arts in Greensboro. highlandartsvt.org

‘ABSTRACT^2’: A show of abstract photographs by Lisa Dimondstein, Julie Parker and Sandra Shenk based on an exploration of the work of abstract sculptor David Stromeyer at the Cold Hollow Sculpture Park in Enosburg Falls. Reception: Friday, December 5, 5:30-7:30 p.m. River Arts, Morrisville, through January 9.

‘SMALL WORKS’: An exhibition of little works and small things by represented and invited artists. The show runs in conjunction with Brattleboro’s Festival of Miniatures; a grand Victorian dollhouse furnished with miniature artwork created by more than 100 local artists will also be on display. Reception: Friday, December 5, 5:30 p.m. Mitchell Giddings Fine Arts, Brattleboro, November 28-January 11. Info, 251-8290.

MEMBERS HOLIDAY EXHIBITION AND SALE: Works of fine art and handmade craft created by AVA members from across New Hampshire and Vermont. Reception and Holiday Party: Saturday, December 6, 5-7 p.m. AVA Gallery and Art Center, Lebanon, N.H., November 28-December 30. Info, 603-448-3117.

ART EVENTS

ART VENDING MACHINE OPENING: A celebration of Caitlin Gildrien’s retro machine, which dispenses art, gifts and surprises by local artists and which will be installed at the store. The Bookstore, Brandon, Saturday, November 29, 4 p.m. Free. Info, info@ joyandsundry.com.

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, November 30, 1-3 p.m. Free. Info, 891-2014.

PORTRAIT DRAWING AND PAINTING: A drop-in event where artists can practice skills in any medium. T.W. Wood Museum, Montpelier, Monday, December 1, 10 a.m.noon. Free; $15 suggested donation. Info, 222-0909.

OPEN STUDIO: A guided meditation followed by an hour of art making in any medium and concluding with a share-and-witness process. Many art materials available. In person and online. Expressive Arts Burlington, Tuesday, December 2, 6:30-8:30 p.m. By donation. Info, 343-8172.

‘UNDERSTANDING COLOR’: A hands-on workshop with Sabrina Fadial exploring color in gouache, watercolor, pencil or collage. Open to all levels. T.W. Wood Museum, Montpelier, Tuesday, December 2, 7-9 p.m. $15 suggested donation. Info, 222-0909. ‘2026 LEGISLATIVE PREVIEW: VERMONT’S CREATIVE SECTOR ADVOCACY PRIORITIES’: A discussion with Susan Evans McClure of the Vermont Arts Council, Christopher Kaufman Ilstrup of Vermont Humanities and Patti Komline of Downs Rachlin Martin focused on policy insights and advocacy priorities for the coming year. Film House, Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington, Wednesday, December 3, 11 a.m.-noon. Free; preregister at vermontartscouncil.org/ vermont-creative-network. Info, 828-3291. ➆

“Safety Goggles”

THANK YOU TO THE MANY FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS WHO HELPED GROW AND HARVEST FOOD FOR OUR LOCAL FOOD SHELVES.

1 in 8 Vermonters face hunger.

66,500 Vermonters require financial assistance to eat — and federal funding is at risk.

Food for Hope™ is a common-good project of Little Village Acres farm in Middlebury. Our mission is to help farmers grow and process more local food, through policy reforms and regulatory refinement. We can—and must—grow more food in Vermont. There are reasons why we don’t. oup, year

We might believe our agricultural state feeds itself. But the truth is: we don’t.

86% of the food we eat comes from distant fields outside of Vermont.

In Vermont, local decisions can restrict what farms are allowed to do. These limitations contribute to a food system where many farmers earn less than it takes to meet basic needs.

The average Vermont farmer earns just $25,000 a year.

54% earn less than $10,000 annually.

Hope is something we build and maintain.

It’s the habits that hold communities together: the neighbor who drops off soup, the volunteer who packs bags, the farmer who keeps planting after a hard year.

har vest. fields

These truths must be reflected in how we view and regulate farming.

2H-LittleVillFood4Hope112625 1

IMPRESSIONS

a printmaking exhibition

Policy choices in our food system should be grounded in data, with a focus on fairness from grower to consumer.

EDGEWATER GALLERY presents

IMPRESSIONS

Edgewater Gallery at the Falls One Mill St., Middlebury

On view through the end of 2025

SMALL WORKS 2025

Edgewater Gallery on the Green 6 Merchants Row, Middlebury

On view through the end of 2025

BOTH GALLERIES OPEN

FRIDAY NOV. 28TH & SATURDAY NOV. 29TH 10:00AM - 5:00PM

We find hope when we actively seek it. Sometimes it’s in the harvest. Sometimes it’s in the effort. Sometimes it’s just being curious about what’s missing.

www.foodforhope.farm

SMALL WORKS

FEATURING NEW WORK BY

Bonnie Baird, Julia Jensen, Margaret Gerding, Julia Purinton, and many more.

music+nightlife

S UNDbites

News and views on the local music + nightlife scene

BY CHRIS FARNSWORTH

Knock-Knock: Funny Business at the Mill

I’ve been feeling a little like a vagabond of late. Between synth fests in Brattleboro, punk shows in the Northeast Kingdom and studio tours in the mountains, your friendly neighborhood music editor has been all over Vermont recently — magnifying glass and deerstalker cap in tow — canvassing our eternally weird and spread-out music and arts scene.

Skulking through the state to uncover the full tapestry of Vermont sound is something I spoke about with JON EHRENS during a recent episode of the Vermont Public radio show “Vermont Edition.” Ehrens is the program’s managing editor and senior producer. He’s also a recording artist who dropped his latest record as REPELICAN, Dim Halo, last month. In our November 10 segment, we chatted about the nature of my gig as music editor and how, unlike in more concentrated scenes in bigger markets, it’s necessary to explore farther aﬁeld. You have to go looking for new sounds and new venues because there are often gems hiding in the wild, at places like Stage 33 Live in Bellows Falls, the Billsville House Concerts in Manchester Center and the gone-but-not-forgotten Barrage in Holland.

The conversation reminded me

that there are some incredible venues just beyond our borders, as well. I’ve written before about the Mill in Westport, N.Y. Last year, TAYLOR and CATHERINE ROSS HASKINS transformed the 11,000-square-foot former site of the Champlain Valley Seed Cooperative into a gorgeous artistic hub, complete with three galleries and apartments for visiting artists. There’s also a speakeasy with a full menu and bar called the Knock, with an expansive performance space with 23-foot-high ceilings as the centerpiece.

The Mill has largely hosted music of the avant-garde, neoclassical and jazz varieties in the listening room — unsurprising, as Taylor is a Grammy Award-winning trumpet player and composer. Along with Catherine, an artist and curator, he programmed Westport’s Ballard Park Summer Concert Series from 2014 until 2017. The married couple brought artists such as ANAÏS MITCHELL and JULIAN LAGE to the sleepy town with a population of just over 1,000.

Lately, the Haskinses have been branching out at the Mill by booking

comedy shows, including a November 15 performance from New York City standup CASEY BALSHAM. I saw that Balsham was performing at Vermont Comedy Club in Burlington a few days earlier, but this seemed like the perfect opportunity to drive down Route 22A, hop the bridge to New York and see if a highbrow place like the Mill was ready for dick jokes.

Taylor had emailed me earlier, explaining why he and Catherine were introducing comedy to their o erings. He noted that getting to a comedy show from the Westport area can sometimes take up to an hour. And “while it may seem like a shift in our programming, stand-up is nearly the same art form as improvisational music,” he added.

As I drove into Westport, the Mill sort of popped up out of nowhere, looking more like, well, a seed depository than an arts hub. But the line of cars parked along the road, overﬂowing from the full parking lot, told me I was in the right place.

As I walked through long hallways and the galleries, looking for the golden door that leads to the Knock speakeasy, I had my doubts about the vibe. I like my comedy clubs rough around the edges. I tend not to dig stu y venues with older, rich audiences politely chuckling and gently clapping, afraid to laugh too hard at the edgy material. In other words, the kind of comedy show you might ﬁnd at an après-ski event or a corporate fundraiser.

The full house at the Knock validated the Haskinses’ gamble: Westport had turned out for the show, and the room was bustling as Taylor took the mic.

“I consider comedy to be one of the high arts,” he told the crowd, making it clear why he and Catherine started booking comics. “And it’s an art that’s more important than ever.”

Taylor’s intro couldn’t have better set up opening act ROB CHRISTENSEN; the New York City comedian immediately quipped “Fine art, eh?” before launching into a bit about his various masturbation techniques.

While it took the room a few jokes to warm up to Christensen’s NYC-centric jokes and clipped delivery, he eventually won over the crowd, prepping folks for Balsham.

She took the stage with the slickness of an experienced comic, launching into a bit about her recent pregnancy, her annoying habit of lactating anytime she even sees a picture of a baby, and how her dad tours with her and loves when she jokes about orgasms. Her horror was both real and hilarious when she

Taylor and Catherine Ross Haskins at the bar

Casey Balsham performing at the Mill in Westport, N.Y.

On the Beat

In 1948, a plane carrying Mexican migrant workers who were deported from the U.S. crashed, killing all 32 aboard. News reports listed the names of the four Americans who died but not those of the 28 migrant workers. They were buried in a mass grave labeled only “Mexican Nationals.” Singer-songwriter and folk-music hero WOODY GUTHRIE was so a ected by the inhumane treatment of the migrant workers that he penned a song: “Deportee (Plane Wreck at Los Gatos).”

“The crops are all in and the peaches are rotting,” Guthrie sang. “The oranges are ﬁled in their creosote dumps / They’re ﬂying ’em back to the Mexico border / to take all their money to wade back again.”

Almost 80 years later, amid the Trump administration’s continued immigration crackdown, the song

maintains heavy relevance. So much so that ﬁve Vermont musicians — RAPH WORRICK, JANE BOXALL, RUSS LAWTON, RAY PACZKOWSKI and KEVIN STEVENS — came together as the band RAY FORK AND HIS KNIVES to record a live rendition of the Guthrie track to raise funds for migrants’ rights organizations. The track and accompanying live video, recorded at the Pantry studio in Granville, hit Bandcamp and YouTube on Saturday, with all proceeds generated going to the Vermont Immigrant Legal Defense Fund and the Arizona humanitarian organization No Más Muertes.

“From Los Gatos to Granville, for nearly a century, artists and musicians have carried the stories of those too often forgotten — and that is a gift to our democracy,” Vermont State Treasurer and VILDF cofounder MIKE PIECIAK said in a press release. “Here in Vermont, we are coming together to ensure every neighbor receives the fairness and due process they deserve. These aren’t abstract ideals. They are what keep our democracy alive.”

To hear Ray Fork and His Knives’ rendition of the song, visit rayfork. bandcamp.com.

Speaking of ﬁghting for democracy, Burlington’s own resident cartoonist and rocker JAMES KOCHALKA has released a trio of new tracks under his moniker JAMES KOCHALKA SUPERSTAR. The extended single is called Good Frog and features the title track, along with “Easy Love” and “Fascist Bikes.”

“We just wanted to do something, anything, to combat the rise of fascism,” Kochalka wrote in an email to Seven Days. “And making music seemed like something within our power.”

The single is a tribute to the activists in inﬂatable frog costumes who have been

Ray Fork and His Knives

James Kochalka

music+nightlife

spotted at protests of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Portland, Ore., and elsewhere.

“I’m a good frog / I love my mom,” Kochalka sings on the title track. “I’m a good frog and I don’t back down / When bad men come to Froggy Town.”

“Good Frog” and “Fascist Bikes” were both produced by Grammy Award winner PETER KATIS (the NATIONAL, KURT VILE), and Kochalka produced “Easy Love” himself. They’re all up on major streaming services now.

Burlington indie rockers ROBBER ROBBER dropped their new single, “Talkback,” on November 19. The fuzzed-out, bass-driven track continues the band’s excellent run, which started with 2024’s debut LP Wild Guess. That album is getting a vinyl reissue courtesy of record label FIRE TALK, according to a post on the band’s social media, which also says the band plans to tour Europe in 2026.

“Talkback” is available at robberrobber.bandcamp.com, as well as major streaming services and YouTube.

CHRIS FARNSWORTH

Soundbites

searched the Uber app onstage to see if she could get a ride in rural Westport and found nary a driver.

It was obvious before Balsham went up that the Haskinses’ comedic experiment was working, but by the end of the show there was no doubt that the Mill can serve as a killer comedy room.

Listening In

With the packed house, the venue sold out of food. When I spoke to Catherine after the show, she was beaming and ready for the next installment of comedy at the Mill, a January 17 show featuring New York City standup ANDY HAYNES.

“I think this really works,” she said with a grin as she helped bus tables. She and Taylor do everything from bartending to cooking at the Mill, running their venue with a true DIY ethos. That’s true even when they bring in help for sold-out shows, such as Balsham’s. “I just think this area needs a place to see comedy and not have to drive over the border and head to Burlington every time,” she said. “We hope we can become part of that ecosystem for touring comics going forward.”

As I drove back across the bridge to Vermont, making the more-than-

Shows to Watch Out For

BY CHRIS FARNSWORTH

manageable jaunt to my home in Colchester, I thought again about how this gig sends me to small communities like Westport all the time. As I told Ehrens on “Vermont Edition,” sometimes you feel like a detective, uncovering a secret scene, and sometimes you feel like you’ve experienced a stroke of dumb luck and stumbled upon random magic in the woods. It’s a cool part of living in a highly artistic yet sprawling community, and one that all music and comedy lovers should take advantage of.

In other words: Good hunting, my friends. ➆

1. Chris Isaak at Tupelo Music Hall in Derry, N.H., December 2

2. Mac DeMarco at MTELUS in Montréal, December 7

3. Michael Blaustein at the Flynn Main Stage in Burlington, January 15

4. Jazz Mandolin Project at Higher Ground Ballroom in South Burlington, February 4, Sold out

5. North Mississippi Allstars at the Stone Church in Brattleboro, February 21

6. Lyle Lovett and John Hiatt at State eatre in Portland, Maine, February 24

7. “Weird Al” Yankovic at Midway Lawn at the Champlain Valley Expo in Essex Junction, July 24

(Spotify mix of local jams)

1. “MY BOYFRIEND’S BACK” by the Smittens

2. “JUST TOO OLD TO STILL DIE YOUNG” by Rik Palieri

3. “JUNGLE 64” by T-MODO, rivan

4. “FUCK IT!” by Fisher Wagg

5. “IN THE BACKYARD” by Remi Russin

6. “FASCIST BIKES” by James Kochalka Superstar

7. “PRETTY THINGS” by Sarah King

e Mill in Westport, N.Y.

AWTRY

Mac DeMarco

Jazz Mandolin Project

“Weird Al” Yankovic

Big Heavy World to Close Headquarters in December

BY CHRIS FARNSWORTH • farnsworth@sevendaysvt.com

Big Heavy World, the volunteer-run nonprofit Vermont music organization, will not have its lease renewed at 4

Howard Street in Burlington. According to founder and executive director Jim Lockridge, the organization must vacate the space by November 28, the result of months of unpaid rent and a recent break-in that proved to be the final straw for landlord James Unsworth.

“Our situation has arisen due to being (often) behind in rent payment, coinciding with an incident on the property involving our program hosts and unlawful entry into other tenant space,” Lockridge wrote in an email. “Our landlord has been an absolute angel to us throughout our presence in the Howard Space; my business has always been in an environment of respect, kindness, and his whole-hearted support of the arts community that resides here. T he limits of his patience were exceeded and we can all recognize how understandable this decision is for him.”

With the suddenness of the closure, Lockridge said he is still figuring out the next move for Big Heavy World. He launched the organization in 1996, focusing on DIY, grassroots support of the Vermont music scene, with an emphasis on embracing technology to document its history. Projects such as the Tiny Museum of Vermont Music History and the Vermont Music Library will continue, he said.

“My role is turning to establishing

paths for our music archive and museum holdings to travel to institutions that recognize their significance,” Lockridge wrote.

Lockridge left Vermont last year, moving to Arizona to be closer to family. But he still ran Big Heavy World from across the country, the stress of which also played a part in the organization’s gradual decline. “I’ve endured a path to resettling that has been uneven and highly distracting, and as the sole major fundraiser at Big Heavy, there’s been an impact,” he admitted. “It’s sensible for me to recognize that my responsibilities have to be unburdened, and giving up the physical office space was a direction things were heading, naturally, but with a longer planned-for timeline than we’re facing.”

Unclear is the fate of the Radiator, the online radio station that Lockridge and Radio Bean owner Lee Anderson launched in 2007. The Radiator went off the air as a terrestrial radio station last year but has remained an internet station since, featuring local music shows such as the long-running “Rocket Shop” program, most recently hosted by singer-songwriter Abbey B.K. Lockridge did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the station’s future. ➆

Learn more at bigheavyworld.org.

Jim Lockridge

• Polina Alekhina, 13, Vergennes

• Uliana Alekhina, 9, Vergennes

• Alyce Ayer, 12, Bolton Valley

• Eli Bart, 15, Shelburne

• Adim Benoit, 13, Montpelier

• Jack Blazewicz, 14, Shelburne

• Violet Chamberlin, 12, Jericho

• Lila Crowley, 13, Middlesex

• Frank D’Amore, 14, Shelburne

• Grace Castillo, 10, Jericho

• Henry Leitz, 12, Jericho

• Molly McCarthy, 13, St. Albans

• Lindy Moynihan, 9, Underhill

• eophilus Parkinson, 7, Burlington

• Amelia Quante, 12, Underhill

• Lily Ryersbach, 16, Starksboro

• omas Schramm, 15, Shelburne

• Malhar Zach Sengupta, 11, South Burlington

• Yvette Shedrick, 11, Waterbury

• Jenna Sweeney, 14, Georgia

• Eva Tarrant, 14, South Burlington

• Julian Trahan, 15, Colchester

• Ella Twiggs, 11, Shelburne

• Jax Washburn, 12, Jericho

music+nightlife

CLUB DATES

live music

WED.26

90 Proof (covers) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 8 p.m. Free.

Barbie N Bones (rock) at the Depot, St. Albans, 9 p.m. $5. BBQ and Bluegrass (bluegrass) at Four Quarters Brewing, Winooski, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Cozy (funk, jazz) at 14th Star Brewing, St. Albans, 6 p.m. Free.

Dobbs’ Dead (Grateful Dead tribute) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 7 p.m. $12.19/$18.39.

Jake Kulak & the Modern Vandals (indie rock) at Red Square, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

Jamie Lee Thurston, Fran Briand (country) at the Old Post, South Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

Jarv, Coyote Reverie, Nahte Renmus, Subtex, Robscure (hip-hop) at the Stone Church, Brattleboro, 7 p.m. $20/$26.

Jason Lee (acoustic) 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.

Leah Rocketship (rock) at CharlieO’s World Famous, Montpelier, 8 p.m. Free.

Quasimojo (R&B) at Old Soul Design Shop, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 8 p.m. Free.

Troy Millette & the Fire Below (Americana) at Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 8 p.m. $10.

Zach Nugent (Grateful Dead tribute) at Hugo’s, Montpelier, 7:30 p.m. Free.

FRI.28

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

Aaron Audet (acoustic) at Poultney Pub, 7 p.m. Free.

The Balconiers (jazz) at the Alchemist, Waterbury, 4 p.m. Free. Barbacoa (surf rock) at Standing Stone Wines, Winooski, 8 p.m. Free.

Big Yellow Taxi (Joni Mitchell tribute) at Stone Church, Brattleboro, 7 p.m. $30/$36.

Cooper (covers) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 5 p.m. Free.

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

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

Eric George (singer-songwriter) at Hotel Vermont, Burlington, 4 p.m. Free.

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

Josh West (singer-songwriter) at Old Soul Design Shop, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 8 p.m. Free.

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

Ghost Stories

Montréal shoegazers the BESNARD LAKES came out of a stacked scene in the early 2000s with other influential Canadian bands such as the New Pornographers, Broken Social Scene and the Stills, drawing rave reviews for their fusion of dream pop and psych rock with shades of progressive rock. The band’s latest LP, The Besnard Lakes Are the Ghost Nation, is a concept record of sorts that charts the history of human development while ruminating on the death of nations and the human desire for solitude. The band plays the Higher Ground Showcase Lounge in South Burlington on Tuesday, December 2. Burlington indie-rock outfit PAPER CASTLES open.

Krishna Guthrie (singersongwriter) at the Whammy Bar, Calais, 7 p.m. Free. McAsh, Vallory Falls, Stoppin’ Razor Blades, Dead Street Dreamers (punk, ska) at CharlieO’s World Famous, Montpelier, 9 p.m. Free.

Miracle on Pine Street (holiday music) at Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

Paul Webb (piano) at Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

Power of Tower (Tower of Power tribute) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free. Rap Night Burlington (hip-hop) at Drink, Burlington, 9 p.m. $5.

Something Reckless (rock) at Gusto’s, Barre, 7 p.m. Free.

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

Troy Millette (singer-songwriter) at Stowe Cider, 5 p.m. Free.

Zach Nugent’s Acoustic Duo (Grateful Dead tribute) at the Bullwheel Bar, Jay, 3 p.m. Free.

SAT.29

The Allen Foster Band (rock) at Charlie-O’s World Famous, Montpelier, 9 p.m. Free. Cheddar (jam) at the Alchemist, Waterbury, 5 p.m. Free.

Chicky Stoltz (singer-songwriter) at the Whammy Bar, Calais, 7 p.m. Free.

Christ Dillinger, Acid Souljah, DJ Lucas, Pleasant Street, Trillsinterlude (hip-hop) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 7 p.m. $32.06.

Clarice Jensen (neo-classical) at the Mill, Westport, N.Y., 7 p.m. $25/$30.

Cosmic Cows (folk) at the Den at Harry’s Hardware, Cabot, 7 p.m. Free.

The Four Horsemen (Metallica tribute) at Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington, 8:30 p.m. $32.06.

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

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

Jody Albright and John Penoyar (folk) at Jericho Café & Tavern, 7 p.m. Free.

John Lackard Blues Band (blues) at Stowe Cider, 4 p.m. Free.

Little Lies (Fleetwood Mac tribute) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 8 p.m. $23.55/$28.20.

Live Acoustic Series (acoustic) at Red Square, Burlington, 3 p.m. Free.

Los Songoros (Latin) at Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

The Mischievists, Geoff Kim (jazz) at the Phoenix, Waterbury, 7:30 p.m. $15-$30.

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

Seth Yacovone Band (blues, rock) at Stowe Cider, 8 p.m. $20.

Shakedown CITI (Grateful Dead tribute) at Stone Church, Brattleboro, 7 p.m. $24.70/$30.81.

Sneaky Pete & the Core Shots (rock) at the Bullwheel Bar, Jay, 4 p.m. Free.

Subsoniq Collective (rock) at Monopole, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 10 p.m. Free.

Swell (folk) at Two Heroes Brewery & Public House, South Hero, 6:30 p.m. Free.

The Wormdogs (Americana) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

SUN.30

Danny & the Parts (Americana) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 1 p.m. Free.

Koffin Kats, Playboy Manbaby & the Rumors (punk) at Stone Church, Brattleboro, 5 p.m. $27/$33.

Ryan Sweezey (singersongwriter) at Lawson’s Finest Liquids, Waitsfield, 3 p.m. Free. Seth Yacovone (acoustic) at the Alchemist, Waterbury, 4 p.m. Free.

Sunday Brunch Tunes (singersongwriter) at Hotel Vermont, Burlington, 10 a.m.

Wine & Jazz Sundays (jazz) at Shelburne Vineyard, 5 p.m. Free.

MON.1

Algernon Cadwallader, Gladie, fanclubwallet (indie rock) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $29.53.

TUE.2

The Besnard Lakes, Paper Castles (indie rock) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 7 p.m. $19.84.

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

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

Chicken Fat Injection (funk, jazz) at Lawson’s Finest Liquids, Waitsfield, 5 p.m. Free.

Dead Is Alive with Dobbs’ Dead (Grateful Dead tribute) at Einstein’s Tap House, Burlington, 8 p.m. $15.

HEMU, Jack Caron (indie) at Monkey House, Winooski, 7:30 p.m. Free.

Honky Tonk Tuesday with Wild Leek River (country) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 9 p.m. $10. Soundhound (rock) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. $10.

WED.3

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

Dead/Not Dead (Grateful Dead tribute) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 7 p.m. $12.19.

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.

PORTTITOR, Via Brennan (emo) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 8:30 p.m. $10.

djs

WED.26

DJ Ara$ (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free.

FRI.28

DJ Ara$, Xavier (DJ) at Red Square Blue Room, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free.

DJ Taka (DJ) at Light Club Lamp Shop, Burlington, 11 p.m. $10/$15. DJ Two Sev (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

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

Ron Stoppable, DJ ATAK (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free.

SAT.29

DJ Raul (DJ) at Red Square Blue Room, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free. John’s Jukebox (DJ) at Gusto’s, Barre, 9 p.m. Free. Matt Payne (DJ) at Red Square Blue Room, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free.

Mr Cheng, DJ Chaston (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free. Roost.World (DJ) at Light Club Lamp Shop, Burlington, 11 p.m. $10/$15.

Saturday Supreme with NasteeLuvzYou (DJ) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 8 p.m. $10.

TUE.2

Bashment Tuesday (DJ) at Akes’ Place, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free. Latin Dance Night (DJ) at Switchback Beer Garden & Smokehouse, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

TUE.2 // THE BESNARD LAKES [INDIE ROCK]

Chris�mas Bazaar

REVIEW this music+nightlife

Leddy Moss, Growing Pains

(SELF-RELEASED, DIGITAL)

Of history’s great conﬂuences, highlights include the Yalta Conference, the meeting between Socrates and Plato that birthed Western philosophy, and a hyper-driven brainiac mission called the Manhattan Project. But don’t overlook a timely and fortuitously happy collision between Buddy Holly, a Fender Stratocaster and a girl named Peggy Sue.

Indeed, spinning o from 1957’s twoand-a-half-minute hit single “Peggy Sue” — which was, in fact, written by Jerry Allison and Norman Petty but went fully alchemical with Holly’s performance — have been thousands of hopeful, sad, angsty, giddy and love-blushed songs written by young musicians in bands. They’re instantly identiﬁable by hormonal and post-hormonal desire in the lyrics, the sugar-high choruses, and the immortal building blocks of guitar, bass and drum.

heavily echoed propensity for singlenote guitar lines.

These elements combine with the sort of strummy and jangly structures that have long buoyed fans of immortal or less famous (but still great) bands, from Holly and the early Beatles through to the Byrds, R.E.M., Gin Blossoms, Weezer, Father John Misty and contemporary acts cited by Leddy Moss as inspirations: Caamp, Modern Baseball and Mom Jeans.

Growing Pains jumps ebulliently out of the blocks on the bouncy “I Know That” with adhesivestrength melodies, then shifts into “Coconut Beach,” a happy-hour anthem that might inspire an overserved customer, feeling a bit wistful and nostalgic, to become even more overserved.

Perpetuating that e’er-golden tradition are Burlington’s Leddy Moss, headed up by vocalist/guitarist Lance Whitesel and lead guitarist/backing vocalist James Lignos, beefed up by the rhythm section of drummer Joe Walzer and bassist Julian Bunch. The debut Leddy Moss album is called Growing Pains, and while variously described and/or marketed as indie pop, folk pop, melodic indie rock, emo folk and possibly power-pop-by-a-cracklingautumn-ﬁrepit, it’s just a promising and listenable set of a dozen tunes (mostly) chronicling their own boy-meets-girl sagas.

The band’s signature identiﬁers are Whitesel’s yearning and slightly nasal vocal delivery, which recalls a young Tom Petty — before the late genius got too far along in his three-pack-a-day habit — and Lignos’ contrapuntal and

Other standouts are the Nashvilleseasoned “Simple Living,” featuring twangy vocals; the wide-ranging “Evergreen”; “Around,” with its simple but imprinting guitar hook and litany of romantic descriptions and evidentiary anecdotes; and “Side to Side,” boasting an arpeggioed opening, a clever rhythm shift and descending falsetto bridge, and an earnestly confessional conclusion. At times, the sameness of the song tempos can cause the tunes to blur from one to another, particularly in this age when one rarely is just listening to something rather than multitasking.

It’ll be interesting to see how Leddy Moss evolve, particularly if they grow a bit more experimental with the next batch of songs. A listen to, just for two examples, the witty punch of “What She Does to Me” by the Producers or the heartbreaking extreme of Gin Blossoms’ “Pieces of the Night” might be fun and edifying for Leddy Moss.

Growing Pains is out now on major streaming services.

RICK KOSTER

open mics & jams

WED.26

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

THU.27

Open Mic Night (open mic) at Parker Pie, West Glover, 6 p.m. Free.

SUN.30

Olde Time Jam Session (open jam) at the Den at Harry’s Hardware, Cabot, noon. Free.

VT Synth Society Meetup (synth open jam, discussion) at Community of Sound, Burlington, 5 p.m. Free.

TUE.2

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

WED.3

Open Mic (open mic) at Moscow Mill Studios, East Calais, 6 p.m. Donation.

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

The Ribbit Review Open Mic & Jam (open mic) at Lily’s Pad, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

comedy

WED.26

Thanksgiving Eve Comedy

Hosted by Kendall Farrell (comedy) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 7 p.m. $20.

TUE.2

Open Mic Comedy with Levi Silverstein (comedy open mic) at the 126, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

WED.3

Standup Open Mic (comedy open mic) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 8:30 p.m. Free.

trivia, karaoke, etc.

WED.26

Citizen Cider Trivia Night (trivia) at Citizen Cider Press House Pub, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. Free.

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

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

Trivia 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.

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

FRI.28

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

Karaoke Friday Night (karaoke) at Park Place Tavern & Grill, Essex Junction, 8 p.m. Free.

Karaoke with DJ Big T (karaoke) at McKee’s Original, Winooski, 9 p.m. Free.

SAT.29

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

SUN.30

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.1

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

Holiday Rapping

Montpelier expatriate and current Brooklyn MC JARV is coming home for the holidays. In what’s fast becoming a local tradition, the rapper heads north this week to headline the 3rd Annual Thanksgiving Eve Hip-Hop Blowout at the Stone Church in Brattleboro. He’s joined by fellow Brooklyn rapper and former Maiden Voyage bandmate NAHTE RENMUS, New York City’s SUBTEX, and Brattleboro trip-hop act

COYOTE REVERIE, with Washington, Vt.’s own ROBSCURE rounding out the bill. The showcase goes down on Wednesday, November 26.

Trivia Monday (trivia) at Black Flannel Brewing & Distilling, Essex, 6 p.m. Free.

Trivia Monday with Top Hat Entertainment (trivia) at McKee’s Original, Winooski, 7 p.m. Free.

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

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

TUE.2

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.3

Citizen Cider Trivia Night (trivia) at Citizen Cider Press House Pub, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. Free. Karaoke with Autumn (karaoke) at Monopole, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 9 p.m. Free.

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

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

calendar

NOVEMBER 26-DECEMBER 3, 2025

WED.26

bazaars

LOCAL ARTISAN & MERCHANT

MARKET: Shoppers sip and snack their way through an eclectic bazaar, made merrier by WhistlePig drink specials and food by Vermont chef Matt Folts. Last Stop Sports Bar, Winooski, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Free. Info, laststopvt@gmail.com.

community

COMMUNITY PARTNERS

DESK: Neighbors connect with representatives from the Turning Point Center and learn about its addiction-recovery services. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 2-4 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

CURRENT EVENTS: Neighbors have an informal discussion about what’s in the news.

Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 10:30 a.m.noon. Free. Info, 878-4918.

crafts

YARN & YAK: A weekly club for fiber fanatics of all skill levels makes knitting and crocheting more sociable. Milton Artists’ Guild Art Center & Gallery, 5-7 p.m. Free. Info, 999-0516.

YARN CRAFTERS GROUP: A drop-in meetup welcomes knitters, crocheters, spinners, weavers and other fiber artists.

BYO snacks and drinks. Must Love Yarn, Shelburne, 5-7 p.m. Free. Info, 448-3780.

etc.

TOASTMASTERS OF GREATER BURLINGTON: CANCELED. Those looking to strengthen their speaking and leadership skills gain new tools. Virtual option available. Generator Makerspace, Burlington, 6-7:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 233-4157.

food & drink

COMMUNITY COOKING:

Helping hands join up with the nonprofit’s staff and volunteers to make a yummy meal for distribution. Pathways Vermont, Burlington, 6-8 p.m. Free. Info, 777-8691.

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.

holidays

ARTISAN HOLIDAY MARKET:

Festive folks flock to a one-stop gift destination featuring handmade jewelry, ceramics, paintings, fiber arts and household goods. Chandler Center for the Arts, Randolph, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Free. Info, 728-9878, ext. 104.

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.

language

ELL CLASSES: Fletcher Free Library invites learners of all abilities to practice written and spoken English with trained instructors. 6:30-8:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, bshatara@ burlingtonvt.gov.

music

THE ALBANY SOUND: A local 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, 6-8 p.m. Free; cash bar. Info, 643-2237.

québec

‘KIMBERLY AKIMBO’: This five-time Tony Award-winning musical follows a teenager with a rare condition who endeavors to make sense of her family life and romantic relationships. Sylvan Adams Theatre, Segal Centre for Performing Arts, Montréal, 7:30 p.m. $75-80. Info, 514-739-7944.

‘KISSES DEEP’: A young man consumed by high fashion channels his creativity and obsession into a singular mission — to restore the tarnished reputation of his mother — in the English premiere of Michel Marc Bouchard’s poignant play. Centaur Theatre, Montréal, 8 p.m. $22-71. Info, 514-288-3161. seminars

FAMILY-TO-FAMILY: NAMI Vermont hosts an informative weekly seminar for individuals with a loved one who is struggling with mental health. 6-8:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 876-7949, ext. 100.

sports

GREEN MOUNTAIN TABLE

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

words

THE HUMP DAY WRITING GROUP: Wordsmiths who delight in nonfiction convene for company, accountability and support in achieving their writing goals. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 2-4 p.m. Free. Info, nathaniel.eisen@gmail.com.

THU.27 environment

BTV CLEAN UP CREW: Good Samaritans dispose of needles, trash and other unwanted objects. BYO gloves encouraged. Top of Church St., Burlington, 7:30-10 a.m. Free. Info, 863-2345.

holidays

MORRISTOWN TURKEY TROT: Costumed runners and walkers of all experience levels curb holiday calories with a 5K course to benefit the Benjamin Jeremy Clapp Athletic Fund and Salvation Farms. Peoples Academy, Morrisville, 9-11 a.m. $15-25; preregister. Info, 888-6375.

québec

‘KISSES DEEP’: See WED.26.

FRI.28 dance

SHELBURNE CONTRA DANCE: No partner or experience is necessary when Owen Hale calls the steps and Spring Chickens provide the tunes. Bring clean, soft-soled shoes. A beginner lesson is offered at 6:45 p.m. Historic Shelburne Town Hall, 7-10 p.m. $5-12 cash or check; free for kids under 12. Info, info@ queencitycontras.com.

etc.

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

‘OCEAN PARADISE 3D’: Viewers travel to the far reaches of the Pacific Ocean for a glimpse into the pristine environments vital to our planet’s health. Dealer.com 3D Theater, ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 11 a.m., 1 & 3 p.m. $3-5 plus regular admission, $17-23; free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848.

‘SEA MONSTERS 3D: A PREHISTORIC ADVENTURE’: Footage of paleontological digs from around the globe tells a compelling story of scientists working as detectives to answer questions about an ancient and mysterious ocean world. Dealer. com 3D Theater, ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 10:30 a.m., 12:30, 2:30 & 4:30 p.m. $3-5 plus regular admission, $17-23; free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848.

‘SPACE: THE NEW FRONTIER 3D’: Astrophiles witness history in the making — from launching rockets without fuel to building the Lunar Gateway — in this 2024 documentary narrated by Chris Pine. Dealer.com 3D Theater, ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 11:30 a.m., 1:30 & 3:30 p.m. $3-5 plus regular admission, $17-23; free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848.

games

GAME NIGHT: Players embark on an evening of friendly competition with cards, dice and classic board games. Butter Bar and Kitchen, Burlington, 4:30-8:30 p.m. Free; cost of food and drink. Info, 862-4300.

health & fitness

GUIDED MEDITATION

ONLINE: Dorothy Alling Memorial Library invites attendees to relax on their lunch breaks and reconnect with their bodies. Noon-12:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, programs@ damlvt.org.

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.

HOLIDAY BOOK SALE: Winter reads and holiday-themed décor go on sale to benefit the library. Stowe Free Library, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. $2. Info, 253-6145.

TREE-LIGHTING CEREMONY: Carolers ring in the festive season before the illumination of the 30foot towering tree. Church Street Marketplace, Burlington, 5:15 p.m. Free. Info, 863-1648.

WINTER LIGHTS: Bedecked buildings and gardens glow with multicolored bulbs in spectacular scenes for the holiday season. Shelburne Museum, 4-7:30 p.m. $10-30; free for kids under 3. Info, 985-3346.

language

FRENCH SOCIAL HOUR: The Alliance Française of the Lake Champlain Region hosts a rendez-vous over cocktails. Hilton Garden Inn Burlington Downtown, 5:30-7 p.m. Free; cash bar. Info, bbrodie@aflcr.org.

lgbtq

RPG NIGHT: Members of the LGBTQ community get together weekly for role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons and Everway. Rainbow Bridge Community Center, Barre, 5:308:30 p.m. Free. Info, 622-0692. music

ANA GUIGUI: An acclaimed pianist and vocalist entertains listeners with a wide variety of styles and genres. The Brandon Inn, 7-8 p.m. Free. Info, 747-8300.

theater

‘ONE FAMILY IN GAZA’: Crystal Zevon’s original play tells the true story of her correspondence and friendship with a young father in the Gaza Strip. Catamount Arts Center, St. Johnsbury, 4 p.m. Free; donations accepted; preregister. Info, onefamilyingaza@gmail.com. ‘A RAFTER OF CRANKIES’: Story, song and panoramic scrolls winding through a backlit box create a unique theatrical experience, presented by Sandglass Theater. Green Mountain Orchards, Putney, 5-6 & 7:30-8:30 p.m. $15-35 sliding scale. Info, 387-4051.

FLANNEL FRIDAY: Clad in cozy clothing, shoppers head downtown to score unique finds from shops offering discounts and deals. Downtown Montpelier, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. Info, 262-6265.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.

‘ANIMAL KINGDOM 3D’: Audience members are guided through an exploration of stunning animal worlds, from frozen snowy forests to the darkest depths of the ocean. Dealer.com 3D Theater, ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, noon, 2 & 4 p.m. $3-5 plus regular admission, $17-23; free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848.

holidays

ARTISAN HOLIDAY MARKET: See WED.26.

A FAMILY THANKSGIVING:

Attendees step into the past at this 19th-century holiday happening, replete with traditional activities, crafts and food. See calendar spotlight. Billings Farm & Museum, Woodstock, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Regular museum admission, $12-21; free for members and kids under 3. Info, 457-2355.

A FOREST OF LIGHTS: A magical landscape fills up cups with enchanting illuminated displays, including a sparkle dome, a fiery tower and a dancing lights pavilion. Vermont Institute of Natural Science, Quechee, 4:30-7 p.m. $9-15; free for kids 3 and under. Info, 359-5000.

SAT.29 bazaars

BTV WINTER MARKET: Attendees explore a cozy showcase of wares by local artists, makers and food vendors. BCA Studios, Burlington, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. Info, 865-7554.

GREEN MOUNTAIN PUG RESCUE CRAFT & VENDOR SHOW: A pug kissing booth, food sold by students and raffles round out a gathering of makers and sellers. Rice Memorial High School, South Burlington, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Info, amy.frye@gmpr.org.

WINTER CRAFT FAIR: More than 150 crafters, a 50/50 raffle, a barbecue lunch and a canned food drive await shoppers of

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.26

burlington

‘ANIMATIONLAND’: Museumgoers embark on an immersive journey to create stories using techniques such as storyboarding, sketching and stop-motion moviemaking. ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Regular admission, $17-23; free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848.

‘CHAMP: AMERICA’S LAKE MONSTER’: Curious minds dive into the science and history of Vermont’s most iconic legend at this family-friendly exhibit featuring interactive games, a design studio, multimedia displays, a 30-foot sculpture and photo ops. ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Regular admission, $17-23; free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848.

LIBRARY LITTLES: A weekly program brings babies, toddlers and their caregivers together for songs, stories, play and community building in a nurturing environment. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 11-11:45 a.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

QUEER FAMILY PLAYGROUP: LGBTQ+ families and allies with little tykes ages birth to five drop in for play time and connection. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 2:15-3:15 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

chittenden county

BABY TIME: Infants and their caregivers enjoy a slow, soothing story featuring songs, rhymes and lap play. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

GAME ON: Kids take turns collaborating with or competing against friends using Nintendo Switch on the big screen. Caregivers must be present to supervise children below fifth grade. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 5-6 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

SCHOOL VACATION MINUTE-TO-WIN-IT

GAMES: The clock is ticking! Little patrons ages 5 and up enjoy some friendly competition and vie for a chance to win prizes. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 1-2 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

TEEN BOARD GAME DAY: Students in grades 6 and up convene to snack, play and socialize in honor of International Games Month. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 2-3:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

barre/montpelier

BABY & CAREGIVER MEETUP: Wiggly ones ages birth to 18 months play and explore in a calm, supportive setting while adults relax and connect on the sidelines. Jaquith Public Library,

Life Is a Cabaret

As they say in the biz, “The show must go on!” Eight rising stars of Youth Opera Company show how to pull it off in an original production titled “Cabaret on 46th” at Faith United Methodist Church in South Burlington, Champlain Valley Unitarian Universalist Society in Middlebury and Waterbury Congregational Church. The lively work follows a cast of singers in New York City who are confronted with an unexpected rehearsal just hours before opening night. A vibrant, eclectic showcase of vocal styles ensues, including cabaret, musical theater and operetta — performed in five different languages. As Opera Company of Middlebury’s general director, Sarah Cullins, reflects, “This is opera pared down to its simplest form — something audiences deeply relate to.”

YOUTH OPERA COMPANY

Saturday, November 29, 2 p.m., at Faith United Methodist Church in South Burlington, and 7 p.m., at Champlain Valley Unitarian Universalist Society in Middlebury; and Sunday, November 30, 2 p.m., at Waterbury Congregational Church. $20 suggested donation; free for attendees under 26. Info, 382-9222, ocmvermont.org.

Marshfield, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 426-3581.

FAMILY CHESS CLUB: Players of all ages and abilities test their skills with instructor Robert and peers. KelloggHubbard Library, 2nd Floor, Children’s Library, Montpelier, 3:30-5 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

FRI.28

burlington

‘ANIMATIONLAND’: See WED.26. ‘CHAMP: AMERICA’S LAKE MONSTER’: See WED.26.

DROP-IN: An after-school hangout space invites teens ages 13 to 19 to relax, connect, grab a snack or browse the nonprofit’s clothing closet. Outright

Vermont, Burlington, 2:30 p.m. Free. Info, programs@outrightvt.org.

SANTA PARADE: Revelers don antlers to watch the beloved holiday tradition wind through downtown, led by local celebs Miss Vermont, Aero the Griffin and Mr. Claus himself. Church Street Marketplace, Burlington, noon-4 p.m. Free. Info, 863-1648.

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.

DAN ABDO: A Montpelier cartoonist signs copies of Barb vs. the Leech Queen, the newest volume in his middle-grade graphic novel series. Bear

northeast kingdom

PRESCHOOL STORY TIME: Youngsters and their caregivers delight in beautiful books, silly songs, creative crafts and unplugged play in the library’s cozy children’s room. Craftsbury Public Library, Craftsbury Common, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 586-9683.

SAT.29 burlington

‘ANIMATIONLAND’: See WED.26.

‘CHAMP: AMERICA’S LAKE MONSTER’: See WED.26.

FAMILY PLAYSHOP: A range of themes and rotating activities promote school readiness and foster creativity. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

LEGO TIME: Mini makers ages 4 to 11 design and build original, colorful creations. Fletcher Free Library New North End Branch, Burlington, 11 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 863-3403.

SANTA VISITS: Little ones tell the big man their Christmas wishes, then pose for festive photo ops. Church Street Marketplace, Burlington, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Info, 863-1648.

SLED DOGS LIVE: Families get up close and personal with the amazing huskies of Vermont’s own October Siberians. ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Regular admission, $17-23; free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848.

chittenden county

‘THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE’: Kids and kids-at-heart watch the 2023 animated adventure flick featuring Mario, Luigi and all the usual suspects in an effort to defeat the evil Bowser. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 12:30-2:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

YOUTH OPERA COMPANY: In “Cabaret on 46th,” talented teens take the stage for an eclectic repertoire spanning musical theater to operetta, including classic hits “Willkommen” and “La Vie en Rose.” See calendar spotlight. Faith United Methodist Church, South Burlington, 2 p.m., and Champlain Valley Unitarian Universalist Society, Middlebury, 7 p.m. $20 suggested donation; free for attendees under 26. Info, 382-9222.

barre/montpelier

Pond Books, Montpelier, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Free. Info, 229-0774.

LEGO CLUB: Budding builders create geometric structures with snap-together blocks. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, 3:30-5 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

STORY TIME & PLAYGROUP: Participants ages 5 and under enjoy themed science, art and nature activities. Jaquith Public Library, Marshfield, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 426-3581.

upper valley

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

HORSE-DRAWN WAGON RIDES: Majestic equines usher passengers through the Capital City’s historic, charming downtown. Downtown Montpelier, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 262-6265.

randolph/royalton

‘JACK & THE BEANSTALK’: No Strings Marionette presents the fantastical tale of a boy and his magic beans, told through string puppets, music and hand-painted scenery. Chandler Center for the Arts, Randolph, 3 p.m. Free; donations accepted; preregister. Info, 728-9878, ext. 104.

SUN.30

burlington ‘ANIMATIONLAND’: See WED.26.

all interests. ACCESS CVU, Hinesburg, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. Info, access@cvsdvt.org.

community

SISTERHOOD CAMPFIRE: Women and genderqueer folks gather in a safe and inclusive space to build community through journaling, storytelling, gentle music and stargazing. Leddy Park, Burlington, 7-9 p.m. Free. Info, sisterhoodcampfire@gmail.com.

dance

BERLIN CONTRA DANCE: Dancers of all ages and abilities learn at a gathering that encourages joy, laughter and friendship. Bring clean, soft-soled shoes. See website for callers and bands. Capital City Grange, Berlin, 8-11 p.m. $520 sliding scale. Info, 225-8921.

etc.

BLOOD DRIVE: Participants part with life-sustaining pints at this American Red Cross donation event. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 846-4140.

SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY:

An “accidental” art show of works given to the museum by local artists makes the perfect place to begin holiday shopping. Birds of Vermont Museum, Huntington, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Regular admission, $4.5-9; free for members and kids under 3. Info, 434-2167.

fairs & festivals

BRATTLEBORO FESTIVAL OF

MINIATURES: A pop-up artisan holiday market, puppet shows, tea parties, festive storefront window displays and tiny treats at restaurants make for a memorable monthlong fest. See brattleboro.com for full schedule. Various Brattleboro locations. Free. Info, coordinator@ brattleboro.com.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.

‘ANIMAL KINGDOM 3D’: See FRI.28.

‘KÖLN 75’: Ido Fluk’s 2025 coming-of-age biopic tells the little-known backstory of Keith Jarrett’s improvised jazz masterpiece The Köln Concert. The Screening Room @ VTIFF, Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington, 4 & 7 p.m. $612. Info, 660-2600.

‘OCEAN PARADISE 3D’: See FRI.28.

‘SEA MONSTERS 3D: A PREHISTORIC ADVENTURE’: See FRI.28.

‘SPACE: THE NEW FRONTIER 3D’: See FRI.28.

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.

GAME NIGHT: See FRI.28, 4:30-8 p.m.

holidays

ARTISAN HOLIDAY MARKET: See WED.26.

CHAMPIONS OF MAGIC: HOLIDAY SPECTACULAR: Dazzling illusions and surprises fill audience members with wonder and joy befitting the season. Paramount Theatre, Rutland, 7-9 p.m. $45-65. Info, 775-0903.

A FAMILY THANKSGIVING: See FRI.28.

FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS WITH A TWIST: Guests admire a seasonal display of decked-out trees, then vote for their favorite and enter a raffle to take one home. Black River Academy Museum, Ludlow, 4-7 p.m. Free. Info, 228-5050.

A FOREST OF LIGHTS: See FRI.28.

HOLIDAY BOOK SALE: See FRI.28.

HOLIDAY SHOPPE & CRAFT

FAIR: The Brendon P. Cousino Med47 Foundation’s annual affair features attic treasures tables, homemade goods, jams and jellies, syrups, and knitted items. New Haven Town Hall, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Info, 233-8334.

HOLIDAY TREE-LIGHTING: The tree may be the center of attention, but this shindig also features carolers dressed in charming period attire, tasty treats made by local restaurants and a special visitor from the North Pole. Factory Point Town Green, Manchester, 5 p.m. Free. Info, john@manchestervermont.com.

HOLLEY JOLLY HOLIDAY

MARKET: A vibrant hub of artisanal talent features a curated selection of high-end handmade goods. Holley Hall, Bristol, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Info, 324-9205.

LOCAL MAVERICK’S HOLIDAY

MARKET: More than 20 Vermont crafters, producers and makers peddle their handmade wares. The Equinox Golf Resort & Spa, Manchester, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Info, info@localmaverickus.com.

‘THE NUTCRACKER’: Albany Berkshire Ballet presents its sparkling annual tour of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s beloved Christmas spectacle. The Flynn, Burlington, 1 & 5 p.m. $44.50-63.50. Info, 863-5966.

THE POULTNEY HOLIDAY TOUR: A two-day festival boasts seasonal spirit with sales, unique giveaways, live music and family-friendly activities. Various Poultney locations. Free. Info, 294-3220.

SODA PLANT HOLIDAY BAZAAR:

Small Business Saturday supporters browse locally crafted artisanal goods, fine art, jewelry and pottery. The Soda Plant, Burlington, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. Info, spacegalleryvt@gmail.com. WINTER LIGHTS: See FRI.28.

NOV. 28-30 | HOLIDAYS

History in the Making

What’s that sumptuous smell? Why, oyster soup, mashed turnips and baked apples, of course! Sample such holiday dishes harking back to the 1890s at Billings Farm & Museum’s A Family Thanksgiving in Woodstock, where tradition meets merrymaking for an interactive weekend highlighting 19th-century living. Guests channel days of yore with authentic activities, including butter and piecrust making, culinary history programs, and wool-weaving opportunities for kids. Don’t mind the cold? Take a horsedrawn wagon ride through scenic pastures to put wind in your hair the old-fashioned way, then warm up by gathering round the fire and indulging in hot cocoa, coffee, cider or doughnuts.

A FAMILY THANKSGIVING

Friday, November 28, Saturday, November 29, and Sunday, November 30, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., at Billings Farm & Museum in Woodstock. Regular museum admission, $12-21; free for members and kids under 3. Info, 457-2355, billingsfarm.org.

music

ANA GUIGUI: See FRI.28. outdoors

NOVEMBER BIRD MONITORING WALK: Early risers stroll the grounds to observe flying friends and bask in the beauty of the surrounding trails and forests. BYO binoculars. Birds of Vermont Museum, Huntington, 8-9:30 a.m. $5-15 suggested donation. Info, 434-2167.

SHORT TRAIL HIKE: Explorers join Green Mountain Club staff on a guided trek of the center’s

0.5-mile loop, while acquiring tips and tricks along the way. Green Mountain Club Headquarters, Waterbury Center, 2-3 p.m. Free. Info, 244-7037.

québec

‘KIMBERLY AKIMBO’: See WED.26. ‘KISSES DEEP’: See WED.26, 2 & 8 p.m.

theater

‘A RAFTER OF CRANKIES’: See FRI.28.

fairs & festivals

BRATTLEBORO FESTIVAL OF MINIATURES: See SAT.29. film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.

‘ANIMAL KINGDOM 3D’: See FRI.28.

‘OCEAN PARADISE 3D’: See FRI.28. ‘SEA MONSTERS 3D: A PREHISTORIC ADVENTURE’: See FRI.28.

‘SPACE: THE NEW FRONTIER 3D’: See FRI.28.

games

GAME NIGHT: See FRI.28, 4:30-8 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 sit together in the Plum Village tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh. Hot Yoga Burlington, 6-7:45 p.m. Free. Info, newleafsangha@gmail.com.

holidays

‘ALL HEARTS COME HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS’: Certified angelic medium Brandie Wells hosts a “psychic dinner,” a transformative experience that connects attendees with their loved ones. Colonel Williams Inn, Marlboro, 5:30-9 p.m. $44; preregister. Info, 257-1093.

ARTISAN HOLIDAY MARKET: See WED.26, noon-4 p.m.

A FAMILY THANKSGIVING: See FRI.28.

A FOREST OF LIGHTS: See FRI.28. THE POULTNEY HOLIDAY TOUR: See SAT.29.

WINTER LIGHTS: See FRI.28. lgbtq

words

WRITE NOW!: Wordsmiths of all experience levels hone their craft in a supportive and critique-free environment. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

SUN.30

crafts

YARN CRAFTERS GROUP: See WED.26, 1-3 p.m.

QUEER READS BOOK CLUB: Folks meet up to discuss Moniquill Blackgoose’s 2023 national bestseller, To Shape a Dragon’s Breath about a young Indigenous woman who enters a dragon academy. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 1:30-2:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 863-3403. music

SOWETO GOSPEL CHOIR: The Grammy- and Emmy Awardwinning vocal group performs a joyful program of South African freedom songs, traditional spirituals, and popular hits such as “Man in the Mirror” and “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” See calendar spotlight. Barre Opera House, 7 p.m. $28-47.50. Info, 476-8188. québec

‘KIMBERLY AKIMBO’: See WED.26, 2 & 7:30 p.m.

COURTESY

Job of theWeek

STORMWATER SUPERINTENDANT

City of South Burlington

Get the scoop from City of South Burlington’s Director of Public Works, Tom DiPietro

What are some speciﬁc challenges of this position, and why is it important?

Stormwater runoff is generated when rainfall and snowmelt flow off an impervious surface. Stormwater issues arise when this water picks up pollutants on its way to a stream, wetland, lake or other water body. Impervious surfaces also prevent this stormwater from infiltrating into the ground. is increased volume of water gets into streams and causes streambank erosion and pollution to Lake Champlain. In order to restore impaired streams and reduce the instances of algae blooms in Lake Champlain, we need to provide treatment of stormwater runoff to its many brooks that flow through South Burlington: Potash, Centennial, Bartlett, Munroe, Englesby, Muddy, and the Winooski River. e Stormwater Superintendent works with the South Burlington community, engineering professionals and regulatory agencies to implement stormwater improvement projects across the city.

Tell us something completely unique or interesting about working for the City of South Burlington.

We are a team of 44 people supporting a growing community that covers nearly 30 square miles. ere are opportunities for professional growth for city staff. Working in the stormwater utility allows someone to take a project from a paper concept to reality. is work is crucial to protecting our local environment and water system. e impact of this work can be seen by the whole community! e City of South Burlington created the ﬁrst stormwater utility in Vermont.

Burlington Help spread joy this holiday season by donating gifts to support children and families across Vermont.

and grocery gift cards are in high demand, and every gift makes a difference!

Apply for this great local job and many more: jobs.sevendaysvt.com

‘KISSES DEEP’: See WED.26, 2 p.m.

tech

DROP-IN TECH SUPPORT: Techsavvy library staff provide oneon-one guidance and support in 30-minute sessions. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 4-6 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

MON.1

activism

COTS PHONATHON: Volunteers lend a hand with the nonprofit’s long-running fundraising effort, which supports half of its annual budget. 5:30-8 p.m. Free. Info, 864-7402.

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.

STUDENT ART AUCTION:

Drawings, paintings, photographs, ceramics and other creations go on sale to benefit the students. Vermont State University-Johnson. Free. Info, 888-398-8878.

fairs & festivals

BRATTLEBORO FESTIVAL OF MINIATURES: See SAT.29.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.

‘ANIMAL KINGDOM 3D’: See FRI.28.

‘OCEAN PARADISE 3D’: See FRI.28.

‘SEA MONSTERS 3D: A PREHISTORIC ADVENTURE’: See FRI.28.

‘SPACE: THE NEW FRONTIER 3D’: See FRI.28.

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.

holidays

‘A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS: LIVE ON STAGE’: Charles M. Schulz’s animated characters come to life as they search for the true meaning of Christmas in this joy-filled performance featuring Vince Guaraldi’s unforgettable score. Flynn Main Stage, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. $32-74. Info, 863-5966.

language

GERMAN LANGUAGE LUNCH: Willkommen! Speakers of all experience levels brush up on conversational skills over bagged

lunches. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, noon-1 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

lgbtq

BOARD GAME NIGHT: LGBTQ tabletop fans bring their own favorite games to the party. Rainbow Bridge Community Center, Barre, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Free. Info, 622-0692.

québec

‘KIMBERLY AKIMBO’: See WED.26.

words

SCRIPTWRITERS’ GROUP: Got a story to tell? Talented local writers swap techniques and constructive critiques. Junction Arts & Media, White River Junction, 5:30-7 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 295-6688.

TUE.2

activism

COTS PHONATHON: See MON.1.

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 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.

CRAFTERS DROP-IN: Community members converse and connect through knitting, crocheting, mending, embroidery and other creative pursuits. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 6-8 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403. etc.

STUDENT ART AUCTION: See MON.1.

fairs & festivals

BRATTLEBORO FESTIVAL OF MINIATURES: See SAT.29.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.

‘ANIMAL KINGDOM 3D’: See FRI.28.

‘GONE GUYS’: The eye-opening documentary spotlighting the struggles of young men draws on Richard V. Reeves’ 2022 nonfiction book, Of Boys and Men. A discussion follows. Pierson Library, Shelburne, 6:30-8 p.m. Free. Info, 985-5124.

‘OCEAN PARADISE 3D’: See FRI.28.

‘SEA MONSTERS 3D: A PREHISTORIC ADVENTURE’: See FRI.28.

NOV. 30 | MUSIC

Vox Populi

Grammy- and Emmy Award-winning vocal group Soweto Gospel Choir spark joy at Barre Opera House with an evocative, genre-busting concert titled “Peace.” The jubilant program lifts listeners with South African freedom songs, traditional spirituals, and classic hits such as “Man in the Mirror” and “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” as well as crowd favorites from 20th-century luminaries Aretha Franklin, Harry Belafonte and Leonard Cohen. Since 2002, the ensemble has awed and inspired audiences worldwide with rich rhythms and harmonies, vivid costumes, and an infectious spirit that JazzTimes describes as “a joy that can’t be faked.”

SOWETO GOSPEL CHOIR

Sunday, November 30, 7 p.m., at Barre Opera House. $28-47.50. Info, 476-8188, barreoperahouse.org.

‘SPACE: THE NEW FRONTIER 3D’: See FRI.28.

games

BOARD GAME NIGHT: Neighbors show off their skills at an evening of friendly competition playing European tabletop staples such as Catan, Splendor and Concordia. Waterbury Public Library, 6-8 p.m. Free. Info, ken_boring@yahoo.com.

GAMES GALORE: Library patrons of all ages gather for bouts of board and card games. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6955.

health & fitness

COMMUNITY MEDITATION: All experience levels engage in the ancient Buddhist practice

of clearing the mind to achieve a state of calm. First Unitarian Universalist Society of Burlington, 5:15-6 p.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, 862-5630.

TAI CHI: Practitioners get a feel for the Chinese martial art combining controlled breathing, meditation and slow, gentle movements. Ida Boch Park, Bradford, 10-11 a.m. Free. Info, 304-0836.

holidays

ARTISAN HOLIDAY MARKET: See WED.26.

language

ITALIAN LANGUAGE LUNCH: Speakers hone their skills in the Romance language over bagged lunches. Kellogg-Hubbard Library,

Montpelier, noon-1 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

PAUSE-CAFÉ FRENCH CONVERSATION: Francophones and French-language learners meet pour parler la belle langue Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 5-7 p.m. Free. Info, 343-5493.

music

FLOW SINGING: Singers both new and seasoned intertwine music and mindfulness while learning a sequence of five or six songs by ear. Heineberg Senior Center, Burlington, 11:15 a.m.12:45 p.m. Free. Info, patricia@ juneberrymusic.com.

québec

‘KIMBERLY AKIMBO’: See WED.26. ‘KISSES DEEP’: See WED.26.

tech

DROP-IN TECH SUPPORT: Library staff answer questions about devices of all kinds in face-toface sessions. Fletcher Free

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

Welcome, new Super Readers!

ese wonderful people made their ﬁrst donation to Seven Days this week: Joanne Duhl Robert Fairbrother Vee Gentler Jonathan Harris Stacey Peters

Jean Berggren

David Boedy

Philip Bronz

Laura Carlsmith

Jessica Feddersen

Janet Franz

Gerald Klempner

Jed Loomis

Alain McMurtrie

Sarah Merritt

Barbara Mines

William Morris

Jared Katz

Need

Miles Peterle

Maura Randall

John & Patti Reid

Helen Rock & Andy Jones

Jason Starr

Sue Trainor Here

Mimi Pearson

CREATIVE SECTOR ADVOCACY

Library New North End Branch, Burlington, 12:30-2 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

words

MEL ALLEN: The editor emeritus of Yankee magazine offers highlights from his new book, Here in New England: Unforgettable Stories of People, Places, and Memories That Connect Us All followed by a signing. Pizzagalli Center for Art and Education, Shelburne Museum, 6-7:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 985-3346.

TYLER ALEXANDER: An eighth-generation Vermonter and author launches his new book, If I Can Get Home This Fall: A Story of Love, Loss and a Cause in the Civil War chronicling the epic story of Dan Mason, who served in the Sixth Vermont Infantry. CarpenterCarse Library, Hinesburg, 6-7 p.m. Free. Info, 482-2878.

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.3

activism

2026 LEGISLATIVE PREVIEW: VERMONT’S

PRIORITIES: Community members join arts and culture leaders for a morning exploring policy insights and priorities, offering a road map for the year ahead. 11 a.m.-noon. Free; preregister. Info, 828-3291.

COTS PHONATHON: See MON.1.

DISABLED ACCESS & ADVOCACY OF THE RUTLAND AREA MONTHLY

ZOOM MEETING: Activists gather online to advocate for accessibility and other disability-rights measures. 11:30 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 779-9021.

agriculture

FARMER SUPPORT WEBINAR SERIES: VERMONT HEALTH CONNECT

ENROLLMENT: Reps from the Office of the Health Care Advocate review health insurance options — including Medicaid and Dr. Dynasaur eligibility — then answer questions to help navigate enrollment. Hosted by Rural Vermont & NOFA-VT. Noon-1 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 419-0056.

bazaars

LOCAL ARTISAN & MERCHANT MARKET: See WED.26.

business

VERMONT

WOMENPRENEURS BIZ

BUZZ ZOOM: A monthly virtual

networking meetup provides a space for female business owners to connect. 10-11 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 870-0903.

crafts

YARN & YAK: See WED.26.

YARN CRAFTERS GROUP: See WED.26.

etc.

CHAMP MASTERS

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

STUDENT ART AUCTION: See MON.1.

WINTER CELEBRATION: The Vermont Council on World Affairs lets loose at a public, catered reception complete with guest speakers and a silent auction. Hotel Vermont, Burlington, 6-7:30 p.m. Free; donations accepted; preregister. Info, 557-0018.

fairs

& festivals

BRATTLEBORO FESTIVAL OF MINIATURES: See SAT.29. film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.

FAMI LY FU N

‘CHAMP: AMERICA’S LAKE

MONSTER’: See WED.26.

DAN ABDO & JAMES

SOCIAL SUNDAYS: Families participate in fun and educational art activities with diverse mediums and themes. All supplies and instruction provided. Milton Artists’ Guild Art Center & Gallery, 12:302:30 p.m. Free. Info, 891-2014.

of all ages practice their reading. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956

mad river valley/ waterbury

KOLCHALKA: Two acclaimed cartoonists lead a lively, hands-on afternoon for families, including one-minute portraits crafted on the spot. Phoenix Books, Burlington, 1-3 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 448-3350.

KIDS TRAIN: All aboard the Big Blue Express! Kids — and kids at heart — take a trip around the top block’s towering tree. Church Street Marketplace, Burlington, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Info, 863-1648.

SANTA VISITS: See SAT.29.

chittenden county

GEORGE WOODARD: A Vermont filmmaker and author signs copies of his book, The Christmas Calf, about a young boy helping a baby cow at midnight on Christmas Eve. Barnes & Noble, South Burlington, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 864-8001.

mad river valley/ waterbury

YOUTH OPERA COMPANY: See SAT.29.

MON.1 burlington

‘ANIMATIONLAND’: See WED.26.

‘CHAMP: AMERICA’S LAKE MONSTER’: See WED.26.

STORY ARTISTS: Wee ones ages 2 to 6 and their caregivers read a selection of books by a featured author, then make art inspired by the theme. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

chittenden county

READ WITH SAMMY: The Therapy Dogs of Vermont emissary listens to kiddos

TODDLER TIME: Little kids ages 5 and under have a blast with songs, stories, rhymes and dancing. Waterbury Public Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

upper valley

STORY TIME WITH BETH: An engaging bookseller and librarian reads picture books on a different theme each week. The Norwich Bookstore, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 649-1114.

TUE.2

burlington

‘ANIMATIONLAND’: See WED.26.

‘CHAMP: AMERICA’S LAKE

MONSTER’: See WED.26.

JOLABOKAFLOD: Little tykes ages 2 to 8 and their caregivers don cozy pajamas for stories, treats and crafting inspired by the Icelandic winter tradition of sharing

‘SENTIMENTAL VALUE’: Joachim Trier’s 2025 showbiz drama explores the reconciliatory power of art. Film House, Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington, 4 & 7 p.m. $6-12. Info, 660-2600.

food & drink

COMMUNITY COOKING: See WED.26.

health & fitness

CHAIR YOGA: See WED.26.

holidays

ARTISAN HOLIDAY MARKET: See WED.26.

BRANDON WINTER VILLAGE: A European-style outdoor market boasts handmade crafts and gifts, music, twinkling lights, spicy sausage sandwiches, hot mulled wine, and live performances. Green Park, Brandon, 4-8 p.m. Free. Info, 805-242-6875.

HOLIDAY BAZAAR & FOOD

DRIVE: The school’s staff council hosts more than 40 vendors made up of faculty, alumni, retirees and students. Donations benefit Feeding Champlain Valley and Rally Cat’s Cupboard. Grand Maple Ballroom, Dudley H. Davis Center, University of Vermont, Burlington, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Info, 656-4493.

RECYCLED WREATH MAKING: Crafty creators use repurposed books and other materials to construct an eco-friendly holiday adornment. Fletcher

books and chocolate. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 4-5:15 & 5:15-6:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 863-3403.

MINECRAFT MEETUP: Fans of the sandbox game from ages 7 to 12 gather with fellow enthusiasts to play on the library’s private server. Snacks provided. Fletcher Free Library New North End Branch, Burlington, 5-6:15 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

SING-ALONG WITH LINDA

BASSICK: Babies, toddlers and preschoolers sing, dance and wiggle along with the local musician. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

chittenden county

CRAFTYTOWN: Kiddos express their inner artist using mediums such as paint, print, collage and sculpture. Recommended for ages 8 and up, or 6 and up with an adult helper. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 3-4 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

STORY TIME: Youngsters from birth to 5 enjoy a session of reading, rhyming and singing. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

Free Library, Burlington, 6-7:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 863-3403.

language

ELL CLASSES: See WED.26. SPANISH

CONVERSATION: Fluent and beginner speakers brush up on their vocabulario with a discussion led by a Spanish teacher. Presented by Dorothy Alling Memorial Library. 5-6 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, programs@damlvt.org.

music

ISAIAH J. THOMPSON TRIO:

An award-winning jazz pianist gets listeners in a festive mood with “A Guaraldi Holiday,” highlighting the beloved works of composer Vince Guaraldi. Robison Concert Hall, Mahaney Arts Center, Middlebury College, 7-9 p.m. $5-30. Info, 443-6433.

ROOMFUL OF TEETH: A Grammy Award-winning vocal project mines the potential of the human voice. Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center, Stowe Mountain Resort, 7 p.m. $38.7158.50. Info, 760-4634.

ST. J BLUEGRASS JAM: Players and fans get together for some old-time picking and fiddling. St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church of St. Johnsbury, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, 748-2600.

STUDENT RECITALS: Music undergrads assume the spotlight for solos, duets and group

barre/montpelier

BASEMENT TEEN CENTER: See FRI.28, 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, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 745-1391.

PRESCHOOL STORY TIME: See FRI.28.

WED.3 burlington

‘ANIMATIONLAND’: See WED.26. ‘CHAMP: AMERICA’S LAKE MONSTER’: See WED.26. LIBRARY LITTLES: See WED.26. QUEER FAMILY PLAYGROUP: See WED.26.

STEAM SPACE: Youngsters in grades K through 5 explore science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics activities. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

TEEN DROP-IN: Patrons ages 12 to 18 pop by to chat with teen services librarian Miriasha, play card and board games, and build community. Snacks provided. Fletcher Free Library New North

performances, spanning genres from classical to jazz. The University of Vermont Recital Hall, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 656-3040.

québec

‘KIMBERLY AKIMBO’: See WED.26, 1 & 7:30 p.m.

‘KISSES DEEP’: See WED.26, noon.

sports

GREEN MOUNTAIN TABLE

TENNIS CLUB: See WED.26.

words

ALAN WEISMAN: An award-winning environmental journalist dives into his new book, Hope Dies Last, in conversation with professor Rachelle Gould. University of Vermont Alumni House, Burlington, 4:30-6 p.m. Free. Info, 656-0802.

THE HUMP DAY WRITING GROUP: See WED.26.

JUDITH ENCK: The founder and president of Beyond Plastics discusses her powerful investigation, The Problem With Plastic: How We Can Save Ourselves and Our Planet Before It’s Too Late, in conversation with professor David Bond. Bennington College, 7 p.m. Free. Info, beyondplastics@ bennington.edu. ➆

End Branch, Burlington, 2:153:15 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

THERAPY DOG MICK VISIT: An English setter registered with Therapy Dogs of Vermont doles out companionship, acceptance and unconditional love. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 10:3011:30 a.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

chittenden county

BABY TIME: See WED.26.

GAME ON: See WED.26.

READ TO A DOG: Bookworms of all ages get a 10-minute time slot to tell stories to Emma the therapy pup. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 3:304:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, sbplkids@southburlingtonvt. gov.

barre/montpelier

BABY & CAREGIVER MEETUP: See WED.26.

FAMILY CHESS CLUB: See WED.26.

mad river valley/ waterbury

TEEN QUEER READS: LGBTQIA+ and allied youths get together each month to read and discuss ideas around gender, sexuality and identity. Waterbury Public Library, 6-7 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 244-7036. K

classes

THE FOLLOWING CLASS LISTINGS ARE PAID ADVERTISEMENTS. ANNOUNCE YOUR CLASS HERE FOR AS LITTLE AS $21.25/WEEK (INCLUDES SIX PHOTOS AND UNLIMITED DESCRIPTION ONLINE).

NEWSPAPER DEADLINE: MONDAYS AT 3 P.M. POST CLASS ADS AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POSTCLASS. GET HELP AT CLASSES@SEVENDAYSVT.COM.

arts & crafts

DAVIS STUDIO ART CLASSES: Discover your happy place in one of our weekly classes. Making art boosts emotional well-being and brings joy to your life, especially when you connect with other art enthusiasts. Select the ongoing program that’s right for you. Now enrolling youths, teens and adults. Join and restore your faith in humanity. Info: 802-4252700, info@davisstudiovt.com, davisstudiovt.com.

business

CANNABIS WORKSHOPS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES: Vermont State University’s Cannabis Studies Certiﬁcate Program, through the Center for Workforce & Professional Education, is offering a series of in-person cannabis business development workshops at the Johnson Campus on Dec. 5 and 6. e workshops are open to all Vermont-based cannabis business owners and members of the public, with priority access and special beneﬁts for social equity license applicants and holders. Vermont State University is partnering with the Vermont Department of Economic Development to provide social equity license applicants to the CCB and licensed cannabis businesses with lower registration costs and extra support for participating. For non-social equity participants, funding may be available through VSAC’s Short-term Training Advancement Grant.

dance for practice. Preregister on the Vermont Swings website.

Dates: Tue., Dec. 2, 9, 16 & 23, 7-8

p.m. Cost: $50 for the 4-week series or $15 for just the 1st class. Location: North Star Community Hall, 20 Crowley St., Burlington. Info: Terrill Bouricius, 802-3101034, terrybour@gmail.com, vermontswings.com.

food & drink

HOMEMADE ÉCLAIRS FROM SCRATCH: Learn the classical French pastry techniques you need to make delicious éclairs and other pâte à choux-based dishes. Each participant will get to make their own éclairs from scratch to bring home and enjoy. u., Dec. 4, 5:30-8 p.m. Cost: $65. Location: Richmond Community Kitchen, 13 Jolina Ct. Info: 802-434-3445, sevendaystickets.com.

Red Poppy Cakery, 1 Elm St., Waterbury. Info: 203-400-0700, sevendaystickets.com.

martial arts

AIKIDO: THE POWER OF HARMONY: Beginners classes five days a week. Cultivate core power, aerobic fitness and resiliency. e dynamic, circular movements emphasize throws, joint locks and the development of internal energy. Join our community and find resiliency, power and grace. Inclusive training, gender-neutral dressing room/ bathrooms and a safe space for all. Visitors are always welcome to watch a class! Vermont’s only intensive aikido programs. Location: Aikido of Champlain Valley, 257 Pine St., Burlington. Info: bpincus@burlingtonaikido. org, burlingtonaikido.org.

music

Dates: Dec. 5 & 6, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Cost: $250 per workshop; $50 per workshop for social equity license holders or applicants, with tuition support available through ACCD. Location: VTSU-Johnson, Willy Library and Learning Center, Room 208, 337 College Hill Rd., Johnson. Info: Philip Lamy, 802-468-1345, philip.lamy@vermontstate. edu, vermontstate.edu/news/ cannabis-educationworkshops-offered-atvermont-state-universityjohnson-in-december.

dance

BEGINNING SWING DANCE

CLASS DECEMBER SERIES: Learn the basics of swing dancing in this four-week series. No partner necessary. Each hourlong class is followed by a free deejayed

FRENCH MACARONS

WORKSHOP FEATURING SMALL

OVEN PASTRIES: In this handson class, you will learn the art and science behind making French macarons (ma-ka-rohns), including all the best tips and tricks to manage these ﬁnicky delights. Date: Sat., Dec. 6, 1 p.m. Cost: $100. Location:

TAIKO TUESDAYS, DJEMBE WEDNESDAYS!: Drum with Stuart Paton! New sessions each month. Community Taiko Ensemble Beginner’s Class, Mon., 5:30-7 p.m. Taiko on Tue.: Kids & Parents Taiko, 4-5:30 p.m.; Adult Intro Taiko, 5:30-7 p.m.; Accelerated Intro Taiko, 7-8:30 p.m. Djembe on Wed.: Intermediate Djembe, 5:30-7 p.m.; Beginner Djembe, 7-8:30 p.m. Drums provided. Cost: $92/4 weeks; 90-min. classes; $72 per person for Kids & Parents class. Location: Burlington Taiko, 208 Flynn Ave., Suite 3-G. Info: Stuart Paton, 802-448-0150, burlingtontaiko.org.

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

Molly

AGE/SEX: 1-year-old spayed female

ARRIVAL DATE: September 11, 2025

SUMMARY: Molly can be reserved when meeting new people, but with a little space and patience you’ll see her true self start to bloom into a charming, affectionate, utterly devoted companion. Molly absolutely lights up in the company of other dogs. ey bring out her joy, conﬁdence and sense of security, so she would love to ﬁnd a home with a dog she can bond with and learn from. She would also love a securely fenced yard so she can have the freedom she needs as she continues to build trust. Could you have the special home Molly’s been waiting for?

DOGS/CATS/KIDS: Molly is seeking a home with a canine friend who matches her play style, and she has lived with cats. She would prefer an adult-only home but may do well with teenagers.

Visit the Humane Society of Chittenden County at 142 Kindness Court, South Burlington, Tuesday through Friday from 1 to 5 p.m. or Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. Call 862-0135 or visit hsccvt.org for more info.

DID YOU KNOW?

If you’re introducing a new dog to other dogs or cats at home, taking it slow and steady is key! Be patient, use lots of treats, make sure everyone has their own safe spaces, and call HSCC if you are looking for guidance or tips for successful introductions.

Buy y & Se

GARAGE & ESTATE SALES

ESTATE SALE

Online sale: artwork, antiques, modern furniture, rugs, clothing, tools, building materials, plumbing, tools, snowblower. Visit estatesalesofvermont. com through Dec. 3.

WANT TO BUY

TOP CASH PAID FOR OLD GUITARS

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)

Communit y ommunit

ANNOUNCEMENTS

WEDDING OPEN HOUSE & VENDOR MARKET

Sun., Dec. 7, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Explore the venue, meet local wedding & event professionals, gather inspiration for your wedding or event. All are welcome. Already booked event elsewhere? A place to meet, get inspired & search out key vendors. Admission is free. Register at boydenbarn.com to be eligible for door prizes. Presented by Green Mountain Gatherings. Info, 802-598-5509, boydenevents@gmail. com, boydenbarn.com.

SPORTS CARDS & COLLECTIBLES EXPO

Vendors wanted: sports cards, Pokémon, coins, stamps, video games, vintage toys & more.

Local crafts welcome! May 9 at Highgate Sports Arena. Tickets & table reservations: 518-353-4216, magnum mikemaniacal@yahoo. com, wrestlerage.com.

EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

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

MUSICIANS & BANDS

UNITED CHURCH OF UNDERHILL SEEKS OCCASIONAL ACCOMPANIST

e UCU is seeking a musician to play in person; piano, organ or both; hymns, responses, etc. for Sunday morning worship services 1-2 times/ mo. for approximately 2 hours + additional time for personal rehearsal. ere may be a few special events per year. Must possess a willingness to collaborate w/ our bell choir, recorder ensemble, vocalists & other musicians. e incumbent will be paid per diem w/ compensation commensurate w/ experience. Please email Michele at worship@ucu.church, unitedchurchof underhill.com.

MUSIC LESSONS

GUITAR INSTRUCTION

All styles/levels. Emphasis on building strong technique, thorough musicianship, developing personal style. Paul Asbell (Big Joe Burrell, Kilimanjaro, UVM & Middlebury College faculty, Seven Daysies winner). Info, 802-233-7731, pasbell@ paulasbell.com.

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

FSBO $230,000. 17 Ausable Beach Rd., Peru, NY. Deeded lake rights. Minutes away from Ausable Chasm. Private community, 844 sq. ft., 7 rooms. Shaker kitchen cabinets. As is, contact Daryl, cosgrodaryl@gmail.com

APARTMENTS & HOUSES FOR RENT

1-, 2- & 3-BR

BURLINGTON APTS. AVAIL. NOW, NO PETS, 1-YR. LEASE

Unfurnished, 1-BR, 1-BA apt. on Hyde St., $900/ mo. Tenants pay all utils.; we pay cold water, haul the trash & take care of the driveway. Heated 2nd-ﬂ oor 2-BR, $1,500/mo. Tenants pay utils. Heated 2nd-ﬂ oor 3-BR w/ laundry, $1,700. Call 802-318-8916 or email jcintl0369@gmail. com.

NEWLY RENOVATED IN SOUTH BURLINGTON Nice 2-BR upstairs apt., close to everything. W/D, 2 porches, shared backyard. $2,300/ mo. incl. utils. Lease & deposit. Info, 802-7346469, carpentier2iby@ gmail.com.

BURLINGTON

SUBSIDIZED HOUSING FOR RENT

BHA has a low wait list for apts. w/ a subsidy in Burlington. Income limits do apply. 1-BR & efﬁ ciency apartments avail. now. Rent based on income. Parking may be available at some properties. Apply today by calling Burlington Housing Authority at 802-864-0538. “Affordable housing for all.” Equal Housing Opportunity.

COMMERCIAL & OFFICE RENTALS

ESSEX JCT., VT., HEALING ROOM FOR RENT

Healing room for rent 2 days/week at Mariposa Collective in Essex Jct. Avail. Fri. & Sun. $120 full

day; $60 half day; $480/ mo. Ideal for Reiki, massage, meditation, sound healing, acupuncture, somatic & craniosacral therapy. Quiet, candlelit, fully furnished treatment room. Email mariposacollectives@ gmail.com.

COMMERCIAL SPACE

AVAIL. NOW IN FORT ETHAN ALLEN, COLCHESTER

Multiple commercial units avail. for lease within the historic brick buildings at Fort Ethan Allen. Options incl. single private offices, multiroom office suites & garage-style spaces ranging from 100-1,800 sq.ft. Both 1st-floor & 2nd-floor layouts are offered, w/ high ceilings, generous natural light & classic architectural character. Monthly rates range from $425 to $2,200, depending on size & configuration. e property provides off-street parking & convenient access to Route 15 & I-89, serving Colchester, Burlington & Winooski. e campus-style setting hosts a diverse

mix of professional & commercial uses, offering ﬂexibility for various business needs. Several units are avail. now w/ adaptable ﬂoor plans & straightforward leasing options. Call 802-922-6251 or email rentals.jerichomgmt@ gmail.com.

1,000-SQ.FT. OPEN OFFICE SPACE FOR RENT, ALL-INCLUSIVE Spacious 1,000-sq.ft. open-concept area avail. in our building. Perfect for a small business, studio or collaborative workspace. All utils. & amenities are incl. in the price — just move in & get started! Located right off I-89. $1,693. Call 802-655-3544 or email duteauc@freedom pharmacyvt.com.

WORCESTER COFFEE SHOP, BAKERY, RESTAURANT FOR LEASE

Turnkey ready! Commercial cafe/ bakery/restaurant for lease. Just 12 mins. from Montpelier, the space has large windows w/ gorgeous mountain views. It has a

fully stocked kitchen w/ full-size coffee brewer, espresso machine, grinder, large commercial convection oven, commercial standing mixer, prooﬁng oven, 5 refrigerators, 8-burner gas stove & hood. We will train the coffee side of the business if needed or rent the space to whatever you would like: bakery, restaurant, wine bar, music

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

Show and tell. View and post up to 6 photos per ad online.

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! There’s no limit to ad length online.

WANT MORE PUZZLES?

Try these online news games from Seven Days at sevendaysvt.com/games.

Put your knowledge of Vermont news to the test. NEW ON FRIDAYS:

CALCOKU BY JOSH

REYNOLDS

DIFFICULTY THIS WEEK: HHH

SUDOKU BY JOSH REYNOLDS

DIFFICULTY THIS WEEK: HH

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. ANSWERS ON P. 70 H

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. 70 » GROUP OF HERBS

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

PAINTING STUDIO FOR RENT IN ORWELL, VT.

Serene, bright & spacious painting studio avail. Jan. 1.

20-by-30-ft. open ﬂ oor plan w/ 11-foot ceilings & plenty of ventilation.

show you how much you can save. Call now for a no-obligation quote: 1-833-399-1539. (AAN CAN)

lucysbodaciousbeauty. com.

HOME & GARDEN

GET DISABILITY BENEFITS

vehicle fobs. Call us for your home, commercial & auto locksmith needs: 1-833-237-1233. (AAN CAN)

TOWN OF RICHMOND SELECTBOARD AMENDMENTS TO TRAFFIC ORDINANCE

At their meeting on November 17, 2025 the Richmond Selectboard voted to amend the Trafﬁ c Ordinance.

CITY OF BURLINGTON IN THE YEAR TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE AN ORDINANCE IN RELATION TO RAISING THE MANDATORY RETIREMENT AGE FOR CLASS A EMPLOYEES

GREEN MOUNTAIN SHINE — BOOK NOW FOR SPECIAL SPRING 2026 PRICES!

AGING ROOF? NEW HOMEOWNER? STORM DAMAGE?

ORDINANCE 5.16

Sponsor: Councilors Barlow, Grant, Singh, Ordinance Committee

You may qualify for disability beneﬁ ts if you are between 52 & 63 years old & under a doctor’s care for a health condition that prevents you from working for a year or more. Call now: 1-877-247-6750. (AAN CAN)

Vermont winters are long. So why not give your home something to look forward to?

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

Summary of Changes to Trafﬁ c Ordinance

Public Hearing Dates: First reading: 09/29/25

Referred to: Ordinance Committee

GET TAX RELIEF

Do you owe more than $10,000 to the IRS or state in back taxes?

Located in Orwell, Vt., less than 30 mins. from Middlebury. $930/mo., heat & electric incl. 12-mo. lease. Contact john@hubglass.com to schedule a viewing. Seer ices

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

Section 6A (C): Authorizes Highway Department to post no parking signs for parades and events

Rules suspended and placed in all stages of passage:

Second reading: 11/17/25

Action: adopted as amended Date: 11/17/25

Signed by Mayor: 11/18/25

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

STOP OVERPAYING FOR AUTO INSURANCE

A recent survey says that most Americans are overpaying for their car insurance. Let us

Get tax relief now! We’ll ﬁght for you! Call 1-877-703-6117. (AAN CAN)

HEALTH & WELLNESS

INTEGRATIVE HEALTH & WELLNESS COACHING

Connect w/ me as your virtual health & wellness coach over a 3-mo. period that is client-driven. All 6 sessions are remote, ﬂ exible & are supported by me as your wellness coach. Email me directly for a free consultation to get healthier & get glowing! Info, lucyb customerservice@ gmail.com,

Green Mountain Shine is your local, family-owned window, gutter & exterior cleaning service serving Addison & Chittenden. Streak-free, eco-friendly cleaning. Book online now for spring 2026 & get special early-bird offers! Spots ﬁll up fast. Visit greenmountain shine.com today! Info, 802-777-9458, hq@ greenmountainshine. com.

NEED NEW WINDOWS?

Drafty rooms? Chipped or damaged frames?

Need outside noise reduction? New, energyefﬁ cient windows may be the answer! Call for a consultation & free quote today: 1-877-2489944. (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,

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)

MOVING & HAULING

MOVING

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.

Section 6A (E): Authorizes Certiﬁ ed Law Enforcement Ofﬁ cers, the Richmond Constable, and the Richmond Highway Foreman and Assistant Foreman to have illegally parked vehicles towed Removes stipulation for the Selectboard to set a not to exceed rate for towing

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

Interested persons with questions or comments may contact:

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

Published: 11/26/25

Effective: 12/16/25

It is hereby Ordained by the City Council of the City of Burlington as follows: at Chapter 24, Personnel, of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Burlington be and hereby is amended by amending Article II, Retirement System, Sections 24-14, Defi nitions; and 24-22, Retirement; benefi ts; as follows: 24-14 Defi nitions.

Unless a different meaning is plainly required by the context, the following words and phrases as used in this article shall have the following meanings: ***

Mandatory retirement age shall mean age sixty-three (6 3 0) for Class A members. ***

24-22 Retirement; beneﬁ ts.

(a) As written.

(b) Any Class A employee in service who attains age sixty-three (6 3 0) shall be retired forthwith on a service retirement benefi t; provided, that any offi cial appointed for a defi nite term may remain in service until the end of the term.

* Material stricken out deleted.

** Material underlined added.

Ordinances 2025/Raising Mandatory Retirement Age for Class A Employees/BCO Ch. 24, Art. II Secs. 24-14 and 24-22. 11/13/2025

LEGAL NOTICE

e Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission (CCRPC) has released the First Public Hearing Draft of the 2026 Chittenden County ECOS Regional Plan, which combines the Regional Plan, Metropolitan Transportation Plan, Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy, and Enhanced Energy Plan for Chittenden County, for a 30-day public comment period concluding with a hybrid public hearing on January 21, 2026 at 6:00pm on Zoom at: https://us02web.zoom. us/j/84698154768 (Call in: +1 309 205 3325 | Meeting ID: 846 9815 4768) and in the Main Conference Room at the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission (110 West Canal Street, Suite 202, Winooski, VT 05404) pursuant to Title 24 VSA, Chapter 117, 23 CFR Part 450, and 13 CFR 303.6.

A copy of the draft 2026 Chittenden County ECOS Regional Plan, a report documenting conformance with the goals established in 24 V.S.A. 4302 and the plan elements established in 24 V.S.A. 4348a, and a description of any changes to the Regional Future Land Use Map, are available at CCRPC’s ofﬁ ce (110 West Canal Street, Winooski, VT 05404), and on the CCRPC website: https://www.ccrpcvt. org/ecosengagement. For more information, questions or to submit written comments, contact Taylor Newton, CCRPC Planning Program Director, by mail, or by email (tnewton@ccrpcvt.org) in the 30 days prior to the public hearing.

ACT 250 NOTICE

MINOR APPLICATION 4C0619-16

10 V.S.A. §§ 6000 - 6111

Application 4C0619-16 from O’Brien Brothers 1855 Williston Road, South Burlington, VT 05403 and Brault Family Revocable Living Trust, 3800 Roosevelt Highway, Colchester, VT 05446 was received on November 6, 2025 and deemed complete on November 18, 2025. This permit specifically authorizes the logging of approximately 15.5 acres of wooded land. The logging is being pursued as a separate standalone permit, in advance of full development permits, to facilitate logging in winter months in order to ensure no taking of bats during eventual project development. The project includes no earth disturbance. Tree stumps and roots will remain in place. Cut trees will be dragged to a stabilized construction landing pad, chipped into trucks and hauled away. Logs will be loaded and hauled away. Only logging equipment will traverse the site. The project is located at Park Place and Bombardier Road in Milton, Vermont. The application may be viewed on the Land Use Review Board’s website (https://act250.vermont.gov/) by clicking “Act 250 Database” and entering the project number “4C0619-16.”

No hearing will be held and a permit may be issued unless, on or before December 20, 2025, a party notifies the District 4 Commission in writing of an issue requiring a hearing, or the Commission sets the matter for a hearing on its own motion. Any person as defined in 10 V.S.A. § 6085(c)(1) may request a hearing. Any hearing request must be in writing, must state the criteria or sub-criteria at issue, why a hearing is required, and what additional evidence will be presented at the hearing. Any hearing request by an adjoining property owner or other person eligible for party status under 10 V.S.A. § 6085(c)(1)(E) must include a petition for party status under the Act 250 Rules. To request party status and a hearing, fill out the Party Status Petition Form on the Board’s website: https://act250.vermont. gov/documents/party-statuspetition-form, and email it to the District 4 Office at: Act250.Essex@ vermont.gov. Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law may not be prepared unless the Commission holds a public hearing.

For more information contact Kaitlin Hayes at the address or telephone number below.

Dated this November 19, 2025. By: /s/ Kaitlin Hayes Kaitlin Hayes District Coordinator 111 West Street Essex Junction, VT 05452 (802) 622-4084 kaitlin.hayes@vermont.gov

RFP - PAVING SERVICES ON MILTON WESTFORD RD.

The Town of Westford is working with a grant to pave a section of the Milton-Westford Rd, and replace a culvert. The RFP is available at https://westfordvt. us/careers-rfps/

Any questions can be sent to Tommy O’Connor –Town Administrator at townadmin@westfordvt.us or call the office at 802-878-4587

STATE OF VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT CIVIL DIVISION CHITTENDEN UNIT DOCKET NO. 24-CV-00916 NORTHCOUNTRY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION, Plaintiff, v.

TINA MCGRATH, ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ESTATE OF LEO W. RICH, SR., and ALL OCCUPANTS RESIDING AT 35 GROVE STREET, CITY OF ESSEX JUNCTION, VT Defendants.

NOTICE OF SALE

By virtue and in execution of the Judgment and Decree of Foreclosure by Judicial Sale dated June 24, 2025, for a breach of a Mortgage dated October 31, 2019, and recorded in Book 1024, Pages 677-691 in the Town of Essex Land Records (the “Mortgaged Property”); and for the purpose of foreclosing the

same, the Mortgaged Property will be sold at public auction on December 23, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. at the Mortgaged Property, 35 Grove Street, Essex, more particularly described as follows:

Being all and the same land and premises conveyed to Leo W. Rich by Warranty Deed of David R. Farnham and Ruth M. Farnham dated January 22, 1975, and recorded in Volume 117 at Pages 388-390 of the Town of Essex Land Records.

Being a lot of land with trailer and addition thereto located on the easterly side of Grove Street, the dwelling house being known and designated as No. 35 Grove Street, said lot contains 3/16 acre, more or less.

Patricia Rich spouse of Leo W. Rich, joins in this mortgage to permit the above-described marital property to be mortgaged to NorthCountry Federal Credit Union.

TERMS OF SALE: The Mortgaged Property will be sold “AS IS WHERE IS” to the highest bidder for cash or wire funds only. The sale of the Mortgaged Property is subject to confirmation by the Vermont Superior Court, Chittenden Unit, Civil Division. The Mortgaged Property will be sold subject to unpaid taxes, municipal assessments, and superior liens, if any.

The public sale may be adjourned one or more times for a total time not exceeding 30 days, without further court order, and without publication or service of a new notice of sale, by announcement of the new sale date to those present at each adjournment or by posting notice of the adjournment in a conspicuous place at the location of the sale. Notice of the new sale date shall also be sent by first class mail, postage prepaid, to the mortgagors at the mortgagors’ last known address at least five days before the new sale date.

Defendant Tina McGrath, Administrator of the Estate of Leo W. Rich, Sr. and all Occupants residing at 35 Grove Street are entitled to redeem the Mortgaged Property at any time prior to the sale by paying the full amount due under the Mortgage referenced above, including the costs and expenses of the sale.

MORTGAGED PROPERTY DEPOSIT: A non-refundable deposit for the Mortgaged Property in the amount of $10,000.00 shall be paid by the high bidder by cash, certified check or bank draft to Prozzo Auctions, which shall hold the deposit until the closing. The balance of the purchase price for the Mortgaged Property shall be due and payable within the latter of 10 days from the date of confirmation of said sale by the Vermont Superior Court, Chittenden Unit, Civil Division, or 45 days from the date of public auction. If the balance of the purchase price for the Mortgaged Property is not paid within the period set forth herein, the deposit shall be forfeited and shall be retained by Plaintiff herein as agreed liquidation damages and the Mortgaged Property may be offered to the next highest bidder still interested in the Mortgaged Property.

PURCHASE AND SALE CONTRACT: The high bidder for the Mortgaged Property shall be required to sign a no contingency contract of Purchase and Sale at the public auction, agreeing to purchase the Mortgaged Property in its “AS IS WHERE IS” condition, as a result of being the successful and high bidder at the sale.

OTHER TERMS TO BE ANNOUNCED AT SALE:

Inquiries can be made to Prozzo Auctions, 207 N Main St, Rutland, VT 05701; (802) 773-2691.

Dated: November 12, 2025.

NORTHCOUNTRY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION

By: /s/ Alexandra E. Edelman

Alexandra E. Edelman, Esq.

Primmer Piper Eggleston & Cramer PC

30 Main Street, Suite 500

P.O. Box 1489

Burlington, VT 05602-1489

(802) 864-0880

aedelman@primmer.com

Request for Proposals (RFP)

Inspection & Compliance Alignment Project

The Vermont Housing & Conservation Board, in coordination with Vermont Housing Finance Agency, Vermont State Housing Authority and the Vermont Community Development Program, is seeking proposals from qualiﬁed consultants to assess and align inspection and compliance systems across Vermont’s affordable housing portfolio. This project will include evaluating current practices, developing streamlined procedures, and recommending system improvements to enhance efﬁciency and consistency.

The full RFP is available at vhcb.org/resources/procurement Proposals are due Friday, December 5, 2025.

VHCB is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

We strongly encourage proposals from diverse consultants and teams.

6h-VHCBlegalnotice110525.indd 1

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

Enforcement of Lien, Champlain Valley Self Storage, LLC shall host a private auction of the following units on or after December 12, 2025:

Location: 485 Nokian Tyres Dr. Colchester VT

Contents: household goods

Lynette Fuller: #2078

Jacob Reilly: #2169

Michael Charbonneau: #2109

Ray Laplante: #2098

Auction pre-registration is required, email info@ champlainvalleyselfstorage.com to register.

CVSS,llc reserves the right to reject any bid lower than the amount owed by the occupant or that is not commercially reasonable as defined by statute. Any person claiming a right to the goods may pay the amount claimed due and reasonable expenses before the sale, in which case the sale may not occur.

TOWN OF ESSEX FACILITIES CLEANING CONTRACT BID

The Town of Essex invites you to prepare a Bid for the Cleaning Contract. Work associated with this bid is a 3-year contract for cleaning 6 Municipal buildings. Bid packages are available at the Town Public Works Office, 5 Jericho Road, Essex Center or by e-mail to smcnamara@essex.org. Sealed bids will be received at the Town of Essex Public Works Office at 5 Jericho Road or mailed to the Town of Essex, Department of Public Works, 81 Main Street Essex Jct., VT 05452 until 10:00 AM on Monday, December 29, 2025. Questions can be directed to the Town Public Works at (802) 585-5883.

KANTOR & ZULLO, PLLC – FILE DESTRUCTION NOTICE

The law firm of Kantor & Zullo, PLLC, d/b/a Doremus Kantor & Zullo, will destroy client files closed between January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2018, including files closed by Kantor & Zullo, PLLC d/b/a Doremus Kantor & Zullo, Doremus Law LLP (d/b/a Doremus Kantor & Zullo), and Doremus & Roesler LLP (d/b/a Doremus Roesler & Kantor). We will not, however, destroy any original Last Wills and Testaments now in our possession or any active files. If you would like your file(s), you must contact us within thirty (30) calendar days following the date on which this notice was published. All requests must be in writing. Within thirty (30) calendar days of receipt of all written requests, your file(s) will be available for you to pick up at our office. Clients may be assessed a storage recovery fee based on the number and location of files. We will not release files to persons who are unable to properly identify themselves as our clients at the time of retrieval.

Files will not be furnished to third parties absent written authorization from our client for whom the file was originally opened. All files not requested within thirty (30) calendar days following the publication of this notice will be destroyed. Written requests for file retrieval may be submitted by U.S. Mail to Doremus Kantor & Zullo, 346 Shelburne Road, Suite 603, Burlington, Vermont 05402 or by email to admin@dkzlegal.com. Please contact Jack at (802) 863-9603 if you have any questions.

11/3/25 10:42 AM

NOTICE OF FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT AND NOTICE OF INTENT TO REQUEST RELEASE OF FUNDS STATE OF VERMONT

November 26, 2025,

Annik Paul WISP Senior Associate Cooperative Development Institute P.O. Box 1051 Northampton, MA 01061-1051

Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development

Grace Vinson, Environmental Officer 1 National Life Drive Montpelier, Vermont 05620 (802) 622- 4336

Request for Release of Funds

These notices shall satisfy two separate but related procedural requirements for activities to be undertaken by the Cooperative Development Institute and the State of Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development (Agency).

On or about December 11th, 2025 the organization of Cooperative Development Institute will submit a request to the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development (the Agency) to release the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds under Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (PL 93-383), the National Affordable Housing Act, as amended, to undertake a project known as the Sunset Lake Cooperative Infrastructure Improvement Project for the purpose of replacing and upgrading drinking water and wastewater infrastructure to help preserve affordable housing. The project is located at 60 Jourdan Street, Hinesburg, VT 05461. The total estimated cost of the project is approximately $3.3MM, which includes $1,459,500 (ARPA HH), $500,000 (VHCB), and $1,030,599 in CDBG funding (PRICE).

Legal Notices

There are no mitigation factors.

Finding of No Significant Impact

The Cooperative Development Institute and Agency have determined that the project will have no significant impact on the human environment. Therefore, an Environmental Impact Statement under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) is not required. Additional project information is contained in the Environmental Review Record (ERR), which will be made available to the public for review either electronically or by U.S. mail. Please submit your request by U.S. mail to Environmental Officer, Department of Housing and Community Development, National Life Building, One National Life Drive, Davis Building 6th floor, Montpelier, Vermont 05620 or via email at Grace.Vinson@vermont.gov.

Public Comments

Any individual, group, or agency may submit written comments on the ERR to the Agency, Attn: Environmental Officer, Agency of Commerce and Community Development, Department of Housing and Community Development, One National Life Drive, Davis Building, 6th Floor, Montpelier, Vermont, 05620 or via email at grace.vinson@ vermont.gov. All comments received by December 11th, 2025, will be considered by the Department prior to authorizing a request for release of funds. Comments must specify which Notice they are addressing—the Finding of No Significant Impact or the Request for the Release of Funds.

Environmental Certification

The Agency is certifying to HUD that Ann Kroll, in their official capacity as Director of Federal Programs, consents to accept the jurisdiction of the Federal Courts if an action is brought to enforce responsibilities in relation to the environmental review process and that these responsibilities have been satisfied. The Agency’s approval of the certification satisfies its responsibilities under NEPA and related laws and authorities and allows the Agency to use the CDBG funds.

Objections to Release of Funds

The Agency will accept objections to its release of funds and the Agency’s certification for a period of fifteen days following the anticipated submission date or its actual receipt of the request (whichever is later) only if they are on one of the following bases: (a) the certification was not executed by the Certifying Officer, Ann Kroll, Director of Federal Programs; (b) the Town has omitted a step or failed to make a decision or finding required by HUD regulations at 24 CFR part 58; (c) the grant recipient or other participants in the development process have committed funds, incurred costs or undertaken activities not authorized by 24 CFR Part 58 before approval of a release of funds by the Agency; or (d) another Federal agency acting pursuant to 40 CFR Part 1504 has submitted a written finding that the project is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of environmental quality.

Objections must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the required procedures (24 CFR Part 58, Sec. 58.76) and shall be addressed to the Attn: Grace Vinson, Environmental Officer, Agency of Commerce and Community Development, One National Life Drive, Davis Building, 6th Floor, Montpelier, Vermont 05620. Potential objectors should contact the Agency to verify the actual last date of the objection period.

INVITATION TO BID

Greenprint Partners, acting as Project Manager, seeks qualified contractors for Vermont Manufactured Housing Community (MHC) and Vermont Green Schools Stormwater Improvements for the locations listed below. Federal Disadvantage Business Enterprise (DBE), Women-Owned, Veteran-Owned, Minority-Owned contractors and suppliers, and Small Businesses are strongly encouraged to submit a bid proposal.

PLACE AN AFFORDABLE NOTICE AT: SEVENDAYSVT.COM/LEGAL-NOTICES OR CALL 802-865-1020, EXT. 142.

Project Description: The projects consist of stormwater and water improvements.

Locations of the work are as follows:

Bid Opening December 18, 2025

• Hinesburg Community School – 10888 VT Route 116, Hinesburg, VT (Quest Number 9921808)

Schedule: Construction is scheduled to take place in Summer 2026.

Bid Opening December 19, 2025

• Katy Win Mobile Home Park – 53 Katy Win Road, Johnson, VT (Quest Number 9939895)

• Otter Creek Mobile Home Park – Panton Road, Vergennes, VT (Quest Number 9947006)

• Pinecrest Mobile Home Park – Cochran Road, Morristown, VT (Quest Number 9502034)

Schedule: Construction is scheduled to begin in Spring 2026 and be substantially completed by late Summer or early Fall 2026.

The construction work involves installing various stormwater improvements, such as biofiltration systems, gravel wetlands, sand filters, conveyance swales, dry swales and associated storm sewer piping. At one MHC, the work will also include upgrades to the water distribution system.

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 November 21, 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 (MHC) or hkillian@ greenprintpartners.com (Schools)

NOTICE CITY OF BURLINGTON

FULL BOARD OF ABATEMENT OF TAXES

The Full Board of Abatement of Taxes of the City of Burlington will meet in Contois Auditorium and via ZOOM: https://zoom.us/j/93172947248 on Monday, December 1, 2025* to hear and act upon the request for abatement of taxes and/or penalties from:

Helen R. Weltman 109 Northshore Drive 021-2-211-109

Greater Burlington YMCA

Daniel Smith, President & CEO 286 College Street 050-1-082-000

Michael Keppler 11 Tallwood Lane 033-1-056-000

*The City Council Meeting usually begins at 6:00 p.m. The Full Board of Abatement of Taxes Meeting is part of this agenda, no set start time.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING

Town of Underhill Development Review Board (DRB) Preliminary and Final Subdivision Hearing, DRB Docket No. DRB-25-06.

Hearing: On Monday, December 15, 2025 at 7:00 PM, the hearing will commence at the Underhill Town Hall, 12 Pleasant Valley Road, Underhill, VT. Remote participation options will also be available, see below.

The Underhill Development Review Board will hold a combined Preliminary and Final Two Lot Subdivision Review Hearing per Section 7.5 &

7.6 of the Town of Underhill Unified Land Use & Development Regulations adopted March 1, 2011 and last amended March 3, 2020. The subject property is located at 41 Sam Ward Road and is owned by the Craig B. & Margaret W. Armstrong 1998 Trust . The property is approximately 96 acres and is in the Soil & Water Conservation and Rural Residential Zoning Districts. The application proposes that the lot with an existing single-family dwelling, be reduced to 69 acres, and proposes the creation of a new 27 acre lot for a new single-family dwelling. The hearing will also be accessible via the Go-To-Meeting platform.

Application submittals, including information to access the public meeting via the Go-To-Meeting platform or by telephone, may be obtained on the Town’s website calendar under December 15, 2025 or by contacting the Zoning Administrator. The hearing is open to the public. Pursuant to 24 VSA § 4464(a)(1)(C) and 4471(a), participation in this local proceeding is a prerequisite to the right to make any subsequent appeal. If you cannot attend the hearing, comments may be made in writing, prior to the meeting, and mailed to: Maya Holmes, Acting Zoning Administrator, P.O. Box 120 Underhill, VT 05489 or emailed to: zoning@underhillvt.gov

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING

Town of Underhill Development Review Board (DRB) Preliminary and Final Subdivision Hearing, DRB Docket No. DRB-25-01.

Site Visit & Hearing: On Sunday, December 14, 2025, at 43 Downes Road, Underhill, VT, a site visit will commence at 8:30 AM. The following day, Monday, December 15, 2025 at 6:30 PM, the hearing will commence at the Underhill Town Hall, 12 Pleasant Valley Road, Underhill, VT. Remote participation options will also be available, see below.

The Underhill Development Review Board will hold a combined Preliminary and Final Two Lot Subdivision Review Hearing per Section 7.5 & 7.6 of the Town of Underhill Unified Land Use & Development Regulations adopted March 1, 2011 and last amended March 3, 2020. The subject property is located at 43 Downes Road and is owned by Allen & Audree Frey. The property is approximately 10.75 acres and is in the Rural Residential Zoning District. The application proposes that the lot located at 43 Downes Road, with an existing single-family dwelling, be reduced to 7.26 acres, and proposes the creation of a new 3.49-acre lot for a new single-family dwelling. The hearing will also be accessible via the Go-To-Meeting platform.

PUBLIC HEARING WINOOSKI

Monday, December 8, 2025 at 6:00 PM Winooski City Hall

27 W. Allen Street, Winooski, VT 05404

• Attend in person: Winooski City Hall (27 W Allen St)

• Attend online: https://us06web.zoom. us/j/84364849328

• Attend by phone: 1 646 558 8656

• Webinar ID: 843 6484 9328

The Winooski City Council will hold a Public Hearing on December 8, 2025 at 6:00 PM in City Hall Council Chambers to consider adding an amendment to the City’s Chapter Ordinance 16.12 to include 16.12a regarding the permit processing for the periodic horse drawn carriage rides in Casavant Park.

The current ordinance does not allow horseback riding, except on “designated bridle trails”, of which there are none currently established in the City.

All interested persons are invited to attend and provide comment. For more information, contact

Ray Coffey, Community Services Director (email: rcoffey@winooskivt.gov)

Jenny Willingham City Clerk

TOWN OF RICHMOND DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD (DRB) AGENDA DECEMBER 10, 2025 AT 7:00 PM

THIS IS A HYBRID MEETING WITH ON-SITE AND REMOTE ACCOMMODATIONS.

Note: Pursuant to 1 V.S.A. § 312(a)(2), this meeting will be held in the three following locations: (1) in person; (2) electronically via Zoom; and (3) by phone call. You do not need a computer to attend this meeting. Calls can be placed by using the “Join by Phone” number below—this is a toll-free number. For additional information or accommodations to improve the accessibility of this meeting, please contact Danté DeNault at (802) 556-4959 or ddenault@richmondvt.gov.

Join In Person: 3rd Floor Meeting Room A, 203 Bridge St., Richmond, VT 05477.

Join Electronically via Zoom: https://us02web. zoom.us/j/89057870483.

Join by Phone Call: +1 (305) 224-1968 (US) // Meeting ID: 890 5787 0483.

PUBLIC HEARING AGENDA ITEMS: Materials: https://www.richmondvt.gov/calendar/ meeting/development-review-board-12-10-25.

1. CU2025-06 Mt. Mansfield Community TV (MMCTV) Parcel ID: BR0203

Project Description: MMCTV seeks DRB approval to install a modest mast and antenna on the City Center building to enable a low power FM non-commercial community radio station.

2. APE2025-01 Chelsye & Trevor Brooks Appealing: ZO 2025-61 Continued hearing. Appellants Chelsye & Trevor Brooks challenge the issuance of Zoning Permit 2025-61 for allegedly missing information & violating the Town’s zoning regulations.

STATE OF VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT PROBATE DIVISION CHITTENDEN UNIT DOCKET NO.: 25-PR-03442

In re ESTATE of ROBERT LORENZ

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

To the creditors of: ROBERT LORENZ, late of Shelburne.

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: 11/21/2025

Signature of Fiduciary: /s/ Charles Lorenz

Executor/Administrator:

Charles Lorenz c/o Adam Bartsch, NEET PO Box 928, Shelburne, VT 05482 Phone number: 802-985-8811 Email: abartsch@neetlaw.com

Name of Publication: Seven Days Publication Date: 11/26/2025

Name of Probate Court: Vermont Superior Court, Chittenden Unit - Probate Division Address of Probate Court: 175 Main Street , Burlington, VT 05401

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE

MDP-26-01 BURLINGTON’S OPEN SPACE PLAN

Pursuant to 24 V.S.A. §4385, 4387, 4432, and §4444, notice is hereby given of public hearings by the Burlington City Council to hear comments on the proposed Burlington Open Space Plan:

The first public hearing will take place on Monday, December 15, 2025 during the Regular City Council Meeting which begins at 6:00 pm in Contois Auditorium, Burlington City Hall, 149 Church Street, Burlington, VT or you may access the hearing/meeting as follows :

On-line: https://zoom.us/j/93242298515

By telephone: +1 305 224 1968 US Webinar ID: 932 4229 8515

The second public hearing will take place on Monday, January 12, 2026 during the Regular City Council Meeting which begins at 6:00 pm in Contois Auditorium, Burlington City Hall, 149 Church Street, Burlington, VT or you may access the hearing/meeting as follows :

On-line: https://zoom.us/j/99551944677

By telephone: +1 646 931 3860 US Webinar ID: 995 5194 4677

Pursuant to the requirements of 24 V.S.A.

§4444(b):

Statement of purpose

The Open Space Plan is a roadmap to guide the City of Burlington and its residents, partners, and collaborators as they work together to grow and steward Burlington’s open spaces now and in the future. Burlington is a place where open spaces, water, and the built environment are intertwined in a symbiotic relationship that helps to make Burlington the unique place that is it. As

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.

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. For meetings & 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, or visit alz.org 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 Fletcher Free Library’s Fletcher Room 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 Vermont Wellness Collaborative, 125 College St., 3rd Floor, 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 Fletcher Free Library’s Pickering Room & online on Zoom. Email us for the Zoom link & more info: pvcc@pathwaysvermont.org.

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 802-859-5913 or email quittobaccoclass@uvm health.org to get signed up, or visit myhealthyvt.org to learn more about upcoming workshops.

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.)

and tell. View and post up to 6 photos per ad online. Open 24/7/365. Post & browse ads at your convenience.

Burlington continues to intensify in density to accommodate its increasing population, the City aims to continue its long-standing commitment to providing equitable access to quality open spaces and stewarding the health of the city’s ecosystems.

Burlington’s Open Space Plan takes an interdisciplinary approach to documenting the City’s open spaces, updating open space goals, and identifying specific resource targets and timelines through a robust community-focused engagement process. Ultimately, this plan is created to ensure that both the community—those who live, work, and recreate here—and the wildlife and flora will continue to thrive for generations to come.

CONTACT CLASSIFIEDS@SEVENDAYSVT.COM OR 802-865-1020 EXT. 115 TO UPDATE YOUR SUPPORT GROUP

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. Vermont Wellness Collaborative (125 College St., 3rd Floor). 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 802-7355735 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

The Volunteer Chaplaincy Program of Gifford Medical Center sponsors a weekly meeting of its “Living Through Loss” grief support group. Anyone who has experienced a significant loss over the past year or so is warmly invited to attend the free weekly meetings every Fri., 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. For info, contact the Rev. Tim Eberhardt, Gifford’s Spiritual Care Coordinator, at 802-728-2107.

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.,

Geographic areas affected Burlington’s Open Space Plan is applicable to all areas within the City of Burlington.

List of section headings affected Burlington’s Open Space Plan is a comprehensive rewrite of the previously adopted Open Space Protection Plan (2000 & 2014) and replaces all chapters, appendices, maps, and references.

The full text of the draft 2025 Burlington Open Space Plan is available online at www.burlingtonvt.gov/planbtv/OpenSpace. Upon request, a hard copy of the proposed plan can be viewed at the Department of Permitting and Inspections located 645 Pine Street, Burlington, Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

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! For info, email childrensroom@huusd.org.

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!

Qi VETERINARY CLINIC

Receptionist/ Patient Care Coordinator

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

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 a full cover letter with your resume to: therese@Qivet.com

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

NOW HIRING: FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION DIRECTOR

This is a vital role in supporting CAE’s mission by ensuring strong financial stewardship and effective administration operations. The Director will oversee budgeting, accounting, payroll, benefits administration, and insurance policies while maintaining accuracy, transparency, and compliance across all financial activities. This position will work closely with CAE staff and board of directors, develop annual budgets, financial forecasts, and audits, and be a resource of financial management and planning for the organization.

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

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

Scan the QR code below to text your contact info and experience or email us at admin@smithmcclain.com Come build with us!

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

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

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Lead Okemo Valley TV / WLUD into its next chapter. We are a small but vibrant community-based multi-media organization, headquartered in Ludlow.

Important qualiﬁcations include:

• Familiarity with non-proﬁt administration & ﬁnancial management

• Leadership qualities and management background

• Background in digital media, audio-video, radio, and/or TV production

• Resourcefulness and technical aptitude

Salary: $60-70K range, commensurate with experience. Modest beneﬁts package: including health, dental, retirement, & PTO.

Send resume & cover letter describing your interests & qualiﬁcations to board@okemovalley.tv. Review of applicants will begin in early December and will continue until the position is ﬁlled. okemovalley.tv 4t-OkemoValleyTV112625.indd

Mechanic

$27.43 – 30.08/hr. DOE with an excellent benefits package

nvrh.org/careers.

Dept. of Public Works is seeking a Mechanic with experience in equipment maintenance and repair. Experience with heavy equipment, emergency service vehicles and repair of small gasoline and diesel-powered engines preferred.

Successful applicants will have a minimum of five years of related experience, the ability to diagnose specific problems to determine the correct repair, and maintain accurate parts and labor records. A valid Commercial Driver’s License and Motor Vehicle Inspectors License, or ability to obtain, is required. Town provides all tools required to perform the job.

This full-time opportunity offers work/life balance, with a Mon. thru Fri., 7AM – 3PM schedule. Opportunities for overtime.

If you are mechanically inclined, take pride in your work and enjoy working as part of a fun, collaborative team, we want to hear from you!

To view a complete job description and apply online or to print an Employment Application, please visit colchestervt. gov/321/Human-Resources today! Paper applications are also available by visiting the Town Offices at 781 Blakely Rd., Colchester, VT 05446.

Position open until filled. Equal opportunity employer.

5v-TownofColchester111925.indd

The Legislative support oﬃces are currently hiring. The nonpartisan oﬃces are an interesting, challenging, and exciting place to work.

You will be part of a highly professional and collegial team that is proud of, and enthusiastic about, the mission of the state legislature.

To apply, please go to 'Career Opportunities' at legislature.vermont.gov.

Director of Facilities & Project Management

NEKCA Mission Statement:

To empower all generations in the Northeast Kingdom to grow, prosper, and thrive.

The Director of Facilities and Project Management is responsible for ensuring all facilities operate at optimal levels and for overseeing the Facilities Department. This strategic and operational leader not only manages the maintenance of existing facilities but also plans for future development, complies with legal and environmental standards, and supports the Senior Management Team in project management during major facility updates. The role requires significant interaction with various state and regional agencies and community partners to ensure grant compliance, workplace safety, efficiency, and sustainability, which are vital to the organization's success.

The ideal candidate will be an exceptional communicator and a team player, dedicated to building strong relationships. A Bachelor’s degree is preferred, 5 years of relevant experience required. Advanced training/certification in Building Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing Systems preferred

The hiring range for this position is: $70,000- $77,000 annually and comes with a comprehensive benefits package.

Apply online: 7dvt.pub/NEKCAdirector

NEKCA is a proud equal-opportunity employer. We work diligently to recruit a broad pool of candidates and to hire and promote qualified individuals whose personal experiences, characteristics, and talents reasonably reflect the diversity of the communities served by NEKCA.

INTERESTED IN LAUNCHING YOUR CAREER?

Northlands Job Corps o ers FREE hands-on skills training, education, and housing for income eligible 16-24 year olds.

You can earn your high school diploma or GED, train in 8 di erent in-demand careers, and receive job placement assistance all right here in Vermont, for free. You can live on campus or commute from home. Our programs are self-paced with one-on-one instructor support and work-based learning to get first-hand experience in your chosen field. Your new career starts now! Reach out to Gene Woodcock at 802-877-0121 to schedule a tour of our beautiful campus and start your application today!

Northlands Site: northlands.jobcorps.gov

County Clerk

Lamoille County is accepting applications for County Clerk. If you are interested in serving Lamoille residents and working at the historic Lamoille courthouse, the County clerk position presents a unique opportunity to make a positive impact.

Schedule: Part-time in-person (up to 15 hours/week with occasional additional hours if needed)

Location: Lamoille County Superior Courthouse, 154 Main Street, Hyde Park, VT

Pay: Based on experience relevant to the position

Benefits: 12 paid holidays & health and dental insurance

Responsibilities: The County Clerk works independently, providing administrative and financial processing support to the Assistant Judges in their roles as administrators of County property and the County budget and fulfilling statutory responsibilities, including those related to certain elections.

For more information, submit inquiries, cover letters, and resumes to: recruitcountyclerk@proton.me

5v-NEKCA112625.indd

ATTENTION RECRUITERS:

EMPLOYMENT SPECIALIST

“It’s more than a job. It’s one of those things that I get to brag about to friends and family”

– Al Reichard, Employment Specialist

Join our award-winning supported employment program working with individuals to develop career goals and find and maintain meaningful employment. This is an excellent position for someone who is looking for the next step in their career or to continue their work in this field.

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. Join our team today!

Fleet Coordinator, S5506PO

Transportation and Parking Services at the University of Vermont is recruiting a full-time Fleet Coordinator. Our Fleet Coordinator will be responsible for managing the electric vehicle infrastructure, operating a shared fleet, and purchasing university vehicles. This team member will support the department’s goal to provide safe, sustainable, reliable, and cost-effective services to students, staff, faculty and visitors to campus. The ideal candidate will be able to develop and maintain systems and workflows for three key objectives:

• Manage the university electric vehicle charging system.

• Develop a centralized shared fleet system.

• Centralize and standardize light- and medium-duty vehicle purchasing and “UVM vehicle onboarding” for 30+ departments. To apply, please visit: apptrkr.com/6738848

Stewardship Coordinator

The Vermont Historical Society, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, seeks a Stewardship Coordinator to assist with membership, fundraising, and office management. The Stewardship Coordinator supports the mission of the Vermont Historical Society through the stewardship of members and volunteers and the handling of day-to-day operations of the organization. The Stewardship Coordinator will perform a variety of specialized recordkeeping and reporting tasks related to membership, annual fundraising campaign, planned giving, special events, and general office management. This position serves as VHS’s first point of contact for community inquiries, responding as appropriate via phone and written correspondence. This is an exempt, full-time, permanent position reporting to the Director of Stewardship and Public Relations with a salary equivalent to Vermont State Pay Grade 20 with full benefits, including defined-benefit pension. Associate’s degree or equivalent training with at least two years’ clerical/administrative/ technical experience. Bachelor’s degree preferred. Knowledge of database management preferred. Applicants please send resume and two references to Jennifer Blair, finance@vermonthistory.org.

Full job description can be found at vermonthistory.org/career-opportunities

ASSOCIATE CAMPUS OPERATIONS DIRECTOR

Basic function: To plan, implement, evaluate, organize, and direct facilities management activities for a campus of Vermont State University, including the maintenance and operation of all physical assets.

Minimum qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in engineering, facilities management, or other appropriate discipline, plus five to seven years of relevant technical and supervisory experience in facilities or construction management, or a combination of education and experience from which comparable knowledge and skills are acquired.

Location: VTSU Johnson Campus, Johnson, VT

Compensation: The compensation for this position is $80,000 - $85,000.

Benefits Package: Medical Insurance, Dental Insurance, Vision Insurance, Retirement Plan, Tuition Waiver to Vermont State Colleges, Tuition Waiver to UVM for dependent children, Employee Assistance Program, Long Term Disability, 14 Paid Holidays, and Medical, Personal, and Vacation Leave

Apply online: https://7dvt.pub/VTSUoper

Care Coordinator/Case Management

Case Managers support older Vermonters in the community to stay as independent as possible in the environment of their choice by promoting health, rights, independence, and economic well-being.

“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

This position is based in our Barre CVCOA office, combined with in-home field visits.

Pay Range: $24-$26 per hour.

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

Connect Vermonters to safe, aﬀordable housing, strengthen community bonds, and increase access to supportive services for vulnerable Vermonters

Now recruiting for:

For 11 months of service, you’ll receive: $30,500 living allowance, $7,395 education award, health insurance, training opportunities, leadership development

vhcb.org/vhcb-americorps/service-opportunities

DIRECTOR

Part-Time, Remote $30.00/hr

Responsible for overseeing and maintaining the day-to-day operations of the organization. This is a new position and posted as a part-time, hourly position, it is expected that the role could increase to a full-time position as the relaunch of the “Show” in 2027 nears. Initially, the Director is expected to work no more than 20 hours per week. The individual filling this key role has room to grow both the organization and the position. Please send cover letter & resume to vermontfarmshow@gmail.com

Burlington Housing Authority (BHA)

Are you interested in a job that helps your community and makes a difference in people’s lives every day? Consider joining Burlington Housing Authority (BHA) in Burlington, VT to continue BHA’s success in promoting innovative solutions that address housing instability challenges facing our diverse population of low-income families and individuals.

We are currently hiring for the following positions:

Construction Project Specialist:

Performs physical condition inspections of all owned and managed properties for assessment of capital needs and housing standards compliance, coordinates small to medium sized renovation and repair projects, and assists in the development and preparation of construction project bid specifications, requests for proposals and project requirements, manuals and plans, as well as other aspects of project management. Pay $26.00 to $30.00 per hour

Housing Retention Specialist

– Site Based: Responsible for supporting those who have mental health and substance use challenges and/or who have moved from homelessness to Bobbin Mill, Wharf Lane, and other BHA properties. The position works closely with property management and other site-based staff to identify challenges and respond with appropriate direct service and coordination of community services, with a goal of eviction prevention and facilitating a healthy tenancy. Pay $24.00 to $25.00 per hour.

Maintenance Technician: Performs general maintenance work in BHA owned and managed

properties. This includes building exteriors, common areas, apartments, building systems, fixtures, and grounds. Our Building Operations Techs are required to participate in the on-call rotation, which covers night and weekend emergencies. Current rotation is once every 6-7 weeks. Pay $24.00 to $26.00 per hour, with a $1,500 Sign On Bonus.

For more info on our benefit package and these career opportunities please visit: burlingtonhousing.org

Interested in our career opportunity? Send a cover letter & resume to: humanresources@ burlingtonhousing.org.

Burlington Housing Authority Human

ATTENTION RECRUITERS:

We are seeking applicants for a Warehouse & Showroom Manager who can perform occasional tailgate deliveries. A clean driving record and physical ﬁtness are required and any of the following are a plus:

• Interest in Wood

• Customer Service

• Forklift Experience

• Computer Experience

BINDERY/MAILING DEPARTMENT

Alternating 4-day/5-day work weeks. We are an EOE and provide a comfortable work environment.

Please send resumes to: peter@planethardwood.com work and

Parking Enforcement Officer, S5820PO

Perform parking enforcement field operations duties using vehicular, bicycle or foot patrol. Monitor visitor parking, provide motorist assistance and traffic control, maintain parking facilities, and provide equipment maintenance with an emphasis on customer service, safety and public relations in a diverse working environment.

To apply, please visit: apptrkr.com/6738942

Operations Manager

This position combines day-to-day management with care of people and programs. You’ll foster an inclusive, caring environment; ensure organizational systems match our values; and help fellowships and retreats blossom for national and local changemakers. Please send a cover letter, resume, and three professional references to Ed Richters with “Operations Manager Application” in the subject line. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Ed@knollfarm.org

Minuteman Press seeks energetic detail oriented individuals that would like to learn a new trade in a dynamic atmosphere. Candidates should have good communication skills, have dexterity and willing to learn how to run several pieces of equipment. Experience in the print and mail field would be helpful but we are more than willing to train the right people. Good starting wage $20+/hour, and a flexible schedule along with paid vacations, sick time, company match IRA and a chance to work with a great bunch of people.

Contact: Jon@ minutemanvermont.com

We’re Hiring!

GO HIRE.

Job Recruiters:

• Post jobs using a form that includes key info about your company and open positions (location, application deadlines, video, images, etc.).

• Accept applications and manage the hiring process via our applicant tracking tool.

• Easily manage your open job listings from your recruiter dashboard.

Job Seekers:

• Search for jobs by keyword, location, category and job type.

• Set up job alert emails using custom search criteria.

• Save jobs to a custom list with your own notes on the positions.

• Apply for jobs directly through the site.

Get a quote when you post online or contact Michelle Brown: 865-1020, ext. 121, michelle@sevendaysvt.com.

Restoration Nursery Coordinator

Join Friends of the Mad River as the Restoration Nursery Coordinator to help support clean water, protect ecological integrity, and build resilience in our watershed community. Lead the launch of a small-scale native plant nursery in the Mad River Watershed. The Restoration Nursery Coordinator will be responsible for collecting source plant material, coordinating volunteers, growing native plants, and developing operational systems for the nursery.

Position Specifics: This is a full-time temporary position, funded by grants until July 2027. Starting salary $52 - $55,000. Benefits include sick leave, paid vacation & holidays, retirement plan, HSA contribution, & professional development.

The full position and directions to apply can be seen at friendsofthemadriver.org/work-with-us

Highway Mechanic City of South Burlington

Range $63,152 to $67,027

Water/Sewer Clerk I or IIAccounts Payable

Town of Essex

Salary Range $20 to $36 per hour

COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION SUPERINTENDENT

Vermont

& New Hampshire

Engelberth Construction is seeking an experienced Commercial Construction Superintendent to lead field operations on our commercial projects throughout Vermont and New Hampshire. This role offers the opportunity to join an employee-focused company known for quality craftsmanship, long-standing client relationships, and an unwavering commitment to safety.

For more than 50 years, Engelberth Construction has built complex, award-winning commercial projects across Vermont, New Hampshire, and the region. Rooted in integrity and teamwork, our company is made up of dedicated professionals who take pride in delivering exceptional results for hospitals, schools, manufacturing facilities, corporate offices, and more. Joining Engelberth means becoming part of a collaborative, trusted team with a reputation for excellence.

What You’ll Do:

• Supervise all on-site construction activities from mobilization through closeout

• Lead subcontractors and field staff to deliver safe, high-quality work

• Maintain schedules, daily reports, and safety documentation

• Ensure full compliance with Engelberth’s safety standards and OSHA requirements

• Coordinate with Project Managers, architects, engineers, and owners

• Oversee site logistics, material deliveries, and quality control

• Conduct inspections, manage punch lists, and support smooth project turnover

What We’re Looking For:

• 10+ years of commercial construction experience, including 3+ years as a Superintendent

• Strong leadership, communication, and organizational skills

• Thorough understanding of construction sequencing, methods, and safety practices

• Ability to read plans and solve problems proactively

• OSHA 30 certification preferred

• Willingness to travel between project sites across Vermont and New Hampshire

Why Build Your Career at Engelberth:

• People-first culture: We treat employees like family and invest in their success.

• Stability & longevity: Many employees have built 10+, 20+, and even 30+ year careers here.

• Meaningful work: Our projects strengthen communities across New England.

• Safety commitment: Safety is embedded in everything we do.

• Growth opportunities: Advance your career through ongoing training and mentorship.

Compensation: Pay Range: $80,000 – $120,000, depending on experience and qualifications. We offer a competitive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, 401(k) with company match, paid time off, training opportunities, and strong support for career growth. To apply, please visit our website at engelberth.com/careers

ATTENTION RECRUITERS:

POST YOUR JOBS AT: SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POSTMYJOB PRINT DEADLINE: NOON ON MONDAYS (INCLUDING HOLIDAYS) FOR RATES & INFO: MICHELLE BROWN, 802-865-1020 X121, MICHELLE@SEVENDAYSVT.COM

As an HR professional for more than 20 years, I know how challenging recruitment can be. When I post a job, I want it to reach all Vermonters who are interested and searching for the right opportunity. Seven Days makes that possible. eir postings are seen statewide, so I know I’m connecting with candidates everywhere. Posting a job is as easy as 1-2-3. I simply send an email to Michelle Brown on Friday, and it’s live on their site on Monday. e Seven Days staff are super responsive, helpful and customer-centric.

ANNA GRADY VP of Operations and Administration, Vermont Community Foundation, Burlington

fun stuff

JEN SORENSEN

HARRY BLISS

KRISTEN SHULL

KYLE BRAVO

SAGITTARIUS

(NOV. 22-DEC. 21)

Some seeds can remain dormant for centuries, waiting for the right conditions to germinate. The oldest successfully germinated seed was a 2,000-year-old date palm seed. I suspect you will experience psychospiritual and metaphorical versions of this marvel in the coming weeks. Certain aspects of you have long been dormant but are about to sprout. Some of your potentials have been waiting for conditions that you haven’t encountered until recently. Is there anything you can do to encourage these wondrous developments? Be alert for subtle magic that needs just a little nudge.

ARIES (Mar. 21-Apr. 19): The Japanese word mushin means “no mind.” In Zen Buddhism, it refers to the state of flow where thinking stops and being takes over. When you are moving along in the groove of mushin, your body knows what to do before your brain catches up. You’re so present you disappear into the action itself. Athletes refer to it as “the zone.” It’s the place where effort becomes effortless, where you stop trying and simply love the doing. In the coming weeks, Aries, you can enjoy this state more than you have in a long time. Ride it with glee!

TAURUS (Apr. 20-May 20): For the foreseeable future, salmon are your spirit creatures.

I’ll remind you about their life cycle. They are born in freshwater, migrate to the ocean and live there for years. Then they return, moving against river currents, up waterfalls, past bears and eagles. Eventually, they arrive at the exact stream where they were born. How do they do it? They navigate using the Earth’s magnetic field and their sense of smell, remembering chemical signatures from years ago. I think your own calling is as vivid as theirs, dear Taurus. And in the coming weeks, you will be extra attuned to that primal signal. Trust the ancient pull back toward your soul’s home.

GEMINI (May 21-Jun. 20): What if procrastination isn’t always a problem? On some occasions, maybe it’s a message from your deeper self. Delay could serve as a form of protection. Avoidance might be a sign of your deep wisdom at work. Consider these possibilities, Gemini. What if your resistance to the “should” is actually your soul’s immune system rejecting a foreign agenda? It might be trying to tell you secrets about what you truly want versus what you think you should want.

CANCER (Jun. 21-Jul. 22): I’m only slightly joking when I recommend that you practice the art of sacred bitching in the coming days. You are hereby authorized to complain and criticize with creative zeal. But the goal is not to push hard in a quest to solve problems perfectly. Instead, simply give yourself the luxury of processing and metabolizing the complications. Your venting and whining won’t be pathological but a legitimate way to achieve emotional release. Sometimes, like now, you need acknowledgment more than solutions. Allowing feelings is more crucial than fixing things. The best course of action is saying “This is hard” until it’s slightly less hard.

LEO (Jul. 23-Aug. 22): The Chinese concept of yuanfen means that some connections are fated. Certain people were always meant to cross your path. Not soulmates necessarily, but soul-evokers: those who bring transformations that were inscribed on your destiny before you knew they were coming. When you meet a new person and feel instant recognition, that’s yuanfen. When a relationship changes your life, that’s yuanfen. When timing

aligns impossibly but wonderfully, that’s yuanfen. According to my analysis, you Leos are due for such phenomena in the coming weeks — at least two, maybe more. Some opportunities appear because you pursue them. Others were always going to arrive simply because you opened your mind and heart.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sep. 22): Let’s talk about a forest’s roots. Mostly hidden from sight, they are the source of all visible life. They are always communicating with each other, sharing nourishment and information. When extra help is needed, they call on fungi networks to support them, distributing their outreach even further. Your own lineage works similarly, Virgo. It’s nutrient-rich and endlessly intertwined with others, some of whom came long before you. You are the flowering tip of an unseen intelligence. Every act of grounding — breathing deeply, resting your feet, returning to gratitude — is your body’s way of remembering its subterranean ancestry. Please keep these meditations at the forefront of your awareness in the coming weeks. I believe you will thrive to the degree that you draw from your extensive roots.

LIBRA (Sep. 23-Oct. 22): You are currently in a phase when it’s highly possible to become both smarter and wiser. You have a sixth sense for knowing exactly how to enhance both your intellectual and emotional intelligence. With this happy news in mind, I will remind you that your brain is constantly growing and changing. Every experience carves new neural pathways. Every repeated thought strengthens certain connections and weakens others. You’re not stuck with the brain you have but are continuously building the brain that’s evolving. The architecture of your consciousness is always under construction. Take full advantage of this resilience and plasticity!

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): The coming weeks will be a favorable time to stand near what you want to become. I advise you to surround yourself with the energy you want to embody. Position yourself in the organic ecosystem of your aspirations without grasping or forcing. Your secret power is not imitation but osmosis. Not ambition but proximity. The transformations you desire

will happen sideways, through exposure and absorption. You won’t become by trying to become; you will become by staying close to what calls you.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Orb weaver spiders make seven different types of silk, each engineered for different purposes: sticky silk for catching prey, strong silk for the web’s frame, stretchy silk for wrapping food and soft silk for egg sacs. In other words, they don’t generate a stream of generic resources and decide later what to do with them. Each type of silk is produced by distinct silk glands and spinnerets, and each is carefully tailored for a particular use. I advise you to be like the orb weavers in the coming weeks, Capricorn. Specificity will be your superpower.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Benevolent gossip is the practice of speaking about people not to diminish them but to fondly wonder about them and try to understand them. What if gossip could be generous? What if talking about someone in their absence could be an act of compassionate curiosity rather than judgment? What if you spoke about everyone as if they might overhear you — not from fear but from respect? Your words about others could be spells that shape how they exist in the collective imagination. Here’s another beautiful fact about benevolent gossip: It can win you appreciation and attention that will enhance your ability to attract the kind of help and support you need.

PISCES (Feb. 19-Mar. 20): Every 21,000 years, the Sahara Desert transforms into a lush green savanna. It’s due to precession, which is a wobble in the Earth’s axis. The African seasonal monsoon becomes much stronger, bringing increased rainfall to the entire area. The last time this occurred was from about 11,000 to 5,000 years ago. During this era, the Sahara supported lakes, rivers, grasslands, and diverse animal and human populations. I’m predicting a comparable shift for you in the coming months, Pisces. The onset of luxuriant growth is already under way. And right now is an excellent time to encourage and expedite the onset of flourishing abundance. Formulate the plans and leap into action.

is past summer’s drought was stressful for many Vermonters, but it also opened some new pathways. As Lake Champlain’s waters receded, Law Island became accessible by foot. Seven Days’ Eva Sollberger explored the island west of the Colchester Causeway with naturalist educator Teage O’Connor.

EASYGOING, CARING, KIND, LONELY

Would like to meet a woman for friendship. Go places together and do things together. Enjoy riding back roads, looking for wildlife to take pictures of. Eaglelover, 83 seeking: W, l

I THINK THIS IS FREEDOM!

Respond to these people online: dating.sevendaysvt.com

WOMEN seeking...

VIBRANT, ADVENTUROUS, GROUNDED

Outside-the-box thinker with an adventurous spirit looking for a curious, open-minded, healthy man. Snowdrop14 47, seeking: M, l

SENSITIVE EXPLORER, OCEANS AND COASTERS

I’m a sensitive, adventurous, happygo-lucky person looking for a close friend or more with similar interests to experience the world with. I like varied music, colors, animals, oceans, camping, long walks, earthy scents, salty air, soft textures, roller coasters, boogie boarding, road trips, kindness, comforting arms and emotional moments. I look for quality friendship and a deeper connection over quantity. Kestrel77, 48, seeking: M, l

LOOKING FOR A FRIEND

I’m honest, caring and thoughtful. melriv66, 59, seeking: M, l

SEXY, FUN, ADVENTURES, CUDDLES, MORE

Sensual, fun woman looking for a partner in crime to go on adventures with and to have fun sexy times. This could lead to a long-term relationship or just someone to hang with or both. Let’s see what happens and go from there! Live music, dancing, dinners out as well as snuggles and kisses and sexual fun. Let’s explore!! FunGal, 57, seeking: M, l

WANT TO RESPOND?

You read Seven Days, these people read Seven Days — you already have at least one thing in common!

All the action is online. Create an account or login to browse hundreds of singles with profiles including photos, habits, desires, views and more. It’s free to place your own profile online.

l See photos of this person online.

W = Women

M = Men

TW = Trans women

TM = Trans men

Q = Genderqueer people

NBP = Nonbinary people

NC = Gender nonconformists

Cp = Couples

Gp = Groups

FUN LOVING, YOUNG AT HEART

I have been called sweet, but I hold my ground when I feel betrayed and misunderstood. Any activity near or on water fills my soul. Have traveled both in the states and abroad. Looking for fun male partner to take advantage of all things Vermont and beyond. Lifesjourney, 57, seeking: M, l

LET’S PLAY TOGETHER

Sixtysomething single female seeks sixtysomething male to have endless adventures. Imagining paddling on smooth waters, biking with a tailwind, skiing powder, hiking to top of Camel’s Hump at sunrise and everything in between. Indoors fine dining and indie concerts. Satisfying wanderlust with many trips across the world. Let’s have fun together. VTLOON, 65, seeking: M

YOUTHFUL OLD SOUL AWAKENING HEART

Youthful old soul; awakened heart, discerning mind welcomes aligned connections to nurture conscious, kind, harmonious peace promoting culture. Aiming to grow chosen beyond nuclear family with a life partner. Inquisitive, playful, kind, adventurous, content, open. Let’s drink tea, walk, watch, listen, sing, dance. Seeding mindful, low throughput, liberation oriented community. youthfuloldsoul 50 seeking: M, W, TM, TW, Q, NC, NBP, l THOUGHTFUL, OUTDOORSY, SWEET TOOTH!

My passions include my family and friends, a healthy lifestyle, and enjoying the great outdoors through hiking, cycling, running, XC skiing and paddling!

Also love baking, volunteering, craft beer, travel, live music and dancing. Looking for an active, thoughtful guy! hikerbaker 45, seeking: M, l

SOMEWHAT FEISTY

I know the world best through reading, writing and listening; the NEK woods and trails. A clumsy but enthusiastic Nordic skier, cheerful gardener and admirer of others’ gardens, with a tendency to laugh at inappropriate moments. Petite, decently educated, cancer survivor. Maybe your way of knowing the world can widen mine? Larch 57, seeking: M, l

PEACE-MINDED SOUL SEEKS SAME

Creative live-music lover looking for some new people to go to shows with, take a hike with, get some coffee, take a road trip or just hang with my dogs. Looking for friends to start, and if something else should spark, to just go with it.

Sugarmags68 56, seeking: M, TM, l

NOT A POET

I worked on these three haiku for awhile: Friends call me JLew / I love to dance. I’ve got moves / that will split your pants // “I wish I could work / on a farm with you” is my / highest compliment. // Dragonfly days and / firefly nights, the best world / a North Woods delight. JLew 54, seeking: M, l

INSIGHTFUL, GROUNDED, STRONG, DISCERNING, COMPASSIONATE

On here for a moment to see potential connections with other men. onceuponariverjen, 36, seeking: M, l

ONE STITCH AT A TIME

Widow, 75, Shelburne. Warm, thoughtful and family-oriented. Retired PhD in social work, lover of gardening, knitting, books and quiet evenings by the fire. Nonsmoker, nondrinker, progressive, and active in nature and community. Seeking friendship and companionship with openness to a deeper connection. Diane50, 75, seeking: M, l

SEEKING FUN AND ADVENTURE

The world is full of adventures just waiting to be had: a long hike and walk to a waterfall, a fabulous show, a great meal, a beautiful ski. All these are adventures I like to go on. Care to join me? wildflower762 54, seeking: M, l

NOT A FAN OF FAKES

Trusting my heart to you will take some time, but if you’re patient it will be worth it. I’m a romantic woman who loves to watch sunsets. I have a big heart and tend to trust people. Honesty is what I expect and deserve. I’m a one-man woman, and I want a one-woman man, nothing less. Patty802, 67 seeking: M, l

FULL OF STARS

My friends tell me I’m the nicest and most Zen person they know. I love music, art and history. Oh, and maybe you and/or your pets. I use “y’all” in unexpected places. I do not have a Dick Cheney tattoo. Tell me about you. NotAngryMittens, 53, seeking: M

A BUDDY WOULD BE NICE

Just muddling along like everyone else. Thankful to live in a beautiful corner of the world. Adventurous, generally optimistic (but that is certainly being tested these days), single for a long time, would enjoy the company of an interesting and kind man. Pondering, 64, seeking: M, l

UNPRETENTIOUS, CARING WORD-LOVER

Outdoorsy retired journalist seeking intelligent, irreverent soul to share mutually enjoyable pursuits. For me these include music — roots, alt-folk, blues; cold winters, summer sun, hiking, skiing, cycling. I’m drawn to those who don’t take themselves too seriously. My son, grandkids and Labrador Nina mean everything. Treading lightly after losing my life partner, seeking friendship that may evolve into something deeper. elkaytee 68, seeking: M, l

MEN seeking...

TIME FOR NEW FRIENDS

Time to meet other adventurers! I spend my winter days on my skis as much as possible. Alpine and Nordic. Looking to find someone to share fun with. I haven’t gone dancing in years, but I would love to find someone to converse with, laugh with and have the support of a friend. I’m quiet, observant, caring. jetalone 68, seeking: W, l

I am a grounded man, showing up consistently for the things that matter: my health, my kids and my spirit. Cultivating faith each day, watered with optimism. I have a full life and want to include that special person. I am looking for that someone who appreciates the inside person, with all their quirks, beauties and challenges. Into things “S”: Skiing, sobriety, stoked, sailing, sauna, skinny-dipping, soccer, sun, sensuality. waterandsky 50, seeking: W, l

OPEN AND HONEST

I would characterize myself as a peaceful-minded soul with positive outlooks in all things, who is not the serious type but one who looks at the dips as learning lessons and highs as a gift and who has lots of laughs and chuckles in the meantime. lookingforward, 82 seeking: W, l

MISS ME YET?

Single dad. Been cheated on, shared custody. Show me what it’s like to be needed and to need. soloisboring, 43, seeking: W, Cp, Gp, l

NEW TO BURLINGTON

Looking to find that “one” but also enjoying the journey getting there. rcg2504, 49 seeking: W, l

OLD SCHOOL, KIND AND POLITE

Older guy looking for a clean, wellgroomed man who likes to have fun. I enjoy long, slow sex that feels romantic. Man with a foot fetish is a plus; willing to paint toes and any other thing that makes you freaky. Metoo 62 seeking: M, TM, Q, NC, NBP, Cp, Gp

LOOKING FOR A KIND HEART

Male looking for a relationship or partner. I love skiing, movies and just hanging out. Jeffplace51 54, seeking: W

CRAZY CAT-LOVING POET GUY

57-y/o artist, woodcarver and poet is seeking laid-back friends of all sorts to hang out with; and a 25- to 55-y/o woman with a creative soul and open heart to explore the possibilities with together, however far your heart desires to go. Dan_o_Shanter, 57, seeking: W, l

LAID BACK, OUTDOORSY

Back in Burlington and wondering why I ever left. Excited to spend time enjoying everything the state has to offer. I enjoy hiking, craft beer, long walks, and spending time with friends and family. I’m a genuinely nice guy and looking for someone who respects that. I am in good shape, liberal politics. Looking for an honest partner. MattyW 36, seeking: W, l

NEW TO VT

While I have owned property in Vermont for 20 years, I’m finally living here permanently. I’ve worked in a corporate environment for 30 years and looking forward to getting back to my roots. Looking to fill my house with laughter and love. NewVermonter, 52, seeking: W, l

ACTIVE, KIND, ADVENTUROUS

Looking for a long-term partner who wants to share in travel, adventure, winter sports and a healthy, positive lifestyle. funnyfarm, 53, seeking: W, l

INTELLECTUALLY CURIOUS

Physically fit, intellectually curious, nature-loving, Ph.D., retired, Caucasian male with many interests looking for a woman to share a long-term relationship. Bonus if you enjoy backcountry hikes, dancing or home-brewing. PerpetualCuriosity, 69, seeking: W, l

OUTGOING INTROVERT SEEKING FELLOW ADVENTURER

Howdy! I’m an active and adventurous man seeking like-minded ladies to share in this beautiful journey called life. I would love to meet someone that I can have a deep emotional, intellectual, spiritual and physical connection with. Open, honest communication and kindness matter. If any of this sounds interesting to you, then let’s chat. Be well. Letstakeitoutside, 53, seeking: W, l

CAREFULLY AS MENU HAS CHANGED

74-y/o M seeks relaxed, humorous sex-plus partner/companion. St. J/ Littleton area. Longtime divorced, mostly celibate. Masturbating is yearning/ memories. I need insightful, generous woman touching, give/receive. I have herpes, vasectomy, hearing loss. All respect for preferences and boundaries. Remote areas off-grid DIY homesteader, antiques picker, accomplished hoarder, acoustic musician, poet, builder, recluse. Sex is both nutrient and gateway. LTR/ LAT if chemistry match ignites love. Northcountrypicker, 74, seeking: W, l

BE THERE DRAGONS?

Living just south of the Vermont border, I am sorry to admit that most of Vermont is off my mental map — “There Be Dragons!” is scrawled across most of the state. Help me change that. Looking to explore, discover and share stories with someone I can connect with on a deep and essential level. Bardic_Blunderer, 57, seeking: W, l

IT’S TIME — I’M READY

Just a nice, honest, loyal, young-atheart and -mind single guy looking for one wonderful, caring, honest woman. Plenty of fun and great times will be had. Ask away: nothing to hide, strong believer that things in life happen for reasons. I’m taking a chance; so are you. Brooksie 69, seeking: W, l

JUST LIVING MY BEST LIFE

Outdoorsy, open-minded, older and fit. Would love to find a woman or couple for friendship and more. Drop a line and let’s chat to see if we connect! Ridgewalker 65, seeking: W, Cp, l

HOW DO YOU LOVE ME?

We are getting closer. We are excited to receive each other! You may not think you want poly-fidelity, but if you did, what would we be like together? How are we welcoming children into our life together? Nataraja, 46, seeking: M, W, l

TRANS WOMEN

seeking...

ADVENTUROUS, WHIMSICAL AND SILLY

Brand new to Vermont living, from the West Coast! Looking for love in hopefully the right place. Always up for a good time and wanting to find someone who loves yacht rock, movies and going on the wackiest side quests. YachtRockGal, 27 seeking: M, W, TM, TW, NBP, l

COUPLES seeking...

LOOKING FOR FUN PEEPS

Fun, open-minded couple seeking playmates. Shoot us a note if interested so we can share details and desires. Jackrabbits, 61, seeking: W, Cp

YIT CAN’T RAIN ALL THE TIME

I have to say, I’m genuinely taken by your proﬁle. I’ve found myself rereading it a few times over the past couple of weeks. I usually just browse and keep to myself, but yours made me pause, and now I’m actually contemplating paying the $7 just to say hello. LOL. When: Sunday, November 23, 2025. Where: in a different light. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916491

THE GREEN SPACE

It’s all because of Goose. Your smile melted my heart. We were both there on purpose. I didn’t run. You didn’t want me to. We still ignore what upsets us the most. You’re so bossy. I’m always late. en you forgot me, but I still showed up. Let’s not give up on each other, please. When: ursday, October 9, 2025. Where: the Green Space. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916490

BEAUTIFUL SMILE AT COSTCO TONIGHT

It was closing time, and you and I passed. I smiled and said hello, and you smiled this radiant smile and said hi back. We checked out next to each other. I waited outside the store to say hello again and see about asking you out, but I missed you somehow. I would love a chance to chat! When: ursday, November 20, 2025. Where: Costco. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916488

VIOLIN MAN MEETS VAN GIRL

I was driving my colorful van, and you were playing violin at the U-Mall stoplight. Ummm, hello, gorgeous? It was music to my ears! I rolled down my window to listen, and you yelled, “I like your van!” My heart thumped. We lovingly looked into each other’s eyes while you played. Gosh darn that light turning green — grrrr. Let’s get married! When: Wednesday, November 19, 2025. Where: University Mall. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916487

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

ICE-COLD RUNNER

You: running in freezing weather, dropped in for an early morning coffee. Me: suggested you order ﬁrst because I’m a mensch. Let’s go for a run together — maybe when it’s above freezing? When: Friday, November 21, 2025. Where: Kru Coffee. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916489

THAT SMILE OF YOURS

Has me thinking about you still. You: cute, black puffer vest, glasses (?) and amazing coiffed hair. Me: shy but entranced, brown hair and brown eyes. You were working but still managed to catch me looking at you a second time. I wish I’d gotten up the courage to approach you. When: ursday, November 13, 2025. Where: Hannaford in Williston. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916486

YOU CAN STEAL MY HEART

I saw you on the news and just wanted to reach out. You were wearing a white ski mask and white gloves at the Lowell General Store around 2 a.m. Saturday. I am very curious who you are. I was wearing a state trooper outﬁt and driving a green SUV. Would love to connect with you. Hit me up. When: Saturday, November 8, 2025. Where: Lowell General Store. You: Man. Me: Man. #916484

SEA SHANTIES IN CALAIS

What a scene in Calais. To the man in the gray sweater: ank you for picking up my tab, very sweet. I had no idea until after you left. e bartender passed along your card and a few kind words. But after receiving it, I misplaced it and can’t recall its contents. Figure this is worth a shot. Lowlands, away! When: Saturday, November 8, 2025. Where: Whammy Bar, Calais. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916483

ATTRACTIVE BRUNETTE AT SHAW’S, COLCHESTER

Attractive, statuesque brunette with your hair up, black puffer jacket, blue jeans and black boots. Saw you pushing your cart this afternoon. Would love the chance to meet for coffee some time! When: Sunday, November 16, 2025. Where: Shaw’s, Colchester. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916485

DADDY VISITING — WE CHATTED IN LINE

You were the next person after me at the checkout. You noticed all my fresh veggies; you said, “I’m coming to your place for dinner.” I wanted to invite you so badly, but I knew you were married. I waited in my car to give you my cell. I want you over for dinner! You are visiting. You were wearing sweatpants and a sweatshirt. When: Saturday, November 8, 2025. Where: Market 32, Rutland. You: Man. Me: Man. #916482

AQUA ZUMBA CUTIE

You: young, dark-haired man, late 20s/early 30s with a beard, at the Wednesday evening aqua Zumba class at the Y. Surrounded by older women, locked in on the pulsating beats of Missy Elliot. Me: green sports bra, having my post-workout sauna session. If interested, I’d like to get to know the handsome demographic outlier in that class. When: Wednesday, November 5, 2025. Where: Burlington YMCA. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916480

ROSIE, WHERE ARE YOU?

Tell your daddy that this is his last chance to get his daughter in a ﬁne romance! Adventuring, loving, being cared for and connected for so long. Is it not time to say someday we will look back at this and it will all seem funny? When: Tuesday, September 30, 2025. Where: everywhere. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916478

CITY MARKET TRIPLE TAKE

Pulling into the downtown parking lot at 5:40 p.m. You were walking across the lot to your car. You did a triple take and we made eye contact all three times, so it must be real. You: stunning, mid-late 20s, probably ﬁve-foot-sevenish, brown hair half tied back. I think you drove a white Honda/Subaru. I was in the old black SUV. When: Tuesday, October 28, 2025. Where: City Market downtown. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916475

De Axle Greeze,

My husband has always been a bit of a hothead behind the wheel. He gets amped up about what I consider the littlest things and will yell, honk the horn and even ﬂip people off. He acts like it’s perfectly normal, but I think he’s got road rage. How can I help him calm down?

WHEN AND WHERE?

You said to keep moving — so here I am. / But this time, you better show up in time. / Don’t leave me waiting in the echoes again. / I keep dreaming of you, again and again. / Let’s make it real — no ghosts, no delay. / Just us, meeting where hearts ﬁnally stay. / Tell me, how are we meeting? When: ursday, October 30, 2025. Where: my dreams. You: Woman. Me: Woman. #916477

CHILLING AT THE Y

You: black top and bottom, small gold hoop earrings, silver ring on your right middle ﬁnger. Where: sauna at the Y. Me: I was the hot guy. When: Sunday, November 9, 2025. Where: GBYMCA. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916481

GREEN STATE HOTTIE

I stopped at Green State to get a preroll for my peeping drive. Hottie in the ball cap picked a ﬁre sativa they said they grew there. I was pretty lit while driving there so I sat in a chair there. I could see you watching me. Was there something there? e peeping drive would have been lit with a passenger. When: Saturday, October 18, 2025. Where: Dispensary. You: Man. Me: Man. #916476

GNEISSGUY

I regret, and I do want to be saved. / is light I hold is true, not brave facade or wave. / When and where could we meet, to mend what is frayed? / You heard me silent, thought I’d fade, / But I stayed, adrift, awake, unscathed. / Not false light, but love engraved. When: Tuesday, October 28, 2025. Where: now. You: Woman. Me: Woman. #916472

JERSEY BOY

You were behind me in line when my poodle was trying to beeline it out the door of Petco with his treat, like a thief. You looked handsome and familiar — perhaps we met in the ‘90s at LBI one of those summers. I’m glad you gave me your name; wish I had your number. When: Saturday, October 25, 2025. Where: Petco in Barre. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916471

PLAINFIELD MAPLEFIELDS

I was walking in; you were walking out. You held the door for me and said, “Here ya go, handsome!” Guys rarely receive compliments like that, thus my blank stare and momentary confusion. anks! Made my morning. When: Friday, October 17, 2025. Where: Plainﬁeld Mapleﬁelds. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916460

While road rage is often considered more of a big-city problem, recent events have proven that Vermont is not immune. Overly aggressive driving can easily escalate and result in some horriﬁc outcomes, so it would behoove your husband to work on getting his behavior under control.

PHO HONG PHLIRTATION

You commented how nice it was of me to buy everyone dinner. I said I’m the nicest person I know. Are you single? Maybe we grab a drink? When: Saturday, October 25, 2025. Where: Pho Hong. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916470

GLITCH(ES)

Wild Wabbit, / wonging for wesoltution / Birdshot wanced my wear / Wost in your dark hole / My heart forever stole. When: Wednesday, October 22, 2025. Where: Milton Hannaford’s. You: Man. Me: Man. #916464

SWEETLAND

I was trying to ﬁgure out how to pay for the corn. You helped by ﬁnding the right code to put in the register. I wish I had gotten your name. I’d love to meet again and have dinner. When: Saturday, October 11, 2025. Where: Sweetland Farm store, Norwich. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916462

CUTE MAN DRIVE-BY

I was at the No Kings protest on Saturday. You drove by in a black pickup truck hauling a trailer. You stopped and told us all thank you for being out there. I was in a tan and pink ﬂannel — thought you were very handsome. When: Saturday, October 18, 2025. Where: Enﬁeld, N.H. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916461

OLD BRICK STORE

You made an effort to talk to me, even though you were busy working. I thought you were very pretty. Let’s meet at KGB if I’m ever down in your neck of the woods. When: Wednesday, October 8, 2025. Where: Charlotte. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916459

GENTLEMAN IN CUTE PLAID HAT

I nearly ran you over in front of Barnes & Noble on Dorset Street. You graciously tried to speak to me in the store, but I ran away, mortiﬁed. Please give me another chance to converse. When: Sunday, June 30, 2024. Where: Dorset Street. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916458

BOLTON LIFT SERVE MOUNTAIN BIKING

One of the best ways to avoid driving stress is to give yourself more time to get where you’re going — especially this time of year, with the potential for bad weather and extra holiday hustle-and-bustle trafﬁc. A good rule of thumb is to add 10 to 15 minutes to your travel time if possible. Arriving somewhere a little too early is far better than freaking out because you’re running late.

Creating a calm driving environment is also key. Avoid multitasking, like talking on the phone or eating, while you’re

driving. If the news stresses you out, don’t listen to it on the radio. Play upbeat, happy music. It’s hard to rage when you’re bopping along to your favorite song — unless it’s death metal. So if that’s your go-to, try something lighter in the car. Tailgating is a big no-no. Always leave room between you and the car in front of you to allow for reaction time if they stop short. And if someone is on your tail, avoid the urge to brakecheck them and don’t speed up unnecessarily. Keep a steady speed, and give them the opportunity to pass if you can.

You: cute mom worried about getting your bike on the lift. Me: giving you encouragement — you were going to be OK. Would you like to go for a mountain bike ride together? When: Saturday, October 11, 2025. Where: Bolton Valley Lift Serve. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916457 your

Most important: Remember that you can’t control the behavior of other people, but you can control how you react. If someone cuts you off or is driving like a jerk, just take a deep breath and let it go. No driving peeve is worth losing your temper and risking your safety.

Good luck and God bless, The Rev end De Rev end,

Healthy, active, ﬁt, fun, adventurous Mad River male. Seeking a female friend with similar qualities. #L1900

I’m a 31-y/o man, ﬁt, 6’1” tall, dark skin, looking for a woman between 45 and 70. I like to work out, do outdoor activities, cook and craft, and learn new skills. I have a lot to teach. I’m independent and respectful. #L1898

30-y/o lady ISO independent, slightly sarcastic, progressiveminded man. Someone who can entertain complex emotional and ethical thoughts. No boys necessary: Clean up your own mess. I’m a skier, thru-hiker and nature lover. #L1897

Imagine all the wonderful things you could have spent that $5 on. Hmm, yeah, inﬂation. Might as well see what I’m all about. No sales tax.

Seeking Y/O/U. #L1898

I am a 49-y/o woman seeking a 38- to 52-y/o man. I am ready to meet a life partner to grow a kind, conscious family with. Are you ﬁt, curious, ecologically and socially attuned? Let’s meet for tea, a pedal or hike. #L1896

I’m a 70-y/o male, 6’1”, 265 lbs., seeking a woman between 60 and 79 y/o who smokes cigarettes. I am looking for a long-term relationship. Drives, meals, cuddles, watching movies. #L1893

HOW TO REPLY TO THESE LOVE LE ERS:

Seal your reply — including your preferred contact info — inside an envelope. Write your pen pal’s box number on the outside of that envelope and place it inside another envelope with payment. Responses for Love Letters must begin with the #L box number.

MAIL TO: Seven Days Love Letters PO Box 1164, Burlington, VT 05402

PAYMENT: $5/response. Include cash or check (made out to “Seven Days”) in the outer envelope. To send unlimited replies for only $15/month, call us at 802-865-1020, ext. 161 for a membership (credit accepted).

PUBLISH YOUR MESSAGE ON THIS PAGE!

1 Submit your FREE message at sevendaysvt.com/loveletters or use the handy form at right.

We’ll publish as many messages as we can in the Love Letters section above. 2

Interested readers will send you letters in the mail. No internet required! 3

Open-minded SWM, 60s, 170 lbs., 5’8”, seeks similar for friendship and more. Open-minded, intelligent, liberal, slim males into fun activities and exploring various types of fun. #L1894

I’m a 65-y/o woman seeking a ﬁt, 45- to 70-y/o man. I am a woman with a lot of energy! Clean houses. Love the outdoors, swimming, rides and Maine. I’m 5’2”, 130 lbs. Love to laugh! #L1892

I’m a 72-y/o SWF seeking a 60- to 70-y/o man. I live in Woodstock, VT. I want a serious relationship with a man. Phone number, would meet in person. #L1891

Very discreet bi guy loves the outdoors: camping, hiking, ﬁshing, etc. Looking for other guys with similar interests to share fun times and have good times with. Hit me up! #L1890

Perverted tales. Hedonistic confessions. Bold, erotic and sensual? Titillating? Incredible and luscious? Yes, please! Extreme, deviant, obscene perversity helps incite lust. I am eager to hear from all you perverts. Conﬁdential. I dare you to shock me. #L1889

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

Int net-Free Dating!

I’m a SWM, 60s, 5’7”, 165 lbs. seeking slim males who enjoy a nice, long, slow, relaxing blow job or a regular one, if desired. NSA, just pleasure. #L1882

I’m an 81-y/o woman seeking a male. I am a widow of ﬁve years. Looking for companionship. Love music, reading, knitting, crocheting and playing card games, etc. #L1887

Gracious, attentive, educated, humorous soul seeks a ﬁt, tender and unassuming female counterpart (58 to 68) for woodland walks, shared meals and scintillating conversation. Won’t you join me? #L1885

I’m a 19-y/o male college student seeking a kind, curious, adventurous woman around my age. I enjoy meditating, being outside and long conversations. Looking for someone I can value and appreciate who can help me to value and appreciate life. #L1881

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)

BELOW.

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

I have the dreams; you have the sugar. Let us maybe travel a bit and figure out what this country needs. F, 24, seeking someone intellectual, active and financially afloat. #L1878

I’m a 74-y/o male. It’s been a long, long time without feeling a woman’s touch. I miss sex. I would love to meet a single, divorced or widowed woman in her 70s or 80s. Did I mention I miss sex? Phone number, please. #L1879

I’m a 44-y/o bi male seeking a male, female or bi couple for casual sex. I am clean, easygoing and anything goes. No judgment here. Let’s talk. Call/text. #L1877

Required conﬁdential info:

NAME ADDRESS

ADDRESS (MORE)

MAIL TO: SEVEN DAYS LOVE LETTERS • PO BOX 1164, BURLINGTON, VT 05402 OPTIONAL WEB FORM: SEVENDAYSVT.COM/LOVELETTERS HELP: 802-865-1020, EXT. 161, LOVELETTERS@SEVENDAYSVT.COM

THIS FORM IS FOR LOVE LETTERS ONLY. Messages for the Personals and I-Spy sections must be submitted online at dating.sevendaysvt.com.

TURNmusic Presents 'Those Who Can...'

The Mischievists, feat. Geoff Kim

SAT., NOV. 29

THE PHOENIX GALLERY & MUSIC HALL, WATERBURY

'The Basics' Cake Decorating Class

WED., DEC. 3

RED POPPY CAKERY, WATERBURY

Homemade Éclairs From Scratch

THU., DEC. 4

RICHMOND COMMUNITY KITCHEN

'Gone Guys' Film Screening & Discussion

THU., DEC. 4

PEOPLES ACADEMY, MORRISTOWN

RAR Bike Basics Workshops - for WTNB

THU., DEC. 4

OLD SPOKES HOME COMMUNITY WORKSHOP, BURLINGTON

Reindeer Cake Decorating Class

FRI., DEC. 5

RED POPPY CAKERY, WATERBURY

Rusty DeWees: THE LOGGER – A Holiday Show to Benefit Jenna’s Promise

FRI., DEC. 5

JENNA'S HOUSE, JOHNSON

TURNmusic Presents Ray Vega QuARTet

FRI., DEC. 5

THE PHOENIX GALLERY & MUSIC HALL, WATERBURY

French Macarons Workshop Featuring Small Oven Pastries

SAT., DEC. 6

RED POPPY CAKERY, WATERBURY

The Kat & Brett Holiday Show

SAT., DEC. 6

CONTOIS AUDITORIUM, BURLINGTON

SAT., DEC. 6

Vermont Holiday Market

CHAMPLAIN VALLEY EXPOSITION, ESSEX JUNCTION

Bella Voce 'Joyous Sounds of the Season' Holiday Concert

SAT., DEC. 6 & SUN., DEC 7

MCCARTHY ARTS CENTER, COLCHESTER

A Masqued Murder

SAT., DEC. 6

MAIN STREET LANDING PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, BURLINGTON

Mephiskapheles and Tsunamibots

SUN., DEC. 7

AFTERTHOUGHTS, WAITSFIELD

Gift Wrapping Session

TUE., DEC. 9

RED POPPY CAKERY, WATERBURY

Holiday Flowers and Wine with Blossom LLC

THU., DEC. 11

LEO & CO., ESSEX

Sex With Jenna: Dating Show

THU., DEC. 11

OFF CENTER FOR THE DRAMATIC ARTS, BURLINGTON

Holiday House Decorating Class

FRI., DEC. 12

RED POPPY CAKERY, WATERBURY

PB&J Holiday Party with Angelique Francis Band at Retro Live

SAT., DEC. 13

RETROLIVE, PLATTSBURGH

The Ladybug Transistor with Giant Day and Chris Ziter

SAT., DEC. 13

STANDING STONE WINES, WINOOSKI