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NOVEMBER 6-15 GUIDE INSIDE

VE RMO NT ’S IN DEPE NDEN T VO IC E NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026 VOL.32 NO.9 SEVENDAYSVT.COM

Despite $1 billion spent on Lake Champlain cleanup, algae blooms in parts of the lake have worsened. Why? A S E VE N D AY S/P RO P UB LICA INVE S TI GATI ON | PAGE 24

S PE C I A L RE P ORT

Waters SCOTT BESTS JANOO Defies polls to win sixth term

PAGE 5

THANKS, JOHN

PAGE 38

Arts leader Killacky dies at 74

BACH AND ROLL

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VSO Jukebox series turns 10

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COLUMNS 11 Magnificent 7 12 From the Publisher 33 Side Dishes 46 Movie Review 56 Album Review 89 Ask the Reverend

Cannabis has not been analyzed or approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). For use by individuals 21 years of age or 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 significant legal penalties in some jurisdictions and under federal law. It may not be transported outside of the state of Vermont. The effects 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 influence of this product. National Poison Control Center 1-800-222-1222.

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SECTIONS 20 Life Lines 32 Food + Drink 38 Culture 46 On Screen 48 Art 52 Music + Nightlife 58 Calendar 70 Classes 71 Classifieds + Puzzles 85 Fun Stuff 88 Personals

Page 32

Short takes on five Vermont books

Old Town Café & Comics Releases Second Annual Samhain Harvest Anthology

89 We have

Double Your Fun

A two-person show creates perfect pairings at the Vermont Supreme Court Gallery

Award-winning author M.T. Anderson found his home a decade ago on a dirt road in rural Vermont. The 18thcentury cottage is the oldest surviving house in Calais and is rumored to be haunted. Seven Days Eva Sollberger got a candlelit tour and heard some tall tales.

SUPPORTED BY:

There’s Something About Joe

After years of channeling other musicians, Burlington guitarist Joe Agnello shows his true face

Find a new job in the classifieds section on page 77 and online at jobs.sevendaysvt.com.

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COURTESY PHOTOS

LOOKING FORWARD

MAGNIFICENT

THURSDAY 5

On Pointe At Chandler Center for the Arts in Randolph, Grand Kyiv Ballet reimagines Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s hauntingly ethereal magnum opus in the cuttingedge “Swan Lake: Symphony of Lights.” The beguiling and tragic story of Odette — a cursed princess turned swan — gets a glow-up with illuminated costumes, innovative lighting design and technological twists.

MUST SEE, MUST DO THIS WEEK BY REBECCA DRISCOLL

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 59

FRIDAY 6

WICKED FUNNY: FOR GOOD

THURSDAY 5-SATURDAY 7

Never forget the power of laughter, especially in fraught times. The Stand Up for Shelter Showcase at the Hyde Park Opera House raises funds to support neighbors experiencing homelessness. Hosted by “Rickshaw Tom” Hunt, the uplifting affair features a lineup of noteworthy comics, including rising star — and last year’s Vermont’s Funniest Comedian winner — Donavin Andronaco (pictured).

Knives Out Halloween is over, but spooky season lives on at the Serial Killer Speakeasy at the Flynn Space in Burlington. The perfectly befitting basement digs transform into a true-crime lover’s paradise, with bespoke bevvies slung by mixologists who double as bards of twisted history. (We’re talkin’ freaky facts about the morbid motives of Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer and other notorious names.)

SEE CLUB LISTING ON PAGE 57

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 59

FRIDAY 6

Up to Bat Indie-folk-rock sensation Fruit Bats — the solo music project of singer-songwriter Eric D. Johnson — delivers easygoing West Coast vibes to Higher Ground in South Burlington. Bolstered by a cast of touring musicians, the sunny-voiced multiinstrumentalist (and core member of Bonny Light Horseman) captures listeners with retro-sounding originals from his new studio album, The Landfill. SEE CLUB LISTING ON PAGE 55

FRIDAY 6

Keyed In

ONGOING

Sacred Cows The “Unplowed Realities” exhibit at Mad River Valley Arts Gallery in Waitsfield reflects on a subject pertinent to rural America: the impending breaking point of small-scale agriculture. Farm animal portraits by artist Joan Brace O’Neal and writings by American Flatbread founder George Schenk highlight the vital connection between local food systems and the communities they sustain. SEE GALLERY LISTING AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/ART

The University of Vermont’s Lane Series continues with a pitch-perfect performance by pianist Gabriela Martinez at the school’s Recital Hall in Burlington. Described by the Los Angeles Times as having “a seemingly effortless technique,” the fifthgeneration Venezuelan prodigy made her debut at age 6 and hasn’t slowed down since — just ask the 100-plus orchestras with which she’s played. SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 61

SUNDAY 8

Punching Up Grammy-winning string outfit Punch Brothers kick things up a notch — acoustically, of course! — at Rutland’s Paramount Theatre. Applauded by the Washington Post for shepherding bluegrass into “its next evolutionary stage,” the quintet pushes the boundaries of the genre with virtuosic instrumentation, complex arrangements and emotional resonance. SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 64

BROWSE THE FULL CALENDAR, ART SHOWS, AND MUSIC+NIGHTLIFE LISTINGS AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM. SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

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For the past 10 months we’ve heard a lot about health care, housing and affordability from Vermont candidates for elected office. They’ve been mostly mum, however, on a topic that was once front and center in Montpelier: cleaning up Lake Champlain. After a decade of remediation programs, at a price tag approaching $1 billion, the condition of the state’s most precious natural resource has not improved as much as expected, according to water watchdogs, and has gotten worse in some spots. What happened? And why have state leaders seemingly stopped talking about it? Those are some of the questions Seven Days aims to answer in a yearlong collaboration with ProPublica. Back in June, the national nonprofit news outlet selected our newsroom — with that sprawling story pitch — for inclusion in its Local Reporting Network. The program pairs ProPublica editors with local ones to pursue ambitious reporting projects. The org pays for almost everything and brings expertise we could never find or afford. By 2029, it will have worked with one lucky local media outlet in all 50 states. This year Jonathan Mingle ProPublica and the Connecticut Mirror jointly won a Pulitzer Prize in local reporting for a series showing how the state’s towing laws allowed dishonest companies to overcharge customers with impunity. The Mirror’s work led to almost immediate corrective legislative action. Given all the varied sources of pollution upstream, it might be harder to find a lone bad guy in the “Troubled Waters” of Lake Champlain, as our series is called. But the two reporters on the investigation are well equipped to plumb its murky depths. Lead writer Jonathan Mingle is an environmental journalist based in Lincoln whose work has taken him all over the world. His first book, Fire and Ice: Soot, Solidarity, and Survival on the Roof of the World, is about black carbon pollution in the Himalayas. His second, Gaslight: The Atlantic Coast Pipeline and the Fight for America’s Energy Future, won the 2025 Phillip D. Reed Environmental Writing Book Award. On March 5 of that year, Mingle wrote an award-winning cover story for Seven Days about the decline of local logging and sawmills in which he explained why that’s actually bad for Vermont forests. He so enjoyed reporting that piece for us, and hearing from neighbors who read it, that he was open to taking on another “fascinating, thorny, important issue in my own backyard,” Mingle said. “I live in the Champlain Valley. I have a stream that goes right here by my house that winds up in Lake Champlain. I was ripe for that pitch. And as a freelancer, I’m often hungry for collaboration.” His partner on the project, veteran journalist and outdoorsman John Dillon, has been writing about Vermont’s wild and working lands for more than 40 years. He was the first staff John Dillon

CALEB KENNA

Jonathan Mingle interviewing Jeff van den Noort in North Hero

reporter at Vermont Public, where he worked for 20 years, including as news director. He retired in 2021 but has continued to cover Vermont agriculture and the environment as a freelancer, including for Seven Days. He’s generously guided Mingle through the bureaucracy and shared sources that he has accumulated over decades. “Tapping into his encyclopedic knowledge of state government and the lake and this issue has been obviously enormously helpful, but also, it’s fun to kind of tag team with him,” Mingle said, calling Dillon a “reporter’s reporter.” “Borderline obsessed” is how Seven Days news editor Matthew Roy describes Dillon, noting that the Middlesex resident has been unearthing 25-year-old notes and documents from boxes in his garage that prove how little cleanup progress has been made. Last week Dillon called in from Germany, where he was visiting grandchildren, to help Mingle put some probing questions to Vermont Secretary of Agriculture Anson Tebbetts.

AFTER A DECADE OF REMEDIATION PROGRAMS, AT A PRICE TAG APPROACHING $1 BILLION,

THE CONDITION OF THE STATE’S MOST PRECIOUS NATURAL RESOURCE HAS GOTTEN WORSE IN SOME SPOTS. “It’s hard to overstate Dillon’s contributions here,” said Roy, who is the lead local editor on the project. “He is genuinely excited that this story is being told.” Candace Page, who wrote extensively about Lake Champlain when she was a reporter for the Burlington Free Press and now edits for Seven Days, also contributed personal archives and helped craft the ProPublica application earlier this year. We hope their enthusiasm is contagious. On the

same day Seven Days publishes the first installment of “Troubled Waters,” ProPublica will, too, exposing our work to a wider, national audience. We’re grateful to their talented editors for believing in this project and for investing their time and skills to make each story in the series worthy of your attention. Look for part two in 2027.

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

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

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

HENRY SIEBER

news

DEVELOPMENT

Vermont Inks Deal to Explore Nova Scotia Wind Power B Y K E V I N MC C A LLUM kevin@sevendaysvt.com

BUSINESS

Jolene Kao

Love Thy Neighbor?

Charlotte’s cherished Old Brick Store is thriving. That’s created problems for the homeowners next door. B Y CO L I N FL A ND ER S • colin@sevendaysvt.com

olene Kao bought Charlotte’s iconic Old Brick Store in 2023, determined to revive the historic building as a bustling local hub, where people could shop, eat, and connect with friends and strangers alike. She installed an espresso bar, freshened up the menu of prepared food and began stocking the shelves with specialty goods in addition to classic kitchen staples. Kao also brought back something the store lacked in recent years: seating, with a long farmhouse table and stools along a coffee counter. The changes paid off. The store now hums throughout the day as workers drop by for breakfast or lunch, families pop in for milk or eggs, and visitors linger over coffee. 14

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

But not everyone is celebrating the newfound energy. The store’s next-door neighbors, Sarah Beal and David Kenyon, say its transformation has upended their lives, from daily parking headaches to a monthslong ordeal involving a failed well and septic system that has drawn in engineers, regulators, town officials and attorneys. The couple, who have lived in their home for 11 years, say their attempts to resolve the problems with Kao fell short. In September, they sued her for damages. They’ve also appealed to the town, arguing that the business violates her zoning permit because it operates more like a restaurant than a general store. The Charlotte Development Review Board, which postponed

a vote last month, will take up the zoning matter again on November 11. What began as a quiet dispute between neighbors has snowballed into a messy public fight that has pitted the couple against a community they’ve long called home. Online commenters have accused Beal and Kenyon of NIMBYism, and more than two dozen people wrote to the zoning board last month urging officials to side with the store. “The community loves it; hence, it is thriving,” wrote Katherine Arthaud, a longtime Charlotte resident. “It is very surprising to me that anyone would be complaining about that.” Beal and Kenyon, who were store regulars until earlier this year, said they’ve been vilified for standing up for their family. They say they greatly value the store and don’t want to see it close. “We just don’t want it to ruin our lives,” Beal said. They’ve called on Kao to scale back her operation at least until she can address the parking and infrastructure problems. Kao said she doesn’t see how she could do that without going out of business. “I have tried my best to be a good neighbor and do everything I can to resolve this situation thoughtfully and as quickly as possible,” she said. LOVE THY NEIGHBOR?

» P.16

Vermont has struck a three-year deal with the government of Nova Scotia to explore the possibility of bringing wind power to New England through the Green Mountain State. The memorandum of understanding signed by Gov. Phil Scott and Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston calls for their respective governments to collaborate on the development of the potential clean energy source. Nova Scotia has ambitious plans to develop wind farms off its eastern coast in coming years. It’s planning to issue licenses for 5 gigawatts of power this year, followed by another 10 gigawatts in coming years. Fifteen gigawatts is enough to power about 12 million homes. “It’s a big deal,” said Kerrick Johnson, the commissioner of the Vermont Department of Public Service, which advocates for ratepayers in the state. “We need clean, affordable power at scale. We have a shortage of those resources, and Nova Scotia has an incredible resource they are hoping to capitalize on — and they are looking for partners.” The province sped up its plan in recent years following the Trump administration’s retreat from wind projects in the U.S., Johnson said. The deal follows a similar one struck between Massachusetts and Nova Scotia in February. The deals are complementary, not competitive, Johnson said. The province, northeast of Maine, is home to about 1 million people. It could choose to deliver the power generated by the offshore turbines to Massachusetts via an undersea power cable. Or it could opt to send that power into the Canadian grid and route it to New England through Vermont, Johnson noted. “Given the scope of their vision, you’re going to want more than one route for that to be delivered,” he said. Vermont already has a high-voltage connection to the Canadian power grid on the U.S. border at Highgate. The two-way Highgate Converter was commissioned in 1985 and allows Vermont to import 220 megawatts of Hydro-Québec power. The converter is dated, however, and plans are under way to upgrade it at a cost of nearly $1 billion. ➆

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At a Day of the Dead event in Middlebury, attendees remember and commune with their ancestors

CALEB KENNA

BY LU CY TOMPKIN S • lucy@sevendaysvt.com

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➆DISPATCH

utside the grand marble church in downtown Middlebury, the night was dark and crisp. Stars sparkled overhead. A warm glow radiated through the stained glass windows. Congregants from across Addison County arrived in small groups, swinging open the heavy doors of St. Mary’s Catholic church, which were decorated with wreaths of orange and yellow paper marigolds and painted sugar skulls.

WHAT A JOY IT IS

FOR US TO BE PART OF THE HUMAN RACE. FATH E R T IM D A NAHE R

They had assembled for a special Sunday evening Spanish-language Mass in honor of Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, a Mexican holiday with Catholic and Indigenous roots that is held on November 1 and 2. Families gather to joyfully remember deceased loved ones, welcoming their spirits for a brief visit. Vibrant altars offer them drinks, flowers, candles and a sweet bread called pan de muerto.

Middlebury students leading the procession

After Mass, the congregants would join a lively procession through the Middlebury College campus, where students performed traditional dances and theatrical renditions of Mexican folk tales. The event, now in its fifth year, has become an annual attraction in this part of the state, where hundreds of migrant farmworkers and their families have put down roots. This year, the celebration took place amid an aggressive immigration crackdown that has spread fear through the community. On this night, as the pews filled with dozens of young families, politics took a back seat. Men in collared shirts and brown leather jackets sat beside women with bows in their hair. The occasional squeals of young children bounced off the high, vaulted ceiling. Father Tim Danaher, dressed in cream-and-gold vestments, began the Mass shortly after 7 p.m. The fresh-faced 39-year-old priest with cropped brown hair serves as Catholic chaplain at Dartmouth College but learned Spanish while appointed in Colombia. For the past five or so years, he has traveled to Vermont once a month to offer Mass in Spanish. RITUAL OF REMEMBRANCE

» P.18

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Love Thy Neighbor? « P.14 A general store has stood at the intersection of Ferry and Greenbush roads since at least the 1820s. While the current building has changed hands many times, it has remained a beloved fixture in Charlotte, an affluent town with little commercial development. Proximity to the store was initially a draw for Beal and Kenyon, whose own local roots run deep. Kenyon is an eighthgeneration farmer who co-owns the Nitty Gritty Grain Company of Vermont in Charlotte, while Beal, who moved to town as a kid, recalls riding her bike to the Old Brick Store to purchase penny candy. “The convenience of being next to the store has always been great,” Beal said. “It’s so nice to be able to walk over and get a coffee and muffins.” The couple moved in just as the store was entering a moribund chapter. Sold to a new owner in 2015, the Old Brick Store hobbled along through the pandemic, with staffing shortages often limiting its hours. By 2023, the store was back up for sale. Kao moved to Charlotte with her family around then, looking for a change. She had been working in New York’s fashion industry for years but long hoped to run a food business, inspired by her experience working in her family’s Chinese restaurant in Dallas. Kao planned to take a year to get her bearings: “I didn’t want to come in like guns blazing, like ‘Oh, I know what everybody needs,’” she said. But as she considered commercial properties for sale, the Old Brick Store stood out, in part because of its historical significance. Kao recognized early on that the property had limits. She told Seven Days in 2023 that its well and septic system would constrain her kitchen — ruling out, for instance, the possibility of a full dinner menu. Still, she saw a need for a gathering spot in town, so seating was a priority. “For me, food and community have always been connected,” she said. Town staff told her that she’d probably be fine adding seats, since earlier incarnations of the store had them. But Kao, a self-described rule follower, hired engineers, obtained a new wastewater permit and brought her plan to the Development Review Board, which in 2024 approved up to 130 square feet of seating. The revamped Old Brick Store was a quick success, but Beal and Kenyon say that popularity came with consequences. Customers began parking in the couple’s driveway, and delivery trucks prevented them from leaving. Kao responded by adding stripes to the parking lot, posting signs and asking vendors to be more considerate. 16

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

WHAT BEGAN AS A QUIET DISPUTE BETWEEN CHARLOTTE NEIGHBORS

PHOTOS: HENRY SIEBER

news

HAS SNOWBALLED INTO A MESSY PUBLIC FIGHT.

David Kenyon and Sarah Beal

Parking signs at the Old Brick Store

Then the couple’s water started running out. Beginning in May 2024, the well they share with two neighboring homes repeatedly failed, often during the store’s morning rush, forcing the family out of the house at times over the next year. They eventually fracked the well and bought a storage tank, to the tune of roughly $10,000. They suspect that the store’s deeper well nearby was drawing down theirs; testing to confirm that is pending. The final straw came last winter — in the form of raw sewage. Long-standing easements have allowed the store to keep its septic tank in Beal and Kenyon’s backyard and its mound system on a second neighbor’s property. In February, an odor emanating from the septic tank grew so strong that the couple’s children couldn’t play outside. The crew that Kao hired to pump the tank dragged its hose across the backyard,

smearing sewage across the snow, Beal said. The next month brought another pumping, during which the couple said septic water spilled onto their driveway and front step. Beal said she suffered a panic attack that day and, when she texted Kao, the owner apologized and offered to buy her family dinner. “That was the moment I realized this had gone too far,” Beal told the Development Review Board last month. Septic problems are nothing new in Charlotte, where most properties rely on private systems. Stone’s Throw pizzeria, less than a quarter mile away, was plagued by a failing system before closing its Charlotte location last year. And the Charlotte Children’s Center, down the road from the Old Brick Store, has said for years that it would enroll more children if it had more septic capacity.

Kao said she brought in engineers after learning that the Old Brick Store’s septic system had failed, allowing sewage to seep from the nearby mound. In April, the state ordered Kao to replace the system but allowed the store to remain open in the meantime, requiring monthly pumping of the tank in Beal and Kenyon’s backyard. Kao was originally given a June 1 deadline to obtain a new wastewater permit that would allow her to replace the failed system. But she persuaded regulators to grant an extension to give her engineers more time to come up with a solution. Beal, who co-owns the Burlington store Common Deer with her mother, said she had kept quiet about her difficulties with the Old Brick Store out of fear of hurting the business. She confided in a few friends and swore them to secrecy. Her feelings shifted when she learned this summer that Kao was planning to open a satellite store in Burlington — while also asking for more time to address the problems in Charlotte. Kao acknowledged that the timing of the announcement wasn’t ideal but told Seven Days that the expansion has nothing to do with the Charlotte septic issue. The Burlington shop will have low overhead costs, she said, serving coffee and limited food options. Kao said the new store could even help limit traffic in Charlotte by siphoning off some of its many Burlingtonbased customers. Still, for Beal, the expansion news “hit me like a ton of bricks,” she said. Their dispute came to a head in late July, when Kao delayed a meeting with

the couple to discuss the septic issues because her attorney was getting married out of town. The couple decided not to wait. Their attorney asked Charlotte’s zoning administrator, Rebecca Kaplan, to take enforcement action, arguing that the store had tilted too far in the direction of a restaurant, in violation of its zoning permit. Kaplan sided with the business, saying she saw no change in the store’s historic operations, “although its current success may give that impression.” The couple appealed to the review board, and word of the dispute began to spread. In early October, Kao emailed supporters asking them to send the board photos depicting the store’s history and to describe what the place meant to them. A friend of hers forwarded the email later that day to an undisclosed group of recipients and accused the neighbors of bullying Kao with fear tactics and legal actions. “The bottom line is they want the OBS shut down,” the friend wrote, attempting to rally supporters for the board’s October 14 meeting. “The bottom line is they want money from Jolene’s success.” Kao, who was copied on the email, doesn’t remember seeing it but suspects her friends have come to her defense because they know she’s reluctant to speak out. As for whether she believed her neighbors were looking to shut her down and cash in, Kao said, “I cannot guess what their motivation is.” At the review board’s meeting last month, Beal fought back tears as she read a prepared statement to a skeptical, standing-room-only crowd. “We are not here to shut down the Old Brick Store,” she said. “We want the store to succeed. But that success cannot come at the direct expense of our mental health, property rights and the safety of our children.” Kao, in her own statement, acknowledged that the store’s success has been “double-edged” but said she’s done everything she can to operate her business with “honesty, kindness and compassion.” “This was and is still my dream,” she said. Her statement was met with loud applause. JD Herlihy, a selectboard member who lives diagonally across the street from the store, said he feels for both Kao and the neighbors. In an interview, he urged residents to let the zoning process play out. “It’s great to show support for the Brick Store and why we cherish it so much in town without making the neighbor the enemy,” he said. No matter how the town rules, the

septic problem remains unresolved: The couple are now appealing Kao’s replacement system, even though state regulators have signed off on it. They argue the new system is doomed to fail because it is designed to handle the same maximum daily load as the old one, even though the store has been using more water than that on most days, according to meter readings that the store is now required to report to the state. In one recent month, the store stayed under the limit only four times and on some days used more than twice the limit. Kao said she hadn’t seen the couple’s appeal. But she said the data reflected several water “anomalies” stemming from leaking fixtures, which have since been replaced. She further noted that the meter tracks only how much water the store pulls from its well, not how much flows back into the septic system. Much of the water that comes out of her faucets ends up in customers’ cups, or in soups and breads, she said. Meter data from October, which does not need to be reported to the state until next week, shows water flows within the permitted amount, according to Kao. She said her engineers have told her that the old septic system simply reached the end of its life after decades of food service and that the proposed replacement should solve her problems. Both the store owner and the neighbors say the dispute has taken an emotional toll. Kao was nervous when speaking to Seven Days, out of fear she would say the wrong thing, she explained. She has felt under scrutiny during the past few months, she said, as her communications with town and state officials have been subject to public records requests and anything with her name on it has been examined. “The stakes feel really high with every word that I say,” she said. It’s also the first time in her life that she’s felt unable to solve a problem by talking to someone. “That’s their home. This is my business,” Kao said. “We’re both talking about property that we own and people we care about.” Beal, for her part, said the problems she attributes to the store have taken a severe toll on her mental health and the public blowback has made matters worse. She wonders at times whether she would have been better off keeping quiet. Then, she said, she thinks about her young children and the message that silence would send to them. “I want nothing more than to be able to go in there and get a muffin,” she said. “But I want to feel good about it.” ➆ 2v-unionbank091626 1

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PHOTOS: CALEB KENNA

news Ritual of Remembrance « P.15

From the pulpit, Danaher’s voice echoed through the church. “The vast, vast majority of humanity has already died,” he said in Spanish, imploring the worshippers to appreciate the brief gift of life. “We are in the minority here.” “What a joy it is for us to be part of the human race,” he went on. As he preached, a toddler in a pinkand-purple puffer jacket ran up and down the center aisle, waving at the quiet rows of people. Parents passed fussy babies back and forth. In the last row, a teenager in a hoodie scrolled TikTok. When it was over, Danaher instructed the parishioners to head outside for the procession. “Se pueden ir en paz,” he said, meaning, “You may go in peace.” The crowd of 100 or so people slowly filed out of the church and into the night, where a group of students waited, some carrying large papier-mâché renditions of the painted sugar skulls used as decorations on the Day of the Dead. Others held on their shoulders a sculpture of La Catrina, an elaborately dressed female skeleton that is another icon of the Mexican holiday. Middlebury theater professor Olga Sanchez Saltveit, one of the event’s organizers, kicked things off. She was dressed all in black, with her face painted to resemble a skeleton; on her head she wore a crown of black roses. She thanked people for “remembering our dear departed dead, who remain in our hearts.” Father Danaher blessed the group’s journey and then ushered them along. “¡Vamos!” he said to the crowd in Spanish. “Let’s go.” The students led the crowd across the street to campus as a violinist played “Cielito Lindo,” a cheerful Mexican folk song. Dried leaves crunched underfoot as the group reached the first stop, where half a dozen ofrendas, or altars with offerings, were assembled under white tents. At one altar, framed photographs of dogs and cats honored departed furry friends. At another, rolls of Goya Maria Cookies and bottles of Jarritos soda were arranged alongside yellow marigolds, whose strong scent is believed to help guide souls toward the world of the living. “Banana!” a young boy said, reaching across one of the altars for a piece of fruit. “We don’t touch,” his mom said in Spanish. “That’s for the deceased. We don’t touch; we look.” 18

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

The community ofrenda inside the Middlebury Chapel

Students performing the story of La Llorona

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THAT

WE KEEP OUR FAMILY MEMBERS WHO HAVE PASSED AWAY IN OUR MIND. ADELA DEL CARMEN MALLA CÓRDOVA

Nearby, Jesús Rodríguez Silván, 30, pushed his 1-year-old son through the procession in a stroller. His partner, Adela del Carmen Malla Córdova, 31, walked alongside them. The couple, who work on a nearby dairy farm, have been coming to the event for four years. Back home in Tabasco, in southeast Mexico, they would have spent the night at the cemetery with relatives, eating tamales and sharing memories of the dead, Malla Cordova said. “The most important thing is that we keep our family members who have passed away in our mind,” she said in Spanish. The group continued on, following the musicians toward a small amphitheater with tiered cement benches.

They settled in, with kids on laps, for the next show: a theatrical rendition of La Llorona, the weeping woman. Alternating between English and Spanish, six students acted out the popular folktale about a beautiful woman who, in a fit of rage, drowned her children after her husband abandoned her for another woman. As legend has it, regret consumed her and she died of sorrow, her spirit cursed to haunt riverbanks for eternity. The students brought the story to life with a dramatic flair that infused the sad tale with a touch of humor, strutting across the stage and causing ripples of laughter through the crowd. They finished with a word of warning to the children in attendance. “So beware, when it gets dark, get

inside the house! Many children throughout the years have been chased by the weeping woman. And some have even been caught!” As the actors wailed a final spooky cry, the crowd whooped and clapped in appreciation. The procession continued, gathering around a makeshift stage, where dancers in traditional long skirts and tap shoes performed several dances. At nearby tennis courts, another group of dancers in skeleton suits and painted faces performed an interpretive dance, jumping and twirling for observers who watched through the fence. For the night’s final act, the congregants entered the campus chapel, which was dark except for an illuminated altar topped with an image of La Virgen de Guadalupe. Attendees slid into the creaking wooden pews. Speaking into a microphone at the front of the room, Sanchez Saltveit invited the group to join her in a ritual of remembrance. “We are here remembering our dead,” she said. “And one way to bring them into the space and bring them forward is just to speak their name.” She began by saying her grandmother’s name aloud: “Blanca Gomez.” “¡Que viva!” the crowd responded in unison, which roughly translates to, “May they live on.” Names began to ring out in the dark chapel. Rosario. Sarah. Ana Maria. David. Luis Alberto. Each one was followed by a resounding “Que viva.” After several minutes, the room fell quiet. “And for everyone we haven’t mentioned but we hold in our hearts?” Sanchez Saltveit said. “¡Que viva!” came the final reply. The group broke into applause. At the front of the room, note cards and pens were laid out on tables for people who wished to add to the chapel’s community altar. Pushing his son’s stroller, Rodríguez Silván approached and grabbed a pen and paper. He took a seat in the front pew, bowed his head and filled a note card with the names of deceased relatives — aunts and uncles, great-grandparents. He stood and placed their names among the flowers. ➆ Lucy Tompkins covers immigration, the border and new American communities in Vermont for Seven Days. She is a corps member of Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms. Find out more at reportforamerica.org.

WE NEVER LEFT SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT ON THE MISSISQUOI ABENAKI | PART ONE OF FOUR

In the 1600s and 1700s, many Abenaki people were pushed out of their homes in New England. Some fled north to Odanak, in Canada. But not everyone left. A separate community stayed behind, rooted in our homeland here in Vermont. So when the Missisquoi tribe speaks of N'dakinna, our homeland, we mean Vermont — not Odanak. We never left. For centuries we have survived erasure, lost paperwork, and forced assimilation, while staying connected to our sacred land, water, and burial grounds along the Missisquoi River. Odanak claims it alone can decide who counts as Abenaki. We call this “diaspora bias.” It's the mistaken idea that only people who left their homeland — and their descendants — can speak for a nation's true identity. Odanak was formed as a refugee settlement under French Canadian rule. Its leaders wrongly believe that because their community is organized under colonial law, they alone get to define what it means to be Abenaki. They ignore how our ancestors survived by staying put. By using strict Western paperwork and Canadian law to decide who is “real,” Odanak accepts the same colonial tools that were used for centuries to divide and control Native

people. The fact that Missisquoi lacks federal recognition in the U.S. is not proof that we aren't Indigenous. It's proof of how badly the U.S. government has treated us. Odanak repeatedly points to the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs’ (BIA) rejection of our request for federal recognition. But the BIA has a long history of corruption and has often worked against Native people. Money and politics have twisted the recognition process for tribes across the country, both east and west of the Mississippi. Yet Odanak sides with the BIA anyway. The BIA's political problems are well documented. Take Senator Strom Thurmond of South Carolina. He once led the Senate committee that oversees the BIA, and he said no tribe would win federal recognition while he was in charge — and none did. When the Mashpee tribe, another eastern nation, finally won recognition, their chief said it cost the tribe more than $8 million in legal fees, lobbying, and public relations. Given all this, it's strange that Odanak leans on the BIA's decision to back up its story. State governments and Native nations have never had an easy relationship — and neither has the federal government. Missisquoi's culture survived through

family bands, oral traditions, and traditional knowledge passed down — sometimes in secret — from elder to child. We had to hide to avoid persecution, including Vermont's eugenics program in the 1900s. When Odanak refuses to recognize us, that is a form of cultural erasure. Odanak seems to care more about political power and control over funding than about standing together with all Abenaki people. Our connection to our ancestral homeland is real and unbroken. Odanak's aggressive gatekeeping doesn't help Indigenous people — it serves colonial structures instead. Odanak has used the Canadian “Indian Act” and American legal definitions of “status” to try to erase the lived history of Vermont's Indigenous families. Odanak demands “perfect paperwork,” but that ignores why Vermont Abenaki families had to hide in the first place — to escape discrimination, prejudice, and even forced sterilization by the state. Missisquoi has backed up its history with oral accounts, birth and death records, marriage records, church records, and town rosters. This evidence may not meet Odanak's paperwork standards or satisfy Canadian law, but it is real, honest proof that the Missisquoi tribe has existed — and endured.

“ We reject this kind of lateral violence.

Missisquoi does not need Odanak's approval to know who we are. The land itself remembers us, and it reminds us every day. MISSISQUOI TRIBAL COUNCIL CHIEF, BRENDA GAGNE CONTACT: BRENDA.GAGNE@ABENAKINATION.COM

IN PART TWO, WE WILL DISCUSS THE TRUE COMPLEXITIES OF INDIGENOUS IDENTITY

PA I D F O R B Y T H E A B E NA K I NAT I O N O F M I S S I S Q U O I

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OBITUARIES, VOWS, CELEBRATIONS

OBITUARIES COURTESY OF THE VERMONT DEMOCRATIC PARTY

Andrew Damian Champagne MAY 10, 1963OCTOBER 27, 2026 BURLINGTON, VT.

Our friend and good brother, Andrew Damian Champagne, passed away on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, following several years of intensive cancer treatment. Andrew was an unparalleled personality and an enthusiastic champion for the Democratic Party, live music and the city of Burlington, Vt., where he made his home for the last 40-plus years. His deep sense of civic duty may be one of his most enduring, and endearing, legacies. Andrew was born in West Hartford, Conn., on May 10, 1963, to Robert Stanley and Catherine Hickson Champagne. He is survived by his mother, Cathy Champagne, of Vero Beach, Fla., and his sister, Alison C. Champagne, of Cardiff, Wales. He was predeceased by his father, Robert S. Champagne, in 2013.

Many knew Andrew as the Registration Man, having registered nearly 2,000 Vermonters to vote. Others may have met him postering for local club shows and concerts or working on various live-show crews or, in his youth, attending many Grateful Dead shows — over 150. A justice of the peace, Andrew performed marriages, many the same day the call came in, and served as a notary public, on the Steering Committee for his Old North End Neighborhood Planning Assembly (old Ward 2) and on the Board of Tax Appeals. Andrew was

Lois A. Schumacher

MARCH 23, 1935-OCTOBER 22, 2026 ESSEX, VT. Lois A. Schumacher, 91, of Essex Center, Vt., passed away peacefully on October 22, 2026, surrounded by family, at the McClure Miller Respite House in Colchester, Vt. She was born on March 23, 1935, in Philadelphia, Pa., to Clifford and Myrtle Abrahamson. She attended Springfield High School and graduated from Pembroke University in 1956 as a biology major. She married her college sweetheart, Jim Schumacher, and the couple went on to live and raise their family in Anaheim and Mill Valley, Calif., then Rota, Spain, and finally Huntington and Essex, Vt. Lois worked as a teacher’s aide in the Vermont special education system and

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

an inspector of elections, a delegate at four Democratic National Conventions (Obama, 2012; Clinton, alternate, 2016; Biden, 2020; and Harris, 2024) and on the staff of countless local, state and national campaigns. On Town Meeting TV, he hosted the show “Burlington Democrats.” He marched proudly in many a Fourth of July and Labor Day parade alongside his favorite Vermont politicians. Andrew had side hustles to his side hustles, all centered on his passion for politics and music. He worked the Champlain Valley Fair

later as a produce manager at Origanum Natural Foods and the Onion River Co-op in Burlington, Vt. She was an avid gardener and an advocate of natural foods. She had a strong interest in arts and crafts and pursued interests in painting, weaving, ceramics and hooked rugs. Lois is survived by her children, Steven (Wendy Marston), Kristin (John Grams), John (Shirley Pine) and Andrea; and her grandchildren, Chantal Gardel, Eric Schumacher and Ian Schumacher. She was predeceased by her husband, James W. Schumacher; her parents, Clifford and Myrtle Abrahamson; and her siblings, Clifford Abrahamson and Marjorie Anderson. She will be remembered and sadly missed. No formal services were requested. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to a charity of your choice in memory of Lois.

concerts each summer, and his ease in speaking to strangers was put to use at Koenig Cedar Co., where he ran the home shows and performed marketing duties. Higher Ground hired him to conduct voter registrations at all shows it presented. He was a spark plug to any campaign or music festival. He was a collector of friends, political buttons and cassette tapes. And he held an uncanny ability to catalog information about friends and acquaintances, in a constant quest to connect people with one another. In short, as he declared at Club Metronome one night in the 1990s — “I’m your Secret Weapon.” Andrew had an astonishing ability to retain facts, dates, phone numbers and history and was a daily reader of the New York Times, in print. He chose a simple lifestyle and never owned a home, computer, cellphone or had internet. Recently, he started watching broadcast TV. At no time did he own a car but rode a bike around town, which he never locked.

To travel out of state, he preferred Amtrak, but departing from Essex Junction, to enjoy the train ride through his beloved Connecticut. Never mind that it added hours to his travel time. Andrew attended multiple prestigious schools, including the Berkshire School and the University of Vermont, before graduating from Trinity College (Hartford). In 2015, Andrew had the honor of swearing in Burlington mayor Miro Weinberger. The Burlington Democrats distinguished him with the inaugural Andrew Champagne Service Award in 2025. The Burlington City Council proclaimed Election Day, November 3, 2026, as “Andrew Champagne Day.” Andrew conducted his business adeptly using only a landline. He was happiest at home in his Greene Street apartment, where he resided for over 20 years. Making rounds of calls to his regulars, Andrew traded the latest news about town or advocated for a candidate, with a cup of tea in

hand and listening to his team, the Yankees, on the radio. Andrew received excellent care from the entire staff at the UVM Medical Center, Dr. Marc Greenblatt and his caseworker Michelle Mosley, in addition to Sloan Kettering Memorial in New York City, in his all-time-favorite major city. At the end of his medical journey, he was pampered by the exceptional staff at the McClure Miller Respite House, most likely breaking new records for the number of visitors per day, while the Grateful Dead softly solaced him in his transition. He also thanks his friends Jim Carsen, Paul Koenig, Ryan McLaren, Jake Perkinson, Brian Pine, Anne Rothwell and Andy Vota. As he often said, “You can’t make new old friends.” A memorial service is planned for Sunday, November 8, 2026, 4:30 p.m., at the First Unitarian Universalist Society, 152 Pearl St., Burlington, VT. Andrew would want you to get out and VOTE to make your voice heard.

friends and family who loved her. A typical example of a condolence offered: “I will always remember how much I admired her individuality and authenticity. And how cool she was!!” Josie is survived

by her life partner, Ted, and a three-generation multitude of Florida nieces and nephews. We will celebrate her life all day on November 21, 2026, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., at her home at 3427 Route 30 in Sudbury. Bring your musical instruments and your stories. An RSVP to josie.memorial@ gmail.com is greatly appreciated. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Green Mountain Draft Horse Association, 271 Plank Rd., Vergennes, VT 05491, or to Sudbury Meeting House Fund (with checks payable to Sudbury Community Club), 715 Fiddle Hill Rd., Sudbury, VT 05733.

Josephine Ritter MAY 16, 1949OCTOBER 27, 2026 SUDBURY, VT.

Josie died peacefully at home on October 27, 2026. Josie was born in 1949 in Miami, Fla., and escaped to Vermont in 1974, where she met Ted Russell, whom she dated for the next 52 years. Josie had two great passions in life: horses and music. Her idea of fun was to have Ted drive her and her horse 20 miles and spend the day riding home. A perfect day would end with her playing a gig with one of her bands. She had a wealth of

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OBITUARIES Stanley John Bissonette SEPTEMBER 13, 1936-OCTOBER 25, 2026 HINESBURG, VT.

Stanley John Bissonette passed away peacefully on October 25, 2026. A true Vermont woodsman, he took his final leave on the hunter’s moon, a fitting tribute to a life deeply rooted in the outdoors. Stanley was born on September 13, 1936, the oldest of six children, to Duane and Mary Bissonette. Raised on a Hinesburg dairy farm, he became a lifelong resident of the town and a bedrock of the local community. For over 30 years, Stanley served as the public works director for Hinesburg until his retirement. His dedication to public safety was equally profound, serving as a member of the Hinesburg Volunteer Fire Department for 40 years. In his early years, he also served his country in the Vermont National Guard’s 131st Engineers division and was an active member of the Jaycees. A carpenter by trade, woodworking was truly in Stanley’s blood. He worked for notable local firms including Wright and Morrissey and Pizzagalli and successfully operated his own small construction business. His craftsmanship is woven into the history of the region; during his employment at the Shelburne Museum, he worked on the steamship Ticonderoga after its historic arrival and was instrumental in constructing the iconic spiral staircase in the Webb Memorial Building, among many other structures on the museum grounds. Following his retirement, he purchased a portable sawmill, spending many joyful years turning logs into lumber for family, friends and customers. And he and Pat toured the country in their RV. It only took one trip around to figure out that flying was the way to go, though. In his younger years, Stanley was an avid outdoorsman who loved fishing for walleye, ice fishing for perch and hunting — particularly for raccoon. He could often be found cruising the shores of Lake Champlain in Miss Genny. He enjoyed watching racing and football and could often be found listening to a Red Sox game on the radio with a good book in hand. Though macular degeneration took much of his sight in later years, he adapted, turning his attention to bird-watching from his back deck. He took great pleasure in keeping the local wildlife

in check, scaring away gray squirrels and the occasional black bear with a sharp knock of his cane and a choice few cusses. Stanley loved trips to the casino, where he would meticulously scope out the perfect seat at a blackjack table and play for hours. Gathering with family and friends at deer camp or the LCI Derby camp held a special place in his heart, and these weekends almost always featured a lively card game. Stanley was predeceased by his beloved wife of 65 years, Patricia R. (Downs) Bissonette, on March 3, 2022. He was also predeceased by his parents, Duane and Mary; parents-in-law, Joe and Harriet; brother Lyle; brothers-in-law, Sid, Raymond, John and Ernie; sister-in-law Glenna; and cherished nephews Steve and Jamie. He is survived by his four children: Sally (Tim) Duchaine of Arizona, David Bissonette of Hinesburg, Cynthia Bissonette of Hinesburg and Amy Bissonette (Tom Charbonneau) of Hinesburg. He leaves behind a legacy of 12 grandchildren; 26 greatgrandchildren, with 1 more on the way; and one great-great-grandchild. He is also survived by his brothers Charlie (Corrine), Larry (Jane) and Mark (Mandy); sister, Ruth (Raymond)Ayer; sisters-in-law Joyce (Lyle), Lena (Sid) and Ilene (John); as well as many cherished nieces, nephews and extended family members. Stanley’s family wishes to extend their deepest gratitude to the staff at the University of Vermont Home Health & Hospice, especially Judy, Sheila and Jill, as well as his dedicated daytime caregivers, Sharon, Amie, Jody and Kelly, whose exceptional care allowed Stanley to remain comfortably in his home until the end. Visiting hours will be held on Wednesday, November 4, 4 to 7 p.m., at St. Jude Catholic Church, 10759 Route 116, Hinesburg. A Funeral Mass will be held on Thursday, November 5, 1 p.m., at St. Jude Catholic Church. Burial will follow at the Bissonette Cemetery on Gilman Road in Hinesburg. A reception at St. Jude’s Parish Hall will follow the burial. Arrangements are in the care of Gifford Funeral Home in Richmond. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Stanley’s memory to the Hinesburg Fire and Rescue Department or to the UVM hospice program.

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John R. Killacky

JUNE 24, 1952-NOVEMBER 2, 2026 SOUTH BURLINGTON, VT. Artist, curator, arts administrator and legislator John R. Killacky died at home on November 2, 2026. He was 74. John is the son of Rita E. and John L. Killacky of Chicago, Ill. John served two terms in the Vermont House of Representatives and held positions at various cultural and philanthropic organizations, including the Flynn, San Francisco Foundation, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, Walker Art Center, Pew Charitable Trust and Trisha Brown Dance Company. John instructed and published widely on the arts and cultural policy, facilitating workshops in Bratislava, Buenos Aires, Salzburg, Sofia, Toronto and Warsaw, in addition to

teaching at University of Minnesota, Drexel University and Champlain College. John’s internationally presented videos and intermedia installations are held in the collections of numerous institutions. He coedited the Lambda Literary Award-winning anthology Queer Crips: Disabled Gay Men and Their Stories and published a compilation of his writing, because art: commentary, critique, & conversation. John is survived by his beloved husband, Larry Connolly, as well as four siblings: Kit Barbaro, Jean Killacky, Tom Killacky and Bill Killacky, along with their spouses, children and grandchildren. In addition to his numerous professional, civic and artistic endeavors, John nurtured a lifelong love of animals that included his Shetland pony, Pacific Raindrop. Please consider a donation to the Merrymac Farm Sanctuary in Charlotte, Vt., in John’s memory.

Samantha Handler

JANUARY 16, 1973OCTOBER 25, 2026 SOUTH BURLINGTON, VT. Sam transitioned from this realm by the light of the full moon on October 25, 2026. She was surrounded by love and listening to music when she took her last breath. She was full of magic and light, and we hope all who knew her carry some of her with you each day. Sam was born in Sonora, Calif., on January 16, 1973. She spent part of her childhood in California and part in Manhattan before moving to Vermont in 1998. In 2001 and 2003, Sam gave birth to the loves of her life, Luna and Sofia. She cherished them more than anything in the world and was lucky to have both of them move home to live with her in the last year of her life. Sam studied at the Parsons School of Design and received her MFA in 2005 from Vermont College of Fine Arts. Sam was an artist from the very beginning. She practiced in the pottery, fiber and painting mediums throughout her life and most recently concentrated on abstract compositions

featuring humans, nature and connection. Sam was a true artist, and her passion for painting and creating was tantamount to her being. Sam saw beauty everywhere she looked and documented the details of that beauty in photos and paintings nearly every single day. Sam loved live music, and many of us were lucky to see shows with her over the years, especially Hilary, with whom she saw many a Phish show. She so loved traveling with her girls and was fortunate enough to travel with them to Portugal, England, Aruba, France, Italy, Spain and Puerto Rico in recent years. Sam was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010 and was in remission for several years before being diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer in 2016. Sam was an outlier

in every way when it came to treatment. Regimens that worked for a year for most folks kept Sam’s cancer at bay for years; her doctors often referred to her as “remarkable.” Sam always made sure to focus on love and the life she was living today, rather than the cancer that worked against her for so many years. Sam is survived by her beloved daughters; Luna and Sofia; partner, Hilary Crouse; mother, Susan Handler; siblings, Stacey and Jeff Handler (Marlene), and their children, Kenny, Liana and Isabella; cherished dog Murphy and cat Smoosh; as well as her closest friends who were like sisters — Marni, Charlotte, Maura and Liz. We will miss Sam so much but are comforted by knowing that she is now love and energy that is around us infinitely and she is with Henry and Chacha. Huge thank-you to the teams at the Termeer Center at Massachusetts General Hospital, the University of Vermont Cancer Center, and UVM Home Health & Hospice. A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, November 7, 2026, 1 p.m., at the Channing House at Meach Cove Farms in Shelburne, Vt.

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OBITUARIES Maureen Ann Griffin JUNE 14, 1938OCTOBER 31, 2026 WESTFORD, VT.

Maureen Ann Griffin of Westford, Vt., passed away peacefully on October 31, 2026. Born to the late John and Nellie Brodbine, Maureen was predeceased by her siblings, Jack Brodbine, Emily Cook and Tom Kehoe. She grew up in Lynn, Mass., where she attended Catholic school and spent summers on Cape Cod. Maureen graduated from Simmons College in Boston, where she studied biology. She worked as a researcher at Harvard University, then went on to attain a master’s degree in education from Salem State College. She began her teaching career at Salem High School. In 1962, Maureen married Peter Griffin. Together, they moved

to Brookside, N.J., in 1970, where she devoted her time to raising a family. Maureen moved to Vermont in 2003 to be closer to her grown children. Maureen finished her professional career at Burlington High School and settled in Westford. She was enchanted with the natural beauty of Vermont despite the challenging winters and loved the time spent with her grandchildren and cats. Maureen was an avid reader and a lover of art, theater and travel. She shared these passions with her family.

Maureen is survived by her children, Michael Griffin of New Hampshire, Beth Gainey (Randy) of Virginia and Jonathan Griffin (Kristi) of Westford; and their father, Peter Griffin. She leaves behind her beloved grandchildren, Justin and Hannah Griffin, Griffin and Marsden (Jamin) VanOrder, and Madeline and Maeve Griffin. Maureen is also survived by 10 nieces, whom she adored. Visiting hours will be on Monday, November 9, 2026, 11:30 a.m., at Gifford Funeral Home, 22 Depot Street in Richmond, Vt., followed by a funeral Mass at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary church in Richmond at 1 p.m. and a reception for family and friends following the service at Waterworks in Winooski. The family would like to thank the staff at Sterling House in Richmond for their care and support over the last two years. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Busyhead Project (busyheadproject.org).

Steven A. Billado

Norman Peryea

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SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

AUGUST 15, 1963OCTOBER 27, 2026 ELMORE, VT. Norm was born in South Carolina, the son of Norman and Claire Peryea. He was a longtime Vermont resident. He is survived by siblings Gary (Brenda) Peryea, Frank (Elizabeth Beers) Peryea, Cindy (Frank Mullen) Peryea and Joseph Peryea. He is predeceased by his parents. A memorial celebration will be held after the 2027 mud season.

OCTOBER 14, 1961SEPTEMBER 25, 2026 BARRE, VT. Steven A. Billado, 64, of Barre, Vt., passed away peacefully on September 25, 2026, in Barre, surrounded by family. Born on October 14, 1961, in South Burlington, Vt., Steven A. Billado spent many years working in his father’s business, Billado Roofing. In later years, he worked, played bingo and enjoyed metal detecting. He also enjoyed card games and reading to his grandchildren, moments that brought many laughs. He was known as an amazing Ompa. Family was central to Steven’s life. He loved his daughter, Ashley Perrotte, and his grandchildren dearly, and he made them a priority. Those named in remembrance of Steven include his mother, Nathalie Senna of Burlington, Vt.; brother David and Sue of Richmond, Vt.; brother Christopher of New York; nephew Dylan; daughter, Ashley Perrotte,

and her fiancée, Chris Pizano, of Barre, Vt.; granddaughters, Raelynn, Holly and Lilly of Barre, Vt.; grandsons, Kadin and Dolan Pizano of Rutland, Vt.; and his dear friend and caregiver, Francine Perrotte. He is also remembered by many aunts and uncles and by many friends within his church group. He was preceded by his father, David Billado Sr., and his nephew Christopher Billado Jr. The family extends thanks to Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice for the tender care given to Steven. Per Steven’s wishes, no service will be held.

ai179374207138_1t-BurgerWeek110326.pdf

11/3/26

4:41 PM

Put on your patty pants and bite into Burger Week:

november no nov ember 6-15!

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grab the guide in this week’s issue to see what’s on the menu! * = New to Burger Week

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Tourterelle, New Haven

Four Quarters Brewing, Winooski

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The Harborvale, Burlington*

Ranch Camp, Woodstock

Butter Bar & Kitchen, Burlington

Idletyme Brewery & Restaurant, Stowe

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brought

you

AND

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

CALEB KENNA

Jeff van den Noort holding a water sample that contains vegetation from the lake

SP E C I A L RE P ORT

Billion-Dollar Question The spending on Lake Champlain cleanup has surpassed $900 million. So why isn’t the project on track? S T O RY JONAT HA N MIN GLE | ADDITIONAL REP ORT I NG J O H N D IL L O N

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

Blooms in Lake Champlain at Graveyard Point in North Hero

muck was, took a few photos and jotted down the weather conditions. He then uploaded his report to an online database. Van den Noort was one part of a large volunteer effort to monitor a problem

COURTESY OF JEFF VAN DEN NOORT

n the last day of August, Jeff van den Noort spotted thick swirls of neon green film coating the water just steps from his home in Vermont. He waded in up to his ankles and dipped a jar to get a sample of the scum. It wasn’t the first time he’d seen the slime. Since his parents bought the house on an island in Lake Champlain in 1966, van den Noort has spent part of nearly every summer in this quiet spot. Back then, the lake was clear. But he began to witness the water’s deterioration as he grew older, especially after he moved into the home full time in 2010 to care for his ailing mother. That day in late August was the worst he’d seen all summer. Later that week, van den Noort grabbed a bucket, a few Mason jars and a smartphone and got into his rusty Saab. He drove past the boat launches, frozenin-time general stores and windswept pastures of the lake’s islands in northern Vermont and stopped at four other spots along the shore. Each time, he collected some murky water, gauged how thick the

that has plagued Lake Champlain, which supplies drinking water to about 200,000 people. In recent decades, blooms of potentially toxic cyanobacteria, often called blue-green algae, have killed pets,

forced beaches to close, and hurt business and property values along the shores of this iconic Vermont feature. “I just don’t feel like enough is being done,” van den Noort said. “And I think the state needs to take this seriously.” Eleven years ago, state leaders seemed to be doing just that. In 2015, thengovernor Peter Shumlin stood a few feet from Lake Champlain by the Burlington waterfront and signed Vermont’s Clean Water Act. It promised to tighten limits on pollution and provide funding to clean up the state’s waterways. The move was a response to ratcheting pressure from environmentalists and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA had been telling Vermont officials for years that they needed to take much stronger action. In 2016, the agency finalized tougher cleanup targets that the state must meet by 2036. But after 10 years and nearly a billion dollars spent on water quality projects and programs, Vermont’s cleanup effort is faltering. In a little-noticed letter to

Burlington’s North Beach on Labor Day weekend

Waters

A yearlong ProPublica/ Seven Days investigation of the ongoing Lake Champlain cleanup

Do you want to share how algae blooms in Lake Champlain have affected you?

The worst days ever are really, really bad.

COURTESY OF JEFF VAN DEN NOORT

These stories are the first in a series researched and written through ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network, in which the awardwinning investigatory nonprofit is teaming up with Seven Days on a yearlong project. More stories will be published in 2027.

CALEB KENNA

About This Series

Just as far as you can see, the whole bay is green. J EF F VA N D EN N O O R T

Do you have insight into efforts to address these blooms? Scan this QR code, or visit sevendaysvt.com/ algae-blooms, to access a form that enables you to share your observations with our reporting team. Want to support more in-depth investigations like this one? Become a Seven Days Super Reader by making a contribution at sevendaysvt.com/donate. To send a check or give through a donoradvised fund or retirement account, contact Super Reader coordinator Sarah Sieber at sieber@sevendaysvt. com or 802-865-1020 ext. 115. And to find out more about ProPublica, visit propublica.org. A bloom in Lake Champlain at Graveyard Point in North Hero

the head of Vermont’s Department of Environmental Conservation last year, the EPA’s regional administrator warned that the state was “not on track” to meet its cleanup goal and would need to more than double its annual pace. Halfway through the two-decade timetable, Vermont has achieved only 35

percent of the goal, according to the state’s most recent estimates. And the steps that Vermont has taken to get there, such as upgrading sewage treatment plants, represent “low-hanging fruit,” Eric Perkins, a former EPA official involved in setting the target, wrote in an email in response to questions from Seven Days and ProPublica.

The culprit behind these blooms is phosphorus, an element that is an essential building block of life, present in all organic matter. But too much of it has been pouring into the lake from farm fields saturated with fertilizer and manure, dirty stormwater, and raw sewage from treatment plants overwhelmed by heavy rains. That has

tipped the lake’s ecosystem out of balance, spurring the growth of microorganisms that turn shallow bays and shorelines into no-go zones. Ingesting cyanobacteria-laden water can cause vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness and liver damage, while skin contact can lead to rashes. Researchers have also detected possible links between chronic exposure to cyanobacteria and heightened risk of Parkinson’s disease and ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. The algae blooms can also deprive fish and other aquatic life of oxygen. While some areas of Lake Champlain have seen incremental improvements in phosphorus concentrations and cyanobacteria blooms, other parts of the lake are getting worse. Seven of the lake’s 15 sampling stations have exceeded the EPA’s annual phosphorus limits every year since 2015, a Seven Days and ProPublica analysis of lake monitoring data through 2025 shows. Four stations recorded higher average phosphorus levels over the past decade than in the decade before, including in the southern part of the lake and its northeast arm. In September, the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation reported to the EPA that in two northeastern sections of the lake most chronically BILLION-DOLLAR QUESTION SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

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CALEB KENNA

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plagued by phosphorus runoff, the state is not nearly on track to meet its targets. The department specifically acknowledged that it was not making enough progress in addressing stormwater runoff and that reductions in farm pollution in the Missisquoi River watershed have slowed since 2023. Vermont shares the 120-mile-long lake with New York and Québec, but it’s the source of about two-thirds of the phosphorus that flows into the water body. Agriculture is the largest polluting sector, while stormwater runoff from development, such as urban parking lots and rural roads, contributes the highest amount of phosphorus per acre. State agencies have repeatedly delayed taking more difficult and politically fraught action to crack down on pollution from farms, businesses and housing developments. Policies around them have encountered resistance from the dairy industry, property owners and lawmakers sympathetic to their interests. The challenges in cleaning up Lake Champlain raise a salient question: If a small, conservation-minded state like Vermont can’t tackle this problem, what does that mean for other areas of the United States grappling with algae blooms in the Great Lakes, the Chesapeake Bay and the Gulf of Mexico? State officials counsel patience as they remind Vermonters it will take more time to solve the problem. “We are moving apace with the commitments we’ve made, in terms of the projects, but it isn’t manifesting itself nearly as quickly in the lake monitoring data,” said Julie Moore, Agency of Natural Resources secretary. “This is a complex ecosystem, and we need to come at this work with a whole lot of humility.” Leaders of the Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets said it will take time for investments, such as programs to reduce soil erosion and help farmers upgrade their manure storage equipment, to pay off. “The first five years, we were really developing an enormous amount of programs,” said Laura DiPietro, the agency’s water quality program director, but implementing them “doesn’t happen overnight.” She said she expects to see greater phosphorus reductions resulting from them in the coming decade. But for van den Noort, the blooms are increasingly hard to ignore. “The worst days ever are really, really bad,” he said. “Just as far as you can see, the whole bay is green.” 26

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

COURTESY OF LAKE CHAMPLAIN COMMITTEE

Billion-Dollar Question «

Algae blooms in St. Albans in August

A cyanobacteria bloom mixing with duckweed on the shoreline of Lake Champlain in the town of St. Albans in early August

PUSHING THE LIMITS

Unlike chemicals and heavy metals, which can be removed from lakes and rivers with dredging, phosphorus isn’t technically or economically feasible to extract. So environmental regulators focus instead on limiting the amount of phosphorus that flows into the water each day. It’s like putting the lake on a diet. The EPA sets what’s known as the total maximum daily load, a target based on the agency’s determination of how much phosphorus the lake can absorb and remain healthy. To meet that goal, the state must cut pollution from agriculture, stormwater drains, roads, forests and wastewater treatment plants.

The EPA had set previous targets for Lake Champlain in 2002, but, concerned that Vermont wasn’t taking strong enough measures, the agency set tougher ones in 2016. For the first few years after those targets were updated, Perkins, who was then the EPA’s Vermont water quality coordinator, felt that the state was generally on the right track. During his tenure, state agencies and lawmakers set up the Clean Water Fund to finance water quality projects and dedicated tax revenue streams to support it. They put in place stronger rules for fertilizer use and manure storage on farms. They created permit programs to limit stormwater runoff

from roads and municipalities. That progress was reflected in a 2020 report card the EPA issued, acknowledging that Vermont had checked off all the milestones up to that point. “Overall, I was very impressed with the level of commitment demonstrated by the state,” Perkins wrote to Seven Days and ProPublica. By the time Perkins retired in 2021, he and colleagues at the EPA had become concerned about signs of lagging commitment by Vermont’s agencies to water quality enforcement on farms. One clear opportunity to speed up phosphorus reductions, according to Perkins, is to ensure farms comply with required agricultural practices and avoid spreading manure before anticipated rainstorms, which has caused “major phosphorus runoff events.” If the state and farm operators were to make that a priority, “it could likely make a big difference,” Perkins wrote. And the state could encourage that practice by overhauling its permitting system to tighten water quality requirements and enforcement for farms that keep animals confined in barns for long periods of time. Those farms are called concentrated animal feeding operations, or CAFOs. In recent years, many small family dairies in Vermont have closed or consolidated into larger operations that would be considered CAFOs under federal law. Yet Vermont has delayed action on an EPA directive to strengthen its approach to regulating CAFOs. Just across the lake, New York has used such permits

for decades to ensure better environmental practices on larger farms. In Vermont, a recent state task force report recommended working to develop this program for another five years. A second, related reform the EPA has recommended is to change who leads regulation of those farms. Vermont has two different agencies that oversee farm pollution. The Agency of Agriculture regulates how farms handle waste on-site, while the Agency of Natural Resources is responsible if runoff from that waste leaves the farm. This split responsibility has caused oversight problems, including lapses in following up on reported water quality violations with inspections and enforcement actions. Environmental advocates have long maintained that the agriculture agency has a conflict because it also has a mandate to promote the state’s farm sector.

Overall, you can’t really see a big improvement in water quality in the [St. Albans] bay. S TE V E CUSHING

This arrangement frustrates farmers, too. In a letter to Gov. Phil Scott earlier this year, owners of one Vermont dairy farm wrote that “the lack of alignment and clear communication between these agencies” places farmers in an uncertain position. “Many in the farming community feel caught in the middle of interagency disagreements, unsure which standards will ultimately govern their operations or how enforcement will proceed,” they wrote. In interviews, officials at the two agencies acknowledged those communication problems but said they have taken steps to improve how they share information on potential violations and coordinate more closely on inspections. In 2024, the EPA ordered Vermont to consolidate the regulation of agricultural pollution under the Agency of Natural Resources, Vermont’s main environmental agency, which the EPA says has sole authority to administer federal Clean Water Act rules. In a letter that year to Moore, the agency’s secretary, EPA Region 1 administrator David Cash noted that

the EPA had monitored the situation in Vermont for well over a decade. “And despite having had ample time and opportunity to cure longstanding program deficiencies,” he wrote, “ANR has failed to do so.” Cash noted that the state has failed to give ANR “sufficient resources or operational authority” to regulate runoff from farms. Hovering over this back-and-forth is the threat that the federal government could take over enforcement of water pollution rules from Vermont. Following the letter to Moore, the divisions between the two agencies were on display as they discussed their regulatory approach in internal emails obtained under Vermont’s Public Records Act by Seven Days and ProPublica. In a 2025 email, Agency of Natural Resources general counsel Catherine Gjessing reminded her counterpart at the agriculture agency and legislative counsel staff that “there are a significant number of farms that are in fact discharging without a permit” in violation of the federal Clean Water Act. She added that the two agencies had been working under this split responsibility arrangement, with the agriculture agency taking the lead, “for decades now and we are still not in compliance.” In an interview, the agriculture agency’s general counsel, Steve Collier, said there was never “a Wild West situation where farms were not being regulated” and that his agency’s rules protected the environment. “Whether or not the Clean Water Act was being administered exactly as it should be is a different issue,” he said. Outside of agriculture, Vermont has yet to fully implement a third EPA demand as well as the directives of its own Clean Water Act. That 2015 law mandated the Department of Environmental Conservation to require properties with three or more acres of paved surface, such as parking lots, to install systems to slow and capture stormwater runoff. Five years later, when the department still hadn’t finalized this “3-acre rule” permit system, the EPA warned Vermont that it would have to give the state “a failing grade” if it didn’t do so by September 4, 2020. Vermont met the EPA’s deadline but in 2025 passed a law pushing the date for getting permits to 2028 for properties in the Champlain basin. And those property owners don’t need to make the stormwater upgrades until 2033.

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CALEB KENNA

S P E C I A L RE P ORT

People boating on Lake Champlain

Nixed Results

Vermont legislators ordered an outside audit to ensure the costly Lake Champlain cleanup was working. It was never done.

his summer, Vermont’s Clean Water Board celebrated a milestone: Over the past decade, the state has invested nearly a billion dollars to clean up its polluted streams, rivers and lakes. The vast majority of that money has gone toward Lake Champlain. “I think that’s something to be extremely proud of,” said Douglas Farnham, the board’s chair. Vermont was supposed to get an independent evaluation of what it has gotten for all that money. But that study was never done. A decade ago, Vermont lawmakers mandated that the board submit an audit from an outside environmental consultant to determine whether the projects the state had invested in to improve water quality were working. The audit also was meant to examine whether the state’s agriculture and natural resource agencies are doing enough to enforce water quality regulations on farms, which are the biggest source of phosphorus in Lake Champlain. Lake Champlain has been overloaded with phosphorus-laden runoff from farms, roads and urban sewers for decades. That 28

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

FILE: OLIVER PARINI

B Y J O NAT HA N MI NGLE

Chris Bray

pollution fuels potentially toxic bluegreen algae blooms that have raised health concerns and hurt the state’s tourism industry. Under sustained pressure from citizens, environmental advocates and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Vermont’s leaders embarked on an ambitious initiative to improve the lake’s water

quality, enshrined in the state’s landmark 2015 Clean Water Act. Now, halfway through a 20-year cleanup effort mandated by the EPA, some lawmakers worry they don’t have enough information to ensure that the state is pursuing the most cost-effective cleanup strategies.

When lawmakers approved the clean water law, they took the major step of establishing a fund to pay for the cleanup and a board to administer it. Since 2016, Vermont has disbursed $928 million — $755 million in state funding and $173 million in local and federal dollars — on water quality projects and programs. That’s nearly as much as what Vermont has spent on paving and resurfacing state highways over the past decade. As part of the law, the legislature also required the board’s leaders to provide it with a full program audit by January 2021. But the board received no responses to an initial request for proposals in 2020. Lawmakers extended the deadline to 2023. Yet again, no outside firms bid on the audit. Farnham said the board received informal feedback from some firms that the audit’s scope was too broad and complex. He reported back to fellow board members that he and Julie Moore, secretary of the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, had asked legislators what to do next but didn’t receive any clear suggestions. The board never issued a new request or revisited the matter (until Seven Days and ProPublica recently asked about it), and Vermont’s legislature never followed up to narrow the scope. Former state representative David Deen, who sponsored the clean water law and retired in 2018, said he was dismayed to learn that the audit never happened. “Personally, I find it amazing that they haven’t done that audit and that somebody in the legislature did not hold them to account to conduct that audit,” he said. Rep. Amy Sheldon (D-Middlebury), the longtime chair of the House Committee on Environment, recalled hearing about the audit challenges but noted that it’s difficult for the legislature to follow up because Vermont’s lawmakers don’t have staff. In the other chamber, former state senator Chris Bray, who chaired the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy until 2025, said he did not recall hearing about the missing audit. In an interview, Farnham acknowledged that an outside audit would be helpful. But he said the board already has robust tools for assessing progress through a yearly performance report compiled by the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, which coordinates and tracks most of the state’s clean water spending. “We’ve got enough eyes coming at it from different angles that I think that mutes the need for that comprehensive audit,” he said. The annual reporting process has improved greatly since the audit was mandated, and the DEC’s website

FILE: JEB WALLACE-BRODEUR

State Auditor Doug Hoffer

“provides a lot of transparency,” about how the state is spending clean water money and the results, said Emily Bird, director of the department’s Water Investment Division. But some current and former state officials say that approach isn’t a substitute for an audit to determine whether Vermont is getting adequate and cost-effective returns on its huge water quality investments.

Personally, I find it amazing that they haven’t done that audit

and that somebody in the legislature did not hold them to account to conduct that audit. D AV I D D EEN

The last independent assessment of clean water spending was a 2019 report from the state auditor. It found that a disproportionate amount of money was being spent on wastewater treatment plants, which contributed by far the smallest share of phosphorus pollution, instead of targeting bigger sources such as agriculture. That mismatch persists seven years later. Agriculture is the largest source of phosphorus runoff, yet agricultural water quality programs receive less than a third of the total clean water funding in the current budget. “I’d like to think they’re getting something done,” said Doug Hoffer, state auditor since 2013, referring to state agencies and legislators. “But the only way to know that is to hire someone who is independent to study that. And it’s really concerning that hasn’t been done. It really raises

questions about accountability on both sides.” An audit would do a few key things that the department’s performance reports do not, Tee Thomas, a former water finance director for the State of Vermont who now runs her own environmental consulting firm, noted via email. The reports rely on models for how effective each type of project is at reducing phosphorus. An audit would analyze water quality monitoring data from rivers and lakes to check those estimates. It would also scrutinize how well Vermont has managed projects and whether it’s gotten results, she said. The Clean Water Fund gets, on average, $25 million to $30 million each year from the state’s rooms and meals tax, a surcharge applied to some property transfers, and deposit money that consumers pay on cans and bottles. That money is paired with between $6 million and $12 million from the state’s annual capital bill, which finances infrastructure projects. The funds have gone to programs and projects to restore wetlands, expand natural buffers around fields, shore up rural roads against erosion, upgrade stormwater drains and improve manure storage on dairy farms. The state treasurer in 2017 estimated that the cost of Vermont’s 20-year initiative would be $2.3 billion. But finding that money could be difficult as state government spending outpaces tax revenue and cooling housing and tourism markets squeeze clean water funding sources. Without the audit, the governor and legislators responsible for coming up with the next billion dollars’ worth of projects may not have a clear understanding of what Vermonters have gotten for the last billion, lawmakers said. Jane Kitchel, who as longtime chair of the state Senate’s Committee on Appropriations was known for her encyclopedic knowledge of the Vermont budget, noted that a billion dollars is a significant sum for the small state. Had she not retired from the body two years ago, she said, reviving the audit “would be one of the things I’d put on my to-do list.” The next legislative session starts in January. Sen. Anne Watson (D/P-Washington), who chairs the Committee on Natural Resources and Energy and serves on the Committee on Appropriations, told Seven Days and ProPublica that she would likely discuss whether to revive the audit with her colleagues. “If we value having a clean lake,” she said, “then we need to put our resources toward places that are going to make a difference, and it’s unclear to me right now that what we’re doing is effective.” ➆

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Billion-Dollar Question «

University of Vermont researcher Audrey Manning gathering samples to measure cyanobacteria on Lake Champlain in Swanton

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For a quarter century, Steve Cushing has been advocating to clean up St. Albans Bay in the northeast part of Lake Champlain, near the epicenter of Vermont’s dairy industry. Throughout that time, he listened as federal and state environmental officials came through town and pledged to act. “Expect a lot of progress 10 years from now in many segments of the lake,” one EPA official told him and his neighbors in 2015. More than a decade later, this summer’s cyanobacteria blooms in the shallow bay were some of the worst he’d seen in several years, he said. Since June, the public beach in St. Albans Bay Park has mostly been closed to swimming. “Overall, you can’t really see a big improvement in water quality in the bay,” Cushing said. Public data support that notion. Every three years the federally funded Lake Champlain Basin Program, which coordinates research and grant making across the lake’s watershed, issues a report summarizing its water quality monitoring. Its most recent edition, from 2024, revealed “deteriorating” trends in the northeast arm of the lake for both phosphorus and cyanobacteria and no progress in Missisquoi Bay, a shallow stretch spanning the U.S.-Canada border that frequently suffers intense blooms. That’s troubling, scientists and advocates say, because the failure to address new pollution is exacerbated by both historical pollution and the effects of climate change. 30

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

PHOTOS: CALEB KENNA

TREADING WATER

Researcher Katelynn Warner gathering DNA and RNA samples from cyanobacteria

What scientists call “legacy phosphorus” has accumulated in soils and lake sediments after many decades of fertilizer use, manure spreading, deforestation, and unregulated septic and wastewater systems. “We are working on a system that’s been impacted by human activities for the past 150-plus years,” said Matthew Vaughan, the chief scientist of the basin program. Climate change poses another headwind for the lake cleanup. Since 2003, cyanobacteria blooms have appeared earlier in the spring and later in the fall as temperatures rise, and even at lower phosphorus levels. The drought that hit Vermont in 2025 led to a spike in blooms, thanks to the combination of heat and

This is a complex ecosystem,

and we need to come at this work with a whole lot of humility.

NATUR AL R E S O UR C E S S E C R ETA RY J UL IE MO O R E

low water levels. Meanwhile, downpours are turning Vermont’s streams and rivers into fire hoses of phosphorus-laden sediment: In just one week in July 2023, record-shattering floods pumped six months’ worth of phosphorus into the lake.

“All of this just makes it more urgent to do our part to address these water quality challenges,” Vaughan said. Some state officials and researchers contend that phosphorus deposited in the lake bed and soil decades ago might play as significant a role in fueling algae blooms as today’s runoff. But while legacy phosphorus remains a challenge, “I think it’d be wrong to just rely on that as the excuse,” said Eric Smeltzer, who worked for the Department of Environmental Conservation for 35 years, including as the state limnologist who monitors the health of Vermont’s lakes and ponds. “The most important technical question about the Lake Champlain phosphorus cleanup is: Are these practices working? And if not, why not?” Smeltzer said. “How can it be done better? I think you can’t just explain it away based on time lags and legacy phosphorus forever.” In reviewing the state’s data recently, one detail in particular jumped out to him, he said. Wastewater treatment still garners an outsize share of Vermont’s clean water spending, even though it has been clear for years that it’s not a major contributor of phosphorus, while agriculture and stormwater are. Cushing traces the algae blooms back to the dairy farms that dominate the watershed and to regulators’ failure to “put any teeth behind” restrictions on manure spreading and other water quality rules. Cushing, a former dairy farmer, has pushed for policy changes as a volunteer with the St. Albans Area Watershed Association and has led an effort to mechanically remove vegetation that contributes to the phosphorus problem in his overburdened bay. At 78, he is now searching for someone to take over the weed removal effort. “I’m getting a little burned out,” he admitted. Seven miles to the west, on the island of North Hero, van den Noort questioned this summer whether all the data he gathers is making any difference. “If we really wanted to solve the problem, I think we’d have to make some tough choices,” he said. “I don’t think anybody wants to do that. It’s a head-inthe-sand thing.” Every week, van den Noort drives up the western edge of Isle La Motte on his monitoring circuit, looking out over a stretch of water that is supposed to be one of the cleanest parts of Lake Champlain. On the worst days, a peagreen broth of blooms stubbornly hugs its entire shoreline. ➆

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Matt Linehan at Northeast Kingdom Potato

Northeast Kingdom Potato rebounded from major flood losses to keep growing for chefs, stores and food shelves B Y ME L IS S A PAS ANE N • pasanen@sevendaysvt.com

warm spell delayed this year’s potato harvest in Guildhall, on Vermont’s northeastern border, by a week and a half. It wasn’t until October 10 that Matt Linehan’s 60 acres of potatoes got the hard frost needed to firm up their skins and kill the plants’ foliage, so the juicy vines won’t jam the harvester. The farmer took the minor weather glitch in stride, even though he and his small crew had to race to bring in 1.5 to 1.8 million pounds of potatoes by Halloween or risk the tubers freezing underground. It’s been a good year overall, Linehan said on the morning of October 23 as he repaired a canvas potato bag with fishing line. In the barn nearby, his team sorted truckloads of Allison white potatoes, dug the previous evening. Linehan’s Sparrow Arc Farm is the largest Vermont farm focused solely on spuds, which he sells throughout New England under his Northeast Kingdom Potato

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Potato varieties from Northeast Kingdom Potato

brand. His customers range from highend Boston restaurants to the University of Vermont and Vermont Foodbank. The farm’s 30 varieties include five kinds of

fingerlings, butter-yellow European golds, floury russets and a cultivar called blackberry, which he sliced open to reveal beet-purple flesh.

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Linehan, 43, started growing potatoes 20 years ago as one of many market-garden vegetables before deciding they were his one true farming love. He uses the f-bomb liberally to emphasize things good and bad. The word LIBERTY is tattooed on his forearm, a souvenir from his youth in the Boston punk scene. Linehan jokes that this might give people the wrong idea about his politics: “This county voted for Trump three times,” he said, “but I like living with some diversity of opinion.” On a late-October day, in the middle of the harvest, his brass eagle belt buckle was as dirt encrusted as his freshly unearthed tubers. This season contrasted sharply with recent back-to-back summers of extreme flooding. In the floods of 2023, Linehan lost 20 percent of his crop; in 2024, he lost more than 30 percent, and the floodwaters left 10-foot mud lines on the trees in some of his fields. All told, the Connecticut River washed away some $250,000 of his income over two years. $42,000 in state emergency funds and a $12,000 crowdfunding campaign, which Linehan reluctantly launched, helped him recover some of his bottom line. But he still had to borrow a significant amount — at 7.5 percent interest — to cover the losses. With a grimace, Linehan said he avoids looking at the automatic withdrawals of his monthly payments: “I don’t want to fucking know.” But after 25 years of growing vegetables, Linehan has no intention of giving up — or moving from the century-old Northeast Kingdom potato farm he bought for $315,000 in 2019. He lives in the original late-1700s farmhouse with the younger three of his four children, when they’re not with his ex. Linehan farmed in Massachusetts, Maine and New York before moving to the Essex County hamlet, where New Hampshire’s Percy Peaks rise to the east. Now, he might see more moose than people on any given day. “It’s the nicest place I’ve ever lived and farmed,” he said. “I’m pretty well committed.” Since those two devastating floods, Linehan has leased new parcels of land outside the floodplain. “We could lose a potato crop for a million other reasons,” he said. “Summer flooding is not one of them.” Linehan bought the third-generation farm from the Peaslee family, who ran it SPUD SPECIALIST

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Glazed Donuts’ New Essex Café to Replace Leo & Co. LEO & CO. in the Essex Experience will

close on November 13, to be replaced by a new Glazed Café operated by GLAZED DONUTS. The doughnut maker has shared the daytime market and café’s space at 21 Essex Way since August. Glazed co-owner RACHEL LEE, 36, said she and her husband, JORDAN, hope to launch their new café in early December. During the transition, Lee said, doughnuts will still be available but only by online preorder. Glazed Café will continue to house the Lees’ doughnut bakery while introducing a café menu of hot breakfast burritos and sandwiches — including a doughnut sandwich — and lunch sandwiches similar to those offered by Leo & Co., Lee said. It will also serve coffee drinks, smoothies, and dirty sodas made with soda, syrups

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and cream. Staff, including some previously employed by Leo & Co., will keep baking some of that eatery’s popular offerings, such as the vegan blueberry muffin and chocolate-tahini and brown butter-chocolate chip cookies. “We fully understand that Leo & Co. has become a third space for the local community and don’t want to change that,” Lee said. The Lees plan to reduce the size of Leo & Co.’s local food market, add a kids’ play area and introduce “a secret pizza menu” on weekends. They hope to offer sameday online ordering and DoorDash delivery for their doughnuts by early 2027. KAYLA SILVER, 33, opened Leo & Co. in June 2024 in the space that Sweet Clover Market had occupied for 17 years. The café is a few doors down in the same building as SALT & BUBBLES WINE BAR AND MARKET, which she launched in 2021. SIDE DISHES

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JEB WALLACE-BRODEUR

The barn

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until 2018. The massive barn still bears the name Peaslee’s Vermont Potatoes in blocky white letters on its dark red exterior. Fred and Gertrude Peaslee purpose-built the barn to store potatoes, and not much has changed over almost a century. “It was state of the art in 1928” and still does the job, Linehan said, though he’d prefer state of the art for 2026. In the barn, two full-time employees and a neighbor sorted potatoes onto the conveyor belt of a bin piler. Six hands and one machine removed clumps of soil before the tubers headed through a chute of canvas bags onto a massive mound in one of the barn’s 21 concrete-lined storage bins. They’ll remain there, safely stored with a protective light coating of soil, until being washed before shipping. Happily for potato farmers, animals other than ruminants can’t easily digest raw spuds. “Mice don’t like potatoes,” Linehan said. The Natick, Mass., native was not always a potato specialist, but he fell for farming early, working in agriculture as a teen. “I really liked the pace of farming and the variety of it,” Linehan recalled. With no interest in college or the army, he landed an apprenticeship at the Farm School, a nonprofit in Athol, Mass. He started his first organic market garden operation in 2006 in Troy, Maine. In 2014, he moved his Sparrow Arc Farm to New York’s Hudson Valley, where he expanded to 70 acres of produce, plus 40 of potatoes. Linehan gradually learned that the more potatoes he grew, the more money he made. “They’re only worth something when you have a whole fucking bunch of them,” he said. “I realized that the potatoes were kind of paying for everything, and I enjoyed doing them more.” After years of being a generalist, “I wanted to get good at something.” The farmer and his potatoes benefited. Once Linehan focused on their needs, analyzing their leaves each week to determine how much pest control or fertilizer to apply, he doubled his yield per acre to 40,000 pounds. Managing people had never been his favorite task, he said, and potatoes lend themselves more to mechanization than mixed vegetables do, so he could employ fewer people and pay them better. Linehan has become a go-to expert on potato cultivation in Vermont. He represents the state on the board of Potatoes USA, the national potato marketing organization, at several meetings a year. A

Cracker-crusted scrod with mixed Northeast Kingdom Potato varieties at Henrietta’s Table

proud champion of the potato, he likes to remind people that the humble root vegetable delivers as much potassium as a banana. October is all-hands-on-deck time at the farm, and, on the 23rd, Linehan needed to keep the harvest moving to stay ahead of the falling temperatures. As he navigated a tractor pulling a windrower harvester, Fenway red potatoes tumbled like giant marbles up and off the back of the belt. Weeds obliged the farmer to stop several times and extract them from the machine’s rotating discs, which meant dropping to the ground to reach into the harvester’s underbelly. Lying on his side at eye level with the soil, Linehan noted, “We have really good dirt here.” After the third weed-prompted interruption, Linehan cursed them with his favorite expletive. “Proof I don’t use herbicides,” he noted ruefully. Linehan’s Northeast Kingdom potatoes are not organic, although he farmed organically before moving to Vermont. He still follows many of those practices, such as applying kelp juice for extra nutrients: “The organic part of me doesn’t die — and that works!” Linehan has never used potent neonicotinoid insecticides, which will be phased out in Vermont by 2029. Both neonicotinoids and herbicides are the industry standard

food+drink Marc Labens and Sumner Booth harvesting potatoes

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JEB WALLACE-BRODEUR

full-service & cat a ering Available at Ava Av vailable drop off catering family gatherings private events corporate parties on conventional potato operations, he Sean-Michael Lizotte, executive chef of the Charles Hotel and its flagsaid. Back in the tractor’s cab, Linehan ship restaurant, Henrietta’s Table, in said fertilizer is the main reason he’s Cambridge, Mass., represents the fancier not organic. The price of his Canadian part of Linehan’s clientele. The chef has fertilizer has skyrocketed as it is, he bought produce from Linehan for about said, doubling since 2020 before climb- 20 years. From the beginning, he said, ing another 15 percent this year. Using “Matt took great pride in everything he organic fertilizer would drive his potato grew.” Over the decades, Lizotte said, price too high. Linehan has been a straight-shooting, “I want regular people on budgets to reliable supplier of top-quality product be able to buy my potatoes,” who “does everything the he said. The White Market way it should be done.” in St. Johnsbury, he noted, The Charles buys 400 goes through 2,000 pounds to 800 pounds of Linehan’s a week. potatoes weekly. Lizotte is charmed — no surprise His price per pound — by the recent addition varies by distribution of Fenway reds, which he channel — Linehan doesn’t uses for mashed potatoes. set retail prices — but averAtlantics make great hash ages about 60 cents. His browns, beef tallow-fried potatoes are sold at many French fries and potato independent grocers and chips, the chef said. For co-ops around the state and MAT T LIN E HAN Henrietta’s classic scrod through the Center for an dish, the kitchen serves a Agricultural Economy’s Just Cut program, which sells mix of Soraya gold, Fenway peeled and precut produce to Univer- red, the blackberry potato, and purplesity of Vermont dining services, among skinned and golden-fleshed Peter Wilcox, all boiled and then crisped in others. The farm’s largest account is Vermont clarified butter. Foodbank, which has contracted to buy Beyond their deep bond over potatoes, close to 100,000 pounds of potatoes from Linehan credits the Charles with deliverthis year’s harvest, according to Mike ing a career highlight: Back when SparThomas, the nonprofit’s director of food row Arc Farm still grew carrots, the Dalai resources. Thomas said locally grown Lama complimented the ones served at potatoes from Sparrow Arc and Chap- the hotel. “That was next-fucking-level,” pelle’s Vermont Potatoes in Williamstown Linehan said. are a cornerstone of the Vermonters Perhaps on a future visit, His Holiness Feeding Vermonters program, supported will try the farmer’s Northeast Kingby state funding. dom-grown potatoes. ➆ Across all levels of culinary skill and personal taste, Thomas said, “Anyone can INFO use a potato.” Learn more on Instagram: @sparrowarcfarm.

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Silver confirmed that she has also listed Salt & Bubbles for sale and is talking with prospective buyers. If she doesn’t sell or find someone to open a new business in the space before the end of the year, she will close the wine shop and bar after a final New Year’s Eve celebration. Silver said she is very happy that Glazed will keep a café going in the Leo & Co. space, and her decisions to close that business and put Salt & Bubbles on the market were tough. “I took stock of where I’m at in my life, and it’s not that I don’t love what I do,” Silver said, “but I’m also putting in more hours than a mother with an 8-month-old is interested in putting in.” She hopes to use her wine industry experience and interest in supporting small winemakers in a different way. “I have some ideas about what comes next,” Silver said. “Most of it involves working for someone else.” MEL ISSA PASANEN

Colchester’s B.U. Pub Gets New Owners — and a Remodel

COURTESY

SERVING UP FOOD NEWS

A Colchester dive bar has changed hands. B.U. PUB, also known as the B.U. Emporium, has been a staple at 164 Porters Point Road since the 1970s, serving cheap drinks to a strong roster

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

Bluebird Barbecue takeout in 2022

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From left: Rodney, Jake and Tracie Oliveira at B.U. Pub

of regulars. Last week, RODNEY, TRACIE and JAKE OLIVEIRA bought the bar from DEBRA LEBLANC, who will retire after 22 years of ownership, Rodney told Seven Days. “It really is a neighborhood bar,” Rodney said. “[The regulars] do wellness checks; they bring in food; they pick up people who need rides. We want to make sure we’re supporting that and making a place for the next generation.” The bar was briefly closed as the Oliveiras renovated its bathrooms, flooring and lighting. A grand reopening is planned for Saturday, November 7. Rodney has lived in Colchester for 15 years, and it’s where he and Tracie raised their six kids. The couple often brought their adult son Jake, who has autism, to the B.U. Pub to listen to jukebox music. When LeBlanc needed a partSue Bette time bartender about a year ago, Rodney started working two nights a week on top of his full-time job at FILE: JAMES BUCK Edlund in Burlington. Taking over is the family’s way “to give back to the community,” Rodney said. “People have been great to us and to our family.” The original staff will stay, Rodney said. Tracie, who was a stay-at-home mom, will take on the day-to-day management while Jake handles cleaning and upkeep. The remodel brings more of a pub vibe, with additional games and potential for live music, trivia and other entertainment.

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food+drink An updated kitchen will slowly roll out homestyle dishes and bar food, starting on weekends, and booze options will expand slightly while remaining focused on draft beer and basic mixed drinks. “I can make a good Manhattan and martini,” Rodney said. “I’m just not sure how many I’ll serve.”

JORDAN BARRY

Bluebird Barbecue in Burlington Has Closed Bluebird Barbecue, the longtime barbecue spot at 317 Riverside Avenue in Burlington, served its final batches of brisket, pulled pork and Pitmaster wings on Saturday, October 31. “It’s time for Bluebird to say goodbye,” owner SUE BETTE said in a press release on Thursday, October 29. “We wish Bluebird could continue on, but the conditions just aren’t lining up for Bluebird to be Bluebird.” Bette launched the restaurant’s predecessor, Bluebird Tavern, in the former Tortilla Flat location on Riverside Avenue in 2009. Bluebird Barbecue opened there in 2012 after the gastropub moved downtown. Bluebird Barbecue’s menu of regional American smoked-meat dishes — some with a Vermont twist, such as pulled-pork poutine and maple-doused barbecue sauce — featured in a January 2020 episode of Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” with Guy Fieri. Bette had no further comment on the closure, a PR representative said on Thursday. While Riverside Avenue has been the site of recent Federal Emergency Management Agency hazard mitigation grant buyouts, no buyout is currently in the works for the Bluebird property. Burlington’s principal planner and zoning division manager, Scott Gustin, confirmed that the only one pending along the strip is for the KISMAYO KITCHEN building at 505 Riverside; that restaurant remains open for now.

DESTINATIONS

Great Shakes In Wilder, a whimsical museum of salt and pepper shakers spices things up STORY & PHO TO S B Y M ELIS S A PAS AN EN pasanen@sevendaysvt.com

Like many collectors, Maggie Cassidy tried — and failed — to set limits for herself. She established a rule that her salt and pepper shaker collection had to fit on the kitchen display shelves of the White River Junction home she shares with her husband, Chico Eastridge. But the quirky parade of more than 300 pairs of animals, cartoon characters and miniature everyday objects — umbrellas to skillets — soon marched well beyond that room. “I was completely breaking the rules,” Cassidy said. “It was getting to be a problem.” Inspired by visits to the Salt and Pepper Shaker Museum in Gatlinburg, Tenn., and the World Famous Crochet Museum in Joshua Tree, Calif., Cassidy dreamed of opening her own small, free museum. She bought a room-size, hand-built wooden box trailer for $500 and painted it shades of black raspberry creemee. Eastridge installed shelves inside the San Francisco trolley-like structure and fitted the upper open sides with plexiglass as a birthday gift. The World Famous Salt & Pepper Shaker Museum spent nine months attracting occasional visits outside the couple’s home before it moved and reopened in early June in front of KIS Thrift in Wilder. There, it has drawn a steady stream of guests, including photographer Liza Lynehan, whose August 29 Instagram post about the museum has racked up 4.2 million views. Cassidy was a bit surprised when the video went viral but is not shocked by the appeal of her shakers, all gifts or thrifted for less than $5. “There’s something about the kitsch of it,” she mused, pointing out a set of dollhouse-size radiators and an open fridge

Maggie Cassidy at the World Famous Salt & Pepper Museum paired with a woman in hair rollers and a bathrobe. “It’s fun to see what people have thought of to put a little bit of personality in something we use every day.” The 38-year-old former editor of the Valley News and managing editor of VTDigger balances freelance writing with a part-time job as marketing manager for KIS Thrift store and its associated estate cleanout business. If Cassidy is around and on a break, visitors might be in luck and she will open the padlocked doors. If not, they must settle for peering in through the windows. The plexiglass provides a decent view of the collection, which includes praying nuns, one in a black habit and one in white; glowing red glass strawberries hanging from a silver vine; a grinning ceramic cowboy whose head shakes salt and hat shakes pepper; and a Noah’s ark of small animal pairs. (There are so many, in fact, that Cassidy separates bow-tied crocodiles, beret-topped seagulls and their sartorially elegant friends into a specific “well-dressed animals” section.) For those who will only be satisfied by close inspection of, say, a fat cat (salt) riding in a fish-shaped car (pepper) or slices of white and pumpernickel bread in a mini chrome toaster, both narrow doors will be unlocked during a grand opening event on Saturday, November 7. There will

also be live music, food, swag and a raffle of two-of-a-kind gorilla shakers crafted by Mary Arnold of Victory Pottery in White River Junction. Proceeds benefit the local Bugbee Senior Center — “the salt and peppers of our community,” according to Cassidy. (Raffle tickets can also be bought online at the museum website.) Those who duck their heads to enter the low-ceilinged museum will spy a photo of a young Cassidy beaming over a birthday candle with her family’s prized shaker set of Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf in the foreground. They might be the source of Cassidy’s shaker fascination, she said, although she really can’t recall. The family heirlooms are too precious to entrust to the trolley, but they don’t get used much at home either, Cassidy said. Her husband, the household’s cook, seasons everything so well, they only rarely add salt at the table. When they do, they generally just pull out the blue Morton canister. ➆

INFO The World Famous Salt & Pepper Shaker Museum grand opening, Saturday, November 7, noon to 4 p.m., at KIS Thrift in Wilder. worldfamoussaltandpepper shakermuseum.com

Salt and pepper shakers on display

J . B.

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

culture

‘The Fiercest Advocate’ John Killacky, former Flynn director and state legislator, dies at 74 B Y M ARY A NN L I CKTE IG • maryann@sevendaysvt.com FILE: OLIVER PARINI

LIFE STORIES 2026

John Killacky in 2018

ohn Killacky, an artist, former Flynn executive director and Vermont state legislator whose steely resilience and dogged defense of artistic freedom came packaged in a courtly demeanor and serene smile, died at his home in South Burlington from metastatic prostate cancer on Monday, November 2, according to his husband, Larry Connolly. Killacky was 74. After eight years at the helm of the Flynn, where he welcomed low-income and neurodivergent audience members into the Burlington theater, Killacky arrived in Montpelier to serve two terms in the Vermont House of Representatives. He brought a desire to improve Vermonters’ day-to-day lives and a fire to protect their rights, former colleagues said. Throughout his life, he wrote and made art. Sandgate photographer Dona Ann McAdams, a longtime friend and collaborator, called Killacky “the fiercest advocate for all things good for 38

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

the arts.’’ Asked to describe his impact on the art world, she said, “Where do you even start? … It’s an international, global ripple.” Killacky was known as a bold supporter of provocative art when he moved to Vermont in 2010 to lead the Flynn, then the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts. He came from California, where he had been program manager of the philanthropic San Francisco Foundation for seven years and executive director of the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts for six years before that. But it was in Minneapolis in the early 1990s that Killacky cemented his reputation as a champion of artistic expression and a foil to conservative leaders who sought to restrict it. As curator of performing arts at the Walker Art Center from 1988 to 1996, he presented more than 5,000 artists in a broad range of mediums. Among them were members of the “NEA Four” — Karen

Finley, Tim Miller, Holly Hughes and John Fleck — performance artists who in 1990 were denied grants from the National Endowment for the Arts because their work was considered obscene. Congress that year approved legislation requiring the agency to consider “general standards of decency” in funding decisions. The NEA stopped issuing grants to individual artists and remained embroiled in a “culture war” for several years. In 1994, Killacky found himself on the front lines. He presented “Four Scenes in a Harsh Life,” performance artist Ron Athey’s meditation on self-loathing, suffering, healing and redemption as a gay man amid the AIDS pandemic. In the piece, Athey, who was HIV-positive, inserted hypodermic needles into his arm and acupuncturelike needles into his scalp with the help of assistants. He cut incisions into the back of another artist — who was not infected with HIV — and daubed the blood with paper

“Life Stories” is a series profiling Vermonters who have recently died. Know of someone we should write about? Email us at lifestories@ sevendaysvt.com.

towels, which he then suspended over the audience on a line. Weeks later, the Minneapolis Star Tribune published the first of several stories about the show, thrusting the Walker into the national spotlight. Athey’s sold-out show had received $150 in federal funds. That single performance, before 100 people, “dominated debate” as the U.S. House of Representatives considered the NEA’s budget for the following year, the New York Times reported. Conservative pundits, such as Rush Limbaugh, and several U.S. legislators decried the performance, including senator Jesse Helms, who denounced Athey as a “cockroach” on the Senate floor. “I frequently got in senator Helms’ craw,” Killacky said in 2004. Blood-red graffiti marred the Walker’s glass doors; hate mail and hostile phone messages arrived for Killacky, who quoted one in a 2016 lecture at Brown University: “We got the abortion doctor. You’re next.” Life was decidedly quieter in Vermont. But at the Flynn, Killacky faced the sizable challenge of succeeding Andrea Rogers, who had spearheaded the conversion of a former Burlington movie theater into the city’s leading performing arts center and served as its only executive director for 30 years. Over his eight-year tenure, Killacky grew the nonprofit’s budget from $6 million to $7.7 million and nearly doubled its endowment from $6 million to $11 million. “He ran a good ship,” said Steve MacQueen, whom Killacky hired in 2012 as artistic director. “He was famous in the world of arts presenting,” MacQueen said, adding that he initially feared Killacky would encroach on his job. Instead, MacQueen said, “He let me do whatever I wanted to do, and then he would go out and support it.” This, despite the two men’s wildly differing tastes. Where Killacky liked dark,

COURTESY

heavy art, MacQueen prized performances with humor or beauty. “This one’s too beautiful” was a common Killacky critique, MacQueen recalled. “He would actually say that fairly frequently.” MacQueen, now the executive director of the Vermont International Film Foundation, described Killacky as a decisive leader with a strong vision, whose honesty and charm served him well as the face of the Flynn. Killacky expanded the organization’s commitment to access and inclusiveness, collaborating with dozens of local human and social service agencies to provide discounted tickets to their clients and generating $30,000 each year for scholarships to Flynn classes and camps. Inclusivity under Killacky also extended to different physical abilities. The Flynn dimmed the lights and turned down the sound in “sensory-friendly” shows for kids with autism or other neurodivergent conditions. Killacky curated exhibitions of visual art created by people with disabilities. In addition to presenting its own performing arts season, the Flynn is a rental venue and home for other arts organizations. Rather than view those presenters as competitors, Killacky promoted their shows in the Flynn’s print and online materials. “One Flynn” became the theater’s catchphrase. An arts career seemed an unlikely path for John Raymond Killacky. He was born on June 24, 1952, the third of five children who grew up in a lower-middle-class family on the South Side of Chicago. “Irish Catholic, which means Irish Catholic, which means Irish Catholic,” he said of his upbringing in a 2022 interview with queer history website Outwords. His father and both of his grandfathers worked at the Chicago stockyards. The family wasn’t particularly cultured, Killacky told Seven Days senior multimedia producer Eva Sollberger in a 2014 episode of “Stuck in Vermont.” After seeing the Alvin Ailey dance company on a school trip when he was about 10 years old, he told Sollberger, he announced at the family dinner table that he wanted to be a modern dancer. In the video, Killacky popped his eyes wide to illustrate his parents’ response. But his mother enrolled him in dance class. Killacky knew he was gay in high school, he told Outwords, though he didn’t fully understand what that meant. “I was out, but there wasn’t anyone really to be out with,” he said. After dancing with the Chicago Moving Company, he won a scholarship to Harkness Ballet in New York City and moved there when he was 20 years old. The city’s 1973 gay pride parade fell on his 21st birthday. He and fellow cast members of the Jonathan Ned Katz play Coming Out!

John Killacky during his modern dance career

were introduced onstage at the parade’s in 2000 as part of its program “Fever in the terminus. “There were, like, 10,000 people Archive: AIDS Activist Videotapes From in Washington Square Park,” Killacky told the Royal S. Marks Collection.” Outwords, “and I’m thinking, I’m not alone. In retrospect, much of the work in that I have a community. I have a tribe.” show seemed naïve and tepid, Killacky told He lived around the corner from Andy San Francisco Art Institute graduates in his Warhol, shifted to 2002 commencement modern dance after address. “Do the works taking workshops have any lasting meanwith choreographer ing?” he asked. Did they Meredith Monk and change government toured with Winnipolicy or help save peg’s Contemporary lives? “Yes and no, but Dancers. that’s not the point,” he Unsure if he wanted continued. “We made J O H N K IL L AC K Y to continue performthose works to witness ing, he traveled in 1979 to the Himalayas to and survive overwhelming sadness, anger study with a Tibetan Buddhist leader. Upon and despair. History will decide what’s returning to New York, he wrote in his 2021 good or not. That’s not our job as artists.” book, because art: commentary, critique & In 1988, after two years as general conversation, “I stumbled into arts adminis- manager of the PepsiCo Summerfare, a tration.” He managed the dance companies performing arts festival in Purchase, N.Y., of Laura Dean and Trisha Brown. and two years as senior program officer It was around this time that members of for the arts at the Pew Charitable Trusts in the beloved community Killacky had found Philadelphia, Killacky was recruited by the began to get sick. He was on Fire Island to Walker Art Center. celebrate the Fourth of July in 1981 when After Congress passed the 1990 the New York Times ran a story headlined “decency amendment,” grant recipients “Rare Cancer Seen in 41 Homosexuals.” had to sign what Killacky called a “decency” “My notebooks list 119 friends lost to form. “The Walker signed it,” he wrote in AIDS,” he wrote in his book. To channel because art. “There was nothing indecent his anger and grief, he made short films. in what we presented.” His 1995 video “Stolen Shadows” screened Beauty was represented in the Walker’s at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum seasons, he told Twin Cities PBS in 1992,

I BELIEVE ARTISTS CREATE A SAFE PLACE FOR UNSAFE IDEAS IN OUR WORLD.

but artists depicting the ugliness in society must be empowered as well, he said: “We’re going to be bringing in a piece by Reza Abdoh about Jeffrey Dahmer, and it’s a gruesome story. But to me, if Jeffrey Dahmers exists in our society, then we have to allow our artists to depict that and respond to that also.” As he told the Brown University audience in 2016: “Freedom of expression is a more precious commodity than taste.” In 1996, shortly before he left the Walker, Killacky underwent surgery for a tumor in his spinal cord. The man who ran marathons after he stopped dancing woke up paralyzed from the neck down. Within days, limited movement returned to the fingers on his right hand, and he asked to be wheeled to the computer lab so he could “peck at the keyboard,” he told San Francisco Art Institute graduates. “I needed to write to make sense of my disaster. The only impulse I trusted was the artistic one.” He asked for a mirror in rehab, believing that he could teach himself to stand visually because, as a dancer, he had relied on a mirror for feedback. “My dancer training got me to stand up,” he told Seven Days in 2010. “My marathon training got me to keep going.” It took another three months before he could walk, but he never fully recovered. Vermonters nearly always saw Killacky with a cane. “I don’t have strength in my legs anymore,” he told Sollberger in 2014. He lacked sensation on the right side of his body and proprioception — the body’s ability to sense its position and movements — on his left. A Shetland pony named Pacific Raindrop allowed him to dance and run again, he told Sollberger, who filmed Killacky driving a two-wheeled cart pulled by the little horse. “She’s my legs and my wings and my joy.” Once again, Killacky parlayed life into art. With his AIDS work, he sought “to make the body sacred again,” he wrote on his website; after becoming disabled, he “celebrated maligned bodies.” With his husband, retired editor, educator, actor and director Larry Connolly, he made videos, including “Crip Shots,” portraits of six artists with disabilities, and “Dreaming Awake,” which juxtaposes dancers who have disabilities with Killacky seated in his wheelchair. With Bob Guter, founder of the nowdefunct e-zine BENT: A Journal of Cripgay Voices, Killacky coedited Queer Crips: Disabled Gay Men and Their Stories, a 2003 anthology that won a Lambda Literary Award. After leaving the Flynn in 2018, Killacky ‘THE FIERCEST ADVOCATE’ SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

» P.41 39

COURTESY OF KRISTIN PULIDO

culture

CLASSICAL MUSIC

The Jukebox “uniform” of black jeans and Chuck Taylors

Jukebox Heroes To celebrate 10 years of turning classical music on its ear, the VSO quartet puts the audience in charge B Y B RI A NA MI L L ER

he Vermont Symphony Orchestra’s Jukebox series has never been scrappy, but it does have an air of studied insouciance. Fusing the control and sophistication of a classical string quartet with the kinetic energy of rock and roll, Jukebox shows come off as competent yet cool, like an old-school rocker. The vibe is intentional, and it’s resonated with local audiences. The genesis of the series was a 2016 event at Burlington’s ArtsRiot, now the site of the SEABA Center, that paired a nine-course vegan tasting menu with a funky musical setlist performed by a string quartet. Matt LaRocca, the VSO’s artistic adviser and project conductor, curated the musical program. “I like to think I was the music sommelier,” he said. 40

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

LaRocca matched the amuse-bouche, a maple-rosemary meringue, with a piece by contemporary composer John Adams. He garnished other courses with works by classical heavyweights such as Johann Sebastian Bach, Maurice Ravel and Béla Bartók — but also a 2009 string quartet piece by Bryce Dessner, a composer and founding member of the rock band the National. Dessner’s “Aheym” accompanied a sweet potato ravioli. The orchestra didn’t repeat the dinner experiment, which was an unqualified success. It did latch on to the idea of sending classically trained musicians into nontraditional spaces to perform unexpected programs, and the Jukebox series was born. For the past 10 years, the Jukebox quartet — sometimes it’s a trio — has

played in offbeat venues around the state, from rock clubs to breweries to, on one occasion, an airplane hangar. LaRocca still curates the music and employs a similarly eclectic approach. Recent programs have focused on heavy metal, American roots music and scandalous composers. Next week, Jukebox celebrates its 10th anniversary with a run of four “Jukebox Turns Ten” concerts across the state, from St. Johnsbury to Manchester — and, yes, one will be at a brewery. As an added draw, LaRocca will deploy a clever gambit that nods to the series’ name and history. Each show will open with the Danish String Quartet’s arrangement of “Old Reinlender From Sønndala.” After that, audience members will choose eight songs from a list of 16 that the quartet will

play in the order they’re selected — like a jukebox. In a decade of Jukebox performances, LaRocca has compiled a spreadsheet of more than 200 songs. “Aheym” has seen fairly heavy rotation, but otherwise there have been surprisingly few repeats among concerts. LaRocca added some new works to the anniversary lineup, but since the milestone lends itself to a “greatest hits” sensibility, many songs come from the repertoire. While the musicians have already practiced and performed them, it doesn’t make them any easier to play. “We’re more used to the amount of stamina and attention and concentration that it takes,” violist Stefanie Taylor said, “but when we first started playing these concerts, moving from one movement of Mozart to some kind of very percussive and rhythmically kooky contemporary piece, it was — it is — challenging.” At the last rehearsal before a concert or tour, the quartet will often do a full runthrough of a program, violinist Brooke Quiggins-Saulnier said. Because of their genre-hopping and stylistic turns, Jukebox shows are “atypical to what you might do in an orchestral concert or a solo recital,” she

explained. “It takes a lot of mental endurance as well as physical endurance.” She described the whiplash of playing a “really rhythmic, really loud” piece one moment to something “where we’re basically playing at a snail’s pace … but our heart rate is still at what feels like 200.” Since the musicians don’t know what the final programs will be for each anniversary concert, her preferred strategy would be to rehearse “all the really heavy hitters back to back to back, just in case those cards get pulled like that.” The quartet, which also includes violinist Joana Genova and cellist John Dunlop, tends to play in intimate venues or adapts them as such. For the upcoming show at Rutland’s Paramount Theatre, the audience will sit onstage with the musicians. The format offers an unusually up-close view of the physicality involved in Jukebox performances. “To see John’s hand have to shift quickly or to stretch in a weird way as you’re sitting literally a foot and a half from him is very different than if you’re sitting in Row T of an orchestra level watching 80 people on a stage,” Quiggins-Saulnier said. “And the sweat,” Taylor added.

LaRocca compared the Jukebox experience to being at a rock show. He hosts the concerts and provides commentary between pieces. He welcomes questions yelled from the audience, and no one complains if people cheer for the musicians while they play. In the beginning, he and the musicians were trying to figure out what Jukebox was going to look like, how it was going to feel and what they were going to wear. Ten years in, the series has come into its own. “Now it feels like it has a real identity,” he said. “It feels like it’s its own thing.” A subtle clue to that identity is the “Jukebox uniform,” which LaRocca said is usually black jeans, a dark shirt and, befitting a quartet that blurs the lines between classical and rock, “always Chucks.” ➆

INFO

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11/2/26 11:34 AM

One year,

‘The Fiercest Advocate’ « P.39

have known,” she said. Killacky was gentle and soft-spoken, she continued, “unless served two terms representing South there was a question of other people’s rights Burlington in the Vermont House of or people’s access to the building, access Representatives. He brought a curiosity to services.” Then, she said, “he became “about how this work can positively affect fierce.” actual humans in their day-to-day Killacky always invited her to lives,” said Rep. Tom Stevens his art events, she said. “And (D-Waterbury), who chaired I would always go, and the House Committee I’d struggle so hard to on General, Housing understand … because and Military Affairs, of John’s pretty avantwhich Killacky was a garde, and I’m not, member. in terms of artistic Killacky was lead matters, but he never sponsor of the 2021 stopped inviting me.” resolution to apologize He also never for state-sanctioned John (right) with Lawrence Connolly stopped making art. eugenics. The resolution After a medical exam and the law that established last November, Killacky’s COURTESY the Vermont Truth and Reconciliadoctors suspected he had kidney tion Commission started in his committee. stones. Three months later, in February, When relatives of those targeted by the they diagnosed him with terminal cancer. state’s eugenics efforts testified before the “Metastasis,” the assemblage he created committee, Killacky sat in the chair clos- about his disease, was displayed at Burlest to them, Stevens recalled. “His ability ington’s South End Art Hop in September. to sit there and exude a certain amount of “As you leave this holy place,” he told welcome and peace … was really beneficial the San Francisco art school graduates, “I to the whole process,” he said. remind you that your talents are absolutely Chittenden Regional Correctional necessary in a profane world. Just as I Facility was located in Killacky’s district, believe cloistered nuns and monks balance and he visited and listened to the women the frenzied pace of life and protected incarcerated there, said Maida Townsend, wetlands stabilize the ecosystem, I believe a fellow South Burlington representative. artists create a safe place for unsafe ideas “He is one of the kindest souls that I ever in our world.” ➆

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culture Short Takes on Five Vermont Books

even Days writers can’t possibly read, much less review, all the books that arrive in a steady stream by post, email and, in one memorable case, as a tone poem recited aloud in our reception area by a Gertrude Stein impersonator. So this monthly feature is our way of introducing you to a handful of new books by Vermont authors. To do that, we present you with a scrumptious little blob of plot summary and a single representative sentence from, yes, page 32.

Smoke From the Sugar House Michael Isham, self-published, 110 pages. Available for Kindle download for $16.99.

And like most things on a farm, it didn’t happen because of one person. Chittenden County locals know Williston’s Isham Family Farm as the place to go to pick blueberries, stock up on jugs of maple syrup, cut down Christmas trees and — in recent years — attend somebody’s wedding. In his self-published memoir, fifth-generation “Farmer Mike” Isham documents the work behind this enterprise, and the people who have chipped in and carried sap buckets since the family settled there in 1871. The eldest of six kids and the one who’s been in charge for the past two decades, Isham is also the farm’s chief historian. Each of the book’s 31 short chapters reads like a diary entry: stream-of-consciousness, chatty, reflective, filled with childhood recollections and only lightly edited. An old concrete milk can cooler, now in a stone wall marking the property line, serves as a jumping-off point for a dose of dairy history; trips to the cookie jar provide a brief respite — several times a day — from the otherwise taxing schedule. Collectively, these vignettes are a record of old-fashioned farm life and what it takes to keep a farm going in modern times — from crop diversification to hosting opera in a barn.

Oceans to Cross: Amelia Earhart’s Extraordinary Life & Her Fight for Women’s Rights

Peddlers, Merchants, & Junk Dealers: Jewish Life in Small-Town Vermont

Amy M. Kleppner, Bloomsbury Academic, 173 pages. $28.

Margaret K. Nelson, New York University Press, 264 pages. $30.

Winning hearts and minds … is important, but women also need laws that prohibit discrimination.

Fishman’s still offered sale items in January, including “one lot women’s coats reduced to $3.98.”

As Amelia Earhart’s last surviving relative, Amy M. Kleppner answered many questions from writers and film producers about her famous aunt “Meely,” who disappeared on a flight over the Pacific Ocean in 1937. After a career as an educator, the Wardsboro resident penned her own biography of “Lady Lindy,” the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean and a fierce advocate for women’s rights. Intended for young adults, Oceans to Cross will capture older readers as well. Kleppner’s vivid anecdotes recount Earhart’s childhood with an alcoholic father and some of her harrowing airborne mishaps. She puts readers firmly in the cockpit as “AE” flies across the Atlantic through blinding fog with a broken altimeter and the blue flames of burning exhaust gases dancing outside the window of her Lockheed Vega. Kleppner, who died in 2024, leaves no doubt as to why she wrote the book: to ensure that the mystery surrounding her aunt’s disappearance will not overshadow her fight for women’s equality, a central mission in Earhart’s too-short life.

Most Vergennes shoppers probably have no idea that Linda’s Apparel at 175 Main Street is the former Fishman’s Department Store, a landmark of Vermont’s little-known rural Jewish history. The stories of immigrants like Max Fishman, who arrived in Vergennes around 1900 and scratched his way up into the middle class, have been largely ignored, notes Middlebury College professor emerita Margaret K. Nelson. “The otherwise inclusive Vermont Encyclopedia has an entry for ‘jogbra’ (invented in Vermont),” the sociologist observes dryly in the intro to her latest book, “but none for ‘Jews.’” Nelson combed through newspapers, diaries and interviews to reconstruct the lives of those who chose to build homes and businesses in small-town Vermont, far from synagogues and kosher butchers. But she had to read mostly between the lines to detect the isolation and antisemitism experienced by owners of what were called “Jew stores.” Fishman’s heirs insisted he loved Vergennes. In telling his story, Nelson overcomes her own bias to understand that, compared with living in fear of Russian pogroms, life in Vermont must have felt like relative paradise.

JORDAN BARRY

MARY ANN LICKTEIG

MELISSA PASANEN 42

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

Jericho River

On the Record

Gus Speth, Watershed Publications, 195 pages. $20.

Nat Winthrop, Onion River Press, 224 pages. $35.

That night Helen told Patton everything about her day with the Jonases.

Hard times have fallen on his consulting business as a result of VREIT publicity.

The fictional town of Jericho River (no relation to Jericho, Vt.) might seem like a sleepy place, but it had a lot going on in the 1960s and ’70s: teen pregnancy, domestic abuse, murder, a plane crash. Jericho River, Strafford author and environmentalist Gus Speth’s new novel, recounts those colorful years in a book-within-a-book by Clare Pascal, a disabled woman who learns her neighbors’ stories from her perch on a balcony above the town’s general store. Pascal tells us that she started writing the book out of loneliness and without letting townspeople know she was secretly documenting them. Present-tense snippets from her diary relay events of national political importance, often with too much foresight. Clare centers her manuscript on Helen, a girl who grows up during the course of the book and finds Clare’s manuscript in the novel’s prologue. But the recalled stories are vague and distant. None of the town’s tragedies is more emotionally affecting than the plot of a Lifetime movie as relayed by someone who saw it last month. Though the writer’s maxim is “show, don’t tell,” this novel is a tell-all.

The sentence above is from “One Man’s Dream: The Rise and Fall of the Vermont Real Estate Investment Trust,” an August 1983 cover story published in the Vermont Vanguard Press, Burlington’s alt-weekly precursor to Seven Days. Its author: journalist and publisher Nat Winthrop, who covered Vermont for half a century. On the Record, a compilation of 17 of Winthrop’s cover stories in the Vanguard Press, Vermont Times, Vermont Sunday Magazine and Seven Days, is a chronological trip down memory lane for longtime readers of community-centric journalism. Some memories are sweet, including his 1994 interview with ice cream icons Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield; others are searing, such as his 1986 exposé on pedophilia in Vermont. Filmmaker Jay Craven provides the foreword, and Winthrop’s preface outlines his entry into Vermont’s journalism scene. His “beat,” if he ever had one, was interesting people: a chief justice, an in vitro fertilization doctor, a hashish smuggler, a ’60s radical confronting Alzheimer’s. Each story captures a bygone era — with glimpses of Vermont today — and comes with postscripts about where the subjects are now.

ALICE DODGE

KEN PICARD

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culture COMICS

COURTESY

Old Town Café & Comics Releases Second Annual Samhain Harvest Anthology B Y CH RI S FARN S W O R TH • farnsworth@sevendaysvt.com

Halloween may be over, but for real horror heads it’s always spooky season. A new anthology from Old Town Café & Comics in Williston will keep fright fans up at night well into the months ahead. Café co-owner Ben Chase has enlisted a host of comic artists and writers from Vermont and beyond for a terrifying magazine compilation titled Samhain Harvest. Chase is also co-owner of ECGCE, a local independent comic book retailer and distributor that specializes in exclusive preorders, limited editions and special artist collaborations. He’s combining the two entities to produce the free magazine, which comes out on Saturday, November 14, with a daylong release party at the Williston store, where it’s exclusively available. It’s the second issue of Samhain Harvest, following its debut in October 2025. This year’s lineup of writers and artists features several national heavy hitters, including film critic and horror aficionado Joe Bob Briggs, artists Enzo Garza and Alex Cormack, and frequent Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles contributor Steve Lavigne. Los Angeles artist Rustem Shagisultanov illustrated the cover. Among the local contributors are current and former Vermont cartoonists laureate Stephen R. Bissette and James Kochalka, respectively, and writers (and musicians) Justin Boland and Jim Heltz. Chase penned several stories for last year’s edition and contributed more for the new one. “We initially hoped to have it ready for Halloween, but putting this together is a pretty big project,” Chase told Seven Days. “Coordinating so many creators is a lot of work and planning, so I’m really just ecstatic it’s come together.” Technically speaking, Samhain,

the ancient Gaelic festival marking the start of winter, when it’s believed that the veil between the physical and spirit worlds recedes, can stretch into November. So Chase is still hitting his seasonal goal, more or less. The new issue includes stories such as “Hollow Head” by Kochalka, about a living pumpkin looking to find some spare brain matter, as well as a sneak preview of Joseph and Hazel Schmalke’s holiday grind-house comic, Krampus. For Chase, it was a coup to get Bissette, a comics legend who worked with writer Alan Moore on Swamp Thing for DC Comics in the 1980s. “Vermont has such a legacy of great artists like Steve and Rick Veitch … and so many talented people on the scene now, like Tillie Walden and Kochalka,” Chase said. “It was something I really wanted to tap into.” Like last year’s issue, the new Samhain Harvest comes with a soundtrack. Once the digital edition of the new issue goes live on the ECGCE website, readers can scan a QR code and listen to a suitably creepy score of atmospheric electronic and spooky ambient music, courtesy of producer Brkn Hvn. By releasing the magazine exclusively at Old Town, Chase aims to cultivate connections beyond the comic-book page. “We hope [Old Town] is a place that serves as a sort of hub for the community,” he said, “and something like this really helps establish that.” ➆

INFO

Samhain Harvest release party, Saturday, November 14, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., at Old Town Café & Comics in Williston. Free. oldtowncafeandcomics.com

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on screen Wildwood ★★★★★

Laika’s stop-motion animation weaves a spellbinding world of fearsome woods, talking animals and epic battles.

even years after its last release, stop-motion animation studio Laika has returned with Wildwood, an epic fantasy and its most ambitious film yet. Many of the headlines, however, focus on the movie’s lowish gross and billionaire backing. Nike cofounder Phil Knight owns the studio, and CEO and Wildwood director Travis Knight is his son, leading Fortune to call Laika “the anti-Skydance” and Bloomberg to describe Wildwood as “Nike Founder Son’s Latest Unprofitable Masterpiece” — a mixed compliment if there ever was one. Meanwhile, the film’s PG-13 rating and dark aspects have drawn blowback from the social media contingent that believes all animated films should be suitable for young children. (Wildwood’s source material is a middle-grade novel by Decemberists front man Colin Meloy.) But Laika and Wildwood also have their passionate defenders.

REVIEW

Prue McKeel (voice of Peyton Elizabeth Lee) has hit the age (roughly 12) when a kid has a sarcastic rejoinder to everything. That includes her hippie parents; their protective fretting over her baby brother, Mac; and the magical metropolis of Portland, Ore., where they all reside. Prue doesn’t believe in magic, and when she’s asked to watch Mac, she ignores her dad’s warnings and takes the baby on a wild jaunt downtown. It’s all in good fun — until a murder of crows swoops down and bears Mac away into a forest that locals call the Impassable Wilderness. Determined to save her brother, Prue plows into this forbidden place, trailed by her classmate Curtis (Jacob Tremblay), a shy gamer with a hopeless crush on her. They soon find themselves smack in the middle of a war between the Dowager Governess Alexandra (Carey Mulligan), an equestrienne witch warrior backed by an army of talking coyotes; and factions that include bureaucrats, giant birds and lovable bandits. Alexandra, who’s on a grief-fueled revenge quest, would rather scourge the whole forest than accept the loss of her son. Mac is key to her plans, unless Prue, Curtis and their new friends can save him. 46

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

COURTESY OF FATHOM ENTERTAINMENT

The deal

Will you like it?

Right before the end credits, Wildwood offers a lightning-fast montage of scenes from the making of the movie: crewmembers crafting puppets, positioning them on real sets and animating them by hand. The unspoken message couldn’t be clearer: People made this, and not with prompts. Sure, some digital animation was also used in the epic, which features remarkably complex scenes of ground and airborne battle. But there’s a vividness and tactility to Wildwood that no pure computer animation — let alone AI — can approach. Exploring the autumnal splendor of the Impassable Wilderness, or watching expressions shift with humanlike speed on puppets’ lumpy faces, older viewers may be reminded of seeing Jim Henson’s animatronic masterpiece The Dark Crystal — and find themselves back in that state of childlike wonder. Is Wildwood suitable for actual children? It opens with a young boy’s mysterious suicide (later contextualized) and includes battles in which likable supporting characters die, as well as countless extras. With a reckless streak and a chip on her shoulder, Prue is no role model; she endangers her brother and is casually mean to Curtis in early scenes. Many adults in the story aren’t much better — weak, scared, raging. Alexandra is downright twisted, a toxic

blend of self-awareness and delusion, and the flashes of humor and seductive sweetness that Mulligan gives her just make her scarier. Those ingredients add up to a riproaring good story in a dark vein, one that any older kid who enjoys Edward Gorey, early Tim Burton or “Welcome to Night Vale” should appreciate. As the rating indicates, Wildwood will scare the very young or sensitive. But viewers who are ready will eat it up — and a fantasy like this has no upper age limit. Prue and Curtis may be flawed, but they’re also 12 — a harrowing life stage, as anyone who survived it can attest — and they grow over the course of the movie. While Prue’s quest itself is nothing new in the fantasy genre, her orneriness is fresh and welcome. (Seldom has an angry tween girl had so much screen time.) And the message that emerges from Knight and Meloy’s Portland fairy tale (via Chris Butler’s screenplay) is a nuanced and true one: The hardest part of adulthood is learning when to hold on and when to let go. Wildwood itself is a case study in holding on — to human-made craft and the belief that people still have vital stories to pass down to future generations, forms of wisdom that an algorithm can’t sell or a machine replace. Surely that’s a better use

of a billionaire’s spare change than, well, so many of the other options. Don’t let the Alexandras of the world win. MARGO T HARRI S O N margot@sevendaysvt.com

IF YOU LIKE THIS, TRY… KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS (2016; Disney+, HBO Max, YouTube Primetime, rentable): Knight’s previous directorial effort, a gorgeous animated adventure set in feudal Japan, is also a heartbreaking meditation on how stories help us process grief. THE BOXTROLLS (2014; Disney+, HBO Max, YouTube Primetime, rentable): I also loved this Laika film about a human orphan adopted by a community of secretive creatures whom he must later save from his own kind. Kids who are introverted may feel a strong kinship to the shy, playful Boxtrolls. MISSING LINK (2019; the CW, Fandango, Lionsgate+, Pluto TV, Prime Video, Tubi, rentable): Laika’s most recent and lowestgrossing film is this comic take on the Sasquatch mythos, set in the 19th-century Pacific Northwest, with Zach Galifianakis voicing Bigfoot as a gentle, bemused slacker. Kids who like the talking animals in Wildwood (Awkwafina as a smart-ass rat!) might really dig it.

You Can See Everything

THE ONLY LIVING PICKPOCKET IN NEW YORK★★★★ John Turturro plays a veteran thief on a mission to retrieve a stolen object in Noah Segan’s crime drama. (88 min, R. Majestic, Partizanfilm) SENSE AND SENSIBILITY★★★1/2 Two sisters must seek husbands in director Georgia Oakley’s new take on the Jane Austen classic. (131 min, PG. Essex, Majestic)

COURTESY OF A24

WICKER★★★1/2 In a small village, a lonely fisherwoman (Olivia Colman) gets herself a very special husband (Alexander Skårsgard) in this fantastical comedy from Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson. (105 min, R. Big Picture, Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Playhouse, Welden)

NEW IN THEATERS THE CAT IN THE HAT: The feline (voice of Bill Hader) must cheer up depressed siblings in a new animated adaptation of Dr. Seuss’ classic, directed by Alessandro Carloni and Erica Rivinoja. (107 min, PG. Bijou, City Cinema, Essex, Majestic, Marquis, Paramount, Star, Welden) DRUMMER BOY: Music brings hope in this faithbased drama set during the American Revolution, starring and codirected by Joel David Smallbone. (129 min, PG-13. Capitol, Essex, Majestic) GODZILLA MINUS ZERO: In the sequel to Godzilla Minus One, a family must survive a new giantmonster threat in postwar Japan. Takashi Yamazaki directed. (135 min, R. Bijou, Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Star, Welden) LA BOLA NEGRA: This Cannes Film Festival winner inspired by Federico García Lorca explores the lives of gay men in three eras. Guitarricadelafuente and Carlos González star; Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo directed. (160 min, R. Savoy) QUEEN AT SEA: The husband and daughter of a woman with dementia struggle to choose what’s best for her in Lance Hammer’s acclaimed drama, starring Juliette Binoche and Tom Courtenay. (121 min, NR. Partizanfilm) RAMAYANA: RISE OF A LEGEND: An ancient Indian epic becomes an action spectacular about the adventures of a prince (Ranbir Kapoor) in exile. Nitesh Tiwari directed. (165 min, PG-13. Essex, Majestic) WILD HORSE NINE: John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell play CIA agents on a mission in 1973 Chile in the latest dark comedy from Martin McDonagh (The Banshees of Inisherin). (118 min, R. Majestic) THE WORK IN PROGRESS: In Ian Cheney’s documentary inspired by Robert Reich, filmmakers ask people across the U.S. about the state of the nation. (106 min, NR. Catamount)

CURRENTLY PLAYING CHRISTMAS AT THE KRINGLES★ A family wonders why their sinister new neighbors celebrate the holiday year-round in this horror comedy from Kevin Lewis. (98 min, R. Essex) CLAYFACE★★★ A Hollywood actor (Tom Rhys Harries) becomes the subject of a disturbing experiment in this DC Comics horror thriller. (108 min, R. Essex, Majestic, Paramount, Star, Stowe) FJORD★★★★ In the Cannes Film Festival’s Palme d’Or winner, Renate Reinsve and Sebastian Stan play a couple who are accused of mistreating their kids. Cristian Mungiu (Beyond the Hills) directed. (146 min, R. Savoy) HEART OF THE BEAST★★★1/2 A Special Forces officer (Brad Pitt) and his dog must survive in the Alaskan wilderness in David Ayer’s adventure drama. (101 min, PG-13. Majestic)

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WILDWOOD★★★★1/2 In acclaimed studio Laika’s new fantasy animation, a young girl (voice of Peyton Elizabeth Lee) seeks her missing brother in the wilderness. Travis Knight directed. (132 min, PG-13. Big Picture, Bijou, Capitol, City Cinema, Essex,16t-your.indd 1 Majestic, Star, Stowe; reviewed 11/4)

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YOU CAN SEE EVERYTHING★★★★★ Maverick filmmaker Nathan Fielder interviews convicted tech fraudster Elizabeth Holmes on her way to prison in this documentary, codirected with Lance Oppenheim. (174 min, R. Bijou, Capitol, City Cinema, Essex, Majestic, Marquis, Partizanfilm, Savoy, Star, Stowe; reviewed 10/28)

OLDER FILMS AND SPECIAL SCREENINGS ALL THAT JAZZ (VTIFF, Thu only) NAZA (VTIFF, Fri & Sat only) ROCKY 50TH ANNIVERSARY (Essex, starts Sat) THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW (Savoy, Fri only) V FOR VENDETTA 20TH ANNIVERSARY (Essex, Thu only)

TRUE TO THE CONSUMER. TRUE TO THE FARMER. TRUE TO THE ART.

WILD AT HEART — UNRATED (Essex)

OPEN THEATERS (* = upcoming schedule for theater could not be confirmed at press time) *BIG PICTURE THEATER: 48 Carroll Rd., Waitsfield, 496-8994, bigpicturetheater.info. Closed through April 29.

132 Church Street, upstairs

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CAPITOL THEATER: 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.

Cannabis has not been analyzed or approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). For use by individuals 21 years of age or 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 signiﬁcant legal penalties in some jurisdictions and under federal law. It may not be transported outside of the state of Vermont. The effects 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 inﬂuence of this product. National Poison Control Center 1-800-222-1222.

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

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11/2/26 1:30 PM

PARTIZANFILM: 230 College St., Unit 13, Burlington, 276-4588, partizanfilm.org. Reopens October 30.

November 11 & 12, Burlington

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

Get expert guidance on local requirements, timelines, costs, and next steps. Practical worksheets and resources to start planning are included.

*SAVOY THEATER: 26 Main St., Montpelier, 229-0598, savoytheater.com THE SCREENING ROOM @ VTIFF: 60 Lake St., Ste. 1C, Burlington, 660-2600, vtiff.org STAR THEATRE: 17 Eastern Ave., St. Johnsbury, 748-9511, stjaytheatre.com *STOWE CINEMA 3PLEX: 454 Mountain Rd., Stowe, 253-4678, stowecinema.com WELDEN THEATRE: 104 N. Main St., St. Albans, 527-7888, weldentheatre.com

This event is free and open to the public, but registration is requested. SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

art

Double Your Fun

A two-person show creates perfect pairings at the Vermont Supreme Court Gallery S TO RY & PHOT OS BY ALICE DODGE • adodge@sevendaysvt.com

“The Company Town” (left) and “Stopover” (right) by Hannah Morris; “Tartan” (below) and “Quiver” (below right) by Duncan Johnson

SEEN APART, A VIEWER MIGHT NOT NOTICE ANYTHING SIMILAR ABOUT THE TWO ARTISTS’ WORKS. BUT IN PAIRING THEM,

THE SHOW EMPHASIZES UNCANNY RESEMBLANCES.

REVIEW

or an artist, few honors are as widely coveted as a solo show. Such presentation allows for a breadth of work that conveys a whole artistic project and offers insights into process and practice, without asking anyone to share the spotlight. Look at any artist’s CV and there’s usually a list of them right up at the top; it’s the section curators or gallerists are most likely to look at to see which institutions have put their weight fully behind the artist’s vision. But sometimes, two heads are better than one. The Vermont Supreme Court Gallery is known for its solo shows. Its generous space and high ceilings make it an ideal place to showcase a whole body of work, and that’s usually what the curatorial team chooses to present. But with “Duncan Johnson & Hannah Morris: Planes of Distinction,” on view through December 29, works by the Bellows Falls and Barre artists, respectively, 48

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

play off each others’ strengths to a degree rarely seen in a two-person show. Both Johnson and Morris have wellestablished, distinctive styles. Morris’ figurative mixed-media paintings are narrative, sometimes bordering on illustration in their consistency of voice. Each typically has a lot going on, with many figures clearly doing stuff — but what and why, exactly, is often mysterious. Morris builds her paintings through collage, selecting figures from vintage lifestyle magazines and newspapers primarily for their poses and gestures. She paints over them, melding smaller vignettes and transforming each scene into something totally distinct from its origin. Johnson’s works are more abstract. His paintings are more properly relief sculptures, mostly made from found and reclaimed pieces of painted wood. Some are inlaid, put together like a parquet floor; others are looser, woven-looking constructions or carefully shaped assemblages. Some

of his pieces incorporate photo-transferred images from vintage ads, textbooks or newspapers, but the surface and textures of the material itself are always his primary focus. Seen apart, a viewer might not notice anything similar about the two artists’ works. But in pairing them, the show emphasizes uncanny resemblances in palette and composition. Morris’ “Stopover,” for instance, shows a scene that could be outside an airport. Odd vehicles — a plane, a tall van — await passengers and luggage. Clusters of people, all with somewhere to be, lift blocky suitcases, wave for a cab, shake hands. Rather than a road, the action takes place on a terra-cotta-red field interrupted by pink squares; a small fence and a few tall, spindly objects cast shadows that reinforce the idea that this is actual ground, rather than background. Next to “Stopover,” Johnson’s “Quiver” is an arrangement of vertical stripes that practically float and overlap. Red from Morris’

piece has snuck in among the narrow planks; so have yellow and peach from her characters’ outfits and warm grays from the plane and luggage. Johnson has arranged the bits of wood to emphasize the grains and rough-cut surfaces as much as the colors, enticing the eye inward with subtle textures and barring its entry with opaque planks. He has inscribed a diagonal grid in graphite across the picture plane and uses tiny nails along its lines and intersections. The nailheads glint like gems, contrasting with the blackness of the occasional empty knothole. The corners, points, holes and vivid contrasts create clusters of interest that mirror Morris’ assembled travelers. “The Company Town,” by Morris and Johnson’s “Tartan,” two of the largest works in the show, both use a bold palette of dark blues, yellows, pinks, grays and greens to create a frenetic landscape that the viewer moves through, albeit very differently in each. “Tartan” layers short, narrow,

ART SHOWS

shim-like strips of wood crisscrossed vertically and horizontally, creating a version of the pattern its title suggests. Holes and narrow crevices give the piece an illusion of greater depth than it has. It’s easy to get lost in the details here, to find sparks of color hiding behind one another, bright stripes coming forward, wider pieces falling back. “The Company Town” is more like a path through an architectural maze. Blocks of buildings surround a lake, but this is no ordinary landscape. Each has its own perspective, its own scale. One is the interior of a bar; another, maybe an old factory; another boasts modern lines. A few people work a sailboat while others wrangle some kind of giant hose. The whole thing reads like a medieval map of a town, showing viewers important locations and activities, moving through both space and time. Sometimes a simple single element ties two works together. Johnson’s “Snow Fence” is a visually striking piece. It’s a square shadow box, less than an inch deep.

Light blue vertical edges define wider spaces, light blue and dark blue paint playing loosely together in their depths. Across the front, several horizontal stripes made from worn white-painted planks read like a farmer’s fence. Movement largely comes from the viewer: The perspective is enhanced as you walk past the piece, as though it’s casting long winter shadows. A more summery vibe pervades Morris’ “Cruise,” which turns those white planks into the deck of a ship on a blue lake. One person crouches to measure something, as if on a golf green; a seated figure in sunglasses tosses away a scarf or a kite, while two more seem to be surveilling things with binoculars. Though the characters take center stage, their clean, crisp environment — white deck, a field of blue — recalls the bold strength of Johnson’s composition. Both artists bring unique qualities and a variety of works to the show. Visitors can’t miss Morris’ “The Relaxation Station,” which flaunts her ability to paint the body in a glorious assortment of slightly awkward poses. Nor should they skip Johnson’s “Shell Bay,” which sets minuscule painted squares and rectangles into a wall of angled slats, presenting them almost like a cloud of pixels. Each of these artists has a track record of demonstrated skill and focused vision, and their pieces would stand well enough on their own. But sometimes, artworks play better with a friend. ➆

INFO “Duncan Johnson & Hannah Morris: Planes of Distinction,” on view through December 29 at the Vermont Supreme Court Gallery in Montpelier. curator.vermont.gov 2V-middcollart110426 1

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

11/3/26 1:52 PM

COURTESY

art NOV. 4-11 OPENINGS + RECEPTIONS

identity, loss and connection. AVA Gallery and Art Center, Lebanon, N.H., Thursday, November 5, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Free. LIFE DRAWING AND PAINTING: A drop-in event for artists working with the figure from a live model. T.W. Wood Museum, Montpelier, Thursday, November 5, 7-9 p.m. Free; $15 suggested donation.

‘AUTUMN INTO WINTER: VERMONT LANDSCAPE PAINTINGS’: Antique and midcentury paintings of Vermont by various artists; note new location in Shelburne Village. J. Kenneth Fine Art, Shelburne, through November 30.

RIVER JO: An immersive fiber art exhibit with complimentary cake and crafts for all ages created by the new SEABA artist-in-residence. The Vaults, Burlington, Friday, November 6, 5-9 p.m. Free.

ART AT THE AIRPORT: AMY JELEN: Works in collage inspired by Vermont and the natural world that mimic the artist’s previous work in stained glass. Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport, South Burlington, through December 7.

CONVERSATION: JOE BOSSEN AND RACHEAL OUELLETTE: “Growing What Comes Next,” a conversation with the owners of Cloud Water Farm, Muddy Boots CSA and Vermont Bean Crafters in conjunction with the exhibition “Unplowed Realities.” The Gallery at Mad River Valley Arts, Waitsfield, Saturday, November 7, 4 p.m. Free.

LINDA DIAK: “Impacted,” 10 art quilts featuring creatures impacted by human activity. Steele Community Room, Waterbury Municipal Complex, through December 31. BEN RAYMOND: “Little Traces,” an exhibit of mixed-media drawings of Vermont’s animal wildlife by the MFA candidate. Reception: Thursday, November 5, noon-2 p.m. Julian Scott Memorial Gallery, Vermont State University-Johnson, through November 20.

MINDFUL ART MAKING SERIES: An opportunity to play and explore a variety of art materials or continue working with your own practice with new art-making techniques. No experience needed; all supplies are provided. Montgomery Center for the Arts, Sunday, November 8, 1-3 p.m. $15.

2026 MEMBERS’ ART SHOW: An exhibition of work by more than 100 Vermont and regional artists. Reception: Thursday, November 5, 5-7 p.m. The Current, Stowe, November 5-December 12. LUCIA MONGE: “Against the Grain,” a sculptural installation by the Peruvian artist examining the relationship between GMO crops and Amaranthus palmeri, a plant known as a “superweed” in the U.S. and a “superfood” in Peru, where it has a rich cultural tradition. Reception: Thursday, November 5, 6-7 p.m.; artist talk, 5-6 p.m. McCarthy Art Gallery, Saint Michael’s College, Colchester, November 5-December 11. KATHLEEN FLEMING: “Color and Form,” new mixedmedia work by the artist, who builds her paintings into layered abstractions inspired by the Vermont landscape. Reception: Friday, November 6, 4-6 p.m. Front Seat Coffee, Hardwick, November 6-February 28. CREATIVE COMPETITION: An exhibition of works submitted by local artists and voted on during the opening reception; the winner takes half of all the entry fees and bragging rights. Reception: Friday, November 6, 5-9 p.m. The SEABA Center, Burlington, November 6-28. MARK LORAH: “The Invention of Intention,” sculpture and painting exploring the generative relationship between material, form and impulsive divergence. Reception: Friday, November 6, 4-7 p.m. The Front, Montpelier, November 6-29. SARAH WALKER: “Radiant Bodies,” paintings by the New York City-based artist in which the biological, technological, microscopic and cosmic coexist in intricately layered compositions. Closing reception: Friday, November 6, 4-8 p.m. Hexum Gallery, Montpelier, through November 13. BO MOORE: “Snake Wisdom,” a show of folk art-inspired mixed-media paintings by the “Eat More Kale” artist. Reception: Friday, November 6, 5-7 p.m. Axel’s Frame Shop & Gallery, Waterbury, through November 21. SARAH WESSON: “Within Walking Distance,” a three-year project during which the Ripton artist has painted watercolors of plants gathered on daily walks. Reception: Friday, November 6, 5-7 p.m. Jackson Gallery, Town Hall Theater, Middlebury, November 6-December 23. ‘STILL HERE: AN EXHIBITION ON CRAFT, TIME & LEGACY’: Ceramic works by Stephen Procter, who is known for his monumental vessels, and by Lowell Hutcheson, Alex Bernius and Kailey Mattus, all of whom are connected with his studio. Reception: Friday, November 6, 5-7 p.m. Mitchell Giddings Fine Arts, Brattleboro, November 5-22. RIA BLAAS: “Go Figure,” an exhibition of large, playful, figurative wood sculptures. Reception: Friday, November 6, 5-7 p.m. Gate Street Gallery, White River Junction, November 6-January 31. CHRIS SOLLARS: “The Neighbors,” a multimedia video installation about the nonhuman inhabitants

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

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 8, 1-3 p.m. Free.

EXHIBITION

“Interspecies I” by Sarah Walker

Good Vibrations Classical art has long been vaunted for its geometries — how its inherent ratios, angles and symmetries create a steady, pleasing stability. While employing similar forms, Sarah Walker’s mathy shapes do nothing of the sort. She builds her intricate paintings with layers of fluid acrylic paint, letting colors flow freely before corralling them within careful delineations. She covers some areas but always retains a trace of an earlier layer, even when, she wrote in an email, the painting isn’t coming together yet and, using a green dish pad, she “will scour the surface like an angry god.” That energy pulses through her intensely vivid compositions. Some works look almost pre-Columbian, such as “Notes to Self,” which resembles the face of an ancient fish god carved from malachite. By contrast, “Interspecies I” reads as sci-fi, its radiating forms and a gem-tone palette like a mothership designed by Versace. “Shimmer Portal” seems to float with a mandala-like spiritual quality, asking the viewer whether abstract patterns and shapes can contain a life of their own.

‘SARAH WALKER: RADIANT BODIES’ On view through November 13 at Hexum Gallery in Montpelier. Closing reception Friday, November 6, 4-8 p.m. hexumgallery.com

of the lands around the artist’s rural Vermont home. Closing reception: Saturday, November 7, 4-7 p.m. Black Family Visual Arts Center, Dartmouth College, Hanover, N.H., through November 8. ANDREW ORR: “A Journey of Place: Year One Series,” four paintings that form the first collection of works in the artist’s five-year project documenting a trek through the Vermont landscape. Paintings are available for sale only via ballot drawing during the closing reception. Reception and ballot sale: Saturday, November 7, 5-7 p.m. Bryan Fine Art Gallery, Stowe, through November 7. ‘CELEBRATE!’: A three-floor fine art and craft extravaganza with work created by more than 90 member artists. Reception: Saturday, November 14, 3:30-5 p.m. Studio Place Arts, Barre, November 6-December 26.

VISUAL ART EVENTS PUBLIC MURAL UNVEILING: A celebration of “Our Water, Our Future: A Story of Memory, Stewardship and Continuity,” a new mural exploring the systems

that bring clean water to Burlington and protect Lake Champlain, created by Juniper Creative Arts and youths in BCA’s 2026 Artist Apprenticeship Program. 235 Penny Lane, Wednesday, November 4, noon-1 p.m. Free. ARTIST TALK: DIANNE SHULLENBERGER: A discussion with the fiber, colored pencil and sculpture artist, who shares examples of her work and discusses her history. First Congregational Church of Essex Junction, Thursday, November 5, 9-11 a.m. $25 annually after two free meetings. ARTIST TALK: MARGARET JACOBS: A discussion with the Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk) metalsmith about the current exhibition of her work and her fabricated steel sculptures, which showcase and explore kinships to botanicals and the natural world as well as values systems that we hold as humans. Johnson Memorial Building, Middlebury College, Thursday, November 5, 4:30-5:30 p.m. Free. ARTIST TALK: LINDA BRYAN: A discussion with the artist of her process of revisiting family photographs, documents, objects and ephemera preserved across generations in an effort to explore

ARTIST TALK: ANDREW MILLER-BROWN OF JANUS PRESS: An overview of Miller-Brown’s work alongside founder Claire Van Vliet creating handmade books, some of which will be available for viewing after the talk. Craftsbury Public Library, Craftsbury Common, Sunday, November 8, 4-5 p.m. Free. COLLAGE COLLECTIVE: An open group of collage enthusiasts who gather in studio and via Zoom to cut, paste and create new work. Open to beginners and experienced collagists alike. Expressive Arts Burlington, Monday, November 9, 6:30-9 p.m. By donation. FIGURE DRAWING: An invitation to artists at all levels of experience to draw from a live model. Drawing boards and easels provided; participants bring drawing materials. 18-plus; preregistration required. Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, Sunday, November 8, 2-4 p.m. $20; $5 for current VSC residents. PORTRAIT DRAWING AND PAINTING: A drop-in event where artists can practice skills in any medium. T.W. Wood Museum, Montpelier, Monday, November 9, 10 a.m.-noon. Free; $15 suggested donation. CARVING CIRCLE: A space for printmakers to carve, glue or incise blocks together. Studio tools available; no printing takes place. Two Rivers Printmaking Studio, White River Junction, Tuesday, November 10, 6-8 p.m. Free.

CALLS TO ARTISTS FEDERAL JUNIOR DUCK STAMP CONTEST: An invitation from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to pre-K-12 students to create designs featuring native ducks, swans or geese in their natural habitats. Entry form at fws.gov. Deadline: March 15. Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge, Brunswick. REGISTER FOR ASSETS FOR ARTISTS WORKSHOPS: Now accepting registrations for November and December free online and in-person workshops. Register at assetsforartists.org. Vermont Arts Council, Montpelier. Free. ‘SNOW: A WINTER HOLIDAY & NEW YEAR ART EXHIBITION 2027’: Seeking submissions from Vermont artists of one to three 2D artworks exploring winter, holidays and new beginnings; no nudity. Pieces should be no larger than 20 by 20 inches. Email submissions to gallery@southburlingtonvt. gov. Deadline: November 12. South Burlington Public Art Gallery. Free. ➆

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music+nightlife

Joe Agnello

There’s Something About Joe After years of channeling other musicians, Burlington guitarist Joe Agnello shows his true face BY CH R IS FAR NS W O R TH • farnsworth@sevendaysvt.com

n the first track of his new album as Joe Something, Picture Pepper Potato Brain, singersongwriter and guitar shredder Joe Agnello has Robert De Niro on his mind. “I’m your Midnight Run / I’m De Niro in Heat,” the Burlington musician sings on the chorus to the aptly named “Deniro in Heat.” The song, which starts out with the sound of a film projector being loaded, references Michael Mann’s 1995 thriller, Heat, starring De Niro. “I was watching a lot of Michael Mann films when I was making this record,” Agnello, 32, explained. “I find that helps me a lot when I’m writing or recording, just to get out of music and engage with

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

other art forms. It can cleanse the palate, Ween with the band Knights of the Brown in a way.” Table. Agnello has quite a palate to cleanse. Agnello hopes to become known for his Though Picture Pepper Potato Brain is own playing eventually. A skilled, eclechis second solo LP tic guitarist who can of original material, embody the rhythmic he’s perhaps best subtleties and inverted known locally for chord voices of Weir being something of a and the blues-rock talented impressionpyrotechnics of Page ist. He does a bangall at once, Agnello is on interpretation of also, at his core, a rock J O E AGNE L L O Bob Weir in a host and roller who longs to of Grateful Dead tribute acts, including set his musical self free. His new record, Zach Nugent’s Dead Set and Dobbs’ Dead. which drops this Friday, November 6, He channels the power of Jimmy Page in serves as something of a sonic biography, the Led Zeppelin cover band Nico Suave a map of Agnello’s influences, many of & the Mothership. And he takes on Dean which might surprise his jammier fans.

I LOVE THIS SCENE.

IT MEANS EVERYTHING TO ME.

“I’m unbelievably grateful for the cover bands and for the fans that come out to hear those songs,” Agnello said. “Ultimately, that’s not what I want to do. I want to focus on my original music and take that for a ride, see what happens. But playing the music of the Grateful Dead has helped me be a professional musician, and you can’t really measure the worth of something like that. Playing these songs has given me a living, and I don’t take that lightly.” The hordes of Deadheads who come out weekly to see Agnello perform might not know it, but he didn’t start out as much of a fan of the band. The Massachusettsborn guitarist got the itch to pick up a sixstring after his father handed him a copy of a Ramones album when he was 13. “Growing up, it was all about punk until I got a little older and started listening to the Smashing Pumpkins and Pavement and Dinosaur Jr.,” Agnello said. “I fell in love with screaming, fuzzy guitars just cutting through the mix.” You can hear those influences all over the new LP. The guitar solo on “The Kinks” is a perfect mix of the distorted excess of Dinosaur Jr.’s J Mascis and the playful yet searing chops of the Eagles’ Joe Walsh. The flange-laden melodic stabs on “Flip Phone” come right out of the ’90s grunge playbook. “At the end of the day, it’s a pure rock and roll record,” Agnello said. “I mean, I’ve been chasing Neil Young’s guitar tone on Rust Never Sleeps since I was in high school. There’s no secret; he just cranks the amp to 10 and makes the tubes cry.” So how did a high school punk and scuzz rocker end up being one of Vermont’s go-to Grateful Dead guys? “Well, I don’t want to belittle what it’s become and how important to me it is now,” Agnello began. “But when it started, it was just literally about getting a gig. I didn’t really know that much Dead music, but when Zach [Nugent] asked me to play all the Bobby parts, as a working musician, I said, If I’m going to do it, I’m really going to do it. I just dove headfirst into the music and his playing.” He was pleasantly surprised to find Weir’s playing more complex than he had previously realized. But it was singing Weir’s parts in Dead songs that really unlocked something in Agnello. “Up until that point, I just made instrumental music,” he recalled. “Leaning into the Bobby role really helped me find my voice as a singer. You just have to get up there and let it fly, man.” That learned confidence can be heard in the assured way he belts out the hooks on swampy rocker “They Can Be Dude” THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT JOE

» P.54

On the Beat The region’s best up-and-coming musicians face off on Sunday, November 15, at the 14th annual New England Music Awards. As determined by a board of journalists, music publications, radio personalities, talent buyers and label execs, the NEMAs honor musicians in a variety of categories, from Act, Performer and Producer of the Year to genrespecific categories to the Rising Star in each New England state — last year’s Vermont winner was LILY SEABIRD. There’s plenty of Vermont talent nominated this year. GREG FREEMAN’s Burnover is up for Album of the Year; RUTH GARBUS and Lily Seabird are competing for Songwriter of the Year; RYAN MONTBLEAU and RYAN SWEEZEY for Performer of the Year; HIGH SUMMER for Live Act of the Year; ALL NIGHT BOOGIE BAND for Blues Act of the Year; ROBBER ROBBER for Rock Act of the Year; GREASEFACE for Punk Rock Act of the Year; and ALI T and (weirdly) indie-chill act PAPER CASTLES for Pop Act of the Year. Other notable Vermont artists nominated include BOW THAYER, JADED RAVINS, the WORMDOGS, EMMA COOK, REID PARSONS, the TENDERBELLIES, MAVSTAR, ASTRAL UNDERGROUND and MYRA FLYNN. Winners will be announced during the Sunday ceremony at the Six String Grill & Stage in Foxborough, Mass.

Listening In (Spotify mix of local jams)

COURTESY

GOT MUSIC NEWS? MUSIC@SEVENDAYSVT.COM

Blake Matteson

Burlington singer-songwriter BLAKE MATTESON, who is also nominated for Vermont’s Rising Star, is set to perform. That’s a pretty big collection of Green Mountain musicians up for a prize. Good luck to them all! To learn more or get tickets to the ceremony, visit nemusicawards.com. Burlington’s master of all things psych, KEVIN BLOOM, is back with a new album from their project the DEAD SHAKERS. Fittingly titled SONGS FROM BURLINGTON, VERMONT (you’re killing me with this caps lock shit, Kev) the record drops on streaming platforms on Friday, November 6, via their own label, Raytheon Defense Contractor Company Recording Artists of Northern Vermont. Smells like a lawsuit to me, but what do I know? Maybe defense

1. “WITH A WILD DECK OF CARDS”

ON THE BEAT

2. “ARROWS — SLOW MAGIC REMIX”

by Rooting for You, Slow Magic 3. “PLEASE DON’T HURT ME TOO”

by Ursa and the Major Key 4. “SORRY (THAT I LOVE YOU)”

by Liz Cooper 5. “ELEVATE” by Marvel Years, Adam Deitch

Gabriela Martinez BUY TICKETS

NOW!

6. “JUST BREATHE”

10/20/26 10:26 AM

» P.54

COURTESY OF KATE WARREN

by the Discussions

4T-sppac102126 1

Friday, November 6 at 7:30 pm UVM Recital Hall $38.50 Adult | $7.50 Student

LIVE SINCE 1955

by Blake Matteson 7. “HARBOUR STEEL/FRANCIS FRENZY” by Alex Cumming

2026 Fall Sessions Sponsors

Scan to listen

and thanks to our anonymous donors

with Grant Support from: Vermont Community Foundation | Vermont Humanities | Vermont Council on the Arts

sevendaysvt. com/playlist

2 0 2 6 FA L L S E S S I O N S T I C K E T S | A R T I S T I N F O :

Kevin Bloom

UVM.EDU/LANESERIES LAN.262.26 Lane Series 7D GABRIELA MARTINEZ Ad (11/4 Issue): 1/4 tile color: 4.75" x 5.56"

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SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

10/30/26 11:19 AM

music+nightlife There’s Something About Joe « P.52

INFO

Picture Pepper Potato Brain by Joe Something comes out on Friday, November 6, on major streaming sites and joesomething.bandcamp. com. Album release party, Friday, November 20, 8 p.m., at Foam Brewers in Burlington. Free. foambrewers.com

Joe Agnello

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

COURTESY

On the Beat « P.53 contractor companies have a great sense of humor? Fresh off a campaign for the Chittenden County sheriff seat that was ultimately won by incumbent Dan Gamelin, Bloom is still full of political piss and vinegar. The musician has dedicated the new record not only to the people of Burlington but also to former mayor Miro Weinberger, whom Bloom called “a Trump for Burlington in the 2010s.” In an open letter on social media, Bloom invited Weinberger to the Dead Shakers’ November 6 album-release show at Junktiques Collective in Burlington. Bloom wrote, “I will make no bones about it, I do not like you or your politics” but expressed hope that Weinberger might consent to come to the show and sit down for a chat. I have no idea if Weinberger plans to show or even has a clue that a local indie-rock musician wants to roast him, but I’m a sucker for political theater, so fingers crossed. Actually, what if Weinberger elevated this to a KENDRICK LAMAR-and-DRAKE-level feud, went into the studio, and dropped a massive Dead Shakers dis album? Just a thought, Miro.

LUKE AWTRY

and the Southern-rock majesty of “Caroline,” a tune that channels both the Mountain Goats and Tom Petty. “I hope that what I’m doing is taking all these little pieces and influences I’ve picked up and making them my own,” he said. “That’s what I always loved about Ween and why they’re my favorite band. They taught me to wear your influences on your sleeve, but hold on to your voice, your writing, and it will take care of itself; you’ll be yourself.” Picture Pepper Potato Brain feels incredibly Joe Agnello, and that’s a good thing. While there are moments of jamadjacent vibes, the record by and large strikes a balance between Southern-fried stoner rock and grunge-inflected indie. It all feels rather, well, Burlington. And that’s not by accident. “I love this scene,” Agnello said of the Queen City music ecosystem. “It means everything to me, and I live here because I am so constantly inspired by the people and musicians around me. I get inspired by Mike Gordon and Lily Seabird and Greaseface; it all moves me and makes proud to be part of it.”

Agnello will celebrate the new LP with that scene on Friday, November 20, at Foam Brewers on the Burlington waterfront. He hopes fans of his tribute work take to his original tunes just as passionately, but he knows how hard it is to put out an album in 2026 and get anyone to notice. “I don’t honestly have expectations or big aspirations for the record,” Agnello admitted. “To be frank, I don’t really understand how to put out a record in the current climate. I don’t want to waste a bunch of time making Instagram reels, you know? So much is down to luck and the algorithm, which is so depressing. “So, the only plan is to play live as much as I can and keep exposing people to the music,” he continued. “That’s all I’ve ever known. That’s how I came up playing music. So that’s what I’m going to do.” ➆

Allison Fay

never-ending love for the greatest city in the world,” Bloom wrote in a press release. You hear that, Burlington? Facebook comments might say you’re a socialist hellhole, but Kevin Bloom wants you to know you’re beautiful. Vermont singer-songwriter ALLISON

FAY put out a new single titled “This

On past albums, Bloom has worked with other Burlington indie heavyweights such as Greg Freeman and Lily Seabird. SONGS FROM BURLINGTON, VERMONT is a collaboration by Bloom, Robber Robber, DARI BAY and UNKNOWN

MORTAL ORCHESTRA drummer/multi-

instrumentalist ZACK JAMES. “This album is drenched in psychedelia, hard boiled in reverence for the song as an artform, and meticulously painted and carved with a deep and

Old Grave” just a week or so before Halloween. Title and release date aside, the song is hardly some grim, horrorthemed tune but rather a delicate folk ballad featuring Fay’s velvety smooth vocals, soft acoustic guitars and a subtle cello. While the song is inspired by death, it treats life’s ending with a poetic, philosophical bent, recounting Fay’s experience witnessing an old friend die from bone cancer in hospice care. “The basement with old beams / all alone the girl gets ready / Spiders weave homes in the windows and nicotine curtains the eves and curling smoke and silk and memories,” Fay sings, painting the picture of the strange sensation of waiting for a loved one to pass on. “This Old Grave” is streaming now on major services.

C HRI S FARN S W O RT H

live music WED.4

Danny Roda (folk, blues) at the Tunbridge General Store, 5 p.m. Free. Dead Sessions Lite (Grateful Dead tribute) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 7 p.m. $10.

COURTESY OF AMY HELFAND

CLUB DATES

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

McMaple (folk rock) at Four Quarters Brewing, Winooski, 7 p.m. Free.

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

The Discussions (experimental) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

SAT.7 & SUN.8 // JEFFERSON HAMER [SINGER-SONGWRITER]

High Horse (bluegrass) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 7 p.m. $15/$20.

Out of the Shadows Guitarist, producer and singer-songwriter JEFFERSON HAMER might not be a household name, but his work speaks for itself. Hamer

has collaborated with the likes of Vermont’s Anaïs Mitchell, Grammy-winning singer-

TURNmusic Presents: The Freeway Clyde Residency (psychedelic jazz rock) at the Phoenix, Waterbury, 7:30 p.m. $15-$30.

songwriter Sarah Jarosz, Boston folk legends Session Americana and a slew of others over a

FRI.6

2024’s Alameda. He performs at Shelburne Vineyard this Saturday and Sunday, November

Cheddar (funk, soul) at the Alchemist, Stowe, 4 p.m. Free. Coane, Rowell & Schabner (folk) at Jericho Café & Tavern, 6 p.m. Free. Dead Man Strumming (Grateful Dead tribute) at River Roost Brewery, White River Junction, 5 p.m. Free. Dorado Collective (Americana) at Hugo’s, Montpelier, 7:30 p.m. Free. Forest Station (bluegrass) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free. Fruit Bats, Sarah Klang (indie) at Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington, 8 p.m. $35. JP Harris’ Dreadful Wind & Rain, Sophie Mae Wellington (country) at Stone Church, Brattleboro, 8 p.m. $20/$25.

Sleep, Zombi, the Schizophonics (metal) at Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington, 8 p.m. $45.

BrattRock (talent show) at Stone Church, Brattleboro, 6 p.m. $10-$20.

Ariel Zevon & the Wolf (rock, folk) at Charlie-O’s World Famous, Montpelier, 8 p.m. Free.

Bleeding Hearts Band (folk) at the Whammy Bar, Calais, 7 p.m. Free.

Tim Brick (country) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 5 p.m. Free.

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

THU.5

Annie in the Water (Americana) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 8 p.m. $15/$20.

Jenny Porter (singer-songwriter) at Four Quarters Brewing, Winooski, 6 p.m. Free.

SUN.8

Sierra Hotel, New Speaker (indie rock) at Monkey House, Winooski, 7:30 p.m. $5.

All Night Boogie Band, SWAMPYTONK (blues) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $15.

Soup for Two, Salmo (indie rock, folk) at Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 7 p.m. $10.

Willi Carlisle, Sparrow Smith & the Resonant Rogues (folk) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $20.

Porch Light, Nautics (rock) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $20.

Ali T (singer-songwriter) at 1st Republic Brewing, Essex, 6 p.m. Free.

Jazz Night with Ray Vega (jazz) at Hotel Vermont, Burlington, 8:30 p.m. Free.

TRS LIVE: Clint Bierman’s Grunge Unplugged: Live Recording Session (grunge) at Tank Recording Studio, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $25-$100.

Jazz Night with Ray Vega (jazz) at Hotel Vermont, Burlington, 8:30 p.m. Free.

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

Ryan James & the Cryin’ Shames (rock) at Bent Nails Roadhouse, Middlesex, 8:30 p.m. Free.

glittering career spent largely in the background. The Brooklyn musician does occasionally step out on his own and drops records full of original indie folk and Americana, such as 7 and 8. Kristin Daelyn (acoustic) at Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

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

Madigan Linnane (singersongwriter) at Switchback Beer Garden & Smokehouse, Burlington, 5:30 p.m. Free.

Tournesol (jazz) at Shelburne Vineyard, 6 p.m. Free.

Matt Hagen (acoustic) at Hotel Vermont, Burlington, 4 p.m. Free. Mean Waltons (bluegrass) at Poultney Pub, 6 p.m. Free. M.S.J. Jazz Trio (jazz) at Two Heroes Brewery & Public House, South Hero, 6 p.m. Free. The Phil Abair Band (covers) at the Old Post, South Burlington, 8 p.m. Free. Ratblood, Payphone Confession, Shine, Pay for Blood, Amora Drowns (metal) at 14th Star Brewing, St. Albans, 7 p.m. $15. Rebekah Heller (solo bassoon) at the Mill, Westport, N.Y., 7 p.m. $30-$40. Run Along, Violet Crimes, Mooncusser (punk) at Charlie-O’s World Famous, Montpelier, 8:30 p.m. Free. Shadow Monster, Brunch, Rangus (rock) at Monkey House, Winooski, 8 p.m. $10. Shane McGrath (acoustic) at Gusto’s, Barre, 6 p.m. Free.

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

SAT.7

Almost SturCrazie (rock) at 1st Republic Brewing, Essex, 6 p.m. Free. April Clemens & Cobalt Tolbert (singer-songwriter) at Hugo’s, Montpelier, 7:30 p.m. Free. Bob Gagnon (singer-songwriter) at Jericho Café & Tavern, 6 p.m. Free. The Conniption Fits (covers) at Gusto’s, Barre, 9 p.m. Free. Edwin O. Munera: ‘No Land’s Man’ (solo guitar) at Montpelier Performing Arts Hub, 7 p.m. $15-$30. The Fez Silk East Coast Farewell, EP Release, Songwriter Showcase Extravaganza (live music) at the Underground, Randolph, 7:30 p.m. $14. Jefferson Hamer (singersongwriter) at Shelburne Vineyard, 6 p.m. Free.

Jefferson Hamer (singersongwriter) at Shelburne Vineyard, 3 p.m. Free. Learning to Fly: Student Spotlight Showcase (student showcase) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 7 p.m. $10/$15. Parks Department, Julia Randall, Jordan Meeker (indie) at Monkey House, Winooski, 7 p.m. $5/$10. Seth Yacovone (acoustic) at the Alchemist, Stowe, 4 p.m. Free. Sunday Brunch Tunes (singersongwriter) at Hotel Vermont, Burlington, 10 a.m.

Weatherday, sports., Skrom (indie) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $22. Zach Nugent’s Dead Set (Grateful Dead tribute) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 7 p.m. $10.

djs THU.5

Thirsty Thursday (DJ) at Rí Rá Irish Pub & Whiskey Room, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free. TwoSev, JP Black, Rubi, Chaston (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free. Vinyl Night (DJ) at Poultney Pub, 6 p.m. Free. Vinyl Thursdays (DJ) at Hotel Vermont, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

FRI.6

DJ LaFountaine (DJ) at Gusto’s, Barre, 9 p.m. Free. DJ Taka (DJ) at Standing Stone Wines, Winooski, 11 p.m. $10. Ecstatic Dance Vermont (DJ) at Capital City Grange, Berlin, 7 p.m. $10 donation. Friday Night at Specs (DJ) at Specs Cafe & Bar, Winooski, 7 p.m. Free. Lucky Luc, Two Sev, Ron Stoppable, Aidan, Rubi (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, 5 p.m. Free.

Jeh Kulu West African Dance Party with Sabouyouma DJ Yo (West African) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

TURNmusic Presents: Daniel Ian Smith and the Generations Quartet (jazz) at the Phoenix, Waterbury, 4 p.m. $15-$30.

Jerbron (acoustic) at Switchback Beer Garden & Smokehouse, Burlington, 5:30 p.m. Free.

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

SAT.7

TUE.10

DJ CRWD CTRL (DJ) at Monkey House, Winooski, 9 p.m. Free.

JJ Booth, D. Davis (jazz) at Two Heroes Brewery & Public House, South Hero, 6 p.m. Free. John Splithoff (singer-songwriter) at Stone Church, Brattleboro, 8 p.m. $42. Just a Girl (No Doubt tribute) at 14th Star Brewing, St. Albans, 7 p.m. Free. Magic User, S.T.A., Wratchit (punk) at Charlie-O’s World Famous, Montpelier, 9 p.m. Free. Magnetic Horse (covers) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 9 p.m. Free. Morey Mountain Band (Americana) at the Den at Harry’s Hardware, Cabot, 7 p.m. Free. Nightrain, Sticks and Stones (covers) at Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $15. North Beach Dub Allstars (Sublime tribute) at the Alchemist, Stowe, 4 p.m. Free.

Big Easy Tuesdays with Jon McBride (jazz) at the 126, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free. Bolton Outdoor Adventure Fund Presents: Stick Season Social with the Wormdogs (bluegrass) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 6-10 p.m. $45. Dead Is Alive with Dobbs’ Dead (Grateful Dead tribute) at Einstein’s Tap House, Burlington, 8 p.m. $15. Eclipse (jazz) at Lawson’s Finest Liquids, Waitsfield, 5 p.m. Free. Julesy, english major, Paper Castles (indie) at Monkey House, Winooski, 7:15 p.m. $5/$10.

WED.11

David Karl Roberts (singersongwriter) at Two Heroes Brewery & Public House, South Hero, 6 p.m. Free.

DJ Big Dog (DJ) at Thingz From Yaad, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

Mr. Cheng, Green Mountain Sound, Screeching Cats, Aras, Raul, Matt P (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, 5 p.m. Free.

TUE.10

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

open mics & jams WED.4

Jazz Jam (jazz) at the 126, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free. Open Celtic Session (open jam) at Bent Nails Roadhouse, Middlesex, 6 p.m. Free.

Jamie Lee Thurston (country) at the Old Post, South Burlington, 7 p.m. Free. OPEN MICS & JAMS SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

» P.57 55

music+nightlife

REVIEW this Cady Ternity, Chatoyance (SELF-RELEASED, DIGITAL)

Job of theWeek TRIVIA HOST 802 Events Get the scoop on this position from office 802 Events office manager Amanda Taylor.

What are some specific challenges of this position, and why is it important? A trivia host is challenged to read the room and keep regulars and first-timers equally engaged in a fast-paced, multi-round trivia experience. A great host matters because the host sets the mood for the night. Pub Geeks helps our location partners turn a slow weeknight into a packed one, and that only happens when players leave saying they can’t wait to come back next week. As a host, you bring the energy and the fun and build the kind of night that keeps friends wanting to return over and over again. We’re based out of South Burlington and run events at various locations in Vermont and New Hampshire. We pay for travel and seek hosts who live within an agreeable distance to the trivia locations.

Tell us something unique about working for 802 Events. We come from the live-event world, so our trivia runs like a show, not a quiz read off a phone. We write every game ourselves with different categories each week! A host gets to be the person who makes someone’s week. You’ll work with a small team that cares about doing it right, have input on trivia themes, and build relationships with the location staff and the teams who keep coming back. You become the local trivia celebrity! A host from one of our newer locations, Zachary’s Pizza in South Burlington, says hosting is always fun — her friends show up to play, many teams come weekly, and it’s fun to see how competitive they get. Since Pub Geeks is a part of 802 Events, hosts have the potential to grow into other event opportunities! Apply for this great local job and many more: jobs.sevendaysvt.com

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

2v-JOTW110426.indd 1

11/3/26 2:37 PM

Cady Ternity want their art to speak for itself. In an email, the Northfield indie-rock band referenced the late, great David Lynch, who once said, “The film is the talking. The film is the thing. So you go see the film. That’s the thing. It’s the whole thing, and it’s there, and that is it.” Cady Ternity’s latest whole thing is Chatoyance, a dense, heady record that shape-shifts and glimmers like the optical illusion to which its title refers. It refuses to be categorized beyond vague descriptors such as “experimental” or “psychedelic.” But those terms flatten the magic that Sara Primo, Benjamin Burr, James Griffin Crafts and several other collaborators summon across the album’s eight tracks. Inspired by grief but not explicitly tied to it, Chatoyance’s songs are nonuniform, and Cady Ternity have no apparent stylistic modus operandi. Their music is complicated, well informed and unpredictable. It stitches together disparate genres and brings them to life with a Mary Poppins bag of sounds. (Indeed, this reviewer had to google “Venova,” which appears on album closer “Light House” and turns out to be a newish woodwind that looks like it came from an Imperial stormtrooper marching band.) Yet amid the mercurialness, something reflective always emerges in the band’s tunes, either through orchestral elements that feed off and amplify each other or lyrics that cleverly vocalize the feeling the songs conjure.

Take the languid, jazz-inflected “The Complicated Type.” The song falls deeper and deeper into a trip-hop K-hole as it meanders through a “lilac night.” Soft murmurs of synth glow like bioluminescent fungi, drums fidget like critters skittering through underbrush, and manic trumpet courtesy of Justin Ward erupts like a beast roused from sleep. All the while, Primo murmurs about “spider silk” and “bathtub grottoes” full of “milk and flowers,” images that mirror the track’s luxuriant yet slightly off-kilter vibe. Genre-hopping left and right, “Midnight Ballerinas” is a funk explosion that peaks with Burr rapping through heavy vocal fry while Primo’s airy vocals skip along in unison. “Night Blooming Jasmine” lays on hand drums, vibraslap, heavy flute and rhythmic vocal shouts for an unmistakably mambo sound. It even ends with a playful, Henry Mancini Orchestra & Chorus-style round of “ya-ya-yas.” “I AM” is pure psychedelia. Wordless and overdriven, its hypnotic rhythm trudges under a noisy soup of guitars and synths. It’s declarative without anyone saying a thing, and it expands with confidence and authority as it progresses. Chatoyance showcases Cady Ternity’s mammoth sound and how its ambitious creators have evolved. It drifts further away from pop than the group’s previous efforts, but its unmooring results in music just as memorable and fascinating. Chatoyance is available at cadyternity.bandcamp.com and on major streaming services. JORDAN ADAMS

GET YOUR MUSIC REVIEWED: ARE YOU A VT ARTIST OR BAND? SEND US YOUR MUSIC! DIGITAL: MUSIC@SEVENDAYSVT.COM; SNAIL MAIL: MUSIC C/O SEVEN DAYS, 255 S. CHAMPLAIN ST., SUITE 5, BURLINGTON, VT 05401

open mics & jams WED.4 CONTINUED FROM P.55 Open Mic (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.4

FRI.6

Red Brick Coffee House (open mic) at Red Brick Meeting House, Westford, 7 p.m. Free. Olde Time Jam Session (open jam) at the Den at Harry’s Hardware, Cabot, noon. Free.

MON.9

Bluegrass Etc. Jam with Ben Kogan (bluegrass jam session) at Ottauquechee Yacht Club, Woodstock, 6:30 p.m. Free. Monday Night Open Mic (open mic) at Pearl Street Pub, Essex Junction, 6 p.m. Free. Open Mic (open mic) at Stone Corral, Richmond, 7 p.m. Free.

Stand Up for Shelter Showcase (comedy) at Hyde Park Opera House, 7 p.m. $20.

SAT.7

Jenny Tian (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 6:30 & 8:30 p.m. $25.

TUE.10

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

WED.11

Vermont’s Funniest Comedian: Prelims (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 6 & 8:30 p.m. $10.

WED.11

WED.4

Jazz Jam (jazz) at the 126, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free. Open Mic (open mic) at Poultney Pub, 7 p.m. Free. Open Mic Night (open mic) at the Tunbridge General Store, 5 p.m. Free.

Trivia with Brain (trivia) at CharlieO’s World Famous, Montpelier, 8 p.m. Free. Trivia with Craig Mitchell (trivia) at Monkey House, Winooski, 7 p.m. Free.

Jenny Tian (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. $25.

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

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

Trivia Monday with Top Hat Entertainment (trivia) at McKee’s Original, Winooski, 7 p.m. Free.

Comedy Night: Open Mic (comedy) at the Den at Harry’s Hardware, Cabot, 8 p.m. Free.

trivia, karaoke, etc.

TUE.10

Trivia Monday (trivia) at Black Flannel Brewing & Distilling, Essex, 6 p.m. Free.

Karaoke Friday Night (karaoke) at Park Place Tavern & Grill, Essex Junction, 8 p.m. Free. Karaoke with Cam (karaoke) at Monopole, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 9 p.m. Free.

TUE.10 THU.5 // THE DISCUSSIONS [EXPERIMENTAL]

COURTESY

SUN.8

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

THU.5

Open Mic (open mic) at the Whammy Bar, Calais, 7 p.m. Free. Open Mic Night (open mic) at Burlington Odd Fellows Hall, 6:30 p.m. Free.

MON.9

Standup Open Mic (comedy open mic) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 8:30 p.m. Free. Bad Momz of Comedy (comedy) at Stone Church, Brattleboro, 8 p.m. $30.

FRI.6

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

Challenge Wheel (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. $5.

THU.5

Funk Jam (funk) at the 126, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free.

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

Say What? Formed and fronted by composer and multi-instrumentalist Greg

Rothwell, the DISCUSSIONS blur a lot of lines. With a sound somewhere between avant-garde

Karaoke with DJ Vociferous (karaoke) at Charlie-O’s World Famous, Montpelier, 9:30 p.m. Free. Music Bingo (music bingo) at Switchback Beer Garden & Smokehouse, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

jazz fusion and instrumental indie-rock experimentation, the Burlington group creates

Taproom Trivia (trivia) at 14th Star Brewing, St. Albans, 6:30 p.m. Free.

soundscapes as much as songs. The band dropped its latest LP, No Shrines, No Concrete, last

Trivia Night (trivia) at Gusto’s, Barre, 6:30 p.m. Free.

month, an expansive collection of smooth, complex melodies and undeniable grooves. To celebrate the achievement, the Discussions play an album release show at Foam Brewers in

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

Burlington on Thursday, November 5.

WED.11

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

‘Parks and Recreation’ Trivia (trivia) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Trivia (trivia) at Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

Trivia (trivia) at Einstein’s Tap House, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

THU.5

Country Line Dancing (line dancing) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 7:30 p.m. Free. Karaoke (karaoke) at Gusto’s, Barre, 8 p.m. Free.

Trivia (trivia) at Four Quarters Brewing, Winooski, 6 p.m. Free. Trivia Night (trivia) at 1st Republic Brewing, Essex, 6 p.m. Free. Trivia Night with College (trivia) at Bent Nails Roadhouse, Middlesex, 7 p.m. Free.

Trivia (trivia) at Two Heroes Brewery & Public House, South Hero, 6 p.m. Free.

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

FRI.6

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

Karaoke in the Alley (karaoke) at Red Square, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

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

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

And on the seventh day, we do not rest. Instead we bring you...

Karaoke Night (karaoke) at Babes Bar, Bethel, 7 p.m. Free.

SAT.7

Green Mountain Cabaret Presents: Geeks & Cheeks (drag) at Afterthoughts, Waitsfield, 8 p.m. $15. Queeraoke with Lizzie Murderz (karaoke) at Standing Stone Wines, Winooski, 9 p.m. Free.

SUN.8

Constitution Celebration (trivia, dinner) at Burlington Beer, 6 p.m. $50-$450. Family-Friendly Karaoke (karaoke) at Old Soul Design Shop, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 5 p.m. Free.

Karaoke Friday Night (karaoke) at Park Place Tavern & Grill, Essex Junction, 8 p.m. Free. Karaoke with Cam (karaoke) at Monopole, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 9 p.m. Free. Live Band Karaoke (karaoke) at Bent Nails Roadhouse, Middlesex, 7 p.m. Free. Trivia (trivia) at Alfie’s Wild Ride, Stowe, 7 p.m. Free. Trivia (trivia) at Rí Rá Irish Pub & Whiskey Room, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free. Trivia (trivia) at Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free. ➆

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SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

3/2/21 6:43 PM

calendar N O V E M B E R

WED.4 activism

DISABLED ACCESS & ADVOCACY OF THE RUTLAND AREA MONTHLY ZOOM MEETING: Community members gather online to advocate for accessibility and other disability-rights measures. 11:30 a.m.-noon. Free.

business

‘EVERYTHING STILL COMES BACK TO YOU: BREAKING THE FOUNDER BOTTLENECK’: Oak & Timber Strategic Consulting founder and CEO Michele Pytlinski helps participants create clear ownership boundaries without sacrificing standards. Hosted by Women Business Owners Network of Vermont. Noon-1:30 p.m. $20; free for members and first-time attendees. ‘REDUCING BUSINESS ENERGY COSTS WITH SOLAR AND BATTERY STORAGE’: Reps from Hellbrook Solar & Electric shed light on how commercial solar and battery technologies can create long-term savings for business owners. Hula, Burlington, 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Free. VERMONT WOMENPRENEURS BIZ BUZZ ZOOM: A monthly virtual networking meetup provides a space for female business owners to connect. 10-11:15 a.m. Free; preregister.

community

CONNECTIONS CAFÉ: Those living with dementia or other cognitive disorders and their caregivers gather to make friends and have fun. Stowe Free Library, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. SMALL-SCALE DEVELOPER WORKSHOP: Interested parties

hear development success stories from fellow Vermonters and get motivated to create housing options in their own communities. Richmond Community Kitchen, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Free; preregister.

conferences

NEK TOGETHER: An annual regional summit gathers Vermont leaders and community members to tackle local challenges and network. Brighton Town Hall, Island Pond, 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. $45; preregister.

crafts

FIBER ARTS NIGHT: Knitters, crocheters and weavers make progress on projects while soaking up creativity and connection. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, 5:30-7 p.m. Free. 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. 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.

dance

SQUARE DANCE CLUB: Swing your partner ’round and ’round! The Cast Off 8’s club leads the way at an introductory session in an inclusive setting. Lothrop Elementary School, Pittsford, 6:30-8 p.m. $7.

etc.

CHAMP MASTERS TOASTMASTERS CLUB: Those looking to strengthen their speaking and leadership skills gain new tools. Virtual

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. Seven Days calendar writer Rebecca Driscoll selects and writes calendar spotlights. To help process the hundreds of event submissions we receive each week, some listings are compiled with the help of AI. Driscoll reviews, edits and verifies every entry before publication. Learn more about highlighted listings in the Magnificent 7 on page 11.

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SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

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option available. Dealer.com, Burlington, 6-7:30 p.m. Free; preregister.

fairs & festivals

VERMONT CIRCUS FESTIVAL: A celebration of aerialists, acrobats, mimes and more offers workshops, performances, seminars, exhibits and a themed storytelling event. See necenterforcircusarts. org for full schedule. Various Brattleboro locations. Various prices.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section. ‘THE STATE OF FARMING’: Attendees take in a screening of the new documentary about Vermont’s ever-evolving agricultural landscape, followed by a panel discussion with local farmers. Coach Barn at Shelburne Farms, 6 p.m. Free; preregister.

food & drink

COMMUNITY COOKING: Helping hands join up with the nonprofit’s staff and volunteers to make a yummy meal for distribution. Outright Vermont, Burlington, 6-8 p.m. Free. CUPPA ON CAMPUS: Community members mingle over tea and coffee, swapping bright ideas for the future of the property. The Creative Campus at Goddard, Plainfield, 8-10 a.m. Free.

health & fitness

CHAIR YOGA: Waterbury Public Library instructor Diana Whitney leads at-home participants in gentle stretches supported by seats. 10 a.m. Free. MIDWEEK DHARMA: Spiritual seekers enjoy some solo meditation time, then gather

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

round to delve into topics relating to Buddhist philosophies and practices. Shambhala Meditation Center, Burlington, 5:30-7 p.m. Free; donations accepted. NAMI NIGHT: Trained volunteers share their lived experiences with mental health to raise awareness, challenge harmful stereotypes, and inspire hope and healing. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 6-7:30 p.m. Free. PEOPLE’S HEALTH & WELLNESS FREE CLINIC: A monthly community social work and nursing clinic provides accessible support for locals in need. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, 3-5 p.m. Free. RECOVERY DHARMA: Individuals struggling with addiction gather weekly for an evening of meditation, topical readings and open discussion in a supportive environment. First United Methodist Church, Burlington, 6-7 p.m. Free. STI TESTING CLINIC: The Infectious Disease Clinic provides testing, vaccinations, and sexual health and wellness education in a welcoming and inclusive space. University of Vermont Medical Center, Burlington, 5-7 p.m. Free.

language

ADVANCED IRISH CONVERSATION: Speakers go beyond the basics to test and hone their fluency at this morning session. Fletcher Room, Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 10:30 a.m.-noon. Free. BEGINNER IRISH CONVERSATION: Celtic-curious students learn to speak an Ghaeilge in a supportive group. Fletcher Room, Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, noon1:30 p.m. Free. LANGUAGE LOUNGE: Lunch breaks transform into global conversation circles as participants hone their multilingual abilities. See kellogghubbard.org for details. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, noon. Free. 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.

lgbtq

THE ALL-INCLUSIVE DYKETACULAR: A weekly get-together and listening party celebrates the LGBTQ+ community with feelgood tunes, dancing and drinks. Doma Bar, Burlington, 5-10 p.m. Free; cost of food and drink.

music

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.

seminars

FAMILY-TO-FAMILY CLASS: 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.

‘FUNDAMENTALS OF INTERNET PRIVACY’: Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity helps virtual attendees take control of their online footprints at a seminar covering everything from data trackers to two-factor authentication. 4-5:30 p.m. Free; preregister. SUSTAINING THE RENT WORKSHOP: The Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity helps tenants financially prepare and access resources to meet their housing needs. 5-6:30 p.m. Free; preregister.

LYN BIXBY: A Pulitzer Prizewinning reporter and author shares his debut historical thriller, The Pacifist, which was inspired by the death of his college classmate in Vietnam. St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, 6 p.m. Free. TRASH FOR THE TROPE: A ROMANCE LOVER’S BOOK CLUB: Lit lovers dissect the nuances of Kresley Cole’s spicy paranormal romance novel A Hunger Like No Other, about an unlikely bond between a werewolf and a vampire. Phoenix Books, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free; preregister.

sports

GREEN MOUNTAIN TABLE TENNIS CLUB: Ping-Pong players block, chop and lob in singles and doubles matches. Rutland Area Christian School, 7-9 p.m. Free for first two sessions; $30 annual membership.

THU.5

agriculture

‘NAVIGATING FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR VERMONT DAIRY PRODUCERS’: Local farmers connect with representatives from relevant funding organizations and get their project-specific questions answered. University of Vermont Extension, Middlebury, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Free; preregister.

talks

FALL SPEAKER SERIES: Local experts construct a picture of Vermont’s historic preservation landscape with interesting case studies and anecdotes. See yestermorrow.org for details. Yestermorrow Design/Build School, Waitsfield, 6:30 p.m. Free.

business

theater

INSTAGRAM FOR SMALL BUSINESSES: BUILD YOUR BRAND AND ATTRACT MORE CUSTOMERS: #success! This beginner-friendly webinar hosted by Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity explains how to create a professional presence and use the platform to build real relationships with potential customers. 10 a.m.-noon. Free; preregister.

‘NICK NICK BOOM’: A oneman musical comedy by singer-songwriter Nick Caycedo explores the hilarious and bewildering realities of growing up in Vermont as a Colombian American. Off Center for the Dramatic Arts, Burlington, 7 p.m. By donation.

words

BOOK DISCUSSION: Readers share their thoughts on Mohammed El-Kurd’s 2025 nonfiction, Perfect Victims and the Politics of Appeal, examining Western expectations of Palestinians. Virtual option available. First Unitarian Universalist Society of Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

community

CONSERVATION READING CIRCLE: The Vermont Land Trust hosts a group discussion of Trish O’Kane’s Birding to Change the World, a memoir about feathered friends, activism and paying attention to the natural world. An optional hike follows. Pratt Forest, Duxbury, 4-6 p.m. Free. DR. MEL HOUSER: The executive director of All Brains Belong VT launches her new book, A Failure of Imagination, examining how

the health care system, schools and workplaces fail neurodivergent people. Phoenix Books, Essex, 5:30 p.m. Free; preregister.

PLANBTV 2050 COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSE: Neighbors seize the opportunity to review and refine the city’s plans for the future at this info-packed afternoon of idea sharing. Burlington High School, 4:30-8 p.m. Free.

crafts

KNIT FOR YOUR NEIGHBORS: Crafters of all skill levels turn yarn into community warmth by stitching hats and scarves for the South Burlington Food Shelf. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 2-5 p.m. Free. KNITTING GROUP: Knitters of every experience level get together to spin yarns. Latham Library, Thetford, 7 p.m. Free.

These community event listings are sponsored by the WaterWheel Foundation, a project of the Vermont band Phish.

COURTESY

LIST YOUR EVENT FOR FREE AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POSTEVENT

WOODWORKING LAB: Visionaries create a project or learn a new skill with the help of mentors and access to makerspace tools and equipment. Patricia A. Hannaford Career Center, Middlebury, 5-8 p.m. $7.50.

dance

‘LEAVING THE U.S., ENTERING A YORUBA KINGDOM’: A vibrant dance and lecture presentation celebrates the African diaspora. Dance Theatre, Mahaney Arts Center, Middlebury College, 7:30 p.m. Free. ‘SWAN LAKE: SYMPHONY OF LIGHTS’: Grand Kyiv Ballet presents its breathtaking reimagining of the tragedy of Odette, Odile and Siegfried, complete with innovative lighting design and illuminated costumes. Chandler Center for the Arts, Randolph, 7 p.m. $39-69.

environment

BTV CLEAN UP CREW: Good Samaritans collect and dispose of needles, trash and other unwanted objects. BYO gloves encouraged. Top of Church St., Burlington, 7:30-10 a.m. Free.

etc.

SERIAL KILLER SPEAKEASY: The Flynn’s basement transforms into a gripping true-crime sanctuary with expertly crafted cocktails slung by mixologists who double as storytellers of twisted history. Ages 21 and up. Flynn Space, Burlington, 6 & 8 p.m. $56.25-66.75.

fairs & festivals

VERMONT CIRCUS FESTIVAL: See WED.4.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.

‘ALL THAT JAZZ’: Director and choreographer Bob Fosse tells his own life story in this 1979 musical drama detailing the sordid career of Joe Gideon, a manic, self-destructive dancer. The Screening Room @ VTIFF, Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington, 7 p.m. $6-12. GIRL WINTER FILM TOUR: A collection of femme-forward and gender-nonconforming flicks shifts the narrative of the standard ski and snowboard film. Film House, Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington, 7 p.m. $30; preregister. ‘PENGUIN ISLAND 3D’: Shot on the dramatic, uninhabited sub-Antarctic Crozet Archipelago, this thrilling documentary short zooms in on a lone male suitor seeking his special someone among a colony of rivals. ECHO 3D Theater, Burlington, 11 a.m., 1 & 3 p.m. $3-5 plus regular admission, $17-23; free for members and kids 2 and under. ‘SEA OTTERS: A WILD FAMILY ADVENTURE 3D’: First-time mom Bella teaches her pup how to survive on the wild British Columbia coast in this unforgettable cinematic journey. ECHO 3D Theater, 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. ‘SHARK KINGDOM 3D’: A highstakes investigation into the underwater realm reveals how humanity’s future hinges on the fate of the ocean’s toothiest inhabitants. ECHO 3D Theater, Burlington, noon, 2 & 4 p.m. $3-5 plus regular admission, $17-23; free for members and kids 2 and under. TREW TO YOU FILM TOUR: Stoked snow sports fans vote for their favorite of four grassroots ski flicks showcasing real untold

FAMILY FUN Check out these family-friendly events for parents, caregivers and kids of all ages. • Plan ahead at sevendaysvt.com/family-fun. • Post your event at sevendaysvt.com/postevent.

WED.4

CO-PARENTING DADS: Experiencing separation, divorce or long-term co-parenting? Fathers assemble virtually to connect, build community and share experiences in a supportive environment. Hosted by Dad Guild. 8:45-10 p.m. Free.

burlington

‘CHAMP: AMERICA’S LAKE MONSTER’ EXHIBIT: 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.

NOV. 6 & 7 | MUSIC Future Planning Brattleboro’s Vermont Jazz Center knows how to nurture up-and-coming talent. The annual Emerging Artist Festival taps into the transformative power of music with activities and performances highlighting the region’s young people. The event begins Friday with a showcase of high school and college student jazz ensembles at nearby 118 Elliot. On Saturday, the concerts resume at the center, followed by a free seminar with rising star Elena Pinderhughes (pictured). A ticketed performance by Pinderhughes — whom the Guardian dubbed “the most exciting and creatively assured jazz flutist to have emerged in years” — closes out the day on a sweet note.

EMERGING ARTIST FESTIVAL Friday, November 6, 5:15 p.m., and Saturday, November 7, 11 a.m., at various Brattleboro locations. Various prices; free for students. Info, 802-254-9088, ext. 1, vtjazz.org.

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. STORIES & SONGS FOR LIBRARY LITTLES: Tots get their bodies moving and brains firing with books, music and unstructured social time. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. ‘VERY ERIC CARLE’ EXHIBIT: Young bookworms revel in colorful hands-on installations that transform the beloved author’s stories into interactive journeys of discovery. 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.

chittenden county

BABY TIME: Lullabies and lap play set a gentle rhythm as infants and their caregivers sing, rhyme and connect. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. CHILDREN’S STORY TIME WITH CHRISTINE: Young bookworms wiggle, sing and turn pages at an interactive session led by a former early childhood educator. Wild Meadows Books & Café, Williston, 10:30 a.m. Free.

POST-HALLOWEEN CANDY SWAP: Participants trade their unwanted or overstocked trick-or-treating spoils for new confections. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3-6 p.m. Free. SWITCH IT UP!: A weekly gaming session on the library’s Nintendo Switch engages elementary students in friendly competition. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 5-6 p.m. Free.

barre/montpelier

BABY & CAREGIVER MEETUP: Wiggly ones ages birth to 18 months play and explore in a calm, supportive setting while adults relax and connect on the sidelines. Jaquith Public Library, Marshfield, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free. BASEMENT TEEN CENTER: A drop-in hangout session welcomes kids ages 12 to 17 for lively games, arts and crafts, and snacks. See kellogghubbard.org for details. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, 2-6 p.m. Free.

mad river valley/ waterbury

TEEN QUEER READS: LGBTQIA+ and allied youths get together each month to read and discuss ideas around gender,

stories from the mountains and beyond. J Skis, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free; preregister. VERMONT FILM & FOLKLORE FESTIVAL: Fifty flicks, special guests and an awards ceremony celebrate the power of storytelling through independent film. See benningtontheater.org for full schedule. Bennington Theater, 5 p.m. Various prices. ‘WILD RESCUE 3D’: Dedicated wildlife rehabilitation teams rescue and release injured and orphaned animals back into nature in this heartwarming documentary short. ECHO 3D Theater, THU.5

sexuality and identity. Waterbury Public Library, 6-7 p.m. Free; preregister.

Fletcher Free Library New North End Branch, Burlington, 5-6:15 p.m. Free.

upper valley

TWEEN GROUP: A new program for queer and gender-creative youths ages 10 to 12 offers space to make new friends, join in fun activities and build community. Outright Vermont, Burlington, 4-6 p.m. Free.

STORY TIME: Early literacy takes center stage as infants and toddlers engage in a melodic mix of books and songs. Norwich Public Library, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free.

THU.5

burlington

BABY & ME CLASS: Parents and their infants ages birth to 1 explore massage, lullabies and gentle movements while discussing the struggles and joys of parenthood. Greater Burlington YMCA, 9:45-10:45 a.m. $10; free for members. ‘CHAMP: AMERICA’S LAKE MONSTER’ EXHIBIT: See WED.4. GROW PRESCHOOL YOGA: Colleen from Grow Prenatal and Family Yoga leads kids ages 2 to 5 in songs, movement and other fun activities. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. 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.

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‘VERY ERIC CARLE’ EXHIBIT: See WED.4.

chittenden county

FIRST THURSDAYS: MUSIC & MOVEMENT WITH MISS EMMA: Caregivers and their tiny charges boost early literacy through a rhythmic regimen of singing, dancing and motor-skill development. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. MUSIC FOR YOUNG CHILDREN WITH LINDA BASSICK: The musician and early childhood educator taps into four decades of experience to get kids moving and singing. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. PLAY TIME: Patrons ages birth to 5 unleash their energy at a morning of unstructured amusements and socializing. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free. THU.5 SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

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THU.5

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lgbtq

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.

POP-UP HAPPY HOUR: Locals connect over drinks at a speakeasy-style bar, hosted by OUT in the 802. Lincolns, Burlington, 5:30-7 p.m. Free.

games

music

CHESS FOR FUN: Sharp minds select an opening gambit, go on the attack and protect their king in friendly competition. Cobleigh Public Library, Lyndonville, 5-8 p.m. Free. DADS & DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: New and experienced dad-venturers try their hand at the riveting tabletop role-playing game. Premade characters and extra dice available. The Guild Hall, Burlington, 7-9 p.m. Free. DUPLICATE BRIDGE GAMES: Snacks and coffee fuel bouts of a classic card game. Burlington Bridge Club, Williston, 12:30 p.m. $6. FRIENDLY GAME OF BRIDGE: Strategic thinkers have a blast with the popular card game. Heineberg Senior Center, Burlington, 1-3 p.m. Free. PEER SUPPORT DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: Beginners wanted! Players get lost in the fantasy-filled tabletop role-playing game while focusing on teamwork, connection and community building. Morgan House, Burlington, 6-8 p.m. Free. SOLARPUNK BOOK CLUB & GAME NIGHT: Neighbors dream up a socially conscious, ecological future with readings and a short round of Solarpunk Futures. Peace & Justice Center, Burlington, 5-6:30 p.m. Free. WEEKLY CHESS FOR FUN: Players of all ability levels face off and learn new strategies. United Community Church, St. Johnsbury, 5:30-9 p.m. Free; donations accepted.

health & fitness

COMMUNITY MINDFULNESS: Volunteer coach Andrea Marion leads a weekly practice for stress reduction, followed by a discussion and Q&A. 5-6 p.m. Free; preregister. SEATED TAI CHI: Adina guides at-home participants — including those with limited mobility or difficulty standing — through a sequence of slow, connected movements. Sponsored by the Dorothy Alling Memorial Library. 1 p.m. Free; preregister.

language

ITALIAN CONVERSATION GROUP: Parla Italiano? Language learners practice pronunciation and more at a friendly gathering. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, noon-1 p.m. Free. LANGUAGE LOUNGE: See WED.4. MANDARIN CONVERSATION CIRCLE: Volunteers from Vermont Chinese School help students learn or improve their fluency. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 11 a.m.-noon. Free.

NOV. 6 | DANCE

COURTESY OF MATTHEW MURPHY

calendar

DARTMOUTH COLLEGE GOSPEL CHOIR: Student singers give voice to uplifting numbers in an inspiring performance directed by Ahmaya Knoelle Higginson. Spaulding Auditorium, Hopkins Center for the Arts, Dartmouth College, Hanover, N.H., 7:30 p.m. $20. KNORRWOOD: A folk-rock outfit presents “Over the Hills & Far Away,” an immersive theatrical rock show inspired by legendary fables and the mystical canon of Led Zeppelin. Dibden Center for the Arts, Vermont State University-Johnson, 7 p.m. $1025; free for VTSU community. ‘STRINGS OF INDIA: AN EVENING OF NORTH INDIAN CLASSICAL MUSIC’: A stirring sarod and tabla performance featuring Pat Lambdin, Amit Kavthekar, and Tejas and Rajas Upadhye honors the country’s rich musical lineage. Burlington City Hall Auditorium, 6:30 p.m. $25-30. UNIVERSITY JAZZ ENSEMBLE: Alex Stewart directs the school’s big band in an eclectic mix of modern and traditional repertoires, featuring special-guest drummer and composer Dennis Mackrel. The University of Vermont Recital Hall, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. Free.

outdoors

TREE ID & NATURAL HISTORY TOUR: Master naturalist Gene O. Desideraggio leads attendees through the unique social and ecological history of the natural area. Ethan Allen Park, Burlington, 4-6 p.m. $10-15; preregister.

talks

AQUACULTURE & SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD LECTURE SERIES: Four experts across different sectors of the seafood system dive into topics ranging from oyster and kelp farming to cooking up invasive species. John Dewey Lounge, Old Mill Building, University of Vermont, Burlington, 4:30-6 p.m. Free.

tech

TECH HELP: Users with digital dilemmas seek expert guidance about everything from smartphone settings to ebook downloads. Norwich Public Library, 1-4 p.m. Free.

theater

‘THE FOREIGNER’: Plainfield Little Theatre’s presentation of Larry Shue’s award-winning comedy — and poignant social commentary — leaves audience members in stitches. Plainfield Town Hall Opera House, 7 p.m. $25. ‘THE BALLAD OF MARIA MARTEN’: The school’s theater department stages Beth Flintoff’s historical drama centering the

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

Michelle Dorrance and Byron Tittle

film

Tapped In Got rhythm? Got music? Who could ask for anything more! KCP Presents hosts innovative New York City tap company Dorrance Dance at the Lyndon Institute Auditorium. Captained by Michelle Dorrance — a MacArthur Fellow praised by the New York Times as “one of the most imaginative choreographers working today” — the ensemble transforms the stage into its own instrument through sophisticated steps set to the pulse of live music. Departing from the typical use of prerecorded tracks allows the artists to challenge and expand on what the art form is capable of. In the words of silver-screen icon and hoofer Fred Astaire, “Do it big … and do it with style.”

KCP PRESENTS: DORRANCE DANCE Friday, November 6, 7 p.m., at the Lyndon Institute Auditorium. $18-65; free for students. Info, 802-748-2600, catamountarts.org.

story of the 1827 “Red Barn Murder” on the life of the victim rather than her sensationalized death. Recommended for teens and adults. McCarthy Arts Center, Saint Michael’s College, Colchester, 7 p.m. Free. ‘TARTUFFE’: Molière’s 1664 satire of religious hypocrisy gets a contemporary update with this bold reimagining set in 21st-century suburban New England, courtesy of Middlebury Acting Company. Town Hall Theater, Middlebury, 7:30 p.m. $15-39.

words

HEID E. ERDRICH: A National Poetry Series award winner, educator and curator assumes the spotlight to share selections from her poignant works. Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, 8 p.m. Free.

FRI.6

community

DAD GUILD FRIDAY HANG: Local fathers and masc-identifying caregivers gather sans kiddos to play video games, watch sports,

fill up on pizza and build community. The Guild Hall, Burlington, 7-9:30 p.m. Free. VETS TOWN HALL: Veterans discuss what their service means to them while neighbors listen in a nonpolitical and welcoming environment. Vermont Veterans’ Home, Bennington; and Godnick Adult Center, Rutland, 6 p.m. Free; preregister.

conferences

VERMONT DEMENTIA & BRAIN HEALTH SYMPOSIUM: Renowned neurologist, academic and researcher Dr. Andrew Budson keynotes the third annual conference on cognitive neuroscience. Waterbury State Office Complex, 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Free.

on projects while chatting over snacks. GRACE, Hardwick, 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Free; donations accepted.

dance

KCP PRESENTS: DORRANCE DANCE: The dynamic tap dance crew helmed by Michelle Dorrance — dubbed “one of the most imaginative choreographers working today” by the New York Times — delivers a thrilling performance. See calendar spotlight. The Lyndon Institute Auditorium, Lyndon Center, 7 p.m. $18-65; free for students.

etc.

SERIAL KILLER SPEAKEASY: See THU.5.

VERMONT MAPLE CONFERENCE: The Vermont Maple Sugar Makers’ Association and University of Vermont Extension host their annual get-together for purveyors of the beloved sweet stuff. Vermont State University-Randolph, Randolph Center. $20-75; preregister.

SWEET CONNECTIONS: Patrons show the library some love at a fundraiser complete with desserts, mocktails, henna tattoos, trivia and prizes. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 5:30-7:30 p.m. $20.

crafts

VERMONT CIRCUS FESTIVAL: See WED.4.

FIRST FRIDAY FIBER GROUP: Fiber-arts fans make progress

fairs & festivals

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section. GREEN MOUNTAIN SHOWDOWN: Regional writers, photographers and videographers showcase their work at a multimedia expo dedicated to mountain biking. Spruce Peak Arts, Stowe Mountain Resort, 7 p.m. $28.54-31.75. ‘NAZA’: Filmed at night from Tel Aviv rooftops, Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor’s 2026 documentary examines the systems Israel used to select targets and approve strikes that killed civilians in Gaza. Film House, Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington, 4:30 & 7 p.m. $6-12. ‘PENGUIN ISLAND 3D’: See THU.5. ‘SEA OTTERS: A WILD FAMILY ADVENTURE 3D’: See THU.5. ‘SHARK KINGDOM 3D’: See THU.5. VERMONT FILM & FOLKLORE FESTIVAL: See THU.5, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. ‘WILD RESCUE 3D’: See THU.5.

food & drink

BOURBON DINNER: First-rate chefs prepare a thoughtfully crafted six-course meal paired with cocktails featuring Smugglers’ Notch Distillery Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Alice’s Table, Jay, 6-9 p.m. $79. BURGER WEEK: Foodies take a bite out of specially priced meat and veggie patties served with all the fixin’s by participating restaurants. See burgerweek. sevendaysvt.com for details. Various locations statewide. Various prices. JASPER HILL FONDUE NIGHT: Foodies channel a ’70s retro vibe with an evening of out-of-thisworld cheese and platters packed with dippable goodies and paired with pours from top Vermont winemakers. Adventure Dinner

LIST YOUR EVENT FOR FREE AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POSTEVENT

Night Protocol at the Seven Daysies party JEB WALLACE-BRODEUR

Clubhouse, Colchester, 6-9 p.m. $75.

games

DUPLICATE BRIDGE GAMES: See THU.5, 10 a.m. MAH-JONGG: It’s not just for old ladies! Tile traders of all experience levels gather for a rousing game. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 1-3 p.m. Free.

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. LAUGHTER YOGA: Spontaneous, joyful movement and breath promote physical and emotional health. Virtual option available. Iyengar Yoga Center of Vermont, Burlington, 4:30-5:30 p.m. Free. WEEKLY MEDITATION: Expert Zac Ispa-Landa shares tools to quiet the mind, slow down and reset. Outright Vermont, Burlington, 8-8:45 a.m. Free.

language

LANGUAGE LOUNGE: See WED.4.

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.

music

ANA GUIGUI: An acclaimed pianist and vocalist entertains listeners with a wide variety of styles and genres. The Brandon Inn, 7-9:30 p.m. Free. DRUM CIRCLE WITH JEAN JACQUES MAURY: From mastering basic techniques to building a shared rhythmic vocabulary,

FOMO? Find even more local events in this newspaper and online:

an all-abilities music-making session taps into a deep mindbody connection. Jaquith Public Library, Marshfield, 6-7 p.m. Free. EMERGING ARTIST FESTIVAL: Renowned flutist, vocalist and composer Elena Ayodele Pinderhughes headlines an annual celebration of youth jazz and mentorship. See vtjazz.org for full schedule. See calendar spotlight. Various Brattleboro locations, 5:15 p.m. Various prices; free for students. ‘FOR THE LOVE OF DOLLY: A GREEN MOUNTAIN MUSICAL TRIBUTE TO THE BELOVED DOLLY PARTON’: The Here in the Valley artist collective brings together the region’s finest singers and musicians to honor the late country-music icon with a concert of hits and deep cuts from her canon. Briggs Opera House, White River Junction, 7:30 p.m. $20. GET THE LED OUT: Valhalla, I am coming! A Led Zeppelin tribute act re-creates the magic of the iconic band’s catalog, from bombastic and epic to folky and mystical. Paramount Theatre, Rutland, 7:30 p.m. $45-75. KATARINA STRING QUARTET: Fresh off its residency at the Juilliard School, the award-winning four-piece makes its Vermont debut with a program of classical works and traditional Québécois music. Robison Concert Hall, Mahaney Arts Center, Middlebury College, 7:30 p.m. Free. LANE SERIES: GABRIELA MARTINEZ: A fifth-generation Venezuelan pianist who made her orchestral debut at age 6 lights up the room with her elegant stage presence and lyrical playing. The University of Vermont Recital Hall, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $5-35. LIVE FROM THE MEADOW: MUSIC FRIDAYS: A new weekly music series invites community members to spend a relaxing evening listening to live tunes by talented local artists. Wild Meadows Books & Café, Williston, 6:30-8 p.m. Free.

talks

See what’s playing at theaters in the On Screen section.

FRANKIE VAGNONE: In “Considering the Life Museum,” a public historian and architectural designer guides community members in building a conceptual framework for strategically reframing historic sites. Henry Sheldon Museum of Vermont History, Middlebury, 5:30 p.m. Free.

music + nightlife

tech

art Find visual art exhibits and events in the Art section and at sevendaysvt.com/art.

film

Find club dates at local venues in the Music + Nightlife section online at sevendaysvt.com/ music. Learn more about highlighted listings in the Magnificent 7 on page 11.

= ONLINE EVENT = GET TICKETS ON SEVENDAYSTICKETS.COM

EDUCATION & ENRICHMENT FOR EVERYONE FALL LECTURE SERIES: BRANDON TIESO: A University of Vermont Professional and Continuing Education instructor delivers a timely and topical lecture titled “AI in Society: Hype, Hope and Tough Questions” Faith United Methodist Church, South Burlington, 2 p.m. $8 cash or check; free for members. MORNING TECH HELP: Experts answer questions about phones,

laptops, e-readers and other devices in one-on-one sessions. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Free; preregister.

theater

‘THE BALLAD OF MARIA MARTEN’: See THU.5. ‘THE CHERRY ORCHARD’: Student actors take on Benedict Andrews’ adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s classic tragicomedy, brimming with vivid characters, pathos and themes of cultural futility. Daryl Roth Studio Theater, Hopkins Center for the Arts, Dartmouth College, Hanover, N.H., 7:30 p.m. $15. ‘THE FOREIGNER’: See THU.5. ‘ONCE UPON A MATTRESS’: Hans Christian Andersen’s beloved fairy tale “The Princess and the Pea” gets revamped in this side-splitting musical comedy presented by BarnArts. Barnard Town Hall, 7:30 p.m. $18-25. ‘TARTUFFE’: See THU.5. TEN-MINUTE PLAYS: An annual fundraiser filled with community, fresh food and local talent benefits Theater in the Woods. Soups, salads and sides provided. Stone Valley Arts, Poultney, 5:30 p.m. $30. ‘ONCE UPON A ONE MORE TIME’: Trumbull Hall Troupe performers shine in this fantasy-filled jukebox musical based on hit songs popularized by Britney Spears. Lebanon Opera House, N.H., 7 p.m. $17-32.

words

DEVON O’NEIL: A journalist and Middlebury College graduate shares his award-winning nonfiction book, The Way Out: A True Story of Survival in the Heart of the Rockies, chronicling a 30-hour survival ordeal during a 2017 blizzard in the Colorado backcountry. Town Hall Theater, Middlebury, 6 p.m. $8.

NEW! YOUʼRE JUST

SAT.7 bazaars

ANNUAL BAZAAR: Treasure hunters browse handcrafted items, a white elephant table and edible homemade delights. Proceeds benefit the church’s operations. United Church of Fairfax, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Free.

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. VETS TOWN HALL: See FRI.6. Aldrich Public Library, Barre, 10 a.m..

conferences

VERMONT MAPLE CONFERENCE: See FRI.6.

SAT.7

from your next great time. @sevendaysoutandabout Follow our new Instagram page for a curated feed of the best local events, including staff picks and whatʼs on sale at sevendaystickets.com.

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circle. Reading Greenhouse Farm Market, Felchville, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free.

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 capitalcitygrange.org for callers and bands. Capital City Grange, Berlin, 8-11 p.m. $5-20 sliding scale. ‘SHELL: SCENES FROM A NEW DANCE’: Local choreographer Ellen Smith Ahern and collaborators Kate Elias and Jessie Owens mount an interactive peek into the creation of their new work. Artistree Community Arts Center, South Pomfret, 3 p.m. $10. ‘THE SPACE BETWEEN US’: Canada’s MA Ensemble shares an immersive work in which Persian music and contemporary Sufi dance converge to shape a living ritual. Haskell Free Library & Opera House, Derby Line, 4 p.m. $20-69 sliding scale.

etc.

COZY NOOK CRAFT FAIR: Treasure hunters peruse the handmade goodies and wares of 45 talented purveyors. Essex Free Library, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. CRAFT FAIR & BASKET RAFFLE: Locals enjoy a homemade lunch and the work of 30 artist vendors while they vie for a selection of gift baskets. Proceeds support local charities. Fraternal Order of Eagles, Vergennes, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. VERMONT CIRCUS FESTIVAL: See WED.4. VERMONT CRAFTERS EXPO: This ain’t your grandma’s craft fair! Industry professionals share creative techniques and materials during a weekend of demos, workshops and training sessions specifically for crafters, hosted by Vermont Gatherings. See calendar spotlight. Champlain Valley Exposition, Essex Junction, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. $20-30; free for kids under 12.

ATHENA INTERNATIONAL LEADERSHIP AWARDS GALA: The Central Vermont Chamber of Commerce honors local women who demonstrate excellence in community service and business. Barre Elks Lodge, 5:30 p.m. $65; preregister.

film

CALCUTTA FUNDRAISER: Community members catch up over a delicious meal, then vie for prizes while supporting the Champlain Adaptive Mounted Program. Snow Farm Vineyard, South Hero, 2-6 p.m. $150 per ball; cash bar.

‘THE NAVIGATOR’: Composer Jeff Rapsis plays a live score for Buster Keaton’s 1924 silent slapstick comedy following two spoiled rich people who find themselves trapped on an empty passenger ship. Brandon Town Hall, 7 p.m. Free; donations accepted.

GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY GALA: River Gallery School celebrates 50 years in operation with an “Off the Wall” fundraiser — an art lottery where everyone wins. Retreat Farm, Brattleboro, 5 p.m. $35-200. GRAND OPENING: Gettin’ salty wit it! The World Famous Salt & Pepper Shaker Museum — currently situated on the thrift store’s front lawn — celebrates its first day with a quirky afternoon of music, swag, local eats and a raffle benefiting Bugbee Senior Center. KIS Thrift, Wilder, noon-4 p.m. Free. HINESBURG FALL LIBRARY GALA: Friends of the CarpenterCarse Library host patrons for a night of live music, dancing and raffles to benefit its community room expansion project. Buck Ridge Barns, Hinesburg, noon-8 p.m. $75; cash bar. SERIAL KILLER SPEAKEASY: See THU.5. WEDDING EXPO: Engaged or forward-thinking couples score inspiration, meet with vendors, sample cakes and enter raffles at a curated showcase of regional event professionals. The Barn at Fox Run, Ludlow, noon-3 p.m. $20.

fairs & festivals

ARTIST FESTIVAL: Creativity and community take flight at this showcase of more than 45 makers, with live music, demos, tarot readings and a drumming

COURTESY

SAT.7

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section. GREEN MOUNTAIN SHOWDOWN: See FRI.6. Woodstock Town Hall Theatre, 7 p.m. $22-25.

‘NAZA’: See FRI.6. ‘PENGUIN ISLAND 3D’: See THU.5. ‘SEA OTTERS: A WILD FAMILY ADVENTURE 3D’: See THU.5. ‘SHARK KINGDOM 3D’: See THU.5. VERMONT FILM & FOLKLORE FESTIVAL: See THU.5, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. ‘WILD RESCUE 3D’: See THU.5.

food & drink

BURGER WEEK: See FRI.6. CAIRO SHRINERS COLONIAL DINNER: A themed seven-course meal — interspersed with toasts to honor heroes of the American Revolution — nods to the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. A social hour is offered at 4 p.m. West Rutland Town Hall, 5 p.m. $90. DECANTED: A TASTING EVENT FOR KINDRED SPIRITS: Vermont’s boldest distillers and cider and wine producers serve up their latest releases backed by live tunes and mountain views. Jay Peak Resort, 2-5 p.m. $60. MISS BELLOWS FALLS DINER DINNER: Chef Aime Theroux serves up classic comfort food (think meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans and more) at a buffet-style shared meal and discussion of the diner’s restoration progress. Bellows Falls Moose Lodge, 5 p.m. $20; cash bar.

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

NOV. 7 & 8 | FAIRS & FESTIVALS Knit Happens

Faith. Burnham Hall, Lincoln, 7:30 p.m. $15-30.

Finally, a show for crafters — not a craft show! The Vermont Crafters Expo at Champlain Valley Exposition in Essex Junction invites hobbyists and professionals alike to stay glued to their passions. Unlike traditional makers’ markets, this inaugural affair allows curious minds to explore how handmade goods evolve from a ball of yarn or a lump of clay to a finished product ready for purchase. Reps from the Vermont Creative Network, Shelburne Craft School and Generator Makerspace — as well as independent artists from around the state — lead the way with demos and workshops spanning interests from 3D printing to mead making.

VERMONT CRAFTERS EXPO Saturday, November 7, and Sunday, November 8, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., at the Champlain Valley Exposition in Essex Junction. $20-30; free for kids under 12. Info, 802-778-9178, vtgatherings.com. THE ULTIMATE CHOCOLATE TASTING: Experts guide sweet tooths on a sensory tour of the world through a flight of cocoa confections. Lake Champlain Chocolates Flagship Store, Pine St., Burlington, 2-3 p.m. $16.

embark on a new adventure with a rotating cast of game masters. Virtual option available. Waterbury Public Library, 1-5 p.m. Free.

games

STEPS FOR STRENGTH 5K: Runners and walkers of all abilities make strides to benefit the National Eating Disorders Association. Montpelier High School, 1 p.m. $15; preregister.

CHESS CLUB: Proficient players of all ages face off and learn new strategies. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 11 a.m. Free. DADS’ NIGHT OUT: MAGIC: THE GATHERING: Fathers use preconstructed commander decks to battle for glory, knowledge and conquest at this tabletop get-together. The Guild Hall, Burlington, 5-10 p.m. Free. D&D & TTRPG GROUP: Fans of Dungeons & Dragons and other tabletop role-playing games

health & fitness

holidays

CHRISTMAS BAZAAR: Goodies made by talented crafters, bakery items, a raffle and a visit with Santa make holiday shopping fun and easy for the whole family. St. Pius X Parish, Essex, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. HOLIDAY ARTISAN GIFT SHOW: Jolly browsers get an early start

on seasonal shopping at this showcase of one-of-a-kind treasures, complete with a massage station and a cozy beverages. Chaffee Art Center, Rutland, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free.

music

ANA GUIGUI: See FRI.6. BURLINGTON CIVIC SYMPHONY CONCERT: The auditioned community ensemble presents a rousing program of works by Edvard Grieg, Max Bruch, and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. McCarthy Arts Center, Saint Michael’s College, Colchester, 7 p.m. $5-25; preregister. BURNHAM PRESENTS: MAYA DE VITRY: A Nashville artist blurs the lines between folk, indie, rock and Americana at this concert celebrating her new record, All My

‘CHOIR! CHOIR! CHOIR!’: Audience members become performers in “Landslide: An Epic Fleetwood Mac Sing-Along,” an interactive, participatory concert led by music directors Daveed Goldman and Nobu Adilman. Barre Opera House, 7:30 p.m. $38.50. COAST JAZZ ORCHESTRA: Artistin-residence and guest director Zack O’Farrill leads the band

FOMO? Find even more local events in this newspaper and online:

art Find visual art exhibits and events in the Art section and at sevendaysvt.com/art.

film See what’s playing at theaters in the On Screen section.

music + nightlife Find club dates at local venues in the Music + Nightlife section online at sevendaysvt.com/ music. Learn more about highlighted listings in the Magnificent 7 on page 11.

= ONLINE EVENT = GET TICKETS ON SEVENDAYSTICKETS.COM

LIST YOUR EVENT FOR FREE AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POSTEVENT

in favorites by Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie and other luminaries. Spaulding Auditorium, Hopkins Center for the Arts, Dartmouth College, Hanover, N.H., 7:30 p.m. $20. DAVID FEURZEIG: In “Play Every Town,” the prolific classical pianist continues a statewide series of shows in protest of high-pollution worldwide concert tours. Whiting Community Church, 7 p.m. Free. ELEVA CHAMBER PLAYERS: The ensemble takes on a thrilling arrangement of Sergei Prokofiev’s legendary Romeo and Juliet suites for strings and percussion. Waterbury Congregational Church, 3 p.m. $5-35. EMERGING ARTIST FESTIVAL: See FRI.6, 11 a.m. GEE FLOCKAA: An independent hip-hop artist delivers original

rap music to local listeners. Hit or Miss Gun Club, Bellows Falls, 6 p.m. $20.

and Harry Chapin. Unitarian Church of Montpelier, 7 p.m. $2530.

SENIOR RECITALS: Undergrad music majors cap off their college years with performances for voice, violin and trombone. The University of Vermont Recital Hall, Burlington, noon, 5 & 7:30 p.m. Free.

TANASI: A North Carolina “worldgrass” trio channels global folk traditions with the textures and harmonies of an Appalachian string band. Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Upper Valley, Norwich, 7 p.m. $25; preregister.

SOCIAL BAND: In “Here Together,” the lively a cappella singers serve up a stirring program of crowd-pleasing choral music by contemporary composers. College Street Congregational Church, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $20 suggested donation. ‘STORY SONGS OF THE ‘70S: A folk-rock act featuring Maine singer-songwriter Tom DiMenna plays music by vinyl-era legends Gordon Lightfoot, Cat Stevens

outdoors

‘THINK LIKE A SQUIRREL!’: Visitors take to the property’s pathways to discover how forest foragers find, collect and dissect wild nuts, then harvest their own specimens using provided field tools. Rock Point Center, Burlington, 10:30-11:45 a.m. Free; preregister.

WEEKLY BIRD WALK: Featheredfriend seekers join expert Lachlan Ziegler for a morning trek to sharpen their identification skills. Rock Point Center, Burlington, 8-10 a.m. Free; preregister.

sports

COCHRAN’S SKI & RIDE SALE: Snow sports enthusiasts stock up on new and gently used gear. Proceeds benefit the mountain’s Alpine ski racing club. Camel’s Hump Middle School, Richmond, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Free.

theater

‘THE BALLAD OF MARIA MARTEN’: See THU.5. ‘THE CHERRY ORCHARD’: See FRI.6, 3 & 7:30 p.m. ‘THE FOREIGNER’: See THU.5.

‘ONCE UPON A MATTRESS’: See FRI.6.

Eloquent Page, St. Albans, noon-3 p.m. Free.

‘ONCE UPON A ONE MORE TIME’: See FRI.6.

USED BOOK SALE: Readers scout for holiday-themed literary treasures at this budget-friendly blowout where every purchase benefits library programming. Ilsley Public Library, Middlebury, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free.

‘TARTUFFE’: See THU.5. TEN-MINUTE PLAYS: See FRI.6. ‘YESTERDAY, WE WERE CHILDREN’: Local actors present a staged reading of Leila Teitelman’s new play about a husband and wife who both form strong, intimate connections with younger queer people. Phoenix Books, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. $14.50-35.

words

‘REAL VERMONTERS DON’T MILK GOATS’ CELEBRATION: Locals flock to the 43rd-anniversary edition tour of the best-selling book of humor by Frank M. Bryan and the late Bill Mares. The

WRITE NOW!: Wordsmiths of all experience levels hone their craft in a supportive and critique-free environment. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, 10 a.m. Free.

SUN.8

community

VETS TOWN HALL: See FRI.6. American Legion Post 5, SUN.8

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Stress?

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Brattleboro, 1 p.m. Catamount Arts Center, St. Johnsbury, 1 p.m. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 1 p.m.

conferences

VERMONT MAPLE CONFERENCE: See FRI.6.

fairs & festivals

VERMONT CIRCUS FESTIVAL: See WED.4. VERMONT CRAFTERS EXPO: See SAT.7.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section. ‘THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY’: Alfred Hitchcock’s 1955 dark comedy — filmed partially in Craftsbury Common — follows three Vermont neighbors who each think they are responsible for the death of the titular character. A panel discussion follows. Latchis Theatre, Brattleboro, 2 p.m. $16. ‘PENGUIN ISLAND 3D’: See THU.5. ‘SEA OTTERS: A WILD FAMILY ADVENTURE 3D’: See THU.5. ‘SHARK KINGDOM 3D’: See THU.5. VERMONT FILM & FOLKLORE FESTIVAL: See THU.5, 11 a.m. ‘WILD RESCUE 3D’: See THU.5.

food & drink

BURGER WEEK: See FRI.6. PIE FOR BREAKFAST: Dessert comes first when diners dig into assorted fruit and cream pies, as well as savory quiches, decadent pastries and sausages. Stockbridge Meeting House, 8-11 a.m. $5-12; free for kids ages 3 and under. SUNDAY WINE TASTING: Oenophiles swirl and sip their way through a rotating selection of vinos while learning about the producers and regions behind the pours. Bar Renée, Burlington, 1-4 p.m. $5-8.

games

DUPLICATE BRIDGE GAMES: See THU.5, 1 p.m.

health & fitness

BURLINGTON INSIGHT MEDITATION COMMUNITY: Certified instructors lead hourlong sessions of the ancient contemplative practice rooted in compassion and generosity. Hood Plant, Burlington, 5:30-6:30 p.m. By donation. DAD GUILD RUN CLUB: Fathers hit the pavement — rain or shine — at this weekly 3.5-mile morning jaunt through the Queen City. Burlington Greenway, 7:30 a.m. Free. 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. 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. NEW MOON SOUND BATH: Healing arts practitioner Bridget Stone encourages relaxation, reflection and a sense of calm through the use of resonant instruments. The Sanctuary for Healing and Liberation, Burlington, 5:30 p.m. $40; preregister. SUNDAY SADHANA & MEDITATION: The inspiring principles of Buddhism promote well-being, mental stillness and compassion at this weekly morning of mindfulness. Shambhala Meditation Center, Burlington, 9 a.m.-noon. Free; donations accepted. TAIZÉ EVENING MEDITATION: All are welcome at this hourlong candlelit service combining song, spoken prayer, meditative readings and silence, allowing space to slow down and reflect. Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

lgbtq

CRAFT CLUB: Creative queer folks work on their knitting, crocheting and sewing projects. Rainbow Bridge Community Center, Barre, 10 a.m.-noon. Free.

music

COLLEGE CHOIR AND CATAMOUNT SINGERS: Student singers offer up a diverse program of crowd-pleasing works. Robison Concert Hall, Mahaney Arts Center, Middlebury College, 3 p.m. Free. ELEVA CHAMBER PLAYERS: See SAT.7. Inn at the Round Barn Farm, Waitsfield, 3 p.m. $5-35. LIEDER BY THE LAKE: Vocalists Len Torrie, Ryan Matos and Cole Marino join forces with pianist Eric Milnes to present an inspired recital of works by Clara and Robert Schubert. College Street Congregational Church, Burlington, 4 p.m. $15-35; preregister. LYLE BREWER: A virtuosic guitarist from Boston demonstrates his expressive playing style and versatile range. Artistree Community Arts Center, South Pomfret, 3:30 p.m. $25. PUNCH BROTHERS: The Grammywinning acoustic quintet displays its boundary-pushing style at this concert blending traditional bluegrass with classical, jazz and indie-pop influences. Paramount Theatre, Rutland, 7 p.m. $59-99. SENIOR RECITALS: See SAT.7, 2:30 & 5 p.m. SOCIAL BAND: See SAT.7. Charlotte Congregational Church, 3 p.m. $20 suggested donation. WILLIAM GHEZZI: A classical guitarist performs a stirring solo program of works by Georg Philipp Telemann, Manuel Ponce and other influential composers. Church of Christ at Dartmouth College, Hanover, N.H., 4 p.m. Free.

seminars

COMMUNITY DEATH CARE WORKSHOP: Funeral director Anna Jordan brings her expertise to a community conversation about dying at home, after-death body care and green burial choices. Albany Town Hall, 1-4 p.m. Free; preregister.

sports

COCHRAN’S SKI & RIDE SALE: See SAT.7, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

talks

‘WITH A PENETRATING GAZE FROM THE SIDELINES: REFLECTIONS ON THE 100TH CENTENARY OF THE BIRTH OF RAUL HILBERG’: A panel discussion features Northwestern University professor emeritus Peter Hayes, Nipissing University professor Hilary Earl and Leibniz Center for Contemporary History researcher René Schlott in conversation about the Jewish political scientist and Holocaust researcher. University of Vermont Alumni House, Burlington, noon-5 p.m. Free.

theater

‘THE FOREIGNER’: See THU.5, 2 p.m. ‘ONCE UPON A MATTRESS’: See FRI.6, 2 p.m. ‘ONCE UPON A ONE MORE TIME’: See FRI.6, 3 p.m. ‘TARTUFFE’: See THU.5, 2 p.m.

words

ANDREW COTTO: Phoenix Books and the Vermont Italian Cultural Association cohost a virtual conversation with the award-winning author and New York Times contributor about his novels Cucina Tipica and Cucina Romana. 7 p.m. Free; preregister. FOOD FOR TALK COOKBOOK CLUB: Culinary enthusiasts share their thoughts about Sean Sherman’s Turtle Island: Foods and Traditions of the Indigenous Peoples of North America. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 3-5 p.m. Free; preregister.

crafts

COLLAGE COLLECTIVE: Creatives of all experience levels cut, paste and make works of wonder. Virtual options available. Expressive Arts Burlington, 6:309 p.m. Free; donations accepted.

etc.

MEDIA MAKER MONDAY: Upper Valley creatives and their guests share projects, network with other artists and engage in peer feedback sessions. Junction Arts & Media, White River Junction, 6-7:30 p.m. Free.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section. ‘PENGUIN ISLAND 3D’: See THU.5. ‘SEA OTTERS: A WILD FAMILY ADVENTURE 3D’: See THU.5. ‘SHARK KINGDOM 3D’: See THU.5. ‘WILD RESCUE 3D’: See THU.5.

food & drink

BURGER WEEK: See FRI.6.

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. MAH-JONGG MONDAYS: Tile traders gather for friendly bouts of the ancient game of skill, strategy and luck. St. Albans Free Library, 1-3 p.m. Free.

health & fitness

POETRY READING: Vermont author Toni Ortner shares selections from her new collection, Passing Through, in conversation with exhibiting artist Cai Xi. CX Silver Gallery, Brattleboro, 1-3 p.m. Free.

DAD YOGA: A local rad dad guides participants through a series of poses and movements to help stretch away workday tension. The Guild Hall, Burlington, noon12:45 p.m. Free.

‘REAL VERMONTERS DON’T MILK GOATS’ CELEBRATION: See SAT.7. Charlotte Grange, 2-4 p.m. Free.

MONDAY NIGHT LIVE: The Burlington Dharma Collective hosts an inspiring monthly talk, meditation and group discussion. Outright Vermont, Burlington, 7-8:30 p.m. Free; donations accepted.

MON.9

community

VETS TOWN HALL: See FRI.6. Charlotte Grange, 6:30 p.m.

language

LANGUAGE LOUNGE: See WED.4.

music

‘LES ARTS FLORISSANTS: THE MAGIC OF MONTEVERDI’: Baroque masters William Christie and Paul Agnew helm a revelatory program of Claudio Monteverdi’s madrigals for mixed voices, including the iconic “Il Combattimento.” Spaulding Auditorium, Hopkins Center for the Arts, Dartmouth College, Hanover, N.H., 7:30 p.m. $40. ONION RIVER CHORUS REHEARSAL: The non-auditioned community ensemble conducted by Richard Riley invites interested vocalists to join in spirited song. Bethany United Church of Christ, Montpelier, 7-9 p.m. Free.

theater

SHAKESPEARE OUT LOUD: Thespians, language lovers and listeners gather to give voice to tragic star-crossed lovers in an unstructured, open-role script reading of the Bard’s Romeo and Juliet. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 4-5:30 p.m. Free.

words

ANIME GROUP: Fans of Japanese animation and comics convene weekly to swap ideas, read stories and connect over shared interests in hand-drawn media. Pathways Vermont Morgan’s Place Peer Support Center, Burlington, 6-8 p.m. Free. BOOK GROUP: Local fathers read and discuss passages from Matthew Remski’s 2026 parenting guide, Antifascist Dad: Urgent Conversations With Young People in Chaotic Times. Virtual option available. The Guild Hall, Burlington, 7:30-9 p.m. Free. READ LIKE A WRITER: New England Readers & Writers hosts a virtual reading group for bibliophiles to chat about short stories, both contemporary and classic. 6:30-8 p.m. Free.

TUE.10 business

‘INVISIBLE NO MORE: HOW TO BECOME DISCOVERABLE AND

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

GUIDE 64

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

4H-quebecpreview091725.indd 1

9/16/25 8:14 AM

LIST YOUR EVENT FOR FREE AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POSTEVENT

TRUSTED IN THE AGE OF AI’: An engaging seminar helps Vermont business owners discover practical ways to reach customers, build up trust and stay competitive as artificial intelligence changes how people search for products and services. WCAX-TV, Burlington, 8:30 a.m. Free; preregister.

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. FATHERS WITH ADULT CHILDREN: Local Dads link up for a supportive and fun-filled evening of connection, reflection and sharing. The Guild Hall, Burlington, 5:30-7 p.m. Free. VETS TOWN HALL: See FRI.6. Tuck School of Business, Dartmouth College, Hanover, N.H., 6 p.m.

conferences

VERMONT NONPROFIT SUMMIT: Common Good Vermont hosts business professionals, community leaders, advocates and allies for an impactful day of collaboration and strategizing. Virtual option available. DoubleTree by Hilton, South Burlington, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. $50-300; preregister.

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, 6-7:30 p.m. Free. WATERCOLOR DROP-IN: Painters bring their own supplies to a weekly, instruction-free session to brush up on their skills in a

FOMO? Find even more local events in this newspaper and online:

art Find visual art exhibits and events in the Art section and at sevendaysvt.com/art.

film See what’s playing at theaters in the On Screen section.

music + nightlife Find club dates at local venues in the Music + Nightlife section online at sevendaysvt.com/ music. Learn more about highlighted listings in the Magnificent 7 on page 11.

= ONLINE EVENT = GET TICKETS ON SEVENDAYSTICKETS.COM

communal setting. Waterbury Public Library, 10:30 a.m. Free.

dance

DARTMOUTH DANCE ENSEMBLE: Student-led troupes take the floor with a captivating blend of dance styles, directed by John Heginbotham. Moore Theater, Hopkins Center for the Arts, Dartmouth College, Hanover, N.H., 7:30 p.m. $15.

and caregivers find community, resources and practical ideas for improving quality of life at this monthly meetup. The Old Meeting House, East Montpelier, 2-3 p.m. Free. 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.

environment

language

etc.

SPANISH CONVERSATION: ¿Hablas español? Conversationalists of all levels practice the Romance language in a stress-free environment. Pickering Room, Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 4:30-5:30 p.m. Free.

MINI CLEAN UP CREW: Good Samaritans turn their morning routine into civic pride by tidying up and refreshing the city’s much-loved green space. BYO gloves encouraged. Burlington City Hall Park, 8-8:30 a.m. Free.

ACORN ANNUAL MEETING: Neighbors hear updates from the nonprofit food hub, then delight in a fondue-centered meal and a variety show featuring local poets, musicians and storytellers. Champlain Valley Unitarian Universalist Society, Middlebury, 5:30-7:30 p.m. $30-60; preregister.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section. MIDDLEBURY CLASSIC FILM CLUB: Cinephiles watch and bond over groundbreaking ’90s flicks such as Clueless and The Truman Show. See ilsleypubliclibrary.org for lineup. Ilsley Public Library, Middlebury, 1 p.m. Free. ‘PENGUIN ISLAND 3D’: See THU.5. ‘SEA OTTERS: A WILD FAMILY ADVENTURE 3D’: See THU.5. ‘SEEDING CHANGE: FARMING BEYOND NEONICS’: Director Ben Willis’ 2026 documentary explores what cultivating a future without the world’s most widely used insecticide could look like as bans take effect. Marquis Theatre & Southwest Café, Middlebury, 6 p.m. Free; preregister.

LANGUAGE LOUNGE: See WED.4.

MILITARY APPRECIATION NIGHT: Live music by Troy Millette & the Fire Below and Milton Busker & the Grim Work soundtracks a community-building evening complete with food trucks, a bonfire, raffles and activities hosted by veteran nonprofit After Action. Roberts Ranch, Charlotte, 5-9 p.m. Free; donations accepted.

seminars

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.

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. PARKINSON’S MUTUAL AID GROUP: Affected individuals

N o rt h ea st T y p ew rit e r. c o m

BARRE OPERA HOUSE 10/30/26 11:15 AM

BOH PRESENTS

ME2 ORCHESTRA: Music director Michael Colburn conducts the ensemble in “Autumn Leaves,” featuring evocative works by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, John Philip Sousa and other notable names. Elley-Long Music Center, Saint Michael’s College, Colchester, 7:30 p.m. Free; donations accepted.

food & drink games

B a sed in M o nt p eli e r * S erv ing T y p ew rit er N e e d s t h ro u g h o u t N ew E ng lan d

CHORAL CONCERT: The Upper Valley Music Center’s resident 12v-NETyperwriterExchange110426 1 vocal ensembles and other community choruses perform uplifting repertoires, including original songs composed by pan-Latin outfit Sol y Canto. Lebanon Opera House, N.H., 6:30 p.m. $17; free for kids under 18.

‘WILD RESCUE 3D’: See THU.5.

BURGER WEEK: See FRI.6.

Clea ning * R ep a irs * S ale s

music

VERMONT’S FREEDOM & UNITY CHORUS: Singers come together for a weekly rehearsal inspiring positive change through the power of music. Chapel of Saint Michael the Archangel, Saint Michael’s College, Colchester, 7 p.m. Free.

‘SHARK KINGDOM 3D’: See THU.5.

Vi n t a g e ma c h i n e s f o r mo d er n c r ea t o r s

NOV. 7, 7:30 PM

Sponsored by Valsangiacomo & Pelkey, Attorneys at Law

C EL EBRAT I ON S ERI ES

Nov. 13•8pm SPONSORED BY

Miles Supply Stephen Klein Bellavance Trucking

FINDING HOUSING WORKSHOP: Home seekers build an apartment-search tool kit with guidance from the Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity. 5-6 p.m. Free; preregister.

THE

VOICES OF IRELAND

sports

DAD GUILD OPEN GYM BASKETBALL: Local fathers hit the hardwood for weekly sessions of full-court exercise and casual competition. Mater Christi School, Burlington, 7-9 p.m. Free.

tech

AFTERNOON TECH HELP: Experts answer questions about TUE.10

» P.68

Nov. 13•7:30 SPONSORED BY H A N S O N

& DOREMUS

www.barreoperahouse.org • 802.476.8188 3v-BarreOpHouse1110426 1

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

10/30/26 11:04 AM

calendar

SEVEN DAYS IS MOTIVATIONAL READING!

THU.5

WEDNESDAY IS MY FAVORITE DAY OF THE WEEK. KEEP IT UP!

BASEMENT TEEN CENTER: See WED.4., 2-8 p.m. STORY TIME: Kids and their caregivers meet for stories, songs and bubbles. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, 2nd Floor, Children’s Library, Montpelier, 10:30-11 a.m. Free.

stowe/smuggs

WEE ONES PLAY TIME: Caregivers bring kiddos under 4 to a new sensory learning experience each week. Morristown Centennial Library, Morrisville, 10 a.m. Free.

mad river valley/waterbury

BUSY BEES PLAYGROUP: Blocks, toys, books and songs engage little ones 24 months and younger. Waterbury Public Library, 10-11:30 a.m. Free.

SUPER READER SINCE DECEMBER 2020

Welcome, new Super Readers!

FRI.6

burlington

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

Charlotte McGray Edna Ortiz

Marybeth Redmond Peter Schult

Here are some of the repeat and recurring Super Readers who sustain us all year: Cornelia Aiston Dorothy Beane Andrea Chandler Robert Clark Julie David Irene Facciolo Tonya Howard

Elizabeth Humstone Sylvia Knight Elizabeth Merrill Nancy Nesbitt William & Lisa Northup Solveig Overby

« P.59

barre/montpelier

– Linda Retchin, South Burlington

Robert Goulette Steve Gretzinger

FAMILY FUN

Nina Paus-Weiler Craig Pepper Beth Pidgeon Kelly Scannell Basak Simal Jeffrey Waite Georgia Zaveson

Join these generous folks and other Super Readers who donate monthly to:

BURLINGTON FNG: Self-identified LGBTQ+ and questioning youths ages 13 to 19 gather weekly to socialize in a supportive environment. Outright Vermont, Burlington, 6:30-8 p.m. Free. ‘CHAMP: AMERICA’S LAKE MONSTER’ EXHIBIT: See WED.4. DROP-IN: An afterschool hangout space invites teens ages 13 to 19 to relax, connect, grab a snack or browse the nonprofit’s clothing closet. Outright Vermont, Burlington, 2:30 p.m. Free. FAMILY FRIDAY WITH LINDA BASSICK: Caretakers and wee ones enjoy a weekly morning mashup of muffins and music played by the local legend. Pingala Café North Avenue, Burlington, 9-9:30 a.m. Free. ‘VERY ERIC CARLE’ EXHIBIT: See WED.4.

chittenden county

LEGO BUILDERS: Creative minds stack, connect and build their way to structural masterpieces using interlocking blocks. Recommended for ages 8 and up, or 6 and up with an adult helper. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 3-4:30 p.m. Free.

barre/montpelier

BASEMENT TEEN CENTER: See WED.4. STORY TIME & PLAYGROUP: Tots ages birth to 6 stretch their imaginations and legs at this weekly offering of storytelling, sing-alongs, crafting and open play with youth librarian Sasha McGarvey. Jaquith Public Library, Marshfield, 10:30 a.m.12:30 p.m. Free.

Or send a check w/note to: Seven Days c/o Super Readers, PO Box 1164, Burlington, VT 05402. Need more info? Want to give from a donor-advised fund or through a qualified charitable contribution? Contact Sarah at 802-865-1020, ext. 115 or superreaders@sevendaysvt.com.

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

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11/3/26 3:58 PM

‘VERY ERIC CARLE’ EXHIBIT: See WED.4.

chittenden county

AUTUMN & OWLS CAMPFIRE: Avian enthusiasts of all ages meet predators of the night sky, learn about their unique adaptations and take in unbeatable sunset views of the Green Mountains. Shelburne Farms, 4:30-6 p.m. $5; preregister. CURIOUS KIDS DAY: A day of fun-filled education and hands-on activities features a live taping of “But Why: A Podcast for Curious Kids,” a sensory-friendly room and snuggles with the sweet pups from Therapy Dogs of Vermont. Vermont Public, Colchester, 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m. $5. DADS & KIDS LIBRARY PLAYGROUP: Fathers and caregivers build community while kiddos burn off energy at this monthly social session. Burnham Memorial Library, Colchester, 1-2:30 p.m. Free. MUSIC WITH ELIZABETH: Bluebird Montessori of Vermont director Elizabeth Suggs helms a morning sing-along of classic and contemporary kids’ songs. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 9:30-10 a.m. Free.

mad river valley/waterbury

GUIDED HIKE & STORY TIME: Budding naturalists settle in for a themed tale, followed by a guided search for flowers, snails and animal tracks along the center’s woodland loop. Green Mountain Club Headquarters, Waterbury Center, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free. SATURDAY STORY TIME: Stories and songs help children develop social and literacy skills. Waterbury Public Library, 10:30 a.m. Free.

SUN.8

burlington

BUILD IT BIG: SECOND STORY: Aspiring engineers ages 7 to 12 work together to create towers, forts, vehicles and anything else they can dream up with the library’s giant Rigamajig toy. Pickering Room, Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 3:30-5 p.m. Free; preregister. ‘CHAMP: AMERICA’S LAKE MONSTER’ EXHIBIT: See WED.4. DAD GUILD PLAYGROUP: Fathers (and parents of all genders) and their kids ages 5 and under drop in for playtime and connection. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 3:30-5 p.m. Free.

upper valley

northeast kingdom

MUSIC TIME: Local musicians Jessie and Lisa guide families through a morning jam session, followed by opportunities for open-ended play and community connection. The Guild Hall, Burlington, 11 a.m.-noon. Free.

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.

SENSORY-FRIENDLY SUNDAY: Folks of all ages with sensory processing differences have the museum to themselves, with adjusted lights and sounds and trusty sensory backpacks. ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 9-10 a.m. Free; preregister.

SAT.7

‘VERY ERIC CARLE’ EXHIBIT: See WED.4.

burlington

‘CHAMP: AMERICA’S LAKE MONSTER’ EXHIBIT: See WED.4.

PARENT & CAREGIVER DINNER: An evening of community building for caregivers of LGBTQ+ youths includes an optional meet and greet, a shared meal, and opportunities to connect. Outright Vermont, Burlington, 5-7:30 p.m. Free; preregister.

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS GROUP A: Tabletop role-players ages 9 to 14 practice their craft with Andrew, the library’s dungeon master. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 12:15-3:15 p.m. Free; preregister.

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

Make your contribution today! sevendaysvt.com/super-readers

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.

chittenden county

CHILDREN’S STORY TIME WITH CHRISTINE: See WED.4.

Embrace Your Inner Artist DA CAPO CONCERT: The Vermont Youth Orchestra’s wind and brass training ensemble shows off the fruit of its labors. Elley-Long Music Center, Saint Michael’s College, Colchester, 1:30 p.m. Free. SOCIAL SUNDAYS: Families participate in fun and educational art activities with diverse mediums and themes. All supplies and instruction provided. Milton Artists’ Guild Art Center & Gallery, 12:30-2:30 p.m. Free.

barre/montpelier

GENDER CREATIVE KIDS: Trans and gender-nonconforming kiddos under 12 and their families build community and friendships at this joyful monthly gathering. See outrightvt.org for full schedule. Various locations statewide, 2-4 p.m. Free.

stowe/smuggs

UP CLOSE! A FAMILY CONCERT WITH THE CHAMPLAIN TRIO: Vermont musicians Letitia Quante, Emily Taubl and Hiromi Fukuda captivate little listeners with an interactive performance of classic chamber music. Dibden Center for the Arts, Vermont State University-Johnson, 2-3 p.m. $25; free for students and kids.

brattleboro/okemo valley

DOMINO TOPPLING EXTRAVAGANZA: Families delight in the jaw-dropping spectacle of an elaborate display of tens of thousands of dominoes. Virtual options available. Brattleboro Museum & Art Center, 5-6:30 p.m. $5; free for kids 8 and under.

MON.9

burlington

‘CHAMP: AMERICA’S LAKE MONSTER’ EXHIBIT: See WED.4. STORIES & CRAFTS: ANIMAL ANTICS: Children ages 2 to 6 and their caregivers unleash their inner creature at a hands-on story session spotlighting a new critter each week. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 11-11:45 a.m. Free. ‘VERY ERIC CARLE’ EXHIBIT: See WED.4.

chittenden county

POKÉMON CLUB: Players trade cards and enjoy activities centered on their favorite strategic game. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 4-5 p.m. Free. READ TO A DOG: Young readers practice their literacy skills during 10-minute one-on-one sessions with a patient, four-legged therapy pup named Emma. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 3-4 p.m. Free.

laws of motion with pendulum swings, inertia hammers, hovercrafts and more. Lebanon Opera House, N.H., 10 a.m. Free; preregister.

TUE.10

burlington

‘CHAMP: AMERICA’S LAKE MONSTER’ EXHIBIT: See WED.4. 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.

chittenden county

CRAFTYTOWN: Youngsters hone their artistic chops by making unique creations in a variety of mediums, from painting to printmaking to sculpture. Recommended for ages 8 and up, or 6 and up with an adult helper. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 1-2 p.m. Free. 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.

northeast kingdom

ACORN CLUB STORY TIME: Youngsters 5 and under play, sing, hear stories and color. St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, 10:30-11 a.m. Free.

1/25/24 12:23 PM

STORY TIME: See THU.5. THE NEST: Good Beginnings of Central Vermont hosts a baby-friendly space where prenatal and postpartum families can connect. KelloggHubbard Library, Montpelier, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Free.

upper valley

LEGO TUESDAYS: Youth architects tackle construction challenges or follow their own blueprints at a creative building session complete with snacks. Norwich Public Library, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Free.

northeast kingdom

LAPSIT STORY TIME: Babies 2 and under learn to love reading while singing and playing with their caregivers. Siblings welcome. St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. PRESCHOOL STORY TIME: See FRI.6.

WED.11

burlington

‘CHAMP: AMERICA’S LAKE MONSTER’ EXHIBIT: See WED.4. STORIES & SONGS FOR LIBRARY LITTLES: See WED.4.

BABY TIME: See WED.4.

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.

6H-davisstudio022824.indd 1

BASEMENT TEEN CENTER: See WED.4.

mad river valley/waterbury

upper valley

DAVISSTUDIOVT.COM • 802-425-2700 • 916 SHELBURNE ROAD • SOUTH BURLINGTON

barre/montpelier

‘VERY ERIC CARLE’ EXHIBIT: See WED.4.

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.

Enrolling all levels for Drawing, Painting, and Fused Glass Classes.

‘VERY ERIC CARLE’ EXHIBIT: See WED.4.

barre/montpelier

BASEMENT TEEN CENTER: See WED.4.

Find joy in self-expression with support from encouraging instructors.

chittenden county CHILDREN’S STORY TIME WITH CHRISTINE: See WED.4.

upper valley

STORY TIME: See WED.4.

outside vermont

INSTRUMENT PETTING ZOO & PERFORMANCE: Ever played a sarangi? How about an autoharp? Vermont Folklife’s world-renowned touring group Sugar in the Pan shows the way at this morning of musical discovery for littles. Top of the Hop, Hopkins Center for the Arts, Dartmouth College, Hanover, N.H., 11 a.m. Free; preregister. K

outside vermont

YOUTH EDUCATION SERIES: ‘MISTER C: THE WORLD IN MOTION’: A special performance for students and educators illustrates Newton’s

3v-NancyJenkins110426 1

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

11/3/26 1:47 PM

GREAT VIBES.

ALL DAY! Find your groove for any mood.

Country Hits. Party Central.

Big D & Bubba bring the morning laughs, House keeps the midday party rolling and Betty B. turns up the drive home. Your all-day lineup for the hottest country hits!

Country comfort. Turned up.

Your favorite country throwbacks from the ’80s through the 2000s—the songs you know by heart and sing out loud! Kim Ashley in the morning, Dayna D. midday and House taking you home.

Rock muscle. Alternative edge.

Chill

TUE.10

« P.65

phones, laptops, e-readers and other devices in one-on-one meetings. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 1-4 p.m. Free; preregister.

words

BURLINGTON LITERATURE GROUP: Over the course of nine weeks, readers analyze Mircea Cărtărescu’s 2015 surrealist novel, Solenoid, about a high school teacher in 1970s Communist Romania who records his nightmarish daily life in a diary. 6:30-8 p.m. Free. GUS SPETH: A local author shares his new book, Jericho River, set in a small Vermont village amid the tumultuousness of the 1960s and ‘70s. The Norwich Bookstore, 7 p.m. Free. MOONLIGHT STORY TIME FOR GROWN-UPS: Who says picture books are just for kids? Leadership coach Amy Paro captains a book club like no other, replete with hot cider, cocoa, snacks and stimulating conversation. Inklings Children’s Books, Waitsfield, 5-6:30 p.m. Free. WRITER’S CIRCLE: Creative sparks fly as participants tackle curated prompts and read their latest drafts aloud in a collaborative environment. Virtual option available. Pathways Vermont Morgan’s Place Peer Support Center, Burlington, 4-5:30 p.m. Free.

WED.11

Kick off your day in rockin’ style with Greg & The Morning Buzz—New England’s #1 weekday morning show. Jam out with Betty B’s Lucky Lunch, then let House & Hammer ride shotgun on the drive home!

Hits

calendar

business

‘AI AS A TOOL FOR BUSINESS’: Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity helps curious minds decode the inner workings of artificial intelligence

Ease back and sing along.

FOMO?

Start the day smiling with The TJ Show, then settle into the Champlain Valley’s handpicked diverse mix of feel-good hits from the ’80s to today.

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

Listen Anywhere!

and its growing influence on business. 4-5:30 p.m. Free; preregister.

community

CURRENT EVENTS: Neighbors have an informal discussion about what’s in the news. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 10:30 a.m.-noon. Free.

language

YARN & YAK: See WED.4.

LANGUAGE LOUNGE: See WED.4.

GREEN MOUNTAIN CHAPTER OF THE EMBROIDERERS’ GUILD OF AMERICA: Anyone with an interest in the needle arts can bring a project to this monthly meeting. Holy Family Parish Hall, Essex Junction, 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. YARN CRAFTERS GROUP: See WED.4.

dance

MOVEMENT MATTERS: GROUNDED UP WITH TOMO SONE: No prior dance experience is required at this workshop inspired by the peaceful rhythms of nature. Mahaney Arts Center, Middlebury College, 4:30-6 p.m. Free. SQUARE DANCE CLUB: See WED.4.

etc.

TOASTMASTERS OF GREATER BURLINGTON: Those looking to strengthen their speaking and leadership skills gain new tools. Virtual option available. Generator Makerspace, Burlington, 6-7:30 p.m. Free; preregister.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section. ‘ALL THE BEAUTY AND THE BLOODSHED’: Laura Poitras’ 2022 documentary follows the life of artist and activist Nan Goldin and the downfall of the Sackler family, the pharmaceutical dynasty largely responsible for the nation’s opioid epidemic. Latchis Theatre, Brattleboro, 7 p.m. $10-25. ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN FILM SERIES: ‘THE DESERT OF FORBIDDEN ART’: This 2011 documentary shines a light on Igor Savitsky, who rescued 40,000 works created by fellow artists during Joseph Stalin’s Soviet regime and housed them in present-day Uzbekistan. Virtual option available. Burlington City Hall Auditorium and 118 Elliot, Brattleboro. 6:30 p.m. Free.

food & drink

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

CUPPA ON CAMPUS: See WED.4.

BURGER WEEK: See FRI.6. COMMUNITY COOKING: See WED.4.

health & fitness CHAIR YOGA: See WED.4.

MIDWEEK DHARMA: See WED.4. APPLE

ANDROID

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

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RECOVERY DHARMA: See WED.4.

crafts

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

= ONLINE EVENT

REAL TALK ABOUT SEX: ‘OWNING YOUR PLEASURE’: A monthly Zoom gathering facilitated by certified sexuality educator Sarah Goodrich allows for frank, respectful conversations about the topic. 7-8 p.m. Free.

ITALIAN CONVERSATION GROUP: Practitioners sharpen their skills and connect with neighbors at a bimonthly meetup facilitated by a native speaker. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 10-11 a.m. Free.

lgbtq

THE ALL-INCLUSIVE DYKETACULAR: See WED.4. QUEER WRITERS’ GROUP: LGBTQ+ authors meet monthly to discuss their work, write from prompts, and give each other advice and feedback. Rainbow Bridge Community Center, Barre, 5:30-7 p.m. Free.

seminars

FAMILY-TO-FAMILY CLASS: See WED.4. SUCCULENT TERRARIUM WORKSHOP: Reps from AARP Vermont outline easy design techniques, planting tips and care instructions for takehome mini gardens. Materials provided. Ilsley Public Library, Middlebury, 12:30-2 p.m. Free; preregister.

sports

GREEN MOUNTAIN TABLE TENNIS CLUB: See WED.4.

talks

FALL SPEAKER SERIES: See WED.4.

theater

‘DESCRIBE THE NIGHT’: The school’s theater department mounts Rajiv Joseph’s Obie Award-winning drama exploring how truth, myth and censorship shape humanity. Royall Tyler Theatre, University of Vermont, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $10-22. ‘SEX WITH STRANGERS’: Local talents take on Laura Eason’s contemporary drama about a pair of mismatched writers: one, a struggling 40-year-old novelist; the other, an online memoirist who exposes his flings to the world. Montpelier Performing Arts Hub, 7 p.m. $1530 sliding scale.

words

POETRY POTLUCK: Got words? Folks gather to swap stanzas and dishes at a community-driven feast of verse. Wandering Vine, St. Johnsbury, 7-9 p.m. Free. ➆

obsessed? Find, fix and feather with Nest Notes — an e-newsletter filled with home design, Vermont real estate tips and DIY decorating inspirations. Sign up today at sevendaysvt.com/enews.

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Musicians & Artists »

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BUY & SELL Buy y & Sell e

Musicians M cians & Ar Artists ts

PETS & SUPPLIES MUSIC LESSONS YELLOW LABRADOR RETRIEVER PUPPIES 3 yellow female & 1 male English Labrador. $500. Contact 802-291-2995, soossmiles1111@gmail. com.

LEARN PIANO ON A STEINWAY GRAND Piano lessons avail. for beginner through advanced players. All ages & all genres of music. I have 20 years’ teaching experience & am at a new South End piano studio. Be in touch! Info, randal. pierce@gmail.com, randalpiercemusic.com.

Community C ommunity mmuni y

ANNOUNCEMENTS SLAVIC LIFE The Slavic Life Movement is an organization dedicated to the preservation & evolution of Slavic culture.

➆

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

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

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controls. No tiny buttons, apps or prescriptions. 45-day risk-free trial. Free shipping. Lifetime support. More than 1.5 million happy customers. Call Audien: 1-833-689-4423. (AAN CAN).

Services rv es

HOME & GARDEN

APARTMENTS & HEALTH & HOUSES FOR RENT WELLNESS NEWLY RENOVATED APTS. IN THE HEART OF BURLINGTON Discover modern downtown living at 1 Lawson Ln. in Burlington, Vt. Newly renovated studio, 1-BR & 2-BR apts. are avail. in a beautifully restored historic building, conveniently located near UVM, restaurants, shopping & the waterfront. Residents will enjoy a fi tness center, spacious resident lounge, coworking space, conference room & a package room. Limited-time leasing special: Receive 1 mo. free w/ a 13-mo. lease if you move in before Dec. 31, 2026! Schedule a tour today or explore avail. floor plans at 1lawson.com. $2,095-$3,750. Info, 802-307-7500, info@ jmscapgroup.com, 1lawson.com.

HOUSEMATES SHARE LOVELY S. BURLINGTON TOWNHOME Attractive townhome to share w/ well-traveled senior woman who enjoys film, volunteering & educational events. Hoping to find a housemate to cook & share a meal at times. $650, all utils. incl. Contact info@ homesharevermont.org, 802-863-5625, or visit homesharevermont. org for application. Interview, refs. & background checks req. EHO.

real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. Any home seeker who feels they have encountered discrimination should contact: HUD Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity 10 Causeway St., Boston, MA 02222-1092 1-800-669-9777 hud.gov/reporthousingdiscrimination — OR — Vermont Human Rights Commission 12 Baldwin St. Montpelier, VT 05633-0633 800-416-2010 human.rights@vermont.gov

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

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

CAREGIVING Sweet & gentle caregiver for independents only! Avail. Mon.-Fri., days & overnights. Lightweight caregiving. NS, no heavy lifting. 802-495-1954 or 802891-1075. Please leave message.

ELECTRONICS HOME INTERNET Connect to the best wireless home internet w/ EarthLink. Enjoy speeds from 5G & 4G LTE networks, no contracts, easy installation, & data plans up to 300 GB. Call 855-873-2215. (AAN CAN) ALL YOUR ENTERTAINMENT Nothing on your roof! Sign up for DIRECTV & get your 1st 3 mos. of Max, Paramount+, Showtime, Starz, MGM+ & Cinemax incl. Choice package, $84.99/mo. Some restrictions apply. Call DIRECTV: 1-855-606-4520. (AAN CAN)

FINANCIAL & LEGAL

ALWAYS CLEANING Expanding from Montpelier to S. Burlington. Offices, residential, yardwork, handyman services. Call 802-522-5657 or 802-565-7007. HOME BREAK-INS take less than 60 seconds. Don’t wait! Protect your family, your home, your assets now for as little as 70 cents a day. Call 1-877-8643209. (AAN CAN)

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

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

POWER OUTAGES? Prepare for power outages today w/ a Generac Home Standby Generator. Act now to receive a free 5-year warranty w/ qualifying purchase. Call 1-866381-0627 today to schedule a free quote. It’s not just a generator. It’s a power move. (AAN CAN) HOME SERVICES Repairing or replacing appliances & home systems such as heating & cooling can be costly. A home warranty plan can help. Start saving & get 30 percent off any plan today. Workmanship guarantee incl. Terms apply. Call Cinch Home Services: 1-844-4151477. (AAN CAN)

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VEHICLE

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LEGALS »

7/9/24 5:24 PM

And on the seventh day, we do not rest. Instead we bring you...

TAX WORRIES? End your tax worries today. Let us make your tax problem our priority. Scared, stuck w/ high tax amounts? Our A+ tax professionals can help. Call for a free consultation. Call Priority Tax now: 1- 855496-0514. (AAN CAN)

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SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

7/31/24 4:41 PM

Legal Notices ACT 250 NOTICE MINOR APPLICATION 4C1369 10 V.S.A. §§ 6000 - 6111 Application 4C1369 from Clemmons Family Farm, Inc., Attn: Lydia Clemmons, P.O. Box 546, Charlotte, VT 05445 was received on October 13, 2026 and deemed complete on October 22, 2026. The project is generally described as renovation of the existing “Big Barn” for use as a visual and performing arts space and reconstruction of a historic portion of the barn within the footprint of a former shed removed in 2019. Associated site improvements include new parking, access drives, walkways, landscaping, and supporting utilities. The project will utilize an existing on-site drilled well and a proposed wastewater system. The Project is located at 2135 Greenbush Road in Charlotte, 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 “4C1369.” No hearing will be held and a permit may be issued unless, on or before November 20, 2026, a party notifies the District 4 Commission in writing of an issue requiring a hearing, or the Commission sets the matter for a hearing on its own motion. Any person as defined in 10 V.S.A. § 6085(c)(1) may request a hearing. Any hearing request must be in writing, must state the criteria or sub-criteria at issue, why a hearing is required, and what additional evidence will be presented at the hearing. Any hearing request by an adjoining property owner or other person eligible for party status under 10 V.S.A. § 6085(c)(1)(E) must include a petition for party status under the Act 250 Rules. To request party status and a hearing, fill out the Party Status Petition Form on the Board’s website: https:// act250.vermont.gov/documents/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 Stephanie H.

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

Monaghan at the address or telephone number below. Dated this October 27, 2026. By: /s/ Stephanie H. Monaghan Stephanie H. Monaghan District Coordinator 111 West Street Essex Junction, VT 05452 802-261-1944 stephanie.monaghan@vermont.gov NOTICE OF TAX SALE TOWN OF RICHMOND The resident and non-resident owners, lien holders and mortgagees of lands in the Town of Richmond in the County of Chittenden are hereby notified that the taxes assessed by such Town remain, either in whole or in part, unpaid on the following described lands in such Town, to wit: Property Owner: Jason Gabric Property Address: 437 East Hill Road Parcel ID # EH0437 All and the same lands and premises conveyed to the said Jason Gabric by Executor’s Deed of Nathan Crete, Executor of the Estate of Normand G. Crete dated January 15, 2021 and recorded in Volume 259 at Page 487 of the Land Records of the Town of Richmond, Vermont. Tax Year: 2024-2025 Amount of delinquent taxes, interest, cost and penalties: $6,572.90 Property Owner: Daniel and Janina Glabicky Property Address: 335 East Main Street Parcel ID # EM0335 All and the same lands and premises conveyed to the said Daniel and Janina Glabicky by Warranty Deed of Ren and Lauren Chase dated August 1, 2017 and recorded in Volume 241 at Page 242 of the Land Records of the Town of Richmond, Vermont. Tax Year: 2024-2025 Amount of delinquent taxes, interest, cost and penalties: $10,558.83

Property Owner: Michael Foster Property Address: 215 Hilltop Circle Parcel ID # HT0215 A mobile home conveyed to the said Michael Foster by Vermont Mobile Home Uniform Bill of Sale of CBB Enterprises LLC dated December 4, 2013 and recorded at Volume 222, Page 326 of the Land Records of the Town of Richmond, Vermont. Tax Years: 2021-2025 Amount of delinquent taxes, interest, cost and penalties: $3,837.64 Property Owner: Kyle Morrison Property Address: 2384 Huntington Road Parcel ID # HU2384 All and the same lands and premises conveyed to the said Kyle Morrison by Quitclaim Deed of Bethany Mahler dated September 27, 2024 and recorded in Volume 275, Page 276 of the Land Records of the Town of Richmond, Vermont and by Warranty Deed of Bruce and Amy M. Leao dated May 13, 2016 and recorded at Volume 234 at Page 413 of the Land Records of the Town of Richmond, Vermont. Tax Year: 2024-2025 Amount of delinquent taxes, interest, cost and penalties: $4,129.35 Property Owner: James W. and Sandra L. Rocque Property Address: 351 Summers Street Parcel ID # SM0351 A mobile home conveyed to the said James W. and Sandra L. Rocque by Vermont Mobile Home Uniform Bill of Sale of Maureen Benoit dated September 5, 2003 and recorded in the Mobile Home Bills of Sale Land Records of the Town of Richmond, Vermont. Tax Years: 2024-2025 Amount of delinquent taxes, interest, cost and penalties: $1,748.08 Reference may be made to said deeds for a more particular description of said lands and premises, as the same appear in the Town Clerk’s Office of the Town of Richmond.

PUZZLE ANSWERS FROM P.73 6 1

Kristen E. Shamis, Esq. Monaghan Safar PLLC 27 Main Street Burlington, VT 05401 kshamis@msdvt.com Monaghan Safar PLLC, and the Town of Richmond give no opinion or certification as to the marketability of title to the above-referenced properties as held by the current owner/taxpayer. Dated at Richmond, Vermont, this 21st day of October, 2026. ________________________ Laurie Brisbin Collector of Delinquent Taxes Town of Richmond IN ACCORDANCE WITH VT TITLE 9 COMMERCE AND TRADE CHAPTER 098: STORAGE UNITS 3905. Enforcement of Lien, Champlain Valley Self Storage, LLC shall host an online auction on BID13.COM for the following units on or after November 21, 2026: Contents: household goods Location: 2211 Main St. Colchester VT 05446 Kyla Smith: #867 Darrell Langworthy: #561 Beverly Campbell: #737 Sonya Walters: #846 For auction info please email info@champlainvalleyselfstorage.com Champlain Valley Self Storage, LLC reserves the right to reject any bid lower than the amount owed by the occupant or any bid 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. Auction to take place at: BID13.COM CITY OF BURLINGTON IN THE YEAR TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SIX AN ORDINANCE IN RELATION TO BCO CHAPTER 21, OFFENSES AND MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS, SEC. 21-45A(F) TRESPASS ON CITY PROPERTY – APPEAL HEARING SCHEDULING TIMELINE

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So much of such lands will be sold at public auction at the Town of Richmond, 203 Bridge Street, P.O. Box 285, Richmond, Vermont 05477, on the 8th day of December, 2026 at 10 o’clock a.m., as shall be requisite to discharge such taxes and utility charges with interest, costs and penalties, unless previously paid. Property owners or mortgagees may pay such taxes, interest, costs and penalties in full by cash or certified check made payable to the Town of Richmond. At tax sale, successful bidders must pay in full by cash or certified check. No other payments accepted. Any questions or inquiries regarding the above-referenced sale should be directed to the following address:

ORDINANCE 6.7 Sponsor: Councilor Singh Public Hearing Dates: First reading: 9/14/2026 Referred to: Ordinance Committee Rules suspended and placed in all stages of passage: Second reading: 10/26/26 Action: adopted as amended by OC Date: 10/26/26 Signed by Mayor: 10/28/26 Published: 11/04/26 Effective: 11/24/26 That Chapter 21, Offenses and Miscellaneous Provisions, of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Burlington be and hereby is amended by amending Sec. 21-45A(f), Trespass on City Property, thereof to read as follows: 21-45A(f). Notice of Trespass on City Property (f) Appeal. (1) Process. The recipient of a notice of trespass may appeal the notice of trespass by filing an appeal, in writing, within seven (7) calendar days of the issuance of the notice. The written appeal

SEVENDAYSVT.COM/CLASSIFIEDS

shall include the appellant’s name, address, phone number, and indicate whether a hearing is requested. No fee shall be charged for filing the appeal. The appeal shall be filed at the location designated in the notice of trespass. Except for in exigent circumstances, any such appeal shall stay the operation of the notice of trespass beyond the day the appeal is filed, pending a hearing and/or written decision. (2) Exigent circumstances. For purposes of this chapter, “exigent circumstances” means any situation in which the issuing city official/officer determines that a person presents an immediate and substantial threat or danger to the health, safety, or welfare of another person. In such circumstances, an appeal shall not stay the operation of the notice of trespass. The existence of exigent circumstances and the specific factual basis therefore shall be determined by the issuing city official/officer and communicated to the designated hearing panel and appellant in writing within one (1) business day from when the appeal is filed. (3) As written. (4) Procedure. When an appeal is filed, the designated hearing panel shall meet within ten (10) business days to consider the appeal, unless the Committee determines, either upon its own finding or request of either party, that additional time is warranted given the complexity of the matter at hand. However, in no event shall the hearing shall be scheduled more than thirty (30) days after the appeal is filed. If no hearing is requested, the designated hearing panel may consider any written submissions as part of its decision. If a hearing is requested, the appellant must be provided at least three (3) business days written notice of the date, time, and location of the hearing. The designated hearing panel shall allow oral and/or written testimony and evidence from the appellant and the issuing city official or officer. In reviewing the notice of trespass, the panel will utilize the preponderance of the evidence standard with the burden of proof on the charging official or their representative. The designated hearing panel shall issue a written decision within ten (10) business days of the hearing, which shall include a record of any finding by the issuing official/officer of the existence of exigent circumstances regarding the stay of the notice of trespass while the appeal was pending, if applicable. The designated hearing panel may extend the time period for hearing if the operation of the notice of trespass is stayed or if the appellant consents. (5) — As written. * Material stricken out deleted. ** Material underlined added. *** Material in red text from 1st reading plus Ordinance Committee proposal PSC/HM/Ordinances 2026/BCO Chapter 21, Sec. 21-45A(f) – Appeal Hearing Scheduling Timeline 10/13/26 LEGAL NOTICE JERICHO UNDERHILL LIBRARY DISTRICT BUDGET HEARING Thursday, November 19, 2026 at 6:00 PM The Jericho Underhill Library District will hold its official budget hearing on Thursday, November 19, 2026, at 6:00 PM. The hearing will take place in the Program Room of the Deborah Rawson Memorial Library, 8 River Road, Jericho, Vermont. The purpose of the hearing is to discuss the proposed Fiscal Year 27/28 Budget. PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE PLANBTV: NEW NORTH END 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 planBTV New North End: The first public hearing will take place on Monday, November 23, 2026 during the Regular City Council Meeting which begins at 6:00 pm in Contois Auditorium, Burlington City Hall, 149 Church Street,

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Burlington, VT or you may access the hearing/ meeting as follows: On-line: https://zoom.us/j/94986539341 By telephone: +1 305 224 1968 US Webinar ID: 949 8653 9341 The second public hearing will take place on Monday, December 7, 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/95511179928 By telephone: +1 305 224 1968 US Webinar ID: 955 1117 9928 Pursuant to the requirements of 24 V.S.A. §4444(b): Statement of purpose: planBTV New North End provides guidance for future public investment, policy decisions, and private development, balancing housing, affordability, environmental stewardship, and quality of life. The plan is organized around three interconnected frameworks (transportation, Urban Design, and Placemaking) and an implementation strategy with short-, medium-, and long-term actions to support a more connected, inclusive, and sustainable neighborhood where residents can more easily access housing, services, recreation, and daily needs. Geographic areas affected: While planBTV New North End strategies are largely limited to the area of Burlington north of Institute Road and North Avenue, the plan also has potential impacts on all of Burlington and the surrounding region. List of section headings affected: planBTV New North End is to be incorporated by reference into planBTV: Comprehensive Plan (2019) as well as planBTV 2050 once adopted. The full text of the draft planBTV New North End is available online at https://burlingtonvt.gov/ planbtv/nne. The proposed plan can be reviewed in hard copy posted on the third floor of City Hall, 149 Church Street, Burlington. Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CITY OF ESSEX JUNCTION DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD PUBLIC HEARING THURSDAY, NOBEMBER 19TH, 2026 6:30 P.M. REVISED AGENDA This meeting will be held in person at Lincoln Hall, 2 Lincoln Street in the Meeting Room and remotely via Zoom. The meeting will be live-streamed on Town Meeting TV. • JOIN ONLINE: Visit www.essexjunction.org/DRB for meeting connection information. • JOIN BY TELEPHONE: Dial 1(888) 788-0099 (toll free) Meeting ID: 839 2599 0985 Passcode: 940993 PUBLIC HEARING Design Review and Historic Preservation for a change of siding material, painted to match the existing siding color, and a change in trim color at 10-12 Pearl Street in the VC District by Chris and Chelsea Russell d.b.a. BCWW Properties, owners. This DRAFT agenda may be amended.Plan documents will be available on www.essexjunction.org/ DRB five days prior to the meeting. Any questions re: above please call Michael Giguere or Terry Hass – 802-878-6944

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STATE OF VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT CIVIL DIVISION CHITTENDEN UNIT DOCKET NO. 26-CV-05267 IN RE: ABANDONED MOBILE HOME OF BESSIE BURRITT VERIFIED COMPLAINT FOR ABANDONMENT PURSUANT TO TITLE 10 V.S.A. § 6249(h) NOW COMES Falcon Management Company, Inc., by and through counsel Peter B.Schubart, and hereby complains pursuant to Title 10 V.S.A. § 6249(h) as follows: 1. Falcon Management Company, Inc., a Vermont domestic business corporation with aprincipal place of business in the Town of Richmond, County of Chittenden, State of Vermont, is the record owner of a mobile home park known as the Riverview Commons Mobile Home Park (the “Park”), located in Richmond, Vermont. 2. Bessie Burritt is the record owner of a certain mobile home (the “Mobile Home”) described as 1977 Vista Mobile Home, 12’ x 70’’ (Serial no. 2280) located at the Riverview Commons Mobile Home Park, Lot #125, 95 Field Lane in Richmond, Vermont. A Mobile Home Bill of Sale dated March 15, 2015, is of record in the Town of Richmond Land Records. (A copy of the bill of sale is attached hereto as Exhibit 1) 3. The Mobile Home Bill of Sale indicates that the mobile home was owned as joint tenants with Evelyn Lunderville. A copy of Evelyn Lunderville’s obituary as posted on www.obituary.com is attached hereto as Exhibit 2. 4. Bessie Burritt died on March 15, 2026. A copy of Bessie Burritt’s obituary as posted on www. obituary.com is attached hereto as Exhibit 3. 5. Bessie Burritt’s last known mailing address is 95 Field Lane, Richmond, VT 05477. 6. The mobile home has been abandoned and is empty. To date, no relatives of Mrs. Burritt have contacted Falson Management Company, Inc. about acquiring the home. Further, no Probate Estate has been opened for Bessie Burritt. 7. On May 1, 2026, Donna Burritt, relative of the Decedent, Bessie Burritt, turned over keys to the mobile home to Counsel, stating that no one in her family wishes to acquire the home. A copy of the key receipt is attached hereto as Exhibit 4.

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DATED at South Burlington, Vermont this 1st day of October, 2026. Falcon Management Company, Inc. By: /s/ Peter B. Schubart, Esq. Peter B. Schubart, Esq., 80 Midas Drive, South Burlington, VT 05403 peter@schubartlaw.com (802) 829-0237 VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT CIVIL DIVISION CASE NO. 26-CV-05267 NOTICE OF HEARING Date: November 02, 2026 Falcon Management Company, Inc. v. Mobile Home of Bessie Burritt This is to notify you to appear at the Court named above in connection with the above-named case on: DATE: December 03, 2026 TIME: 9:00 AM DURATION: 30 Minutes HEARING RE: Motion to Declare Mobile Home Abandoned A hearing on Falcon Management Company, Inc.’s verified complaint to declare abandoned the mobile home of Bessie Burritt, located at the Riverview Commons Mobile Home Park (1977 Vista Mobile Home, 12’x70’, Serial No. 2280) Lot #125, 95 Field Lane in Richmond, Vermont to approve the sale of the mobile home at a public auction, has been set for December 3, 2026 @ 09:00AM “YOU MUST ATTEND THIS HEARING IN PERSON AT THE COURTHOUSE UNLESS YOU RECEIVE ADVANCE PERMISSION FROM THE COURT TO ATTEND REMOTELY (BY PHONE OR VIDEO).” Electronically signed Monday, November 2, 2026 pursuant to V.R.E.F. 9(d) Nancy L. Bean Judicial Assistant – Chittenden Civil Division Vermont Superior Court 175 Main Street Burlington, Vermont 05401 Any individual with a disability requiring assistance accessing the services, programs, and/or activities at the Courthouse should contact the Clerk’s office at the above address for further assistance.

8. Falcon Management Company, Inc. sent written notice by certified mail to the Town of Richmond on August 18, 2026, regarding its intent to commence this action. (See attached Exhibit 5). 9. Falcon Management Company, Inc. is not holding a security deposit. The following security interests, mortgages, liens and encumbrances appear of record with respect to the mobile home: 1. Unpaid Rent due Falcon Management Company, Inc. is $4,350.00 (Exhibit 6). Attorney fees and court costs incurred by Falcon Management Company, Inc. are $2,000.00 2. Mobile home storage fees continue to accrue at the rate of $630.00 per month. WHEREFORE, Falcon Management Company, Inc. respectfully requests that the Honorable Court enter an order as follows:

say you saw it in

1. Declare that the mobile home has been abandoned; 2. Order pursuant to 10 V.S.A. § 6249(h) that Falcon Management Company, Inc. may arrange to have mobile home sold at public auction by the Thomas 16t-sayyousawit.indd 2 Hirschak Company of Williston, Vermont.

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SUPPORT GROUPS »

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

Support Groups A CIRCLE OF MEN The ManKind Project (MKP), a 4-decade-old international organization focused on self awareness, personal growth & community service, holds space for men in meetings online, in person, & at trainings & events. Founded in 1984, MKP is nonreligious, nonpolitical, & aims to help men of all backgrounds live w/ integrity, authenticity & accountability. Info, 802-770-2664, runninghungrydog@gmail.com, mankindproject.org. 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. 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. Online. Email us for the Zoom link & more info: morgansplace@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. CHARLOTTE ALZHEIMER’S CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP Free. No registration req. Are you caring for someone w/ Alzheimer’s? Do you know someone who is? Please join us for our monthly Caregivers Support Group at the Charlotte Senior Center, 212 Ferry Rd., on the 2nd Wed. of each mo., 3-4 p.m. The meetings provide a safe place for caregivers, family & friends of persons w/ dementia to meet & develop a mutual support system. For additional information, please contact Louise Fairbank: louisefairbank67@gmail.com. CHARLOTTE MEMORY CAFE The cafe is held at the Charlotte 50+ Community Center, 212 Ferry Rd., on the 3rd Wed. of every month, 1:15-2:15 p.m. This free event provides a welcoming & supportive space for individuals living w/ memory loss, along w/ their caregivers, friends & loved ones. Registration appreciated. Call 802-425-6345. 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., 3:45-4:45 p.m., at Morgan’s Place, 50 S. Willard St., Burlington. Email us for more info: morgansplace@pathwaysvermont. org, pathwaysvermont.org/programs/ peersupportcenter.

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

FCA FAMILY SUPPORT GROUP Families Coping With Addiction (FCA) is an open community peer support group for adults (18+) struggling w/ the drug or alcohol addiction of a loved one. FCA is not 12-step-based but provides a forum for those living the family experience, in which to develop personal coping skills & to draw strength from one another. Our group meets every Wed., 5:30-6:30 p.m., live in person in the conference room at the Turning Point Center of Chittenden County (179 S. Winooski Ave., Burlington), &/or via our parallel Zoom session to accommodate those who cannot attend in person. The Zoom link can be found on the Turning Point Center website (turningpointcentervt.org) using the “Family Support” tab (click on “What We Offer”). Any questions, please send by email to tdauben@aol.com. GRIEF SUPPORT GROUPS IN ESSEX JCT. The Grief Center of Vermont in Essex Jct. offers grief support circles, workshops & educational events for all forms of grief & loss. Monthly Monday Meetups are grouped to create communities of people w/ similar experiences (i.e. grieving death by suicide or substance use; grieving death of spouse or parent) in addition to general programming each week. All are welcome. See website for most current schedule & range of offerings. Info, 802-404-2144, info@ griefcenterofvermont.com, griefcenter ofvermont.com. HARD OF HEARING SUPPORT GROUP New support group for the hard of hearing. Beginning Mon., Sep. 14, 3-4:30 p.m., in the Quiet Reading Room at the South Burlington Public Library on Market Street. Please join us to share technology, struggles & coping strategies in your hearing-loss adventures. Group will be on the first Mon. of the mo. & the following Mon. if on a holiday. Info, 802-999-8005, buffett402@aol. com. HEARING VOICES SUPPORT GROUP This Hearing Voices Group seeks to find understanding of voice-hearing experiences as real lived experiences that may happen to anyone at any time. We choose to share experiences, support & empathy. We validate anyone’s experience & stories about their experience as their own, as being an honest & accurate representation of their experience, & as being acceptable exactly as they are. Tue., 2:30-4 p.m. Morgan’s Place, 50 S. Willard St., Burlington. Email us for more information: morgansplace@ pathwaysvermont.org, pathwaysvermont.org/ programs/peersupportcenter. 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.-12:30 p.m. For info, contact the Rev. Tim Eberhardt, Gifford’s spiritual care coordinator, at 802-728-2107. MYELOMA SUPPORT GROUP Area myeloma survivors, families & caregivers have come together to form a Multiple Myeloma Support Group. We provide emotional support, resources about treatment options, coping strategies & a support network by participating in the group experience w/ people who have been through similar situations. 3rd Tue. of every mo., 5-6 p.m., on Zoom. Info: Kay Cromie, 802-6559136, kgcromey@aol.com.

CONTACT CLASSIFIEDS@SEVENDAYSVT.COM OR 802-865-1020 EXT. 115 TO UPDATE YOUR SUPPORT GROUP

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., 802-338-8106. 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 in Waterbury 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. PARKINSON’S MUTUAL AID GROUP For individuals & caregivers dealing w/ the challenges of Parkinson’s, we meet to share resources & practical ideas for improving quality of life. This in-person group is free & open to the public. Every 2nd Tue. of the mo., 2-3 p.m., at the Old Meeting House, 1620 Center Rd., East Montpelier. Please contact admin@old meetinghouse.org or 802-229-9593. RECOVERY DHARMA Recovery Dharma uses Buddhist practices & principles to help people recover from all kinds of addictions & addictive behaviors. This peer-led, nontheistic group offers opportunities to deepen understanding, explore personal inquiry & connect w/ others. We meet every Wed., 6-7 p.m., at the First United Methodist Church in Burlington (the Red Door Church, 21 Buell St.). Enter through the administrative office door (at far left when viewed from Buell St.). We also meet on Thu., 1-2 p.m., at the Turning Point Center, 179 N. Winooski Ave., Burlington. No meditation experience required; all are welcome. Email rd.burlington. vt@gmail.com for more info. SMART RECOVERY SMART Recovery is a mutual support group where, through open confidential discussion, we help each other & ourselves w/ recovery from any type of addictive behavior. Regardless of whether your recovery goals include abstinence, reduction in use or harm reduction, you are welcome here. You determine your goals; SMART provides tools & support to help you achieve them. Our approach uses self-empowering skills that help you build & maintain motivation; cope w/ urges; manage thoughts, feelings & behaviors; & live a balanced life. For the latest information about in-person & online groups, go to meetings. smartrecovery.org. SEX & LOVE ADDICTS ANONYMOUS 12-step recovery group. Do you have a problem w/ sex or relationships? We can help. Visit slaafws. org or saa-recovery.org for meetings near you.

SEXUAL VIOLENCE SUPPORT HOPE Works offers free support groups to women, men & teens who are survivors of sexual violence. Groups are avail. for survivors at any stage of the healing process. Intake for all support groups is ongoing. If you are interested in learning more or would like to schedule an intake to become a group member, please call our office at 802-864-0555, ext. 19, or email our victim advocate at advocate@sover.net. Visit hopeworksvt.com for more info. STEPS SUPPORT GROUP Steps offers a weekly support group w/ drop-in options for those who have experienced or who have been affected by domestic violence. Women’s Support Group meets virtually every Tue., 5-6:30 p.m. Gender Inclusive Support Group meets virtually every Thu., 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Both groups offer a safe, supportive & confidential place to connect w/ others, heal & recover. For more info, call us at 802-658-1996 or email steps@stepsvt.org. STUTTERING SUPPORT GROUPS We offer 3 monthly National Stuttering Association (NSA) stuttering support groups for adults, teens & school-age children (7-12). Meetings take place monthly at UVM & by Zoom. Contact burlingtonstutters@gmail.com for more information. SUICIDE HOTLINES IN VT Brattleboro, 257-7989; Montpelier (Washington County Mental Health Emergency Services), 2290591; Randolph (Clara Martin Center Emergency Service), 800-639-6360. SUPPORT GROUP FOR WOMEN Group for women who have experienced intimate partner abuse. Facilitated by Circle (Washington Co. only). Please call 877-543-9498 for more info. SURVIVORS OF SUICIDE: S. BURLINGTON This group is for people experiencing the impact of the loss of a loved one to suicide. 1st Wed. of each mo., 6-7 p.m., at the Comfort Inn & Suites, 3 Dorset St., S. Burlington. Info: Bob Purvee at 802-922-4685 or Aya Kuki at 802-881-3606, or by email at survivorsofsuicidelosssb@gmail.com. THE COMPASSIONATE FRIENDS SUPPORT GROUP The Compassionate Friends international support group for parents, siblings & families grieving the loss of a child meets the 4th Tue. of every mo., 7-8:30 p.m., at St. John Vianney Catholic Church, 160 Hinesburg Rd., S. Burlington. Call/email Alan at 802-233-0544, alanday88@ gmail.com, or call Claire at 802-448-3569. TRANS PARENT GROUP This support group is for adult family members & caregivers of queer &/or questioning youths. It is held on the 1st Mon. of every mo., 6-7:30 p.m., online; & on the 3rd Mon. of every mo., 6-7:30 p.m., at Outright Vermont, 241 N. Winooski Ave., Burlington. This group is for adults only. For more info, email info@outrightvt.org. TRANSGUARDIANS SUPPORT GROUP We will be in community w/ parents of trans kids of all ages & supporting each other w/ storytelling, listening, learning & love. If we want to protect our trans kids, our 1st line of defense is uplifting their parents & guardians! This is a peer-support group & will be facilitated by Alison & Shawna. 4th Tue. of every mo., 5:30-7:30 p.m., at Rainbow Bridge Community Center. Contact 802-622-0692 or info@rainbowbridgevt.org or go to rainbowbridgevt.org. TRAUMA SUPPORT GROUP Our group is a space for mutual support for everyone who is living w/ mental/emotional trauma. The group meets every Fri., 2:15-3:15 p.m., at Morgan’s Place Peer Support Center, 50 S. Willard St., Burlington, or on Zoom. Email morgansplace@pathwaysvermont. org or visit pathwaysvermont.org/programs/ peersupportcenter.

Senior Account Manager

NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

ATTENTION RECRUITERS:

Select is looking for an experienced Senior Account Manager to own key client relationships and deliver creative outcomes within our growing base of iconic global consumer brand partners.

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

JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POST-A-JOB NOON ON MONDAYS (INCLUDING HOLIDAYS) GILLIAN COMITO, 802-341-3060 GCOMITO@SEVENDAYSVT.COM

YOUR TRUSTED LOCAL SOURCE. JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM

Responsibilities: foster client relationships by understanding and defining the outcomes they seek, collaborate and communicate with internal stakeholders, and engage Network Coordinator clients using Select’s growing suite of marketing Join our passionate wilderness team! Northeast Wilderness Trust seeks a Network Coordinator to be technology products.a connector and organizer of a multi-organization

BENNINGTON COLLEGE IS HIRING! ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT PROGRAMS!

effort focused on forests and natural climate solutions and the science of wildlands ecology.

Co-Director of Production & CCTV Productions Director

Qualifications: 3-5 years experience in a consumer brand Learn more Visit newildernesstrust.org/about/employment Full-time, Benefits Volunteer and apply to learn more. marketing agency or inside a consumer brand firm, a strong online today. cctv.org/careers For info & to apply: 7dvt.pub/appets understanding of the consumer brand space, modern Are you looking for an 2h-NortheastWildernessTrust102126.indd 1 3:28 PM 1 11/3/26 11:55 AM marketing practices and today's omni-channel landscape, 10/15/261-BenningtonAsstDirAdv110426.indd SEE THE HEART OF THE MATTER innovative, dynamic, and and experience collaborative place to work?managing relationships with multiple Echocardiographer at Northeastern complex deliverables on budget and within deadline. Vermont Regional Hospital (NVRH) Join us at Lake Champlain Select has immediate opportunities within our Waldorf School to deliver a preferred. Help patients see the full picture of their heart Bachelor degree production department. The right individual must

Production

holistic and developmental approach to education.

have the ability to work well in a creative, fast paced environment and manage several tasks simultaneously while maintaining attention to detail.

OpApply: en Position:

Qualifications: Prior experience preferred, but we will train the right candidate.

•careers@selectdesign.com Front Office Competitive salary based on experience & capabilities. Benefits include 401K, profit sharing, medical and Manager Full Listing: dental plans, and an exceptional work environment. Select creates products and www.selectdesign.com/careers platforms built for ongoing consumer engagement. To learn more check out 208 Flynn Ave., Burlington, VT (802) 864.9075 selectdesign.com.

www.lakechamplainwaldorfschool.org

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Procurement Administrator

10/22/264t-SelectDesign040225.indd 3:11 PM 1

Office Administrator We are a tax preparation business in Shelburne seeking a full-time office administrator. Ideal candidates will have strong attention to detail, excellent interpersonal and written communication skills, and be able to take initiative and work independently. Prior administrative and tax/ financial experience a plus. Compensation is $28/hour. Please send resume and cover letter outlining what you would bring to this position to admin@birchtreetax.com.

Qualifications: RDCS or RCS certification required • BLS required • Minimum of one (1) year of echocardiography experience required Why NVRH? Excellent benefits • Competitive pay • Student loan repayment Tuition reimbursement • Generous PTO • 401(k) match Apply today: nvrh.org/careers

10/23/264t-NVRH072926.indd 2:00 PM 1

7/24/26 11:10 AM

Finance Director

U.S. District Court

The United States District Court is seeking a qualified individual with excellent analytical, organizational, bookkeeping, and computer skills capable of functioning in a dynamic, team-oriented environment. The duty station is Burlington, Vermont. Full federal benefits apply. Complete job description and formal application requirements are found in the official Position Announcement available from court locations in Burlington and Rutland and the court’s web site: WWW.VTD.USCOURTS.GOV

health while building a rewarding career in the heart of Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom. NVRH is seeking an Echocardiographer to join our Diagnostic Imaging team. Perform diagnostic cardiac ultrasound studies, collaborate with physicians and care teams, and make a meaningful impact on patient care every day.

E.O.E.

The Finance Director steers the financial engine behind Vermont Housing and Conservation Board’s statewide affordable housing and conservation work. Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer and serving as their strategic backup, you’ll direct daily fiscal operations, supervise and mentor the finance team, and ensure the integrity of multi-fund revenue streams, including major federal awards. You’ll lead the annual audit cycle, shape organizational budgeting and financial modeling, oversee a substantial loan portfolio, and liaise with banking partners and state financial systems. Requires CPA or equivalent and deep knowledge of nonprofit or governmental fund accounting, GAAP, and federal Uniform Administrative Guidance, with a track record of clean audits and confident team leadership. Based in Montpelier with some remote flexibility. Applications due November 9, 2026.

Send resume and cover letter to jobs@vhcb.org. Applications reviewed on a rolling basis. To learn more, visit vhcb.org/careers | VHCB is an E.O.E.

YOUR JOBS AT JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM FOR FAST RESULTS, OR ATTENTION RECRUITERS: POST CONTACT GILLIAN COMITO: GCOMITO@SEVENDAYSVT.COM

78 NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

WHERE YOU AND YOUR WORK MATTER...

Lead Hazard Control Project Manager The Lead Hazard Control Project Manager protects low-income Vermont families and children from lead poisoning by turning older homes into safe, healthy places to live. Reporting to the Lead Program Director and working closely with the Vermont Department of Health, you’ll deliver technical and financial resources to homeowners and nonprofit housing providers statewide. You’ll conduct lead risk assessments, write project specifications and bid documents, and guide contractors through construction and clearance testing. Requires a bachelor’s degree in a scientific or environmental field or equivalent training, plus extensive experience in housing rehabilitation or construction management. Full training for Vermont lead licensing is provided. Based in Montpelier with extensive statewide travel; Vermont driver’s license and reliable vehicle required. $68,000–$74,500. Applications due November 30, 2026, at noon.

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

The Vermont Department of Libraries seeks a motivated, detail-oriented Principal Assistant for a full-time exempt position on-site at our Barre, VT office. Working closely with the Commissioner, this role leads the Department’s business operations, financial procedures, and administrative policy in a small, fast-paced, collaborative team. For more information, contact Janette Shaffer at Janette.Shaffer@vermont.gov. Location: Barre. Department: Libraries. Status: Full-time, Exempt. Anticipated starting salary range: $75k to $100k. Job ID #55961. Application Deadline: November 15, 2026.

Send resume and cover letter to jobs@vhcb.org. Applications reviewed on a rolling basis. To learn more, visit vhcb.org/careers | VHCB is an E.O.E.

Learn more at: careers.vermont.gov 5h-VTDeptHR110426 1

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BENNINGTON COLLEGE IS HIRING!

10/30/26 3:32 PM

ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES MANAGER Learn more and apply online today.

Commercial Lines Processing Agent T.S. Peck Insurance is one of the largest locally owned independent insurance agencies in Vermont, serving personal and commercial clients from its local office in South Burlington. Founded in 1869, the agency has a long history of understanding the unique Vermont business market and acting as a local advocate for policyholders. T.S. Peck provides a flexible & supportive work environment for its team. The Commercial Lines Processing Agent is a part-time, hybrid role based in South Burlington, VT. This position is responsible for supporting the commercial lines team by processing new business, renewals, endorsements, cancellations, and policy changes accurately and within established timelines. Day-to-day tasks include data entry into agency and carrier systems, preparing and issuing certificates of insurance, handling billing and policy document requests, and maintaining complete and organized client files. The agent communicates with carriers and internal staff to resolve discrepancies, obtain missing information, and ensure policies reflect correct coverage details. This role also assists with basic client service inquiries, follows agency procedures for compliance and documentation, and contributes to smooth office operations and a positive client experience. Salary/Benefits: • Salary starting at $55k/year • Full health, dental, vision, disability benefits • 401K match/profit sharing Application Email: jakehynes@tspeck.com.

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The State of Vermont is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Finance Manager

10/30/26 11:00 AM

Join our passionate wilderness team! Northeast Wilderness Trust seeks an experienced and detailoriented Finance Manager to perform professionallevel accounting duties and play a critical role in advancing our mission. Visit newildernesstrust.org/about/employment to learn more.

11/3/26 11:59 AM

TRIVIA HOSTS AND OTHER PUB ACTIVITIES Seeking responsible, engaging, quick witted and charismatic individuals to host weekly trivia night programs and other events! We’ll provide everything needed to run a successful trivia night, including proper training. Hosting is a great way to earn some fun money, entertain a crowd, and become a “local celebrity.”

You’re in good hands with...

We are looking for hosts in the following areas: SOUTH BURLINGTON, ESSEX ST ALBANS, STOWE, QUECHEE Compensation: This is a part time position. Competitive pay with opportunity to host additional accounts. To apply, please email resume to: INFO@PUBGEEKS.COM.

10/15/26 2:41 PM

Get a quote when posting online. Contact Gillian Comito 802-341-3060 gcomito@sevendaysvt.com J O B S . S E V E N D AY S V T. C O M

NEW JOBS POSTED DAILY! JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM

Why not have a job you love?

ACCOUNTING & BENEFITS MANAGER The Accounting and Benefits Manager is responsible for maintaining accurate and up-to-date financial records for the company. This role involves managing accounts payable and receivable, conducting monthly bank and inventory reconciliations, and collaborating with a third-party accounting firm for payroll processing and tax preparation. The Accounting and Benefits Manager also handles return merchandise authorizations (RMAs) through distributor portals and prepares month-end closing reports.

Champlain Community Services is growing, and we want you to be part of our team. Benefit package includes 29 paid days off in the first year, comprehensive health insurance with up to $6,400 to go towards medical deductibles and copays, retirement match and so much more. And that’s on top of working at one of the “Best Places to Work in Vermont” for eight years in a row.

Additionally, this position provides financial insights to the General Manager to support strategic decision-making. The Accounting and Benefits Manager will onboard new employees to include benefits and required documentation for tax purposes and work with a third party accounting company to ensure the new employee has what is needed to process their paycheck.

INTAKE COORDINATOR Be the first step in someone’s journey toward meaningful support at CCS. The ideal candidate will have experience working with individuals with developmental disabilities, have strong communication, organization and customer service skills, and have a genuine interest in helping people receive the support they need. Compensation is $24.60/hr plus on call stipend. Join our team today and help build a community where everyone participates and belongs. ccscareers.org 5h-CCS110426.indd 1

mbelanger@ vtcatholiccharities.org

This position also serves as an administrator of Catamount’s retirement savings account, responsible for compliance review authorization, address changes, and related tasks which involves managing sensitive information. Other benefit responsibilities include insurance administration, phone interviews, onboarding and offboarding of employees. Pay is $60,000 - $80,000/year. Comprehensive benefits provided. Apply: crystal@catamountsolar.com

11/3/26 9:42 AM

Full-Time Evening RN

St. Joseph Residential Care Home is seeking a compassionate, detailoriented RN to provide medication administration, daily care support, resident monitoring, and timely documentation in a welcoming, team-oriented senior care community. Current RN license required; senior living or long-term care experience preferred. Competitive pay, comprehensive benefits for eligible employees, and a $3,000 sign-on bonus. Apply today to make a meaningful difference in residents’ lives.

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Mansfield Hall is Hiring!

Youth Coaches:

St. Albans Drop-In Center St. Albans & Burlington Supported Housing full/part time shifts available

Young Adult Peer Navigator Scan QR code to apply.

$26/hr. Help neurodivergent college students thrive in the community. As a Case Manager, you’ll provide community-based academic and social support, coaching students through coursework and executive functioning, building their friendships and campus connections, and partnering with families and campus offices to keep every student moving toward independence. You’ll need a bachelor’s degree in behavioral sciences, education, or a related field, 1-3 years in case management, academic support, or transition work, and a valid driver’s license and vehicle. This full-time, on-site role has flexible hours and an on-call rotation. Benefits include medical with an HSA option, a 401(k) with 4% match, paid time off, paid winter break, and free meals on shift.

$28/hr ($58,240/yr). Lead the academic heart of a community where neurodivergent college students learn to thrive on their own. As Academic Director at Mansfield Hall, you’ll coach students in the moment, every day, on executive functioning, academic planning, and self-advocacy, while partnering with families, campus offices, and our team to move each student toward independence. You’ll also supervise, train, and develop staff. Bring a bachelor’s degree in behavioral sciences or a related field (graduate degree preferred), 3-5 years supporting diverse learners or working in higher education, coaching, or residential programming, and experience managing direct reports or mentoring staff. This full-time role includes an on-call rotation. Benefits include medical with an HSA option, dental and vision, a 401(k) with 4% match, paid time off and paid winter break, cell phone and internet support, and free meals on shift. To apply to these roles and see even more please visit our website: mansfieldhall.org/employment Mansfield Hall is an E.O.E. committed to a diverse workplace. People from diverse racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds, women, and persons with disabilities are highly encouraged to apply.

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Apprenticeship Program

Case Manager | Connections Program Burlington, VT

Academic Director | Burlington, VT Director of Human Resources

79 NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

• Guaranteed paid employment on day one of training • Team environment • Full Benefits

INVEST IN YOURSELF Our apprenticeship program is a paid opportunity to become a Sterile Processing Technician with no experience required.

• Dedicated support during the 8-week program & remainder of the apprenticeship

APPLY NOW jobforward.org/ sterileprocessingtech REGISTRATION DEADLINE Wednesday, Nov. 11th, 2026

Questions? Call or Email 802-497-6968 lida.hope@jobforward.org

University of Vermont Health (“UVMH”) will not discriminate against apprenticeship applicants or apprentices based upon their age (40 and older), ancestry, color, disability, gender identity, marital status, national origin, place of birth, race, religion, genetic information, sex, and sexual orientation. UVMH will take affirmative action to provide equal opportunity in apprenticeship and will operate the apprenticeship program as required by Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations, part 30; Title 21 Vermont Statutes Annotated, Labor, Ch. 13, Apprenticeship, and the Vermont State EEO Plan. This workforce product was funded by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)’s Employment and Training Administration (ETA). The product was created by the recipient and does not necessarily reflect the official position of DOL. DOL makes no guarantees, warranties, or assurances of any kind, express or implied, with respect to such information, including any information on linked sites and including, but not limited to, accuracy of the information or its completeness, timeliness, usefulness, adequacy, continued availability, or ownership. This product is copyrighted by the institution that created it.

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9/18/26 10:31 AM

YOUR JOBS AT JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM FOR FAST RESULTS, OR ATTENTION RECRUITERS: POST CONTACT GILLIAN COMITO: GCOMITO@SEVENDAYSVT.COM

80 NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

Burlington Housing Authority (BHA) We are currently looking for a Housing Retention Specialist within our Housing Retention Services department. This is an excellent opportunity to join the Housing Retention Services team, where you can gain a deep understanding of our business, make a difference in people’s lives every day, and advance your career. Who We Are: Burlington Housing Authority serves the greater Burlington community with housing that is affordable, rental assistance, and support services. Our mission is to provide lowincome, vulnerable members of our community access to safe, affordable housing and retention support services in ways that encourage stability, improve quality of life, end homelessness, and foster vibrant neighborhoods. BHA serves a diverse population of tenants and partners with a variety of community agencies. To most effectively carry out our vision of delivering safe and affordable housing to all, we are committed to cultivating a staff that reflects varied lived experiences, viewpoints, and educational histories. Therefore, we strongly encourage candidates from diverse racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals, and women to apply. Multilingualism is a plus! Position Overview Housing Retention Specialist: Provides assistance to residents who have barriers to maintaining housing and/or subsidy. The Housing Retention Specialist works with residents in Chittenden County for the most part and will occasionally provide support to neighboring regions. The Housing Retention Specialist works collaboratively with community service agencies and providers in addition to Section 8, Property Management and Inspection Staff and reports to the Director of Housing Retention and Services. Permanent Supportive Housing Specialist: Provides assistance to community members within Chittenden County who are without housing and have significant medical/mental health barriers to locating and securing housing in Burlington Housing Authority’s service area. Work Location and Other Requirements These positions are in person in Burlington, VT. A valid driver’s license along with reliable personal transportation, with vehicle insurance and registration, is required to carry out the duties of this position Qualifications: While all applicants need to demonstrate a passion for supporting our residents and helping advance Burlington Housing Authority’s mission, we recognize that some applicants may not possess all qualifications listed. We are willing to consider individuals who demonstrate comparable life experience and education in lieu of specific requirements, and/or the will, ability, and initiative to grow into new areas of responsibility. Knowledge and Experience • Bachelor’s degree in social work (or related field) with two to five years of direct service experience, including experience with mental health and substance use supports. • Must have experience with diverse and vulnerable populations. • Effective verbal and written communication and knowledge of the social services network in the greater Burlington area. • Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and internet navigation preferred. • Excellent organizational skills required. • Must be adept at fostering positive and collaborative relationships with staff, residents, vendors and community agencies

• Must have a patient and compassionate approach to working with the most vulnerable populations Total Compensation

Join our team in Burlington, VT Graphic & Web Designer Compliance Analyst Accounting Associate

This is a full time position with benefits Base wages Housing Retention Specialist: $24.00 - $26.00 per hour PLUS $2000 SIGN ON BONUS Permanent Supportive Housing Specialist: $26.00 - $27.00 per hour PLUS $2000 SIGN ON BONUS Benefits • Health Insurance (BHA covers between 80% to 83% of the premium for employees) or a $6,000 opt-out payment in lieu of health insurance • Health Reimbursement Account. BHA pays 90% of the deductible as the insurance is being used. That’s up to $2,880 for single enrollment and up to $5,760 for two-person and family. • Flexible Spending and Dependent Care Accounts • Dental and vision insurance (Voluntary plans offered at a discounted group rate.) • Short and long term disability coverage (BHA pays 50% of discounted group rate)

onedayinjuly.com/careers

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LOOKING FOR A COOLER OPPORTUNITY?

• Basic life insurance and accidental death (provided at no cost to employees) • Retire plan is a defined contribution plan. BHA makes annual contribution equal to 10% of base wages • Section 457 plan. BHA employees can contribute to this retirement plan • Employee Assistance Plan • Generous time off policy including 12 days of paid time off and 12 days of sick time in the first year. In addition to the paid time off, BHA recognizes 13 (paid) holidays and 2 (paid) floating cultural holidays. • Annual Performance Bonus Interested in this career opportunity? Send a cover letter and resume to: humanresources@burlingtonhousing.org. Human Resources Burlington Housing Authority 65 Main Street, Suite 101 Burlington, VT 05401 Find more info about these career opportunities at burlingtonhousing.org. BHA is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Find 100+ new job postings from trusted, local employers in Seven Days newspaper and online. Follow @SevenDaysJobs on Twitter

See who’s hiring at jobs.sevendaysvt.com 4v-WaterCooler.indd 1

8/20/21 1:47 PM

NEW JOBS POSTED DAILY! JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM

81 NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

Telling & Hillman

IS HIRING! We are a small accounting and auditing firm located in Middlebury, Vermont. We are engaged primarily in audits of local governments and non-profits. We are looking for someone with accounting knowledge or even someone who would be interested in building an accounting career. Pay depends largely on experience. If you or anyone you know might be interested, contact us through the website!

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Make a real difference in someone’s life Connect Vermonters to safe, affordable housing, strengthen community bonds, and increase access to supportive services for vulnerable Vermonters. Now recruiting for:

Brattleboro Housing Partnerships Cathedral Square RuralEdge Good Samaritan Haven FoodWorks

COMPLIANCE & RISK MANAGEMENT OFFICER Community Mental Health Services Provider, Addison County

For 11 months of service, you’ll receive: $31,000 living allowance, $7,395 education award, health insurance, training opportunities and leadership development.

Lead agency-wide compliance, privacy, and risk management efforts that protect the rights and dignity of the people we serve through a collaborative, human-rights- centered approach. Seeking a relationship builder with sound judgment and strong analytical skills, who can see beyond the rules to understand realworld circumstances.

This senior management role will: • Assess potential risks or opportunities to strengthen systems and practice • Engage diverse stakeholders to navigate complex challenges and develop practical solutions 10/30/26 1:46 PM • Foster accountability and a culture of trust and learning

vhcb.org/vhcb-americorps/service-opportunities

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Benefits: Comprehensive benefit package. Salary: $65K - $80K, depending on qualifications Location: On-site in Middlebury, Vermont

Workplace Wellness Looking for an opportunity to make a difference for Vermonters in need? Come join the dynamic team of Workplace Wellness staff at Invest EAP as a Counseling Services Coordinator (CSC) for Vermont's Individualized Career Advancement Network (ICAN). This full-time, home-based position is focused on guiding participants through the complexities of navigating various State and community systems to move into a more holistically sustainable lifestyle economically, professionally, and personally. Interested in making a difference? Contact us at hirerecruit@investeap.org.

Water Resources Manager The Colchester Department of Public Works is seeking a highly motivated self-starter, with exceptional attention-to-detail. Under the general direction of the Public Works Director, the Water Resources Manager will provide management services for the Town’s stormwater and wastewater systems, inspection of new development containing public infrastructure, overall departmental asset management related to stormwater and wastewater infrastructure, environmental compliance, grant procurement, ordinance management and public relations. A bachelor’s degree in environmental sciences, engineering or related coursework and a minimum of four years’ experience in water quality and infrastructure planning and management is preferred. If you meet these qualifications or have a combination of training, education and experience that demonstrates the required knowledge, skills, and abilities for this position, we want to hear from you! Starting salary: $82,165 - $91,022 with an excellent benefits package.

Learn more and apply at: csac-vt.org/careers Please provide a cover letter. CSAC is an E.O.E.

SPECIAL EDUCATOR Full-Time | In-Person | $56,500 - $60,526 annually

The Stern Center for Language and Learning, a nonprofit dedicated to learning for all, seeks a full-time Special Educator to join its experienced and collaborative instructional team. Each year, we serve more than 700 children and adults through customized instruction and psychoeducational evaluations, and we provide professional learning to over 1,500 educators. Responsibilities: • Provide evidence-based, one-to-one instruction in reading, writing, and/ or mathematics

A full job description can be found at 7dvt.pub/Water. Visit this link to apply: 7dvt.pub/CEZ

• Administer assessments, develop individualized goals, and monitor student progress

Position open until filled. The Town of Colchester is an equal opportunity employer.

• Communicate collaboratively with families, schools, and educators Qualifications: • Special Education experience required; two years preferred • Master’s degree preferred

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ATTENTION RECRUITERS:

• Vermont Special Education licensure or eligibility strongly preferred

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

Join a supportive team where educators are encouraged to grow and make a lasting impact on the lives of students.

SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POSTMYJOB NOON ON MONDAYS (INCLUDING HOLIDAYS) GILLIAN COMITO, 802-341-3060 GCOMITO@SEVENDAYSVT.COM

6/9/26 1:43 PM

• Excellent communication skills and a student-centered approach

Please send a cover letter & resume to hcastillo@sterncenter.org or visit sterncenter.org. The Stern Center is an E.O.E.

YOUR JOBS AT JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM FOR FAST RESULTS, OR ATTENTION RECRUITERS: POST CONTACT GILLIAN COMITO: GCOMITO@SEVENDAYSVT.COM

82 NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

SCHOOL OF WORLD LANGUAGES & CULTURES

LECTURER OF JAPANESE The School of World Languages and Cultures at the University of Vermont invites applications for a full-time position as a lecturer of Japanese language and culture, beginning in Fall 2027 (Anticipated start date: August 23, 2027; classes begin 08/30/2027). The position is for Academic Year 2027-28, with the possibility of renewal. Applicants must have an M.A. (a Ph.D. is preferred) in Japanese language pedagogy or a related area, native or near-native fluency in both Japanese and English, and at least two years of experience teaching Japanese to college students in North America. Responsibilities include teaching Japanese at all levels and, when needed, courses conducted in English on topics such as Japanese cinema, anime, or visual culture, both for the major and minor in Japanese and venues such as first-year seminars in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Honors College; organizing extracurricular Japanese language and cultural activities; and actively engaging in Japanese Program matters by working cooperatively with other faculty members and students. The University of Vermont is a welcoming, educationally purposeful community committed to creating an inclusive environment that embraces intellectual diversity and global perspectives. We seek to prepare students to be accountable leaders who will bring to their work a grasp of complexity, effective problem-solving and communication skills, and an enduring commitment to learning and ethical conduct. Members of the University of Vermont community embrace and advance the values of Our Common Ground: Respect, Integrity, Innovation, Openness, Justice, and Responsibility. The successful candidate will demonstrate a strong commitment to UVM’s mission and advancing Our Common Ground values through their teaching, service, research, scholarship, or creative arts. The position is a full-time position at 1.0 FTE, with eight courses anticipated for the academic year. The salary range is $60,000-62,000. Applicants should apply online at www.uvmjobs.com. Please submit a letter of application with a link to a 50-minute classroom teaching video, a current CV, a statement reflecting their commitment to advancing UVM’s Our Common Ground values through their teaching, and contact information for three references at www.uvmjobs.com.

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.

Application review will begin on 11/3/2027 and will continue until the position is filled. For more information about the position, please contact Joseph Acquisto, Director of the School of World Languages and Cultures, at Jacquist@uvm.edu. The University of Vermont is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other category legally protected by federal or state law.

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10/29/26 3:24 PM

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 Gillian Comito: 865-1020, sevendaysvt.com.

jobs.sevendaysvt.com

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5/5/26 1:46 PM

NEW JOBS POSTED DAILY! JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM

83 NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

Burlington Housing Authority (BHA) We are currently looking for a Maintenance Technician within our Building Operations. This is an excellent opportunity to join the Housing Retention Services team, where you can gain a deep understanding of our business , make a difference in people’s lives every day, and advance your career. Who We Are: Burlington Housing Authority serves the greater Burlington community with housing that is affordable, rental assistance, and support services. Our mission is to provide low-income, vulnerable members of our community access to safe, affordable housing and retention support services in ways that encourage stability, improve quality of life, end homelessness, and foster vibrant neighborhoods. BHA serves a diverse population of tenants and partners with a variety of community agencies. To most effectively carry out our vision of delivering safe and affordable housing to all, we are committed to cultivating a staff that reflects varied lived experiences, viewpoints, and educational histories. Therefore, we strongly encourage candidates from diverse racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals, and women to apply. Multilingualism is a plus! Position Overview: The 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. Work Location and Other Requirements • This position is an in-person in Burlington, VT. • A valid driver’s license is required to carry out the duties of this position Qualifications: While all applicants need to demonstrate a passion for supporting our residents and helping advance Burlington Housing Authority’s mission, we recognize that some applicants may not possess all qualifications listed. We are willing to consider individuals who demonstrate comparable life experience and education in lieu of specific requirements, and/or the will, ability, and initiative to grow into new areas of responsibility. Knowledge and Experience • Qualified candidates should have a minimum of two years of work in general building maintenance or building trades. The ideal candidate would have a demonstrated proficiency in building trades including carpentry, electrical, painting, plumbing, grounds keeping, and snow removal. • The physical activities for this position include squatting, ascending and descending ladders, scaffolding, and stairs, working in small or confined spaces, twisting and lifting up to 100 pounds, often repeating motions with wrists, fingers, and hands. This position works in all environmental conditions. • Technicians must be detail oriented, efficient, be able to work within time sensitive parameters, and able to work independently, as well as part of a team. • Having strong interpersonal skills and being sensitive to the needs of the elderly, disabled, and very low-income households is a must. • Completed high school or equivalency, or any equivalent trade school along with a combination of training and maintenance experience. • Must have the ability to perform painting and janitorial work, perform minor electrical and plumbing repairs, and to get along well with fellow employees and Residents. Physical Requirements Occasionally: • Ascends and descends ladders, stairs, scaffolding, ramps, poles and the like • Remaining in a stationary position, often standing or sitting for prolonged periods of time Constantly: • Moving self in different positions to accomplish tasks in various environments including tight and confined spaces • Moving to accomplish tasks or moving from one job site to another • Adjusting or moving objects

• Repeating motions that may include the wrists, hands, and/or fingers • Operating machinery / heavy equipment and/or power tools • Operating motor vehicles • Assessing the accuracy, neatness and thoroughness of the work assigned • Communicating with others to exchange information Environmental Conditions Occasionally working in: • Low and high temperatures • Outdoor elements such as precipitation and wind. • Noisy environments • Hazardous conditions • Poor ventilation • Small and/or enclosed spaces Physical Demands: Occasionally: • Sedentary work that primarily involves sitting and/or standing • Light work that includes moving objects up to 20 pounds • Medium work that includes moving objects up to 50 pounds • Heavy work that includes moving objects up to 100 pounds or more Total Compensation Base wages Pay range is between $24.00 - $26.00 per hour. PLUS, a $1,500 sign on bonus – paid in two installments. This is a full time position with benefits. Benefits • Health Insurance (BHA covers between 80% to 83% of the premium for employees) or a $6,000 opt-out payment in lieu of BHA health insurance. (To qualify for the OptOut, proof of health insurance is required.) • Health Reimbursement Account. BHA pays 90% of the deductible as the insurance is being used. That’s up to $2,880 for single enrollment and up to $5,760 for twoperson and family • Flexible Spending and Dependent Care Accounts • Dental and vision insurance (Voluntary plans offered at a discounted group rate.) • Short and long term disability coverage (BHA pays 50% of discounted group rate) • Basic life insurance and accidental death (provided at no cost to employees) • Retire plan is a defined contribution plan. BHA makes annual contribution equal to 10% of base wages • Section 457 plan. BHA employees can contribute to this retirement plan • Employee Assistance Plan • Generous time off policy including 12 days of paid time off and 12 days of sick time in the first year. In addition to the paid time off, BHA recognizes 13 (paid) holidays and 2 (paid) floating cultural holidays • Annual Performance Bonus Interested in this career opportunity? Send a cover letter and resume to: humanresources@burlingtonhousing.org. Human Resources, Burlington Housing Authority 65 Main Street, Suite 101, Burlington, VT 05401 Find more info about these career opportunities at burlingtonhousing.org. BHA is an E.O.E.

YOUR JOBS AT JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM FOR FAST RESULTS, OR ATTENTION RECRUITERS: POST CONTACT GILLIAN COMITO: GCOMITO@SEVENDAYSVT.COM

84 NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

Join the Flynn & be part of a team striving to make the community better through the arts. All backgrounds encouraged to apply. This is a full-time, non-exempt, hourly, benefit eligible position.

BOX OFFICE SUPERVISOR

The Flynn seeks a dependable, customer-focused Box Office Supervisor to lead daily ticketing operations, support and train staff, and help deliver an excellent customer experience. The ideal candidate is organized, solutions-oriented, and comfortable balancing staff supervision, customer service, and administrative responsibilities. Experience with ticketing software and previous supervisory experience are preferred. For complete job description and to apply, please visit: https://www.flynnvt.org/about-the-flynn/ our-people/join-our-team/ No phone calls, please. E.O.E.

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FINANCIAL COORDINATOR

10/22/26 11:58 AM

Are you a highly organized and detail-oriented administrator who loves working with spreadsheets? Are you interested in leveraging your skills and experience to support a violence-free Vermont? The Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence is seeking an experienced administrator who wants to be a part of the movement to end gender-based violence to be our part-time Financial Coordinator. The ideal candidate is highly organized with a keen attention to details, has experience doing administrative work preferable for a grant-funded, non-profit organization, fluency in Excel, some experience with accounting software or ERP systems, willingness and ability to learn new systems, and the ability to work in a highly collaborative team setting. The Vermont Network is an amazing place to work – we prioritize the wellbeing of our staff, take our culture seriously, think big and orient toward what is possible. For additional details, salary information, and the full job description, click here: 7dvt.pub/FinCoord Submit cover letter and resume to Katie Shanley, katie@vtnetwork.org. The deadline for applying is November 15, 2026. The Vermont Network is an equal opportunity employer.

THE GRIND GOT YOU DOWN? See who’s hiring at jobs.sevendaysvt.com 5h-CoffeCampaign.indd 1

SENIOR HEALTHCARE DATA ANALYST Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems – Network Services Organization

POSITION SUMMARY: The Senior Healthcare Data Analyst supports Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems – Network Services Organization (VAHHS-NSO) by providing advanced analytics, reporting, performance measurement, and strategic insights related to hospital provider operations. This role is responsible for transforming complex healthcare data into actionable intelligence that supports policy development, quality improvement, financial sustainability, and member decision-making The Senior Analyst works closely with organizational leadership, hospital data leaders, and state agencies to ensure accurate, timely, and trusted analytics. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES • Data Strategy & Leadership • Help develop and oversee a comprehensive data and analytics strategy aligned with organizational goals and member priorities. • Help lead the design, implementation, and governance of statewide hospital data initiatives, dashboards, and reporting tools.

policy, and finance teams with data needed for legislative testimony, regulatory filings & issue briefs. • Prepare analytics for engagements with Vermont state agencies. • Ensure that hospital data is accurately represented and contextualized in statewide reporting and analytic efforts. • Member Engagement, Data Infrastructure, & Technical Support • In collaboration with organizational leadership, serve as a trusted advisor to hospital CFOs, data leaders, analysts, and quality teams. • Help coordinate data workgroups, analytic task forces, and information-sharing initiatives among member hospitals and have strong ability to manage diverse stakeholders. • Provide education, training, and support to members on data standards, reporting requirements, and analytic tools. • Help oversee data systems, databases, and reporting tools used by the organization. • Ensure compliance with privacy, security, and state/ federal regulatory requirements (HIPAA, data-sharing agreements, etc.). • Partner with IT and vendors on system enhancements, data integration & interoperability needs.

• Ensure data accuracy, standardization, and high-quality analytic methodologies across all work products.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Work with organizational leadership to keep projects on track and delivered in a timely manner. • Healthcare Analytics & Reporting

• Minimum of 5 years of experience in healthcare analytics, hospital data management, population health analytics, or health policy research.

• Help direct analysis of hospital claims data, financial performance, utilization trends, workforce metrics, access to care, community needs, and quality/ outcomes data.

• Working knowledge of hospital operations preferred. • Experience working with state-level regulatory or policy environments (GMCB, Medicaid, public health, or similar).

• Produce analytic reports to support efforts on hospital sustainability, reimbursement policy, rate review, Medicaid programs, and workforce challenges.

• Advanced proficiency with statistical analysis tools (e.g., SQL, Python/R, Power BI/Tableau, Excel).

• Lead development of data visualizations, presentations, and publications that clearly communicate complex information to multiple audiences. • Regulatory & Policy Support • Support the organization’s government relations,

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Perk up!

• Bachelor’s degree required.

• Strong ability to communicate complex analytic findings to non-technical audiences. • Experience building and leading analytic teams or data-driven projects. Applicants please send resumes and/or inquiries for a full job description to accounting@vahhs.org.

Trusted, local employers are hiring in Seven Days newspaper and online. Browse 100+ new job postings each week.

11/3/26 1:17 PM

CALCOKU & SUDOKU (P.73) CROSSWORD (P.73)

fun stuff HARRY BLISS

JULIANNA BRAZILL

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

fun stuff JEN SORENSEN

RUSTY EPSTEIN

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY BY ROB BREZSNY REAL NOVEMBER 5-11 amazements. Your gratitude may be less dramatic but more sustained. A calm, glowing contentment can teach you all you need to know right now.

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21)

How long has it been since you’ve meandered around a library? I’m oldfashioned about books, so that experience is high on my list of pleasurable adventures. I enjoy searching for specific books, but I also love browsing the shelves without a fixed destination. Both approaches are valuable, though browsing often produces happy surprises. One unexpected title leads to another, opening pathways no search engine could have predicted. With this in mind, Scorpio, I recommend that you browse freely in the coming weeks. Wander through ideas, friendships, music, bookstores, museums, forests, conversations and neighborhoods without demanding a predetermined outcome. Serendipity is preparing a curriculum especially suited to restless brilliance.

ARIES (Mar. 21-Apr. 19): Aries psychologist Abraham Maslow coined the term “peak experiences”: surging upflows of heightened clarity, awe, vitality and love. He also identified another category, “plateau experiences.” These are gentler but more enduring states, characterized less by ecstatic fireworks than by a leisurely delight in being alive. I believe you’re in a phase that favors those plateau experiences. So the semi-bad news is that you may not be besieged by a nonstop flood of spectacular epiphanies. The good news is that you’ll harvest a steady stream of subtle

TAURUS (Apr. 20-May 20): A finely crafted mechanical watch depends upon many gears moving at different speeds. Some spin rapidly, while others barely move. Yet each contributes to the overall success of timekeeping. Please remember this when you get restless about your uneven progress. Not every area of your life can or should be in dynamic motion simultaneously. One project may require vigorous action while another benefits from patient incubation. A single standard of productivity isn’t right for you these days. Harmonious coordination among different rhythms serves you best. GEMINI (May 21-Jun. 20): I invite you and

urge you to ruminate about the stories you’ve been telling about yourself. Are they still accurate? Still empowering? Or have some become outdated myths that no longer honor your ripening identity? During the coming weeks, I predict you will be energized as you revise your personal mythology with imaginative generosity. It’s time to retire narratives that shrink you. Reinvent an old saga so it makes you more of a hero and less of a victim. Compose two fun new tales that are spacious enough to accommodate the curious beauty you’re on your way to becoming.

CANCER (Jun. 21-Jul. 22): Among elephants, older matriarchs lead the herd. They carry detailed memories of watering holes, migration routes and old brushes with danger. During tough times, their accumulated experience becomes indispensable. This fact of nature reminds me that your own history contains wisdom you haven’t fully appreciated. And now is an excellent phase to bring it all into your conscious awareness. Instead of dwelling on old disappointments or sad mistakes, focus intensely on what durable knowledge you’ve harvested from living through them. Your future and the futures of those you care for will improve in direct proportion to the respect you show your past. The point is to recognize yourself as an increasingly skillful keeper of hard-earned sagacity.

LEO (Jul. 23-Aug. 22): A bird doesn’t perceive reflective glass as we do. To it, the spotless glass façade of a building may look like a continuation of the outdoors, with blue sky, clouds, tree canopy or water. But humans have the know-how to create bird-friendly patterns that interrupt this illusion by giving the glass enough visual “texture” to register as a solid obstacle. With these visual clues, birds are less likely to collide with the structure. In the coming weeks, Leo, I hope you will summon comparable thoughtfulness. Your small gestures can protect others from unnecessary confusion or pain. You’ll have extra power to express subtle kindnesses that free people to navigate the world more safely and confidently. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sep. 22): You may be feeling so physically well right now that it seems almost implausible. Your mind may be operating so sharply that you wonder whether you can trust it. Even love may appear so straightforward and righteous that part of you suspects you have misunderstood the signs. But that’s the cosmic joke: These blessings don’t come with an invoice or a looming punishment. You’re allowed to receive them freely. Tell your harsh inner critic that its counsel isn’t needed. Then make ample room for the release and freedom that are unfolding. LIBRA (Sep. 23-Oct. 22): I’m not right 100 percent of the time, but even when I’m not completely correct, I usually get close to at least one of the key truths simmering in your story. In the oracle you’re reading now, I’m offering a concise burst of guidance that I believe is even more likely than usual to be 100 percent accurate. I’m urging you to examine the balance of give-and-take in one specific relationship. Your gift for harmony can sometimes tip into always being the one who accommodates, adjusts and gives more, until the scales sit lopsided and you barely notice. Investigate that possibility, please. Fixing the imbalance is an act of care for a bond that’s worth keeping healthy. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): There’s

a Welsh word, hiraeth, that refers to a longing for a home that may never have existed. It’s a homesickness for a place or a way of being

you can’t actually return to and aren’t sure was ever fully real. I bring this up, Sagittarius, because I suspect you’re feeling the tug of distant horizons lately, a restless ache for an elsewhere you can’t name. Don’t dismiss this longing as mere wanderlust to be scratched with a plane ticket. Sit with it. Ask what it’s pointing toward. The far country you ache for may be a quality of soul you’re being called to cultivate right where you are. Your true destination might be more interior than you assume.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Engineers who design a suspension bridge know the structure must be able to sway slightly in wind and weather. A perfectly rigid structure would eventually crack under stress. In the coming weeks, I’m hoping you’ll incorporate extra doses of this paradoxical attitude. It’s crucial not just to grudgingly acknowledge but to fondly celebrate the fact that stability will thrive on generous flexibility. Some plans and convictions will grow even stronger because you’ll be willing to adjust and tinker with them. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Astronomers sometimes revisit old telescope data using improved software. In doing so, they may discover planets or galaxies that had been hidden from them for years. The information was always there. Only the methods of perception changed. I suspect you’re ripe for similar types of revelation, Aquarius. I invite you to return to old notebooks, abandoned ideas, neglected friendships or forgotten ambitions. You may not have extracted all their value yet. Your present self possesses interpretive abilities that your former self lacked. Yesterday’s overlooked clue may be tomorrow’s breakthrough.

PISCES (Feb. 19-Mar. 20): Nineteenthcentury Piscean composer and pianist Frédéric Chopin poured an almost unbearable tenderness into his nocturnes and preludes. His delicate, intimate music is among the most emotional ever created. Evoking potent, mysterious feelings was his specialty. I propose we make him your inspirational role model. Please do everything you can imagine to express your deep feelings with artistry and intelligence. Be as sensitive and impassioned as you dare.

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

FUNNY Funny and a good time. BK, 19, seeking: W, Cp, Gp, l SEEKING HIPPIE BROOD Left-winger, into craft beer and horror movies. vted, 58, seeking: W, l

Respond to these people online: dating.sevendaysvt.com WOMEN seeking... HERE I GO AGAIN I see the fun, ridiculous and eyeopening side of dating (and life). I’m tired of bingeing “Grey’s Anatomy” every night on my couch. I’m ready to dress up (Vermont-style) and meet you. Ya never know! Let’s chat over coffee, beer, mocktails or bourbon, or bundle up and stroll outside, see how we feel, and take it from there. 0Timelikenow, 58, seeking: M, l INTERESTING, INDEPENDENT, ROUTINE-ORIENTED LADY Interesting, independent, routineoriented woman, 51 y/o, seeking kind and good-humored gentleman. Divorced mother with two lovely teenage children in home 50 percent of the time. I’m looking for a serious longterm partner. Dish looking for spoon to run away with while the little dog laughs at this miserable dating scene. LuckiLavendar, 51, seeking: M, l READY FOR A NEW ADVENTURE! Looking to meet someone with the same mindset and outlook: respectful, kind, lighthearted, adventurous, with a “why not?” attitude, and curious to explore everything from hiking paths and new cities to new eateries. If you’d like to meet a new friend who appreciates good conversation, banter, wit and intellectual curiosity — and who doesn’t take themselves too seriously — reach out. OnTheFlipSide, 65, seeking: M

WANT TO RESPOND?

You read Seven Days, these people read Seven Days — you already have at least one thing in common! All the action is online. Create an account or login to browse hundreds of singles with profiles including photos, habits, desires, views and more. It’s free to place your own profile online. photos of l See this person online. W = Women M = Men TW = Trans women TM = Trans men Q = Genderqueer people NBP = Nonbinary people NC = Gender nonconformists Cp = Couples Gp = Groups

MEET AT THE LAKE? Things do not need to be complicated: an easy conversation, a great workout, a fascinating book, a beautiful encounter, a meaningful observation. Peace and harmony are important to me; staying fit is key. I love a great cup of coffee, a good laugh and a long embrace. HereAndNow, 60, seeking: M, l

MULLET BABE SEEKING TRUE LOVE Trimmed my mullet today, and it put me in a good mood. Looking for a man who looks exactly like me but with facial hair. Must be gentle. I enjoy gossip, roadkill, light beer, reading memoirs and charming snakes. I’d like to learn new skills. If you have a truck or a bike rack, I’ll be there. slopjoe, 21, seeking: M, l

FUN, FIT, ATTRACTIVE; LIVES PASSIONATELY Tango dancer seeks travel partner, maybe more. I’ve loved every minute of my adventurous life; now it’s time to take a break (a little). Share my playful spirit and some new adventures if you are a kind, emotionally mature and spiritually grounded man, 64-72. Join me for adventure or quiet time together? Dinner on me if you can guess my age. tangogypsy, 54, seeking: M, l

LAID-BACK FUNNY GIRL I’m a curvy girl who enjoys cuddly but confident men. I enjoy reading, hiking and cooking. I love lazy mornings with a hot cup in my hand and a cozy blanket. Looking for someone to be the big spoon to my little spoon. Bookbunny, 39, seeking: M

FUNNY, DRIVEN SUNSHINE LOVER I love to laugh and wish I did it more. I like tennis, taking art classes, being outside. I ski in the winter, am learning to sail in the summer. I am career driven, and it occasionally takes over until I rein it back in. I’m looking to meet some smart, funny, kind people. Sunnyand75, 51, seeking: M

RETIRED ANTHROPOLOGIST, UNRETIRED CURIOSITY Field notes from a life well traveled. Decades in East Africa taught me to listen closely and question my assumptions. Now I’ve traded savanna for Vermont forest — and pursue off-the-beaten-path adventures wherever I can. Avid reader and serious Nordic noir fan. Looking for someone not afraid of a woman who asks “Why do people do that?” for a living. RiftValleyRambler, 64, seeking: M, l

QUIET OUTDOORS LOVER Retired from a retail environment. Am quiet until I’m comfortable around someone. Love to hike and walk trails and roads, both winter and summer. Like to be outdoors. Like to be busy. Looking to spend time with someone just doing and sharing simple things — making meals, chores, a laugh, a hug, a kiss; learning, but also getting time independently. Spud, 69, seeking: M, l

CURIOUS WANDERER, COLLECTS EXPERIENCES I like to gather passport stamps, weird hobbies and conversation topics that go one layer deeper. Looking for someone who’d rather dig into a new idea than talk about the weather and who considers exploring new places a routine activity. Bonus points if you’re a lifelong learner and love to swap stories. LuceStellare, 40, seeking: M, W, TM, TW, Q, NC, NBP, l

ECLECTIC EDUCATOR SEEKS FUNCTIONAL COMPANIONSHIP Looking for company in my efforts to stave off the Void (the ever-encroaching primordial ooze of unfulfillable yearning, existential dread, etc.). That sounds dark, but in reality this consists largely of swimming, camping, collecting rocks/ bugs and annual Lord of the Rings viewings. More concretely, I want a house in a field with chickens, sheep, and a mean goose or two. cloverthistle, 33, seeking: M, TM, Q, NC, NBP, l

GRACEFUL AGGIE I’m an active, well-educated woman seeking a kind, honest, intelligent man for companionship and fun. I’m a writer and editor working in regenerative agriculture. I love to dance, deejay, hike and garden, and my silly side appreciates dad jokes, board games, dogs and cats, concerts, plays, other languages, new foods, and sitting around doing nothing. Want to join me? Graceful_Aggie, 64, seeking: M, l

CREATIVE AND EMPATHETIC CONNECTOR I value the environment and kind treatment of all people. I enjoy traveling, writing, casually making art and spending time in nature (especially stopping to look at interesting plants/critters). I love fostering human connection through hosting get-togethers (such as game and movie nights) but also deeply appreciate chill time alone (or with people who don’t drain me, maybe you!). TreeHugger24, 25, seeking: M, l WEIRD, QUEER, KINDHEARTED LEFTY I love chopping it up with just about anyone. I like listening to and telling stories. I enjoy the company of people who are both sharp and kind. Generosity, community, good food and silliness are very important to me. I love digging around in the dirt. Looking for people to love. word_girl, 22, seeking: M, W, TM, TW, Q, NC, NBP, l

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

ENERGETIC, HEARTFELT, POSITIVE CUP I believe in nature, connections, laughter, hugging, hugging a lot, colors, textures and patterns, working hard, witty conversations, me. I am strong, feminine, funny and talkative. I like most sports and outdoor activities. I sew, crochet, paint. I like card games. I own a cabin, an ATV, a brush hog. I love music and dancing. I love my family. Cabingirl, 70, seeking: M, l

MEN seeking... CARING MAN I am looking for a partner to have a glass of wine with while we watch TV or movies; someone to walk, kayak, plant flowers, travel, eat out, be very intimate with often. I like to travel and want to tour the country more. I own a DVC membership at Disney, and I like Disney cruises. I feel like I am 20. SexyMan2, 81, seeking: W, l

STAY ’TIL THE JOB’S DONE Seeking affection — literally starving for affection. I have so much to give. Big on massages: feet, back, shoulders, whatever. And beyond that, I love foreplay and anything up to the act of sexual intercourse, which I do not prefer. If you want it, I am happy to provide, but play is preferred. Just want to feel appreciated. PressureTransducer, 42, seeking: W LUDDITE GARDEN DWELLER I’m a 38-y/o man who enjoys outdoor recreation and outdoor work. I am open-minded and interested in what others have to offer. Looking for an active woman to enjoy relaxing picnics and hikes that get the blood moving. Delicata, 38, seeking: W FREE SPIRIT LOOKING FOR LOVE I’m a cross between hippie, country, and rock and roll! I live my life like every day could be my last, and I don’t take anything or anyone for granted! I’m focused on positivity and being a good human being. I spend as much time as possible in the woods hiking, skiing, hunting, fishing and snowmobiling. Searching for my soulmate. Treeman42, 42, seeking: W, l HI Let’s get to know each other. Adventure10, 48, seeking: W LIVING A LIFE OF GRATITUDE Living my dream in the hills of Vermont, playing and writing music. Gardening and landscaping is a constant. Looking for an authentic lover that “goes on, and on, and on, and on, and on ... ’till the end of time.” Mahalo, 76, seeking: W, l RELATION AU MARIAGE Je suis africain sympa et honnête. J’ai 36 ans. Je cherche une femme pour me marier, fonder une famille, vivre une vie stable simplement. Josephh, 36, seeking: W, l TESTING Testing. testingxyz, 50, seeking: M SENSITIVE, CARING, KIND Just a kid from Connecticut who fell in love with Vermont when I came here for college. I love gaming of all types but mostly video games and board games. I love anime and make time each year to work for Anime Boston. I’ve been working out more now that I have a workout buddy, but I wouldn’t mind another. Reeb0kNinja, 35, seeking: W, l I AM PASSIONATE I am looking for a person who is clean, takes care of himself and wants to spend quiet time together. Who has passion and love to give, as well as receive; everybody has problems. Everybody has struggles to deal with, and sharing them is what makes a person. Jcumman, 63, seeking: M, W, TM, Cp, Gp WHO DARES, WINS Chivalrous, energetic, patient, emphatic, smart, modest(?), 64-y/o young man from the Upper Valley of Vermont and New Hampshire who knows what he wants. Seeking connection with two women interested in each other and in him. A dynamic built on trust, respect, mutual desire and complete communication. Shows up fully. Discreet when called for, otherwise unabashed in life. Aircool, 64, seeking: W, l

OLD-WORLD HIPPIE, COMPASSIONATE SURVIVOR Mediator; nature lover; cynic, but pretty funny and never cruel. Laughing matters, especially at myself if I get pretentious. Love talking about the universe (me, you, us, everything connected). Ever seeking to slow down and take it, and me, less seriously — it’s an eternal journey. Bergamo, 73, seeking: W, l BRUNCH? Let’s enjoy some company. Dirtfarmer, 64, seeking: W, l LOVING, CARING AND LONELY! I am hoping to find a man who has the same interests as me! Hiking, cooking, going to new places and walking hand in hand. Looking for honesty, loyalty and a good lover! Marcey, 68, seeking: M I’M LAID-BACK, ENJOY LIFE I am down-to-earth, love life and all people. Love all animals and love taking long vacations. Blackhawk185, 54, seeking: W

TRANS WOMEN seeking... I NEED A DANCE PARTNER! I’m new to all this. I love the outdoors, kind people and good food. I love to dance! But I need a dance partner! Is that you? It’s a great place to start! Sportymiss, 57, seeking: M, l LOVING, GIVING, OPEN Hi! I am a fit, attractive, sexy, non-op (so far) transsexual woman. 60 but look 50. Looking for similar physical attributes in a partner for dating, FWB and maybe more. Would love to hear from you and exchange pictures to see if there is any spark. Susan123, 61, seeking: M, W

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COUPLES seeking... DOWN-TO-EARTH ESTABLISHED COUPLE Looking for an open-minded woman or couple to join us in a new chapter of life. Both are early sixties, active, love the outdoors, forestry, gardening, dogs and the right moment to chill. He’s straight; she is bi but hasn’t been with a women for a while. Looking for someone with similar interests to enjoy adult entertainment and lifestyle dating. Muffy, 64, seeking: Cp LOOKING FOR A PLAYMATE! Bi hubby and wife looking for a clean, respectable gentleman for her (okay, us, hehe) in the boudoir. Husband is 40, 6’3”, chubby yet very rugged and handsome. Wife is 33, 5’11”, blond, curvy. We are completely new to this kink but eager to explore. Any questions, just ask! Looking4a3rd, 40, seeking: M

i SPY

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

dating.sevendaysvt.com

BEE Some weight never fully reduces. The glimpse of acknowledgement, through others’ desires for a disappearing act, was more than enough. Thank you for protecting yourself, from a distance. In another timeline, perhaps boys won’t be bugs. When: Friday, October 30, 2026. Where: in line of sight of empty table. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916685 GEORGIA SHORE You look so beautiful walking along the Georgia shore. I thanked you for your compliment on the patio I was finishing. Would you like to get together sometime? When: Friday, October 23, 2026. Where: Georgia, Vt. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916684 BULL RING, BEERS, BEAN BURGERS I think I gave you the wrong number. When: Thursday, October 15, 2026. Where: Irish pub. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916683 KNITTING COUPLE To the gorgeous knitting queers sitting in the window of Specs: I was very drawn to you. If you’re into other analog activities (like newspaper missed connections!) and want a third, I’d join you anytime. When: Saturday, October 17, 2026. Where: Specs. You: Couple. Me: Gender nonconformist. #916681 KEVIN, GORGEOUS BLUE EYES I often see you where I work out. I always check you out, and I think you know this. You always look so serious, but we always chat for a bit. You’re an attractive man. You have gorgeous eyes, a hot, beefy body and a nice rear. I hope you read this. My clue: I love PRL, and I wear an Aristocrat. When: Sunday, October 18, 2026. Where: in Rutland at the gym. You: Man. Me: Man. #916680

AŠ MATAU You wanted both and could have had that if you hadn’t been so forthcoming. But how can I fault you for that? Aš matau, mielasis. When: Tuesday, October 27, 2026. Where: in my thoughts. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916682 CANS IN MILTON You and I spoke very briefly at Rene’s in Milton while standing at the bottle and can redemption doorway. You: a blonde with a white pickup; Me: a dude with a bag of cans and a white beard. I’d sure like to talk to you. Please? I sure do hope so! When: Friday, October 9, 2026. Where: Rene’s in Milton. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916679 HOT OR ICED? For weeks, you provided me with delicious recommendations outside of my norm, but also provided me with beautiful latte art atop my “oacha.” Your presence is missed — hope you come back to the OG location. When: Thursday, October 1, 2026. Where: behind the coffee bar. You: Woman. Me: Woman. #916678 LEATHER JACKET CUTIE To the cutie I spotted wearing an all-brown outfit with an analog camera draped over them: I wanted to say hi when we passed each other outside at City Market/ Zabby’s, but we both had earphones in, and I didn’t want to disturb your peace. Wanna disturb mine? When: Friday, October 9, 2026. Where: S. Winooski Ave. You: Man. Me: Woman. #91667 ART TEACHER WITH RETROFITTED VOLVO Your 2019 Volvo 270 pulled us into the St. Albans car meet this weekend. I pointed out that rebuilding a car has a degree of art to it. I think it would be fun to hear more. When: Saturday, October 3, 2026. Where: St. Albans car meet. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916675

I THOUGHT IT WAS YOU Two Friday nights ago, I sat on a bench near the bottom of Church St. with a soda. (Slurpee place was closed.) But when I saw you walking by with your two friends, it seemed like why I was there! Out of context, I wasn’t sure it was you. Next time I’ll sneeze so big it echoes down the block. When: Friday, September 25, 2026. Where: Church St. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916676 SALAD BANTER AT TRADER JOE’S You tossed me a question in the salad section: “What are you getting?” I confessed I was a top-shelf kind of gal. I went for red butter lettuce; you went for little gems. Respect. I liked your energy and support making life’s hardest decisions. I was tired and grotty, otherwise I would’ve asked, “Want to eat salad together sometime?” When: Saturday, October 3, 2026. Where: South Burlington Trader Joe’s. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916674 HEY RAHWEY He told you my name is / Molly like the drug / But you know that isn’t true / I was quiet / mostly listened / The guy I was with / Last night is not OK / He may not be humane / We sleep together / But sometimes if I / Try to get too close / He kicks me out / Of bed and puts / Me in a cage When: Friday, October 2, 2026. Where: Ake’s Place. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916673 HOTTIE ON CLARA BOW? I was desperately lost on the Clara Bow trail when your bright red hair pulled me in like a beacon. You shared your warm meal with me and let me sit in your chair, reluctantly. I don’t remember your name, but I think you had a friend named Norman. Same time, same place next week? When: Tuesday, September 29, 2026. Where: Clara Bow Trail. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916672 EXIT WITH A SPARKLING SMILE You, attractive blonde in blue outfit and sensible shoes, made a quick visit to the rest area and smiled as you entered the building. As you departed, you exited a different door. I, one of the state employees, pointed to the exit you desired and couldn’t help wonder if I should have at least said hello and introduced myself. When: Thursday, September 24, 2026. Where: Sharon Welcome Center. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916671

Ask REVEREND Dear Notta Prepper,

HOTTIE AT MARIA’S BAGELS Younger lady with a killer body who couldn’t resist flirting while we were waiting. When: Wednesday, September 16, 2026. Where: Maria’s Bagels. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916670 MAYBE YO-YOING IS A FLEX? We joked around at the toy store, and you impressed me with your yo-yo skills. We were both with our kids, so I felt too shy to ask for your number. Want to hang out sometime? When: Saturday, September 19, 2026. Where: Montpelier. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916669 HERE COMES THE AIRPLANE Trans diva who queened out with me during my STI appointment: When you asked if I needed a countdown for taking my blood, I said no, but you could pretend it was an airplane. You were game and even made noises. Adorable. When: Friday, September 18, 2026. Where: Planned Parenthood of Burlington. You: Genderqueer. Me: Trans woman. #916668 SILVER FOX AT CITY MARKET You: pulling a turquoise BMW out of the downtown parking lot at 2:20. Me: the CR-V that waited to let you leave. Your firm wave of thanks indicated good manners. That, plus a well-groomed beard and presumptive good taste in food, is all I need to see. If you’re looking, I’m looking at you. When: Tuesday, September 15, 2026. Where: City Market downtown. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916667 SOUTH END CITY MARKET We passed in an aisle, said hi, exchanged nice smiles. I found you striking! You have long gray hair and a nose piercing — maybe you’re around my age, early forties? I have shortish curly brown/ gray hair, glasses, was wearing a shirt with lemons on it. We didn’t have a chance to talk, but I’d love to know you! When: Sunday, September 13, 2026. Where: South End City Market. You: Woman. Me: Woman. #916666 TREKKINGCOUPLE WHAT’S UP? Hey there, I got your flirt and inadvertently deleted it. (Easy to do with one wrong move — poof!) I found your profile pretty vague. Can you give me a little more on what you are looking for? Not sure how this will go, so I will leave it at that. When: Thursday, September 10, 2026. Where: Seven Days Flirts. You: Couple. Me: Man. #916665



Irreverent counsel on life’s conundrums

Dear Reverend,

There’s all this talk on social media about how we should stock up and be prepared for the power grid to go down for 90 days. How am I supposed to get enough food and water for three months when I have a hard time just paying rent? Even if I could afford it, where would I put it all in my tiny apartment? What do I do?

Notta Prepper

(MAN, 32)

AS YOU WISH Hurts more now than when it did two years ago, when this all started. Who knew so many were seeking what could’ve been theirs, in their own way, but they demanded it be from someone else? When: Monday, August 17, 2026. Where: in the paper. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916664

The Pentagon announced the “FORTRESS America” initiative at the end of September. Long story short, it’s a plan to make major U.S. military bases capable of being self-sufficient for 90 days without relying on power from the civilian grid. Social media content creators removed all the context from that announcement and started the rumor that the military was warning civilians to be ready for an extremely long blackout. Nothing beats scaring people for clicks and engagement. The chances of being holed up for three months with no food or power are pretty slim. However, when you live in Vermont, it’s not a bad idea to have some things on hand in case you have to hunker down for a few days of bad weather or a power outage. The basics are pretty obvious — food, water, light, warmth — but you can find lots of lists of emergency supplies online.

MYSTICAL MUSIC FAN I spied you over my shoulder as we took in Sierra Ferrell’s performance. We had a chance for small talk, and you said you would be crossing the lake for another visit Thursday. You had a sweet smile, long hair and a clear backpack with pink trim. I wanted to say more, but you slipped away into the starlit night. When: Friday, September 4, 2026. Where: Shelburne Museum concert. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916663 LUNCH LADY OF MY DREAMS I miss having the chance to see you during lunch at school. School’s back in session — let’s get together and talk about what’s on the menu? When: Monday, June 1, 2026. Where: school. You: Woman. Me: Gender nonconformist. #916662 EYE CONTACT GAVE ME BUTTERFLIES You: in line in front of me at a brewery. You ordered and told the guy your name was John. I think you had a green polo on. Me: standing behind you in line. I felt you looking at me while I was looking at the menu. When: Thursday, September 3, 2026. Where: Burlington Beer. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916661 MIDDLEBURY CO-OP, SO MANY SMILES You were gorgeous dressed in all black as we exchanged multiple big smiles and eye contact. I saw you drive away in a white Mazda. I tried talking to you on your way out, but perhaps you were shy, too, as opposed to involved with someone else? Would love the opportunity to have a real conversation and connect again. When: Sunday, August 30, 2026. Where: Middlebury Co-op. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916660 SHELBURNE QUEEN CITY CONTRA DANCE Met you last night at the Shelburne Queen City Contra Dance. You are an architect in Burlington. I taught you how to waltz. I regret not finding you before you departed. When: Friday, August 28, 2026. Where: Shelburne Queen City Contra Dance Hall. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916659

Two good resources (that aren’t trying to sell you something) are ready.gov and redcross.org. You don’t need to spend a ton of money or buy everything all at once. When you can, pick up a couple of inexpensive items and tuck them away. The next thing you know, you’ll have a nice little security stash. As far as space goes, get creative. I bet you can store supplies under your bed or on the floor of your closet. If you have mason jars or bottles with good lids in your cupboards, fill them with water. They take up as much room full as they do empty. (Just remember to change the water occasionally.) Every so often, a rumor like this catches fire. The most important thing to remember is: Don’t panic. Step away from social media, check reliable news sources, and keep on truckin’. Good luck and God bless,

The Reverend What’s your problem? Send it to asktherev@sevendaysvt.com. SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

60-something, silly, smart, social and sexy female ready to fall in love again. I am outdoorsy, creative and energetic. Love music, travel, comedy and good food. My family and friends mean everything to me. If you are a healthy, active and educated man between the ages of 55 and 70; have a great sense of humor; love adventure; are financially secure; and are looking for a best friend, lover and partner in crime, I’d enjoy hearing from you. #L1986 I’m a 21-y/o slender man seeking a gentleman between the ages of 30 and 75 for something casual. I would love to play the piano for you and share my favorite Russian poems. Open to driving to meet. Send me a letter! #L1985 22-y/o F seeking 20s M who loves this community as much as I do and wants to make it better. Let’s delight in all the things our beautiful home has to offer. (Including Seven Days!) #L1991 I’m a F, 23, Virgo, seeking conversation, companionship. Love of USPs, minor cinephile, musician, cook or artist of some sort. Warm, outgoing, probably under 35 so it’s not weird. #L1989 I’m a 32-y/o female seeking a male, TBD. Thoughtful, registered independent, sensitive. Yes: Seeking open mindset, inquisitive friendship. #L1987

52-y/o female seeking man with good mix of confidence and humility. Consistent, knows how to initiate and reciprocate. I like to laugh, cook, walk, work, talk, listen, show up, and take things nice and slow. You game? #L1990 I’m a 70-y/o male seeing a 60- to 75-y/o male in the NEK. Seeking guys for man fun. Relaxed adventure in making all have pleasure and fun. #L1988 I’m a 73-y/o SWF, seeking a 60- to 70-y/o man. I live in Woodstock, Vt. I’m looking for a serious relationship. Phone number. Meet in person. #L1984

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SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 4-11, 2026

Single woman, 67, seeks an adventurous, respectful man of similar age and positive outlook to share outdoor activities, movies, concerts. Primary desire is friends first. Middlebury area. Hike, bike, travel, share meals. I’m an active, artistic, friendly introvert and thoughtful, intelligent Vermonter. #L1983 I’m a female in my early 70s seeking a male, 60-plus. I’m a retired teacher. I like to go on long walks, love coffee and love to travel. I like to sketch and sometimes paint, read a lot, watch Netflix, and love to eat out, but I can cook. I love to listen to music and visit museums. #L1980

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Reply to these messages with real, honest-to-goodness letters. DETAILS BELOW. 69-y/o lesbian NS/ND Buddhist enjoys humor, dogs, cats, birds, yoga, walks/hikes, day road trips, nature, bakeries and Louise Penny novels. Seeking 63- to 73-y/o lesbian for occasional social outings. #L1981 I’m a nice, white guy seeking a Black girlfriend. I want to make love to your feet and paint your toe nails red. Must have small, slim and sexy little feet. No sex. Phone number. #L1982 I am looking for fun or something serious; someone I can spend time with and get to love. I want someone real. I love hard: I’ve got magic fingers. Come find out — LOL — let’s get physical. #L1979 NEK woman, 67. Seeking 60-ish to 70-ish man to share easygoing, respectful conversation/companionship. Join me in cheerful, kindhearted, authentic charisma! My interests include country music, café dining, card games. #L1974

I’m a 45-y/o bi male seeking a male or female between the ages of 35 and 70 to have sex with on a regular basis. No judgment there, just good, clean fun. Anything goes. Call or text. #L1978 We are three guys, two gay, one bi. One in his 50s, two in their 60s. Clean, sane and professional. Meet in Burlington at my place for man fun. Looking for another mate to four us. If interested, drop a line with phone number. #L1977 I’m a 75-y/o handsome man seeking a fairly attractive, mature woman, 70s to 80s, still sexually active. I’ve slowed down; love to cuddle nude on the couch. Love to pleasure you with oral sex. I’m full of passion and desire. Phone number, please. #L1972 I’m a 67-y/o man seeking a M/F couple between 40 and 80. I would like to explore new dynamics and experiment in the bedroom. Please contact ASAP if you are interested. Thank you. #L1976

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Bike Basics

TRS Live: Clint Bierman's Grunge LO W Unplugged TIX

LOW TIX

WED., NOV. 4 OLD SPOKES HOME COMMUNITY WORKSHOP, BURLINGTON

SAT., NOV. 7 TANK RECORDING STUDIO, BURLINGTON

Strings of India: An Evening of North Indian Classical Music

The Fez Silk East Coast Farewell, EP Release, Songwriter Showcase

THU., NOV. 5 CONTOIS AUDITORIUM, BURLINGTON

SAT., NOV. 7 THE UNDERGROUND - LISTENING ROOM, RANDOLPH

Lieder by the Lake - Burlington Schumann Recital

TURNmusic Presents Freeway Clyde THU., NOV. 5 THE PHOENIX GALLERY & MUSIC HALL, WATERBURY

SUN., NOV. 8 COLLEGE STREET CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, BURLINGTON

Winter Workshops: Home Bicycle Repair & Tune-Ups

TURNmusic Presents: Daniel Ian Smith and the Generations Quartet

SAT., NOV. 7 ELEVATION CYCLERY, LLC, HUNTINGTON

SUN., NOV. 8 THE PHOENIX GALLERY & MUSIC HALL, WATERBURY

Story Songs: Cat Stevens, Gordon Lightfoot and Harry Chapin

New Moon Sound Bath

SAT., NOV. 7 UNITARIAN CHURCH OF MONTPELIER

SUN., NOV. 8 THE SANCTUARY FOR HEALING & LIBERATION, BURLINGTON

Vermont Crafters Expo

June Henry & Chrysalis With Henry Jamison

SAT., NOV. 7 CHAMPLAIN VALLEY EXPOSITION, ESSEX JUNCTION

THU., NOV. 11 THE SEABA CENTER, BURLINGTON

Burlington Civic Symphony Concert

WIN: Women In Nature

SAT., NOV. 7 MCCARTHY ARTS CENTER, COLCHESTER

FRI., NOV. 13 SHELBURNE FARMS

Green Mountain Cabaret Presents: Geeks & Cheeks!

Paul Orgel, Piano: Music of Debussy and Bach

SAT., NOV. 7 AFTERTHOUGHTS, WAITSFIELD

FRI., NOV. 13 CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF ST. PAUL, BURLINGTON

Tanasi

Crown Making With HeArt

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